Euthanasia – legally approved suicide.
When I was in high school our year 11 (or was it 12?) English class was asked to present a persuasive argument oral on any particular topic. I chose immigration and did reasonably well (mostly because it was a hot topic and hardly anyone I knew supported Pauline Hanson). I remember one of my friends presented quite a persuasive argument regarding the legislation proposed by the NT for legalised euthanasia.
Now, skipping the pros and cons regarding the debate (and corresponding ‘right to life’ debate) I wanted to reflect on an interview this morning on the ‘Today’ show.
In a short interview were two elderly ladies speaking in support of a new ‘peaceful pill’ which would end the life of a person…peacefully. The main argument put forward by these relatively healthy and elderly ladies was that they did not want to burden anyone or be placed in a nursing home once their lives lost independence. They were calmly horrified at the thought that one day they would need to rely on someone (or some people) to take care of them for the rest of their lives – people who may be ill trained in working with the elderly.
Then the younger of the two women said something along these lines, “I want to be in control of how I die…”
As I reflected upon these words it struck me that what was just said in this interview was basically the root of all sin – the desire to take control over our own lives and deny God. It saddened me to think that our individualistic society has reached a point (and seems to be ever pushing the envelope) where we have convinced ourselves that once we lose independence then there is little reason to continue living…that once we become totally reliant upon other people there is little hope of any enjoyment for the rest of our lives.
Death is not a natural thing in life – as these ladies were saying. It is a completely unnatural intrusion. As John Chapman says, “I don’t know who you are, but there are two things I know already about you. 1 – you are going to die and 2 – you don’t know when.”
I hope that we can continue to show people that there is more to this life than living a dying, more than just trying to make it through the day.
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