Assisted suicide is a pariah that needs to be stopped dead in its tracks. It demeans the value of life and places scientific objectivity on a higher plane
Eareckson Tada slams Belgian euthanasia law as British lawmakers consider the matter
Noted author Joni Eareckson Tada, a quadriplegic since a teenage swimming accident, has challenged Belgian lawmakers to explain their decision to extend euthanasia to children, while denying minors access to alcohol, tobacco and pornography.
Speaking to Christian Concern during a conference of Christian broadcasters in the US, Tada said it is “the most liberal euthanasia law in the world”. The legislation which will be signed into law by the King this year allows terminally ill children to be euthanized.
While addressing content about the UN convention on the rights of a child she said: “That’s our global mandate to safeguard children, so what do we feel special treatment is: to allow a child to die? Is that special treatment? We must not let compassion be redefined in such a manner. What is so sad is that I’m sure the Belgian parliament would agree that minors should not have access to alcohol, should not have access to pornography, should not have access to tobacco, but yet minors for some reason they feel should have access to three grams of phenobarbitone in their veins – it just doesn’t make sense”.
Tada, now 64, has set up an organisation for international Christian ministry to the disabled community, and is an award-winning author of almost fifty books. Writing for the Huffington Post in 2011 she said: “No one but God can determine whether or not keeping someone alive is worth it.”
Richard Hawkes, Chief Executive of UK disability charity Scope warned that British disabled people “will be looking nervously” at the Belgian decision. He cautioned against “loud, well-organised” calls to allow assisted suicide in Britain, and said lots of people, “not least disabled people are really worried at the way we seem to be edging towards a change in the law”.
Meanwhile the Daily Telegraph reports that the Government will allow MPs a free vote on a Bill to introduce assisted suicide for terminally ill patients in England and Wales. Put forward by Labour peer Lord Falconer, the bill proposes to allow doctors to prescribe drugs to help "mentally competent" adults to end their lives if they are judged to have less than six months to live. Astonishingly Norman Lamb, the minister responsible for care for elderly and disabled people, indicated that he will vote in favour of the proposed reforms.
However a change in the law has been strongly opposed by doctors, churches and disability groups who believe it will place the most vulnerable in society at risk. More than 70% of Doctors believe they should remain opposed to the provision of assisted suicide in the UK.
The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) has five main objections to supporting assisted suicide.
It would be be detrimental to the doctor-patient relationship
It would put the most vulnerable groups in society at risk
It would be impossible to implement without eliminating the possibility that patients might in some way be coerced into the decision to die
It would shift the focus away from investing in palliative care and treatments for terminal illnesses
It would instigate a ‘slippery slope’ whereby it would only be a matter of time before assisted dying was extended to those who could not consent due to reasons of incapacity and the severely disabled.
The common denominator in the effect of this legislation is the phrase ‘it would’. This is what happens when co-dependent government nannies override the common sense decisions of professionals with far more knowledge and experience. Well thought out procedures to deal with difficult situations are rubbished in favour of catering to those who whine the loudest.
Dr Maureen Baker, Chair of the RCGP, said: “This was one of the most comprehensive consultations the College has ever undertaken and the quality of the responses on this extremely important issue has been very high. GPs (equivalent of the American Primary Care Physicians) will continue, as they have always done, to provide excellent care to patients in the final days and hours of their lives.”
And the always intelligent Andrea Williams of Christian Concern added: “It is crucial for the medical profession to remain involved in the debate on assisted suicide to prevent the law from being swayed and influenced by a small, but vociferous lobby. The RCGP’s consultation exercise shows that the overwhelming majority of doctors in the UK do not support a change in the law and recognise that the provision of assisted suicide would place public safety at risk and undermine the crucial relationship of trust between doctors and patients. We hope that the RCGP will continue its work in pushing for high quality and compassionate care that meets the needs of patients reaching the end of their lives.”
Assisted suicide is a pariah that needs to be stopped dead in its tracks. It demeans the value of life and places scientific objectivity on a higher plane. The people of this world will find their will overridden by philosophical consideration if they do not begin to actively oppose such a destructive concept.
