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How Did We Get Here? - A Look at the Current View of Death
Cassandra Price, Christian Life Resources Program AssistantClearly Caring Magazine, March/April 2007, Vol. 27, No. 2
While understanding our current view of death involves recognizing the role of religion, more pertinent, today, are the secular studies of Darwinism and Malthusianism. These theories challenge Christian beliefs and have perverted the medical field.
At the dawn of the 20th century, Darwinism gained popularity. Darwin proposed the theories of evolution, natural selection, and survival of the fittest. Together these teach that some individuals are “higher” on the evolutionary chart and deserve life more than the “inferior,” those with physical or mental disabilities or diseases. Life is seen as a commodity. Death of “inferior” individuals become beneficial and progressive for the species overall.1
Malthusianism suggests that population growth left unchecked will surpass the provisions required for its survival and lead to misery (high infant mortality, new and widespread disease, war, political unrest, and malnutrition).2 These theories form their own standards of gauging the value, or “right to life,” of an individual. People are only considered valuable when they contribute more to society than they take. Once people outgrow their usefulness they are considered a negative value to society.3 This secularized view of ethics has invaded the medical field. Euthanasia, or “mercy killing,” advocates ending the life of those deemed “inferior” through voluntary or involuntary measures.4 Eugenics, or “good birth,” advocates reproductive intervention to improve human hereditary traits. Eugenics principles are applied Darwinian science, which include the practices of selective breeding, prenatal screening, forced sterilization, and genocide.5
The most notable example of this mentality was the Holocaust of the 1940s in Europe. It began with a “subtle shift in attitude”: the acceptance of Social Darwinism. After this foundation was laid, physically and mentally handicapped individuals were sterilized, children and adults were killed in euthanasia programs, and millions of people were exterminated. We are not there yet, but the road presently traveled is ominously familiar.6
Consider the milestones in this journey: in America, evolution is taught in public schools. The American Eugenics Society was formed in 1926, and by 1941, 33 states had endorsed sterilization policies. The modern voluntary euthanasia movement began in America in 1938 and gained momentum in 1976, after the Karen Ann Quinlan ‘right to die’ case. Today, there are 37 organizations from 23 countries belonging to the World Federation of Right to Die Societies. Four such organizations are in the United States.7
The Hippocratic Oath taken by doctors pledging to “do no harm” no longer holds its meaning. Some medical schools no longer require the oath to be taken.8
Living wills were introduced to state legislators by the Society for the Right to Die in the 20th century. One state legalized assisted suicide in 1994, and over 200 people have legally ended their lives since.9
Today, agencies like Christian Life Resources provide medical directive statements to keep physicians from pre-emptively ending lives.
Abortion throughout the duration of pregnancy was legalized in 1973, and has claimed the lives of over 47,000,000 babies.10
Each of these milestones represents measures occurring along a slippery slope devaluing life and the Creator of life. We do not arrive at this point overnight. It takes time and a steady erosion of respect for life and the One who created life. That is how we got here.
REFERENCES
1 Weikart, Richard. (2002). Darwinism and Death: Devaluing Human Life in Germany 1859-1920. Journal of the History of Ideas, Inc. pp. 323-344.
2 Bowler, Peter J. (1989). Evolution: The History of an Idea. University of Califonia Press, Berkeley.
3 Weikart, Richard. (2002). Darwinism and Death: Devaluing Human Life in Germany 1859-1920. Journal of the History of Ideas, Inc. pp. 323-344.
4 Euthanasia Research & Guidance Organization. Accessed 1/19/07 from http://www.finalexit.org.
5 Weikart, Richard. (2002). Darwinism and Death: Devaluing Human Life in Germany 1859-1920. Journal of the History of Ideas, Inc. pp. 323-344.
6 Maccaro, James A. (1997). “From Small Beginnings”: The Road to Genocide. The Freeman, a publication of the Foundation for Economic Education, Inc. Vol.47, No.7
7 Euthanasia Research & Guidance Organization. Accessed 1/19/07 from http://www.finalexit.org.
8 Smith, Wesley J. (2006). Harm Done: Codifying the Decline of the Medical Profession. National Review Online. Accessed 1/25/07 from http://www.christianliferesources.com/?5922
9 International Task Force on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide. Accessed 1/23/07 from http://www.internationaltaskforce.org/orstats.htm
10 National Right to Life Committee – Washington D.C.
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