1. 1. Which of the following do you think is acceptable. 2
1. Which of the following do you think is acceptable? 2. Which of the following might Christians and Buddhists find acceptable?
Eating meat
Battery farming
Experimenting on animals for medical research
Keeping animals as pets
Fox hunting
Cosmetics testing

2. The use and abuse of animals
I can explain Buddhist and Christian beliefs about animal experimentation and eating meat
I can evaluate the pros and cons of animal experimentation and eating meat

3. Buddhist Beliefs
Many Buddhists are vegetarian and oppose animal experimentation because of the First Precept: “I undertake to abstain from taking life.” This includes the lives of animals. The positive form of the First Precept encourages Buddhists to show loving kindness (Metta) and karuna (compassion) to all beings. Buddhists try to practise ahimsa (non-violence) and this applies to animals as well as humans. The Buddha said: “All living things fear being beaten with clubs. All living things fear being put to death. Putting oneself in the place of the other, Let no-one kill nor cause another to kill.” (Dhammapada). According to the Jataka Tales, when the Buddha attained enlightenment, he was able to remember his many previous lives, both animal and human. In some of these lives, the Buddha sacrificed his own life for that of animals. Many Buddhists believe that we have all lived as animals before and it therefore makes little sense to look down on animals as lesser beings. The Noble Eightfold Path also instructs Buddhists to engage in Right Livelihood. A job which involves treating animals cruelly and subjecting them to painful experiments goes against this teaching.
The Buddha specifically forbade monks and nuns from slaughtering animals.

4. Christian Beliefs
For many Christians, Genesis describes the moment when God gave Adam a soul and made man in his image. This shows that humans are superior to animals: we have dominion over them.
Using p.94-5:
Give two reasons why Christians believe that humans are more important than animals – try to use a teaching.
Explain why most Christians eat meat.
Explain why many Christians support animal experimentation.
Challenge:
To what extent are Christians being stewards of the earth in supporting animal experimentation?
Adam and Eve (Genesis 2)
4 This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, when the Lord God made the earth and the heavens.
5 Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth and no plant had yet sprung up, for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no one to work the ground, 6 but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground. 7 Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

5. Explain two religious beliefs about animal experimentation
Explain two religious beliefs about animal experimentation. Refer to scripture or sacred writings in your answer. (5)
Many Buddhists oppose animal experimentation because of the positive form of the First Precept which tells Buddhists that they should show loving kindness (Metta) and karuna (compassion) to all beings. Since animal experimentation can cause animals to suffer greatly, it is seen as wrong. Many Christians support animal experimentation because humans are seen as superior to animals, so we have dominion over them. This is shown in the Bible which states that God made humans ‘in his image’, and gave humans souls. This means that animal experimentation for medical research is acceptable as it benefits humans.

6. Pros and cons of animal experimentation
It is cruel. Even scientists accept that animals suffer.
The stress that animals endure in labs can affect experiments, making the results meaningless
Although animals suffer, medical testing is for the greater good.
Animal and human genetics are different, and often reactions are not the same (e.g. Ryan Wilson).
It would be cruel to test drugs on humans without testing them on animals first.
Humans are superior to animals: animals can be used for our benefit.
Modern science has developed alternatives to animal testing e.g. using human tissue cultures to test for toxicity.
Animals are still used to test items like cleaning products, which benefit mankind less than medicines or surgery
Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
We should try to be good stewards of the earth: this means protecting all its inhabitants.
Antibiotics, HIV drugs, insulin and cancer treatments rely on animal tests. Other testing methods aren't advanced enough
Trainee doctors can learn how to be better surgeons – cutting, stitching, transplanting – all on animals before they have to operate on people.
Sort the arguments into ‘for’ and ‘against’ animal experimentation.
Take one of more points and use them to write a PEEL argument. OR
3. Select the strongest and weakest arguments – can you think of a counter-argument?

7. Pros and cons of eating meat
Meat is a good source of protein.
If land used to grow meat were used to grow cattle, much more food could be produced.
Factory farming is cruel and causes animals to suffer.
Refusing to eat meat could put farmers out of business.
The Bible states ‘everything that lives and moves about will be food for you.’
‘Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God’
We have dominion over animals.
Killing animals is wrong: they have a right to live just as we do.
Buddhists believe in ahimsa: non-violence.
In the Bible Peter has a dream where he is told that no food is unclean.

8. Abortion
I can describe different religious beliefs about when life begins
I can explain and evaluate Buddhist and Christian arguments about abortion (including the sanctity of life and quality of life)

9. When do you think life begins?
Catholics believe that life begins at conception, therefore abortion is the same as murder.
For many Christians, abortion goes against the sanctity of life – the idea that life is sacred and belongs to God.
When do you think life begins?
Why is this an important question when discussing abortion?
Abortion is legal in England up to 24 weeks (except for exceptional circumstances)

10. Challenge: Why might some people disagree with you?
Read the UK Abortion Act 1967.
Why do you think abortion is legal in these circumstances? (Do they have anything in common?)
b) Choose one part of the Abortion Act that you think some people might want to change.
2. Do you agree or disagree with abortion in the following cases? Write a short sentence to explain your view for at least 2 scenarios:
My partner has just left me and I’m 22 weeks pregnant
I have a genetically inherited condition which will cause the baby to suffer greatly
I have fallen pregnant at 14
I have cancer and my treatment will end my pregnancy but save my life
I was raped and became pregnant
I don’t want children
My baby has Down’s Syndrome
Challenge: Why might some people disagree with you?

11. Pro-choice Pro-life What reasons might someone give for being pro-life
Why might different Christians be on different sides of the debate?

12. Can you apply these religious beliefs to two of the situations below?
Many Christians, including Roman Catholics, believe that life starts at conception, so abortion is murder. Abortion goes against the sanctity of life: the belief that life is sacred and is made by God. Many Buddhists disagree with abortion because it goes against the First Precept “I undertake to abstain from taking life”.
However, some Christians believe that abortion is acceptable in some circumstances as it can be the lesser of two evils, for example if the mother’s life is in danger, since her life is also sacred (she may have an ectopic pregnancy, or medical treatment to save her life may result in the foetus’s death – the doctrine of double effect). Similarly, for Buddhists an abortion may be the most compassionate action.
Can you apply these religious beliefs to two of the situations below?
My partner has just left me and I’m 22 weeks pregnant
I have a genetically inherited condition which will cause the baby to suffer greatly – it will have a poor quality of life
I have fallen pregnant at 14
I have cancer and my treatment will end my pregnancy
I was raped and became pregnant
I don’t want children
My baby has Down’s Syndrome

13. The first moral precept is ‘I undertake to abstain from taking life.’
 The Dalai Lama said that abortion should sometimes be allowed if the unborn child will be disabled or if the birth will create serious problems for the parent
 When a foetus is severely disabled or the mother’s life is at risk it would be cruel not to have an abortion: abortion is the lesser of two evils.
 Life is holy and belongs to God (sanctity of life), therefore only God has the right to end pregnancy.
A woman should be able to decide what happens to her body.
 One of the Ten Commandments is ‘Do not murder’.
 Buddhists should be compassionate towards others.
 ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you were born’ Jeremiah 1:5
 The Golden Rule says treat people how you would want to be treated.
 Jesus taught that we should be compassionate: ‘love thy neighbour’.
 The foetus cannot defend itself.
 If we banned abortions, women would still have them but in more dangerous circumstances.
 The first moral precept is ‘I undertake to abstain from taking life.’
Sort the arguments into ‘for’ and ‘against’ abortion.
Label any arguments which relate to the SANCTITY OF LIFE or the QUALITY OF LIFE.
Challenge: Can you think of a counter-argument to any of the ideas?

14. Abortion
I can describe different religious beliefs about when life begins
I can explain and evaluate Buddhist and Christian arguments about abortion (including the sanctity of life and quality of life)

15. Explain two contrasting beliefs in contemporary British society about abortion. In your answer you should refer to the main religious tradition of Great Britain and one or more other religious traditions. (4)