Suicide to alleviate suffering is a difficult moral question regardless of religion and needs to be addressed independently. Christianity, like most religions, functions within its own circular-logic trap by making the outrageous claim that it owns morality. Nazism was a religion too. Bringing religtion into the equation hinders finding balanced moral solutions based on real-life circumstances that actually help all peoples function in a responsible and moral manner.

Brian Backus, Alameda, USA/CA

So suicide is illegal. What exactly is the penalty for succesfully braeking that particular law?

Dave in Brooklyn, Brooklyn, NY, YSA

Why not just buy a gun, and shoot yourself? Oh, that's right....people in Europe have lost that right.

Wendy Weinbaum, Austin, TX, USA

"The Bible doesn't say that if you commit suicide you are destined to hell. God is against suicide, for sure, but that is as far as it goes.

Aaron, Raleigh"

Really? My bible doesnt say anything, you have to read it...and I suggest you read you'res a little more throughly.

Bob, Santa Barbara, CA

A colleague in a teaching hospital took a leave of absence during which time he committed suicide. Until we heard of his death, none of us knew of his battle with MS.
A highly respected physician, with access to all medical science had to offer, when he could no longer tolerate the constant pain, he ended his life in the only way available to him.
Society should not have the right to force anyone to chose between a peaceful, humane end with dignity, or a 38.

Elayne, USA ,

Jeff - in reply, I would point out that I do not believe in a god who denounces love because it is homosexual, or abortion if a woman has been violated, or suicide if a person is already dead inside thanks to despair.

I believe in love, tolerance, compassion and understanding. Those are the values which make the world a better place, not hostility, moral superiority and refusal to understand those things you know nothing about. As a bisexual, bipolar woman who has in the past been suicidal and - gasp - uses birth control, I am proud to say that when I read comments like yours I value even more highly my ability to embrace people as individuals and friends, and to seek to understand those facets of their existence which I may not have experienced before. This way lies harmony and happiness.

Eleanor, Yorkshire,

Eleanor, I am well aware of what our Lord said in the Gospels, that his ministry was to call sinners to repentence, that he is a merciful God, and that we should forgive those who trespass against us `seven times seventy'. But as he forgave sinners, he also admonished them to `sin no more'. Moreover, he said to his disciples to be as `shrewd as serpents and harmless as doves', that they would be hated by all because of his name.
What I cited are not `prejudices', but mortal sins, intrinsically evil in themselves, offensive to God, and destroyers of divine life within a human soul. Certain circumstances can mitigate an individual's culpability in them, such as age, ignorance, and mental fitness, which is why I used the word, `insanities'. But they are evil all the same.
To call them thus is not to inflict `pain' or `intolerance', but to shed light on their nature to those who practice them. Would you remain indiscriminate and let a friend drive drunk, killing himself and others?

Jeff, Lexington, Ky

Dignity in death is a fundamental human right.
No individual should endure pain and sufferring while under the care of medical professionals.
I advocate this in my work and in my life.
The device discussed in your article offers no dignity.
In fact death by Hypercalemia (a potassium chloride overdose), can be very painful and certainly devoid of peace.
Most hospice based centers now offer "palliative sedation".
While it is not euthanasia, it does give control and alleviation of anxiety and is patient specific. Death, like birth, is a most intimate and profound experience. It should be up to individuals to have informed decisions as to their experience.
We are constrained at times by law.
The law, however, is at times, very, very flawed.
Terri Schiavo, for example. She clearly had suffered profound
and devastating brain damage. That did not give anyone the right to cause the pain and suffering she would have suffered being starved and deprived of water.
We have to do bette

Laura Daly, Boca Raton, Florida, USA

Here's an example of how religious zealots can manipulate things to "support" whatever view they are trying to convey. Say someone is in a horrible car accident and lives,then according to the churchie "God decided it wasn't their time to go". Then we have someone that chokes to death on a piece of candy right in the emergency room at a hospital with doctors trying to save him,the churchie then says God must have decided it was "his" time to go. Well that also applies to suicides. If a person suceeds in his suicide attempt and dies then that could also be said that "God decided it was his time to die",otherwise he would not have suceeded in his suicide attempt and lived. So failed suicide attempts show that god didn't want them to die yet while a sucessfull suicide shows that it was "god's will" that the person dies because it was "his time to go".

Shazam, Central NY, NY

I believe in Santa Clause. He sleeps in my attic.

Bertha Roberts, Atlanta, Georgia

Jeff - do you mean to say that you believe that 'human sacrifice, abortion, suicide, euthanasia, homosexuality, birth control' are insanities, or are you simply citing the historic view? Perhaps you have never been in a situation where any of these topics have become personally relevant? If people posting here must voice opinions that offend those to whom this article IS relevant, at least other prejudices could be kept out of the debate.

Perhaps those who use their religion as a reason to discriminate against others should remember to 'judge not, lest ye be judged' and consider that Jesus was a figure of love and compassion, not an inflicter of needless pain and intolerance.

Eleanor, Yorkshire,

I am a former Hospice care center volunteer and have seen over 2,500 people die or in the late stages of the process. And it is a process, just like birth. Both lack personal dignity, both take time. The vast majority of people I have seen die have died normally, meaning they have slipped out quietly when they are ready, peacefully and painlessly.
Let me preface this by saying that this is my personal experience: I have been with people who have died horrible deaths. I have seen people screaming in pain; seen those for who pain medicine no longer works - who are insane with the combination of medicine, pain and illness. We have the technology to ease and end suffering and it should be used. If people in these stages of death wish to, or have left instructions to support their wish to die, then let - help them - to die.

Evin Daly, Florida, USA

The generation we tried to do away with through abortion will try to do away with us...through euthanasia.

They're just following the "Golden Rule":
Do to others as you would have them do to you.

Paula, Houston,

We don't let our pets suffer. Why do we let our fellow humans suffer if they don't want to. There should be individual choice.

Richard, Fairfax, USA, VA

Potassium burns when IV injected! Badly! The contraption needs to administer something like pentobarbital first in doses sufficient to stop breathing then finish with the potassium after the person has been rendered insensate.

s gace, Washington, DC, USA

Why does everything have to come back to religion? How many of us are fed up with the progress of humanity being hindered by people who believe in fairies? If you believe then, for all the good it's going to do you, believe, but keep your 'faith' to yourself. People quoting the Bible at us is just patronising. I do not want a miserable, painful slow decline at the behest of 'God'. I want dignity, self-determinisation, choice.
Furthermore, if 'interference' with the will of 'God' is denied then does that mean that those that preach the Bible at us will forego medication to prolong their life since this is an interference with the will of 'God'. Choose to live or choose to die. What is the difference?

Hypocrisy is the greatest of luxuries.

This debate is about ethics not religion. If people want a soap-box to validate their ancient irrelevant beliefs I recommend a church (of one's own religion of course)!!

Jon, Chester,

Of course, if it turns out that god (not "God") doesn't exist, a large number of these comments are irrelevant. You could argue that dedicating your life to some ancient fairy stories is more of a waste of life than allowing a terminally ill patient to end theirs with dignity. Discuss

Chris, Cambridge,

Jesus gave his life for us. Technically a Roman assisted suicide surely? If its good enough for JC its good enough for me.

nix, Wirral, UK

In a historical view of the world, nation's have always been more prosperous and strong when there has been a universal belief in and obedience to an all knowing, all powerful, all merciful, an all just God. But that's beside the point of the article.
Terminally ill? Aren't we all terminally ill to some extent? Don't we all suffer to some extent daily, be it physically or emotionally among other things? Aren't we all going to die? I don't see it as an excuse to kill ourselves though.
I don't believe this is ethical. Why assist in death when you can assist to life?

Michael, Fortaleza, Brazil

If you were to sit with someone in the last stages of terminal cancer I think your views would differ dramatically. This is an optional way out of pain and suffering at the sufferers own discretion. The only thing certain in life is death and therefore who is to say when or how that occurs?

Marian, leeds, UK

There's a teeny weeny problem here for the particularly sanctimonious religios on this posting (and I'm not referring to all of you, some are obviously compassionate, sensible people). For if your God really is as he is portrayed in the New Testament, ie, kind, forgiving, loving and so on, he's really not going to be happy with your cruel and heartless condemnation of those who would like to alleviate their suffering.

Best hope he doesn't exist eh, or else you're going to get a hell of a spanking in your afterlife.

Oh and let's not forget Jesus committed suicide (went willingly to be arrested, condemned and nailed to a cross) - surely you're not saying he went to Hell?

Dan, London,

it hurts me to see christians on here who do not even know their own bible. It says in the Bible that we should not even swear by a single hair on our heads because we did not create it. How much more then can we take our own lives and kill the body giving to us.

As for those who have made themselves gods and believe they can take their own lives i have only this to say. I only hope you can see life what it truly is, the life that Christ died to give us. To be honest with you, if you do not accept Christ it makes no difference if you choose euthenasia or any other form of suicide, ur spirit is already dead.

Giles, london, united kingdom

What's god got to do with this exactly?! Well said Armando from California.

Sascha, London,

Consider the argument proposed by those in favor of suicide. They do not wish to believe that God, nor his divinely-appointed ministers on earth (the Church) should have any say on whether it is right to oppose it. Then they extrapolate this into a position that the Church actively constrains their free will to snuff it.
What they really want is sanction for their action, for they already have the freedom to do it. One intuitive letter stated that Smith & Wesson provided the means to do so over a 100 years ago. For that matter, the architects of skyscrapers and bridges did also.
No, they want the Church to declare that suicide is not a sin, something it cannot do since it is bound to uphold the teachings of its founder.
But if suicide is legalized, who will be given the authority to hear each case? The state? The courts? Jack Kevorkian? No, one would feel better to reason in circles, convince himself that God does not oppose it, and check out quietly.

Jeff, Lexington, Ky

This is the perfect gift for fans of the UK's national football teams this summer :-)

Ian, Aberdeen, UK

Kevorkian's "thanatron" at least put the person to sleep with propofol or thiopenthal before injecting the potassium chloride 60 seconds later.

My concern is that if physician assisted suicide becomes the norm there WILL inevitably be inappropriate incidences. I think it is analogous to both a heap and a slippery slope. How do you define when it is appropriate and not? Where exactly do you draw the line? If you allow it for only "certain" cases of intolerable suffering how do account for What is considered tolerable or not? Who decides if a person's pain and suffering is enough to help them die and how do we objectify the decision? If an untreatable severely depressed person is suffering enough should we allow them a "humane" assisted suicide? Again where do we draw the line?

Ray S. M., Atlanta, GA/USA

Art thou attempting to copy the King James Bible in thy laboured style, Kevin or dost thou speak like that all the time? Or art thou from Lancashire originally? Anyway, I assume you believe that Jesus was half-deity, so how can any of us entirely fallible 100% humans be better than or even equal to him? I seem to remember he stood for compassion, amongst other things, which seems to be something in very short supply among some folk who want to use their religious belief to curtail terminally ill people's right to choose their own end rather than suffer horrifically.

Ruth , Glasgow, Scotland

it's interesting to note that the majority of the christian nutters on here are american, and yet the usa is fighting religious extremism everywhere else in the world expect at home, seems they should get their own house in order first!

Carl, Bristol, UK

If only someone in Great Britain would be brave enough to suggest relief from pain and sickness at the end of ones life is ultimate the decision of the person involved. No-one else. If only this country could be as brave as Dr Roger Kusch in Germany to speak about helping people who want to die; unfortunately whoever mentioned this in this country would be cricified by everone including the press. I hope it can work for the sake of those who desperately needs it. Enough of the so-called do gooders getting their own way.

Diana Lee James, Milton Keynes, England

I'm so tired of the sons and daughters of religious superstition - let go - grow some existential guts! Try a dose of 21st Century reality. Try reading Voltaire or Dawkins instead of your dreary tome. -dayll

Dan Delehant, La Habra, CA

I can't believe that 'W' from Washington just pipped me to it!
April fool surely?

Rob, London,

will the god squad please stop preaching to all the non religious people such as myself
if you don't like the idea of the machine then you don't have to use it.
People who don't drink alcohol aren't calling for a ban on the sale of it, and this kills far more people per year than this machine will do.
whatever happened to people being allowed to make their own decisions?

mike, nottingham,

Jesus suffered above all...art thou greater than He?

Kevin, San Jose, USA/CA

"The machine would be lent or rented so that the patients could insert the needles themselves"

Ummmm, if it works, how do you return it?

David, Roby , MO

People should have the right to choose to die with dignity. We do this for our pets when they are too sick or it is too costly to provide care for them. Don't argue that they are replaceable and people are not. This procedure should be done under a doctors care if the patient so decides to end their life.
C. Clary, Maryland USA

Charlie, Hyattsville, USA/Maryland

Great idea! Let people decide their own fate and stop bringing God into this argument. For all I know, God is just an invention of someone to keep people's hopes focused on a remotely potential "afterlife" and not on real life.

Armando Hernandez, Los Angeles, California

Is this an early April Fool's joke?

W, Washington, DC, USA

There appears to be several on this forum who do not even have a superficial knowledge of Church history in the last two millennia. It was the Church which actually brought us out of the Dark Age and cured the ancient pagan world of all of its insanities (i.e. human sacrifice, abortion, suicide, euthanasia, homosexuality, birth control, etc.), which our modern neo-pagan world seems to be returning. The Church does not "invent" doctrine, but faithfully preserves the teaching of its founder, Jesus Christ, unsullied by the inventions of men.

One such invention of men is the idea that faith and reason are opposites. Reason is only a tool used to explicate a theory or belief. The actual opposite of faith is skepticism, a dogma of the French philosophes in the 18th century, which demands a material explanation for everything, including life, love, art, music, dreams, etc.

When men stop believing in God, they don't believe in nothing, they'll believe in anything.

Jeff, Lexington, Ky

People are valuable, even handicapped or hurting people. The Bible?: Augustine argued in the fifth century that suicide was a violation of the sixth commandment, “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13) ; Later, Thomas Aquinas, being Catholic and believing that confession of sin must be made prior to departure from the world to the next, taught that suicide was the most fatal of all sins because the victim could not repent of it. ; Life belongs to God. It is never our place to take our own life or someone else's life. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own, you were bought with a price. Therefore honor God with your body (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). ; Jesus taught - death and destruction are the work of “the thief” (Satan). He said, "The thief comes only to steal and destroy (John 10:10). John 8:44 says Satan is a “murderer,” the “father of lies.” Jesus said he came "that they may have life."

Barb Thom, Central, Kentucky, USA

It amazes me how people can rationalize this subject. Previously in this society, the majority were appalled with even the thought of suicide. Now it sounds like the majority of you think it has its place. If we continue this thought process, by the time our children or grand children's future society is in control, the government will be deciding who will live or die, do to some rationalization they proclaim . Will that be okay? This is natural progression of this type of thinking. Where do you draw the line?
Oh, one final thought, it doesn't matter if you believe in God or not. You will have to deal with that decision in the after life. The Bible doesn't distinguish between murdering someone else or yourself, it is a sin to murder. If there is no God your okay but if God is there, see if you can convince Him of your decision, through the rationalization you are currently trying to convince others and yourself of. Good Luck.

Greg, Knoxville, Tennessee

An observation, and call me a religious fanatic if you like. I note that those identified as "fanatics" posting here are of a fairly trad'l Christian character. Let's say, hypothetically, that the opinions expressed here are representative. Let's say also that terminal illness, debilitating disease, extreme pain, etc, are (like death) no respecter of persons, and therefore as likely to strike one ideology as another.

It appears to me that Christians, bearing a proportional amount of the pain, suffering and dibilitation that goes around, still proclaim that life is not to be taken for any reason, and that the days of our lives are (and are to be) numbered by God, and God alone, then perhaps there is something in the Christian experience that allows a man or woman to bear up under it. To "make a good end," as it used to be said.

Perhaps the statistics lie, and Christians do not face these trials. That, then, presents another benefit of the Christian life that should be considered.

Dan'l, Portland, US/Maine

I absolutely support a person's right to choose for themselves when and under what context they should voluntarily depart this world.

While I do not wish to intrude on the faith or religious orientations of others, I plead with such individuals to please, PLEASE let the rest of us determine for ourselves our own path for such circumstances.

In my own situation, I know that life will be coming to an end within the next year or two. I could, at least in theory, mortgage everything and try to buy another few years of life with the latest cutting edge experimental medical technology, but the larger question would be, why?

I have taken care of various affairs as best as I am able, and am basically trying to keep pain & discomfort at a minimum while waiting for that final moment to come.

If I had the choice, I would gladly purchase the option to leave in peace, under my own terms.

Why can't the religious fanatics out there just leave the rest of us alone . . . PLEASE???

Charles, Berkeley, CA USA

I have never heard of the most promising German conservative politician.

Rolf-Peter, Gammertingen, Germany

Morality aside, there is a reason executions use a three drug cocktail: potassium chloride stops the heart causing a massive heart attack. One of the most painful things that can happen to the human body. And it has been demonstrated the person can be in this intractable pain for prolonged periods before death occurs. And god forbid they get the dosage wrong or don't get the needles placed right.

Farquardt, Berlin,

Really cost and how do u order--why don't u guys put out
this info instead of teasers.

H, Clearwater, Florika/USKKK

why do so many religious nuts post on here?

mr t, salta, argentina,

Well, if the world situation continues the way it's been going-this machine will come in very handy.

kat, los angeles, USA

I am personally a devout Christian believer and I have no issue with euthanasia for the terminally ill. The whole Christian opposition to a quick end when you're certain to die anyway is really quite a new phenomena historically. When a Christian got burned at the stake in the early times their friends would give them gunpower to put under their neck so they'd die faster and not suffer as much. Yet all of a sudden in the 20th century its a "mortal sin" now. Give me a break. The Bible has nothing to say whatsoever about end-of-life decisions for the terminally ill. Let them die with dignity.

Brent, Durham, NC, USA

I guess we'll have to wait until God returns in the sky for him to tell us that killing innocent blood is wrong, even if you do it yourself. think about your comment.......I guess just because the subway bombers were allowed to do what they did becuase God didn't appear in the sky and stop them before hand. Read your bible.....it has all the answers

Dave, Tremont , PA/ USA

Umm... this is like trying to invent a pen that would work in space... Determination is what you need to kill yourself, not a fancy machine that you need to borrow from rich scientists and politicians.

Mike, Inglewood, CA

Sounds kind. However - Consider
Your brother was in a horrible accident. His chances of survival are slim. A procedure may help but no one knows for sure. He faces a decision: 1)Suicide and the families finances are saved. 2)Hang on and the family will go to financial ruin. He sees that he would be selfish to hang on so he commits suicide. What he did not know is that he would have survived, had children and his family would be far richer for it. As it is all they have are painful memories and a picture. Suffering is more than a one way street. We don't know the future. This is the danger we face when making a decision that is not ours to make.

Allow people to decide in advance the artificial life support they will have. This is dignity. Suicide is not dignity. It is and always will be tragic because we don't know the future.

Jerry, Bozeman, USA

It's Bild Zeitung, not Zeiting.

Sam, NYC,

I saw my mom deteriorate over the course of 5 months. She had terminal cancer and died 3 months after being diagnosed. A tumor in her spine caused her to lose most feeling in her legs so she became paralyzed. It also caused her extreme pain and she could not move. She was stuck in a bed. I'd never seen her scream until then. She was in agonizing pain and every week, they had to raise her pain medicine dosage just to make her somewhat comfortable. I looked into our options but there were no legal ones. There were so many times that I wanted to put a pillow over her head and make it all end. She was suffering and so was I. In the end, after 3 long months, she died. Had this machine been available, I'm quite sure we would have used it.
Why is it ok to put a suffering animal down because it's the humane thing to do, but it's not for a human being?

MC, Indianapolis, IN (USA)

I have always believed that people should have the right to live as they please as long as it does not interfere in others' ability to do the same. If a terminally ill patient and their family decide that assisted suicide is the best course of action then I see no reason why the government has any business interfering in their lives.

Some people may say this is God's plan I have inoperable cancer or what not, well not everyone believes in God or accepts that. Applying your moral standards to someone else and their situation is not only presumptive but wrong. If you don't support assisted suicide then don't do it yourself; that does not mean, however, you should take the same right away from someone else.

Scott, NY, USA

I have seen my Father and Grandmother and others that I loved lay and suffer a slow death from cancer. it was so hard to see them go thru all that. I dont think either one would ever have wanted to kill themselves. I know that untill I have to feel pain like that I shouldnt have any room to say if its right or wrong but I believe that God doesnt want us to take our own lives. If your a Christian after its over you will suffer no more for eternity. my heart goes out to those that are not saved and have to suffer on earth and after death.

Patricia Young, Mobile, Al.

I am not religious. I will decide when I don't want to live any longer. It is no one else's business. This machine would make it easy but there are many ways to do it. I have seen too many people suffer a long and horrible death. No thanks.

Lindy, West Windsor, NY

i say Smith and Wesson had such a machine 100 years ago

wayne, san diego, CA

There are some very valid points made here. I do not believe it is in my best interest to lay judgement on anyone who chooses to use suicide to end their life of suffering.

However, for my self and my beliefs, I would not end my life prematurely in my present state of mind.

My hope is simply this. If it is my lot to suffer some terminal disease and the agony which comes with it; my God, the God of Jacob and Israel, would use the remainder of my life as a way to show His nature through me. If Christ suffered a brutal scourging, crucifixion, and even death to ensure that my spirit would live on beyond this temporal existance, why should I expect to live through or die through anything less? Why can I not count it a blessing to suffer for a while on Earth to have every pain, disease, and tear eliminated in the life beyond this one?

I write all this to admit that even now, I can not honestly say I could endure the pain of dying a slow death without looking for the escape hatch.

Drew, Watkins Glen, NY

how much and do they take credit cards? :)

dick, abilene, tx

I am glad this machine is in place. It is not involuntary and forcing terminally ill people to kill themselves so for all those who complain about it - don't use it and shut up. Unless you are terminally ill your opinion on why said patients should not get the choice on whether to live in mortal agony or die in peace is not only irrelevant but disrepectful, as you are talking about a topic that requires first-hand experience to really understand the horrors involved. Life is deemed so sacred that people find it necessary to prolong it at all costs, even against the will of the person whose life is being prolonged. Well - take a step back, a person should have rights over their own life. Furthermore in practical terms with over 6 billion people in the world, many of them in poverty and starving why prolong and encourage more life when the world can barely afford to feed those in it? Meddling in other people's lives: from right to abortion to euthanasia has become disrespectful. Back off

V.P., london,

Ed White says he would "rather die with dignity and minimal pain than slowly die in agony and humiliation. " May I suggest that anyone who has the courage to live strong, enduring the pain until the end cannot be considered to have died in humiliation. This may be their finest hour.

Jordan, Lancaster, PA, USA

Until a god appears in the sky and tells all the world in an undeniable way that they cant do this, its no one's business but the person committing suicide. If someone's mythology demands that people continue suffering thats fine FOR THEM but others should have their own choice. Just dont try to take others with you and do your best to limit the impact to others. I'd rather die with dignity and minimal pain than slowly die in agony and humiliation.

Ed White, DC, USA / DC

Good news, everyone!

H. Farnsworth, New New York, Earth

Theo - thank you for having the bravery to speak out in this debate and give a little insight to those who are quick to condemn euthanasia because of their religious beliefs.

What about those who are not religious? Should they be denied the right to end their life with dignity because the religious believe it isn't right? Or those believers who have lived a good and selfless life but are now living in pain and having nothing left? Who is to say that God would not see their goodness and embrace them with more warmth than he would some people who use his name to discriminate?

I think bringing God into the debate only detracts from the issue - people have different beliefs in God and no one can say that they are right. We have to consider the human beings who are suffering and put them first.

Eleanor, Yorkshire,

I see a lot of interesting Comments....
Fr John has hit at something very profound that is missing from most of them though... that is to look beyond ourselves in this and every matter we face. Human kind suffers terribly from selfishness and God spends a lot of effort to break through to in regards to this.
Now as for suicide = murder... I see a lot of misunderstanding about the "definitions" invovled. We can look at a biblical type Definiton and see what God says about it. In the ten commandments it says thou shall not "kill" The kill word should be translated murder, and that is further clarified in the gospel as to what murder means. The emotion of hate is always involved in murder. "if you hate your Brother... I say to you that you have murdered him in your heart"
So looking thru this perspective hating yourself is murder... and therein lies weather it is a sin... more than likely it will be, but only God will know for sure.

Joel, Tampa, FL

I, in no way condone suicide, but I do want to give my take in a biblical sense. There is no where in the bible that is says you will go to hell if you commit suicide. It is a common "urban legend" of sorts. I am not catholic so I do not believe that I have to asks a priest to forgive my sins...which one would not be able to do if they committed suicide. That may be the stance that a catholic could take. I do believe that just because I was not able to ask forgiveness, it does not mean I would be destined for a ride to hell. My God, is a loving God and is aware of what pressures I can handle...but do the suffering see themselves the way God see's them and see themselves as able to endure the pain? I know there are many exponential factors that can be used to justify, but regardless, I do not believe that going to hell will be cemented because you chose to end your life. If you do choose to, it is extremely selfish and you will scar peoples lives more than you may be able to imagine.

Franco, Chandler, AZ

I am a retired urban Paramedic & Instructor of Paramedics, with 22 yr.'s experience. I have seen thousands in terminal agony, caused by everything from being trapped in/by machinery, (such that release from entrapment meant certain death), to terminal medical issues like Hiv-aids, cancer, etc.
I have NO problem with a person, (whose religion/other concern(s) forbid suicide), staying alive as long as possible. I view any person(s)/group(s), who feel their religious beliefs form the basis for controling my end-life decesion(s), or feel some bizzare obligation to prevent me from committing suicide, (in a 'known terminal disease' setting), as being the same 'psychiatric', &/or, 'political interference' category as Muhhamd Atta, (of '911' infamy), &/or, Benedict_16th., whose right to opinion/approval of MY actions ends as soon as he/they are apparised of the 'mind your own business' aspect of personal freedom! If someone doesn't approve, that's Ok. If they interfere, that's facisim!

R.g. Frano, A.C.L.S., (Ret.), Jersey City, NJ, USA

"and it's cutting short on God's plans for your life"

The weeks/months spent in horrible pain, after which you die? Nice plans.

M.R., stockport,

The Christian position has traditionally been that suicide is a kind of murder, a murder inflicted by a person on themselves. There are exceptions, of course, such as the case of people whose lives ended in the protection of others and people who are mentally ill who's suicide is a symptom of that illness.

In the Christian tradition the presence of sickness and pain is a call on others to respond with every moral effort to alleviate suffering. It 's a call on those around the suffering person to move beyond themselves, embrace the one in pain, and if the disease is final walk with them through the journey to a natural death.

These machines are immoral, in part, because they ignore the complexity and challenges of human suffering, replacing the call on each of us to grow beyond ourselves and reach out to all who suffer with the quick disposal of the sufferer. But is precisely bearing each others pains that makes us humans and killing our wounded which lowers us to animals.

Fr. John Chagnon, St. Paul, MN, USA

Ok for those who believe in the Bible, You will go to Hell if you kill yourself. You can be saved, but Suicide is Selfish and it's cutting short on God's plans for your life, so It is going against His will completely. If you want to kill yourself, go for it, but like the article says, "the patient is aware of the consequences of his decision."

Alejandro Mejia, Miami, Florida

With 7 billion people and rising, the human race is committing mass suicide. That with the destruction of the planet dooms both. Didn't Jesus say "no greater love hath a man than to lay down his life for his friends?" We are going to need a whole new paradigm about human life in order to survive.

Buckley, washington, USA

Neither the society nor the legal structure are prepared for
euthanasia. I do not believe that people are in conditions of the
discussion.

Carlos Norberto Mugrabi, Roma, Italia

I am ready. After 5 years, nearly a dozen doctors and over 10K out of pocket I am in constant pain with impaired cognitive ability, hearing and vision. The docs dismiss it all and tried 3 times to feed me antidepressants or tell me its migraines. I point to my jaw and say it all started here where my face is still deformed but they ignore it. The lawyers say no disability without diagnosis and doctors won't give on. Lost my job, house, 401K, forced to move in with relatives and beg for neurontin on the street. All because they bled me dry until I could no longer afford medical help that most likely an MRI and a simple jaw operation could heal. I cannot even sell a kidney to pay for it. And don't get me started on drug abusing doctors- there are so many of them. I will most likely choose a Colt 45 to solve this problem. Too bad I ONLY got great employment reviews my entire life and would love to return to self sufficiency but that is prohibited .

theo, K Falls, Oregon USA

The biblical answer to suicide may be found in Volume 7 of The Quest for Right. It is an insidious evil which is consistant with murder, even if it is self-murder. Be not deceived, no murderer hath eternal life.

C. David Parsons, Douglasville, GA

Depression is just the result of lack of human interaction. Happiness isn't real unless shared.

Kenny, austin, tx

"I'm no Bible expert, but my belief is NOT that you will be sent to Hell or damnation if you take your own life, but only if you do not accept God as your savior before you die." True, but if you kill yourself you prove that you do NOT accept God.

Andrew, New York, NY

Suicide is something between a man and his maker. But add other to assist with state sanction is a different matter and brings up concerns of murder and execution.
Saying that a view smacks of religion says nothing about the view and a lot about a critic. In the West, morality and ethics were developed and fleshed out by religious thinkers who took comprehensive approches using reason, not just scripture. That is our tradition. It is not improved upon by people who know neither reason or religion.

Claire W Solt PhD, West Palm Beach, FL, USA

The very reason that we outlaw murder and suicide is that human society (as a general rule) believes that human life is distinctly different from animal life. This is an essentially religious sentiment, thus any laws regulating the taking of human life have, at their very foundation, a religious component. So it is of no value to argue that anti-sucide laws are essentially religious and thus should not be in place.

By instinct, I may think it good to have a law that prevents you from murdering me or anyone whom I love, or anyone whom I find valuable to me. But what compels us to condemn the murder of those whom we do not know or personally care about? Why do we cry out for justice against Nazi-like exterminations of people whose lives have no personal significance to us. Such a visceral revulsion at the unjustified killing of humans comes from our innate understanding that there is One who is above us and has put a distinct value on human life. That is religious - and correct

Joe Terrell, Rock Valley, IA/USA

It's time to usher in the age of reason and common sense and end the superstitious nonsense so many of us were raised on. Christians are not allowed to live other people's lives and it's time they were told. Not every one lives by fear which is why religion can control some but not others.

Cynthia, Juneau, AK

By definition: Murder is the unlawful killing of one human by another, especially with premeditated malice. How is suicide the same as murder?

Slope, Miami, Florida

There is some societal interest in discouraging suicide, and for a few scrupulously law-abiding folks, the law gives them an excuse to back out of something they have doubts about doing. The total lack of prosecution of violations of this law indicates that this is exactly the purpose. There is a vast difference between a despondent depressive and a terminally ill person with insufferable pain, who of course may be desperate as well. Suicide is devastating for many families and acquaintances, in many cases it leaves behind a shadow of betrayal, and it can be contagious within families having a genetic preponderance to depression. I'm not sure that more governmental meddling in this area will have any positive results.

R. L., Sacramento, CA USA

I'm no Bible expert, but my belief is NOT that you will be sent to Hell or damnation if you take your own life, but only if you do not accept God as your savior before you die. I know If I was terminally ill, I'm talking constant pain, suffering immensely, I don't think I should have to wait around, fattening the doctors and pharmaceutical companies' wallets and I would hope my family would respect those wishes. Please forgive my grammar/spelling, haven't had my coffee yet.

C, Austin, TX

First of all, the Bible doesn't say that one will go to Hell. It is sinful if you are not terminally ill and you pull the plug. As for doing yourself in, I think God is intelligent enough to know what one is going through and will make allowances based on the condition. God is merciful.

God too has common sense. The discussion continues. Life on planet earth keeps getting more interesting.

Gil, Dallas, TX

The Bible does say though that murder is wrong and those that commit it will be punished; killing yourself is murder.

Veronica, Fort Worth, TX

Where exactly in the Bible is there any mention of suicide being an "unforgivable sin"? I've been a Christian for 45 years and I've never seen it. This may be a Catholic invention or interpretation from priests but it is NOT in the Bible.

Dennis, Cedar Park, Tx

The Bible has nothing to say about suicide, assisted or not, sending you straight to hell. That was a decision concocted in the Dark Ages by the clergy, to keep people in dire straits from offing themselves prematurely to go be with Jesus.

There should be a legal, humane way for the terminally ill to end their suffering without worry about their families being prosicuted. It's barbaric to reduce them to putting a plastic bag over their heads.

rob in usa, Independence,

The Bible doesn't say that if you commit suicide you are destined to hell. God is against suicide, for sure, but that is as far as it goes.

Aaron, Raleigh,

Is severe depression an incurable illness? A majority of people would say no, especially in light of the medications and therapies which have successfully treated this "disease". Severe depression can mimic, cause and excerbate existing illnesses. Should a lower "quality of life" be a determining factor for termination of life? Who decides, the person who is already in a state which clouds their judgement? To this muddle of physical and mental distress, add the legal questions...did the victim (of themselves) perform this action for other reasons, ie for financial gain or prevent financial loss and if so, were they under undue influence from outside parties? The simplistic answers that a medical or religious conspiracy denies the "right" to end one's life doesn't begin to plumb the depth of this practice.

Frank, Chicago, USA

I know Europeans have an aversion to firearms, but I'll take a simple handgun over a complicated suicide booth any day for a cost-effective end of life.

Rick, Houston, TX

I say this is wrong only because it could be used beyond the sick and old. If someone gets a stench of depression they would use one of the machines. I mean why not just make a machine that is hooked up to a double barrel shot gun, that pulls the trigger for you. That would surely not cause pain or not work. I don't want to die and long and drawn out death, but I pray that God could have his way with me so I could leave this earth.

Josh, Riverside, CA

Just curious.
Why exacly is self-termination against the law?
I mean EXACLY.

I KNOW the BIBLE sais it is sinful and it's a sure way to go to hell.
But we aren't talking bible here, we're talking law.

We all know state and church are seperated... yes?
So why do I get the feeling that the law about prohibiting self-termination has more to do about religion than about science, or the state?

Is it because it is unlawful to destruction of goverment spent money and resources? I mean, it can't be that, when you chose self-termination, you're done, spent, broken. Unable to preform labor.

This law reeks of religion. Replace it with something like "Self-Termination is unlawful UNLESS a phichiatric report shows inhumane conditions.
A list of possibilities should be created as alternatives but in the end, no law should stop a person to escape continous pain, or an inescapable path towards it.

Vernes, Emmen,

I think it is very simple. If a person is terminally ill and THEY say they want it to end everyone else should shut up and respect their wishes.
It is so easy for people to feign compassion by saying assisted or unassisted euthanasia should be banned because they NEVER have to see the suffering that goes on and on and on and on. From my point of view the only kinds of people who appose euthanasia for terminally ill patients must be very cruel minded people.
The only thing achieved in prolonging the lives of terminally ill patients against their will is greater profits to the pharmeceutical and medical community..... More pain killers... more pain killers.... more expensive equipment..... cha ching
Sick.....

Michael Blackman, Adelaide, South Australia

Even the most natural (and God is nearer to nature than to anything else -- Deus sive Natura) of human tribes had respect for those deciding that there was more dignity to ending a life than prolonging it, let alone when society disposes of the technology to make a long end an insufferable hell. Perhaps we can learn from the American Indian who left his tribe and died of hunger on an elevated platform in the woods when life became a drag. The rich can take hundreds of times longer to die than the poor who cannot pay for the medical inquisition that tears them apart .

Eugene, heidelberg, germany

Whilst a change in legislation to allow people the dignity of choosing to end their lives with assistance if needed, would be the best option, this is a great stopgap measure.

Any religious crackpots who are opposed, are perfectly free to die a long, slow, painful and undignified death, if that's what they prefer.

Mark Allen, Nottingham,

"Suicide booths are booths found on nearly every street in the year 3000. They are roughly the same size as a phone booth. When in use, a sign above the entrance lights up. Suicide booths were invented somewhere between 2006 and 2008. Since 2008 America's most important brand of suicide booths is Stop'n'Drop. Stop'n'Drop suicide booths have two modes of death: "quick and painless", and "slow and horrible". A suicide in a suicide booth usually costs 25 American cents." -Futurama Wiki

Just thought that was a funny coincidence (if you know the show). While I believe that there are justifiable causes for suicide, we should be careful not to trivialize it.

Marcus, Chicago, IL

As a doctor my only concern is that merely potassium chloride is likely to make one's end very unpleasant. I other coctails would be far more painless; as the idea is death then the exact doses are unimportant.

Richard, London, England

I think it is a great and humane idea. I am all for it.
We let humans rot and die by inches whereas we would have
mercy on a dog and have it put down.

Opponents would cheerfully keep you alive at whatever the cost.
As you lay in bed drooling and pooping yourself wishing the
end would hurry along.

There is some rethinking to do here.

Jerry Scroggin, Phoenix, Arizona/USA