Would You Be More Or Less Likely to Utilize the Death With Dignity Law If You Had A Devastating Diagnosis (treatments, ears)
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Like say for example, Lou Gehrig's Disease (ALS) one of the worst diagnoses a person could get. I've been watching numerous video on YouTube of people and their families coping with various diseases and Gehrig's is about the worst I've seen. I've had many meetings with myself and have decided that if I ever got a terminal diagnosis like this I would just move to Oregon and use their law. Anyone else feel the same?
Yes, I wish the law would pass in my state. I don't see why I shouldn't be able to make the choice to safely and peacefully end my life.
So it looks like I'm the only one with any religious, ethical, or moral compunction against suicide here. Always in the minority!
You are certainly entitled to your view. I find no fault with that whatever. I just do not want your view controlling my decision making. The problem is technology has forced itself into medical issues which enables the prolonging of life despite inevitable outcomes. If this were in the 1800s and before, or even half or more of the 1900s, we would have little choice about dying sooner rather than later. I find it odd that we are not willing to use technology to enable a more pleasant departure from this life as opposed to an agonizing one not to mention bankrupting families for no good reason.
I would rather NOT hold this view, actually, but the question certainly enters my mind. A greater theologian than I might hold the answer but, at present, I'm unsure what it is. I agree that these are new problems; even fifty years ago, people just died, and often quite suddenly and unavoidably. Big Pharma has eradicated the fast and relatively painless deaths (heart attack, stroke, arrhythmias) and left us to the long, lingering, slow death -- in nursing homes, for most. I can't call that "progress," exactly. But I'm unsure how much (more) control we should wrest from God. As for "bankrupting families," I find that argument always distasteful. The old person who wants to live to 100 has every right to, even if it uses up every penny of HIS OR HER money, however much it may be coveted.
I would rather NOT hold this view, actually, but the question certainly enters my mind. A greater theologian than I might hold the answer but, at present, I'm unsure what it is. I agree that these are new problems; even fifty years ago, people just died, and often quite suddenly and unavoidably. Big Pharma has eradicated the fast and relatively painless deaths (heart attack, stroke, arrhythmias) and left us to the long, lingering, slow death -- in nursing homes, for most. I can't call that "progress," exactly. But I'm unsure how much (more) control we should wrest from God. As for "bankrupting families," I find that argument always distasteful. The old person who wants to live to 100 has every right to, even if it uses up every penny of HIS OR HER money, however much it may be coveted.
The number one reason for bankruptcy in the USA is medical expenses. I fully agree that a person has every right to do with their money as they see fit to include drawing an agonizing breath to the very end.
However, I care for my family more than I care for me. I KNOW what happens post death of a family member as I imagine you do. I have over 7 decades behind me and I've seen a lot, maybe too much. I do not want to depart this life leaving my family in worse financial condition than when I was here on this side. The medical bills start arriving after the old boy is in the ground or his ashes are in the rose bed. No one thinks of that but reality shows up and slaps the survivors hard.
I have no desire personally to live into an age where I cannot care for myself. Nursing homes are pits, money pits. They are stalls for people and like those of horses smell like a stall. The only difference is the horse stall is cleaned daily thoroughly. At least at my stable.
Is it God's will that my family be impoverished to keep this wad of dust alive? Is it His will that I should fear dying which is why most people want to go for that few extra days or weeks or months? I prefer the good help from a good doctor to go my way and so if necessary I will make the trip to Switzerland or set up housekeeping in Oregon or some other location for "help". I prefer not to do it myself but I might screw up enough courage to do it. I hate pain and suffering.
Of course the medical industry opposes assisted dying. What a milk cow the last six months of life are.
So it looks like I'm the only one with any religious, ethical, or moral compunction against suicide here. Always in the minority!
Do we take this to mean that you believe that everyone else who commented is non-religious, unethical, and immoral? Oh and without any compunction?
It is a moot point if it is against your religion for goodness sake. If you think you will go to hell, or that it is against gods will if you commit suicide, period - why would you even comment?
This was a question, not about factual actions. I read what everyone else said, and it didn't look to me like anyone was saying yee haw, let's kill ourselves because life is a drag.
I read it as a question in regards to whether one might utilize death with dignity. Yes or no would have done, but counting yourself as superior in regards to your opinion does seem to have left you in the minority.
This question was not about you, your religion, ethics, and moral compunction. I dont say that to try to shame you, just to make a point.
A decision like this would likely include at the very least; ones ethics, and morals, though I dare say it would be far more likely to do with the end of devastating, and sometimes nearly endless pain. There is a reason it is referred to as death with dignity.
My answer is yes, I would choose it if necessary, under the right / wrong circumstances, and NO ONE else's religion, morals or ethics would play a part in my decision making.
Oh and I do have strong feelings about suicide, but that has nothing to do with this post/question.
"Do we take this to mean that you believe that everyone else who commented is non-religious, unethical, and immoral? Oh and without any compunction?"
No.
"If you think you will go to hell, or that it is against gods will if you commit suicide, period - why would you even comment?"
Because, obviously, with the recent advances in medical technology, the line is blurred and the question is no longer a simple one. We can now extend life (depending upon your definition of "life") almost indefinitely. Is passively denying yourself the means of extending your life the moral equivalent of taking active measures to end your life? The answer is also no longer a simple one, at least in my mind.
But perhaps this is a topic for the "Philosophy" or "Religion" forum.
I do not trust doctors enough to do that. They misdiagnose all the time. Plus I am not sure how I feel about that from a moral/religious perspective. I would need to do a lot of thinking about it if I was certain the diagnosis was correct. I also would not want to leave my family bankrupt just so I could have a few extra years of suffering. It is not so much about leaving money for my kids, but my wife is pretty much dependent on me since she gave up her career to be a professional mom for several decades. Further, while my kids are not entitled to anything, I would not want to spend all that might be left to them to make their lives easier on wasted medical procedures to try to alleviate the pain or other suffering.
If God didn't want death with dignity, he wouldn't have given it us...
Well, there's that!
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