The Church teaches that euthanasia is an inappropriate way to end a life. Do you agree?

[Student95]

Hi! You might see a few of my questions around the place. I'm just asking a few for a Study of Religion survey.
Thank you.

Could you please include your Christian denomination when answering.

The Church teaches that euthanasia is an inappropriate way to end a life. Do you agree?

[timotheos]

Originally Posted by Student95

Hi! You might see a few of my questions around the place. I'm just asking a few for a Study of Religion survey.
Thank you.

Could you please include your Christian denomination when answering.

The Church teaches that euthanasia is an inappropriate way to end a life. Do you agree?

Euthanasia, the deliberate premature ending of life (eg. not a consequence of the use of opioid analgesics to control pain, or withholding of extraordinary means of life support) is wrong. Agree.

Roman Catholic.

[littlenothing]

Yes. Totally. Killing an innocent person because they make you uncomfortable or disgust you is what is behind euthanasia. Or cost controlling. It is always wrong.

[St Francis]

Direct taking of innocent life is always wrong.



(And one wonders why the proponents of abortion and euthanasia are so often against the death penalty, but I suppose that is not part of your study!)

I am a Catholic

[The_Scott]

I agree with the Church's position. While tragic, and a very difficult position, the deliberate termination of a human being who is suffering is objectively wrong.

I am Roman Catholic.

Good luck with your study!

[Ohana]

Yes I oppose euthanasia absolutely. I also oppose inadequate treatment for those who are dying in pain. If someone I loved was dying in pain I would fight tooth and nail to get them the relief they needed. I believe people either now or in the future may be given a choice about dying - already law in Oregon I think. I oppose those laws, and would not participate in such an act.

I am a Roman Catholic medical professional.

[Turtle Turtle]

Originally Posted by Student95

Hi! You might see a few of my questions around the place. I'm just asking a few for a Study of Religion survey.
Thank you.

Could you please include your Christian denomination when answering.

The Church teaches that euthanasia is an inappropriate way to end a life. Do you agree?

Roman Catholic

Yes, by the grace of God, I agree fully with the Teachings of Holy Mother Church.

[Personanongrata]

Euthanasia can be inappropriate, but I fully support the Physician Assisted Suicide Laws of Washington, Oregon, and Montana.

INHO

[holyghost]

Totally agree.
Roman Catholic.

[triumphguy]

Youth in Asia? I support it fully!

I once gave a talk to a parish on euthanasia and it had been spelled Youth in Asia in the bulletin! Needless to say there were quite a few confused people there - me included!

Euthanasia is murder.

Roman Catholic.

[martininthefiel]

It is difficult to see a loved one suffer. I fully understand the good intentions of those who believe that bringing a suffering human life to a humane end is the right decision.

But, like abortion in difficult circumstance, it is a slippery slope, and will inevitably lead to our placing a lesser value on human life.

We should do all we can within the limits of Church teaching to alleviate pain and suffering, but we are never justified in intentionally ending an innocent human life prematurely. From conception to natural death, human life is sacred.

I, too, believe that capital punishment should be reserved only for cases where there is no reasonable alternative.

I am a Catholic.

[gh4]

I'm Catholic.
I am also a nurse and have been a nurse for many years. I worked ICU when I was young and had the energy, and everyone in ICU was coded and we did whatever possible to revive them and keep them alive. The last place I actually worked was an Alzheimer's facility.

Now the long and short of it. No, I don't believe in euthanasia.... BUT..... yes, there is a but.

I have taken care of people who stop eating. Yes, we can put tubes in, many times they have indicated that they do not want tubes etc. at the end of their life. They starve to death and die of dehydration. Putting in a G-tube against a patients written wishes is illegal or was in the state where I worked.
Pulling out a G-tube or clamping it off and not hydrating patients was also the families call in the state where I worked.
Probably 75% of our patients died of end stage dementia. (SDAT was the dx. back then, senile dementia, alzheimer's type) Many times they just died in their sleep or we'd find them dead in front of the TV or somewhere quiet. But then there were those who's families put in G-tubes and then wanted them pulled. For many years, once it went in, it stayed in and they had to be hydrated and fed by law. But after the law changed, many of the families were pulling them when their family member didn't get better or improve.

Then there were those patients with Alzheimer's that died of other things, Cancer, heart failure, kidney failure, and so forth. When we'd give them a shot for pain (and they would be in obvious pain) and the shot was more than the usual dose, I had to tell families that it could hasten their death, because if we gave them enough drugs to relax (not put under or knock out) they could relax enough to pass. Never had a family member refuse that medication, not ever, no matter what religion. I personally do not consider that euthanasia, but I know that some do. I will tell you though, If I am in agony when I'm dying and I can't get comfortable in any position and it takes more pain killers than usual, GIVE IT TO ME. Seriously.

I've taken care of enough patients, I do not want to live on a vent or with a G-tube in my belly if I have no mind and no life. Period. I do not wish to be a veggie. I have no problem with not being fed if I can no longer swallow. Let me go.

Do I believe that people who are old should be able to be "put to sleep?" No.
Do I believe that people who get to a certain age should be "put to sleep" by the government? No.
Do I believe that if someone has terminal cancer that we should "put them to sleep" before the pain gets bad. No.

I'm sure that many of you will disagree with me, and that's ok. But I've been with families and their loved ones when the dying process starts and when the pain is more than the loved one can stand and they are screaming for relief and writhing in pain after a lot of pain meds. Give them good drugs, and plenty of them so that they can die without pain. Please.

[Bob Crowley]

Originally Posted by Student95

Hi! You might see a few of my questions around the place. I'm just asking a few for a Study of Religion survey.
Thank you.

Could you please include your Christian denomination when answering.

The Church teaches that euthanasia is an inappropriate way to end a life. Do you agree?

It depends on what you mean by euthanasia. I had a very strong Catholic aunt who was a palliative care nurse, and she commented to me as part of a general discussion, "Robert, euthanasia is alive and well."

She told me of an experience of her own. She had a young boy in her care, only about ten or twelve, who was dying of cancer. He was already on morphine, but was obviously still in pain and very restless. She wasn't sure what to do, but she knew that if she increased the dose, it would kill him.

Nevertheless his suffering was such that she gave him extra morphine, and sure enough he died about half an hour later.

This concerned her, so she want to see the hospital priest. He asked her what her intent was - "To kill him, or relieve his suffering?" She replied "To relieve his suffering". And as far as he was concerned, she had done no wrong.

But it was still euthanasia.

It depends on the circumstances. Bear in mind we're keeping a lot of people alive these days who, if just left to natural circumstances, would die anyway. They're only staying alive by virtue of human interference in the first place.

It's a gray area in my opinion, unlike abortion.

[Angelsflight]

Originally Posted by gh4

I'm Catholic.
I am also a nurse and have been a nurse for many years. I worked ICU when I was young and had the energy, and everyone in ICU was coded and we did whatever possible to revive them and keep them alive. The last place I actually worked was an Alzheimer's facility.

Now the long and short of it. No, I don't believe in euthanasia.... BUT..... yes, there is a but.

I have taken care of people who stop eating. Yes, we can put tubes in, many times they have indicated that they do not want tubes etc. at the end of their life. They starve to death and die of dehydration. Putting in a G-tube against a patients written wishes is illegal or was in the state where I worked.
Pulling out a G-tube or clamping it off and not hydrating patients was also the families call in the state where I worked.
Probably 75% of our patients died of end stage dementia. (SDAT was the dx. back then, senile dementia, alzheimer's type) Many times they just died in their sleep or we'd find them dead in front of the TV or somewhere quiet. But then there were those who's families put in G-tubes and then wanted them pulled. For many years, once it went in, it stayed in and they had to be hydrated and fed by law. But after the law changed, many of the families were pulling them when their family member didn't get better or improve.

Then there were those patients with Alzheimer's that died of other things, Cancer, heart failure, kidney failure, and so forth. When we'd give them a shot for pain (and they would be in obvious pain) and the shot was more than the usual dose, I had to tell families that it could hasten their death, because if we gave them enough drugs to relax (not put under or knock out) they could relax enough to pass. Never had a family member refuse that medication, not ever, no matter what religion. I personally do not consider that euthanasia, but I know that some do. I will tell you though, If I am in agony when I'm dying and I can't get comfortable in any position and it takes more pain killers than usual, GIVE IT TO ME. Seriously.

I've taken care of enough patients, I do not want to live on a vent or with a G-tube in my belly if I have no mind and no life. Period. I do not wish to be a veggie. I have no problem with not being fed if I can no longer swallow. Let me go.

Do I believe that people who are old should be able to be "put to sleep?" No.
Do I believe that people who get to a certain age should be "put to sleep" by the government? No.
Do I believe that if someone has terminal cancer that we should "put them to sleep" before the pain gets bad. No.

I'm sure that many of you will disagree with me, and that's ok. But I've been with families and their loved ones when the dying process starts and when the pain is more than the loved one can stand and they are screaming for relief and writhing in pain after a lot of pain meds. Give them good drugs, and plenty of them so that they can die without pain. Please.

Well said! That is my belief too. Although there have been some times where i was in so much pain or so ill, i wished someone would put me down.

I am Christian..no denomination yet. Still confused.

[TheRealJuliane]

Originally Posted by gh4

I'm Catholic.
I am also a nurse and have been a nurse for many years. I worked ICU when I was young and had the energy, and everyone in ICU was coded and we did whatever possible to revive them and keep them alive. The last place I actually worked was an Alzheimer's facility.

Now the long and short of it. No, I don't believe in euthanasia.... BUT..... yes, there is a but.

I have taken care of people who stop eating. Yes, we can put tubes in, many times they have indicated that they do not want tubes etc. at the end of their life. They starve to death and die of dehydration. Putting in a G-tube against a patients written wishes is illegal or was in the state where I worked.
Pulling out a G-tube or clamping it off and not hydrating patients was also the families call in the state where I worked.
Probably 75% of our patients died of end stage dementia. (SDAT was the dx. back then, senile dementia, alzheimer's type) Many times they just died in their sleep or we'd find them dead in front of the TV or somewhere quiet. But then there were those who's families put in G-tubes and then wanted them pulled. For many years, once it went in, it stayed in and they had to be hydrated and fed by law. But after the law changed, many of the families were pulling them when their family member didn't get better or improve.

Then there were those patients with Alzheimer's that died of other things, Cancer, heart failure, kidney failure, and so forth. When we'd give them a shot for pain (and they would be in obvious pain) and the shot was more than the usual dose, I had to tell families that it could hasten their death, because if we gave them enough drugs to relax (not put under or knock out) they could relax enough to pass. Never had a family member refuse that medication, not ever, no matter what religion. I personally do not consider that euthanasia, but I know that some do. I will tell you though, If I am in agony when I'm dying and I can't get comfortable in any position and it takes more pain killers than usual, GIVE IT TO ME. Seriously.

I've taken care of enough patients, I do not want to live on a vent or with a G-tube in my belly if I have no mind and no life. Period. I do not wish to be a veggie. I have no problem with not being fed if I can no longer swallow. Let me go.

Do I believe that people who are old should be able to be "put to sleep?" No.
Do I believe that people who get to a certain age should be "put to sleep" by the government? No.
Do I believe that if someone has terminal cancer that we should "put them to sleep" before the pain gets bad. No.

I'm sure that many of you will disagree with me, and that's ok. But I've been with families and their loved ones when the dying process starts and when the pain is more than the loved one can stand and they are screaming for relief and writhing in pain after a lot of pain meds. Give them good drugs, and plenty of them so that they can die without pain. Please.

Thank you for sharing your experience. I would like to remind you that people are never "veggies," even if they are in a persistent coma. Your mind has not left, and we don't know what people who are incapacitated really experience. For example, I worked with multiply-handicapped kids and young adults for a short time. Many people who didn't know any better would say that they were "vegetables." But they each had their distinct personality and could respond to us in their own individual ways, even those with severe brain damage and lack of sight. It really twisted my own viewpoint of what it means to be conscious, and I realized that even those who are very handicapped still have a right to exist. I am very afraid that today's society is based upon cost-benefit analysis including whether you have organs that could be used for someone else who is still producing a benefit to society. We live in Orwellian times.

I will tell my family NEVER to "pull the plug," because I do not want to die, possibly knowing that in effect, they have just committed murder without even knowing it, so it will go unconfessed and unrepented. Pain relief is something different.