Unit 2: Section 2

Question 1

What do Evangelical Protestants believe about the afterlife? Why?

Answer 1

Evangelical Protestants believe in resurrection of the body.

• It is the teaching of St Paul.
• Jesus’ body rose from the dead.
• It is part of the Church teachings.

Question 2

What do Protestant Christians believe about the afterlife? Why?

Answer 2

Protestant Christians believe in immortality of the soul. (When people die their souls go straight to heaven/hell depending on how they live.)

• Jesus said the criminal on the cross would be in paradise straight after death.
• Near death experiences show that the soul leaves the body and goes down a tunnel of light to God.

Question 3

What do Roman Catholic Christians believe about the afterlife?

Answer 3

• Immortality of the soul.
• Resurrection of the body.
• Purgatory exists, the soul can go there to be purified first.

Question 4

How do beliefs about the afterlife affect the lives of Christians?

Answer 4

• They believe they will be judged by God after death, so they will try to live good lives so that they can go to Heaven.
• They hope they will rise from the dead as Jesus did, and be rewarded in the afterlife for their time on Earth.
• Jesus taught that the greatest commandments are to love your God and love your neighbour. This will definitely effect how Christians act.
• Beliefs about the afterlife give this life meaning and purpose. An afterlife where good people are rewarded and bad are punished makes this life make sense.

Question 5

Why do some atheists believe in the afterlife?

Answer 5

• Near-death experiences - When someone is clinically dead for a time but then comes back to life and can remember what happened. 80% of these had a near-death experience.
• Evidence for a spirit world - Mediums claim to be able to communicate between our world and the spirit world.
• Evidence of reincarnation - Some people say they have memories of previous lives.

Question 6

Why do some atheists/agnostics think there is no afterlife?

Answer 6

• If there is no God, there is nothing non-material, so there is no heaven to go to after death.
• The evidence in holy books contradicts each other.
• They think the mind/soul cannot survive without the body.
• Space exploration has shown there is nowhere for life after death to take place, there is no heaven above the sky.

Question 7

What does the 1967 Abortion Act state?

Answer 7

An abortion can be performed if two doctors agree that:

• The mothers life is at risk.
• There is a risk of injury to the mothers mental/physical health.
• Existing children and their mental/physical health will be put at risk.
• There is a risk that the baby will be born seriously handicapped.

Question 8

What does the 1990 Abortion Act state?

Answer 8

• A limit of 24 weeks.
• This limit can only be exceeded if the mothers life is at risk, because advances in medicine mean that these foetuses could survive.

Question 9

What do pro-choice groups believe about abortion? Why?

Answer 9

They support a woman’s right to abortion.

• They don’t want women to risk their lives with abortions by people who are not trained.
• They believe the baby is not a separate life until it can live outside the mother.
• They believe the woman should have the right to do what she wants with her body as men do.
• They would argue that an unwanted pregnancy is the same as an unwanted tumour.

Question 10

What do pro-life groups believe about abortion? Why?

Answer 10

They support the foetuses right to life.

• It denies the foetus its right to life.
• They believe that life begins at conception, so aborting the foetus would be murder.
• They believe the unborn child’s rights are more important than those of the mother, and that both parents have claims on the mothers body.

Question 11

What do Roman Catholics and Evangelical Protestants believe about abortion? Why?

Answer 11

They believe it is always wrong.

• Christian teachings on the sanctity of life say that life is holy and belongs to God.
• God created life in the mother, and to prevent that life being born is murder and against Gods will.
• They believe that life begins at conception, and God banned murder.

Question 12

What do Church of England Protestants think about abortion? Why?

Answer 12

They disagree with it, but think it is necessary in some circumstances as it is the lesser of two evils so should be allowed.

• They do not believe life begins at conception.
• They believe Jesus’ command to love your neighbour is the most important command.
• It is the duty of Christians to remove suffering.
• If given a choice of two evils, Christians should choose the lesser evil.

Question 13

What are the three types of euthanasia?

Answer 13

• Assisted suicide.
• Voluntary.
• Non-voluntary.

Question 14

Why may non-religious people be against euthanasia?

Answer 14

• Relatives may request euthanasia for rich people in order to gain from their wills.
• A cure may be found for the sufferers disease.
• Doctors should be saving lives not ending them.
• People might not be in their right mind when they ask for euthanasia.

Question 15

Why may non-religious people be for euthanasia?

Answer 15

• Advances in medicine have kept people alive who previously would have died, but they have a poor quality of life.
• Life support machines bring a form of euthanasia when they are turned off.
• Judges can give doctors permission to stop treatment so why can’t they allow euthanasia?
• It is a basic human right to control ending your life.

Question 16

Why are all Christians against euthanasia?

Answer 16

• They believe all life is sacred and should only be taken by God.
• The Ten Commandments say that people must not murder.
• There are many statements in the Bible which state that life/death decisions belong only to God.
• Many church leaders have said that life is sacred and comes from God.

Question 17

What are other Christian attitude to euthanasia?

Answer 17

• Roman Catholics believe that doctors can give pain-killing drugs, even if they shorten the patients life. (This is the doctrine of double effect).
• Some Christians do not agree with switching off life support machines, but many Christians believe this must be allowed if there are no signs of life.

Question 18

What are the causes of world poverty? Explain.

Answer 18

• Natural Disasters - Many LIC’s are in areas with frequent natural disasters that destroy homes and farmland.
• War - Many LIC’s have wars which destroy crops, homes and schools, and create refugees.
• Corrupt Leaders - Some governments are corrupt and help from other countries doesn’t always reach those that need it.
• Debt - All LIC’s have debt. They have to borrow money from rich countries and pay a large percentage of interest, this money could have been spent on development.
• Lack of Healthcare/Education - There is not enough clean water, birth control, or education. Diseases such as HIV/AIDS can prevent a country from developing.

Question 19

How is Christian Aid trying to end world poverty?

Answer 19

• Speaking out on behalf of poor countries to bring social justice - The ‘make poverty history’ campaign in 2005 wanted to cancel the debt that poor countries owe to rich countries.
• Development Programmes - In the Gaza Strip they supported agricultural production and long-term food security for unemployed daily wage earners who could not get their goods to markets because Gaza’s borders are closed for long periods of time.
• Disasters and Emergencies Fund - Disasters fund to deal with natural disasters and refugees. Emergency aid includes sending food/water, medicine, and shelter. (Eg the tsunami in South East Asia).

Question 20

Why does Christian Aid want to end world poverty?

Answer 20

• The Golden Rule comes from the Parable of the Good Samaritan, where Jesus teaches ‘Love your neighbour as you love yourself’.
• Church teachings say that Christians have a duty to help the poor/suffering.
• Jesus taught on the Sermon on the Mount that the poor should be helped/looked after.
• The Bible promotes justice, and that everyone has a right to be treated fairly. God created everyone equally so it is wrong to ignore the needs of others.

Question 21

Why shouldn’t the media be free to criticise what religions say?

Answer 21

• This can stir up religious hatred.
• Criticising religious attitudes can cause offence to believers. (Eg a Danish newspaper published a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad and many Muslims were very offended, causing riots).
• Some believers may feel that their attitude is based on what God says and it should not be criticised because God is beyond human criticism.

Question 22

Why should the media be free to criticise what religions say?

Answer 22

• All democratic societies believe in the freedom of speech.
• The UK is a multi-faith society and so there needs to be freedom of religious belief. This means that the media needs to be able to question and criticise religious beliefs and what they say about controversial issues.
• A free media gives religious people a chance to put forward their ideas while also allowing non-religious people or people from other religions to put forward their viewpoints.

Question 23

How was the issue of euthanasia presented in Holby City?

Answer 23

It was biased in favour for euthanasia.

• Only arguments for it were put forward, even though Connie and Elliot were doctors.
• Gina was given persuasive lines like “In England dogs are allowed to die with dignity but not me” and “Its my right, its everyones right!”.

Question 24

How was the presentation of euthanasia in Holby City unfair to religious beliefs?

Answer 24

• No religious viewpoints were put forward, even though Connie went to the church to light a candle.
• To make the programme more balanced they could have included Connie having a conversation with a Priest or Elliot giving medical reasons against it.