PAST PAPER QUESTIONS Flashcards
Abortion would not be necessary if there was better support for women facing unplanned pregnancy.” Do you agree with this statement? Give reasons for your answer.
Many people see abortion as the only option worth considering in the event of an unwanted pregnancy. However, there are a range of other options available, such as adoption and abortion need not be inevitable.
• If there was better practical and financial support and counselling services available to women and their partners, then abortion might not be such a popular choice.
• More information needs to be made available about the negative consequences of abortion and that it is not necessarily a quick and easy solution. Some women are left with medical complications and depression following abortion.
On the other hand:
• Abortion is always necessary. It is the right of every woman to have access to free, legal and safe abortion in the country where she lives.
• Women and their partners should be fully informed about their choices and options when facing an unwanted pregnancy, but this is not a substitute for access to abortion.
• There are a number of organisations already offering support, such as Life N.I. (a pro-life group), Marie Stopes International (a pro-choice group) and advice from GPs and other health care professionals.
Outline Christian views on abortion. (5)
• Abortion involves the deliberate removal and destruction of the foetus, which for many people is the same as killing a human baby. Therefore, abortion goes against Christian teachings about respect for human life.
• Human life begins at the moment of conception. Candidates may use relevant Bible references to support the argument that abortion is unacceptable for Christians, e.g. Luke 1:39–44; Psalm 139:13–16(a).
• Some may refer to church teaching and Christian opinion which takes a more liberal view, such as that of the Methodist Church.
• For some Christians, abortion is a compassionate act which recognises the rights of the potential parents involved in the dilemma.
Explain how a woman’s life might be affected by an unplanned pregnancy. (5)
• It could be very difficult for a teenage mother to continue with her education or do as well as she should. A teenage father may feel under pressure to leave full time education and get a job to support the baby.
• Relationships can be difficult, especially for young parents living at home with a baby. They may feel lonely and not see friends very often.
• Future career plans might have to be altered or delayed, depending on the help and support available for child-minding.
• An unplanned teenage pregnancy could result in financial hardship.
There is always an alternative to abortion.” Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your answer showing that you have considered different points of view. You should refer to Christian teaching in your answer. (10)
• There is always an alternative to abortion, which is not necessarily a quick and easy solution to an unwanted pregnancy. It can have physical side effects and leave long-lasting emotional scars on a woman.
• There are other alternatives that do not involve the destruction of the foetus, such as adoption. This option enables childless couples to bring up a child.
• Abortion might seem to be the answer to an unplanned pregnancy that interferes with plans for a career or education. An alternative could be to have the baby and delay these plans until later.
• Raising the child as a single parent would be better than an abortion as the baby has a chance of life.
• Abortion goes against the Christian teaching about respect for human life. The Catholic Church argues that human life begins at the moment of conception.
• Candidates may use relevant Bible references to support the argument that there are alternatives to abortion. e.g. Luke 1:39–44, Psalm 139:13–16(a).
On the other hand:
• Abortion might be the only option in cases where the woman’s life may be at risk, the baby might face severe disabilities or in the case of rape.
• It is not fair to expect a woman who has been raped to prolong the trauma by carrying the baby for nine months then giving birth. Abortion is needed in circumstances such as this.
• Adoption is not an easy choice to make; the pregnancy might be a difficult one and the woman might get attached to the child.
• An unplanned pregnancy may interfere with a young girl’s education; ending the pregnancy with an abortion would allow her to continue with her studies.
Outline some of the reasons why a woman might want an abortion. (5)
• A woman may want an abortion if continuing with the pregnancy could endanger her life.
• If the baby will be born with severe disabilities, or will be unlikely to survive for very long after the birth (fatal foetal abnormality) then abortion could be preferable.
• Abortion might be the best option in the event of an unplanned pregnancy, especially if the potential mother is still very young and still in full time education.
• If a woman is raped and becomes pregnant, then offering her an abortion is a humane and practical way of helping.
Give reasons why some people are in favour of abortion. (5)
• It is a woman’s right to choose what happens to her body.
• Every child should be a wanted child.
• There may be special circumstances, such as a pregnancy which is the result of rape or incest or a very young girl becoming pregnant.
• There may be medical considerations – the physical or mental health of the mother may be at risk, or there may be foetal abnormalities.
• Women need access to abortion in order to achieve social and economic equality with men.
• A pregnant woman has the right to make a decision about the life she is carrying; she should be regarded as a person in her own right and not just a container for the foetus.
“Abortion is sometimes the best alternative to an unplanned pregnancy.” Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your answer. (5)
• Abortion is needed in cases where the woman’s life may be at risk, the baby might face severe disabilities or in the case of rape.
• The future life of the pregnant woman is more important than that of the baby she is carrying.
• Adoption is not an easy option; the pregnancy might be a difficult one and the woman might get attached to the child.
• It is not fair to expect a woman who has been raped to prolong the trauma by carrying the baby for nine months then giving birth.
On the other hand:
• Abortion can have physical side effects and leave long-lasting emotional scars on a woman.
• There is always an alternative to abortion that does not involve the destruction of the foetus, such as adoption. This option enables childless couples to bring up a child.
• Abortion might seem to be the answer to an unplanned pregnancy that interferes with plans for a career or education.
• Raising the child as a single parent would be better than an abortion as the baby has a chance of life.
“Abortion is sometimes the best alternative to an unplanned pregnancy.” Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your answer. (5)
• Abortion is needed in cases where the woman’s life may be at risk, the baby might face severe disabilities or in the case of rape.
• The future life of the pregnant woman is more important than that of the baby she is carrying.
• Adoption is not an easy option; the pregnancy might be a difficult one and the woman might get attached to the child.
• It is not fair to expect a woman who has been raped to prolong the trauma by carrying the baby for nine months then giving birth.
On the other hand:
• Abortion can have physical side effects and leave long-lasting emotional scars on a woman.
• There is always an alternative to abortion that does not involve the destruction of the foetus, such as adoption. This option enables childless couples to bring up a child.
• Abortion might seem to be the answer to an unplanned pregnancy that interferes with plans for a career or education.
• Raising the child as a single parent would be better than an abortion as the baby has a chance of life.
Explain some of the alternatives to abortion. (5)
• The woman might decide to have the child adopted; the foetus’ right to life is respected and the baby will be brought up as a wanted child by loving adoptive parents.
• Another option is for the woman to accept parenthood, have the child and raise it herself. This may be with the support of the child’s father, or it may involve being a single parent and bringing up the child on her own.
• If a young girl is facing an unplanned pregnancy, and perhaps is still at school, she may choose not to give up the legal rights to the child, but have family help in raising the child, perhaps from a parent or grandparent.
“Churches need to accept that it is every woman’s right to have a safe and legal abortion.” Do you agree with this statement? Give reasons for your answer. (5)
• Candidates may give specific references to biblical or church teaching in opposition of abortion.
• Churches should accept that women need access to abortion in order to have full rights over their own bodies, including the right to decide whether or not to give birth.
• A woman might not be able to cope with having a child if she has been raped, is too young or if there are health risks. Churches need to show compassion in cases such as these.
• A foetus is only a potential human being but there can be no doubt about the humanity of the mother.
On the other hand: • Some people argue that all human life is of equal value; even a foetus or an embryo has a right to life. A foetus is not just a part of a woman’s body, but is a unique and individual human being.
• Churches are right to emphasise the importance of all human life and stand against any attempts to undermine this.
• A foetus is the deliberate killing of an innocent human being; killing is always wrong.
Outline some of the arguments against abortion. (5)
• Abortion is murder and it goes against Christian principles and church teaching.
• Abortion is denying an unborn baby the right to life; it is the same as murder.
• Jesus cared for the unwanted; Christians can offer support for unwanted children through supporting adoption schemes. • Every human life is sacred and created by God.
• Abortion can harm the woman’s physical and emotional health.
Explain some of the reasons why more women are choosing to have an abortion. (5)
• More people are having sex outside marriage, so more unplanned and unwanted pregnancies occur.
• Abortion is easier to get nowadays; women in Northern Ireland who want an abortion can easily travel to England.
• Women’s rights have reinforced the view that a woman should decide what happens to her body.
• Fewer people in society are Christians, so sanctity of life arguments are becoming less relevant.
• Abortion is seen by many people as being more acceptable than in the past.
“In the event of an unwanted pregnancy it is best to give the baby up for adoption.” Do you agree or disagree? (10)
• Adoption does not involve the destruction of the foetus, which many people would regard as murder and find unacceptable.
• Adoption is more compatible with religious views.
• A childless couple can be adoptive parents and have the opportunity to raise a child.
• If the pregnant mother is young, or not able to raise a child herself, then adoption provides a solution as she is not being forced into motherhood.
• Carrying the baby for nine months, rather than aborting at the first opportunity, gives the woman the time to decide if she wants to keep the baby or not.
• The unborn baby has the right to life, even if conception was unplanned or unwanted.
On the other hand:
• Many women do not want to be pregnant for nine months if they have no intention of keeping the baby themselves.
• If the pregnancy is the result of rape, then abortion would be much better than adoption.
• An unplanned pregnancy may interfere with a young girl’s education; ending the pregnancy with an abortion would allow her to continue with her studies.
• A woman may prefer to have an abortion so the pregnancy does not interfere with her career.
• A woman may not want anyone to know she is pregnant; with an early abortion the pregnancy can be kept a secret.
• A woman may later feel guilty about putting her baby up for adoption, so raising the child herself, perhaps as a single parent, might be the best option for some.
