Abortion and Euthanasia

• Abortion

  Prematurely removing a foetus from the womb to terminate the pregnancy
• Abortion is legal in the UK
• Euthanasia 


  Killing someone to relieve suffering (mercy killing) often from a terminal illness.

  Two types: active + passive
• Passive Euthanasia


  Withdrawing medical treatment keeping someone alive, e.g. turning off life support if perhaps a patient is braindead. This is legal in the UK
• Active Euthanasia


  When a patient requests help to die (often using drugs).

  It is illegal in the UK
• Sanctity of life argument?

  Christianity + Islam teach that all life is created by God + as God's creation all life belongs to Him and is holy so as humans we shouldn't interfere
• Many religous people believe that people don't have the right to interfere when life ends or to prevent the beginning of a new life.
• Many religous people support hospices as they believe it is a way of helping people die with dignity and be cared for, though Muslims usually prefer to care for the ill themselves, as they can be surrounded by family
• Quote against abortion/euthanasia: Islam (Qur'an 4:29)


  "Do not kill yourselves (or another)"
• Quote against abortion/euthanasia: Islam (Qur'an 5:32)

  "Whoever kills one person, it is as if he had slain all of mankind"
• What is 'Sanctity of life'?

  The belief that life is precious/sacred. For many religous believers only human life holds this status
• What is 'Quality of life'?

  The extent to which life is meaningful and pleasurable
• Many people take into account a person's quality of life before euthanasia/abortion