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18 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What is the Sanctity of Life? |
The Sanctity of Life is the belief that life is special or Holy. Humans are special to God because he made us, so we are valuable to him. He made us to be like him (made in the image of God). He breathed life into us (gave us our souls) and the soul doesn't die, and plans out each human life. Christians believe that God/Jesus gave his life for them so they have a responsibility to look after it and others in the world. |
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What is abortion? |
An abortion is where a foetus is expelled from its mother's uterus before it reaches full term. An abortion is a deliberate act, rather than a miscarriage. The legal limit for abortion in the UK is 24 weeks, but abortion legislation varies from country to country. |
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What attitudes do Roman Catholics have towards abortion? |
Roman Catholics believe that abortion is always wrong. They believe that life begins at conception. As we are made in the image of God, an abortion would be killed something God-like, and the 10 Commandments says "Do not kill". They believe abortion is going against this rule. Psalm 139 says God "knit us together in the womb", which shows that every life is known to God so it should not be aborted. In the book of Jeremiah in the Bible, it says "before you were in the womb I knew you", which shows our souls were alive before we were born and known by God, so again shows abortion is wrong. |
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What attitudes do Protestants (Church of England, Baptists, etc.) have towards abortion? |
Protestants also agree that abortion is wrong for the same reasons Roman Catholics do. However, some of them accept that there might be occasions where an abortion is acceptable. This is when the life of the mother is threatened, if the baby is severely handicapped or if the mother was raped. Although specific protestant groups have slightly different views on abortion, they all have a relative approach to abortion - they adapt their approach to different circumstances. This is the opposite of the Catholic absolute approach to morality. However, all Christian groups emphasise the importance of compassion. |
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What is fertility treatment? |
Fertility treatment is where a couple can receive medical help (such as IVF, egg donation, and embryo donation) to have a baby. |
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Why are some Christians against fertility treatment? |
Some Christians do not agree with fertility treatments. For example, Roman Catholics teach that fertility treatment is a form of adultery and so it is morally wrong. They also think that if God didn't want you to have a baby, then you shouldn't try to interfere with his wishes. In the Bible, Sarah was barren "because the Lord had closed her womb". Having children is not a right we all have, as children are seen as a gift from God. There are examples of woman in the Bible who could not conceive, and after prayer, God helped them have children (Hannah, Elisabeth). Quite often there are 'spare' embryos formed when IVF is used. Some Christians think it is wrong to destroy this life as it was a person from the moment of conception. |
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Why are some Christians supportive of fertility treatment? |
Some Christians think fertility treatment is acceptable if yours and your partner's sperm and egg are used. An egg or sperm donor is seen as "chemical adultery". Other Christians thank that as children are a gift from God, anything that helps you have children is a good thing and God would support that. They may also argue that as Jesus healed people, it is not wrong to try and heal people of their infertility; it is an act of love. |
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Why are some Christian against cloning? |
Cloning is seen as wrong by a lot of Christians. This is because any life that comes about through cloning is not unique or special, known by God, and not "knitted together by God in the womb". There are also several problems that cloning has brought up, such as premature ageing. A lot of wastage of embryos takes place while trying to clone something. Christians may also think that cloning is against the Will of God - he created each person as a unique individual. We shouldn't try and "play God" either. In addition to this, cloning is against the Catholic teaching on the sanctity of life - humans should not be seen as tools for science. |
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Why are some Christians supportive of cloning? |
Some Christians are supportive of cloning, because cloning can be used to help people who have life threatening illnesses. This is called therapeutic cloning. Human embryos are not used; adult stem cells are used instead. |
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Why do Christians believe suicide is wrong? |
Christians believe suicide is wrong for a lot of reasons, such as because God chooses when people are born and when they die. Sometimes God requires us to suffer for a specific and important reason, and by suffering, we can come closer to God. We should not try to escape this. Suicide can be viewed as selfish, e.g. its impact upon those left behind. Murder goes against an important commandment - suicide is a form of self-murder. However, Christians believe that people in these difficult situations should be supported with compassion. An organisation called The Samaritans was set up by a Church of England minister (Chad Varah) to help people going through difficult times. |
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What is euthanasia? |
Euthanasia is assisted suicide; people who support euthanasia believe that people have the right to commit suicide (or be killed by others), usually when a person has an incurable or excruciatingly painful medical condition. |
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What are the four types of euthanasia? |
-Passive euthanasia is allowing people who are being kept alive artificially to die (by switching off a life support machine). In effect, they die from their illness or injury. -Active euthanasia is killing someone to end suffering, committing suicide, or assisting someone to commit suicide. This might be a lethal injection, or overdose. This is illegal in the UK. -Voluntary euthanasia is where someone makes the decision for themselves, and asks for help. -Involuntary euthanasia is where the decision is taken without the individuals consent. |
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What are some arguments in favour of euthanasia? |
-A person's body is their own, therefore they should have the right to do with it as they wish. -One of the main aims to life is happiness. If illness and disease mean that there is no happiness, then the point to life is missing and a person may be justified in taking their life. -In many cases, euthanasia is a blessing to relatives, allowing them to mourn the loss of their loved one, without having to see them suffer. -To assist someone to die is not an act of violence, but an act of love. |
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What are some arguments against euthanasia? |
-In some cases there may be a chance of recovery - a cure might be discovered. -The feelings of family and friends may be upset by a 'selfish' decision. -If we allow euthanasia because someone has no quality of life, doctors may allow relatives to kill old people on the grounds that they are unhappy. -Life is a gift, maybe even a gift from God. No matter how bad the pain is, we must hold on to life at all costs. No-one has the right to "play God". |
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Why are some Christians opposed to euthanasia? |
Many Christians are opposed to euthanasia. They believe that human life is a gift from God, and only God can take it away. The timing of death should be left to God. In the Bible, St Paul says that the body is the "temple of the Holy Spirit". This means that the body is holy and should not be destroyed for any reason. Christians believe in God's plan; because of this, they do not accept that ending life prematurely is reasonable. Suffering may be serving some purpose. The Hospice Movement seeks to provide a peaceful and comfortable environment for people to die in. Roman Catholics are opposed to all forms of euthanasia - they believe very strongly in the sanctity of life. However, some Christians accept that passive euthanasia is acceptable under certain conditions. A few Christians will accept active euthanasia on the grounds of compassion and love. |
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Why are some Christians supportive of using animals in medical research? |
Some Christians believe in dominion - we are put in charge of the animals to rule over them ("rule over the fish of the sea"). Therefore, using animals to help humans fight disease is acceptable if animals are not hurt in any way. The Catholic catechism says that "medical and scientific experimentation on animals is morally acceptable if it remains within reasonable limits and contributes to caring for or saving human lives". |
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Why are some Christians against using animals in medical research? |
Stewardship is about looking after animals and the planet. Therefore, some Christians disagree with animal experiments as it is not protecting animals; they have chemicals put in them and are kept in cages. Christ taught compassion and that God was aware of all living creatures. We should also treat animals in the way we would like to be treated. For many Christians, the question of animal experimentation is a matter of individual conscience, rather than obeying church teaching. |
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What are some useful quotes? |
-"Made in the image of God" -"Before you were in the womb I knew you" -"I knitted you together in my mother's womb" -"Do not kill" -"Go forth and multiply" -Examples of women in the bible who were unable to have children, but after prayer they conceived (Hannah and Elisabeth). -Doctrine of Double effect: if something morally good, has a morally bad side effect, it is right to do, providing the bad side effect was not intended. (Abortion and Euthanasia) -"Be fruitful and multiply" -Life is God's gift and we do not have a right to children. Medical research must refrain from operations on live embryos. (Roman Catholic Church) -"There is a time for everything, a time to be born and a time to die." -"Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground. (Dominion) -"The Lord God took man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it." (Stewardship) |
