The Values and Considerations the Christian Worldview would focus on in Deliberating about Whether George should opt for Euthanasia
The Values and Considerations the Christian Worldview would focus on in Deliberating about Whether George should opt for Euthanasia
In deliberating about assisted suicide, George would prefer a normal process of dying over euthanasia because the Christian faith strictly forbids interrupting with God’s purpose of creation. He should reason that God had a reason for creating him, and putting him in a path in which he has to live with ALS. It is important that he derives inspiration from the biblical passages that provide assurance that suffering is temporary. He should particularly look up to Jesus including the life he lived because through resurrection, Jesus demonstrated that there is still hope of life for those who die (Picón-Jaimes et al., 2022).
The idea that human resembles God would resonate resonates well with Christians, and for George, considering this perspective would shape how he perceives assisted suicide. Thus, one would consider various considerations when making deliberations on whether to have George undergo a euthanasia procedure.
The Options that would be Morally Justifiable in the Christian Worldview for George (include Reasons)
Considering that Christians see suffering as part of human experience, George should live with the experience of suffering. In the Christian worldview, a person can either die spiritually or physically. When a person dies spirituality, it means they have no chance of resurrecting, while when they die physically, they have a chance of resurrecting.
Spiritual death is associated with committing sins such as suicide. Looking at euthanasia from this perspective would discourage George from thinking about euthanasia as an option (Gutierrez-Castillo et al., 2020). Because human life is sacred, George is morally obliged to act in a way that shows he respects the value of human life.
The Decisions I would make based on my Worldview if I were in George’s Situation
In case I encounter a situation similar to George’s, I would continue seeking clinical intervention for my condition while I hope that God will provide healing. My decision in this case would be informed by the belief that God has power over illness. During his life on earth, Jesus demonstrated that he had power over sickness and life because he healed the sick and resurrected the dead. I would reason that because humans resemble God, they have the God-given knowledge to find the treatment for ALS (Campbell, 2019). Thus, I would avoid choosing euthanasia as an option for dealing with the negative health consequences associated with ALS.
Conclusion
In overview, the Christian worldview is associated with fundamental values and beliefs that shape how individuals view physician assisted suicide (PAS). If one considers the fact that God made humans in his image, they would resent the idea that PAS can help address their problems. Guided by this worldview and the values of the Christian faith therefore, one would discourage George from considering PAS as a solution to the deterioration of his health because of ALS.
References
Antunović, I. (2021). Why Does God Allow Suffering? Reflection about Human and Christian Suffering in the Thought of Karl Rahner. Psychiatria Danubina, 33(Suppl 4), 911–917. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35026821/.