Do you think it’s right to tell a depressed person they’re better off dead?
That’s what Senate Bill 128 in California would do. So-called “terminal” patients (and how often this diagnosis has been refuted when desperate patients seek alternative treatments on their own) would be given a proposal of a lethal dose of drugs to “put you to sleep forever” (kill them) in bed.
In Oregon, which SB 128 is modeled after, physician-assisted suicide isn’t done for pain, but for loss of autonomy. In other words, doctors are killing depressed people. How much this violates long-held medical ethics and the sanctity of human life. The devil must love the State “offing” people before they have a chance to make peace with God on His terms.
Just the facts, ma’am: With Oregon’s physician-assisted suicide law, the large majority of patients who chose suicide didn’t complain about physical pain, but their main concerns were “losing autonomy” (93%), “less able to engage in activities making life enjoyable” (88%), and “loss of dignity” (73%). See the official Oregon stats. A 20-year-old incapacitated in the hospital after a motorcycle accident could cite the same concerns!
Despite these facts, after passing the Democrat-controlled Senate Health Committee on March 25, by my count, it’s virtually assured that SB 128’s physician-assisted suicide (PAS) will also be approved by the Democrat-controlled Judiciary Committee, and go to the Senate floor in May.
There, this suicide-promotion bill will likely pass by a narrow vote — unless there’s a big fight against it in Hispanic and culturally Catholic strongholds. I say this because if enough people in their districts rose up in protest, enough Democrat state senators could vote no. With a 40-member State Senate, a majority is 21, and by May the Democrats will hold 26 Senate seats.
Therefore, at least 6 of the following Democrats need to vote no, and all 14 Republican state senators also need to vote no, in order for SB 128 to be defeated by at least 1 vote on the Senate floor:
Hispanic / culturally Catholic districts:
Ben Hueso of San Diego and Imperial counties
916-651-4040, 619-409-7690, 760-335-3442
Tony Mendoza of L.A. County (Hacienda Heights, La Mirada, Lakewood, Downey, La Mirada) 916-651-4032, 323-890-2790
Connie Leyva of San Bernardino County (from Pomona to San Bernardino)
916-651-4020, 909-591-7016, 909-888-5360
Doctors or married to doctor (Calif. Medical Association opposes SB 128):
Richard Pan of Sacramento, West Sacramento, Elk Grove
916-651-4006, 916-651-1529, 916-262-2904
Robert Hertzberg of Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley
916-651-4018, 818-901-5588
Untested or wildcards:
Cathleen Galgiani of San Joaquin County (and surroundings)
916-651-4005, 209-948-7930, 209-576-6273
Ricardo Lara of Los Angeles’ southeast area (Vernon in north to Long Beach in south)
916-651-4033, 562-256-7921, 323-277-4560
Ben Allen of Los Angeles’ beach cities (Rancho Palos Verdes to Pacific Palisades, then westward to Hollywood)
916-651-4026, 310-318-6994
Richard Roth of Riverside County (from Corona to Moreno Valley and Perris) — although he supported SB 128 in committee, he’s in a swing district and “disappointed calls” could remove his support)
916-651-4031, 951-680-6750
If physician-assisted suicide passes the Senate, the only other place it can be defeated is in the 80-member Assembly, with younger, more pliable, and “less crusty” politicians. So please also urge your own assemblymember to vote no on SB 128.
The prohibition against killing legally innocent people is later formalised in the sixth commandment, ‘You shall not murder’ (Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17). The Hebrew word for ‘murder’ is ratsach (Greek phoneuo) and its meaning is further defined in four main passages in the Pentateuch (Exodus 21:12-14; Leviticus 24:17-21; Numbers 35:16-31; Deuteronomy 19:4-13).
These passages resolve any ambiguity for us and give a precise definition of what is prohibited, namely the ‘intentional killing of an innocent human being’ (Exodus 23:7; 2 Kings 21:16; Psalms 106:37,38; Jeremiah 19:4). Euthanasia clearly falls within this biblical definition. There is no provision for compassionate killing, even at the person’s request and there is no recognition of a ‘right to die’ as all human life belongs to God (Psalms 24:1). Our lives are not actually our own. Suicide (and therefore assisted suicide) is therefore equally wrong.
What Does the Bible Say About Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia?
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