This suicide pod is horrific. But it’s the logical result of our consumer society

Anyone who has lived through the past six decades has enjoyed a design revolution. Out went the brutalism of the early 20th century and in came sleek lines and ergonomic ease. What, then, could be nicer than ending your days in a Sarco-Pod? Resembling something you might climb into for a full body tan, the Sarco-Pod is named after a sarcophagus, the stone coffin used to bury ancient Egyptian royalty.

Designed by Exit International, the air-tight devce is designed to painlessly dispatch the user from this world. Once sealed inside, the occupant enters a PIN and the chamber fills with nitrogen gas, bringing about a euphoric death through asphyxiation. It then handily detaches from the base to become a coffin – though, judging by its appearance, one that might take several millennia to decay.

Claiming that too many centuries of religious claptrap has held back our approach to death, and that we need to adopt a more mature approach akin to the way we treat our pets, the Australian humanist, Philip Nitschke (nicknamed Dr Death), invented the device. And, if there is no God, we might all say: “Amen!” to that.

We best resemble our suffering Saviour when we receive the darkest aspects of life in the same way he did

Even among Christians, a wide range of opinions exist on assisted suicide and how best to care for those nearing the end of their physical lives. While most may not agree with Nitschke that a fit and healthy person should be able to end their lives in a Sarco-Pod, some agree that we should help those whose condition is terminal.

Recently, police in Switzerland arrested several people in connection with the death of a woman inside a Sarco-Pod, so there are concerns regarding its use even among secular authorities.

How exactly should Christians respond? Is it right to welcome this as a reliable method to bring our tired lives to a dignified end? Or should we condemn it as another manifestation of society’s growing death-cult?

Keeping control

Part of the problem lies in the ever-increasing control we have over most aspects of our lives. Science and technology now influence life from conception until death. Parents of sufficient means can create a designer baby. We can modify our bodies with drugs and surgery. We expect the goods and services we consume to be perfectly adapted to our requirements at every stage. In short, we like to be in control, with nothing left to chance.

But our desire for control is the flip side of trusting God has good intentions towards us. Can we really believe that God loves us when so many of our desires remain unfulfilled? Surely, it’s only fair to take matters into our own hands when things aren’t going our way!

So many of our base instincts lay hidden in the primordial sin of our first parents. The fruit did look nutritious and delightful. Yet God had said no. Why would he deny us something so good? We make our own choices when we stop trusting that God wants the best for us.

‘Spoilt’ is the word we use for children who always get what they want. We know that taking the easy path does not create a person with resilience, patience or empathy; spoilt people can’t see beyond their own needs. Spoilt people can’t love.

Above and beyond our personal happiness, God yearns for our holiness. This is shorthand for building our capacity to love God and to be loved by him. Jesus didn’t preach the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) to explain that heaven was a reward for good people who try hard. He used it to show us the characteristics of a person who is ready to enjoy being with God forever. These people encounter Jesus, say yes to him and remain faithful to his teaching.

Letting go

The events of every day press themselves onto my lived experience. The aspects I find hardest are the ones I would avoid were I always in control. But what if I change my mindset to receive even the difficult events as gifts from God? For this is what they are. Instead of grumbling and feeling sorry for myself, what if I ask God what he wants from me in each situation?

Our desire for control is the flip side of trusting that God has good intentions

It is precisely in the aspects of my life that I can’t control that God brings transformation. Can I really accept illness as a way to build solidarity with others who are suffering? Will I allow God to make me more caring and less self-obsessed through moments of loss and failure? Am I a better disciple when I’ve learned that my own needs are secondary to a bigger purpose in life?

The Sarco-Pod is a big full-stop to a life unwilling to accept that it can’t always have its own way. But Christians must believe that there is meaning to be found in suffering.

Jesus wasn’t joking when he said: “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24). He knows that we best resemble him, our suffering Saviour, when we receive the darkest aspects of life in the same way that he did.