Euthanasia?

What is euthanasia?

The word euthanasia is derived from two classical Greek words.

Eu, meaning "good"
Thanatos, meaning "death"
Thus the term literally means "good death”.

The word refers to the process by which people's deaths are intentionally brought about by themselves or others, sometimes for generally commendable ends such as the relief or pain and suffering. In other words, while some people use the term euthanasia only when one person is killed by another (mercy killing etc.),
the term is broad enough to also encompass suicide and assisted suicide as well as the withholding of life-sustaining care with the intention of ending a person's life. Euthanasia is not a new concept in Western society, and the morality of it is widely debated today.

Is euthanasia a moral option?

Proponents of euthanasia claim that death can be "natural" and "good" if its manner and timing can be controlled. However, the Christian view of death is far different. It holds that the philosophical concept of a "good" death is a contradiction of terms. People may indeed die with little pain or suffering, and they may die gently and well, but death itself is never good. There is nobility and dignity in caring for the dying but not in dying itself. Dying separates loved ones from one another and individuals from the larger community. The idea that dignity is well-served by such separation is to misunderstand dignity. Dignity is rooted in life how we live and care for one another. It is death that is the indignity because it is something that is completely alien to God's design and desire for humanity. It is something that is imposed upon humanity as a consequence of our sin and separation from God.

How are voluntary, involuntary and nonvoluntary euthanasia different?

These terms do not apply to suicide or assisted suicide because all acts of self-killing are voluntary However, they do provide a more precise understanding of mercy killing and intentionally fatal withholding. Voluntary mercy killing occurs when a patient requests that someone take his or her life, and his or her desire is honoured. Involuntary mercy killing occurs when a patent explicitly refuses to be killed, and his or her request is not honored. Finally non voluntary mercy killing occurs when a patient is killed by someone who is not aware of the patient's wishes, either because those wishes are unobtainable or because the person chooses not to obtain them.