Letter: Legalising assisted dying would shift us away from being a life-affirming society towards being a life-denying one

Any move towards legalisation of assisted dying is profoundly troubling.

It signals a fundamental shift away from being a life affirming society, meaning that every human life is regarded as precious and healthcare aims to preserve quality of life while increasing longevity, to a life-denying society, in which some lives are deemed not worth living and healthcare professionals are expected to actively end lives.

This has implications for all of us.

Who says which lives are worth living and what can be said to the person on the edge of despair who is convinced his or her life is worthless?

It was Christianity that gave Ireland the convictions that every human person is of equal value and that we all have a duty to care for the most vulnerable amongst us.

Assisted dying is presented as a compassionate response to suffering and a way of honouring the individual's autonomy.

In reality it is a cheaper alternative to investing in universal care for the mental and physical health needs of suffering people and a gateway to affirming the thoughts of some vulnerable people that they have no intrinsic value.

​Dr Paul Coulter, Executive Director of the Centre for Christianity in Society, Lisburn