I had a dog whom I loved dearly. He developed diabetes, and then to complicate things, his Liver and Kidneys failed too. I took him to the vet, and held him and pet him as he was put to sleep. Afterwards, I cried like a baby; and even after 18 months, I still awaken at nights, crying.
Now consider, he was 12 yrs old; he had lost 30% of his body weight - and I could have given him 2 shots a day and MIGHT have kept him alive for one more year. This seemed selfish and cruel to me; to force him to stay alive, in misery and pain - and then to be forced to lie still while I gave him his shots twice a day.
So, realizing that the most humane thing I could do; was to ask the vet to use the smallest needle he had; and to hold him close, pet him, lovingly and soothingly talk to him and tell him how much he was loved; as he slowly closed his eyes, laid down in my arms; and passed. I continued to hold him a few minutes after the kindly vet informed me that his heart had stopped. To call it heart-wrenching is perhaps the most understated word I can think of.
This mercy I extended my beloved pet; would never be bestowed to me, or a family member by the hypocrits I see on this board. No, I would have arrogant, selfish people dictate that no matter how much pain I was in, despite the fact that I was slowly dying - they would demand that every medical proceedure (regardless of expense and how my beloved wife would be bankrupted after my demise) be used to prolong my life. Instead of letting me call my loved one close; say my goodbyes and depart surrounded by my family and friends - I would be forced to wither and die, slowly, painfully and likely alone.
Pathetic, isn’t it? We extend more compassion to our animals, than we do our fellow human beings.
Speak for yourself. I would never murder a fellow human being. When given the opportunity, I always choose to care for them.
Pathetic, isn’t it? We extend more compassion to our animals, than we do our fellow human beings.
There are some distinct differences:
1. Animals DO NOT have souls. The Bible permits the killing of animals, it does not permit the killing of humans for the conditions you mentioned.
2. Animals cannot communicate levels and locations of pain as humans can, this makes palliative care more difficult.
Since the beginning of time people have euthanized animals that are dying and in pain, the notion that it was okay to euthanize humans is only a few decades old and pushed by the leftist culture of death.
It's important to note that even the Nazis didn't euthanize anyone that they considered to be a human being.
A terminally ill person can sign a living will and health care proxy thereby dictating what treatment, if any, that individual wishes to receive (including pain medication.)
To compare euthanizing an animal to the murder of a human is ridiculous.
I don’t want to suffer in my last days, but a problem that I see with people is that they want everything easy. No one is willing to endure the cross that each of us must bear. Life can be cruel, but it is in receiving the beauty of life that we graciously accept our fate. The real reward is in our next life.
Thanks for sharing. I find it monstrous that we’ll do anything to prolong the suffering of a fellow human being at any cost regardless of their wishes.
If you aren’t free to choose the manner in which you exit this world, you aren’t free to do much of anything.
Way I see it, my life is my own. Others may disagree, which is fine enough, but should I be so unfortunate as to wind up in a situation where I’m being kept alive by machines just to stave off the inevitable for another day, week, month, year... that’s no way to die.
I’m in no hurry to go, but I’m not afraid of it either. And I’m not jazzed about the prospect of having to go on longer than I can bear.
Not to mention the fact that if I was born 300 years earlier and wound up terminally ill, nature would take its course. This forced living business, as far as I’m concerned, is more playing God than any of the other options. Was it really God’s will that Terri Schiavo be kept alive through artificial means?
I can’t imagine that a merciful, loving Father would wish that fate for any of us. Some might disagree. Which is fine.
But there’s a reason immortality is a curse. We weren’t meant to live forever. And I don’t believe we were meant to live in pain.
I just (4 days ago) had my vet put a dog down. She was 19, not 12.
In my mind, that has no connection at all to the assisted suicide debate or possibly the decision I might have to make one day. If it comes to it, and I decide it’s what I have to do, I’ll find my own method of suicide. Animals can’t do that. To me that is a big difference - it’s a huge difference. But the biggest is simply the fact that humans are not in the same category as animals.
Incidentally, I hate that term - put to sleep. It is especially incongruous in this context where animal euthanasia is compared to assisted suicide. If someone is going to use it then be consistent call assisted suicide “putting people to sleep” too.