SA国际传媒

By Lisa Zengarini

From a Christian point of view, 鈥渁ssisted suicide is not an ethically acceptable option."

The German Bishops鈥� Conference (DBK) spokesman Matthias Kopp reiterated that point in response to an article published Monday by the 鈥淔rankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung鈥� (Faz).

In the article, entitled 鈥淎llowing Medically Assisted Suicide鈥�, Prof. Dr. Reiner Anselm and Reverend Ulrich Lilie argue that: 鈥淐hurch institutions should guarantee the best possible palliative care, but not refuse assisted suicide and should offer advice, support and accompaniment to a people who wish to die, respecting their self-determination.鈥�

Ethically unacceptable

鈥淔rom a Christian point of view, people's freedom to decide for themselves at every stage of their life according to their personal ideas is very important鈥� and this applies to death too, providing the rule of law is respected, Kopp explains in a .

鈥淗owever, this does not make suicide an ethically acceptable option,鈥� the German bishops鈥� spokeman stresses. He also notes that research shows that the desire to end one's life is, in most cases, the result of fear, despair resulting from extreme situations, and therefore 鈥渃annot be understood as the expression of self-determination."

For this reason, he says, 鈥渢he desire to commit suicide cannot be accepted without asking questions, nor considered as a normal form of death.鈥� On the contrary, it is precisely in these "highly dramatic situations of life鈥� that 鈥渞espect of self-determination requires a special observation and an empathic attention."

The spokesman, therefore, reiterates the Church's position that 鈥渁llowing assisted suicide is not the right answer鈥� to the problem. 鈥淲hat is needed in these situations is not a help to die,鈥� but rather "support to develop prospects of life."

He also points out the risks of all sick people being pressured to give their consent to assisted suicide 鈥渟o as not to be a burden to others... This must not happen!" he says.

Pastoral care of the dying

Referring to the pastoral care for people with suicidal thoughts, Kopp further emphasizes that it 鈥渃annot be neutral.鈥�

鈥淚t approaches each person with an open mind while at the same time giving a Christian message of hope and is always on the side of life,鈥� he says. 鈥淧astors accept people for what they are while offering orientation. This is how the Catholic Church and charitable institutions promote life. Making it possible to offer assisted suicide in their facilities would incompatible with their nature.鈥�

Assisted suicide in Germany

Euthanasia in Germany is illegal according to the German Constitution.

However, in February last year the Federal Constitutional Court of Karlsruhe allowed pro-euthanasia associations that help people commit suicide to publicize their activities, declaring a law which was approved by the Bundestag (the German Parliament) in 2015 unconstitutional.