Assisted suicide is always a tragedy and we always try to prevent it

We are heading into the Christmas season and frankly it is an excellent time to think and talk about the subject of euthanasia and assisted suicide.

This may sound like a bizarre claim, but hear me out.

We often hear assisted suicide framed as a ‘choice’. Even in the social discourse, we hear the argument that without options there is no real choice for those who are struggling. Almost as if, so long as people have a plurality of choices, assisted suicide can be one choice among the possibilities.

The campaign for assisted suicide is largely advertised within our culture as simply one choice among many. If we adopt that language too, we suggest that assisted suicide remains an acceptable choice as long as it is one option among others. The language of “choice in dying” has become so entrenched by proponents of euthanasia that using the language of choice in opposition of assisted suicide is confusing and suggests that, if there were simply more choices, assisted suicide would be okay to leave in the mix.

We can’t centre our entire objection to assisted suicide in demanding more services and funding from governments. This is inadequate for meeting the cultural crises and presents a very limited way for people to get involved and engaged on preventing euthanasia through the countless other opportunities that exist to do so at the personal, familial, school, workplace, and parish levels. 

We know that when people are accompanied and have meaning in their lives, they wish to live. 

And that’s why Christmas time is a good time to think about this and about how we can personally encourage those in our lives to continue giving the world the gift of their presence in it – in our lives.

Listen to this incredible 20-minute episode of The Morning Wire podcast to understand what a difference accompaniment can make. Megan Basham took a look at Canada’s assisted suicide laws and highlighted the story of Kiano.  Megan accurately captures what is happening in Canada and the episode includes fascinating recordings of Megan’s phone calls with Kiano. 

I won’t spoil the ending for you, but it is totally worth listening to and sharing with your family and friends.

It also is a clarion call to each of us to think about what we can do in our personal lives to reach out and accompany others.