Assisted dying and the failure of compassion
Posted at Reformation Scotland: Legislation to permit assisted dying is due to be debated in the House of Commons again. When the bill’s supporters reach an impasse with their arguments from everyone’s supposed autonomy to decide for themselves that their life should be ended, they appeal instead to compassion. They insist that they are motivated by kindness and that the most compassionate response to people’s suffering or perceived loss of dignity is to assist them to die. This directly contradicts the moral imperative to preserve human life. Condensed within the sixth commandment, “Thou shalt not kill,” is the twin principle that it is morally wrong to murder and morally right to preserve our own and our neighbour’s life. This means that when people are in need, we should take steps to alleviate their suffering and allow them to live a fuller life. Assisting someone to end their life is fundamentally a non-compassionate response. In the following abridged extract from his commentary ...
