Euthanasia &Assisted Suicide

Understanding the Issue

• Euthanasia is from the Greek “Eu” meaning “goodly or well” and “Thanatos” meaning death.

• During the time of the ancient Greek and Roman civilizations, euthanasia or ‘mercy killing’ was allowed if and only if the person concerned no longer cared for his own life.

Where are euthanasia and assisted suicide legal?

• Oregon, Washington, Montana, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg are the only jurisdictions in the world where laws specifically permit euthanasia or assisted suicide.

• Note: On May 20, 2013, doctor-prescribed suicide became a legal “medical treatment” in Vermont. 

• Oregon and Washington passed laws and Montana’s Supreme Court determined that assisted suicide is a medical treatment.

• The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg permit both euthanasia and assisted suicide. Although euthanasia and assisted suicide are illegal in Switzerland, assisted suicide is penalized only if it is carried out “from selfish motives.”

Euthanasia

VoluntaryInvoluntaryNon-voluntaryActivepassive

Assisted Suicide

• PHYSICIAN-ASSISTED SUICIDE

EUTHANASIA

• The act of putting to death silently or allowing to die.

Types of Euthanasia♦ Voluntary: The patient is competent enough to request for an euthanasia from the doctor.

♦ Involuntary: The patient who is competent enough is not consulted before the act.

♦ Non-voluntary: The patient is not competent enough to make the decision or request.

Difference between active and passive euthanasia

Active euthanasia

• Active euthanasia entails the use of lethal substances or forces, such as giving a lethal injection, to kill and is the most controversial means.

passive euthanasia

• Passive euthanasia entails the withholding of common treatments, such as antibiotics, necessary for the continuance of life

EuthanasiaFor Euthanasia

• It is the lesser evil thing to do

• We should try our best to end suffering

• God is benevolent and would understand why we try to end peoples suffering in the form

of Euthanasia

• We have free will and are allowed to use it for good

Against Euthanasia

• “Thou shalt not kill”

• It is murder

• God has a plan for all of us

• We are putting ourselves on par with God

• We all need to take up our cross, and should not want

to die at the first sign of suffering

• Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide in

the Philippines are not yet legal.

Assisted Suicide

Being put to death by another through mercifull painless means upon the patient’s request.

PHYSICIAN-ASSISTED SUICIDE

Suicide by a patient facilitated by means or information (as a drug prescription or indication of the lethal dosage) provided by a physician who is aware of how the patient intends to use such means or information.

What is the difference between euthanasia and

assisted suicide?

• One way to distinguish them is to look at the last act – the act without which death would not occur.

• Using this distinction, if a third party performs the last act that intentionally causes a patient’s death, euthanasia has occurred.

• For example, giving a patient a lethal injection or putting a plastic bag over her head to suffocate her would be considered euthanasia.

• On the other hand, if the person who dies performs the last act, assisted suicide has taken place. Thus it would be assisted suicide if a person swallows an overdose of drugs that has been provided by a doctor for the purpose of causing death.

• It would also be assisted suicide if a patient pushes a switch to trigger a fatal injection after the doctor has inserted an intravenous needle into the patient’s vein.

• How can we hurry our death, just to avoid suffering? 1 Cor. 10:13; 2 Cor. 1:3-5–When we don’t know what the future

holds!

–When our suffering may be allowed for our benefit and those around us!

–Life comes from God, to take it is wrong.

– Only God has the supreme authority to take it. Acts 17:25, 28; Job 1:20-21

–Human life is sacred because we’re made in God’s image. Genesis 9:5-6

–Suicide in general is an act of murder which is immoral. Exodus 20:13 “shall not murder”

–Our bodies belong to God, not us.1Cor.6:19-20;

Rom. 14:7-8; 2 Cor. 5:15; Phil. 1:21-24

The scissors and the cutting of the

rose are symbolic. If you would mind

cutting the beautiful flower, would you

not think twice before ending a

life???

The choice is yours. Support it or not..

Prepared by:

Fherlyn V. Cialbo Jean Marie D. Lacson