GCSE CHRISTIAN ETHICS CCEA

Define voluntary ethanasia

When a terminally ill person asks a friend or doctor to help them die peacefully

Define involuntary ethanasia

When a person's wishes cannot be asked (possibly because of a coma), so someone else has to decide to end the life of that person

Day 1 for the embryo

Fertilisation

Define euthanasia

Inducing a painless death, with compassion to ease suffering

Why might someone want euthanasia?

Loss of quality of life, extreme pain, mental illness, don't want to be a burden when they become more seriously ill

Alternatives to abortion

Adoption, fostering, direct financial and social care, mother raising the baby herself, welcoming single mothers into the church

Abortion bible passages

'Before I was born the Lord called me' 'Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, before you were born I set you apart.'

When was abortion legalised in the UK?

1967

Criteria for a legal abortion:

2 doctors must agree, must be done before 24 weeks, pregnancy must be a risk to mother or child, there must be a risk that the baby is born with a disability

Reasons for abortion

Pregnancy is a risk to the mother, baby would interfere with career/lifestyle, unwanted child from casual sex, teenager does not want to tell parents, baby might be born with abnormalities, rape, incest

Define abortion

Deliberate termination of a pregnancy

Define sanctity of life

Life is sacred, because it is God-given

Active ethanasia

The ending of a life by deliberate action e.g. a fatal injection

Passive euthanasia

Allowing a terminally ill person to die by withdrawing medical treatment that would only prolong suffering

When was the hospice movement founded?

1967

Arguments for abortion

Women have the right to choose(their body), if abortion was illegal, there would be more backstreet abortions, mother might be incapable of raising child, more compassionate to abort a severely disabled child than to let it live and suffer, God gave humans the freedom to choose, hard for a single mother to provide for a child

Arguments against abortion

Every human has a right to life, human life is sacred, God created us before birth, it is up to God to decide when to end a life, the embryo can feel pain and suffer, the woman gets emotional stress from an abortion

What is a hospice?

A place where people go to die with dignity

What can people do at a hospice?

Drink, write, talk, receive expert help, be pampered, have their families receive help, can receive spiritual care

Define artificial insemination

Sperm medically inserted into the woman's vagina to assist pregnancy

Define AI by husband

When a woman is made pregnant by the sperm of her husband, but not through sexual intercourse

Define AI by donor

When a woman is made pregnant by the sperm of another man, but not by her partner and not through a sexual relationship

Bible passages for AI

'Be fruitful and increase in number'

Define IVF

In vitro insemination A scientific method of making a woman pregnant, which does not involve sex, but conception occurs when the sperm and egg are placed in a test tube

Arguments for IVF

Couples have a right to have children, infertility can cause sadness/depression, God asked humans to 'be fruitful and increase in number', if no embryos are destroyed, there is nothing wrong with IVF

Arguments against IVF

Children are not objects that we are entitled to, the destruction of embryos is killing, new life should only come from natural love-making, many children are in need of adoption

Define Surrogacy

When a woman's egg is fertilised by IVF and implanted into the host woman, to carry the baby and give the couple the baby after he/she is born

What is a surrogate mother?

A woman who carries a baby for another woman

Arguments against surrogacy

Includes 3rd party in the marriage and making of a new life, child might struggle to find own identity

Arguments for surrogacy

Loving thing to do, if someone is fortunate to bear children, they should share this gift with others

What is cloning?

Scientific method when animals or plants are created with exactly the same genetic make-up as the parent

Embryo

Fertilised ovum at 12-14 days when implanted into the womb

Arguments against embryo research

Humans should be treated as sacred life and not be destroyed, the embryo is an innocent human being, the Bible encourages Christians to look after the weak- embryos are weak and need protected

What is embryo research?

Experimentation on embryos of up to 14 days old for research into infertility, diseases, causes of miscarriage and details of conception

Arguments for embryo research

Human embryos are not as important as a born human being, cures can help the ill

Arguments against hybrid embryos

Wrong to tamper with God's plan for the future, humans are made in the image of God, but mixing them with animals degrades the image of God

Arguments for hybrid embryos

Can cure Parkinson's disease

Reproductive cloning

Cloning techniques used to produce a baby

Arguments against therapeutic cloning

Involves destruction of an embryo, babies should be created out of love making, children have the right to two biological parents, a new master race could be made, we could change to regard disabled people badly

Arguments for therapeutic cloning

Embryos are not as important as human born beings, could cure Alzheimer's and Motor Neurone Disease, allows infertile couples to have a baby through a surrogate mother

What is a designer baby?

Babies with gender and characteristics chosen by their parents

Arguments for designer babies

Ensures a healthy baby is chosen, it is worse to have parents have a child that dies at a young age

Arguments against designer babies

Embryos should not be destroyed, foetus might be damaged, unhealthy search for the 'perfect child', disabled community will be devaluated, increases world prejudice, babies are a gift from God; they should be accepted as they come

What is a savior sibling?

A sibling born to donate compatible tissue to their ill sibling

Reasons for savior sibling

Child has life threatening condition, no other treatment has worked, the sibling's organs can not be taken as if they are a spare parts bank

Arguments against savior siblings

Embryos should not be discarded, savior sibling is not valued for being alive, but being able to help unwell child, savior sibling becomes emotionally damaged when they know they were only born to save another

Arguments for savior siblings

Creating someone to do morally good, still treated as a normal person, just another good reason to have a child

Define human sexuality

How people express themselves as sexual beings

Define age of consent

The legal age that sex is to be treated as an argeement

Christian views on sex and marriage

Sex is only to be had in marriage, marriage is between a couple and the church, Christians oppose artificial contraception and homosexuality, you shall not commit adultery

Define homosexuality

To be attracted to someone of the same sex

Define heterosexuality

To be attracted to someone of the opposite sex

Christian views on heterosexuality

Part of God's plan, should be together so they are not lonely, should be faithful, fruitful and committed, for raising children, man is usually the head of the family

Christian views on homosexuality

A result of sin, it is detestable to lie with a man as a man lies with a woman, gay couples should never have sex, gay couples are welcomed into the church

Define chastity

Sexual purity- not having sex before marriage

Sex outside marriage

Sex between two people who are not married incl. adultery, sex before marriage or casual sex

Define contraception

Artificial and chemical methods used to prevent a pregnancy taking place

Artificial contraception

Acts as a barrier to new life, condom and contraceptive pill

Emergency contraception

Morning after pill, to prevent the egg from developing

Natural contraception

Having sex while the woman is not fertile

Approval of artificial contraception

Christians can have sex for reasons other than child-making, immoral to have lots of children and not be able to provide care for each one

Opposition to artificial contraception

Couple are preventing God's plan

Opposition to emergency contraception

One step towards abortion, fertilised egg might be destroyed

Stimulants

Caffeine and tobacco, which increase brain activity and lift the user's mood

Depressants

Alcohol and sniffable solvents, which reduce brain activity and promote relaxation

Analgesics

Painkillers e.g. heroin and opium to reduce sensitivity and pain

Hallucinogens

Cannabis, LSD, magic mushrooms, distort perceptions, so they have hallucinations

Medically perscribed drugs

Perscribed by a pharmacist to help with medical problems

Illegal drugs

Banned substances that can lead to punishment, especially drug trafficking

Socially accepted drugs

Alcohol and tobacco which are legal in the UK and used socially and in celebrations

Eucharistic wine

'This cup is the blood of the covenant which is poured out for many'

Abstention

Christians should abstain from getting drunk and taking illegal/damaging drugs

Body is a temple...

Your body is a temple of the holy spirit which you have received from God, therefore honor God with your body

Effects of drugs on the user

Addiction, dependancy, alcohol --> liver and lung cancer

Effects of drugs on family

Domestic violence, parents may neglect children, addicts may steal from family to provide for addiction, smokers pass on danger through smoke, pregnant women who smoke or drink harm the baby

Effects on UK

Costs money to cure, kills people, leads to crime

Experimentation of drugs

Taking a drug to see if you like it

Abstinence

Not taking drugs

Casual, recreational, regular use

When it is easily available, for occasions, or just on most days

Dependant

Body needs the drug to function properly

Problem

Mental health problems which lead to physical, social or financial problems

Chaotic

When person doesn't care for others, but just wants to get a hold of the drugs

Define marriage

Legal union between man and woman

Why are people giving up on marriage?

Expensive, divorce is easily available, cohabitation , work is more important

Marriage in the Bible

Gift from God, woman leaves parents to be with man, become one flesh, to have sex and children, no longer two but one

Marriage ceremony

The ceremony in which man and woman marry

Civil marriage ceremony

Short, in register office/approved building, take-to be -'s lawfully wedded -

Christian marriage ceremony

Minister/priest, Christian beliefs read out, promises in front of God, vows exchange of rings, proclamation 'you are now husband and wife', prayers, readings, sign register

Cohabitation

Couple living together in a sexual relationship without being married

Civil partnership

Legal registration and recognition of a same-sex partnership

Against cohabitation

Sex is only for marriage

Cohabitating couples should be protected

Should have legal rights

Against civil partnership

Should not be blessed, they are a threat to Christian marriage because it is unnatural

For civil partnership

Just as Christian as marriage, gay people deserve the same rights as straight people, God loves everyone

Marital breakdown

When a husband and wife no longer get along with each other, leading to divorce or separation

Causes of marital breakdown

Loss of romance, domestic violence, infertility, death of a child, having children//less time with each other, work and money difficulties, disappointing love-making, ill-health, adultery

How to prevent marital breakdown

Think about children, understand unique relationship, talk about it, pray, understand that relationships change

Relate and Accord

Provide counselling and advice

Local churches (marital help)

Run special family days out

Divorce

Legal ending of a marriage