Title: Religious Groups’ Views on End-of-Life Issues | Pew Research Center
Headings: Religious Groups’ Views on End-of-Life Issues
November 21, 2013
Religious Groups’ Views on End-of-Life Issues
Assemblies of God
Buddhism
Catholicism
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon Church)
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Episcopal Church
Hinduism
Islam
Judaism
National Baptist Convention
Presbyterian Church U.S.A.
Seventh-day Adventist Church
Southern Baptist Convention
United Church of Christ
Unitarian Universalist Association
United Methodist Church

Content: For more information: Assemblies of God statement. “ Euthanasia, and Extraordinary Support to Sustain Life. ” Buddhism
According to Damien Keown, emeritus professor of Buddhist ethics at Goldsmiths College, University of London, Buddhists generally oppose assisted suicide and euthanasia. Buddhism teaches that it is morally wrong to destroy human life, including one’s own, he says, even if the intention is to end suffering. Buddhists are taught to have a great respect for life, Keown says, even if that life is not being lived in optimal physical and mental health. However, he says, Buddhists also believe that life need not be preserved at all costs and that one does not need to go to extraordinary lengths to preserve a dying person’s life. This means, for instance, that while a terminally ill person should not be denied basic care, he or she could refuse treatment that might prove to be futile or unduly burdensome. “ The bottom line is that so long as there is no intention to take life, no moral problem arises,” Keown says. For more information: