documentary

If you’re in the UK you have/had 21 hours left to watch Jon Ronson’s Reverend Death documentary on the Channel 4 website. Click here to watch it. It’s interesting and scary.

I’ve had a chance to watch Jon Ronson’s Reverend Death. Reverend George Exoo is terrifying. He helps people end their life. People who are not terminally ill. He believes they are going to heaven. Even people who have topped themselves (contrary to nearly every religion). I think, regardless of religious belief, the vast majority of people in the world, would agree that he is not an ideal choice to be a a kind of suicide invigilator. The suicidal are not going to get a neutral evaluation of their options or the differences of opinion that are out there.

Many of the suicidal featured in the documentary look as if they could benefit from therapy or help from their local community. They are not terminally ill. No-doubt their pain is real, but unlike the terminally ill, they stand a realistic chance of improvement.

I’ve always found the idea of assisted suicide uncomfortable. I suffer occasionally from very bad bouts of acute back pain, and I know, from personal experience, that pain or preoccupation with pain, severely affects the decision making process. I’ve never felt suicidal, it’s not something I’d do, but I can see how someone who is extremely depressed and in pain could consider it. Then be spurred on by cheerleaders.

The Reverend George Exoos of the world are a separate debate from the terminally ill topping themselves and Ronson was right to document it.