--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Euthanasia and assisted suicide are never…" description: "\"Euthanasia and assisted suicide are never acceptable acts of mercy. They always gravely exploit the suffering and desperate, extinguishing life in the ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e24/pope-john-paul-ii-485_acceptable_euthanasia-and-assisted-suicide-are-neve_554327.jpg" --- # Euthanasia and assisted suicide are never acceptable acts… ![“Euthanasia and assisted suicide are never acceptable acts of mercy. They always gravely exploit the suffering and desperate, extinguishing life in the name of the 'quality of life' itself.” quote by Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e24/pope-john-paul-ii-485_acceptable_euthanasia-and-assisted-suicide-are-neve_554327.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e24/pope-john-paul-ii-485_acceptable_euthanasia-and-assisted-suicide-are-neve_554327.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e24/pope-john-paul-ii-485_acceptable_euthanasia-and-assisted-suicide-are-neve_554327.jpg) > “Euthanasia and assisted suicide are never acceptable acts of mercy. They always gravely exploit the suffering and desperate, extinguishing life in the name of the 'quality of life' itself.” [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He argues that ending life under the guise of mercy exploits vulnerable people and undermines the sanctity of life. **In simple terms:** Killing for mercy exploits suffering. Key Takeaway Respect life, reject assisted death. Themes ethics life compassion Mood somber reflective Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - medical decisions - end‑of‑life care - policy debates Key Concepts human dignity moral theology Questions to Reflect On - How do we balance compassion with respect for life? - Can suffering ever be justified as a reason to end life? A Different Perspective May overlook individual autonomy and complex suffering. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acceptable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acceptable/) [Assisted suicide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assisted-suicide/) [Catholic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catholic/) [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Desperate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desperate/) [Euthanasia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/euthanasia/) [Euthanasia Assisted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/euthanasia-assisted-4607594/) [Exploits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exploits/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Mercy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mercy/) [Names](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/names/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Quality of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality-of-life/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Suicide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suicide/) [Suicide Acceptable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suicide-acceptable-4607595/) ## Related quotes > [As believers, how can we fail to see that abortion, euthanasia and assisted suicide are a terrible rejection of God's gift of life and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/as-believers-how-can-we-fail-to-see-that-abortion-euthanasia-and/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [Having the choice at the end of my life has become incredibly important. It has given me a sense of peace during a time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittany-maynard/having-the-choice-at-the-end-of-my-life-has-become-incredibly/) [Brittany Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittany-maynard/) > [Americans tend to endorse the use of physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia when the question is abstract and hypothetical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezekiel-emanuel/americans-tend-to-endorse-the-use-of-physician-assisted-suicide-and/) [Ezekiel Emanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezekiel-emanuel/) > [Think of all those ages through which men have had the courage to die, and then remember that we have actually fallen to talking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/think-of-all-those-ages-through-which-men-have-had-the-courage-to-die/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Human life has dignity at every age the taking of innocent human life is always wrong. I believe our nation at every level of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/human-life-has-dignity-at-every-age-the-taking-of-innocent-human-life/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) > [By establishing a social policy that keeps physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia illegal but recognizes exceptions, we would adopt the correct moral view: the onus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezekiel-emanuel/by-establishing-a-social-policy-that-keeps-physician-assisted-suicide/) [Ezekiel Emanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezekiel-emanuel/) > [We don't let animals suffer, so why humans?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/we-don-t-let-animals-suffer-so-why-humans/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [Patients who are being kept alive by technology and want to end their lives already have a recognized constitutional right to stop any and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezekiel-emanuel/patients-who-are-being-kept-alive-by-technology-and-want-to-end-their/) [Ezekiel Emanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezekiel-emanuel/) > [The whole notion of pain, and how every individual experiences pain, is up for debate. We don't know how another person experiences pain -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-toews/the-whole-notion-of-pain-and-how-every-individual-experiences-pain-is/) [Miriam Toews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-toews/) > [Physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia have been profound ethical issues confronting doctors since the birth of Western medicine, more than 2,000 years ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezekiel-emanuel/physician-assisted-suicide-and-euthanasia-have-been-profound-ethical/) [Ezekiel Emanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezekiel-emanuel/) > [Abortion, euthanasia, human cloning, for example, risk reducing the human person to a mere object: life and death to order, as it were!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/abortion-euthanasia-human-cloning-for-example-risk-reducing-the-human/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [ Taking into account these distinctions, in harmony with the Magisterium of my Predecessors\[81\] and in communion with the Bishops of the Catholic Church, I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/taking-into-account-these-distinctions-in-harmony-with-the/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [Those who advocate euthanasia have capitalized on people's confusion, ambivalence and even fear about the use of modern life-prolonging technologies. Being able to choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/those-who-advocate-euthanasia-have-capitalized-on-people-s-confusion/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [The choice of euthanasia becomes more serious when it takes the form of a murder committed by others on a person who has in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/the-choice-of-euthanasia-becomes-more-serious-when-it-takes-the-form/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [Laws which legitimize the direct killing of innocent human beings through abortion or euthanasia are in complete opposition to the inviolable right to life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/laws-which-legitimize-the-direct-killing-of-innocent-human-beings/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) ## More by Pope John Paul II > [the path of goodness had a name it is called Love in it we find the key to every hope and has it's root…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/the-path-of-goodness-had-a-name-it-is-called-love-in-it-we-find-the/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [Man always travels along precipices... His truest obligation is to keep his balance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/man-always-travels-along-precipices-his-truest-obligation-is-to-keep/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [The way Jesus shows you is not easy. Rather, it is like a path winding up a mountain. Do not lose heart! The steeper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/the-way-jesus-shows-you-is-not-easy-rather-it-is-like-a-path-winding/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [The Church must persist in the teaching transmitted to her by Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/the-church-must-persist-in-the-teaching-transmitted-to-her-by-christ/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [And Christ, through His own salvific suffering, is very much present in every human suffering, and can act from within that suffering by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/and-christ-through-his-own-salvific-suffering-is-very-much-present-in/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [“What is the difference between “creator” and “craftsman”? The one who creates bestows being itself, he brings something out of nothing— ex nihilo sui…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/what-is-the-difference-between-creator-and-craftsman-the-one-who/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [The enemy of the human race...invented a means never before heard of, by which he might hinder the preaching of God's word of Salvation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/the-enemy-of-the-human-race-invented-a-means-never-before-heard-of-by/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [Jesus Christ has taken the lead on the way of the cross. He has suffered first. He does not drive us toward suffering but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/jesus-christ-has-taken-the-lead-on-the-way-of-the-cross-he-has/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [Do you think that there can be anything greater than to bring Jesus to people and people to Jesus?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/do-you-think-that-there-can-be-anything-greater-than-to-bring-jesus/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [Do not be afraid to be saints. Follow Jesus Christ who is the source of freedom and light. Be open to the Lord so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/do-not-be-afraid-to-be-saints-follow-jesus-christ-who-is-the-source/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [Utilitarianism is a civilization of production and of use, a civilization of "things" and not of "persons," a civilization in which persons are used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/utilitarianism-is-a-civilization-of-production-and-of-use-a/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [ The world \[is\] tired of ideology \[and\] is opening itself to the truth. The time has come when the splendor of this truth has… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/the-world-is-tired-of-ideology-and-is-opening-itself-to-the-truth-the/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [The only struggle which religions can justify, the only struggle worthy of humans, is the moral struggle against humanity's own disordered passions, against every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/the-only-struggle-which-religions-can-justify-the-only-struggle/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [The cemetery of the victims of human cruelty in our century is extended to include yet another vast cemetery, that of the unborn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/the-cemetery-of-the-victims-of-human-cruelty-in-our-century-is/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [The Church counters the culture of death with the culture of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/the-church-counters-the-culture-of-death-with-the-culture-of-love/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) [Explore all 525 Pope John Paul II quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) ## More Acceptable quotes > [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [I remember being a kid and seeing the 'National Inquirer' at the grocery store checkout line. When somebody actually picked up a copy, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-jones/i-remember-being-a-kid-and-seeing-the-national-inquirer-at-the/) [Rashida Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-jones/) > [Finally, the scariest thing about abuse of any shape or form, is, in my opinion, not the abuse itself, but that if it continues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/finally-the-scariest-thing-about-abuse-of-any-shape-or-form-is-in-my/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [You cannot have 300-some million Americans - and really, right, the global citizenry be at risk of having their phone conversations intercepted with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-lieu/you-cannot-have-300-some-million-americans-and-really-right-the/) [Ted Lieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-lieu/) > [THE REAL PURPOSE OF HOLOCAUST REVISIONISM IS TO MAKE NATIONAL SOCIALISM AN ACCEPTABLE POLITICAL ALTERNATIVE AGAIN.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-covington/the-real-purpose-of-holocaust-revisionism-is-to-make-national/) [Harold Covington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-covington/) > [The government has once again made the right socially acceptable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elfriede-jelinek/the-government-has-once-again-made-the-right-socially-acceptable/) [Elfriede Jelinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elfriede-jelinek/) > [The study of Freemasonry is the study of man as a candidate for a blessed eternity. It furnishes examples of holy living, and displays…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-howard-taft/the-study-of-freemasonry-is-the-study-of-man-as-a-candidate-for-a/) [William Howard Taft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-howard-taft/) > [Or why it is acceptable to train fast runners and high jumpers but not to breed them. I can think of some answers, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/or-why-it-is-acceptable-to-train-fast-runners-and-high-jumpers-but/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [As the future is never known with certainty, the evaluation of the prospective benefits requires the formation of expectations. An acceptable house, partner or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-t-mortensen/as-the-future-is-never-known-with-certainty-the-evaluation-of-the/) [Dale T. Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-t-mortensen/) > [If a man is pictured chopping off a woman's breast, it only gets an R rating; but if, God forbid, a man is pictured…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-struthers/if-a-man-is-pictured-chopping-off-a-woman-s-breast-it-only-gets-an-r/) [Sally Struthers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-struthers/) > [We cannot guess the outcome of our actions... Which is why our actions must always be acceptable in themselves, and not as strategies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-heilbrun/we-cannot-guess-the-outcome-of-our-actions-which-is-why-our-actions/) [Carolyn Heilbrun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-heilbrun/) > [In any case, open-seat presidential elections like 2008 just are different in character from incumbent reelects, and I think that's the most important thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-kristol/in-any-case-open-seat-presidential-elections-like-2008-just-are/) [William Kristol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-kristol/) > [It's horrible how money and fame can make you acceptable while, if you're not famous or rich, you're not acceptable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-tonioli/it-s-horrible-how-money-and-fame-can-make-you-acceptable-while-if-you/) [Bruno Tonioli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-tonioli/) > [I disagree with the prevailing point of view of some black leaders that special treatment for blacks is acceptable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/i-disagree-with-the-prevailing-point-of-view-of-some-black-leaders/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) > [We get used to a certain kind of colour of form or format, and it's acceptable. And to puncture that is sticking your neck…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-krasner/we-get-used-to-a-certain-kind-of-colour-of-form-or-format-and-it-s/) [Lee Krasner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-krasner/) [Browse all 750 Acceptable quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acceptable/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Euthanasia and assisted suicide are never acceptable acts of mercy. They always gravely exploit the suffering and desperate, extinguishing life in the name of the 'quality of life' itself.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Pope John Paul II" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/euthanasia-and-assisted-suicide-are-never-acceptable-acts-of-mercy/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acceptable" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/euthanasia-and-assisted-suicide-are-never-acceptable-acts-of-mercy/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e24/pope-john-paul-ii-485_acceptable_euthanasia-and-assisted-suicide-are-neve_554327.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e24/pope-john-paul-ii-485_acceptable_euthanasia-and-assisted-suicide-are-neve_554327.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e24/pope-john-paul-ii-485_acceptable_euthanasia-and-assisted-suicide-are-neve_554327.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Euthanasia and assisted suicide are never acceptable acts of mercy. They always gravely exploit the…” — Pope John Paul II", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Pope John Paul II", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Euthanasia and assisted suicide are never...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/euthanasia-and-assisted-suicide-are-never-acceptable-acts-of-mercy/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/euthanasia-and-assisted-suicide-are-never-acceptable-acts-of-mercy/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```