Back in November, our dog, a beloved family member for the last fourteen years, was put to sleep (as recommended by our veterinarian). We didn’t have to do this, but having him suffer was awful for him, the kids, and all of us. As heart-wrenching as that day was, it felt like the right thing to do.

For dogs, euthanasia seems to be pretty well accepted. None of our family and friends looked as us strangely when they heard the news or turned a cold shoulder or condemned us. For people, however, euthanasia is anything but accepted. As far as I know, it is illegal in most Western countries and forbidden by Christianity.

A bill on assisted suicide for the terminally ill has recently been proposed to the Scottish parliament. Pope Benedict, as you might expect, is not pleased:

“Support for euthanasia strikes at the very heart of the Christian understanding of the dignity of human life.”

His quote, when you look at it by itself, almost sounds in favor of euthanasia (dying with dignity is one of the pro arguments), but believe me, it’s not. I can’t recall Jesus talking about this topic in any of the Gospels. If I missed something, please let me know by posting a comment.