On Friday this week (29th November) there’s a vote in Parliament about legalising ‘Assisted Dying’, which, in summary, means allowing and helping people who are terminally ill to end their life ahead of time.
This is not about switching off life-support for someone who’s already brain dead, or about ceasing active medical treatment and allowing events to run their natural course; this is about active intervention to end someone’s life early. It’s a form of euthanasia, although calling it “Assisted Dying” makes it sound a little more palatable.
This is of course a deeply sensitive issue, and we must approach it with compassion and care. Many of us will have seen loved ones facing the challenges of illness and suffering. Some will have been in pain. At times like that, the idea of assisted dying could seem like a merciful option.
Your life has value
As Christians, we believe that every life has intrinsic value because it is a gift from God. Age, disability or illness do not diminish that value. Every life, no matter how frail or broken, is precious to God. He is the Creator, and He alone has authority over life and death.
Psalm 139 tells us that God made our bodies and that He knew us before we were even born. As v16 say, “All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be”. God has a purpose for our life, and He even has a purpose in our suffering.
As Christians we’re called to protect and care for those who are vulnerable, not to hasten their end. Whilst we understand the pain that leads to these debates, we must stand firm in our belief that life is valuable, even in suffering, and that we’re called to protect it. God’s Word reminds us in Deuteronomy 32v39, “There is no God besides me. I put to death and I bring to life”. It is not for us to choose to end our life, even when there’s pain.
The truth is, assisted dying is incompatible with a Biblical Christian world view
Take some action
The vote on Assisted Dying takes place this Friday. I want to encourage you to write to your Member of Parliament early this week (e-mail is easiest) asking them to vote against this bill. If you can, please pause and do it right now. Let’s clearly communicate the depth and the strength of feeling there is on this bill.
Our MP in Woking is called Will Forster. Lots of us know him. If you have a different MP please write to them instead. If you’re not sure how to go about doing that or what to say, there is guidance available by following this link here.
Remember as you write that our goal is not to condemn those who support the bill, but to stand up for a more compassionate, life-affirming approach. Let’s be a voice of love, dignity, and truth in this debate. Let’s appeal for better end of life care.
Some Real Concerns
This Bill was only published at 10pm on Monday 11 November, giving MPs barely two weeks to scrutinise this significant and complex change to legislation before it goes to a vote. Many believe this is a poorly drafted bill, lacking in safeguards for the vulnerable. It hasn’t even been given time for real debate, and will have had little more than 5 hours scrutiny in Parliament before MP’s vote.
Disability campaigners and those working with women in abusive relationships have highlighted the danger of unintended consequences should the law be changed.
The Health Secretary Wes Streeting has spoken out against it. He came under pressure for speaking up which, bearing in mind it’s supposed to be a free vote, is interesting.
The Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has also spoken out calling it “a slippery slope to death on demand”.
The former Prime Minister Gordon Brown has also spoken out against it.
Senior figures representing Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus and Sikhs have warned in a joint letter that the assisted dying Bill will lead to people being pressured into ending their lives to avoid burdening families or the NHS. They say a change in law will turn a “right to die” into people thinking they have a “duty to die”.
Supporters of this bill say that safeguards are in place to protect the vulnerable, but everywhere in the world where this has been legalised the safeguards have soon crumbled. It starts as a Bill that just affects the terminally ill, but even in the UK there is already pressure that what is being proposed is too restrictive and that the safeguards should be moved.
In most countries the removal of safeguards usually happens not though the government but through the courts, as people appeal to laws on ‘human rights’ and ‘equality’. The slippery slope will be no different here in the UK if this bill is passed.
The pattern around the world has been similar in many places: first the terminally ill… then those who are suffering long term illness… then that’s expanded to included mental illness… then people with disabilities. In The Netherlands it has been extended to include children from 12 to 16 years of age with parental approval (Over 16’s need no such parental permission). In Canada they have even offered Assisted Dying to the Homeless and the Unemployed.
To help understand this better you could watch the BBC documentary, Better Off Dead, which is currently available to stream on I-player.
Life is worth living
We live in a world that often treats life as something we can control, and therefore something we can end when it no longer feels meaningful to us. It endorses the lie that some lives are not worth living, and that suffering or disability makes a person less valuable.
Last week, as we baptised 21 people at Welcome Church, one of them said this in their testimony: “Last year, when I was making another attempt to end my life, I heard a very strong voice coming through and saying: You did not bring yourself here. You found yourself here and you do not have the right to take yourself off here. After that I felt warmth around me, and I cried, not because of my misery but because I realised Jesus was there with me, saving me from myself”.
A life made in the image of God is a life worth living, even when there is suffering.
Waiting to hear back
I have written to Will Forster to express my concern. I have not yet heard back from him but I will let you know when and if I do, and I’ll let you know how he votes on this issue. As Christians we should certainly remember these kinds of issues when it’s our turn to vote again.
I encourage you again to consider writing to your MP right now today, asking them to vote against this Bill. This is an important issue. It directly affects the most vulnerable in our society.
Let’s take action in love and truth, to affirm the value God places on every human being. And let’s remember, Jesus never dismissed suffering as unimportant. In fact, Jesus walked through the ultimate form of suffering, on the cross, experiencing the pain and brokenness of our world, in order to give us hope, healing, and eternal life.
And now we’re are called to be agents of mercy, walking alongside people in their suffering, and pointing them to a hope that transcends all the struggles of this life.
Steve Petch's Blog 
My email sent to Will Foster last night came back as Blocked! What to do now please??
Worth checking you got the email address right, but assuming you did then you could try again using this link: https://righttolife.org.uk/9ly4
It will allow you to write using their online system and it’s very quick
Thank you for feed back I will try the new link to Will Foster. Regards. Kay
Thank you for saying this. I have done my own post and hope to do one more before Friday. By the way, euthanasia is an angram of ‘uh ie a Satan’ which is a big clue to the one behind it all!