Tuesday 21 May 2013

revision notes for RS ethich - THE DEATH PENALTY

THE DEATH PENALTY

FOR
  • society is safer
  • cheaper
  • retribution -(life for life)
  • huge detterent
  • no longer have human rights
  • fits the crime of murder
  • criminals only understand the languege of violence
AGAINST
  • contradicts basic rights to human life
  • torturously painful
  • countries with death penalties still haev higher crime rates
  • innocent people will eb executed
  • families/ friends go through extreme trauma
  • it bruitalises society - have less respect for the dignity of a human person
  • alternatives offering someone the chance to change
CHRISTIAN RESPONSES
  • necessary only in rare cases
  • undermines the sanctity of life
  • bruitalises society
  • around in the Old Testament

revision notes for RS ethics - PUNISHMENT

PUNISHMENT

WHY DO WE PUNISH PEOPLE?

deterrence - a warning to others
                   - stop them doing the same crime
protection - protecting society
reformation - to rehabilitise criminals through reintegration programmes
                     - makes punishment effective by changing behaviours
retribution - revenge for what has been done

CHRISTIAN RESPONSES

retribution - 'an eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth'
                    -however Jesus rejected punishment
reformation - idea of restoring is an important Christian idea
                      - redemption through God's grace
                     - Jesus came to heal the sick
deterrence - a biblical idea
protection - love of neighbour includes protecting them
                  - just as the good Samaritan help the man effected by crime

FORGIVENESS keeps with Christian teachings, was essential to Jesus' life. retribution is not held up in the Gospel message however it is in the old Testament.

IMPACT OF PUNISHMENT

PRISON

FOR
  • protects society
  • long sentences are a deterrent
AGAINST
  • no reformation
  • majority re-offend
  • criminals learn new skills
FINES

FOR
  • a detterent
  • money raised to help society
AGAINST
  • dosen't work for the rich
  • big impact on poor
PROBATION

FOR
  • chance to regenirate
  • provides support, reducing the likelyhood of re-offending
AGAINST
  • chance to re-offend
  • dosen't send the right message
COMMUNITY SERVICE

FOR
  • helping the community
  • opportunity to do something productive
AGAINST
  • soft option
  • not a detterent

revision notes for RS ethics - CRIME

CRIME

WHAT IS CRIME?
the breakingof a law established by a government for which there is a punishment.

CAUSES OF CRIME

economic
  • lack of financial resources lead to poverty
  • lack of education opportunities lead to poor work and housing
social environment
  • prevalence of drugs
  • inequality
  • lack of support for families
  • lack of leadership in communities
  • gang cultures
family
  • dysfunctional family consitions
  • violence in the family
EFFECTS OF CRIME
  • costs peoples lives
  • madical cost, property loss
  • victims are left with anxiety/depression
  • leavs people with a fear of crime
CHRISTIAN RESPONSES TO CRIME
  • need toemphasise fairness, honest and justice
  • love of neigbour and god, not persuing selfish interests
  • be an upholder of justice
  • 'do not take/covert what is not yours'
  • respect the value of human life
CHRISTIANITY does not tolerate crime. crime undermines society and family life, and encourages selfish individulist attitudes.























Monday 20 May 2013

Revision notes for RS ethics - NUCLEAR WAR

NUCLEAR WAR

NUCLEAR WAR: a war in which the participants use nuclear weapons.

NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION: the increase in the number of states that have the potential to use nuclear weapons.

THE ARMS RACE: started after WWII when countries became nuclear powers and all built many nuclear weapons, each trying to keep pace with each other.

Many Christians are deeply opposed to the arms race because if a nuclear war was carried out, the destruction would be terrible.

NUCLEAR PROLIFIRATION is very dangerous as it means the increase in countries which have nuclear weapons. Terrorists organisations may one day steal them. The proliferation of nuclear weapons make the world a more dangerous place.

CHRISTIAN RESPONSES TO NUCLEAR WARFARE AND PROLIFERATION

The vast majority of Christians oppose the mass destructive power of nuclear weapons and its impact on civilian populations, communities, cities and societies. Some argue it is hard to imagine any situation when a just war could be fought with nuclear weapons because they could never be used proportionally.

Revision note for RS ethics - PACIFISM AND TERRORISM

PACIFISM

PACIFISM: the belief that it is unacceptable to take part in war and any other form of violence.

Biblical teaching suggests that peace is a better way forward. These teachings and others have led some Christians to dedicate themselves against acts of violence, no matter what the justification.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF PACIFISM

  • VIOLENCE ALLOWED FOR PERSONAL DEFENCE, NOT WARFARE.
  • NEUTRALITY(REFUSING TO GET INVOLVED IT MILITARY CONFLICT). I.e. Jehovah's witnesses
  • NON-VIOLENCE (A STRONG PACIFIST POSITION REJECTING ALL VIOLENCE).
  • NON COMBATANCY (REFUSAL TO BE INVOLVED IN MILITARY COMBAT)
During WWI, Quakers and other pacifists supported people who refused to join the army because of their religious beliefs. They were often given dangerous tasks such as:
  • Being sent out onto the battlefields to bring in the dead and wounded
  • In WWII, pacifists drove ambulances
  • Travelling abroad to places where troops were fighting and providing first aid and rescue for soldiers
  • They were all unarmed
THE MENNONITES however believe that Christ's instruction to love you enemy means they cannot participate in any way in military action.

TERRORISM

WHAT IS TERRORISM?
Terrorism is when groups use violence, or threat of violence, to achieve their aims, rather than using a democratic process. The violence is often indiscriminate, to create maximum fear.

WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF TERRORISM?

There are many different causes, sometimes very local ones, sometime national or international. Causes include: 
  • A sense of not having any political influence
  • Political, social and economic inequality
  • Economic problems and high unemployment
  • Religious extremism
  • Ethnic conflict
TERRORISM AFTER 9/11 AND 7/7

Today terrorism is seen in the light of radical militant Islamic attack, especially after the 9/11 and 7/7 bombings. These groups identify grievances to justify their actions including the war in Iraq. Terrorism now has a global dimension, as many parts of the world are affected.

THE THREAT TO THE COMMUNITY
  • Members of the Muslim communities are fearful that they will be seen in the same terms as the radical militant Islamists
  • Governments, worried about terrorism, restrict freedoms in an attempt to protect the public
  • The terrorist themselves spread fear as well as death through their actions
CHRISTIAN RESPONSES 

The overwhelming majority of Christians oppose terrorism. Christians believe that terrorism:
  • prevents reconciliation between different people's
  • Aggregates problems and tensions
  • Leads to suffering and harm
 Christian responses to terrorism indicate that, even if force is necessary against terrorism, it it essential both to address the causes of terrorism and to promote respect for every human being and the unity of humanity





Revision notes for RS ethics - WAR

WAR

WHAT IS WAR?

  • A large scale violent conflict
  • In human history, these conflicts have been between tribes, city-states, nations and empires.
  • Wars can occur between both international communities and individual governments 
WHAT CAUSES WAR?
Here are some reasons why people may go to war:
  • To defend their country against attack
  • To defend their beliefs, religion, freedom and way of life
  • To defend an ally or protect a weaker country under unfair attack
  • To remove their own leader or government (civil war)
  • To gain wealth, power and important resources such as oil
  • To stop atrocities such as mass murder happening in other countries
EFFECTS OF WAR
  • Has both individual and community effects
  • Wars in 20th century took the lives of 1 billion people
  • Damage to the economy is done by the loss workers killed and damaged infrastructure
  • Huge numbers are displaced, forcing them to fled their country
CHRISTIAN BELIEFS ABOUT WAR
  • Christians should be peacemakers, not war makers
  • Human life is sacred and not something to be disposed of
  • The commandments teach 'do not kill' and 'love your neighbour' 
  • Jesus rejected the use of violence

THE JUST WAR THEORY

War is often justified on political grounds but can it be justified on a Christian basis? For Christians to justify war seems difficult because the bible teaches that life is sacred, killing is wrong and that people should be peacemakers.

THE JUST WAR THEORY was outlined in 1225-74 and states both when it might be just to go to war and how the war must be fought. The main aim of the theory is to limit warfare and the effects of war so it only occurs when absolutely necessary.

WHEN IS IT JUST TO GO TO WAR?

The following list shows the different aspects of the just war theory:
  • War must be the last result
  • There must be a serious threat
  • There must be some chance of success
  • Weapons must be used proportionately 
  • The ultimate goal must be the restoration of peace
HOW SHOULD WAR BE JUSTLY FOUGHT?
  • Those not fighting, wounded soldiers and prisoners must be respected and treated humanely 
  • Weapons which cause large-scale destruction to civilians are not permissible 
  • Torture is wrong

Revision notes for RS ethics - A WORLD DIVIDED

A WORLD DIVIDED

Poverty means that people cannot meet basic needs for survival, such as food, water, clothing, shelter, sanitation and health care.

The worlds resources are not equally shared:

1% OF THE WORLDS RICHEST OWN 40% OF THE WORLDS RESOURCES
40% OF THE WORLD OWNS 1% OF THE WORLDS RESOURCES

How are the lives of the rich and the poor different?

FOOD
MEDCs - cheap and easy to come by
               - over eating is a problem
LEDCs - difficult to come by and expensive
              - malnutrition is common

WATER
MEDCs - taken for granted
              - available on tap
LEDCs - 1.2 billion people do not have access to safe drinking water
             - women and girls spend hours collecting and carrying water

EDUCATION
MEDCs - free to all
              - the law
LEDCs - 855 million people are illiterate
             - 73 billion children receive no education

HEALTH
MEDCs - free access to local GPs and hospitals
              - medication and treatments are subsidised
LEDCs - in parts if India, 15 in every 1000 die before they turn one
             - drugs and treatments must be paid for so diseases often get worse

WORK
MEDCs - more jobs with higher income
             - working conditions are monitored and controlled to keep them safe
             - financial support for the unemployed
LEDCs - low-paid, low-skill jobs with few opportunities
             - long days working in unsafe conditions
             - mo support for the unemployed
     

CAUSES OF POVERTY

  • Frequent natural disasters
  • Lack of basic health care
  • Warfare and civil strife between countries
  • Corruption and mismanagement by the governments
  • HIV/AID
  • poorer countries have to borrow from richer ones and get into debt
  • Unfair trade rules benefit only richer countries 
  • Greed in MEDCs
THE POVERTY CYCLE



FAITH IN ACTION

Christian Aid

Christian Aid is a Christian organisation that insists the world can and must be swiftly changed to one where everyone can live a full life, free from poverty.
They work globally for profound change that eradicates the causes of poverty, striving to achieve equality, dignity and freedom for all, regardless of faith or nationality. They are part of a wider movement for social justice.
They provide urgent short-term and practical assistance where need is great, tackling the effects of poverty . And provide long-term aid for development as well as tackling its root causes.














Revision notes for RS ethics - RESPECT FOR EACH OTHER

CHRISTIAN BELIEF ABOUT RESPECT FOR EACH OTHER

For Christians, if someone does not have compassion, how can the love of God be in him/her?

  • The poor are blessed and the kingdom of God is theirs
  • The poor are waiting for justice
Christians believe they have a duty to attend to the demands of justice and peace. They must show respect for people, since God loves the world, the whole human family.

Christians believe that every single human being has dignity and should be respected.

The human being is a sacred, unique being created by God in his image and likeness. They should be treated with love: 'love thou neighbour'

Loving you neighbour includes actively caring for those in need. Jesus explains this in THE PARABLE OF THE SHEEP AND GOATS...

IT TEACHES US THAT:
  • Love of neighbour is essential to what it means to be a Christian
  • Love for Jesus is expressed through love and service to the needy
  • Human beings have a responsibility to do their duty for those in need

Revision notes for RS ethics - GLOBAL CONVERNS


GLOBAL CONCERNS

Value of God's creation
  • Things created by God have value because the maker is God
  • God said that the world was good and we should take care not to damage or destroy things made by him
  • Natural world created for human beings to use responsibly. Food, natural resources, and medicines are all things that enhance and enrich human lives
Many Christians believe that that they should be stewards of the earth as they have a responsibility to look after and care form the environment.

BEING A GOOD STEWARD MIGHT INVOLVE: 
  • Preserving the environment for future generations
  • Sharing natural resources out fairly
  • Using resources sustainably
  • Joining campaigns to protect the environment 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS
  • Pollution
  • Destruction of natural habitats
  • The abuse of natural resources
  • Climate change
The world only has a limited supply of natural resources and they are being drained very quickly because of our way of life and the increasing population.

EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE TO HUMAN LIFE
  • Crop yields will be reduced
  • Death among the elderly and sick due to hotter days
  • Those without appropriate housing will have a reduction in their quality of life
  • Water shortages, more flooding, more wildfires
  • Poorer countries hit harder and earlier to the effects of climate change

INDIVIDUAL AND COMMUNITY RESPONSES

INDIVIDUAL
  • Recycling
  • Stop using plastic bags
  • Avoid buying products with unnecessary packaging 
  • Loft instillation
  • Turn off taps
  • Don't use stand-by
  • Use energy efficient light bulbs
COMMUNITY
  • Use non polluting forms of transport
  • Buy locally (reduces transport emissions)

NATIONAL
  • Finding non carbon alternatives to generate electricity
  • Supporting the development of new, greener fuels
  • Encouraging energy conservation and recycling

INTERNATIONAL
  • EARTH SUMMITS: meetings of international leaders aimed at reaching an agreement that will reduce environmental pollution and climate change

CHRISTIAN ATTITUDES

Christian leaders support the messages coming from the earth summits and encourage ordinary people to respond. I.e. Pope Benedict had solar panel put on the Vatican

Many Christians have become involved in 'green organisations' which work to improve the environmental situation.

CHRISTIAN RESPONSES

many believe they should live simply and not waste fully. Natural resources should not be wasted because they are part of Gods creation and are there for everyone.

Some evangelical Christians see the coming environmental catastrophe as part of Gods palm

Other Christians see the environmental problems as God's punishment of humanity for sin.


Revision notes for RS ethics - PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION

PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION

PREJUDICE - prejudging someone; having based feelings or attitudes about a person or group without knowing the facts.

DISCRIMINATION - prejudice in action; acting differently or unfairly towards someone because of their race, colour, gender or disability.

APARTHEID - the total segregation of black and white people in South Africa

PREJUDICE comes from

  • The media 
  • Patriotism
  • Ignorance
  • Fear 
  • Peer groups
  • Family


DISCRIMINATION


 REMEMBER: PREJUDICE is the thought and DISCRIMINATION is the action. The result of these are always going to hurt someone and at its worst, it can cause war or death.


JESUS AND DISCRIMINATION
Jesus dealt with all types of people, from high ranking to the lowest. Jesus dis guarded tradition or customs that interfered with his work and mission.

GENDER DISCRIMINATION IN THE CHURCH
Women may become priests or ministers in most denominations of the church, but not in the Roman Catholic Church

FOR: WOMEN IN THE CHURCH
  • Traditions based on prejudice
  • Equality must include equality in all gifts and callings
  • Bible does not say only men should receive communion
AGAINST: WOMEN IN THE CHURCH
  • While women are equal, they have different callings and gifts
  • Men are head of the household and women should submit to their will

RACIAL DISCRIMINATION

RACISM: treating someone differently because of their race or ethnic group

COLOUR DISCRIMINATION: treating someone differently because of the colour of their skin

Most Christians believe that prejudice and discrimination on the basis of race or religion are completely opposed to the message of the gospel for 'we are all one in Christ'.

ARCHBISHOP DESMOND TUTU
  • fought against the South African apartheid and racial discrimination
  • Opposite of nelson Mandela who chose violence. Tutu chose non violent preaching
  • His belief of God kept him going
  • Believed that the bible taught him all he needs to know
  • Won a noble peace prize for his life-time works

















revision notes for RS Ethics - DIVORCE

DIVORCE

Marriages are meant for life but sadly some just don't work out, and there are many reasons for divorce:
  • Abuse of partner
  • Neglect
  • Money 
  • Falling out of love
  • Rushing in too quickly
  • Unsatisfactory sex life
CHRISTIAN VIEWS

ROMAN CATHOLICS do not accept divorce. A marriage can be annulled if the marriage was not consummated sexually by the partners or if one or more of the partners did not understand the commitment of this sacrament.

THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND does not accept divorce, but accept there may be circumstances when the vows are not kept and acknowledge a divorce or remarriage.


REMARRIAGE:

ROMAN CATHOLICS will not remarry couples as it does not accept divorce. You cannot break the vows made to God and each other. To marry under any other church or to have a sexual relationship with anybody else is adultery.

THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND accept divorce happens for valid reasons.


SEX BEFORE MARRIAGE:
Christians believe that sex should be contained within a marriage as sex leads to children.


LIVING TOGETHER
Many people cannot see the problem about couples living together. Some regard living together as practice for marriage. Other Christians say that living together spoils the specialness of marriage.

revision notes for RS ethics - MARRIAGE

MARRIAGE

The lifelong union between a man and woman which forms the basis of family

WEDDING - the marriage service
VOWS - promises made between partners and God
SACRAMENT - a sacred rite by which you come closer to God
ADULTERY - people consenting to sex with those who are not their married partner
FORNICATION - sexual activity outside of marriage
DIVORCE - the legal termination of a marriage
REMARRIAGE - following divorce where a couple gets married again to new partners
ANNULMENT - a cancellation of marriage (it never took place)

WHAT IS MARRIAGE?
  • Regarded as lifelong
  • A serious commitment
  • Context within which the purpose is to have sex and raise children
  • Sharing of vows made under God and witnesses

VOWS:
  • For better/worse
  • For richer/poorer
  • In sickness and health
  • To love and to cherish

CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE:
God created man and woman to love, marry and go forth and multiply
Jesus taught that husband and wife are joined together by God and the foundation of Christian marriage is love.
The basis of Christian marriage is:
  • personal attraction
  • physical attraction
  • respect and value for each other
  • natural fondness and affection
  • totally committed

When a couple marry, they become family to one another and God's gift of children are born. Christians start a family in this secure environment of love.

MEANING OF MARRIAGE
  • A reflection of the love of God
  • Jesus is present through the sacrament of marriage
  • The couples approach the troubles and joys of marriage equally
  • Marriage is ideal to produce a loving family basis
  • Marriage affects the lives of all

Thursday 16 May 2013

Revision notes for RS ethics - DESIGNER BABIES

DESIGNER BABIES

Babies with gender and characteristics chosen by their parents - currently illegal.

AGAINST

  • Involves the selection of embryos that have the 'right features' and the destruction of those which don't
  • There is a risk that the test itself could damage the foetus thus harming an otherwise human being
  • Shows an unhealthy search for the 'perfect child' 
  • New life should be accepted ad loved in all its forms
  • Lead to the rich becoming a better human species
  • Babies are a gift from God to be accepted and loved as they come
FOR
  • Morally acceptable when it comes to ensuring the babies are healthy
  • Relieves the suffering of parents who give birth to on child after another who will die at a very early age
  • Could stop inherited diseases
  • Enables children to fulfil their potential

NEW revision notes for RS ethics - GENETIC ENGINEERING (cloning)

So here we go... GENETIC ENGINEERING! Aaaahh. I'm going to try and make it really easy as I find it really hard to understand so I hope you understand me

GENETIC ENGINEERING


CLONING is the scientific method by which animals or plants can be created which have exactly the same genetic make-up as the original, because the DNA of the original is used.

Cloning is split into two types:

Embryonic stem cell cloning is cloning that uses foetus cells

Somatic cell cloning is cloning that that uses adult cells



EMBRYONIC STEM CELL CLONING

Ok... So now embryonic stem cell cloning is split into two types:

Reproductive cloning is the use of cloning techniques to produce an identical baby.

Therapeutic (stem cell) cloning is the use of cloning techniques to produce tissue cultures for research on within 14 days

REMEMBER THESE BOTH USE FOETUS CELLS

Christian responses to embryonic stem cell cloning

AGAINST

  • Involves destruction of an embryo
  • It destroys one human life to create another
  • Babies should be created out of love, not cloning techniques with scientists involved
  • Children have the right to two biological parents
  • Could lead to the creation of a master race with the rich being able to clone and the poor not
FOR (only for therapeutic cloning that researches the tissue culture)
  • Possible cures could be derived from the research
  • They believe the foetus should be treated with respect but it is not equal to a person



SOMATIC CELL CLONING

Somatic cell cloning is also known as gene therapy and uses  adult stem cells (such as bone marrow) and can be used to treat diseases, such as faulty organs. Many Christians are in favour of using this technology to correct problems in nature by healing the sick.

IT DOES NOT INVOLVE KILLING A FOETUS - IT ONLY USES ADULT CELLS

NEW revision notes for RS Ethics - SURROGACY

SURROGACY

A form of fidelity treatment in which a woman's egg is fertilised artificially by another woman's partner or embryo implanted into a host woman. The woman carries the baby throughout pregnancy and gives it to the other couple after birth.

FOR:
  • Biblical examples to justify it
  • Loving thing to do
  • Share the gift of being able to bear a child

AGAINST:
  • Involves another person in the relationship
  • Undermines the child's right in the marriage
  • Important that a child discovers its own identity and achieves its proper human development

NEW revision notes for R.S Ethics - IN VITRO FERTILISATION

IN VITRO FERTILISATION

A scientific procedure of making a woman pregnant, which does not involve sex. Conception occurs via sperm and egg being placed into a test tube.

FOR:
  • Infidelity is an illness and should be treated
  • All couples should have the right to a child
  • Jesus was a healer
  • Shows Christian compassion
  • "Go forth and multiply"
AGAINST:
  • A child is not a right, it's a gift
  • Encourages that children are an object we have a right to
  • Can involve destruction of life
  • Life should come from natural love-making
  • There are many children in need of adoption

NEW revision notes for R.S Ethics - ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION

ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION

fidelity is a sign of God's blessing and part of his plan for married couples.

'God blessed them and said to them "be fruitful and increase in number"'

However not all couples can have children naturally

artificial insemination involves placing sperm into the uterus of a female to make her pregnant without sexual intercourse.

artificial insemination husband (AIH) uses sperm provided by the husband or partner

artificial insemination donor (AID) uses sperm provided by a sperm donor 

CHRISTIAN RESPONSES

against
  • people do not have the right to children because they are not a right, they are a gift form God and only he can make new life
  • technology should not be used when it comes to love making
for (AIH)
  • infidelity is a illness and should be corrected
  • right if the husband's sperm is used but not if it is a donor (it brings another person into the relationship)
  • help a couple get the child they wish for
for (AID)
  • could be ok if the husband doesn't want to pass on an inherited degenerative disease

NEW revision notes for R.S ethics - EUTHANASIA

EUTHANASIA

inducing a painless death by deliberately ending the life of a seriously ill person. It offers them a peaceful and dignified death.

VOLUNTARY euthanasia is when a person wishes to die and asks for help in doing so. e.g . a lethal injection.

NON-VOLUTARY - when a person's wishes cannot be given for some reason. in these circumstances, it is someone else who has to decide to end the life of that person.

ACTIVE euthanasia is the ending of a life by a deliberate action, such as by giving a patient a fatal injection.

PASSIVE euthanasia is allowing a terminally or incurably ill person to die by withdrawing medical treatment that would only prolong the suffering and have no real benefit.

CHURCH VIEWS

ROMAN CATHOLICS believe that euthanasia is wrong and only God has the decision over life and death.

THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND believes that the human rights of each person must be valued and a person has the right to refuse treatment but they will not support euthanasia

BIBLE PASSAGES

'thou shalt no murder' supports the view that euthanasia is wrong.

'the body as a temple' says we must be careful with our bodies as God lives within them as a holy spirit.

'God made man in his image and likness' says we must recognise that humans are special to God our creator and the world was made t sustain them. it is not for humans to take life away.

ARGUMENTS FOR
  • if a person has the right to decide all sorts of ways of harming their bodies, like smoking and drugs, then a person suffering should have the right to die
  • speding up the healing process in heaven
  • should not prolong suffering to family
  • patients should die with dignity
ARGUMENTS AGAINST
  • goes against the laws og God - it is murder
  • the patients may not be thinking or making clear decisions
  • doctors promise to save lives
  • we cannot decide who lives or dies
  • helping the sick helps christians to be caring to those in need
ALTERNATIVES

the hospice movement

in 1967, Cicely Saunders' founded the hospice movement. it is a place where expert pain and symtom relief is combined with all-round care to meet both the physical and spiritual needs of the patients.
  • it emphasises compassionate care with expert pain relief
  • it emphasises healing, if not physically then spiritually
  • it emphasises valuing the person and every moment of their life

NEW revision notes for R.S ethics exam ABORTION

Basically these are my actual notes that codenses all the information and are much easier to understand...

ABORTION

the deliberate termination of a pregnancy. the foetus is removed legally before 24 weeks.

legalised in 1967 to end the horrors of back street abortions.

WHY?
  • if the mother were to die if the pregnancy coninued
  • if the baby is a result of rape/ incest
  • if the foetus is carrying an ilness/disease
  • some people use it as a contraceptive
  • if they are unable to look after the child
CHURCH VIEWS

ROMAN CATHOLICS believe that abortion is murded and believe that life begins at the point of conception.

THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND and METHODISTS believe that abortio is morrally wrong but there is no point at which you can fully say the foetus has full human rights. it is developing towards being a full humans so these churches recognise, where in strict and limited conditions, abortion may be a morally preferable alternative.

OTHER CHRISTIANS believe that lif ebegins when the baby breathes inside the womb.

CHRISTIANS FOR FREE CHOICE believe women should be fully informed and allow God to guide them to a decision.

ARGUMENTS FOR
  • every woman has the right to choose
  • reduces the risk of back street clinics
  • every child should be wanted, not forced
  • population growing = expensive
  • rape victims may not want to carry a child produced from such a horrific event
  • if mother life is threatened
ARGUMENTS AGAINST
  • goes against the laws of God - it is murder
  • only God can give life and take it away
  • if you don't want a child, don't have sex
  • the foetus has right too, it just can't voice them
  • abortion is traumatic and guilt can stay for many years after
  • the holy spirit lives within the body, we should now harm it
ALTERNATIVES
  • use contraceptives safely
  • adopt
  • foster/put the child in temporary care until the mother is ready
  • seek family support and advice

Religious Studies - Ethics (the enviroment)

The origins of the universe

Many of the world's religions have ideas and beliefs about the origin of the universe, including people and animals. Usually these take the form of creation accounts in the sacred books of the religions concerned.

In Christianity, the creation accounts are found in the first two chapters of the book of Genesis in the Bible.

Genesis 1:1-2:4

This account tells how God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1:1
After creating the earth, the sky, the seas and plants, God made birds and fish on the fifth day and animals and humans on the sixth day.
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
Genesis 1:27
The relationship between human beings and the earth is increasingly complicated and urgent. Every day there are stories about pollution, global warming and animal species facing extinction. Religion is responding with views on the environment and our responsibility for it.

Christian belief about the environment

Although human beings are seen as the most intelligent life form on earth, they are responsible for almost all the damage done to the planet. If we imagined the earth is aged 46, all the damage done has taken place in the last 60 seconds of the earth's life.
Christians say in the Apostles’ Creed:
I believe in one God, the Father, the almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
Christian teaching about caring for the environment comes from the Bible:
Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.'… God blessed them and said to them, 'Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.'
Genesis 1:26 and 28
Some Christians have interpreted this story as giving people the right to exploit the environment. However, most people see themselves as being responsible for the world created by God and they have to make their own decisions about how to do this.
The Bible has very little else specific to say about the environment, but it explains the principles of stewardship (responsibility) for God’s creation:
In the Old Testament the Jews were told to rest the land once every 50 years so that it would produce more in the future (Leviticus 25:8-11). They were also ordered not to destroy trees when they were attacking a city:
When you lay siege to a city for a long time, fighting against it to capture it, do not destroy its trees by putting an axe to them, because you can eat their fruit. Do not cut them down. Are the trees of the field people, that you should besiege them?
Deuteronomy 20:19

God's earth

It is clear that the earth still belongs to God not to humans:
The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.
Psalm 24:1
In the New Testament Jesus stresses God’s concern for life:
Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these.
Luke 12:27-28
Many Christians do celebrate the environment by holding harvest festivals each year when they thank God for the harvest.

Wednesday 15 May 2013

Religious Studies - Ethics (care for others)

Care for others

Most religions give guidance about how we should treat other people. The Christian faith teaches compassion.

Christian teachings

Christians should show compassion (an emotion prompted by the pain and suffering of others) for other people and a desire for justice. Jesus makes this clear in the Parable of the Good Samaritan:
And Jesus concluded, ‘In your opinion, which one of these three acted like a neighbour towards the man attacked by the robbers?’ The teacher of the Law answered, ‘The one who was kind to him.’ Jesus replied, ‘You go, then, and do the same.’
Luke 10: 36-37
The earliest Christians tried to put Jesus’ teachings into practice:
All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.
Acts 2:44-45
Some people think that making money is the main purpose of their lives; this goes against Christian teaching. Christianity says that having money is wrong if money becomes the main focus of a person’s life, or is gained dishonestly.

People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
I Timothy 6:9-10
The Roman Catholic Church teaches that there is no divide between the religious and the secular world. Everything belongs to God, so faith and justice are linked together.
True happiness is not found in riches or wellbeing, in human fame or power, or in any human achievement…. God blesses those who come to the aid of the poor and rebukes those who turn away from them.

Rich nations have a moral responsibility towards those less fortunate.

Christian action

In recent years the Christian churches have concerned themselves more with issues such as poverty and the fairer distribution of wealth in the world. A few very rich nations own most of the world’s wealth and therefore resources of all kinds are not distributed equally.
Charities such as Christian Aid, CAFOD, CARITAS and the Tearfund try to coordinate the churches’ work in order to stop millions of people starving while the rest of the world is well-fed and has a good standard of living.

 

Religious Studies - Ethics (marriage and relationships)

Love

Love is often used to describe a close attachment to another person. Sex means sexual intercourse between two people. Most religions have views on love and sex. The Christian Church emphasises non-sexual love.

Christian views

The Christian Church often has very strict views on love and sex. These are based on passages from the Bible. Christians are often encouraged to love one another in a non-sexual way. This type of love, sometimes called ‘agape’ is the love that Jesus showed to other people when he gave his life for them:
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No-one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
1 John 4:7-12
Christian teaching is generally that sexual intercourse is wrong unless it happens within a marriage. God intended men and women to live together as married couples but not to live together outside marriage.
Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?
1 Corinthians 6:18-19
In the Church of England the marriage service says that marriage is a remedy against sin, and to avoid fornication outside marriage.
Paul says that Christians should:
Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?
1 Corinthians 6:18-19
He also says that for some people it is better to be celibate than to marry:
Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I am. But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
1 Corinthians 7:9 

Marriage

 Christians see marriage as vows taken before God, and divorce is not encouraged.
In the marriage service of the Church of England, the couple getting married make vows to each other. The traditional marriage vows are:
I, take you,to be my wife [or husband].to have and to holdfrom this day forward;for better, for worse,for richer, for poorer,in sickness and in health,to love and to cherish,till death us do part,according to God’s holy law;and this is my solemn vow.
Marriage is important for Christians because:
 
  • it's a gift from God; it's part of God’s plan for creation that men and women should live together
  • it provides a relationship through which husband and wife support each other; this relationship is built on love and faithfulness
  • it provides a secure environment for the bringing up of children
The importance of marriage is emphasised by Jesus
But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.
Mark 10:6-9

 Divorce, remarriage and cohabitation

The teaching of Jesus in the New Testament is against divorce (the legal ending of a marriage before the death of a spouse).
It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
Matthew 5:31-32
Adultery (sex with someone who you are not married to) is also wrong according to the teachings of the Ten Commandments:
You shall not commit adultery.
Exodus 20:14
Many churches now allow divorce but a marriage can only be ended by an annulment in the Roman Catholic Church. This means that the marriage is regarded as never having taken place for special reasons.
 
In 1981 the Church of England allowed people to marry again after a divorce. Many other churches now hold this position.The Roman Catholic Church is totally opposed to people cohabiting (living together without being married). Sexual intercourse outside of a marriage is a serious sin and couples who sin in this way cannot receive communion in church. Some Protestant churches accept cohabitation although they hope that the couple will choose eventually to be married in church.


 


 


Thursday 9 May 2013

Religious Studies - Ethics (prejudice and discrimination)

Prejudice and Discrimination

People sometimes say that discrimination is created when prejudice is combined with power. Prejudice is the attitude of someone whose opinion is not based on fact. Prejudice can be triggered by differences of religion, race, colour, sex, language, disability or age. Prejudice is not illegal, as an attitude can’t be illegal, but discrimination is illegal.

Discrimination and human rights

All forms of discrimination go against the first two Articles of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights:
Article 1 All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Article 2 Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.

Christian attitudes towards prejudice and discrimination

Christianity teaches that everyone is equal in the eyes of God. Therefore there is no reason to treat people differently.
Christian teaching about other people is based on love and this is stated by Jesus:
I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.
John 13:34
You shall love your neighbour as yourself.
Matthew 22:39
There are also two important teachings in the writings of Paul about this:
From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.
Acts 17:26
There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 3:28
No one can follow these teachings perfectly, and there will be occasions when Christians, like those of other faiths, are guilty of prejudice and discrimination.
But there are many examples too of Christians challenging injustice when they see the laws of God being broken.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu has devoted his life to fighting poverty, injustice, and inequality and advancing ideas of forgiveness and cooperation. As an ordained priest in the Anglican Church, and later as the Archbishop of Cape Town, he was instrumental in promoting non-violent resistance to apartheid and the repeal of racially discriminatory South African laws. In 1984, Archbishop Tutu won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts.

Inequality in the Christian Church

Many people think that the Christian Church is sexist. It does not treat men and women equally.
The teaching of St Paul is often quoted to support the way some churches today treat women. From the extracts below, it would seem that he believed that the role of women was different to that of men, and secondary to it.
St Paul said:
Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. If they want to enquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.
1 Corinthians 14:34-35
Now I want you to realise that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonours his head. And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonours her head - it is just as though her head were shaved. If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off; and if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, she should cover her head. A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man.
1 Corinthians 11:3-7
 Jesus, however, always showed by his actions that he respected and valued women. He included them among his closest companions, and sometimes went against the conventions of his time which kept men and women apart. Jesus made it clear in the Parable of the Good Samaritan how his followers should treat people – he made no distinction between men and women.
Some Christian denominations have recently begun to allow women to be priests or ministers (eg, Church of England and the Methodist church). Some remain opposed to this (eg, the Roman Catholic Church). Some Christians believe that women are second to men, that men should lead and women should follow. So although Christianity teaches that everyone should be equal and should be treated the same, this doesn't always happen.


Religious Studies - Ethics (sanctity of life)

I have my Religious Studies ethics GCSE in under a week and i've been revising for a couple of weeks already, so here are the main points of all i've revised so far on sanctity of life.

Ethics - sanctity of life

Contraception

Contraception or 'birth control' is used for a variety of reasons:
  • when pregnancy might harm the mental or physical condition of the mother
  • to limit the number of children people have to ensure they don't damage living standards or affect other children
  • to prevent pregnancy in people who do not want a child at this stage in their lives

Christian beliefs about contraception

The various Christian churches have different views on contraception:
  • The Roman Catholic Church says that the use of contraception is against natural law (which means it is not in keeping with human nature). It is natural that conception may happen with intercourse and therefore this should not be prevented. The only form of contraception permitted is the ‘rhythm method’ where intercourse takes place at a time when the woman is least fertile.
  • Most Protestant churches (eg, the Anglican Church and the Methodist Church) now see the use of contraception within marriage as a responsible way of planning a family. It allows sex to be enjoyed without the fear of an unwanted pregnancy.

Abortion

Abortion is the artificial ending of the life of a foetus in the womb (uterus). A natural abortion is called a miscarriage. Abortion has been legal in England, Scotland and Wales since 1967 when The Abortion Act was passed. A new upper time limit of 24 weeks was introduced in 1990 under The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act.
An abortion may be carried out if one of the following conditions applies:
  • the life or physical health of the mother is at risk
  • the mental health of the mother is at risk
  • the mother’s existing family will suffer
  • there is a reasonable chance that the child will be born seriously disabled
Where the mental health of the mother is at risk, or her family will suffer if the pregnancy continues, the latest termination date is 24 weeks. There is no upper limit if the life or physical health of the mother is at risk, or if there is a reasonable chance of a seriously disabled child being born.
In 1974 119,000 legal abortions were carried out in England and Wales, by 2006 this figure had risen to 193,700.

Christian teaching on abortion

The Christian Church teaches that life is a sacred gift from God:
Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.' So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
Genesis 1:26-27
Christian teaching on abortion is complex. An early Christian document, the Didache, condemns it:
You shall not kill by abortion the fruit of the womb.
The Bible appears to say that life begins when the baby is in the mother’s womb:
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.
Psalm 139:13
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart.
Jeremiah 1:5
The Roman Catholic Church opposes abortion in every instance. However, if life saving treatment given to a pregnant woman results in the unavoidable loss of a foetus, but saves the mother, then this is accepted and known as 'double effect'.
Roman Catholic teaching is that the foetus is a human being. This is clearly expressed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) which states:
From the first moment of his (her) existence, a human being must be recognised as having the rights of a person - among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life
CCC 2270
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Luke 1:41

The pro-life movement generally argues that life becomes human life at the point of conception. It says that abortion should not be allowed, but some would allow an abortion if the mother's life was at risk or if pregnancy resulted from rape or incest.
The pro-choice movement generally argues that human life begins much later in pregnancy, or at birth. There are many points of view among pro-choicers, but fundamentally they think that the woman should have full control over what happens to her body.

Drugs

Arguments about drugs are important because they can concern possible physical harm, or even the end of life, by human hands rather than by God’s will. Most religious teachings have something to say about using drugs.

Facts about drugs

All drugs are classed as either legal or illegal (illicit).
  • 'Illegal drugs' include heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, LSD and cannabis (these are divided into Class A, B or C depending on how addictive they are).
  • 'Recreational drugs' are drugs that people use for pleasure or relaxation. Most recreational drugs are illegal. However, alcohol and tobacco are legal recreational drugs. (Some religious people would include caffeine as a 'recreational' drug and would avoid its use.)
  • 'Prescription drugs' are those prescribed by a doctor to treat a medical condition, and are legal.

Christian attitudes towards drugs

The key Christian teaching in relation to the use of drugs is that the physical body is the natural home of the soul, and is therefore precious and sacred.
Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 6:19
So Christians do not approve of the taking of illegal drugs, including most recreational drugs, especially those which can alter the mind and make people incapable of praying or being alert to God.
  • Christians will take prescription drugs when appropriate.
  • Alcohol, tobacco and caffeine are examples of recreational drugs which are not forbidden to Christians.
The Roman Catholic church says:
The use of drugs inflicts very grave damage on human health and life. Their use, except on strictly therapeutic grounds, is a grave offence. Clandestine production of and trafficking in drugs are scandalous practices. They constitute direct co-operation in evil, since they encourage people to practices gravely contrary to the moral law.

Alcohol and tobacco

Alcohol is permitted by most Christians and, of course, is normally used for the celebration of the Eucharist:
after supper he took the cup, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.
1 Corinthians 11:24
The Salvation Army and the Methodist Church have always been opposed to the use of alcohol because of the bad effects it can have on people’s behaviour and lifestyle. For this reason some Christians do not permit the use of alcohol at the Eucharist and instead use unfermented grape juice.
Tobacco is not condemned by the churches but many Christians are concerned about the effect which it can have on people’s health, and many Christians would make a positive decision not to smoke.


Euthanasia


Euthanasia is not suicide but the assisted ending of someone's life who is suffering. Most religions offer teaching on euthanasia and the end of life.

Types of euthanasia

Euthanasia is illegal in the United Kingdom but it was legalised in certain circumstances in the Netherlands in 2002 and assisted suicide was legalised in the State of Oregon (USA) in 1997.
There are two principal types of euthanasia:
  • voluntary euthanasia - the person concerned asks someone to help them die, perhaps by asking for help to take an overdose of painkillers
  • involuntary euthanasia - euthanasia is carried out without the patient’s consent, for example, if they are in a persistent vegetative state and no longer able to live without a lifesupport machine, which is then switched off
Remember that a person's decision to take their own life is known as 'suicide'

Christian attitudes towards euthanasia

Christianity teaches that all life comes from God:
Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.' So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
God blessed them and said to them, 'Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.'
Genesis 1:26-28
The bible also teaches that life is sacred:
Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 6:19
For this reason Christians believe that it would be wrong to take life:
You shall not murder.
Exodus 20:13

Responding to suffering

The Roman Catholic Church is opposed to euthanasia as murder. However, if large doses of painkillers are used to help ease a person’s suffering, and as a result of these the person ultimately dies, this is understood as ‘double effect’. The intention was not to kill the person, but to allieviate suffering. In the same way the Church does not believe that doctors should use any ‘extraordinary treatment’ to keep people alive against the odds.
The Church of England holds similar views saying that "there are very strong arguments that people should not be kept alive at all costs when they are suffering intolerable pain".
One response from Christianity to the question of euthanasia has been the creation of hospices. These are special places where terminally ill people are cared for and allowed to die with dignity without resorting to euthanasia.