From the theological perspective, suicide is undoubtedly an unacceptable act as it is usually committed out of despair and interferes with one’s fulfillment of one spiritual and life mission. As noted by Wells, Frey, and Cataldo (2002), “Christian and Jewish groups emphasize not only God’s ultimate power over death and life, and the value of human beings as creatures made in God’s image, but also the relationships that bind humans to one another and to God” (p. 900). For this reason, euthanasia, also known as “assisted suicide,” is regarded by Christian and many other religious communities as a sin.
However, the question about the ethics of euthanasia is answered less directly and confidently when approached from the perspective of medical practice. On the one hand, euthanasia allows ending the suffering of individuals with incurable illnesses that cause them tremendous pain and prevent them from living fulfilled lives and function normally. In this way, such a form of self-inflicted death is in line with the principle of beneficence because it aims to benefit patients and their families. On the other hand, the procedure can be easily abused and cause harm. Moreover, since it inherently involves the act of putting a person to death, it contradicts the core medical values.
Based on the two perceptions of euthanasia, theological and professional, it is valid to say that assisted suicide is probably not the best way out. While I think that euthanasia may be appropriate in some severe cases of illness in which patients’ suffering cannot be alleviated by using any available conventional methods, it must be practiced very carefully and should not be universally accepted. I agree with the ANA’s statement that practitioners must prioritize “respectful, compassionate, and ethically responsible care at the end of life, including palliative care, so that patients do not seek assisted suicide as an alternative” (Wells, Frey, & Cataldo, 2002, p. 899). It is better to improve the quality of palliative care rather than seek easy solutions, especially those that are ethically controversial and induce a significant risk of abuse.
Reference
Wells, K. R., Frey, R. J., & Cataldo, L. J. (2002). Euthanasia. In K. M. Krapp (Ed.), The Gale encyclopedia of nursing and allied health: D-H (pp. 898-901). Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group.