Continuing the theme of human rights, just last week the House of Lords passed unopposed the second reading of the assisted dying bill – a euphemism for assisted suicide, which has now gone to committee stage. I pray it may never see the light of day.

As with the 1967 Abortion Act which gained sympathy due to the horrendous and illegal practice of back street abortion and worst case scenarios such as rape and which has led to routine abortion of healthy babies – the assisted dying bill, whatever the supposed good intentions of the proposer and supporters, is likely lead to widespread euthanasia threatening the right to life of the old and those with incurable disabilities.

Does the Christian Church want this bill?

Is it in line with our Christian heritage?

Is it part of God’s plan for society?

Emphatically NO!

Those whose ideology or mindset is characterised by a lack respect for human life from birth to death will welcome it.

Life is sacred.

People of faith must make their voice of reason and rationality based on the premise of the sanctity of human life clear – this is not of us, our community, and our world.

In the Gospels Jesus reached out to the poor, outcast and disabled.

God loves everyone, the unborn, and the disabled, those who suffer.

Human rights are for all.

Let’s mitigate and relieve suffering by better palliative care for all.

A suicide pill will not address the problem of a lack of love and palliative care championed by Cecily Saunders, pioneer of the hospice movement who said, “The way we die lives on in the memory of those who survive.”

It is a human right to die with dignity, not a suicide pill.