Should Mercy Killing of the Terminally ill be Allowed? (Essay Sample)

"Should mercy killing of the terminally ill be allowed?"
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"Should mercy killing of the terminally ill be allowed?"
Mercy killing or ‘Euthanasia’ as it is commonly known refers to a way of painlessly terminating a person’s life with the ‘humane’ purpose of ending excruciating suffering and pain. The debate surrounding mercy killing has gained momentum is recent times, especially in the wake of deadly diseases that modern medical science is incapable of curing. The proposal to allow termination of one’s life in a bid to relieve them of agonizing pain has raised serious credibility, dignity and religious questions. From a religious perspective, the question is whether man has the explicit right to terminate his life or the life of another even upon such a request. The Bible states that only God can give and take away life as He pleases and that man has no such right (Hester, 2003). However, man has come up with another standpoint to this argument in the sense that life is precious, and that everyone’s life should be respected and valued, but when a person is suffering from an incurable disease and feels that living is more miserable than dying, then the right to terminate this person’s life should be respected. This paper will discuss the subject of whether mercy killing of the terminally ill should be allowed.
For proponents of mercy killing, it is perhaps the right call that relieves terminally ill patients of pain and prepares them to embrace death in a respectful and dignified manner. Human beings have the freedom to live dignified lives when they are healthy, but when a person suffers from a terminal illness with no hopes of treatment, they should not be deprived of the right to die in dignity (Huxtable, 2007). Cases of terminally ill people suffering from incurable diseases such as cancer, AIDS, trauma and accidents requesting to die peacefully than continue suffering have been reported worldwide. The request to die puts doctors in an ethical dilemma situation as they are requested to the very life they have sworn to save. Patients suffering from terminal illnesses undergo immense pain and death may not be imminent, but sure. At some point, this patient will eventually die, so why not artificially induce them for a peaceful death that will ease their suffering. When death is the only probable salvation as a preservation of the dignity and preciousness that is life, then mercy killing should be indeed allowed (Scherer & Simon, 1999).
Opponents of euthanasia argue that legalizing or allowing mercy killing is prone to abuse and overuse/misuse. The debate on whether to allow mercy killing has been the cause of disagreement for a long time and will continue to be because some people believe that it is against the principles of human existence to terminate a person’s life, willingly or unwillingly. Opponents have cited cases where patients are pressured by family members to consent to the idea of ending their lives instead of suffering in pain (Scherer & Simon, 1999). Religious leaders are of the opinion that people should be allowed to live their full course until such a time when the Creator will decide and that no man should be allowed to end another’s life even upon request.
In conclusion, mercy killing is a worthy course that should be allowed. Opponents argue that it is bound to be abused by being misused and/or overused even in unnecessary circumstance. However, a terminally ill person in a traumat...