Assisted dying bill

I'm a Christian OldFrill, I support the bill and that has nothing to do with my faith.

I support the right of the individual who has an incurable illness/disease to choose the time and manner of their death. I want this for myself and for the ones I love, if they want it too.

So it's Ok for people with dementia thought to be terminal within 6 months to suffer a terrible painful death? I don't understand why there is the compassion fail for them. More research and greater investment into good palliative care would help a broader range of people.

In its present state this bill is not going to deliver the freedom to choose the time and manner of death that so many are expressing as their wish. There will be pressure to extend its remit despite the assurances of several posters.

Rosie, I am not sure I understand your post. Dementia is not normally 'terribly painful'. It could be combined with another terminal illness that is, I suppose.

If someone with a dementia or Alzheimer's diagnosis is still in the early stages and can make it clear they do understand the finality of it, and make a clear choice, then that is ok - in Switzerland or Holland for instance.

In the UK, under the new Bill, it could be OK if combined with a terminal illess with an approximate 6 months diagnosis.

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Smileless2012

I'm a Christian OldFrill, I support the bill and that has nothing to do with my faith.

I support the right of the individual who has an incurable illness/disease to choose the time and manner of their death. I want this for myself and for the ones I love, if they want it too.

I'm struggling with this. Yes, if the bill is passed I will accept that people will be free to ignore, use or abuse as is their right but as a Christian myself I cannot see how I can justify supporting it. Sometimes we do have to stand up for the vulnerable.

Thanks for that GrannyGravy. This is what concerns me too.

I am standing up for the vulnerable keepingquiet, the vulnerable who want to choose the time and manner of their death.

Did they choose when they were born?

I thought Christianity was about holding up certain moral values in a world rapidly losing them.

Christianity is a belief in God and Jesus, and I see nothing immoral in someone whose been given only 6 months or less to live, and fears the manner of the death they are facing, to be given the opportunity to take their own life in the manner, and at the time they choose.

Did they choose when they were born I'm sorry I don't understand what you mean keepingquiet.

I take it to mean that just because we (humans) can, doesn't mean we always should meddle with nature/God, or events that would ordinarily be beyond our control.

MissAdventure

I take it to mean that just because we (humans) can, doesn't mean we always should meddle with nature/God, or events that would ordinarily be beyond our control.

Totally agree MissA

But we do so in so many ways MissA; heart and other organ transplants, IVF and at the opposite end of the spectrum abortion.

Farzanah

OldFrill

Are people on this thread who don't support the bill driven to object because of their religious beliefs. Or is their religion not an influence?

Those who do not agree with the proposed AD Bill are not necessarily motivated by religious views. I’m a member of my local humanist group, many of whom do support the Bill, but for many well considered reasons I don’t.
You cannot assume at all.

Confused - What are you assuming I've assumed?

Yes, I know we do, Smileless.
Does it mean we should, always?

I don't know the answer to that one myself.

Smileless2012

But we do so in so many ways MissA; heart and other organ transplants, IVF and at the opposite end of the spectrum abortion.

I agree with you also 🤷‍♀️

I really must get off this fence!

MissAdventure

Yes, I know we do, Smileless.
Does it mean we should, always?

I don't know the answer to that one myself.

I think we are on the same page of confusion on this.

I'm exactly the same, in that I don't know my own mind on the issue.
I can see pitfalls, and watching that programme impacted me so much that I can't not think of the guy, his family, and their desperate wish to do the right thing by him.

All borne out of love.

GrannyGravy13

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Sorry GG13- but this new Bill has absolutely nothing to do with the disabled.

It is very clear that it will be only for those who make a clear choice, who have a terminal illness and an estimated 6 months remaining to live. The two are not even remotely connected. Unless a severely disabled person does contract a terminal illness and have an medically estimated 6 months to live, and make the clear choice to go at that stage.

linking the two is just so wrong, dishonest even, and very sad scare mongering.

If only each incapacitated person could have a moment of clarity every few months, so we could check they still felt the same...

It can't be right though, to just deny choice to a section of society, because it's too difficult to allow it.

Anything that raises awareness of the potential problems for severely disabled people is not dishonest, whatever the matter under discussion.

It was not so long ago that disabled people "weren't allowed" to marry, or even have a sex life.

I totally agree the potential and very real problems of severely disabled people should be raised, and dealt with, by society.

But it is indeed wrong and dishonest to link this to the proposed Bill, as it clearly does NOT apply to them (unless they do develop a terminal illness and (see post above).

Fleurpepper you cannot speak for the disabled people here in the UK. Posting that this Bill has absolutely nothing to do with the disabled is both naive and extremely crass.

Many of them are extremely concerned about this bill, including high profile ones.

GrannyGravy13

Fleurpepper you cannot speak for the disabled people here in the UK. Posting that this Bill has absolutely nothing to do with the disabled is both naive and extremely crass.

Many of them are extremely concerned about this bill, including high profile ones.

Exactly this!