Euthanasia and Suicide These icons indicate that teacher’s notes or useful web addresses are available in the Notes Page. This icon indicates the slide contains activities created in Flash. These activities are not editable. For more detailed instructions, see the Getting Started presentation.

What is euthanasia? Euthanasia means ‘easy death’. Euthanasia is helping someone to die to ease their suffering, especially if the person is suffering from a painful, debilitating and incurable illness. Do you think it is ever right to help someone to die? Write a paragraph to explain your view.

What do you think?

Words you need to know when thinking about euthanasia: Students could be asked to think of situations when a patient might be unable to make a decision for themselves. For example, if they are mentally incapable/in a coma/on a life support machine. Withdrawing a life support machine is a form of passive euthanasia – nature is allowed to take its course.

Euthanasia in Britain

What would you do? Jo’s mother had cancer. She was in pain all of the time and sometimes found it almost impossible to cope. One day she tried to kill herself by stepping out in front of a car but the car stopped. She then asked Jo to get her some tablets and help her to take an overdose. She said that if Jo didn’t help her to do this she would throw herself in front of a lorry. Jo loved her Mum very much and hated to see her suffering so she gave her the tablets and held her while she died. Then she phoned the police. Jo is put on trial for helping her Mum to die. In pairs imagine that you are the prosecutor and the defence council. Each of you write a statement to say why she should/should not be punished; then act out a role play. What would you do if you were the judge? Why? Real examples of court cases concerning euthanasia are given at http://www.request.org.uk/issues/topics/euthansia/euthanasia01.htm.

Euthanasia in the balance – what do Christians think?

What the Christian churches think The Church of England’s stance on euthanasia is explained at http://www.england.anglican.org/view/index.html. The Catholic Church’s view is detailed at http://www.catholic-ew.org.uk/frameset.htm. The Salvation Army explain their view at http://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/en/Library/masic/Euthanasia.htm.

The Bible and euthanasia Two of the statements can be used in arguments for and against euthanasia. You may choose to lead on from these to a class discussion. All quotes are from the New International Version of the holy Bible.

Hospices Some people believe that euthanasia is wrong and would prefer that the terminally ill be supported medically, emotionally and spiritually, and allowed to die with dignity. Dame Cicely Saunders started the modern hospice movement. She believes that we now have the medical technology to give good pain relief so that euthanasia is no longer necessary. A hospice is a place that patients can go to spend their last few days or months in an atmosphere that helps them to come to terms with their death so that they can die peacefully. Helen House Hospice, Oxford

Hospices are usually run by charities and have enough staff to give much more personal treatment than in a hospital. The hospice also supports the family of the patient. Although many of the charities that run hospices have been set up by religions you do not have to be a member of that religion to go there, and they will not try to force their faith on you. Do you think that a hospice is a good alternative to euthanasia? Discuss with a partner giving arguments for and against.

Have you changed your mind?

Suicide

Reasons for suicide

Christians and suicide In the past the Christian Church saw suicide as a great sin and would not bury suicides in consecrated ground. Christians believe that all life is sacred and so only God can take it; it is just as wrong to take your own life as it is to take the life of another. Christians now believe that people are mentally disturbed in some way if they want to kill themselves and so they do all they can to help them through their difficult times with love and compassion. Saint Paul said ‘God will not let you be tempted beyond your strength’. Job said ‘the Lord has given and the Lord will take away’. The British Humanist Association provide a humanist perspective on suicide at http://www.humanism.org.uk/site/cms/contentViewArticle.asp?article=1240.

Samaritans Samaritans web site can be found at http://www.samaritans.org. In the ‘Know more’ section there is a detailed history and relevant statistics.

Be a Samaritan Role play the following situations with a partner. One of you is a Samaritan and the other is a caller. Caller – you feel under pressure from your parents to get high grades in your exams but you know you will disappoint them. You are thinking of committing suicide if your results are poor. Caller – Your boyfriend/girlfriend has just dumped you and is now going out with your best friend. You feel humiliated and see no way out.