Should old people be helped to die, if that is what they wish? [ENDS 13/06/2010]

[RedStratocas]

Personally? No life is a gift from God and you should die naturally, when its your time.

If they ask to be "put too sleep" then this effectively suicide. 10 commandments state "thou shalt not kill" killing yourself is still murder. Therefore breaking a 10 commandment, and as you are dead... you cannot ask God for forgiveness.

ill ignore your ignorant assumption that everyone is christian and just go with it, since that would be a waste of time to argue about. so first off, according to christianity you can always ask god for forgiveness, even after the most horrible crimes. the bible doesnt necessarily dictate breaking any of the commandments is worse than any of the others, so you can go to hell just because you dont get along with your neighbor and you didnt ask for forgiveness, and someone who killed 3 people is really sorry and gets to go to heaven.

second, how long humans live in this day and age is completely unnatural altogether, so the "die naturally" argument is completely irrelevant. people say that taking someone off life support is "playing god," when the fact of the matter is that putting someone on life support in the first place is "playing god," as they would die naturally without it. there would be millions of people dying "naturally" of diseases we get vaccines for when we're young, this is unnatural too. humans are supposed to live to 40 years old, tops, and we've doubled that time through unnatural processes, so the "natural death" argument makes very little sense.

[ziziziz]

So if you had a relative or friend that had a disease, couldn't do the things they were used to, was going through an undignifying process of dying slowly and painfully, you wouldn't want them to have the choice? Not everyone's religious.

ironicly i do and i agree not everyone is but i am, so is my family so in that concept i wouldnt.

ill ignore your ignorant assumption that everyone is christian and just go with it, since that would be a waste of time to argue about. so first off, according to christianity you can always ask god for forgiveness, even after the most horrible crimes. the bible doesnt necessarily dictate breaking any of the commandments is worse than any of the others, so you can go to hell just because you dont get along with your neighbor and you didnt ask for forgiveness, and someone who killed 3 people is really sorry and gets to go to heaven.

second, how long humans live in this day and age is completely unnatural altogether, so the "die naturally" argument is completely irrelevant. people say that taking someone off life support is "playing god," when the fact of the matter is that putting someone on life support in the first place is "playing god," as they would die naturally without it. there would be millions of people dying "naturally" of diseases we get vaccines for when we're young, this is unnatural too. humans are supposed to live to 40 years old, tops, and we've doubled that time through unnatural processes, so the "natural death" argument makes very little sense.

my ignorant? coming from the poster who says "since that would be a waste of time to argue about" refering to christianity. but the debate is not about that so ill move on. thats right, you can ask for forgiveness and your sins will be forgiven. When you ask your sins to be forgived it has to be genuine obviously or God will know that you dont mean it. so if someone killed 3 people i highly doubt they didnt mean it.

fair point about the life machine thing but you misunderstood me, i didnt say "natual life" because thats what you post pretty much says, i said about natural death ie; dying when its your time. i have nothing against vaccines, they help people fulfil their life and the bit about humans living to only 40 is complete rubbish, in the bible many people died in their hundreds.

[Richie]

Everyone should have the option of dying whenever they want, after all it is their life, their wishes.

[xtabithax]

Dying is their own choice they should be allowed to make that decision for themselves. Espically if they are in pain.

[Moh]

If they are suffering with no way of recovering then I believe they should be helped. It also allows them to pass away happy, especially if their loved ones are there to comfort them too.

[Gibs960]

Yeah, end their pain The argument against is so stupid, how would they like to be in pain for the rest of their lives

[Wig44.]

Personally? No life is a gift from God and you should die naturally, when its your time.

If they ask to be "put too sleep" then this effectively suicide. 10 commandments state "thou shalt not kill" killing yourself is still murder. Therefore breaking a 10 commandment, and as you are dead... you cannot ask God for forgiveness.

A bit like how christianity would have everyone in Africa die rather than use condoms (which don't work btw!!!!!!!!).

[kuzkasate]

Yes and not only old people.. everyone should. If your in pain and this so called "life" only brings you pain and anger and the rest of it, why should you carry on? Its your choice tbh but then again, its against some doctors religions to do so, so they would have to get another doctor to perform it.

[[Jay]]

If they are in pain yes, but otherwise it may not be the best option.

[MrPinkPanther]

They should have the right to die if that is what they wish. The state should have no role in interfering with completely personal sensitive issues such as these. Although the law is against them, I do believe that it is fine to do this at the moment, people generally haven't been prosecuted for it in recent years and I think the general population are beginning to accept that sometimes assisted suicide is the only option. This however is not the problem, we all accept assisted suicide if it's what the people want and if they are clinically ill right? Well what if they are so ill that they are unable to communicate with the outside world? What if they are in a completely vegetative state? When is it assisted suicide and when is it just plain murder?

This is the real problem.