UNIT 2 KEY IDEAS. Life After Death Abortion Sanctity of Life - Abortion Euthanasia Sanctity of Life - Euthanasia ChristianHindu Studying Christian & Hindu.

UNIT 2

KEY IDEAS

• Life After Death

• Sanctity of Life - Abortion

• Sanctity of Life - Euthanasia

Studying Christian & Hindu View

UNIT 2MATTERS OF LIFE AND DEATH

MATTERS LIFE & DEATH

Life After Death

Abortion Euthanasia

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Facts & Law Types & Law

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ReincarnationResurrectionParanormal

PROTESTANT Belief @ Death

• Body Dies & Immortal Soul Resurrected

• Soul Judged according to Sins in Life

• Heaven or Hell according to Conscience and Repentance

ROMAN CATHLOLIC Belief @ Death

• Body Dies & Immortal Soul Resurrected

• Soul Judged according to Sins in Life

• If Sins are not Mortal Sins & Repent

• Soul goes to Purgatory to be Purified

• Soul Goes to Heaven

• If Sins are Unforgiveable or don’t Repent

• Soul goes to Hell

WHY DO CHRISTIANS BELIEVE?

• Jesus Triumph over Death & his Resurrection

• Bible teaches Everlasting Life through Jesus

MATTERS LIFE & DEATH

Life After Death

ReincarnationResurrection

HINDU’S BELIEF

• All Living Things Orig. part of BRAHMAN

• Law of SAMSARA cycle of Rebirth

• Body Dies & ATMAN reborn in new body

• Status of rebirth dependent on KARMA

• Get Good KARMA by doing DHARMA

• Good Karma - closer to Brahman

• Bad Karma – further from Brahman

• When ATMAN fully purified by Good K

• MOKSHA – release from cycle of rebirth

• ATMAN becomes one with BRAHMAN

• End of SAMSARAWHY DO HINDUS BELIEVE?

• Written in Holy Books e.g. Bhagavad Gita

• Vishnu’s 10 Avatars

WHY DO NON-RELIGIOUS PEOPLE BELIEVE IN LIFE AFTER DEATH? – Evidence derived from . . .

• Near–Death Experiences – Belief in the Paranormal (unexplained events like ghosts) – Belief in Spiritualists and Mediums (contact the dead) – Memories of past lives through Past-Life Regression &

Reincarnation

MATTERS LIFE & DEATH

KEY FACTS & HISTORY• Pre-1967 – ILLEGAL

• Back-Street Abortions

• Very dangerous – women injured or died

• Adoption encouraged

• 1967 ARBOTION ACT – LEGAL IF . .

• within first 28 weeks

• 2 Doctor’s consent

• risk to Mum’s mental or physical health

• risk of handicapped baby

• 1990 ARBOTION ACT

• within first 24 weeks

. . . termination of a pregnancy . . .

ARGUMENTS

Baby’s Rights vs Mother’s Rights

Pro-Life Pro-Choice

Pro-Life Pro-Choice

Abortion

CATECHISM SAYS NO

SANCTITY OF LIFE

Because:

• Life @ conception

• 10C – No Kill

• Mental stress to Woman

• Rape is sin, so is Abortion

• 2 Sins not 1

• Adoption is Option

LESSER OF TWO EVILS

REMOVES SUFFERING

HEALTH RISK

Because:

• Life Not @ Conception

• Jesus Loved All

• Remove suffering to

• Mother

• Baby

• family

• Linked to Poverty

SANCTITY OF LIFE

BAD KARMA

AHIMSA against foetus

LESSER OF TWO EVILS

Mother vs Foetus Health

ATMAN not affected by abortion

MATTERS LIFE & DEATH

ARGUMENTSEuthanasiaTYPES & LEGAL STATUS• SUICIDE

• Self inflicted death

• LEGAL since 1960’s

• ASSISTED SUICIDE

• Someone gives you means to kill yourself

• ILLEGAL – indirect manslaughter

• VOLUNTARY EUTHANASIA

• Someone ends your life when asked to

• ILLEGAL – indirect murder

• NON-VOLUNTARY EUTHANASIA

• Granting death to someone who unable to give their consent e.g. turning off life-support

• LEGAL with Drs & Family consent

• PASSIVE EUTHANASIA

• the withdrawal of Medical Support and Nutrition to hasten death

• DNR orders

. . . a gentle or easy death. . .

Social ArgumentsFor

Against

Most Christians are against Euthanasia cos . .

My Life – My Choice

Quality of Life not worth living

Life support not natural

OK in Switz – why not here?

Die with Dignity

Sanctity of Life – belongs to God – 10Cs – Mortal Sin – Selfish – life is a Test etc.

BUT: SOME allow switching off life support if no brain activity

SOME even argue for A.S. as LOVING response to suffering

No Consent

Some people recover

Doctors SAVE lives

People change minds

Can of worms

Most Hindus are against Euthanasia cos . .

Sanctity of Life – belongs to God – bad Karma – Ahimsa – Laws of Manu say no

But SOME argue: Atman cannot be harmed – Ok to move on – new medical treatment not Natural, not good karma

MATTERS OF LIFE &

DEATH

RESURRECTION

immortality of the

soul

ABORTION

sanctity of life

assisted suicide

voluntary euthanasia

EUTHANASIA

paranormal

non-voluntary

euthanasia

SamsaraAtman

Moksha

Dharma

Caste

Brahman

Ahimsa

REINCARNATION

Karma

quality of life

near-death

experience

SAMSKARA

rites of passage

HOUSEHOLDER

2nd Ashrama

HINDU CONCEPT

S

SAMSARA

cycle of life

REINCARNATION

born again

ATMAN

soul

MOKSHA

release

DHARMA

dutyCASTE

class/status

ASHRAMA

stage of life

BRAHMAN

universal spiritAHIMSA

non-violence

KARMA

effects of action

SAMSARA

REINCARNATION

ATMAN

MOKSHA

DHARMACASTE

ASHRAMA

BRAHMAN

SAMSKARA

HOUSEHOLDER

AHIMSA

KARMA

HINDUISMPURPOSE IN LIFE

• Do your DHARMA – Duty– Social, family, religious

• Be true to your CASTE– What social role are you born into– Be the best you can in that role

HINDUISMDEALING WITH SIN

• KARMA– All Actions have consequences

• Good deeds = Good KARMA • Bad Deeds = Bad KARMA

• KARMA is carried forward through many lives.

HINDUISMAT DEATH

• Body Dies– Funeral rites– Body Cremated

• Soul ATMAN released– Immortal Souls

SAMSARA• ATMAN reborn into a new body to begin the journey again.• If GOOD KARMA last life, then higher CASTE this life.• If BAD KARMA last life, lower CASTE this life – even down to an animal!

HINDUISMRELEASE

• MOKSHA• After Many (thousands, generations, millions) of lives, the ATMAN is cleaned of any bad KARMA.• It is released from the Cycle of Life and Death and Rebirths – SAMSARA• ATMAN returns to become one with the universal Spirit – BRAHMAN (GOD)

• HINDU view – we are all God, we just don’t know it. The quest in life is to recognise that all life is part of BRAHMAN including you.

•“You Are IT”