as an intentional taking of human life, it is a form of homicide if not murder. one is generally dealing with adults here, not proto-children as with abortion. similar arguments prevail. Most Christian denominations have strong stances against positive euthanasia. This does not extend to passive withdrawals, when as one nurse in a nursing home put it- when the batteries are running down- no attempt is made to recharge them or jump-start. These were called D.N.R. orders or Do Not revive, resucitate, etc. if someone is in the terminal stages of life, it makes sense to let nature take its course. Do not confuse with deliberate, active euthanasia as in the case of the Kevorkian cases.