What is your opinion on euthanasia?
 

In case you were wondering, euthanasia comes from the Greek word ευθανασία, which literally means "good death". It refers to the practice of ending a life in a manner which relieves pain and suffering. Is it Biblical? A couple of verses come to mind.

Job 2:8-10 (Today's New International Version)
8 Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes.

9 His wife said to him, "Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!"

10 He replied, "You are talking like a foolish [a] woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?"

If ever there was a man that wanted to die, it was Job. He was miserable, but he refused to end his life.

The story of Saul's death comes to mind as well.

1 Samuel 31:4-5 (New King James Version)
4 Then Saul said to his armorbearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised men come and thrust me through and abuse me.”
But his armorbearer would not, for he was greatly afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword and fell on it. 5 And when his armorbearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword, and died with him.

His armorbearer refused to kill him, even though Saul was in a miserable condition.

Dr. Kevorkian practiced euthanasia, but he was also considered to be a serial killer. So what do you think? Is it right or wrong?

Re: What is your opinion on euthanasia?
 

Young People from Korea ?

Re: What is your opinion on euthanasia?
 

"Thou shalt not kill" is pretty plain to me.

Re: What is your opinion on euthanasia?
 

I think sometimes medical intervention kept going to long.

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Do you support military action? I understand this is apples to oranges - just curious. Are there exceptions?

Re: What is your opinion on euthanasia?
 

That's a good point, even if I don't agree with you in this context. Anyone want to explain the difference between euthanasia and refusing a feeding tube for a relative?

Re: What is your opinion on euthanasia?
 

One is actually taking a life while another is just withdrawing medical intervention. IMO big difference.

95 yr old grandma has a stroke that leaves her totally wiped out, most would not intubate her or put tubes and such. Just keep her comfertable.

95 year old that is alert but slowing losing her health request someone kill her is not the same as above.

Re: What is your opinion on euthanasia?
 

Anytime we are kept alive by medication thats un natural. Refusing the meds would not be killing yourself.

Re: What is your opinion on euthanasia?
 

If medicine or machinery is needed to sustain life, then withdrawing it is not different from, say, withdrawing anything else needed to sustain life, such as air or food. At least, it's not a big difference, IMO.

Re: What is your opinion on euthanasia?
 

And think about this: if someone was temporarily on a life support device of some kind, but the outlook for recovery was good, and someone sneaked in at night and disconnected it and the patient died, wouldn't there be a good case for a murder conviction?

Re: What is your opinion on euthanasia?
 

I agree, but for the sake of debate, consider the following:

Technically, there is no difference in a feeding tube and putting an IV in someone that is dehydrated. The feeding tube was invented by medical minds, just as well as the IV. What is the difference between these two? If you're okay with pulling the feeding tube, but not the IV, then isn't that hypocritical?

Re: What is your opinion on euthanasia?
 

I once heard the saying that we treat our old pets better than we do our elderly people. We put them out of the misery and pain while we try to keep our elders with us as long as possible.

Re: What is your opinion on euthanasia?
 

I'm ok with pulling all medical intervention.

Re: What is your opinion on euthanasia?
 

I'm a nurse and have seen elders put through much suffering due to prolonging the avoidable.

Re: What is your opinion on euthanasia?
 

yep

Re: What is your opinion on euthanasia?
 

Didn't seem that clear to the Israelites when they conquered Canaan.

Re: What is your opinion on euthanasia?
 

or killing them baby amalekites.

Re: What is your opinion on euthanasia?
 

On the subject itself, I think it is a personal decision that a competent person should be able to decide for themselves. If they can make peace with it and want to, they should be able to.

I can't foresee it ever being an option for me, primarily because of the way I was raised, but who knows what one will do until the situation arises.

Re: What is your opinion on euthanasia?
 

Okay, but consider this: let's say a young boy is brought into the emergency room because he passed out. Through examination, you discover that he is extremely dehydrated. Would you refuse to give him the IV?

Re: What is your opinion on euthanasia?
 

I am glad I am seeing some pretty sane thoughts on this. My feelings are somewhat different depending on what type of medical intervention your talking about. Now I realize that there are probably billions and trillions of possible scenarios one could find oneself in so each case would need to be handled individually but I tend to put intervention such as most things considered "life support" in one catagory and things like feeding tubes and IV's in another. In cases where a person is basically stable but cannot eat for themselves I would consider withholding food murder, plain and simple. If this person was a vegetable but survived being off basic life support then removing the feeding tube may be..... well, again I guess each case truly is unique.

Re: What is your opinion on euthanasia?
 

I would struggle with any decision I had to make about a family member regarding this. For myself, I prefer as little medical intervention as possible, but if there is a situation where I need intervention and there is good probability of prolonged quality of life, then by all means, intervene.

For many people, there is a huge difference between intervening in the life of a young person and allowing nature to take it's course in an elderly person. My grandfather was injured in his 80s. He continued to have quality of life. However, there came a point in his 90s where he was on a number of medications, began having other medical issues, and was finally put into a nursing home. The last time I saw him, the tall, square shouldered, hard working man I'd always known as Grandpa was curled in a fetal position, too weak to get out of bed, and was begging the nurse to leave him alone. A DNR was the most loving option, for him and for the entire family. No one pulled any meds or tubes, but no further meds were prescribed and no feeding tubes were allowed, either.

Is that euthenasia? I don't think so. Modern science is capable of a lot of things. But sometimes mercy is a better option than medicine.

Re: What is your opinion on euthanasia?
 

There are no easy answers, and it should be a difficult decision. At least, a lot of care and thought should go into it, and the primary concern should be for the welfare of the patient.

Ideally, everyone would have put some thoughts into and plainly recorded their own wishes, before they were unable to express them to their family. http://www.caringinfo.org/PlanningAh...Directives.htm

Re: What is your opinion on euthanasia?
 

Unlawful killing (euthanasia) and justified killing are different subjects in my opinion.

Re: What is your opinion on euthanasia?
 

I don't favor outright killing someone, but am in favor of withholding medical treatment that would only prolong the inevitable for someone. I would even go so far as to say it might not be wrong to give someone pain medication that could depress respirations if it was necessary to provide enough pain relief.

Re: What is your opinion on euthanasia?
 

Agreed. But you said "thou shalt not kill" is pretty plain.

Re: What is your opinion on euthanasia?
 

I only support euthanasia if death is inevitable, there is much pain and suffering and it is voluntary.

Re: What is your opinion on euthanasia?
 

Funeral homes need business too!!!!!

Re: What is your opinion on euthanasia?
 

Nope, if it's ordered I would give it.

Re: What is your opinion on euthanasia?
 

I am reminded of the Terri Schiavo case. If her husband had his way, Terri would have died a peaceful death a long time ago. Instead, her parents got in the way and prolonged her life. When she was finally allowed to die, she was rehabbed to a point where the only way she could die was for someone to starve her to death!


Were her parents out of the will of God or in the will of God?


People euthanize stray cats, rabid dogs and horses with broken legs.

I do not agree with purposely putting down a human being, even if they ask for it.

I do agree with nature taking its course.

I do agree with allowing space and time for God to do the impossible!

I don't agree with what happened in the Terri Schiavo case.