Madrid, November 2003
Author: Bernadette Marx
Dignity of
life in Holland? There is still dignity of life, yes, but the word dignity is
eroded as so many other words. In Holland the word dignity is commonly used in
connection with euthanasia.
When I do
some research I always prefer facts and figures, but certainly not with the
idea that they always are complete and perfect. But by doing so one can explain
quite often more easily reasons and arguments.
Some facts
of dignity of life in Holland with respect to:
-
natural
law
-
common
good and values
The best
known issues with respect to natural law in Holland are abortion, euthanasia
and criminality. These are the issues about life and respect for personal
property.
-
Abortion: if you read the figures then you
see different outcomes from about 15.000 p.a. (Ippf ea.), over a bit more than
24.000 (Johnston archives) to 34.168 abortions and ‘overtime-treatment’ from
the Dutch Health Care Inspectorate, report of September 2003. The last figure
is the most reliable and the more, it is probably to low because curettage with
the aim of abortion is not included.
The Dutch abortionfigure is not the lowest in
Europe, not to speak about the world. The figure is going up year after year,
especially from Dutch women. According to Eurostat 1990, the Dutch
abortionfigure started in 1975 with 15.000. This figure is risen to 34.168 in
2002. That means a rise of 128 % (!) in 27 years.
The use of oral contraception in Holland is
more than 50 % of women in the so-called reproductive age of 15-45. This number
is dropping because of a growing aversion against the third generation pill.
The second place is for the IUD (about 18 %) and the third for condoms (about 8
%). And there are other methods.
When we add all contraceptive use together than
it is clear that the great majority of Dutch women is temporarily or
permanently sterile.
-
And
why is that? Promiscuity is widespread, like fornication and unwed mothers. The
general idea is that human sexuality is ‘fun’ or ‘healthy behaviour’. The Dutch
society is oversexed. This is easy to see in magazines, on TV, the Internet,
publicity, fashion etc. A sexual behaviour in the sense of trying-out,
information of ‘how to prevent’, discover your sexual preference is totally
stimulated in the schools. The parents don’t know it, or close their eyes
because they are reluctant to talk about the issue privately with their
children. Quite often the parents also leave their children on their own with
these questions. It is a non-issue for parents.
-
Promiscuity
is also expressed in the way of clothing, as we all can see on TV and popmusic
clips. But in Holland this way of clothing is on the streets, in the schools,
almost everywhere. Quite a number of people doesn’t realize that the dignity of
the human person is deeply involved and wounded by that.
-
Euthanasia: one of the subjects, which gave
Holland its sad reputation in the world. The euthanasia law gradually evolved
in Holland until it became legal in 2001 (accepted in the beginning of the
summer holidays!). ‘Dying with dignity’ was the constant drum to make
euthanasia acceptable for the majority of the Dutch people. And in every
opinionating TV-programme was the ‘hard case’ of severe suffering.
-
Here
we see the same play with figures as with abortion. In the legalized situation
it is obligatory for doctors to report a case of euthanasia. Doctors are very
reluctant to do so, because of the investigations following afterwards. The
number of reporting euthanasia dropped!!! This doesn’t mean that there are less
cases of euthanasia, but a growing reluctance of doctors to put their conduct
into question. The doctors go the road of signing false death declarations. For
instance, a dropping from 2216 cases in 1999 to 2113 cases in 2000, 2053 in
2001 and 1882 officially reported cases of euthanasia in 2002. We don’t know
what the real figures are. We can’t look to the intention in the mind of
doctors prescribing more morphine. But we know that Holland is ‘worldleader’ in
euthanasia.
-
It is
a fact that palliative care still is in the beginning of development. Medical
doctors start to discover how to accompany terminally ill persons unto natural
death. Palliative care was unknown in medical education until 2000. The
antipathy of more and more doctors against euthanasia is growing in Holland.
The first reason is the legalizing in 2001, which is accepted without knowing
palliative care. The second reason exists in patients and their families, who
see euthanasia as a ‘right’. Medical doctors feel pushed to be involved –
against their will – in suicide, familyconflicts and a premature death.
-
The
practice of euthanasia in hospitals is less in the southern and eastern part of
the country, the former catholic parts.
-
In
homes for the elderly the practice of ‘mortification’ of severely dementing
people is common practice for 5.500 – 6000 persons yearly. ‘Mortification’ here
means: no more food or liquids. People dry out and die finally. 60 % dies within
a week. 15 % survive this ‘mortification’ for 6 weeks and some recover.
-
As
last low I will mention now is the ‘wrongful life’ claim. During a pregnancy a
married couple discovered that their child would be severely handicapped by
birth. The parents asked for an abortion. This is not performed. After the
birth of the child the parents sued the hospital for the birth of the child.
The parents claimed for their child the ‘right’ of not being born. This new
‘right’ is called ‘wrongful life’, a life that should not exist. Several courts
in Holland have recognized this ‘right’, but not yet the Supreme Court.
2. Common
good and values
-
The
figure of sexually contracted diseases is enormous and increasing enormously,
especially the severe ones like syphilis and HIV, with an average of about 66 %
in the last two years.
-
The
amount of divorces lies round 30 % of the marriages. The main reasons are:
contradictory characters and not able to talk with each other.
-
Since
1999 homosexuals can be unified in a legal marriage in Holland. Adoptation of
children is possible for homosexuals within The Netherlands.
-
The
concept of solidarity is eroding quickly in the Dutch society. Materialism has
a strong grip on people since the sixties. From this point on the Dutch society
deteriorated into what we have now.
-
TV is
a powerful medium in spreading a superficial lifestyle, full of luxury and
decadence in certain programmes. TV is quite often an exhibition of human
weaknesses. The youth – and some others - follow this showroom in decadent
fashion and behaviour.
-
The
family is in crisis, even the concept of marriage and family. Living together
before or without marriage is almost 100 %. The number of unwed mothers with 1
child is – for example – in the inner city of Rotterdam 60 %.
-
Criminality
is growing with big numbers. The police are unable to solve this problem. The
civilians feel unsafe outside their homes in the evenings.
-
Drugs
are a major problem. The solutions of our consecutive governments always focus
on legalizing the use of drugs and providing free drugs for the addicts, to
decrease the drugs related criminality. How does the government get these
drugs?
-
There
is a deeply felt existential loss of a meaningful point of reference in life,
in suffering and in death.
Is there
something good? Yes, remember the medical doctors, retreating from euthanasia.
The youth is looking for more depth in their life. They want to be good people.
Philosophy is popular.
Holland
thinks about herself as a guiding country. I would suggest don’t follow us now.
It is only 60 years ago that the highest number of missionairies in the world
came from Holland. Maybe this time will come again.
END