WJEC
RE Model
Answers
Unit 2

Religion and medicine
Religion and medicine
1.
a. Explain what religious believers mean by the term conscience.
Conscience is an innate moral sense that guides actions and responses. For example when
faced with a moral dilemma it is often our conscience that directs us towards doing what
is right/good.
b. Explain how having a religious faith might influence someone’s choices in matters of
life and death.
Christians believe their faith helps them make important choices in life. Christians place
great importance on the sanctity of life. They believe life is a sacred gift given to us by
God and therefore ought to be respected. Many Christians will pray, read the bible or talk
to a priest or vicar about important choices relating to life and death they may be faced
with. Christians try to do what is right. They try to follow the will of God though this is
sometimes very difficult especially when dealing with medical ethics. For example is
abortion or euthanasia ever right and if so when?
c.
‘It’s your body, you should be
able to do what you want with it’
Give two reasons why a religious believer might agree or disagree with this
statement.
(i)Some Christians would agree with this statement. They might say that God has given
us free will to make decisions about what we do with our own bodies. Some Christians
believe that the individual has a right to choose what happens to their body and others
should respect this right even if they disagree with the choices we make.
(ii)Some other Christians will disagree with this statement. They might say that to do
whatever we want to our bodies is selfish and we ought to stop and think about the
consequences our actions have on others. For example does a foetus have rights or the
relatives of the person that wants to end their life? Failure to think of others is selfish and
unchristian.
d. Explain from two different religious traditions the teachings about abortion.
(You must state the religious traditions you are referring to)
Catholic view = The Catholic Church take an absolute stance on abortion. The Catechism
teaches that all human life including the life of the unborn is a precious and sacred gift
given to us by God. They believe abortion is a sin because it violates the sanctity of life.
Pope Benedict described abortion as ‘an intrinsically evil act’ that is beyond any
justification. Therefore even in difficult situations such as when a girl has been raped or a
foetus is severely disabled the Catholic Church remains totally opposed to abortion. They
believe that the killing of the innocent is always wrong.
Quaker view = Quakers take a relative view of abortion. They believe that the individual
must search their own conscience and act in a way that is best for them. Therefore most
Quakers will allow and support the right of a mother to choose whether or not she wishes
to have an abortion and they would pray that the mother is guided by the Holy Spirit to
make the correct choice. Quakers are well known for their tolerant attitude towards others
and the decisions that they make. They tend to try and understand the choices a person
makes rather than simply condemning them.
e. ‘Doctors should do what the patients ask them to do’
Do you agree? Give reasons or evidence for your answer, showing that you have
thought about more than one point of view. You must include reference to religious
beliefs in your answer.
Many Christians and indeed religious believers from other faiths will disagree with this
statement. They will point out that doctors are in a privileged position of power and trust
and that they should never abuse this position. At the beginning of their medical careers
doctors take the Hippocratic Oath. This is a promise that they will never do anything to
damage or destroy human life. Many Christians for example Catholics would say that
because of this doctors should not consider carrying out abortions or euthanasia and
should instead always respect the sanctity of life.
In the case of voluntary euthanasia some people would argue that the patient’s wishes
should be respected especially if that person had little quality of life. However many
religious believers would say that sometimes patients don’t know what is in their best
interests. Some patients would feel pressurised into ending their lives because they feel
they are a burden to their families and to the health service. Other patients are depressed
because of illness and in need of treatment not being killed.
Some Christians would argue that doctors should not carry out IVF treatment either
because it is unnatural. If God has decided for whatever reason that a person is not to
have children then God’s will ought to be respected. Doctors have no right playing God
even if it is what the patient wants.
Some people will say that a person has the right to decide what they want to do with
their bodies and that doctors should accept this. If a person is a sensible adult it is their
right to choose what happens to them. They have the right to exercise their free will
regardless of what others may think.
I think doctors have a moral and legal responsibility to care for their patients and
sometimes this will mean acting in a way different to what patients might want. They are
the experts and often know what is in our best interests even if we disagree.
2.
a. Explain what religious believers mean by the term free will.
This relates to the belief that nothing is determined. For example when making moral
decisions I am free to choose which course of action to take. I can do what is right or
what is wrong, the decision is mine.
b. Explain how having a religious faith might support the view that life is special.
Christians believe that life is a special gift given to us by God. Christians believe that
human beings are made in the ‘image and likeness of God’ and because of this all human
life is sacred. Christians believe their bodies are temples and that the Holy Spirit lives in
each one of us. Christians believe people should treat each other with dignity and respect
because human life is so important (sanctity of life). This is also the reason why they are
so against killing – ‘thou shall not kill’.
c.
‘Free will means that I can
choose when to end my life’
Give two reasons why a religious believer might agree or disagree with this
statement.
(i)Some Christians believe that God has given us free will so that we can take control of
our own lives and make the important decisions in life including whether or not to end
our own lives. This is why some Christians support euthanasia. They believe that a person
has the right to live with dignity and when illness takes this away the person should be
free to end their own life. Free will gives a person choice, power and responsibility.
(ii)Some other Christians disagree. They believe that only God has the right to decide
when a person’s life is to end. Life was given by God therefore it belongs to him and only
he should decide when it ends. Life is a sacred gift from God and to destroy life is a
mortal sin.
d. Explain from two different religious traditions the teachings about euthanasia.
(You must state the religious traditions you are referring to)
Catholic view = Catholic teachings take an absolute position on euthanasia. Catholics
believe that all human life is sacred (sanctity of life) and ought to be respected. The
commandment says ‘thou shall not kill’ and Catholics believe this refers to euthanasia
also. Even in a situation where a person is suffering greatly and wants to die the Church
teaches that this is a sin. Life is precious and every effort must be made to protect and
preserve life even where the quality of life is low. Pope John Paul II once famously said
‘we live in the midst of a titanic struggle between a culture of death and the Gospel of
life’. He taught that we should always choose life over death.
Quaker view = Quakers take a relative approach to euthanasia. This means they make a
decision on euthanasia based on the particular situation. Therefore in some situations
Quakers would respect a person’s wish to end their life prematurely especially in cases
where a person was terminally ill and suffering greatly. However Quakers value life very
highly and would encourage people to live with illness where possible because even when
a person is very ill they can often still enjoy a quality of life. Euthanasia should therefore
never be seen as a first choice. Quakers seek to embrace and cherish life; they seek to find
the good in every situation even when this is extremely difficult.
e. ‘Life belongs to God, nobody should intervene’
Do you agree? Give reasons or evidence for your answer, showing that you have
thought about more than one point of view. You must include reference to religious
beliefs in your answer.
Many Christians would agree with this statement. According to the book of Genesis God
made man ‘in his own image and likeness’. Christians consider human life to be sacred
because it was God given and because they believe the Holy Spirit lives in each one of us.
Many Christians believe that people have no right making life and death decisions
whether this be in relation to abortion, euthanasia, IVF, the death penalty etc.
Many religious believers from other faiths including Jews, Muslims, Hindus and
Sikhs also believe that all life belongs to God. God is considered to be the supreme
creator and therefore only he has the right to make life and death decisions. For people to
try and play the role of God is wrong/sinful.
However there are many people that would disagree with this statement. For example
atheists believe there is no God therefore life belongs to the individual. Therefore when it
comes to making life and death decisions many atheists believe that the person should
decide for themselves what they wish to do. They do this by following their own
conscience.
Some religious believers believe that God creates life but then he gives it over to us
and it is therefore our right to make life and death decisions in relation to issues such as
abortion and euthanasia. God gave us free will to make decisions. He also gave us
instructions and guidance to help us make the correct decisions through the bible, Jesus
and the Church.
I think all life does belong to God because he has complete authority over all of
creation. God gave us life therefore he alone has the right to decide when that life should
end. Once people begin to play God it causes a lot of problems for example do doctors
have the right to create ‘designer babies’ or end someone’s life because they believe the
person has no real quality of life?
3.
a. Explain what religious believers mean by the term Hippocratic Oath.
This is a special promise made by those working in medicine to do their best to preserve
life. For example this means a doctor should always try and treat their patients to the best
of their ability and never to harm or breach patient confidentiality.
b. Explain how having a religious faith might influence a persons’ attitude towards
abortion.
Some Christians e.g. Catholics are against abortion because it violates the sanctity of life.
Catholics believe all life including that of the unborn is a sacred gift from God and ought
to be protected. Many Catholics join organisations such as Pro-Life or SPUC to campaign
on behalf of the unborn. These religious believers see abortion as breaking the
commandment ‘thou shall not kill’. Abortion for them can never be justified.
c.
‘People should be able to choose
the gender of their baby’
Give two reasons why a religious believer might agree or disagree with this
statement.
(i)Some Christians will disagree with this view because they think any kind of genetic
engineering is unnatural. God chooses who should be born what gender they should be,
what eye and hair colour they will have and the type of person they will become. People
have no right interfering in the natural process and trying to play the role of God.
(ii)Some other Christians may disagree. They might argue that God gave us intelligence
so that we could improve the natural order. God allowed us to develop the skills and
technologies needed to be able to carry out IVF or genetic engineering. God also gave us
a conscience and free will to make difficult decisions in life. Therefore if done for the
right reasons then people should be allowed to choose the gender of their baby.
d. Explain from two different religious traditions the teachings about free will.
(You must state the religious traditions you are referring to)
Catholic view = The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that when God created
mankind he created rational and intelligent creatures. God gave mankind the ability to
control his own actions. Free will allows a person to shape their own life. Catholics
believe that free will is a force for growth and maturity in truth and goodness. If used
correctly free will should direct us back to God, we will act in a way that pleases God and
allows us to achieve salvation. If used incorrectly free will allows a person to sin and
move away from God. Church teachings help Catholics to use their free will correctly.
Quaker view = Quakers believe that there are many paths to God. They believe that God
reveals himself to people in different ways and therefore people have the freedom to
listen to the truth revealed to them and then act according to their own conscience.
Quakers, unlike Catholics do not believe in absolute truths such as ‘abortion is always
wrong’. They believe that the right thing to do varies depending on the situation. They
will use free will to try and do the most loving thing in a particular situation. Quakers
believe that silent worship and God’s Spirit will help them use their free will correctly.
e. ‘Decisions about birth and death should be left to God’.
Do you agree? Give reasons or evidence for your answer, showing that you have
thought about more than one point of view. You must include reference to religious
beliefs in your answer.
Many Christians will agree with this statement. Christians consider God to be the
supreme authority because he is the creator of everything that exists. Christians also
believe that God is omnipotent (all powerful), omnibenevloent (all loving) and omniscient
(all knowing) and because of this God alone has the right to make decisions about birth
and death.
Some Christians would disagree with the statement. They might claim that whilst God
is the supreme authority he nevertheless gave us free will and dominion over the earth
and the creatures in it. God trusted mankind and gave us the skills and abilities to make
important decisions including those about birth and death. This is why some Christians
will support abortion as ‘the lesser of two evils’ in some cases i.e. rape or if the mother’s
life is at risk (this is also known as the theory of double effect). It is also the reason why
some Christians support euthanasia. They argue that God would not want people to
needlessly suffer and that a truly loving and merciful society would pass laws that allow a
person the right to die when there is no quality of life.
Atheists would argue that God does not exist and that man alone should make the
important decisions about life and death. Some would say that laws are made by people
based on what people want and what they think is right.
I think there is too much interfering in the natural process concerning life and death.
Increasingly people and particularly doctors are playing the role of God and I think this is
causing many problems that could easily be avoided. For example women in their 60s
receiving fertility treatment or people in wheelchairs claiming they have no quality of life
at all and wish to die. For me neither of these examples is right and should not be
allowed.
4.
a. Explain what religious believers mean by the term medical ethics.
These are the moral principles that affect medical issues and practices. For example it is
generally considered wrong for a doctor to deliberately harm his/her patients.
b. Explain how having a religious faith might influence a person’s views on euthanasia.
Some Christians believe that an all loving God (omnibenevolent) would not want a
person to suffer immense pain and indignity when there is no hope of recovery. They
would argue that in cases where there is very little or no quality of life at all then a
person ought to be allowed to die. In some cases euthanasia is the most loving and
merciful thing to do. To allow a person to carry on suffering is not only cruel it is also
unchristian. Jesus used miracles to end the suffering of others but in situations where
miracles are not forthcoming a person’s right to die with dignity should be respected.
c.
‘Hospice care is better than
euthanasia’
Give two reasons why a religious believer might agree or disagree with this
statement.
(i)Some Christians would agree. They would argue that palliative care is often so good
that many patients are in little if any pain at all. Also every effort is made in hospices to
protect the dignity of patients. Time spent here is also very valuable as it gives loved ones
time to spend in each other’s company. Dying naturally also respects the sanctity of life.
(ii)Some other Christians would disagree. Patients in hospices are often in a lot of pain
and discomfort. Even when powerful painkillers are used to remove physical pain there
remains the mental torture of dealing with your own death and the grief this causes loved
ones. Christianity is based on love, compassion, mercy and empathy. Surly these values
allow for a person to have their lives ended prematurely avoiding continual needless
suffering and indignity when all quality of life has been removed.
d. Explain from two different religious traditions the teachings about IVF.
(You must state the religious traditions you are referring to)
Catholic view = The Catholic Church teaches that fertility treatment is unnatural and
therefore immoral. Through IVF embryos are discarded or used for medical research and
this violates the sanctity of life, given that life begins (according to Catholics) at
conception not birth. In the Acts of the Apostles we are told that ‘every child whether
born or unborn is a child of God’ therefore the destruction of embryos is a violation of the
commandment ‘thou shall not kill’. Artificial Insemination is equally unnatural and given
that sperm from a donor is often used it violates the exclusive relationship between
husband and wife. Furthermore Psalm 127 clearly points out ‘children are a gift; a reward
from God’. Therefore Catholics believe children are a precious gift not an absolute right
that every person has.
Quaker view = Quakers are generally in favour of IVF. Many Quakers believe that
fertility treatment aids and assists the natural process of creation and therefore ought to be
welcomed and embraced. After all we have been instructed by God in the book of
Genesis to ‘go forth and multiply’ and fertility treatment helps this to happen. Fertility
treatment allows infertile people to experience the love and joy of parenthood and brings
a sense of fulfilment to those involved. The failure to have children can cause pain and
tension within a relationship. Fertility treatment can help overcome these problems and is
therefore seen as a good thing by many Quakers.
e. ‘Scientific advancements cause more problems than they solve’.
Do you agree? Give reasons or evidence for your answer, showing that you have
thought about more than one point of view. You must include reference to religious
beliefs in your answer.
Some Christians would agree with this statement. Advancements in science are making
medical ethics more and more complicated. Whilst developments in science and
technology help to save lives and to improve the quality of peoples’ lives it does cause
new problems. Contraception, fertility treatment, designer babies, cloning etc simply
weren’t problems until relatively quite recently. Now due to advancements in science
doctors are increasing playing the role of God when it comes to making important
decisions relating to life or death. Some Christians argue this is unnatural and immoral.
Take the example of abortion. Advances in science means that more illnesses or
abnormalities can be detected during the course of the pregnancy and this might well
encourage more women to have abortions. This for many Christians is a violation the
sanctity of life.
Some Christians and religious believers of other faiths would argue that scientific
advancements solve more problems than they cause for example new and more effective
medicines and procedures such as the ability to save premature babies as young as 22
weeks. Science also allows us to have a more developed knowledge and understanding of
the universe.
I think science is a tool and just like any other tool it can be put to good use or it can
be abused. This is not the fault of science but the people that use it. Therefore
advancements in science can be of great use but it can undoubtedly cause many problems
also.
5.
a. Explain what religious believers mean by the term quality of life.
This refers to the extent to which life is meaningful and pleasurable. For example a fit and
healthy young person would be said to have a very good quality of life.
b. Explain how having a religious faith might influence a persons’ attitude towards
IVF.
Catholics are taught that fertility treatment is unnatural and therefore immoral. Through
IVF embryos are discarded or used for medical research and this violates the sanctity of
life, given that life begins (according to Catholics) at conception not birth. In the Acts of
the Apostles we are told that ‘every child whether born or unborn is a child of God’
therefore the destruction of embryos is a violation of the commandment ‘thou shall not
kill’. Catholics would therefore avoid using IVF and encourage others to do likewise.
c.
‘Euthanasia is always
wrong’
Give two reasons why a religious believer might agree or disagree with this
statement.
(i)Some Christians would agree with this statement. They believe that human life is of
great value. Biblical teachings that reflect this view include, ‘God created man in his own
image’, ‘you yourselves are God’s temple’ and ‘rescue the weak and the needy’. Perhaps
the clearest teaching about the sacredness of human life comes from the Commandment
‘thou shall not kill’ instead Christians are expected to ‘love their neighbour’. Euthanasia it
would seem goes against these teachings.
(ii)Some other Christians believe that in certain circumstances doctors ought to assist in
the ending of someone’s life. In such cases the patient may be in extreme pain and
discomfort due to a terminal and debilitating illness and therefore have no real quality of
life. Or perhaps the patient is in a persistent vegetative state (P.V.S.). These Christians
feel that helping someone to die with dignity is the right thing to do. They often argue that
God loves us and that He would never want people to suffer needlessly. Therefore those
who assist others in their death through active euthanasia are motivated by a sense of
love, compassion and empathy and these are considered to be key Christian values.
d. Explain from two different religious traditions the teachings about medical ethics.
(You must state the religious traditions you are referring to)
Catholic view = The Catholic Church teaches that all medical research and treatments
ought to respect the sanctity of life. They believe that the natural law as intended by God
should be respected. The Catholic Church believes that certain medical treatments are
wrong such as abortions, euthanasia, and IVF because they go against the natural order.
The Church considers these actions to be sinful because human life is being destroyed.
The Catholic Church takes an absolute position in protecting all forms of human life
whether it be that of the embryo, the foetus or the terminally ill pensioner – ‘all human
life is sacred and must be protected’.
Quaker view = Quakers do not hold one clear set of teachings in relation to medical
ethics. Instead they allow each individual to search their own conscience and decide for
themselves whether or not certain medical treatments are justified or not. Therefore in
certain situations some Quakers would support a woman’s right to choose in relation to
abortion or for childless couples to undergo fertility treatment. Similarly in certain
situations some Quakers would respect the wishes of a person who wanted to die.
Quakers believe that there are many paths to God and that they should be respectful and
tolerant of the views of others. They try not to judge or condemn the actions of others
instead they try to be understanding.
e. ‘A women should not be able to ask for an abortion’
Do you agree? Give reasons or evidence for your answer, showing that you have
thought about more than one point of view. You must include reference to religious
beliefs in your answer.
Catholics and some other Christians would agree with this statement. The Catholic
Church teaches that no woman has the right to ask for an abortion. According to their
teachings human life begins at the moment of conception and that all human life is a
sacred gift given to us by God. As such we have a moral responsibility to protect and
preserve life in all its forms especially that of the weak and the vulnerable – ‘rescue the
weak and the vulnerable: deliver them from the hand of the wicked’. Organisations such
as S.P.U.C and Pro-Life support the Catholic viewpoint on abortion. The Salvation Army
hold a similar viewpoint. They too believe that every effort must be made to treasure and
cherish human life however in extreme cases they will allow abortion for example if the
foetus was the product of an incestuous relationship.
Many Christians will use biblical teachings to support their views on abortion.
They may refer to the commandment ‘thou shall not kill’, or the teaching in Genesis that
‘God created man in his own image and likeness’ to support their claims. Biblical and
church teachings are often used as evidence to support and justify certain ethical
viewpoints.
Some Christians disagree with this statement. They believe that a woman should
be allowed to ask for an abortion in certain conditions. Despite claiming to recognise and
appreciate the sanctity of human life certain Christians amongst them some Anglicans,
Lutherans, Baptists and Methodists claim that in certain situations abortions are
permissible. Reasons for this may include if the woman has been raped. Or perhaps she is
too young, too poor or the baby she is carrying is severely disabled. Many within the
United Reformed Church hold similar viewpoints. Here abortion is regarded as the lesser
of two evils.
Some Pro-choice supporters claim that a woman has a right to decide what
happens to her body and if she wants to have an abortion even for social reasons i.e.
pregnancy interferes with education, career, looking good in a bikini while on holiday etc.
then this is her right.
I personally believe that abortion is wrong and I believe the law that permits
abortion in the UK ought to changed. This would help to reduce the number of abortions
that take place each year (approx. 43 million worldwide!!!). Whilst I can empathise with
the girl who has been raped or living in extreme poverty nevertheless I don’t quite see
how this justifies abortion. Alternatives such as adoption, fostering or care homes still
exist. I consider the unborn themselves to be innocent and voiceless and as such I believe
that we have a moral duty to do all in our power to protect them.
6.
a. Explain what religious believers mean by the term sanctity of life.
This means life is precious and utterly priceless. For example a person’s life should never
be bought or sold because it is beyond monetary value.
b. Explain how having a religious faith might influence someone’s attitude towards
medical ethics.
Many religious people have very clear views about medical ethics. Catholics for example
are taught that abortions, euthanasia and IVF are wrong because they go against the
sanctity of life. They believe that in all three cases human life is being destroyed and this
goes against the commandment ‘thou shall not kill’. Another example of how a person’s
religious faith might affect their attitude towards medical ethics is that of Jehovah
witnesses and their views on blood transfusions. Jehovah Witnesses believe that the bible
forbids the ingesting of blood therefore even in a medical emergency they will refuse
blood transfusions.
c.
‘If the doctors can do it,
then it must be right’
Give two reasons why a religious believer might agree or disagree with this
statement.
(i)Some Christians will disagree with statement. Just because someone can do something
this does not mean that they ought to do it. Doctors can perform abortions yet many
religious believers such as Catholics would criticise them for doing so because they
believe this goes against the sanctity of life and is therefore sinful.
(ii)Some other Christians will disagree with this statement because there have been
examples of doctors acting in ways that have gone against the wishes of their patients and
their families. An extreme example was Harold Shipman who was a family GP from
Manchester. He killed many elderly patients in his care despite having taken the
Hippocratic Oath. Just because he had the medical expertise to act in this way did not
make it right. Religious believers from all different faiths were appalled at his actions.
d. Explain from two different religious traditions the teachings about the sanctity of
life.
(You must state the religious traditions you are referring to)
Catholic view = The sanctity of life is an important part of Catholic teachings. Catholics
believe that all human life is created by God and is therefore sacred. Catholics believe
that humans are created in ‘the image and likeness of God’ and that any violation of the
sanctity of life is sinful. We are the reflection of God. His image is captured in us. This
highlights the special bond that exists between God and mankind. We are not the product
of some random event. There is nothing accidental about us. We are valuable and
precious in his eyes. This belief is reinforced by the commandment ‘thou shall not kill’
because of this many Catholics are against war, capital punishment, abortion, suicide and
euthanasia.
Quaker view = Quakers tend not to hold absolute views in relation to most things.
However Quakers do strongly believe in the value of human life. Quakers believe that we
should treat one another with dignity and respect. This is why Quakers are so against the
use of violence and war. However in certain situations Quakers will accept the use of
artificial contraception, abortion, fertility treatment and even euthanasia. They are very
much guided by their individual conscience and if in a particular situation a person’s
conscience allowed it then they would consider this course of action to be right.
e. ‘Euthanasia is just another name for murder’
Do you agree? Give reasons or evidence for your answer, showing that you have
thought about more than one point of view. You must include reference to religious
beliefs in your answer.
Some Christians would disagree with this statement. They believe that in certain
circumstances doctors ought to be allowed to assist in the ending of someone’s life. In
such cases the patient may be in extreme pain and discomfort due to a terminal and
debilitating illness. Or perhaps the patient is in a persistent vegetative state (P.V.S.) and
has no quality of life. Some Christians feel that helping someone to die with dignity is
the right thing to do and is therefore no way like murder. They often argue that God loves
us and that He would never want people to suffer needlessly. Therefore those who assist
others in their death through active euthanasia are motivated by a sense of love,
compassion and empathy and these are considered to be key Christian values. Refusing to
end the suffering of another is cruel and inhumane. This is the view taken by Debbie
Purdy and her supporters. She is campaigning for a change in British law that would
allow her husband to assist her in her death abroad but avoid prosecution on return to this
country.
There are also those in society who claim that a person ought to have the right to
decide how and when their life is to end. It may be argued that this is a basic human right
which respects the free will of the individual. Pro euthanasia groups such as Dignitas and
Exit support this viewpoint. Again they reject claims that euthanasia is similar to murder.
Many Christians strongly oppose all forms of active euthanasia. They believe that
human life is of great value. Biblical teachings that reflect this view include, ‘God created
man in his own image’, ‘you yourselves are God’s temple’ and ‘rescue the weak and the
needy’. Perhaps the clearest teaching about the sacredness of human life comes from the
Commandment ‘thou shall not kill’ instead Christians are expected to ‘love their
neighbour’. Catholics take an absolute stance against all forms of active euthanasia.
Teachings from Vatican II make this very clear, ‘life must be protected with the utmost
care’. Pope Paul VI later declared ‘human life is sacred; all men must recognise this’.
I personally believe that all forms of active euthanasia are morally wrong and I do
think them similar to murder. The taking away of human life is in my opinion always
wrong. Whilst I can empathise with the person who is terminally ill and wants their
suffering to be brought to an end, I still believe alternatives exist. The vast majority of
pain can be managed and many people can still enjoy a certain degree of quality of life
despite their illness. Life ought to be cherished and celebrated not devalued and brought
to a premature end. Finally many people have gone on to recover despite being told their
illness was ‘terminal’.