Religious Studies Flashcards
Themes: Issues of Relationships
Relationships - 15 Mark Question
Relationships
The topic includes: Beliefs, Teachings and attitudes about the nature and purpose of relationships in the twenty-first century. Families, roles of women and men, marriage outside the religious tradition, Cohabitation, the nature and purpose of marriage as expressed through ceremonies, adultery, and divorce.
What is Adultery?
Adultery is when a married person chooses to have sex with someone who they are not married to.
What is Divorce?
Divorce is to legally end a marriage.
What is Cohabitation?
Cohabitation is to live together in a sexual relationship without being married or in a civil partnership.
What is Commitment?
Commitment is making and keeping a promise, such as wedding vows.
What is Contraception?
Contraception is methods that are used to prevent a woman from becoming pregnant during or following sexual intercourse (eg; Artificial or natural).
What is Gender Equality?
Gender Equality is when people of all genders enjoy the same rights and opportunities in all aspects of their lives.
What are Responsibilities?
Responsibilities are actions or duties you are expected to carry out, such as looking after family members.
What are Roles?
Roles are the position of a person as well as the characteristics expected of them (eg; A police officers roles is to enforce and obey the law).
Nuclear Families
Nuclear families are the most common type of family, consisting of two parents with one or more children all living together.
Single-Parent Families
Single-Parent Families are where one parent raises one or more children alone. This type of family is continuing to rise due to increasing divorce rates.
Extended Family
Extended Families are a number of adults and children who are related living in the same home. This can include cousins, grandparents, aunts and uncles who all share family roles and live together.
Childless Families
Childless Families are where married or cohabiting couples do not have children. This can be through inability to conceive or through choice; many same-sex couples are childless families.
Reconstituted Families
Reconstituted Familes are families in which adults who have divorced decide to remarry or cohabit, which leads to a mix of step-parents and step children.
Christian Views on Family
Christians believe that family and nurture is the basis of Western society, and it is believed that children should be brought up in loving and supportive families.
As a result of this, Christians believe that the foundation for families is marriage, with the ideal family unit being a nuclear family. Children are considered a “gift from God” so parents need to have a responsibility to care for them properly and teach them how to live.
Many believe that religious belief should be taught and lived out at home, with a lot of believers feeling as though it is their duty to share their faith with their children, such as teaching them the Ten Commandments, taking them to church and teaching them when and how to pray. In return, the children should respect and obey their parents until they themselves are adults.
Quotes for Christian Beliefs on Family
“Honour thy father and thy mother.” Exodus 20:12
“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” Proverbs 22:6
“[family is] the essential shell of society.” Pope Francis
“The family is the community in which, from childhood, one can learn moral values, begin to honour
God and make good use of freedom” (Catechism of the Catholic Church)
Islamic Views on Family
Islam also holds the general belief that family is extremely important, however it may differ from how Christians view family. Many muslims follow the more ‘traditional’ roles of the family, with women fulfilling the role of being the wife and mother (the primary carer of the children and home) and men fulfilling the role of protector and provider. Despite these different roles, however, men and women are viewed as equals.
Parents have the responsibility to care for their children physically and emotionally, teach them right from wrong, and their goal is for the children to grow into self-disciplined, independent adults. Children are expected to respect their parents, so when their parents reach old age, they are to be treated with kindness and selflessness, therefore Muslims believe that the ideal family unit is an extended family.
For Muslims, caring for your parents in the most difficult time of their lives is considered a blessing and an opportunity for spiritual growth. It is not enough that we only pray for our parents, but we should act with limitless compassion, remembering that when we were helpless children, they preferred us to themselves.
Quotes for Islamic Beliefs on Family
“A man is the guardian of his family/household; a woman is the guardian of the husband’s home and
of his children” (Hadith)
“Your Lord has commanded that you be kind to your parents …since they cared for you when you
were small.” (Quran, 17:24)
“Your Lord has commanded that you worship none but him, and that you be kind to your parents…
and do not say to them a word of disrespect”. (Qur’an 17: 23)
The Nature and Purpose of Marriage for Christians
Many Christians believe marriage is a sacrament, meaning God blesses the marriage by the sending of grace to the married couple, and most believe that marriage is a gift from God and the right atmosphere to engage in sexual relations and to build a family life. Many will chose to get married in a Church as during the service, the Father walks the bride down the aisle, symbolising that he is giving her over to the groom to look after her.
Traditional vows are exchanged as a public demonstration of their commitment. An exchange of
rings symbolises their eternal love and Prayers and hymns say thanks to God and ask for his blessings
on their marriage.
“But at the beginning of creation God made them male and Female. For this reason a man will leave
his mother and father and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” Mark 10:6-8
The Nature and Purpose of Marriage for Islam
A Muslim marriage will usually take place at the bride’s home or at the Mosque (For Shi’a Muslims, six verses of the Nikkah are read during the marriage) and the bride and groom sign 3 marriage contracts before a minimum of two witnesses to show that they have agreed to the marriage.
The wali (woman’s guardian) offers the bride to the groom, to symbolise the groom’s responsibility for his new wife. Prayers and readings from the Qur’an wish them wealth, long life and many children.
Marriages in Islam are often arranged, but these can only take place with the consent of both parties. If someone was forced to marry then the marriage would be invalid. Marriage in Islam is vitally important and celibacy is not encouraged, as Muhammad stated to not delay marriage. Further, marriage in Islam is considered the ideal for
having a family and can act as a combat against sexual immorality.
“And of His Signs is that He has created mates for you from your own kind that you may find peace in
them and He has set between you love and mercy.” Qur’an 30:21
Marrying Outside of Religious Traditions (Inter-Faith Marriage)
In a pluralistic society (where many religions are present), inter-faith marriage is an issue that many
religions have. There are various problems:
Orthodox Christian tradition states that a marriage can only take place in a Church if an Orthodox Christian is marrying a Baptised Christian. Seen in Catholic tradition, the partner who is not Catholic must agree to any children being allowed to follow the Catholic faith. Whilst these are issues, it is possible to have a civil ceremony (non-religious), followed by a religious blessing.
There are also other issues of inter-faith marriage not surrounding religious tradition, such as dietary rules, festivals, gender roles, recognition of the marriage and the religion/faith of any children.
Christian Views on Adultery
Adultery is wrong because marriage is sexually exclusive and should not be shared with anyone else.
Further, the 10 commandments forbid adultery. Marriage is seen as a sacrament and gift from God; adultery goes against this and destroys the special relationship between a husband and wife (adultery also breaks the vows made at the wedding). Adultery can harm the family unit and cause the partner to feel cheated and betrayed. However, in the New Testament, Jesus forgave the women who committed adultery.
Jesus said: ‘“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that
anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
Islamic Views on Adultery
Adultery is wrong because sex outside of marriage is strongly disapproved of. Marriage is a life-long
union based on trust, morality and devotion. Further, adultery is seen as harmful to society, so
against unity and peace of the ummah. Adultery is seen as a form of the worst possible theft and
often in some Islamic countries it has been punishable by stoning.
And do not approach unlawful sexual intercourse – it is immoral and evil” Qur’an 17:32
Christian Views on Cohabition
Some Christians disagree with Cohabitation as they believe it devalues the special and sacred nature
of sex, which should only take place within marriage. The Catholic Church do not accept cohabitation, and some Baptist Churches may refuse to marry a couple who are co-habiting. However, some more liberal Church of England denominations have an increasingly tolerant view on cohabitation and accept it, as long as it is part of a committed relationship.
Islamic Views on Cohabitation
Although in practice some may choose to cohabit, according to Muslim teachings it is generally regarded as wrong. Muslims believe that for a couple to live together in a sexual relationship they must be married first.
In cohabitation, you are more likely to be tempted to have sex outside of marriage which is considered a sin.
Christian Views on Divorce
Divorce is typically accepted as the legal ending of a marriage, however it is not preferred and every effort at reconciliation should be made. The Catholic Church does not accept divorce, as they
consider the bond of marriage to be a sacred bond, that is based on life-long love, fidelity
(faithful/loyal) and family and they therefore believe that divorce is wrong. “What God has joined together, let no one separate”.
The Church of England teaches that marriage is for life, however acknowledges that humans make mistakes and relationships can break down. Therefore, in some circumstances, divorce might be an option. (eg; some argue that in the Bible Jesus allowed divorce for adultery.)
In vows read out during the wedding ceremony, it is said “till death do us part.” In which divorce breaks this vow. Marriage is also considered a sacrament and therefore cannot be dissolved unless the marriage is annulled, which opens the opportunity of remarriage, whereas a civil divorce would not
Jesus said ‘Anyone who divorces his wife… and marries another commits adultery.’
Islamic Views on Divorce
Divorce is sometimes acceptable as a last resort, however it is expected that the family will try to help the
couple overcome their problems. If the couple do decide to divorce then the husband must state on
three separate occasions that the marriage is over. A period of three months begins (Iddah). The
couple will stay in the same house but not sleep together to ensure that there is no confusion about who the father of any children born after the divorce is. The woman would also be given her dowry back.It is also stated in the Qur’am that it is not wrong to separate if both parties agree
“If a woman fears indifference or neglect from her husband, there is no blame on either of them if they seek fair settlement, which is best.” Qur’an 4:128-130
Christian Views on Remarriage
It is up to individual ministers to decide whether or not they are willing to perform such a marriage service. Some will not perform second marriages but will give a blessing after a registry office ceremony.
In the Roman Catholic Church, A divorced person who has remarried may attend services, but cannot take part in Holy Communion. If a person remarries while their ex-partner is still alive, this is considered to be adultery.
Islamic Views on Remarriage
A man and a woman can remarry twice, but after a third divorce remarriage to each other
cannot take place unless the woman has been married to another man in the meantime. Marriage is
seen as a social contract which Allah has sanctioned. But, as it is not seen as a sacrament it can be
broken and divorce allowed. In fact being married is encouraged as family life is an ideal way of
living.
Christian Views on Sex and Contraception
Roman Catholics do not believe in any artificial forms of birth control as sexual intercourse should
always have the possibility of children. They believe every sperm is sacred based on teachings from the Bible, for example Genesis, which states ‘Be fruitful and multiply.’
Roman Catholics can use natural forms of contraception – rhythm method, withdrawal or abstaining. Further, St Thomas Aquinas stated in his Natural Law that the continuation of species was important, so contraception is
wrong as it prevents reproduction.
The Church of England, Methodist and Baptist churches however, believe contraception is acceptable providing both partners agree. They believe that family planning allows couples to have more opportunities for their relationship to develop, either with each other and/or with their existing children.
Sexual activity needs to be reserved for two people in the context of marriage. Christians are often encouraged to love one another in non-sexual ways. This type of love, called ‘agape’, is the love that Jesus showed to other people when he gave his life for them.
Some denominations, (eg; Roman Catholics) do not support sex before marriage and promote chastity. Sex is seen as a gift from God and therefore sacred and holy. All Christian denominations would be against casual sex as this is an abuse of God’s gift.
Some Christian groups believe sex is acceptable before marriage if the couple are in a permanent relationship, however the majority believe that marriage is the most appropriate context for sex.
“That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become
one flesh.” Genesis 2
Islamic Views on Sex and Contraception
The Quran has no direct teachings on contraception, though many view sex and children as gifts
from God, so contraception isn’t desirable. However, it is accepted that contraception was used
during the time of Muhammad so some Muslims believe in its use as long as it doesn’t harm the body
and both partners are okay with it.
Contraception is usually considered acceptable if the woman has ill health or to limit family size. Some couples do use artificial methods of contraception; the pill and condom are considered more acceptable than those which are difficult to reverse, such as a vasectomy. However, contraception should never be used to encourage promiscuity (casual sex).
Islam has very strict views on love and sex, based on passages from the Qur’an and Hadith (sayings of the Prophet Muhammad). Muslims view sexual intercourse as an act of worship that fulfils emotional & physical needs as well as being procreative.
Having children is the way in which humans can contribute towards Allah’s creation. Sexual activity needs to be reserved for two people within the context of marriage (Polygamy is allowed, but sex outside this is not). Islam encourages people to marry and not to lead celibate lives. Marriage places responsibility on both partners to meet each other’s sexual needs.
“When a husband and wife share intimacy it is rewarded and a blessing from Allah; just as
they would be punished if they had engaged in illicit sex.” Qur’an
Christian Views on Same-Sex Relationships
Many Christians oppose same-sex relationships on Biblical grounds, and regard marriage as only between a man and woman. Due to this, many churches will not allow same-sex marriages, however some clergy might agree to a church blessing.
Quakers are one of few Christian denominations who welcome and support same-sex relationships and perform such marriages.
Case study: Lee v Ashers Baking Company - Gareth Lee approached Asher;s Baking Company to create a cake with the phrase “support gay marriage” on it. This request was denied by the company on religious standings, as it is run by evangelists. Lee took the company to court on the issue, where it was originally ruled in his favour on grounds of discriminations. Upon review from the supreme court, the judging was overturned and found that “on the facts of the case, the applicant was not treated differently on account of his real or perceived sexual orientation, but rather that the refusal to supply the cake was because of the defendants’ religious objection to gay marriage.”
“If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.” Leviticus 20:13
“We know that the law is good…for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine” 1 Timothy 1:8-10
Islamic Views on Same-Sex Relationships
The general views of Islam on same-sex marriage is that it is immoral and wrong, and that sex should only occur between a man and a woman based on teachings in the Qur’an which argue that it is “against the will of Allah.”
However, there are many practicing Muslims around the world who are in same-sex relationships/are married/are part of the LGBTQ+ community.
“Do you commit such immorality as no one has preceded you with from among the worlds? Indeed, you approach men with desire, instead of women. Rather, you are a transgressing people.” Qur’an 7:80-81
Christian Views on Gender Predjudice and Discrimination
Christianity as a whole will generally support the idea that men are superior to women in many senses. This can be seen on the foundations of Christianity; God is referred to as “He,” and “Father,” as opposed to a gender neutral term as God is transcendant. The original disciples of Jesus were all men, however he also had female followers. There are also many references in the Bible that women are lower than, (and should not have superiority over) men.
In some denominations of Christianity, women may be allowed to be ordained and become bishops, whereas in others (Orthodox Christians) do not allow for women to enter priesthood.The roles of men and women in church can be seen as equal, however may be different (men are priests or bishops, whereas the women care for the children in the church)
“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28
“But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet.” 1 Timothy 2:12
Islamic Views on Gender Predjudice and Discrimination
In Islam, the general idea is that men with have a role over women. This can be seen in the leading of prayer and worship, where typically only men will take on the roles of imam and lead the prayer of men and women, and they are often separated for prayer. In some Sunni groups, women may be allowed to lead the prayer, but however must be standing within the congregation, whereas men are allowed to lead outside of this. Men are also often the ones with superiority when discussing divorce. The roles of men and women in Islam are taught as equally important, but do oftentimes differ in what the roles entail.
“O humanity! Be mindful of your Lord Who created you from a single soul, and from it He created its mate.”
Qur’an 4:1
“their husbands reserve the right to take them back within that period if they desire reconciliation. Women have rights similar to those of men equitably, although men have a degree ˹of responsibility˺ above them.” Qur’an 2:228
Themes:Issues of Life and Death
Origin and Value of Human Life - 15 Mark Question
Origin and Value of Human Life
The topic includes: Beliefs, teachings and attitudes toward the origin and sanctity of life and evolution, attitudes towards euthanasia and abortion, and non-religious views on the importance of human and animal life.
What is the Afterlife?
The Afterlife is life after death; the belief that existance continues after physical death.
What is Environmental Sustainability?
Environmental Sustainability is ensuring that natural resources are used but protected so that all people, animals and plants can live well now and in the future.
What is Euthanasia?
Euthanasia is the act of killing or permitting the death of a person who is suffering from a serious illness.
What is Evolution?
Evolution is the process by which different creatures are believed to have developed from earlier, less complex forms during the history of the Earth.
What is Abortion?
Abortion is the ending of a pregnancy so that it does not result in the birth of a child.
What is Quality of Life?
Quality of Life is the extent to which life is meaningful or pleasurable.
What is Sanctity of Life?
Sanctity of Life is the belief that life is precious, or sacred; for many religious believers, only human life holds this special status.
What is the Soul?
The Soul is the spiritual aspect of a being, which some religions believe connects a person to God; also often being seen as non-physical and as living after physical death in the afterlife.
Christian Teachings on the origins of the Universe
There are two stories in Genesis which describing God’s creation, with the main points being:
- God created the world for a purpose and it was fundamentally good.
- Human beings were expected to be stewards of the world.
- God created light in the darkness (1), the sky (2), dry land and plants (3), the Sun, the Moon and the stars (4), water and sky animals (5), and lastly land animals and humans (6), so on the seventh day, God rested.
The second creation story is [Genesis 2:4-25]; Adam was created first, formed from the dust of the Earth and the breath of God. He was created before anmals, and placed in the Garden of Eden to live in paradise. Eve was then created from his rib to be his partner. Some Christians believe that God caused any “Big Bang” at the start of the universe, and that evidence is sufficient to show that life evolved gradually over millions of years.
Some take the Creation stories as literal (A truthful retelling of events) whilst some believe the story can be interpreted with the real meaning but not historically true (non-literalists or liberalists)
“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.” Genesis 1:1-3
Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken from the man” Genesis 2:22
Islamic Teachings on the origins of the Universe
There is no one creation story but the Qur’an teaches that God is the creator and sustainer of all life.
Muslims believe God created the heavens and earth from formless matter over six long periods of
time. He created humans out of clay moulding Adam and breathing life into him, and that a wife was made for him. Humans were given the role of khalifahs to be responsible to look after the world and treat it with respect, and so on the day of judgement all Muslims will be called to account for how they have looked after Allah’s creation.
Muslims are creationists, as they believe the word of the Qur’an must be taken litersllt as it was revealed from Allah. Others may accept some aspects of evolution, but do not accept the idea of human evolution as the Qur’an refers to the creation of Adam.
“Indeed, your Lord is God who created the heavens and earth in six days and then established himself
above the throne.” Qur’an 10:3
Literalist Interpretations
Literalists believe that the holy texts should be understood word for word. Young earth creationists are literalists as they believe that creation happened exactly as described in sacred texts.
“All scripture is God breathed” 2 Timothy 3:16
Liberalist Interpretations
Liberalists believe that people should be free to interpret the texts to best suit them arguing that many texts are more like parables or symbolic stories. They contain meaning but do not refer to historical events.
Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution
Evolutionary theory out forward by Charles Darwin suggests that the earth is millions of years old and that life had arisen through the slow, natural process of evolution due to natural selection and survival of the fittest. His research overtime on the galapagos islands and the observing of finches with various beak shapes to better fit their environment shows how creatures have evolved over a period of time. It showed creatures developing characteristics that allowed them to survive and breed; thus passing on the traits(natural selection and survival of the fittest.)
The Big Bang Theory
In 1965, cosmologists published evidence to show that the universe had an origin about 15 billion years ago, from the point of ‘singularity’( Stephen Hawking’s research lead the belief of the singularity) which then expanded in a hot and dense environment so that matter was formed. This expansion caused the formation of every star and planet in the universe. This theory was supported by the discovery of cosmic background radiation thought to be left over from the initial expansion at the point of ‘singularity. ’Most believe that the expansion will continue for billions of years to come, but can be traced back to the initial event which is known as the Big Bang.
Intelligent Design
‘Intelligent design is the popular belief in the USA today among some Christians. It states that there exist things that are so complex and have a purpose and therefore cannot have simply developed through evolution. Michael Behe came up with the argument of ‘Irreducible Complexity’ using the example of a mousetrap. He claimed that the function of some things in nature require all parts to be present in the very beginning,, just like a mousetrap. Therefore it could not have developed over time through evolution but things must have been made on day one in exactly the same way as they exist today.
William Paley uses the analogy of the watchmaker, and also an eye to demonstrate this concept of ID and argued that it must have only been created through God’s design, due to it’s complexity.
“Although i think this is a compelling argument, I do not think the teleological argument proves the existence of God. There are lots of problems with this theory. I can see Paley’s logic; a complex watch needs a designer so a complex Universe needs a designer- it is still ultimately an argument from analogy. A watch is not the universe, it
is completely different, so to infer that the same principles apply by no means proves the existence of God. We
have observed a watch being designed and created and so we know if we found a watch it obviously has a designer, however we have made no such observations with the universe, so why should we just assume it has a designer?”
Christian Views on Environmental Responsibility/Stewardship
Christians believe that humans are given the role to be stewards of god’s creation. There is the arguement that we are to care for the world rather than exploit it. Evangelical Christians take the Bible literally so believe humans can ‘rule’ by using the earth’s resources for human benefit, meaning to have dominion over it.
“You have made them the rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet” Pslam 8:6
“ And God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” Genesis 1:28
Stewardship: caring for the planet and managing it’s resources
Islamic Views on Environmental Responsibility/Stewardship
Muslims believe that animals must be respected but that they are not sacred and so can b used for human benefit. Humans are to be Khalifahs (stewards) of God’s creation as he has trusted us with it. There is a balance in the universe that must be maintained by mankind called fitrah. They believe that we will be judged on how we treat the universe.
“The earth is green and beautiful. God has appointed you stewards over it.” (Muhammed)
“No change should there be in the creation of God.” [Qur’an 30:30]
“Indeed your Lord is Allah Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days.” [Qur’an 7:54]
Stewardship: caring for the planet and managing it’s resources
Christian Views on Sanctity of Life
God created mankind ‘in his image’ (Imago dei) so all life is precious and sacred. Therefore only God can take life
away, as each life is special and sacred. We are to treat our and other people’s bodies with respect ‘Similarly only God can decide
when life begins. Jesus showed that all life should be valued through the way he treated the lepers,
sick, and despised groups of people. It is also shown through the
Parable of the Good Samaritan:Jesus tells of a man who was travelling and attacked. He was badly beaten and left for dead. The first two people to pass the man were a Priest and a Priest’s assistant, both of whom left the man and continued walking without helping. The third was a Samaritan, who took pity on the man and helped him. He cleaned and bandaged his wounds before paying an innkeeper to look after the man.
You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your friends, hate your enemies.’ But now I tell you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” Matthew 5:43-47
‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.’ Jeremiah
In his hand is the life of every creature.’ Book of Job
Islamic Views on Sanctity of Life
Muslims believe all life is created by God and only he can take it away. It is believed that God has a plan for each life even before they have been conceived. Because of this any Muslim who kills another will be judged as if they have killed the whole of mankind
’whoever kills a soul…it is as if he has slain mankind entirely’. [Qur’an 5:32]
‘And do not kill the soul which God has forbidden’.
‘Do not take a human life—made sacred by Allah—except with legal right.’
Sanctity of Life VS Quality of Life
Peter Singer is an aetheist with the belief that quality of life in more important than the sanctity of life. To count as “Personhood,” he believes that people must have the ability to think and be able to relate to others. He also believes that if there is little quality of life, then a person should be allowed, under certain circumstances, to end their own life. He claims it is wrong to give human life special treatment over animal life, in the same way that it is wrong to give more rights to one group of humans than another and that all should be treated with equal consideration.
Christian Views on Abortion
Catholics: Life is sacred and God given = pro-life. From the moment of conception a new life has begun so abortion is forbidden at any stage. Instead the foetus has a right to live- terminating this is a moral evil.
Church of England: Abortion is not allowed for social reasons but possibly if the mother’s life is in danger and out of compassion if the woman has been raped. The Church of England combines strong opposition to abortion with the recognition that there may be conditions under which it may be morally preferable.
CASE STUDY: Gianna Jessen, a ‘pro-life’ activist who was a survivor of a failed abortion, of which she developed cerebral palsy as a result. “I am happy to be alive. I almost died. Every day I thank God for life.” She stated that todsay, “a baby is a baby when it is convienient” and that people only believe it is a baby when there is a miscarriage at two, three, four months, but call it a clump of cells and tissue when it is an abortion of the same time frame.
Islamic Views on Abortion
Most Muslims agree that only God can create and take away life and so abortion is mostly considered haram (forbidden). Abortion for purely economic reasons is forbidden in the Qur’an, However, abortion may be allowed if the child is likely to have a serious illness or if the mother’s life is at risk. Some Muslim laws permit abortion in the first 16 weeks while others only in the first seven. Generally, it is agreed that ‘ensoulment’ takes place at 120 days after conception and from this point on abortion is mostly considered Haram- unless it is the ‘lesser of two evils’ ie. to save the mother’s life. The taking of the life of a child is a sin which will have to be answered for in front of Allah on judgement day.
“Do not kill your children out of poverty” [Qur’an 17:31]
CASE STUDY: (she was hindu, I just don’t have any other place to put this one) Savita Halappanavar was a woman living in Ireland, who tragically died of sepsis when being denied an abortion of which she was miscarrying. Ireland, where she lived, is a very catholic heavy country, and so she was denied the abortion on both legal and religious basis, however argued her point that she was Hindu, and so why should that law be enforced on her.
Christian Views on Euthanasia
Most agree that it is not acceptable as they believe in the sanctity of life and those who assist in euthanasia are going against the Ten Commandments. Some believe that suffering can have a purpose and must be endured as God will not give us more than we can cope with. “God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.”
Liberal Christians: It is acceptable to turn off life support (passive euthanasia) if the person is brain dead. They may also consider withholding treatment (which would otherwise prolong a painful illness) as Jesus was compassionate.
Hospice care is an alternative to euthanasia.
CASE STUDY: Charlie Gard, an infant in the middle of the “best interests case” of his life. He suffered from a mitochondrial disease, of which has no treatment and would lead to his death indefinitely. The case became controversial because the medical team and parents disagreed about whether experimental treatment was in the best interests of the child. The parents wanted the experimental treatment, but the doctors felt he was too far gone and would not help him. They believed the treatment would prolong suffering, and so insisted with the parents to turn off his ventilator, of which they refused until told by the lead of the treatment said it was a futile case and would not help him, leading to the ventilator being turned off and him dying the next day.
Islamic Views on Euthanasia
Muslims believe that no matter what state the body is in, the soul is perfect and therefore life
cannot be ended early. All life is made by God so taking away life is wrong. Muslim lawyers have
recently agreed that it is acceptable for a person in a coma with no hope of recovery to have their
machines turned off as the life has already ended.
“He who created all things in the best way” [Qur’an]
Islamic Views on the Afterlife
Muslims believe that God made Adam from the ‘earth’ and so we have a physical body which is also blessed with a soul. When a child is born they have a natural belief in God (fitrah) and therefore our soul naturally seeks to follow the religion of Islam. This life is preparation for akhirah – the life to come. Upon death the soul is kept in Barzakh waiting for the day of judgement when all will be raised from the dead to stand before Allah who will judge. Muslims believe the Mahdi (the ‘guided one’ or saviour) will also come at this time to save the world. Muslims tend to have a literal view of Jannah (heaven) and Jahannam (hell).
