Matters of Life Flashcards
What does ‘Sanctity of Life’ mean?
The Christian and Muslim belief that life is a Sacred (holy) gift from God.
What does the term - Quality of Life mean?
A measure of fulfilment - does someones life have quality and fulfilment?
What is the Quickening?
Quickening - The first detectable movement of a foetus.
What does the word ‘Ensoulment’ mean?
At some moment in the life of a foetus - it receives its Soul.
What does it mean - to be ‘Infertile’?
To be unable to conceive a foetus.
What does it mean - to have ‘Fertility Treatment’?
Medical procedures to assist an infertile couple to enable them to have children.
What is IVF?
A scientific method of making a woman pregnant, which does not involve sex - Conception happens outside of the womb usually in a test tube. In Vitro Fertilisation - (In Vitro means ‘in glass’)
What is a Test Tube Baby?
Term used for a baby that has been created outside of a womans body.
What is ‘Artificial Insemination’ (AI)?
Sperm medically inserted into the uterus to assist fertilisation.
What is AIH?
Artificial Insemination using the husbands sperm.
What is AID?
Artificial Insemination using Sperm from a donor.
What is surrogacy?
A fertilised egg implanted into another womans womb - used if a woman is unable to carry a child herself.
What is ‘transplant surgery’?
When someone elses organs are put into another patient to save their life.
What is a Blood Transfusion?
When a patient is given blood as part of an operation.
What is ‘Human Genetic Engineering’?
Genetic Engineering is the technique scientists can use to change the genetic make up of cells.
This is especially useful if genes carry inherited diseases or weaknesses.
What is ‘Embryology’?
Embryology is the study of embryos.
This is intended to advance knowledge and lead to relief of illness and suffering.
However, it also involves experimenting on and then destroying embryos.
What is an ‘Embryo’?
Fertilised egg at about 12-14 days when it enters into the lining of the womb.
What is a ‘designer baby’?
A baby with gender or characteristics chosen by their parents - currently illegal in the UK, but legal in the USA.
What is a ‘Stem Cell’?
A cell taken from a young embryo - whose role in the body is yet to be determined.
What is a ‘Saviour Sibling’?
A Sibling (brother or sister) who is ‘designed’ and born to help another child in the family who is sick.
What is Cloning?
•Cloning is the process of making a genetically identical animal, plant of human being without sexual reproductions.
•The cloned organism is made form the DNA of one parent.
•Once introduced into the new organism it will develop in an identical way.
What is ‘Therapeutic Cloning’?
Cloning a ‘part’ of a body for use in organ transplant - e.g. a kidney.
Who is this and what did he say?
Joseph Fletcher - he used the teaching of Jesus ‘Love your neighbour’ to say that a Christian should always ‘do the most loving thing’.
What did this man say about blood transfusions?
Pope John Paul II said that blood transfusions were the greatest act of charity.
What does the Quran say about ‘Saving a life’?
“If anyone saves a life it would be as if he has saved the life of the whole world.”
When do Roman Catholics believe that life begins?
Roman Catholics believe that life begins at conception.
When does the Church of England believe that life begins?
At some time in pregnancy - probably at the time of the quickening.
When do Muslims believe that life begins?
Muslims believe that ensoulment happens around 120 days (19 weeks) after conception.
Can you describe IVF in detail?
- A woman is given drugs to help her produce eggs.
- These are collected and fertilized with her partner’s sperm outside her body (in a test tube).
- If the treatment works, the eggs are replaces inside he woman’s uterus.
- Usually 2/3 fertilised eggs are places back in this way to increase chances of success.
What do Roman Catholics think about Fertility Treatment?
- Roman Catholics do not support fertility treatments. They believe it should be in God’s hands whether a couple can have a child or not.
- Roman Catholics also are against it as it involves masturbation
- They especially disagree with AID as children should be between a married couple, not a married couple and a donor, the Pope even called it “mechanical adultery
What does the Church of England say about fertility?
The Church of England supports IVF and AIH for married couples, they believe that it is a way of providing loving parents with a child, they use the quote from Jesus ‘Love your neighbour’ to support this view.
What does Islam teach about Fertility?
Muslims allow IVF and AIH for a married couple, but they do not support AID as they see it as adultery.
Frozen sperm of an ex-husband or dead partner should not be used.
What does the Law say about Surrogacy?
No payment must be made.Advertising is illegal.The parents must be over 18 and married.
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990
This set up the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) which regulates the law in the UK. The Act also says:
Donors of sperm or eggs must be anonymous.A donor has no rights over any baby that is born.Frozen embryos may be stored for up to 10 years.Scientific experiments may be carried out on an embryo for 14 days, but it must then be destroyed.
What do Roman Catholics teach about Surrogacy?
Roman Catholics do not support surrogacy because of their belief that it is God’s decision whether or not to give a couple the gift of a child
What do Muslims believe about Surrogacy?
Muslims forbid surrogacy as it involves pregnancy outside marriage. (“None can be their mothers except those who gave them birth” ~ Qur’an 58:2)
What would Joseph Fletcher say about Surrogacy?
Joseph Fletcher’ s Situation Ethics argues that surrogacy could be the most loving thing to do as it gave a child to loving parents.
What do Christians teach about Embryo research?
- Roman Catholics believe that experimenting on embryos is wrong because it undermines the sanctity of life.
- The Church of England supports research on embryos under 14 days old, as long as these embryos are not just created for research
What do Muslims teach about Embryo Research?
- Muslims believe that we should the scientific knowledge that Allah has given us.
- However embryos should not be created for research, but those left over from IVF may be used.
What are the arguments against Genetic Engineering?
- It is “playing God” and interfering with nature•We don’t know enough about cloning (e.g. Dolly the sheep had genetic problems and defects)
- The embryos are killed after being used for research (this is killing unborn children most religions say murder is wrong ‘Do not commit murder’ 10 commandments.)
- Cloning threatens the sanctity of life
- A clone would not be a real human with its own identity (not fair on it)
What are the arguments for Genetic Engineering?
- Christianity and Islam preach mercy for the sick and needy (Jesus’ Healings).
- It allows doctors and scientists to develop cures/remedies for illnesses (most loving thing).
- Experiments on embryos are only allowed for 14 days. Surely a 14 day old embryo is not a child?
- It is no more “playing God” than any other medical treatment.
What is a designer baby?
Embryos can have certain genes removed, or parents could choose which of their embryo’s to be inseminated (using IVF) in order to have a baby that is engineered in a specific way. Babies are designed for 3 reasons
Why might a designer baby be good for human health?
Genes can be removed from an embryo so that the baby will be born without a certain disease.
If you had a history of diabetes in your family, could you could design your baby not to have diabetes
Why might a designer baby be needed to help a brother/sister?
Although illegal in the UK, in America children can be designed to be compatible with an elder ill brother or sister, so that they can donate blood or an organ(s) and hopefully save their life.
Jamie Whittaker was born in the USa in order to save his brother Charlie from a rare blood disease
What (potentially) could Genetic Engineering mean people could do with their children.
Some countries allow parents to choose the sex or their children, eye colour, hair colour and potentially in the future you could choose a baby that would not be obese, bald or even selfish!
What do Christians believe about designer babies?
Believe it is wrong as it is against the sanctity of life and God’s plan for us.
Also the potential for people to experience discrimination due to the fact that they are not genetically modified.
What would Joseph Fletcher (Most loving thing) think about designer babies?
Believes that we should always do the most loving thing, (as this is what Jesus would want) so he might allow babies to be designed so that they don’t have certain diseases, or even as saviour siblings if it brings the most amount of love to a family, but he would also consider how unloving it might be to use the savour sibling and maybe even have another baby, not because parents wanted a child, but just wanted to save their older children.
Describe in detail a blood transfusion.
- Blood Transfusions are given if a person loses blood, for example, in an accident or an operation, or if someone is waiting for a kidney transplant.
- It has to be the right blood group. Transfusions are generally safe, but there is a small risk of transmitting HIV, CJD and hepatitis.
Describe in detail - Transplant Surgery
When an organ is taken from one person (usually straight after they die) and transplanted into another person in order to save their life.
Transplant Surgery has been possible for about 25 years now. It is possible to transplant at least 25 different organs to improve someone’s quality of life, or even save their life.
Why does Joseph Flethcher believe you should do the most loving thing?
Joseph Fletcher was a Christian - he believed that you should ‘Love your neighbour’ (Jesus’ words) in everything you do.
You should therefore always do the most loving thing!
What do Muslims believe about Blood Transfusions?
Most Muslims support transfusions as long as they are really necessary.
What do Christians believe about Blood Transfusions?
Most Christians support blood transfusions, as they believe it is following the teaching of “love thy neighbour”
Pope John Paul II said they were the greatest act of Charity!
What do Jahovah’s Witness’ believe about blood transfusions?
Which part of the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats would you use with this unit?
‘I was sick and you took care of me’
Remember lots of areas in this unit deal with treatment and helping people out.
E.g. Fertility treatment - Blood Transfusions - Cloning - Transplants etc
What do Muslims say about Organ Transplants?
Muslims agree to transplants (as long as organs are human).
What do Christians believe about Organ Transplants?
Most Christians also support transplants. Pope John Paul II said a transplant is an “act of charity”.
It is the most loving thing!
Describe in detail - What is Human experimentation.
In order for new products such as medicine or even body lotion they need to be scientifically proven to be safe. Some products are tested on animals, usually rats as their skin is very similar to our own. But in order to be certain they are first tested on a group of paid volunteers, before they are given to the public. In the past this has led to some of these experiments have gone wrong. In 2006, 6 men suffered organ failure, one was admitted to hospital for several months and had to have his toe amputated and another developed cancer!
What do Christians believe about Human Experimentation.
Christians believe that human experimentation allows us to improve the quality of life for others who will benefit from the drugs that will eventually be marketed to the public.
It is a selfless act (in accordance with the Christian teaching of “love thy neighbour”) that will possibly save other people’s lives and so acts in accordance with the sanctity of life
Why do people disagree with Human Experimentation?
- Potentially harmful to those involved
- Potential injury or death would go against the sanctity of life
- Might lead to misuse of people’s bodies as they are being paid and people might feel pressurised into volunteering to be tested on
