RE Revision

Abortion - The removal of a foetus from the womb before it can survive

Assisted Suicide - Providing a seriously ill person with the means to commit suicide

Euthanasia - An easy and gentle death

Voluntary Euthanasia - The situation where someone dying in pain asks someone else to end his/her life painlessly.

Non-Voluntary Euthanasia - Ending someones life painlessly when they are unable to ask, but only when there is a good reason for thinking that they would want death.

Paranormal - is a general term that describes unusual experiences that lack a scientific explanation

Immortality of the Soul - The idea that the soul lives on the after the death of the body

Ressurection of the body - being bought back into life, like Jesus was

Sanctity of life - The belief that life is sacred and belongs to God

Reincarnation - Life after death, being reborn into another body

Striving to keep alive - The idea that doctors must do everything possible to keep a patient alive, even though they are dying

Quality of life - Often the reason people ask for Voluntary Euthuanasia, life has no quality so they want to die

Doctrine of Double effect - The idea that "If I take an action to achieve one effect, knowing I will produce another, I can not be blamed for the second effect

There are a number of reasons why Christians believe this:

1. They believe that Jesus rose from the dead
2. Life after death gives meaning and a purpose to life
3. The bible says there is life after death
4. The church teaches that there is life after death

Why are there different attitudes to what happens after death in Christianity?

1. The bible isn't always very clear
2. We live in a diverse society with different religions. Christians find it difficult to believe that Christians would go to hell because they are Christians
3. More information about the paranormal makes Immortality of the Soul more believable.
4. Christianity now puts more emphasis on love of God and neighbour, this may lead to Christians to believe in God - won't let good people go to hell

There are some people who have non-religious reasons for life after death.
These include:

1. Near death experiences - Example: Seeing/watching yourself die

2. The evidence of Reincarnation - Example: A 4 year old boy who had previous death experiences

3. Evidence for a spirit word

Sanctity of Life - The belief that life is sacred and belongs to God.

Against abortion:
- Only God has the right to end a life
- Life begins and conception
- The 10 commandments say its wrong
- Everyone has the right to life
- Catholic church teaches it as its something wrong

For abortion:
- Treat people as themselves
- Life doesn't begin at conception
- Accept medicine as it is
- Justice is risen
- Could be loving to do if they baby or mother could suffer

Abortion - Roman Catholic

1. Against abortion in all cases, no matter what the circumstances
2. The child has an absolute right to life
3. Life begins at conception
4. No-one has the right to take a child's life

Abortion - Church of England

1. Against abortion in general, especially for social reasons
2. Accept that om certain circumstances (e.g. ****), abortion may be a preffered choice, but too many are performed

There are 3 views on abortion that Islamic people believe in:

1. Muslims believe abortions should be discouraged but can happen for up to 120 days of pregnancy. They allow it for a few reasons. Example: ****

2. Some Muslims believe that abortion should never be allowed, whatever the circumstances.

3. Some Muslims believe that abortion is wrong but should be used if the mother's life is at risk.

What is Euthanaisa?
Euthanasia is allowing people the right to commit suicide, or be killed by others, usually when a person has an incurable or excruciatingly painful medical condition.

Assisted Suicide - Providing a seriously ill person with the means to commit suicide.
Euthanasia - An easy and gentle death.
Non-Voluntary Euthanasia - Ending someones life painlessly when they are unable to ask, but when there is a good reason for thinking they would want death. Example: Switching off a life support machine.
Voluntary Euthanasia - The situation where someone dying in pain asks another person to help end his/her life painlessly.
Active Euthanasia - Commiting suicide, or assisting someone to commit suicide.
Passive Euthanasia - Allowing people who are being kept alive artifically to die.

QUOTE: "If we live, we live for the lord; if we die, we die for the lord, so that alive or dead, we belong to the lord." Romans 14:8

For:
1. Quality of life
2. Compassionate
3. Dignity

Against:
1. A cure could be found
2. Sanctity of life
3. Family
4. Recovery

There are many reasons why Euthanasia is seen as wrong for Christians:
1. They believe in the Sanctity of life
2. Bible bans suicide
3. It's a form of murder

Muslims also believe in the Sanctity of life, They believe:
1. Life comes from Allah, so belongs to Allah.
2. Allah is the creator of life.
3. Any aggression against human life is an attack on Allah.

All Muslims are against Euthanasia but there are 2 slightly different attitudes:
- Suicide is wrong, so is assisted suicide. Voluntary Euthanasia is also wrong for all Muslims
- Muslims believe in the Sanctity of life, meaning that Non-Voluntary Euthanasia would be murder.
Some Muslims would agree with all the points, but would feel that switching off a life support machine isn't Euthanasia:
- Life support machines can be switched off if Doctors agree that life has ended.
- Brain dead? Lifes already been taken by God.