Doctor assisted suicide is starting to gain support in the United States. I think it's important to divide these types of issues into two parts. There needs to be an intellectual answer to these questions as well as an emotional answer.
Below are a few bullet points addressing the intellectual question:
We are largely living in an emotionally driven society, though. Our decisions are often driven by our emotions over and against any intellectual arguments. And because of this, I offer two resources that address the emotional problem of doctor assisted suicide.
The first is Leota's Garden by Francine Rivers.
Yes I will have to check in my man-card for suggesting this, but if you want to read a contemporary story that addresses this issue, this is your book.
The second is Death's Door by Lars Walker (review here). This is a speculative fiction story set in a near-future dystopian America. The end results of a constitutional right to die are horrifying.
Below are a few bullet points addressing the intellectual question:
- We are all created in the image of God, so we have intrinsic worth.
- Death is not "normal" to the human condition. It is alien. It is the last enemy of humanity. (Even though its stinger has been removed by Christ, it is still an enemy).
- The Fall (Genesis 3) has damaged every aspect of life on this planet. Including the introduction of death.
- Science rightly tries to limit to effects of The Fall. It is good that we have greatly reduced the infant mortality rate via modern medicine. It is good that we can prolong natural life. It is good that we have developed technologies to give us clean drinking water.
- Death, however, is still an enemy. While it comes for us all, it is still an enemy. And it is not an enemy that we should embrace.
- Furthermore, God is the author of life. He gives. He takes away. He has numbered our days. We simply have no clue how he will use us in our last days. We don't know what his plans are. So, we cannot presume his plans for him.
- Finally, a "Theology of the Cross" rightly teaches that God reveals himself particularly through pain. We don't like thinking about this, but it is a reality in this fallen world. Personally, I have experienced this in my life, where God has revealed himself in my moments of misery (including a childhood illness). We see this in the Cross of Jesus Christ. God has revealed so much of His character in that place of suffering. How much does God love us? Look at the cross. How much does he hate sin? Look at the cross. What good gifts will he withhold from his children? Look at the cross, he gave his son - he will withhold nothing.
- Even if we take God out of the equation, we simply do not know the what tomorrow will bring.
We are largely living in an emotionally driven society, though. Our decisions are often driven by our emotions over and against any intellectual arguments. And because of this, I offer two resources that address the emotional problem of doctor assisted suicide.
The first is Leota's Garden by Francine Rivers.
Yes I will have to check in my man-card for suggesting this, but if you want to read a contemporary story that addresses this issue, this is your book.
The second is Death's Door by Lars Walker (review here). This is a speculative fiction story set in a near-future dystopian America. The end results of a constitutional right to die are horrifying.
Additionally, I would ask if anyone knows of a good speculative fiction short story dealing with doctor assisted suicide, please let me know. I would love to produce it on the Untold Podcast.
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