Tasmanian voluntary euthanasia bill

Tuesday, 03 November 2009 20:48 Trev McCallum

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The Tasmanian Greens leader Nick McKim seeks to legalise euthanasia in this state. His Dying With Dignity Bill 2009 will be debated by our House of Assembly tomorrow (4 November 2009). In the providence of God this Bill was defeated 15 to 7. Read about the defeat and McKim's persistence to continue re-introducing this inhumane legislation in the future here. I would like to take this opportunity to remind all Tasmanian Christians that this Bill seeks to replace the sovereignty of God with that of man. The issue is sovereignty, it has little to do with the "comfort" of those who are in the final stages of their lives. If man can determine things autonomously (i.e. with no reference or submission to the Scriptures) then anything goes and whatever seems right to man may be legislated. This is the slippery slope of humanism. Rev. Iain Smith wrote this article earlier in the year. If the Greens are successful in the passage of this legislation it wedges the door open to a raft of ungodly laws. It is simply the beginning, the point of penetrating the city walls. Once there is a tiny crack the ungodly will seize upon the opportunity. Our delight is in the law of the Lord (Psalm 1:2 ), we must pray that our state will kiss the feet of the Son or we will perish in the way (Psalm 2:12 ). The Law of God prohibits the taking of another human being's life, on the grounds of comfort or choice (Exodus 20:13 ). Government should not be in the business of legislating what God's Law strictly prohibits. Our nation was established on Christian principles. The Australian Constitution is steeped in Biblical heritage. This Bill moves us a step further from our starting point. Godly men and women are needed to stand up, speak out and put their reputations in the firing line.

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makeastand.org.au make the following observations:

“[T]he legalisation of voluntary euthanasia would pose a serious threat to the more vulnerable members of society and . . . the obligation of the state to protect all its members equally outweighs the individual’s freedom to choose voluntary euthanasia.” This was the crystal clear finding of the Tasmanian House of Assembly Community Development Committee when it examined voluntary euthanasia back in 1998. The Community Development Committee was recently called upon to re-examine the issue of euthanasia in the context of Nick McKim’s supposed ‘Dying with Dignity’ Bill. It found: “That the Dying with Dignity Bill 2009, the subject of this inquiry in its current form does not provide an adequate or concise legislative framework to permit voluntary euthanasia/physician assisted suicide.” Despite the dangers of euthanasia and the inadequacy of the bill, Nick McKim is determined to push ahead with his bill. The bill is an almost exact replica of the disastrous legislation briefly in force in the Northern Territory in the mid 90s – the law that euthanasia advocate Phillip Nitschke admitted to breaking at an inquiry hearing into the Tasmanian bill (see top of p. 113).

I urge all of our Tasmanian readers to take a stand:

Find your politician here and send him/her an email. This service is provided by makeastand.org.au.
Send this article to as many people as possible, share it on Facebook and Tweet it.
Call you minister/pastor and encourage him to pray for this issue and take action through; preaching against murder, organising corporate church prayer, and sending letters/emails to parliament. The church must once again become the conscience of the government.
Churches should be writing in to parliament regularly, giving them answers (from the Scriptures) to our state's issues. Encourage your church to do this.
Pray in your homes with family and friends.

It is time for Tasmanian Christian's and churches to make a stand against the rampant humanism we see in our public office bearers. There are many Christians in this state. It is time we voted according to how our parties' policies stack up�against the Scriptures and not tradition. We need to stop our dance with the devil and submit every thought in this state to the reigning Lord Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5 ). God faithfully blesses those (over the long term) who seek to walk in His precepts (Deuteronomy 28-29 ). Christ is having all His enemies placed under His feet, all principalities and powers will be made subject to Him over history (1 Corinthians 15 ), only then will He return again.

Let me remind you of the first two Psalms, herein God speaks against the ungodly individual and nation/state.� Psalm 1 ; "Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;�But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.�The ungodly are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.�For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish." Psalm 2 ; "Why do the nations rage, And the people plot a vain thing?�The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying,�“Let us break Their bonds in pieces And cast away Their cords from us.”�He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The Lord shall hold them in derision.�Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, And distress them in His deep displeasure:�“Yet I have set My King On My holy hill of Zion.”�“I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.�Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession.�You shall break[a] them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’”�Now therefore, be wise, O kings; Be instructed, you judges of the earth.�Serve the LORD with fear, And rejoice with trembling.�Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, And you perish in the way, When His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him."