The Oxford English Dictionary defines euthanasia as “the action of bringing about a gentle and easy death” (Oxford English Dictionary). Many people around the world would like nothing more than to end their lives because they suffer from painful and life-threatening illnesses; Suffering people are desperately seeking doctors to help them end their lives. Many people consider euthanasia to be murder, which is why euthanasia is illegal in many countries. Euthanasia is a highly controversial issue that hinges on many complex factors, including medical costs, murder, and the right to liberty. Should people have the right to request euthanasia from doctors well trained in the field of euthanasia? The foundations of Western knowledge, the Greek and Roman empires, generally supported euthanasia. Although they did not like to give "a deadly medicine to anyone, even if the patient asked them to do so," they preferred a gentle death to leading a miserable life for their patients (ProCon). It was not until the Middle Ages that euthanasia was actively opposed. During the Middle Ages, the predominant religions in Europe were Christianity and Judaism; both of these religions did not approve of euthanasia because not only was suicide itself a sin, but the doctor who helped the patients would have committed the sin of murder. The three major religions that influence the world, Christianity, Islam and Judaism, all consider suicide to be a sin. These three religions have a major impact on the world today, so the trend of criminalizing euthanasia has continued into the modern era, with euthanasia still illegal in many parts of the world. The first law explicitly banning euthanasia in the United States was enacted in New Zealand. York in 1828 (ProCon). Since then, many other states have banned...... middle of paper...... 2011. .Opposing views. “Introduction to euthanasia: opposing points of view.” » Euthanasia. Ed. Carrie Snyder. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2000. Opposing Views. Gale Opposing viewpoints in context. Internet. November 18, 2011. http://ic.galegroup.com.library.collin.edu/ic/ovic/ReferenceDetailsPage/ReferenceDetailsWindow?displayGroupName=Reference&disableHighlighting=false&prodId=OVIC&action=2&catId=&documentId=GALE%7CEJ3010134107&userGroupName=txshracd2497& jsid =af2eacb374dfea6a89c0773d16c35a50English Dictionary d 'Oxford. "Euthanasia." Def. 3. Oxford English Dictionary. September 2011. Web. November 13, 2011. .ProCon. “Historical Chronology”. Euthanasia - ProCon.org. ProCon.org, September 28, 2010. Web. November 15. 2011. .