Saturday 13 February 2010

Dealing Death


The leader of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales, Archbishop Vincent Nichols, says that calls for assisted suicide and euthanasia reflect a society that does not know how to deal with death.

Hang on – I would suggest that positing a mythical afterlife, on the basis of no evidence whatsoever, most certainly reflects a group of people who do not know how to deal with the empirical reality and finality of death.


6 comments:

The Irascible Fairy said...

I am certain that there is no afterlife - however I do have a great sadness about this - people such as Archbishop Nichols will not finally realise - after they are dead - that there is no afterlife!

Joking apart I think it very important that we, as a society, allow assisted suicide and euthanasia.

What a sombre weekend posting.

Richard x x x

Alan Burnett said...

Generally speaking, assisted suicide and euthanasia reflect a society that does know how to deal with death, I would have thought.

The Irascible Fairy said...

I don't think so - if your life through illness or frailty has become unbearable surely you have a right to end it whilst still capable and able to make the decision and carry out the action. Otherwise you are being kept alive - almost tortured - to satisfy others and their own fear of death.

I would have thought that assisted suicide reflects a society that does indeed know how to deal with death.

Richard x x x

A Woman Of No Importance said...

I think we've lost a lot over time - We cling to these Victorian and stentorian ethics concerning death - Hiding it all away, handling it out of sight... Not keeping our loved ones close to us in pots and urns, polishing their bones down the Cairn every now and again... Bring it on!

The Spiv said...

Is it not the ultimate irony that it is illegal to allow an animal to suffer, yet given the same set of circumstances illegal to aid someone to end it all?

I know what will happen should those circumstances ever present themselves into the lives of SWMBO and I.

The kitten posts did worry me slightly and I wondered if it was as a result of finally ridding yourself of the albatross that was the barge? However, welcome back Grumpy!

Steve Borthwick said...

Nichols is hardly in touch with reality, this is the man that thinks you need to believe in God to be "fully human". Where do you start with such solipsism combined with an unyielding arrogance derived from it.