What are your views on assisted suicide for the terminally ill?

Question

Ent wife I am talking termanilly ill patients not someone who was in a car crash or went through your misfortune. If you have a month to live and it will be in complete agony, who should have the right to force to live like that. Give me a dozen vicodin and let drift off into eternity.

Ent wife, yes I absolutely could. To force someone to live the last days incoherent, diapered and in pain is horrible. If thats gods will, I seriously question gods morality.

Answer 1

Let them die whenever they choose to and with dignity i say. Why force someone to live through a literal hell?

Answer 2

I think that it should be allowed. People make these silly argument that assisted suicide is inhumane or lacking in morals. I say otherwise, I say that to allow a person to suffer due to a terminally illness is more inhumane and more immoral.

What if someone lost their legs, their arms, their, sight, their hearing, and ability to speak? Should we let someone like that suffering?

And yes if god was an all-loving god he would have let the person die rather than suffer a slow painful death. But I am sure that there are religious people who will use cop-out answers as to why god does not intervene

Answer 3

I believe that life is not just breathing in and breathing out. It's more than a brain wave function. We are called to have some kind of "quality" to our life. When that quality of life falls so low that there is little left but a beating heart, then it might be acceptable to "check out".
This HAS to be by the consent of the one that wants to end it. The person cannot be unconscious, mentally retarded or unstable or of any other destabilizing factors. One must know what they are doing and asking. It's our own life and we should be able to do what we please with it. Saying that suicide is to hard on family and friends is just plain selfish. Of course it hurts the ones that are living, but no one can know the pain and hurt that would bring someone to this act. It's not our life to control. Do we have free-will over our own life - or what?

Answer 4

Assisted suicide or euthanasia can be divided into three separate catagories; voluntary, involuntary, and non-voluntary. I am in favor of legalizing and utilizing the voluntary and non-voluntary types of euthanasia. I am not in favor of involuntary euthanasia generally, as it could only be morally utilized under extremely rare and bizarre circumstances. However, in these rare instances, I would likely be in favor of it if the determining factors used to arrive at a rational decision, were in the best interest of the person to be euthanized. I use three criterions on which to base voluntary euthanasia. People must be self-conscious, rational, and autonomous before being allowed to make the decision to either euthanize themselves, or be euthanized. The third type of euthanasia; non-voluntary should only be considered if an infant or adult lacks the ability to consent to death, because they lack the capacity to understand the choice between their own continued existences. I put infants in a separate category because they never possessed this ability, while an adult may once have, but for whatever reason no longer has this ability. There is a big difference between active and passive euthanasia. Passive euthanasia is what is now being practiced, and is generally considered both legal and moral. I believe that unsound reasoning that allows passive euthanasia, yet prohibits active euthanasia is immoral and I believe any rational, compassionate, and non-religious person would have to agree. If we know a person is going to die without experiencing anything good before that final moment, in addition to experiencing often excruciating pain and/or hopelessness, then why allow or force them to endure these conditions any longer than necessary? This is the one example where we treat animals better than humans. If your beloved pet dog or cat, for example, is in a similar situation, you make the heartbreaking yet compassionate decision to have them euthanized. Then why can we not do the same for other people. I would venture to say that the concept of “sanctity of human life” is the primary reason. Since the vast majority of people in America, and even the rest of the world are Christian, euthanasia is considered a sin because it involves either suicide or killing; both of which are considered sins. I cannot understand why a kind, loving, and compassionate God would punish a person with eternal damnation for displaying those exact traits, because it is pure hypocrisy on God’s part. What is more significant; the preservation of life, or the reduction or elimination of pain? What makes more sense; keeping a life that is hopelessly existing in a constant state of pain, alive, or painlessly, and mercifully, ending this existence? Is being alive so important that we neglect common sense, that would dictate obvious answers to the above questions, and if so why? Would you personally rather exist in a state of shear agony, with no hope of recovery, or be mercifully euthanized. If you are having difficulty answering any of the above questions, try to recall the most mentally and/or physically painful experience you have ever experienced. Is remaining alive really so important to you that you would be willing and wanting to endure a similar experience on a prolonged basis, with no reasonable hope for recovery or relief? It would seem to me that answering yes would indicate that you may be a masochist. Another possibility is that your religion would consider that choosing death is always a sin regardless of the circumstances, and perhaps you fear eternal damnation. It appears that the situation is analogous to torture. Are you so strong that if you were being purposely being tortured, and knew for sure, that the outcome would eventually be your demise, you would not at some point along the way beg to be put out of your misery? In conclusion, I’m sure my opinion represents a minority of people that base their stance with regards to the issue of abortion on rationality that is unfettered by speciesism, religious views, or negative, unproductive emotions, which in my opinion provides the best solution for all.

Answer 5

I totally support a person's right to terminate her/his life when the situation is that the person is terminally ill, has no chance for any meaningful recovery, and chooses to leave this life with dignity, especially if this means avoiding needless hours of agony and pain.

To me, this is so clear, yet people get all religious and consider it a sin... another example of how screwed up religious thinking is. We put our pets down if they are in this situation, we do so out of goodness in our hearts to keep them from suffering, yet some people would keep a person alive artificially, in horrible pain, just because they don't want to "lose" them or because their "merciful" god says no no no??? That is bull shyt.

I say treat each other as you would a dog, we deserve the same right to die pain free, and to leave this life with quiet dignity and grace.

I shudder to think of the poor people who are right now suffering this way. Folks, if this is your situation with someone you know, ask yourself if this is what you would want for yourself.

ciao,
Lady M

Answer 6

I believe in personal freedom and choice to do whatever you wish as long as it isn't illegal, unlawful and doesn't cause harm to anyone or anything.

If someone chooses to end their life due to an untreatable illness or condition which is causing them much physical pain, then I would support their choice.

Under no other circumstances would I want to help/assist/support someone's euthanasia. Losing your independence, autonomy and dignity is a horrible way to live and if it's your wish to die then why shouldn't you be euthanised?

It saddens me that many people are not euthanised according to their wishes and continue to live in pain and misery - feeling like a bedridden vegetable with tubes attached in every crevice of their body.

Answer 7

should you cross someone who was hungry, would you turn them down to eat? If they were cold, would you allow them to freeze? Why do people cringe at the idea that some people have finished of life and wish only to end it? Run a blade into your most used portion of body and live with it. How long before you dream of amputation? If they are to die, or believe they are and accept that, who are we to deny them relief. Yes, it may be a sin to kill another regardless, but have we never heard of the self-sacrafice so often advocated? I, myself, will commit this sin and condemn myself for any who truly seek escape. may they have better luck next time and when i ask, may they return the favor and cut across quickly with a sharp blade. but that's not mine for this life...

Answer 8

Even thought I believe everyone should be in control of their own live/death I am afraid there are far to many doctors, nurses, lawyers, judges and relatives who would act as executioners. You may even see a yellow pages add categorized as "assisted suicides"--That is something I never want to see in the yellow pages. Government would get involved and we don't need more government control. It's a great issue for discussion and never enough room to write about it. for now I believe there is no practical solution to a very complicated subject.

Answer 9

Difficult subject, But yes I too donot understand long term suffering with the inevitable in sight. I have tended loved ones
with terminal cancer, and prayed for them to die.
How easily our government pays for abortion, of which I do not believe they should, let those that choose pay for their own errors, and God be the judge to either of these choices.

Answer 10

Having known over ten people die of cancer, and watched them suffer, I think it's no one's choice to make but theirs.

My friend's father had bowel, stomach, lung, and lymph cancer as well as a brain tumor when he died. He passed away crying out in pain as the morphine simply didn't ease the pain anymore.

It was a horrible, undignified way to die and a horrible last moment for his family.

I think it is their life and in such a situation, they should have the right to die on their own terms.

Answer 11

In and of itself, it sounds good, and in some cases where suffering is alleviated, it can be the most ethical path. The problem with its legalization, is that it opens a slippery slope. Will it be done for the wrong reasons? Fear of a diagnosis, inadequate pain control and depression are not ethically valid reasons, as they can be addressed with education or medication.