Introduction

1. definition-- "good death"
2. generally--"mercy killing"; contributing to the death of another person when it

1. the minimum conditions--1) negative prognosis; 2) intolerable pain

1. some distinctions:

1. active and passive euthanasia--cause and effect

1) the distinction is not absolute but viable

2. voluntary and involuntary--the wishes of the patient
3. the easiest to justify--passive, voluntary; closer to "letting nature take its course"

1. the moral issue--when is it right and an indication of a moral good to contribute to another's death by either commission or omission

I. Viewpoints

1. J. Robert Nelson, "Euthanasia: A Dilemma for Christians"

1. Who Own Your Life?

1. either God made it and only God can take it away
2. God made us responsible agents; Nelson favors this view

1. Is Pain Always Evil?

1. must accept the inevitably of suffering
2. must not use the "painless" life as the goal

1. What is the Quality of Mercy?

1. for mercy to be a sign of God's mercy, two conditions must be met:

1. patient's expressed desire
2. negative prognosis

1. What Are the Risks?

1. the patient might be cured
2. the patient may change her or his mind
3. weakens the trust towards physicians

1. What is Death?

1. cannot only give quantitative standards
2. the qualitative standards, though ambiguous, make life meaningful

and make the ethical decision when to die important

3. need a sense of "Holy Dying"

1. A Pro for every Con

1. though ambiguous, Christian must show compassion
2. Christians must be consistent regarding killing--i.e., capital punishment, war, etc.

1. The viability of the concept "Letting Nature Take Its Course"

1. the natural course of all life is to death
2. its interruption is premature death

1. homicide--takes away one's right to a natural course of life
2. premature death is hence an "enemy" to one's identity

1. to prolong one beyond one's "natural course" is close to refashioning one's identity

1. dignity--conscious affirmation of one's identity and purpose
2. "to die with dignity"--to accept one's death as part of one's "natural course"
3. for death to be good one must show that death is not the "enemy" of one's life

1. When Is It Time To Die?

1. the quantitative aspect--the cessation of one's biological life
2. the qualitative decision--without a sense of purpose, death is always a frustration or a final sign of futility
3. death and the contribution to a legacy
4. the necessary virtues to know when it's time to die:

1. compassion towards the other
2. humility before the mystery of life and death
3. courage to accept one's limitations

1. The Church's Testimony in Euthanasia

1. Mt. 10.30--quality of life

Mt. 7.12--non-maleficence

Jn. 14.12--death is not the ultimate reality;

2. the hope of the Resurrection of the Body
3. the fight against despair