Unit 2 (year 10)

Religion and early life

Life is a miracle

Amazing that conception can even happen

Fertility shouldnt be taken for granted
Helps human race to continue
Children are a blessing and a gift
All bible quotes regarding SOL would
support this

Life is
God-given

Life should
not be
destroyed

The
sanctity of
life

All life deserves

respect

Human life
is precious

God has a plan

for every
human life

Buddhists, Hindu's and Sikhs believe life should be valued as

every person deserves a chance to do good and build up good
karma. Destroying life creates bad karma.
God gave life (Genesis 1),
so only God can take it!

Your body is a temple

of the Holy Spirit.
You are not your own!
(1 Corinthians 6)

Do not commit murder

(Exodus 20)

Whether we live or die,

we belong to the Lord
(Romans 14)

Tibetan Buddhists
A blind turtle is swimming in a large ocean
and comes to the surface once every hundred
years. Being reborn as a human is as likely as
that turtle putting its head through a small
golden ring that is floating on the surface of
the water

When does life begin?

Conception when the sperm and egg meet and the
cells begin to grow and divide?
Development of the back bone and spinal column
which houses the nervous system
When the heart starts beating (4th week)
When the brain has developed?
When the foetus is viable
(could survive if it was born prematurely- 22nd week)?
When the child is born?

24 weeks
Legal limit for abortion
in the UK
At this stage eggs are
already developing in
the female babies
ovaries
Is this baby alive?

Religion

Belief

Buddhists

Life begins even before conception because

all living things are caught up in the cycle
of life, death and rebirth. Therefore, there is
no point in time when life begins.

Hindus, Sikhs, some Jews, some Christians

particularly Catholic

Life begins at conception, when something

unique comes into being. They speak of the
foetus as a person, potential person that has
rights before 8 weeks.

Many Jews

The foetus is becoming a person, but is not

legally a person until it is born. The soul
becomes present in a person when they
leave their mothers womb

Muslims

That there is a potential life from the

moment of conception, but a foetus receives
a soul after 120 days. This is therefore when
human life really starts

QOL
Refers to the kind of life baby will have
Both physical and mental well being
Can also refer to QOL of the mother

Where do you draw the line?

Consider Paralympics
Poverty is a relative term
State supports those who are poor

Abortion and the law

Abortion is the removal of the foetus from the

womb to end a pregnancy

1967-1990
28 weeks
1990- 24 weeks
No time limit if
mother is in danger
or baby is disabled.

Abortion is still illegal in

Northern Ireland except
when doctor acts to save
mothers life

Rights
Those that debate abortion consider the
rights of those involved.

Key Terms
Pro-choice: in favour of a womans right to
choose an abortion
Pro-life: opposed to abortion; in favour of
the life of a foetus
Pressure groups: collection of people
outside government who campaign for
changes in society

Pro-choice

Pro-life

A woman has the right to choose

It is a life at conception and therefore it is

murder (Exodus Do not kill)

Life doesnt start until birth so the woman has

greater rights

Disabled children can lead happy lives

Exceptions like rape, single parent mother

should be considered as valid reasons

Unwanted children can be adopted

If the law changes then illegal abortions will

happen and that is unsafe

All life is sacred

It is cruel to bring disabled children into the

world

Abortion can be used selfishly

Religion

Exceptions

Buddhists

Most oppose but some agree with the Dalai Llama that some
situations should be taken into account life if the mother might
die. Love and compassion should be the basis for the decisions, it
maybe more compassionate to abort a disabled baby.

Christians

Christians agree abortion is wrong

Catholics and some Christians totally oppose
Anglican- rape, disability
Methodists- risk to the life or health of mother/existing family,
poverty, rape and disability.

Judaism

Only permitted for serious reasons and after consultation with a

rabbi. Rabbis vary on opinion regarding disability.

Islam

Is forbidden but allowed if it will save mothers life (lesser of 2

evils).

Alternatives