They had never all spoken on this topic at the same time. For fear of taking too rigid a stance on a divisive social issue. However, on Tuesday, January 23, the leaders of the main religions in France met to discuss the end of life together and simultaneously.

In the meeting room of the University of Paris-Cité, decorated with paintings and tapestries praising care and health, they spoke again about the book they all contributed to provide food for thought on the end of life. Published shortly after the Hamas attacks in Israel on October 7, 2023, Religions and end of life (Fayard, 2023), a work coordinated by Laetitia Atlani-Duault, brings together the positions of the main representatives of religions in France on this topic. But the outbreak of war in the Middle East completely overshadowed it. Therefore, this start of the year was a perfect opportunity to make our voices heard again and talk about the work.

On Tuesday, several people expressed their distaste, if not outright opposition, to a bill that would make active euthanasia easier. “We are very cautious about the need for a law. The Claeys-Leonetti law has answered many needs, the challenge is to make it more lively.”affirmed Eric de Moulins-Beaufort, Archbishop of Reims and President of the Episcopal Conference of France.

For his part, Chief Rabbi Haïm Korsia has also made no secret of the fact that he is openly opposed to a new text that goes beyond the existing legislation. “The main principle is to treat first, to care… It would be tragic to say that we are entering a world where killing becomes caring.” We will break with a system that says we do not cause death can. » For him, this last point actually represents one “anthropological break” because now, “We can say: ‘We can kill'”.

Develop palliative care

A clear opposition also shared by Chems-Eddine Hafiz, the rector of the Grand Mosque of Paris, who emphasized the suffering of people at the end of their lives, convinced that, in his opinion, it is a burden for others and for society. “Today we need to strengthen that human warmth that hospitals lack. I suggested increasing the presence of pastors and facilitating contact with the family so that the person can decide according to their conscience.”, he explained. A few minutes earlier, he was the only one to support his demonstration with a religious argument: “God gives life and decides when to take it back. »

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