Death with Dignity

by onacruse 30 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  FlyingHighNow

  If termination of our existing lives is the black void of nothingness and an extinguishing of consciousness , then I agree; there is no dignity in death.

  Franklin, it's because of the incredible depths of love that we feel for family members, friends and even strangers that I believe there has to be more than this. Why does it hurt so much to lose people to death if this is all there is? When I think of the genius of people like John Lennon, George Harrison, Jimi Hendrix, Beethoven, Vincent Van Gogh, I don't think that incredible talent dies and is wasted at death. I hope not anyway. If it is then that would make whoever it is that put us all here the cruelist of cruel.
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  StinkyPantz

  To die because a procedure was refused that could have saved someone, in my perspective would be undignified.

  I think that dignity in life far outweighs any dignity that can be had in death. To refuse a medical procedure that would most likely allow you to live many more fulfilling years is not only a slap in the face to people that love you and want you around, but also conveys a sense of low self-worth IMO. I see no dignity in this whatsoever. That being said, if having a life-saving medical procedure that could add many more enjoyable years to life is undignified, so be it.

  That being said, to die in a dignified way is something I want. I plan to donate my body to science as a gesture that hopefully supports this.

  Can suicide be dignified?
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  FlyingHighNow

  Can suicide be dignified?

  Kavorkian sure thinks so. I have been very sick before and in a lot of pain before. I remember thinking when I was in that state that if I had to live each day in such misery that death would be a welcome friend. I do understand when someone has no hope of ever recovering. When they are in pain or feel horribly nautious or dizzy every single moment of their lives, that dying would be the lesser of the indignities.
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  StinkyPantz

  Flyin-

  I also think their are some occasions when suicide could be dignified. In addition to what you said, and some might hate me for this, but I think it would show some dignity if a person who say, couldn't resist molesting children, did it.

  I don't think though, that refusing medical treatment that could allow you to lead a semi-normal, healthy life is dignified. Of course, I have not closed my mind to the possibility, I just haven't heard a decent reason to change my mind.
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  minimus

  I'm with Random. It seems like the logic is once again flawed.
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  FlyingHighNow

  but I think it would show some dignity if a person who say, couldn't resist molesting children, did it.

  There was a man in Indiana who was executed for murdering a mother and her young children. He said he wasn't sorry for what he did and he would just keep murdering if he was out and free. He also said he was glad they were putting him to death. This was the guy who picked the mom and little kids up when their car was broken down by the interstate. He took them to a lake, raped and murdered the mother in front of her children and then threw them off into the lake to drown.
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  jgnat

  I think I am gonna get this for my Myrna-mom.

  The Anatomy of Hope : How People Prevail in the Face of Illnessby JEROME GROOPMAN
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  Princess

  I would be mad as hell if Steve made me watch him die needlessly when he only needed a transfusion or transplant. I don't agree that it's dignified, it seems selfish to me. God gave men the knowledge and ability to prolong life with these methods, it seems almost disrespecful to refuse to take advantage of them. It's as if you don't value your own life enough to prolong it.

  My aunt died because she bled out in childbirth. She was a witness and they refused blood. My uncle is horribly bitter and his whole life changed forever with that one decision that he will regret his entire life. His two young daughters were left without a mother. Did she die with dignity? Yes. But it was an unncessary death that easily could have been avoided with a blood transfusion.

  Your life affects others, so does your death.
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  frenchbabyface

  I don't know what you mean by dignity exactly (in English) ... but to me dignity is not related to others, or suffering, or body decomposition, to me dignity is related to the way the one who's in trouble his handeling the whole thing depends on the means and every details of the situation (in the way we do expect or not, cause we don't have the details ... we can't even judged - and more over when they're is lots of pain). Also sickness or death itself is not a choice neither on the how than on the when

  The undignify things I've seen in hospital was most related to some peoples, relatives, nurses or doctors actions, reactions (I've never fell or seen a patient that I could think something like that about till now).
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  FlyingHighNow

  Your life affects others, so does your death.

  Very profound. Puts everything in a nutshell.

  Princess, sounds to me like your aunt's death was mistaken dignity and not real dignity. Did the baby die, too? Or was the baby left to always ache for the mother it never has known?