 |
| Desmond Tutu said "you have to ask questions about the quality of life being experienced" |
Desmond Tutu has said he would support assisted dying for the terminally ill.
Writing in The Observer he said he reveres "the sanctity of life but not at any cost".
He also suggested that prolonging the life of Nelson Mandela had been an "affront" to his dignity.
His comments follow a U-turn by former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey, who also said he would support assisted dying for the terminally ill.
In his column the 82-year-old retired Anglican Archbishop of South Africa said: "I think when you need machines to help you breathe, then you have to ask questions about the quality of life being experienced and about the way money is being spent."
He also described as "disgraceful" how former South African leader Nelson Mandela was kept alive with intensive hospitalisation in the final stages of his life and was photographed with various visiting politicians.
He said: "You could see Madiba [Nelson Mandela] was not fully there. He did not speak. He was not connecting. My friend was no longer himself. It was an affront to Madiba's dignity.
"Yes, I think a lot of people would be upset if I said I wanted assisted dying. I would say I wouldn't mind actually.I have been fortunate to spend my life working for dignity for the living. Now I wish to apply my mind to the issue of dignity for the dying. I revere the sanctity of life - but not at any cost."
His comments follow those of Lord Carey, who wrote in the Daily Mail that he had dropped his opposition to the Assisted Dying Bill - due for debate in the House of Lords on Friday - "in the face of the reality of needless suffering".
"The fact is that I have changed my mind. The old philosophical certainties have collapsed in the face of the reality of needless suffering," he wrote.
The Church of England (CofE) has called for an inquiry into the issue.culled
*I think assisted dying saves money but it is wrong.
Murder and killing are sins and wrong. No man can create life, so no man should take life. When God is ready, he will take his Spirit back. There is no justification for killing someone.
ReplyDeleteHmmm very tricky stuff. I think that this decision should be left for the family of the affected to decide whether to 'pull the plug' or otherwise. At a point when the affected can no longer make any decision for himself it is left to the discretion of his next of kin. All these are what u sign in the hospital documentation in extreme cases. The question should be how does one identify the extreme circumstances that qualify assisted dying or 'mercy killing'? And when does the act of God to die become the act of Man to die?
Deleteassisted dying, euthanasia, mercy killing, are all getting same thing. It saves money, true but until your loved one is in that box, you wont know how it feels .......
ReplyDeleteThis kind of remind me of a novel I read 'As I lay Dying'.True talk swerve I concur...he can't just understand,even his wife will want 2 opt for dat on his dying bed...God decides @ d appointed time. But dis Desmond Tutu and his controversies,then it was his support for gay and so on.
Delete.....Her Excellency....
Assisted dying, mercy killing and euthanasia , aren't they synonyms.
DeleteYes assisted dying may save money
ReplyDeletebut no one has the right to end the life of another. It is better for anyone to go at his/her appointed time but to say oh he is suffering so much let us get ride of him is totally bad.
#God answers all prayers#
Happy moments - Praise God, Difficult moments-Seek God,
Quiet moments -Worship God, Painful moments-Trust God,
Every moment - Thank God.
You are beautiful
Deletedo not resuscitate is different from assisted dying. which one is this man talking about? not putting on life support is okay as it is a man made machine but to assisted dying, now that's taking it too far.
ReplyDeletedo not resuscitate is different from assisted dying. which one is this man talking about? not putting on life support is okay as it is a man made machine but to assisted dying, now that's taking it too far.
ReplyDeleteBut if its too long, e no mk sense abeg!
ReplyDeleteIts like hanging on to a hopeless situation.
I kind of support the tutu man, esp wen a patient az suffered prolong pain n discomfort(I know I wld feel d same way for a relative).
You may feel the same way for a relative but do you feel the same way for yourself? Would you want your relatives to do it to you?
DeleteIt is wrong in my eyes. Do your best and let the person when it is time.
ReplyDeletedis is wrong abeg. we cant give life so we have no right to take it
ReplyDeleteEwoooooo. ...
ReplyDeleteAssisted dying is a HUGE sin before God.Be warned! EVE E UME
ReplyDeleteYou would know the rigt answer to this until someone close to you is in that situation, may the good Lord help us all and forgive our sins
ReplyDelete*Sweetness*
exactly.
DeleteI have seen someone come out of a very HOPELESS situation ( a church member). No one believed that he was going to make it. He was on life support for over 4months, he was breathing with d help of d machine. Physically speaking, he wasn't alive again, just that d machine kept him going. To our surprise n d GRACE of GOD Almighty, ds brother sneezed on his on one fateful day, to God be d Glory, he came out of ds Hopeless situation n was whole again. This happened about 4yrs ago, d brother is fully fit, kicking n full of life. Before d whole sickness, he has been married for ten years without d children. Jus about 4 months after he became well, his wife got pregnant n was blessed with twin (boy n Girl). So I still believe in miracles n this one I saw wit my eyes has made me believe so much in God, so for even a second I won't support assisted dying, Mercy killing or whateva form of assistance to end anyone's life, no matter d stage of d illness. God can still save a bad situation, HE is d same GOD that can put modern medicine to shame.
ReplyDeleteI can never support assisted dying.murder is murder no matter how it is carried out .
ReplyDeleteIs wrong to play God in assisting someone to die . The word of God is clear on this.
ReplyDeleteThat's murder na! If God decides to keep the person nko? It saves money yes but its wrong! I'm surprise a bishop is encouraging it!
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 9:53 AM:
DeleteLine 3: *I'm SURPRISED* not *I'm SURPRISE*
ONE LOVE!
When you see people going through terrible pains, begging for it all to be over.............. I agree there is no justification for killing someone, what about people who'll eventually die from pain and suffering?
ReplyDeleteThere's no point being a vegetable, wheeled around or at the bedpost.
ReplyDeleteLife is good. But sometimes, death is more dignifying.
Mrs. BitchBiko.
Im in support of assisted dying especially if some one is in so much pain or in a vegetable state.
ReplyDeleteThis tutu is devil sent cos as a man of God he has weird ideas concerning issues, see wat he is saying stupid old man that support Gay marriage at 80 he shd be for godly tins .he is not a xian that I stand to be corrected.
ReplyDeleteI think family members should be the one to decide what is best for an individual in a vegetative stage,but asssisted dying kinda cruel
ReplyDeleteThis tutu is beginning to look to me like one who is not born again.... The fact he is an arch bishop does not mean he has the Holy Spirit.... Any spirit filled Christian knows that assisted or mercy killing in whatever circumstances is wrong.... The only person allowed to take a life at his own time is God...
ReplyDelete