Advanced Higher RMPS Medical Ethics

The Sanctity of Life Many religious people believe that life is sacred, this means that it is holy and given by God. To support the argument that life is sacred they could say: Life is a gift from God Our life is not our own, it belongs to God Only God can decide when a person dies In Genesis 1 Adam (mankind) is created in the image of God The breath of God gives life to Adam Psalm 119:73 “Your hands made and fashioned me” Psalm 139: “For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb” No one can interfere with life or death as no one can know the mind of God God may have a plan for us, interference with that plan is going against God

Beginning of Life The sanctity of life argument is applied to life at its earliest stages. Many religious authorities claim that life begins at the moment of conception. Each life is unique and created by God. The question of when life begins is a contentious issue for a lot of reasons. The Catholic Church teaches that life begins at the moment of conception and therefore, that life is sacred. The fifth Commandment states ‘thou shall not kill’. Pope John Paul the second said that abortion was murder and that it was a ‘gravely immoral act’. The Church of England sees abortion as a ‘great moral evil’ and only accept in the case where the life of the mother is at risk.

End of Life In the Catholic Church, life is no less sacred at the end than It is at the beginning. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: 2258 "Human life is sacred because from its beginning it involves the creative action of God and it remains for ever in a special relationship with the Creator, who is its sole end. God alone is the Lord of life from its beginning until its end: no one can under any circumstance claim for himself the right directly to destroy an innocent human being."56

Euthanasia 2268 The fifth commandment forbids direct and intentional killing as gravely sinful. The murderer and those who cooperate voluntarily in murder commit a sin that cries out to heaven for vengeance.69 The Catechism states that it is wrong in anyway to end someone’s life. Above is a link to the Catechism on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide. Christians believe that death is part of the life processes which God has created, so we should respect them. Above is a link to the BBC web site that may be useful The Catholic Church condemns any interference with the end of life, even if that person has asked for help in dying.