Pastor Victor Tiburcio, leader of the Breath of Life ministry in Queens, called New York’s legislative passage of a law that would allow assisted suicide for terminally ill people “a sign of total decline.”
The state Assembly approved the bill on June 10, advancing legislation that has been under debate for years that would allow adult patients diagnosed with less than six months of life to request lethal drugs from a doctor. Although Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul’s signature is yet to go into effect, the measure has ignited a strong ethical, medical and spiritual debate.
“I think that this law that has just been approved by the legislators of the state of New York is simply one more reflection of the decadence of this nation, of this society, which is a sign that this empire is in total decline,” Tiburcio said in exclusive statements to Christian Post Español.
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The pastor expressed concern not only about the legalization of what he considers to be “a form of voluntary suicide,” but also about the precedent it could set for other measures that put the dignity of human life at risk. “It is also a way to accelerate the death of many people who, if they knew how to wait on God, could even have the opportunity to recover and even heal,” he said.
According to The Associated Press, New York would join a list of states such as Oregon, Vermont and New Jersey, where medically assisted suicide is already legal. Proponents of the law argue that it is an act of compassion and respect for patient autonomy. For Christian leaders like Tiburtius, however, the move represents an open rebellion against divine principles.
“We also know that God is the only one who has the right to give life and to take life, because He is God, and that is why He is God,” said the Breath of Life church leader.
Tiburcio has implored Hochul not to sign the bill. “We pray that the Lord will give sanity to Governor Kathy Hochul that she will not sign this law, but that she will simply strike it down and that law will not go into effect in New York state.”
Instead of opting for assisted suicide, the Evangelical leader proposed a practical response from the Church: to strengthen the spiritual accompaniment of the sick. He stressed that believers have a fundamental role in palliative care, not only from a medical perspective, but also from an emotional and spiritual standpoint.
“The accompaniment of these people with the Gospel plays a fundamental role,” he explained, adding that throughout his more than 40 years of ministry, he has seen people recover their health and faith thanks to the visits of believers and the preaching of the Gospel.
“Today, more than ever, we are called to go out, to go to hospitals, to visit the sick, as the Lord says there in Matthew 25,” Tiburcio concluded.
Although the immediate future of the law depends on the governor, the Hispanic Christian community in New York is already beginning to raise its voice in defense of life, even in the midst of terminal suffering.
This article was originally published at CP Español
