Philosophy and Ethics Flashcards
(179 cards)
1
Q
What are responsibilities?
A
Actions or duties that someone is expected to carry out
2
Q
What are roles?
A
A position or function that a person has in society
3
Q
What is the importance of the family?
A
- The family provides an environment for children to be cared for and nurtured while they grew
- The family of often seen to be the building block of society, its where they first learn the rules and values of the society that they live in (some claim the decline of the nuclear family has caused an increase in crime and anti-social behaviour)
- For many couples having a family together is a way of expressing love and commitment to each other
- In religions the family is where the children learn the stories, beliefs and traditions of their faith
- In some religions some followers see family life as a distraction from their religious goals
4
Q
What do Christians believe about the nature of marriage?
A
- While all Christians see marriage as important, for Catholics it is also a sacrament which conveys God’s grace
- Christian marriage has usually been seen as monogamous. However, a number of Old Testament figures had multiple wives and some Christian churches with roots in African communities allow polygamy
- For many, including Catholic and Evangelicals marriage is a union of two heterosexual people of opposite genders as this is how its described in the Bible - “from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason, a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife and the two shall become one flesh”
- More Liberal Christians see marriage as a commitment of two people of any gender
5
Q
Christian teachings on the purpose of marriage
A
- Procreation and raising a family;
marriage will provide children with a stable environment
others think that if you’re married you have a duty to have children (based on Bible verses such as Genesis 1:28) - Allow couples to express love and friendship; to care for and support each other through life
- To have a sexual relationship. Jesus’ words in Mark 10 indicate that sex forms a bond between a couple; many christians beloved you should not have sex before marriage, marriage allows partners to express love and commitment through sex
- Liberal christians believe that a couple who are committed but not married can show love through sex
- Many Christians see marriage as the foundation for a stable society
- Many Christians also think the purpose of is to symbolise the relationship between God and his church
6
Q
Christian marriage ceremonies
A
- The vicar welcomes everyone and gives a short sermon on the nature and purpose of marriage
- The couple exchange their vows which reflect the main Christian beliefs about marriage
- The couple exchange rings as a sign on commitment
- The vicar declares the couple married
- There are prayers, hymns, and Bible readings and the priest gives a sermon
- The legal requirement in Britain is for the married couple to sign the register, witnessed by the registrar and witnesses, which makes the marriage ceremony legal
7
Q
Buddhist teachings on the nature and purpose of marriage
A
- Buddhism doesn’t consider marriage to have religious significance
- It is a legal contract that binds two people together, not a spiritual or divine bond
- There is no need for a religious marriage ceremony although monks may bless a couple after they have married
- Theravada Buddhist monks dont marry, instead take a vow of celibacy because love is an attachment and a distraction from the path to enlightenment
8
Q
Christian views on the nature and purpose of sex
A
Christians see sex as important because it:
* Bonds a heterosexual, married couple
* Allows for procreation and the creation of families
9
Q
Catholic views on the nature and purpose of sex
A
Catholic Christians stress that procreation is the most important purpose of sex, and disapprove of sexual activities that cannot lead to procreation.
10
Q
Buddhist views on the nature and purpose of sex
A
For lay Buddhists, there are no strict rules around sexual relationships, but monks and nuns are usually expected to live celibate lives.
11
Q
The 5 Primary Precepts of Natural Law
A
Preserve Life
Orderly Society
Worship God
Educate
Reproduce
12
Q
What is contraception?
A
Methods used to prevent a woman becoming pregnant following sexual intercourse. E.g. condoms or the pill.
13
Q
Catholic views on contraception
A
Catholic Christians generally oppose the use of artificial forms of contraception as:
* They believe all sexual activity should be open to the possibility of conception.
* They believe it goes against one of the Primary Precepts of Natural law: to reproduce.
14
Q
Protestant views on contraception
A
Most Protestant Christians accept the use of contraception as:
* There is nothing in the Bible which forbids it.
* They believe that couples should be allowed to plan the timing and size of their families, and that this may benefit the health and welfare of the mother and her children.
* However, most Protestants oppose emergency contraception, as this may destroy an embryo.
15
Q
Buddhist views on contraception
A
Most Buddhists do not oppose the responsible use contraception, as long as the method used does not destroy a living embryo, and contraception is not used purely to pursue sexual pleasure.
16
Q
What is a sin?
A
An action which breaks a religious or moral law. E.g. for Christians, adultery is a sin.
17
Q
Evangelical views on same sex relationships
A
Many Evangelical Christians see homosexuality as a sin, based upon the Bible’s teaching “do not lie with a man as with a woman.”
18
Q
Catholic views on same sex relationships
A
The Catholic Church teaches that homosexual feelings are not sinful, but that homosexual activity is a sin. The believe that homosexual activity goes against Biblical teachings; cannot lead to procreation, which they see as the main purpose of sex; and breaks the Primary Precept to reproduce.
19
Q
Liberal Protestant views on same sex relationships
A
Liberal Protestant Christians may support loving same sex relationships. The may believe that love is more important than rules; than Jesus himself never condemned homosexuality; and that Jesus taught them not to judge others.
20
Q
Buddhist views on same sex relationships
A
Some Buddhists may believe that homosexual activity breaks the third moral precept “abstain from sexual immorality”. Buddhist Scripture says little about homosexuality and many Buddhists completely accept loving same sex relationships.
21
Q
What is complimentarianism?
A
The view that men and women have different gender roles, but equal value.
22
Q
Evangelical views on gender and family
A
Many Evangelical Christians hold complementarian beliefs, seeing men and women as having different roles but equal status.
* E.g. St. Paul described husbands as the “head” of their wives.
23
Q
Catholic views on gender and family
A
For Catholics, the example of Mary in the Bible might suggest that women should be wives and mothers.
* They may apply natural law, seeing different gender roles as being rooted in biological differences.
24
Q
Liberal Protestant views on gender and family
A
Liberal Christians may believe that Bible teachings on gender roles reflect the ancient society, and that men and should be equal today. Evidence for this is:
* Men and women both being made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27)
* St Paul’s teaching that in Christ “there is no longer male and female.”
Anglicans see fighting for gender equality as a matter of justice.
25
Buddhist views on gender and family
Buddhists views on family life tend to reflect wider societal values. Buddhists believe that both men and women are capable of reaching enlightenment.
26
What is gender equality?
People of all genders enjoying the same rights and opportunities in all aspects of their lives.
27
Christian views on gender, worship and leadership
Some Christians believe in gender equality, and women having equal opportunities to take Church leadership roles.
* Women have been allows to speak at Quaker meetings since the 1600s.
* The Anglican Church ordains female priests and bishops
28
Evangelical views on gender worship and leadership
Many Evangelical Christians believe that women and men have different roles, and that women should not lead religious worship.
* However, some evangelical churches have female ministers.
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Catholic views on gender worship and leadership
The Catholic Church does not ordain female priests because
* The Priest represents Jesus (a male) when administering the sacraments
* Jesus only chose men as his Apostles
30
Orthodox views on gender, worship and leadership
The Orthodox Church does not ordain women priests, because it sees the male priesthood as a long standing tradition.
31
Buddhist views on gender, worship and leadership
In Buddhism, the ordination of women as nuns dates back to the Buddha’s life. However, in many Buddhist communities, nuns are not treated with the same respect as monks.
32
What are Catholic and Evangelical views on cohabitation?
The Catholic Church and many Evangelicals oppose cohabitation because it involves or is likely to lead to premarital sex. They believe sex should only take place within marriage because of Biblical teaching (Jesus describing marriage as a time when a couple be joined physically)
They may also feel cohabiting couples dont have the same commitment to each other as married couples, and if they have children they may grow up in an unstable environment
33
What Christian denominations dont oppose cohabitation?
Church of England accept it if it is a step towards marriage
Liberal Protestants believe the quality of the relationship is more important than its legal status, and may feel some unmarried couples demonstrate just as much love and commitment as married couples
34
What are Catholic views on interdenominational marriage?
it prefers Catholics to marry other Catholics and Catholics must obtain permission to marry a non-Catholic christian. it is expected a Catholic will try their best to raise their child as a catholic. Marriage to a baptised christian is still regarded as a sacrament
35
What are Anglican views on interfaith marriage?
they recognise that although they have their challenges, they can be enriching too - eg celebrating festivals of two different cultures
36
What are Catholic views on interfaith marriage?
it is allowed as long as they get special permission
when a Catholic marries a non-Christian it is not considered to be a sacrament.
the Catholic church may allow someone to annul a marriage if they were married to a non-baptised person
37
How can Christians justify marriage to non-Christians?
St Paul taught Christians should not divorce non-believing spouses, suggesting non-Christians may be saved by their believing spouse
38
Why can some Christians not justify marriage to non-christians?
They may argue St Pauls words were aimed at those who were already married when they became christian, and the Bible doesn't encourage marriage outside of the Christian community
St Paul warns Christians "do not be yoked together with unbelievers"
39
What are Buddhist teachings on cohabitation?
there is no buddhist rule against cohabitation. as far as Buddhists are concerned it is important they follow the third moral precept (avoid sexual immorality). In practice however, some Buddhist countries tend to be quite conservative and for cultural rather than religious reasons, believe cohabitation is wrong
40
what are buddhist views on interfaith marriage?
buddhists do not consider marriage to be religious in nature, so it is perfectly acceptable to marry a non-buddhist
41
What are human rights?
Basic entitlements and freedoms owed to all humans, e.g the right to life.
42
The UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights
The UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights sets out the basic rights that all countries are expected to respect and protect.
In the UK, rights are protected by the Human Rights Act 1998. This makes it illegal to violate a person’s human rights
43
Why dont some people fully support human rights?
* Some may feel that not everyone deserves them. E.g. murderers.
* Some claim that human rights protections are misued, E.g. someone not experiencing persecution claiming asylum.
* Rights and responsibilities may conflict. E.g. some religious people do not recognise same-sex marriages.
* Sometimes governments appear to violate human rights. E.g the way suspected terrorists are arrested and detained.
44
Christiain views on human rights
Christians believe that human lives have dignity.
Christian belief in dignity reflects the view that humans are made “in the image of God” (Gen 1:27)
Beliefs in human dignity leads many Christians to oppose forms of human exploitation and inequality.
45
Catholic/ Evangelical views views on human rights
Many Catholics and Evangelical Christians oppose abortion believing that the foetus has dignity and a right to life.
46
What are Liberal Christian views on human rights
Many humanists and liberal Christians believe that women have a right to choose abortion.
47
What are Buddhist views on human rights?
Buddhists believe that fulfilling our duties towards others protects their rights. E.g. the First Moral Precept respects the right to life.
48
How did Oscar Romero fight for human rights in El Salvador
Option for the poor
Spoke out
Charity
Adult Education
Radio Programme
49
What is sanctity of life?
The belief that human life is sacred as it is given by God
50
Christian views on personal conviction
Some Christians believe that they are required to obey the law. This follows St Paul’s teaching that the authority of governments comes from God
* “let every person be subject to the governing authorities.” (Romans 13:1)
Other Christians believe that they are not required to follow laws which are morally wrong. Saint Augustine wrote “an unjust law is no law at all”.
* Martin Luther King Jr. used civil disobedience to challenge racial segregation laws. He argued that Christians had a moral duty to disobey unjust laws.
51
Buddhist views on personal conviction
Many Buddhists believe that they have a duty to obey the law, as this contributes to the well-being of all members of society, and protects the vulnerable from harm.
Other Buddhists believe that their commitment to live an ethical life and practice the Five Precepts may require them to break the law, e.g. by engaging in acts of civil disobedience.
* Thich Quang Duc publically committed suicide in protest against laws which discriminated against Vietnamese Buddhists.
52
What is censorship?
Suppressing or restricting free speech or access to materials.
53
Conservative christian views on censorship
Some conservative Christians have protested against works of art that they view as offensive to Christian beliefs. Before 2008, blasphemy laws existed which made it illegal to say or write anything which insulted Christianity.
54
Why do some not agree with freedom of speech?
Freedom of speech is protected in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, but some people feel that speech should not be protected if it causes offence or incites hatred.
55
Liberal Christian views on censorship
Many liberal Christians opposed blasphemy laws, believing that in a multi-faith society, it is unfair to discriminate against other religions.
56
Muslim views on censorship
In some conservative Muslim countries, there are strict censorships laws. Scenes depicting sex or nudity may be cut from films, as these are seen as contrary to Muslim values.
Many Muslims support freedom of speech, because the Qur’an teaches that the best response to an insult is to ignore it, or to persuade the person insulting you that they are wrong.
57
Christian views on religious expression
Many Christians do not see clothing as an important expression of their faith, as the Bible does not give any rules about what they should wear
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Catholic views on religious expression
Many Catholics see wearing a crucifix as an important outward expression of their faith; a reminder of Jesus’ sacrifice; or a reminder of their commitment to Jesus.
59
Muslim views on religious expression
Some Muslim women, see wearing a hijab or a burqa as a requirement, because the Qur’an instructs Muslims to dress modestly. It may also express their commitment to God or their Muslim identity.
Other Muslims do not believe that dressing modestly requires them to cover their face or head. They may see wearing such garments as more of a cultural tradition.
60
Atheist views on religious expression
Some humanists and atheists believe that women being covered reflects patriarchal culture and contradicts gender equality. Supporters of secularism may argue that religion should be a private matter, so religious clothing should not be worn in public
61
What is extremism?
When people hold harmful political or religious views
62
What features are often shared by extremist groups?
Apocalypticism
Patriarchal
Authoritarian
Right and Wrong
Territory
63
Westboro Baptist Church
Campaigns strongly against homosexuality, has spoken against many other religions and organisations such as the US Army
Claimed that many tragedies and attacks are punishments from God for not following his law and for allowing homosexuality
Widely known for picketing funerals, including those of homosexuals and soldiers
64
Other views on extremism
Many religious people strongly oppose extremism because they believe it contradicts core teachings of their religion:
- Extremism is harmful because it destroys harmony in society
- Violent forms of extremism contradict non-violent principles of their religion
- May believe that a country's government is appointed by God, so attempts to overthrow the government are wrong
- They may believe that key fundamentalist beliefs are based on a misunderstanding of scripture
- May strongly support human rights, including right to freedom of belief
65
What is prejudice?
Pre-judging a person negatively or positively without cause
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What is discrimination?
Treating groups or individuals differently based upon prejudice
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Example of prejudice/discrimination in Britain today
- People of African or Caribbean heritage are 10x more likely to be subjected to a 'stop and search' than white people
- There is a significant gender pay gap, with women earning on average 17% less than men
- Women are also under-represented in the most senior positions of large businesses
- Women are excluded from religious leadership roles in Catholicism
- Many Muslims experience Islamophobia
68
Christian beliefs on prejudice and discrimination
Most christians oppose discrimination, believing that because each person was created by God, each person is of equal value to God. St Paul taught that "There is neither Jew not Gentile, neither slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus"
69
How did MLK Jr fight for civil rights?
Disobedience - advocated use of civil disobedience, quoted "an unjust law is no law at all"
Rejected Violence - inspired by Jesus' teaching "love your enemies and pray fro those who persecute you', MLK said "Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that"
Expressed Hope - "I have a dream..." speech
Activism - argued churches should be active in struggle for civil rights
Montgomery Bus Boycott
70
Buddhist beliefs on prejudice and discrimination
Buddhists have always opposed discrimination. In Buddha's time, India was divided by castes. The Buddha strongly opposed this and taught it was a person's actions which defined their worth, not their birth
Buddhists believe prejudice and discrimination are the result of ignorance and craving
Buddhist teachings on anicca mean characteristics such as race and gender are only temporary within the cycle of samsara and dont define people
71
Christian views on wealth
Some Evangelical Christians follow the prosperity gospel, which teaches that wealth is a reward and blessing from God for those who are faithful to him. Followers of the prosperity gospel feel that they can use wealth as they want to, because it is a reward from God, and would not see it as their responsibility to redistribute wealth to poorer people. However, they may believe that donating money to the church will bring about further material rewards from God.
However, most Christians believe that wealth should be used to help others. Jesus taught that people should aim for spiritual rather than worldly wealth. He encouraged using wealth to help others because it showed love and compassion for those in need, and because it helped strengthen a relationship with God. Jesus said that what people did for others, they did for him, and so some Christians see using wealth to help others as doing something directly for God.
Some Christians believe that it is best to give up all possessions and wealth and follow God – some become monks and nuns and focus their lives on God, not possessions.
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Buddhist views on wealth
Buddhists believe that causes of suffering include greed and attachment, and therefore Buddhists are likely to seek release from greed for, and attachment to wealth. They may wish to redistribute their wealth, as large amounts of wealth may contribute to attachment to money and possessions. However, the Buddha taught that people do not need to give up everything – he taught that people should follow the ‘middle way’ between having too much and having too little
. Being selfish about wealth is likely to be seen as bad karma, and using wealth to help others as good karma. One way Buddhism teaches that Buddhists can achieve good karma is by donating to monks, so Buddhists are likely to use some of their wealth to help provide for monks, to try to gain good karma.
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Humanist views on wealth (Adam Smith)
Smith believed that when people acted out of economic self-interest, society as a whole benefited because competition would ensure that prices for goods would be reduced. Smith believed that this benefited poor people because they would pay lower prices for necessities such as food.
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Humanist views on wealth (Peter Singer)
Peter Singer has argued that people should work out what money they need to live relatively comfortably, and then give away any excess money that they earn, as other people will benefit greatly from this money.
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What is absolute poverty?
being unable to meet basic human needs.
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What is relative poverty?
being significantly poor than other members of your society.
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Why do some Christians give to charity?
Many Christians feel that they should give money to charity, and do good things to help others. Jesus taught Christians to love their neighbours, and his life shows how much he helped others; charitable gifts and actions are a practical application of loving others. Therefore, for Christians who give charity, they are following Jesus’ teachings and example.
Jesus also taught that doing charity for others was doing good for God, and in the parable of the sheep and the goats Jesus teaches that those who help others will be the ones to inherit the kingdom of heaven, and those who do not, will not.
78
What projects are CAFOD involved in?
Campaigning: CAFOD campaigns to persuade governments and international organisations to take action in areas such as climate change, which disproportionately affects poorer people.
Access to safe drinking water: In Uganda, where 25% of the population does not have access to safe drinking water, CAFOD has worked to repair pumps in villages, and trains villagers to be able to make their own repairs.
Farming: In Bolivia, CAFOD has worked with local farmers, helping them to develop more efficient and sustainable methods of growing food, which has significantly increased the amount that farmers can grow.
Overcoming gang violence: In El Salvador, gang violence prevents young people from attending schools, and this lack of education fuels poverty. CAFOD works with local groups to provide safe spaces for children, and provide alternatives to joining gangs.
Disasters: In the aftermath of a natural disaster such as a flood or earthquake, CAFOD provides short term aid, such food, water and shelter for people who have lost everything. Additionally CAFOD provides long term aid to help communities rebuild in the years following a disaster.
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What is suffering?
Pain or distress caused by injury, illness or loss. This could be emotional, physical or spiritual
80
What is Good?
Something morally right or beneficial
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What is evil?
Something harmful, wicked, or morally wrong
82
What is free will?
The ability to make independent, unrestrained choices.
83
What are the two types of evil?
Evil can be divided into moral evil (caused by the actions of humans with free will) and natural evil (suffering caused by natural events)
84
What is the problem of evil?
The problem of evil is the question of why, if an omnipotent and omnibenevolent God exists, he allows evil and suffering to take place in the world.
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What is the inconsis-tent triad?
1) God is omnipotent 2) God is omnibenevolent 3) Evil exists. Logically is seems that all three statements cannot be true at the same time.
86
What are three Christian explanations for evil?
- Evil is the result of human free will, so God is not to blame
- Evil is a test of a faith from God, such as in the story of Job
- Evil is a punishment for sin, such as in the story of Noah’s Ark
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What is a theodicy?
A theodicy is a defence of God’s existence in the face of evil and suffering. Theodicies attempt to solve the problem of evil in a way that is compatible with the existence of a loving, all-powerful God.
88
What is the free will theodicy?
- Augustine’s free will theodicy argues that God’s original creation was good. The Fall, which happened as a result of Adam and Eve misusing their free will by disobeying God, caused God’s good creation to become corrupted.
- Moral evil and natural evil are both the result of free will, as they are consequences of the Fall.
89
What is the soul making theodicy?
- Irenaeus’ soul-making theodicy suggests that evil and suffering are necessary for humans to grow spiritually and morally into the likeness of God.
- Moral evil is the result of free will because spiritual growth requires learning from mistakes
- John Hick suggested that natural evil allows humans to respond to the suffering of others and develop compassion and empathy.
90
Why is there no problem of evil in Buddhism?
There is no problem of evil in Buddhism, since Buddhists do not believe in an omnibenevolent, omnipotent God.
91
Why is suffering important in Buddhism?
- The problem of suffering could be said to be the starting point of the Buddhism, as the Buddha’s path to enlightenment started with the Four Sights, when he witnesses suffering for the first time.
92
What do the Four Noble Truths say about suffering?
* The First Noble Truth of Buddhism is that “life is suffering (dukkha)”. Dukkha is an unavoidable part of existence in samsara.
* The Second Noble Truth of Buddhism is that suffering is caused by craving, which is in turn caused by the three poisons of anger, greed, and hatred. If these are eradicated, then craving ceases and suffering is left behind.
93
What does the Dharmapada teach about evil?
* The Dharmapada teaches that we are both the cause of evil and the route to overcoming it “By oneself is evil done; by oneself is one defiled. By oneself is evil left undone; by oneself is one made pure.”
94
Who is Mara?
- The demon Mara rules over desire, and death. Mara tried to distract Siddhartha, and prevent him from attaining Enlightenment. Many Buddhists interpret Mara psychologically, as a personification of the negative mental qualities that prevent us from reaching enlightenment.
95
What is afterlife?
The belief that there is life after death.
96
What are Christian beliefs on the afterlife?
- Jesus’ resurrection promises eternal life to all who have faith in him:
- I am the resurrection and the life… who believes in me will live, even though they die (John 11:25)
97
What are Christian beliefs on the soul?
- Many Christians are dualists. This reflects the creation story “God… breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” (Genesis 2:7)
- Only humans have souls
- Some Christians are non-dualists, e.g. Jehovah’s Witnesses.
- the soul cannot live without the body, but God will resurrect the dead on Judgement Day.
98
What did St Paul teach about the soul?
St Paul sees resurrection as a transformation, like a seed growing into something new: “The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable…it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.” (1 Cor 15:42-44)
99
What are Humanist beliefs on the soul?
- Most humanists are materialists.
- science explains human behaviour without the need for a soul.
- When our physical bodies die, our existence ends
100
What are Buddhist beliefs on the soul?
- Dualism conflicts with anatta
- All things are impermanent, so there can be no eternal soul.
- Humans are a bundle of ever-changing parts (skandhas)
101
101
What is heaven?
A state of eternal happiness in the presence of God.
- Catholics and many Protestants see it as a reward for those who live a good life through faith and obedience to God.
- Some Evangelicals believe that due to sin no-one deserves heaven. God saves some from hell as an act of grace.
- some Liberals do not see heaven as important, and focus on improving this world. They see heaven as a metaphor for living a moral life.
102
What is hell?
A state of eternal suffering and separation from God.
- Seen as punishment for an evil life, or not repenting for serious sins.
- Some Christians see hell as incompatible with an omnibenevolent God. Jehovah’s Witnesses, think God does not resurrect sinners. Some liberal Christians believe in Universalism.
103
What is purgatory?
A state of temporary purification in the afterlife.
- Catholics believe that this is necessary as few are good enough to enter heaven immediately, or evil enough for hell.
- Not eternal. Once a soul has been purified, it will enter heaven.
- Protestants do not believe in it as it is not mentioned in the Bible.
104
Other views on heaven and hell
Buddhists believe in heavenly and hellish realms. Existence in these realms is not eternal as they are part of samsara.
- Humanists believe there is no heaven, hell or purgatory. We must make the most of this life as it is the only one
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Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus
A poor man, Lazarus, begs by the house of a very rich man, who does nothing to help him. When both die, Lazarus is taken to heaven, while the rich man is sent to hell where he exists in a state of torment. The rich man asks Abraham to send Lazarus to him to dip his fingers into water to quench his thirst. Abraham refuses, saying that the rich man enjoyed luxury in his life. The rich man then asks if Lazarus can be sent to his brothers to warn them to repent. Abraham says no: if the rich man’s brothers did not listen to the prophets, they will not listen to a dead man either.
106
Parable of the Sheep and the Goats
On Judgement Day, The Son of Man will return to earth as king, to judge humanity.
The king separates good and evil people, as a shepherd separates the sheep and goats in his flock. The “sheep” are placed on the king’s right, the “goats” are placed on the king’s left. He tells those on his right that they will go to heaven: They acted with love and charity towards the poor and the outcast, and are treated as if they had cared for Jesus himself in this way. He tells those on his left that they will go to hell: They ignored the poor and the outcast, and are treated as if they had ignored Jesus himself.
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Meaning and importance of the Parables of Rich Man and Lazarus and the Sheep and the Goats
Stress the reality of judgement
- Show that those who live immorally or selfishly will not enter heaven.
- Suggest that judgement is final (no going back)
- Show the afterlife reflects God’s just nature: he rewards good & punishes evil
108
How do our actions affect rebirth?
- Good actions = good karma = favourable rebirth.
- Evil actions = bad karma = negative rebirth.
- Ultimate aim for Buddhists is to escape cycle of death and rebirth (=nirvana)
109
What are the Six Realms of existence?
Gods (higher): A heavenly existence in a state of happiness.
Angry gods (higher): A state of anger, motivated by hatred and jealousy.
Humans (higher): A state where we capacity to choose to free ourselves from samsara. The most desirable rebirth.
Hungry ghosts (lower): A state of torment, caused by unfulfilled desires.
Hell (lower): A state of extreme physical and emotional suffering.
Animals (lower): A state of animal existence, driven by instincts lacking human qualities e.g. compassion.
- These may be interpreted literally or psychologically as mental states.
110
Different views about rebirth
Secular Buddhists: Reject rebirth because there is no scientific evidence for it.
- moment to moment rebirth. Choices now affect us later in this life.
Triratna Buddhists: Belief in rebirth is a form of attachment. Risks us not striving hard enough for nirvana in this life.
Most Buddhists: rebirth is an essential teaching. Buddha taught that no rebirth would mean no need to be moral. Evil would be unpunished.
111
How do rituals help Christians prepare for death?
Priests and ministers comfort and pray for the dying and their family.
- Catholics receive the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick when seriously ill or dying. This gives the person peace, because they know they are in a state of grace.
112
What are the key features of a Christian funeral service?
Usually takes place in a church and is led by a priest or minister.
- Candles are lit, which represent Jesus as the “light of the world” who guides the soul of the dead person to heaven.
- Flowers are displayed, recalling Paul’s analogy of the seed and the hope that the dead person will be resurrection in a new form.
- Hymns and Bible readings which reflect belief in an afterlife, e.g. “I am the resurrection and the life”.
- Body is buried, priest says ““ashes to ashes, dust to dust”, reflecting the creation story where God makes Adam from the Earth.
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Why do some Christians prefer burial to cremation?
- Traditionally, Christians practiced burial not cremation. They believed that the dead person’s had to be intact so that God could resurrect them on the Day of Judgment.
- The Catholic Church still teaches that burial is preferable to cremation.
- Most Protestant churches believe that the choice between burial and cremation is a personal one.
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What are the key features of a humanist funeral service?
- May be led by a humanist celebrant.
- In the eulogy, the celebrant, or a friend or relative of the deceased, pays tribute to the dead person and shares memories of them. This celebrates a life that has ended, rather than looking forward to continued life after death.
- There may be non-religious readings or poems on the meaning of life and death, giving consolation to friends and relatives.
- There is no set location for humanist funerals. They may take place at a cemetery or crematorium, or else at a place which was special to the dead person.
- The body may be buried or cremated. This is a personal choice, as there is no need to prepare the body for an afterlife.
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Are religious rituals of death and dying still important today?
✓ Can help dead person prepare for death and therefore die in peace (e.g. Anointing of the Sick).
✓ May help dead person in the afterlife (e.g. Buddhist merit transfer practices).
✓ Important for the friends and family, giving them hope that the dead person will be resurrected (Christianity) or reborn (Buddhism).
X God judges people on how they lived their life - If a person has not lived a morally good life, a religious funeral will not help them.
X Fewer people are religious today, and humanist services offer many similar features to religious services.
X It is better to focus on the person’s life and sharing memories of them (as in humanist services), not hoping for an afterlife.
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How is a dying person supported in Theravada Buddhism?
Their friends and family encourage them to chant passages from Buddhist texts.
Their friends and family will chant for them if they are unable to.
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Why is the way a person dies important in Theravada Buddhism?
- A person’s mental state at death influences their next rebirth.
- The aim is to die in a state of calm awareness, looking back at life with joy, not anger or regret
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What actions in Theravada death and mourning rituals create merit?
- Inviting monks to chant over the dead body, and giving the monks food.
- Offering cloth on behalf of the dead: Presenting the monks with white cloth before the body is cremated, which is used to make monastic robes.
- Preaching for the benefit of the dead: After the funeral, a monk visits dead person’s house and gives a sermon e.g on anicca. The monks and guests will then be given food. This is organised on behalf of the dead person.
- Almsgiving for the dead: Three months after the person’s death, almsgiving is organised on their behalf, providing monks with items such as food and clothing. This may be repeated annually on the anniversary of the person’s death.
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Why is merit important in Theravada rituals of death and mourning?
- Buddhists believe that merit can be transferred to other beings.
- Merit transferred to the person who has died can help them attain a better rebirth. - If the person has already been reborn, merit can be transferred to the new rebirth.
- If the person has been reborn in one of the lower realms, the transferred merit can ease the sufferings of their new life.
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How are Theravada + Mahayana funeral practices similar and different?
= Common for bodies to be cremated.
= Monks chant to support the person before and after death.
≠ Theravada: rebirth happens shortly after death; Mahayana: takes 49 days
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In Pure Land Buddhism, how do a dying person’s friends help them avoid distraction and reach the Pure Land?
- By helping the dying person to focus on devotion to Amitabha.
- Staying calm and avoiding crying.
- Helping the dying person settle their business in this life, so that they can leave it without attachment.
- Avoiding smoking or talking the day after a person has died.
- Holding services throughout the forty-nine day period after death.
- Only eating vegetarian food, to avoid creating any negative karma.
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What does The Book of the Dead say about the process of death and rebirth?
- Read to help dying person prepare for death and during funeral to guide them safely to their next rebirth.
- Describes process of death and rebirth as a journey through successive bardos. - First is entered when the body dies.
- Dead person passes through additional bardos as mental qualities gradually cease.
- When the three poisons dissolve the person will glimpse the Buddha nature. - If/how a is reborn depends upon their response to these experiences.
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Why are sky burials important in Tibetan Buddhism?
- Gives the dead person a last chance to accumulate merit (by feeding birds).
- Believed to be the way a dead person is taken on their journey to the bardos. - Witnessing a sky burial highlights the reality of the person’s death, and the truth of anicca.
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Christian views on what makes an act wrong
- Most Christians believe that people should aim to perform good actions, act on good intentions and, hopefully, produce good consequences. Jesus taught that Christians should "do to others are you would have them do to you" (Golden Rule)
- Goes against 10 commandments e.g. do not steal (some may say it depends on the situation)
- Other Christians feel that Jesus came to show that love is the most important thing, and that if following rules is producing bad consequences, Christians should follow a more loving course of action
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Buddhist views on what makes an act wrong
Buddhists believe all people should demonstrate loving-kindness and compassion but accept that some do wrong, misuse their free will and cause dukkha to others.
The Five Precepts are guidelines for Buddhists to live their lives. The Eightfold Path teaches Buddhists how to live their lives in the right way to reach enlightenment. If Buddhists go against these teachings or guidelines to commit crime, they would be going against their religious beliefs. Buddhist believe in karma or 'intentional action'. Performing negative actions will build up bad merit
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What are the 2 types of morality?
- Absolute morality is when a person has a principle such as ‘it is wrong to kill’ and never alters it.
- Relative morality is when a person holds a moral principle but is prepared to adapt or adjust it in certain situations
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Absolute morality in Christianity
Within Christianity, there are examples of groups who traditionally adopt an absolutist moralist approach, for example Roman Catholics and Quakers. Many Christians believe that God sets what is right and wrong, and he is the reason why people should act in certain ways and not in others. The Bible can be taken to reinforce belief in absolute morality, teaching Christians that they should always follow commands given by God – if someone loves God, they will follow his rules.
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Relative morality in religion
Buddhists and many Protestant Christian denominations would be considered relative moralists. Some Christians accept that things may be right or wrong depending on the circumstances, so there are circumstances in which it is wrong to kill, steal and lie. However, there are circumstances where these actions will be the best choice, and so right in the situation – generally this is because they feel that Jesus taught love, and sometimes the most loving thing is kill, steal or lie – if this helps others. They feel that they are fulfilling God’s commands if they act for the good of others – even if this may conflict with other teachings. This can be described as ‘the lesser of two evils’
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Conscience in morality
- Many Christians also use their conscience to decide what decisions to make
- Conscience can be used alongside the Bible when applying broader rules
- Conscience is significant because everyone has instinctual feelings about right and wrong, and if conscience has been given by God, it is a way of knowing his will in all situations. Some Christians believe that God can guide them through the conscience, so it will help them make decisions which he approves of.
- Sometimes people have objected to doing things they believe are wrong, such as fighting in wars, and are called ‘conscientious objectors’ – many Quakers were conscientious objectors in WWII
- Some Christians would argue that conscience is an unreliable way of making moral decisions because it is hard to know whether someone is genuinely experiencing their conscience. Further, not everyone has feelings about right and wrong
- It can be argued that if God wanted people to use their consciences, he would have made sure that everyone had an accurate conscience.
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Virtues in morality
- Some people believe that in order to be moral, people ought to focus on their virtues
- Within Christianity, the spiritual virtues are given as faith, hope and love
- The idea behind acting virtuously is that if someone acts with perfect virtue, they should not be able to be immoral; for example, it is never immoral to love someone or to be just.
- The problem with virtues is that it is hard to define or decide what counts as being virtuous
- It is also possible that different courses of action could be considered virtuous
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What are the causes of crime?
- Upbringing
- Mental illness
- Addiction
- Greed
- Hatred
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What are the aims of punishment?
- Retribution: "Show no pity: life for life...", some dont agree as "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you"
- Reformation: story of prodigal son, Saul becoming Paul, Buddhists believe focus of punishment should be changing mindset of offender
- Deterrence: Hell as a deterrent, 5 moral precepts
- Reparation
- Protection: "Look out for one another's interests not just your own"
- Vindication: "An unjust law is no law at all"
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Elizabeth Fry's activities
Reformation - believe prisons should aim to reform offenders and campaigned for this
Education and employment - organised in prisons
Faith - motivated by Quaker Faith
Organised volunteers - arranged for women to visit female prisoners and support them once thy been released
Religious Instruction - organised for prisoners, believing this was key to moral improvement
Males and females separated
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John Howard
John Howard was a committed Protestant Christian and his job was to inspect prisons in the late eighteenth century. He found them to be diseased, dirty and corrupt, and gave evidence to Parliament with recommendations that conditions and practices be improved. He called for basic but essential provisions such as clean running water, separate cells for men and women, access to doctors, and greater numbers of prison officers to support and ensure the safety of inmates. This was at a time when the majority of prisons were privately run for profit.
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Prison chaplains
- Provide counselling and support inmates
- chaplains often help prisoners re-enter the community, working with parole officers and other volunteers. Families of inmates also have access to prison chaplains. Family members can be the victims of the inmates’ crimes and require the care of the chaplain just as much as the inmate
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Angulimala Society
Buddhist prison chaplain society. Named after murdered Angulimala who collected finger from everyone he murdered and wore them as a necklace, he saw the Buddha walking and intended to kill him. He seemed unable to catch the Buddha and screamed at him to stop, to which the Buddha calmly replied it was time fro Angulimala to stop killing people. Angulimala threw down his weapons and followed the Buddha, eventually reaching enlightenment
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Opinions about the treatment of prisoners
Some feel that prison should be a place of isolation and punishment, and that prisoners should have few, if any, privileges, such as access to television or computers. Many others, however, see prisons as a place of rehabilitation and reform. Because of this they believe that the treatment that prisoners receive should enable them to address the root cause of their criminality and equip them for life as a responsible citizen.
Prisoners are entitled to humane treatment which shows respect for their human rights. However, many prisoners continue to complain about overcrowding, poor treatment and a lack of access to important services. Many argue that the impact of poor prison conditions can be seen in rising rates of assault, self-harm and suicide among inmates
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Arguments for the death penalty
* Some people argue that there needs to be an ultimate punishment as it is for the greater good of society
* Some argue that serious crimes deserve serious punishments to deter against crime and to protect the population
* Some Christians would argue that as there is justification in the Bible for the death penalty, it does not go against God’s will - “Whoever strikes a person mortally shall be put to death.” (Exodus 21:12)
* Individuals should not take revenge but because the State acts on behalf of God it can be justified
* The death penalty is still used in Buddhist majority countries, despite it going against Buddhist teachings. Some argue that keeping order in society is more important than the Buddha’s teaching
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Arguments against the death penalty
* Many Christians disagree with it because one of the Ten Commandments is “Do not murder”
* Jesus taught that people should be kind, to pray for their enemies and pray for them, not take retribution “If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also…” (Matthew 5:39)
* Jesus prevents the death penalty when the Pharisees try to stone an adulterous woman to death
* Everyone should be given the chance to reform and repent (The Story of the Prodigal Son)
* For Buddhists, it goes against the First Moral Precept: Do not cause harm to any sentient being
* Buddhists also argue that compassion should be shown to all, “An action, even if it brings benefit to oneself, cannot be considered a good action if it causes physical and mental pain to another being.” The Buddha
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Lee Boyd Malvo Case Study
In October 2002, Lee Boyd Malvo (aged 17) shot and killed at least 10 people in the USA in what have come to be known as the “D.C. sniper attacks”. He would drive around with a friend, 41-year-old John Allen Muhammad, and they would shoot at complete strangers from their car at random locations, including a petrol station, a restaurant and a car park. In his original trial, Malvo pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, arguing that Muhammad had brainwashed him into committing the murders, although this was rejected by the jury. Muhammad was executed by lethal injection for his part in the murders in 2009. As Malvo was under the age of 18 at the time of the offence, the law prevented him from being sentenced to death. He was instead sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. However, due to changes in the law since Malvo’s conviction, the Supreme Court ruled that life without parole for those who were under 18 at the time of the crime is unlawful. This means that it is possible for Malvo to possibly one day be freed from prison.
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Christian views on forgiveness
- Most Christians believe that we should forgive. They point to the example of Jesus, who taught the importance of forgiveness. Many of Jesus’ parables focus on the idea of forgiveness, the most famous of which is the parable of the Prodigal Son. Jesus also commanded his followers to show a forgiving attitude to others.
- "Then Peter came up to Jesus and asked 'How many times shall I forgive my brother or sisters who sins against me? Up to seven times?' Jesus answered 'I tell you, not seven times but seventy times seven'"
Most Christians do not interpret this as setting a literal limit on the number of times we should forgive, but instead as meaning that we should always be forgiving. Some Christians interpret the phrase “brother or sister” as referring to the forgiveness of fellow Christians, and believe that there is no requirement to forgive non-Christians. However, most Christians would disagree with this, and believe that we should have a forgiving attitude to everyone. This would be supported by the example of Jesus, who asked forgiveness for the Roman soldiers who crucified him
'Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing"
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Why is forgiveness important for Christians?
- Christians seek to follow Jesus’ example and commands, and Jesus showed and taught forgiveness.
- Christians believe that if they do not forgive others, they will not be forgiven by God. This is supported by Jesus’ words “if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your sins” (Mt 6:14)
- Christians believe that due to original sin, no-one is good enough to “earn” their way into heaven. Instead, God’s forgiveness is required
- Forgiveness is central to our relationship with others. For example, there may be times when we need to forgive our family or friends in order to be able to repair a relationship.
- However, it could also be said that forgiveness alone is not enough, and that those who have sinned are required to show genuine repentance. Once this has happened, reconciliation is possible.
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Catholic and Protestant beliefs about forgiveness
For Catholic Christians, the forgiveness of sins is central to the sacrament of Penance. Catholics are expected to confess their sins to a priest and to show repentance for them. The priest will then grant them absolution, formally forgiving them for their sins. An act of penance is also carried out. Depending on the nature of the sin, this may involve saying particular prayers, undertaking a pilgrimage or period of fasting, or apologising to someone who has been sinned against.
For most Protestants, Penance is not a sacrament, and most Protestants do not confess their sins to a priest or minister. Many Protestants believe that no-one can forgive on behalf of God. If a person wishes to be forgiven, they should pray to God directly to ask forgiveness.
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Buddhist views on forgiveness
- Story of the monks who vowed to never touch a woman carrying her across a river reflects important Buddhist teachings on forgiveness, and the belief that holding grudges perpetuates hatred and suffering. In a situation where one person has hurt another, the hurt the victim feels can never be healed as long as he or she continues to hate. Their hatred contaminates them
- "He insulted me, he beat me, he robbed me! Think this way and hatred never ends..." express the Buddhist belief that only metta has the power to overcome hate. The application of love in a situation of mutual hate is express through forgiveness. Forgiveness takes account of the offender’s ability to reform and allows them to change
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Buddhists beliefs on conflict
Conflict is caused by desire and attachment. It is natural to want to respond when others hurt us and it is difficult to let go of this desire. But Buddhism says that, if we hurt someone who hurts us, we simply join their negative karma, creating a vicious cycle that only forgiveness can overcome.
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Forgiveness and Right mindfulness
Buddhism teaches that, as an aspect of Right Mindfulness, it is also important to be aware of our own failings, so that we can correct and improve them. When Buddhists chant the Five Precepts, one reason that they do so is to reflect on the ways that they may have fallen short in their fulfilment of the Precepts. Many Buddhists observe Uposatha, a holy day observed around once a week in Theravada countries, and more frequently in Mahayana countries. Uposatha days are a time to purify an unclean mind, by intensified Buddhist practice. Twice a month on Uposatha days, Buddhist monks will confess any wrongful actions before other monks, and apologise, with the aim of purifying their mind.
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Implication of forgiveness in Buddhism
At the same time however, in Buddhism, forgiveness does not carry quite the same implication of “wiping the slate clean” as it does in Christianity. In Christianity, God is able to forgive sins, and in Catholic Christianity, a priest is able to forgive sins on behalf of God. This means that a sinner who has repented of their sins and been forgiven, no longer has to face the consequences of their sin, which is punishment in hell. By contrast, in Buddhism, there is no loving God who is able to forgive our harmful actions. Instead, the law of karma means that if we harm another person, or are harmed by them, this harmful action will always of a consequence. In Buddhism, forgiveness cannot repay this karmic debt, it simply stops the bad karma that would arise if a cycle of revenge developed.
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Examples of forgiveness arising from personal belief
- In 2006, an Amish community worked to forgive a shooter who walked into an Amish school and shot some of the children. They encouraged each other to forgive the shooter and they comforted the shooter's family. As many as 40 Amish attended the shooter's funeral and shieled the shooter's family from news cameras, even though the Amish dont like being photographed. They raised money to support the shooter's widow and 3 children. The Amish strongly believe they should forgive others and not hold grudges and that God is responsible for justice. They try to follow the example of Jesus 'Then Jesus said, "Father forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing"'
- Amy Biehl's parents forgave her killers
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Is forgiveness always possible?
- Julie Nicholson was a vicar when her daughter was killed in the 7/7 terrorist bombings. She struggled with her grief and ended up resigning as she felt she couldn't go on preaching the Christian faith when she was still so angry with her daughter's killer
- Atheist philosopher Nietzsche rejected the view that we should forgive those who wrong us as in the past it was rich and powerful people who got to decide what was right and wrong, and a lot of the tome the rich saw things they enjoyed as 'right' . There were many poor people who resented the power of the rich and wanted to take revenge however as they had no practical way to take revenge, they used religion to spread moral beliefs that defined weak people and 'good' and strong people as 'bad'
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What does Genesis 1 and the start of genesis 2 teach about Creation?
Before the creation of the world there was nothing. God's spirit moved and God spoke and things began to come into being. Over a period of 6 days, he created light, the water + sky, dry land + plants, the sun + moon + stars, fish + birds, land animals + humans in the image of God. The world is given to humans to look after
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How does Genesis 2's teaching on creation differ to Genesis 1?
More detail and things happen in a different order. Man is created before animals, creation of woman described separately - she is created out of one of man's ribs. Man is commanded not to eat from the tree of good and evil
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Christian beliefs and attitudes to creation stories
- Some conservative christians take a literal view of the Bible and believe every word of the Biblical account is true
- Some Christians take a non-literal view and believe that the creation story is a metaphor that conveys God's power and love for creation, they believe that God may be responsible for the Big Bang (liberal and catholics)
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What does Buddhism teach about creation?
Buddhism believes that the universe has been born, destroyed and reborn countless times.
The Buddha taught that it was pointless to talk of any beginning to this cycle and that explaining why the universe exists is not the concern of religion.
For the Buddha the Universe was samsara, and the most important thing to do was to escape samsara - speculating about who or what created it is simply a distraction
For modern Buddhists the existence of the universe is a task for science
Most Buddhists accept modern theories such as the Big Bang
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What is evolution?
The process by which all living creatures have developed from less complex forms
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What is quality of life?
The extent to which life is meaningful and pleasurable
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What is sanctity of life?
The belief that human life is sacred as it is given by God
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Christian beliefs about the sanctity of life
- Stems from the creation story where God made humans in his image "so God made humankind in his image..."
- because human lives are sacred it is wrong to destroy human lives
- Human life is sacred because humans have a soul, which connects them to God
- This means many Christians oppose the death penalty, euthanasia and abortion
- Some liberal christians believe that quality of life is also important, and allowing abortion or euthanasia may sometimes be the most compassionate option
- Some conservative christians support the death penalty because in the Bible it is set down as the penalty for serious crimes
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Buddhist beliefs about the sanctity of life
- Reflected in karuna and metta - developing these qualities is necessary for enlightenment
- Also reflected in ahimsa (non-violence) which is embodied in the first moral precept
- respect for life extends to animal life, relating to belief in karma, rebirth and tathagathagarba
- Human rebirth special - best chance of nirvana
- Human life a rare privilege with special responsibilities - "it is rare to be born a human being" Nirichen
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Non-religious views about sanctity of life
- Many humanists agree that life is sacred because human intelligence and autonomy is unique
- As there is no afterlife human life is particularly precious as once destroyed, it is gone
- Peter Singer rejects the view that all human life is uniquely sacred. He believes that many non-human animals are persons and have sufficient intelligence and consciousness that their life also deserves respect. He also argues that some humans such as those suffering from advanced dementia are no linger persons and dont deserve respect
- Humanists and atheists also focus on the quality of life, many humanists value autonomy and believe people should have a right to end their own life if they choose
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What is environmental sustainability?
Ensuring that demands placed on natural resources can be met, now and in the future
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Beliefs about the role of humans - Christianity
- Christians believe that God gave the world to humans and they have dominion over it; "have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air..." Genesis
- Some christians believe this means the world is theirs to exploit for their own purposes
- Many believe dominion comes with great responsibility; they believe God has given them stewardship and they have a responsibility to look after the world on behalf of God
- Some believe God will judge them on how they have looked after his creation
- Many believe environmental sustainability is also important; in the Old Testament God gives Jewish people commandments about not over farming the land
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Beliefs about the role of humans - Buddhism
- Buddha said very little about the role of humans in creation or environmental sustainability
- The Buddha's teachings reflect a concern for the natural world; Buddha's order for monks to stay in same place during rainy season so monks didn't destroy newly planted crops or insects
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What is global citizenship?
The idea that everyone's identity involves being linked to the world, not just to a country or race.
Leads to ideas that everyone's worth is the same, everyone should work together and decisions made by the government should take the global society's needs into account
Christians ought to support this idea as Christianity teaches that Jesus died to save all of humanity
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Christian beliefs about the use of animals for food and medical experimentation
Most Christians, due to ideas of dominion believe that is acceptable for humans to use animals for their own benefit such as eating meat or conducting animal medical experiments
Andrew Linzey (priest) disagrees, argues that animals belong to God not humans and are not resources or commodities for humans to use as they please
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Buddhist beliefs about the use of animals for food and medical experimentation
- First Moral Precept applies to animals as well, Buddhists try to show living kindness to all
- Doctrine of right livelihood teaches Buddhists to avoid any work connected with the killing of animals
- Animals and humans seen as closely related as both have Buddha nature
- Many see animals as a lower form of life
- Many might support animal testing as long as sufficient benefit is produced to justify suffering caused
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Humanist beliefs about the use of animals for food and medical experimentation
Peter Singer completely rejects any God-given distinction between humans and animals
As animals can experience pleasure and pain they should be considered when making moral choices
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What is abortion?
When a pregnancy is ended so that is doesn't result in a birth
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UK Abortion Act 1967
Allows abortion in some circumstances if:
- 2 doctors agree
- carried out in an approved medical facility
- within first 24 weeks
Circumstances in which it may be allowed:
- Mother's life is in danger
- Pregnancy or raising a child too difficult to cope with
- Foetus would be born with a serious disability
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Arguments against abortion
- Catholic Church strongly forbids (unless it's a side effect). Orthodox and Evangelical also strongly against
- Sanctity of life can be applied to embryos, because they are still believed to be in the image of God
- "do not murder" - many consider it murder
- soul is present in foetus from moment of conception so killing a foetus is spiritually equivalent to killing an adult
- Trad. Buddhists reject because it involves the deliberate destroying of a life; buddhism believes in rebirth and teaches that life beings at conception
- Breaks first moral precept
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Arguments for abortion
- sanctity of life; mother's life is sacred and should be protected
- Trad. and liberal Christians allow in extreme circumstances e.g. pregnancy result of rape or mother too young
- Woman should be treated with love and consideration (agape)
- Golden Rule + quality of life
- Morality of abortion depends on level of mindfulness with which it was taken
- Principle of minimising suffering may justify
- Dalai Lama said the morality of an abortion depends on individual circumstance
- Quality of life most important in decision
- Woman's choice must be respected; value autonomy
- Mill's harm principle: woman's choice to have an abortion doesn't harm anyone else - may depend on consideration if the foetus is being harmed
- Right to have a family also interpreted as negative right to not have a family - abortion necessary tp prove this right
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What is euthanasia?
Killing or permitting the death of a person suffering from a serious illness or disability
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Active euthanasia
Where someone actually kills the person being euthanised e.g. by administering a poison
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Passive euthanasia
Where treatment which would keep someone alive is withheld or withdraw. May be legal in some circumstances in the UK
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Voluntary euthanasia
Where a person wants to die, and wants the help of a medical professional to end their life
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Non-voluntary euthanasia
Where someone cannot ask to die but relatives and/or doctors feel they would wish to die in such circumstances
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Arguments for euthanasia
- Some Liberal Christians believe it should be allowed in certain circumstances because it is cruel to let people suffer unnecessarily; applying Situation Ethics they believe that Jesus taught love above all else and sometimes the most loving thing to do is to allow someone to die in order to respect their dignity and wishes
- Some not opposed to passive euthanasia; life not deliberately being taken
- Catholic Church may accept under principle of double effect
- Dalai Lama; only acceptable in some circumstances e.g. if only alternative to prolonged suffering
- Positive form of 1st precept - to act with loving kindness - justifies it in some cases
- Right to life also implies negative right to die: BHA supports assisted dying
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Arguments against euthanasia
- it is a form of murder, sanctity of life
- suffering sent as test to humans because Jesus also suffered; to end life and remove suffering would be wrong if it is the will of God
- Bible passages teach we should protect those suffering
- Catholic Church; Declaration on Euthanasia claims it is always wrong
- Breaks first moral precept ; meditation and painkillers should enable a person to attain a state where they aren't in mental pain
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Dying in Dignity organisation
- People should be able to choose when and where they die
- Travelling abroad for places where euthanasia is legal causes unnecessary stress and expense for seriously ill people and relatives
- Travelling abroad forces some to die earlier than they wish as travel is physically demanding
- Possible to protect people from being forced into choosing to die if laws are made carefully
- Unfair that those who help relatives die currently face improsonment
