Sanctity of Life

This unit looks at different medical procedures and how these link in with the Sanctity of life debate.

Abortion

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Revision Notes: Unit – Religion and Medicine

Do you know your key words off by heart? Practice!

Sanctity of life: The belief that life is precious, sacred and Holy. Example: Humans made in the image of God

Quality of life: The extent to which life is pleasurable and meaningful. Example: Being healthy and having a home

Freewill: That we can make our own decisions. For example: Choosing right from wrong

Medical Ethics: The moral principals that affect medical issues and practices. Example: Euthanasia

Hippocratic Oath: An oath made by doctors to promise to protect life Conscience: An inner voice that tells you right from wrong. Example: Guilt

‘All life is a gift from God and should be protected’.

Life is God given and should only be taken away by God.

One of the 10 commandments is ‘Thou shall not kill’ and this shows ending life is wrong.

Life is precious, sacred and Holy. Therefore all life should be protected and given respect.

Pro- life or Pro-choice?

Alternatives to Abortion

o There are other alternatives e.g. fostering, adoptions or contacting Pro-life organisations for help like LIFE.

o Other organisations can offer support and counselling as well as helping out with baby-sitting and financial issues.

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o Abortion is the deliberate termination of an unborn foetus up to 24weeks. o The abortion act states that a woman may have a legal abortion if two doctors

agree that if she continues with the pregnancy then, either her physical or mental health or that of her existing children would suffer.

Religious views on Abortion

Christianity (General) Roman Catholic Islam

Allow Abortion in cases of Rape or mental illness or severe disability of the child

Totally against Abortion in ALL cases (including rape)

Only allowed generally to save the mothers life

It can be considered the lesser of two evils

Goes against the commandment, ‘Thou shall not kill’

The later the abortion the worse it is considered

‘Treat others as you want to be treated’. This sums up the Christian viewpoint. In cases of rape etc...the more loving thing to do is have an abortion

God created life and only God can end it.

Muslims believe ensoulment (soul goes into the baby) does not occur until 16 weeks.

Only allow double effect. This is if the mother needs medical treatment to live and the baby could die as a result. They will allow this.

For the first 16 weeks the mother has more rights than the foetus. This is due to their belief on ensoulment

Issues about Medical Ethics

For many modern medical issues such as plastic surgery, blood transfusions, testing drugs, genetic engineering, cloning and organ donation there are no clear religious teachings. However, there are key teachings that Christians and Muslims can apply to the situation. They could……

Search Sacred texts for beliefs that you can relate to the issue

Analyse the intentions of the procedure – is it for the greater good?

Think about the ultimate principles of a religion and how this fits in

Discuss the matter with other believers and leaders in their religion

Consider the effects on themselves and others and on society as a whole

Pray about the issues and seek guidance directly from God

How do doctors make ethical decisions?

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Main ways:

Hippocratic Oath affects every decision a doctor makes

The long term effects on the patient have to be considered in every case

A doctor is expected to take account of someone’s beliefs. Example: Jehovah witnesses and blood transfusions

Effect on family should be taken into account

What are the dilemmas faced by scientific advancements?

Some surgery and medical treatments are just cosmetic and not life-saving, so are they really necessary?

New drugs need to be tested before they can be used safely, but how is it best to do this?

There are times when thinking or talking about donating organs raises lots of issues

Should you save a patient if you have the means to do so, if they request for a doctor not to?

Should genetic engineering be used to screen against diseases and destroy embryos, or does everyone have the right to life?

Should cloning be allowed, or it against God?

Does the decision made regarding medical ethics depend on the situation?

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Religious believers will apply the principles of their decision to a particular situation

The role of utilitarianism – The greatest good for the greatest number

Some things are always wrong in some people’s opinion regardless of the situation. For example: Some people are always against Euthanasia

The role of conscience

Fertility Treatments

Christian viewpoints on Fertility Treatments (IVF)

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For Against o Because it brings happiness to

people who would otherwise have no children.

o Some Christians would say that only God creates life. The RCC would say that all fertility treatment is wrong.

o They might say that life comes from God; therefore anything that creates new life has too been good.

o That the creation of a life should be a natural process (No test tubes)

o If you use a third party in making the baby it’s considered adultery.

o Money could be better spent on helping the poor around the world.

o In Genesis God tells Adam and Eve to ‘Be fruitful and multiply’

o Children are gift from God; we don’t have the ‘Right’ to children. It may be God’s plan for us NOT to have children

o They might consider the ‘Golden Rule’ and think how they would like to be treated if they where desperate to have a child.

o AIH is wrong as it involves a third person and this is like Adultery.

o One of the problems caused by IVF is that several eggs are fertilised to maximise the chances of pregnancy. This creates ‘spare’ embryos, which then have to be destroyed. This is seen as murder.

What is the Muslim View on Fertility Treatment?

o Many accept AIH and IVF because the egg and sperm are from the husband and wife.

o They allow IVF regardless of the spare embryos, as they do not believe the embryo is not viable life (ensoulment happens later).

o Qur’an warns that the semen or sperm should not be destroyed or wasted.

o It is considered important to know who the natural parents are.

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o Do not agree with AID, because it involved a third person and is like adultery.

Organ Transplantation

Religious views on Organ donation

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Organ donation is the gift of an organ to help someone else who needs a transplant. Hundreds of people’s lives are saved each year by the generosity of organ donation.

The first successful kidney transplant was in 1954. The first heart transplant took place in 1967. Kidneys, heart, liver, lungs, pancreas and the small bowel can all be transplanted.

In this country people choose whether to

be an organ

donor (card).

In Spain they

don’t. Everyone is

a donor unless they

opt out!

Christians are FOR organ donation, as it’s a loving thing to do for someone. Making a sacrifice.

IslamMuslims have recently changed their teachings on this issue. They

now allow organ donation

What is the Christian View?• Throughout his life Jesus taught people to love one another and he

proved his love for the world upon the cross. • It seems in keeping with this that Christians consider organ donation as

a genuine act of love and a way of following Jesus’ example. • Christians feel it to be a generous and loving thing to do! • Sacrifice and helping others are important themes in the bible. • It is not a rule for Christians that their organs have to be donated -

however it is generally seen as a loving thing to do! • Jehovah’s witnesses – agree with organ transplantation, but all blood

must be drained from the organ before it is transplanted as they DONOT agree with blood transfusions, as they see it as cannibalism!

What is the Muslim View?o In 1996 the Muslim Law (Shariah) Council UK issued a fatwa

(religious opinion) on organ donation. The council resolved that: ‘The council supports organ transplantation as a means of alleviating pain or saving life’.

• Muslims may carry donor cards • Normally, violating the human body, whether living

or dead, is forbidden in Islam as Muslims believe they need their bodies on Judgement day– but the Shariah believes this can be overruled when saving another person’s life.

• However there are also a significant number of Muslim scholars who believe that organ donation is not permissible.

• Both viewpoints take their evidence from the Qur’an and therefore individual Muslims should make a decision according to their understanding of the Shariah or seek advice from their local Imam or scholar.

Euthanasia The word Euthanasia comes from two Greek words meaning Easy Death. It is when someone is assisted in ending their own lives.

Active Euthanasia – this is when someone does something to end someone’s life (Give an injection or a poison).

Passive Euthanasia – this is when someone stops doing something to keep someone alive (Turn off a life support machine or disconnect a feeding tube).

For Against Dignity in death A personal choice Humane Hard to watch a loved one

suffer Freewill – Adam and Eve

• Gives doctors too much power• God chooses moment of death

– we should not play God.• Against the sanctity of life –

weakens peoples respect for

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Golden rule – ‘treat others as you would like to be treated’. Loving thing to do.

A loving God would not want someone to suffer

Unbearable pain No quality of life A personal choice – Free will It ‘s humane to allow someone

to avoid unbearable pain Gives people dignity in death Our conscience may support it

human life• Slippery slope. Where could it

lead to? • Pain medication has

improved/Hospice care• Against the 10 commandments • Suffering is part of everyone's

life – Jesus suffered on the cross

Christian bible passages/teaching you can refer to in this unit

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‘So God created man in his own image, in the image of

God he created him; male and female he created them’.

Genesis

This means that all humans are created in the image of God. If you kill life you are killing part of God. (Abortion, Fertility treatments, Genetic Engineering, Cloning)

‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you’ The Book of JeremiahThis passage implies that God

has a plan for each one of us and no-one has a right to interfere with this plan by carrying out procedures like Abortion. God knows us before we are born.

‘Thou shall not kill’. Book of Exodus (Old Testament)

This passage shows that killing is wrong. Since Christians belief that life starts at conception this would include ending the life of Embryos and Foetus’.

Muslim Qur’an/teachings that you can refer to for this unit

Key word Box – Write in your key words from this unit

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These words were said by Muhammad. This tells Muslims that Abortion is wrong once ensoulment has taken place.

‘‘No one can die unless Allah permits. The term of every life is fixed’. Qur’an

This means that no-one has the right to take a life away. Allah has a plan for every person and it is Allah who decides when life should end.

‘Kill not your offspring for fear of poverty; it is we who provide for them and for you. Surely, killing them is a great sin’. Qur’an

Key Revision Questions

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1. Explain how a religious belief might affect someone views on medical ethics (4)

2. Explain why some religious believers may be against the use of IVF (4)

3. Describe the teachings of two different religious traditions about abortion (6)

4. ‘Religious teachings have no part in medical ethics, it is up to the individual to

decide’ do you agree? (8)

5. What is meant by the sanctity of life? (2)

6. Explain two ways how religion might help someone making a decision concerning

life an death decisions (4)

7. ‘The moment of death is not a choice for any person to make’. Explain what a

religious believer would say about this (4)

8. Explain the teaching of ONE religious tradition on IVF (6)

9. ‘Genetic engineering goes against Gods will’ Do you agree (6)