Nonsense. How and when people end their own lives is a right, currently interfered with by sanctimonious do-gooders and dictatorial politicians.

Here we go again.

Why is Al Qaeda more compassionate than pro-lifers?

The 9/11 hijackers got to die instantly.

Why is Auschwitz better than a hospice?

You don't have to die naturally in Auschwitz.

In Law, it is not permissible for animals to die in agony like some humans are presently forced to die in Australia.

Voluntary assisted dying is not an immoral act if it is compassionately and justifiably policed.

Thanks to the author for pointing this out.

"The creation and ending of human life are in the hands of that power who created this world including all creatures living or breathing on this earth."

No Religion therefore has any say or influence on this topic!
Politicians can butt out too...

This topic us like gay marriage: Already it was happening, so what’s the fuss?

Australia has in the vicinity of three thousand suicides a year. At least twice that of the National road toll.

I’m acquainted with a family who’s son was assisted to die following an increasing array of diseases which left him suicidal.

If it’s currently not legal how did that happen?

Dan

The problem with this world is that DEATH is too often the answer!

A family gathers around their aged mother who has slipped slowly but progressively into dementia. They see their mother, but no longer recognise, the vibrant woman who brought them up with love, laughter, determination, and self-sacrifice. Before them lies a woman who no longer recognises them, is unable to exercise any control over her bodily functions, and certainly is unable to converse with them. Surely, it is a blessed relief for her, and for them, to release her from this distress by choosing euthanasia for her. After all, they have a legal Power of Attorney, and concerned doctors tell them that despite her debilitating illness, her heart is strong, and they feel she could live in her state for many years. Again, in this case, the death of this ailing woman, who used to be their mother, seems like a blessing to them. It solves all sorts of “problems” including the cost and care of their mum, and seeing her deteriorate even further.

It is not difficult to find cases like these proliferating within our society. Not only in the thinking of those who experience these events in their lives, but in societies generally where politicians adopt and pass laws to facilitate “answers” to these kinds of issues. This ever-growing culture of death that we see in our societies is ameliorated by language used to soften the reality of death. Terms like “mercy assisted deaths” to convey a sense of care and compassion is utilised for those individuals who find themselves under this unwanted stress.

But does Christianity, in its ethic of “love of God and love of neighbour” condone these actions as being in line with its teaching? Is it a case of excusing behaviour that contradicts such love? Are we compromising our Christian ethic with a worldly ethic that sees death as an expedience that can be justified – or are we called to live out a different worldview that acknowledges our love for others as a reflection of our love for God?

This can't be a serious argument, has to be a troll from some 4 Chan nutter LARPing as a Muslim surely ?

You want to decide for me whether I can kill myself ? i will grant that to you IF you allow me to decide for you what relegion you should belong to, or do you want the right to decide for yourself ?

So is murder by any other name,e.g., assisting dying. Be it setting up the medications and inserting the needle that delivers them. Tantamount to supplying a loaded gun for the same assisted outcome. Just not pulling the trigger.

Or a pillow held over the head of a helpless, elderly, sleeping patient long enough to asphyxiate them?

On all occasions, there are witnesses and perpetrators, sometimes, one and the same person?

And where there's a will, there's always a relative!
Alan B.

Do-gooders opposed to it should be required to tend the dying !

I find it annoying that people with funny names all too often want to tell us how to live according to their culture & religious leanings.

If they don't like this culture, there are alternatives.

Hasbeen,
The problem aren't the people with the "funny names" but they're exploiting the stupidity of those Australians (sadly a large number) who can not see that tey're being manipulated to no end. The most dangerous manipulation is religious freedom when religion is being exploited as a weapon by one side & as capitulation by another !
Meanwhile, the Census is being ignored !

"The creation and ending of human life are in the hands of that power who created this world including all creatures living or breathing on this earth."

Respectful Greetings, Syed Atiq ul Hassan.
I am an atheist with a conviction to my choice undeniably the equal of the conviction you hold for Islam. The difference between us is as stark as night is to day.

I was created by my mother and father and the reasoning supporting this leads back to the beginning of life.

I am unconvinced that any supernatural phenomena such as creators, gods or ghosts exist and live my life as if they don't exist. For all intents and purposes they are nothing but fantasies in other people's minds.

The human intellect by virtue of rational application in the sciences informs me very well of the natural world. No god or need of a god has been demonstrated.

Your right to your religious beliefs is respected to the same degree that you respect my World View.

With these issues in mind. I implacably deny your stricture that any one or thing controls my choices of life and death. Your very assertion that your religious faith trumps my lack of such affliction and that my rights herein are involuntarily in the control of an imaginary phantom, is rejected.

And in closing, I respectfully point out that all the planets in our solar system rejoice in being given capitalised names. If you could extend that same courtesy to our ark in space that has nurtured us and sustained us in life, I would be most appreciative

"Morality" my dear Syded Hassan, is a general consensus of what constitutes correct behaviour. In backward religious societies, like the societies you fled from, what constitutes morality may be accepted by the population as decreed by some non existent God.

In secular societies though, like the ones you immigrated into because they work better than the religious ones you fled from, morality may be based upon old religious moral values, but they are constantly under review. This is what is happening with Euthenasia. Just saying that "it is God's Law" does not cut it. You need to figure out a reasoned argument that will convince a majority that your point of view is the correct one.

If western societies just did what our non existent God's decreeed in His (or Her) written laws, we would still be executing witches and homosexuals. Which, I understand, they still do in the countries you fled from.

Yes LEGO, there are some people, a few, on earth who have enough intestinal fortitude to stand up to living, without a crutch to lean on. Some don't find anything difficult in navigating life, but many others need support. It is for these people that religion was invented.

There must be a lot of these people as there have been thousands of religions invented to support them, for a price. That price is supporting financially a vast body of "priests" & the like in comfort.

The messages from those on high are varied, from turn the other cheek to behead anything not completely cowered by religious dictates. Religions are of course dictatorships, with various levels of punishment for those who don't kowtow to authority. I guess it makes life easy for followers, but I do feel sorry for those who never experienced making their own decisions on how to lead their lives.

Having said all this, I do think the Christian religion has been a force for good in the world for the last couple of centuries, christian countries do treat their citizens in a fairer way than most others, & given greater freedom to the masses at least recently. This treatment & the fairer society does appear to be diminishing as the religion looses strength, & is challenged by others less kindly.

Thanks Lego and Has been for your great contributions. It is as you say.
I also agree with Individual: “Do-gooders opposed to it (voluntary euthanasia) should be required to tend the dying !” Even so, in my mother’s case, the medical staff attending her in this Catholic hospital could not be persuaded to help her die despite her frequent requests. I witnessed her agony for three days before they could come to a decision to put her into a coma. It took her body another three days to shut down.
The kindest, humblest, most god-fearing person I know, she did not deserve such cruel fate. God’s doing? No. Mankind’s failings to see things as they are and accept responsibility.