The practice of health care providers at all levels brings you into contact with people from a variety of faiths. This calls for knowledge and understanding of a diversity of faith expressions; for the purpose of this course, the focus will be on the Christian worldview.

Based on “Case Study: End of Life Decisions,” the Christian worldview, and the worldview questions presented in the required topic study materials, you will complete an ethical analysis of George’s situation and his decision from the perspective of the Christian worldview.

Provide a 1,500-2,000-word ethical analysis while answering the following questions:

How would George interpret his suffering in light of the Christian narrative, with an emphasis on the fallenness of the world?

How would George interpret his suffering in light of the Christian narrative, with an emphasis on the hope of resurrection?

As George contemplates life with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), how would the Christian worldview inform his view about the value of his life as a person?

What sorts of values and considerations would the Christian worldview focus on in deliberating whether or not George should opt for euthanasia?

Given the above, what options would be morally justified in the Christian worldview for George, and why?

Based on your worldview, what decision would you make if you were in George’s situation?

Remember to support your responses with the topic study materials.

Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide. An abstract is required.

This assignment uses a rubric. You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. 

Solution

How would George interpret his suffering in light of the Christian narrative, with an emphasis on the fallenness of the world?

George is a successful lawyer who is actively responsible for several responsibilities. George has no history of any disease until the day he gets a hip injury and decides to visit a hospital, where he is diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This is a degenerative disease that affects the nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. This disease is ending. Most of the people who have ALS have a life span of three to four years. The more the muscles degenerate, the more the individual loses the ability to eat, move, speak, and even breathe. Eventually, they are bound to the wheelchair. George thinks of the eventuality that he will, at some point, not be able to even take on some personal responsibility for himself. It is with this kind of thinking that he thinks of euthanasia. Euthanasia is a situation where one is helped to take his or her life because of the chronic condition he has. This allows the individual to not go through the pain.

In situations where you find an individual seeking medical care, you might find that they have either lost their faith or need a second opinion about their health. As such, you find that different people have different beliefs about the diagnosis and treatment of different diseases. In healthcare, the doctors and nurses are expected to present the patient with all the possible solutions for the patient to choose that is in line with their faith. The decision of end a life is mostly associated with the belief one has.

According to the Christian view, an individual is warned against taking life. The fact that God is against anyone taking the life of another or assisting in committing suicide. Therefore, this means that George should consider his suffering as part of the plans of God. Christians also believe that God has greater plans for each individual, despite the suffering that one may have to go through. Thus, George should believe that his suffering will also come to an end

How would George interpret his suffering in light of the Christian narrative, with an emphasis on the hope of resurrection?

From the Christian worldview, Christians believe that everything happens according to God’s plan. Christians would believe that whatever is happening to George is in God’s will, although the different churches may have different reasons. Other groups may argue that George’s sickness is a result of sin, either by him or his forefathers. It is for this reason that he is expected to repent and draw closer to God. Other groups may argue that sickness is allowed to affect people because it is supposed to make people understand the suffering of Christ. Other groups will argue that sickness on an individual is a sign of a lack of spiritual belief. This shows the Christians that they can draw themselves close to God by following the teaching of the Holy book. From all these reasons we see that God works in an orderly manner. His reasons for sickness on people is to show them love and bring His people back to him. George should repent and seek the mercies of God and from Biblical understanding, his sins will be forgiven and he may be healed or once he is dead he will go to heaven.

As George contemplates life with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), how would the Christian worldview inform his view about the value of his life as a person?

Christians consider life as a precious gift from God. It is for this reason that no one should have to take their life or the life of another. Taking life is considered a sin even under very harsh conditions such as medical conditions. Christians believe that afterlife on earth there is Heaven where there is everything in plenty and in Heaven there will be no sickness or sadness. It is for this reason that Christians are expected to endure and preserver the pains and suffering just as Jesus did. George considers voluntary euthanasia will be going against the Christian belief of endurance. The fact that over the years there has been an increase of medics assisting in euthanasia is shocking and against the Christian belief

What sorts of values and considerations would the Christian worldview focus on in deliberating about whether or not George should opt for euthanasia?

Christian’s values and considerations are based on the teaching and the instructions from the Holy book. Although most people try to justify the fact that the process of ending someone’s life to avoid a lot of suffering and eventually being dependent on someone else for personal responsibilities, it is still considered wrong by Christians. According to the Ten Commandments, one is instructed not to kill. Assisting in ending the life of an individual or ending the life of another person without their consent is considered murder. And murder is wrong. This warns against killing.

At the same time, the Holy book talks of God being the giver and the taker of life. According to this, the people are supposed to let God take their lives but not themselves. If George considers God to be superior he is expected to follow all the teachings and instructions. Buddhists also view that George should not take his life. Since they consider that there is a next life. In the case, that George takes his life the next life will be a continuation of the suffering from the previous life because he did not finish his previous life as it should have. By doing this, it disrupts the cycle of things.

Given the above, what options would be morally justified in the Christian worldview for George and why?

From both Christian and Buddhism, he is unfortunate since none of them is for the option of him taking voluntary euthanasia. Therefore George is not justified or morally right to use any of the religions to allow him to take his life despite the harsh medical conditions he is to face. George is left with no choice but to live with the condition until he dies. The upside to this is that although the process may seem hard to him, there will be some drugs that he can use to ease the pain that he may be undergoing through the journey. When it comes to his dignity he will have to cope up with the situation because according to God he has to reduce himself and lose himself in Christ for God to be able to use him as evidence of His existence. The use of these drugs will be an advantage to George because he will be able to help himself in some situations. George is seen to be an active man, who when he comes home. The use of this drug will allow him to be a bit more active. The reduced pain will allow him to have a clear mind when it comes to making decisions about his life towards the end.

Based on your worldview, what decision would you make if you were in George’s situation?

As a Christian, it is against my belief to take life. So in this case, I was George I would not have decided to take my life. The Doctors and the nurses also should be advised against aiding in taking the life of another person. As Christians, we are taught that the Lord brought us to earth to experience the joy part, the painful part, and the earthly experiences. The Holy book tells about the happy life that we are going to experience once we pass the trials of the earth and we emerge to be people of faith in God. The Holy book also tells us that all that happens on this earth is planned and ordered by God the almighty. As His followers, we are expected to follow and allow Him to use us to the glory and exalting of His Name. At the same time, as Christians, we are taught to always have faith in Christ. The Holy book talks of God healing people with different diseases that were considered a deadly disease. The woman who bled for 14 years was healed by simply holding the clothing that Jesus had on. It is through this story that we, Christians are taught that with faith, anything is possible. If I was George I would try and mend my way with God almighty. From the reasons that maybe the disease may have been caused because of a sin I committed or a sin that was committed by my forefather. With forgiveness and strong faith from growing closer to God, I believe I will have a chance to be healed and if not, God would have used me as His vessel to the other people.

The use of medication to ease the pain is not considered a sin. So George can be helped by giving the drugs to help him be able to bear with the pain as he awaits the set time for his death. Like George, I would also talk to my family about the sickness and encourage them to have strength so that we can get through the situation together. With support from family, George can face any obstacle. More so, George will need their help more when his muscles completely shut down and he won’t be able to move, eat, or even breathe on himself. This will need someone to help him do some personal responsibility. By making him comfortable they will be reducing the intensity of the disease on him. With family support and love, he will feel less as a burden but as a family member that is loved.