Christians: About Euthanasia?

Question

A couple of questions back I asked about suicide in reference to the people who jumped from the buildings during 9/11.

Almost to a person, each answer stated that they were going to die anyway and they were simply choosing a different way to die: ergo they were not technically committing suicide.

Okay, what about the people who are terminally ill? They too know they are going to die, they are simply choosing a quicker and less painful method to die.

Indeed, it can be argued that we are -all- going to die eventually, and therefore there is no such thing as suicide because people are simply choosing another, quicker, less painful method to end their life than, say, old age.

I want to be clear I intend no disrespect for the victims of 9/11.

But are you sure your sympathy is not clouding your judgement with respect to suicide?

How do you draw a line between those trapped on 9/11 and those trapped with terminal cancer? Shouldn't both choose to live in hope for a miracle?

Answer 1

I think you are bringing up an excellent philosophical and theological question!

First off, I am not for or against assisted euthanasia (it hasn't been something that I have made up my mind on yet).

As someone who survived 9/11 and was raised in NYC:

I can tell you a few things from personal experience and hopefully this will help make a few distinctions.

Variables:

A) The amount of confusion after the attacks was astonishing. No one in the city knew exactly what was going on. I can tell you my initial reaction to seeing the Towers fall was completely illogical.

I literally thought:
"This isn't real! It didn't happen! Someone is playing a horrible April fools joke."

Obviously this reaction makes no sense; however, my mind still tried to justify what was going on. I do believe many other people felt the same way.

B) The timeline given between initial cause and reaction was fairly close. I do not think that there would have been enough time to logically and morally come to a decent situation in this case.

Try to understand the Towers were absolutely huge. The chance for survival was impossible for those on the higher level floors and the amount of time they had to make this decision was very quick.

Even during the first bombings of WTC, people did not go towards such drastic measures. The damage done was great, but survivable.

My aunt was rescued during the first bombings in the 90's via a helicopter on the rooftop while pregnant.

With terminal disease:

I would think that the distinction here lies in the timeline between diagnosis and death.

There is usually at the very least a day's notice, and an individual has the time to mentally focus and prepare for death as a result.

Theologically speaking:
Suicide is debatable according to different religions.

There are examples in different judeo/christian/arabic texts where dying for one's beliefs is seen as a selfless act rather than suicide.

This imposes a very serious contradiction however.

For example:
If one chooses to die for their nation and beliefs, does that not constitute that the individual itself is also to some degree choosing to kill themselves.

How could one make the distinction between what kind of attack was imposed while 9/11 was happening. Even if after the event, 9/11 was looked at as a terrorist/religious based attack.

Would this imply that these people possibly died for their beliefs? Impossible to say.
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Ethically speaking (humanitarian ethics):
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The principle of truth telling

This would imply that the individuals' believed death was imminent and unavoidable, thus by being honest with themselves chose to die as a result.

The principle of individual freedom

This principle would imply that an individual's freedom can give them the distinction to choose whether or not they have the right to live or die.

Divine command theory would suggest that this is not a freedom given to individuals solely because it ultimately harms them.

I would go on, but I think I'd end up annoying people with such a huge response.

I apologize if this response was too long! I realize this isn't really much of an answer, but hopefully it brought some interesting thoughts to the table!

Answer 2

The victims of 9/11, well as you've said it, victims. They were in the situation that they simply didn't have a choice. They were in great fear and desperation to survive to the point that they have become illogical to think that just by jumping from a 100th floor from a building raging with fire they could survive, just like what cats do. The word absurd is not even true to its sense at that moment and I don't think that they simply choose to die in a different way, I think they are trying to survive. A glimpse of hope, a miracle perhaps, that maybe - how illogical, desperate in some extent, it seems - they could overcome the leap.

That is different from someone with terminal illness. They know that they are going to die anyway and the only question is when. Considering euthanasia, they just simply chose to die as soon as possible.

Answer 3

I'm having trouble understanding how anyone can think that people who jumped from the 80th floor were "trying to save themselves." Those people chose to die in a way that was more acceptable to them than being burned to death. That's no different from someone with terminal cancer choosing to die from a drug overdose, rather than from the ravages of the disease.

What the issue of suicide comes down to for me is, if you believe in a god or gods, and because of that belief you to decide to endure agony until you die naturally, that's your business. Those who do not share your beliefs have a right to make choices according to what they believe, as well.

Answer 4

this is the type of question that any type of answer is both right and wrong.... why you ask ?? I'll tell ya the best I can...... when a person who chooses suicide , we as bystanders, do not know what goes on between that 1 person and God.... we do not know what is in that persons heart at that very moment in time.... and the bible states that we just ask and believe we are forgiven then we are..... as in 9/11, these ppl acted on human instinct, it is in all of us to make that jump... the fear of fire over rode everything.... and I too am saying all this with most respect, I realy do not think those ppl were actualy *thinking* at the time of jumping.... the simply reacted to the tragedy that was taking place, and the instinct was to flee..... and bless them they did..... that also is the instinct of most suicides, the *flee* process just takes over.... there again we go back to our own beliefs..... what goes on between that 1 person and God at that last second ??? no one KNOWS..... God bless

Answer 5

I had an analogous problem. i'm not part of the united kingdom i'm easily residing in the USA. i'm a christian and my Grandmother has been suffering for years and now she has gotten worse. final friday My aunt signed off on her feeding tube being decrease. My grandmothers organs are sturdy, yet her techniques interest is only approximately long previous. this is been fifteen days and he or she is suffering. I ask the almost an analogous question as you on line a week in the past. i might quite for my grandmother to have Euthanasia than suffering for weeks. i don't think of christians might agree until eventually its happening to them. I had to flow with the aid of this technique myself. I being a christian might quite to place my grandmother to sleep peacefully than what she dealing with now. the real question is what's worse reducing someones feeding tube which could final for weeks or giving them a shot that ought to final in seconds, they're going to die the two way. i might % what might make her the main soft as a risk in spite of my believes, and than ask God to forgive me if this became the incorrect selection. All i understand in the USA we don't have this risk to %. Euthanasia i don't understand what the regulations are in the united kingdom. i think of everywhere it may well be criminal only as long as they have not the different desire.

Answer 6

I wrote a paper in college about physician assisted suicide and euthanasia and I feel that you should have the right to die under the right circumstances...

Answer 7

I am not a Christian. I do believe in Euthanasia. I have no problem with it, or other types of suicide. Everyone should be able to make that choice for themselves.

Answer 8

The people who jumped out the building were trying to save themselves. They still had a tiny percent to live and they took that tiny percent.

Answer 9

The people who jumped out the building were trying to save themselves. Those that where commiting suicide well they still had a tiny percent to live and they took that tiny percent.

Answer 10

check this out:



isn't it odd that people have their suffering pets put under, ya know, to end it's suffering. but humans aren't allowed the same humane treatment??