WASHINGTON (RNS) Most Americans hold strong views on the care they want -- or don't want -- if they are faced with an incurable disease. A new survey from Pew Research finds that the number of those who would fight death to the bitter end is growing.
Physician assisted suicide has been legal in Washington, Oregon and Montana for some years now, but the ethical dilemmas surrounding the law continue to be a struggle for many Americans.
At its monthly meeting Wednesday night, members of the Friends of Compassion discussed those dilemmas, including the ways faith plays a role in euthanasia.
In 2011, The Gallup Poll reported that most Americans (48 percent) believed doctor-assisted suicide to be morally wrong. But those who thought it was acceptable were closing in at 45 percent.