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Here we go again – yet another attempt to extend to human ­beings the mercy we would show to a dumb animal in pain is denied us.

Prepare for the onslaught of hypocrisy and the false arguments from those for whom other people’s agony is so cosily trumped by their adherence to ancient scriptures.

If nothing else it serves as a timely reminder of the pernicious influence of the unelected-but-influential God-bothering elements in our society, writes Terry Christian in the Sunday People.

They do try to mask this influence nowadays. ­Indeed, last time this came to the fore their members in the House of Lords were specifically told not to couch their arguments in “God says it’s wrong” terms.

Instead, they had to come up with endless waffle about people being pressurised into rushing towards the grave.

You know how it is. Some little old lady finishes her cup of milky tea and says: “Ooh, sorry love, I don’t want to be any trouble. Once Strictly’s finished, pass me the cyanide pill.”

I heard a masterclass in this kind of disingenuous, self-serving drivel from the usually near-anonymous Tim Farron on Radio 4’s Any Questions.

(Image: Getty)

Tim is the new happy-clappy leader for the Lib Dems. And living proof that the saying “Nobody could be worse than Nick Clegg” is – amazingly – untrue .

While Tim “Not nice, but dim” discussed the right to die ­issue I despaired as he carefully weighed up ­options.

He agonised over the complexities, extended his deepest sympathy to and empathy with those suffering unbearable agony before – Boom! – coming down on the side of an ancient book.

Ah, the predictability of it all.

I’m not asking for anyone of faith or anyone else to take up the right to choose when they end their existence.

If someone is suffering, with only a long road of greater torment ahead, and they feel this suffering is for the greater glory of his or her God – well good for them. But the arrogance and cruelty of demanding others suffer to ­appease their chosen superstitions is beyond galling.

It’s a disgrace that in a supposedly enlightened country the special interests of the churches and faith groups are allowed to act as a ­barrier to mercy.

(Image: PA)

This should be a 21st century argument about morals and ethics in a ­modern world – one in which it has ­become possible to keep people alive for so much longer.

It mustn’t be hijacked by those whose opinions mirror whatever their ­particular version of God apparently said about it 2,000 years ago.

If you’ve decided the outcome before engaging in the argument then you are not engaging in the argument, you are spouting your own personal dogma and you’re not worth listening too.

So please, no more publicity for oily nonsense from the Archbishop of Canterbury or his fellow travellers in the imaginary-friend business.

Let’s have a proper debate about ­suffering, human dignity and whether we have the maturity to grant people power over their own life and death.