More on Physician Assisted Suicide | National Catholic Reporter

More on Physician Assisted Suicide | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Zeke is correct as far as he goes, however the resistence to assisted suicide (and late term abortion when essential to protect the health or even the life of the mother) comes from a fear that we are treading on God's turf and that he will be angry if we "play God" by taking our own lives or assisting others in doing so.  (Indeed, some of these are not even in favor of pulling the plug on a brain dead or vegitative patient).  It sometimes extends to the death penalty - even when it is indictated by the dangerousness of the convicted.  God is not an Ogre, however, He can actually differentiate between murdering someone, protecting someone and offering an act of mercy.  The issue in all these areas is not innocence but danger.  A pregnancy can be a danger - especially if the child has no chance of survival.  A criminal can be a danger to guards and fellow inmates (and life without parole in SuperMax is simply death by slow psycological torture).  Finally, a terminal patient is in danger of tremendous pain.  I just may be the compassionate thing to help him or her end it.