Romans 1:21 “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.”
Important Takeaways:
- The slippery slope of physician-assisted suicide is coming to Connecticut
- Connecticut is poised to pass what is euphemistically called An Act Concerning Aid in Dying for Terminally Ill Patients giving doctors the permission to kill patients who want to be killed.
- Polls show 63% approval for this legislation.
- This bill is just the beginning of a large social trend that decades from now will result in the killing of the disabled, those suffering from severe psychiatric disorders and the indigent elderly.
- Canada, with a population of 40 million (the same as California), has had doctors kill nearly 10,000 patients in the past year, over 3% of deaths. Canada has socialized medicine but does not allow private pay, thus Canadians endure long wait times or outright denials for treatment while wealthy Canadians simply come to the United States for care and pay out of pocket. Thus, poorer Canadians are opting for physician-assisted suicide rather than living without treatment and services the government refuses to cover.
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Romans 1:21 “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.”
Important Takeaways:
- Killing The Most Vulnerable: Assisted Suicide Is A Slippery Slope
- In June 2016—not even seven years ago—Canada legalized what they call “medical assistance in dying,” or MAiD, to “support [Canadians’] autonomy and freedom of choice, and protect those who are vulnerable.” But this is not about protecting the vulnerable at all—it’s about killing the most vulnerable.
- And that’s exactly what’s happened as Canada has gone from allowing for medically assisted murder of “merely” the elderly and terminally ill to considering the murder of those suffering from mental illness (that was set to go into law this month but has now been postponed) to now the suggestion that “mature minors” should be allowed to choose MAiD.
- A “Special Joint Committee recommended the Government of Canada give terminally-ill minors the authority to request euthanasia if the minor is believed to have sound judgment.” Whether or not the minor has this vague “sound judgment” is to be determined on a case-by-case basis by MAiD personnel.
- But what if parents disagree with their child’s desire to have a doctor or nurse murder them? Well, that parent is “interfering” with their child’s wish and the committee recommends the government side with the child and override the parent’s wishes.
- We are seeing man’s religion of death increasingly permeating the culture.
- The answer is the true history in God’s Word and the gospel of Jesus Christ! Here’s how it applies to this issue of assisted suicide:
- God created everyone. We are not products of chance. We are not animals; we are not just molecules bumping around. We are persons made in the very image of God (Genesis 1:26), and therefore our lives have value and worth no matter our level of ability, perceived quality of life, level of dependency, or age.
- We live in a world that has been broken because of our sin. Suffering and pain are now part of the world, and we should do all we can to fight against the effects of the curse (Genesis 3) and alleviate suffering. But only God holds the authority of life and death—we don’t! When we take an innocent life, we are committing murder, and that is a grave sin (Exodus 20:13).
- Each person has an eternal soul—this life is not all there is! For those who have trusted in Christ, we look forward to a time when all pain and suffering will be gone and we will dwell with Christ in heaven for eternity (see Revelation 21). But those who have not trusted in Christ for salvation will live forever separated from God in hell. Please, if you haven’t turned to Christ, trust in him today! Death will not solve your temporary, earthly problems! It only seals your fate for eternity.
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Romans 1:28 “And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.”
Important Takeaways:
- Canada’s Gov’t Assisted Suicide Program Leads the World in Harvesting ‘Live’ Organs
- Doctors in Canada, where the law Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) was passed in 2016, performed almost half of the world’s organ transplants after MAID for that period, according to the December 2022 issue of the American Journal of Transplantation.
- CTV News reports data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information confirms this new source of transplant organs accounted accounts for six percent of all transplants from deceased donors in Canada in 2021.
- In Canada, MAID is a department of the government. The decision to end one’s life is a voluntary one. The law was originally intended for Canadian citizens who were suffering from a terminal disease. But according to the government’s website, “You do not need to have a fatal or terminal condition to be eligible for medical assistance in dying.”
- According to Health Canada data, 44.2% of MAID provisions in Canada took place at home, CTV reported. The MAID recipient is given the medications in their home, and then transported by ambulance to a nearby hospital to have the procedure completed and their organs harvested.
- Recently, a paraplegic former Canadian military member complained to the veteran’s department that she was still waiting for a chairlift for her residence, following years of requests. Instead of an offer of immediate assistance to help her get up and down the stairs pain-free, the government offered to euthanize her.
- “I have a letter saying that if you’re so desperate, madam, we can offer you MAID, medical assistance in dying,” said Gauthier who first injured her back in a training accident in 1989.
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Tennessee lawmakers are considering the option of legalizing assisted suicide.
The state Senate Health Committee held a meeting on June 10th to consider a bill that would allow physician assisted suicide in the state.
Senate Bill 1362 was presented by Sen. Reginald Tate (D-Memphis) and House Bill 1040 by Rep. Craig Fitzhugh (D-Ripley). The bill would allow doctors to prescribe a massive overdose of drugs for a person 18 years of age or older to end their life; the option for a patient to immediately die after receiving a diagnosis of “terminal” and even allowing health care providers to turn down more expensive life saving treatments when cheaper assisted suicide options are available.
“We think it’s humane to euthanize an animal when they get to the point they can’t take care of themselves. Why can’t we do the same for people?” asked Dr. Douglas Essinger. “What about the patients rights to die with dignity? I think that should be the paramount issue here.”
Pro-life groups were vocal in their opposition.
“If doctor-prescribed suicide is legalized in Tennessee, it could become the only ‘medical treatment’ to which many people have equal access. If the government or insurance companies decide they no longer wish to pay for legitimate care and medical treatments, there will be a pressure upon the elderly, ill and disabled to end their lives. Being coerced into ending their lives does not offer death with dignity, it only offers a frightening and dangerous future for elderly and ill Tennesseans,” Brian Harris, president of Tennessee Right to Life, said.
The California State Senate has passed a bill that will allow some elderly and disabled residents to seek assistance in killing themselves with an overdose of drugs.
The senate passed the bill 23-14 despite passionate opposition speaking out for the sanctity of life.
The bill was driven by legislators using the story of Brittany Maynard, the 29-year-old California woman who moved to Oregon so she could establish residency and qualify to be given drugs to kill herself. Maynard promoted her death online for weeks before she ended her life.
Maynard’s family was in the Senate chamber and spoke to reporters on behalf of the legislators who supported the measure.
Critics were intense in their opposition. Leaders with the Catholic Church said that “assisted suicide is against the will of God.”
Senator Jeff Stone, who opposes the measure, said that the state could become a haven for “death tourism.”
“What’s going to be the new theme of the state of California?” Stone asked. “Come play, live and die in California?”
The bill is modeled on Oregon’s law.
Assisted suicide advocates are claiming a new wave of momentum following the highly publicized suicide of a 29-year-old Oregon woman with brain cancer.
A national campaign to allow doctors to assist people in killing themselves was launched Wednesday in California with the introduction of the “California End of Life Option Act” that is modeled after the 1994 Oregon law approving physician-assisted suicide.
A dozen other states will have similar measures introduced this legislative season.
The media stardom of Brittany Maynard is being used as a tool for the pro-death advocates. However, they don’t highlight the fact Maynard’s story did not go viral on its own. A group called Compassion and Choices, funded by major Democratic party donor George Soros, was pushing the story behind the scenes to major news outlets.
“It’s an organized campaign funded by Soros money, and they’re using the Maynard case as their launching pad,” said Wesley J. Smith, senior fellow at the Discovery Institute and a euthanasia opponent.
“Let’s think about this for a second: There have been over 700 assisted suicides in Oregon, and not one of them got this kind of attention. What you have is a movement that looks around for just the right kind of emotional kick,” Mr. Smith said. “You don’t get this kind of international, high-profile media by accident.”
The group reportedly arranged for Maynard’s profile in People Magazine.
The Canadian Supreme Court is preparing to rule on the country’s ban on assisted suicide.
“Every one who … aids or abets a person to commit suicide, whether suicide ensues or not, is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding fourteen years,” states the Criminal Code of Canada.
The court is looking at the appeal of a ruling form the British Columbia Court of Appeals which overruled a lower court ruling approving euthanasia. A woman suffering from ALS who has died since the filing of the suit, claimed that denying her the right to have someone assist her in dying violated her rights and discriminates against the disabled.
“If the Supreme Court strikes down our laws against assisted suicide/euthanasia, then it will be up to parliament to come up with a new law,” said MP Maurice Vellacott. “If the Supreme Court of Canada strikes down Canada’s current laws on euthanasia or assisted suicide, then CPSO’s policy would mean Ontario’s physicians would have a ‘duty to refer’ patients for treatments intended to kill the patient.”
Two Canadian senators have introduced a bill that would remove any criminal penalties to doctors who help a patient end their lives. The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario has also crafted a policy that would require doctors to participate in the process regardless of their personal beliefs.
A man who has been called the “new Doctor Death” for following in the footsteps of Dr. Jack Kevorikian has been stripped of his medical license in Maryland.
Dr. Lawrence Egbert has been connected to the suicide deaths of six elderly Marylanders.
“It is undisputed that Dr. Egbert participated in six suicides in the state of Maryland as either a Senior Exit Guide or as a members only exit guide,” the Maryland Board of Physicians wrote in their revocation of Egbert’s license.
“Dr. Egbert reviewed their applications and medical records and recommended accepting them as members,” the board wrote. “Dr. Egbert attended their suicide rehearsals. He held each member’s hand and talked to him or her.”
Egbert, who law enforcement officials say is connected to over 300 deaths across the nation, is currently awaiting trial in Minnesota for helping residents there end their lives. He had previously been arrested in Georgia but charges were not filed.
Egbert says he will appeal the decision and claims that assisted suicide is “in the Bible as legitimate.”
Assisted suicide is legal in Oregon, Washington, Montana, Vermont and New Mexico.
