RUNNING HEAD: LEGAL AND RELIGIOUS IMPLICATIONS OF EUTHANASIA
Legal and Religious Implications of
Physician-Assisted Suicide or Euthanasia
Alafair Kionka
Liberty High School
LEGAL AND RELIGIOUS IMPLICATIONS OF EUTHANASIA
Abstract
This paper examines the religion and legal perspective on physician-assisted death. To offer a
well-rounded religion based opinion on the topic, three different faiths are analyzed. Ethical
implications are easily exemplified through religions like Christianity, Buddhism, and Judaism
due to their standards of morality. Looking at euthanasia from a legal standpoint differs from
state to state. The paper contrasts Oregon and Alabama on how euthanasia is viewed by their
common law. Overall this examination explores why physician-assisted suicide is not widely
legalized among the states and why those implications exist. To produce this paper, more than
six resources were utilized from credible references to produce a knowledgeable conclusion.
LEGAL AND RELIGIOUS IMPLICATIONS OF EUTHANASIA
Introduction
The stance on this issue differs from a religious approach to a legal standpoint. The term
"Euthanasia" originates from the Greek word for "good death" (Merriam-Webster).
Approximately seventeen years ago, in 1997 on October 27 euthanasia became legalized in the
state of Oregon. The Death with Dignity Act allows terminally ill patients to end their lives
through the voluntary self-administration of lethal medications. Where as in Alabama, physicianassisted suicide is criminalized as murder and is completely prohibited. Physician-assisted
suicide is accomplished with the aid of a medical doctor intentionally prescribing the lethal
medication. Looking at the issue from a religious perspective, it is considered unethical in
Buddhism, Christianity, and Judaism.
Religious Standpoint
Death is significant within every religion. All faiths provide their individual meaning and
explanations for death and dying; all faiths live by a "message" that generally includes where
they will go or what will happen after death. Religion provides understanding and comfort to
individuals. Buddhists, Christians, and Jews are all opposed to euthanasia, despite their gods
being different they all believe that their lives should be respected. (BBC 2009). Though others
may consider it a merciful suicide, they believe it is still suicide and that it is wrong for a person
to decide their own death.
Buddhism:
Buddhists believe in karma and avoiding harm in all aspects. They aim to live lives of
peace and balance through much of their time spent meditating. Buddhists believe in
reincarnation after death, which is why dying due to euthanasia is believed to be problematic:
LEGAL AND RELIGIOUS IMPLICATIONS OF EUTHANASIA
"The deceased person will be reborn to a new life, whose quality will be the result of
their karma. This produces two problems. We don't know what the next life is going to be
like. If the next life is going to be even worse than the life that the sick person is presently
enduring it would clearly be wrong on a utilitarian basis to permit euthanasia, as that
shortens the present bad state of affairs in favour of an even worse one. The second
problem is that shortening life interferes with the working out of karma, and alters the
karmic balance resulting from the shortened life." BBC (2009)
Buddhists also believe that physician-assisted suicide should not be someone's desire if they're
practicing their religion. Utilizing the proper use of pain killing drugs and regularly meditating
should enable a person to reach a state where they are not in mental pain, and so contemplating
euthanasia or suicide is no longer an issue.
Christianity:
Christians base their teaching off of the Bible, they believe that their lives and bodies are
not their own and that they belong to Christ. Christians believe that all people are valuable
because they are made in the image of God. Euthanasia interferes with their beliefs because the
bible proclaims that each person's life holds value, resulting in that there is no reason for suicide.
In the old testament, Ecclesiastes 7:17 says, “Do not be overwicked, and do not be a fool—why
die before your time?” Christians believe that God created everything good and that each person
He created has been given a purpose, therefore they should not decide their own death because it
would counteract with God's plan. According to Psalm 139 verse 16, God knows exactly when,
where, and how each person will die. The verse says,”You saw my body as it was formed. All
LEGAL AND RELIGIOUS IMPLICATIONS OF EUTHANASIA
the days planned for me were written in your book before I was one day old.” Therefore,
Christians have faith in God’s plans and honor Him by trust and having faith.
Judaism:
The Torah is the foundational text of Judaism and is very much similar to Christianity
despite worshiping the Holy Trinity. It is a monotheistic religion, meaning that they believe in
one god. Their tradition regards the preservation of human life as one of its supreme moral
values and forbids doing anything that might shorten life. BBC (2009) Jewish law forbids all
forms of euthanasia, and is considered an act of homicide:
"The life of a person is not "his" - rather, it belongs to the One Who granted that life.
Therefore it may be reclaimed only by the true Owner of that life. Despite one's noble
intentions, an act of mercy-killing is flagrant intervention into a domain that transcends
this world." (Religion Facts)
According to Judaism, Euthanasia is wrong because like Christians, they believe that God is in
control of one's expiration date rather than an ingested man-made substance.
Legal Standpoint
Oregon:
Oregon was the first state to legalize Euthanasia in 1997. Oregon voters approved the
Death with Dignity Act (DWDA) by a vote of 51% to 49%. (Enouen). Presented by the Oregon
data, a majority of patients that desire to commit a merciful suicide have some type of cancer, are
Anglo (98%), and have a median age of about 70. One of the safeguards utilized is that the
LEGAL AND RELIGIOUS IMPLICATIONS OF EUTHANASIA
decision must be made between the patient and a long-time trusted doctor. The doctor must
discuss potential options available and evaluate the patient's valid mental and physical state. In
order to keep the patient from making an impulsive decision, the law requires that an oral request
is made twice for the lethal drugs, at least two weeks apart, before the doctor may actually
provide them. Therefore, while euthanasia is a legal option in Oregon, it is not necessarily
encouraged or advocated for. The law has established many safeguards that a physician must
check for before it can even take place. It is in no means that suicide is slowly becoming an
acceptable death for anyone.
Alabama:
Like the majority of America, Alabama has not legalized physician-assisted suicide.
Alabama is thought to be a part of the informal Bible belt states in the South. Its religious culture
affects the states perspective on euthanasia. If a physician helps a patient commit suicide in
Alabama it is considered the crime of murder by the common law. In Alabama it is treated as a
class A felony, the most severe class of conviction. The prison sentence ranges from no less than
10 years and no more than life or 99 years. Henceforth, euthanasia is viewed as the equivalent to
killing someone in this state, despite that it may be a merciful killing. The greater part of
America can mutually agree with Alabama. If euthanasia became widely legal across the states,
it most likely would alter people's perspectives to believe that choosing their death is acceptable.
Although, euthanasia is highly controversial currently, considering to legalize it in more
states will require greater cases to occur before that ultimate decision is carried out. Many
complications are discussed in debating the ethics and morality of euthanasia. Essentially, aiding
someone through the process of suicide with lethal medications is murder. Though both
LEGAL AND RELIGIOUS IMPLICATIONS OF EUTHANASIA
previously mentioned states have opposing outlooks on utilizing euthanasia, they both conclude
that it is not a decision that should be made on impulse. Oregon's safeguards nearly communicate
that one should critically reconsider what they are doing in hopes that they realize there is a
better route than taking their own life mercifully.
LEGAL AND RELIGIOUS IMPLICATIONS OF EUTHANASIA
References:
Alabama Laws on Assisted Suicide - Euthanasia - ProCon.org. (n.d.). Retrieved December 18,
2014, from http://euthanasia.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=5050
Assisted suicide should be legal | Al Jazeera America. (n.d.). Retrieved December 18, 2014, from
http://america.aljazeera.com/opinions/2014/10/assistedsuicidebrittanymaynardoregondeathwithdignity.html
Ethics guide: Religion and Euthanasia. (n.d.). Retrieved December 18, 2014, from
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/euthanasia/religion/religion.shtml
Euthanasia - ProCon.org. (n.d.). Retrieved December 18, 2014, from
http://euthanasia.procon.org/
Facts About Euthanasia. (n.d.). Retrieved December 18, 2014, from
http://www.terrisfight.org/facts-about-euthanasia/
Legalized Physician-Assisted Suicide in Oregon - The First Year's Experience — NEJM. (n.d.).
Retrieved December 18, 2014, from
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejm199902183400724
LEGAL AND RELIGIOUS IMPLICATIONS OF EUTHANASIA
Legalizing Assisted Suicide - Views of Physicians in Oregon — NEJM. (n.d.). Retrieved
December 18, 2014, from
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199602013340507#t=article
Texas Right to Life. (n.d.). Retrieved December 18, 2014, from
http://www.texasrighttolife.com/about/159/Why-assisted-suicide-should-not-be-legalized