Mercy Killing

1
Mercy Killing

• Theme What the Bible says about euthanasia. 1
  Samuel 311-6

2
Introduction

• While Mrs. Schiavos life hung in the balance
• Her former husband (practically speaking) wanted
  to move on and remove the feeding tube.
• Her parents fought Florida law to keep the tube
  in with hope that she would one day recover.

3
Introduction

• The disagreement between family members brought
  Mrs. Schiavos medical dilemma to the forefount
  of America.
• The Florida court system (up to the state supreme
  court) adjudicated over her case.
• Federal politicians stepped into the debate over
  her life and death.
• Medical doctors bound to their Hippocratic Oath
  were also bound to court orders to remove
  Terris feeding tube.

4
Introduction

• The question Christians have, including and
  beyond this case what are we to believe?
  regarding euthanasia.
• Biblically, we do have guidance over the
  questions of life, death, and the preservation of
  life.
• There are instances of euthanasia in the Bible.
• Gods word, however, does not deal with the
  intricacies that blend the natural and artificial
  means of preserving life.

5
Introduction

• In this lesson is we shall look at
• The mindset of our society as it pertains to our
  subject matter euthanasia.
• Dilemmas that have resulted due to extraordinary
  medical means of keeping a person alive.
• Look at what Gods word has revealed regarding
  this subject matter.
• Biblical application that harmonizes with and
  within Gods revelation.

6
The Mindset of Our (American) Society

• We live in a time where the average life span in
  American continues to increase each year.1
• In 1930 the average life expectancy for combined
  gender and races in the U.S. was 59.7 years.
• In 2001 that number steadily climbed to 77.2
  years.

7
The Mindset of Our (American) Society

• Simultaneously, there have been numerous modern
  advances in the science and medical fields that
  correlate to our longer life spans.
• In 1947 the first person was saved by means of
  defibrillation.2
• Since then millions of lives have been saved by
  this one devise.
• This has allowed people to go on living years
  beyond what would have other wise ended in
  shorter lives.

8
The Mindset of Our (American) Society

• Various vaccinations have been used to stem the
  onset of various plagues.
• Smallpox eradicated in 1980.3
• Fewer than 500 people with polio worldwide in
  2001.4
• Many children and adults have been able to live
  much longer through additional medicinal
  breakthroughs.
• Other advanced surgical procedures and medicines
  have allowed us to live longer radiation, chemo
  therapy, dialysis, laser surgeries, etc.

9
The Mindset of Our (American) Society

• Interwoven with medical and scientific advances
  has been the evolution of our societys belief as
  it pertains to quality of life.
• Today, the thought of a nice and peaceful death
  permeates into our societal belief system.
• Conversely, the thought of pain and suffering in
  the transition from life to death is undesirable
  at the very least (it is natural to want to live
  our final years in peace).

10
The Mindset of Our (American) Society

• Societys belief as it pertains to quality of
  life. (cont.)
• It is the combination of longer life and medical
  advances that has evolved our belief system into
  a more tolerant view regarding mercy killing,
  or more technically, euthanasia.

11
Defining/Understanding Terms

• Euthanasia is commonly known as mercy killing.
• Technically, the word comes from the Greek root
  word that translates as good death but more
  strictly translated as easy death.
• It is the action of hastening death of a person
  who is seriously or terminally ill or injured to
  bring relief to the individual.

12
Defining/Understanding Terms

• Two distinguishing types of euthanasia
• Passive Euthanasia - a refusal to use life
  sustaining medical equipment to prolong life
  where there is no (medically) prospect of
  recovery.
• Active Euthanasia - taking purposeful action to
  end a persons life, in a sense it is an aided
  suicide.

13
Defining/Understanding Terms

• Other related terms to understand
• Medical Treatment regarding the feeding tube
  since the mid-eighties many ethicists and
  physicians have realized that tube feeding is an
  intrusive medical treatment much like ventilator
  or dialysis5

14
Defining/Understanding Terms

• Comatose A coma is a profound state of
  unconsciousness. Patients are alive but unable to
  move or respond to their environment. There are
  several levels of coma and patients may, or may
  not, progress through them. The responsiveness of
  the brain lessens as the coma deepens and when it
  becomes more profound, normal body reflexes are
  lost and the patient no longer responds even to
  pain.6

15
Defining/Understanding Terms

• Minimally Conscious State (MCS) MCS is
  characterized by inconsistent but clearly
  discernible behavioral evidence of consciousness
  and can be distinguished from coma and VS by
  documenting the presence of specific behavioral
  features not found in either of these conditions.
  Patients may evolve to MCS from coma or VS after
  acute brain injury. MCS may also result from
  degenerative or congenital nervous system
  disorders.7

16
Defining/Understanding Terms

• Vegetative State (VS) A condition in which the
  individual is unconscious with little or no hope
  of regaining consciousness. The body may move,
  and the eyes may be open, but as far as can be
  determined, the person cannot think or respond.8
• PVS Persistent Vegetative State An ongoing
  vegetative state.

17
Defining/Understanding Terms

• Coma is also to be distinguished from the PVS
  which may follow it. This is a condition in which
  the individual has lost cognitive neurological
  function and awareness of the environment but
  does have non-cognitive function and a preserved
  sleep-wake cycle. Spontaneous movements may occur
  and the eyes may open in response to external
  stimuli, but the patient does not speak or obey
  commands. Patients in a vegetative state may
  appear somewhat normal. They may occasionally
  grimace, cry, or laugh.9

18
Defining/Understanding Terms

• Purpose of understanding these terms
• To be able to distinguish the circumstances and
  intent that co-exist with ones life.
• A person might receive a feeding tube for an
  individual whose mouth, trachea or another area
  of the body which does not allow the person to
  chew and/or swallow food.
• Another person might receive a feeding tube due
  to the patient being in a vegetative state.

19
Defining/Understanding Terms

• Purpose of understanding these terms
• To be able to distinguish the circumstances and
  intent that co-exist with ones life. (cont.)
• The intent for the first patient is to provide
  life support while the person nurses back to
  health.
• The intent for the second person is to provide
  life support with the slim hope that the
  patient regains consciousness.

20
Defining/Understanding Terms

• Purpose of understanding these terms (cont.)
• To be able to distinguish the circumstances and
  intent that co-exist with ones life.
• The intent for the first patient is to provide
  life support while the person nurses back to
  health.
• The intent for the second person is to provide
  life support with the slim hope that the
  patient regains consciousness.

21
Defining/Understanding Terms

• Purpose of understanding these terms (cont.)
• It is the latter circumstance (or others similar
  to it) that makes decisions difficult.
• In both cases the intent is to save life.
• The reason for removing life support (whether a
  respirator or feeding tube) is not to destroy
  life, but to realize there is no hope for life
  and thus discontinue artificial means of
  sustaining life.

22
Defining/Understanding Terms

• By understanding the terms used, we can better
  understand why
• There is a difference between active and
  passive euthanasia.
• Philosophical, moral, ethical, and practical
  distinguish between both types of euthanasia.

23
Dilemmas Surrounding Mercy Killing

• The double edged sword the combination of long
  life with extreme measures by which man is kept
  alive.
• We (man) desire the ever improving means by which
  life can be prolonged or saved.
• However, we have come to a point that we can
  artificially keep someone alive for years.
• Thus, the very means by which we keep a person
  alive is what has brought about our dilemma
  regarding the subject of euthanasia.

24
Dilemmas Surrounding Mercy Killing

• Dilemmas we ethically face
• Extended comatose state with no perceived
  possibility of consciousness.
• Vegetative State (or PVS) with no perceived
  possibility of recovery.
• Someone who is terminal, but is conscious and in
  severe pain.
• For some maybe even Christians this is a
  real dilemma.

25
Dilemmas Surrounding Mercy Killing

• Ethical questions
• Is it right to actively end another persons
  life?
• Who has authority to judge what is a good cause
  for ending another persons life?
• Are we to respect the one who wishes to be
  taken off life support, when they are alive (in a
  cognitive or conscious state)?

26
Dilemmas Surrounding Mercy Killing

• Ethical questions (cont.)
• The debate whether or not the end justify the
  means.
• The end peaceful/easy death.
• The means euthanasia.

27
What the Bible Reveals Regarding Euthanasia

• Explicitly, the Bible does not deal specifically
  with euthanasia. There is no thou shalt not
  commit euthanasia.
• The Bible, however, inherently reveals
  information along with principles that guide us
  into making conclusions.
• These biblical conclusions lay the foundation for
  what a Christian believes by faith.

28
What the Bible Reveals Regarding Euthanasia

• Gods will concerning life and death.
• God is the giver and taker of life. Job 121 2
  Ki. 201-6 2 Sam. 1214-15
• As a result man strives to uphold what God
  established.
• This is exemplified by the Good Samaritan. Lk.
  1030-37

29
What the Bible Reveals Regarding Euthanasia

• Gods will concerning life and death.
• Thus, the taking of life (which God has
  established) must be in harmony with His will
• Shedding of innocent blood is sin. Gen. 96 Ex.
  2013
• The vengeance of a person who practices evil,
  however, is acceptable before God. Rom. 131-4

30
What the Bible Reveals Regarding Euthanasia

• Gods will concerning euthanasia.
• Mercy killing in biblical times was limited
  to what would now termed active euthanasia.
• Sauls death asked his armor bearer to kill him
  another claimed to end Sauls life. 2 Sam.
  16-10
• Abimelechs death asking another to end his
  life. Judges 952-54

31
What the Bible Reveals Regarding Euthanasia

• Gods will concerning euthanasia. (cont.)
• In both cases, the men wanted to control their
  own fate and (arguably) had another to provide
  them an easy death.
• This form of euthanasia is condemned and
  equivalent to murder.

32
What the Bible Reveals Regarding Euthanasia

• Some definite conclusions.
• Active euthanasia is against Gods will
• The person has the ability to continue living
  (whether in peace or struggle)
• Yet, whether it is the wish of the patient or
  not, active euthanasia involves the direct end of
  another persons life that would otherwise
  continue to live.

33
What the Bible Reveals Regarding Euthanasia

• Some definite conclusions. (cont.)
• Passive euthanasia is not against Gods will.
• As noted earlier in this lesson all means to keep
  a person alive (artificially) continues while
  there is hope for recovery.
• There comes a point when this hope is perceivably
  lost and the artificial means to keep the patient
  alive is discontinued.

34
Conclusion

• As can be seen by this lesson, there are many who
  continue to debate how we view life and death.
• While man will continue to debate, Christians
  will seek the Lord for His word and guidance to
  make decisions based upon faith.
• In the case of euthanasia Gods word (inherently)
  condemns active euthanasia while man is
  authorized to exercise his personal wisdom to
  come to a decision regarding passive euthanasia.

35
Footnotes

• National Center for Health Statistics, National
  Vital Statistics Reports, vol. 52, no. 3, Sept.
  18, 2003
• http//efimov.wustl.edu/defibrillation/history/def
  ibrillation_history.htm
• http//www.endofpolio.org/timeline/timeline_1980.h
  tml
• http//www.endofpolio.org/timeline/timeline_2001.h
  tml

36
Footnotes

• http//www.courttv.com/talk/chat_transcripts/2005/
  0324schiavo-debate.html
• http//encyclopedia.laborlawtalk.com/comatose
• http//www.neurology.org/cgi/content/abstract/58/3
  /349
• http//www.setnlegalservices.org/glossary.htm
• http//encyclopedia.laborlawtalk.com/comatoseCont
  rasts_to_other_conditions