A Debate On Euthanasia

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In high school, I distinctly remember the week or so that my AP Biology class spend discussing ethics in science. The liveliest debate that grew out of these classes was about a topic that is so controversial it seemed to cause even the quietest students to take a strong stance on one side or the other. This topic was euthanasia. Whether we were talking about taking a patient off life support or about physician assisted suicide, it was clear that each member of the class had very distinct views on this topic. Throughout the nation and around the world, people continue to have very distinct views on euthanasia. When making decisions on this topic, religious officials rely on long standing Christian beliefs and moral values. The Roman Catholic Church’s stance on euthanasia can be traced far back to the teachings of Augustine and Thomas Aquinas, and has continued to develop throughout history. In this essay I will argue that the Roman Catholic Church’s strong opposition to euthanasia is based on the ideas of many influential historical figures and has had an impact throughout the world. Before discussing the way the Catholic Church has responded to the topic of euthanasia, it is important to understand what euthanasia truly is. Euthanasia comes from two Greek works: eu which means good and thanatos which means death. These terms come together to mean “good death”, referencing the common practice of voluntary suicide by old or sick people who wish to have a painless death by drinking the poison hemlock. The term euthanasia has assumed several dimensions throughout history. During the 17th century the term came to explain actions taken by a physician to reduce pain in dying patients, associated with assisting in death or suicide. In ... ... middle of paper ... ...istian beliefs and moral values that can can be traced far back to the teachings of Augustine and Thomas Aquinas, and has continued to develop throughout history. The Roman Catholic Church strongly opposes euthanasia because it recognizes the importance of human life. Historical Christian views support the idea that the taking of any life is the rejection of God’s sovereignty and loving plan, and thus is as bad as killing. True compassion is helping someone through their pain and sharing in their pain, not killing him or her to end it. Therefore humans have a moral obligation to oppose any laws that legitimize assaults on the dignity of human law and to use conscientious objection in any situation like this because “society as a whole must respect, defend, and promote the dignity of every human person, at every moment and in every condition of that person’s life”.

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