Euthanasia different debate from abortion

Bruce Woolard’s letter to the Herald on February 26, “Rather value the sacredness of life than promoting exit”, elicits some comment.

Obviously Woolard writes from a Christian perspective, and opposes, I gather, the legalisation of euthanasia.

However, SA is a country of many beliefs, and our constitution disallows discrimination on the grounds of inter alia a-religiousness, conscience, belief [and] culture.

So a request for the legalisation of euthanasia, from those who do not see euthanasia as immoral, is a legitimate appeal.

It should also be understood that euthanasia, when permitted, will be an option and not a compulsion; an option for those, including some Christians, who believe that, in certain circumstances, it is a more dignified way in which to end one’s life.

And there is absolutely no coercion of those who for religious, or any other reasons, object to euthanasia.

I agree with Woolard that life is sacred, but by life I understand one that is full of, or has the potential for love and hope, and all the other emotions and activities that colour our lives.

It is not one in which we are restricted to a hospital bed, fed by tubes, and one where our faculties and consciousness are diminished to almost nothing, and our sensory awareness, if anything, is dominated by pain.

That is not life, it is merely existence. If a pet were in such a state of existence we would mercifully have it put to sleep.

I question the link that Woolard sees between euthanasia and abortion.

The euthanasia I speak of is one where the person concerned gives, or has given, their full and considered consent for such a procedure to be carried out on them.

This condition, in my opinion, makes euthanasia categorically different to abortion, where the unborn have no say in the ending of their lives. I can see no logical inconsistency in supporting euthanasia while being against abortion.

Woolard seems to imply that those European countries where euthanasia is permitted have somehow become more morally degenerate.

I would argue that the opposite is true. In as far as one can assess it, I would say that the general moral tenor (and I am not talking about religiosity) in countries such as the Netherlands, for example, is better than in many other.

Unfortunately, SA itself does not bear comparison.