Have you ever loved something that most people disdain? For instance, sauerkraut, velcro sneakers or the Chicago Cubs. I love a city like this: Bradford, UK. It’s beautiful, set in the God-designed, soul-nurturing moors of northern England and its streets smell like curry! On the other hand, its glorious days are in the past and, unbelievably, some don’t see the balti-scented boulevards as a good thing. Go figure!
Bradford’s population is about a third Muslim, the highest of any city in the UK. Among Muslim leaders there is concern these days about a bill that will have its first vote in Parliament next Friday. The bill calls for liberalizing the UK’s approach to assisted dying.
Muslims and Christians largely agree on issues of suicide, euthanasia and physician assisted death. The shared conviction is that God alone has the right to both give and take away life. Of course, the particulars are gut-wrenching. Having not stared these things directly in the face, I hesitate even to write about them.
As Christians our challenge is to understand the Bible and apply its teaching with grace and love.
Muslims in Bradford and elsewhere in the UK face an added challenge. Having felt slighted in the distribution of palliative care in the midst of Covid, they now wonder if the advance of assisted death might further diminish their hope for help.
It’s a classic conflict between the majority who says, “This is how we do it now,” and the minority who pleads, “But that is not how we do it, nor has it ever been.”
When Auntie’s life is in balance, the doctor seems to be leaning hard one way and you’re sure Allah’s looking down with a stern eye, these decisions are brutal.
For a quick look at how Christians might view these issues check out this article from Britain and this from our friends at Denison Forum.