To: Electronic Telegraph <et.letters@telegraph.co.uk>
Re: A morbid fear of death
Date: Fri, 27 Oct 2000
     
 

Dear Sir,

Why is it that so many people have such a morbid and misconceived attitude towards death, an attitude reflected in the report in today's Telegraph about the mother who assisted her terminally sick son in committing suicide (Mother helped son to kill himself, 27 October 2000).

Heather Pratten's son was terminally ill with a horrible disease, from which he desperately desired to be released. How could she, his mother, not help him put an end to his suffering?!

It seems to me that she did the only thing that a loving mother (or anyone else) in that situation could do. She should never have been taken to court, let alone humiliated by a meddling judge telling her that others would not be let off so lightly.

There is - or used to be - a healthy Christian attitude that death is something to look forward to, but nowadays attitudes to death are dominated by fear. Death is seen as something so terrible that even the most agonising and hopeless of lives is considered - especially by those not directly involved - not only preferable, but rightly enforced by law.

I am not a Christian, but I believe there is a lot more to life and death than meets the eye, and that there is no "real" reason for us to fear the latter.

Although admittedly, I fear it all the same: I fear the pain it may involve, the loss of all that is dear to me, and I fear the unknown. But I have faith that when the time comes "God" will see me though it and that everything will be fine. After all, it is absolutely necessary and perfectly natural.

It is time that we changed the law of the land and gave everyone the right to terminate their life if, in extreme circumstances, they so decide - with necessary safeguards, of course. And provided they were motivated by a sense of humanity, we should remove from blame anyone who helps them.