1. Life After Death
Matters of Life & Death
Euthanasia
Abortion

2. Non-Religious Reasons for Believing in life after death
Near Death Experiences – people describe leaving their bodies and seeing the afterlife.
Mediums – claim to make contact with the dead.
Paranormal activity – e.g Ghosts – unexplained events that have spiritual causes.
Can give people hope and comfort if they have a fear of dying.
If you have lived a good life you deserve to be rewarded.

3. Non-Religious reasons for not believing in life after death
Not enough evidence
Believe that there is a scientific explanation for all evidence.
Humans are mortal. Once the body dies, it decays so how can there be anything else?
Religion is outdated – Now we have scientific explanation the Bible is no longer needed.

4. Christian beliefs about life after death
Resurrection
Immortality of the Soul
When after death, the body stays in the grave until the end of the world when it is raised.
The idea that the soul lives on after the body has died.

5. Christian beliefs about life after death - Resurrection
Body waits in the grave
Die
Judgement Day
(God ends the world)
Dead will be raised &
join the living in
resurrection bodies
Heaven for Christians
Judged based on
beliefs & how
lived our lives
Hell for everyone else

6. Why Christians believe in resurrection
Jesus rose from the dead
Bible teaches resurrection
Jesus taught that he would come again at the end of the world
Creeds say that Christians believe in resurrection

7. Christian beliefs about life after death – Immortality of the Soul
Soul leaves the body
Die
Go straight
to judgement
Heaven for Christians
Some Christians
Hell for everyone else
Judged based on
beliefs & how
lived our lives
Heaven for good people
Some Christians
Evil people - Hell
Some believe no Hell
Just stages of Heaven

8. Why Christians believe in immortality of the soul
Bible
Gospels talk about Jesus talking to Abraham & Moses
Paranormal evidence indicates immortality of the soul
Jesus teaching
He told the thief next to him that he would go straight to paradise.

9. Muslim beliefs about life after death
Body waits in the grave
Die
Last Day
(God ends the world)
Heaven
Good Muslims pass
Everyone resurrected
Some believe good non Muslims
Go before Allah &
judged on the
quality of
our lives
Hell for everyone else

10. so Muslims must believe it Teaches there is life after death
It is the word of God
so Muslims must believe it
Teaches there is
life after death
Taught there is life
after death
Without death there is no
punishment or reward
He is the perfect example
for Muslims so they
believe what he taught

11. Christianity & Abortion
Protestant
Abortion wrong BUT should be allowed in some situations - can be lesser of two evils
To love your neighbour as yourself means abortion may be the most loving thing to do sometimes. E.g if the mother’s life is at risk.
Life does not begin at conception
Christians should accept technological advances in medicine that can identify problems with the foetus.
If we do not allow abortions, women may have dangerous back street abortions
Roman Catholic
No abortion ever
Sanctity of Life (life is holy & belongs to God, only God can give or take life).
Life begins at conception
10 Commandments “Thou shall not kill”
Everyone has a right to life

12. Islam & Abortion Some Muslims
Abortion is a great sin
Allowed if the mother’s life is in danger
Sanctity of Life (life is holy & belongs to God, only God can give or take life).
Qur’an teaches if it is a choice between life of the mother and life of an unborn child then the mother’s life takes priority (lesser of 2 evils)
Some Muslims
Abortion cannot be permitted at any time because the soul is given at the moment of conception & Qur’an teaches against abortion.
Other Muslims
Abortion permitted up to 120 days of the pregnancy but there must be a good reason e.g. health of mother
Some Muslim teachings say that the embryo is unformed & soulless up to 120 days, so abortion is permitted in Islam up to this point

13. Euthanasia – Mercy Killing
Assisted suicide
Providing someone with the means to commit suicide
Voluntary euthanasia
A person who is terminally ill asks
Non-voluntary euthanasia
Person who is ill cannot choose so a Dr or the family decide
Other Key Terms
Doctrine of double effect
Quality of life
Loss of human dignity
Right to die

14. Christian attitudes towards euthanasia
Most Christians
Euthanasia is wrong
Sanctity of Life
10 Commandments (Do not kill)
BUT
Switching off life support is not euthanasia if the person is brain dead
If someone is brain dead they have already died so switching off machine is accepting God’s decision
Not euthanasia to give dying people painkillers which will shorten their life (double effect)
Quality of life – if someone is suffering it may be compassionate.
Some Christians
All forms of euthanasia are wrong
Take the Bible literally & the Bible bans suicide
Assisted suicide & voluntary euthanasia are both forms of suicide
Switching off machines and giving large doses of painkillers = murder

15. Islam & Euthanasia All Muslims are against euthanasia, but…
Completely against Qur’an bans suicide
Sanctity of life
Life is a test, ending it early is like cheating & leads to hell
but some Muslims do not agree that switching off life support machine is euthanasia
Some Muslim lawyers have agreed this
If someone is brain dead they have already died so switching off machine is accepting God’s decision

16. Should the media criticise religious views on matters of life and death? E.g abortion, euthanasia, life after death
FOR
A variety of views are held and all views should be shared.
Religious views may be wrong or out of date.
It is important to debate views because they are constantly changing.
AGAINST
Religious views should be respected as they’ve been around for a long time.
They are based on traditional teachings such as those in the Bible.
The media should present a range of ideas but not criticise them.