1. Religious Attitudes to Matters of Life. ( Medical Ethics )

1. 1. Religious Attitudes toMatters of Life.(Medical Ethics) Learning Objective: To examine the key issues of this topic to prepare for the G.C.S.E. examination.

2. Key areas of the topic (What do I NEED to KNOW ?) • Sanctity of life and when does life begin? • Different types of Fertility treatment. • Thinking about the Medicine. (These have come about due to the advances in treating fertility.) • Embryo research. • Stem Cell research. • Genetic Engineering. • Cloning. • Transplants and Transfusions. • Religious attitudes to Fertility treatment, ‘Advances in medicine’ (Genetics), transplants and maintaining life. • Christian Beliefs and Teaching • Sikh Beliefs and Teaching • Maintaining life and testing on humans.

3. Mystery Question ….When is a Frog a Frog ? Look at the three pictures below and choose which picture you believe is a frog! Give reasons for your answer !

4. One of the main Question at the heart of matters of Life is “when does Human life begin ?”

5. Rather than there only being three possible stages at which life could be said to begin as with Abortion within this topic ‘Matters of Life’ there are actually FIVE ! At conception. (Sperm meets egg!) 2. At the Blastocyst stage. Stage at which implanted in the womb (Positive test !) 3. When the heart beats (12 weeks) 4. When ‘Viability’ is reached. 5. At Birth. Your view of when life begins is important as it will affect which medical advancements you will find acceptable and which ones you will NOT!

6. What is the Sanctity of Life ? ‘Life is sacred to God and a precious gift, deserving respect’.

7. Sanctity of Life ‘Life is a sacred gift of God that should be treated with respect and not destroyed.’ • Christian quote: “For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” (Psalm 139:13) • Sikh Quote: “God is the creator. He himself is invisible but he is ever visible through his nature.”

8. What are the different types of Fertility Treatment? • (ArtificialInsemination with Husband’s Sperm) • (Artificial Insemination with Donor’s Sperm) • (In Vitro Fertilisation “Test tube baby”) • ( 2 Types: a:related to surrogate and b:no biological link.) AIH AID IVF Surrogacy

9. The Human Fertilization and Embryology Act 1990. Concerning surrogacy it said: • The child MUST be genetically related to at least one of the commissioning couple • The surrogate mother cannot be forced to give up her child at the end of the pregnancy • The commissioning couple must both be over 18 and married to each other • No money other than expenses to be paid in respect of the surrogacy arrangement.

10. How well did you know those Acts? The 1985 Surrogacy Act said: • It is a criminal offence to advertise surrogacy in any way • It is illegal for payments to be made to a company or agency who assisted in the surrogacy arrangements. However, it did not ban payment to the surrogate mother.

11. Christian Beliefs on ‘Fertility Treatments’. • ALL Christians believe God is the creator of all life.(Sanctity of Life but disagree when life begins!!!) • Roman Catholics are opposed to AID, IVF and Surrogacy as life begins at conception!!! • The Church of England accept AIH and IVF but not AID as these are technology that do not interfere with the sanctity of the marriage! • Many Christians believe embryo research threatens the sanctity of human life (Catholics “Thou Shalt not Kill !” Exodus Ch20) • Other Christians who believe life begins at a later stage in pregnancy support embryo research providing safeguards are in place. (for some members of the Church of England and Methodists)

12. Sikh Beliefs on ‘Fertility Treatment’. • Sikhs believe God is the creator of all life and each person has a spark of God within them. • IVF and AIH are permitted but not AID or surrogacy – procreation should be between a man and wife. • Most Sikhs believe life begins at conception so producing embryos for research is wrong but spare embryos from IVF treatment may be used. • What are the implications for reincarnation and Mukhti?

13. What are Transplants and transfusions ? Most people have absolutely no worries at all about this. They support both. In effect these procedures don’t take life, don’t mess with the living, and do help others. But, what are they? What is a Transfusion? This is usually about blood and blood products (like plasma or platelets). If someone has lost a lot of blood during an operation or due to an accident they may need to replace it or they will die, this is what transfusions are all about. What is a Transplant? Organ transplantation happens because the organ in someone’s body is failing, has failed, or is so damaged that it needs replacing. Most organs are donated by the dead, who carried a consent form or whose families have agreed that their bodies can be used to help others.

14. Christian Beliefs on ‘transfusions and transplants’. • ALL Christians believe God is the creator of all life.(Sanctity of Life but disagree when life begins!!!) • Organ , blood and tissue donation is acceptable to most Christians as it is seen as showing love for others. The Golden rule ‘Love your neighbour as your self’ Jesus. • Pope Benedict XVI called it a ‘free act of good will’, and he himself has agreed to be a donor after his death. • It is not allowed by Jehovah’s Witnesses “Life is in the blood” Leviticus Ch17.

15. Sikh Beliefs on transfusions and transplants • Blood transfusions and organ donation are acceptable within the Sikh religion it is seen as an act of kindness. SEWA- Selfless service for others as an offering to God. • What are the implications for reincarnation and Mukhti? Good deeds are rewarded in heaven. • Sikhs believe the body is just waste after death , it can be used to help others.

16. Genetic Engineering Embryo Research The Medicine Stem cell research Cloning Organ transplants

17. What is Embryo research ? Scientists try to learn more about the development of embryos, and also to learn more about disease, especially genetic diseases. The hope is that this research will help to find cures. It is impossible to study embryos when they are in the womb, so the only way is to use spare embryos from fertility treatment or to create embryos just for research. (Embryo research is only allowed on embryos younger than fourteen days.)

18. What is stem-cell research ? Stem cells are cells that can develop into any part of the human body- they have the ability to become anything. They are being used to ‘grow’ organs like kidneys, and also to help repair parts of the brain in suffers of Parkinson's disease. (Once the stem cells have been removed embryos die)

19. What is Genetic Engineering ? Scientists have worked on gene research and can modify the genetic make-up of cells to successfully treat hundreds of genetic disorders and diseases. This is called Human genetic engineering. Everyone has DNA- it is what makes each of us unique. This programming is made up of 100,000 genes. Some of these genes are dangerous or even fatal- they make us susceptible to disease, or even to being born with a disease.

20. What is cloning ? • Cloning is making an identical copy of an organism This is asexual reproduction- in other words creating a human foetus from one person, using an egg and cells. The foetus is an exact replica of the human it was cloned from. Dolly the sheep was the most famous example of cloning- it is illegal to clone humans. Identical twins are clones in nature!

21. Take a recently fertilised egg cell. Take out the nucleus. Replace it with your choice of nucleus. Then jump start the cell with a small electrical charge or a chemical kick start. Your cell will now develop into whoever or whatever you took the implanted nucleus from. But Should we do this with humans? Which humans should have clones made? Cloning by Nuclear Replacement. Fertilised Egg Cell Nucleus from Another person

22. Hollywood Cloning In films they make clones that are exact copies of the person they are cloning • E.g. The Sixth Day, Multiplicity, Star wars • In real life clones are born as babies and grow at the normal rate. • So a clone of you would be a baby and would have to grow up to be a teenager by which time you will be in your late twenties. • Will the clone be a copy of you if it has to live a life? • Will it be another you or will it be like a younger sibling?

23. The Genie is out of the Bottle !! • We can do most of the things in this PowerPoint already. • We have cloned frogs, pigs, sheep and cows. • We could clone extinct animals next or… • We could clone humans. • Most scientists believe that we should limit cloning to therapeutic cloning and not clone humans fully. However there are unscrupulous Scientists out there.

24. Against It is ‘playing God’ and interfering with nature. It denies the ‘sanctity of life’. The clone may not have a soul. Experiments with human cloning will result in malformed clones, as happened before the successful cloning of Dolly the sheep. For It is just an extension of IVF and therefore no more ‘playing God’ than other fertility treatments. It cannot be proven that a soul exists. Changing a single two-cell form of life into two one-cell forms of life is not murder. It might help to improve the human race and speed up the process of evolution. Arguments for and againstCloning Humans

25. Christian views on ‘Advances in Medicine’ (Genetic Engineering, Cloning and Embryo research). • Many Christians are worried that genetic engineering may result in irreversible changes to God’s creation. • Roman Catholics believe there are lines we cannot cross without becoming destroyers of creation, so are against all of these technologies. (Sanctity of Life, Life begins at conception and is ‘playing God’) • Some Christians would argue that human genetic engineering can be used in a positive way to make the world more just and to help everyone have good health. • Methodistsaccept genetic engineering if it is used as a means of healing diseases. • Most Christians are against cloning humans. • Some Christians argue that if cloning was carefully controlled then there might be benefits to the human race.

26. Sikh views on Genetic engineering, Cloning and Embryo research. • Sikhs do not agree with experiments on live embryos as life begins at conception. • Genetic Engineering to cure or prevent diseases or defects is not opposed, but not to alter the body God created! • There is no guidance given on the issue of cloning. Some Sikhs can see the benefits – cloning could be used to provide organs for transplant, but most Sikhs are uncertain as to the right approach to take.

27. Christian and Sikh Quotes • “Thou shalt not kill”. Exodus 20:13 wast Embryos. • ‘For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.’ Ps. 139:13. • ‘The human embryo has the right to proper respect. Test tube babies are real babies not simple embryos to be manipulated, frozen or left to die.’ (Catholic Truth Society, 1985) • ‘He is the giver of life to all.’ (Adi Granth) • ‘By Divine Law are beings created;… Others by His Law are whistled around in cycles of births and deaths.’ (Japji Sahib)

29. Section B Religious Responses to Contemporary IssuesB2 Religious Attitudes to Matters of Life • (a)(i) What is transplant surgery? Target: Definition of the technical term • When someone else’s organs are put into a patient. • Credit ideas linked to xenotransplantation and embryonic stem cells. Do not credit transplanting blood (i.e. transfusion). (1 mark) AO1 • (ii) Explain two reasons why some religious people are in favour of transplantsurgery. Target: Understanding of why some religious people support transplant surgery • It can save life / act of giving / God has inspired the development of it so we should use it / sanctity of life / stewardship of our body after death, etc. • Allow 1 mark maximum for each of 2 reasons given with a further 1 mark for development of each reason. (4 marks) AO1

30. B2 Religious Attitudes to Matters of Life • (b) What is the difference between fertility treatment and surrogacy? Target: Identification of difference between fertility treatment and surrogacy Fertility treatment • A scientific method of making a woman pregnant which does not involve sex. Surrogacy • Woman’s egg fertilised by another woman’s partner. Resultant baby handed over at birth to father and wife / partner. Comparison • Main difference therefore is over who keeps the resultant baby – surrogacy usually uses fertility treatment. • Allow maximum 2 marks for 2 accurate definitions that imply the difference or for difference accurately explained. (2 marks) AO1

31. B2 Religious Attitudes to Matters of Life • (c) Explain religious attitudes to cloning. You should refer to beliefs and teachingsfrom either two religions or two Christian denominations in your answer. Target: Explanation of how beliefs and teachings affect attitudes to cloning • Levels of Response (for each of two religions or Christian denominations 2 x 4marks) • Maximum Level 2 for no specific religious beliefs and teachings. • Possible benefits of therapeutic cloning in providing organs for transplant / could lead to the improvement of the human race which God would approve of / using cloning • techniques commercially for food purposes / nightmare scenario of cloned tyrants, • dictators, etc. / we have no right to do this – only God has this right / clones will not • possess a soul and therefore perhaps no hope of God / “designer” babies could be born, etc. / ‘Playing God’ / unnatural / link to idea of being sacred / unknown consequences of actions / commercial exploitation / those cloned embryos or zygotes that die will have been murdered / merely an extension of IVF / the cells that are disposed of have potential for life but cannot be said to be viable. Ideas of stewardship (khalifals) and dominion related to animals.

32. B2 Religious Attitudes to Matters of Life • (c) Explain religious attitudes to cloning. You should refer to beliefs and teachingsfrom either two religions or two Christian denominations in your answer. Target: Explanation of how beliefs and teachings affect attitudes to cloning • Levels of Response (for each of two religions or Christian denominations 2 x 4marks) (8 marks) AO2 • Sikhism God is creator / cycle of birth, death and rebirth denies possibility of human interference / cloning can be seen as an extension of IVF treatment and so make it possible for couples to have possibility of children / also, cloning can be seen as another way of helping people who are sick / motives are also important – greed and selfishness are not part of Sikh way of life. • Christianity God is creator and sustainer of life / each person conceived and born is unique and part of God’s plan / intention to do good or harm is important / destruction of unwanted genetic material is murder and therefore a sin / Bible teaches that each person is known by God in the womb / teachings about love suggest that we should do all possible to help those who are suffering / the Bible teaches that human beings were given the ability to share in the creative work of God / to be able to recreate replicas of different organs will be sign of God’s love for those whose own organs are damaged.

33. B2 Religious Attitudes to Matters of Life (d) ‘Everyone has the right to be a parent.’ • Do you agree? Give reasons for your answer showing you have thought aboutmore than one point of view. Refer to religious arguments in your answer. Target: Evaluation of the right to be a parent A well-argued response, with evidence of reasoned consideration of two different points of view and clear reference to religion. (5 marks) AO3 Agree • Basic human right / religions give a responsibility to have children / having children is one • of the purposes of marriage Sikhism and Christianity / God inspires scientists to develop new ‘artificial techniques’ of conception to reinforce this right / children have a responsibility to support their parents • when elderly / we were created with the ability to have children / children are a sign of God’s favour / same sex couples. Other views • Rights have to be earned and some (paedophiles, rapists, etc.) forfeit that right / caring • for children is more important than having children / infertile couples are infertile for a • reason (e.g. Zechariah and Elizabeth) / children are a gift from God, not a right / same sex couples.