Sanctity of life is the belief that all human life is sacred. Each individual life is precious and has a value beyond price. The reason it is sacred is as Life is God given and therefore it is not right to take human life
Quality of Life
If an individual is in eternal pain and suffering or are unable to enjoy life then they are described as having a bad quality of life. Liberal Christians may use the term Quality of Life as opposed to Sanctity of Life in order to justify Euthanasia and Abortion. Many Christians would argue that a persons quality of Life depends on if they hare in a right relationship with God and other people, irrespective of their circumstances
Abortion
Abortion refers to the deliberate termination of a pregnancy through a medical procedure which results in the death of and embryo or foetus. Abortions are done legally if
• Two doctors agree
• Before the point of viability (24 weeks)
• Would prevent permanent physical or psychological harm to the mother
• There is a significant risk that the baby will born with a disability
It can be carried out by:
• The abortion pill (7 weeks of pregnancy) where by taking two pills for two days the bleeding and expulsion of the foetus is triggered
• The morning after pill (after 72 hours) which delays ovulation or causes the fertilised ovum to be expelled
• Vacuum aspiration where a tube I inserted to the womb through the cervix and then the contents including the foetus are sucked out
• Partial birth abortion (late pregnancy) if foetus has abnormalities or mothers life is in danger, the foetus is extracted through the vagina and killed
People may decide to carry it out as they
• Casual sex encounter where child is not desired
• It may interfere with the career of a lifestyle of a person
• Rape or incest
• Medical abnormality in the unborn child
• Life of the mother is threatened
When does life begin? (weeks)
0 Conception where sperm and egg produce embryo
4 Hart beats
5 Legs and arms
6 Bones
9 Now regarded as Foetus
12 All organs are formed
20 Eyebrows Eyelashes
23 Foetus can now survive outside Doctors can perform abortion up to this stage
40 Full term
• “breathed into his nostrils the breath of life” – Life only begins when breathing amniotic fluid begins
• Roman Catholics would argue that life begins from conception, and therefore abortion is never justified
• Methodist church suggests that they do not know when life begins. Over the time, it is becoming more human, and so gains rights progressively
Abortion?
For:
• Free Will
• A severely brain-damaged foetus cannot live, “life in all its fullness”
• “Love thy neighbour”- We should respect the poor, unsupported single mother who doesn’t want a child (directly countered)
• The birth of the baby has to take into consideration the whole family including their finance and there mental well-being
Against:
• Abortion destroys a life
• Abortion destroys Gods temple
• Jesus Christ showed love and compassion to the weak therefore we should do the same by standing up to the rights of the unborn child
• We should respect the poor, unsupported single mother who doesn’t want a child by giving her the support she needs to have the baby
Christians duty of Care
• Social and financial help from the Church community
• Church can council parents and teenager
• Temporary fostering provision
• Accepting single mothers into church life
Euthanasia
Voluntary Euthanasia - Someone dying in pain asks a doctor to end his/her life painlessy
Non-voluntary - Ending someone’s life painlessly when they are unable to ask but you have a good reason to think they want you to do so
Passive Euthanasia - A decision is made where the person will be stopped from having their usual medicine and the patient will also be stopped from a dependency such as food or a life support machine
Doctrine or double effect - When a doctor prescribes a medicine which is meant to pain kill but ends up killing the patient however is justified as the purpose was to relieve the pain
Should I?
Against:
• All human life is made by God whether they are healthy sick or disabled. Euthanasia does not show respect to God
• Thou shallt not murder
• Our body belongs to God and therefore we should not have the right to destroy it
• God has a plan for our life and even if we are suffering he believes he can use our life
• God doesn’t promise a life full of suffering (Jesus suffered) and therefore we shouldn’t try and escape suffering
• Possible exploitation of vulnerable people
For:
• “Love thy neighbour” Should we let our neighbour suffer?
• Free Will
• Keeping a suffering person alive is traumatic for all concerned
Alternatives: A hospice is a home dedicated to the care of terminally ill patients. The three primary aims of a hospice is to relieve pain as it is not fair for terminally ill patients to die in pain. They also help friends and family to face up to death. It cares for the emotional needs of friends and family and they help during and after the patients life. Advantages include that the patient is still living and is therefore encouraged to live their life as fully as they can despite their condition. Also the hospice caters more for the patients personal needs than a hospital would such as patients having manicures. The patient can stay at the hospice for a short period of time while the carers take a rest and the patient can return home if they want to die there as the nurses will also support patients at homes.
No comments:
Post a Comment