Letters - 25 July 2014
From assisted dying to population
Assisted dying
Among many contributions to the media debate on assisted suicide, the four letters in the Friend (18 July) seem to favour the view that compassion leads us to support legislation to allow this. But compassion also requires us to protect the vulnerable. No doubt the individuals who face the decision whether to kill themselves will vary widely in their competence to make a wise decision. The ones we hear about seem intelligent, well-supported and eloquent. There will be many others who are lonely, depressed and with uncaring families. Some may have come through years of family stress; they may also be friendless. Can we be sure that, even with medical advice, they will make a well-balanced and wise decision? And not all medical practitioners are paragons of virtue.
Gordon Steel
Quaker theology
Patricia Gosling’s article (18 July) reminds us helpfully about important aspects of the Quaker Way and draws attention to the relevance of our faith to contemporary society. She is, however, not correct to assert that Quakerism is unique in that at its centre is the concept of continuing revelation.
Within the Christian tradition, the idea is important in some charismatic and Pentecostal churches and in the Mormon Church. A study of Christian history and the development of doctrine shows clearly that the churches’ understanding of faith has changed many times, just as Christian understanding of morality has changed, too.
Each time ideas change, those responsible for encouraging the change believe that they have been led by the Spirit to do so. What is true of Christianity is true of other major faiths. In Judaism, for example, the rabbis have re-interpreted the teaching of the Torah on many occasions to apply it to their times. Whatever some might claim, religion is an ever-changing, dynamic feature of human thinking, as the writings of Karen Armstrong illustrate so well.
Michael Hennessey
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