Title: BBC - Ethics - Euthanasia: Religion and euthanasia
Headings: Religion and euthanasia
Religion and euthanasia
On this page
Religion and euthanasia
Religions and death
Religious views on euthanasia:
Religions and euthanasia
God has forbidden it
Human life is sacred
Human life is special
Eastern religions
Freedom from mortal life
Non-harm - the principle of ahimsa
The sanctity of life

Content: Dying is often seen as an occasion for getting powerful spiritual insights as well as for preparing for whatever afterlife may be to come. So it's not surprising that all faiths have strong views on euthanasia. Religious views on euthanasia: Buddhism
Christian
Roman Catholic
Hindu
Islam
Judaism
Sikhism
Religions and euthanasia
Most religions disapprove of euthanasia. Some of them absolutely forbid it. The Roman Catholic church, for example, is one of the most active organisations in opposing euthanasia. Virtually all religions state that those who become vulnerable through illness or disability deserve special care and protection, and that proper end of life care is a much better thing than euthanasia. Religions are opposed to euthanasia for a number of reasons. God has forbidden it
virtually all religions with a supreme God have a command from God in their scriptures that says 'you must not kill'
this is usually interpreted as meaning 'you must not kill innocent human beings'
this rules out euthanasia (and suicide) as well as murder, as carrying out any of these would be against God's orders, and would be an attack on the sovereignity of God
Human life is sacred
human lives are special because God created them
therefore human life should be protected and preserved, whatever happens
therefore we shouldn't interfere with God's plans by shortening human lives
Human life is special
human beings are made in God's image
therefore they have a special value and dignity
this value doesn't depend on the quality of a particular life
taking a life violates that special value and dignity
even if it's one's own life
even if that life is full of pain and suffering
Eastern religions
Some Eastern religions take a different approach. The key ideas in their attitudes to death are achieving freedom from mortal life, and not-harming living beings.