Last week, Kim Leadbeater MP introduced a new private members’ bill in the House of Commons seeking to change the law on assisted suicide/dying, with a final vote expected before the end of 2024. The bill is expected to seek a change in the law allowing a person with a terminal illness and life expectancy of less than six months to take their own life, with the assistance of a medical practitioner.  

Advocates have argued that such a change in the law would be humane, compassionate, and would include adequate safeguards to protect the vulnerable from into being coerced into taking their own lives. Many opponents are convinced that changing the law is wrong, unnecessary and dangerous. 
 
Currently assisting a person to end their life is a crime with a maximum prison sentence of 14 years, and any change would represent a significant and fundamental change to the way our society cares for those approaching the end of their lives, as well as changing the nature of the relationship between patients and their doctors. 
 
Successive attempts to change the law in England and Wales have failed over the past 16 years from 2009 to 2018 in both houses of parliament. On every occasion the proposals were heavily defeated (most recently by MPs by 330 votes to 118). But it is possible that the mood of MPs has changed, and the current parliament has hundreds of new MPs who will be voting on this issue for the first time, many supportive of a Prime Minister who is eager for the law to be changed. 
 
Unless Jesus returns, none of us will escape physical death. Exactly what it means to experience a ‘good death’ (perhaps surrounded by loved ones, in a place of your choosing) however, is a topic of real controversy. There are tragic examples of ‘mercy killings’ by loving relatives, or those who feel their only option is to travel to another country where the law has already been changed. Others believe that there are huge shortcomings in the quality of palliative/ end-of-life care that is available in this country, and our focus should be on caring for and alleviating the suffering of the dying better, rather than enabling them to end their lives.
 
We’re not just talking about abstract concepts, but about real people, worried either about themselves or their loved ones.  And it is important to stress that those in favour of assisted suicide, and those against it, both want the best for individuals, and society as a whole and are motivated by compassion rather than more sinister purposes. 
 
As Christians, we should “seek the peace and prosperity of the city” and “love our neighbour as ourselves” as we seek to love God wholeheartedly. So how then should we consider assisted suicide? There is not space here for an exhaustive look at every argument, but here are a few ideas to consider:
 

1. As Christians we believe that we are made in the image of God, that he is our creator and is the sustainer of life. It is God who has numbered the days of our life (Psalm 139:16) and he ultimately gives and takes life away (Job 1:20).
2. As Christians seeking to love our neighbours, it is right and good that that at times we will be a 'burden' to one another. Nearly half of those choosing assisted suicide in Oregon (USA) cited feelings of being or becoming a burden as a part of their decision.  
3. Many people state that they are fearful of losing their dignity or control as the approach the end of their lives. As Christians we believe that our inviolable dignity comes from being made in God’s image, and adopted as children into his kingdom. We already know we are never really in control of our lives, but rather accept that we are sustained and held all our days in the hands of a loving saviour. 
4. Any safeguards written into the new law will not in reality be able to protect vulnerable people from being coerced into ending their lives for fear of being a burden. The current law is the safeguard for the vulnerable, whilst providing prosecutors with means for discretion in hard cases. 
5. Individual autonomy is not absolute. There are times when a person will ask for something and the loving response is to say no. We must be careful that providing what seems like a right choice for a few people initially, doesn’t have unintended negative consequences across society. 
6. The slippery slope argument holds true. Although Kim Leadbeater has signalled that she intends the new law to only apply to those with a terminal illness and six months to live, over 50 other MPs are already calling for it to apply more widely to those facing ‘intolerable suffering’ irrespective of life expectancy. It is important to note that in other countries where assisted suicide was initially introduced, the law has soon been expanded beyond its original aim, including allowing assisted suicide for those with disabilities or mental illness (e.g. Canada). 
7. There is a contradiction between efforts to prevent suicide across society more widely, but to actively facilitate it in one particular group. 
8. Palliative care is not universally high quality across this country. In fact, Health Secretary Wes Streeting has indicated that he does not believe that palliative care is of sufficient quality in the UK to give patients a genuine choice at the end of their lives and that much more needs to be done to improve end-of-life care before the government considers changing the law. 
9. Requests for euthanasia and assisted suicide are extremely rare when patients' needs, including physical, social, psychological and spiritual needs, are properly met.
10. The majority of UK doctors and disability rights groups oppose any change in the law. 

Want to know more?

Here are some websites you might find helpful:
 
www.carenotkilling.org.uk
https://righttolife.org.uk/knowledgebase/assisted-suicide-and-euthanasia
https://ourdutyofcare.org.uk (for healthcare professionals) 
 
You might like to watch Liz Carr’s BBC documentary ‘Better Off Dead” about these issues, available on iPlayer. It doesn’t approach the topic with a Christian worldview but it does explore some of the concerns people may have.  
 
 
Want to do something?
 

1. Pray to our sovereign and loving heavenly Father
2. Write to your MP to explain your concerns 

You can write to your MP directly, or via https://www.writetothem.com, or by signing the letter via this link that Dave provided in the weekly email.
 
If you are a healthcare professional, you may also wish to consider signing this letter to the Prime Minister.  
 


Glossary:
 
Euthanasia can be defined as the intentional killing by act or omission of a person whose life is felt not to be worth living.
 
Assisted suicide is generally understood to involve 'an act capable of encouraging or assisting the suicide or attempted suicide of another person'. 
 
Physician-assisted suicide (PAS) is where a doctor prescribes lethal drugs for the patient to take themselves. (The bill seeks to make this legal)
 
Assisted dying is a more ‘socially acceptable’ term which is often used by campaigners as an alternative to euthanasia and assisted suicide. 
 
Palliative care is specialised care (physical, psychological, social or spiritual) that helps people with terminal illnesses or chronic conditions to improve their quality of life.