FIRST SESSION

Text

• Student Notes #1: "The Difference"
• Student Notes #2: "The Negative Effects of Legal Euthanasia"

Scripture

• Genesis 1:26-27
• 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
• Ecclesiastes 8:8
• Isaiah 46:4

Objectives

• To explore God's view on the value of life.
• To examine the pro-euthanasia perspective.
• To sensitize Christians to the negative effects of legalizing euthanasia.

WELCOME/PRAYER

Welcome participants and open in prayer.

DISCUSSION

The reasons individuals may have for taking this course will stem from a variety of motives. Depending on the motives, they will be wondering if the course will be worth their time. Give in your own words a short definition of euthanasia and an overview of the dangers of the growing right-to-die movement and how it will affect, (if it has not already affected) everyone in the class. You will also want to build a group that will share and support each other as they wade into unfamiliar waters.

After the welcome and prayer if members of the class do not know one another, take a few minutes for them to introduce themselves. A good discussion launcher (if your group is small) is to have each member complete the following sentence: "I want to take this class because . . ."

To encourage class members to be regular in their attendance and to finish the course, show the many informative handouts they will receive during the course and mention briefly the topics you plan to cover. Try to convey to them the importance of learning the difference between the Lord's view on life and world's view and how we can protect ourselves and those we love.

Begin this session by viewing the first segment of the "Right To Kill" documentary. Your class will view a graphic scene where an elderly woman's family has requested that a lethal injection be given her.

Your class will also hear interviews of today's leading pro-life and pro-euthanasia leaders sharing their personal opinions on euthanasia. Be sure to encourage them to listen closely to the motives of the individual speakers and to take notes.

SHOW SEGMENT 1 OF VIDEO

Video Instructions: As an introduction to the course, show approximately the first 18 minutes of the video. Turn off the video after Professor Adam's comments, "Every human being has rights no one can properly take from him, and that includes the person himself."

DISCUSSION

Hand out Student Note #1 and assign members of the group to look up and be prepared to read aloud the scriptures.

Invite responses and reactions to the tape. Some questions to ask are:

• What feelings did the tape arouse in you?

• Who is the author of life?

• Do we have the authority to say when to end life?

• Does God have a purpose and plan for every life?

• Whom are we to trust and why?

• What is God's promise to us?

• Is there a gap or difference between the Christian view of life's values and the world's view?

Connect their answers as Christians to those comments they heard on the video from the pro-euthanasia perspective. Reinforce that the correct Christian answers are often in direct opposition to pro-euthanasia views.

Hand out Student Note #2 "The Negative Effects of Euthanasia" and ask:

• Is euthanasia an attack on Christian values?

• Would you have confidence in your doctor if he had the "right" to take your life?

• Whose value of life do you think would be utilized if euthanasia was legalized in our nation today?

• List some reasons a family might be pressured into pulling the plug.

CLOSING MOMENT

As Christians we know that God alone has the power to create, sustain, and take life. His word is not abstract or unclear. We are given the responsibility to protect, conserve, and value the life our Lord has entrusted to us.

Share with the participants areas that will be covered in the next session.

Invite all to join hands in a circle. Go around the circle and ask each participant to thank God for one thing they learned in this session.