A patient suffering from terminal disease does not see any meaning to want to continue to live. Due to serious and unbearable pains wants to end his life but family members and friends, due to some cultural and religious beliefs are strongly against this wish.Is this patient´s right encroached or not? What role does religion play here? Is there any religion that accommodates euthanasia?
My observation with Filipino culture is that majority of us who have comatose patients never ever think of euthanasia as an option. But of course I knew of some isolated cases. Filipinos tend do all the best that they can, sell everything that have, incur debts just to take care of their patient. Money is a minor thing to them. If it lost it can be recovered. It is the life of the beloved patient that counts more than high hospital expenses. Of course, we understand that death is an inevitable thing.But we through life having a peaceful conscience and an unconditional love by taking care of the patient eventhough clinically all seems hopeless. So, perhaps, it's more of the depth of one's relationship to the dying person, close family ties culture and fear in God.
I think that the first criterion of evaluation and judgement is self-determination. In case of conflict between autonomy and beneficence, in my view, most important is the freedom of choice of the individual. Religion can support the ban of aggressive treatments. Prolong life indefinitely in absence of possibility of recovery is a form of violence and is not a success of science.
@Vincent O. Nyangaresi Jane Gallamaso gave great insights into a cross-cultural perspective. Well done 👏
Jane Gallamaso gave abeautiful explanation for the question,so i agree with her.
See this link
Article What people close to death say about euthanasia and assisted...
Thank you dr. Isam Alkhalifawi for this valuable link, and thank you a lot to Jane Gallamaso for the beautiful explanation.
In most religions, euthanasia is considered taboo and an immoral act evoking God's displeasure and wrath. However, according to humanist and existentialist views, when there is no hope for a person to recover from his/her agonizing and painful state of health, it is right to put them in peace by even taking their lives.