Physician aid in dying

Presented by Nancy Bedell , Member of Merian's Friends

About the Speaker

About the Event

Announcements

Meeting Minutes
August 26, 1998; meeting #30.

There were 28 people in attendance in our new location. We welcome 1st
timers, miss regulars not able to attend and hope for all to continue to
add to the Freethought Association via your thoughts and presence.
Watch for Lanette Grate’s article concerning the Promise Keepers that
will appear in the GR Press in Saturday’s religion section.
Jo Ann Mooney from the Council For Secular Humanism met with several
members of our group recently to offer encouragement and advice for our
growing group.

Carl Bajema, professor of biology @ GVSU will present a review and
discussion of the book Skeptics & True Believers; The Exhilarating
Connection by Chet Raymo where Dr.Bajema poses the topic question: What
is the connection between science and religion? This will be @ our next
meeting UICA, 41 Sheldon on September 9 7PM. Be there and bring a
friend interested in this topic.

The Campus Freethought Alliance has drafted a “Bill of Rights for
Unbelievers.” We will be receiving a copy for those interested to sign.
This historically important document can be reviewed electronically @
http://www.secularhumanism.org/cfa.
The Freethought Lunch continues to be held the 2nd Sunday of each month
@ 1PM. See sign-up sheet about attending, hosting or refreshments to
bring.

We are always interested in topic ideas and suggestions. Let us know via
e-mail (), in person, or using the suggestion box @
meetings. Any ?s submit to the e-mail address as well.
Again, the next meeting will be the UICA 7PM on Sept. 9. Topic:
religion & science. Hope to see you there!

Presentation

This meeting’s topic was physician aid in dying, with Nancy Bedell of
Merian’s Friends leading the discussion. We thank her for a very
informative and thought- provoking evening.

Merian’s Friends was named for Merian Frederick who had been severely
disabled from Lou Gehrig’s Disease but refused to be a “mind trapped in
a suffocating body” and was forced to find her release illegally. Her
daughter, Carol, joined with two doctors to pass a law so that others
could “legally control the time and manner of their deaths with the aid
of their physician.” They further believe that neither “the government
bureaucracy nor anyone else’s moral or religious beliefs should dictate
your personal decision to live or bring an end to pain and anguish.” All
quotes from a pamphlet from Merian’s Friends.

Some points touched on were the additional safeguards in place (in the
current challenge by M’s Friends to the ban on one’s control over their
last days) beyond the Oregon Right To Die Law, the heavy oppositional
involvement by the Right To Life and how they have ironically attacked
language that they themselves wrote; the hypocrisy of a patient who’s
“plug can be pulled” when in hopeless or intolerable situations but not
be allowed to self-direct a lethal sedative administered via a
physician. Legal, moral and religious ramifications were discussed as
well as the humanist approach applied to ths emotionally-charged issue.
Several poignant stories were related of personal experiences with
severe depression, diminished mental capacity of a loved one, or debates
with family from a Christian perspective over this issue by members of
our group. The difficult area of self-directed choice in terminating
one’s life when one is mentally ill or retarded was discussed as well.

For more information on Merian’s Friends and the issues and arguments,
contact Nancy Bedell @ (616) 285-4792 or webste: http://www.merians.com or PO
Box 272, Northville, MI 48167.