Unbelievable? 14 Aug 2010 - Assisted dying & euthanasia debate

Should people suffering from terminal illness or in terrible pain be allowed to take their own life?  Should doctors help them? 

British law currently forbids it but there are voices asking for a change.  At the forefront is "Dignity in Dying" whose Chief-Executive Sarah Wootton argues that allowing people to choose when and how they die is an extension of personal liberty.

Revd George Pitcher is an Anglican priest.  He argues in his new book "A Time To Live - the argument against euthanasia and assisted dying", that human dignity requires us to respect human life.

Both the legal and Christian ramifications are discussed as they are joined by Revd Paul Badham, also an ordained Anglican who believes that assisted-dying is a moral option.

For George Pitcher's book "A Time to Live" see http://www.amazon.co.uk/Time-Live-Against-Euthanasia-Assisted/dp/1854249878/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1281622100&sr=1-1

For Paul Badham's book "Is there a Christian case for Assisted dying?" see http://www.amazon.co.uk/There-Christian-Case-Assisted-Dying/dp/0281059195

For Dignity in Dying see http://www.dignityindying.org.uk/

For an anti-euthanasia viewpoint see http://www.carenotkilling.org.uk/

For more Christian/non Christian debate visit http://www.premier.org.uk/unbelievable or get the podcast at http://ondemand.premier.org.uk/unbelievable/AudioFeed.aspx or Via Itunes

If you enjoyed this programme you may also enjoy:

Unbelievable? 25 Apr 2009 Euthanasia - Should it be legalised? Lord Dick Taverne & Dan Boucher

Unbelievable? 12 Jan 2008 Human Fertilisation & Embryology - are we playing God?

Join the discussion at the Unbelievable? group of the Premier Community online http://www.premiercommunity.org.uk/group/unbelievable