The American Medical Association (AMA) recently affirmed its opposition to physician-assisted suicide. A portion of the statement states,

Physician-assisted suicide is fundamentally incompatible with the physician’s role as healer, would be difficult or impossible to control, and would pose serious societal risks.

I have a problem, however, with the phrase “fundamentally incompatible.” I think a funeral home opening a birthing center or a Coca-Cola vending machine at the Pepsi museum are fundamentally incompatible. They aren’t wrong – they just don’t fit.

Assistance with self-killing is even more than incompatible. It is wrong, and the AMA doesn’t want to say that.

The preamble to the AMA statement on assisted suicide reads:

Thoughtful, morally admirable individuals hold diverging, yet equally deeply held and well-considered perspectives about physician-assisted suicide.

How long do you think it will take before “morally admirable individuals” will carry the day and change the AMA position on this issue? It wouldn’t be the first time.

In 1857 and 1871 this same AMA condemned abortion. Now the AMA says,

Abortion is a safe and common medical procedure, about which thoughtful individuals hold diverging, yet equally deeply held and well-considered perspectives. Like all health care decisions, a decision to terminate a pregnancy should be made privately within the relationship of trust between patient and physician in keeping with the patient’s unique values and needs and the physician’s best professional judgment.

Keep in mind that the AMA opposes prejudice and hurting other people not as “fundamentally incompatible” but as things that are wrong.

The practice of assisted suicide as a medical profession is not wrong in the same way that selling Coke in a Pepsi museum is wrong. It is wrong because it is fundamentally incompatible with the human race.

Like being prejudiced or intentionally harming patients, assisting people in committing self-murder is inherently wrong.

So what is it that makes being prejudiced, harming others, or assisting in self-killing wrong?

The AMA is riding the fence of public opinion. Given time, the line of public opinion will seem compelling.

So what do we do? Don’t start screaming, yelling, and waving an angry fist at your doctor. Because less than 18% of doctors are members of the AMA, this may not be their issue. Also, remember you are to be working to create a relationship to show love and share Christ.

Be mindful of the plank in your eye (Matthew 7:3-5). We are not immune to drifting. Any Christian counselor will tell you that Christians are pulled by societal opinion.

Especially, cling to certainty. We are reminded:

“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever” (Isaiah 40:8).

Because of this truth, we can stand our ground (1 Corinthians 15:58). Do not be swayed. Stand firm in your conviction and focused on showing love and sharing the truth – for the truth ultimately brings freedom (John 8:32).