• Starting today August 7th, 2024, in order to post in the Married Couples, Courting Couples, or Singles forums, you will not be allowed to post if you have your Marital status designated as private. Announcements will be made in the respective forums as well but please note that if yours is currently listed as Private, you will need to submit a ticket in the Support Area to have yours changed.

  • CF has always been a site that welcomes people from different backgrounds and beliefs to participate in discussion and even debate. That is the nature of its ministry. In view of recent events emotions are running very high. We need to remind people of some basic principles in debating on this site. We need to be civil when we express differences in opinion. No personal attacks. Avoid you, your statements. Don't characterize an entire political party with comparisons to Fascism or Communism or other extreme movements that committed atrocities. CF is not the place for broad brush or blanket statements about groups and political parties. Put the broad brushes and blankets away when you come to CF, better yet, put them in the incinerator. Debate had no place for them. We need to remember that people that commit acts of violence represent themselves or a small extreme faction.
  • We hope the site problems here are now solved, however, if you still have any issues, please start a ticket in Contact Us

Catholic Church & Euthanasia

Status
Not open for further replies.

TheScottsMen

Veteran
Jul 8, 2003
1,239
14
Minneapolis, MN
✟23,995.00
Faith
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Others
Hey Everyone!
I'm hoping some of you might be able to help me out! In my ethics class at college (Bible College) we are discussing Euthanasia. Next week we have a 6 person debate in class. Six of us in class where chosen to play a part and give the views and beliefs of a certain group. Mine, as you have probably guessed, is the Catholic Church. I disagree with Euthanasia to begin with and know the Catholic Church does also. What I am looking for is more information on why the Catholic Church rejects the practice. Maybe something out of the Catholic Catechism or such? If your wondering, the debate is between Protestant (in this case, one that supports euthanasia), Catholic, Atheist, Hemlock Rep, Dieing Patient, and a Doctor. THANKS!

TSM
 

nyj

Goodbye, my puppy
Feb 5, 2002
20,976
1,304
USA
Visit site
✟54,248.00
Country
United States
Faith
Catholic
Marital Status
Private
Hey TSM, here is some information for you:

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:


2277 Whatever its motives and means, direct euthanasia consists in putting an end to the lives of handicapped, sick, or dying persons. It is morally unacceptable. Thus an act or omission which, of itself or by intention, causes death in order to eliminate suffering constitutes a murder gravely contrary to the dignity of the human person and to the respect due to the living God, his Creator. The error of judgment into which one can fall in good faith does not change the nature of this murderous act, which must always be forbidden and excluded.



2277 Whatever its motives and means, direct euthanasia consists in putting an end to the lives of handicapped, sick, or dying persons. It is morally unacceptable. Thus an act or omission which, of itself or by intention, causes death in order to eliminate suffering constitutes a murder gravely contrary to the dignity of the human person and to the respect due to the living God, his Creator. The error of judgment into which one can fall in good faith does not change the nature of this murderous act, which must always be forbidden and excluded.

2324 Intentional euthanasia, whatever its forms or motives, is murder. It is gravely contrary to the dignity of the human person and to the respect due to the living God, his Creator.
 
Upvote 0

Disciple 3

Well-Known Member
Feb 4, 2004
450
11
38
Florida
✟23,149.00
Faith
Catholic
First of all, the Catholic Church disagrees with this brutal form of birth control simply because it is murder. The main argument of the abortionist is that the baby is not a baby. They say it is "just dead tissue and fetal matter, arms and legs is all". We maintain that the fetus is as much alive as me and you are, it has a soul and is a person. As we all know Jesus loves children.

In the Bible we get a look at how God feels about children in the womb. We see in the Bible that God knows us in the womb, he speaks affectionetly towards Jeramiah in Jeramiah 1:5. Also in psalm 139:15 he says that God forms us all individually , skillfuly an lovingly.

For the record, I do not hold the Chatechism holy in any way, but you did ask for something from the Catechism. I really don't even read it.

"2270 Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception.
From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person - among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life.[71]
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you.[72]
My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately wrought in the depths of the earth.[73]

2271 Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion.
This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable.
Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law:
You shall not kill the embryo by abortion and shall not cause the newborn to perish.[74]
God, the Lord of life, has entrusted to men the noble mission of safeguarding life, and men must carry it out in a manner worthy of themselves.
Life must be protected with the utmost care from the moment of conception: abortion and infanticide are abominable crimes.[75]

2272 Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense.
The Church attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life.
"A person who procures a completed abortion incurs excommunication latae sententiae,"[76] "by the very commission of the offense,"[77] and subject to the conditions provided by Canon Law.[78]
The Church does not thereby intend to restrict the scope of mercy.
Rather, she makes clear the gravity of the crime committed, the irreparable harm done to the innocent who is put to death, as well as to the parents and the whole of society.

2273 The inalienable right to life of every innocent human individual is a constitutive element of a civil society and its legislation:
"The inalienable rights of the person must be recognized and respected by civil society and the political authority.
These human rights depend neither on single individuals nor on parents; nor do they represent a concession made by society and the state; they belong to human nature and are inherent in the person by virtue of the creative act from which the person took his origin.
Among such fundamental rights one should mention in this regard every human being's right to life and physical integrity from the moment of conception until death."[79]
"The moment a positive law deprives a category of human beings of the protection which civil legislation ought to accord them, the state is denying the equality of all before the law.
When the state does not place its power at the service of the rights of each citizen, and in particular of the more vulnerable, the very foundations of a state based on law are undermined....
As a consequence of the respect and protection which must be ensured for the unborn child from the moment of conception, the law must provide appropriate penal sanctions for every deliberate violation of the child's rights."[80]

2274 Since it must be treated from conception as a person, the embryo must be defended in its integrity, cared for, and healed, as far as possible, like any other human being.
Prenatal diagnosis is morally licit, "if it respects the life and integrity of the embryo and the human fetus and is directed toward its safe guarding or healing as an individual....
It is gravely opposed to the moral law when this is done with the thought of possibly inducing an abortion, depending upon the results: a diagnosis must not be the equivalent of a death sentence."[81]

2275 "One must hold as licit procedures carried out on the human embryo which respect the life and integrity of the embryo and do not involve disproportionate risks for it, but are directed toward its healing the improvement of its condition of health, or its individual survival."[82]
"It is immoral to produce human embryos intended for exploitation as disposable biological material."[83]
"Certain attempts to influence chromosomic or genetic inheritance are not therapeutic but are aimed at producing human beings selected according to sex or other predetermined qualities.
Such manipulations are contrary to the personal dignity of the human being and his integrity and identity"[84] which are unique and unrepeatable.

Euthanasia
2276 Those whose lives are diminished or weakened deserve special respect. Sick or handicapped persons should be helped to lead lives as normal as possible.

2277 Whatever its motives and means, direct euthanasia consists in putting an end to the lives of handicapped, sick, or dying persons.
It is morally unacceptable.
Thus an act or omission which, of itself or by intention, causes death in order to eliminate suffering constitutes a murder gravely contrary to the dignity of the human person and to the respect due to the living God, his Creator.
The error of judgment into which one can fall in good faith does not change the nature of this murderous act, which must always be forbidden and excluded.

2278 Discontinuing medical procedures that are burdensome, dangerous, extraordinary, or disproportionate to the expected outcome can be legitimate; it is the refusal of "over-zealous" treatment.
Here one does not will to cause death; one's inability to impede it is merely accepted.
The decisions should be made by the patient if he is competent and able or, if not, by those legally entitled to act for the patient, whose reasonable will and legitimate interests must always be respected.

2279 Even if death is thought imminent, the ordinary care owed to a sick person cannot be legitimately interrupted.
The use of painkillers to alleviate the sufferings of the dying, even at the risk of shortening their days, can be morally in conformity with human dignity if death is not willed as either an end or a means, but only foreseen and tolerated as inevitable
Palliative care is a special form of disinterested charity.
As such it should be encouraged."
 
Upvote 0

Cat59

Just me
Aug 28, 2003
28,798
100
Beautiful Wales
Visit site
✟55,290.00
Country
United Kingdom
Faith
Atheist
Marital Status
Private
This is a submission made by the Guild of Catholic Doctors in UK about euthanasia, looking especially at witholding of water and nutrition.
www.catholicdoctors.org.uk/Submissions/Submissions_Frame.htm
(Look at GMC-Withdrawal of Treatment July 2001; Euthanasia-submission to Royal Colleges working party,Dec 1999)
Good luck with your debate!
Cat
 
Upvote 0

Magisterium

Praying and Thinking
Jan 22, 2003
1,136
99
49
Kansas
Visit site
✟1,813.00
Faith
Catholic
Marital Status
Married
the Catechism of the Catholic Church said:
Euthanasia
2276 Those whose lives are diminished or weakened deserve special respect. Sick or handicapped persons should be helped to lead lives as normal as possible.
2277Whatever its motives and means, direct euthanasia consists in putting an end to the lives of handicapped, sick, or dying persons. It is morally unacceptable.

Thus an act or omission which, of itself or by intention, causes death in order to eliminate suffering constitutes a murder gravely contrary to the dignity of the human person and to the respect due to the living God, his Creator. The error of judgment into which one can fall in good faith does not change the nature of this murderous act, which must always be forbidden and excluded.
2278Discontinuing medical procedures that are burdensome, dangerous, extraordinary, or disproportionate to the expected outcome can be legitimate; it is the refusal of "over-zealous" treatment. Here one does not will to cause death; one's inability to impede it is merely accepted. The decisions should be made by the patient if he is competent and able or, if not, by those legally entitled to act for the patient, whose reasonable will and legitimate interests must always be respected.
2279Even if death is thought imminent, the ordinary care owed to a sick person cannot be legitimately interrupted. The use of painkillers to alleviate the sufferings of the dying, even at the risk of shortening their days, can be morally in conformity with human dignity if death is not willed as either an end or a means, but only foreseen and tolerated as inevitable. Palliative care is a special form of disinterested charity. As such it should be encouraged.
To expand a bit, the church's position on euthanasia is based in a profound recognition and respect for the sanctity of human life. The church teaches that life is a gift from God. As such, we as human beings (the recipients of that gift) have no authority or right to determine at any time that this tremendous gift is no longer worth possessing. We enter into dangerous territory when we begin to believe that the value of life is something that can be quantified according to a subjective criteria such as enjoyability or distress.

That said, our social and scientific efforts are better spent on methods of making life more enjoyable and bearable while we have it rather than finding ways of discarding it when it bcomes difficult.

On a side note, it is interesting to see how science shifts it's focus as moral guidlines are redrawn. For instance, as I understand it, the number of advances and discoveries in medical technology related to curing infantile defects and illnesses has declined sharply since the wide acceptance of abortion and contraception. Conversely abortive and contraceptive methods are constantly being refined and advanced.

In light of this natural tendency of science, it can be reasonably seen that advances in pain relief and other palliative procedures will be set aside in favor of more and more advanced methods of euthanasia. This shift will also be spurred by the financial benefit from a "hasty exit" as opposed to a long and comparitively costly palliative treatment. In fact, given the current practices of medical insurance providers in the US which are always cutting costs, it will only be a matter of time until euthanasia will be the only covered option in certain terminal cases.

In closing, the church teaches that euthanasia is effectively the willful termination of human life. Willful termination of human life for any reason whatsoever is morally unacceptable. The intent to remove suffering is applied honestly in the work of relieving suffering, not ending life.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ukok
Upvote 0
Status
Not open for further replies.