Emily Nelson
The debate on assisted suicide has risen to prominence again, particularly with the recent vote in Westminster and calls for changes in legislation elsewhere. What can we do about this?
Through my work for FaithVersed, I was asked to organise a talk on this topic, aiming to both inform and equip people to speak effectively against this in the public square. This event was heled in St Malachy’s Church Belfast, generously funded by a donor and supported by volunteers. We had the privilege of Bishop Alan McGuckian giving opening remarks and prayer, with two fantastic speakers informing on assisted suicide and sharing how to communicate a compassionate, Catholic perspective effectively.
Bishop McGuckian spoke on the infinite meaning that every human person possesses which extends beyond their circumstance. The focus should be on how people might be helped to experience a good death. He quoted from St Paul’s letter to the Romans “The life and death of each of us has its influence on others” demonstrating the powerful impact of the witness we have throughout our lives until the end, and we should support others to, throughout their life including the end.
Insight
Dr Whitehouse, a Catholic palliative care consultant, followed. He provided so much insight into palliative care and the realities of legalising assisted, it is impossible to include it all here! Something that struck me was how the founder of the modern hospice movement ‘Cicely Saunders’ summed up the ethos behind this discipline: “You matter because you are you, and you matter to the end of your life. We will do all we can, not only to help you die peacefully, but also to live until you die.” Palliative care enhances quality of life, provides relief from pain and distressing symptoms, helps families cope and supports patients to live as actively as possible until death. People often say ‘you wouldn’t let a dog suffer like that’ but this is the oppositive of the palliative care approach of being compassionate, sending a message that life is worth living and being “present” for the sufferer. Despite the recent vote by MPs in Westminster, many in the UK are not in favour of the legalisation of assisted suicide. A body that argues for its legalisation, ‘Dignity in Dying’ own poll recently showed only 43% of those in the UK wanted MPs to vote for this, with low rates amongst the 18-34 age category.
and relies on charities. Where assisted suicide has been legalised, palliative care governmental spending and quality lowers. In these places those who choose assisted dying often do so because of concerns on existential suffering, perceived loss of control and dignity showing the lack of awareness on how effective good palliative care is. It moved me that in Oregon nearly 50% report ‘feeling a burden’ as their reason for dying this way, and over 8% cite financial concern. These are red flags for coercion and inequality. Over time in these countries, the eligibility criteria widens and numbers dying this way increase each year, which is likely demonstrative of how it becomes normalised within a society. Medication used for this is often experimental (as it is not tested for this in drug trials) and can result in slow and painful deaths. Can we rely on already busy healthcare staff to enact legislation to the highest standards for every person? The Oregon 2023 report shows assisted dying doctors only know patients for an average 6 weeks before death raising the question about how they could possibly assess safeguarding concerns properly. For those with terminal illness opting for this, people can also be misdiagnosed or given the wrong prognosis for their illness- and therefore could be choosing their death on misinformation. Lastly, legalisation raises issues for healthcare staff as in these countries conscience clauses are not always respected, they often must make an “effective referral” even if they do not perform the act itself, which can result in a loss of trust for the patient.
Discuss
Even with this important knowledge, it can be difficult to discuss these issues and know how to respond. Jack Valero, founder of ‘Catholic Voices’, our third speaker gave great tips! He shared that when a controversy arises, this is an opportunity for us to share a compelling message. On these topics, people often have a ‘frame’ or set of assumptions and prejudices about you/your beliefs when there is a news story involving you. We can either reinforce this frame or step out of it (reframing) changing their perspective. Often their frame is something along the lines of ‘we are more concerned with our doctrine/reputation/possessions… than the wellbeing of people’. Every criticism appeals to a value, which almost always is a Christian value we share.
On assisted suicide, people will often say things such as ‘if you are against assisted suicide, you don’t care about the suffering of people’ or ‘pro-life people want to impose their teachings on everyone else making assisted suicide illegal everywhere’. If you respond using argumentation or referencing something they already disagree with (e.g. your Catholic faith) they are likely to become closed to changing their perspective, and perhaps irate. Instead, we can begin by focusing on the good in what they’re saying, and shared values. Here, we share that everyone wants pain and suffering to stop, suffering should be alleviated as much as possible and that everyone wants to be loved and appreciated. From this we can share a few messages on this topic:
- Assisted suicide gives the green light to hopelessness and despair. It sanctions suicide as a response to hardship
- The right to die becomes a duty to die
- Assisted suicide leaves the vulnerable more vulnerable — especially the disabled, whose lives may be judged less valuable in law
- Undermines the trust between doctors and patients
- Assisted suicide undermines palliative care
- These messages appeal to common values that we share, to which they can relate and respond. In sharing these, they open their mind to your perspective and hearing your messages.