In this scenario the choice to die is not imposed by legal or social rules. Euthanasia.com also defines, assisted suicide as when "someone provides an individual with the information, guidance, and means to take his or her own life..."

People who advocate for euthanasia argue that, since they are terminally ill, it is pointless to suffer and go through personal anguish when they can easily be assisted to die.

Most of the people who decide to take their lives this way argue that the agony they face, especially pain and hopelessness, is too much and for this reason they see no need to live. Since I believe I have never been in such life threatening situations, I can only imagine what some of them go through as they nurse the thought of having to live the rest of their lives with terminal illnesses.

Although I do sympathise with them, I however, feel that they are advocating for the wrong cause because by taking their lives or promoting others to assist them die, no matter how painless, amounts to suicide or murder.

It is along these lines that I wish to point out a few things from the Bible that prove beyond any reasonable doubt that the Almighty God is the source of life. He is the cause behind the effect, the basis for every created being.

Firstly, we know that He is the source of life because in reference to Adam in Genesis 2 vs. 7, the Bible says God "....breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being".

From the onset, it should therefore be understood that life is sacred and is God's gift to man. In Deuteronomy 32 vs. 39 God goes on to say, "...I put to death and I bring to life..."

I can personally conclude that it's only for God to pronounce a sentence of death and life according to the scriptures just read. Taking your life or the life of another is simply attacking the image and authority of God.

In recent weeks Derby Purdy, a multiple sclerosis sufferer, finally won her right-to-die fight after several months of unsuccessful attempts to take her life. She said she was 'ecstatic' at the ruling. I feel that it was very unfortunate on her part to think that she had accomplished something good when in fact she had pronounced judgement on herself by planning to take her life.

Sarah Wootton, Chief Executive Officer of Dignity in Dying, commenting on the ruling said: "The ruling is significant because it distinguishes between maliciously encouraging someone to commit suicide and compassionately supporting someone's decision to die."

Whatever she was trying to say, I can easily summarise it by saying killing in the name of compassion, or mercy killing, all amount to murder.

Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights provides a right to respect for "one's private and family life..."

What a shame.

If people in authority who enact laws and Statutory Instruments do not know what they are saying, then the whole society is bound to fail.

As a point of correction I wish to clearly state that no one owns his/her life as the Convention states.

We are all custodians of our own lives. All life is and of God. That is why He (God) is called the potter and we are the clay. We, the clay, belong to God.

Dignitas, a Swiss assisted dying group that helps those with terminal illness to take their lives, is a cause for concern. It is reported that more than 100 UK citizens have so far ended their lives through this organisation. For a person to go to the extent of starting an organisation just to help people take their lives is sad and grotesque.

The Word of God clearly exhorts us to defend life. This is shown in Proverbs 24 vs. 11 which says, "Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering to death", but we are clearly seeing the opposite happening with the likes of Babylonic organisations such as Dignitas in Switzerland.

There are numerous examples of people in the Bible having failing in their eyesight in their old age, diseased feet, etc. I understand that people despair of life because of the pain they experience and feel useless, or limited in what they can do.

But nowhere does the Bible say one should take his/her life, or assist a person take his/her life because one has diseased feet or is undergoing utter agony. That would simply amount to suicide and murder which is against God's commandment, 'Thou shall not kill'.

In conclusion, God appointed a certain time for each of us to die on earth. This is shown in Psalm 31 vs. 15 that says "My times are in your hands..." God has a plan for each life and I believe shortening that plan interrupts what God wants to accomplish in that person. It is imperative for people to know that we do not own our lives. For those individuals who constantly say, "It's my life; so I can do what I want with it", I say consider.

We are the custodians of our lives and that is a big God-given responsibility.