RELIGIOUS ATTITUDES TO EARLY LIFE

THE MIRACLE OF LIFE WHY IS A BABY CONSIDERED A BLESSING? WHEN DOES LIFE BEGIN? Gift from God Has a bit of God inside it (Body is a temple of the Holy Spirit) Not everyone can get pregnant naturally, therefore those who can are lucky The chance of miscarriage is quite high This is an important question because once life has begun, a person has rights, these rights include the right not to be killed. We need to understand when life begins so that we can decide when, if at all, abortion can be acceptable. At conception because all the DNA needed as there are this point At 3 weeks when the spinal column start to develop At 4 weeks when the heart starts to beat - traditionally been associated with being alive VIABILITY At 24 weeks because at this stage it has more than a 50% chance of survival and can no longer be legally aborted (except for severe disability or harm to the mother) At birth because at this point it is no longer dependent on the mother’s body for survival. Legally considered a person WHAT WOULD CHRISTIANS SAY? Christians believe that a life begins from the moment of conception. AUTHORITY In the Bible it says BELIEF This suggests CONTEXT Therefore Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you Life begins before birth Babies are considered to be alive long before they are actually born and as such are entitled to protection

IDEAS ABOUT LIFE SANCTITY OF LIFE QUALITY OF LIFE PRESSURE GROUPS The idea that all life is a special gift from God – it is up to God to give and take life away STRENGTH Values and respects all life – recognises that disabled people can live full and happy lives WEAKNESS Ignores that some people live with painful illnesses that mean they cannot live enjoyable independent lives The idea that it is what you are able to do with your life that is important, eg can you do things for yourself, are you in pain etc STRENGTH Looks at each situation individually and means that people do not have to have a baby if it is only going to suffer WEAKNESS No clear rules to follow, what some people see as a serious disability others may see as acceptable Jessica Cox was born with no arms yet lives a full and happy life, doing actually more than most able bodied people Jonny Kennedy was born with an incurable skin disease that left him in constant pain and unable to do most things independently PRO-LIFE Believes that the foetus has a right to life because… 1, The foetus can feel pain after a certain point in pregnancy 2,All life is special and everyone has something to offer the world 3, Unwanted children could be adopted PRESSURE GROUPS PRO-CHOICE Believes that the mother has the right to choose because… 1, It is her body that is put at risk during the pregnancy and birth 2,If a child will have a poor quality of life, it is not fair to make it suffer 3, If she has been raped, it could be too traumatic for her to carry the baby A pressure group is a group that campaigns for changes in society. Pro-choice and Pro-Life are both pressure groups that campaign for changes in the law to abortion.

WHAT WOULD CHRISTIANS SAY? ABORTION WHAT WOULD CHRISTIANS SAY? ROMAN CATHOLICS CHURCH OF ENGLAND In the Bible it says… This suggests to Christians that… Therefore… Do not kill Taking life is wrong Abortion is wrong because it is the taking of a life Your body is a temple of the holy spirit Everyone has a bit of God inside them Abortion is wrong because it is killing a bit of God Before I formed you in the womb I knew you Babies are alive long before they are born Abortion is wrong because it is killing something that is already alive Stick closely to the rules in the Bible (Do not kill) and only accept harming a foetus if it is as a result of doing something to save the mother’s life. Follow the example of Jesus who broke the rules if he thought it was the kindest thing to do. SANCTITY OF LIFE VIEW QUALITY OF LIFE VIEW Would abortion be acceptable if… The mother’s life was at risk The baby would be severely disabled The pregnancy was caused through rape The mother is very young* The mother is very poor The mother just doesn’t want the baby YES – better to lose one life than risk losing 2 NO – all life is special and has value to God NO – its not the child’s fault how it was conceived NO – she can be given support or have it adopted NO - she can be given support or have it adopted NO – she can have it adopted YES – not fair to make the baby suffer YES – too traumatic for the mother Roman Catholic Church of England *This is assuming that her age does not put her life at risk and she has not been raped

WHAT WOULD CHRISTIANS SAY? RIGHTS AND THE LAW TOO SOFT? Some people believe the law is too soft as although on paper we do not have abortion ‘on demand’ it is very easy for a woman to have one before 24 weeks, all she has to do is say that her mental health will suffer THE LAW LEGAL UP TO 24 WEEKS If the baby will be disabled If having the baby will affect the mother’s physical or mental health If having the baby will compromise the welfare of any existing children LEGAL AT ANY TIME If the baby will be severely disabled If the mother’s life is at risk Abortion was made legal in1967 because women were dying in unsafe at home abortions TOO LATE? Some people are concerned with the law as it allows foetuses to be easily aborted up to 24 weeks when babies born as early as 22 weeks have survived. Amillia Taylor survived after being born at 22 weeks WHAT WOULD CHRISTIANS SAY? In the Bible it says… This suggests Therefore… The body is a temple of the holy spirit Everyone has a bit of God inside them Christians would be keen to protect the right to life of the baby and the bit of God inside it. Christians do however believe that in the case of a pregnancy threatening the life of the mother, she has the right to abort the baby to protect her own life.

ALTERNATIVES TO ABORTION WHAT WOULD CHRISTIANS SAY? STRENGTH WEAKNESS Keeping the baby with financial support Can help people who want to keep their baby Does not help in cases of rape, disability or if the mother’s life is at risk Adoption – baby legally belongs to someone else Means that a baby does not have to be aborted because it can go to someone who wants it Fostering – baby is temporarily looked after by someone else The baby can be cared for by someone who is willing to Not a long term solution WHAT WOULD CHRISTIANS SAY? In the Bible it says… This suggests Therefore… The body is a temple of the holy spirit Everyone has a bit of God inside them Christians would be keen to promote alternatives to abortion where possible as it would mean that the bit of God inside the baby was not being destroyed. Christians do however believe that in the case of a pregnancy threatening the life of the mother, she has the right to abort the baby to protect her own life.