Euthanasia
The issue of euthanasia is a complex one. Firstly the definitions can be
confused - active or passive, voluntary or involuntary.
Euthanasia is the deliberate act to end life prematurely by a definite act.
This could be one's own life or the life of another. It is not turning
off life support systems when that is the only thing keeping someone
alive.
The Bible
does not allow such killing and so as Christians we must oppose
euthanasia.
Christian Articles on
Euthanasia
Thou
Shalt Not Kill - The Christian case against compassionate killing
Christian Medical Fellowship, UK. Chapter
2
If
people were dogs & other false arguments for euthanasia
Andrew Lansdown, Life Ministries,
WA.
Legalisation of
euthanasia
This article by Dr Brian Pollard provides an
excellent analysis of the issue and attempts to legalise euthanasia. Dr Pollard
is a palliative care
expert.
The
Legalisation of Euthanasia
Brian Pollard MB BS, FANZCA,
Grad Cert Bioeth. Sydney,
Australia
___________________________
Australia -
Euthanasia NO
In Australia the Euthanasia NO campaign, organised in 1996 (along
with Kevin Andrews' Euthanasia
Laws Bill ) to overturn the Northern Territory's euthanasia law,
generated widespread awareness of the issue. Dr Philip Nitschke
is seen as the foremost proponent of campaigner for euthanasia
in Australia.
Medical
Treatment
The Terry Schiavo (USA) and the BWV case in Victoria
have highlighted issues of nutrition and hydration (food and water) in gravely ill patients. This issue, whilst not exactly euthanasia, often depends on
the health and prospects of the patient and is particularly difficult for people
to determine this in advance - in addition courts and doctors interpret
things differently!
Living Wills/Advance health care
directives...
These are written in some places to set out
the treatment you want (or don't want) if gravely ill.
Historically these bills have often been proposed by voluntary euthanasia
societies as a means of softening public opinion about euthanasia.
The latest example of this was in Tasmania in
2006. Norma
Jamieson, a member of the Legislative Council, proposed a
Directions for Medical Treatment Bill 2005 (Tas).
Prior to her election she was the president of the Voluntary Euthanasia Society
of Tasmania. In 1998 she and that organisation made a submission
to the House of Assembly asking for the legalisation of
euthanasia (the Committee decided not to recommend that legalisation).
The WA government is
currently considering such laws, and the Victorian State ALP asked the party to
consider 'Advance health care directives' at the May 2005 conference.
Article : Living Wills
Dr
David Gawler highlights some of his concerns about 'living wills' and offers an
alternative.
Attached below.
An interesting review of this issue was published
in 2006 in the Melbourne University Law Review.
REFUSING
ADVANCE REFUSALS: ADVANCE DIRECTIVES AND LIFE-SUSTAINING MEDICAL
TREATMENT.
Melbourne University Law Review. [2006]
MULR 7. Author: Jenny Stokes | Modified: 30 August 2007 |
