Fertility Treatment

Question 0

Define fertility treatment

Answer 0

Medical treatment to hep a woman become pregnant.

Question 1

Define clone

Answer 1

An individual organism of cell produces asexually from one ancestor to which they are genetically identical.

Question 2

Define genetic engineering

Answer 2

The deliberate modification of the characteristics of an organism by manipulating its genetic material

Question 3

Define sacred/sanctity

Answer 3

Holy, having something of God or the divine

Question 4

Define sanctity of life

Answer 4

The belief that all life is given by God and is therefore sacred

Question 5

When is fertility treatment available?

Answer 5

When there are genetic problems such as the man is unable to produce healthy sperm or the woman is not producing eggs.

Question 6

What is one of the most common forms of fertility treatment?

Answer 6

IVF (in-vitro fertilisation)

Question 7

What is IVF and how does it work?

Answer 7

It is when doctors put healthy sperm and a human egg together to be fertilised in a test tube. Embryos (usually two) are then placed inside a woman’s uterus if they are ok where they will continue to grow.

Question 8

What is the result of IVF?

Answer 8

Hopefully a successful pregnancy as well as spare embryos due to multiple being used in IVF.

Question 9

What are the three basic issues?

Answer 9

God alone is the creator of life

God gave humans a soul

God created humans in his image

Question 10

How do Christians respond to issues raised on fertility treatment?

Answer 10

Christians do not agree with fertility treatment. Roman Catholics teach that infertility must be accepted as part of gods plan for humanity. Life is a gift from God (sanctity of life) and Christians trust that God has a purpose for each human life.

Question 11

What do some Christians believe about donors?

Answer 11

Some Christians think it is wrong to use sperm or eggs from a donor because it bring a third person into the relationship and it goes against the belief that partners should be faithful.

Question 12

What is fertility treatment morally equivalent to?

Answer 12

“Playing god”

Question 13

What is one point to support fertility treatment?

Answer 13

Infertility treatment can make people very unhappy and god would not want people to be unhappy.

Question 14

Why do some Christians go against using embryos for medical research?

Answer 14

Because they see it as playing god. They think it is treating human life as a means to an end rather than so intrinsically valuable and because the embryo is not in a position to give consent.

Question 15

Why do some people agree with fertility treatment?

Answer 15

Some believe that embryo research is acceptable becUse it means some good comes out of abortions.

Question 16

What does embryo research involve?

Answer 16

In embryo human embryos are studied and used in order to find ways of preventing and curing illnesses. Human tissue from the embryos can be implanted into living patients to slow down serious diseases of the nervous system such as motor neurone disease and Parkinson’s disease.

Question 17

Define euthanasia

Answer 17

When someone is helped to die without pain before they would have died naturally

Question 18

Define suicide

Answer 18

Deliberately ending one’s own life

Question 19

What does the term euthanasia come from?

Answer 19

It comes from true Greek words ‘eu’ meaning good and ‘Thanatos’ meaning death. So euthanasia means a good death.

Question 20

Do Christians believe we have the right to chose when we die?

Answer 20

Most Christians believe that god gives life and only god can decide when a life should be ended. Choosing to die, either by euthanasia or suicide, would be a sin. However, some Christians believe that as humans have free will they have a choice between life and death.

Question 21

What is euthanasia also known as?

Answer 21

Mercy killing, meaning good or gentle death and is used to describe situations where death is deliberately chosen either by the person or by people close to them if they are unable to make the choice themselves.

Question 22

Where can you carry out euthanasia?

Answer 22

It is against the law in the uk but legal elsewhere, such as the Netherlands and Switzerland.

Question 23

What types of euthanasia are there?

Answer 23

Voluntary, known as ‘assisted suicide’. Involuntary, which is when people decide someone’s life should end. Passive euthanasia, which involves the withdrawal of treatment (which is not illegal in the uk) and if the patient requests this then treatment must be stopped.

Question 24

What is active euthanasia and how to Christians feel about it?

Answer 24

When deliberate action is taken to end life, using a lethal injection or administering a fatal dose of a drug. Many Christians would not differentiate between these ways of ending life arguing that, however good the motive, it is still killing.

Question 25

What quote supports Christian views on euthanasia?

Answer 25

“The Lord gave and The Lord has taken away, may the name of The Lord be praised.”

Question 26

What is the case of Dan James?

Answer 26

In December 2008 23-year-old Dan James, who had broken his neck in a rugby accident in March 2007, ended his life, supported by his family, and helped by Dignitas, as Swiss clinic specialising in assisted suicide.

Question 27

What is suicide?

Answer 27

Suicide is when someone ends their own life. It is sometimes called ‘self-murder’ and was once treated as a crime. A person who tried to take their own life but failed could receive the death penalty.

Question 28

What do Roman Catholics believe about suicide?

Answer 28

They believe it is a sin which would exclude someone from heaven. For a long time people who committed suicide were not allowed to be buried in the consecrated ground of churchyards.

Question 29

What do most of today’s Christians believe about suicide?

Answer 29

Although most Christians believe it is morally wrong, their view has moved from being judgemental to be compassionate. People have a better understanding of the reasons why someone may want to end their own life, because they are very depressed for example.

Question 30

What is The Samaritans?

Answer 30

The Samaritans is an organisation set up by in 1953 by a Christian vicar, to provide a 24-hour telephone counselling for people who feel suicidal and need someone to talk to.

Question 31

What is an adequate alternative to euthanasia?

Answer 31

The hospice movement.