Assisted suicide or euthanasia... (church, quote, believe, exist)

[irishmom]

So what do you all think about ending the life of a terminally ill patient if that's what the patient chooses to do?

[dncngrl1964]

It is soooo touchy because if you do it alone it is suicide
if someone helps you it is homicide
but I also don't believe in needless suffering
I am afraid I can't give you an answer to this one Irish
It just seems like a lose lose situation poor things

[stretch00]

I think that it is perfectly fine, and can be the most humane option.

There should be restrictions in place to make sure that the decision is thoroughly considered, and not done under pressure or undue influence.

[FL_TN_Nana]

Originally Posted by dncngrl1964

It is soooo touchy because if you do it alone it is suicide
if someone helps you it is homicide
but I also don't believe in needless suffering
I am afraid I can't give you an answer to this one Irish
It just seems like a lose lose situation poor things

I think I have those same feelings. I know I'd never help anyone commit suicide, or do it for them. But I, too, feel so bad for those who are in constant pain, or have no family who cares, or those who feel helpless and hopeless. That's just one more reason we should put our hope in Christ.

[MontanaGuy]

That's an excellent question. I guess I have mixed feelings about it. If a person is conscious and feels that their own life is so miserable and painful due to a medical condition that is irreversible I think that individual should be able to make the decision, not the government. On the other hand, I was really disturbed by the Terri Schiavo case. This woman was literally starved to death even though her parents pleaded with authorities. She was in no condition to make her own choices and her husband, who I think was a selfish man, made the decision for her. They didn't even allow her to have a painless death by injecting her with something that would have ended her life peacefully. They let her starve and gave her morphine to stop the pain. This was an abuse of the justice system and makes no rational sense. People actually have come out of comas after very long periods of time so I would never give up hope if it was a loved one. This is completely different from someone who is thinking clearly and wants to end their own suffering. There's no easy answers but I think we should include all of the possible scenarios when we're creating legislation.

[foma]

This topic really hits home. Seeing my Dad suffer from cancer 2 years ago, I think if he had wanted it, I would have supported him. What someone said, it is totally a lose/lose situation. My Dad chose to live for as long as he could. He finally had to start hospice and there, they don't try to revive patients when their body fails them. They make the end stages as comfortable as possible and just let the body ... be, I guess.

[dncngrl1964]

Originally Posted by foma

This topic really hits home. Seeing my Dad suffer from cancer 2 years ago, I think if he had wanted it, I would have supported him. What someone said, it is totally a lose/lose situation. My Dad chose to live for as long as he could. He finally had to start hospice and there, they don't try to revive patients when their body fails them. They make the end stages as comfortable as possible and just let the body ... be, I guess.

I guess Foma if there had to be a "good way" that may be it if I am that sick don't revive me let me go and remember all the good times we shared
ya know??

[CelticLady1]

I still have mixed feelings about this. Having been in the church up until a few years ago, I have to admit to being uncomfortable with the idea of interfering with the natural lifespan; i.e. euthanasia, assisted suicide.

However, that could be taken to the other side of the argument, as well. Because artificially extending someone's life, beyond what would have been a normal, happy, productive lifetime, seems inherently and unnecessarily cruel.

It is a very hard question to answer. I do think that those who dictate legislation need to tread these waters very carefully, because we don't need another media circus, such as occurred with Terri Schviao, and her poor family.

[foma]

Originally Posted by dncngrl1964

I guess Foma if there had to be a "good way" that may be it if I am that sick don't revive me let me go and remember all the good times we shared
ya know??

Yeah, maybe you're right. We had a pretty good experience with hospice - the nurse and staff were wonderful. I got the news in NY that he wasn't doing well and by the time I got to Houston the next day, he had passed. I wished he could've been around long enough for me to say goodbye. Life is life I guess.

[burdell]

Originally Posted by irishmom

So what do you all think about ending the life of a terminally ill patient if that's what the patient chooses to do?

I think often there comes a point where we pass from life to existence, I think this should be a well counseled medical/personal decision.