Reflect on the analysis of the sin of suicide and thus, euthanasia from the topic readings. Do you agree?

Question on comments:

Reflect on the analysis of the sin of suicide and thus, euthanasia from the topic readings. Do you agree? Why or why not? Refer to the lecture and topic readings in your response.

Comment #1:

As Christians, the concept of ending one’s own life or the life  of another is morally wrong. God and only God decides when our lives  should end. The action of committing suicide can be viewed as a  selfish act by someone who is having difficulties in life and feels  that there is no other escape from that pain. Often suicide is  committed by people who are not of a rational mind. People may be  depressed or emotionally ill and the only way to escape that pain is  by ending their life. Committing suicide is a sinful act but a loving  God judges us based on the kind of person we are not on individual  wrongs. Committing suicide in a rational state of mind projects a  desire to be finite like our creator and is judged differently than  someone who is emotionally ill. Repenting the sin of suicide does not  exist in this life but God ultimately makes the judgements and suicide  although a sin, does not necessarily determine the direction of the  one’s soul (Meilaender, 2013). My neighbor committed suicide  this past summer in her home. I was so angry at her for taking her  life especially in the home that she shared with her husband and  children. Not only did she take her own life, but she took part of  their life with her. I have reflected on this for a while and it is  not up to me to judge her actions. Her pain was something that I  cannot understand. Her judgement is between her and God. I can only  pray for peace for her and her family.

Christians should not partake in any type of human euthanasia. God  determines the end of our life not humans. Illness and disease should  be allowed to take their course with human intervention only allowed  to alleviate pain and suffering. We as humans cannot execute the  lordship or authority over another’s life that is up to our  creator. Caring for a dying person is our duty as healthcare providers  but we should never hasten the ending of a life (Meilaender, 2013).  Treating someone’s pain at the end of life can hasten death in  the fact that the side effects of pain medication diminish the drive  to breath. As providers administering pain medication with the intent  to alleviate pain is not the same as the intent to end someone’s  life by euthanasia.

Reference

Meilaender, G. (2013). Bioethics a primer for  christians (3rded.). Grand Rapids, Michigan:  William B Eerdmans Publishing Company. Retrieved from https://viewer.gcu.edu/UXWB22

Comment#2:

“Christians have held that suicide is morally wrong because  they have seen in it a contradiction of our nature as creatures”   (Meilaender, 2013, p. 59).  According to Bioethics: A Primer    for Christians, our life is not ours to possess, that by  committing suicide we are expressing a desire to play Creator.   However, Meilaender goes on to state that suicide does not condemn the  individual committing it – which goes against the long held  Christian belief that suicide is a sin.  Meilaender argues,   “God judges persons, not only individual deeds, and the moment  in one’s life when a sinful deed occurs does not determine  one’s fate” (Meilaender, 2013, p. 59-60).

“The Disciples of Christ, also known as the Christian Church,  has no creed and gives its congregation complete autonomy in their  doctrine” (Zavada, 2014).  This means that beliefs vary  from church to church and member to member.  I was raised as a  Disciple of Christ (Christian Church), went my entire life to Catholic  school,  My beliefs fall into the category of what Meilaender  argues against, that the act of suicide is a sin when performed by a  rational human being of sound mind.  If you consider suicide a  sin, such as myself, then just like the Fall in the Christian Biblical  Narrative, when we sin, we break Shalom and estrange ourselves from  God.

References

Meilaender, G. (2013). Bioethics: A Primer for  Christians (3rd ed.). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans  Publishing Co.

Zavada, J. (2014, December 12). What the Disciples of Christ    Believe and Practice. Retrieved January 27, 2017, from http://christianity.about.com/od/Disciples-Of-Christ/a/Disciples-Of-Christ-Beliefs.htm