Religious leaders raise concerns on assisted suicide bill with MSPs

BY Ian Dunn | January 30 2015 | comments icon 0 COMMENTS print icon print

Religious leaders raise concerns on assisted suicide bill with MSPs

Religious leaders in Scotland have united to condemn plans to legalise assisted suicide in the country, warning that the proposed changes in the law are ‘dangerous’ and could create a ‘culture of suicide.’

On Tuesday the Scottish Parliament’s health and sport committee, which is examining the Assisted Suicide (Scotland) Bill, heard from a number of religious figures who expressed their fears over the proposed legislation. They also heard from palliative care experts who said this issue was better decided in the courts.

The proposed law, which is being taken forward by Green MSP Patrick Harvie (SCO interview coming next month), would allow those with terminal or life-shortening illnesses to obtain help in ending their life.

Bishop John Keenan of Paisley told the SCO that ‘while compassion may motivate those who seek to permit assisted suicide, we will have failed as a society when we concede that the only way to end suffering is death.’

“Such an admission would put us on a very dangerous path, one which many well intentioned supporters of this legislation may not even have considered,” he said. “Countries which have enacted such laws have seen the eligibility criteria expand and widen year by year, while social pressure on the elderly and the infirm subtly erodes their dignity. Compassion must underpin our approach to those who are suffering, together with a clear understanding that life is inviolable always and everywhere.”

The Church in Scotland has resolutely opposed the law. The Rev Sally Foster-Fulton, convener of the Church of Scotland’s church and society council, warned that ‘once that legislative genie is out of the bottle you can’t get it back.’

At the Scottish Parliament this week, other religious leaders took a similar line. Ephraim Borowski, director of the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities referred to Holocaust Memorial Day to make ‘a point about practicalities rather than principles.’

Dr Salah Beltagui, a member of the Muslim Council of Scotland’s standing committee on parliamentary affairs, told MSPs that the legislation would create a ‘culture of suicide.’

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—Read the full version of this story in January 30 edition of the SCO in parishes from Friday.