Matters Of Life And Death Flashcards
(80 cards)
1
Q
What is abortion?
A
Deliberate ending of a pregnancy with intentional destruction of foetus from womb to cause it’s death.
2
Q
When does the Catholic Church believe life starts?
A
From moment of conception.
3
Q
When do others believe life starts?
A
At stage when foetus can survive outside womb. (Viable)
4
Q
What is an embryo?
A
Earliest stage of development in human life; fertilised egg in its first weeks.
5
Q
What is a foetus?
A
Stage of human development in womb; between embryonic stage and birth.
6
Q
For how long is an unborn baby called an embryo?
A
Fertilisation to 8 weeks gestation.
7
Q
For how long is an unborn baby called a foetus?
A
From 8 weeks gestation to birth (40 weeks).
8
Q
What are pro-life groups?
A
Argue that intentionally-caused abortion is always wrong.
Believe foetus is innocent and defenceless, needs to be protected.
9
Q
What are some examples of pro-life groups?
A
Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC)
LIFE
Precious Life
10
Q
What are the argument against abortion?
A
- All human life is of equal value, foetus not part of woman body, has right to life as potential human from fertilisation.
- Abortion is contrary to Hippocratic Oath which states: “I will maintain the utmost respect for human life, from the time of conception.”
- People should take responsibility for their actions, abortion not form of contraception.
- Abortion can damage long-term physical and emotional health of woman.
- Disabled people can live happy and fulfilled lives, never compassionate to take innocent life.
- Many woman unable to have children, better to have child adopted than to kill unborn foetus.
11
Q
What are pro-choice groups?
A
Argue that intentional abortion is acceptable.
Seek to build support for woman’s right to choose.
12
Q
What are some examples of pro-choice groups?
A
National Abortion Campaign
Abortion Law Reform Association
13
Q
What are the arguments for abortion?
A
- Woman should have right to choose what happens to her body, including whether to carry foetus or not.
- Embryo is cluster of cells and not actual human being, life does not start until foetus is viable.
- Woman should not be regarded as container for foetus, if risk to woman’s heath then right to abortion.
- Aborting damaged foetus better than bringing severely disabled child with poor quality of life into world.
- Banning abortions puts women at risk by forcing them to use illegal and back-street abortionists.
- Woman may not be able to cope with birth is she has been raped, too young or mentally incapable of continuing pregnancy.
- People should take responsibility for consequences of their actions, abortion responsible way of dealing with unwanted child.
14
Q
When is abortion allowed in the UK?
A
- If continuing pregnancy causes risk to life of mother.
- Risk mother may suffer mentally or physically if pregnancy continued.
- Risk to physical or mental health of existing children of pregnant woman.
- Risk that once child is born, may have serious physical or mental disabilities.
15
Q
What are the Biblical teachings on abortion?
A
Exodus 21:22 states if person causes miscarriage they had to pay a fine to husband.
If they also caused death of woman then they could be killed.
Some argue that foetus is not as important to God as grown person due to differences in punishment.
Others argue fact that punishment is given shows that foetus is as important to God as a person.
16
Q
What are the Catholic Church teachings on abortion?
A
Direct and voluntary killing of innocent human being always gravely immoral.
From moment of conception life must be guarded with greatest care while abortion and infanticide are unspeakable crimes.
Abortion is grave sin however there is no sin God’s mercy cannot reach and wipe away when it finds a repentant heart.
17
Q
What are the Presbyterian Church teachings on abortion?
A
Scriptures leaves in no doubt that from earliest days in womb, unborn child is fully human, made in image of God.
Human embryo should be treated with full human dignity.
Abortion justified when pregnancy endangers life of mother.
Abortion not justified on basis that unborn child will have life-limiting conditions.
18
Q
What are the Methodist Church teachings on abortion?
A
Abortion on demand is wrong, foetus cannot be regarded as appendage of mother’s body.
Abortion permissible choices if mother’s life is at risk, risk of grave injury to physical or mental health of mother, in cases of rape or incest, and in cases of gross abnormality of foetus where incapable of surviving outside womb.
19
Q
What are the Anglican Church teachings on abortion?
A
Reject practice of induced Abortion or infanticide.
Emphasis strongly right to life and right of yet unborn.
20
Q
What are the alternatives to Abortion?
A
Keep the baby
Adoption
Fostering
Choose to have baby at risk to mother’s life
21
Q
What is involved in keeping the baby?
A
In past, women often judged for having baby if unmarried, give baby up for adoption.
Now many pregnant woman remaining single or cohabiting.
Government support available, such as child benefit and housing benefit.
Other woman keep baby as Abortion against religious faith, child is gift from God no matter what pregnancy brings.
22
Q
What is involved in adoption?
A
Means someone else becomes child’s legal parent and raise them as own son or daughter.
Biological parents give up all rights to child.
Adopted child legally entitled to birth certificates and adoption records when turn 18.
Can take place with extended family, child brought up by close relatives.
23
Q
What is involved in fostering?
A
Child placed in temporary care of another family until parents can look after child.
Child still legally the parents’.
Foster parents paid by government to look after children in care.
Can be for few days to extended period of time.
24
Q
What is involved in choosing to have the baby at risk to the mother’s life?
A
Women suffering from life-threatening illness advised no to continue pregnancy as baby is risk to their health.
Reject this advise, make decision on religious grounds or worth risk to bring healthy son or daughter into world.
25
What is euthanasia?
Deliberately ending the life of someone who is terminally ill and suffering prolonged, unbearable pain.
‘Mercy killing’.
26
What are some methods of carrying out euthanasia?
Giving lethal injection.
Ceasing to do something necessary to keep person alive, e.g. stop use of feeding tube.
27
What are all the types of euthanasia?
Voluntary euthanasia
Involuntary euthanasia
Active euthanasia
Passive euthanasia
Non-voluntary euthanasia
28
What is voluntary euthanasia?
Euthanasia carried out at request of person who dies.
29
What forms can voluntary euthanasia take place in?
Asking for direct help to die.
Refusing medical treatment.
Asking for medical treatment to be withdrawn, or switching off life-support machines.
Refusing food.
30
What is involuntary euthanasia?
Person who dies wants to live but is killed anyway.
Usually same as murder but not always.
31
What is active euthanasia?
Directly and deliberately causing patients death, e.g. overdose of pain-killers.
32
What is passive euthanasia?
Withdrawing or withholding medical treatment to deliberately allow patient to die.
33
What is non-voluntary euthanasia?
Person cannot make decision or cannot make their wishes known regarding euthanasia, someone makes decision on their behalf.
34
What is palliative care?
Medical, emotional or spiritual care given to person who is terminally ill and aimed at reducing suffering rather than curing.
35
What is a living will?
Document that sets out patient’s wishes regarding how they want to be treated if become seriously ill and unable to make or communicate own choices.
Not instrument of euthanasia, but request to doctors in advance, not to give medical treatments.
36
What is the law around euthanasia in the UK and Ireland?
Both euthanasia and assisted suicide are illegal.
In UK assisting, aiding or counselling somebody in relation to taking their own life is punishable by 14 years’ imprisonment.
UK has rejected attempts to legalise assisted suicide.
37
What are the arguments for euthanasia?
Person has right to control his or her life and determine at what time and what way they will die.
Civilised society should allow people to die in dignity without pain.
UK law acknowledges people have right to die, Suicide Act 1961 and Criminal Justice Act 1966 made legal for people to take own lives.
Euthanasia used for animals when pain becomes too severe - why not humans?
Euthanasia protects family and friends from unnecessary pain of watching loved one suffer agonising death.
38
What are the arguments against euthanasia?
Human life is sacred and gift from God, only God should decide when to end it.
Euthanasia forces doctors to break Hippocratic Oath.
Accepting euthanasia suggests some lives worth less than others, all humans should be valued irrespective of age, sex, race, religion, social status or potential for achievement.
If euthanasia made legal, laws regulating would be abused, people killed who didn’t want to die, UK’s elderly feared at risk of not being revived due to age.
Vulnerable people, e.g. elderly, lonely, sick or distressed feel pressure whether real or not to request early death.
Proper palliative care makes euthanasia unnecessary, with support of hospice, pain and other symptoms can be managed.
39
What are the Biblical teachings on euthanasia?
On of Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:13) forbids murder and most Christians take to apply to euthanasia.
Judges 9:52-55 - Abimelech asks to be to death so would not suffer shame of being killed by woman.
2 Samuel 1:1-15 - records final moments of King Saul who acted against God’s will, lost right to lead people. Amalekite who killed Saul later put to death by David. Some argue this is evidence that killing Saul’s life was wrong. Others argue David die this as killed king of Israel, not due to him performing euthanasia on someone.
Key Christian belief is all life is sacred and gift from God, in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 clear while life can be full of joy and happiness, there will also be times of sadness and suffering. However Christians believe even in suffering there can be purpose.
40
What are the Church teachings on euthanasia?
Most disapprove and believe those who become vulnerable through illness or disability deserve care and protection, proper care at end of life better than euthanasia.
Oppose euthanasia as believe human life is sacred as God created it. Should be protected and preserved.
Euthanasia regarded as murder.
41
What are the Catholic Church teachings on euthanasia?
Clearly condemns euthanasia as morally wrong.
Nothing and no one can in any way permit killing of innocent human being, whether foeuts or embryo, infant or adult, old person, one suffering from incurable disease, or person who is dying.
No one permitted to ask for act of killing, either for themselves or for another person, nor can they consent to it.
Violation of divine law, offence against dignity of human person, crime against life, attack on humanity.
Gravely ill person asking for death is pleading for help and love not euthanasia.
42
What are the Presbyterian Church teachings on euthanasia?
Have duty to help fellow humans to die in as comfortable and peaceful way as possible.
Death not a disaster for those who committed their lives to Christ.
Dying in faith means going to be with him and right to welcome release of death for those with quality of life reduced to daily grind of suffering or infirmity.
Facilities like hospice movement should be encouraged to give choices available for alleviation of pain and suffering.
43
What are the Church of Ireland teachings on euthanasia?
Let no-one take casual or unfeeling attitude to those suffering in terminal illness, no matter the period of time.
Being helpless and utterly dependent on others at close of earthly life is sad burden for all involved.
All life is gift of God, end of earthly life can truly be more about helping others to live than helping them to die.
44
Who founded the hospice movement?
Dame Cicely Saunders.
45
When was the hospice movement founded?
In 1950s.
46
What does the hospice movement do?
Support people with wide range of life-limiting conditions.
Place strong emphasis on compassion and support for patient, family and friends.
Gives patient and family chance to spend good quality time together, with as much distress removed as possible.
47
How is pain controlled during palliative care?
Careful administration of drugs.
48
What are the aims of the hospice movement?
Relieve physical pain caused by life-threatening illness. Specialise in pain control, believe all pain can be brought under control using palliative care, meditation and massage.
Provide support and care for patient’s emotional distress. Time to listen to patients to help cope with dying.
Care for emotional needs of family before, during and after patient’s death.
Educate people about best ways to care for dying and carry out continual research.
49
What is capital punishment?
Practice of executing someone as punishment for very serious crime, e.g. murder.
50
What are some of the methods of the capital punishment?
Beheading
Electrocution
Hanging
Lethal injection
Shooting in back of head by firing squad
51
In what countries is Capitol punishment legal?
China
Pakistan
Iraq
Iran
Saudi Arabia
Sudan
USA
52
What are some statistics about capital punishment?
106 countries abolished it by end of 2017.
Most executions take place in China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Pakistan.
53
What are the arguments for capital punishment?
Is a deterrent to other criminals, puts people off committing fear serious crimes.
Protects society from evil people.
Is ultimate payback for someone who has committed a horrendous crime.
In many cases life sentence is misleading term, Murderers can be free after 16 years.
Brings justice and closer to victims and their family.
Is cheapest and most effective way of dealing with serious criminal.
Only effective method to stop terrorists from reoffending.
54
What are the arguments against capital punishment?
Threat of being caught is only a deterrent in planned crime, such as murder. However, many murders not premeditate, so not a deterrent.
What if wrong person condemned?
Uncivilised and devalues human life. No one deserves to be sentenced to death, regardless of crime. Life imprisonment better.
Removes chance of rehabilitation for criminals.
Revenge, not justice. Putting guilty to death does not lessen grief people have to endure.
Not cheap. Death sentences may be 3 or 4 times more expensive than life sentences.
Makes convicted terrorists into martyrs.
55
What is an example of a human rights movement?
Amnesty International.
56
What are the Old Testament teachings on capital punishment?
Suggest God created death penalty, lists 36 capital offences, murder ultimate capital offence:
“Human beings were made like God, so whoever murders one of them will be killed by someone else.” (Genesis 9:6)
Capital punishment supports commandment “Do not commit murder” (Exodus 20:13) by affirming seriousness of crime of murder.
Seems to permit revenge:
“But if the woman is injured, the punishment shall be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.” (Exodus 21:23-24)
57
What are the New Testament teachings on capital punishment?
Jesus does not agree with violence. However at no point denies right of the state to use capital punishment. When Pilate decides whether to crucify Jesus, Jesus tells him that power to this decision has been given to him by God:
“You have authority over me only because it was given to you by God.” (John 19:11)
In Sermon on the Mount, Jesus reinterpreted teaching from Old Testament that was familiar to his listeners. Taught Christians should not look for revenge:
“You have heard that is was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But now I tell you: do not take revenge on someone who wrongs you. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, let him slap your left cheek too. And if someone takes you to court to sue you for your shirt, let him have your coat as well. And if one of the occupation troops forces you to carry his pack one mile, carry it two miles. When someone asks you for something, give it to him; when someone wants to borrow something, lend it to him.” (Matthew 5:38-42)
While tone of New Testament is one of forgiveness, Paul in his letters to Romans seems to refer to state’s right to administer death penalty:
“Everyone must obey state authorities, because no authority exists without God’s permission, and the existing authorities have been put there by God. Whoever opposes the existing authority opposes what God has ordered; and anyone who does so will bring judgement on himself… They are God’s servants and carry out God’s punishment on those who do evil.” (Romans 13:1-2, 4)
58
What are the Catholic Church teachings on capital punishment?
From 1929 to 1969 law of Vatican City included death penalty for anyone who tried to assassinate the Pope.
In 20th century most Catholic theologians in favour of capital punishment for serious offenders.
Now many believe death penalty should be used if only possible way of effectively defending human lives against unjust aggressor.
If not, non-lethal methods should be used as more in conformity with dignity of human person.
59
What are the Anglican Church teachings on capital punishment?
Laws of the Realm may punish Christian people with death, for heinous and grievous offences.
60
What are the aims of punishment?
Deterrence
Protection
Reform (or rehabilitation)
Vindication
Retribution (or revenge)
Repayment (or reparation)
61
What is involved in deterrence as an aim of punishment?
To deter someone from doing something means to put them off.
Possiblilty of fine or prison sentence may be enough to deter someone from breaking the law.
Others may be deterred when they see what happens to those who offend.
62
What is an example of a deterrence from committing a crime?
If someone is tempted to drink and drive, may be deterred if they know someone who lost their driving licence for doing so.
63
What is involved in protection as an aim of punishment?
To protect society, dangerous criminals often lose freedom so other are not threatened by them.
Some criminals have psychological problems and may never be released into society.
64
What is involved in reform (or rehabilitation) as an aim of punishment?
Means to improve or change nature of criminal so they learn to be law-abiding member of society.
Most people who go to prison get out after period of time and need to learn how to live in society.
Prisons have programmes to support such people in rehabilitation back in normal life outisde prison.
Many Christian’s believe this is important as Jesus offered forgiveness and hope to offenders in New Testament.
65
What is involved in vindication as an aim of punishment?
Proof that something is right and justified.
Punishing those who break the law is one way of showing society’s determination to uphold justice.
Without punishment, people would not respect the law and more people would break it.
66
What is involved in retribution (or revenge) as an aim of punishment?
Some believe society and victims of crime deserve to take revenge on criminal by imposing punishment.
In Old Testament, Moses laid down principle of “eye for eye, tooth for tooth” (Exodus 21:24).
Punishment should fit crime and equal injury inflicted.
Some Christians support this today but others disagree and point out that Jesus taught forgiveness.
67
What is involved in repayment (or reparation) as an aim of punishment?
Means trying to make amends for wrongdoing.
Criminals should try to make up for damage and hurt they have caused through community service, carry out useful task for society.
Repaying money they have stolen, or apologising to victim.
68
What are some types of punishment?
A fine.
Community service
Suspended sentence
Prohibition
Cautioning
69
What is involved in community service as a form of punishment?
Offender completes certain number of hours in supervised community work.
70
What is involved in a suspended sentence as a form of punishment?
Offender’s prison sentence not carried out so long as do not offend for period of sentence.
71
What is involved in prohabition as a form of punishment?
Offender serves sentence outside of prison and supervised by prohabition officer at regular intervals.
72
What is involved in a cautioning as a form of punishment?
Offender admits crime and is recorded. No further action take unless person offends again.
73
What are the Biblical teachings on repentance and forgiveness?
Important to follow Jesus’ example of repentance and forgiveness, once punishment been carried out, forgiveness and opportunity to change should be given to criminal.
In Lord’s Prayer Christians pray: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Reminder that only those who are prepared to forgive can ask for forgiveness for themselves.
Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Matthew 18:21-35) teaches that God will forgive us if we forgive others, however if Christians do not practice forgiveness then God will withdraw his mercy.
Parable of the Lost Son (Luke 15:11-32) teaches Christians that should forgive someone who repents, shows that forgiveness should be possible, no matter what crime has been committed.
74
What is restorative justice?
A problem-solving approach to crime.
75
What does restorative justice involve?
1. The victim
2. The offender
3. The community
76
How does restorative justice work to resolve conflict and repair harm?
Encourage those who have caused harm to look at the damage they have done.
Give them an opportunity to make reparation.
Offer those who have suffered harm the opportunity to have their harm or loss acknowledged and amends made.
77
What are the limitations of restorative justice?
It relies on voluntary cooperation, if one party does not want to take part then range of options is reduced. If neither party is willing, there is no option but to let formal justice take its usual course.
Needs to be a community. However, social injustice and inequality are common in many communities and this limits how communities can be supportive and caring.
78
What is an example of a limitation of restorative justice involving the community?
If there is big gap between rich and poor in community considerable voluntary participation is unlikely, as many people will not want to work together.
79
How does restorative justice work in practice between the victim and the offender?
Give offenders chance to take steps to make voluntary reparation to victims.
80
What does restorative justice involve in practice between the victim and the offender?
Apology and explanation of how crime came about. Offender has to listen to victim’s own story and respond to it. Helps victim get over crime and offender to face up to reality of what they have done. Helps offender to restore reputation to some extent, makes them better prepared for joining society by having dealt with guilt.
Practical gesture such as financial payments, work for victim, work for community cause selected by victim, or agreement to attend counselling course.
