1. STARTER Colour code the statements for or against euthanasia (don’t forget to colour the key).
16 September 2018

2. Tick the boxes in the first two columns and in the third column you need to write for or against.
Religious
Non-religious
For or Against?
1.It's my life and my death.
2.Euthanasia is illegal in Britain.
3 Death is the next stage in life, not necessarily the end of life, and to end it prematurely is against God’s plan.
4. I may be terminally ill but I love my family. I want to live.
5. Suffering can help us understand life. It can strengthen us.
6. “Treat others as you would like them to treat you”: Luke 6.
Therefore it is the lesser of the two evils if we help someone die if they are in excruciating never-ending pain.
7. The law should stop suffering, not prolong it.
8. It should be a 'human right' to make my own decision.
9. ‘Thou shalt not kill’: Deuteronomy 5.
Euthanasia is murder in the eyes of God
10. Jesus made it clear that everyone is valuable in the eyes of God.
11. Life is a gift from God; it is sacred and holy. “children are a gift of the LORD” Psalm 127
12. She has written a Living Will. It is clear she wants to die.
13. It is best to learn to cope with the problem, not to give in.
14. I want to avoid indignity and a useless existence.
15. Relatives might encourage the patient to die quickly.
16. God gave people free will ("Choose good" Isaiah 7:15) …so each of us can decide ourselves. Relieving ourselves from pain could be good.

3. Divide your page into three equal sections Use the information to fill in the different viewpoints. Don’t forget to include quotes.
Catholic Views
Other Christian Views
Views of Euthanasia
Muslim views
16 September 2018

4. What do Christians Say?
Euthanasia is wrong according to most Christians...
Why?
God created life, so only God can end life.
Life is a gift from God and should be respected.
God will support you through your suffering.
Bible Quotes that support this point of view:
Do not commit murder.
- Exodus 20:13
Surely you know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you! So if anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you yourselves are his temple
- Corinthians 3: 16-17
Look at the birds: they do not sow seeds, gather a harvest and put it in barns; yet your Father in heaven takes care of them! Aren’t you worth much more than birds
Matthew 22:39

5. Catholic view
The mainstream Catholic view is that euthanasia is always wrong. Although there may come a time when it is not thought to be beneficial to the patient to prolong their lives using drugs, it is never right to end someone’s life before it would naturally end.
Instead, Catholics favour the Hospice Movement as an alternative to euthanasia. Hospices are shelters for the terminally ill where people can die in dignity. The founder of the Hospice Movement, a Christian called Dame Cicely Saunders said this-

6. ‘Anything which says to the very ill or the very old that there is no longer anything that matters in life would be a deep impoverishment to the whole society.’
Dame Cicely Saunders

7. Christian viewpoint on active euthanasia
The Catholic Church teaches that euthanasia is a –
‘grave violation of the law of God’
Pope John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae, 1995
However, if large doses of painkillers are used to help a person’s suffering, and as a result, the person dies, this is OK.
It is called the ‘doctrine of double effect’.

8. Christian viewpoint - Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland teaches that although the deliberate taking of human life is forbidden, there are strong arguments for people not to be kept alive at all costs when they are suffering intolerable pain.

9. Life is a thing of value in itself; it's value doesn't depend on the extent that it brings pleasure and well-being.
This means that suffering and pain do not stop life being valuable, and are not a reason for ending life.
The Catholic Church believes that each person should enter the dying process with all its mysteries with trust in God and in solidarity with their fellow human beings; they should die with the dignity of letting themselves be loved unconditionally.

10. ‘As Catholic leaders and moral teachers, we believe that life is the most basic gift of a loving God--a gift over which we have stewardship but not absolute dominion.'
National Conference of Catholic Bishops (USA), 1991

11. Christian viewpoint – other churches
‘Salvation army believes that euthanasia and assisted suicide undermine human dignity and are morally wrong regardless of age or disability.’ -Salvation Army
‘Humans are not empowered to take their own lives’ -Assemblies of God Pentecostal
‘Healthcare professionals are not required to use all available medical treatment in all circumstances. Medical treatment may be limited in some instances and death allowed to occur’ – Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, 1992

12. Euthanasia and Christianity
KEY WORDS
Christian – Someone who believes that Jesus is the son of God (God in human form)
Protestant – Someone who is Christian and not Roman Catholic.
Roman Catholic – A Christian who follows the teachings of the Pope.
Liberal Protestant – A Protestant who is more open minded about things – such as Methodists or Quakers.
Euthanasia – A pain free and gentle death.
Hospice – A place people who are dying can stay in to give them a nicer environment with medical and personal support.

13. What do different Christians think?
Some Christians believe it is _______________ to switch off a life support machine if there is evidence that the patient is _________________.
This is because they think everything that made that person who they are has already gone and the ______________ are the only things keeping them alive.
Some Christians also think that is can be okay to ________________ treatment that might keep someone alive whilst not curing them. This is because they want that person (or themselves) to enjoy the life they have left and not feel ____________ or unwell as a result of medicine.
They think this is okay because __________ taught people they should do whatever is the Most Loving Thing. This means doing what is _________.
These views would be held by _____________________________. The Roman Catholic Church is totally ______________ euthanasia. However, they do think it is okay for someone to refuse treatment that delays death rather than ________ it.
WITHOLD STOP LIBERAL PROTESTANT ACCEPTABLE AGAINST MACHINES KINDEST BRAIN-DEAD UNHAPPY JESUS

14. Christian attitudes to Euthanasia
Why do they believe this?
What is their attitude towards Euthanasia?
Liberal Protestants
Christian attitudes to Euthanasia
Roman Catholics
What is their attitude towards Euthanasia?
Why do they believe this? The teachings of the RC Church (the Catechism) says that ending someone’s life for any reason is murder. However, they don’t want people to ‘preserve life at any cost’.

15. Islam and Euthanasia

16. All Muslims are against euthanasia but there are 2 attitudes…
1) Some do not see switching off a life
support machine as euthanasia because…
Some Muslim lawyers say they can be turned off if doctors agree that life has ended.
If ‘brain dead’ then God has already taken that person.

17. 2) Against euthanasia in any form because…
Quran says suicide is wrong, therefore assisted suicide must be wrong.
Asking someone to kill you is no different from killing yourself – so voluntary euthanasia is wrong.
Believe in the sanctity of life. God decides when our lives end.
Life is a test and ending your life early is cheating that test.

18. What type of euthanasia does Islam allow? 4KU
Medical treatment can be stopped if the doctor decides it will not help the patient.
The sanctity of human life is a basic value as decreed by God even before the times of Moses, Jesus and Mohammad. The Qur'an says: "Take not life”
What type of euthanasia does Islam allow? KU

19. Create a Venn diagram to show the Christian and Muslim views on euthanasia.
Both
Extension for Experts!
Why might some Christians prefer a method of caring for the individual?

20. Discuss the different viewpoints 6AE
“Euthanasia stops people from suffering, so religious people should agree with it.”
Discuss the different viewpoints 6AE