I watched the BBC's "Hardtalk" programme last night. It was about a
man, who suffered a stroke 6 years ago, who is trapped in his own body.
He cannot speak, he cannot move a muscle, only his eyes.
He wants a choice about his own life, so is challenging the law
through the British courts. He wants the choice about dying with
dignity, in his own country, with his family present. His only real
option is either starvation (hardly dignified) or somehow moving him
to Switzerland, where the laws are no longer dominated by religious
dogma and are far more humane.

I felt huge empathy for this guy and wondered how I would feel in his
situation. I don't blame him for being upset that his own country
completely ignores his wishes and that having to die in a foreign
country, or starve to death, are hardly humane choices.

In Switzerland, as is Australia, suicide is legal. In Switzerland,
assisting suicide under a strict set of conditions, has been legal
since 1942. I know a number of people who have attended end of life
ceremonies, involving terminal patients who simply had had enough and
wanted a choice about their future.

In Australia, our oldies are forced to become criminals and try to
smuggle in their stash of Nembutal, so as to not land up as victims
to our backward system.

When will we finally dump the religious dogma which dominates our laws
and adopt the humane option, as Switzerland has?

Perhaps we need a referendum on this, as our politicians are clearly
too scared to tackle this head on.

there are also numerous men and woman who have gone to the pits in depression and are now happy they did not have the easy option to visit a 'çlinic'. I am sure they are glad we are not ruled by secular dogma which could well of cost them their lives at a low point.

Unless these 'depressed' people you are talking about also had a terminal illness Runner, then they wouldn't qualify for voluntary euthanasia in the real world.

Why not just come right out and say that your' as yet unseen God apparently 'told' someone or other here on earth that anyone who commits suicide will be 'committing a mortal sin and will be damned to the fires of hell'?

What I have always wondered about the very religious people who are against voluntary euthanasia, is why it would matter to them what the other 'Godless' people do or don't do with their own life?

Suze is quite correct here, Runner. Under Swiss law, "depression"
does not qualify. But you would have to actually study and understand
the details before mouthing off. That does not seem to be within
your capabilities.

Get those opposing a dignified end for such unfortunate people look after them.

i will only say
that the state..dosnt control over death
and when it does..

in the end that power gets abused..

to simplfy...i have heard politions say
'if the law saves only one life...its worth it''

i say if the law hides one murder
thats too much

if the church allows one person to die in ignorance
thats one person too much

if docters get licence to kill
they will use it

the netherlands allow state to condone murder too
religeon dont got a real lot to do with it
religeon is too self obsessed
lusts in its own 'power'

just like docters/lawyers/bankers/polititions..media/sport 'stars'

im suffering..blink..
i wanna die wink...

what im still alive...blink blink

every day..the suffering are sent away...with drugs
[to 'passaway'..peacefully during their sleep...

wether they gave informed concent..or not]

It takes courage to live. It can be a great virtue if one chooses to live despite all, but one cannot choose life unless they also have the option of choosing death.

'Unless these 'depressed' people you are talking about also had a terminal illness Runner, then they wouldn't qualify for voluntary euthanasia in the real world'

said with such assurance Susie just like the poor babies who were to be slaughtered only when that poor teenage girl who was raped.

'A study published by Dutch researchers in the September 20, 2005 edition of the Journal of Clinical Oncology (JCO) has shown that at least 50% of patients killed under the Dutch euthanasia programme were suffering from depression. In addition, 44% of those suffering from cancer showed clinical signs of depression when they asked for euthanasia.'
http://www.euthanasia.com/depression.html

Funnily enough Runner, I particularly mentioned the Swiss system.

http://www.exit-geneve.ch/Exempleoas.pdf

For your information, this is a bit about it.

Australia is free to adopt whichever rules it wants. But the Swiss
system has clearly proved itself over time and no, depression is
not enough, as is explained.

runner as the faith you practice is fast becoming a minor one, would you live under the laws of Islam?
No civilized country should give freely the rights of any human to any Church/God.

Belly I think you know that Christians are among the most law abiding in the land. The Christians have lived under numerous godless regimes. It has often cost them their lives. The founders of the Western nations based their laws on the Scriptures knowing it gave far more freedom than any other regime. Under secularism the most dangerous place is in the womb. I would live under the laws of any nation until it violates the Lawgiver. Would you have killed along with the many other Communist if you lived in a communist country? If not why not?