Suicide, Euthanasia & Abortion
Watched 'The Sea Inside' today. True story about Ramón Sampedro, quadriplegic for
30 years & fight for end his life with dignity. After court turn him down,
he drank a glass of potassium cyanide prepared by his friend & end his life - with
some dignity - but without legal acceptance.
Suicide is not a taboo in Sri Lanka. We hear suicide everyday. We see suicide everyday. There is a big chance I may expire by a Tamil Tiger suicide bomber too sooner or later. May be you too.. Who really knows? Inside Tamil tiger community, suicides for political reason conceded as heroism. But they are not along in this world. There are more than enough extreme hate groups around the world conceder suicide as heroism. Last couple of years we bring back the public execution also - some are proud of we are been able to kill other killers. But Suicide, Euthanasia & Abortion still illegal in Sri Lanka. I really can't think of any logical reason why we still approve public execution but why we hate Euthanasia. Closest reason I can think of is - how we live and how we die, decide by the White guy in Rome. He is not a logical person. But he control our lives. White and Yellow robed guys in Sri Lanka follows his exact verdict and rule our poor lives.
There are couples of suicide recordeds in the bible. Most of them are political suicides (King Saul, Samson & may be - may be Judas too) bible do not condemn them at all. But at the same time bible says 'God's plan is for life, not death' and 'Life belongs to God'. That I do not agree very much. Because, God didn't hesitate when he wanted to take lives. I do not consider him as a protector of life in general.
Even in the Buddhist scriptures there are few records about suicides -Some times even enlighten monks. Killing, Suicide and anything to do with taking lives clearly prohibited for monks. That do not apply for lay people exactly as it is I presume. Well... Buddhist says 'Thou Shall Not Kill' but that Is not a rule at all. The base principle is 'action is what counts more than the act itself' in Buddhism.
I think Ramón should have his freedom to end his life with dignity under his special circumstances. And the law should allow the freedom limited to some circumstances. Not only Euthanasia even Abortion should allow under some circumstances.
Not only we don't have welfare system in Sri Lanka, we even force rape victim to carry rapist's child and take-care all her life. I can't imagine how they do so.
We all know most of the doctors make life and death decisions off the record every day. Some rape victims lucky enough to encounter a thoughtful doctor when the medical examination taken. But most of the doctors do not have 20 minutes for unofficial procedures in government hospitals.
Some times what we want is not exactly what other people wants. My favorite Aunt breathed her last by cancer with great deal of pain years back (I missed her cakes). She honestly wished to end her life with dignity in her last couple of painful weeks. She was not able to get up and do her wish. She wanted some one else help. We just watched her suffer. I know we all have similar experience in our life one time or another.
Medicine is well developed in this age - it able to keep her up for painful couple of extra weeks. It looks like another side effect of medicine. If one suffers - if one thinks it is best for the person - we (law) should not denied the best interest of the person.
What is it about we always want to control other peoples lives?
Suicide is not a taboo in Sri Lanka. We hear suicide everyday. We see suicide everyday. There is a big chance I may expire by a Tamil Tiger suicide bomber too sooner or later. May be you too.. Who really knows? Inside Tamil tiger community, suicides for political reason conceded as heroism. But they are not along in this world. There are more than enough extreme hate groups around the world conceder suicide as heroism. Last couple of years we bring back the public execution also - some are proud of we are been able to kill other killers. But Suicide, Euthanasia & Abortion still illegal in Sri Lanka. I really can't think of any logical reason why we still approve public execution but why we hate Euthanasia. Closest reason I can think of is - how we live and how we die, decide by the White guy in Rome. He is not a logical person. But he control our lives. White and Yellow robed guys in Sri Lanka follows his exact verdict and rule our poor lives.
There are couples of suicide recordeds in the bible. Most of them are political suicides (King Saul, Samson & may be - may be Judas too) bible do not condemn them at all. But at the same time bible says 'God's plan is for life, not death' and 'Life belongs to God'. That I do not agree very much. Because, God didn't hesitate when he wanted to take lives. I do not consider him as a protector of life in general.
Even in the Buddhist scriptures there are few records about suicides -Some times even enlighten monks. Killing, Suicide and anything to do with taking lives clearly prohibited for monks. That do not apply for lay people exactly as it is I presume. Well... Buddhist says 'Thou Shall Not Kill' but that Is not a rule at all. The base principle is 'action is what counts more than the act itself' in Buddhism.
I think Ramón should have his freedom to end his life with dignity under his special circumstances. And the law should allow the freedom limited to some circumstances. Not only Euthanasia even Abortion should allow under some circumstances.
Not only we don't have welfare system in Sri Lanka, we even force rape victim to carry rapist's child and take-care all her life. I can't imagine how they do so.
We all know most of the doctors make life and death decisions off the record every day. Some rape victims lucky enough to encounter a thoughtful doctor when the medical examination taken. But most of the doctors do not have 20 minutes for unofficial procedures in government hospitals.
Some times what we want is not exactly what other people wants. My favorite Aunt breathed her last by cancer with great deal of pain years back (I missed her cakes). She honestly wished to end her life with dignity in her last couple of painful weeks. She was not able to get up and do her wish. She wanted some one else help. We just watched her suffer. I know we all have similar experience in our life one time or another.
Medicine is well developed in this age - it able to keep her up for painful couple of extra weeks. It looks like another side effect of medicine. If one suffers - if one thinks it is best for the person - we (law) should not denied the best interest of the person.
What is it about we always want to control other peoples lives?
Labels: Affairs of Sri Lanka, Freedom, Religion, World Affairs
posted by Sam at
10:54 AM
9 Comments:
can u die wit dignity when u actually run away from life and commit suicide? is a painful life , a shameful life? i agree wit abortions in some instances but suicide nd euthanasia...hmm..no.
i also believe life does not belong to us. it belongs to God nd its been lent to us for a certain period of time. He gave us life nd only He has the right to take it back. and again..execution of a murderer is acceptable for me as a punishment for his crime. as u wud hav already noticed....all my opinions nd beliefs has got to do wit my religion Islam.
Hi Riz,
Thank you very much for the comment.. Really appreciated.
Again... If life belongs to the God, then why we do not let the God perform the punishment also – aren’t we have done nothing wrong in our life, at least one time – are we pure enough to judge some one else and punish his life? All I know is I’m not innocent enough to judge anyone else.
Why we are so keen to punish other people and take their lives and feel good about doing so. And at the same point if one decide to take his life because of health-issue or poor quality of it, we deny it. But, if one decides to take his life for political reasons, then we justify it very much.
Again if life belongs to God, why we try to save once life when he gets sick – may be God really want that person to die. We are the one who keep them live artificially with medicine and even against their wish. (Vegetative states is classic example)
Yes. I have seen some occasion’s death can bring dignity than painful life. Example: No matter what he said, how about if ‘John Paul II’ really goes in to a Vegetative state at end of his life? It is a good thing doctors do not try to keep him on a machine for years but rather he end his life naturally with dignity.
ur welcome bro. im happy u have taken it in the right spirit.
hmm...now i cud go on nd answer ur questions/ justify my answers but thats only by using what i kno and understand about Islam.....and im assuming u are a christian (are u?) so im not sure how to really go about it.
as for whose goin to judge the wrongdoers...its not us but ppl we look up to for advice nd guidance...like a religious scholar/ the Pope..
ur welcome bro. im happy u have taken it in the right spirit.
hmm...now i cud go on nd answer ur questions/ justify my answers but thats only by using what i kno and understand about Islam.....and im assuming u are a christian (are u?) so im not sure how to really go about it.
as for whose goin to judge the wrongdoers...its not us but ppl we look up to for advice nd guidance...like a religious scholar/ the Pope..
i havent read your post but i ll just make a comment on the subject matter.
its selfish for a human to think about suicide, euthanasia and abortion. this life is not yours. you dont own your life and you have no right to take it away.
Sam,
Nice post. Not sure about suicide. Personally i feel its inability to "play under pressure"{cricketing terms here}. Ah death in general is a sad thing and well if you want to waste it by suiciding then tragic indeed. But i have to admit I dont know why you made that first comment about the LTTE. Hope you know that the Japanese used tactics to explode their planes by crashing into US or Allied boats/ships. Terming such an act I feel is not suicide in the literal sense, because that would mean that a soldier when going to battle is getting ready for suicide.
define:suicide when typed in google yields such a result
" a person who kills himself intentionally "
Isnt this what a solider signs up for when he/she joins the army. I mean armies are meant for battle but recently the UN made this concept called "peace keeping forces" after the 1950s.
Hope you understand my point. There are always two sides to a story even if you think you are absolutely right because at the end of the day its the defintion in given context that matters.
Hey Thanesh..
I agree with you. I know I can be wrong. It is not such a bad thing to be wrong.
The only reason I comment about Tamil Tigers and not about Japanese army is that I do not have to go Japan when I have the same experience in back yard.
I’m not pro-life or pro-choice. But my question is why we humans make a hero out of a person when he kill himself while killing others and at the same time why we deny once right to end his life under certain circumstance. (I’m not talking about boys killing themselves for girls.) And why killing is morally right things to do (Public execution) but not Euthanasia.
Some times suicide is not exactly ‘inability to play under pressure’. My aunt put Balm (Siddhalepa) on her Eyes in her last couple of weeks – just because she want to focus on something else than the pain she having because of her cancer. That is beyond ‘play under pressure’. That is a situation you and me ever can’t guarantee we will not face. I rather like to have my right to Euthanasia at this point.
I know a doctor practice illegal abortion on 16 year old handicap rape victim live with her grandmother. I rather like that choice to be legal.
Cotroversial Topic. Good one. According to my knowledge of the Dhamma, I cant rem any high ranking or an enlightned priest commiting the unthinkable.
For a priest to commit such an act is agisnt the bylaws of Dhamma. Thats why I find it funny/amusing each time a Priest goes on a Death Fast. Another topic you can debate about..
My views of Euthanasia, well if I'm suffering from a Terminal Illness, I'd like to take the easy way out, I think. But what if I'm in a coma or some illness that makes it difficult to communicate my feelings? Who's gonna pull the plug on me? I'd have to write it down some where eh?
Also Suicide Carders, are looked upon as Hero's in only Separatist Rebel Groups. Not among common society. Pedging your life for the country is different from suicide. Those are Hero's. (Can be debated)
How ever the Muslim world has a differnt interpretation. Atleast the extremist. I'm not a Muslim, so I wouldn't knw exactly. Pls enlighten me. They term them as Shahid/Shaheed. Person's who kill themselves (along with others or in a war) for the name of God/Religion/Country.
Young Madumma Bandara wasn't afraid to die. But that wasn't suicide. He's looked apon as a Hero.
Abortion a topic of it's own. I think Rape victims should get the choice. But will the rest of the people claim to be raped and justify there abortion. I dont think so. There are enough illegal joints operating, you dont need to go to that extent.
Abortion on other grounds.. I'm fifty fifty, but I wish the people involved would be more responsible, and use contraceptive. Precaution is better than cure.
I believe euthanasia is the basic human right of every person. I dont think any country or any god or anyone has the right to stop anyone from ending his life. If God or the gods wanted men to live he would have created a better world. But instead we live in a world where people with money and power and special robes who claim to represent the gods. How do we know there are any gods anyway. It might all be a very elaborate deception to keep us alive to torture us. Governments like Sri lankas for instance murder people based on race but when it comes to the right of a person to peacefully end his life it is taboo. Its all bullshit.
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