LINDSAY MAST, HOST: Today is Wednesday, February 14th. good morning!this is the world and everything in it From WORLD Radio, which is supported by listeners. I’m Lindsey Mast.
MARY REICHARD, HOST: I’m Mary Reichard. Next up is the child and euthanasia. WORLD Opinions commentator Bethel McGrew said the new Dutch law was promoting a culture of death.
Bethel McGrew: Look at Holland. That’s what conservatives have learned to do as they track the progress of European euthanasia laws over the decades. The country first legalized euthanasia for adults in 2002. The so-called “service” would then be extended to underage teens and terminally ill newborns. As of February 2024, even that restriction has been lifted, including all ages from 1 year old to her 12 years old. No child is left behind, so to speak.
Of course, the law stresses that children should only be euthanized on the recommendation of two doctors and if they are experiencing “unbearable and never-ending suffering.” According to the Christian Dutch magazine, only five to 10 children a year qualify. But Dutch pro-life group Care for Life is skeptical that number will remain that low. The law does not include any “due diligence requirements” and follows the familiar pattern of leaving this type of thing to the discretion of individual physicians when an incident occurs.
And, of course, the following questions inevitably arise: it’s not Terminal illness? ” Some might play devil’s advocate and argue that their situation is something like this: more It’s sad because there’s no end in sight. And then we roll down the slippery slope.
The BBC, which reported the news, featured a clip from a documentary about euthanasia of the elderly in Belgium, which has put the Netherlands at the bottom of the list. The main character of this documentary is a caring doctor, and his victims are frail elderly people. Their ability to rationalize their choices makes for convincing propaganda. If the victim was a young child, one would hope that a film like this might cause more people to be concerned.
But there is a straight line from killing the elderly to killing young children. The chain of logic begins with the axiom that it is better to die than suffer, and reaches the conclusion that such death should be respected as a basic human right. It is treated as a mercy owed by a healthy person to a sick person, just as we are owed to animals. If we would not withhold such tender mercy from a sick adult, why should we withhold it from a child? In fact, the younger the person suffering, the more guilty they should be made to feel for their hesitation. Sure, a child might not understand what’s going on, but neither can an old family dog, so we lovingly kill him anyway. And we see that what began as an argument for “free choice” ends up devouring choice itself.
This is how the culture of death slowly works its poison. In this way, the voice of death is exalted as kind and benevolent, while the voice of life is drowned out as inhuman and fanatical. The pro-suicide group Death with Dignity recently spoke out against Christian opponents in New Mexico and California, doctors fighting to ensure strong conscience protections for people who refuse to “aid” people’s deaths. and a screed against dentists. Death with Dignity warns that “the real goal is to ensure that we all adhere to the morals and values of the Church and the Christian Medical Association and Dental Association.”
Oh my god! They are heading towards us!
Of course, Christians do not expect organizations like Death with Dignity to immediately align with our values. Until then, we look to the Netherlands and pledge not to join them as long as Christians have something to say about the Netherlands.
I’m Bethel McGrew.
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