Euthanasia is a loving, Christian response Discuss.

"Euthanasia is a loving, Christian response" Personally, I feel inclined to disagree with this notion; however, I very fully understand why Euthanasia (sometimes known as "mercy killing", often confused with "assisted suicide" and meaning "good death") can be thought to be a loving, Christian response. It's a grey area subject, as it is not specifically mentioned in the Bible, but there are plenty of allusions to it in some form or another. By many Christians, Euthanasia is seen as a complete "no go" area and morally wrong. It is believed that every person's life is in God's hands and in his hands only. God created the world - he created all of us - and gave us life, so only God should take life away. We belong to God - "the Lord cares about our bodies" (1 Corinthians 6:13). Our lives are in His hands. As it says in (Psalm 48:14): "For this is God, our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even to death" - the last line is especially important, as it implies that God is the one who will essentially take us and walk with us to death. Like the Scripture says in 1Corinthians 6:19-20 "You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." You must look after your body as God paid the ultimate price for it (by dying on the cross to save us all from our sins). He has plans for us, so to die before the

  • Word count: 2073
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)
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Choose a case which you consider to be of crucial importance for medical ethics and the law. Explain why you consider that it is so significant, with a focus on the critical evaluation of judicial reasoning in your chosen case, as well as cases preceding

Choose a case which you consider to be of crucial importance for medical ethics and the law. Explain why you consider that it is so significant, with a focus on the critical evaluation of judicial reasoning in your chosen case, as well as cases preceding and following it. The case which I have chosen to study, is that of Diane Pretty v United Kingdom (2346/02), a case that went through the English judicial system and on to the European Court of Human Rights. The reason for this is that it challenges both ethical and legal aspects of our society that are considered to be norms and as such are vehemently protected and which some critics may say should not be questioned, any such questioning being morally wrong and distasteful. But as it will be shown it is not an isolated case, that of an individual with beliefs and a want for euthanasia or "assisted suicide" that cause much controversy and legal difficulty. The very fact that this case finished in the European Court of Human Rights is perhaps a testimony to this very point. Further more it is not uncommon in other societies for such practices to actually be carried out. The Netherlands being one example of this, in which it was believed that approximately two fifths of the deaths in a year, roughly 50,000 were due to euthanasia, with the individuals concerned having their lives shortened by varying degrees, anything from

  • Word count: 2739
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)
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The Roman Catholic Church teaches that human life is sacrede. Explain how this teaching influences its attit6ude to abortion and euthananasia, showing that you understand other points of view.

The Roman Catholic Church teaches that human life is sacrede. Explain how this teaching influences its attit6ude to abortion and euthananasia, showing that you understand other points of view. The roman catholic church teaches that human life is sacred, this teaching influences us in many ways in abortion and euthanasia, first abortion, Abortion is the termination of the life of a foetus (baby) The Roman Catholic Church says "Never under any pretext may abortion be resorted to either by a family or by the political authority, as a legitimate means of regulating births" this means abortion is wrong and god is the only one that can choose if your life is over or not. The United Nations says " the child by reason of his physical and mental immaturity, needs special safeguards and care, including appropriate legal protection, before aswell as after the birth" this is saying that abortion is wrong and that it is a human being no matter, if it is still in the womb or not it is killing another human. In the bible, genesis 1:27 it says "god created human beings in his own image of god he created them, male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, be fruitful an increase" this means god created human beings, he created human beings, he created them equal, no matter if there in the womb or not. You should not kill another human being. " human life

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)
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Motion: This house believes that euthanasia be legalized in this country.

English Debate Speech Motion: This house believes that euthanasia be legalized in this country. Madam Chairperson, I personally believe that by practicing euthanasia in order to end a poor quality of life is both morally and ethically unacceptable. Mercy killings in my opinion are inhumane as there cannot be a distinction between euthanasia and murder, especially as both are premeditated. One recent example was the Dr. Shipman case where a well-respected doctor argued that he didn't murder some of his patients but instead only carried out euthanasia; this was quashed in court. Legalisation of euthanasia may even cause certain individuals to murder and use euthanasia as a cover. By ending a person's life, albeit with good intention, people will nevertheless be 'playing God'. This argument is significant as it contravenes many of the major faiths, which strongly agree with the idea that euthanasia is murderous. But what if a patient requests that he/she wants to undertake euthanasia? It may be argued that each individual has the right to choose. This is not the case as passive euthanasia is a form of suicide. In conclusion, in today's society, both murder and suicide are both illegal acts. As euthanasia can qualify as one of the above, it too should remain

  • Word count: 213
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)
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Dear Mr Blair, I am writing to you about the government's policies on euthanasia.

Mr P. Archer 0 Priory Road Loughton Essex IG10 1AF Thursday, 31 October 2002 Dear Mr Blair, I am writing to you about the government's policies on euthanasia. As you know, this is one of the most debated issues being argued nowadays. What is sometimes called mercy killing is the act of purposely forcing or helping someone to die instead of letting nature take its course. Euthanasia is compassionate killing. Legally euthanasia can be voluntary, passive or positive. The first means a request by the dying patient or a legal representative. The second means doing nothing to prevent death and the latter involves taking deliberate action to cause death. Euthanasia at the moment is illegal everywhere in the world, with the exception of the American state of Oregon where fatal drugs may be prescribed for the specific purpose of euthanasia I believe that every person should have the right to live or die. This goes into the legality of suicide which is illegal but never prosecuted. Why is it that a failed attempt of suicide is not is prosecuted and a successful act of euthanasia is? Everyone deserves the freedom and power to control their destiny. Not everyone has an easy death. Some terminal pain cannot be controlled even with the best of care and strongest drugs that do have their own unpleasant side effects. These fatal illnesses have other distressing symptoms such as

  • Word count: 784
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)
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From my research I have found out that Islam and Judaism does not accept euthanasia at all. It is forbidden in both of the 2 religions. I am assuming that euthanasia is not allowed in other religions.

Examine and comment on the moral and religious issues raised by euthanasia Euthanasia is the process of ending life by artificial means. It is to change the uncertainty of the time of natural death depending upon so many seen and unseen, known and unknown factors into the certainty of the time of death by certain known and calculated means through some drugs or injections. Euthanasia is allowed in Netherlands under certain circumstances. There are four types of euthanasia Active: the direct willed death of a person Passive: indirect cause such as 'allowing to die' or 'letting nature take its cause' Involuntary: carried out on the assumption that had the person been able to express his/her will, he or she would have chosen to die. Non-voluntary: the decision to terminate life is made for some one who is unable to express his/her own will about it. The belief regarding the sanctity of life means that our lives are very precious and immense. Everyone is treated equally in this world. I am going to research Islam and Judaism and see what their view is on euthanasia. Islam tells us that euthanasia is forbidden in Islam what ever the circumstance. Life is sacred and people are forbidden to kill themselves. Destroy not yourselves. Surely Allah is ever merciful to you. Qur'an 4:29 "Nor kill or destroy yourselves, for verily Allah hath been Most Merciful." Qur'an 4: 29

  • Word count: 1872
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)
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Against Euthanasia

Euthanasia Essay Introduction In this essay I am going to try and find out whether Euthanasia is right or wrong, and if it should be legalised or not. I will go about this by looking at all aspects of the argument, I will look at real life stories, the emotional, religious, ethical, laws, medical and the financial aspects of the argument. Then at the end of the essay I will give my own opinion. Euthanasia, is the practice of ending a person's life to release someone from an incurable illness or if the person is in intolerable pain. This can only be done if it is the persons will (if they are over the age of 18,) or if the person has a living will, which was written before they became ill, or are in coma. But even then, Doctors go against the will of the person and do what they believe to be right. If the person is under the age of 18 then the doctors decide how they should treat them, and if they are in a coma there is no chance of them surviving, then the parents or guardians of the person can decide if they want them to stay alive or to switch the machines off. There are different types of Euthanasia, two of these types are Passive Euthanasia, which is when nothing is done to prevent death e.g. when Doctors don't use an artificial respirator to keep alive someone terminally ill. Another type of Euthanasia is Active Euthanasia which is painlessly putting someone to death.

  • Word count: 1923
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)
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Explain the Beliefs Christian have today about Euthanasia

Explain the Beliefs Christian have today about Euthanasia Euthanasia is a widely discussed and strongly opinionated topic. People hold there own views on it, but the Christian society have specific reasons for their beliefs. The liberal Church of England (those who practice situation ethics) believes that anything that is the loving thing to do is correct morally and religiously. They might say that voluntary euthanasia is correct. It may end a patients life humanely, shorten the grief of loved ones, and it may be the loving thing to grant that patients last wish, even though that may be to die via euthanasia. As long as every aspect of the use of euthanasia can be justified as the loving thing to do, it is acceptable. Those Christians that might oppose euthanasia might say that if every aspect of it has to be the loving thing to do then it is possibly floored. This is because the bible suggests when applied (Matthew 25:46) that if someone dies via euthanasia, they are dying before there time, and so enter the suffering of hell before god has planned it. This suggests that the argument some followers of euthanasia use, that it ends there suffering if wrong as it does not. Pope Paul VI in his summary on the Roman Catholic teaching of Euthanasia said: (taken from GCSE RE book) "Without the consent of the person, euthanasia is murder. His consent would make it suicide.

  • Word count: 950
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)
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What is the difference between euthanasia and assisted suicide?

Euthanasia Definitions * Euthanasia: the intentional killing by act or omission of a dependent human being for his or her alleged benefit. (The key word here is "intentional". If death is not intended, it is not an act of euthanasia) * Voluntary euthanasia: When the person who is killed has requested to be killed. * Non-voluntary: When the person who is killed made no request and gave no consent. * Involuntary euthanasia: When the person who is killed made an expressed wish to the contrary. * Assisted suicide: Someone provides an individual with the information, guidance, and means to take his or her own life with the intention that they will be used for this purpose. When it is a doctor who helps another person to kill themselves it is called "physician assisted suicide." * Euthanasia By Action: Intentionally causing a person's death by performing an action such as by giving a lethal injection. * Euthanasia By Omission: Intentionally causing death by not providing necessary and ordinary (usual and customary) care or food and water. What Euthanasia is NOT: There is no euthanasia unless the death is intentionally caused by what was done or not done. Thus, some medical actions that are often labeled "passive euthanasia" are no form of euthanasia, since the intention to take life is lacking. These acts include not commencing treatment that would not provide a

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)
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Should Euthanasia be legalised?

Should Euthanasia be legalised? Euthanasia is the practice of painlessly putting to death people who have incurable, painful, or distressing diseases or handicaps. It comes from the Greek words for good and death, and is commonly called mercy killing. Euthanasia may occur when incurably ill people ask their doctor, or a friend or relative, to help them to die. Active euthanasia is illegal in the United States, Canada, and almost all other countries. Most religious groups consider it suicide or murder and, therefore, immoral. Some supporters of euthanasia claim that it allows a person to die with dignity instead of being kept barely alive by artificial means. An alternative to euthanasia is the withholding of most types of medical treatment which allows the patient to die naturally, and it is usually legal. This is currently against the law in the United Kingdom although it was recently a very large story line in the television soap "Eastenders". In the program, an elderly lady asked her best friend to help her kill herself because she had terminal cancer. The old lady didn't want to be a burden to her family and friends, so she pleaded with her close friend to help her die by giving her an overdose of drugs. Her friend was a Christian and believed that it was a sin to do this as the church thinks only God should have the power to give and take life, and tried to

  • Word count: 896
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)
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