The latest episode of PBS’ Frontline, entitled “The Suicide Tourist,” tells the story of Craig Ewert, a 59-year-old man who was dying from ALS, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. He and his wife decided to travel to Switzerland, one of the few countries where physician-assisted suicide is legal, and end his needless suffering.
The one thing that makes his bravery resonate so much with me personally is the fact that he’s an agnostic who does not believe in the soul or an afterlife. Not only does he still want to go through with it, but he doesn’t feel the need to suddenly convert to Christianity on his deathbed out of fear or pressure from what society expects. His decision is not only based in his constant physical suffering, but on sound logic as well, as one would expect from a retired computer science teacher:
“There are people who will look at this and say, ‘No. Suicide is wrong. God has forbidden it. You cannot play God and take your own life.’ …But you know what? This ventilator is playing God. If I had lived without access to technology, chances are I would be dead now.”
The mainstream media focuses on religion and faith so much that they tend to forget that atheists and agnostics must face the same trials and tribulations of daily life, just in a much different way. They are often portrayed as people who need saving of some sort, or people who gave up on faith simply out of bitterness or hatred, yet there is no attempt to do this in “The Suicide Tourist,” and I applaud PBS for that. Craig is a much deeper person than that, and much more representative of true skeptics than the stereotypes and caricatures you regularly see in movies, TV shows, and even on the news.
They have been kind enough to put the entire hour-long episode online for free, which you can watch below. When you have an hour to spare, I urge you to both watch it and consider its message. Hot-button issues can get people so passionate that they oftentimes ignore the viewpoint of the very person who is in agony. Craig is almost at the stage of complete paralysis at the beginning of the program, but thankfully, he is not so far gone that he cannot tell his own story and give his own opinion, which, when it comes down to it, is the only one that should really matter.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
At 84 and 89 my husband and I face dying but we try to live each day to the fullest and loved the intimate sharing of the couple in this film and their willingness to share their love with us all.
so long as I am physically able, I plan to burn out not rust out-but I would never want to become a burden to my family if I ever became incapacitated I feel we all want to live with dignity and have the right to choose. I am a Catholic but I do not practice the religion –I believe in a woman’s right to choose.
Rich,
I feel sorry for people like you who die with no hope and deny God’s existence even to your last breath. I feel sorry for you. What a sad life you live.
i’m not even athiest and i like your site.
the decision wether you should continue to live or not is yours alone, and if deciding not, then why not have a competent professional help (physician or assasin will do!LOL).
i love your site, and as i said, i’m not even atheist. i’m wiccan. and yes i know it sounds silly, but some of the rituals do bring about the desired results, albeit through psychology or physics, gets the job done. the rejection of christianity is also a big draw.
PS- god is not watching and it doesn’t give a flying fuck what you do!
Well I’m glad that you enjoy our site anyway, Paul. We’re strong in our beliefs (or lack thereof) on the site, but not so much that we don’t count the pagans amongst our friends. I never met one that I didn’t like, personally, and I’ve never seen one looking to convert anyone with the threat of eternal damnation, so you guys are OK in my book.
And yes, I can’t imagine an all-powerful deity having nothing better to do than hang around and watch us in the shower. It’s fun at first, but when you can create entire universes in your spare time, you figure that it gets old quick.