1. Environmental and medical issues
Unit 8 Religion and Society

2. What is causing global warming?
The greenhouse effect. The burning of fossil fuels (gas, coal and oil) produces carbon dioxide. This produces a barrier in the atmosphere rather like the glass in a greenhouse so the heat from the Sun can get through, but cannot get back out again.
Natural climate change. The Earth’s climate naturally fluctuations and in the last 10,000 years, the warmest period when before humans started to produce large amounts of carbon dioxide.
Solar activity. The heating effect of the Sun’s rays are normally kept from the Earth by clouds. When solar activity is high, solar winds cause fewer clouds to form in the Earth’s atmosphere, so more of the Sun’s heat reaches the Earth.
Scientists working on behalf of the United Nations are 95 percent confident that humans are the main cause of the current global warming. In fact the most recent report says that humans have most likely caused all of the global warming over the past 60 years.

3. How are we polluting the Earth? How can we help?
Human waste. Humans produce lots of waste in the form of sewage, refuse and litter. Plastic is currently a huge concern.
Acid Rain. Solutions include reducing the amount of fossil fuels we burn and putting catalyst converters on power stations.
Eutrophication. Solutions include not using fertilisers (i.e. organic farming) or using them more scientifically to only use what you need at the right time.
Radioactive pollution. Nuclear waste has to be reprocessed and buried. Solutions include using alternative energy sources, such as solar power.

4. How are we using natural resources?
There are two types of natural resources: Renewable resources that humans can use over and over again, e.g. solar power. Sometimes this technology is more expensive. Non-renewable resources that disappear once they are used, e.g. oil. As these resources run out they become more expensive. Do not assume natural resources means non-renewable resources. We are however oil-based and the running out of non-renewable resources will have a massive impact upon our lifestyle.
The possible solutions (4 Rs) include:
Reduce. Make everything smaller so that we use less resources. Cut down on waste.
Reuse. Use it again, for example, reusing plastic bags (plastic is made from oil and natural gas).
Recycle. Reprocess items into something else that we can use. Cars are made of 75% recycled materials.
Reinvent. Switch to renewable resources, for example generate electricity using solar power etc …

5. Why should Christians and Muslims care for the planet?
The Creation story (in Genesis) shows: God created the universe. It is clear that the earth still belongs to God not to humans: The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. Psalm 24:1 God gave human beings the responsibility of ruling over the world (Genesis 1:26-28). Some Christians have interpreted this story as giving people the right to exploit the environment. However, most people see themselves as being responsible for the world. In the Old Testament the Jews were told to rest the land once every 50 years so that it would produce more in the future (Leviticus 25:8-11). In the New Testament Jesus’ Parable of the Talents suggests Christians should use what God has given us and improve upon. We should not be preserving the Earth. Many Christians celebrate the environment by holding harvest festivals each year when they thank God for the harvest.
Muslims believe that God created the universe, handing over the Earth to humanity to look after it. Muslims use the Arabic word ‘khalifah’ for this idea of stewardship. The Qur’an states ‘I am placing on the earth one who shall rule as my deputy’. (Qur’an 2:30).
Muslims believe on the Day of Judgement, Allah will judge everyone on the way they have treated his creation.
All life is precious; Prophet Muhammad said: ‘All God’s creatures are His family, and he is the most beloved of God who does most good to God’s creatures’. Hadith.
Muslims also believe that God has provided all the resources we need to live on the Earth, but people should not waste these resources. The Qur’an says: ‘But waste not by excess: for God loves not the wasters. (Qur’an 6:141)
Finally all Muslims are part of a global community of Muslims called the Ummah, and should help other Muslims affected by environmental problems. Muslims are also meant to “show kindness … to near and distant neighbours” (Qur’an 4:36).

6. What are the medical treatments for infertility?
Artificial insemination (AI) is when sperm is inserted mechanically into the woman’s uterus. Artificial Insemination by husband (AIH) uses the husband’s (or partner’s) sperm. Artificial Insemination by donor (AID) uses the sperm of an anonymous donor.
In-vitro fertilisation (IVF) is when an egg from the woman is fertilised outside of the womb and then replaced in the womb. This is sometimes called a test-tube baby. The sperm can either be the husband’s (or partner’s) or an anonymous donor.
Surrogacy is usually when the egg and sperm of a woman and a man is fertilising using IVF and then placed into a surrogate woman’s womb. Surrogacy however can also be when a surrogate woman donates an egg that is then fertilised using IVF and placed into the other woman’s womb.
Infertility treatment is important because fertility is increasingly a problem in the UK. Not being able to have children can cause relationship and psychological problems for couples who are desperate to have children.

7. What are Christian and Muslim attitudes to infertility treatment?
The Roman Catholic Church believe that children are a gift from God. It only allow medical treatments in which:
Sex acts are natural and all infertility treatments use mechanical means.
And that do not involve the killing of embryos (as life begins at conception). Those embryos not used in IVF are thrown away.
Moreover all infertility treatments involve masturbation, which is a sin.
The Roman Catholic Church is therefore against infertility treatments.
Muslims allow AI and IVF when it is using the husband’s sperm. This is because:
It is using technology to bring about a family that all Muslims are expected to have. Muhammad had a large family.
It does not break the ten commandment verses ‘you shall not commit lewd acts’, lewd meaning any inappropriate sex such as adultery.
Muslims do not believe a foetus is a human being until ensoulment, 120 days into the pregnant. There are no issues with discarding embryos.
Other Christian Churches allow AI and IVF when it is using the husband’s sperm. This is because:
It is using technology to provide couples with the joy of children and is one of the purposes of a Christian marriage.
It does not break the commandment ‘Do not commit adultery’ (Exodus 20:14).
Life does not begin at conception and therefore discarded embryos is not breaking the commandment ‘Do not commit murder’ (Exodus 20:13).
Christians and Muslims do not agree with using donors and surrogacy as it causes confusion as to the parents of a child, possibly causing harm to the child when they find out.

8. What is transplant surgery?
Donation after brain stem death - most organ donors are patients diagnosed as brain dead. There are very strict standards for testing the brain is dead carried out by two experienced doctors. A ventilator provides oxygen, which keeps the heart beating and blood circulating after death. Organs such as hearts, lungs and livers can be donated. Donation after circulatory death - patients who die in hospital can mainly donate their kidneys. In these cases, the organs must be removed within a few minutes of the heart stopping to prevent them being damaged by a lack of oxygenated blood. This form of donation raises the question at what point are you dead and whether a doctor might allows some patients to die, so the organs can be used to help a number of individuals.
Living organ donation usually involves one family member donating an organ to another family member or partner. The relative is usually related by blood – a parent, brother, sister, or child. Kidneys are often donated from living donors as a healthy person can lead a normal life with only one kidney. This is the least problematic form of donation for many people.
The benefits of transplant surgery include (1) improving a person’s quality of life; (2) saving someone’s life; (3) gives some consolation to family of someone who has died, BUT there is a long waiting list and requires expensive drugs for life.

9. What are Christian and Muslim attitudes to transplant surgery?
Dead donations
Live donations
No donations
Organs such as the heart are an intrinsic part of someone made by God and shouldn’t be removed. One of the Ten Commandments is ‘Do not murder’ (Exodus 20:13).
It follows Jesus’ Golden Rule to ‘Do for others what you want them to do for you” (Matthew 7:12). It follows Jesus’ Greatest Commandment to ‘Love your neighbour’ (Mark 12:31)
Donations are a matter of life and death that is God’s responsibility not a doctor’s. It could mean doctor’s think about donating organs rather than saving a life.
Christian Attitudes
The Qur’an says ‘Whosoever saves a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind’ (Surah 5:32) The Qur’an principle is ‘To return evil with kindness’ (Qur’an 41:34)
Many Muslims believe that they will need all their organs if they are to be resurrected on Judgement Day. The Qur’an teaches God created the body of a person and therefore should be left alone.
Muslim Attitudes
Christians and Muslims would not agree with the selling of organs as this could exploit the poor.