Search
Close this search box.

[Eng. Prayer] UK medical and religious circles oppose legalising assisted suicide.

▲ Sources: thearc.org

“For You have delivered me from death.”

[Oct. 28. 2021] While the assisted suicide bill was being debated in the British Senate on the 17th of October, the medical and religious circles strongly protested against the legalisation of assisted suicide.

Some 1,700 doctors and nurses have said they will refuse to take part in assisted suicides if the practice is legalised, Christian Today (CT) UK reported on the 21st October.

Baroness Meacher’s Assisted Dying Bill is being debated by peers in the House of Lords on the 17th of October.

It proposes changing the law so that the terminally ill with less than six months to live can request assistance in the form of lethal drugs to end their lives.

But doctors and nurses have expressed “great concern” over the proposals as they warn that any change to the law will leave the vulnerable at risk of “abuse” and undermine the patient-doctor relationship.

In a joint letter sent to Health Secretary Sajid Javid ahead of the debate, they warn parliamentarians not to overlook the enormity of the proposed shift.

“As healthcare professionals, we have a legal duty of care for the safety and wellbeing of our patients. Therefore, we write with great concern regarding the introduction of a Bill to legalise assisted suicide.” And they added, “The prohibition of killing is present in almost all civilised societies due to the immeasurable worth of every human life.”

The letter says that it is “impossible” for any government to legislate against extension or expansion of the laws in the future, something critics fear will happen because of trends in countries where assisted suicide is already legal, like Canada, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

“Canada has demonstrated that safeguards can be eroded in a matter of just five years,” they warn.
“The prohibition of killing is the safeguard. The current law is the protection of the vulnerable.”

“Any change would threaten society’s ability to safeguard vulnerable patients from abuse. It would undermine the trust the public places in physicians, and it would send a clear message to our frail, elderly and disabled patients about the value that society places on them as people.”, they appealed.

Dr. David Randall, a medical registrar from London, stated: “This letter emphasises just how much opposition there is within medicine to the legalisation of assisted suicide. The current law works well, protecting the vulnerable and allowing us to deliver to patients the kind of compassionate, individualised care to which we aspire.”

Their concerns were echoed by religious leaders in another significant intervention this week.

In a joint letter to peers, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Chief Rabbi, and the head of the Roman Catholic Church in England said that efforts to support the terminally ill should be focused on “assisted living” rather than “assisted dying”. (Source: Gospel Prayer Newspaper).

When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life. (Psalms 56:3,13)

God, may You stop the legalisation attempt of assisted suicide in the U.K. May the U.K. government pay attention to the voices of the medical team and religious leaders and learn from the countries where assisted suicide is already legal and have ethical issues. May they acknowledge the dangers behind the new bill’s implication and stop taking away the lives of the vulnerable. May the churches preach the gospel to those considering assisted suicide that may they trust You and overcome the fear of death and have eternal life.

Prayer 24·365
prayer@prayer24365.org

실시간 기도정보

W_1105 P중국
[중국] 중국·이란 유대 강화, 기독교 박해 심화시킬 수도
“여호와의 계명은 순결하여 눈을 밝게 하시도다” 시진핑 중국 주석이 최근 브릭스(BRICS) 정상회담에서 이란과의 유대 관계를 강화하겠다고 밝힌 가운데, 중국과 이란의 협력이 양국의 기독교 박해를 심화시킬 수 있다는 우려의 목소리가 나왔다. 미국...
W_1105 A긴급기도
11월5일 긴급기도
▲ 베트남, 태풍 ‘짜미’로 12명 사망·7명 실종 필리핀을 강타하고 베트남에 상륙한 태풍 ‘짜미’ 영향으로 베트남에서도 10여 명이 목숨을 잃었다고 연합뉴스가 현지 매체 VN익스프레스를 인용해 2일 전했다. 베트남 당국은 태풍 짜미로 인한 폭우와...
W_1104 P이탈리아
[이탈리아] 이태리, 대리모 임신 금지 해외까지 확대
“그가 우리를 대신하여 자신을 주심은 자기 백성이 되게 하려 하심이라” 이탈리아에서 자국 내에서만 대리모 임신 금지 조치를 해외로까지 확대했다고 워싱턴스탠드가 22일 전했다. 지난주 이탈리아 상원에서 84대 58의 압도적인 지지로 통과된 이 법안은...
W_1104 A긴급기도
11월4일 긴급기도
▲ 인도, 집단 성폭행 또 발생…남편과 길 걷던 아내 봉변 인도 동부 서벵골주 콜카타에서 신혼부부를 상대로 한 집단 성폭행 사건이 발생했다고 서울신문 등 일부 언론이 타임스오브인디아 등을 인용해 1일 보도했다. 지난달 30일 새벽 4~5시경, 콜카타...
W_1102 P코스타리카
[코스타리카] 복음주의연맹, 교회 돈세탁 방지 위한 목회자 교육
“주를 경외하게 하는 주의 말씀을 세우소서” 미국 크리스천 데일리 인터내셔널(CDI)은 코스타리카 지역신문인 라테하(La Teja)가 코스타리카에서 범죄자들이 교회를 돈세탁에 이용하려는 시도가 증가하면서, 코스타리카 복음주의연맹이 이를 예방하기 위해...
W_1105 P중국
[중국] 중국·이란 유대 강화, 기독교 박해 심화시킬 수도
W_1105 A긴급기도
11월5일 긴급기도
W_1104 P이탈리아
[이탈리아] 이태리, 대리모 임신 금지 해외까지 확대
W_1104 A긴급기도
11월4일 긴급기도
W_1102 P코스타리카
[코스타리카] 복음주의연맹, 교회 돈세탁 방지 위한 목회자 교육
t-fang-vmSjBaMeK5I-unsplash
11월5일
리히텐슈타인(Liechtenstein)
W_1105 P중국
[중국] 중국·이란 유대 강화, 기독교 박해 심화시킬 수도
W_1105 한국교회
[한국교회] 한반도 안보 난기류…“어둠 깊을수록 길 열린다 각오로 기도를”