INTERFERENCE by religious zealots earlier this month helped scupper Lord Falconer’s bid to exempt from investigation and prosecution those who help terminally ill people to travel abroad to seek assisted suicide in countries where such actions are legal.
But their disgraceful meddling did not prevent renowned British conductor Sir Edward Thomas Downes, CBE, 85, and his wife, Joan, 74, from after travelling to Switzerland to die at the Dignitas clinic.
Sir Edward Thomas Downes, CBE
News of their death emerged today. According to the statement from their family, the couple:
Died peacefully, and under circumstances of their own choosing.
The family added:
Our father, who was 85 years old, almost blind and increasingly deaf, had a long, vigorous and distinguished career as a conductor.
Our mother started her career as a ballet dancer and subsequently worked as a choreographer and TV producer, before dedicating the last years of her life to working as our father’s personal assistant.
They both lived life to the full and considered themselves to be extremely lucky to have lived such rewarding lives, both professionally and personally.
After 54 happy years together, they decided to end their own lives rather than continue to struggle with serious health problems.
The Birmingham-born conductor enjoyed a 40-year relationship with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra.
On June 29, the Telegraph published a joint letter from the Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, the Catholic Archbishop of Westminster, Vincent Nichols, and Chief Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks, condemning assisted suicide.
They claimed that Lord Falconer’s amendment would:
Surely put vulnerable people at serious risk, especially sick people who are anxious about the burden their illness may be placing on others. Moreover, our hospice movement, an almost unique gift of this country to wider humankind, is the profound and tangible sign of another and better way to cope with the challenges faced by those who are terminally ill.
The House of Lords later rejected, by 194 votes to 141, the amendment (173) to the Coroners and Justice Bill. Fourteen bishops were among those who opposed it.
The Freethinker was founded in 1881 by GW Foote, an outspoken critic of religion. After the publication of 
July 14th, 2009 at 1:21 pm
'Good for them' is not very appropriate under these circumstances, but I'm glad they were able to decide for themselves in what way they wanted to end their lives together. It's a shame that they weren't allowed to die in Britain. An aunt of mine got seriously ill a couple of years ago and decided to put an end to her life and everybody was able to go and see her and say goodbye, and it was great!! If she hadn't made that decision, it would have taken months on the IC waiting for death. If you really care about a person, allowing them to die is just another kindness.
July 14th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
Bon voyage, Edward and Joan. Unless I die suddenly of merciful means (massive heart attack, lethal stroke etc) I expect I'll choose my own time, too. And there's no sensible or morally sane reason on Earth why anyone should have the right to stop me.
July 14th, 2009 at 4:57 pm
In contrast to the question of the afterlife, a significant proportion of those that oppose assisted dying are going to live to realise that they are wrong. A very unpleasant and debilitating plague on all their houses. I too would prefer to go at a time of my own choosing and it really pisses me off that Bishops and Rabbis who have no mandate to represent me whatsoever can make it difficult for me.
July 14th, 2009 at 6:35 pm
How dare persons suffering neverending pain choose to escape into death and thereby rob their imaginary sadist in the sky of its inalienable right to get its rocks off savoring their agony! If bishops and rabbis are denied the right to make masochism compulsory, they could wind up having to work for a living.
July 14th, 2009 at 7:00 pm
On the cheery subject of death…
I want to pick the collective minds of those on this website.
Over the past 10yrs I have worked alongside a 7th day adventist. This young lady, in my eyes, exemplifies all that is good in humanity. Kind, caring, not a bad bone in her body. Despite the fact I wind her up about her invisible friend, she just laughs it off. I have gotten to know her parents and, again, they are really sound folk.
Her mum recently was diagnosed with terminal cancer. At work she was, understandably, very upset.
She asked me to join her in prayer for her mother. I agreed, not because I believe, but aware of the solace it would bring her and her mother.
As an athiest, I really do not believe, but, this time, I felt that if it helps them mentally, then I have no problems joining them in prayer. Although this was hypocritical of me.
Anyone else been put in the same position and would they do the same?
July 14th, 2009 at 8:12 pm
Each to his own Tony, personally I couldn't pray or even pretend to no matter what the circumstances were.Why would she ask you to join her?
July 14th, 2009 at 8:19 pm
So if you have terminal cancer (for example) then euthanasia is lauded, even commendable. But what if one ends their life due to debilitating chronic depression at age 25? Why is the latter so sad and the former so commended?
July 14th, 2009 at 8:26 pm
Asking this now, when I am not in this position, I would definitely say no way! But, I understand that you have built a friendship with this person and that this must be a factor too. It might be hard to say no to a close friend in such emotional trauma. Though we know it makes no difference whatsoever, it doesn't seem like the right time to try to convince a close friend of how futile this action is.
I'm not entirely sure how I would react. I think I would still be inclined to say no because it is so alien to me to pray. At the same time, I'd hate to be put in that predicament.
Tough one Tony, but I admire your dedication to your friend.
Godless not gormless
July 14th, 2009 at 8:29 pm
Sorry Tony but no way would I ever, ever stoop so low to level of the religious. You can imagine the believer boasting to their chums how they got one those evil atheists to pray.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:35 pm
Because the latter is (generally) treatable.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:38 pm
Hm. I think I'd offer to sit with them while they prayed, and to offer any emotional support that I felt I could give… but I could never clasp my hands and bow my head and pretend… even if it was for such a case as yours, Tony.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:09 pm
With respect, I guess what I am wondering is what defines the separation between suicide and euthanasia? Can a mental illness such as untreatable schizophrenia be regarded as a reason and with the same rationality for choosing one’s own time of demise as an incurable physically painful disease? I watched as the hospice nurses, (and I even helped to administer) one dose of morphine after the other to both of my parents respectively until their hearts stopped. Was that euthanasia or was that just “making them comfortable” until their time came? It beats the hell out of me. It looked every bit like euthanasia, particularly when the hospice nurse began to tell us, “ok, there will be three more breaths, now two…”
I can only hope though that my children will make me just as comfortable when my time comes.
July 15th, 2009 at 2:20 am
When I was invited to dinner by some SDA friends of my mother in Australia 20 years ago, they expected me to sit quietly by and say nothing while they began the meal with a prayer and, since it was their house, that is what I did. They did not invite me to pray with them. Perhaps they feared that I would consider such an invitation insulting and offensive. But more likely they had sufficient human decency to realize that such an invitation would have been inappropriate.
The believer who asked a friend she knew to be a nontheist to pray with her clearly crossed the line, and he should have politely declined.
July 15th, 2009 at 4:34 am
I think I'd gently remind her that I'm not a believer, and therefore me praying wouldn't be very meaningful, whatever the context. And of course I'd express sympathy for her and her mother given the tragic news, and ask what other help I might be able to offer.
July 15th, 2009 at 5:09 am
The difference between euthanasia and "ordinary" suicide is that euthanasia deaths are assisted by others who believe they're acting in the interests of the person wanting to die. There'll probably always be examples of rational and understandable suicide that don't officially qualify for assistance, no matter what the legal situation may be.
July 15th, 2009 at 8:53 pm
"The believer who asked a friend she knew to be a nontheist to pray with her clearly crossed the line, and he should have politely declined."
It is important to remember that the typical person of "faith" is (generally) neither seeking to alienate nor convert you when they ask you to join them in prayer. Having been raised Protestant, I feel a great deal of empathy for the religiously-minded, as wrong-headed as I believe them to be. I too, would have declined in almost all conceivable scenarios; this does not necessarily make the gesture inappropriate.
I suppose I simply would urge restraint in our lofty condemnations. It is generally more helpful to assume the best when we analyze the actions of the faithful. Not everyone is trying to brainwash our children and take away our liberty in the name of their respective FSM. Just something to keep in mind.
July 15th, 2009 at 9:31 pm
What they are doing is building in an assumption that anyone at the table goes along with them. They same applies on Thought for he Day and the swamping of the BBC airwaves with religious and unquestioned superstition. If we do not express our views as atheists they will never be challenged. I do not agree with your comments on this.l
July 16th, 2009 at 5:05 pm
Many thanks for the informed replies. This is, in fact, the second time in as many years where I have been asked to join someone in prayer for an ill relative. Why me?
I do not believe myself, but if it helps someone I will mumble the words to any old nonsense (except Abba lyrics, thats where I draw the line!)
Again, cheers for the viewpoints.