What If One Fulfill The Requested Euthanasia?
Warning: This sensitive topic speaks about euthanasia
Divine Code for December 12, 2022
Today: Pages 338-339
Part 3:17 -- 3:22
If a sick person is actively requesting to be killed in order to alleviate his physical suffering, even though it is forbidden to listen to him (see topic 1:17), anyone who comes to fulfill this requested euthanasia is not considered a pursuer and it is forbidden to kill him, since the suffering sick person is expressing his desire not to be saved. Therefore, anyone who kills the ''mercy killer'' to prevent this from happening is a murderer, and is liable for capital punishment (as is the ''mercy killer'' if he commits the euthanasia, which is forbidden).
See minhat Hinuh Commandment 34, section 13, which debates whether (within the Torah Law for Jews) one may kill a pursuer if the pursued person wishes to die. It appears that for Gentiles, saving a pursued person is a morally based concept that has a non - incumbent nature, so there is no permission to kill the pursuer in this case.
However, if the sick person is not conscious or mentally competent at the time, or is not able to communicate this wish for any other reason, and only expressed this desire for euthanasia verbally or in writing at some earlier time, then one who comes as a ''mercy killer'' may be a pursuer. In all cases, a mercy killer should be stopped.
Curious about the whole page? You can read it in The Divine Code.
Reading schedule the Divine Code
Yesterday: Topic 3:15 - 3:16
Tomorrow: Topic Chapter 4 (all)
Brought By Sarah Bakker
Sarah Bakker is a blog writer and illustrator for the Noahide Academy. After a difficult time, she found Judaism. She has been a Noahide for many years and uses her experiences and knowledge combined with her creative talents to help others.
Sources
The Divine Code (Third Edition)
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