{"id":284947,"date":"2023-02-09T08:36:48","date_gmt":"2023-02-09T14:36:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/?p=284947"},"modified":"2023-02-08T14:58:55","modified_gmt":"2023-02-08T20:58:55","slug":"united-church-canada-offers-euthanasia-prayers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.liveaction.org\/news\/united-church-canada-offers-euthanasia-prayers\/","title":{"rendered":"United Church of Canada approves prayers for medically-assisted dying as the ‘compassion of Jesus’"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>

The United Church of Canada has approved a collection of <\/span>prayers<\/span><\/a> for \u201cthose in great pain and those ready to die,\u201d including people who have \u201cchosen medically assisted dying,\u201d as well as \u201c<\/span>those<\/span><\/a> who will accompany, support, and help them in practical ways to die.\u201d Canada has legally <\/span>permitted<\/span><\/a> physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia under its Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) program since 2016.<\/span><\/p>\n

The <\/span>list<\/span><\/a> of prayers is preceded by a <\/span>document<\/span><\/a> entitled \u201cPain, Dying, and Our Understanding of God,\u201d which is intended to provide \u201c[s]ome explanation of the theology behind the prayers.\u201d This document states: \u201cIn Jesus the Christ, his teaching, his tragic death, and the way he overcame death we can understand God\u2019s pattern worked out in full humanity.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

As Mark Tooley pointed out on the Institute on Religion & Democracy\u2019s <\/span>blog<\/span><\/a>, however, this statement is particularly ironic because \u201cJesus, who suffered more than any other human, did not Himself seek assisted suicide.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This position document, and the euthanasia-specific prayers, were co-written by Sheila Noyes, former co-president of Dying With Dignity Canada. Noyes once <\/span>wrote<\/span><\/a> in favor of \u201cforc[ing] faith-based institutions to offer assisted dying,\u201d calling those institutions which invoke conscience protections the \u201cantithesis of anything Christ-like[.]\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Walgreens<\/a><\/p>\n

The prayers themselves appear to sugar-coat and even glorify assisted suicide and euthanasia. \u201c<\/span>Prayer Following the Decision by a Suffering Person to End Their Life<\/span><\/a>\u201d insinuates that physician-assisted death is superior to natural death, and that those who <\/span>don\u2019t<\/span><\/i> choose euthanasia lack courage: \u201cWe pray for others we know who are dying, that they may have the courage and the encouragement to decide for themselves when they must die.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>Prayer of a Medical Professional<\/span><\/a>\u201d implies that doctors who kill their patients have a divine commission: \u201cI am doing your compassionate work, Loving God.\u201d And \u201c<\/span>Prayer in the Midst of Fear<\/span><\/a>\u201d insinuates that euthanasia can get one closer to God: \u201cI feel that fear throws up a barrier between you and me, Loving God, a barrier so hard to penetrate, and I want that barrier down.\u201d It also expresses the wish that loved ones \u201cwill be proud of my decision and will understand that MAID is consistent with the love and compassion of Jesus.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Presumably, they are referring to the same Jesus who cured the sick and resurrected the dead.<\/span><\/p>\n

The reality of assisted suicide and euthanasia in Canada is far from the rosy picture painted by the United Church of Canada\u2019s related prayers. Reports of patients being <\/span>pressured<\/span><\/a> into accepting MAiD instead of the legitimate medical <\/span>treatment<\/span><\/a> they were seeking are not uncommon. Furthermore, incurable illness is <\/span>not<\/span><\/i> the sole reason people seek \u2013 and receive \u2013 MAiD. In <\/span>17.3%<\/span><\/a> of MAiD deaths for 2021, \u201cisolation and loneliness\u201d was cited as the primary reason. People have also sought MAiD for <\/span>homelessness<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>financial strain<\/span><\/a>, and even anxiety over <\/span>climate change<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Did you know that as little as $10 a month is enough to reach more than 3,000 moms and dads with the truth about abortion this year? Click here to start saving lives 365 days a year.<\/i><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The United Church of Canada has approved a collection of prayers for \u201cthose in great pain and those ready to die,\u201d including people who have \u201cchosen medically assisted dying,\u201d as well as \u201cthose who will accompany, support, and help them in practical ways to die.\u201d Canada has legally permitted physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia under its […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":788,"featured_media":284950,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false},"categories":[4,3473],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nUnited Church of Canada approves prayers for medically-assisted dying as the 'compassion of Jesus'<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"\u201cPrayer of a Medical Professional\u201d implies that doctors who kill their patients have a divine commission: \u201cI am doing your compassionate work, Loving God.\u201d\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, 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