Christian Ethics
This was one of the best classes that I have taken here at GBS. Ethics is more than a topic, or a word. Ethic's is an action, and that is exactly what this class provided us with; action! The below assignment had the following instructions:
Interview someone who strongly disagrees with you on one of the following issues: abortion, embryonic stem cell research, homosexuality, gay marriage, capital punishment, or euthanasia. What are his/her arguments for his/her position? Write out a report and submit below.
I liked this assignment because it was able to take me out of the classroom and put me in the field. Below you will be able to see an example of my debating skills, and an example of logical reasoning against situational ethics that concludes in an incorrect worldview being corrected. I am proud to say that my interviewee changed their position on the topic after our talk.
Interview someone who strongly disagrees with you on one of the following issues: abortion, embryonic stem cell research, homosexuality, gay marriage, capital punishment, or euthanasia. What are his/her arguments for his/her position? Write out a report and submit below.
I liked this assignment because it was able to take me out of the classroom and put me in the field. Below you will be able to see an example of my debating skills, and an example of logical reasoning against situational ethics that concludes in an incorrect worldview being corrected. I am proud to say that my interviewee changed their position on the topic after our talk.
W10 Assignment: Interview
Interview someone who strongly disagrees with you on one of the following issues: abortion, embryonic stem cell research, homosexuality, gay marriage, capital punishment, or euthanasia. What are his/her arguments for his/her position? Write out a report and submit below. For this assignment I interviewed my grandmother, she is 83 years old. The subject that we choose to discuss was abortion. In regards to the other provided topics we both shared the same view points. Although my grandmother did not strongly disagree with me on the topic of abortion, as per the instructions; she did disagree with me nonetheless. When I asked my grandma about abortion she said that she was “torn between it.” She expressed that she believed there were reasons that seem to merit abortions and she also shared that she knows God is against it. I then asked her what were some reasons that she felt merited an abortion? The reasons that she said could possibly merit an abortion were; the health of the mother, child prostitution, and parental drug abuse. She also shared the story of how one mother on drugs once put her baby in an oven (thinking the child was a turkey). In regards to the health of the mother; she was referring to an extreme situation when the birth of a child will certainly kill the mother in the process. In regards to the child prostitution; she was referring to when the parents sell their children into prostitution when they get older. In regards to the parental drug use; she was referring to parents with substance abuse issues raising a child in such an environment. My grandma offered explanation behind her reasoning, by describing the stories that she hears from her daughter (my aunt) who works at the court house. My grandma told me that some of the stories make you say “oh my God why did they bring babies into this world?” My grandmother has been attending church for at least 25 years. She is very well aware that the bible forbids it however; she believes that in this fallen world there are situations that merit it. She said she believes in situational ethics; once I defined the term for her. |
W10 Assignment: Response to Interview
Topic: Abortion For this assignment I interviewed my grandmother, she is 83 years old. The subject that we chose to discuss was abortion. My grandmother has been attending church for at least 25 years. She is very well aware that the bible forbids it however; she believes that in this fallen world there are situations that merit it. She said she believes in situational ethics; once I defined the term for her. All of the reasons that my grandmother used to merit abortion were extreme examples. In most cases of abortion, the “would have been” parents have decided abortion for reasons other than the ones provided by my grandmother. One of the many reasons that my grandmother provided for meriting an abortion was that “the birth of a child could potentially kill the mother in the process.” In the practice of situational ethics, this could explain a reason for abortion. For example: if the mother-to-be already had a few children and no husband. However, situational ethics is not in harmony with God’s word. In addition I shared with my grandmother what we have learned in class about Fletcher's situational ethics. I told her that “Fletcher, as a utilitarian, says that what makes an action good is its end, its purpose or goal. But just because an end is good doesn’t make an act good. There are some things that are evil acts that no situation would make good.” This particular case of murdering a child is a prime example of this. Another reason that my grandmother provided for conducting an abortion was in regards to the child prostitution; when the child becomes a little older. Sadly, this is an actuality in the fallen world that we live in. Many children in other countries face this harsh reality all too often. In addition, it also happens in our own country however, this does not merit an abortion. The Lord’s sixth commandment is “Thou shall not kill.” Regardless if we have developed/changed into a culture that accepts this sort of thing or not; God hasn’t changed. I asked my grandma if there is anything that God cannot do. She said “no, He can do anything.” I told her that she was wrong, and that there are two things that God cannot do. The first is that God cannot lie (Titus 1:2). The second thing that God cannot do is change (Malachi 3:6), He is perfect. You cannot do anything to make Him better, and you cannot do anything to make Him become less. He is God; He is all knowing, and all powerful. I went on to explain to my grandma that the same God of the New Testament is the same God of the Old Testament. Having this information in view, I then told my grandmother that the same God (who does not change) said clearly in the Old Testament “Thou shall not kill.” This was a good teaching opportunity to show her that just because we change as individuals or as a nation that the Lord does not; and He still views murder as being wrong. The last reason that my grandmother provided was “parents with substance abuse issues raising a child in such an environment.” I must admit that this is a tragedy that I was at one time guilty of this myself; with my former addictions. This is a very sad existence for a child. However, this does not merit taking the life of a child from within the mother’s womb. We do not have the best judicial system in the world however; we do have one. In addition, once child services have been called on someone, it is next to impossible to get them off of the parent’s case. One time in another state, my sister called the child services on my ex-wife and me. These case workers made us jump through a million hoops, in order to keep our child. I informed my grandmother that regardless of a child’s parents addictions, that the child should at least be given a chance to make it in this world. Some of the brightest minds in our history have come from parents with addictions. In addition, ethics calls on us as individuals to rise up and do the right thing when we see that an injustice is being done to a child. I also shared with my grandmother in regards to this topic what we learned in class on it. I told her that in class we learned “Mankind is finite and sinful. We don’t have the knowledge or character to determine the right course of action in every situation.” Therefore, like we learned in class that “God’s laws are rooted in His unchanging character and are thus absolute.” In conclusion, my interviewee showed a lot of signs of situational ethics. I can see my grandmother’s heart on these issues. After all she is a grandmother of five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. In short: she loves babies very much. She is the type of woman who it breaks her heart to see a little one suffer. She loves them so much that she even buys presents for my ex-wives kids (who were children of adultery against our marriage). They are not my children, but to grandma they are family to my daughter, and therefore family to grandma. I am also proud to say that my grandmother has seen the error in her former understanding and has changed her position. Although, my grandmothers view on acceptable reasons for abortion are incorrect; this is not what disturbs me the most. As previously stated my grandmother has been going to the same church for at least 25 years. She attends a church that is not and has not been teaching biblical ethics for a longer time than she has attended. The pastor is well paid and very much detached from the congregation. There are very little amounts of bible studies on issues that affect the modern church and believer. With churches staying in their buildings and not educating its members the standard of ethics will become less. If we are lucky they will practice situational ethics instead of nothing. |