An older colleague of mine, who was approaching retirement age, was reflecting on the process of aging. He expressed the desire that after his retirement as a preacher and pastor he might help out with some locum work in parishes without a gospel minister. His motivation was to serve God by helping others. But he added some words that I’ve never forgotten. He said, “Of course one day I’ll preach my last sermon and then the time will probably come where I will provide other people with an opportunity to serve God by caring for me.”
I thought of those words recently in the context of yet another attempt to introduce “voluntary assisted dying” into parliament here in NSW to bring us in line with other Aussie States that have already done so. Of course it’s a contentious issue over which people are deeply divided. It’s also a very emotive issue where views are strongly held. I notice though that the language has changed. We used to talk about ‘euthanasia’ and making euthanasia legal. It seems to me that some folk think it’s easier get a Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill through parliament than a Euthanasia Bill. Well, perhaps!
I must admit though that the arguments in favour of euthanasia don’t impress me. Take, for example, the matter of suffering. I could easily devote several blogs to the subject of suffering in relation to euthanasia. But I really don’t want to go there. To argue that we put animals out of their misery and that we should do the same with humans is belittling human dignity. The Christian faith sees value in sufferings – but I understand why that thought upsets some people who don’t share our faith. Like the person who wrote on Facebook recently, “Suffering will not bring me closer to God.” This person was probably right. If you’ve lived the whole of your life without God then suffering is not necessarily going to have any positive benefit to your soul. I understand – suffering can be horrible – nevertheless I don’t think that putting people out of their misery by assisted suicide is the answer.
The only argument that carries any real weight with me is the argument that was laid to rest for me by my colleague so many years ago. I’m naturally a person with a fierce streak of independence. I hate the thought of becoming dependent on others in my declining years. One of the problems I have is that I know only too well what that dependence on others looks like. So do most nurses and doctors – especially those who care for bed-ridden patients. I’ve visited too many parishioners in hospitals and nursing homes to be ignorant about becoming dependent in sickness and old age. I’m sure that none of us would look forward to having to have someone else wipe our backsides. So why not give such people the right to exit this life with some dignity? It’s a powerful argument for those who are fiercely independent. But that’s also one of the weaknesses of allowing euthanasia. Some of us would far too quickly opt out of life if we saw ourselves becoming dependent on others.
That’s where my colleague offered a different perspective… a perspective that I hope I have the grace to embrace, if and when that time comes. God may well use me to give others an opportunity to serve Him by caring for me. God has put us human beings in community for a reason… and that is to show Christlike care to our neighbour. But that also means that I have to let others care for me as their way of serving God.
John Westendorp