Christian campaigners distort facts on Assisted Dying Bill, says report
-10/05/06
New
Christian campaigners distort facts on Assisted Dying Bill, says report
-10/05/06
New research published this week accuses ìunrepresentative Christian groupsî of scare-mongering about the Assisted Dying Bill, days ahead of a critical debate in the House of Lords. It also reports the huge funds available to religious groups campaigning against the Bill.
The report, ëIn Bad Faithí, has been published by the British Humanist Association. It contains what it says are scores of examples of systematic fear-mongering, abuse, misinformation, bullying and hypocrisy by religious groups and leaders. And it says that the voices of a majority of Christians are being deliberately ignored
Hanne Stinson, the BHAís Executive Director, comments: ìOur research shows Christian groups repeatedly telling the elderly that their children want to kill them for their inheritance or because they are a burden; that suffering is good for us; that weíll soon be killing babies, and that the health services will kill people to save money and free up hospital beds. This is a concerted attempt to scare the public about a compassionate Bill with extremely tight safeguards against abuse.î
She continues: ìAssisted dying is an important but also a highly emotive issue. These groups are pouring their enormous resources into a campaign that seems designed to ensure that open and honest debate is impossible. Why? I have to assume it’s because they know that with around 80% of the population, including some 80% of Christians, wanting an Assisted Dying Bill, they cannot win that debate.î
Ms Stinson emphasises that the report is not motivated by anti-religious sentiment. ìWe [at the British Humanist Association] agree with religious organisations on some issues, and disagree on others ñ but where we disagree, we usually find that we can discuss issues constructively, and we can often find common ground, even if we sometimes have to agree to differ. We do not believe in criticising or attacking any religious group, unless we genuinely believe that what they are doing actually causes harm.î
BHAís study shows that faith-based campaigning groups have an annual income of at least £11.8 million, without counting Anglican or Catholic funding. The Catholic Church is spending hundreds of thousands more on what is described as the biggest political campaign in the Churchís history.
Research of coverage in the Christian press over a two-year period shows that 82% of news coverage was not balanced. 76% of Church Times readers disagree with the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Head of the Catholic Church that a right to die would create a duty to die (their central argument), but the religious press carefully avoids saying anything about Christians who support the Bill, says the BHA.
As reported on Ekklesia, the Modern Churchpeopleís Union (MCU), a historic society to promote open theological debate within the Church of England, is one of the religious bodies to have come out broadly in favour of Lord Joffeís Bill.
In a detailed submission on MCUís behalf to the Select Committee on the Assisted Dying for the Terminally Ill Bill, Professor Paul Badham, who holds the Chair for Theology and Religious Studies in the University of Wales, argues for a ìgood deathî as a legitimate Christian option and understanding.
He writes: ìIt is interesting that, though historically Jesus died a cruel death at the hands of his enemies, the fourth Gospel presents it as his own choice: ëNo one takes it from me. I lay it down of my own accord.í From a Christian perspective death is not viewed as a disaster, but as gateway to fuller life. In the early Church this was very firmly believed.î
Dr Badham goes on to argue that ìbefore St. Augustine changed Christian attitudes to this question, many of the early Christians continued to hold the stoic understanding of suicide as, ëa noble deathí. The beliefs of the early Christians provide an interesting counter balance to those of their successors today who give priority to the prolongation of life at all costs.î
However MCU argues that legislation on the matter needs to be carefully controlled and monitored, arguing against a time limit on any declaration of intent which ìmay put pressure on a patient to ask for implementation of assisted suicide before that date.î
The BHAís Hanne Stinson says: ìSurveys of [church press readers] and other opinion polls show that the majority of Christians agree with us and with the rest of the public that it is time for a more compassionate approach to people who are terminally ill and suffering unbearably. The views of millions of Christians are being ignored by their own religious leaders and the religious press.î
Only two of the ten religious press researched are subject to Press Complaints Commission (PCC) oversight. Ms Stinson confirmed she has made a complaint to the PCC about the Church Times, and has raised the issue of the religious mediaís accountability with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.
She added: ìChristian campaigning groups and religious leaders seem to show little compassion for the terminally ill and their relatives, and want to deny everyone, religious or non-religious, who is terminally ill and has decided that they do not wish to suffer any more, any right to choose to die peacefully and with dignity.î
Commented Ekklesia director Simon Barrow: ìThis new report will make uncomfortable reading for some in the churches, assuming as they do that the moral compass points unequivocally in their direction on this issue. But it is an important document ñ and its concern for truth and compassion is one all Christians should share.î
He added: ìSpeaking personally, and though I support its intent, I retain some mixed feelings about the Joffe Bill. It must surely be of concern that medical opinion is much divided and that the vast majority of disability groups remain fearful. Nevertheless, it is a serious matter when money, power, coercion and emotion overcome thought and mutual regard in any debate ñ especially in the name of religion.î
Says Barrow: ìIf the bill does pass through parliament, the safeguards will obviously be vital. Whatever happens, the churches and Christian groups need a much more compassionate and rounded practical and theological approach to decisions concerning the beginning and ending of life. We need to be clear that the Gospel is about life in all its fullness, not life at any price. And that it is never about manipulation.î
Meanwhile the Modern Churchpeopleís Union argues that the Joffe Bill offers a positive opportunity. Says Professor Badham: ìHistorically it used to be the practice of all believers to summon a priest when death was thought near, so that the patient could be given the last rites, and die surrounded by an atmosphere of prayer and worship, as well as in the presence of family and friends. Modern technology has largely taken away that option. Most die alone in a hospital bed so attached to saline drips and other support systems that the older death-bed scene ceases to be possible.î
The MCU concludes: ì[I]f one were allowed and assisted to face the reality of the inevitable it would be possible for death to become an affirmation. One could imagine a situation where a Christian could say goodbye to family and friends, a Holy Communion service could be celebrated at the believer’s bedside, and he or she could be given the last rites in preparation for the journey through death to the life immortal. In a context of faith this would seem a more Christian way of death than the present lonely extension of the dying process.î
The full ‘In Bad Faith’ report is available here. See also the text of Hanne Stinson’s presentation and Professor Paul Badham’s Modern Churchpeople’s Union submission on assisted dying.
[Also from Ekklesia: Faith leaders back palliative care as ëassisted dyingí row continues; Adviser to Archbishop of Canterbury says mercy killing may be OK; Methodists make euthanasia submission; Medics say not only religious minority oppose euthanasia; Euthanasia may be on the increase as British couple commit suicide; Amendment defeated but Government offers concessions over Mental Capacity Bill; Campaigner’s disquiet at passing of Mental Capacity Bill; Outrage from churches over euthanasia on newborns]
Christian campaigners distort facts on Assisted Dying Bill, says report
-10/05/06
New research published this week accuses ìunrepresentative Christian groupsî of scare-mongering about the Assisted Dying Bill, days ahead of a critical debate in the House of Lords. It also reports the huge funds available to religious groups campaigning against the Bill.
The report, ëIn Bad Faithí, has been published by the British Humanist Association. It contains what it says are scores of examples of systematic fear-mongering, abuse, misinformation, bullying and hypocrisy by religious groups and leaders. And it says that the voices of a majority of Christians are being deliberately ignored
Hanne Stinson, the BHAís Executive Director, comments: ìOur research shows Christian groups repeatedly telling the elderly that their children want to kill them for their inheritance or because they are a burden; that suffering is good for us; that weíll soon be killing babies, and that the health services will kill people to save money and free up hospital beds. This is a concerted attempt to scare the public about a compassionate Bill with extremely tight safeguards against abuse.î
She continues: ìAssisted dying is an important but also a highly emotive issue. These groups are pouring their enormous resources into a campaign that seems designed to ensure that open and honest debate is impossible. Why? I have to assume it’s because they know that with around 80% of the population, including some 80% of Christians, wanting an Assisted Dying Bill, they cannot win that debate.î
Ms Stinson emphasises that the report is not motivated by anti-religious sentiment. ìWe [at the British Humanist Association] agree with religious organisations on some issues, and disagree on others ñ but where we disagree, we usually find that we can discuss issues constructively, and we can often find common ground, even if we sometimes have to agree to differ. We do not believe in criticising or attacking any religious group, unless we genuinely believe that what they are doing actually causes harm.î
BHAís study shows that faith-based campaigning groups have an annual income of at least £11.8 million, without counting Anglican or Catholic funding. The Catholic Church is spending hundreds of thousands more on what is described as the biggest political campaign in the Churchís history.
Research of coverage in the Christian press over a two-year period shows that 82% of news coverage was not balanced. 76% of Church Times readers disagree with the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Head of the Catholic Church that a right to die would create a duty to die (their central argument), but the religious press carefully avoids saying anything about Christians who support the Bill, says the BHA.
As reported on Ekklesia, the Modern Churchpeopleís Union (MCU), a historic society to promote open theological debate within the Church of England, is one of the religious bodies to have come out broadly in favour of Lord Joffeís Bill.
In a detailed submission on MCUís behalf to the Select Committee on the Assisted Dying for the Terminally Ill Bill, Professor Paul Badham, who holds the Chair for Theology and Religious Studies in the University of Wales, argues for a ìgood deathî as a legitimate Christian option and understanding.
He writes: ìIt is interesting that, though historically Jesus died a cruel death at the hands of his enemies, the fourth Gospel presents it as his own choice: ëNo one takes it from me. I lay it down of my own accord.í From a Christian perspective death is not viewed as a disaster, but as gateway to fuller life. In the early Church this was very firmly believed.î
Dr Badham goes on to argue that ìbefore St. Augustine changed Christian attitudes to this question, many of the early Christians continued to hold the stoic understanding of suicide as, ëa noble deathí. The beliefs of the early Christians provide an interesting counter balance to those of their successors today who give priority to the prolongation of life at all costs.î
However MCU argues that legislation on the matter needs to be carefully controlled and monitored, arguing against a time limit on any declaration of intent which ìmay put pressure on a patient to ask for implementation of assisted suicide before that date.î
The BHAís Hanne Stinson says: ìSurveys of [church press readers] and other opinion polls show that the majority of Christians agree with us and with the rest of the public that it is time for a more compassionate approach to people who are terminally ill and suffering unbearably. The views of millions of Christians are being ignored by their own religious leaders and the religious press.î
Only two of the ten religious press researched are subject to Press Complaints Commission (PCC) oversight. Ms Stinson confirmed she has made a complaint to the PCC about the Church Times, and has raised the issue of the religious mediaís accountability with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.
She added: ìChristian campaigning groups and religious leaders seem to show little compassion for the terminally ill and their relatives, and want to deny everyone, religious or non-religious, who is terminally ill and has decided that they do not wish to suffer any more, any right to choose to die peacefully and with dignity.î
Commented Ekklesia director Simon Barrow: ìThis new report will make uncomfortable reading for some in the churches, assuming as they do that the moral compass points unequivocally in their direction on this issue. But it is an important document ñ and its concern for truth and compassion is one all Christians should share.î
He added: ìSpeaking personally, and though I support its intent, I retain some mixed feelings about the Joffe Bill. It must surely be of concern that medical opinion is much divided and that the vast majority of disability groups remain fearful. Nevertheless, it is a serious matter when money, power, coercion and emotion overcome thought and mutual regard in any debate ñ especially in the name of religion.î
Says Barrow: ìIf the bill does pass through parliament, the safeguards will obviously be vital. Whatever happens, the churches and Christian groups need a much more compassionate and rounded practical and theological approach to decisions concerning the beginning and ending of life. We need to be clear that the Gospel is about life in all its fullness, not life at any price. And that it is never about manipulation.î
Meanwhile the Modern Churchpeopleís Union argues that the Joffe Bill offers a positive opportunity. Says Professor Badham: ìHistorically it used to be the practice of all believers to summon a priest when death was thought near, so that the patient could be given the last rites, and die surrounded by an atmosphere of prayer and worship, as well as in the presence of family and friends. Modern technology has largely taken away that option. Most die alone in a hospital bed so attached to saline drips and other support systems that the older death-bed scene ceases to be possible.î
The MCU concludes: ì[I]f one were allowed and assisted to face the reality of the inevitable it would be possible for death to become an affirmation. One could imagine a situation where a Christian could say goodbye to family and friends, a Holy Communion service could be celebrated at the believer’s bedside, and he or she could be given the last rites in preparation for the journey through death to the life immortal. In a context of faith this would seem a more Christian way of death than the present lonely extension of the dying process.î
The full ‘In Bad Faith’ report is available here. See also the text of Hanne Stinson’s presentation and Professor Paul Badham’s Modern Churchpeople’s Union submission on assisted dying.
[Also from Ekklesia: Faith leaders back palliative care as ëassisted dyingí row continues; Adviser to Archbishop of Canterbury says mercy killing may be OK; Methodists make euthanasia submission; Medics say not only religious minority oppose euthanasia; Euthanasia may be on the increase as British couple commit suicide; Amendment defeated but Government offers concessions over Mental Capacity Bill; Campaigner’s disquiet at passing of Mental Capacity Bill; Outrage from churches over euthanasia on newborns]