Netherlands judge orders 80-yr-old woman to be euthanized, despite objections of medical staff

An 80-yr-old woman with dementia was recently killed in the Netherlands, thanks to a judge’s order. Medical staff at a care facility for dementia patients refused to agree to the idea of euthanizing her, but her family disagreed, filed a lawsuit, and won. When the medical staff appealed, the appeal was denied. Shortly thereafter, she was put to death.

Her relatives argued that she expressed that she wanted to die, but her caregivers disagreed that she was capable of expressing that decision. The authorities, upon the ruling, took her out of the care facility and took her to a facility started by euthanasia activists.

Since euthanasia was legalized in the Netherlands in 2002, what the critics warned would happen has happened. Euthanasia is growing in popularity and the nation is moving toward euthanasia as a default setting for the slightest inconveniences (like growing old or being lonely) and troubles that come with living in a sinful world (such as the bereavement over losing a loved one).

The law was supposed to meet “certain criteria such as ensuring that a patient’s request is voluntary and being satisfied that they are suffering unbearably” and requiring that to be proven with a living will or advance directive in place. But this case shows that if relatives want to be rid of you, they can make up an excuse to fit the criteria and it will be time to say goodbye to this life.

An academic from the Netherlands who formerly backed the idea of euthanasia witnessed the horrors of it after he studied 4,000 euthanasia cases. He subsequently testified before the British Parliament urging them against legalizing the practice because he saw that “[s]ome of these patients could have lived for years or decades” if their health care was continued.

But all over the globe we see what happens when societies reject the Messiah who gave up everything, including his life, so we can have life more abundantly. Those societies tend to move toward dismissing the value of human life and make excuses for taking innocent lives–whether they call themselves atheist, jihadist, communist, democratic, or socialist. Why? Because they have the same spiritual father–the thief who cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.

Thou shalt rise up before the hoary [gray, white] head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the Lord. Leviticus 19:32

Source: Dutch judge rules dementia patient must be euthanised, The Christian Institute, May 11, 2015.

Harry A. Gaylord