Strange and Unusual STORIES
by Dr. Steven White
President of PWBC
Legal Help To Kill Yourself
Wikipedia lists 18 countries of the world that allow medically-assisted-dying, Canada being one of them. In 2016, the Canadian Government introduced the legislation calling it, ‘Medical Assistance in Dying’ and it goes by the acronym ‘MAID’. Last year, the government published its first Annual Report of MAID. Some highlights include the following:
- In 2019, there were 5,631 cases of MAID reported in Canada, accounting for 2.0% of all deaths in Canada.
- The number of cases of MAID in 2019 represents an increase of 26.1% over 2018 numbers, with all provinces experiencing a steady year over year growth in the number of cases of MAID since its introduction into law in 2016.
- When all data sources are considered, the total of number of medically assisted deaths reported in Canada since the enactment of federal legislation is 13,946.
There is a BIG ethical debate swirling around Medical Assistance in Dying. There are a number of reasons that the government will allow certain people to have it, and there are many reasons why the government will not allow others to have it. But, imagine that… 5,631 cases of MAID reported in Canada in 2019. That’s over 15 people per day, every day, for 365 days. I’m guessing that number will rise in 2020-2021 because of Covid-19.
Most of the time, it’s the person themselves who want to control their death; and sometimes it’s the family of the sufferer that makes the decision. But, when you get right down to it, it’s largely a matter of ‘killing yourself’, which is usually called ‘suicide’, and typically, Bible-believing Christians don’t believe in any form of suicide, because they view the timing of ‘life-and-death’ as belonging to God only.
BUT, did you know that, in the Book of Revelation, when conditions on earth become so devastatingly horrible, and plagues and suffering are 10x worse than we’ve ever seen, that men will anxiously want medically-assisted-suicide, but won’t be able to get it! Rev. 9:6, And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
This is just another reason why we need gospel-preaching missionaries throughout the world today: men and women who can show people how they can make peace with God through faith in Jesus Christ.
Rom. 5:1, Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
ONLINE COURSES
Take Online Courses!
God has enabled PWBC to offer courses that are available online. This is a good opportunity for those who want to earn their Bible training but do not have the ability to attend full-time at Bible College.
SUPPORT THE COLLEGE
Be Part of Training Men and Women
You can be a part of opening a door of opportunity to those who would be willing to serve God in fulltime service or helping the college to train future leaders for the Lord.