hello there,
Today the Supreme Court of Canada legalized Physician Assisted Suicide (also known as Dying With Dignity). And while much of the nation is cheering, my heart is breaking. There's multiple angles I could take in discussing this extremely controversial topic and just writing this makes me uncomfortable, let alone posting it. For the purpose of keeping this blog post short(er) I'm going to look at this from two different perspective. (A) being what does this say about our faith in God and (B) what does this mean about our progression towards a better discourse concerning mental health.
I understand the battle that terminally ill patients are experiencing is a pain that I may never (hopefully never) come to experience. I cannot even begin to fathom the pain they must feel both physically and emotionally. I believe that their circumstances seem hopeless to them. I believe that they truly know they are going to die so it makes no sense to keep suffering. However I also believe in a God who move mountains and lets the blind see and the deaf hear and the crippled walk. And I believe in a God who CAN and DOES cure cancer, I believe in a God who CAN and DOES perform miracles.
As Christians it's easy to understand why Physician Assisted Suicide doesn't coincide with biblical teachings but it's important to remember why.
We cannot be content or settle with not fulfilling the unimaginable plan that God has prepared for us.
God promises us that we will suffer greatly in our time on earth. He PROMISES. And yet he remains faithful because he has conquered our suffering so that one day IN HIS TIME we will be united for all eternity in heavenly glory. Personally, I think that's something worth fighting for. But like I said, it's easier for a Christian to take this perspective. I would like to take on a secular perspective as to why I'm against Physician Assisted Suicide but honestly, I can't. All I can say to non-believers considering or in favour a physician assisted suicide is, don't. Deep, I know. Very impacting. But, I can't even begin to put myself in the shoes of a person who is living with a terminal illness, let alone one doing so without having a personal and intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. If I could give one piece of advice, it would be this; While you are pursuing alternate options or solutions to terminal illness please pursue the One, the only solution, by which you will be healed for all of eternity. If you want to end your suffering please get to know the One who can end it. Physician Assisted Suicide is a permanent solution to and worldly problem. Do not sell yourself short or end your life when you could be united with the One with whom you can live with forever. Of course our days on earth are number, but our days with Him aren't. He chose when to put you on this earth, so please, I beg you, let him be the one to chose when you should leave it. His promises and His plan are for greater than you know.
A lot can be said about what physician assisted suicide means for those who believe in Christ and a lot can be said about what physician assisted suicide means for those suffering from mental illness.
Today the Supreme Court of Canada legalized Physician Assisted Suicide (also known as Dying With Dignity). And while much of the nation is cheering, my heart is breaking. There's multiple angles I could take in discussing this extremely controversial topic and just writing this makes me uncomfortable, let alone posting it. For the purpose of keeping this blog post short(er) I'm going to look at this from two different perspective. (A) being what does this say about our faith in God and (B) what does this mean about our progression towards a better discourse concerning mental health.
I understand the battle that terminally ill patients are experiencing is a pain that I may never (hopefully never) come to experience. I cannot even begin to fathom the pain they must feel both physically and emotionally. I believe that their circumstances seem hopeless to them. I believe that they truly know they are going to die so it makes no sense to keep suffering. However I also believe in a God who move mountains and lets the blind see and the deaf hear and the crippled walk. And I believe in a God who CAN and DOES cure cancer, I believe in a God who CAN and DOES perform miracles.
"He has made EVERYTHING beautiful in ITS TIME. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men, yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end"
Ecclesiastes 3:11
As Christians it's easy to understand why Physician Assisted Suicide doesn't coincide with biblical teachings but it's important to remember why.
"What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived the things God has prepared for those who love him"
1 Corinthians 2:9
We cannot be content or settle with not fulfilling the unimaginable plan that God has prepared for us.
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world"
John 16:33
A lot can be said about what physician assisted suicide means for those who believe in Christ and a lot can be said about what physician assisted suicide means for those suffering from mental illness.
My first issue is with the term "dying with dignity"? What does that say to those who choose to fight for their life with every ounce of physical and emotional strength they can muster? What about those who fight for their life till their dying breath? Are they to be a symbol of weakness? Are they not strong enough to make the choice to decide the length of their suffering? If choosing to end your life is dignity then what is choosing to fight?
This isn't a debate of pro choice and pro life although it definitely seems that way and has the grounds for it. Of course I'm proud to share that I take a pro life stance for all matters of human existence. I believe and KNOW that every single human life on this earth has value and meaning and that there is a divine purpose for every person. I believe that we suffer greatly so that we may live greatly. We experience great pain so that we would understand great love. I believe that no matter what hardships we experience on earth they will never compare or cloud the unspeakable joy we will find in heaven. And I believe the only one who should get to decide when you take your last breath is the one who gave you your first.
My plan for this blog was to question how certain terminology inadvertently and unintentionally can oppress a certain demographic and that our choice of words has meaning and impact. I've questioned what "dying with dignity" means to those who choose not to take their lives. But what does it mean to those who do? I'm not talking about those who choose to end their lives due to a terminal illness such as cancer. I'm talking about those who choose to end their lives because they see no end to the suffering and yet receive no recognition for their suffering. The term "dying with dignity" is the exact type of talk that is proof that our society is so so far away from having a healthy discourse and comprehensive understanding around mental health.
We have all heard the opinions around suicide; it's an act of cowardice, it's selfish, they weren't strong enough. The list goes on and on but it is never that they went out with dignity.
Cancer is an illness. Depression is an illness. In terms of biology and physiology they look dramatically different from one another. Dramatically. Different. So who decides when an illness determines a persons dignity? At what point is a person's suffering enough that we should praise them for taking their own life? From what I've seen and heard, no amount of suffering and drowning in depression justifies taking one's own life. And yet those who are crippled with depression face demons most people will never begin to understand. Their pain is not measured by lab results and brain scans. Their pain is not visible and, for our society if we cannot see pain then it cannot exist. And this type of thinking is poisonous to how we conceptualize mental health. If you have cancer and end you life you have done so with dignity but if you has depression and end your life you have done so out of weakness and cowardice?
At want point will we start treating mental health with the seriousness and discernment it needs? See to me, whether a person is terminally ill with cancer or has experienced a life time of depression there is no dignity in taking one's own life. What it is is deep and irreplaceable loss that the world lost someone before they were ready to go. When I think of suicide, and let's not kid ourselves into think one of these isn't, I think that someone just didn't understand that their life had value and purpose and that although no one on earth would ever understand their pain their is a man that does. And he asks you to live, because he'd died so you could.
-m.o
Now I realize I'm not really in a position to share much insight on the topic but today's news was unsettling and I just wanted to say something. If you're interested in reading a perspective from someone with much more experience on the topic, Lina Abujamra, a physician and believer, wrote a beautiful piece on physician assisted suicide from the perspective of a doctor and christian which you can find on her blog.
-m.o
Now I realize I'm not really in a position to share much insight on the topic but today's news was unsettling and I just wanted to say something. If you're interested in reading a perspective from someone with much more experience on the topic, Lina Abujamra, a physician and believer, wrote a beautiful piece on physician assisted suicide from the perspective of a doctor and christian which you can find on her blog.