The Right to Die

The second half of our exploration of the value of human life in our Sunday School curriculum looked at suicide — more specifically those who choose to end their suffering by taking their own lives. It's a tricky subject, and just one of the reasons this curriculum has been so challenging and engrossing.

This is a topic that’s been in the news quite a bit this week. Brittany Maynard was a 29-year-old woman who was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. She opted to move to Oregon — where assisted suicide is legal — in order to end her life with what she said was death with dignity. She wanted to die on her own terms, while she was still in good health.

Maynard went through with her plan last Sunday, writing to her supporters on Facebook, “Today is the day I have chosen to pass away with dignity in the face of my terminal illness, this terrible brain cancer that has taken so much from me … but would have taken so much more.”

An article looking at Maynard's decision also discussed others who have a terminal illness that had tried to dissuade Maynard from taking her life. Maggie Karner, 51, had the same diagnosis as Maynard but said she will fight to stay as long as she can. She wrote to Maynard, “Remember earlier this year when Robin Williams took his own life? … The world lost some of its beauty and joy that day. Brittany, if you take your life, the world will lose some of its beauty again. And quite frankly, I’m not sure this world can spare any more public losses like that, with all the death and destruction going on everyday. We need the presence of people like you. Please don’t let cancer get one more second of your life than it desires.”

Another woman, Kara Tippetts, 38, was diagnosed with terminal breast cancer. She is a mother of four who also plans to fight as long as she can. “But in my whispering, pleading, loving voice dear heart- will you hear my heart ask you, beg you, plead with you — not to take that pill. Yes, your dying will be hard, but it will not be without beauty. Will you please trust me with that truth?”

There has been a lot of debate about this issue because of Maynard. Some have called her brave and praised her decision. Others have been critical. And others, like the women who I read quotes from, have urged her to find another way. This is an issue that is divisive in our society.

Our lesson mostly focused on the idea of those who have aged and are at the end of a long life, suffering a terminal illness, who want their suffering to end. And that is a part of this, but as we’ve seen there are a lot of different people of different ages. The idea of living with cancer or a terminal illness has been a big part of our culture.

In just this last year we’ve had a lot of different pop culture shows and movies that have looked at different aspects of living with difficulty. This summer had two movies aimed at teens and young adults that dealt with living and death. One was the movie “Fault in Our Stars,” which I believe is an argument that life is worth fighting for despite painful diagnosis. And the other was “If I Stay,” in which a girl in a comma tries to decide if life with worth living.

On the small screen, a couple years ago Showtime premiered the show “The Big C,” which was about living with a terminal cancer diagnosis. And this summer ABC Family debuted a show called “Chasing Life,” which is about a young woman in her prime struck with cancer, and how she tries to wrap her mind around that. These are stories that are popular and prominent in our society.

Well, 10 years ago Clint Eastwood gave us a movie that tackled the painful subject of assisted suicide and the right to die with dignity called “Million Dollar Baby.”

As Frankie Dunn, a broken down trainer and gym owner, Eastwood beautifully portrayed a man seeking redemption and finding it in the most unlikely of places. Dunn is full of regret, evidenced by his loyalty to burned out fighter Eddie “Scrap-Iron” Dupris (Freeman) and daily treks to Mass. Dunn feels he has plenty to atone for, including his broken relationship with his daughter and his failure to protect Dupris from the beating that ended his boxing career.

Dunn and Dupris are perfect foils. Dupris takes responsibility for what happened to him and is able to find a contentment in his current life. Dunn cannot. Their friendship is one of the few close human connections Dunn has, that is until Maggie Fitzgerald (Swank) comes along. Maggie has the grit and determination to be a fighter, but she lacks the skill and technique. She knows Dunn can provide it. The problem is he doesn’t train “girls.” Slowly, her grit and determination win him over and he begins to train her.

As Dunn teaches Maggie in the ring they heal each other’s wounds. Maggie desperately needs someone to love her and believe in her, and Dunn needs to have someone to invest in and to guide to their maximum potential. Their teaming is a success in the ring, too, as Maggie works her way up to a title shot. That’s where a movie that seems like a straightforward redemption story takes a dramatic turn. Maggie is critically injured in the fight, ending her career and her life as she knew it, and plunging Dunn into another spiral of regret.

As Maggie comes to terms with her physical condition and Dunn’s Hail Mary attempts to find a cure come up short, both struggle with what to do next. Maggie’s family proves to be of no help as she continues to waste away. Her only companion is Dunn, who dutifully sits by her side daily. When Maggie finally comes to terms with the fact the rest of her life will be severely limited, she asks her friend and father figure to help her go out on her own terms. Dunn instantly bristles at the idea, which conflicts with both his need to seek redemption by helping others and his faith.

Dunn is a Catholic. It’s hard to say he’s incredibly devout, but he does cling to his faith as the only method of expressing his regret and desire to change. The Catholic Church is also a faith tradition that takes a hard line on the concept of suicide. Many view suicide as the “unpardonable” sin, with those that commit suicide or attempt suicide condemned to hell.

The Bible does not directly address the question of suicide, making it an even tougher subject to debate. There are suicides depicted in the Bible — King Saul committed suicide in 1 Samuel at the end of a lost battle and Judas Iscariot hung himself after betraying Jesus. Some also consider Samson’s death as suicide as he essentially prays to God to be granted the strength to sacrifice himself in order to defeat his enemies. But the question for most Christians is what suicide means in terms of our walk with the Lord and salvation. In Romans 8:38-39 is says that nothing can “separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord.” The strict Catholic view that suicide is an unpardonable sin, then, seems to be in direct conflict with this passage. I believe in eternal security; the idea that once you are saved, you are always saved. I believe that you can’t lose your salvation if you’ve truly put your faith in Jesus Christ.

In Matthew 11:28 Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Our peace comes from Jesus. We can’t bear the burdens of life on our own, and when we try we become lost, which is why many turn to suicide as a solution for the burdens of their souls. I like what the great evangelist Billy Graham once said in response to someone who was contemplating suicide, “… as long as we are on this earth, God has a purpose for us.”

It is natural for those who are suffering to seek comfort and a way out, which sometimes leads people to consider desperate measures. Even the Apostle Paul, perhaps the greatest evangelist in history, struggled with infirmities in his old age. He wrote in Philippians 1:22-23 “I desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain.” Life is a gift from God, therefore it’s easy to conclude that suicide is the ultimate rejection of that gift.

In the film, Maggie is a scrappy underdog. She pushes through a number of obstacles to achieve her dream. Her entire identity is wrapped up in being a fighter — not just a boxer, a fighter. Maggie fought to overcome the odds. She fought to overcome her poor background, her family’s indifference and her lack of education and training. And in her profession, she fought to overcome the doubt of others, her stature and her unpolished methods. All of her fighting brought her to the pinnacle — fighting for the championship. And in that fight, everything changed. A cheap, late hit led to an injury that forever changed her life.

It’s fair to say that as a result of her injury Maggie’s quality of life is greatly diminished. Paralyzed from the neck down, Maggie is doomed to spend her life confined to a bed, reliant on machines to help her survive. It’s an injury that robs Maggie of her fighting mentality. Once it becomes clear no miracle will be able to change her situation, Maggie finds a sense of inner peace with her achievements. She is proud of what she’s accomplished and has no regrets. But she can’t imagine spending years wasting away, so she turns to Dunn for help. Having made peace with her circumstances, Maggie’s ready for her life to end.

Dunn struggles with this request because he, too, is a fighter. In his own way, Dunn is just as much of a fighter as Maggie. He fights to meet life on his own terms, fights to overcome the guilt and doubt that weigh him down and fights to find fighters, and build them up. Maggie is perhaps his greatest triumph and greatest regret. She becomes like a daughter to him, which makes the reality of her injuries that much harder to bear. Long after Maggie has accepted the reality of her condition Dunn is lining up to go for a hail Mary pass again. That mentality combined with his love for Maggie, guilt, and religious beliefs make it difficult for him to accept Maggie’s decision. He seeks out advice, weighs the options, and watches as Maggie fights to meet her end on her own terms. Finally, Dunn determines that the guilt of watching his friend suffer is greater than all the reasons weighing against her decision. In a scene that’s as emotional and touching as any ever filmed, Dunn fulfills Maggie’s final request and ends her suffering. Then he disappears, presumably unable to find any peace after acting contrary to his personal beliefs.

Though it’s undeniable that Maggie’s quality of life was diminished, there is great debate about the choice made by Dunn in the film. Though Maggie’s life would never be the same, it is impossible to know how God could have used her. Joni Eareckson Tada was paralyzed through a tragic accident in 1967 and could easily have given up. Instead, she persevered. Today, she is a renowned author, artist, and radio host. Her life and her faith are an inspiration to millions. We know that God has a purpose for our lives. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” We just have to accept the call.