2. Matters of Life and Death Twenty-five Questions

3. Twenty Questions 12345 678910 1112131415 1617181920 2122232425

4. 1. Why do Muslims believe in life after death? The Quran teaches that there is life after death. Muhammad taught that there is life after death. It is one of the six beliefs of Islam. This life is a test from God. They will be judged on how they have done in the test. There will be rewards for those who pass. This can only happen if there is life after death. It gives life meaning and purpose.

5. 2. How do Muslim ideas about life after death affect the way they live their lives? Muslims want to live a good life so that they do not go to hell. Living a good Muslim life means; keeping the 5 pillars of Islam; following the holy law of Islam, the Shari’ah. Nothing should be removed from the body after death so a Muslim would not want a post mortem to be carried out on a dead relative. Many Muslims have concerns about transplant surgery. Surveys show that Muslims suffer less depression than atheists or agnostics.

6. 3. What kind of things are included in Shari’ah Law? Following the holy law of Islam means; Eating Halal food; Observing Muslim dress laws; Not drinking alcohol; Not gambling or being involved in lending money to receive interest.

7. 4. What are the 5 pillars of Islam? Belief (shahadah) There is one God and Muhammad is his messenger. Prayer (salah) Muslims must pray 5 times a day, Charity (zakat) Muslims must give 2.5% of their disposable income to charity each year. Fasting (sawm) Muslims must fast during the month of Ramadan to remember humility. Pilgrimage (hajj) Every Muslim should go on pilgrimage to Makkah once in there life if they are able to.

8. 5. What are the non-religious reasons for believing in life after death? Non-religious ideas about life after death are connected to the paranormal (MEANING - beyond the range of normal experience or scientific explanation, such as telepathy, clairvoyance or extrasensory perception.) The exam board expects you to write about; 1. Near-death experiences 2. Evidence for a spirit world 3. The evidence of reincarnation

9. 6. What are near-death experiences? These are when someone is clinically dead for a time and then comes back to life, and can remember what happened. Research has shown that about 8% of people who suffer a heart attack had a near-death experience. The main features of a near-death experience are; Feelings of peace; Floating above the body; Seeing a bright light; Entering a heavenly place where they see dead relatives.

10. 7. What evidence is there for a non- religious spirit world? Many people think of ghosts and ouija board as evidence for a spirit world. The clearest evidence is from mediums (people who claim to be able to communicate between our material world and a spirit world). There are mediums in all countries and in all religions. Mediums contact people’s dead relatives giving information they would not be able to without their contact with the spirit world being true.

11. 8. What evidence is there for reincarnation? Reincarnation is the belief that, after death, souls are reborn into a new body. This idea comes from religious beliefs in Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism, but has moved into popular culture as a non-religious idea as well. There are stories of children being able to recall things that they could not possibly know, and this is seen as evidence of past lives.

12. 9. Why do some people believe that there is no life after death? Some people do not believe in God and believe that this life is all there is. Someone brought up as an atheist will not believe in life after death. If there is no God then there is no spirit world. Religions contradict each other, if life after death were true, they would all believe the same thing. Holy books say different things. There is no way to tell which holy book is true and which is false. Evidence of the paranormal has been challenged by scientists. Science shows that the mind cannot live without the brain, so when the body dies, the mind must also die. Space travel has shown that heaven is not above the sky. There is no place where life after death could take place.

13. 10. What does the law say about abortion? Under UK law, an abortion can usually only be carried out during the first 24 weeks of pregnancy as long as certain criteria are met (see below). The Abortion Act 1967 covers the UK mainland (England, Scotland and Wales) but not Northern Ireland. The law states that: abortions must be carried out in a hospital or a specialist licensed clinic two doctors must agree that an abortion would cause less damage to a woman's physical or mental health than continuing with the pregnancy

14. 11. In the UK, can an abortion ever be performed after 24 weeks ? There are also a number of rarer situations when the law states an abortion may be carried out after 24 weeks. These include: if it is necessary to save the woman's life to prevent grave permanent injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman if there is substantial risk that if the child were born, s/he would have physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped Generally, an abortion should be carried out as early in the pregnancy as possible, ideally before 12 weeks.

15. 12. Why is abortion a controversial issue (one that causes arguments)? It depends when you think life begins; at conception or when a child is born and survives. Many non-religious people believe that a woman should have the right to do what she wants with here body. Religious people think that the unborn baby’s right to life is greater than the mother’s rights. Some people thing the time limit should be reduced to 18-20 weeks because of medical advances. Should medical staff have to carry out abortions if they don’t agree with them?

16. 13. Abortion statistics – How many abortions were carried out in 2011? In 2011, 189,931 abortions were carried out in England and Wales, compared with 189,574 in 2010 (an increase of 0.2%). (520 a day or 3,645 a week) Ninety-one per cent of abortions were performed at less than 13 weeks of pregnancy, and 78% at less than 10 weeks. The abortion rate was highest for women aged 20 years, and the majority of abortions (96%) were funded by the NHS.

17. 14. What is the Evangelical Christian and the Roman Catholic Christian attitude to abortion? Abortion is wrong whatever the circumstances because; Life belongs to God Life begins at conception so abortion is murder which is forbidden by the 10 commandments. A foetus is a human being and abortion destroys its right to life. Adoption is a better way to deal with an unwanted pregnancy. Pregnancy through rape should be dealt with by counselling, help and adoption. So that good can come out of evil. EXCEPT – Abortion is only when the death of the foetus is intended. This means that medical treatments for the mother which affect the life of the foetus are not abortion.

18. 15. What do other Christians think about abortion? (mainly Liberal Protestants) They disagree with abortion, but in certain circumstances (such as rape, the mother’s life is at risk, or the baby will be severely handicapped) abortion may be the lesser of two evils because; They believe that life does not begin at conception; Jesus’ command to love your neighbour, means that abortion may be the most loving thing to do. It is the duty of all Christians to remove all suffering. The sanctity of life can be broken in a just war so why not in a just abortion. Christianity is concerned with justice. If abortions were banned, there would be inequality of treatment between the rich and the poor as in the past the rich were able to pay for private abortions, even though they were not legal.

19. 16. Why do many Muslims allow abortion? Many Muslims allow abortion up to 120 days, for reasons such as the health of the mother or problems with the baby’s health because; Some hadith (sayings of Muhammad) say a foetus does not become life until 120 days of pregnancy. The Shari’ah says the mother’s life must always take priority.# Up to 120 days the effect of the future baby on the family can be taken into account.

20. 17.Why do some Muslims believe that abortion should never be allowed. They believe that life begins at the moment of conception. The Qur’an says murder is wrong and they think abortion is murder. They believe the Qur’an bans abortion. (Some Muslims believe that abortion can be allowed only if a mother’s life is at risk. They believe this because of the death of the unborn child is a lesser evil than the death of the mother. The Shari’ah says that the mother’s life should always take priority.)

21. 18. What are the different types of euthanasia and what does the UK law say about euthanasia? Euthanasia is normally thought of as providing a gentle and easy death to someone suffering from a painful deadly disease who has little quality of life. This can be done by: assisted suicide, voluntary euthanasia or non-voluntary euthanasia. British law says that all of these are murder. However the law now agrees that stopping artificial feeding or not giving treatment (often called passive euthanasia) are not euthanasia and so are lawful. This includes: switching off life-support machines disconnecting a feeding tube not carrying out a life-extending operation not giving life-extending drugs

22. 19. Why do many people want euthanasia to remain illegal? There is always likely to be doubt as to whether is is what a person really wants. There is also the problem as to whether the disease will end the life. A cure might be found for the disease. It is the job of doctors to save lives not to end them. Would patients trust doctors who kill their patients? People might change their mind but then it would be too late. Who would check that they were only killing people who really wanted and needed euthanasia.

23. 20. Why do many people want euthanasia to be made legal? Discoveries in medicine mean that people who would have died are being kept alive, often in agony. They should have the right to die. Doctors have the right to switch of life support machines if they think the patient has no chance of recovering. Therefore passive euthanasia is already legal. People have the right to commit suicide, why not allow them to ask doctors too assist them if they are too weak to do it alone. Judges have allowed doctors to stop treatment.

24. 21. What is the Roman Catholic and Liberal Protestant attitude to euthanasia? They believe that assisted suicide, voluntary euthanasia and non-voluntary euthanasia are all wrong. However they believe that all forms of passive euthanasia are acceptable because; The sanctity of life – only God can take life. Murder is forbidden in the Ten Commandments. If a person is brain-dead then it is okay to turn off a life- support machine as that person has already died. If you give painkillers to a dying person in great pain, and they kill the person then this is not murder because your intention was to remove pain, not to kill them (doctrine of double effect) Not giving extraordinary treatment (treatment that puts off death for a short while) is permitted in the Catechism.

25. 22. Why do some Christians believe that any form of euthanasia is wrong? This includes the switching off of life support machines, the refusal of treatment or the giving of large doses of pain killers. This is because; The Bible bans suicide. Switching off life-support machines and the refusal of treatment and giving large doses of pain killers all mean that the life is being ended by humans and not by God (sanctity of life). All forms of euthanasia are murder which is banned by the Ten Commandments. Life is sacred and should only be taken by God.

26. 23. Why do a few Christians accept euthanasia in certain circumstances? Medical advances mean it is hard to know what God’s wishes about someone’s death are. The teaching of Jesus on loving your neighbour can be used to justify assisting suicide. It is a basic human right to be in control of your own body.

27. 24. Why are most Muslims against all forms of euthanasia (including passive euthanasia)? The Qur’an bans suicide and so assisted suicide is wrong. Most Muslims believe that voluntary euthanasia is just the same as assisted suicide. Euthanasia is making yourself equal with God (the sin of Shirk) as only God has the right to take life. Murder is banned by the Qur’an. Muslims believe that life is a test from God. So if people use euthanasia, they are cheating in the test.

28. 25. Why do some Muslims consider switching off a life support machine is not euthanasia? Some Muslim lawyers have agreed to life-support machines being switched off when there are no signs of life. If someone is brain-dead, God has already taken their life.