Written By David Hanson
What do you do if a loved one is suffering from a terminal illness that is gradually causing them to deteriorate and lose their body function? Do you allow them to continue to suffer, or do you bring that suffering to an end? I want you to feel the weight of that decision – because what I am about to talk about next needs it. On March 9th, 2022, Churchill Park United Church of Winnipeg hosted an assisted suicide ceremony for an 86-year-old woman who had been a member of that church. Last year Betty Sanguin had been diagnosed with ALS – a progressive nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing loss of muscle control. The muscles of a person with ALS gradually become paralyzed until they cannot swallow or breathe – leading to death. Within a very short time, Betty had deteriorated, and the doctors were talking about putting a feeding tube in because she couldn’t eat or swallow anymore. Knowing the suffering she would further experience as the disease progressed, she decided to end her own life with medical assistance, surrounded by friends and family. As a pastor, I’ve been around people of all ages as they were dying. I’ve seen a young lady fight for her life before she passed away. I’ve seen cancer slowly deteriorate a seemingly healthy person until they were a shell of a person. I’ve seen seniors fade away slowly – sometimes alone and sometimes with family around them. I’ve been to the bedsides of several people. I’ve learnt how unprepared I was to deal with it. Society tries to avoid it by keeping those approaching death at a distance, putting them into homes to fade away. And some in our society try to avoid death by avoiding seeing their loved ones in the hospitals. Death is uncomfortable – but it’s a reality we need to face. You can sympathize with the situation of someone dying, but you can’t truly understand the weight that comes until you lose a loved one. Last year I saw my father pass away from a terminal condition. My father, who was a very independent and private man, suffered increasingly growing more dependent on his family to care for him until he passed away. Before his death, he was in much pain as he slowly suffocated. I don’t say this because I want sympathy, but simply for the fact that I am writing this blog as someone who has been very close to death. Death is an enemy (1 Cor. 15:26) and a curse (Rom. 6:23). It often involves suffering, and progressive illnesses like ALS prolongs that suffering. This is why assisted suicide seems like a viable option to some. In Canada, assisted suicide has been legal since 2016. In 2020 there were 7,595 cases of medically assisted suicide. This was an increase of 34.2% from 2019-2020. The trend continues to increase. Why is society okay with medically assisted suicide? A primary reason is that they believe it is compassionate to bring an end to suffering. People have been influenced by society to value human life on par with animals. Sometimes even below animals. We treat animals as part of the family and even refer to them as our children. So, what happens if our pet is suffering? Well, the compassionate thing is to put Fido down. Why wouldn’t we apply that same logic to humans – after all, we are just animals, right? What I have said should make you upset because you know that you are more valuable than a dog. Human life is sacred because every man and woman has been created in the image of God (Gen. 2:7) and been given dignity and honour far above the animals. We can’t treat Fido the same way we treat Betty. Human life must be cherished and protected, not brought to an end simply because a person is suffering. When we avoid suffering, we avoid growth. God appoints these days (Ecc. 7:14) for the intended purpose that we may be conformed more into his image. Suffering brings humility. My father was forced to rely on us to feed him, moisturize his lips, and help him stand up to use the bathroom. He had to rely on the nurses to rotate him and fix his cushions and air supply. And he wasn’t the only one who learned humility – I did as well. I learned not to care what others thought and care for him in ways I never had. I would never have held his hand as a full-grown man – but at the deathbed, such thoughts quickly leave. Death is an enemy and curse, yet it is also a blessing in many ways. Death focuses the mind on what is important. My Dad was someone who loved his library full of books and was concerned about where they would end up. That all came to an end during the last week of his life. The things that truly mattered became priorities – like repairing a relationship with my younger brother – or hearing about the promises of heaven and life. And things like his books “grew strangely dim” in light of eternity. My father’s perspective grew as he suffered. Still, I believe the suffering he went through was more of a sanctifying experience for those who cared for him. It was difficult emotionally to see him fade away. However, I saw what it looked like for a Christian to suffer before death graciously and with joy as he went on to be home with the Lord. To take your own life prematurely is selfish, and it robs yourself and your family of all of this. Yet, for some, they choose to take their life by medically-assisted suicide like Betty. Partly because they want to avoid suffering and partly because they believe it is a dignified way to die. For some, the thought of deteriorating and becoming someone who needs to be cared for 24/7 is not dignified. Yet, is this that the Bible says? What does it mean to die with dignity? The Bible seems to indicate a few big things.
Though people try to justify assisted suicide, let’s call it for what it is – murder. God alone is the giver of life and the one who determines when and how that life should end. When offered life and death, God always commands us to choose life (Deut. 30:19). Yet, in attempts to escape suffering, we justify the taking of life. No one objected to Betty wanting to take her life; however, one person objected to the church being used as the venue for this service. Yes, you read that right; the lethal injection was performed during the assisted suicide service, which was hosted in the church building. Dawn Rolke, the minister at the church, told The Christian Post, “For us, it was perfectly natural to hold this service for Betty in our sanctuary because death is a natural part of life and Betty had lived a good part of her adulthood in this faith community. Hers was a growing, changing spirituality; her faith was feisty, fierce and passionate, like Betty herself”. What was her justification? Well, she says that the church is often “host and home to all the raggedness of our lives and to some of our significant life rituals: baptism, marriage, ordination, funeral or memorial service”. I guess they can now add to that “Assisted-suicide ceremony”. Or as they coined it, “A simple crossing over ceremony.” Unless God performs a miracle, a terminal illness will lead to death. Betty was going to die regardless of whether she had taken the injection. But does this justify her decision? No, for the simple reason that God is sovereign over death and alone is the one who determines when we die. Death is an enemy, but it is often seen as an escape for those who are terminally ill, as well as for those who are dealing with depression. Depression and anxiety lead many to believe it’s better to go to sleep never to wake up again. Assisted suicide isn’t new; however, this is the first time it has happened in a church that I am aware of. As the ceremony was happening, family and friends kept coming in and out, saying their goodbyes. At 1 pm, the lethal injection was administered. An hour later, she passed away surrounded by family. A murder took place. This is such a drastic story. Perhaps it’s something you won’t encounter – but since medically-assisted suicides are increasing here in Canada, odds are you will know someone in the future that will be contemplating it. So how should we approach those who are choosing to end their life?
Death is uncomfortable, and rightly so, yet we need to be there for those who are struggling with suffering and hopelessness. To abandon them in their time of need and not encourage them to live is not only immoral but heartless. To not be a voice of objection is to be a voice of approval. Your words and presence matters! One lady shared with me her experience with anxiety and depression that led her to believe the lie that it would be better to go to sleep and not wake up. Life had been tremendously hard for her, and lies gripped her heart. Her sister’s words snapped her back to the truth. What did her sister say? She said, “God made you in His image. You are his daughter, a child of the King. How dare you think you are worth nothing when you are everything to God! If you are okay with dying and escaping this life, it would kind of be like an insult to God.” These words changed her perspective and gave her the purpose to continue living. We can take a reactive approach or a proactive approach as a church. As I continue to think about assisted suicide, there are things the church should be doing way before someone thinks about it. We should be continually teaching the value of life from the womb to the tomb and the importance and value of suffering. We should also create opportunities where we are around those who are dying. And we should be continually pointing others to Jesus – someone worth living for even if you cannot move.
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AuthorHello! I'm glad you found my blog. My name is David Hanson, and I am a concerned Christian who desires for the church of North America to become aware and begin to think biblically of what is happening around them in society. It's time for the church to awake and speak into the current events of the day. We alone have the truth to navigate life effectively. That truth is the Word of God. Archives
May 2022
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