No Change to UK Abortion Law

There has been a recent parliamentary vote on whether women wanting an abortion should have to recieve independant counselling before the abortion is carried out. Critics of abortion clinics say the counselling currently offered is biased because they are run as businesses - this claim is denied by the clinics.



A human foetus at 24 weeks gestation - abortions can be carried out up to this date in the UK.


Last year, 202,400 were carried out in the U. K.

Abortion is a highly contentious issue with many Pro-Life groups, including the Catholic Church, considering the killing of an unborn baby to be the same as killing any other person. They see it as murder.

MPs however, rejected the call to offer women independent counselling by 368 votes to 118 so tha law remains unchanged.

For more on this story click here.

Discrimination and Equality - Not as simple as it seems!

In a recent news story we see that a devout Christian couple have been refused as foster carers becasue their religious beliefs prevent them from teaching potential foster children that homosexuality is acceptable.
"I cannot lie and I cannot hate, but I cannot tell a child that it is ok to be homosexual."
Eunice Johns
It is clear that this has taken place to prevent 'sexual discrimination' but it has led to claims of 'religious discrimination'. That the only reason they cannot foster is because of their religious beliefs.
Whatever one's personal views on homosexuality or religous views towards it are, this is certainly a very contentious issue.
It is only becasue the couple are open about thier beliefs that this has become an issue. One wonders how many people have been allowed to foster and adopt that hold views, that they will teach to their children, that could be deemed discriminatory. One does not need to belong to a particular group or religion to be homophobic, racist, sexist etc and to then pass these beliefs on to the children on your care.
Indeed how does one decide what an acceptable belief is? If it simply a matter of what the government finds acceptable, we could find ourselves living in George Orwell's '1984', where we are told what to believe or else! If however we say it is about what the majority of people find acceptable there are huge practical implications of how this would be discerned and this also assumes that the majority of people are in some sense morally enlightened.
It should also be noted that not all Christians hold strong beleifs against homosexuality. Catholic teaching is that being homosexual is not wrong, although practising it is. The Anglican Church is currently debating how homosexuality should be viewed, with many arguing that, providing it is a committed, loving relationship, (marriage) it is acceptable, while others do regard it as a grave sin .
The truth is that just about every parent in the world will be teaching their children something that someone else finds offensive or wrong - it is the nature of the diverse species that we are.
How we then try to apply this to fostering and adoption laws is a very complicated question, and one to which I do not have the answer!
For more on this story click here.
For more on sexual ethics click here.
For more on the right to a child click here.

The Dangers of Relativism

Prominent American Atheist Sam Harris discusses the dangers of relativism. Interestingly it is religions that normally argue in favour of an absolute morality but Harris turns this on its head.

While I think he raises some very interesting and insightful points I can't help thinking he had somewhat of an anti-Islamic agenda. I would feel more comfortable if he had used more of a range of idealogical beliefs, both secular and religious (like the comparison between the veil and the magazine covers), and that this would have actually strengthened his argument.

For more on absolutism and relativism click here.

Elton John and David Furnish have a surrogate child

Elton John and his long standing partner David Furnish are now parents to a baby boy. ApparantlyElton is the boy's biological father via a surrogate mother.

This raises some interesting issues related to our topics of study.

Firstly the question of the 'right to a child'. Is it right that people, who cannot have children naturally, should be able to do so artificially? Some would argue yes. The joy that a child brings to its parents, family and friends means that it is a good thing. Technology is used in many different ways to improve our lives, so why not use it to provide children?

Others however would disagree. One reason is from a deontological perspective and is supported by the Catholic Church. They would propose that there is no 'right' to a child. A child is a gift. If you are unable to have children naturally you must accept this and maybe explore other avenues eg, adoption. (Incidentally it seem Elton and David did try to adopt but were not successful.) They would assert that children should not be treated as material commodities that are there to improve our lives.

Another response, a more practical consequentialist one, would refer to the world's growing population. It has been suggested that over population is one of the biggest threats to our future flourishing. This would mean that going to excessive lengths to have children could be viewed as not only damaging but also immoral.

Another related issue is that of homosexuality. In a society of equal rights it would be wrong to deny fertility and surrogacy treatments to homosexuals if it is allowed to hetrosexuals. There are those, often, though not exclusively from religious standpoints, that propose that homosexuality is an intrinsic wrong, either because of scriptural passages or on grounds that it breaks the nartural purpose of sex. Should the sexuality and gender of the prospective 'parents' be a factor when considering the morality of surrogacy? Catholic teaching can neatly avoid this awkward issue as they say surrogacy should not be allowed at all!

So, what do you think?

For more on Elton John's baby click here.

For resources on the Right to a Child topic click here.

For resources on sexual ethics click here.

Catholic Church announces that the use of Condoms can sometimes be the right thing to do.

One of the more controversial teachings of the Catholic Church is that the use of artificial contraception, including condoms, is wrong. This is because they believe that the main God given purpose of sex is to reproduce. This is based on a Natural Law view of ethics, heavily influenced by St Thomas Aquinas and Aristotle who were both concerned with the purpose or Telos of an action.


This belief has, until now, been seen in an absolutist way so that the use of condoms would be seen as wrong in any circumstance.

There now appears to be a change of stance whereby the Pope has said that, in situations were a condom is being used to prevent the spread of HIV, and thus protect one's partner, that their use is the most repsonsible thing. This could still fit with a Natural Law approach under what is called 'double effect'. This is where, when one's primary intention is good, eg to save a life, a normally immoral action can be allowed.
This does not mark any significant change in the Church's view of sex or indeed contraception. It still holds that sex should only be within marriage and should always have the possibility of reproduction. It also still maintains that the proper way to combat HIV is not condoms but through a change of attitude and lifestyle with regards to sex.

It does seem to show though that there is some recognition of a 'grey area' in some ethical matters however which will be seen by some as very significant.

For more on this story click here.
For more on Natural Law click here.
For more on sexual ethics click here.

Killing in the name of Justice

The first woman in 5 years is to be executed in the U.S. Does the fact that she is a woman make it significant? There are certainly far fewer women than men executed.

When considering issues such as the sanctity of life the death penalty is very contentious. Does anyone, even the state, have the right to take away the life of another person?

Few people would argue that many who are executed have committed terrible crimes and need to be kept away from the general population, but what is the purpose of the justice system?

If it is to seek revenge thenthe death penalty may well be acceptable, but if it is about justice - about making things right, can the death penalty do this?

To read more about this case click here.

How old is too old?

The availability of fertility treatment has led to post menopausal women being able to have children. Stories of women in their 60s giving birth are becoming a regular feature in the news.





However many men require no special medical treatments to be able to father children unitl the day they die.




If we object to older women becoming parents should we also object to older men fathering children?




In June 2010 Dennis Ealam hit the headlines by becoming the Uk's oldest father, aged 76. His wife is 36.
Whether through the use of IVF or naturally, should there be an upper age limit on becoming a parent?
If so how could this be enforced?

For revision materials on the right to a child click here.

Should all people have the right to die?

The head of the Swiss euthanasia clinic Dignitas has proposed that the right to die does not only belong to those who have terminal illnesses. Ludwig Minelli has suggested that there are many reasons why someone may feel they do not want to live. I heard him speaking on the radio where he cited the example of a lonley elderly man who had no friends or family. My young daughter, who was with me at the time, remarked, 'If someone called you saying they had no family or friends, shouldn't you offer to be their friend rather than offering to kill them?'.

I was amazed by her instinctive compassion clarity of thought!

So when people are in despair, what is the right thing to do? Is it to attempt to help them, even at times when this may be futile, is it to offer them the opportunity to die?

Read related article here.

Euthanasia resources here.

Hundreds of Urns found in lake could be from euthanasia clinic

The controversial Swiss euthanasia clinic Dignitas is in the spot light again. Hundreds of urns containing cremated human remains have been found dumped in a lake. Not only is this illegal and could bring hefty fines, it is also a distinctly undignified way of treating the remains of people who went there for a 'dignified' death. Read article here.

About 1000 people have had their lives ended at Dignitas, including 115 Britons. Euthanasia is illegal in the UK but there was clarification of when relatives may be prosecuted, earlier this year - see here for details.

With an aging population in the UK there is likey to be far more cases of degenerative diseases that can lead to a scenario where euthanasia is considered.

So, is it absolutely wrong to take a human life, or there situations when it is acceptable?

Is all type of killing the same?
There is also the issue of human remains. Do we have a moral responsibility to treat them with respect? (This links to the previous post)

For revision materials on euthanasia click here.

Aborted Foetus' Found in Rubbish

The remains of 14 aborted foetus' have been found in rubbish bags near a clinic in India. Some will see this as an unfortunate case of mis-managment of medical waste while others will be appalled as it highlights what they see as the legalised murder of unborn people.

It raises another issue that exists within Indian society, and some others. That is aborting foetus' on grounds of gender. Males are more desirable and it is believed that millions of female foetus' have been aborted over the last couple of decades.
If abortion is murder then this is clearly wrong. However, for those who argue that abortion can be acceptable is there anything wrong with this?

How does one decide what is an acceptable reason to have an abortion and what is not?

To read more about this issue click here.

The Right to Kill

A mother has been found guilty of killing her son by injecting him with a heroin overdose. Frances Inglis ended her son's life after he was left brain damaged following serious head injuries. Ms Inglis claim she was acting out of love and wished to end her son's suffering. She has been sentenced to 9 years in jail.
There are those, such as the Catholic Church, who view any such killings as totally wrong under all circumstances.
However another of today's news stories shows that there are many who argue that killing should be allowed, under some circumstances.
MSP Margot MacDonald has drawn up a Bill to make it legal for someone to seek help in ending their lives.
Should the law get involved over such matters or should they be seen as personal concerns that can be dealt with without the fear of prosecution?
Where ever you stand on the issue of euthanasia, it is an ethical debate that does not seem to be going away.

Are all views and beliefs equally valid or should we be able to say, 'You are wrong'?

Moral Relativism has long been a popular view; appealing as it is tolerant, does not preach and avoids us having to argue why our view is better than someone else's.

However, what should we do when we are faced with something that we really do feel is absolutely wrong?

Nick Griffin, leader of the BNP, has controversial views on immigration, religion and sexuality. Are these views just as valid as anyone else's, as Relativism may suggest, or is he actually wrong?

Read more here.

No Change to Euthanasia Law

A move to make it legal to help a terminally ill person to die has been defeated in the House of Lords.

Read more here.

There are many disabled people who do not want the law to change.

Click here.

Is it okay to do something just because everyone else is doing it?

It's very easy to condemn what we might see as immoral behaviour but what would you do in the same situation?

Read more here.

US abortion doctor is shot dead

Is this the justified killing of a murderer of unborn children or the ruthless murder of an innocent man doing a valuable job?

Given that the Catholic Church is against abortion what do you think they may say about this?

Read more here.

Abortion numbers 'fall slightly'
The number of abortions performed in England and Wales has fallen by 1.6%, official figures show.
There were 195,296 abortions in 2008, compared with 198,499 the year before - the first fall in three years and the largest since 1999.
The abortion rates for under 16s and under 18s were also lower than in 2007, the Department of Health data showed.
It comes after a fairly large rise last year, prompting some experts to suggest the 200,000 mark would be passed.

To read more click here