Scotland: faith leaders unite in opposition to assisted suicide bill

Today at the Scottish Parliament, a coalition of faith leaders will set out to MSPs why they’re opposed to the legalisation of assisted suicide.

Liam McArthur MSP has said he will bring forward a private members bill to legalise assisted suicide in certain circumstances.

Leaders from the Church of Scotland, the Catholic Church and the Scottish Association of Mosques will speak at an event at the Scottish Parliament.

In a joint statement they say:

“This Bill would make it legal, in certain circumstances, to help people commit suicide.

“Our faith traditions are united in the principle that assisted dying in itself inevitably undermines the dignity of the human person, and to allow it would mean that our society as a whole loses its common humanity.

The Church of Scotland, the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland, and the Scottish Association of Mosques remain firm in their opposition to assisted suicide and euthanasia.”

The event is being hosted by the think tank Logos Scotland.

Mr McArthur has claimed the public in Scotland is strongly behind his Bill.

Polling for CARE has highlighted how, when people engage with the powerful arguments against changing the law, support for assisted suicide drops dramatically.