Religion and Medical Ethics

Question 1

What is abortion?

Answer 1

Deliberate termination of pregnancy by removal and destruction of the foetus

Question 2

What is a clone?

Answer 2

An individual organism or cell rpoduced asexually from one ancestor to which they are genetically identical

Question 3

What is an embryo?

Answer 3

A foetus before it is 4 months old

Question 4

What is fertility treatment?

Answer 4

Medical treatment to help a woman become pregnant

Question 5

What is genetic engineering?

Answer 5

The deliberate modification of the characteristics of an organism by manipulating its genetic material

Question 6

What are medical ethics?

Answer 6

Questions of morality that are raised by medical situations

Question 7

What is sacred/ sanctity?

Answer 7

Holy, having something of God or the divine

Question 8

What is sanctity of life?

Answer 8

The belief that all life is given by God and is therefore sacred

Question 9

What does the sanctity of life mean for Christians?

Answer 9

• Life is God-given
• Human life is precious
• God has a plan for every human life
• All life deserves respect
• Life should not be destroyed

Question 10

What quote can be used to back up life is God-given?

Answer 10

“So God created human beings making them to be like himself. He created them male and female.”

Question 11

What quote can be used to back up God has a plan for every human life?

Answer 11

“The days alotted to me had all been recorded in your book before any of them began.”

Question 12

What quote can be used to back up all life deserves respect?

Answer 12

“God’s temple is holy and you yourself are his temple.”

Question 13

What quote can be used to back up human life is precious?

Answer 13

“Even the hairs on your head have all been counted. So do not be afraid. You are worth much more than many sparrows.”

Question 14

What quote can be used to back up life should not be destroyed?

Answer 14

“Do not commint murder.” - 6th commandment

Question 15

What does the Roman Catholic Church believe about abortion?

Answer 15

“Life must be protected with the utmost care from the moment of conception; abortion and infanticide are the most abominable of crimes.”

• Abortion is always wrong. Life begins at conception therefore abortion is murder.
• Unborn child is a sacred human life; it deserves the same respect as any other human being - Pope John Paul II 1985 “The unborn human being’s right to lve is one of the inalienable human rights.”
• Rape: RC Church does not support abortion even in this case - the foetus is paying for someone else’s crime

Question 16

What are the Church of England’s views on abortion?

Answer 16

Abortion is an evil to be avoided if possible but can be justified in 3 circumstances:

• Risk to the mother’s life or her mental and physical health
• Baby likely to be deformed and mother feels she can not cope
• Rape

“Although the foetus is to be specially respected and protected, nonetheless the life of the foetus is not absolutely sacrosanct if it endangers the life of the mother.”

CofE does not morally accept abortion but accepts if it’s the only way forward for a person. They will not condemn the woman but will help her out of it.

Question 17

What are the Salvation Army’s beliefs on abortion?

Answer 17

Life is sacred from the moment of conception but accepts abortion if:

• Mother’s life is in danger
• Baby can not survive for more than a few days, e.g. severely deformed

Question 18

What does the United Reformed Church believe about abortion?

Answer 18

recognises a wide range of views among its members. There is a difference between a foetus almost ready to be born, and one in the early stages of pregnancy. Sometimes abortion is necessary, but should be taken seriously.

Question 19

What are the Methodist Church’s views about abortion?

Answer 19

It chooses the lesser of the two evils similar to the CofE but also takes the baby affecting the existing family as a valid reason for abortion.

Question 20

What are the three beliefs about when life begins?

Answer 20

1. At birth - baby passed down the birth canal and taken first breath
2. Life begind at viability - when it could survive outside the womb even if it is premature
3. Life begins at conception - when the sperm unites with the ovum

Question 21

What are the Bible quotes used to argue against abortion?

Answer 21

“Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, before you were born I set you apart.”

“Do not kill.”

“In the image of God.”

Question 22

What are the Bible quotes used to argue for abortion?

Answer 22

“God made Adam, and then ‘brethed into his nostrils the breath of life”

Question 23

What is double effect?

Answer 23

If the primary intention of your action is not sinful God will forgive your sins that occur as a result of your action

Question 24

What is free will?

Answer 24

God gave humans the freedom to make a choice between good and evil

Question 25

What is predestination (fate)?

Answer 25

God has already planned out everyone’s life and knows what you are meant to do and achieve.

Question 26

How does agape apply to abortion?

Answer 26

Acting in a loving manner usually means understanding what a woman seeking an abortion is going through and supporting her with it, although it could also apply to showering love to the baby

Question 27

How does double effect apply to abortion?

Answer 27

If the life of the mother is in danger and the treatment to save it will result in a miscarriage, then it is not a sin to give her the treatment - the intention was to save life, the death of the baby is a side-effect

Question 28

How does sanctity of life apply to abortion?

Answer 28

If a foetus is a blive before the time it is born then it is a gift grom God and should be treated like that - abortion would be like murder.

Question 29

How does free will apply to abortion?

Answer 29

God gave us the right to make our own moral choices - a woman should decide for herself whether an abortion is right or wrong in her circumstances and should act as she thinks is best in her own situation.

Question 30

How does predestination apply to abortion?

Answer 30

If God has a plan for everyone then humans should not interfere - if the baby is meant to be born it wil be; if it is not it will not be. It is not our chioce to make but God’s

Question 31

What is pro-life?

Answer 31

Against abortion

Question 32

What is pro-choice?

Answer 32

Mother should decide whether to have an abortion or not

Question 33

What is therapeutic cloning?

Answer 33

Cloning an embryo and using it to grow new cells, not a person. Creates copies to make someone better.

Question 34

Why is therapeutic cloning done?

Answer 34

Embryos contain stem cells which are useful to replace damaged or dead cells or organs. There are other methods but several scientists think that this is the best way. Also, if the DNA is the same of the cell and patient there will be less problems.

Question 35

What are the arguments for therapeutic cloning?

Answer 35

• The embryo is just a bunch of cells and doesn’t resemble any human characteristics and has no soul
• Can try and cure diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis
• Can fix broken soines allowing paraplegics to walk
• Can grow transplant organs
• Exact match with patient

Question 36

What are the arguments against therapeutic cloning?

Answer 36

• An embryo is a person who is unique with its own DNA
• There are alternatives and doctors see more promise in other means
• The effects of treatments are unknown
• If experiment is allowed at 14 days, researchers may push the boundary for more days

Question 37

What is reproductive cloning?

Answer 37

Producing clones of humans

Question 38

What are the arguments for human reproductive cloning?

Answer 38

• It’s a good way to know you will have a healthy child
• It will have the same rights as another person
• If the individual which is cloned has the right qualities eg. for a soldier then there’s a reason
• A clone which is a replacement for a dead child will be loved more than an ordinary one

Question 39

What are the arguments against human reproductive cloning?

Answer 39

• Everyone should be born free and equal but a clone will already have their life mapped out for them
• Replacement for a lost child may not work as there are other factors affecting it
• Each human should be valued for their own sake not for someone else
• Every person is meant to be unique
• It’s illegal and immoral

Question 40

What is the Bible’s response to human reproductive cloning?

Answer 40

Doesn’t directly give an answer but there are hints for being against

Use quotes from:

• Humans are unique
• God is the creator
• God has a plan for each of us

Question 41

What is the CofE’s view about reproductive cloning?

Answer 41

Against

On their website, they say:

“It is widely agreed that this is not an ethically acceptable procedure.”

Question 42

What is the RC Church’s view about reproductive cloning?

Answer 42

Aganist

An attack on humanity itself, making a new person a slave

Gives a predetermined genetic identity

Question 43

What is the CofE’s view on therapeutic cloning>

Answer 43

Sort of for

It wants to support efforts to find suitable treatments for serious conditions but cautious about the use of an embryo. It’s acceptable if it’s “absolutely necessary”

Question 44

What is the RC Church’s view on therapeutic cloning?

Answer 44

Against

An embryo is a human from conception. It’s okay to do this if the source of the cells is not harmed.

“Methods which do not cause serious harm to the subject…are to be licit.”

Question 45

Need to finish of Bible and fertility treatments