The Ninth Circuit Court's treatment of the history of suicide by Ancient Jews and Christians in Compassion in Dying v. State of Washington: historical naivete or special pleading?
In this article, Prof. Darrel Amundsen critiques Judge Reinhardt's comments regarding "Historical Attitudes Toward Suicide" in his Compassion in Dying opinion. Amundsen demonstrates that the court's characterization of ancient Jewish and Christian practices is inaccurate and misleading because it fails to acknowledge the complexities of the moral issue of suicide. Amundsen discusses martyrdom, suicide in general, suicide by the ill, and euthanasia in ancient Judaism. In contrast to the court's commentary, Amundsen demonstrates that regard for human life is a central feature of Jewish ethical monotheism. Furthermore, the author challenges the court's conclusions about early Christianity, and explains why its treatment of the issue of suicide in early Christianity is misleading and inaccurate. Amundsen's discussion of early Christianity includes suicide, martyrdom, and especially the Augustinian teaching on suicide. He concludes that the court's treatment of the issue of suicide in early Christianity is so historically and conceptually muddled as to be fundamentally inaccurate.
Amundsen
D W
DW
Department of Modern and Classical Languages, Western Washington University, USA.
D001633:Bible; D002835:Christianity / Q000266:history*; D005065:Euthanasia / Q000266:history / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D028601:Euthanasia, Active; D049690:History, Ancient; D006801:Humans; D007599:Judaism / Q000266:history*; D033222:Judicial Role; D009014:Morals; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D013405:Suicide / Q000266:history* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000523:psychology; D028725:Theology; D026712:Value of Life