I was interested to read a blog post by John Harrower, (who is the Anglican Bishop of Tasmania) concerning Assisted Suicide.

In that blog he is quoting someone who makes the point that doctors do not know the future. The blog then gives 3 examples where this has proved to be the case – doctors have said that someone is suffering a terminal or permanently profoundly disabling illness, only for that to later be proved wrong.

I recently found this to be the case in my own life. At the beginning of this year, I underwent 3 different types of tests all of which said that I had melanoma spread through my body. When that happens, the likely life span is months. However, it subsequently worked out that the reporting of those tests, by independent and highly qualified individuals, were all wrong. If I had been of that persuasion, I could have gone down the euthanasia route, all on the basis of an error.

Euthanasia is not only wrong, but dangerous.

Of course, there is a difference between euthanasia – actively killing someone, and withdrawing medical aid so they can die naturally. Far too often withdrawing medical aid is not done, and heroics are performed, when someone really should be let die.