Assisted Suicide - The Biblical Teaching

1. The claim of human rights.
   Human autonomy, independence and self-determination is being argued as a human right by proponents of assisted suicide. The position of 'Dignitas' as outlined by their General Secretary. The Presbyterian minister, Samuel Miller (1769-1850), denounced the right of suicide as atheistic.

2. The truth of God's rights.
   The so-called 'right to die' an act of rebellion against God and his authority. The only permissible instances of taking human life.* The godly example of Job; sinful suicide seen in Ahitophel, Judas - an act of anger against God and his providence.

3. Current encouragements to favour a right of suicide.
   The assumption that anything after death must be good - contributing factors to this. A faithful declaration of true deliverance from death and its fear to be maintained.

*(Explanatory note: In saying, in this address, that capital punishment and just war are the only situations where the taking of life can be initiated legitimately by man, it is also true that necessary self-defence can provide just cause to take life, albeit reactively. DS.)