Euthanasia, commonly called ?mercy killing?, is a debated subject in many cultures in several countries across the world. I recently read in the about this lady, who has been on life support systems for the past three decades due to the charitable nature of the hospital. Her family has disowned her, apparently because there?s no hope. Her sister?s words, ?I can?t see her pain and suffering anymore?. She is alive today, but she has no idea about her existence.
And then there is the case of Ram?n Sampedro, who was a ship fisherman from Galicia, Spain. He became a quadriplegic in a diving accident at the age of 25 and fought for his right to an assisted suicide for the next 29 years. His argument hinged on the fact that he was sure of his decision to die. However, owing to his paralysis, he was physically unable to commit suicide without help. He argued that suicide was a right that he was being denied, and he sought legal advice concerning his right to receive assistance to end his life, first in the courts of Spain, where his case attracted country-wide attention. Eventually, his fight became known worldwide. Sampedro died on Monday 12 January 1998 in Boiro, Spain, from potassium cyanide poisoning. He divided the tasks required for his suicide into small enough pieces that no single person could be convicted of assisted suicide. Several days later, a close friend of Ram?n, Ramona Maneiro, was arrested and charged with assisting his suicide but was released due to lack of evidence. No further charges were ever filed in connection with Ram?n's death. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ram%C3%B3n_Sampedro)
One side of the debate says that mercy killing is killing, and it?s wrong?that we have no right to take a life, even if it?s our own, and taking someone?s life is intervening in their karmic journey. Many are opposed to it. If it?s legalized, it will be abused and become a weapon in the hands of many. And in my opinion they are absolutely right.
The other side, however, claims that a person has the right to die in dignity, especially if he has been suffering relentlessly for an extended period of time, and there?s no hope, but to let that person rot away. In such a case, stopping that person would be interfering with his ?free will?. And I can understand the pain and agony that goes behind this argument, even though by principle, it?s wrong.
I was wondering what people in the world of magic thought about Euthanasia. What if someone like Ram?n Sampedro got in touch with you, asking for a death spell? someone who?s stuck between worlds (just like a ghost who?s been in limbo because he hasn?t seen the light)?neither dead, nor alive. What if all healing spells fail? What if he begs you to find a solution to release him from this life?.what would you do?
How would the three-fold law function then? Would your deeds return in a negative way because you killed a life? Or would your deeds come back to haunt you because you let someone suffer?
These questions have been doing the rounds in my head for a while. So I thought I?d ask you guys about how you felt about it. Me?? I?m all mixed up.