fried beef sandwich

or Islam or what not.

On another board, I'm in a Euthanasia debate. Someone is claiming that there is no example of a mercy killing in the Bible or any other monotheistic religion.

Is this true?

Toto

Mercy killing is a modern phenomena. We now have the medical technology to keep people alive in cases where they would have died in Biblical times.

In Biblical times, people just died on their own.

Gringo

King Saul's servant mercifully killed him after his suicide went awry. Of course, that was on the battlefield with hordes of enemy Phillistines coming at him.

Vorkosigan

Are they smoking dope? Didn't Pilate order Jesus' leg's broken so that he'd die faster? The fact that he didn't succeed (Jesus had expired) doesn't obviate the intent.

Celsus

Try the deuterocanonicals (Ecclesiasticus/Wisdom of Sirach):

Sirach 30:17 Death is better than a life of misery, and eternal sleep than chronic sickness.

Perhaps hyperbole, but:

Sirach 40:28 My child, do not lead the life of a beggar; it is better to die than to beg.

I predict the debate will then shift to what constitutes the canon, unless your opponent is Catholic, in which case s/he's nailed.

Joel

madmax2976

If you read Glen Miller's defense of the slaughter of the Amalekites (Christian Thinktank site) he uses mercy killing as a defense for the killing of all the women and children.