03-05-2005, 10:53 PM
This is part of an article -
When I hear of parents of children with autism or other disabling illnesses taking the children's lives to spare them of a life of indignity and struggle, I certainly have pity, empathy, and a level of understanding. But then I have to come back to the thought, "Whose life is it?" Euthanasia is different from suicide in that death comes by another's hand. I am afraid that I understand the motivation that some may have to take their own lives (I have been there before). But life is so unpredictable that the things that may look unbearable today may be gone or changed the very next morning. How sad to think, "If he had only waited one more day!" But euthanasia takes the decision not only away from God but away from the person.
Euthanasia is legal in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Oregon. Euthanasia literally means the "good death" or "well death". It sounds so peaceful, so good. It is called "mercy killing". It is designed to ease the suffering of terminally ill patients.
The problem with things that sound good is the principle of unintended consequences. Most of us would say, "Well, I am not the one suffering so I understand how a person could not want to live anymore." We are a compassionate people. Some of us have been in pain and understand the desire to be free of it. The unintended consequence here is that when you give a person the authority over another's life, sometimes they take it. A "terminal illness" seems pretty clear cut but how about a "life not worth living"? Is it "fair" to keep people alive when they want to be dead? or when they cannot tell us they want to be dead?
Let's look at what's happening in Holland. In 1984 euthanasia ceased to be a crime in Holland (the Netherlands). In the beginning there were detailed criteria for when a patient could be euthanized. But as with all things, the criteria expanded and was loosened. Today there is great concern that the physicians who make such decisions have already made a decision for death over the opposite wishes of the people and families involved. In some cases people with depression (but no terminal illness) have been euthanized. Now Holland wants to legalize child euthanasia. How long before children with disabilities are "chosen" by the physicians for the "good death"? The T-4 Program in Nazi Germany killed thousands of people with disabilities. Their reasoning is eerily similar to arguments heard today in Holland. Are children with autism candidates for the "good death"? Taking control of decisions about life or death is taking on a decision that was never ours to begin with. God reserves this right for Himself.
What can I do? Fight for the life of all people. Terri Schiavo is a woman who suffered a mysterious illness and is now bed-ridden and brain-damaged. She cannot talk or move the way she wants to. Her husband, who has already fathered children with his girlfriend, wants to take away Terri's feeding tube. It is being called euthanasia. Can anyone honestly describe starving to death as a "good death"? Terri does not have autism but you can see that some day a people who would allow Terri to be starved to death could decide that a child with autism needs to be spared of a life of non-communication, pain, and suffering. And what about his family? And what about the drain on our education system? And what about the tax money that will be spent to care for him for the rest of his life? Dear parents, please stand up before there is no one left to stand up for those who are too weak to fight or too unaware to say no! Proverbs 24:11-12 says, "Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to death; don't stand back and let them die. Don't try to avoid responsibility by saying you didn't know about it. For God knows all hearts, and he sees you. He keeps watch over your soul, and he knows you knew! And he will judge all people according to what they have done."
May God help our nation. Already Oregon allows euthanasia in certain situations. If things go as they have in Holland, it will not stop there.
Most of you have read the story called Welcome to Holland. It tells of a person planning a trip to Italy and suddenly arrives in Holland through some unexplained accident. The point of the story is that autism or some other developmental disability is a little like winding up in a different country. It's not what you expected but it's still a lovely place to be. Of course, many parents of kids with autism have taken exception to that nice little story (see Holland, Schmolland). Well, children with autism do not need to take that other trip to Holland. Make sure that some doctor some day does not pull you aside after lecturing you on the peace that can be had in death and say to you and your child, "Welcome to Holland." ~GJH~ (9-20-2004)
http://groups.msn.com/TheAutismHomePage/...ities.msnw
When I hear of parents of children with autism or other disabling illnesses taking the children's lives to spare them of a life of indignity and struggle, I certainly have pity, empathy, and a level of understanding. But then I have to come back to the thought, "Whose life is it?" Euthanasia is different from suicide in that death comes by another's hand. I am afraid that I understand the motivation that some may have to take their own lives (I have been there before). But life is so unpredictable that the things that may look unbearable today may be gone or changed the very next morning. How sad to think, "If he had only waited one more day!" But euthanasia takes the decision not only away from God but away from the person.
Euthanasia is legal in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Oregon. Euthanasia literally means the "good death" or "well death". It sounds so peaceful, so good. It is called "mercy killing". It is designed to ease the suffering of terminally ill patients.
The problem with things that sound good is the principle of unintended consequences. Most of us would say, "Well, I am not the one suffering so I understand how a person could not want to live anymore." We are a compassionate people. Some of us have been in pain and understand the desire to be free of it. The unintended consequence here is that when you give a person the authority over another's life, sometimes they take it. A "terminal illness" seems pretty clear cut but how about a "life not worth living"? Is it "fair" to keep people alive when they want to be dead? or when they cannot tell us they want to be dead?
Let's look at what's happening in Holland. In 1984 euthanasia ceased to be a crime in Holland (the Netherlands). In the beginning there were detailed criteria for when a patient could be euthanized. But as with all things, the criteria expanded and was loosened. Today there is great concern that the physicians who make such decisions have already made a decision for death over the opposite wishes of the people and families involved. In some cases people with depression (but no terminal illness) have been euthanized. Now Holland wants to legalize child euthanasia. How long before children with disabilities are "chosen" by the physicians for the "good death"? The T-4 Program in Nazi Germany killed thousands of people with disabilities. Their reasoning is eerily similar to arguments heard today in Holland. Are children with autism candidates for the "good death"? Taking control of decisions about life or death is taking on a decision that was never ours to begin with. God reserves this right for Himself.
What can I do? Fight for the life of all people. Terri Schiavo is a woman who suffered a mysterious illness and is now bed-ridden and brain-damaged. She cannot talk or move the way she wants to. Her husband, who has already fathered children with his girlfriend, wants to take away Terri's feeding tube. It is being called euthanasia. Can anyone honestly describe starving to death as a "good death"? Terri does not have autism but you can see that some day a people who would allow Terri to be starved to death could decide that a child with autism needs to be spared of a life of non-communication, pain, and suffering. And what about his family? And what about the drain on our education system? And what about the tax money that will be spent to care for him for the rest of his life? Dear parents, please stand up before there is no one left to stand up for those who are too weak to fight or too unaware to say no! Proverbs 24:11-12 says, "Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to death; don't stand back and let them die. Don't try to avoid responsibility by saying you didn't know about it. For God knows all hearts, and he sees you. He keeps watch over your soul, and he knows you knew! And he will judge all people according to what they have done."
May God help our nation. Already Oregon allows euthanasia in certain situations. If things go as they have in Holland, it will not stop there.
Most of you have read the story called Welcome to Holland. It tells of a person planning a trip to Italy and suddenly arrives in Holland through some unexplained accident. The point of the story is that autism or some other developmental disability is a little like winding up in a different country. It's not what you expected but it's still a lovely place to be. Of course, many parents of kids with autism have taken exception to that nice little story (see Holland, Schmolland). Well, children with autism do not need to take that other trip to Holland. Make sure that some doctor some day does not pull you aside after lecturing you on the peace that can be had in death and say to you and your child, "Welcome to Holland." ~GJH~ (9-20-2004)
http://groups.msn.com/TheAutismHomePage/...ities.msnw