This paper contends that the
euthanasia debate which is often heated and controversial, is part of the larger 'right to die'
debate and is related to civil, personal freedom and liberty issues. In terms of a secular viewpoint and from the stance of legal and moral issues alone, the paper explains that
euthanasia relates specifically to personal and individual freedom and should be morally and legally permissible. However, in the religious and non-secular context, the paper claims that active and passive euthanasia become severely problematic issues. The paper examines the theological and moral
implications of any form of life-taking, including euthanasia, explaining that they are contrasted with religious teachings that emphasize sanctity of life and the relationship between the individual human life and God. The paper states that according to both the Judaic and Catholic perspectives and law, the implications of a religious perspective are that the patient does not have the sole right to his or her life and this life is, in a religious sense, an endemic part of the religious context from which it came. Outline Introduction Brief Background Active and Passive Euthanasia The Jewish Position Catholicism Comparison and Conclusion