Religion & Euthanasia (AQA GCSE Religious Studies A (8062))

What is Euthanasia?

• Euthanasia is the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or in an irreversible coma

• Voluntary euthanasia is when a person requests to end their suffering

• Non-voluntary euthanasia happens when the patient is not able to make a decision. Family members make the decision. This decision could be to turn off a life support machine or withdraw medication/food 

• Euthanasia is illegal in the U.K. but is a controversial issue with many people believing it should be legalised

• Due to its illegality, those who help people to die could be charged with manslaughter or even murder

• Assisted suicide is legal in Switzerland, and people from all over the world can travel there to be helped to die by a group called Dignitas

• Euthanasia is also legal in Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg but only to citizens, not to tourists

• There are different types of euthanasia depending on the situation. It is important to understand the different terms

Active & Passive Euthanasia

Active and passive euthanasia

• Euthanasia can be active or passive and there is a distinct difference between the two

• Active is where the person is given something to end their suffering. This means that the illness itself does not kill them but instead, it is the drugs they are given that end their lives

• Passive is where a person refuses medication or it is stopped so the illness itself kills the person

• Active refers to the act of physically doing something to cause the death

• Passive is the act of not doing something which then causes the death

• Doctors do switch off life support machines (passive) when patients have no sign of brain activity

• They do allow patients to refuse treatment or food/water (passive) and they administer drugs to ease pain, which also shortens life

Ethical Issues Surrounding Euthanasia

• There are many religious and non-religious arguments for and against legalising euthanasia

• Many of the arguments link to the issues of 'quality of life' and 'sanctity of life' 

Religious Views on Euthanasia

• Religious views influence attitudes towards euthanasia. There are many differences of opinion between and within religions

• There is no single Christian teaching on euthanasia. Different Christian denominations take different views

• Most Christians believe that life is sacred and given by God, and therefore only God can decide when life ends

• Many Christians trust God to end life when the proper time comes and would therefore not accept any intervention that would end a life before God decides

• Human life is a gift from God. It is sacred and has dignity

• Many people see the last part of a person’s life on Earth as a spiritual time of preparation for death and the next life

• Euthanasia is wrong as it prematurely ends this special time. God gave life, and only He should take it

• Christians would look to the teachings of the Bible for guidance when considering the ethics of euthanasia

  • The Bible says that 'God made man in his own image' (Genesis 1:27). This emphasises the special and precious nature of mankind

  • Jesus healed the sick and the dying, so humans must care for the terminally ill rather than prematurely ending life

  • Many Christians view euthanasia as murder, and the sixth commandment states, “You shall not commit murder.” (Exodus 20: 13)

  • Luke 12: 6-7 teaches that each individual matters to God, even in little details, “Yet not one sparrow is forgotten by God. Even the hairs on your head have all been counted.”

  • Jesus taught humans to 'love thy neighbour' (Leviticus 19: 18). This means that Christians should try to understand the situation and actions of others

The Roman Catholic view

• Euthanasia is morally unacceptable within Catholic Christianity as it involves the taking of human life

  • 'Nothing and no one can in any way permit the killing of an innocent human being, whether a foetus or an embryo, an infant or an adult, an old person, or one who is suffering from an incurable disease, or a person who is dying' (Catholic Declaration on Euthanasia)

• Roman Catholics would hold this view because of their views relating to the sanctity of life

  • They would refer to the command from God in their scriptures that says 'you must not kill'

  • Euthanasia would be against God's orders, and would be an attack on the sovereignty of God

  • Human lives are special because God created them and therefore should be protected and preserved

  • Ending life prematurely would be going against God's plans for that person

  • Humans are made in God's image and therefore have special value in God's eyes

The views of other Christians

• Some Christians would focus on ending the suffering of the person who is dying

  • We believe Christians should urge government and society to adopt the other choices that are available for the alleviation of pain and suffering' (The Presbyterian Church)

• Some Christians would highlight the importance of 'freewill' in the decision-making process

  • They might argue that euthanasia is an act of compassion, provided that the person requests it and fully understands the consequences of their request

  • They would also focus on the teachings of Jesus around love and forgiveness

  • Those Christians who support euthanasia only do so if it is voluntary and passive, and never if it is involuntary or active