Matters of life and death

Question 1

Abortion

Answer 1

The artificial termination if an unborn foetus before it can survive

Question 2

Quality of life

Answer 2

The idea that life must have some benefits to be worth living

Question 3

Euthanasia

Answer 3

The painless killing of someone dying from a painful illness

Question 4

Voluntary euthanasia

Answer 4

Ending life painlessly when someone in great pain asks for death

Question 5

Non-voluntary euthanasia

Answer 5

Ending someone’s life painlessly in their best interest when they are incapable of asking eg. Turning if the life support machine

Question 6

Assisted suicide

Answer 6

Helping a seriously ill person with the means to commit suicide

Question 7

Near-death experience

Answer 7

When someone about to die has an out of body experience

Question 8

Paranormal

Answer 8

Unexplained things which are linked to the spiritual world eg. Mediums and ghosts

Question 9

Reincarnation

Answer 9

When souls after death are reborn in a new body

Question 10

Resurrection

Answer 10

When after death, the body stays in the grave until the end of the world when it is raised

Question 11

Immortality if the soul

Answer 11

The idea that the soul lives in after death

Question 12

Sanctity of life

Answer 12

The belief that God created all life and that therefore it is holy

Question 13

What are examples of a near death experience?

Why is it seen as evidence for a life after death?

Answer 13

• This happens when people are clinically dead for a period of time and then come to life
• frequently quoted in near-death experiences are: feelings of peace and joy, seeing a bright light and entering another world
• some people see this as entering the life after death and heaven and hell

Question 14

What is the evidence for a spirit world?

Answer 14

Ghosts and ouija boards appear to give evidence of spirits and souls surviving the death of the body; but the clearest evidence comes from mediums who claim to have the gift of communicating with the dead and can tell them things they would never know proving an afterlife

Question 15

What is the evidence for reincarnation?

Answer 15

• includes past-life memories, déjà vu and child prodigies

- proves that there is a life after death as there is no other way

Question 16

Why do some non-religious people believe in the afterlife?

Answer 16

• there is no where for souls or spirits to exist
• different religions have different views about life after death-if it was true they would all think the same
• no reliable scientific evidence
• we recognise people by their bodies-can’t recognise a soul
• scientific evidence proves that the mind cannot exist without the brain
• they have had no experience of life after death

Question 17

Christian attitudes to life after death:

Answer 17

Believe in heaven and hell
BECAUSE
-all the Christian churches teach in a life after death
-many believe that life is just the test to see whether people will go to heaven or hell
-Jesus rose from the dead so there is an afterlife
-Jesus taught that he would return at the end of the world for final judgement day to tell them to go to heaven or hell

Question 18

How do Christian beliefs about life after death affect their lives?

Answer 18

• try to live a good life in order to go to heaven not hell
• follow the Ten Commandments including love thy neighbour and do not steal
• complete charity work to help those less fortunate
• avoid committing sins and be sorry for any sins they do commit so that they can hope for forgiveness

Question 19

Why do Muslims believe in a life after death?

Answer 19

• the Qur’an teaches that there is a life after death and it is the word if Allah so they follow this
• Muhammad taught there was a life after death and this is the word of the perfect Muslim
• it is one of the 6 fundamental beliefs if Islam
• believe that life is a test from Allah- only those who lead a good life will go to paradise

Question 20

How do Muslim beliefs of an afterlife affect their life?

Answer 20

• try to lead good Muslim lives to avoid going to hell
• following the 5 pillars of Islam including praying 5 times a day
• Muslims should only eat halal food, do not drink alcohol or gamble etc.
• all Muslims are buried after death rather than cremated and nothing is removed from the body in order to be resurrected on the final judgement day

Question 21

What is the UK laws in abortion?

Answer 21

An abortion can be carried out up until the 24 week of the pregnancy if any two doctors agree that:

• the mothers life is at risk
• risk of injury to the mothers metal/emotional health
• having another child would risk the welfare of other existing children
• their is an extreme risk that the child could be severely handicapped

Question 22

Why is abortion a controversial issue?

Answer 22

• different opinions on when life begins, or when it becomes murder
• whose rights are more important the mothers or the child’s?
• due to advances in health care and technology some babies born at 22-24 weeks have survived
• should medical staff be forced to carry out abortions

Question 23

What is the Christian view on abortion?

Answer 23

The catholic teaches that abortion is wrong in any circumstances BECAUSE:

• sanctity of life- God created life and it is holy
• believe that life starts at conception-when sorry meets egg
• they believe that the human has a right to live- includes the unborn foetus
• believe that adoption is a better solution

Other Christians believe that abortion is wrong but should be allowed in certain circumstances eg. Rape BECAUSE

• love thy neighbour
• ten commandments “shall not commit murder”
• lesser of two evils
• do not believe that life starts at conception

Question 24

What are the Muslim attitudes to abortion?

Answer 24

It is discouraged but permitted up to 120 days when they believe the soul enters the body BECAUSE:

• the shariah law states that life of the mother is more important than the foetus and it will cause more suffering
• it may have a poor quality of life

Some believe that is is wrong in any circumstance BECAUSE:

• the soul was given at the moment of conception
• the Qur’an teaches that murder is wrong

Some believe that abortion is wrong, but should be used if the mothers life is at risk BECAUSE:
-the Qur’an bans abortion but the sharia law says the mothers lIfe is more important

Question 25

What is the British law of euthanasia?

Answer 25

All methods of euthanasia can lead to a charge if murder The law now agrees that withdrawing or withholding treatment are passive euthanasia and are acceptable as they allow someone to die peacefully, rather than bringing about their death

Question 26

Why is euthanasia a controversial issue?

Answer 26

- due to advances in technology a cure can be found to the illness preventing their death - it could be very difficult for the authorities to control causing them to miss accounts of murder - role of doctors to save lives not end them - the person may not be in the right frame of mind and may later have changed their mind when it will be too late

Question 27

Why do some people want euthanasia to be made legal BECAUSE:

Answer 27

- advances in medicine have led to people being kept alive who would normally have died, but their quality of life is appalling - turning off a life support machine is legal but it's a form of euthanasia - people have the free will to make their own decision on whether they want to live or not - basic human rights to be able to end a poor quality of life

Question 28

What are the Christian attitudes to euthanasia?

Answer 28

The Catholic Church accept no form of euthanasia but agree in switching of the life support machine BECAUSE: - they believe in the sanctity of life and that life is holy to God - murder is forbidden in the Ten Commandments - if a doctor says that they are brain dead then they have already died so it is acceptable - giving painkillers is acceptable as the main aim is to reduce pain not end life Other Christians believe any form of euthanasia is wrong, including switching off the life support machine and giving pain killers that could shorten life BECAUSE: - the bible bans suicide and murder in the Ten Commandments - it should be gods decision as he created life - sanctity of life- holy - against gods plan A few Christians accept limited use of euthanasia BECAUSE: - love thy neigbour - Lesser if two evils - Modern science means we can no longer be sure of gods wishes - living wills give people the chance to make their decision in treatment which is a human right

Question 29

What are the Muslim views on euthanasia?

Answer 29

Many Muslims are against any form of euthanasia BECAUSE: - the Qur'an teaches that suicide is wrong and that it results in hell - life is given by Allah and therefore they should not go against Allah - believe that life is a test, seen as cheating and can result in hell - goes against Allah's plan Some Muslims accept the switching off if the life support machine BECAUSE: - some Muslim lawyers have agreed that life support machines can be switched off if the doctor informs them that they are already dead - believe that Allah has already taken life so it is acceptable