Knesset approves Passive Euthanasia Law

YNet News ^ | 12-6-05 | Ilan Marciano

[Ohioan from Florida]

Although I agree with your comment in #20, I think that passive euthanasia is not what happenened with Pope JPII. His was a natural death, not forced.

I think the where the above article becomes ambiguous is that it defines "passive" euthanasia in a way that does not mean euthanasia at all. Euthanasia is forced exit from this world.

Where I caution all people to be careful about this issue is when you see the article come out and say that this new legislation doesn't go far enough. It is suggested that it's insufficient because it doesn't give the okay to remove "life-support" from non-terminallly ill patients, such as those in "permanent" vegetative states.

IMO, euthanasia is another tool of the devil to get man to distrust God and His Wisdom. I hope the people of Israel will continue to keep this issue in prayer. I hope they do not fall to the same tricks as we have gotten ourselves into here in America.

[Ohioan from Florida]

P.S.- I love your FReep page!

[Ohioan from Florida]

If what happened to Terri Schiavo isn't enough warning for us all, then I don't know what else would be.

[trisham]

If what happened to Terri Schiavo isn't enough warning for us all, then I don't know what else would be.

*************

I agree.

[BykrBayb]

She was tortured to death for all the world to see, and yet some still refuse to see (or pretend not to.) They show up on nearly every euthanasia thread, advocating the extermination of disabled people. They attempt to blur the line between disabled and dead, the line between the right to live and the right to kill, and most importantly the line between right and wrong. I pity them for the rotting of their souls, and pray that they fail to lead others into darkness.

[cycjec]

DNR, "Do not resuscitate" often becomes "Do not treat"

[Ohioan from Florida]

I pity them for the rotting of their souls, and pray that they fail to lead others into darkness.

I'll join you in that prayer.

[Mrs. Don-o]

"The next day she came back, she found her father drugged into unconsciousness whereas the day before he had been partially lucid. In other words, he was being prepped to die! "

That's one reason why we want my father here at home. As explicit as you can be about what kind of care you want for your loved one, you never know unless you're right there keeping your eye on things.

The National Right to Life Committee has put out an excellent model document called the "Will to Live." My mother-in-law used it as a basis for her own advance directives, PLUS (this is important) she had a serious talk with all her children discussing and explaining exactly what she would want under different circumstances.

http://www.nrlc.org/euthanasia/willtolive/

Go there, do that.

[Mrs. Don-o]

"Slippery slope syndrome."

We've been on a slippery slope for decades (at least since Roe vs Wade told us that human life per se is no big deal) --- and since Terri Schiavo was murdered, we're on a logical 4-lane superhighway to hell.

However, this Knesset legislation is not, I think, part of the slippery slope. From what I understand from the article, I think it's actually a good piece of legislation.

This is because people have a right --- NOT "to kill themselves," NOT "to commit suicide," --- but a right to refuse burdensome treatment. A person has a right to refuse a ventilator. Or to have a ventilator removed.

This is quite different from the Schiavo case, where there was a clear intent to cause her death by starvation - dehydration. It is very legitimate for a dying person to want to be comfortable. A ventilator can be very uncomfortable. If it's removed, you might die but you might not. By contrast:

• a feeding tube is almost never terribly uncomfortable (and the nutrition prevents the ---worse than discomfort --- the torture of hunger and thirst); and

• the removal of a feeding tube will invariably mean death by starvation (unless, of course, the person can be spoon-fed.)

  It is perfectly legitimate for a person to choose "ordinary care" or "palliative care" only, which would mean being kept fed and hydrated, clean, comfortable, with adequate pain relief (self-administered liquid morphine is wonderful) and the company of your loved ones.

  A dying person on a ventilator cannot speak. Cannot --- I address a Catholic issue here --- receive Holy Communion. And the patient may want to have the opportunity to receive the Sacraments and say a few words to his or her loved ones.

  That would certainly justify removing the ventilator. Not to remove it, when the patient clearly wanted it removed, would be, I think, a serious abuse.

[trisham]

This is quite different from the Schiavo case, where there was a clear intent to cause her death by starvation - dehydration. It is very legitimate for a dying person to want to be comfortable. A ventilator can be very uncomfortable. If it's removed, you might die but you might not.

**************

Your argument is sound, I admit. However, and perhaps I am alone in this, I see the slippery slope not in the Schiavo case, but in all that preceded it. Each admittedly small and seemingly insignificant step toward a lack of wonder and respect for life.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Well, we're about at the bottom of that famous slope at this point.

The same man who wrote, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, and that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness..." also wrote: "When I consider that God is just, I tremble for my country."

[Valin]

That's it.