Religious Studies

Feritility Treatment

Not all Christians agree with fertility treatment:

NEGATIVE VIEW:

ROMAN CATHOLICS FEEL MORE STRONGLY THAN OTHER CHRISTIANS. RC believe that God has a plan for everyone and if he willed that you should not have children then so be it - we must not interfer with Gods plan.

'Hannah had no children because the Lord has closed her womb'

LIFE IS SACRED/SANCTITY OF LIFE so Christians feel that the destruction of embryo's is destroying a life or a potential life. They feel this is a type of murder. 'You shall not murder'. Life should be valued and protected.

Artificial Insemination uses a third person so could be seen as adultery or brings another person into the relationship.

Feritility Treatment

Not all Christians agree with fertility treatment:

POSITIVE VIEW:

Some Christians believe that fertility treatment is right because when it works it brings happiness to the couple who are desperate to have children.

The spare embryos can be used for medical and stem cell research. Many Christians recognise that God gave us the intelligence to make these scientific advancements with the possibilty of curing people.

SANCTITY OF LIFE

Abortion 

Christians have different views on abortion:

NEGATIVE VIEW:

Roman Catholics especially think that abortion is sinful. They believe in the SANCTITY OF LIFE. Only God can end a life. Every human has a right to life. Roman Catholics believe that life begins at conception, so abortion is murder. Here are some quotations to back it up:

'God gave life so he is the only one who can take it away'

'Everyone is created in the image of God' 

'God has a plan for each of us'  

'You shall not murder'

Abortion 

Christians have different views on abortion:

POSITIVE VIEW:

The CofE believe that abortion is evil, but sometimes the lesser of two evils have to be chosen. This is based on the principle of AGAPAE (most loving thing to do). They would allow abortion under these conditions:

• RESULT OF ****
• THE EMBRYO IS DEFORMED
• LIFE OF MOTHER IS IN DANGER (law of double effect, RC believe in this as well)
• POVERTY AND COULD DONT AFFORD TO SUPPORT THE BABY

The CofE don't neccessarily believe that life begins at conception - life starts when a soul is given.

Jesus taught to 'love thy neighbour' so to allow abotion because of the above reasons is the most loving thing to do - AGAPAE. 

Euthanasia and Suicide 

Christians have different views on euthanasia and suicide:

NEGATIVE VIEWS:

Roman Catholics believe that we should never hasten death. Any action to kill a suffering person is wrong. The Roman Catholc Church does not permit any 'sane' person to be buried in its consecrated ground if they have comitted suicide. It is a Christians duty to preserve Gods gift of life.

Christians believe that only God can take life and for us to do it is wong. 'The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away'. 

RC believe that we should instead help people not get to the point that they want to kill their selves. This is done through the HOSPICE movement.

BELIEVE IN THE SANCTITY OF LIFE

Euthanasia and Suicide 

Christians have different views on euthanasia and suicide:

POSITIVE VIEW:

Christians such as the CofE believe in a more liberal view - based on the principle of AGAPAE. If the person is in much suffering and WILL die, some believe that passive euthanasia is the most loving thing to do. (eg if a life support machine is the only thing keeping them alive, switching it off may be the most loving thing to do - especially if they request it).

People who commit suicide should be treated with respect and sympathy.

Some Quakers believe that people should granted euthanasia if a person requests it and their illness is incurable because GOD GAVE US FREE WILL.

Christians believe that humans are God's most important creation and that humans have been given power and authority over the animals. 

HUMANS SHOULD STEWARD OVER THE ANIMALS BECASUE THEY HAVE DOMINIAN OVER THEM - THEY SHOULD PROTECT THEM

'God blessed them and said rule over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky and all the over creatures'

'Man's dominian can not be understood as a license to abse, spoil squander or destroy what God has made'.

Christians may feel that they would have failed their stewardship, by disrespecting creation and therefore God.

Despite this many Christians believe that animal testing is alright as it is benefitting mankind (God gave us authority over the animals as humans were given the 'breath of life'). However testing on animals for cosmetics is seen as wrong as it isn't benefitting mankind.