This week’s focus of my attention is the “Joffe Bill”, which is having its second reading on Friday 12th May, before the House of Lords. The Bill gives doctors the right to assist patients who are terminally ill and suffering with acute pain to commit suicide, but only if they are of sound mind and repeatedly ask for it. Sounds very simple and straight forward, but wait, we get the opposition…
Opposing the Bill are the usual suspects from the Church of England, the Catholic Church and other groups with a “pious” interest. Their main and dull argument is that God gives the gift of life and it is up to God to take it away. However, I wonder if the pious contradict themselves… If someone is dying and this is God’s will they are in this state (God being omnipotent and all), then why stand in the way? Why deny, as they believe, God’s desire to take life when he wants to? Are they not interfering with God’s will and fighting against him by forcing the patient to stay alive? Are we not using medicine and technology to fight against God? I’d say they do contradict themselves and besides, it’s a useless argument anyway, they forget about one thing here – they impose their beliefs because they “think” they know best and yet don’t consider the rights and wishes of the patient to make up their own mind. Continue Reading »
