In the United Kingdom, the Leadbeater Bill to legalize doctor-assisted suicide (euphemistically known as “assisted dying”) is now in the House of Lords. For its defenders, it is a huge liberation—a progressive reform, a sign that one is “on the right side of history”. This view is encapsulated by the former Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who compared the proposal to the legalization of gay marriage. Another former Tory minister, Nick Boles—who went from a skeptic to a supporter of the reforms—dismissed objections by declaring “if you do not want an assisted death, don’t have one”.
Another former Tory minister dismissed objections by declaring “if you do not want an assisted death, don’t have one”.
For opponents of the bill, however, the proposal to legalize assisted suicide is a gravely concerning development. Many opponents are motivated by faith. This has been a source of attacks. For instance, Lord (Charles) Falconer of Thornton, Lord Chancellor under Tony Blair, said that the current Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood—a practicing Muslim who is an opponent of the changes—should “not impose her religious beliefs on other people”. Others in Dignity in Dying—once the Voluntary Euthanasia Society—have warned against religious people using their “religious objections” to oppose the Bill. There is something profoundly stupid about this line of argument. The fact that someone has an opinion derived from their faith about a policy does not necessarily mean that they wish to “impose their religious views” on everyone else. For example, Margaret Thatcher’s faith influenced her politics, as shown by her Sermon on the Mound, yet few would say that the 1981 budget was her “imposing her religious beliefs on other people”. Christian politicians—influenced by the Church of England’s involvement in the Wolfenden Report—supported the legalization of homosexuality in the 1960s. Tony Blair was a devout Christian whose faith informed his thinking. Yet few could seriously argue that foundation hospitals or academies or invading Iraq or a perpetual obsession with ID cards demonstrated an imposition of his religious views on the population.
