CHRISTIANITY: RELIGION AND MEDICAL ETHICS

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-Abortion -Fertility treatment -Euthanasia and suicide -Animals in medical research
Beth Edmondson
Note by Beth Edmondson, updated more than 1 year ago
Beth Edmondson
Created by Beth Edmondson about 10 years ago
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ABORTION To remove a foetus prematurely from the womb, before it can survive.1. A woman has the right to choose what happens to her body (as a foetus isn't independent of the woman). This argument states the foetus is part of the female. 2. As the foetus is genetically different to the mother, is part of her? 3. Most people see it as taking someone's life. 4. In circumstances, it is seemed as acceptable. If the mother or child's health is at risk, pregnancy through rape or if the mother is too young to cope. The Church of England. 5. Another question is that when does a life begins? Is it at conception or birth? When it is an actual person or a potential person? 6. It has been said to be 'murder'. Roman Catholics. 7. Some say the life of an unborn child cannot be valued over the woman. The Religious Society of Friends. 8. The Bible says God gives us the gift of life and so we don't have the right to interfere with when a life ends or preventing the beginning of new life.

FERTILITY TREATMENTDifferent ways to help conceive a child, when there is some inability to.TYPES: Artificial Insemination by the Husband (AIH), Artificial Insemination by Donor (AID), In Vitro Fetrilisation (IVF), Egg Donation, Cloning.1. Most Christians think it is okay to use science to help conceive a child, UNLESS it involves another person. 2. AIH is permissible. The sanctity of marriage isn't affected and the couple can still have a child. Some Roman Catholics don't agree as it isn't natural sex.3. Some Christians believe if AIH fails, then the couple should adopt.4. Some Christians think IVF is okay, if it is the wife's egg and the husband's sperm.5. AID and egg donation aren't as accepted as it involves a third person.6. The Roman Catholics are against IVF in all ways, as there are often 'spare' embryos, which are discarded. Most Catholics think life begins when the egg is fertilised. 7.Most Christians are against cloning, as it is seen as "playing God". People may object because many feotuses die when the technique is developed and that each child should be unique.

EUTHANASIA AND SUICIDE Euthanasia means killing someone painlessly to relieve suffering, especially during an incurable illness. It may be referred to as 'mercy killing'.There are 2 types of euthanasia - voluntary and non-voluntary.Voluntary euthanasia is when the person actively asks fro assistance to die or refuses to take medicine that keeps them alive. Non-voluntary is when the patient can't decide, but another does, usually doctors or family members.Suicide is when someone takes their own life. Attempted Suicide used to be a crime in the UK, but now it's a sign someone needs help.Assisted suicide is when a doctor provides someone with a way to end their life, usually with a lethal medicine dose.1. In 1 Corinthians, it suggests God lives within each of us.2. Life is a sacred gift.3. Some Christians believe that as Jesus resurrected, earthly life is not the end.4.Roman Catholics  are very against euthanasia because they believe anything that intentionally causes death is 'a great violation of the law of God'. Even those who are unlikely to regain conscientiousness should be kept alive.5. Roman Catholics  believe suicide is so bad that they do not give Christian burials to them.6.Some Christians believe euthanasia is relieving a person of suffering, which is Christian compassion.7. Anglican denominations that great distress should not endured EVER, so death would be considered as a blessing. They argue that a person's quality of life needs to be considered. 8. Often local churches have hospices, which is a place where terminally ill people can be looked after at.

ANIMALS IN MEDICAL RESEARCHChristianity says people come over animals.1.God created the world, humankind was meant to populate it and animals are there for the use of humans.2.Christians do not know whether animals have souls or not.3.Christianity teaches we should treat animals with kindness, so they can be used fr benefiting us if we consider the suffering of the animal.4.Roman Catholics tolerate animal testing but only if it will benefits humans.5. Some Christians think it is wrong to make animals suffer, if it is only for expanding our scientific knowledge, especially as the effects can't be the same on humans as on animals.6.There are some Christian organisations that want more compassion to be shown for animals.

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