This one vastly publicised situation has brought out not one but multiple situations that are related.
In no particular order (other than the one that they popped into my head)
Does a person have a right to die?
If no, then end of discussion and medical people / family MUST expend everything to maintain any life no matter how low functioning it is.
If a person HAS a right to die, what method should be allowed?
We currently hold it is a blessing or mercy to cause an animal to die when they are in pain and there is no "reasonable" (slippery I know) hope of any comfortable or quality life.
Do Doctors have an obligation to "do no harm" that supercedes any desires on the part of the patient? Does forcing a patient to continue to exist constitute "harm"?
When does a patient REQUIRE a guardian? Is this a purely medical call or mental facility call?
Seagoon, carrying on one of your points. It is the will of God that life is granted. I accept that at face value. Does using exteme medical advances to proplong a life that would naturally cease mean that the medical community and family are acting in contravention of "God's will"? If God set the situation for a life that would certainly end had it happened in the time of Christ, are we acting against Gods wishes by using modern medical practices to force that life to continue?
I realise the above situation is extremely slippery not only based on the examination of it but also on the basis of the article (Doctor Nazi's, albeit an editorial or opinion piece) Seagoon provided but also in the fight against disease. Example, if a patient contracts Cancer is it against "God's will" to treat it?
Does God recognise or condone ending ones life in any case? I'm not talking about taking anothers life, I mean deciding to end your own. I know that it is considered wrong in general Christian terms and certainly the Catholic church considers it a "mortal sin" (the most grievous kind) to commit suicide under any circumstances.
If medical assistance IS allowed for euthanasia on the part of a patient requesting it (or guardian) what is the basis for making that possible? Is there a legally (morally / ethical) definable and defendable as well as medical basis that can be made to authorize it? Who gets the final say?
There is more to the situation I know but these were the main points that kept coming up in my own mind.
For myself and my wife, we have "living wills" that spell out our wishes. We have discussed this issue and neither one of us wishes to continue to merely "exist" when there is no hope of having anything resembling what we feel is a true life experiance. That may be a bad situation for our "here after" but that is the decision that we feel is correct.
Feel free to comment but please try to be adult about it and not merely flame.