Euthanaisa

[kullykhalsa]

there is a reason euthanasia isnt legalised here for some people would exploit it. All those people who think they have it bad may just go to a clinic and end their lives. However if there was a rigourous process which showed your quality of life was poor and that the chance of improvement was low then i would be for it.

[TheFancyBanana]

what about animals? if you had a really ill pet. would you choose to kill it?

[Super_Singhni]

I think its a whole different ball game if you bring animals into the discussion, we as their keepers, their owners are making that decision for them....who knows what they would want? Who knows how much pain they are in?

[Wingz23]

i did a project on this in college.. i think that every person is their own... if someone wants to die it is their own buisness. i mena i would rather die than suffer in pain and if sombody wanted to die then it should be their own choice... who are we to decide whether or not to keep somone alive, obviously the same question can be reversed meniang who are we to kill someone... but if someone wants to die... let them.. euthanasia is a series case many peoepl just think its wrong ebcuase of the word kill.. already it becomes voilence.. people need to look more into the facts and realise that euthanasia is just as sad as someone dying normally.. only a victim of euthanasia can give an honest opinion and this... if somone wants to die it should be there own choice... obvuiously theres other things like god and killing yourself is seen as a sin but we cant all be the same.. if we were life would be flmain boring.. but thats just my opinon.

Fateh

[Only five]

Does anyone know what it means to live in this world? If you don't then how can you answer the OP's question? Not talking down to the other posters. Bhagat Kabir Ji Maharaj with Gurbani tells us how to live. Let's remind ourselves this is a Sikh forum. Before answering do some research on what Guru Sahib says about this. You never know who can be reading your reply and taking it as a "good idea".

Many people in our day and age are stuck in depression and are willing to exist this world. Gurbani does not approve of a person taking their own life. Gurbani tells us how to live not how to avoid life. Life is a gift regardless what obstacle you face in life.

If you face a difficult obstacle in life, then clutch your hands together and say this is sweet to me as you (Vaheguru) only do good in this world. If you can say this with utmost humility, then in that moment you have recieved the biggest reward of life. Those who have lost everything and then bowed at Maharaj's feet are the luckiest people in the world. They know what it means to live in this world. Bow with your mind to what Akal Purakh does for us. Hard? not if you are constantly listening to or reading Gurbani or thinking about Sri Vaheguru Ji Maharaj.

Those who think euthanaisa is correct. Sit down and ask yourself what is worth living for in this world? Then ask what makes you get up in the morning everyday. It will be a worldly item (something that dies with time), so consider yourself already dead. You agree with euthanaisa because you already did it, without knowing it. Again not speaking down to you.

Gurbani tells us pain is the medicine and pleasure is the disease. This is a Sikh forum.

[kullykhalsa]

agree with a lot of what only five says however unless you live in that persons circumstances than who are we to judge their choices.

Im not saying if your depressed you should be given the chance to kill yourself but each cicumstance should be taken into account sikhi doesnt cover every situation you will ever encounter in life sometimes it comes down to common sense (refer to the case of nanc ruzan below)

Nancy Cruzan lost control of her car one day in January 1983 in Missouri. When the paramedics arrived, they were able to restore her breathing and heartbeat and she was transported, unconscious, to hospital. She continued to be fed through a surgically- implanted gastrostomy tube. After several years, a court found that, although her respiration and circulation continued unaided, she was oblivious to her surroundings except for reflexive responses to sound and perhaps painful stimuli; her brain had degenerated, irreversibly; she was a spastic quadriplegic; she suffered contraction of her four extremities, with irreversible muscle and tendon damage; and had no cognitive or reflex ability to swallow food or water or to maintain her essential daily needs nor would she ever recover such an ability. She lay in persistent vegetative state even though she had told her housemate that, if sick or injured, she would not wish to continue her life unless she could live "at least halfway normal."

[Super_Singhni]

Only Five, in regards to the first sentence in your post - Does anyone know what it means to live in this world? Do you need to know what its like to live to die? As referring back to the OP question, they asked ''do people have a right to kill themselves if they're dying?''

How do you define living? A baby born prematurely and is suffering from so many illness/infection/under developed vital organs and are very likely to die sooner rather than later, are they classed as having lived?

I can only speak for my own posts but nowhere did I say euthanasia was a ''good idea'' so please do not speak for me or misinterpret things. Also as Sikhs my view is that we are students and innate in us is to question and debate as well, and you seem quite close minded and opposed to this. No offence, of course. When we come to decisions based on our understanding of what WE have researched from Gurbani, Sangat, our life experiences that decision is more likely to be upheld and motivate us to change (for whatever reason, in this case deciding about euthanasia). Also with reference to your comment regarding depression, it may be that the person suffering from depression may have a life limiting illness such as incurable cancer, brain tumour etc. Anyway, my view that it is up to the person still remains as we are not experiencing their pain and cannot fathom how they are feeling. Who are we to judge, surely only Vaheguru has a say here?

[Only five]

Only Five, in regards to the first sentence in your post - Does anyone know what it means to live in this world? Do you need to know what its like to live to die?

I'll make the question clearer: Is suffering a reality or a illusion? Think back to Sikh history with Sikhs and Guru Sahib!!!

As referring back to the OP question, they asked ''do people have a right to kill themselves if they're dying?''

How do you define living?

A more appropriate question would be to ask, how does Gurbani define living? Forget what i think. What i think is useless and doesn't count for anything in this world or the next. Again i will repeat this is a Sikh forum. :biggrin2:

A baby born prematurely and is suffering from so many illness/infection/under developed vital organs and are very likely to die sooner rather than later, are they classed as having lived?

Satguru Sri Guru Arjan Dev ji Maharaj sitting on the hot plate while hot sand is being poured over him.....his skin has blisters on it and is ready to come off like a piece of clothing. Is this classed as having lived? The flamingoes fly away hundreds miles leave there young ones behind, who feeds them, who teaches them to feed themselves, have you ever thought of this in your mind? There is a not a place or thing in this world that Sri Vaheguru Ji Maharaj doesn't sit in and is the support of. Develop the eyes to see such beauty, such amazing acts. He never departs he never comes or goes.

I can only speak for my own posts but nowhere did I say euthanasia was a ''good idea'' so please do not speak for me or misinterpret things. Also as Sikhs my view is that we are students and innate in us is to question and debate as well, and you seem quite close minded and opposed to this. No offence, of course.

I never said you said it was a good idea. I think you have not done sangat of Gursikhs. Sitting with Gursikhs all we do is question and then recieve answers. But the answers are not personal opinions or what the Gursikhs think of on the spot. They are answers which come from Gurbani, Bhai Gurdas ji's Vaars, and Sikh history. These answers have merit behind them. And if the Gursikhs don't know the answer then they give the advice to go ask a Gurmukh or give directions where the answer would be most likely.

When we come to decisions based on our understanding of what WE have researched from Gurbani, Sangat, our life experiences that decision is more likely to be upheld and motivate us to change (for whatever reason, in this case deciding about euthanasia).

Do you listen to Katha of Gurbani?

Also with reference to your comment regarding depression, it may be that the person suffering from depression may have a life limiting illness such as incurable cancer, brain tumour etc. Anyway, my view that it is up to the person still remains as we are not experiencing their pain and cannot fathom how they are feeling. Who are we to judge, surely only Vaheguru has a say here?

Again this is a Sikh forum so please leave the judging to Gurbani, a true judge. Why put your two cents in when we have a true judge at our finger tips? Or is it the ego which makes us want to put our two cents in? The demon thought after long meditation that the body was Brahmin (God), Indra didn't stop here, Indra new this answer was wrong and kept on meditating.

I don\t want to argue.....if you think your two cents count, then more power to you!!!

[kullykhalsa]

Wow only five although your post answers all the questions above it is incredably ignorant and self sufficing.

Instead of asking others if they listen to katha...perhaps you should open your mind and think if YOUR INTERPRETATIONS are correct

Perhaps instead of reiterating this is a sikh forum you should realise that it i again only your interpretation of gurbani you are putting across it is not gospel instead you are subject to interpretating bani in the same way as us all with bias.

The thing that is prevelant in most of your posts is your ego. We are all brothers and sisters is this how you would speak to your family with snide remarks?

[Super_Singhni]

Only five, thank you.