An Interview With a Spiritual Leader About Ethical Dilemma

Ethical Dilemma- Euthanasia

Meaning

Euthanasia-literally meaning 'Eu' good, 'thanatos' death or assisted suicide has existed since long in human history. The current discussions arise out of improved medical claims about alleviating pain, changed societal norms, and 'open' religious thoughts.

"Assemblies of God" that professes religious view on the subject firmly believes in the sentiment that the sanctity of human life as ordained by God, cannot be taken away at will, either by the patient, through his own request or by anyone else (attending doctor, nurses, health giver, or relatives). The range of debate has surfaced recently, mainly due to the enhanced nature and assertion of medical sciences to provide relief from pain and suffering to terminally ill sufferers. Quite on the opposite, the religious view is that such contentions contradict the scope and importance of divine healing that God ordains for all mankind ("Assemblies of God," n.d.).

Religious View

"Assemblies of God" is opposed to the idea that euthanasia be described as an act of 'mercy-killing' as it is generally referred. The basis of such view lie as much in the power of prayer for divine intervention (to heal or alleviate suffering) as in the view that the proponents of Euthanasia are more concerned about the positive social and at times, financial costs of 'taking away life'. The protagonists of "assisted suicide," mercy killing" or alternatively called "Euthanasia" insist that such an act is out of compassion for the sufferer ("Assemblies of God," n.d.).

Suggestion about such action arises only in cases where the physical pain, handicap or suffering is so extreme that the patient is incapable of tolerating existence in spite of best training, therapy or psychological treatment in addition to medical interventions (Derek Humphrey, 2010). Along the same lines, the religious protagonists also point out that medical science claim that it has the wherewithal to deaden pain to make the patient comfortable. The view of the Religious body is that supernatural healing and spiritual health is negated by such worldly considerations ("Assemblies of God," n.d.).

A strong and rational view amongst supporters of euthanasia is that they, too respect sanctity of life and more so, quality of life, living happily, as separated from "sacredness'. They are willing to give up life to end the pain and suffering to themselves and, to all concerned. They are more concerned about their own free will and of those that matter rather than of 'others'. They are opposed to the idea of 'noble claims of suffering pain as ordained by the lord and exemplified by the suffering that Jesus Christ went through in his acceptance of crucification towards meeting God (Derek Humphrey, 2015).

The patient, if a believer, will leave his life, pain and suffering in the hands of God, the giver of his life. He would willingly give up his claims on his life through medical interventions and sustain life through life-supporting devices. A terminally ill patient will willingly abide to the wishes of God, of life, of pain and suffering or even of death, always seeking to be with Him (2 Corinthians 5:1-10, NIV, New International Version).