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Just a reminder that the social justice archives on
the UnitingCare NSW.ACT website include a euthanasia discussion kit, which looks
at the issue of pain, the need for safeguards, some case studies, and the
Northern Territory legislation (which the federal government disallowed - right
decision for the wrong reasons), which had very inadequate safeguards. One of
the big problems in the debate, it seems to me, is that too many people have no
idea of how horrendous and dehumanising pain can be. A simple quote that "thou
shalt not kill" is really no answer to unbearable pain and any church who takes
this simplistic approach turns God into a monster. Romanticising pain (with
idiot statements like "it can bring you closer to God") should rate as a
serious crime against humanity and an unforgiveable heresy.
Having said that, we should also recognise that a
lot of people support euthanasia for the wrong reasons. They think they
want euthanasia to be an option, when all they really want is the right to
refuse treatment - a right they already have (but that officious doctors
sometimes try to undermine). Particularly among older people, there
is a concern that their dying will be artificially prolonged. The solution
to this is not voluntary euthanasia (artificial shortening of dying). People
need to make sure that everyone knows what limits they want on treatment at the
end of life - by talking with their doctors and families, making an advance
directive, giving someone power of attorney on medical matters with some clear
statements of conditions under which treatment is not wanted (there are models
available), and so on. And perhaps we need some family to sue a doctor for
over-treatment and extension of pain and discomfort, as the claim is often made
that what drives doctors to intervene in dying is the fear of litigation if they
don't do everything that is available to keep the person alive, no matter
what the circumstances. The other value of taking control while one is able
to state what one wants is that proper documentation helps people and their
families to differentiate between
conditions where it is appropriate to refuse treatment and conditions
that should be treated as they will not lead to death but only to discomfort and
greater dependency if left untreated.
We know from experience in some aged care
facilities that there are some older people who are so afraid of
their life being prolonged artificially that they refuse all treatment, an
approach which is quite harmful.
My view is that before we have legislation allowing
voluntary euthanasia, we need to sort out these issues
of communication, control and overtreatment so that people don't ask
for euthanasia for the wrong reasons.
Ann
(Rev. Dr.) Ann Wansbrough
UnitingCare NSW.ACT PO Box A 2178 Sydney South 1235 Phone (61) (02) 8267 4280 Fax (61) (02) 9267 4842 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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Title: Message
- some news Stephen Webb
- some news Stephen Webb
- some news Stephen Webb
- RE: some news Judy Redman
- Ann Wansbrough
