South Australia: Euthanasia and the dying debate

Description: [of the article from The Advertiser]

In the wake of the June 18th story "South Australia woman gets right to die", Tory Shepherd writes that such deaths will still involve suffering as long as voluntary euthanasia is not legal. Shepherd, a columnist and health reporter, says that there are two objections to voluntary euthanasia: religion and the apprehended slippery slope to involuntary euthanasia. Shepherd suggests that checks and double-checks could eliminate the fear of involuntary euthanasia.

As for religion, Shepherd goes on to quote from the Christians Supporting Choice for Voluntary Euthanasia:

An Adelaide-based group, Christians Supporting Choice for Voluntary Euthanasia (C4VE), says that nothing in the Bible rules out voluntary euthanasia. They argue that:

  • As Australians age, a growing number suffer lingering deaths, against their wishes.

  • Despite very high standards of palliative care in Australia, intolerable suffering can't be relieved in every case.

  • Effects can be painful, degrading or cause other intolerable suffering such as loss of critical faculties or a lingering death of dependency.

  • Many committed Christians support choice for voluntary euthanasia, holding it to be consistent with Jesus' message of love and compassion.

  • The main opposition to law reform arises from Christians in the fundamentalist churches, and C4VE is seeking to counteract their disturbing and dogmatic approach.

    [There is information in the Notes section below.]
    [There are other related stories in the Links section below.]

Links:

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Source:

Shepherd, Tory. "Euthanasia and the dying debate". Adelaide Now. June 22, 2010 12:30AM. <www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/opinion/euthanasia-and-the-dying-debate/story-fn34ojzj-1225882775775>. Adelaide Now, The Advertiser, 31 Waymouth Street, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia 5000.

Tags:

Tags (or keywords) briefly indicate some major topics of the report.

  • voluntary euthanasia

  • Christian

  • Christians Supporting Choice for Voluntary Euthanasia (South Australia)

  • South Australia

  • Australia

Notes:

  • What's happening in Holland? [Dignity in Dying blog]
    http://dignityindying.blogspot.com/2010/06/whats-happening-in-holland.html
    Philip Satherley, Research & Policy Officer with Dignity in Dying, writes to debunk media assertions that voluntary euthanasia is dramatically increasing in the Netherlands, or that the palliative care system in the Netherlands has collapsed.

    Voluntary euthanasia and physician assisted dying, combined: In percentage terms that's an approximate 25% fall between the figures recorded in 1995 and the figure reported for 2009. And, on the basis of four key criteria, palliative care in the Netherlands has improved since legalization, and is in the front rank of European countries.

    [As well, Shepherd notes that a misquote from the former Dutch Health Minister Els Borst, which she has long ago dismissed, is still being used.]

  • ENGLISH Summary Relevant (Dutch RtD magazine) summer 2010 [World Federation of Right to Die Societies]
    http://worldrtd.net/node/987
    June 22, 2010: A PDF document with the English summary of the summer edition of NVVE's magazine Relevant can now be seen at http://worldrtd.net/sites/default/files/u22/summaries%202010-2%20Relevant.pdf

  • World Federation of Right to Die Societies Newsletter summer edition 2010 published [World Federation of Right to Die Societies]
    http://worldrtd.net/node/986
    June 22, 2010: The Summer edition of the WF Newsletter is published. You can obtain it as a PDF document at: http://worldrtd.net/sites/default/files/u22/WRTD%20Summer%202010.pdf

  • Big membership in the Japan society [World right-to-die news list]
    http://lists.opn.org/pipermail/right-to-die_lists.opn.org/2010-June/003928.html
    Membership of the Japan Society for Dying With Dignity stands at 125,394 (as of March 8).

    Source: Newsletter #137

  • Voluntary Euthanasia Workshops, Assisted Suicide Seminars with Exit International [Exit International]
    http://www.exitinternational.net/page/Workshops
    Exit International has released its 2010-11 schedule of meetings in Canada, the USA, the UK, Australia and New Zealand. Canadian dates are Thursday, October 7, in Vancouver, and Wednesday, October 13 in Toronto.

ID:

The EuthaNEWSia ID for this advisory is: enid201006233289.
Mailed: Wednesday, June 23, 2010 14:29:22 -0600
at Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Etcetera:

EuthaNEWSia is a free Canadian news advisory service covering end-of-life issues such as right to die, assisted suicide, and euthanasia. EuthaNEWSia is produced by the Right to Die Society of Canada which works toward a good death for all, including open, regulated and equitable access to euthanasia and assisted suicide. The editor is Michael Dawson <editor@euthanewsia.ca>. 

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