What Does Dying with Dignity Mean?

In the Catholic Peace weekly column and editorial, we have the issue of active euthanasia and assisted suicide visited again.
 

 "Please allow active euthanasia and assisted suicide in Korea too", "Why don't we have the right to die?" These are the articles posted on the petition bulletin board of the Blue House a few years ago. A research team at Seoul National University Hospital surveyed 1,000 people and published it in May. It was found that more than 7 out of 10 were in favor of legislating euthanasia or doctor-assisted suicide.

Reasons in favor were 'because the rest of one's life is meaningless, 'the right to die with dignity, and 'pain relief'. On the 15th, the doctor-assisted suicide bill was proposed to the National Assembly. It is the first for Korea. A member of the Democratic Party of Korea who proposed the bill along with 11 fellow lawmakers, cited the rising public opinion in favor of euthanasia as one of the reasons for the bill. Along with the expression for assistance for 'death with dignity.

How should we respond to the argument that euthanasia should be legislated because "there is no meaning in living" or "the public opinion in favor of euthanasia is high"? The priest head of the Catholic Bioethics Institute, put it this way: "It's necessary to think carefully about whether life and its value come from our economic efficiency and the comfort that materials bring to us." Moreover, it is not justified to regard death as one's right and to legalize it based on public opinion. In February, Pope Francis said: "We should be with those who are about to die, but we should not do anything that causes death or aids suicide."

Taking one's own life or the life of an innocent person in any way is not a 'freedom' or 'right' but a 'sin'. How can we say that the act of hastening death with the help of someone is humane and dignified? It is at least an unacceptable argument for Christians who believe and confess that God is the master of life— we need to say 'no' firmly to 'false mercy'? 

If the bill is passed, Korea will become a country that allows assisted suicide like many European countries, such as Switzerland and Belgium.

However, considering that 76.3% of the people are positive about assisted suicide, an appropriate alternative is needed. Many experts are suggesting hospice palliative care as an alternative. Currently, our hospice situation is poor. The ward utilization rate is 23% based on cancer patients. This is significantly lower than the UK, which is 95%.

This year's budget is only 9.6 billion won. If the 'well-dying system', which makes the rest of life meaningful, is not properly maintained, the demand for euthanasia or assisted suicide will intensify. The government and the National Assembly should strengthen hospice and palliative care services rather than enact controversial bills. It is time for churches and believers to take an active role in improving the hospice system along with opposition to the bill.