John Wightman's push for euthanasia lacks much in the way of rational argument. Firstly it is not the Church as such that condemns this practice, rather it is Christian teachings.
His attacks against people in the Church for all manner of unrelated issues both real and imagined are irrelevant to the matters of euthanasia. Secondly, to claim that the Dutch experience of euthanasia is OK because a couple of mates who visit Holland now and again reckon so, is hardly grounds for an endorsement.
Mr Wightman seems unaware of the Remmelink report - a survey of Dutch doctors that was undertaken with the assurance of immunity from prosecution as a means to enable a candid and accurate assessment of compliance with the Dutch law on euthanasia. It showed that during the period of the report, 400 people were killed through doctors providing them with the means to kill themselves (permitted under law). 2300 were killed by doctors acting on the patients explicit request (also permitted). 1040 patients were killed by doctors without the patients knowledge or consent (not permitted) and 4941 patients were killed by lethal Morphine overdose without the patients explicit consent (also not permitted).
Of the 8681 people killed, only 1440 died by their own hand or with their knowledge and consent. This should be of serious concern.
What the report also does not and cannot measure is how many of the 1440 ‘legally killed' requested death only because they had become despondent and depressed at feeling they were a physical and/or financial burden upon their families.
It is common knowledge in the aged care industry that a substantial number of people in their care would be encouraged by their descendants to die and many would feel a duty to do so if euthanasia were made legal.

Mike Kuipers von Lande, Mt. Maunganui.