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Why would people do that?
Just askin', have to tell about it at school
Thanks anyways

Because to some people life isn't worth living and they want to die.

If you were 80-100+ years old and had no control of a failing body, and suffered constant pain and humiliation while either having a perfectly functioning brain and having to experience your slow and painful decay fully concious and aware OR having your mind decay and become someone you dont want to be.

Wouldn't you want a legal and painless way out?

I think if you want to die and you have sufficient reason, then go for it. Keeping these people around costs money and causes them suffering.

Yea, I agree with you. Thanks for answer no. 1

Chocolate has hit the main reasons.

Honestly the only reason people get upset about it is because its aginst their religious belifefs. They dont care that the person is suffering as long as they follow the tenates of their religion. Even if the person doing it dosent bevlive what they do. Its busybody syndrom.

I had a proper reply typed up but when I hit "submit" it said that Dakka was undergoing maintenance and so the interwebz ate it :(

The gist of it was; Terry Pratchett is a big advocate of it, as he has Alzheimers, and he has said that he would rather go at a time and place of his own choosing than slowly begin to suffer and become more and more dependant on medical help.

I agree with him, I think that especially for those with terminal illnesses it can be liberating knowing that there is a legal way to go before having to suffer too much.

I think most of the opposition for it comes from, as said above, religious beliefs; medical professionals believing that it breaches their Hippocratic oath, and people who think that unscrupulous individuals might take advantage of the system.

Endless pain is one I suppose, but dignity is the main one for me.

If I was totally fethed with cancer or something, pain is something I could deal with, but I wouldn't let myself get to the point where I am needing someone to wipe my arse.

Basically pride is everything to me, I wouldn't feel like I had any dignity left at all if i needed literally everything doing for me, and many people feel the same.

Having seen two relatives die from terminal illnesses (one throat cancer - relatively short, but extremely painful, and the other Parkinson's disease - slow, drawn out demise), and having seen what they went through, and what the carers went through, I most definitely support Euthanasia.

I would never want to be in a position of near constant suffering or near total 'uselessness', or put anyone through the strain of caring for me. Give me a quick, clean way out. before things got too bad.

I support euthanasia, the real problem if it gets implemented in the UK or US (I know it is in the Netherlands and Switzerland) is moderating which the two previously mentioned countries appear to be doing quite well (IE screening cases so that it is actually the individuals choice and not some greedy relative looking for an inheritance etc

The main problem as Hlaine Larkin mk2 has raised is that those that have something to benefit from a persons death will choose to euthanase them, or that people will not be in a frame of mind, when in pain, to make a considered decision. But I for one would rather be able to die with a certain amount of dignity.

The Terry Pratchett documentary is really good to watch on the subject.

I support it, I think a person should have the right to die if they so choose.

For me, if I had a terminal cancer or something and it had progressed to the point where I wasn't going to make it, I would rather choose to die and look good at my funeral than wait several months during which I would look like a walking corpse.

I would throw a huge party for all my friends and family and make sure everyone had a good time. Then a few days later I would choose to die. The idea being that the last image everyone had of me in their minds was a happy (reasonably healthy) guy, not a hunched over golum looking dude who already looked dead.

Youth in Asia was a decent punk band back in the day.

As with most questions of right or wrong, the problem is where to draw the line?

Plenty of times in peoples lives they feel like giving up. At what point do we stop encouraging an start letting go?

mattyrm wrote:Endless pain is one I suppose, but dignity is the main one for me.

If I was totally fethed with cancer or something, pain is something I could deal with, but I wouldn't let myself get to the point where I am needing someone to wipe my arse.

Basically pride is everything to me, I wouldn't feel like I had any dignity left at all if i needed literally everything doing for me, and many people feel the same.

I'm with Matt on this one.

I think its sad honestly. From my point of view as a Catholic I would think if your suffering was that bad I don't think God would be angry. Christ and mercy afterall right? Perssonaly I would want to live out my last days with myloved ones.

Commisar Von Humps wrote:I think its sad honestly. From my point of view as a Catholic I would think if your suffering was that bad I don't think God would be angry. Christ and mercy afterall right? Perssonaly I would want to live out my last days with myloved ones.

Would you feel the same way if you were a gibbering slobbering mess and every day your wife had to come in and clean the gak off you because you cant even go to the toilet?

Screw that. Id rather go out back and blow my face off with a shot-gun before it came to that.

Or maybe I could be an agnostic suicide bomber? Ill just pick an organisation I really hate and blow myself to fething bits taking their followers down.

Commisar Von Humps wrote:I think its sad honestly. From my point of view as a Catholic I would think if your suffering was that bad I don't think God would be angry. Christ and mercy afterall right? Perssonaly I would want to live out my last days with myloved ones.

God would be angry, it's suicide after all. Used to be you weren't allowed to be buried at the right orientation, you would be treated the same as a witch.

According to the theology of the Roman Catholic Church, death by suicide is considered a grave or serious sin. The chief Roman Catholic Christian argument is that one's life is the property of God and a gift to the world, and to destroy that life is to wrongly assert dominion over what is God's and is a tragic loss of hope

mattyrm wrote:
Or maybe I could be an agnostic suicide bomber? Ill just pick an organisation I really hate and blow myself to fething bits taking their followers down.

You leave the Guardian/Liberty/the Green Party alone!

dæl wrote:

You leave the Guardian/Liberty/the Green Party alone!

I merely mildly disagree with those guys.. I was thinking people who actually deserve it.

ISLAM4UK?

dæl wrote:

Commisar Von Humps wrote:I think its sad honestly. From my point of view as a Catholic I would think if your suffering was that bad I don't think God would be angry. Christ and mercy afterall right? Perssonaly I would want to live out my last days with myloved ones.

God would be angry, it's suicide after all. Used to be you weren't allowed to be buried at the right orientation, you would be treated the same as a witch.

So much for a God of Love, Caring, and Mercy. If he'd rather make someone suffer a long, debilitaiting, dehumanizing, humiliating, and above all AGONIZING death to the point where he'd actually punish someone with no hope of avoiding it for choosing a quick and painless escape, he has ZERO right to claim any sort of repuation for compassion or mercy.

mattyrm wrote:

dæl wrote:

You leave the Guardian/Liberty/the Green Party alone!

I merely mildly disagree with those guys.. I was thinking people who actually deserve it.

ISLAM4UK?

Stupidity isn't a valid reason for euthanasia. Reeductaing them would probably be better than relocating them 6 feet under. Although the irony would be quite apt, it would probably just escalate things.

Vulcan wrote:

dæl wrote:
God would be angry, it's suicide after all. Used to be you weren't allowed to be buried at the right orientation, you would be treated the same as a witch.

So much for a God of Love, Caring, and Mercy. If he'd rather make someone suffer a long, debilitaiting, dehumanizing, humiliating, and above all AGONIZING death to the point where he'd actually punish someone with no hope of avoiding it for choosing a quick and painless escape, he has ZERO right to claim any sort of repuation for compassion or mercy.

Unfortunately this isn't the only issue that could be said about.

dæl wrote:

Stupidity isn't a valid reason for euthanasia. Reeductaing them would probably be better than relocating them 6 feet under

Ahh.. my good natured liberal friend.. this is why we don't agree. Everyone can be re-educated in your happy go lucky quasi-socialist minds cant they? It doesnt work like that in real life though.. do you think we could re-educate Osama Bin Laden? Could we drink tea with Ian Huntley, have a few long conversations and then give him a job at the local swimming pool?

I wont bore you with the details and drag this thread OT, but when you work in military intelligence they use a threat pyramid, those at the bottom few tiers (sometimes known as ten dollar Taliban) can indeed be re-educated or coerced into changing their ways.

The guys at the top?

Shoot them in the face.

Its the only way.

I'm against it as it has the potential to be abused and misused with terminal consequences.

As a person who has been suicidally depressed I also think it is good not to encourage this so that people feel valued.

Phototoxin wrote:I'm against it as it has the potential to be abused and misused with terminal consequences.

Are you Religious?

They say that the only vocal critics of Euthanasia are those with a Religious persuasion, or those that work in palliative care.

But I never met a person in palliative care say they were dead against it, so I presume your with the other guys eh?

You do realise there is no logic to your argument right? Your just arguing it because you have been indoctrinated to say so. Its legal in several countries, do you see everyone lining up to butcher their relatives?

Phototoxin wrote:I'm against it as it has the potential to be abused and misused with terminal consequences.

As a person who has been suicidally depressed I also think it is good not to encourage this so that people feel valued.

I agree with the potential for this to be abused...
The problem I have with it is when people are terminally ill and say they want to end their own life they aren't allowed to...
Basically I think there should be an appeals board for it and it should be a viable option for terminally ill patients only. Those that cannot speak for themselves... that's a bit more fo a problem and I have no ideas for it...

There is a lot of anecdotal evidence of it happening in the UK, people put into morphine induced comas and then not fed. The only thing is the doctor can currently be struck off, and possibly face criminal charges. I would rather we treat doctors who show that much compassion they are willing to put their career on the line with a bit more respect. Not everyone can get to a Dignitas clinic in Switzerland, be it financial or mobility issues. Of course we would need the correct measures, two separate doctors and whoever has power of attorney having to sign it off could work.

purplefood wrote:

Phototoxin wrote:I'm against it as it has the potential to be abused and misused with terminal consequences.

As a person who has been suicidally depressed I also think it is good not to encourage this so that people feel valued.

I agree with the potential for this to be abused...
The problem I have with it is when people are terminally ill and say they want to end their own life they aren't allowed to...
Basically I think there should be an appeals board for it and it should be a viable option for terminally ill patients only. Those that cannot speak for themselves... that's a bit more fo a problem and I have no ideas for it...

Of course its a problem.. if we can give you a merciful death with medical science, people desperate to end their lives shouldnt have to throw themselves in front of a train or hang themselves in the shed with a pair of bootlaces!

dæl wrote:

Commisar Von Humps wrote:I think its sad honestly. From my point of view as a Catholic I would think if your suffering was that bad I don't think God would be angry. Christ and mercy afterall right? Perssonaly I would want to live out my last days with myloved ones.

God would be angry, it's suicide after all. Used to be you weren't allowed to be buried at the right orientation, you would be treated the same as a witch.

According to the theology of the Roman Catholic Church, death by suicide is considered a grave or serious sin. The chief Roman Catholic Christian argument is that one's life is the property of God and a gift to the world, and to destroy that life is to wrongly assert dominion over what is God's and is a tragic loss of hope

That's just old testament stuff, it doesn't apply anymore The only reason god gets angry is if he gives you a loan and you don't pay him back with interest.


Everyone dies, you should have the right to pick the when/where and hows of it, if you choose to do so. But it really goes back to, if its against your religion, don't do it. Just don't force your religion onto the rest of us.

sirlynchmob wrote:
That's just old testament stuff, it doesn't apply anymore The only reason god gets angry is if he gives you a loan and you don't pay him back with interest.

From the new testament.

1 Corinthians 3:17 wrote:
"If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are."

That technically means you're not allowed to do a lot of things...

I don't see this ending well.

purplefood wrote:That technically means you're not allowed to do a lot of things...

Religion != Religious scripture.