mb. Active euthanasia on a 17-year-old young person in Belgium is provoking wide protest and horror. It is based on a law with which Belgium has removed the age limit for active euthanasia completely. This is a situation unique in the world, and was established against bitter opposition from churches and patient associations in Belgium.
On the occasion of the killing on the request of a 17 year-old, Radio Vatican talks of the “opening of the ethical floodgates”. Curial Cardinal Elio Sgreccia: “This decision is not only aimed against the sentiments of all religions, all of which have made their voices heard in Belgium, but also against the human instinct for especially vulnerable minors, who must be helped with medication and with moral, psychological and spiritual assistance”. Klaus Küng, Bishop in St. Pölten, Austria, takes a similar position: “Love and compassion are never shown by the killing of another human being, but by affection, closeness and care.” He quotes Cardinal Franz König, who said, “people should die being held by the hand, and not die by the hand of a fellow being”. Bishop Küng notes that the state of a society is shown by the way it treats its most vulnerable members. “Each person is unique,” life is a gift that requires an affirmative society, “in which there is space for each of us to live in dignity and without fear to be no longer wanted by tomorrow.”
Also Eugen Brysch, the chairman of the German “Stiftung Patientenschutz”, protests: “The euthanasia of children has nothing to do with dignified dying. In that respect the Benelux state is leaving the EU human rights standards.” He calls for a German initiative against regulations such as those existing in Belgium, where minors may already be killed by means of active euthanasia.
According to the “Welt”, the CDU/CSU faction in the German “Bundestag” criticised the Belgian practice sharply. Michael Brand, CDU: “A society that de facto legalizes the killing even of its own children has declared bankruptcy and is on a downwards spiral, because the value of human life is measurably scaled down, and at the same time perseverance, compassion and assistance are replaced by capitulation and death.” According to Brand it goes “to the core of humanity itself” when “people increasingly see the solution in surrender and put technical assistance to commit suicide in the place of human assistance.” Brand concludes: “This debate about the devaluation of life and the upvaluation of killing, here in the name of the self-determination even of young children, which are placed under tremendous pressure, makes me shudder in anticipation of the next steps for burdensome older people or for people with depressions.” It takes “an outcry of humanity.” It is notably Germany that has “a very special responsibility to oppose such irresponsible decisions”.
Bishop Küng proposes that in respect of palliative care, the Austrian way should be taken as role model for all of Europe. Here, hospice- and palliative care is established and being steadily improved. The current case in Belgium shows how important this is especially for children and young people. Küng requests that individual or societal pressure on people, whether inflicted by legislation or by influence through third parties, must be banned. •
“Hippokratische Gesellschaft Schweiz”
This is a serious attack on human rights, Christian European values and the protection of life in a state under the rule of law.
The several releases on the first case of killing of a minor, a 17-year-old teenager in Belgium, supposedly legitimized by law as “active euthanasia (of a child)”, have been justifiably and strongly criticized and condemned. This act means a further escalation of a campaign mainly in the western states towards an increasing disregard for fundamental and human rights. It contradicts any notion of humanity.
We notice that Switzerland is currently exposed to a process of propaganda by manipulative film and other media contributions aiming at promoting the further acceptance of assisted suicide in Switzerland. The state shall no longer have the duty to protect life. This development includes ongoing efforts to “accompany” even healthy, suicidal people to death, instead of helping them and winning them for a meaningful life.
We remind that in 2001 Swiss parliament rejected with a considerable majority an initiative of former MP Cavalli to introduce active killings ot patients in Switzerland. Right to life and the protection of life are constitutional foundations of a democratic constitutional state. The state has the duty to protect the lives of its citizens! If he doesn’t fulfill this duty anymore, the doors for barbarism will be wide open!
Source: Press Release “Hippokratische Gesellschaft Schweiz”
(Hippocratic Society Switzerland), <link>hgs.ch@gmx.ch from 20.9.2016
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