Call to allow 'suffering from life' mercy killings (Holland expands Euthanasia - again)

Expatica ^ | December 16, 2004

[NYer]

AMSTERDAM — Dutch doctors should be allowed — under very strict conditions — to help with mercy killings or euthanasia of patients who are not ill, but who are suffering from life, a special commission has advised.

Dutch doctors' organisation KNMG published the Dijkhuis Commission report Lijden aan het Leven (Suffering from Life) on Wednesday.

Commission chairman Jos Dijkhuis was widely reported as telling newspaper De Volkskrant that "suffering is too often linked to illness" when he outlined the commission's findings.

Dijkhuis, emeritus professor of clinic psychology and psychotherapy, said a person who was not able to bear living any longer and had a hopeless outlook on their future could be said to be "suffering from life". 

Euthanasia, under strict guidelines has been unofficially tolerated in the Netherlands since the 1970s. The standard was that a patient had to be terminally ill or in unending pain or suffering before a doctor could comply with a request to end the person's life.

The KNMG set up the Dijkhuis Commission in 2001 following the prosecution of a doctor for helping former Dutch senator Edward Brongersma die in 1998.

Brongersma, 86, was in good health, but no longer had any family or friends to care for him and claimed he was tired of life itself. A controversial figure, Brongersma was an outspoken advocate for paedophilia. He wrote a number of books and articles defending male homosexual paedophilia.

His doctor Philip Sutorius was prosecuted for providing the drugs used to end the senator's life. The trial court in Haarlem acquitted the doctor after accepting Brongersma's tiredness of life were sufficient grounds for euthanasia.

But a higher court later overturned the verdict and convicted Sutoruis. Nonetheless, the appeals court also considered that his violation of the assisted suicide law was "so minor that any form of punishment would be inappropriate".

The Supreme Court has also confirmed Sutorius' conviction. The Dutch government has indicated that it backs this decision and does not want suffering from life becoming an accepted reason for mercy killings.

The Dijkhuis Commission recommendations appear to side with the arguments put forward by Brongersma and Sutorius.

The Netherlands became the first country in the world to legalise euthanasia when a controversial law came into force in 2002.

It laid down strict guidelines, including that the patient has to be chronically ill or in unbearable suffering. Doctors have to outline other medical options available and two doctors have to agree with the decision to go ahead with euthanasia.

Each case is examined by a committee afterwards to ensure the proper procedures have been followed. The doctor or doctors will not be prosecuted if they have adhered to the rules.

The KNMG said on Thursday the medical profession would debate the commission's advice in 2005.

[NYer]

In other words, people who aren’t even dying should be allowed to ask their doctors to kill them. (head shaking)

[chiefqc]

Another country jumps into the bottomless sewer.

[nina0113]

Who's still exempt from killing over there? Anyone?

Rather than waste any more time figuring out new guidelines, the whole country should just do a Jonestown & get it over with.

[balrog666]

About d@mn time too!

[NYer]

2. Euthanasia

Often disguised by the name "mercy killing," euthanasia also is a form of homicide. No person has a right to take his own life, and no one has the right to take the life of any innocent person.

In euthanasia, the ill or elderly are killed, by action or omission, out of a misplaced sense of compassion, but true compassion cannot include intentionally doing something intrinsically evil to another person (cf. EV 73).

EV John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life)


Voter's Guide for Serious Catholics

Catholic Ping - please freepmail me if you want on/off this list

[tfecw]

in an unrelated story...the dutch government deems the world to harsh to live in and dump cyanide into the public water system in an attempt to save it's people from harm </sarcasm>

[Darkwolf377]

I'm pushing for this kind of law to be applied to UN representatives. The decision o life or death being up to a vote of the host country, of course.

[dangus]

>> The KNMG set up the Dijkhuis Commission in 2001 following the prosecution of a doctor for helping former Dutch senator Edward Brongersma die in 1998. Brongersma, 86,...wrote a number of books and articles defending male homosexual paedophilia. <<

God forbid anyone treat this person for mental illness. It might expose how sick the Dutch government is.

[starfish923]

Euthenasia, but no death penalty.
Interesting people, the Dutch.

[TheDon]

The Ideals of the Third Reich live on!

[NY Attitude]

Soylent Green lives on.

[patton]

When the Germans started the killing, they claimed that they were euthanizing those whose "life was not worth living."

Lebens Unwertsleben, so war es genannt. Tja.

Bleibt Ihr ruhig, und Alles kommt schon mal wieder.

[mainepatsfan]

A number of Dutch did volunteer for the Waffen SS.

[Reactionary]

I guess nihilist, Leftist swine figure Mengele didn't quite go far enough.

[muawiyah]

Well, actually all they are asking is that the doctor who just killed someone "claim" that the victim "asked for it".

One does wonder when this privilege will be extended to other professions ~ for example, they could give it to lawyers so they could more readily dispose of clients who don't pay their fees on time

Or, maybe credit card companies might like this privilege?

The possibilities are endless. And, of course, as long as the state remains pure and free of taint by not exercising the death penalty, who is to complain, eh?!

[newgeezer]

Well, actually all they are asking is that the doctor who just killed someone "claim" that the victim "asked for it".

"Claim"? No need to worry. Dan Ra^ther will be glad to back up their claims by providing any necessary signed suicide documentation.

[CzarNicky]

I wonder when they will call for the euthanasia of violent murderers?

[fire_eye]

This is exactly the sort of "slippery slope" that was predicted when "Physician-Assisted Suicide" was enacted here in Oregon, and the Lie-berals protested loudly that no such thing would ever happen and there are adequate safeguards and how can you be for human suffering and and and and and and and and and... yawwwwwwwnnnnn...

One more step, and the "Doctors" will be deiciding for patients "who are unable to make the decision to end their own suffering".

Then, the "Progressives" will legislate that it's OK for "Doctors" to deicide that coma patients should be euthanized to "Harvest" their internal organs so "The Living" can "Enjoy A Better Quality Of Life", "For The Common Good".

Meanwhile, every step of the way, the "Progressives" will protest loudly that the latest "Small Step" is just a "Modest" attempt to "Relieve Human Suffering", and how could anyone object, and there won't be any more small steps, and etc. etc... yaaAAAAAAWWwwwwnnnn....

[HighlyOpinionated]

Read the book by Rick Warren "The Purpose Driven Life" or at least the booklet "What on Earth am I here for?" There's a wonderful section entitled "You Are Not an Accident" -- The book is a 40-day spiritual retreat.

Highly Recommended by Highly Opinionated.