Tags: Assisted dying
Religion shouldn’t frustrate assisted dying reform
Posted: Thu, 14 Oct 2021 by Stephen Evans
Ahead of parliament's first consideration of assisted dying for six years, Stephen Evans calls on secularists to help ensure that religious objections don't stand in the way of necessary reform. Read More »
Tags: Assisted dying, Healthcare
Evidence and compassion should trump dogma in assisted dying debate
Posted: Thu, 24 Jun 2021 by Stephen Evans
As politicians again grapple with assisted dying, we should beware attempts to impose a religious worldview on those who want the option of alleviating their suffering, argues Stephen Evans. Read More »
Tags: Assisted dying, Healthcare
Regressive religious demands shouldn't hold sway over political decisions
Posted: Thu, 15 Apr 2021 by Stephen Evans
Much of a pre-election letter from Scotland's Catholic bishops highlights the risks of allowing religious dogma to dictate public policy, says Stephen Evans. Read More »
Tags: Abortion, Assisted dying, Catholic Church, Education, Election, Scotland
The BMA’s opportunity to rethink its position on assisted dying
Posted: Fri, 23 Oct 2020 by Dr Antony Lempert
The British Medical Association's opposition to assisted dying is at odds with its members' views. There's now a chance for the BMA and parliamentarians to stand up to religious obstructionism, says Dr Antony Lempert. Read More »
Tags: Assisted dying, Healthcare
Religious campaigners shouldn't be able to veto the refusal of treatment
Posted: Mon, 15 Jun 2020 by Dr Antony Lempert
Christian campaigners have questioned a ruling that allowed a severely ill man to die. Dr Antony Lempert says they're misrepresenting the case – and patients' views are significant when determining their best interests. Read More »
Tags: Assisted dying, Healthcare
Election 2019: pledges that should be in the parties’ manifestos
Posted: Tue, 05 Nov 2019 by Stephen Evans
As the UK's political parties consider their manifestos for the upcoming election, Stephen Evans outlines a series of secularist pledges they should include to advance freedom, fairness and equal citizenship. Read More »
Tags: Assisted Dying, Caste, Charity, Church & State, Circumcision, Collective worship, Election, Faith Schools, Freedom of Expression, Public services, Religious slaughter, admissions
Doctors who favour legalisation of assisted dying deserve a hearing
Posted: Thu, 04 Jul 2019 by Dr Antony Lempert
As more doctors' groups consult their members on assisted dying and parliament debates the issue, Dr Antony Lempert says the challenge to the status quo, which is propped up by religious interests, is welcome. Read More »
Tags: Assisted dying, Healthcare
Religious dogma still clouds assisted dying debate
Posted: Thu, 07 Feb 2019 by Stephen Evans
As the Royal College of Physicians consults its members over assisted dying, Stephen Evans says we should be aware of often well-disguised theological objections to reform. Read More »
Tags: Assisted dying
Assisted Dying Bill: The Church has no right to deny dignity in death
Posted: Thu, 10 Sep 2015 by Keith Porteous Wood
The media give too much weight to the views of faith leaders who have failed to deal with the central issue of assisted dying, which is alleviating the suffering of others, argues Keith Porteous Wood.
While religious leaders are as entitled as anyone else... Read More »
Tags: Assisted Dying
Assisted Dying: It is now a case of ‘when’, rather than ‘if’
Posted: Tue, 11 Nov 2014 by Keith Porteous Wood
On Friday 7 November the Assisted Dying Bill was debated in the House of Lords. The executive director of the National Secular Society, Keith Porteous Wood, who attended last Friday's debate, reports back about the debate and the Bill's progress.
Although the... Read More »
Tags: Assisted Dying
The choice of when to die should be that of the individual – not religious leaders
Posted: Thu, 05 Jun 2014 by Terry Sanderson
Speaking from personal experience, Terry Sanderson argues that religious opposition to a new law on assisted dying causes needless suffering to the terminally ill and their families.
The campaigning group Dignity in Dying has launched a campaign aimed at the... Read More »
Tags: Assisted Dying
The choice of when to die should be that of the individual – not religious leaders
Posted: Thu, 05 Jun 2014 by Terry Sanderson
Speaking from personal experience, Terry Sanderson argues that religious opposition to a new law on assisted dying causes needless suffering for the terminally ill and their families.
The campaigning group Dignity in Dying has launched a campaign aimed at the... Read More »
Tags: Assisted Dying
Secularim and the assisted dying debate
Posted: Thu, 12 Jan 2012 by Tessa Kendall
The recent report on assisted dying by the Falconer Commission has caused a strong division between supporters and opponents. Research has found that the majority of the British public support assisted dying for the terminally ill.
The debate is far from over... Read More »
Tags: Assisted Dying