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In danger from doctors?When blood and shrapnel in London’s bus blast hit the British Medical Association building, my colleagues ran out to help. We were rightly proud and a shaken nation was comforted. Yet the week before, a strange and different message was sent to the nation from the BMA debate on euthanasia. People were confused by a narrowly passed vote suggesting doctors have gone neutral on euthanasia and would just ‘let Parliament decide’. This was an illogical message that smelled of skulduggery. In a poorly-attended meeting, a narrow vote of 93 against 82 proclaimed a drastic change in policy for 133,000 doctors. These doctors had been given no chance to vote on the issue. And the message came despite delegates agreeing a motion: ‘A majority of doctors are opposed to physician assisted suicide’. But the organisers then pushed through the ‘neutral’ position — which hit the headlines. This message is out of line with doctors’ opinion polls and the nurses too. After the BMA vote, public responses to a ‘for and against’ radio interview in Sheffield were 5:1 against euthanasia because it’s too dangerous. What is driving euthanasia?If most people don’t want it, then what is driving us towards this cliff edge? For here we are facing no slippery slope, but a leap into a strange new world where homicide becomes legal. Ten years ago the drive to euthanasia that so alarmed some of my patients, was the issue of unbearable suffering: ‘Better dead than in pain’. Good palliative care has dismissed this argument. But now the driving ideology is autonomy. It is the language of choice, control, freedoms and rights. Intuitively we know it’s right that people should think and choose for themselves — unless that becomes supreme dictator. Literally, autonomy means ‘self law’ which, taken to its limit, becomes ‘a law unto oneself’. It is the awful refrain throughout the chaotic era of the book of Judges: ‘Everyone did what was right in their own eyes’. What’s the problem with that? Firstly, following patient autonomy to the hilt always impacts others. As the pro-euthanasia film The Sea Inside makes so clear, the autonomy of family, friends and the doctors is inevitably affected. Secondly, most euthanasia requests are a cry for help. Florence Nightingale, at the age of 30, wrote: ‘I have no desire but to die’. What if her doctor had helped her die? She went on to change the face of nursing and died in her 90s. When doctors deal with the real problem behind a request, usually pain or feeling worthless, then the request is generally withdrawn. The Dutch experience shows how patients lose their autonomy. Holland legalised euthanasia and has progressed rapidly to non-voluntary euthanasia. In 2001 there were 1,000 deaths by ‘euthanasia without explicit request’. Yet the Voluntary Euthanasia Society dismisses this. We seem to be in an era not unlike the false prophets of Ezekiel’s day. They promised peace and wellbeing whereas the reality was violence and innocent bloodshed. The struggle in OctoberThe European Court ruled in the case of Diane Pretty that people do not have a right to be killed. Yet powerful euthanasia lobbyists are determined to change this through the British Parliament. Lord Joffe will introduce a Bill again on October 10. He has now gained powerful support from the BMA handful that forced the neutral statement on euthanasia. The BMA has sent a message of killing — instead of care. A week after the BMA delegates’ vote the horrible imagery of innocent blood was on the walls of their building. It is reminiscent of, ‘Mene. Mene, Tekel, Upharsin — you have been weighed in the balance and found lacking’, the chilling message to a kingdom about to fall. Where are we heading?The euthanasia minority are pushing the majority towards a place where patient freedoms will be lost. The innocent will ask to be killed because they feel a burden to others, as is happening in Oregon, USA. Violence begets violence and the body count will grow. Estimates range from eight to 15,000 per year with children among them. The medical profession, once embodying the finest standards of selfless care, will be divided, ruled by a power-hungry government, discredited and detached from its true calling of cure and compassionate care up to death. Action this day!What will happen in the House of Lords debate in October? Without doubt, skilful Christians will speak up persuasively. But this may not be enough. We may be in dark days, like Ezekiel knew in Ezekiel 14.12. There God said that even if the righteous Noah, Job, and Daniel were present it would not be enough to save the nation. But one other solution remains, open to all Christians, and it may have happened in 1994. Was this a situation like Amos 7.2-3? There the Lord decreed destruction on a violent and unrepentant nation. But a desperate believer reported: ‘I cried out: “Lord forgive”, and he relented’. That’s just like God. Those who can foresee the consequences will stand firm and bend their knees in fervent prayer. Praying in lamentation, repentance and supplication as individuals, groups and churches. Yes, some are called to be activists in Parliament and the media. But everyone has a responsibility to pray. Dr. Mark Houghton,
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