Overview of anti-euthanasia arguments

It's possible to argue about the way we've divided up the arguments, and many arguments could fall into more categories than we've used.

Ethical arguments

Euthanasia weakens society's respect for the sanctity of life Accepting euthanasia accepts that some lives (those of the disabled or sick) are worth less than others Voluntary euthanasia is the start of a slippery slope that leads to involuntary euthanasia and the killing of people who are thought undesirable Euthanasia might not be in a person's best interests Euthanasia affects other people's rights, not just those of the patient

Practical arguments

Proper palliative care makes euthanasia unnecessary There's no way of properly regulating euthanasia Allowing euthanasia will lead to less good care for the terminally ill
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Allowing euthanasia undermines the committment of doctors and nurses to saving lives Euthanasia may become a cost-effective way to treat the terminally ill Allowing euthanasia will discourage the search for new cures and treatments for the terminally ill Euthanasia undermines the motivation to provide good care for the dying, and good pain relief

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Euthanasia gives too much power to doctors Euthanasia exposes vulnerable people to pressure to end their lives
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Moral pressure on elderly relatives by selfish families Moral pressure to free up medical resources Patients who are abandoned by their families may feel euthanasia is the only solution

Historical arguments

Voluntary euthanasia is the start of a slippery slope that leads to involuntary euthanasia and the killing of people who are thought undesirable

Religious arguments

Euthanasia is against the word and will of God Euthanasia weakens society's respect for the sanctity of life Suffering may have value Voluntary euthanasia is the start of a slippery slope that leads to involuntary euthanasia and the killing of people who are thought undesirable

Against the will of God

Religious people don't argue that we can't kill ourselves, or get others to do it. They know that we can do it because God has given us free will. Their argument is that it would be wrong for us to do so. They believe that every human being is the creation of God, and that this imposes certain limits on us. Our lives are not only our lives for us to do with as we see fit. To kill oneself, or to get someone else to do it for us, is to deny God, and to deny God's rights over our lives and his right to choose the length of our lives and the way our lives end.

Sanctity of life
This argument says that euthanasia is bad because of the sanctity of human life. There are four main reasons why people think we shouldn't kill human beings:

All human beings are to be valued, irrespective of age, sex, race, religion, social status or their potential for achievement Human life is a basic good as opposed to an instrumental good, a good in itself rather than as a means to an end Human life is sacred because it's a gift from God Therefore the deliberate taking of human life should be prohibited except in self-defence or the legitimate defence of others

We must respect our own value

It applies to us too. We shouldn't treat ourselves as a means to our own ends. And this means that we shouldn't end our lives just because it seems the most effective way of putting an end to our suffering. To do that is not to respect our inherent worth.

Pro-life arguments (against Euthanasia)

Many pain killing drugs can now help a patient die with dignity. A dying patient may not be able to make a rational decision. A patient may have said they want euthanasia when they were nowhere near death; however, when faced with death they may change their mind but be incapable of telling anyone. Many people recover after being written off by doctors. Euthanasia makes life disposable it could be the first step on a slippery slope. Hippocratic Oath: doctors must try to preserve life. If euthanasia was legalised, the relationship of trust between doctors and patients can be destroyed. If there were better facilities for caring for dying, there would be less need for euthanasia. People might be pushed into saying they want euthanasia by relatives who do not want to look after them.

Many Christians are against euthanasia. They argue it is dangerous to make euthanasia legal.

Thou shall not kill. It is wrong to take away Gods sacred gift of human life. God made man in his own image Genesis 1:27 human life is a sacred gift from God. God gives and God takes away Job 1:21, not us!

Dont you know that you are the temple of God? 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 Jesus healed the sick and dying, he did not kill them. Christians have a duty to help others who are suffering, not kill them. Humans have a responsibility to use Gods gifts to the full, not end it! Suicide denies our responsibilities to our neighbours, society, family, etc.. Everyone is created by God and offered salvation through Christ killing is always wrong. Killing a life opposes Gods love for that person.