It began with abortion: the notion that certain categories of human life could be declared less than human, and therefore undeserving of protection. Then came “Doctor” Kevorkian, with his creepy eyes and assisted suicide. Then came the Netherlands and other “advanced” nations, with their “expected to die in six months” rule.

But now comes the Isle of Man, also spelled Mann, a self-governing island between Great Britain and Ireland. Their new euthanasia law applies to those “expected to die in one year.” That is not “terminal,” or if so, it’s a mighty large terminal, bigger than Grand Central.

As predicted, the slope continues to get more slippery. The medical profession and the churches, which would be expected to lead the fight against killing innocent human beings, remain largely silent. What is more, predictions of life expectancy are notoriously inaccurate. Renowned physicist Stephen Hawking was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS) as a student and was “given” two years to live. Instead he lived 55 years. Do you want to calculate the percent inaccuracy?

No more Hippocratic Oath: “I will give no deadly medicine to anyone if asked, nor suggest any such counsel.” No fear of emulating the Nazis, whose euthanasia program was the physical and emotional prelude to the Holocaust. No, just misplaced empathy: “I wouldn’t want to live like that, so I have the right to kill you.” Inexpressibly sad.

Churches Put Up Feeble Fight as British Island Blazes a Trail in Killing Terminally Ill