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
abortion the removal of a foetus from the
womb before it can survive
assisted suicide providing a seriously ill
person with the means to commit suicide
euthanasia the painless killing of someone
dying from a painful disease
immortality of the soul the idea that the
soul lives on after the death of the body
near-death experience when someone
about to die has an out of body experience



non-voluntary euthanasia ending
someone’s life painlessly when they are
unable to ask, but you have good reason
for thinking they would want you to do so
paranormal unexplained things which
are thought to have spiritual causes eg
ghosts, mediums
quality of life the idea that life must
have some benefits for it to be worth
living




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reincarnation the belief that, after
death, souls are reborn in a new body
resurrection the belief that, after death,
the body stays in the grave until the end
of the world when it is raised
sanctity of life the belief that life is holy
and belongs to God
voluntary euthanasia ending life
painlessly when someone in great pain
asks for death
Controversial things that people argue
over
Matters of Life and Death
Part 1 - Sanctity of Life

All Christians agree life is sacred
or holy because:



Given by God (Gift)
People made in God’s image
Jesus became human


Means human life special
Thou shall not kill

(6th commandment)
Euthanasia
(an easy, gentle death)
Voluntary – when someone requests it
Assisted Suicide – when a seriously ill
person is GIVEN THE MEANS to take
their own life

ALL CHRISTIANS ARE AGAINST IT
BECAUSE:
Sanctity of Life arguments
 Only God can give and take life
 Doctors should save life
 Take better care of dying

 Hospices:
doctors trained to ease suffering
But…

MANY Christians say it’s okay to
Switch off life support machines when
patients are brain dead (PVS) – called nonvoluntary Euthanasia because they can’t
request it. God has already taken the life of
brain-dead patients
 Give life shortening drugs to relieve pain
 Not perform expensive operations to extend
life (not strive to keep alive)
SOME Christians say it is wrong to
Switch off life support machines as
only God can take life.


1967 Abortion Act: 2 doctors must agree:
Abortion
-mother’s mental or physical health may be affected
-or the baby may be born severely disabled
1990 Act: Illegal after 24 weeks unless the
mother’s life at risk or the baby.

Roman Catholics




It’s wrong (Sanctity of
Life arguments)
Life begins at
conception
Murder (6th
commandment = Thou
shall not kill)
POPE says it’s a sin
(against God’s will)

Liberal Protestants


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It is undesirable, but
allowable
Lesser of two evils
Christ said ‘Love your
neighbour’
Remove suffering
Life doesn’t begin at
conception (viability?)
NON-RELIGIOUS ARGUMENTS
FOR AND AGAINST ABORTION



Woman’s right to
choose
Foetus part of
woman’s body
Back street abortions



Adoption alternative
Women can suffer
later
The foetus has a right
to life.
Part 2 - Life after death




The mind/soul is separate
from the body
Religions all teach there’s
LAD (Life After Death)
Paranormal (unexplained
things like ghosts, mediums
and near-death experiences)
God and the Bible (if you
believe in them you’ll probably
believe in LAD


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Death means the end so
LAD’s a contradiction
The mind/soul is just a part of
the brain when the body dies
no part of us lives on
No scientific proof of the
paranormal
No evidence of a spiritual
world
Holy books and religion
contradict each other
All Christians
think the soul
is immortal and
lives on after
Death.
The resurrection
of Jesus proves
there is LAD
Why do Christians
believe
in life after death?
(LAD)
Evidence of the
Paranormal
(ghosts, NDE,
Mediums etc)
The Bible talks
about Heaven,
Hell and
Judgement Day.
The Christian
Church and all
their leaders
say there
is LAD.
How do beliefs about LAD affect the life of a
Christian?
Christians believe if they have been faithful Christians they will
go to heaven.
So Christians will try and live a good life by following the Bible
and the teachings of the church.
WORSHIP
GOD EACH
SUNDAY
FEED THE
HUNGRY
LOVE GOD
PRAY
EVERYDAY
OBEY GOD’S
COMMANDS
& DON’T SIN
BEING A
GOOD
SAMARITAN
LOVE YOUR
NEIGHBOUR
GIVE TO
CHARITIES
LIKE
CHRISTIAN
AID
The Causes of World
Poverty

Natural Disasters


Many LEDCs (Less Economically
Developed Countries) like
BANGLADESH are in areas where
there are regular FLOODS,
EARTHQUAKES etc
Debt

Many LEDCs owe massive DEBTS to
the BANKS of RICH COUNTRIES for
money they borrowed in the PAST
for RELIEF and DEVELOPMENT. The
interest they pay on these loans
could have been spent on
development
Causes - cont

UNFAIR TRADE


Many LEDCs survive by growing more
PROFITABLE crops like COFFEE and
TEA. This farmland cannot then be used
to GROW FOOD.
WARS

LEDCs often suffer from WARS caused
by CORRUPT LEADERS or TRIBAL
DIVISION. This can create REFUGEES
who flee from their homes and need
SHELTER and FOOD.
How is Christian Aid trying to remove
world Poverty?
HOW???

SPEAKING OUT
Christian Aid CHALLENGES governments to ACT
on BEHALF of poor people and campaigns for every
poor community to have their basic human rights.
 Eg. they were involved in the MAKE

POVERTY HISTORY campaign

DISASTER AND EMERGENCY

Christian Aid has a disaster fund to deal with
natural Disasters. They give emergency aid eg.
Food, blankets, shelter and they raise funding
through appeals.
How and why Christian Aid is trying to
remove world Poverty…(continued)

DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES
Christian Aid works with over 600 partner
groups to help
long-term development.
 Eg. May support small businesses in a country that
make water pumps so improving the lives of the
makers and buyers of these machines.

•Jesus taught that people
should help the poor.
•The Bible says money should
be used to help others.
Why is Christian Aid trying to
end world poverty?
•On the Sermon
on the Mount
Jesus taught that
Christians should
share their
possessions to
help the poor.
•The Golden Rule
for Christians is to
treat other people
the way you
would like to be
treated. If we
were poor we’d
want help too!
How has an issue about matters of life and
death been presented in the media?
Programme: Reg Crew's Last Day
Channel: ITV
Issue: Euthanasia
Summary of programme:
Reg Crew's Last Day was a documentary
about Reg Crew a retired factory worker from Liverpool who
was suffering from motor neurone disease. The
documentary is about how Reg and his family travelled to
Switzerland in order to end Reg's life at an assisted suicide
clinic ran by Dignitas.
How was the issue presented?
It gave the viewer understanding and empathy about the
issue.
It gave arguments for and against euthanasia.
It was dealt with in a sensitive way.
It raised some religious views about euthanasia.
Was the programme fair to religious people
and religious beliefs?
Yes because…
No because…
 It raised some religious
 It did not give many religious
reasons why euthanasia
arguments against
is wrong, the presenter
euthanasia. Eg. 6th
says some say the
commandment, Sanctity of life
doctor is ‘playing
etc.
God’
 Reg says his life isn’t worth
 They did not say
living any more. Christians
anything to offend
would disagree with this as
religious beliefs they still
they would say every life is
emphasised the value of
sacred so valuable and worth
life. (Reg says he’s
saving.
not tired of life just
 The doctor says he’s not
tired of living)
playing God – Christians
 The issue was dealt with
would disagree.
sensitively.
 The documentary was onesided as the aim was to make
euthanasia legal in the UK.
Should the media be free to criticise religion?
No they shouldn’t because…
The media could
offend religious
people. This could
lead to protests
and violence.
Religious views are
believed to be from
God so the media
should not criticise
these beliefs.
Criticising religion
can stir up religious
hatred and violence.
Yes they should because…
Religious leaders use
the media to make
statements so the
media should be
able to criticise them.
Freedom of expression
is a basic human right.
Life and death issues are
important to everyone.
If the media are not able
to criticise people wont get
the full picture.