Is it sinful to refuse medical treatment

[cold rush]

...which would save your life when a big part of your decision to do so is down to the fact that you don't particularly want to live.

Modern medicine can keep people alive, but the treatments can cause/prolong suffering in themselves and only minimally improve quality of life. Sometimes I feel people who are sick and suffering would be more relieved to die.

Hypothetically, if I were to get cancer or some sort of disease/infection such as MRSA or HIV and I refused the treatment being offered, would God see me as disobedient? Or even if I decided to have some sort of do not resuscitate or do not provide with blood transfusions thing established in cases of an emergency would that be wrong?

A part of me thinks it couldn't be seen as some kind of suicidal act in God's eyes because it wouldn't be me killing myself, it would be the illness. An illness which I did not purposely bring down on myself and which I would pray for God to heal me from if he so wished.

However another part of me thinks, instinctively, there might just be something objectionable about it.

Are there biblical examples that you can think of which would apply here?

* Before anyone comments I want to say that I am not liberal in my beliefs -in order to save time it would probably be best that people who are of the once saved always saved sort of mindset or who don't believe in hell or who believe that as Christians we can continue living in sin or that Christians can commit suicide and still go to heaven etc. do not comment (no offense).I just know that I will have a hard time appreciating the validity of any arguments from someone who holds this sort of perspective.

 

[Rochester]

Jack Kevorkian just died this week. I consider him an emmissary of compassion.

Dying under the control of hospital employees is a disgusting and dehumanizing way of dying.

If you are a Christian death is a doorway. And it is not a sin to die.

I live in a state that allows physician prescribed medicine to end the life of a terminal patient. The federal government will not allow patients who go to federally funded clinics to partake of this release. Why is that?

Having watched both my parents suffer and die I can see the value in helping someone to die.

The dying process in a hospital is quite costly. And in the end the result is the same.

I view this as a question that needs to be answered by common sense rather than theology or some peculiar morality that requires people to suffer as long as possible while piling up debilitating bills for someone else to pay.

 

[cold rush]

Dying under the control of hospital employees is a disgusting and dehumanizing way of dying.

If you are a Christian death is a doorway. And it is not a sin to die.

I agree.

I live in a state that allows physician prescribed medicine to end the life of a terminal patient. The federal government will not allow patients who go to federally funded clinics to partake of this release. Why is that?

Having watched both my parents suffer and die I can see the value in helping someone to die.

The dying process in a hospital is quite costly. And in the end the result is the same.

I view this as a question that needs to be answered by common sense rather than theology or some peculiar morality that requires people to suffer as long as possible while piling up debilitating bills for someone else to pay.

Being a Christian isn't easy. I had to learn to replace God's rules and standards for my own when I converted. It seems like common sense to have an abortion if you find out your baby has some sort of serious defect etc. but the bible teaches something else. I believe that controlling exactly when and how you die via suicide is out of our remit. But refusing treatment is more passive, the illness or whatever runs it's course. I'm wondering if that changes things....

 

[Rochester]

Being a Christian isn't easy. I had to learn to replace God's rules and standards for my own when I converted. It seems like common sense to have an abortion if you find out your baby has some sort of serious defect etc. but the bible teaches something else. I believe that controlling exactly when and how you die via suicide is out of our remit. But refusing treatment is more passive, the illness or whatever runs it's course. I'm wondering if that changes things....

As long as you don't make it a rule for me.

You mentioned abortion. I'm against it, but the contemporary Christian view seems contradictory. I'm told when a child under the age of being able to assent to faith in Christ dies that God does not condemn him but takes him to heaven. Wouldn't this apply to aborted children?

Is that correct?

 

[LWB]

If a person had some good productive years left, apart from the illness that threatened their life, and which could be remedied through medical intervention, I think their decision would be suspect to say the least. Especially if they had family who would dearly miss their love and guidance.

 

[Rochester]

If a person had some good productive years left, apart from the illness that threatened their life, and which could be remedied through medical intervention, I think their decision would be suspect to say the least. Especially if they had family who would dearly miss their love and guidance.

I did not think we were talking about people who would recover. My remarks were about watching my parents die. Neither of them wanted to die the way they did, they were old and worn out.

The only thing the medical industry could do for them was take money from them until they could not breathe anymore.

Thankfully they died at home with loved ones at their side.

I truly feel that there has been a supertitious value placed on human life by Christianity that is unwaranted by human experience. Christianity addressesd human experience. Christ was compassionate.

Read over the way he related to his disciples with regard to the death of Lazarus. The religious people condemned him for not keeping him from dying. Well Jesus declared himself the resurection and revealing that was his plan in letting Lazarus die. He did not care if Lazarus died, he knew Lazarus would live because of him and that is the lesson in that story.

I feel that this inordinate fear of death and the desire to keep the terminally ill alive as long as possible is a denial of the truth of Christ who holds us all in his everlasting arms.

 

[LWB]

I did not think we were talking about people who would recover. My remarks were about watching my parents die. Neither of them wanted to die the way they did, they were old and worn out.

The only thing the medical industry could do for them was take money from them until they could not breathe anymore.

Thankfully they died at home with loved ones at their side.

I truly feel that there has been a supertitious value placed on human life by Christianity that is unwaranted by human experience. Christianity addressesd human experience. Christ was compassionate.

Read over the way he related to his disciples with regard to the death of Lazarus. The religious people condemned him for not keeping him from dying. Well Jesus declared himself the resurection and revealing that was his plan in letting Lazarus die. He did not care if Lazarus died, he knew Lazarus would live because of him and that is the lesson in that story.

I feel that this inordinate fear of death and the desire to keep the terminally ill alive as long as possible is a denial of the truth of Christ who holds us all in his everlasting arms.

I was addressing the original post, which I assume regards a relatively young person.

When I first committed myself to the Lord at the age of 19, I wanted to be in Heaven immediately. I didn't want to remain as a stranger in this world. Had cancer or some illness threatened my life, I may have considered allowing it to take me.

But having lived nearly twenty years since coming to the Lord, I see that every one of those years has taught me something essential regarding my place in the Kingdom. If I am to have another twenty years on this earth, then even greater opportunities will become available to me.

I think my point is that a Christian should not be afraid of death, but conversely, not afraid of life in the world either.

 

[OnFiReUnDeRgRaCe]

The fact that you are questioning a choice like that, for the reason that some part of you may think it is wrong, means, it is probably wrong. The Spirit and your mind are at war with each other, and with the choices that you make. And if you are following the Lord, personally I would try to stay alive as long as I could to spread the word, and help others in the earthly time that He gave me.

 

[Rochester]

I was addressing the original post, which I assume regards a relatively young person.

When I first committed myself to the Lord at the age of 19, I wanted to be in Heaven immediately. I didn't want to remain as a stranger in this world. Had cancer or some illness threatened my life, I may have considered allowing it to take me.

But having lived nearly twenty years since coming to the Lord, I see that every one of those years has taught me something essential regarding my place in the Kingdom. If I am to have another twenty years on this earth, then even greater opportunities will become available to me.

I think my point is that a Christian should not be afraid of death, but conversely, not afraid of life in the world either.

I feel that way too, but when the time comes I'll go for a walk in the woods with Mr. Hemmingway and my Smith and Wesson.

In the end a loving person looking at his parent dying will understand that the value of his parents life to his parent has run its course and a little bit more of the morphine pump isn't gonna hurt.

Doctors do it all the time, they just don't talk about it.

 

[eachallberg]

...which would save your life when a big part of your decision to do so is down to the fact that you don't particularly want to live.

Modern medicine can keep people alive, but the treatments can cause/prolong suffering in themselves and only minimally improve quality of life. Sometimes I feel people who are sick and suffering would be more relieved to die.

Hypothetically, if I were to get cancer or some sort of disease/infection such as MRSA or HIV and I refused the treatment being offered, would God see me as disobedient? Or even if I decided to have some sort of do not resuscitate or do not provide with blood transfusions thing established in cases of an emergency would that be wrong?

A part of me thinks it couldn't be seen as some kind of suicidal act in God's eyes because it wouldn't be me killing myself, it would be the illness. An illness which I did not purposely bring down on myself and which I would pray for God to heal me from if he so wished.

However another part of me thinks, instinctively, there might just be something objectionable about it.

Are there biblical examples that you can think of which would apply here?

* Before anyone comments I want to say that I am not liberal in my beliefs -in order to save time it would probably be best that people who are of the once saved always saved sort of mindset or who don't believe in hell or who believe that as Christians we can continue living in sin or that Christians can commit suicide and still go to heaven etc. do not comment (no offense).I just know that I will have a hard time appreciating the validity of any arguments from someone who holds this sort of perspective.

If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you.
(2 Corinthians 5:13)

Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.
(1 Peter 2:21)

For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him.
(Philippians 1:29)

Be like Simon from Cyrene, and help carry are Lord's cross...
(Luke 23:26)


Peace and Grace be to you.

 

[chris4243]

Many of the nasty diseases are incurable, and modern medicine can offer you a slow, painful, undignified, and very expensive death. If you're offered several additional productive years, I could see issues with not accepting -- but not if the offer is to die in slow motion.

 

[Rochester]

Many of the nasty diseases are incurable, and modern medicine can offer you a slow, painful, undignified, and very expensive death. If you're offered several additional productive years, I could see issues with not accepting -- but not if the offer is to die in slow motion.

Add this to the indignity. While they are dying in that situation someone gets wealthier. Not just the doctor but the entire apparatus of the medical industry benefits financially from the dying of your loved one.


Lots of progress has been made. I have a relative, a young man, who had his esaphagus replaced with his stomach. So far so good. It's not always the case.

Yes we try things for people like that, but when men or women cannot concievably be expected to live forcing them to stay alive is a lot like torture.

I have not understood what is the negative part about being dead. We all die. What's the big deal?

 

[Walter Kovacs]

May not be 'sinful' but it sure is stupid.

 

[cold rush]

May not be 'sinful' but it sure is stupid.

So there are trolls here too.

Please refrain from posting on my thread.

 

[EBR]

You could easily argue both sides of the coin on any topic involving medicine. I'v heard everything from "it's sinful to use painkillers or modern medicine because it shows your lack of faith in God!" to "God's plan still has use for you, so you have to suffer any treatment or procedure to do his work".

I don't know what the bible says on this, if anything, but personally, I don't oppose medically assisted death. I watched my grandpa suffer a slow, inevitable death while kept heavily drugged for days on end. He had cancer in every organ and bone in his body, so there was nothing that could be done but wait. I loved my Grandpa, but there was no reason to put him through that.

 

[jcp988]

I don't know that there is a cut and dry answer. Some areas in life are just grey and there is no right and wrong. Life is messy, and the right isn't always clear. I think this is one of those areas. How could we judge? It's such a grey area, I think both sides of valid points.