Religion and Early Life

Topic 3 – Religion and Early Life

Key words and terms

• The miracle of life: the idea that life is wonderful, amazing and/or special.

• Children as a blessing: the idea that God has favoured a couple with a child. The same idea is sometimes referred to ‘children are a gift’ from God.

• Sanctity of life: life is sacred because it is God-given.

• Conception: when sperm meets the egg.

• Viable: the point at which a foetus could survive if it were born.

• Quality of life: a measure of fulfilment, which includes both physical and mental well-being.

• Abortion: the deliberate termination (ending) of a pregnancy, usually before the foetus is 24 weeks and viable. The full phrase is procured abortion.

• Miscarriage: when the women’s body aborts the foetus naturally.

• Adoption: the legal process where a person (child) is taken (adopted) into a family as a son or daughter.

• Fostering: the taking of a child from a different family in a family home and brining them up with the rest of the new family.

The Miracle of Life

• Christians see all life as sacred (Sanctity of Life) so all new born babies are considered a blessing and a gift.

• God chooses to create and destroy life and a baby is part of God’s creation and plan. Life is God-given and holy.

• Buddhists see all sentient beings as important. This includes new life.

• There is a teaching in Tibetan Buddhism that illustrates the importance of human life. A human life is the best type of life, but it only happens after millions of rebirths. It is like a blind turtle in an ocean that only comes to the surface every 100 years putting his head through a ring floating on the surface. The chances are so small.

When does life begin?

• Christians believe life begins at conception. This is when the sperm fertilises the egg.

• At conception the fertilised egg gains a soul. This is called ‘ensoulment’ and is a key Christian belief.

• A child’s DNA is fixed a conception.

• During the third week of pregnancy the nervous system and spinal column starts developing.

• The heart starts beating in the fourth week of pregnancy.

• At roughly 22 – 24 weeks the foetus becomes viable, which means it may survive outside the womb. It is very rare for a child to survive at less than 22 weeks after conception or under 500g.

• To destroy the embryo or foetus at any stage goes against the Christian teaching of “Thou shall not kill” (Bible).

• It is also against the First Buddhist Precept of abstain (avoid) causing harm to living things.

• Some Buddhists may say, however, that the five skandas (or aggregates) are not complete before 22 weeks and the baby has no consciousness or mind.

• Non-religious people may argue that the ‘child’ is not an individual until separate from the mother. Until then the embryo or foetus is part of the mother.

Quality of Life

• The quality of life refers…