Physician Assisted Suicide

[Nancy]

Assisted suicide is a hard and emotional topic.

There have been those wanted to die that recovered. And people who were not supposed to have anything serious died.

My input on this is personal. Have you ever been put in the position where you had instructed Dr. to take someone off of a life support machine?

I have.

They were brain-dead. They looked dead. All their body did was convulse due to the machines.

When unplugged they were gone instantly.

And one other was in the hospital. One person did not want him to go to a hospice but to go home and die there.

Specialist all told to overrule and send him.

His body was eaten up with cancer. Terminal. No hope.

I overruled, they relaxed with a peaceful look, Not able to speak. Died the next morning.

She just died last year in that home of cancer.

My point is is not an easy topic. But when you're in that situation a decision has to be made.

I hope no one else ever has to confront it.

I'm sorry you had to be put in that position. Closest I have come was having to sign a DNR for my mother. I fought and fought hard but, my Aunt at the time spoke reason to me. I did end up, grudgingly signing it and was at her side, holding her hand when she peacefully took her last breath. My bro Matt was on her other side.
This subject can be so very difficult, personal and different for most, folks I think, especially Christians.

 

[CoreIssue]

I'm sorry you had to be put in that position. Closest I have come was having to sign a DNR for my mother. I fought and fought hard but, my Aunt at the time spoke reason to me. I did end up, grudgingly signing it and was at her side, holding her hand when she peacefully took her last breath. My bro Matt was on her other side.
This subject can be so very difficult, personal and different for most, folks I think, especially Christians.

It's clear you understand.

 

[Michael1985]

I have no problem with the argument that says that people should be allowed to do it because it's their life, their body, to end on their terms, etc. But I also believe that people who feel that way have the responsibility of carrying it out on their own, not involving someone whose profession compels saving lives and not ending them. Anyone who waits for physical incapacitation has missed the boat, so to speak. However, if it absolutely had to be allowed by law, I strongly prefer it be limited to people who are already terminally ill anyhow because I would hate to see someone who had a chance to live an abundant life end it prematurely, and with someone else's help.

 

[amadeus]

I have no problem with the argument that says that people should be allowed to do it because it's their life, their body, to end on their terms, etc. But I also believe that people who feel that way have the responsibility of carrying it out on their own, not involving someone whose profession compels saving lives and not ending them. Anyone who waits for physical incapacitation has missed the boat, so to speak. However, if it absolutely had to be allowed by law, I strongly prefer it be limited to people who are already terminally ill anyhow because I would hate to see someone who had a chance to live an abundant life end it prematurely, and with someone else's help.

"What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." I Cor 6:19-20

We are stewards now of that which God has put in our control. Nothing will be ours until and if we inherit!

 

[Michael1985]

"What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." I Cor 6:19-20
We are stewards now of that which God has put in our control. Nothing will be ours until and if we inherit!

You do realize the apostle was referring to sexual immorality when he wrote those words, don't you? You're pulling them way out of context. If you want to apply them in a way that they were never intended, feel free to knock yourself out, but it won't have any impact on my opinion. I honestly don't believe Scripture itself assigns any moral opinion of suicide one way or the other.

 

[amadeus]

You do realize the apostle was referring to sexual immorality when he wrote those words, don't you? You're pulling them way out of context. If you want to apply them in a way that they were never intended, feel free to knock yourself out, but it won't have any impact on my opinion. I honestly don't believe Scripture itself assigns any moral opinion of suicide one way or the other.

Do you really believe that the NT [or the OT] is completely black and white, and when one time you have figured out an answer it will be the same the next time? Can we similarly so completely understand God?

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9

And then again can we get to a correct answer all alone?

"O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.
O LORD, correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing." Jerem 10:23-24

 

[Nancy]

"What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." I Cor 6:19-20

We are stewards now of that which God has put in our control. Nothing will be ours until and if we inherit!

Job 1:21
21He said, ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there; the Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.’

1 Corinthians 3:17
"If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple."

How hard it is to see our loved ones suffer. Yet, how do we know that God is not dealing with them within their spirit as they linger in pain? Especially our un saved friends and family. This is such a hard thing. I have a friend of 45 years that had a vascular stroke and she is now in a nursing home with dementia...started at the age of 61, she is now 70. She is miserable as the day is long. She gave decades to serving God and now, she seems to always be mad at Him. I know He will have mercy on her as, she has always loved Him like no other I ever knew. I pray sometimes that God will take her home as there is zero quality of life for her. If that is a bad thing to pray for, I don't know. I would just want to see her suffering gone. She has brought her whole family to Christ over the years, 3 Catholic and one a JW! Her prayers were always so wonderful to hear...but now, she is just angry and it hurts to know she is suffering so...this is just something we will need to trust God for...like ALL things!
In Him forever!

 

[Prayer Warrior]

My mom asked the doctor to "put her down" and lived ten more years after that! If the doctor was allowed that, she would have missed many more years.

Wow! What a testimony against the evil practice of physician-assisted suicide!

 

[Prayer Warrior]

Job 1:21
21He said, ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there; the Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.’

1 Corinthians 3:17
"If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple."

How hard it is to see our loved ones suffer. Yet, how do we know that God is not dealing with them within their spirit as they linger in pain? Especially our un saved friends and family. This is such a hard thing. I have a friend of 45 years that had a vascular stroke and she is now in a nursing home with dementia...started at the age of 61, she is now 70. She is miserable as the day is long. She gave decades to serving God and now, she seems to always be mad at Him. I know He will have mercy on her as, she has always loved Him like no other I ever knew. I pray sometimes that God will take her home as there is zero quality of life for her. If that is a bad thing to pray for, I don't know. I would just want to see her suffering gone. She has brought her whole family to Christ over the years, 3 Catholic and one a JW! Her prayers were always so wonderful to hear...but now, she is just angry and it hurts to know she is suffering so...this is just something we will need to trust God for...like ALL things!
In Him forever!

I understand the struggle when someone is suffering like this, and I pray for your friend--for God's grace to surrender to the Lord and trust Him! I know what it is to be stuck in anger against Him.

But we can always pray even when our bodies are not working properly. And I think that prayer can do more for God's kingdom than many other things we do for Him. I want to leave this earth foiling the devil's evil plans and glorifying my Savior and Lord Jesus Christ!

 

[Bobby Jo]

I have no problem with the argument that says that people should be allowed to do it because it's their life, their body, to end on their terms, etc. ....

It seems to me that "thou shall not murder", whether an unborn child; my rebellious teenagers (just kidding, -- both children were WONDERFUL); a spouse (and I may still be on her LIST); or yourself.


But just because GOD has something which is BEST FOR US, doesn't mean that we must obey. -- satan is ALWAYS willing to convince otherwise!
Bobby Jo

 

[amadeus]

Job 1:21
21He said, ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there; the Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.’

1 Corinthians 3:17
"If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple."

How hard it is to see our loved ones suffer. Yet, how do we know that God is not dealing with them within their spirit as they linger in pain? Especially our un saved friends and family. This is such a hard thing. I have a friend of 45 years that had a vascular stroke and she is now in a nursing home with dementia...started at the age of 61, she is now 70. She is miserable as the day is long. She gave decades to serving God and now, she seems to always be mad at Him. I know He will have mercy on her as, she has always loved Him like no other I ever knew. I pray sometimes that God will take her home as there is zero quality of life for her. If that is a bad thing to pray for, I don't know. I would just want to see her suffering gone. She has brought her whole family to Christ over the years, 3 Catholic and one a JW! Her prayers were always so wonderful to hear...but now, she is just angry and it hurts to know she is suffering so...this is just something we will need to trust God for...like ALL things!
In Him forever!

There are in situations like you describe no black and white absolute rules in place to follow. We don't know all of the person's heart or all that God knows... that is all of the facts. And God judges always justly, which also means fairly.

I knew a young man, the son of my best friend, who committed suicide, I believe, because he was too nice of a guy and was caught in the clutches of an evil woman. He was 31 and a smart fellow in some things, but he knew little to nothing about evil women.

He parked his car several miles out in the country where no one would quickly find him and interfere. He rigged a way to commit suicide with a plastic bag over his head so that once the clock started ticking, he could not reverse or stop the process. I could say that if only he had found the right woman it need not have happened, but he ended it without discussing it with me or anyone else. When the plastic bag was sealed over his head as he began to lose consciousness, and his reflexive or instinctive efforts to escape simply tightened the seals likely he had a short period of time left in which repentance was possible? Knowing death was coming he had perhaps seconds [minutes?] left to speak to God alone. Did he? He had had an experience with God previously, but not lately. Would God have heard him in that last short period before he passed out for the last time? Was his ignorance and naivete something God could or would consider against the young man's final call for help, which I can only assume that he made to God? He died and finally broke the hold that that woman held over him. Where is God in this?

 

[Nancy]

There are in situations like you describe no black and white absolute rules in place to follow. We don't know all of the person's heart or all that God knows... that is all of the facts. And God judges always justly, which also means fairly.

I knew a young man, the son of my best friend, who committed suicide, I believe, because he was too nice of a guy and was caught in the clutches of an evil woman. He was 31 and a smart fellow in some things, but he knew little to nothing about evil women.

He parked his car several miles out in the country where no one would quickly find him and interfere. He rigged a way to commit suicide with a plastic bag over his head so that once the clock started ticking, he could not reverse or stop the process. I could say that if only he had found the right woman it need not have happened, but he ended it without discussing it with me or anyone else. When the plastic bag was sealed over his head as he began to lose consciousness, and his reflexive or instinctive efforts to escape simply tightened the seals likely he had a short period of time left in which repentance was possible? Knowing death was coming he had perhaps seconds [minutes?] left to speak to God alone. Did he? He had had an experience with God previously, but not lately. Would God have heard him in that last short period before he passed out for the last time? Was his ignorance and naivete something God could or would consider against the young man's final call for help, which I can only assume that he made to God? He died and finally broke the hold that that woman held over him. Where is God in this?

"There are in situations like you describe no black and white absolute rules in place to follow. We don't know all of the person's heart or all that God knows... that is all of the facts. And God judges always justly, which also means fairly."

Yes, and very comforting to remember that God truly knows His own, and how just He is!

"I knew a young man, the son of my best friend, who committed suicide, I believe, because he was too nice of a guy and was caught in the clutches of an evil woman. He was 31 and a smart fellow in some things, but he knew little to nothing about evil women."

Such a sad story John,
Evil women can seduce even a strong man of God. Intelligence, spirituality, common sense, etc. have little to do with it. Men of God, WATCH yourselves!!

Proverbs 5:3-4 “For the lips of an immoral woman are as sweet as honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil. But in the end she is as bitter as poison, as dangerous as a double-edged sword.”

"he had a short period of time left in which repentance was possible? "

Yes, but then...time with God is a whole different story, yes? "Twinkling of an eye..." "A thousand years..."

So, then would not any communication with God have already happened within God's realm? He does know the end from the beginning and He wishes none to perish...

"Would God have heard him in that last short period before he passed out for the last time? Was his ignorance and naivete something God could or would consider against the young man's final call for help, which I can only assume that he made to God? He died and finally broke the hold that that woman held over him. Where is God in this?"

IMHO absolutely God heard Him! Would a just God hold against us what we do not know? IMHO He would not.

"He died and finally broke the hold that that woman held over him. Where is God in this?"

My hope is that God was never absent. Perhaps God took the young man so he would avoid a worse fate? He once believed...maybe scripture verses were brought back to his mind in the end. So difficult to grasp.

PS
"He died and finally broke the hold that that woman held over him. "

(Sorry but, couldn't help but think of George Jones "He Stopped Loving Her Today" . )

 

[amadeus]

"There are in situations like you describe no black and white absolute rules in place to follow. We don't know all of the person's heart or all that God knows... that is all of the facts. And God judges always justly, which also means fairly."

Yes, and very comforting to remember that God truly knows His own, and how just He is!

"I knew a young man, the son of my best friend, who committed suicide, I believe, because he was too nice of a guy and was caught in the clutches of an evil woman. He was 31 and a smart fellow in some things, but he knew little to nothing about evil women."

Such a sad story John,
Evil women can seduce even a strong man of God. Intelligence, spirituality, common sense, etc. have little to do with it. Men of God, WATCH yourselves!!

Proverbs 5:3-4 “For the lips of an immoral woman are as sweet as honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil. But in the end she is as bitter as poison, as dangerous as a double-edged sword.”

"he had a short period of time left in which repentance was possible? "

Yes, but then...time with God is a whole different story, yes? "Twinkling of an eye..." "A thousand years..."

So, then would not any communication with God have already happened within God's realm? He does know the end from the beginning and He wishes none to perish...

"Would God have heard him in that last short period before he passed out for the last time? Was his ignorance and naivete something God could or would consider against the young man's final call for help, which I can only assume that he made to God? He died and finally broke the hold that that woman held over him. Where is God in this?"

IMHO absolutely God heard Him! Would a just God hold against us what we do not know? IMHO He would not.

"He died and finally broke the hold that that woman held over him. Where is God in this?"

My hope is that God was never absent. Perhaps God took the young man so he would avoid a worse fate? He once believed...maybe scripture verses were brought back to his mind in the end. So difficult to grasp.

PS
"He died and finally broke the hold that that woman held over him. "

(Sorry but, couldn't help but think of George Jones "He Stopped Loving Her Today" . )

Thanks for your reply. I remember when it happened [in 2010] I discussed these same things with my wife and we decided essentially the same things. God, of course, knows the finally result, and as has been said, God is fair and loving.

 

[Nancy]

Thanks for your reply. I remember when it happened [in 2010] I discussed these same things with my wife and we decided essentially the same things. God, of course, knows the finally result, and as has been said, God is fair and loving.

Yes He is fair and loving :) Even when we read things that can seem to the contrary...His ways are so much higher!

 

[Michael1985]

It seems to me that "thou shall not murder", whether an unborn child; my rebellious teenagers (just kidding, -- both children were WONDERFUL); a spouse (and I may still be on her LIST); or yourself.


But just because GOD has something which is BEST FOR US, doesn't mean that we must obey. -- satan is ALWAYS willing to convince otherwise!
Bobby Jo

Not only do I not believe there is any definition of murder that could be extended in such a way to include the self, I also don't believe any of the commandments listed among those ten are to be applied to the self, only how we behave towards the Almighty, and to each other.

 

[GodsBeloved11]

I couldn't do it. Kill someone even if they begged me. I would be putting myself in place of God.

I actually think it's an awful burden to put on a loved one, to ask you.to end their life.

I have been suicidal. I have been seriously chronically ill. I do understand what it is to wish to die. And even to attempt it.


But it's not fair or right to ask others to do the deed for you

It used to be physician assisted suicide was legal only for cases where the person couldn't physically and their lives because they were unable to move, for example.

In Belgium a few years ago a young lady suffering from depression and other mental health issues pursued a right to die case.through the courts. She physically wasn't paralysed. She didn't need to ask anyone else to do it for her. I have had the diagnoses she deacribed. I feel sad for her she wanted to die.

But I couldn't get my head round why make someone do that for you???

 

[GodsBeloved11]

Not only do I not believe there is any definition of murder that could be extended in such a way to include the self, I also don't believe any of the commandments listed among those ten are to be applied to the self, only how we behave towards the Almighty, and to each other.

and persuading a loved one to arrange a doctor to kill you seems so selfish

 

[GodsBeloved11]

I mean. It's an understanddable sellfishness in a way. I just worry if the law were changed to allow it far more widely, what could we end up with?

Best to keep it case by case I think. It is , as a previous poster said, not a black and white issue. I did feel for Kay Gilderdale, I am not saying it was right that she allowed her daughter to die. I can see it came.from a place.of love.

I just.feel I couldn't stand before God in judgement day, if I had killed a loved one or green a doctor killing someone and say I did the right thing?

of course I may feel differently if i were in a situation with a loved one like that

 

[Truman]

I mean. It's an understanddable sellfishness in a way. I just worry if the law were changed to allow it far more widely, what could we end up with?

Best to keep it case by case I think. It is , as a previous poster said, not a black and white issue. I did feel for Kay Gilderdale, I am not saying it was right that she allowed her daughter to die. I can see it came.from a place.of love.

I just.feel I couldn't stand before God in judgement day, if I had killed a loved one or green a doctor killing someone and say I did the right thing?

of course I may feel differently if i were in a situation with a loved one like that

We could end up with a convenient way of disposing of inconvenient people. Think Logan's Run.
I think the attending physician, along with loved ones, are the ones who know the patient's wishes, and the situation best.
I hope I never am involved in such a situation.

 

[GodsBeloved11]

We could end up with a convenient way of disposing of inconvenient people. Think Logan's Run.
I think the attending physician, along with loved ones, are the ones who know the patient's wishes, and the situation best.
I hope I never am involved in such a situation.

This.

Who can decide who should live and who shouldn't ? When all human life is scared and special to God