How can we offer hope in the face of death?

Jul 15, 2022 by Jill

by Benjamin John, Christian Today:

The following is a speech made by Christian Concern’s Benjamin John to General Synod on assisted suicide. It has been edited for clarity.

The Oregon 2021 statistics paint a picture of the concerns of those choosing assisted suicide: 93.3% losing autonomy; 92% less able to engage in activities making life enjoyable; 68% loss of dignity; 54% burden on family, friends/caregivers.

What does it mean to have dignity? What does it mean to have autonomy?

We hear often that value of life is tied to quality of life, to having autonomy. When those abilities are taken away we are worth less, life is not worth living.

But the reality is that we are not autonomous. God is. And in some sense our bodies are not ours.

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price” (1 Corinthians 6v19-20b – NIV).

What we do with our bodies matters.

And we have heard awful, horrible stories of suffering and pain. But whatever euphemism we use, however it gets described, suicide is still suicide, and murder is still murder.