Dementia and Euthanasia

Melanie Reid of the Times has an opinion piece today on euthanasia, dementia and the 'right to die'. Slowly, but surely, the public image of euthanasia is being changed from something which, like eugenics, was highly esteemed by the Nazis, to something which could feasibly, in the future become a part of UK Government policy, imitating, as it would the Swiss model featured in the public eye so recently.

The columnist argues, quite understandably, that she has seen so much suffering from dementia, taking its toll on the lives of those she loves and has seen at first hand the great pain it brings to loved ones. She argues that if there were a chance that she, in future could suffer dementia herself, that she would rather she had the choice to undergo euthanasia at a time of her choosing and 'check out' of this life, as she says, before dementia sets in.

She says, and I quote, "The General Medical Council starts a consultation in March on end-of-life decision-making that just might recommend that early-stage dementia sufferers and other terminally ill people be given the right to exit peacefully. But don't hold your breath. If we don't wake up to the timebomb of dementia - and forgive my frankness - far too many of us are destined to spend the final 20 years of our lives bedbound, fed with a teaspoon, dribbling quietly and wishing - in as much as we are capable of wishing anything - that we were dead. Just as our sons and daughters, prisoners of our illness as much as we are, will wish the same."

Now, there are some incendiary issues going on in this piece. Here they are:

1. I want to decide when I die (Suicide).
2. I want someone else to assist me go peacefully (Assist my suicide)
3. Because I don't want to be a burden on society or family.
4. Because I don't want to end up like that.
5. So I want to give the medical profession the right to end my life.

Why are these issues incendiary? Well, aside from the moral issues connected with suicide and the moral law, IF, Heaven forbid, the UK Government should allow in legislation the option of euthanasia on the NHS (I mean, we can't just have assisted suicide for the rich, can we? What about the poor?), then what the State would be saying would be, in fact, this:

1. We want to decide when you die (Murder)
2. We want someone else to assist you to go peacefully (Assist in your murder)
3. Because we don't want you to be a burden on society or your family.
4. Because we don't want you to end up like that.
5. So we want to give the medical profession the right to end your life.

The sufferings of people with dementia, the sufferings of families with family members with dementia is very real. However, our fear of suffering and all of our human suffering, more than we can imagine, has been experienced by God Himself.

When Our Lord was in the Garden of Gethesemane, His suffering was very real, His Agony at His coming Passion very real. When He was scourged at the pillar His suffering was excruciating. When He had a Crown of Thorns put upon His head, His suffering was very real. When He carried His heavy Cross, so heavy, that He could not bear it all the way Himself, His suffering was very real. When the soldiers drove nails into His hands and feet, His suffering was very real.

All this He bore, more suffering than even we can know and He bore it not for Himself, but for us. It is only in the light of Christ's Passion, the Passion which redeemed us, that we can fully appreciate the place of suffering in our lives. While it is wholly understandable for us, who do not have His courage and divine love, to run away from the the stark reality of life and headlong for an 'easy' death, it would serve us no good to do that. To suffer patiently has great merit before God. It also, as the late Pope John Paul II witnessed to the World, has great merit before man too.

Once, however, we give the Government the power to 'euthanise' we are putting far too much trust in their hands, at a time when few people trust them to do anything, from running the economy competently, to a just or legal strategy of war and defence, to even getting the trains to work at a fair and reasonable prices. So, then, when the time comes, do not accede to the Government's bill. Because, as is the case still...first they came for the mentally ill, those with dementia... .... and then they came for me.

Oh, and by the way, remember that like the abortion industry, the euthanasia industry is a profit business. Both the abortion 'business' and the euthanasia 'business' is rolling in it and all from people's deaths. £750 was a ballpark figure I heard for an abortion. Life is cheap, eh? How much would it cost to 'check out' of this life?