VERSION|0.5.1|SUBJECT|Mona Siddiqui, professor of Islamic studies, New College, University of Edinburgh |CONTENT|[b]Rating[/b] 5 out of 5 (Extraordinarily platitudinous)

[url=http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap130419.html][img=images/2013/04/pic130419.jpg popup=false float=right][/url]The question of assisted suicide has been raised once again, this time by [url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22191059]Paul Lamb[/url].

Religion obviously has a view on this. Everyone knows what the religious view is on this. It's so well known that I'm going to make a point of not stating what the religious view of this is.

Instead of stating the religious point of view that everybody knows, I'm going to speak with some sympathy for Mr. Lamb's predicament. In fact I will go further, I'm going to make my position absolutely clear. I'm going to nail my colours to the mast so there is absolutely no doubt about my opinion. I want the whole world to know, unambiguously, that I am categorically not going to state any firm opinion of any kind on the subject, while dropping continuous hints that could be interpreted either way.

I want to tell you about freedom and the right to die with dignity. On the other hand, I want to warn you about the danger of pressurising the old and the disabled into thinking themselves a burden. I want to mention liberty and pluralism. On the other hand, I want to remind you that the Invisible Magic Friend has some very firm opinions on the subject.

Above all, I want there to be no doubt that I intend to make no definite commitment to one side of the argument or another that I cannot plausibly deny if religious nutters choose to have a go at me over it. This is the time to stand up and obfuscate, to wait for society to reach a consensus on the issue before giving definitive moral leadership. Then, and only then, can we claim that the Invisible Magic Friend said so all along.

[url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p017y4v8]Listen/Read[/url]|CATEGORIES|29,1|IP-ADDRESS|94.168.119.214|CREATEDBY|admin|DATE|1366356035
