In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a difficult yet important topic - medically assisted suicide. The conversation was sparked by a podcast listener from Canada, where the Medical Assistance In Dying (MAID) law was passed in 2016 and is set to be expanded this year to include those who are suffering from mental illness. To say that this law has created a slippery slope is an understatement. And with the way things are trending in the U.S., we'll likely not be very far behind.
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The idea of euthanasia or MAID is increasingly viewed by culture as allowing death with dignity, and coincides with the mantra that individual freedom is all that really matters. There are already 10 states in the U.S. that allow what is known as PAD - Physician-Assisted Death. What people seem to be missing is that quality of life should never supersede the sanctity of life. Dr. White has written about this topic in a blog called “The Startling Rise of Suicide” that you can read HERE.
The expansion of the MAID law in Canada to include allowing those with mental illness to take their own lives is particularly disturbing. Although, this is a trend that we've witnessed in the U.S. where more and more states are pushing to allow youth who are suffering from gender dysphoria to undergo procedures without parental input or approval. This was discussed in CCP21: On Gender. Dr. White also referenced a case in the Netherlands where a young girl who had been raped made the choice to die by euthanasia. You can read more about that HERE.
Finally, you heard Alexis again mention the upcoming Church & Culture LIVE Podcast on Thursday, February 23 from 12 - 1 p.m. You'll be able to access the podcast live through Meck's Online Campus platform. And if you can't make it that day, not to worry - you'll still be able to listen in on the conversation through all the usual channels the next day.
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