Artificial Life?

[Zelduick]

Hello everyone =)

I was just recently asked a question by my father, it was about wether I thought it was the right thing to have people living only through the means of a respirator; meaning that they would die without it.

It was because the news just recently an elderly woman asked the doctor to shut down her respirator, and he did it. She had been living off that thing since she was 6 years old...

What are your thoughts on this? Are there any scriptures or statements by general authorities that could give a better perspective to it?

Edited May 6, 2010 by Zelduick

[Blackmarch]

Hello everyone =)

I was just recently asked a question by my father, it was about wether I thought it was the right thing to have people living only through the means of a respirator; meaning that they would die without it.

It was because the news just recently an elderly woman asked the doctor to shut down her respirator, and he did it. She had been living off that thing since she was 6 years old...

What are your thoughts on this? Are there any scriptures or statements by general authorities that could give a better perspective to it?

If it's the only thing keeping them alive (and they aren't braindead) then yes it would be right... And if they later want to be taken off it no matter the consequence I don't see much wrong with that, especially if they have lived their life, but I think it has to be their choice.

[Hemidakota]

Hello everyone =)

I was just recently asked a question by my father, it was about wether I thought it was the right thing to have people living only through the means of a respirator; meaning that they would die without it.

It was because the news just recently an elderly woman asked the doctor to shut down her respirator, and he did it. She had been living off that thing since she was 6 years old...

What are your thoughts on this? Are there any scriptures or statements by general authorities that could give a better perspective to it?

We really don't need a GA perspective when we are also guided by the same Spirit.

He must confront the Savior on whether it would be appropriate to turn-off the device; with the knowledge his mortal body may stop working. We are guided to follow His will and not ours. When we surrender our will, it is then spirit becomes more attuned to the whispering voices of those across the veil, as any GA.

Being on any medical device may seem fruitless to that individual but it may be his/her lot in life. This however, is no different than anyone who had a personal witnessed of the Celestial Kingdom, the Godhead, and other minister beings, then told to live on no matter the circumstances. They only wish to cross the veil at any expense but the fear of doing so; it may not please the Master.

We never see our own ‘cause-n-effects’ with individuals who surround us. Whether it is medical ailment, genetic inherited deformities, to be bed ridden. What was the purpose for us, to those who need to be at our beckoning side?

You know, Joseph Smith suffered the worst infirmities of a dark, pungent, Liberty Jail for 6-months. Finally, he snapped. It was then the Lord came to Him, after listening to his pleas. What he gained from that moment, learn patience. What was ‘cause-n-effect’ for Emma, those who were with him, to other church members?

Even in our infirmities, we can learn a great deal about ourselves and those who serve us. In the Book of Ether, it reads,

"And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." (Ether 12:27.)

If it was me, I would plea with the Master prior to turning off the medical device.

[Dravin]

Personally I think there are two sides to this question.

1) Is it right to request such?

2) Is it right for a doctor or caregiver to comply with such?

Number two is clearer cut for me as long as we are talking about stopping treatment and not actively ending life (so I think an OD of morphine is wrong). Medical treatment should be voluntary as far as it is possible (obviously an unconscious man can't ask for CPR), but I hold that people have a right to refuse medical treatment.

Number one, and this is my personal opinion: Life is a gift, we should not cast it aside to simply end our own suffering. There are ways we can still serve in God's plans for us even when bed ridden even if that is just allowing others to serve us. I think personal prayer and spiritual confirmation would be a necessity before taking such an action. If someone is brain dead it gets trickier, yes there are miracles, but at what point do we admit that person is dead and what lies before us is simply a bio-mechanical 'device' kept going by the equivalent of jumper cables? Once again prayer and spiritual confirmation becomes paramount.

Edited May 6, 2010 by Dravin

[Zelduick]

That was my initial thought as well, we should be grateful for all the time we can spend on earth because we won't be able to repent from all our sins as effectively in the... spirit world (sorry I haven't got all the english words memorized yet but it is åndeverdenen in danish, the afterlife where the body is seperated from the spirit)

And much like the evil spirits that Jesus forced away from a man in the bible, where they would rather be in the pigs than have no body, shouldn't we be grateful for the oppertunity to have the time we can develope enlengthened, so we can more fully repent from our sins than if having no body?

That's just how I think I would feel if I was in the situation myself; but I guess it's very individual, and rests on the things Hemi said a lot as well, thanks.

[NeuroTypical]

In this age of backwards understanding of rights, you have to do a little thinking. There is no right to healthcare. There is a right to refuse treatment. Forcing someone to accept medical treatment against their will is a violation of their agency.

The shoulds and shouldn'ts depend on the unique situation.

Now, taking action to end life that would continue just fine by itself, is a very different matter.

LM

[Hemidakota]

I think that change under the obama care program...complusion is now the way of life. :)

[WindRiver]

Euthanasia and Prolonging Life - LDS Newsroom

[Hemidakota]

Read the last statement provided by the link:

"These judgments are best made by family members after receiving wise and competent medical advice and seeking divine guidance through fasting and prayer. "

[Seminarysnoozer]

There are few things in this life that are not artificial from the clothes we wear to our homes, to the way food is prepared and produced that sustain us and keep us alive. If we were to take away all non-naturally occurring methods of living there wouldn't be many of us around. I think we are supposed to use all resources available to us for our benefit including knowledge of medical assistive devices of any kind. The definition of what is meaningful life, though, is a different topic.

[Moksha]

When somebodies quality of life is so severely impaired, I think their wishes should be paramount.

[Guest mormonmusic]

Hello everyone =)

I was just recently asked a question by my father, it was about wether I thought it was the right thing to have people living only through the means of a respirator; meaning that they would die without it.

It was because the news just recently an elderly woman asked the doctor to shut down her respirator, and he did it. She had been living off that thing since she was 6 years old...

What are your thoughts on this? Are there any scriptures or statements by general authorities that could give a better perspective to it?

When I had access to a general handbook years ago, the answer to this question that one should not "prolong life unecessarily". I think that was interpreted to mean that if the person had no real chance of recovery of consciousness, it was prudent to turn off the machine.

Edited May 7, 2010 by mormonmusic