Here's a view from a christian "death cultist". I see no reason why living to 100 would be better than living to 17 just because it's longer. I measure the value of our lives according to quality, not quantity. I see more enthusiasm and peace in this little girl, than I see in so many bitter old people. We're here to live out our purpose and then to move on to eternal life. Actually, according to scripture, we will live out eternity on the "new earth" where everything is great. I see nothing wrong in allowing myself to die if I have a terminal disease, rather than go through excruciating therapy, if I felt that it was God's will. This is a decision I would make for myself or my child after much prayer and listening for God's guidance, and being in tune with the desires of my child. As long I'm in tune with God and my child's, (and this is not suicide) I see no reason to think I will regret my decision after death. I don't see any advantage just to living a longer life. Many have lived a much fuller life in a short time than others who have lived a long time.
This is my view from an atheist perspective. Humans are just a more highly evolved form of animal life. In reality, our lives are no more important that the other animals on the earth. We rule simply because we are more intelligent. The reason it is better to live longer is because this is our only opportunity at life, so we should make the best of it. The longer we live, the longer we have to experience happiness and to help others do so. Yet, we afford our dogs more compassion than we do our children. If our dog is going through great suffering, we will put him away rather that go through grueling medical procedures because we have compassion on him. All this, even though we're taking away his one chance at life-the right that he has as much as we do. If we are no more than highly evolved animals why don't we merit the same compassion as our pets? It's not as if she is going to exist somewhere and be able to have regret over the decision to die. Why is it moral to do that for your dog, but not for your child, since one has as much right to life as the other?
This is my view from an atheist perspective. Humans are just a more highly evolved form of animal life. In reality, our lives are no more important that the other animals on the earth. We rule simply because we are more intelligent. The reason it is better to live longer is because this is our only opportunity at life, so we should make the best of it. The longer we live, the longer we have to experience happiness and to help others do so. Yet, we afford our dogs more compassion than we do our children. If our dog is going through great suffering, we will put him away rather that go through grueling medical procedures because we have compassion on him. All this, even though we're taking away his one chance at life-the right that he has as much as we do. If we are no more than highly evolved animals why don't we merit the same compassion as our pets? It's not as if she is going to exist somewhere and be able to have regret over the decision to die. Why is it moral to do that for your dog, but not for your child, since one has as much right to life as the other?
