Euthanasia: Can We Decide Our Own Death?

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Imagine yourself twenty years from now. You have been diagnosed with a terminal illness and there is no relief in sight. Day after day you suffer from pain, exhaustion, depression and soon become a failure to thrive. You lose all hope in ever recovering or living a normal life. When your health status takes a turn for the worse, you are admitted to the hospital and are being visited by friends, family, members of the medical team, and hospice. Your physician offers you the option of humane euthanasia to help end your pain and suffering.
You have two options. Option 1: As a Christian man, you think to yourself that God has His perfect timing and you want to see God’s plan play out so you decide against the euthanasia and you live out the rest of your days with your family, but constantly in pain and agony. Option 2: As a fallen-from-grace human, the temptation of deciding how and when your life ends has captivated your mind. After discussing the pros and cons of the euthanasia procedure with your family, you accept your physicians offer, end your life two days later, and are now free from the agonizing pain and suffering. What do you choose?
Our faith and beliefs play a large role in our lives each and every day. We can choose not to smoke or consume alcohol because we believe that our bodies are the temple of God and we should treat it with respect. We may choose to always be honest and faithful because those are two of God’s commandments. However, as a Christian, I believe that God is in control of our lives, and has a set time and purpose for each thing that happens to us. Who are we to be the judge of our own destiny when we are not the one who created it? You may ask, “Can we decide our own death”. Yes, we ca...

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...t the ability to breathe, eat, or think for themselves. There is no guarantee that a person will not be revived only to die within a short time after unnecessary and often painful procedures that are largely unsuccessful at extending life or improving the quality of life (Bonin, 2012).
However, Christians have plenty of information to back up their beliefs. Genesis 9:6 says, “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image” (King James Version). If a man spills the blood of another, they are spilling the blood of Christ because we are made in His own image. If we choose to harm or kill another person, with consent from the patient or murder, we are harming or killing the body of Christ. Those who murder, violently or by “humane” euthanasia, will be held accountable for these unethical actions on the judgment day.

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