Religion and Morality RE GCSE (AQA)

A belief in a superhuman controlling power,especially in a personal God

Personal decisions about what is right and what is wrong behaviour

The theory realating to morality (studying what informs your decisions)

A person has a principle that never changes

They will adapt their principle for certain situations

The Sanctity of life- Life is sacred because it is God given

A Christian would not damage another life because they believe in the sanctity of life. The means that life is God given by God and is sacred, therefore you would not want to damage Gods creation.

REMEMBER BODY IS A TEMPLE CAN ALSO BE APPLIED HERE!

The value of a person over and above physical value

Some people would analyse what the value of someones life is. They might look at someone on a life support machine and think 'is the value of this life worth the money which is being spent on it'.

Has the person got a good quality of life? (measure of fullfiment)

A person who lives with freedom and dignity,for a religious person this could mean experiencing God is having a good quality of life. If someone is in a vegetative state they could be said to have a poor quality of life.

Couples who are unable to concieve may use fertility treatments (a medical procedure) to help them get pregnant

This does not involve sex. Conception occurs via sperm and egg being palced in a tube, the embryo is then placed in the uterus

Louise Brown was the first 'test tube baby'

A womans egg is fertilised artificially by another womans partner using AI. However, the intended mother's egg and fathers sperm can be concieved using IVF then implanted into the surrogate mother's womb

Used in farming for years to ensure the best livestock.

MORAL ISSUE-HUMANS NOT ANIMALS

When the sperm used for an AI procedure comes from the womens partner or husband

When the sperm used in an AI procedure is donated by a volunteer after being screened for diseases.

• Donor is a complete stranger

• Adultery

• Single women bringing up a baby

• Gay couples bringing up a baby

• Upset for the child later in life

• Donor may not want to be contacted later in life

• Not natural,against God

• Allows someone to get pregnant

• Brings happiness

• Single women can have children

• Gay couples can have children

• No ties to a father

• God gave us the intelligence and power to use AI

• Religious compassion

When someone elses organs are put into a patient.

Sucess isn't 100% and donors have to sign up

• God gave you your organs,not to give to someone else
• Christian compassion, to give someone a better quality of life.
• God gave us intelligence and power
• Return your body complete to God

When blood needs to be topped up or replaced

Most are in favour of blood transfusions although Jehovahs witnesses are opposed as they believe that the life is carried in the blood. This often leads to them dying. Bloodless transplants are however accepted by Jehovahs witnesses

• Leviticus 'For the  life of a creature is in the blood'

• Qur'an- 'If anyone of you saved a life it would be as if he had saved the life of the whole people

The modification of gene make-up to change the features of a human

Many are opposed to this and embryology ( the study of embryos fertilised eggs upto 14 days old) as it is tampering with life. The idea of designer babies is a concept that might be common place in the future.

Another reason people are against it is that it can be seen as playing God, also embryos must be destroyed and this can be seen as murder

Many support it if it helps cure diseases or find faulty genes, this means a better quality of life.

A sibling gentically compatible with a sick child is implanted and born to use stem cells to treat the sick child

Stem Cells  A cell taken from a 4-5 day old embryo

Is it really a child made out of love? Unused embryo's are destroyed.

Scientific method in which animals and plants can be created that have the same genetic make-up. Cloning humans is illegal

Identical cloninig ie Dolly the sheep

Stem cell cloning to treat diseases but must be destroyed at 14 days

Helps the sick, improves quality of life, free will, new technologies to help mankind

Agaainst nature, do not murder, no soul, unacceptable advances

Human-animal hybrids embryo: an embryo made from human DNA and animal eggs for purposes of experimentation

Scientists hope that these developments will help find cures for diseases. Though legal it is criticised by religious leaders

Testing products on humans

Some oppose the testing of drugs on animals as they have different genetic makeup to humans. Human testing is then used to ensure they are safe. There have been cases where human experiments have gone wrong

Many religious believers believe that life begins at conception. Roman Catholics believe this.

14 Days- the embryo attaches to the womb

3 Weeks- heart begins to beat

9 Weeks- Quickening the first movements in the womb

120 Days- Ensoulment Muslims believe this is when the soul enters the body

Viability-  When the child could survive if premature

Birth- life begins at birth