Euthanasia: is it really necessary? Euthanasia, otherwise known as mercy killing or physician assisted suicide, is the intentional killing of a dependent human for his or her alleged benefit. There are many
types of Euthanasia. Among these are voluntary, non-voluntary, and involuntary Euthanasia. Voluntary Euthanasia is after the person has requested to be killed; non-voluntary is when the person has given no consent or made no request; and last but not least there is involuntary Euthanasia, which is when the person has expressed a wish to the contrary. Euthanasia is not truly euthanasia unless the person who is killed is in fact killed intentionally (“Euthanasia”). One would think many and most people would be against this killing of innocent people, however; this is not the case. The numbers have gotten better, though. In a poll given in 1996, seventy- five percent of the United States was in favor for Euthanasia, but in 1997, the numbers
changed. In June of 1997, fifty- seven percent supported it and thirty- five percent of people opposed Euthanasia.
Religious
When one thinks of Euthanasia, usually a strong figure in their mind is Dr. Kevorkian. This was the doctor that was known throughout the world for the physician assisted suicides that he performed. He was sentenced to jail for many reasons, one being the suspicion of pushing his patients to partake in it, rather than letting them making their own decision in the matter of their own life. Euthanasia is wrong and should be illegal for the following reasons: Euthanasia is biblically and morally wrong, it puts a value on a human life, and also Euthanasia is compromising the doctoring practice as a whole because of how people view this medical procedure.
The first thing to know is that euthanasia is biblically and morally wrong. In Exodus 21:14 its states, “ But if a man schemes and kills another man deliberately, take him away from my altar and put him to death.” (Barker 118) Also, in the Ten Commandments, Exodus 20:13, it states, “Thou shall not murder.” (Barker 117). There are numerous examples such as these listed throughout The Bible.
Secondly, Euthanasia has begun to put a value on the human life. Many people see it okay to kill in self- defense, which it is. In a self defense one is saving an innocent life, but when performing euthanasia one is taking an innocent life, no one’s life is being saved here. (“Euthanasia”) Many doctors now are not taking other people lives into consideration and instead of pushing them against it they are more forcing the patients into assisted suicide. Given, there are people that are in a vegetative state; Euthanasia should not be their way out of life. Every human life has the same value. Just because someone is one way or another, does not on ANY grounds mean that their life means anything less than someone else’s life. These lives should be protected.
Physician
Last but not least Euthanasia is compromising the doctoring practice. People are losing trust in all doctors because of the few that practice Euthanasia. Many doctors are not like Steven A. Wahls, who stated, “As a physician who practices ‘in the front lines’ I have had the privilege of caring for many individuals with terminal illness. I am proud to say that for each one has been handled with compassion and care, good pain relief, and emotional as well as spiritual support with out any assistance in shortening their ‘time of dying…” (Wekesser 107). If you look at doctors now, they are more and more increasing to going to assisted suicide. Seventy-five percent of people who attempt suicide do not actually want to die and it’s all just a cry for attention.
National
Euthanasia is wrong and should stay illegal. Instead of using a suicide method, why not use the Will-to-Live project? This project states that you have named someone to make a decision for you in case terminally ill or put into a terminally ill state. There will be clear written instructions on the medical treatment that you are to receive, no questions asked. (“National”) Do the right thing and help save our population!