The last forty-eight hours has featured many radio broadcasts and a few discussions on the knotty subject of killing the terminally ill. Sorry I meant of course terminating the terminally ill. No wait, I meant 'euthanising'. No, that's not right either, is it?
Got it! The last forty-eight hours has featured many radio broadcasts and a few discussions on the knotty subject of 'assisted suicide' and I have to admit that I am struggling with it for a number of reasons and at a number of levels.
One common justification of the the need and the act goes something like this: "If the person was a dog you'd do the right thing and put them down!" Now this is very true, but of course what we are saying here is that those who are terminally ill become sub-human and are to be regarded on a par with lower-level animals. So, become terminally ill and cease to be human? Sorry, but my faith, intellect and compassion can't go along with this - dignity is surely lost here, not afforded?
The next justification surrounds 'quality of life'. Which is sad because for many heading down this path seem to confuse quality with the ability, or potential, to earn or otherwise 'contribute' to society. It's sad because there are many people who will never work, never gain qualifications, play sports and never engage in a host of other stuff and yet they have a quality of life and they contribute to the lives of others.
I watched a young man who suffered spinal damage and yet teaches rugger from his wheelchair and has quality of life, influences others and is an inspiration. In an interview the reporter asked about another person, almost as badly damaged, who had opted to die. The man's assessment was that each chooses their own path and that he felt it had been wrong, but he wasn't that bloke.
I have seen severely broken people who although unable to communicate conventionally did communicate and although they'd never walk caused others to be moved and their very presence brought out something rather precious in those around them. Quality of life? Contributing and making a difference? Guess it depends on what you're looking for and what you want to see.
The issue of control is the biggest. "I want to control my life and decide when I die and decide how much trouble there is in my life and I, I, I, I (si si senora! - Rugger playing gene kicked in - sorry). "I want to be in control of my life and this means I can control when I come into the world and when I leave it." These words from someone suffering a terminal disease indicate the level of panic and distress, impotence and lack of rational thinking for none of us control when we come into the world, for we cannot determine when the plan and sexual endeavours of our parents took place but we can decide spiritually (see John1. 12 - 13: However, to all who received him, those believing in his name, he gave authority to become God's children, who were born, not merely in a genetic sense, nor from lust, nor from man’s desire, but from the will of God who were born, not merely in a genetic sense, nor from lust, nor from man's desire, but from the will of God.)
Unless we act against it, life continues until life ends and although it may not be an easy path it is still life and if one or more of these exists:
* The ability to engage with others,
* To listen to great music, books or other audio material
* To watch films, see paintings, images and people that touch us,
* To read, write or do both
* To be cognisant (and this is a problem with vegetative states - although now it seems there is awareness and even here things aren't as we presumed).
Then surely life exists! It might not be the easiest, most comfortable, as planned, in-control, life - but it is by any rational definition 'life'!
Now, thanks to the Commission os Assisted Dying (I suppose Commission on Killing the Ill would have caused a bit of an upset - there's something about some names that just doesn't work!) whose view is that if you have less than a year to live then you can get permission (two doctors signatures) to end your life. You have to be of sound mind and apparently do it yourself, it can't be administered (so you have to do it before you lose motor functions MD sufferers take note!)
What we have proposed here is not a last ditch act but a first shot desertion!
Where there is life there is hope and where there is God there is life - now have to go and join these ends. Feel free to draw more lines or make connections for me as I'd really like some other input from those I might otherwise never engage with.
Pax
