topic Re: Assisted Suicide in Community Spirit

Assisted Suicide

polksaladallie — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 06:21:24 GMT

I was not aware that assisted suicide was allowed by law in some areas of USA. Oregon is one state which allows it. Are there any others?

How long before it is allowed here?

This story might be of interest to some. "The Last Day of Her Life"

nyti.ms/1e7C49r

Re: Assisted Suicide

freshwater-2 — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 10:59:15 GMT

Assisted suicide/VOLUNTARY euthanasia is legal in 4 USA states, and under review in many other states..

Some misguided people call it euthanasia.

It is also legal in 5 progressive countries....so far,

Research has shown that 85% of Australians agree that voluntary euthanasia should be legal here

Re: Assisted Suicide

polksaladallie — Fri, 03 Jul 2015 04:30:46 GMT

Thank you. I am aware of the Australian stats. My generation won't see it.

Neither will the following generations if the comments on changing the marriage laws are equivalently transposed to changing end-of-life laws.

One Liberal Party minister implied that if the marriage law was changed to include same gender couples, it would lead to people wanting to marry their pet animals. I don't mind that, as long as it is not compulsory.

Re: Assisted Suicide

Anonymous — Fri, 03 Jul 2015 04:33:40 GMT

I don't mind that, as long as it is not compulsory

what about the rights of the animals?

Re: Assisted Suicide

icyfroth — Fri, 03 Jul 2015 06:18:22 GMT

@*julia*2010 wrote:
I don't mind that, as long as it is not compulsory

what about the rights of the animals?

I have no problem with assisted suicide in cases of terminal disease or other extreme conditions.

as long as it's not compulsory.

Re: Assisted Suicide

aftanas — Sun, 05 Jul 2015 18:32:32 GMT

It will come.

It wasn't too long ago that suicide was a crime. The major political parties seem to be behind the electorate on laws pertaining to social issues. The current debate on same sex marriage is a case in point. The majority of the electorate supports same sex marriage (http://www.australianmarriageequality.org/who-supports-equality/a-majority-of-australians-support-marriage-equality/) yet the major parties do not support it. Same sex marriage is contrary to LNP policy and ALP policy is merely to allow a conscience vote.

As far as I am aware neither of the major parties favour assisted suicide. I think we will have to wait for the current crop of politicians to die off (natural causes only) before these odd laws based on so called Christian values are repealed.

Re: Assisted Suicide

this-one-time-at-bandcamp — Sun, 05 Jul 2015 18:49:49 GMT

I am inordinately proud to live in Oregon, the originator of "Death With Dignity" laws. The good citizens really had to fight the Feds to get this law instituted, and it took a SCOTUS decision to finally guarantee it's acceptance.

http://www.deathwithdignity.org/access-acts

Re: Assisted Suicide

colic2bullsgirlore — Sun, 05 Jul 2015 22:01:25 GMT

@aftanas wrote:
It will come.

It wasn't too long ago that suicide was a crime. The major political parties seem to be behind the electorate on laws pertaining to social issues. The current debate on same sex marriage is a case in point. The majority of the electorate supports same sex marriage (http://www.australianmarriageequality.org/who-supports-equality/a-majority-of-australians-support-marriage-equality/) yet the major parties do not support it. Same sex marriage is contrary to LNP policy and ALP policy is merely to allow a conscience vote.

As far as I am aware neither of the major parties favour assisted suicide. I think we will have to wait for the current crop of politicians to die off (natural causes only) before these odd laws based on so called Christian values are repealed.

http://www.pewforum.org/2013/11/21/religious-groups-views-on-end-of-life-issues/

Careful.... it appears the hem of your PP (prejudiced petticoat) is showing

The Assemblies of God, the largest Pentecostal denomination in the United States, opposes physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia.

Buddhism

According to Damien Keown, emeritus professor of Buddhist ethics at Goldsmiths College, University of London, Buddhists generally oppose assisted suicide and euthanasia. Buddhism teaches that it is morally wrong to destroy human life, including one’s own, he says, even if the intention is to end suffering.

Catholicism

The Roman Catholic Church strongly opposes physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia. The church teaches that life should not be prematurely shortened because it is a gift from God,

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon Church)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints opposes physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia, believing that taking one’s own life or the life of another violates God’s commandments and his plan for each person.

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) opposes physician-assisted suicide and other efforts by medical professionals to speed a patient’s death

Episcopal Church

In 1991, the Episcopal Church passed a resolution against assisted suicide and other forms of active euthanasia, stating that it is “morally wrong and unacceptable to take a human life in order to relieve the suffering caused by incurable illness

Hinduism

While there is no formal Hindu teaching on assisted suicide or euthanasia, there is a general concern in Hinduism that prematurely ending a person’s life could negatively impact their karma, says Deepak Sarma, a professor of South Asian religions and philosophy at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.

Islam

Islamic teachings oppose physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia. “Muslims believe that life is sacred and comes from God; therefore it is a sin to take life,” says David Stephen Powers, a professor of Near Eastern studies at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y

Judaism

Under Jewish law, the directive to preserve human life generally outweighs other considerations, including the desire to alleviate pain and suffering.

National Baptist Convention

The National Baptist Convention, the largest historically black Protestant denomination in the United States, does not have a specific teaching on physician-assisted suicide or euthanasia

Presbyterian Church U.S.A.

The Presbyterian Church U.S.A. has examined theological questions related to end-of-life issues, but the denomination has not taken specific positions or provided guidance on assisted suicide or euthanasia.

Seventh-day Adventist Church

In 1992, the Seventh-day Adventist Church issued a statement opposing euthanasia and assisted suicide.

Southern Baptist Convention

The Southern Baptist Convention, the nation’s largest Protestant denomination, has issued a number of resolutions on physician-assisted suicide, euthanasia and related topics. The resolutions are not calls to action but rather “expression[s] of opinion or concern,”

United Church of Christ

The United Church of Christ supports the right of terminally ill patients to make their own decisions about when to die – including whether to hasten death.

Unitarian Universalist Association

In 1988, the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (UUA) passed a resolution advocating “the right to self-determination in dying.”

United Methodist Church

The United Methodist Church opposes physician-assisted suicide. The denomination teaches that “dying well” is an integral part of Christian life, says James Thobaben, a professor of bioethics and social ethics at the Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Ky.

Re: Assisted Suicide

janeababe — Sun, 05 Jul 2015 22:35:42 GMT

@freshwater-2 wrote:
Assisted suicide/VOLUNTARY euthanasia is legal in 4 USA states, and under review in many other states..
Some misguided people call it euthanasia.
It is also legal in 5 progressive countries....so far,

Research has shown that 85% of Australians agree that voluntary euthanasia should be legal here

Can I ask, why you made that statement?
.... whats makes them misguided?

Re: Assisted Suicide

lind9650 — Sun, 05 Jul 2015 22:39:20 GMT

And yet, it is happening and has happened for many years.

30 years ago my mother-in-law was a the end stage of terminal cancer. She was in agony and often delirious The Doctors decided to increase the dosage of Morphine gradually. Few hours later, she passed away peacefully.

25 Years ago my dear father had a massive brain heamorage. He was at my home at that time. When the Doctor arrived (who was a friend of my father and knew him well.) he told me that he could call the Ambulance to take my father to Hospital, but that there was nothing Doctors could do. If they savd his life, he would be a vegetable, depending on life support.

I knew that my highly intelligent father never wanted to be kept in such state and asked the Doctor to go by my fathers wishes.

After giving my father an injection, while I held him in my arms, the Doctor waited a little time, then told me that I could let go of my father, he had peacefully gone.

Most Doctors are strictly following the rules, especially today where many try to sue Doctors and Hospitals.

Some Doctors are compassionate enough to know what torture it can be to keep a terminally ill person alive.

Erica

Re: Assisted Suicide

jean2579 — Sun, 05 Jul 2015 23:24:58 GMT

I am an absolute believer in euthanasia, assisted or self administered.
I cannot conceive of anything worse than being mentally aware and incapable and in intolerable pain.
I want to live not exist.
This is definitely a very personal decision and I am aware that many others have different and equally strong views.

Re: Assisted Suicide

freshwater-2 — Mon, 06 Jul 2015 00:06:55 GMT

Can I ask, why you made that statement?
.... whats makes them misguided?

Because euthanasia is carried out without permission of the recipient.

Voluntary Euthanasia has to be requested by the person who desires it, not by a second or third party.

The expression VE is used by all dying with dignity organisations..

Re: Assisted Suicide

bluecat*dancing — Mon, 06 Jul 2015 03:56:08 GMT

There are two types of euthanasia - voluntary and involuntary.

Re: Assisted Suicide

alexander*beetle — Mon, 06 Jul 2015 05:07:10 GMT

@lind9650 wrote:
And yet, it is happening and has happened for many years.
30 years ago my mother-in-law was a the end stage of terminal cancer. She was in agony and often delirious The Doctors decided to increase the dosage of Morphine gradually. Few hours later, she passed away peacefully.

25 Years ago my dear father had a massive brain heamorage. He was at my home at that time. When the Doctor arrived (who was a friend of my father and knew him well.) he told me that he could call the Ambulance to take my father to Hospital, but that there was nothing Doctors could do. If they savd his life, he would be a vegetable, depending on life support.
I knew that my highly intelligent father never wanted to be kept in such state and asked the Doctor to go by my fathers wishes.
After giving my father an injection, while I held him in my arms, the Doctor waited a little time, then told me that I could let go of my father, he had peacefully gone.

Most Doctors are strictly following the rules, especially today where many try to sue Doctors and Hospitals.
Some Doctors are compassionate enough to know what torture it can be to keep a terminally ill person alive.

Erica

Erica, that happened to my mother and my father amost identically. My mother, in 1968 after a massive brain heamorage and my father 21 years ago with cancer. I was nursing my father at home in 1984 as was his wish and after he lost all his senses and was calling out for his mother and struggling to breathe I called the family doctor. To this day I don't know why but I called all the relevant family members to gather as well. The doctor asked us to leave the room and then after a few minutes asked us to come back in. Within 10 minutes my dad passed away and we were all with him. The doctor didn't ask us what we wanted and took it upon himself to administer the dose. However, it was the right thing to do as the only other alternative was to hospitalise him and delay the inevitable for a few more days.

With my mother, and I acknowledge it was a different time back then, she was 36, she was rushed to hospital and they asked my father what he wanted done as she would have been permanently comatose and had very little hope of survival. My father made the decision to let her go and after an injection she only lasted a few hours. I was only a child then and wasn't privy to the conversation, only what my father told me in later years, but still remember my father's face when talking to the doctors. As she was so young it would have been very unfair to allow her to continue in the state she was in.

It has been going on for years and while these days I would ask a lot of questions, I still think everyone has the right to choose their own end and it has nothing to do with doctors, government policy or religion.

Re: Assisted Suicide

the_great_she_elephant — Mon, 06 Jul 2015 06:13:22 GMT

Mr Elephant and are about to give our daughter an "enduring power of guardianship" which means that should we become incapable of making decisions about medical treatment and procedures for ourselves (or each other) she will have the legal right to do so for us. If voluntary euthanasia ever becomes legal we would seek to add a clause empowering her to make this decision too. It is a very big responsibility to put on her shoulders and we are both so grateful that she has agreed to accept it. We talked about it very carefully with her before deciding to going ahead.

Re: Assisted Suicide

alexander*beetle — Mon, 06 Jul 2015 06:56:11 GMT

Very wise move She ele. I'm currently putting together all the info my kids will need such as pre paid funeral contact info etc. Even though I've told them over and over that i have it I doubt they would know what to do once the time comes. Having had a couple of ticker attacks I reckon I should get it sorted sooner rather than later.

You've prompted me to look at the enduring power issue too as even though we've discussed it there is nothing in writing so thanks for that. Ultimately though it's something difficult to discuss now it will make things easier for them down the track won't it.

Re: Assisted Suicide

polksaladallie — Mon, 06 Jul 2015 06:57:40 GMT

The Queensland form requires the Health Attorney/s (and arguably medical staff) to follow the wishes of the Principal whether or not they agree with those wishes. So I don't see it as a huge responsibility because they are abiding by the detailed clauses. It would be difficult to have an attorney who has opposite views, but they legally have to do what is written.

Re: Assisted Suicide

alexander*beetle — Mon, 06 Jul 2015 07:01:39 GMT

It's interesting isn't it Polks. I remember a documentary of this a while ago where they were looking at the expense of keeping people on life support when there was no hope of recovery. Even though the person on life support had given specific instructions, doctors and family were going against their wishes as well as families going against doctors wishes. It's a hard one all right.

Does that apply in all states or only Queensland?

Re: Assisted Suicide

the_great_she_elephant — Mon, 06 Jul 2015 07:52:32 GMT

@polksaladallie wrote:
The Queensland form requires the Health Attorney/s (and arguably medical staff) to follow the wishes of the Principal whether or not they agree with those wishes. So I don't see it as a huge responsibility because they are abiding by the detailed clauses. It would be difficult to have an attorney who has opposite views, but they legally have to do what is written.

It wasn't the legal ramifications I was thinking of, Polks. It's the responsibility DD is taking on of making a life or death decision on our behalf when we can't tell her what we really want..

Re: Assisted Suicide

freshwater-2 — Mon, 06 Jul 2015 09:43:36 GMT

SheEl, I have in place an Advanced Care Directive, which is a legal document either authorising or not authorising actions in certain hospital situations. This is a recognised document, and critical if you are unable to communicate.

Many hospitals ask those being admitted if they have an ACD. My daughter has a copy of my ACD which removes any stress she may suffer making a decision for me