Death, Dying, Christianity, Buddhism, And Euthanasia

Death and Dying
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Abstract
The concepts of death and dying keep influencing the provision of medical services in different ways. Each religion has a stand of what is morally acceptable in their practices. It is for such a reason that a medical procedure such as euthanasia has attracted a lot of debates across different religious paradigms. George’s case offers a classic illustration of the dilemmas associated religion and provision of care services. As evident in George’s case, some of the decisions he will make about his life cannot be palatable in the religious paradigms. This paper explores the manner in which two religions, Christianity and Buddhism, would interpret and eventually solve George’s case.
To expound on different religious stands, the paper features the possible interpretations of George’s condition. In Christianity, George may have no option but to adhere to God’s plan. That cannot be the same as in Buddhism where the desire for health in spirituality may oblige George to opt for euthanasia. While both religions make important cases towards finding solutions to George, on a personal view, exploring the Christian stand would be helpful to George and the people who surround him.
Keywords: Death, dying, Christianity, Buddhism, and euthanasia.
Death and Dying
The concept of euthanasia has attracted a range of debates based on how it impacts different facets of culture. Religion is one of the cultural aspects that have manifested influence on the decisions whether individuals should embrace euthanasia or not. In the case study, George’s dilemma arises from the fact that even though he would consider euthanasia as a respectable way to end his life, the prevailing morals, primarily attached to religious beliefs, would dispute such a stand. By exploring through a Christian or Buddhist point of view, George’s case raises moral questions in the practice of healthcare as it highlights the turbulence between faiths and individual beliefs in terms of religious interpretation, values, and ethical considerations.
Inter-Faith Interpretation of the Case
Both the Buddhists and Christians have different interpretations to illnesses. To Christians, the analogy is that if God loves his people, He should not let them suffer. Different perspectives have been attached to any kind of pain that Christians undergo. Popular among the reasons is the people live in a world that is indulged in illness and chronic suffering (Barry, 2011). Additionally, life and death are rites of passage that every individual will have to endure eventually. In such a sense, Christians view illness, life, or death as an innate element that is in-dissociable with the soul. Hence, George should treat his illness as a natural thing that is unavoidable.
The Christian interpretation of sickness expounds beyond the confines of life and death. The Bible emphasizes that death comes as a result of sin. In that sense, an individual who sins is susceptible to death. While there is no clear definition of what kinds of deaths can be triggered by particular sins, illness, being part of the death process, is integral to the analogy (Abdi, 2011). In that sense, Georg...