Euthanasia and
Suicide
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What is euthanasia?
Euthanasia means ‘easy death’. Euthanasia is helping
someone to die to ease their suffering, especially if the
person is suffering from a painful, debilitating and
incurable illness.
Do you think it is ever right
to help someone to die?
Write a paragraph to
explain your view.
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What do you think?
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Words you need to know when thinking
about euthanasia:
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Euthanasia in Britain
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What would you do?
Jo’s mother had cancer. She was in pain all of the time
and sometimes found it almost impossible to cope. One
day she tried to kill herself by stepping out in front of a car
but the car stopped. She then asked Jo to get her some
tablets and help her to take an overdose. She said that if
Jo didn’t help her to do this she would throw herself in
front of a lorry. Jo loved her Mum very much and hated to
see her suffering so she gave her the tablets and held her
while she died. Then she phoned the police.
Jo is put on trial for helping her Mum to die. In pairs
imagine that you are the prosecutor and the defence
council. Each of you write a statement to say why she
should/should not be punished; then act out a role
play. What would you do if you were the judge? Why?
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Euthanasia in the balance – what do
Christians think?
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What the Christian churches think
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The Bible and euthanasia
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What do other religions think?
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Hospices
Some people believe that euthanasia is wrong and would
prefer that the terminally ill be supported medically,
emotionally and spiritually, and allowed to die with dignity.
Dame Cicely Saunders started the modern hospice
movement. She believes that we now have the medical
technology to give good pain relief so that euthanasia is no
longer necessary.
A hospice is a place that patients
can go to spend their last few
days or months in an atmosphere
that helps them to come to terms
with their death so that they can
die peacefully.
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Helen House Hospice, Oxford
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Hospices are usually run by charities and have enough staff
to give much more personal treatment than in a hospital.
The hospice also supports the family of the patient.
Although many of the charities that run hospices have been
set up by religions you do not have to be a member of that
religion to go there, and they will not try to force their faith on
you.
Do you think that a hospice is a
good alternative to euthanasia?
Discuss with a partner giving
arguments for and against.
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Have you changed your mind?
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Suicide
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Reasons for suicide
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Islam and suicide
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Christians and suicide
!   In the past the Christian Church saw suicide as a great sin
and would not bury suicides in consecrated ground.
!   Christians believe that all life is sacred and so only God
can take it; it is just as wrong to take your own life as it is
to take the life of another.
!   Christians now believe that people are mentally disturbed
in some way if they want to kill themselves and so they do
all they can to help them through their difficult times with
love and compassion.
!   Saint Paul said ‘God will not let you be tempted beyond
your strength’.
!   Job said ‘the Lord has given and the Lord will take away’.
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Samaritans
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Be a Samaritan
Role play the following situations with a partner.
One of you is a Samaritan and the other is a caller.
Caller – you feel under
pressure from your parents
to get high grades in your
exams but you know you
will disappoint them. You
are thinking of committing
suicide if your results are
poor.
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Caller – Your boyfriend/
girlfriend has just
dumped you and is now
going out with your best
friend. You feel
humiliated and see no
way out.
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