Is refusing medical treatment tantamount to suicide?

[disciple Clint]

In what society is life valued?

Euthanasia is a real threat to anyone who is seen as vunerable.

God made all of us equal, that is not contingent upon age, He love us all and we should love each other equally, we are are creations of God in His image. I do not feel that the value of my elders lives were any less than the value of my life, a life is a life, a human is a human I do not discount the life of an human, I even protect liberals (lol)

 

[MissRowy]

In what society is life valued?

Euthanasia is a real threat to anyone who is seen as vunerable.

So you'd rather someone being kept alive by a machine rather than giving them the chance to pass away without pain with euthanasia?

 

[disciple Clint]

So it's medical community not God who has a say

God has spoken, to Him all life is equally valuable each of us has a right to life.

 

[disciple Clint]

But of course different lives do have different values.

How so please explain that if you can. What makes one life more valuable than another?

 

[Astrid]

How so please explain that if you can. What makes one life more valuable than another?

If you think there is a God then you may
feel that it values all lives equally, in some
sense. All souls, after death perhaps.

The OT God, tho, makes great value distinctions.
"Chosen" people v the firstborn of Egypt
killed to change pharaohs mind, say.
Examples of valuing- in- action are throughout.

Not all in America value unborn lives at all.

" Equal before the law" is in theory not
practice.

Vast efforts are made on behalf of those
society values.

I am preaching to the choir?

 

[All Becomes New]

Philippians 1:21–26 CSB17
“For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. Now if I live on in the flesh, this means fruitful work for me; and I don’t know which one I should choose. I am torn between the two. I long to depart and be with Christ—which is far better— but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. Since I am persuaded of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that, because of my coming to you again, your boasting in Christ Jesus may abound.”

Whatever brings God more glory in your situation. In most cases, I would guess, getting the treatment would be the right thing to do based on the above passage. If we are to live our lives in service to others, then it is reasonable that we would want to continue living to be of service to others. However, if someone is already at the end of their life, then I think they or can go and this would not be the same thing as a teenager refusing treatment for selfish and rash reasons. If you have already lived a life of service to the church and there's not much more you can do for other people, then I think choosing to die would be perfectly acceptable. That being said, Paul still had aspirations to continue on the mission field before he was executed.

"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can,
and wisdom to know the difference."

 

[disciple Clint]

If you think there is a God then you may
feel that it values all lives equally, in some
sense. All souls, after death perhaps.

The OT God, tho, makes great value distinctions.
"Chosen" people v the firstborn of Egypt
killed to change pharaohs mind, say.
Examples of valuing- in- action are throughout.

Not all in America value unborn lives at all.

" Equal before the law" is in theory not
practice.

Vast efforts are made on behalf of those
society values.

I am preaching to the choir?

Just for clarification there is only one God, there is not one God of the O.T. and a different God of the N.T. and yes God clearly indicates that all lives are valuable, everyone is made in the image of God and has Inalienable rights

 

[Astrid]

Just for clarification there is only one God, there is not one God of the O.T. and a different God of the N.T. and yes God clearly indicates that all lives are valuable, everyone is made in the image of God and has Inalienable rights

For clarification such God as you believe
in is described in the Bible as committing
horrendous atrocities as I noted and to which
youve no evident answer but to assert a value- to -
God that is wholly inconsistent with the narrative.

Any "right to life" was honored only in the
breach in the "flood" atrocity ( which
fortunately did not actually happen),
instructions to "slay all" and divers other
single or mass killings.
Could you respond to the substance of my
earlier post, rather than the pointless
and then asserting the opposite of how God
is actually described, in action

 

[rturner76]

I'm leaning toward "no" it's not suicide. Mostly because even minor surgeries go wrong and people die on the operating table. So I don't think God would judge someone for choosing to die naturally at home or with family.

But like someone else, there should at least be a discussion with a doctor and be evaluated for depression.

 

[Tinker Grey]

I think this thread, starting with the OP, is conflating two questions as one. The first question is "is it suicide"; the second, and different question, is "is it wrong". For those that think that all suicide is wrong, maybe it's the same. For some of us, it's not.

We can see this in those posts where interlocutors are saying "it's not suicide, because in this case I don't see it as wrong."

Arguably, any case where you cause yourself to die or let yourself die when you could have done otherwise is suicide.

If you are terminally ill and you refuse painful treatment that might prolong your life, many would argue that you are committing suicide. I might agree. However, I would also argue it's not wrong under these conditions.

In fact, I am tempted to say that if you are not leaving dependents, it's never wrong. I am not sure I want to go that far, though.

 

[Astrid]

Did you see an answer to this anywhere at any time ?
Most , as far as I am aware, do not realize that 'society' values money and idols far far far more than life. The thought of most people on earth dying is actually one stated purpose of 'society' , at least in high powerful places on earth/ in the world.

Let christians lead the way, meet in warehouses
and parks instead of those grand tax free
recreation halls.

 

[zippy2006]

This is good and right and true, Biblically and Historically and Today,
but I did not see specifically how it answers the title or op question ?
No reply to this needed...
Simply wanted to repeat the truth about Martyrs as stated.

Martyrs, among other things, refuse to do what is necessary to continue living.

 

[dqhall]

Assume that the medical treatment is necessary to keep living and that cost is not a problem.

What medical treatment has no cost? Some cancer treatment can cost $150,000 a year. My cousin inherited, then in the same year reported she was sick with an incurable disease. She died a year later at about 60. My grandfather died at about 85 of colon cancer. After awhile the doctor stopped the treatment. He died at home. His wife died about two years later of colon cancer in an assisted living facility.

You have to keep trying.

 

[disciple Clint]

For clarification such God as you believe
in is described in the Bible as committing
horrendous atrocities as I noted and to which
youve no evident answer but to assert a value- to -
God that is wholly inconsistent with the narrative.

Any "right to life" was honored only in the
breach in the "flood" atrocity ( which
fortunately did not actually happen),
instructions to "slay all" and divers other
single or mass killings.
Could you respond to the substance of my
earlier post, rather than the pointless
and then asserting the opposite of how God
is actually described, in action

If you have specific questions about why God ordered the deaths of some people ask them, God is just, all life is from God.

 

[Sabertooth]

Suicide can mean

1. "self-murder" or
2. "unintentional self-killing."

When a person dies as a consequence of a decision they made, even a medical decision, it can be considered suicide. But whether it is a #1 or a #2 depends on why they made the decision they did.

I have alpha-one antitrypsin deficiency [A1ATD]. I have received all old-school vaccines without serious complications, but my pre-existing condition makes experimental vaccines to be a gamble for me.

1. If I don't get the covid vaccine, I could get covid and die.
2. If I do get the covid vaccine, it could turn my A1ATD into COPD which would also kill me.

Either "choice" is potentially "suicidal," but neither is deliberately so.

 

[Astrid]

If you have specific questions about why God ordered the deaths of some people ask them, God is just, all life is from God.

Anything but concede that no evident value
was placed on their lives.

Maybe immortal souls exist and are valued equally
except for most souls that don't make the cut at all,
and different status for those that do.

It's what your book says.

But you say to ask children who were murdered
3000 years ago.

Typical of the explanations that make sure
I'd never be a christian.

 

[zippy2006]

Actually not, I think.
All the Martyrs in Scripture did everything needed to continue living,

and they were killed for testifying of Jesus, for telling the truth.

Since they trust in the Faithful One, Almighty Creator, they do not trust man nor man's ways nor man's institutions.

In order to do what is necessary to continue living the martyr would have to deny the faith. Martyrs are not willing to deny the faith. Therefore martyrs, among other things, refuse to do what is necessary to continue living. A martyr is someone who values the faith above their own life.

 

[disciple Clint]

Anything but concede that no evident value
was placed on their lives.

Maybe immortal souls exist and are valued equally
except for most souls that don't make the cut at all,
and different status for those that do.

It's what your book says.

But you say to ask children who were murdered
3000 years ago.

Typical of the explanations that make sure
I'd never be a christian.

Would anyone have left the children to suffer and die of starvation or be eaten alive by animals? Would that have shown love? Also please consider that those children were often sacrificed by being burned alive by their loving parents as part of their religion.

 

[Astrid]

Would anyone have left the children to suffer and die of starvation or be eaten alive by animals? Would that have shown love? Also please consider that those children were often sacrificed by being burned alive by their loving parents as part of their religion.

According to Exodus, the firstborn of Egypt were all
slaughtered in their homes by a sword bearing angel,
much to the distress of the parents.
There's nothing there about starving or wild beasts,
still less rescue-by- chopping-up.
It was done specifically to be a shocking atrocity,
to motivate the Pharoah. (18th dynasty)

As for burned alive, we find that there is "some vdence that chikd sacrifice may have occurred during the first dynasty".
(italics added)

Of course there is no evidence at all that the exodus ever
actually happened, but that's irrelevant to how God is portrayed.

In the event, we have all the flood victims, the
"put them all to the sword including lifestock" events,
and more that I could tiresomely add.

It may be that some of the stories are true, it may even
be that there is a God who values immortal souls for
some reason.
You have failed to show that such God places anything
faintly resembling equal valuing of all peoples lives,
and the Bible record indicates the opposite, time after time.

 

[Astrid]

I think King David, whom The Creator Called "A Man After Yahweh's Own Heart",
cried at one or more points in Scripture > "What is man, that Thou Carest for him, or son of man that you pay attention/take an interest in him ? " /not sure of direct location or actual Hebrew language ....

How does that relate to what i said?