Read the Ethical and
Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services, Fifth Edition,
Part Four - Issues in Care for the Beginning of Life. Are the
directives ethical? Why or why not?
Due September 7, 2012
The directives can be found on the class BlackBoard site.
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20 comments:
I do not believe that this is ethical treatment.
The church says that birth control is never permitted nor is abortion or direct sterilization of men or women. I believe that any person, male or female, should have the right to say if/when they do not want to have any more children. They should also be guaranteed the right to take birth control or to get permanently sterlized, at their own free will.
Also, any woman who is pregnant should get to decide what she does with that pregnancy whether it is parenting, adoption, or abortion. Nobody has the right to tell another person what to do with their own body. It is a personal decision.
Chelsea Holgate
After reading the religious directives for Catholic Health Care, I found their morals to be profoundly ethical. Some topics which were covered within the “Care for Beginning Life” were highly aimed towards the respect for Catholic morals.
The Catholic Church believes that a child is that of a “supreme gift from god and contribute very substantially to the welfare of their parents”. With high respect for marriage and parenthood, they believe reasoning’s of limiting childbirth is normal by natural means only. The Catholic Church shares its respects highly for natural contraceptives and that they do not condone or take part in birth contraceptives. The belief on homolozygous and hetrolozygous is that it is prohibited as it interferes with marriage and procreation.
Other topics covered by Catholic Health care are highly ethical, as the obligation is found to be met with the patients and their well being. Comfort as well is necessary and required for each patient. With that being said, I found the directives of Catholic Health Care to be very ethical, and they hold high moral.
I believe that the directives in the issues for care of the beginning of life are ethical. Even though I may not agree with some of the items that they mention, they are to me staying within the boundaries of the ethical border. It is ultimately up to the woman to make a decision but for religious purposes they will not contribute to certain requests. They do however provide moral and spiritual support for the woman and family.
Based on the readings from our lectures, this would fall under the divine command. Which are ethical decisions based on God’s command. Items such as abortion or experimenting with embryos are not permitted even with parental agreement but ultimately the life of the mother or child is their concern. For example when there is an extra uterine pregnancy they will not participate in abortion but will take measures after they see that the fetus is able to live.
I agreed with most of the earlier directives, but there were some in the section about conception that I disagreed with. Although I can understand the religious reasoning behind directives 40, 41, and 42, I do not agree with them. I think that married couples should have the option of artificial fertilization or a surrogate mother to conceive their children.
The church says they are willing to help couples who cannot conceive children, but the help that they are willing to give is very limited. There are many options that allow married couples to conceive such as artificial fertilization and a surrogate pregnancy to name a couple. It seems strange that the church would encourage adopting a child that another woman gave birth to, but not allowing a willing woman to carry another couple’s child to term. I believe that the church means well, but I do not agree that their beliefs on pregnancy and birth control are ethical.
I believe that most of the directives are ethical. The fact that abortion is not permitted is ethical, for the most part.
I don't believe abortion is acceptable, except for a rape victim. In their case the act was not consensual and the baby would only bring hurt or misery. So they should be given the option.
Also it seemed as though sexual intercourse had one purpose and that was to procreate. So any birth control is not permitted. But some married couples are looking to get settled in life and a child is just out of the question in that time of their life. So what then? Must they remain sexually inactive until they're ready to conceive a child?
Other than that i believe their views are overall ethical.
Evan McFarland
I do not believe that the Catholic church's view on this matter is ethical. I do not believe that when it comes to the matter of family planning that any person, other than those involved, or any institution should have a say in the decisions that are to be made. It is a personal decision.
Not all married couples want to start a family, that does not mean that they should have to refrain from being intimate. My interpretation of what the church is saying in regards to intercourse is that the only purpose of sex is to conceive, this I do not believe as true. What a married couple does behind closed doors is personal.If the couple does not feel ready to have a child they should be allowed to take birth-control or use contraceptives to keep this from happening.
I am not one that believes that abortion is right in all cases. I don't believe it should be used as a way to "bail out" of a situation that a woman has put herself in because she consensually had sex and got pregnant. Alternatively, when a woman is raped and becomes pregnant she should not have to keep the child if she chooses not to. The rape itself being traumatic and scaring, I don't see how anyone could expect them to bear a child that was conceived from it. Until the leaders of the Catholic church are women that have been raped I don't think they should express their opinions on the subject.
Not all people can naturally conceive a child. I don't feel that they should just have to give up and deal with the hand they are dealt. Medical technology has come along way. It has changed in many ways throughout the last few years and being able to conceive a child through surrogacy or artificial heterologous or homologous fertilization have been considered a "blessing" by these people. As the church believes, "a child is a supreme gift from God", who's to say the child wasn't meant to be conceived by this manner, regardless it's still conceived out of love.
After reading “Care for The Beginning of Life” I found some points ethical, then others not so much.
The Catholic Church doesn’t believe in abortions. I completely agree. But I feel under certain circumstances it should be permitted. It should be allowed when a woman has been the victim of sexual assault, and ended up becoming pregnant. If a woman has been raped, there should be evidence presented. Maybe a police report stating an examination has been done, and there is proof of an assault. Now to have women wanting the “easy way out” because they weren’t careful and being careless, not wanting the responsibility, ABSOLUTLEY NOT!!!
Now what I found to be unethical was not believing in women turning to technology for help for those who cannot conceive naturally. There are some that aren’t fortunate to conceive the “old-fashioned way”, so they are going to turn to the next best thing. Who are we as a people to say how and when one decided to have children? As long as the child is loved unconditionally, and taken care of, whose business is it how he or she got here? They are still a gift from God.
In the passage “Care for the beginning of Life,” that main purpose was to state the issues that are present when it comes to making a human life. All of these statements where obviously stated by what that Catholic Church believes about how married couples should create their families, how they should handle fertility and infertility, abortions, and many other things. The Catholic Church involves themselves in marriages because they believe marriage is really sacred and have great respect for it. They also focus on the family of the couples greatly because the Church believes that children are a supreme gift of marriage, which means children are probably the most important aspect.
Even though, most of the directives that were stated were indeed ethical, I believe that some of those aspects weren’t. For instance, I didn’t agree with the directives on infertility, and surrogate motherhood. I don’t agree that that Catholic Church doesn’t accept infertility processes when couples cant have children. I don’t agree with this because what if that family really does want to have children. I know the Catholic Church in this case would suggest adoption, but adopting a child isn’t the same thing as actually having one of ones flesh and blood. I’m not against adopting because when I have a family I would love to adopt a child , I just believe that its not for everyone. Also I didn’t agree with the Catholic Church being against surrogate motherhood. We all know that surrogate motherhood is when a women could bear someone else’s child. I believe that a person can do whatever they want to their body. If someone wants to bear someone else’s child it must be for a good reason and not just because.
However, like I stated earlier, I definitely agreed with most of the directives that were mentioned. For instance, I greatly agreed with the ideals on genetic counseling I agree with genetic counseling because when children are born with genetic defects it may not be easy for the parents to handle it at first. I believe that this counseling will definitely help parents be more responsible and help them understand all the treatments and care. This is really important because all children should be treated equally, no matter how they look like. This passage also mentioned ideals on treatments and medications to be given to a mother when she cant safety have a child. After all, I would have to say the mother is more important to save then the child. However, every family has different believes and this decision should be made by the family.
Stephanie Galaviz
Part 1 of 2-
“The Church has the deepest respect for the family, for the marriage covenant, and for the
love that binds a married couple together.” As long as it is between a man and a woman. The struggle for gay marriage is today's equivalent to women's suffrage less than a hundred years ago. 100 years from now we will be asking ourselves “What the hell were they thinking?” One of the pillars upon which Christianity is built, is tolerance of others, but only if others believe the same thing as they do. I don't want to attack religion, so I'll just stop right there. However, for the Church to dictate what is right and wrong is an example of the ethical theory known as Divine Command, which states that ethical decisions are made by the command of God. This is, by any other name, a dictatorship. An absolution, an ultimatum; not exactly a demonstration of good Christian tolerance of other peoples beliefs. So although I don't agree with the decisions made by the church here, on everything in this section (abortion, birth control, assisting in fertilization, surrogacy, etc) All of these actions are prohibited, but its okay to give a child away for adoption. I personally know people that have no family and have gone through foster families and adoption, and they are completely screwed up. As bad as it sounds to say, they would have been better off not being born, rather than being bounced around from home to home without any sense of purpose, love, security,belonging, or emotional nurturing. Yet the Church says this is okay.
1500 years ago, humans believed that when a volcano erupted or a bad season for their crops was caused by a deity being upset with us, and the only way to appease that deity was to kill a virgin, which today, completely defies all logic.
“For legitimate reasons of responsible parenthood, married couples may limit the number
of their children by natural means.” What are natural means? There is no such thing as natural means of preventing children. Even “pulling out” is unnatural and a sin. I'm not really sure what they are trying to say here, it seems to contradict everything they have said about the sanctity of life, etc. Is cutting into a child's defective heart to repair it not also violating the sanctity and purity of God's beautiful creation? It was at one point, but it is now common practice to perform pediatric heart surgery. As a whole, I disagree with every single directive in this section because it is not anyone's place to dictate to another individual what they can and cannot do with their bodies. If I were to put on a big silly hat and tell you , after being sexually assaulted and contracting HIV in the process, that you cannot abort your child and you have to carry the child and in the process, be reminded of your victimization every time you look at your HIV infected child and see the face of your attacker in that child's face; what would your reaction be? Oh wait if the pain is too much, you can give the child up for adoption. I'm sure there is a huge market for the adoption of HIV infected children, ensuring a long and happy life for that child. This is why I say that we cannot make decisions on an absolute level, without exception, and pass the responsibility of that decision off as Divine will. “Sorry, its not our directive, its God's, and we must honor it without question.” Just like the virgin in the volcano.
Part 2 of 2
So, I believe that these directives against artificial fertilization, surrogacy, birth control, abortion, etc. are in the same boat as sacrificing virgins. It is archaic. You cannot ethically tell someone “that's not permitted, sorry; we don't care what your wishes are; we asked God, and he says no.” In order to make a decision that will have the best possible outcome for an individual, you cannot allow emotion or bias to be a part of the decision. And religious directives are a hindrance and are most certainly biased. They do not take into account an individuals wishes. It would be like telling someone that has cancer that their illness is a punishment from God, and they must now suffer His wrath. Then refusing to treat that patient, stating that it is a sin to go against the will of God. Its the same thing; passing off a decision as out of their hands, and mindlessly obeying and enforcing.
I vote EPIC FAIL here.
I have gone on far too long here, but to sum it up in one sentence, I say yes where they say yes, and I say yes where they say no.
I believe that the directives are ethical for the most part. It is the right of the Catholic Health Care to set the directives to follow their beliefs. The health care systems is not only there to help the sick; its is there to provide other medical services for a fee. It is a business. Everyone can pick and choose where they go for help. If you choose to use Catholic health care you are going to follow their rules and directives.
I think that some of the directives should be more relaxed. I believe that everybody should have the choice to use birth control even if the religion doesn't agree. Not everyone is ready for a child. They should be allowed to pick when they are ready. I also don't agree with the abortion directives. Like i said earlier, not every couple is ready for a family. If a couple were to have a child that they weren't ready for it could bring a large amount of burden onto them. That could cause them to have many other problems such as financial, emotional, and mental problems. it could bring hardship onto the community that is having to pay taxes on support for the family.
I do not think that this set of directives is ethical.
The church believes that birth control, sterilization by choice, and abortion are not to be permitted. I completely disagree with this and find it unethical in the fact that it is taking away a person's choice in their life. Women and me should be permitted to make the choice of if they want children in their lives.
I also disagree with the prohibition of surrogate mothers. Honestly, it's a wonderful thing when someone cannot have a child to have someone willing to hold and have the child for you.
In the end, I find these directive immoral and unethical for the simple fact that a person is a person, a fetus is a fetus, and a person that is living, breathing, and participating in life should have the choice to do as they want to and with their bodies.
By reading this passage I agree with bits and peices of what they think is right. One thing that bugs me is abortion. That is one subject I will never feel comfortable talking about fully. It makes me want to slap people across the face. I will never agree to the whole abortion situtation and how people resort to that. No matter what people say killing a poor inocent baby will never be my solution to anything.
Surrogate motherhood I do not completely understand. After reading this passage I only understand that someone else has your child. I understand from the parents point of view they want there very own baby. I just think that adoption is something that is a better option and gives children a chance to have a great life with someone. Every child is important and by bringing more to this world when there is already so many that need love and care, doesnt seem right to me.
something that caught my attention and I agreed on was when they said that they would help with women that lost babys. I can not imagine how it must feel to lose a child. To me it is something undescribable and hurts just as much or maybe even more than anything imaginable, whether the baby is a unborn baby or born baby. A women needs as much suppost possible when in a situation like that. They take years and maybe the rest of there lives to get over something like that. Some women never get over it but learn to deal with it. That is something that I at least would need if that ever happened to me.
I agree with most of the the Catholic church medical directives except for their views on contraception and abortion.
I do not think it is ethical to forbid any form of contraception to anyone. People have the right to decide if and when they want a child. Now a days the sole purpose of sexual acts are not to conceive. People have the right to express their love and commitment to one another through a sexual act without the consequence of an undesired pregnancy.
The subject of abortion is a very touchy subject and I do not completely agree with. What I mean by completely is dependent on the situation of the matter. For example, if a woman is a victim of rape or incest and the result is pregnancy, I agree with her choice of terminating. As there have been many cases of mistreated and abused children whom were products of rape, who's mothers abandoned them because they were an everyday reminder of their horrific experience. These women decided to keep their babies and bring them into an unstable traumatic environment. Many of these children end up in commiting horrible crimes such as murder and spend the rest of their lives in prison.
Overall I the top two are the Catholic church directives that I feel strongly against.
After reading the directives,"Issues in Care for the Beginning of Life", I found some of the Catholic morals to be ethical and some to be unethical.
First of all, I believe in Science, facts, and the Law, NOT religion.
Unethical:
45.Catholic health care institutions are not to provide abortion services, even based upon the principle of material cooperation.
Reason:
Is there honeslty a Catholic Health Care Instiution? I strongly disagree with this directive. Health care institutions should NEVER be basing their decisions off of religious beliefs. This is entirely ridiculous. By the way, what happens if a girl was raped and became pregnant? Catholic health care isn't going to assist you with an abortion even if you know it is the right thing to do?? BS!!!! I honestly don't even want to read the rest of these directives, this just makes me so angry!!!
Justin Hart
The Catholic Health Care system sounds acceptable except for section number four, The Beginning of a New Life. They do not support birth control. As a young girl I had two very close friends get pregnant a month apart at the age of 16. Even though it was very hard for my mother to make a decision that she wasn't ready for, she knew she had to. My mother put me on birth control. She took me to my Dr. who took care of me in a very professional manner and explained to me what I was getting into and that birth control would not prevent STD's or aids. My Dr. also took me threw other steps to prevent pregnancy, STD's and aids. I am now 25 years old and going to school. All of my friends have many children and I have watched them all struggle being single young mothers. If it wasn't for my mother thinking of me and my future that day, I might be stuck with 5 kids and a low income job just like them.
The Catholic Health Care system sounds acceptable except for section number four, The Beginning of a New Life. They do not support birth control. As a young girl I had two very close friends get pregnant a month apart at the age of 16. Even though it was very hard for my mother to make a decision that she wasn't ready for, she knew she had to. My mother put me on birth control. She took me to my Dr. who took care of me in a very professional manner and explained to me what I was getting into and that birth control would not prevent STD's or aids. My Dr. also took me threw other steps to prevent pregnancy, STD's and aids. I am now 25 years old and going to school. All of my friends have many children and I have watched them all struggle being single young mothers. If it wasn't for my mother thinking of me and my future that day, I might be stuck with 5 kids and a low income job just like them.
Section number of Issues and Care for a New Life. Well my issue with this is that it takes more than love in order to take care of God's Gifts which is conceived from a married couple. In today's society, people can't just eat for free, in other words, feed off of the plants and edible food that surround them. And we also can't just take a piece of cloth and wrap it around us and call it a day. We must work for these things, and the more children you have the more money you will need. The Catholic Health Care system did not speak of that issue.
I am currently on birth control, because its just not worth unnecessary stress that I can not provide for my child. Money isn't the issue, its the quality parenting that I will miss, just because I would be forced to work long hours. That's why I plan on finishing school first, so by the time I have a child my salary will be three times more. My belief/decision is not only ethical, but logical, and humane.
I think everyone should have the choice whether we use birth control, get vasectomy, or a tubule legation. Religion steps in and says no and then people in church wonder why so many babies’ having baby’s and why so many people living on state assistance when we can control us getting pregnant. Their mothers killing there baby’s by drowning them, overdosing them with medication because they have too many kids and can’t handle it anymore, because they didn’t have birth control. A right to have babies or take steps to stop it should be a choice that you get to make for yourself. You are the one that has to live with that decision not anyone else.
Jessica Sundstrom
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