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Flashcards in Religion and Medical Ethics Deck (45)
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1
Q

What is abortion?

A

Deliberate termination of pregnancy by removal and destruction of the foetus

2
Q

What is a clone?

A

An individual organism or cell rpoduced asexually from one ancestor to which they are genetically identical

3
Q

What is an embryo?

A

A foetus before it is 4 months old

4
Q

What is fertility treatment?

A

Medical treatment to help a woman become pregnant

5
Q

What is genetic engineering?

A

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

6
Q

What are medical ethics?

A

Questions of morality that are raised by medical situations

7
Q

What is sacred/ sanctity?

A

Holy, having something of God or the divine

8
Q

What is sanctity of life?

A

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

9
Q

What does the sanctity of life mean for Christians?

A
  • Life is God-given
  • Human life is precious
  • God has a plan for every human life
  • All life deserves respect
  • Life should not be destroyed
10
Q

What quote can be used to back up life is God-given?

A

“So God created human beings making them to be like himself. He created them male and female.”

11
Q

What quote can be used to back up God has a plan for every human life?

A

“The days alotted to me had all been recorded in your book before any of them began.”

12
Q

What quote can be used to back up all life deserves respect?

A

“God’s temple is holy and you yourself are his temple.”

13
Q

What quote can be used to back up human life is precious?

A

“Even the hairs on your head have all been counted. So do not be afraid. You are worth much more than many sparrows.”

14
Q

What quote can be used to back up life should not be destroyed?

A

“Do not commint murder.” - 6th commandment

15
Q

What does the Roman Catholic Church believe about abortion?

A

“Life must be protected with the utmost care from the moment of conception; abortion and infanticide are the most abominable of crimes.”

  • Abortion is always wrong. Life begins at conception therefore abortion is murder.
  • Unborn child is a sacred human life; it deserves the same respect as any other human being - Pope John Paul II 1985 “The unborn human being’s right to lve is one of the inalienable human rights.”
  • Rape: RC Church does not support abortion even in this case - the foetus is paying for someone else’s crime
16
Q

What are the Church of England’s views on abortion?

A

Abortion is an evil to be avoided if possible but can be justified in 3 circumstances:

  • Risk to the mother’s life or her mental and physical health
  • Baby likely to be deformed and mother feels she can not cope
  • Rape

“Although the foetus is to be specially respected and protected, nonetheless the life of the foetus is not absolutely sacrosanct if it endangers the life of the mother.”

CofE does not morally accept abortion but accepts if it’s the only way forward for a person. They will not condemn the woman but will help her out of it.

17
Q

What are the Salvation Army’s beliefs on abortion?

A

Life is sacred from the moment of conception but accepts abortion if:

  • Mother’s life is in danger
  • Baby can not survive for more than a few days, e.g. severely deformed
18
Q

What does the United Reformed Church believe about abortion?

A

recognises a wide range of views among its members. There is a difference between a foetus almost ready to be born, and one in the early stages of pregnancy. Sometimes abortion is necessary, but should be taken seriously.

19
Q

What are the Methodist Church’s views about abortion?

A

It chooses the lesser of the two evils similar to the CofE but also takes the baby affecting the existing family as a valid reason for abortion.

20
Q

What are the three beliefs about when life begins?

A
  1. At birth - baby passed down the birth canal and taken first breath
  2. Life begind at viability - when it could survive outside the womb even if it is premature
  3. Life begins at conception - when the sperm unites with the ovum
21
Q

What are the Bible quotes used to argue against abortion?

A

“Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, before you were born I set you apart.”

“Do not kill.”

“In the image of God.”

22
Q

What are the Bible quotes used to argue for abortion?

A

“God made Adam, and then ‘brethed into his nostrils the breath of life”

23
Q

What is double effect?

A

If the primary intention of your action is not sinful God will forgive your sins that occur as a result of your action

24
Q

What is free will?

A

God gave humans the freedom to make a choice between good and evil

25
Q

What is predestination (fate)?

A

God has already planned out everyone’s life and knows what you are meant to do and achieve.

26
Q

How does agape apply to abortion?

A

Acting in a loving manner usually means understanding what a woman seeking an abortion is going through and supporting her with it, although it could also apply to showering love to the baby

27
Q

How does double effect apply to abortion?

A

If the life of the mother is in danger and the treatment to save it will result in a miscarriage, then it is not a sin to give her the treatment - the intention was to save life, the death of the baby is a side-effect

28
Q

How does sanctity of life apply to abortion?

A

If a foetus is a blive before the time it is born then it is a gift grom God and should be treated like that - abortion would be like murder.

29
Q

How does free will apply to abortion?

A

God gave us the right to make our own moral choices - a woman should decide for herself whether an abortion is right or wrong in her circumstances and should act as she thinks is best in her own situation.

30
Q

How does predestination apply to abortion?

A

If God has a plan for everyone then humans should not interfere - if the baby is meant to be born it wil be; if it is not it will not be. It is not our chioce to make but God’s

31
Q

What is pro-life?

A

Against abortion

32
Q

What is pro-choice?

A

Mother should decide whether to have an abortion or not

33
Q

What is therapeutic cloning?

A

Cloning an embryo and using it to grow new cells, not a person. Creates copies to make someone better.

34
Q

Why is therapeutic cloning done?

A

Embryos contain stem cells which are useful to replace damaged or dead cells or organs. There are other methods but several scientists think that this is the best way. Also, if the DNA is the same of the cell and patient there will be less problems.

35
Q

What are the arguments for therapeutic cloning?

A
  • The embryo is just a bunch of cells and doesn’t resemble any human characteristics and has no soul
  • Can try and cure diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis
  • Can fix broken soines allowing paraplegics to walk
  • Can grow transplant organs
  • Exact match with patient
36
Q

What are the arguments against therapeutic cloning?

A
  • An embryo is a person who is unique with its own DNA
  • There are alternatives and doctors see more promise in other means
  • The effects of treatments are unknown
  • If experiment is allowed at 14 days, researchers may push the boundary for more days
37
Q

What is reproductive cloning?

A

Producing clones of humans

38
Q

What are the arguments for human reproductive cloning?

A
  • It’s a good way to know you will have a healthy child
  • It will have the same rights as another person
  • If the individual which is cloned has the right qualities eg. for a soldier then there’s a reason
  • A clone which is a replacement for a dead child will be loved more than an ordinary one
39
Q

What are the arguments against human reproductive cloning?

A
  • Everyone should be born free and equal but a clone will already have their life mapped out for them
  • Replacement for a lost child may not work as there are other factors affecting it
  • Each human should be valued for their own sake not for someone else
  • Every person is meant to be unique
  • It’s illegal and immoral
40
Q

What is the Bible’s response to human reproductive cloning?

A

Doesn’t directly give an answer but there are hints for being against

Use quotes from:

  • Humans are unique
  • God is the creator
  • God has a plan for each of us
41
Q

What is the CofE’s view about reproductive cloning?

A

Against

On their website, they say:

“It is widely agreed that this is not an ethically acceptable procedure.”

42
Q

What is the RC Church’s view about reproductive cloning?

A

Aganist

An attack on humanity itself, making a new person a slave

Gives a predetermined genetic identity

43
Q

What is the CofE’s view on therapeutic cloning>

A

Sort of for

It wants to support efforts to find suitable treatments for serious conditions but cautious about the use of an embryo. It’s acceptable if it’s “absolutely necessary”

44
Q

What is the RC Church’s view on therapeutic cloning?

A

Against

An embryo is a human from conception. It’s okay to do this if the source of the cells is not harmed.

“Methods which do not cause serious harm to the subject…are to be licit.”

45
Q

Need to finish of Bible and fertility treatments

A