The next class meeting will be next Sunday, April 26, on Zoom.
Last time, we began by briefly considering the article assigned for homework: "After Birth Abortion." This article argues that, logically, there is no difference between the value of an infant before and after birth. So far so good. The disturbing part is that instead of seeing that therefore unborn children should be protected, the authors argue that born infants also should not.
Our main topic was euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. Euthanasia, both active and passive, and PAS. I shared about how my own father could have easily been a victim of passive euthanasia if we had followed the recommendation of the doctor who was in charge of his treatment.
We then applied the principles of Ethics and Justice to euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. Like abortion, these practices violate all six of these principles. And these violations have major negative consequences. For example, if we decide that it's OK to violate the principle of non-maleficence, there is no logical reason for that to be limited to the terminally ill. It becomes completely arbitrary, and over time spreads to include more and more people. We also learned about the 6 groups of likely victims if euthanasia / assisted suicide were legalized, including people suffering from depression and those who would be pressured by others.
What can we do to fight back against the culture of death when it comes to the aged, infirm, terminally ill, or seriously injured? Some ideas:
- Educate others (see homework item #2)
- Build up and support the family structure.
- Love, respect, and support our grandparents.
- Love and support any elderly or sick people in our lives.
- Advocate for the vulnerable among our own families & friends.
- Ask questions - remember that doctors cannot accurately predict death beyond 2-3 days
- Have each adult family member complete a "Will to Live" document, both stating your desire for food, water, etc, and naming a personal health care representative to advocate for you in the event that you become unable to speak for yourself. Do not sign until you have the required witness(es) present.
Please see the resources post below for the homework assignment, how to catch up if you missed, helpful links, and to learn more.