The sanctity of life – abortion and euthanasia Essay Example
The sanctity of life – abortion and euthanasia Essay Example

The sanctity of life – abortion and euthanasia Essay Example

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  • Pages: 4 (1077 words)
  • Published: November 13, 2017
  • Type: Essay
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Christians believe all life is a gift from God and sacred. The Ten Commandments are there to make people respect other life and their property. One of the commandments is "Thou shalt not kill." This shows Christians should respect life under all circumstances and should not kill a human life form, be it a growing foetus or a terminally ill geriatric.We are known very well by God and he knows us in intimate details.

"You created every part of me; you put me together in my mother's womb." (Psalm 139) This shows God created us and he knows every part of us.The beginning of life is mentioned numerous times in the Bible. One example is at the birth of Jesus.

The birth is so special three wise men come to pay respects and give gifts. Life is sacred at

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all stages of life. Growing foetus' are especially vulnerable as they don't have any say in what happens. When women are in certain stages of pregnancy they can feel the baby kicking and moving inside them. It can also be seen on an ultra sound scanner. This shows babies are just as human in the womb as outside, and should therefore be respected as such.

There is little in the Bible about the end of life. However Jesus helps many people overcome their diseases or difficulties near the end of their lives. Such as the paralysed man, Blind Bartimeaus, and the man with the evil spirit. Jesus told us to help people in need and not ignore them.

Many people today if confronted with a paralytic disease would turn to euthanasia. Jesus taught us to fight the

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disease and help people who are terminally ill.Roman Catholics believe life must be protected at all cost from the moment of conception, this therefore shows they are against abortion. They also are against euthanasia and argue people should die an easier death - benemortasia this can be done in hospices, the natural death. Roman Catholic beliefs are laid out in the Catechism which firmly says abortion and euthanasia are wrong.

Anglicans believe that life should be protected from conception but in order to save a mothers life abortion is acceptable.Abortion is the premature expulsion of the foetus from the womb. This is when a mother chooses to terminate a pregnancy and kill the developing baby when it is in her womb. There are two types of abortion, spontaneous abortion is the natural miscarriage of a baby and induced abortion is the deliberate killing of an unborn child. Anglicans and Catholics hold different views on abortion. The Anglican view is that the life of the foetus isn't, "entirely sacrosanct" and therefore if it puts the life of the mother at risk then abortion is acceptable.

However in all other circumstances the foetus must be especially protected. Yet the Catholic view is that life begins at conception and under no circumstances must it be destroyed. Catholics believe under no circumstances is abortion acceptable.Euthanasia is an act or omission intended to end another life.

It can range from an injection or withdrawal of food. Many people who have terminal illnesses have a poor quality of life and often can't feed themselves or care for themselves in general. Others can be in a permanent vegetative state, (PVS) this is where

someone has problems with their brains and when conscious processes are in active. When people are in either of these states they often turn to mercy killing or euthanasia. However there are protesters to this who believe that as life is sacred no one has the right to intentionally take this away.

These people prefer benemortasia which avoids keeping people alive at all cost yet also respects the sanctity of life.A joint submission from the Church of England, House of Bishops and the Roman Catholic Church's conference of England and Wales to the House of Lords select committee on medical ethics showed the Anglicans and the Catholic Church believes people should respect the sanctity of life. They teach that ordinary care is compulsory which means Christians owe people in a permanent vegetative state the duty of feeding them, washing them and turning them to prevent bed sores. Anything which is beyond this is classed as extraordinary care which a Catholic is not obliged to do.

An example of this is leaving a life support or a respirator. The Catholic Church is totally opposed to euthanasia. The church however does not have anything against the double effect, which is when a doctor prescribes drugs with the intention of killing pain but with the side effect of shortening someone's life.Jesus told the Disciples to "go out and spread the good news." This means to go and teach what he taught in his life.

Christians should lead by example. Christians are deeply involved in many registered charities and movements.SPUC is an example of a Christian charity which offers help whilst ensuring that Christian beliefs are respected. SPUC believes

abortion is wrong and that an unborn baby has rights, it firmly believes that abortion is a serious breech of human rights. SPUC also has rigid beliefs about euthanasia.

SPUC opposes euthanasia as they feel the deliberate killing is a violation of the right to life. It also classes doctors who enforce euthanasia as killers. Finally SPUC is opposed to euthanasia as by aiding euthanasia it would be assuming the lives of terminally ill people are less than that of others.The hospice movement started in the middle ages.

The hospices looked after the elderly, sick and travellers. The modern hospice movement was started by Irish nuns, sisters of charity. In 1900 five nuns travelled to London to spread their ideas. Cicely Saunders established the St. Christopher's hospice in London in 1967 this was the first large hospice.

Now there are over 2000 hospices. Hospices aim to aid benemortasia which helps terminally ill people have a pleasant death. It also helps people who are not terminally ill but know they do not have a lot of time left to live.Therefore as we can see in both the actions of SPUC and the formation of the hospice movement, every Christian should respect human life, as it is sacred! So to make agonies of terminally ill easier the hospice movement was started. To offer advice and help SPUC was founded; they give advice on what to do from a Christian perspective.

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