Euthanasia

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WHAT'S THE TRUTH ABOUT EUTHANASIA, DEATH & DYING?

By Cky J. Carrigan, Ph.D. (revised 1/22/02)

Technological advances have made issues of death and dying increasingly more complicated in the last forty years. Abortion, infanticide, and euthanasia plague America and the Christian community, and they undermine God-given and God-breathed Life. The sincere Christian at the dawn of the twenty-first century is faced with difficult decisions about life and death. The following three principles derived from Holy Scripture are my guides for making these difficult decisions for me and my family. I hope they will guide you as well.

#1 The revealed will of God is the ethical principle by which all other principles must submit. Individual liberty or choice is not the fundamental ethical principle by which other ethical principles must submit. The will of the individual to die or take an innocent life does not precede the revealed will of Almighty God to live and protect innocent life.

On the contrary, the Libertarian values his life above all others, and says, "I am God. Life or death, yours or mine, is my choice not God's."

#2 All human life is valuable and worth living, regardless of state of mind or other quality of life concerns. The quality of human life is not a valid measure of the value of human live. Human life is not just one kind of life among many kinds of life (other animals). It is not a valid statement that only a certain kind of life is worth living.

On the contrary, the Qualitarian devalues all human life, and says, "There is no such thing as the image of God in man which makes man special. The feeble, impaired, or hurting should be able to die if they, or I, want."

#3 The SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE is the only valid measure of the value of human life. All men are created in the image of God and are therefore bearers of the image of God. Bearing the sacred image of God makes human life sacred. Every man should choose life for himself and others: even in the face of pain, suffering, or feebleness; even in the face of a poor quality of life.

The Sanctarian (my position) highly values all human life, and says, "All men are bearers of the image of God. All innocent men deserve life. All men should choose life for themselves and others."

Armed with these three biblical principles. I believe confidently that Christians must choose life for every innocent human life: especially the pre-born, the just-born but impaired, the terminally ill, and the feebly old children of God.

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What does it mean to ME to CHOOSE LIFE on the basis of these principles? How do I apply these principles for me and my family? How do I choose life for me and my family if we should become critically ill, terminally ill, or feebly old?

I choose to be RESUSCITATED (Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation) if there is a reasonable expectation that CPR might extend my life for ten days or more, or might extend my life long enough to permit family members to gather at my death-bed, or might extend my life long enough to permit organ donation.

I choose INTIBATION THERAPY ("machine breathing") should failing pulmonary function threaten my survival if there is a reasonable expectation that this therapy might extend my life for ten days or more, or might extend my life long enough to permit family members to gather at my death-bed, or might extend my life long enough to permit organ donation. I do not, however, choose to remain intibated indefinitely if there is no reasonable expectation of extending my life for ten days or more. My family may choose to terminate intibation therapy in the course of time, having applied the biblical principles stated above, if there is no reasonable expectation of extending my life for ten days or more.

I choose to receive PAIN THERAPY at a level which would not significantly compromise my survival unless death is apparently immanent. If death is apparently immanent (a matter of one or two days), then I want to receive sufficient pain therapy to make me comfortable even if it might compromise my survival.

I choose to receive any SURGICAL PROCEDURE OR TREATMENT (i. e., dialysis, routine surgery) that has a reasonable chance of extending my life for ten days or more regardless of my physical condition or mental alertness.

I choose any appropriate NUTRITION THERAPY (NG tube feeding, etc) and intravenous fluid therapy if I should become unable to take food and water by mouth regardless of my physical condition or mental alertness.

I choose to TRUST MY FAMILY TO CHOOSE LIFE for me should I become unable to make that choice for myself. I choose a "DURABLE POWER OF ATTORNEY FOR HEALTH CARE" as the legal instrument to insure my choice for life. This legal instrument conveys health care decision-making powers to my agent who will make decisions about my life that are consistent with the principle of the sanctity of human life. I do not choose a "Living Will" which cannot possibly make advanced decisions for every conceivable condition that may arise in the future. And I do not choose to permit the state or other agencies to make these choices for me on the basis of a worldly view of life.

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In closing, please do not misunderstand me. It is not my will to die a painful or slow death, or spend years in a feeble state of mind. It is not my will to be a drain upon the emotional and financial resources of my family. It is not my will to taste death in the lions den, in the fiery furnace, or on an old rugged cross. But, it is not for me to decide the manner of my death. It is my Lord's decision, and I trust that He will make it for my good. With Jesus I say, "Not my will, but Thine oh Lord." Choose for yourselves this day whether to choose life or death. But as for me and my house, WE CHOOSE LIFE.

***The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of the North American Mission Board, the Southern Baptist Convention, or any other Southern Baptist Church or Agency***