Analysis of the Implications of an Ethical Issue According to the Christian Worldview

The matters of life and death have always been the most difficult to resolve. Many people agree that it is impossible for the humans to make the right decision in this case. That is why it would be logical to let God decide on these matters. Nevertheless, many argue that this deprives a person of autonomy and rejects what God has given to the people – the power of will. In the case of Joni is disabled and no longer can enjoy life, euthanasia seems to be a logical decision. Nevertheless, only God can decide who can live and die; that is why it is immoral to let the disabled people die at their own will.

Ethical dilemma

The ethical dilemma in the case of Joni is quite simple: a person is only 17 years old, yet it is clear that due to one’s disability one will not be able to enjoy life. Being a teenager is often regarded as the period of life when a person prepared for one’s adult life and starts working towards achieving specific goals, but this will not happen in the case of Joni because she will not be able to perform what healthy people can. Clearly, there are two options available in this case: let her die and let her live. The first option focuses on ending suffering, while the second option assumes that there is something that she can enjoy in life.

Core beliefs

One of the core beliefs of Christianity is that God is the rule of the Universe. That is why it is clear that only He has the power to decide whether a person will live or die (Shelly & Miller, 2010). In other words, when people consider the possibility of euthanasia because nothing good will ever happen to a person in the future, they believe that they can know the future of a person.

As a result, whether or not a person adheres to Christian beliefs will have a significant impact on the decision that one makes. Those who have a weak faith or do not have it at all will think that it is possible to envision what will happen to a person. On the other hand, those who are strong in their faith know that God explicitly prohibited killing another person (Exodus 20:13). That is why euthanasia not only violates one of the Commandments of God, but it also encourages a person to think that one can know the future.

Resolution

Given all this, one might suggest that the best resolution, in this case, is to let Joni live and refrain from euthanasia in any case. The fundamental element of this decision lies in the fact that Joni’s life is precious and she cannot be deprived of it. God gave all people the most valuable gift – life; so, it would be ungrateful to reject it (Moreland, 2017). It is true that the quality of Joni’s life may not be high due to her disability. However, it is possible that she will be able to enjoy other aspects of it.

Another point that needs to be mentioned is that it is possible that the disability is one of the ways in which God teaches her the value of life. One might consider the story of Job who also suffered numerous hardships (Job 12:13). That is why one might suggest that the life of Joni will serve as an example of how a person can be happy despite one’s disability. With this in mind, it is clear that euthanasia will be an action that goes against the will of God. As a result, it would be wise to refrain from it.

Evaluation

If one considers the unintended consequences of this resolution, one will have to point out that at times Joni will be quite depressed and will be exposed to a considerable amount of stress. It is possible that she would not want to live because she cannot experience what other people experience (Shelly & Miller, 2010). If she is not able to cope with these feelings, she will face a lot of stress due to her frustration. In other words, it is possible that Joni will be doomed to a lie full of hardships unless she can overcome her disability mentally.

With this in mind, one might assume that the perceived benefits will be much greater than the potential negative consequences. To begin with, it is possible that Joni will be able to see a higher purpose of her life (Moreland, 2017). She might recognize her disability as a test that she has to pass as a believer. She even might start preaching using her acceptance of her disability as a sign of loyalty to God and faith. In other words, one might assume that Joni will be extremely happy while serving God in her current state; so, one must not end her life.

Comparison

The benefits of the resolution that is based on the Christian worldview are evident when they are compared to a resolution that is based on atheism. Since the latter rejects any notion of God, it will not be able to appeal to a higher purpose in life of a disabled person. This leads that the life of a 17-year-old person will ultimately be over as soon as one develops a serious disability. From this point of view, it would be logical to end Joni’s life because otherwise, she will simply suffer more (Moreland, 2017).

It is obvious that this resolution is faulty because it draws an extremely negative picture of the future and exposes a person to an even bigger stress. Indeed, if Joni adopts this position, she will be escaping the potential hardship that she might face in the future. That is why she will feel stressed because of all the problems that she will have to deal with. This means that the resolution offered by atheism will simply increase the amount of stress in the life of Joni and will use it to make her agree with an unnatural decision – to end her life.

Conclusion

Having examined all the points that were mentioned in the paragraphs above, one might come to the conclusion that the case of Joni shows that only God can decide whether someone has to live or die. That is why euthanasia of a disabled person will be an act that is against God’s will and that will deprive a person of a potential joy in life. The key here is that it is still possible that a disabled person will live a happy and a fulfilling life. All this leads to the understanding that if such a person dies, one will not be able to experience everything that life can offer.

If one compares the proposed solution with the one that atheism would approve, one will have to point out that the latter will do more harm to a person than good. It has been shown that atheism will simply increase the amount of stress that a person feels to a maximum and use to make a person agree on the most unnatural decision: to take one’s own life. That is why the decision that is grounded in the Christian ethics will deliver more happiness to a person.

References

Moreland, J. P. (2017). Philosophical foundations for a Christian worldview. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

Shelly, J. A., & Miller, A. B. (2010). Called to care: a Christian worldview for nursing. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic.

The Bible

The terms offer and acceptance. (2016, May 17). Retrieved from

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016.

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

freeessays.club (2016) The terms offer and acceptance [Online].
Available at:

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]
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