Catholic rebel Kueng, 85, considers assisted suicide

[rug]

By Tom Heneghan, Religion Editor
PARIS | Thu Oct 3, 2013 9:49am EDT

(Reuters) - Hans Kueng, Roman Catholicism's best known rebel theologian, is considering capping a life of challenges to the Vatican with a final act of dissent - assisted suicide.

Kueng, now 85 and suffering from Parkinson's disease, writes in final volume of his memoirs that people have a right to "surrender" their lives to God voluntarily if illness, pain or dementia make further living unbearable.

The Catholic Church rejects assisted suicide, which is allowed in Kueng's native Switzerland as well as Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and four states in the United States.

"I do not want to live on as a shadow of myself," the Swiss-born priest explained in the book published this week. "I also don't want to be sent off to a nursing home ... If I have to decide myself, please abide by my wish."

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/03/us-religion-kueng-suicide-idUSBRE9920HX20131003

[hrmjustin]

1. I wish him the best and I hope God welcomes him with open arms.

[rug]

2. Damn, your posts evaporate any of my tendencies to churlishness.

You're right, of course. He has had an amazing life with unnecessary difficulties.

[hrmjustin]

3. I don't think I could personally end my life even if sick but I understand why he feels that this

may be right for him.

I hope the Vatican does not deprive him of burial rights if he does it.

[IrishAyes]

9. Count on it.

[No Vested Interest]

4. "I don't want to be sent off to a nursing home..."

None of us would choose to go off to a nursing home, but I believe the dread of it is overrated.
Further, I believe we do a disservice to the many who will at some time be entering a nursing home for what they realize at the time will be the rest of their lives. The disservice is in furthering the stereotype of how awful life in a nursing home is.

Almost daily for six years I visited a loved one in a nursing home; I also spent a week living in the nursing care unit while recovering from surgery. Your meals are prepared and brought to you, your bed is changed, and you have a button to request assistance as needed. Entertainment is often provided, and one can usually find a compatible person for conversations, etc. There have even been romances blossom.
There are many things distasteful about a nursing home, most of which come down to loss of independence - meals at a specified time, being told when to bathe, get dressed, go to bed, get up, etc.

I've also spoken with people who dislike being surrounded by "old people", which also includes the mental and physical disabilities of those aged. I personally don't dislike old people, though some are annoying, but there are some annoying people anyplace.

I won't continue hijacking the OP any further, but just felt I had to answer Fr. Kueng's statement re nursing homes.

[rug]

5. Those are all very good points.

Despite the periodic reports of abuses and neglect in nursing homes, they serve a vital role in the human journey. We never know when we may be there.

As all my acquaintances grow older along with me, I find myself enjoying old people more.

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

6. I agree

I only have sex with women in their sixties. Well, one woman in her sixties. The only woman I've had sex with for over 40 years.

[No Vested Interest]

7. Thank you for clarifying, Fortinbras.

Two lucky people.
May you continue your revelry even when memory and other functions fail.

[IrishAyes]

8. I've always felt the greatest compliment I could offer to any guy is: good family man

[IrishAyes]

10. I've always loved old things and old people, often closer to them than my age mates

Won't launch a long series of stories here, but I have many to tell. Basically when we see an old person maybe snoozing in a chair, we shouldn't assume they haven't had a rich life in the past.

Okay, okay, since you insist; one story and that's all! I worked at a nursing home once and a male co-worker volunteered to stay over the night shift w/o pay because his friend was dying. That friend indeed was confused, but his great sense of responsibility forced him to hang on long enough to discharge what he thought was his duty - reporting to his superior officer the results of many intelligence investigations for safekeeping and national security. My co-worker said although the information was clearly outdated and probably no longer classified, it was very detailed and seemed authentic.

[rug]

11. I've had my greatest moments of calm with the very young and the very old.

The few moments of life completely drained of bullshit.