Dignified Death

When euthanasia is being legalized, the term dignified death is often used. A Christian would raise several questions for them. The first one is: Was Jesus’ death dignified to God? Jesus was spit on, humiliated, tortured, and given vinegar instead of water. Is this a dignified death?

No student is greater than his master

When the apostle Peter was crucified, he requested to be crucified upside down, because he did not consider himself worthy to die like Jesus. He knew that no student is greater than his master. (See Matthew 10:24) In Peter’s understanding, death by crucifixion was valuable. And for every Christian, every suffering, every crucifixion can be valuable. It is not a goal, but it can be made valuable. To recognize this, our perspective needs to be turned upside down compared to the modern man’s perspective.

Following a poet’s lead

For a long time, a text from Péter Popper circulated on the internet. The text was a dialogue he had with the famous psychologist János Pilinszky. It went like this:

“Once I was talking with János Pilinszky, the Catholic poet, and he remarked: ‘I hate you, “psycho” professionals. – Why do you hate us, János? – Because you burden people with great loads. You proclaim that every human problem has a solution. By doing this, you manage to make the majority of people feel that they are so stupid that they cannot solve their sexual problems, their relationship with their parents, their marriage, their existential issues, their political orientation, etc. – and they collapse.

In reality – Pilinszky said – most of life’s affairs are unsolvable. At most, they can be tolerated, more or less. There is a huge difference between us. You think that life has problems and needs solutions, I think that life has tragedies and requires mercy.’”

Stabbed to the heart, I staggered away from Pilinszky.”

I believe that the essence of carrying the cross can be understood from this dialogue. Most of life’s affairs are unsolvable, but tolerable. Most crosses – illness, loss, death – cannot be laid down. This does not mean that we should not constantly improve the success of medical procedures, but we must not forget that no matter what happens, we will die.

The Indians and the Apostle Paul

The Indians were proud of the injuries they suffered in battles. They did not cover up the scars, but made them visible. Their injuries were beautiful because they wanted to see them as beautiful. The Apostle Paul believed that our illnesses are valuable, because we can also say with him, “I make up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.” (Colossians 1:24) But these words are only for the faithful.

Euthanasia as Pandora’s Box

Those who do not believe in the resurrection of Jesus can also see the lessons of the history of euthanasia. In countries where euthanasia is allowed, it is always first subject to very strict rules, and it is really only permitted in the case of the most serious diseases. However, experience shows that the range of diseases for which it is extended is growing. In many countries, even patients with depression can now request their own death.

Even if patients start using this widely, psychiatrists can hang up their diplomas. And so can other medical specialists. Because if a patient suffering from an incurable illness can request euthanasia, then slowly but surely, every patient suffering from an incurable illness will have the right to it.

And I dare not even think about what will happen when it is not the patient, but their heirs who want to use the right…

Piroska Rákóczi