Let reason, not religion, govern the aid-in-dying issue

[trotsky]

https://ctmirror.org/category/ct-viewpoints/opinion-patrick-mccann/

(CONNECTICUT) The Medical Aid in Dying bill (HB 5898) once again didn’t make it out of committee this year. Be that as it may, I was appalled to learn from State Rep. Jonathan Steinberg, quoted in this publication that, “strongly held” religious beliefs among lawmakers, coupled with concerns from people with disabilities, prevented the bill from advancing to the House floor.”

Let’s be frank and parse these out. How dare any state legislator push their “strongly held” religious beliefs on anyone in Connecticut by using it to decide legislative or policy issues? This is not Mississippi. A national poll in 2016 by PEW Research found that Connecticut is the 47th most religious state in the country. That puts us damn near the bottom (pun intended). And in 2018, GALLUP found that Connecticut is 42 percent non-religious, far above the 35 percent that claim to be Catholic. The remainder of Connecticut is a smattering of Protestant, Mormon, Eastern Orthodox, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Jain, Sikh, Baha’i, Zoroastrian, Taoism, Confucianism, Shinto, Unitarian, etc.

Again, I ask how dare any state legislator use their singular strongly held religious belief to impose their will on the people of Connecticut who by a clear two-to-one margin want this legislation?

Speaking of Catholics, news story after news story has come out about how the Catholic Church is a global pedophile ring spending nearly $4 billion of its tax-free tithes on payments to its victims. As such, it has given up its claim to be the moral arbiter in any social debate and should have zero influence over this topic or any substantive policy debate from here on out. In any case at all, religion has no right to impose its views on others who don’t follow that religion.

[ProudMNDemocrat]

1. We put our beloved pets out of misery....

I believe humans should be able to make those agonizing decisions as well. Why make them suffer further when they want to let go and stop their pain? For they know that their lives have come to an end.

There are many who say our pets do not have souls. We look into their eyes and we connect. They sense our every move, our daily schedules, they know how to comfort and soothe. They respond to us in ways that are mysteries. THEY HAVE SOULS. And when they reach their end of life, we mourn them because we made that emotional bond with them. They are our family, but with fur.

[trotsky]

2. I want the ability to choose a death with dignity if necessary.

I want my family to be able to choose that for me too, if I am not able to.

If someone's religious beliefs think that's wrong then fine, they shouldn't don't do it for themselves. Seems simple, doesn't it?

But don't deny me the right.

[ProudMNDemocrat]

3. I agree 200% with you.......

Nor do I want to suffer.

[Act_of_Reparation]

4. This is a hill I'll die on:

The right to die and the right to choose are separate facets of the same philosophical quandry. If you support the right to choose, you must also support the right to die.