Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Catholic News

Home

Home
Catholic
Religion News
Killing people is not compassion – religious leaders unite against assisted suicide

Killing people is not compassion – religious leaders unite against assisted suicide

Last updated on: November 3, 2015 at 7:36 am by CNA Daily News

Killing people is not compassion – religious leaders unite against assisted suicide 2015-11-03T07:36:00+00:00 CNA Daily News

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Ottawa, Canada, Nov 3, 2015 / 12:36 am (CNA/EWTN News).- As Canada moves toward legalizing assisted suicide, Catholic bishops and a large Protestant coalition – along with Jewish and Muslim leaders – have joined together to reaffirm the need to help the suffering without killing them.

“On the basis of our respective traditions and beliefs, we insist that any action intended to end human life is morally and ethically wrong. Together, we are determined to work to alleviate human suffering in every form but never by intentionally eliminating those who suffer,” the joint statement said.

The Declaration on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide is a joint statement from the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, a coalition of over 40 affiliated denominations. The statement, released Oct. 29, also has support from more than 30 other Christian denominations as well as 20 Jewish and Muslim leaders.

“Humanity’s moral strength is based on solidarity, communion and communication – particularly with those who are suffering,” the statement continued. “It is personal attention and palliative care and not assisted suicide or euthanasia that best uphold the worth of the human person.”

“It is when we are willing to care for one another under the most dire of circumstances and at the cost of great inconvenience that human dignity and society’s fundamental goodness are best expressed and preserved.”

The declaration responded to the Supreme Court of Canada’s unanimous February decision which ruled that doctors may help patients who have severe and incurable suffering to kill themselves. The national parliament has a year to develop a legal response to the decision.

Canadian officials in July announced the creation of a three-member panel to respond to the decision, while advocates of assisted suicide have objected that two of the members have opposed legalization of the practice.

Canadian law had previously punished the counseling, aiding or abetting in a suicide with up to 14 years in prison.

In reaction to the court’s decision, the religious leaders’ joint declaration affirmed “the sanctity of all human life” and reaffirmed a commitment to caring for those who are suffering and in pain.

“Euthanasia and assisted suicide treat the lives of disadvantaged, ill, disabled, or dying persons as less valuable than the lives of others. Such a message does not respect the equal dignity of our vulnerable brothers and sisters.”

The religious leaders said the sanctity of human life is a “foundational principle of human society” that is the basis for protecting the vulnerable and for recognizing the equal dignity of individuals regardless of their abilities.

In wake of the court’s decision, the joint declaration said, Canadians should reflect on their personal and societal responses to “those who need our compassion and care.”

The statement criticized the tendency to define human dignity in an emotional, subjective way.

“For us, human dignity is most properly understood as the value of a person’s life before her or his Creator and within a social network of familial and societal relationships.”

The signatories said that helping people live and die with dignity means ensuring their support with love and care; with quality pain control; with psychological, spiritual and emotional support; and with improved palliative and home care.

In addition, the statement distinguished between the deliberate killing of someone and the withholding of burdensome treatment.

“There is a fundamental difference between killing a person and letting her or him die of natural causes.”

The religious leaders said health care systems must maintain “a life-affirming ethos.”

“Medical professionals are trained to restore and enhance life. They are not trained or expected to administer death,” the statement said, warning that assisted suicide distorts the relationship between doctors and patients.

Photo Credit: photoneye via www.shutterstock.com

Americas

Previous Post

November 2, 2015

What 50 years of talks between Catholics and Lutherans looks like

Next Post

November 3, 2015 How to invest as a Catholic without selling your soul

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Americas Asia - Pacific Europe Middle East - Africa Uncategorized US Vatican

Select a Month November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who was the wife of Abraham?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Rebecca Sarah Rachel Leah