Some thoughts for politicians on Euthanasia, and Bob B's current Bill

Here are some thoughts I sent in letter form, minus some details.

The topic of Euthanasia, I think it is a very serious issue.
The push for Euthanasia doesn’t take into account recent improvements in palliative care. My father’s experience as a GP is that people don’t really want to end their lives - they just want to avoid the suffering. Better access to and understand of palliative case is really what is needed, and would effectively make the case for Euthanasia pointless.
Some others argue for Euthanasia based on the desire for autonomy – I think this is really an ideological battle – with no real care for the people in question. The probably with complete autonomy is that it is driven by individualism. While a person’s individual nature is important, it ignores that we are created for relationships, we are born into families, live in communities – what affects us affects those around us and vice verse, and this fulfil part of what it means to be human. We shouldn’t go the other extreme and only say the community overrides the person in an absolute way – be we should see the interdependence that is part of our lives.
One of the problems Euthanasia poses is the pressure to end one’s life. It may be seen as an obligation. Pressure can come from a range of directions: ones family either directly, or from a sense to not be a burden on them; from medical staff; from fear of suffering, especially when palliative care is not well provided; also from insurance companies. Studies in countries such as the Netherlands show that there are cases of involuntary Euthanasia (which we should probably really call Murder) are happening by medical staff. Also that palliative care tends to go backwards, and those who support or performing the case are seen as selfish and not caring for the people involved.
While it seems Bob Brown has mentioned his bill is only about allowing the territories to have their own say just like the States – he is really just justifying the means by the end. He personally is for Euthanasia and probably sees this as the easiest way in Australia. I think it is a serious enough issue for the Federal to implement such laws as it currently has, which it is constitutionally allowed to do. Is it not for such cases that the Government has this power and responsibility?

Another reason why it makes sense for Christians to be pro life.

In the US it seems that being a Christian doesn't mean that you are pro-life.

To argue the case from the Bible, I thought a key passage to point to was Psalm 139.
Recently I saw the title of a message by John Piper which refered to John the Baptist. Hmmm.
John the Baptist in-utero leaps for joy at the sound of Mary (and Jesus in-utero).

Luke 1:39-45 (ESV)
In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord."

http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/1604_The_Baby_in_My_Womb_Leaped_for_Joy/