Post on 17-Dec-2015
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”