Nursing Law and Ethics: Examining Religious Opposition to Euthanasia

This essay explores the complex relationship between nursing law, ethics, and religion, specifically focusing on the religious perspectives on euthanasia. It examines the viewpoints of various religions, including Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, and Buddhism, highlighting their opposition to euthanasia based on the sanctity of life and the belief that God determines the time of death. The essay discusses how these religious beliefs influence end-of-life care decisions, emphasizing the importance of patient-centered care, the refusal of aggressive medical treatments, and the prohibition of actively hastening death. The paper also references key religious texts and figures, such as Pope John Paul II, to support its arguments. The conclusion emphasizes that, from a religious standpoint, euthanasia is considered morally and ethically wrong and unacceptable.

Running Head: Nursing law and ethics
Nursing law and ethics
Name of the Student
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Author Note

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Euthanasia is not ethical due to religion
Every individual feel that it is their right to have a control on the life and body. People
also believe that they have a right to end their life. However, the religious opponents differ. In
every religion, it is believed that the right to die belongs to God. It is considered that God decides
the time of death of every person on earth. In every religion, death is the most important aspect.
In every religion the meaning and explanation of for death is considered important to understand.
Religion comfort the people who are left after the death of their loved ones. Religion helps to
find the meaning in human life by explaining death and dying and therefore conflicts with
euthanasia (Jylhänkangas et al., 2014).
According to Ziebertz et al. (2016) religion opposes Euthanasia due to several reasons.
One of the most active organisations opposing Euthanasia is the Roman Catholic Church. The
church considers that any law supporting euthanasia is an unjust law. The church does not accept
that human beings have the right to die. Christianity, it is believed that the patient who is
becoming vulnerable through illness deserves patient centred care, special care and protection
from illness and disability. End of life care is much better than Euthanasia in general Christian
view. However, the act of refusing the expensive medical treatment and aggressive medication to
preserve life is morally acceptable according to church. The refusal of treatment should note be
considered as euthanasia. Instead, it is believed that refusing medication is the acceptance of
illness in the face of death.
Some churches emphasise on life as gift from supreme God and that every individual is
valuable in God’s eyes. Christians tend to believe in one command that is “you must not kill
innocent human beings” (Smith, 2016). This very command itself rules out Euthanasia. Self-

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killing is considered going against the sovereignty of God and its considered an act of judging
that the present life is not worth living. Human life is considered sacred and people call it the
sanctity of life. The common statement that emerged against self-killing is “God gives people
life so only God has the right to take it away”. In 1995, Pope John Paul II, said “Euthanasia is a
grave violation of the law of God, since it is the deliberate and morally unacceptable killing of a
human person” (Inbadas et al., 2017).
As per the views of eastern religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism death is the way to
free from mortal life and the cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth. In Eastern religion, it is
believed that any cycle of life and death, progress towards ultimate liberation. The life after
death is determined by their daily activities and the way they die. It means the journey to
liberation depends on how an individual deals with life. The shortening of life interfere the
process of liberation which is thought to be governed by the laws of Karma. In this religion
living beings are not to be harmed which clearly conflict with Euthanasia. Euthanasia interfere
with the principle of ahimsa or non harm in Hinduism and Buddhism. Hindus believe that human
life is sacred and by trying to end, it is considered to interfere with God's plan who created them
(Mak, 2017).
According to Gvion et al. (2014) the Jewish law does not accept euthanasia. Jews believe
the act to be homicide. Active euthanasia is considered to be murder even if the person
considered wants to die. These views are same as that of Muslims who are also against
euthanasia. Muslims say it is mentioned in Qur’an 17:33, “Do not take life, which Allah made
sacred, other than in the course of justice.” Therefore, in Islam, suicide and euthanasia are
explicitly forbidden. The “ Islamic Medical Association of America”, believes it is ethical to turn
off the life support system for the patients who will remain in vegetative state. The Islamic Code

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of Medical Ethics emphasise that life supporting measures are temporary tools that diligently
keep the patient in vegetative state. This process is considered futile by the code of ethics as the
process may be stopped in case there is no future. In such vegetative condition, it is permissible
and is not considered the process of dying. However, it does not permit the use of drugs to
hasten death as it is equivalent to euthanasia (Ramezani & Sobhani, 2016).
In conclusion, based on religious perspective euthanasia is morally and ethically wrong
and unacceptable.

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References
Gvion, Y., Levi-Belz, Y., & Apter, A. (2014). Suicide–The Jewish Perspective. Crisis, 35(3),
141-144.
Inbadas, H., Zaman, S., Whitelaw, S., & Clark, D. (2017). Declarations on euthanasia and
assisted dying. Death studies, 1-11.
Jylhänkangas, L., Smets, T., Cohen, J., Utriainen, T., & Deliens, L. (2014). Descriptions of
euthanasia as social representations: Comparing the views of Finnish physicians and
religious professionals. Sociology of health & illness, 36(3), 354-368.
Mak, M. H. J. (2017). Death: Good Death. Encyclopedia of Global Bioethics, 1-9.
Ramezani, F., & Sobhani, M. (2016). Euthanasia from Iran law and Islamic legislation
perspective. International Journal of Human Rights and Constitutional Studies, 4(2),
153-165.
Smith, G. J. (2016). Method in Catholic Bioethics: ANH and PVS Patients. Bioethics in Faith
and Practice, 2(1), 4.
Ziebertz, H. G. (2016). Empirical Findings on the Attitudes of Christian and Muslim Youth
Towards Human Rights. In Human Rights and Religion in Educational Contexts (pp.
171-186). Springer International Publishing.

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