Do Christians believe in euthanasia

Answer 1

== == == == * The Bible does not discuss euthanasia. It was not written in a time when the term was in use. This is a very edgy topic and some people do not agree with it while others do. Christians believe that to take your own life is wrong and that's what euthanasia is. * Although there is nothing about the topic in the Bible, one of the 10 commandments says 'thou shall not kill.' Christians believe in 'the sanctity of life,' meaning that life is a precious and sacred gift from God which only God has the right to give or take away. We are stewards of the life God has given us, not masters. Pope John Paul said, 'We should not kill those who's suffering WE cannot bare.' These are a few of the many reasons Christians believe Euthanasia is wrong.

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Answer 2

According to Pope John Paul II's Evangelium Vitae - http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_25031995_evangelium-vitae_en.html #53. "Human life is sacred because from its beginning it involves 'the creative action of God', and it remains forever in a special relationship with the Creator, who is its sole beginning until its end: no one can, in any circumstance, claim for himself the right to destroy directly an innocent human being". You shall not kill. APelly: I am a Catholic Christian and I have studied Christian views on Euthanasia. Although there is nothing about this topic in the Bible, one of the 10 commandments says "do not kill". Christians believe in "the sanctity of life", meaning that life is a precious and sacred gift from God which only God has the right to give or take away. We are stewards of the life God has given us, not masters. Pope John Paul said "We should not kill those whose suffering WE cannot bear." These are a few of the many reasons Christians believe Euthanasia is wrong.

Answer 3

Christians are not permitted to kill according to the bible.
Some do, but most do not. The reason for this is that Christians believe life is a gift from God, and therefore is sacred. It is not ours to dispose of at will. Therefore, as it bellieved to be sacred, we do not have the moral right to end it unless it is God's will - in which case he will end it, not us. Euthanasia is a very emotive topic; however, with modern palliative care, no one should be in pain sufficient to wish to end their life. Euthanasia is illegal in the UK although there is a movement to make it legal. This is rather dangerous, as it may be a thin end of a wedge. Some people believe that suicide under certain conditions should be a right for everyone. The problem comes when a 'right' becomes a 'duty'. How often do the elderly say 'I do not want to be a burden on my family...' and if euthanasia becomes legal how much pressure might be put on the elderly, either morally or otherwise, that they should end their lives out of duty so that they aren't a 'burden'. Let's not forget that Picasso did most of his greatest work in his 80s and 90s; the British composer Delius wrote his best work when almost completely paralysed. Even those who think they are a burden on society through illness can have something planned for them by God, and therefore, it is not our right to end a life of someone simply because, in our eyes, their life is not worth living.

Answer 4

Different Christians have different views. Some Christians follow the teachings of their respective churches; some do not. As with other moral issues, the beliefs of Christians can change dramatically when they themselves face this issue in their own lives or the lives of loved ones.

Even the conservative theologian Norman L. Geisler (Christian Ethics: Options and Issues) draws a distinction between what he calls active and passive euthanasia, saying active euthanasia is morally wrong but passive euthenasia, in which artificial means of life support are withdrawn, may be morally acceptable as long as it is a natural and irreversible death, not an unnatural or reversible one. He also says that the patient has the right to refuse treatment that would prolong life.

Answer 5

The general sense of Christian thought seems to be that only God has the authority to decide when a human life should end, and therefore we should not make such decisions, by performing euthanasia.

Answer 6

Generally the Christian view is that it is wrong.

There are several reasons for this, but first we have to distinguish between euthanasia and assisted suicide.

Assisted suicide is the process whereby someone wishes to end their life and does so themselves, with the aiding and abetting of someone else - usually a spouse. In this case there are several factors which place a strain on the surviving spouse who assisted in the suicide. For one thing, it is illegal in most countries, and surviving spouses can be prosecuted. But also psychologically it places a great deal of guilt on the surviving spouse as s/he has been party to the death of someone else. Although comfort can be drawn from the belief that they have 'helped' the person and avoided undue suffering, palliative care these days can ensure a quality of life that is pain-free for all but a very small number of terminally ill people.

Christians believe that our lives are given by God and it is not up to us when they should be terminated. Therefore assisted suicide, despite its apparent pros, has far more detriment attached to it than the humanity it claims to reflect.

Euthanasia, on the other hand, is the deliberate act of terminating a life of someone who is terminally ill, usually by withdrawal of treatment, or by deliberately administering medication to speed up death.

Christians regard this as always wrong as there are several factors that can cause severe moral and ethical complications. First, a doctor is required to administer (or refuse) treatment, and so, rather than becoming a person of healing, he becomes a person who decides that a person should die. Doctors do not have the right to do this, and the responsibility placed on them if they are asked to do it has caused a great deal of suffering within the profession. Moreover, the deliberate act of killing a patient (for that is what it is) is the thin end of a wedge. For, if it becomes acceptable for an elderly patient to be killed so as 'not to be a burden' on his/her relatives then it is but a short step from euthanasia being a right for a doctor or patient to terminate a life to becoming one's duty to terminate a life.

Those of us old enough to remember the film 'Logan's Run' recall a society where once you reached the age of 30 you were killed off (the society eupphemistically referred too this murder as 'renewing') to make room for younger people. This may appear far-fetched, but the legalisation of euthanasia would be the first step in a slippery slope leading to this nightmare situation.

Answer 7

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Catholic AnswerThe Church's teaching on euthanasia is contained in paragraphs 2276-2279 of the Catechism. Euthanasia is always a serious sin. Discontinuing medical procedures that are burdensome, dangerous, extraordinary, or disproportionate to the expected outcome can be legitimate as is the refusal of over-zealous treatment. In this case we are not talking about euthanasia but the inability to impede death - which is a totally different thing. However, even in that case it is a moral imperative to continue ordinary care (water, food, etc.) and painkillers as needed to alleviate the sufferings of the dying. Palliative care is a special form of disinterested charity and is always encourage.

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from The Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition, English translation 1994

2276 Those whose lives are diminished or weakened deserve special respect. Sick or handicapped persons should be helped to lead lives as normal as possible.

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2277 Whatever its motives and means, direct euthanasia consists in putting an end to the lives of handicapped, sick, or dying persons. It is morally unacceptable.

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Thus an act of omission which, of itself or by intention, causes death in order to eliminate suffering constitutes a murder gravely contrary to the dignity of the human person and to the respect due to the living God, his Creator. The error of judgment into which one can fall in good faith does not change the nature of this murderous act, which must always be forbidden and excluded.

Answer 8

The born again Christians and Evangelicals in the US believe that Euthanasia is murder and that is a sin against our Creator Who gave us Life and we have no right to take it away from anyone.