SUICIDE, ASSISTED SUICIDE, ACTIVE EUTHANASIA
drown in the sea we shall attain the life of the future world." The eldest among them expounded the verse "The Lord said, I will bring again from Bashan, I will bring again from the depths of the sea”(Psalm 68:23). "TI will bring again from Bashan"- from between the lion’s teeth."I will bring again from the depths of the sea"- those who drown in the sea. When the girls heard this they all leaped into the sea. The boys then drew the moral for themselves, saying,"If these for whom this is natural act so, shall not we for whom it is unnatural?” They also leaped nto the sea. Of them the text says, "Yea, for thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter”(Psalm 44:23).%
1. Their possible involvement in sin was not immediate, i.e., no one was threatening or demanding that they do immoral acts at the moment they decided to take their lives.
2. They appeared to have some hesitation as to whether their act would be considered meritorious, as indicated by their discussion prior to their drowning themselves."*
They preferred death to a life which required them to live in a way which was inconsistent with their life plan. The prospect of being subject to conditions of torture and immorality justified their drastic act. In certain cases of unremitting pain and a terminal illness, which has diminished the person’s ability to fulfill their understanding of what it means to be created in the image of God , an act of suicide or assisted suicide or active voluntary euthanasia would not only be permitted, but might be seen as praise-worthy. While one can admire the courage of one who struggles against pain and disability, there is also admiration for