Euthanasia is the deliberate ending of a life for compassionate reasons. A Christian’s approach to euthanasia must balance Jesus's teachings about compassion with the belief that life is sacred.
What does 'euthanasia' mean?
Deliberately killing someone
Making the dying suffer
Gentle and easy death
What does UK law say about euthanasia?
Euthanasia is illegal
Euthanasia is suicide
Euthanasia is legal
What is active euthanasia?
When life-sustaining treatment is stopped to allow a person to die
When the dying person requests it
When something is deliberately done to accelerate the death of a dying person
What is a hospice?
Hospice is another name for a hospital
A hospice is where dying people go to be cared for until natural death
A hospice is where people go to receive euthanasia
What is 'the slippery slope' argument?
If you allow euthanasia, it will increase the dignity of life
If you allow voluntary euthanasia, it could lead to involuntary euthanasia for people who are seen as undesirable or a problem
If you allow euthanasia, doctors will have too much power
What is meant by 'self-determination'?
People can decide for themselves about their own lives
The government tells people what they must do
Other people decide what is going to happen
What do Christians mean when they say that life is sacred?
Life is sacred means that life has no special value
Life is sacred means that life is short and meaningless
Life is sacred means that life is God's gift and should be treated as special
Which of the Ten Commandments might lead Christians to oppose euthanasia?
You shall not kill
You shall not steal
You shall not commit adultery
What does the Roman Catholic Church say about euthanasia?
It can be used if a person is in extreme pain
It is the individual's free choice
It is morally unacceptable in all circumstances
Why might some Christians support the use of euthanasia?
Jesus's suffering on the cross was unbearable and no one should have to endure such suffering
It could be seen as an act of compassion
It is one of the Ten Commandments