September 2018 – Article 2:
Life at every stage is a precious gift from God that should be valued, cherished, and protected.
Sometimes that’s hard when faced with disease, disability, pain, and mental illness. But that should never be a justification to seek one’s own death.
Tragically many do, and thanks to the worldwide culture of death that promotes assisted suicide and euthanasia, this is becoming an increasing problem. They’ve gone from promoting the lie of “death with dignity” to making it the duty of the elderly and infirm to get out of the way.
Another growing trend is people taking the matter into their own hands and killing themselves, and sometimes their partner.
Homicide-Suicide in Georgia
Such a tragedy recently played out on Jekyll Island, where an 82-year-old man killed his wife and apparently was planning to kill himself before being arrested.
Media reports indicated the man was stressed over his wife’s condition and had developed his own health issues.
“When someone loses sight of their God-given Personhood, it’s easy to think death is their only option,” said GRTL President Ricardo Davis. “Instead, society needs to value people for who they are, not just what they can do. Many of our education efforts are doing just that.”
Suicide Study
The problem was highlighted by a 2017 study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine showing that people with chronic health problems appear to have a higher risk of suicide.
Researchers looked at nearly 2,700 people in the U.S. who died by suicide between 2000 and 2013. They identified 17 medical conditions linked to increased odds of suicide.
They included such common conditions as: asthma, back pain, traumatic brain injury, cancer, congestive heart failure, diabetes, epilepsy, HIV/AIDS, kidney disorder, sleep disorders, and Parkinson’s disease.
The risk was nine times higher among people with traumatic brain injury and two times higher for those suffering with sleep disorders and HIV/AIDS.
“Most of those conditions are the result of aging, or just being alive, and should never be a rationalization for what may seem like the easy way out,” Davis said.
Although the study found a probable link between chronic physical conditions and suicide, it didn’t prove a clear cause-and-effect relationship.
While not concrete proof of a connection, researchers noted that 80 percent of people who take their own life made a health care visit in the year before their death. And half of those saw a doctor four weeks before they took their own lives
The devaluing of human life is compounded by the continued rise of physician-assisted suicide (PAS).
Fueled by an unremitting, well-financed and intensely emotional campaign to make it popular, PAS has seen a steady increase in the five states and District of Columbia where it’s legal.
While complete statistics are impossible to obtain, Oregon–the first state to authorize the evil practice–is a tragic example. Since its 1997 law was enacted, a total of 1,275 patients have died by ingesting lethal drugs.
Death is not the Answer
Fortunately, there are many who refuse to buy into the lie that death is the best option for people with disabilities and illnesses.
Robert Salamanca of Pleasanton, CA, should be an encouragement to anyone dealing with difficult health issues.
Salamanca died naturally of Lou Gehrig’s disease, but believed strongly that assisted suicide advocacy diminished the value of life for people experiencing illnesses and disabilities.
Before his death, he wrote a column in the San Francisco Chronicle, stating in part:
“Euthanasia advocates believe they are doing people like me a favor. They are not. The negative emotions toward the terminally ill and disabled generated by their advocacy is actually at the expense of the ‘dying’ and their family and friends.
“We often feel disheartened and without self-assurance because of the false picture of what it is like to die created by these enthusiasts who prey on the misinformed. What we, the terminally ill, need is exactly the opposite—to realize how important our lives are. And our loved ones, friends, and indeed society need to help us feel that we are loved and appreciated unconditionally.”
Sound, life-affirming advice.
Life is a precious gift from God and it’s not up to us to determine when it should end. Psalm 139:16 says God determines our days.
Please pray for those considering ending their life that someone will come along side them to let them know that they are loved and valued and that God will speak to their hearts, open their eyes and continue to honor the life He has given them.
Sources: news4jax.com; lozierinstitute.org; cnn.com; consumer.healthday.com.
By Wayne DuBois
Georgia Right to Life
Media Relations Advisor