Scottish faith leaders speak out on assisted dying proposals

Scottish faith leaders are going to Holyrood to voice their deep-seated opposition to a proposed law which would allow assisted dying in Scotland.

The Member's Bill from Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur would allow competent terminally ill adults to request assistance to end their lives.

Leaders from the Church of Scotland, the Catholic Church and the Scottish Association of Mosques will speak at an event in the Scottish Parliament.

They have issued a joint statement on the issue, signed by Kirk moderator Rev Iain Greenshields, Bishop of Paisley John Keenan and Imam Sheykh Hamza Khandwalla of Dundee Central Mosque.

Fears for 'common humanity'

The statement said: "This Bill would make it legal, in certain circumstances, to help people to commit suicide.

"Our faith traditions are united in the principle that assisted dying in itself inevitably undermines the dignity of the human person, and to allow it would mean that our society as a whole loses its common humanity.

"The Church of Scotland, the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland, and the Scottish Association of Mosques remain firm in their opposition to assisted suicide and euthanasia."

The event at Holyrood will be hosted by the think tank Logos Scotland.

READ MORE: 3 out of 4 Scots support law change

Bill due later this year

Last year, Mr McArthur won the right to introduce his Bill to Parliament and it is currently being drafted, with a final text planned for later this year.

He has said the public are behind the proposals to offer people more choice at the end of their life and the Bill will be "safe, robust, and compassionate".

The faith leaders emphasised the sanctity placed upon life in their respective religious traditions.

Rev Greenshields said: "Our opposition to assisted dying is based on our Christian faith, and involves concerns around the principle of assisted dying, around the application of the law in practice, the perception of the value of human lives, and also the effect which any change is likely to have on the provision of care - in particular, on palliative care."

Bishop Keenan added: "Assisted suicide attacks human dignity and results in human life being increasingly valued on the basis of its efficiency and utility."

Imam Khandwalla said: "Muslims believe life is a divine gift and is given as a sacred trust.

"As such, we have a collective responsibility to protect the most vulnerable, including the elderly and the terminally ill."

A 'compassionate choice'

Mr McArthur responded to the faith leaders' claims by saying there is an "unequivocal" need for the law to change.

He said: "The assisted dying Bill that I have proposed to the Scottish Parliament would offer a more compassionate choice to terminally ill, mentally competent adults only, subject to strict safeguards and alongside high-quality end-of-life care.

"It draws on 25 years' of evidence from the US, and now Australia and New Zealand, which proves that when a tightly-drafted law for terminally ill people is introduced, it remains that way, with no extension of the eligibility criteria.

"Furthermore, it offers far more protection, transparency and regulation than the status quo.

"We know that, too often, terminally ill Scots facing a bad death are forced to resort to desperate measures - some going to Switzerland if they can afford it, many more taking matters into their own hands behind closed doors.

"That cannot be right and we must do better."

Meanwhile, Humanist Society Scotland said the proposed Bill would give people the right to control their own deaths in a way that minimises suffering.

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