religion and life Flashcards
1
Q
instrumental value
A
something that satisfies human needs and wants
2
Q
intrinsic value
A
something that has value in itself
3
Q
awe
A
a feeling of devout respect mixed with fear and wonder
4
Q
wonder
A
marvelling at the complexity and beauty of the universe
5
Q
stewardship
A
humans have a duty to care for and look after the environment which belongs to god
6
Q
dominion
A
humans can use the environment to their own advantage
7
Q
quotes on stewardship
A
“the lord god took the man and put him in the garden of eden to work it and take care of it”
“serve the garden in which we have been placed”
8
Q
quotes on dominion
A
“he brought them to the man to see what he would name them”
“rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground”
9
Q
pro-environment arguments
A
- arne nass - “everything has the right to bloom and grow”
- holism - ecological idea referencing karma, that we are all interconnected and reliant on each other in the circle of life
- rights - as cultures develop, rights expand from adult males, to women, children, minorities, plants, landscapes and eventually to the planet
10
Q
similarities between animals and humans
A
- both the ability to make independent choices
- both have survival instincts
- similar levels of biological complexity
- both can experience pain and suffering
- some animals have a sense of self-awareness eg. dolphins
11
Q
differences between humans and animals
A
- animals cannot think or reason, they act solely on instinct
- animals do not have souls
- animals have no sense of morality
- humans can appreciate music, philosophy, art and culture etc.
- animals cannot communicate or use complex language
12
Q
jeremy bentham quote - can they suffer?
A
the question is not, “can they reason?” nor, “can they talk?” but rather “can they suffer?”
13
Q
peter singer
A
- non-human animals can definitely feel pain, so she should be treated with moral consideration
- they may have certain interests which should be taken into account
- to act only for human interests is speciesist
14
Q
quotes on why christians should not eat animals
A
“the righteous care for the needs of their animals”
“aren’t five sparrows sold for two pennies? yet not one sparrow is forgotten by god”
“the earth is the lord’s and everything in it”
“the one who eats everything (meat) must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for god has accepted them”
15
Q
quotes on why christians should eat animals
A
“everything that lives and moves will be food for you”
“let man have dominion over the fish of the sea, birds of the air, creatures that move on the ground”
16
Q
medicines/treatments discovered due to animal testing
A
- blood transfusions
- antibiotics - penicillin
- vaccines
- dialysis
17
Q
are animals used to test cosmetics?
A
- there is a ban on using animals to test cosmetics (including soap, shampoo, deodorant and toothpaste) or their ingredients in the uk and eu
- however, there are no national law banning this in the us or china
18
Q
arguments for animal testing
A
- animal testing contributes to life-saving cures and treatments
- animal testing is crucial to ensure that vaccines are safe
- there is no adequate alternative to testing on a living, whole-body system
- animals themselves benefit from the results of animal testing
- animal researchers treat animals humanely, for both the animals’ sake and to ensure reliable test results
19
Q
arguments against animal testing
A
- animal testing is cruel and inhumane
- scientists are able to test vaccines on human volunteers and should do so
- alternative testing methods now exist that can replace the need for animals
- animals are very different from human beings and therefore make poor test subjects
- drugs that pass animal tests are not necessarily safe
- there is an increasing demand for cruelty-free products
20
Q
sanctity of life
A
the belief that all life is holy as it is created and loved by god; human life should not be misused or abused due to this
21
Q
reasons for believing in life after death
A
- religious beliefs
- comfort
- purpose
- near death experiences
- ghosts/mediums
22
Q
bodily resurrection
A
some christians believe in the resurrection of the body. just like jesus, they will be raised from the dead
23
Q
quality of life
A
describes the general well-being of a person, in relation to their health and happiness
24
Q
arguments for abortion
A
- right to choose - her body.
- in cases of rape, it’s compassionate to have an abortion
- circumstances - too young, childrenalready
- her health and welfare are more important than
foetus’ - the quality of life of the unborn child or the
woman’s existing children - stopping legal abortions would mean a return to
‘back street’ abortions
25
arguments against abortion
- life begins at conception
- the right to live and to reach their potential.
- there are alternatives eg adoption.
- the unborn child is denied choice.
- abortion makes life appear cheap and
disposable.
- people born with disabilities can live full and
happy lives.
26
roman catholic view on abortion
- roman catholic church forbids abortion.
- they regard abortion as the murder of life and it is punishable by excommunication.
- “life must be protected with the utmost care from the moment of conception”
- all life is created by God in his own image and is known to him because in the bible it states “i knew you before i formed you in your mother’s womb”
- the doctrine of double effect can be applied to abortion if the intention of the act is to save the mother’s life but a secondary effect would be the death of a foetus .e.g. an ectopic pregnancy.
27
church of england on abortion
28
quakers on abortion
- support a woman’s right to choose.
- they look at individual circumstances e.g. age of mother, rape, mental health issues, etc.
- they advocate social support for women suffering through this issue
29
pro-choice
respecting the right of the individual woman to make an informed decision if faced with a unplanned pregnancy
30
atheistic evolutionists (like richard dawkins) say that:
- the universe began with the 'big bang' about 14 billion years ago.
- the problem with the idea that God started the 'big bang' is that it leaves God himself unexplained.
- animals and plants look like they have been designed due to natural selection- evolution has caused things to look designed.
- there is no purpose of our existence, we are here by chance and have to make our own purpose.
- in religion, belief is based on faith. In science, it is based on evidence.
31
fundamentalists (like paul taylor) argue that
- god created the world in 6 days, as told in genesis. and the universe is 6000 years old.
- the fossil records do not challenge the biblical explanation of how the world because fossils are the result of the flood in noah's time, where lots of animals died and became buried.- they believe that adam and eve were the first man and woman on earth and do not believe that humans evolved from apes.
- they reject scientific theories about the origins of the world and do not think they need evidence. Faith itself is the evidence.
32
theistic evolutionists (like alister mcgrath) say that
- the world was not started in 6 literal days but vast period of time.
- they believe that God is behind everything that has happened and that nothing happened by chance.
- god is the designer.
- the big bang was how God made everything.
- he suggests that although some questions can be answered by science, some, like the meaning of life can only be answered by religion.
- the more scientists discover, the more amazing creation appears and the more likely it is that there is intelligent design behind it all
33
voluntary euthanasia
when a person asks a doctor to end their life as they do not wish to live anymore.
34
non-voluntary euthanasia
when the person is too ill to request to die, for example they are in a coma, but a doctor will end their life for them because it is thought to do so would be in their best interests.
35
active euthanasia
when active steps are taken to end someone’s life, for example by giving them a lethal injection
36
passive euthanasia
when doctors stop providing treatment eg. switching off life support, when a person is not resuscitated after a heart attack.
37
arguments for euthanasia
- human beings should have the right to be able to decide when and how they die (self-determination).
- euthanasia enables a person to die with dignity and in control of their situation.
- it is expensive to keep people alive when there is no cure for their illness. euthanasia would release precious resources to treat people who could live.
- family and friends would be spared the pain of seeing their loved one suffer a long-drawn-out death.
- society permits animals to be put down as an act of kindness when they are suffering; the same treatment should be available to humans.
38
arguments against euthanasia
- euthanasia would weaken society's respect for the value and importance of human life
- care is available which reduces or removes the need for people to be in pain
- it would put too much power in the hands of doctors, and damage the trust between patient and doctor
- some people may feel pressured to request euthanasia by family, friends or doctors, when it isn't what they really want
- it would discourage the search for new cures and treatments for the terminally ill
- some people unexpectedly recover
- some people may change their mind about euthanasia and be unable to tell anyone
- voluntary euthanasia could be the first step on a slippery slope that leads to involuntary euthanasia, where those who are undesirable or seen as a problem could be killed
39
christians in support of euthanasia
- some christians would support euthanasia as they believe that god is love and christianity is love and compassion.
- humans were given dominion over all living things by god (genesis), i.e. we can choose for ourselves.
- jesus came so that people could have life “in all its fullness” - this means quality of life.
- god gave humans free will. we should be allowed to use free will to decide when our lives end.
- “do to others as you would have them do to you”.
- for everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die.
40
christians against euthanasia
- other Christians are against euthanasia as they believe that it is cruel and immoral
- "thou shall not kill” - it is wrong to take away god’s sacred gift of human life.
- "god made man in his own image” (genesis) – human life is a sacred gift from god.
- “god gives and god takes away, not us!"
- “don’t you know that you are the temple of god?”
- jesus healed the sick and dying, he did not kill them. christians have a duty to help others who are suffering, not kill them.
41
roman catholic church on euthanasia
1) totally against euthanasia. any act which deliberately brings about death is the same as murder.
2) does accept using pain killing drugs which are meant to relieve pain, but may shorten someone’s life.
3) “ordinary” treatments, e.g. feeding a patient must always continue, but “extraordinary” treatments such as a complicated operation that is unlikely to succeed need not be given.
‘euthanasia is a grave violation of the law of God’ pope john paul II, 1995
42
church of england on euthanasia
- sanctity of Life is very important, but doctors should not have to keep people alive for the sake of it, regardless of the quality of life
- making the old and the ill feel wanted and valuable is more important.
43
baptist church on euthanasia
- generally against euthanasia. all human life is sacred and worth preserving.
- baptists agree that when a person is brain dead and experts agree there is no chance of recovery, then it is acceptable to stop treatment and allow the patient to die naturally.
- baptists do not agree with actions that make death come more quickly, e.g. a lethal dose of drugs.
44
christian beliefs about life after death
- some believe in bodily resurrection
- others believe that an immortal soul goes to heaven
- some Christians find comfort in believing in life after death. they believe God is loving, and that death is not the end.
- some christians find purpose in life after death. it gives them a goal to aim for, and a reason to behave correctly and to believe in their faith.
- "whoever believes in him shall not die but have eternal life"
- catholics believe in purgatory (a middle stage) where their souls are purified
- some believe that judgement happens as soon as you die but others think that all souls will be judged on one Day of Judgement
45
hinduism on life after death
- when someone dies their soul continues the journey to moksha by reincarnating in a different body
- they body the soul arrives in depends on their karma
46
pro-vegetarianism
- eating meat is unethical and cruel
- humans evolved to eat a vegetarian diet
- complete nutrition is available from a vegetarian diet, without the need for meat
47
against vegetarianism
- animals have little awareness or memory and therefore do not suffer excessively. they are slaughtered humanely and laws ensure this.
- vegetarians and vegans are often leaner and have lower cholesterol
- it can be harder to ensure sufficient vitamins,calcium and protein.
48
hinduism on creation
- traditional stories decribe vishnu creating the different universes and brahma carrying on his work of creation in each of them
- hindus see creation as a continuing process; there is no single act of creation but rather that it is cyclical
49
christian views on pollution
- humans have been the responsibility of looking after the world by god
- pollution is not loving towards others. jesus teaches christians to "love thy neighbour"
50
hindu views on pollution
- the divine is a part of nature (and cannot be separated) therefore it is sacred, and reverence for life and ahimsa are essential
- nature cannot be destroyed without humanity destroying itself and pollution goes against this principle
- the highest guna represents goodness or moral life which includes looking after the environment
51
christianity on animals
- most christians now agree that human dominion over nature means stewardship rather than domination and exploitation
- dr andrew linzey (a leading modern Christian writer on animal rights) has said: ‘human beings should care for animals, because they are part of god's creation.’
52
christianity on animals (stewardship)
- most christians now agree that human dominion over nature means stewardship rather than domination and exploitation
- dr andrew linzey (a leading modern Christian writer on animal rights) has said: ‘human beings should care for animals, because they are part of god's creation.’
- "the righteous care for the needs of their animals, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel"
-
53
christianity on animals (dominion)
- "so the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. But for Adam no suitable helper was found."
- God said, "you shall have them for food. and to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it.”
54
hinduism on animals
- all loving things should be treated by the principle of ahimsa
- therefore plants and animals should be respected
55
what is the theory of evolution
- life started with single celled creatures that evolved over a long period of time to become capable of living on land
- humans started evolving around 2,5 million years ago
- developed humans came about around 200,000 years ago
56
christian beliefs about the origins of life
- genesis 1 and 2 say that god created all life with the first man being created last
- it took him six days to create everything
57
hindu views on the origin of life
- doesn't support the idea of natural selection and survival of the fittest as they don't see man as the highest form of living - all creations are equal
- hinduism believes in spiritual evolution towards the ideal goal of moksha
58
hinduism on abortion
- scripture states that all life is sacred and abortion interferes with the belief that the foetus should be 'sheltered' by the mother
- they believe it brings bad karma and disrupts the birth, death, rebirth life cycle
- "his being is the source of all being, the seed of all things"
- accepted if the mother's life is in danger and also in cases of rape, serious disability or extreme poverty
59
pro-life
argue that life begins at conception so abortion is a form of murder
60
hindu beliefs on euthanasia
- interferes with cycle by separating the soul from the body before its natural time
- a doctor assisting with euthanasia would receive bad karma
- taking a person's life is thought to be a great sin regardless of if they've asked you to do it
- hindus are allowed to fast to death if they please ... it is seen as freeing the soul
