Life after Death Flashcards
What are Non religious beliefs about Evolution?
- Survival of the fittest
- Comes from random mutation of the genes
- Simple to complex organisms
- Fossil evidence
- Over millions of years
Define, ‘Abortion’.
When a pregnancy is deliberately ended so it doesn’t result in the birth of a child
Why do Liberal Christians tolerate Abortion?
- Situation ethics: most loving thing to do
- The Bible needs to be updated to society: the law allows abortion up to 24 weeks
- To withhold compassion is a greater evil than abortion-> Jesus never withheld compassion
- “treat others as you would like to be treated”
- “Love your neighbour”
Why do Catholic Christians not allow Abortion?
Against abortion as only God can end life
- Man is made “in the image of God”
- “I knit you in your mother’s womb”
- “If we die, we die to the Lord”
- “Life starts at conception”, bible
- “You shall not kill”
- “your body is a temple of the holy spirit”
Why would some Buddhists be against Abortion?
- Unskilful action-> from ignorance
- Bad karma for the baby
- Goes against the 1st precept
- “Do not wish harm upon another”
- Turtle analogy-> baby’s life is precious
Why would some Buddhists be for Abortion?
- Metta + Karuna
- 1st precept
- Mindfulness-> be aware of mother’s situation
- Turtle analogy-> Mother’s life will be changed/ruined with a baby
Why do Humanists support Abortion?
- Mother’s rights are more important-> her body
- Quality of life matters
- Life is not a creation of God
- Life begins after birth
- Must stop back street/unsafe abortions
Why do Atheists support abortion?
Support the law
Utilitarian attitude
What are weaknesses of supporting abortion?
- Most loving thing may be to not get an abortion-> cannot know long term impact of children on the mother
- Mother’s life isn’t more important if life starts at conception
- Bible is the word of God-> Should not be updated or ignored (Conservative Christians)
Define ‘Euthanasia’
Permitting the death of a person who is suffering from a serious illness
Why do Liberal Christians allow Euthanasia?
- Situation ethics: most loving thing to do
- “Treat others as you would like to be treated”
- “Love your neighbour”
- To withhold compassion is a greater evil than euthanasia
- Jesus never withheld compassion and always helped the sick
Why are Catholic Christians against Euthanasia?
Only God can end life
- Humans are created in God’s image
- “All the days allotted to me are recorded in your book”
- “If we die, we die to the lord”
- “You shall not kill”
- “Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit”
Why might some Buddhists be against Euthanasia?
- Unskilful: from ignorance
- Bad karma for the doctor + patient
- Goes against the first precept
Why might some Buddhists allow Euthanasia?
- Karuna + Metta
- First precept
- “I teach suffering and the end of suffering”
Why do Humanists support Euthanasia and have a ‘Dignity in Dying movement’ ?
- Humans deserve the right to a dignified death
- The law is unfair-> penalises doctors for trying to end suffering
- Humans have reason and intelligence and should have the right to choose, they have no God to choose for them
- Situation ethics: most loving thing to do when a terminally ill person is suffering
- Utilitarianism: it will bring about the most amount of happiness
What are weaknesses to allowing Euthanasia?
- Most loving thing may be to allow the person to live and come to terms with their suffering
- Euthanasia may not be loving to the doctors who have to carry it out under an oath to preserve lives
- Law is not unfair-> protects the right of all people involved, not just the dying person, also doctors and the family
What is a weakness for being against Euthanasia?
- May be the most loving thing to allow the person to shorten their life to end suffering
Why do Christians believe humans are sacred?
- “Humans are made in the image of God”
- “I knit you in your mothers womb”
- “Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit”, St Paul
- “If we live, we live to the lord, if we die, we die to the lord”-> our lives belong to God
Why do Humanists believe humans are special?
- we only live one life
- we have reason and intelligence, can live by a moral code
- we have a shared humanity, should always help others lead a good life
- Singer: we have preferences, prefer to feel pleasure not pain
- Singer: we make moral decisions
- Singer: we can self reflect
Why do Buddhists believe humans are special?
- Human realm is the only realm where beings have a choice and can become enlightened
- Buddha taught they were important (first precept)
- 8 fold path: must treat humans with respect (right speech, right action, right mindfulness= be honest, loving kindness, know how we feel and others)
Why do Christians feel animals are important?
- Genesis 1: God creates all living beings (life on water and in land etc)
- Animals are a creation of God
- Isaiah says they will be in the kingdom of God
- Jesus said to look at the birds in the air, “Neither they sow nor reap, but you heavenly father feeds them”
Why might Evangelical Christians believe animals are not important
- Evangelical Christians stress passages to do with dominion, so animals aren’t important as they aren’t made in the image of God