Bogotá, Colombia, Oct 29, 2008 / 10:51 am
Bishop Julio Cesar Vidal Ortiz of Monteria in Colombia said this week a proposal by Senator Armando Benedetti to legalize euthanasia is “a grave attack on life.”
The bishop explained that the legalization of euthanasia, which supporters call the “right” to a “peaceful death,” “could be corrupted by people interested in the death of someone else,” as in the case of a son or daughter who might apply euthanasia to a parent in order to receive an inheritance.
“This law could open a gap towards the degradation of the respect for life, because many children or family members interested in getting rich could misuse it,” the bishop said.
He called on Colombia’s Constitutional Court and on Senator Benedetti “to closely analyze this proposal, which goes against the right to life.” Bishop Vidal also challenged public officials to put forth proposals to that respect human rights.