Ethics Reviewer Finals PDF

ETHICS 5. The contract must be permanent and indissoluble. Marriage is for life, till death for MARRIAGE AND SEXUALITY the partners. NOTION AND NATUR...

ETHICS 5. The contract must be permanent and indissoluble. Marriage is for life, till death for MARRIAGE AND SEXUALITY the partners. NOTION AND NATURE OF MARRIAGE FORMAL REQUISTIES FOR MARRIAGE Marriage The formal requirements for marriage are - is union between man and women as a promulgated by the 1998 Family Code of the result of mutual attraction and mutual love. Philippines (Article 3, p.8) Their love for one another is expressed in 1. Authority of the solemnizing officer, mutual care, sex intercourse and support 2. Valid marriage license; and both in times of joy and health and in times 3. Marriage ceremony by the contracting of sickness and suffering. parties before the solemnizing officer and - The purpose of the union is not only for their personal declaration that they take mutual love, care and support but also for each other as husband and wife in the the procreation of children to perpetuate the presence of at least two (2) witnesses of human species. legal age. - Is both legal and moral. “It is legal because it is solemnized in accordance with law; it is PURPOSE OF MARRIAGE moral because it is entered into by both The aim of marriage may be summarized as parties giving free and voluntary consent.” follows: 1. Mutual love, companionship and support FAMILY CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES (1998) 2. Procreation, support and education of - Defines marriage as “a special contract of children; and permanent union between man and woman 3. Everlasting life of happiness with God in entered into in accordance with law for the heaven. establishment of conjugal and family life.” It is the foundation of the family – the basic THE SANCTITY OF MARRIAGE unit of society. As a contract and a - We know that Christ instituted the foundation, it is an indissoluble social sacrament of matrimony at the wedding at institution. Cana. In his letter to the Ephesians, St. Paul quotes Holy scriptures of marriage: CATHOLIC VIEW “Because of this, man shall leave his father - Marriage is a contract, an institution and a and mother to be united with his wife, and sacrament in that God established marriage the two shall become one flesh” (Eph. 5:31). as the natural means of procreating and On Christian marriage, Pope Pius XI educating his choicest earthly creatures. “It declares: “By matrimony, therefore, the of is sacred because it is the means of mutual the contracting parties are joined and knit help for husband and wife, not only for their together (join closely) more directly and material and temporal well-being, but to more intimately than their bodies, and that lead them to their eternal destiny, which is not by passing affection of sense or spirit, God. It is finally sacred because faith but by deliberate but firm act of the will; and assures us it mystically represents the union this union of souls by God’s decree, a of the divine and human natures in the sacred and inviolable bond (not to be incarnation of the Son of God. broken) arises.” (On Christian Marriage No. ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR MARRIAGE 7). 1. The contracting parties must be male and female, both single or unmarried. There is - By the above-described nature of marriage, no marriage for the same sexes. the Catholic church teaches Christian 2. True love must be the motivating force for marriage as a call to holiness, a way to the contracting parties. holiness (Bacani, 1998) Marriage as a 3. The contracting parties must be of legal sacrament does sanctify the man and age, at least 18 years of age. woman who enter into it under God’s 4. The contract must be done out of free and blessing. voluntary act. THE INDISOLUBILITY OF MARRIAGE 1.3. They must find out if they are - If marriage is the foundation of the family compatible to each other or not; and and the family is the basic unit of society, 1.4. There are legal impediments. then marriage has to be permanent and - Any, or some, of the above reasons could stable. Otherwise, society, or the state will be the cause why the partners refuse to easily be shaken if its foundation is like a legalize their relationship. In other words, quagmire. they prefer to remain free from the binding - It is of human nature that the rearing of force of a legal contract so that they can children and care of children need the easily separate ways as they wish. permanent loving union of the father and - Live-in marriage does not have the mother under which the children grow and commitment or assurance for the proper learn to love. This needs the permanency of care and support of children since their marriage. That is why marriage is entered parents may separate and desert them into under a legal contract to bind the anytime they wish. The future of children husband and wife till death does them part. and even of the spouses, is uncertain. - What happens to the children if their parents’ separate ways? One parent, or 2. Marriage as contract even both might desert their children. If the - The second form of marriage is contractual. home, which is the adobe of the children, is The relationship between the husband and broken, the children’s life and future will be wife is legalized by the state and/or church shattered. or by custom ceremonies, and therefore, - What happens if society is composed of binding and permanent. By virtue, hereof, broken-hearted individuals? We will have a there is commitment of the spouses to be broken society. Broken homes results to faithful to each other in love and support, juvenile delinquency. and follows the assurance that the children will be properly reared and supported. FORMS OF MARRIAGE There is the commitment of the husband - Privailing in our society today are some and wife to support and maintain their family types of marriage showing themselves in until death. Their marriage is acknowledged some forms. and accepted by their relatives, friends and - They are presented and described by Fr. communities. M.D. Moga, s.J., as follows: (1) Marriage as - Under this form of marriage, Fr. Moga has live-in arrangement, (2) Marriage as this to say on the promises of the contract, and (3) Marriage as covenant. contracting parties. 2.1. There is the promise of fidelity in 1. Marriage as live-in which they vow to center their love - There are certain men and women who on the other exclusively, have no enter “marriage” (not true marriage in the other partners. strict sense of the world) and live together 2.2. There is the vow of presence in as husband and wife without the legal which they promise to be “there” for contract our civilized society requires, or the other in a continual and other ceremonies requisite of their union. permanent way. The marriage is basically a private one 2.3. There is the promise of mutual since there is no official recognition by the financial support in which they agree partners’ respective families, relatives, and to share their financial resources the community as a whole. The marriage and possessions. relationship is temporary in nature, which 2.4. There is the promise to give means there is no permanent commitment themselves to the raising of their between the two lovers. The fact that the children, to fulfill all the partners do no legalize their relationship to responsibilities of good parents. make it permanent could possibly mean the following: 1.1. The lovers are not ready to face parental responsibility. 1.2. They are not certain of their love for each other, so trial first;  3. Marriage as covenant 1. The husband and wife are obliged to live - It was stated supra that under marriage as longer, observe mutual love, respect and contract, husband and wife perform their fidelity, and render mutual help and support duties and exercise their relationship insofar (Art. 68). as they are requirements of the legal 2. The husband and wife shall fix the family contract. Under marriage as covenant, domicile. In case t=of agreement, the court relationship and duties go beyond the limits shall decide (Art.69). of marriage as contract 3. The spouses are jointly responsible for the - The concept of the word covenant is taken support of the family. (Art.70) from the relationship between Yahweh and 4. The management of the household shall be Hebrews, His Chosen People, as they the right and duty of both spouses. The journeyed in the desert to the Promise expenses for such management shall be Land. In this relationship, God committed paid in accordance with the provisions of Himself to His Chose People Article 70. (Art.71) unconditionally, that is, whether the people 5. When one of the spouses neglects his/her remain faithful or go unfaithful to Him, duties to the conjugal union or commits acts breaking the relationship, He remained to which tend to bring danger, dishonor, or be their loving God. injury to the other, or to the family, the - Under the covenantal marriage, the aggrieved party may apply to the court for husband and wife go beyond their legal relief (Art. 72) obligations mutually giving themselves to 6. Either spouse may exercise any legitimate each in fidelity and love. There is that profession, occupation, business, or activity surrender of self even to the point of without the consent of the other. The latter sacrificing one’s personal interest for the may object only on valid, serious, and moral sake of the other. States Fr. Moga:” In grounds (Art. 73). marriage as contract, there is a focus on certain clear and set obligations which the LEGAL SEPARATION parties freely assume. In marriage as It must be noted here that, while some foreign covenant, the focus is on the person and countries such as USA allow divorce, the the personal commitment being made. Philippines, where family relationship is said to be There is a giving of self here which goes closer, does not allow such. What is allowable only beyond certain fixed obligations” (op. is legal separation. The family Code of the cit:168). Philippines provides the following grounds for - This form of marriage sees the husband and separation (Art. 55): wife with an “I Thou” relationship, to use the 1. Repeated physical violence or grossly famous term of Martin Buber. The husband abusive conduct directed against the and wife live their marriage and family petitioner, a common child, or child of the looking beyond the limits of their narrow petitioner. self. In this context, the spouses treat each 2. Physical violence or moral pressure to other as subjects, as persons; not as compel the petitioner to change religious or objects. There is openness and acceptance political affiliation. of the other for what he or she is. There is a 3. Attempt of respondent to corrupt or total, unconditional affirmation of each other induce the petitioner, a common child, or as persons (Ibid.), as subjects and persons a child of the petitioner, to engage in affirming each other, they grow as they prostitution or connivance in such corruption journey together in life. or inducement. - A marriage cannot be considered as 4. Final judgement sentencing the respondent covenant unless it involves its divine author, to imprisonment of more that six years, God. Living married life is no easy thing. We even if pardoned. depend on His blessing and guidance. 5. Drug addiction or habitual alcoholism of the respondent. RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF HUSBAND AND WIFE 6. Lesbianism or homosexuality of The Family Code of the Philippines (1998) respondent. promulgated the rights and duties between the 7. Contracting or subsequent bigamous husband and wife. They are the following: marriage in the Philippines or abroad 8. Sexual infidelity or perversion.  9. Attempt by the respondent against the life of MARRIAGE ANNULMENT the petitioner. A marriage may be annulled for any of the following 10. Abandonment of petitioner by respondent causes at the time of marriage: without justifiable cause for more than a 1. That the spouse for whom the marriage is year. sought to be annulled was 18 years or over but bellow 21, and the marriage was EFFECTS OF LEGAL SEPARATION solemnized without the consent of the Marriage separation shall have the following effects parents, guardian or persons having on the spouses: substitute parental authority over the party 1. The spouses shall be entitled to live freely cohabited with the other and both separately from each other; but the lived together as husband and wife. marriage bonds shall not be severed. 2. That either party was of unsound mind, 2. The absolute community or conjugal unless such party after coming to reason, partnership shall be dissolved and freely cohabited with the other as husband liquidated, but the offending party shall have and wife. no right to any share of the net profit earned 3. That the consent of either party was by the absolute community or conjugal obtained by fraud, unless such party partnership which shall be forfeited in afterwards, with full knowledge of the facts accordance with the provisions of article 43 constituting the fraud, freely with the other (2) as husband and wife. 3. The custody of the minor children shall be 4. That the consent of either party was awarded to the innocent spouse, subject to obtained by force, intimidation or undue the provisions of Article 213 of the Code. influence, unless the same having ceased 4. The offending spouse shall be disqualified or disappeared, such party thereafter freely from inheriting from the innocent spouse by cohabited with the other as husband and intestate succession. Moreover, provisions wife. in favor of the offending spouse made in the 5. That either party was physically incapable of will of the innocent spouse shall be revoked consummating the marriage with the other, by the operation of law. such incapacity continues and appears to be incurable. VOID AND VOIDABLE MARRIAGES 6. That either party was afflicted with a A marriage could be void or voidable. Article 35 of sexually transmissible disease found to be the Family Code of the Philippines provides the serious and appears to be incurable. following circumstances or reasons for void or voidable marriages: Article of the same code provides that any of the 1. Those contracted by any party below 18, following circumstances shall constitute fraud even with the consent of parents or referred to no.3 of the preceding article: guardians. 1. Non-disclosure of a previous conviction 2. Those solemnized by any person not legally by final judgement of the other party of a authorized to perform marriages unless crime involving moral turpitude. such marriages are contracted with either or 2. Concealment by the wife of the fact that both believe in good faith that the at the time of the marriage, she was solemnizing officer had the legal authority to pregnant by a man other than her do so. husband. 3. Those solemnized without license, except 3. Concealment of a sexually transmissible those covered by the preceding chapter. disease, regardless of its nature, 4. Those bigamous or polygamous marriages existing at the time of marriage. not falling under the Article 41. 4. Concealment of drug addiction, habitual 5. Those contracted through mistake of one alcoholism, homosexuality or lesbianism contracting party as to the identity of the existing at the time of marriage. other 6. Those subsequent marriage that are void under Article 53. The above circumstances render marriages void or voidable ab initio. HUMAN SEXUALITY Sexual Intercourse - God created humans in two sexes: male - is the expression of the conjugal will of a and female complimenting each other. He man and a woman to parenthood, the has a divine plan for this: that the man and celebration of physical, mental and spiritual woman be his co-creator in the generation intimacy. and perpetuation of the human species. In - It is during the intercourse that one’s own this context, God ordains sex as sacred and special world is most completely conjoined holy. As sacred and holy, sex must be done with the personal world of the other only within the context of marriage, one (spouse). If the sexual organs of both man purpose of which is the procreation of and woman are functional and assumed children. Sexual act, therefore, must be that the mating partners are fertile during done only by married people. Sex the coitus, conception will naturally occur. performed outside the confines of marriage is sexual perversion. COMPLIMENTARITY OF THE TWO SEXES - While a man and woman are the same as States Corazon L. Curz of martial sexuality: persons, they are different in terms of sex - In the first place, it must be established that and sexuality. God created each of them in God intended the propagation of the human such a way that their sexual differences, race through sexual intercourse. The act is bodily and psychological, become the vital to marriage, although it is not the only source of need and attraction to each other. element in it. There nothing evil, therefore, What the man has, the woman lacks and in its practice provided it is used for the may need it and vice versa. What man purpose for which it was planned. lacks, the woman has, which the man may - In the second place, God intended that need. Each one compliments and there should be an accompanying pleasure supplements the need of the other. Man’s in the conjugal act. In His wisdom, He knew physical strength supplements the physical that this was needed to encourage man to weakness of the woman. The woman’s fulfill the divine command and that this feminine emotion is complimentary to man’s should be his reward for all the sacrifices rationality. Even the shapes of their bodies that parenthood brings. are complimentary to each other. Thus, the two sexes mutually need one another. Sex (lalaki or babae) Husband completes wife, and wife - Is viewed as “a force that permeates, completes husband. Marriage is a union of influences and affects every act of a human completion and fulfillment. person’s being at every moment of Sexuality, therefore, is destined to existence” complete human relationship. In so doing, it - Is not partial or mere genital in the person facilitates human growth and self-fulfillment. - Is the totality of the human being - In reality is “manness” or womanness” of Sexuality generates in the subjects certain values. the person They are as follows: 1. Self-liberating – sexuality is genuinely Human Sexuality expressive of one’s authentic self, begetting - The way of being in, and relating to, the self-assurance and fulfillment. Genuinely world as a male or female person. expressive of one’s authentic self. - It is the mode or manner by which human 2. Other enriching - Sexual act is a form of experience and express both completeness expressing one’s concern for the beloved’s of their individualities and their relatedness well-being and interest. Thus, the act must to each other as male and female also be sensitive, compassionate, understanding and supportive to the other Sexuality mutually. The act, therefore, manifest a - is the expression or manifestation of one’s relation of the “I Thou” where the agents are being a man or being a woman. A man acts both subjects and persons open to growth as man; a woman acts as woman. Both and development. Here, one does not behave in accordance to their respective objectivize the other. Sensitive, natures as man and as woman. compassionate, understanding, and supportive.  3. Honest – Human sexuality, in order to be b) Adultery and fornication where the honest, must be an open and true care, love, and support of resulting expression of deep relationship between the children are not guaranteed husband and wife. Pretension has no place c) When sexual union is done merely in the act. to satisfy one’s elfish desires 5. There must be a morally good reason for 4. Faithful – As sexuality liberates and any action that brings about sexual liberates, it facilitates stable relationship and stimulation. Direct sex actions, whose fidelity between the marital lovers. primary intention is to arouse sexual pleasure, are the privilege only of married 5. Life- serving – Sexuality facilitates God’s people. They are forbidden to unmarried plan of multiplying and perpetuating the people because such conduct would be human species through the procreation of contrary to the virtue of chastity. children. 6. Joyous – Being God’s gift to man, marital PERVERSION OF SEXUALITY sexuality is to e enjoyed by the loving - When the sexual act is done not in its partners. natural course, that is, the act is performed outside of marriage, or done abnormally SEXUAL PLEASURE AND ITS MORALITY with individuals other than the spouse, or - To guide individuals in the morality of sexual that the purpose of sex is distorted or pleasure, the Catholic Church provided denied, it is called perverted sexuality. certain normative principles. By these Sexual perversion is done in the following principles, the faithful are expected to live forms: up with the sixth and ninth commandments, - “Thou shall not commit adultery” and “Thou 1. Premarital sexuality (may balak silang shall not covet they neighbor’s wife” magpakasal) respectively. The principles are as follows: - This sex act is done by two lovers who have the plan to marry each other soon but 1. Sexual organs are good and beautiful cannot wait for some. reasons. This is because they have been given to men and immoral because, in the first place, they are women by God for most noble purpose, the not married yet, and there is the possibility continuation of the human race. God tell us that their marriage will not push through, in in Genesis 1: 27-28, “God created man in which case there is no guarantee t=of the the image and likeness of Himself, in the care and support of children that may result image of God he created him, male and from the union. Their sex act is a violation female he created them. God blessed them, too of the sixth and ninth commandments. saying to them, “be fruitful, multiply, fill the 2. Fornication (sex pero walang plan earth and conquer it.” magpakasal) 2. The sexual act in marriage is also good and - This is done by two unmarried lovers beautiful because of its two-fold God-given without the intention of marrying each other. purpose: for the generation of children The purpose of the sex act is purely for and as an expression of true mutual love pleasure (which is legitimate only for between the spouses. husband and wife) and the procreation of 3. Sex among Christians is essentially children is out of the question. It is against unselfish because it is to be directed toward God’s plan for creating sex as it violates the others, ultimately to the offspring that God sixth and ninth commandments. Thus, may give husband and wife, and to one’s fornication is outright immoral. marriage partner. 4. When sex is used for selfish purposes, it is 3. Extra-marital sex act deviation from Christian standards. Such - Performed by a husband or wife with sex perversion may be done in various another individual other than his/her forms. spouse, extramarital act is likewise immoral a) Intended artificial contraception because the doer violated his/her vow of where one of the purposes of sex, fidelity to his/ her spouse; the sixth and procreation of children, is denied. ninth commandments are violated; and the care and support of possible children are not guaranteed.  - In a martial union, certain problems may 4. Homosexuality and lesbianism. arise in the sexual relations of the husband - Since these acts are deviations from the and wife. Such problems may severe the natural and therefore against the very martial relation and happiness of the nature of the performers, and that the spouses or even break the marriage if not purpose of procreation is out of place in the handled properly. These problems are the act, they are outright immoral. following: 1. Sexual incompatibility. - Since marriage is not a "trial-and -error" 5. Raper contract, the contracting parties cannot go - Since rape is a sexual act forced against on sexual experimentation to find out the consent of the woman under threat of whether they are sexually compatible before death and done against the commandments the marriage. As a result, there are couples (6th and 9th) of God. Since the intention of who may find themselves incompatible procreation is out of place and usually done weeks or months after the wedding to a woman other that the wife, it is a crime. celebration. Sex incompatibility could be the 6. Incest aggressiveness of one partner and the - While incest is not a common problem in opposite of it in the other, which causes our society, it needs to be mentioned here frustration or suffering on the spouses. Or, for it does happen to some families. there could be some physical defects in the - is a sexual intercourse between father and sex organ of either spouse which hampers daughter, mother and son, brother and sexual enjoyment, which were not confided sister, grandfather and granddaughter, and to the partner before marriage. the like. Since incest is generally a forcible act by the male, it is criminal and immoral. Premarital sexuality which is almost Incest is a violation of God’s will. Article 37 common today among marriages can hardly of the Philippine Family Code voids be a basis for judging compatibility or in- incestuous relationship: “Marriages between compatibility. Hence, the problem remains. ascendants and descendants of any degree But the problem of compatibility or and between brothers and sisters, weather incompatibility in sex is never a justification of full or half-blood, are deemed incestuous to permit premarital sex, among and therefore void.” marriageable sweethearts. After all, most 7. Live-in. psychologists and all marriage counselors - While live-in marriage is, to a certain consider sex relations as not the essential extent, a steady union of two lovers, it factor to marital happiness. They hold that remains unstable in nature since the the sexual act is only about ten percent partners are not bound by law to the component of the marital union, if it is to be promise of fidelity to one another. We know quantified. that the spouses’ vow of fidelity guarantee the security of the children. On the other 2. Impotence hand, the danger of separation threatens - Impotence here is referred to the inability the parental care of the children. In this of the husband to perform sexual sense, the plan of God for the procreation intercourse with the wife due to some and care of children to perpetuate the psychological problems and physical human species becomes distorted or even deficiency in his organ. denied. Thus, live-in marriage is immoral, both from Christian and cultural points of 3. Frigidity view. The sex act is also a violation of the - This is referred to the lack of sexual 6th and 9th commandments of God. Christian response or feeling on the part of the wife tradition teaches that sex acts must be done due to some physical, mental or cultural only within the confines of legitimate reasons. marriage. - If the impotence of the husband and/or the wife's frigidity cannot be remedied and MARTIAL SEX PROBLEMS remain incurable such that the marriage cannot be consummated, the problem can  be a ground for annulment (FCP, Art. 45, # 4. Neonatology 5). 5. Organ transplant 6. Genetic screening 4. Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) 7. Prenatal diagnosis - Diseases transmitted through sexual 8. Genetic engineering contact is another problem that may 9. Euthanasia (Biomedical ethics: An anglo- damage marital sexual relation, especially if american Dialogue) the disease existed at the time of marriage. These biomedical research breakthroughs have Again, if not remedied and still persists, the caught the attention of moralist and theologiest at problem could be a ground for annulment of the time in the two countries mentioned. “Over the the marriage (Ibid.: #5). past few years, reported Daniel Gallahan” we have noted a great development of interest intertionally 5. Sterility in these issues… there are some twenty centers of - Sterility is the biological inability of either biomedical ethics now established in Europe, and spouse to procreate offspring due to some we can find colleagues in Japan ang in the deficiency in the reproductive organs. Southeast Asian countries”. These countries Strictly speaking, sterility is not a sexual include the Philippines although perhaps, at the problem, but we include it here because, as time, it had no biomedical center yet. a problem, it is related to and therefore affects the marital sexual life of the husband Yet the Philippines was not entirely behind in these and wife. issues. Far backs as 1966, the problem on artificial birth control was already being discussed under professional medical ethics in Moral Theology. I can still remember our Belgian professor, BIOETHICAL ISSUE AND THEIR MORAL (Rev.Fr.Ameya, CICM, San Carlos Seminary, IMPLICATION Makati), discussing artificial reproduction and artificial means of birth control and their moral Bioethics implications in our class of Moral Theology. - Refers to the study of the morality of certain However, it was only six years ago (1993) that an issues involving human life ranging from the exhaustive book on bioethics by a Filipino, artificial means of producing babies or Florentino T. Timbreza, was published in the preventing or controlling their birth, human Philippines. experimentation, to certain acts against life itself. For the chapter, however , suffice it for us to - It is applied study of ethical issues and discuss what is the basic and practical for daily values not only in medicine and biology but living. We shall include the following topics: also in the behavioral sciences… The primary and major predicaments with which A. Biomedical Issues bioethics, as applied ethics, deals are those 1. Artificial Insemination concerning life, health, and death that have 2. Body Organ transplant resulted from modern biological technology (eg. 3. Sex change Biomedical engineering and genetic therapy), 4. Human cloning particularly the way they have affected human values”. B. Moral problems against Human Life 5. Contraception as means of birth control With the advance in science and technology, and 6. Abortion motivated by the desire to control human birth as 7. Euthanasia means of neutralizing population explosion and at 8. Drug Abuse the same time to improve quality of life, biomedical 9. Suicide scientists had embarked researches on human biological matters in the United States and England 1. ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION in the 1960’s. Such researches covered matters on: - Is defined as the extraction and 1. Artificial human (reproduction through “test depositing of man’s spermatozoa in tube” fertilization) the vagina, cervical canal, or uterus 2. Artificial insemination of the woman through the use of 3. Surrogate motherhood instruments to bring about desired  conception that cannot attained - which hinder normal intercourse between through sexual intercourse. husband and wife. - The semen may be fresh from FOR INSEMINATION INVOLVING AN husband, or from a donor, or OUTSIDE DONOR: withdrawn from a sperm depository 1. Sterility of the husband bank. Semen extraction for 2. Hereditary disease of the husband insemination purposes can be done 3. Eife’s defective oocytes in various ways 4. Damaged fallopian tube of the wife 1. Ejaculation by masturbation 2. Ejaculation by condom- ETHICAL THEORIES AND MORAL intercourse JUSTIFICATIONS 3. Coitus interruptus (withdrawal What are the moral implications of artificial method) insemination as means for a childless couple to 4. Anal massage of the prostate procreate? The problem may be viewed from gland different sectors of thought: the naturalists, 5. Direct puncture of the epididymis pragmatists, utilitarian and situationists. Some - Artificial insemination may be done to a moralists treat the problem from Holy scriptures. husband and wife whose reproductive process is defective. Semen is extracted Naturalists from the husband and is injected into the - who based their arguments on natural law, wife’s vagina or uterus to fertilize her ripe predominantly led by the Catholic Church, ovum for the intended conception. This is strongly objected that artificial insemination call homologous insemination (AIH). Or is immoral on the ground that the child the semen extraction is done to donor other produced is not the fruit of the couple’s than the husband, as agreed upon by the conjugal act motivated by love, but the parties, to be placed in the done for result of artificial manipulation of the fertilization and procreation by couple. This reproductive process. They argued that the is called heterologous insemination (AID). act of artificial insemination is a violation of In some cases, a wife can perform the nature of reproductive and procreative insemination under a doctor’s supervision if course. the semen is from the husband. In cases where the sperm-giver is not the husband, Natural Moralists fertilization is done in vitro or test tube - claim that the fidelity and conjugal martial process. After the gestation, the fertilized union of husband and wife in marriage is ovum is transferred to the woman’s womb deemed desecrated in the husband in the for pregnancy. In the same case, the case of AID. In the case of AIH, it is the insemination may be done direct to the artificiality of the process involving human wife’s genital tract (in utero) if not done in intervention tampering the course of nature vitro. that is, for them, morally objectionable. AID is likewise violative of the unity of marriage Why do couples resort to such artificial acts instead due to the intervention of a third party (the of following the natural course? Here are some donor) who is not part of the marriage bond. reasons they pose: “AID is contrary to the unity of marriage, to the dignity of the couple, to the vocation FOR INSEMINATION WITHIN THE COUPLE: proper to parents, and to the child’s right to 1. Impotence of the husband be conceived and brought to the world in - ejaculation cannot occur due to non- marriage and from marriage”. erection. Situational Moralists, 2. Defective urethra of the husband - led by Joseph F. Fletcher, hold that artificial - through which urine and semen pass insemination is a right of childless couples to overcome childlessness. They seem to 3. Deficiency of sperm count hold that the procreation of a child even “by - defective quality of sperm whatever means” life artificial insemination, as long as if is mutually agreed upon by the 4. Some physio-psychological abnormalities  couple motivated by love, is in no way a Some side problems may arise, however. First, we violation to marital sexual fidelity. have to keep in mind that artificial insemination is understood to be strictly for childless couples Utilitarianist ethicians wanting to have children. Therefore, it is not morally - likewise claim that both AIH and AID can applicable to individuals outside the bond of enhance “more good than harm, more marriage. The idea of artificial insemination was happiness than unhappiness, more initiated due to the failure of married couples to pleasure than pain for a childless couple” bear offspring. The idea did not originate from wanting to have offspring… the eugenic single unmarried individuals. Thus, unmarried justification of AID, that is, to prevent the individuals and prolific married couples have no birth of potentially defective child--- is in justified reasons to avail of the practice. conjunction with the principle of the greatest happiness for the greatest number” Secondly, it must be kept in mind too that the - Utilitarianists hold that it is one’s moral introduction of the technique was made primarily for obligation to remedy his problem of the purpose of remedying the childlessness procreation with all the awareness of problem of procreation of certain married couples. available medico-technological resources Performing artificial insemination, therefore, is the and technical know-how. To refuse to do it therapeutic in nature and in purpose. In this regard, is tantamount to an act of sin of omission for couples with no problem of procreation have no which one is morally responsible, according business performing the act. It is immoral for them to them. to be playing with the human reproductive elements and process as if they were toys. Moral pragmatists - On the other hand, view artificial Likewise, single individuals, especially women insemination as “the most practical, wanting to have children without being married to a beneficial and useful technique” for childless husband, might go to withdraw sperm from a sperm couples to remedy their problem. Unlike the bank or direct from an individual and have them naturalists, they disregard the naturality of injected for pregnancy and procreation. Again, this the method used; what is important for them act is morally unfair for three reasons: to prevail is the outcome, the procreation of 1. A sperm which is part of the human body is the child desired. The pragmatists seem to not for commercial purposes overlook the morality of the means. For 2. The right of the child to have a natural them, the end justifies the means. father, who must be the husband of his wife, to live with and care for him in a normal Timbreza took Genesis 1:28 as springboard for his family is denied; view point: “ Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth 3. It is selfishness on the part of the mother to and subdue it.” According to him, this was an order have a child but depriving him/her of the by the Creator addressed to the First Couple of love and company of his/her father due to mankind of fruitfully bear children and fill the earth. self-convenience. Since it is a divine command, whatever is the obstacle to the procreation of children, the couple 2. BODY ORGAN TRANSPLANT has to find ways and means to “subdue” it. Thus, - The twentieth century saw the possibility of impotence, sterility, genetic defects and other transplanting bodily organs with the hindrances, which obstructs the process pf advance of science and technology. Today procreation, have to be conquered. In so doing, there are a number of organ transplants God’s command will be fulfilled, and the desire of being done as routine especially in advance childless couples to have children will be joyfully countries like the United States or United realized. Kingdom, among others. Transplants that have been performed routinely for decades “We should conquer nature” declares Timbreza, “in are those of the kidney, heart, skin, cornea, order to fulfill God’s authoritative order.” And today, liver, pancreas, lungs, bone marrow, and we have the experts, AI specialists, and the testicles. The most frequently transplanted resources to subdue such defective nature organs are the kidney, cornea, and skin. obstructing procreation. - Transplant experts have classified organ transplantation into the following: 1. AUTOGRAFT  - This is transplant of an organ from one part of the body to another 1977 (first testicle transplant) within the same person. - Dr. Sherman L. Silber - For instance, skin is taken from the legs and in engrafted on a scarred 1988 (first liver, kidney and pancreatic face of the same patient. transplant) - National Kidney Institute in the Philippines 2. HOMOGRAFT - It is the grafting of an organ of a 1990 (bone marrow transplant in Philippines) person to another individual of the - Dr. Honorata Giongco-Baylon same species. - Successful - The former called the donor and the latter, the recipient patient. Examples of this is the transplant of MORAL IMPLICATIONS heart, kidney, cornea, among others. - The foregoing data on organ transplant show that obviously, the reason for the 3. HETEROGRAFT operation made were medically therapeutic - This is a transplantation of an organ in nature and purpose. The transplants from one individual to another performed were to provide the lacking species. organs to an individual so that the body can - An organ of an animal is extracted function normally and efficiently. As and engrafted in a human being, or outcome, transplants were introduced, from dog to monkey. followed by the development of skills and - In 1984, for instance, a heart of the technology to do it with ease and baboon was transplanted into a baby accuracy, eliminating Operation risks, or at girl in California. It survived the baby least minimizing them. In other words, the 21 days after transplant by a certain purpose is to correct and even improve the Dr. Leonard Bailey. human body organ transplantation is morally violative of human life? The act is 4. ISOGRAFT not against life but clearly in favor of it. - This is transplantation between - On the contrary, it becomes a sin of identical twins. omission for one not to act or even refuse to - In this case, doctors who made have the transplant for one’s defective operations on this kind found out organ despite the fact that he/she has all that it is highly successful due to the needed resources, human and financial. non-rejection. - When does body organ transplant become immoral? The act becomes immoral when Data available on transplantation made that are it is abused, that is, when the purpose is publicized so far are as follows: other than the therapeutic. For example, the individual makes the operation upon 1905 (first cornea transplant) one’s body, whether his own or that of 1951 (first kidney transplant) another, without any medical justification. - Dr. David Hume The act becomes evil when there is no good - Boston intention for it. - Using cadaver donor but was a failure. - The good intended, however, must be far Three years later a successful kidney transplant greater than the evil effect encountered. was done by Dr. Murray and Dr. John Merill To replace a defective kidney with a normal one, which will enable the 1944 (first Eye Bank for Sight Restoration) recipient survive for a number of years - Dr. Paton in New York illustrates the principle. The life of the done sustained for years far outweighs the December 1967 (first heart transplant) evil depriving the donor of his organ and the - Dr. Christian Barnard in South Africa cost and effects of the operation. Anybody - Patient survived for 18 days cannot just playing transplants of body - Heterograft was done to a baby girl in organs without moral justification. California using a baboon’s heart. It failed 3. SEX CHANGE OPERATION give them an adjusted place in society. Newly - God created people into two basic genders: implanted sex organs, they believe, would offer the male and the female. them a feeling of identity, hopefully for a proper - Our sexes are God-given, in which case we recognition in society. For hermaphrodites, they cannot choose from. To be a man, or to be would fully belong to one sex they choose to join or a female, is not ours to select. As a gift, identify with. The fact remains, however, that the together with life, we just accept. People change is limited only to the external, and not to the accept and are happy about it. whole personality. The feeling of social adjustment - Today, however, gender problems are a is there. growing social issue. There is the hermaphrodite who biologically possesses Provided the motive for the sex organ surgery two sex organs of male and female. There is correctional to the defects of nature, and is the man with normal sex organ but has therefore therapeutic then there is moral the sexual feeling of a woman. There is the justification for the operation. It is like removing woman with the normal sex organ but an organ from body, or implanting one, for a normal whose sexual attraction is towards the sex functioning of the individual. After all, it is only a of her own. Such feelings are misplaced or minor part of the body that is disturbed, and there is “imprisoned” in a wrong body. As a result of no overhaul of the entire system. these, homosexuality and lesbianism happen among them. These phenomena are, of course, not of the subject’s own fault 4. HUMAN CLONING in most cases. Generally, it is Cloning environmental. - Is the latest human intervention in the course of nature. It is a technological To remedy this, many of the individuals affected process by which an identical replica of an resort to sex organ surgery in the hope of success. organism is produced by replacing the Many opted to have their sex organs changed nucleus of an unfertilized ovum with the through operation. nucleus of a body organism. Experimentation of this was done to There are four types of sex change operation: fertilized eggs of frog in 1952 in Germany. 1. Male to female The experiment was successful: the eggs o The testicles are removed and the developed into a group of identical tadpoles penis is cut off which are “carbon copies” of donor of cell o In place of testicles, artificial vagina nuclei. A clone is an identical duplicate is engrafted using parts of the penis produced through “nucleus transplantation”. o The breasts are operation to - The success of the frog experimentation enlarge them using silicon and the gave the scientists the push to do the same Adam’s apple is reduced in size. on humans. In 1978, David Rorvik claimed to have conducted the research 2. Female to male experimentation on an unnamed woman in o The uterus and ovaries are an unnamed country in Southeast Asian removed, and the breasts are country. The nucleus donor was a amputated and flattened. millionaire bachelor whose identity was o An artificial penis is engrafted in the kept a section for ethical reasons, the vagina’s place cloning succeeded after so many failures. 3. Hermaphrodite to male The closed embryo was implanted in the 4. Hermaphrodite to female (most number womb of a native woman until she gave of cases) birth to a boy, the identical of the donor rich man. However, the information was only a For their secondary sex characteristic, both male story; there was no reliable proof of the and females are injected with hormones. After the experiment. successful operation, each one will have their new - In 1996, the cloning of two carabaos were gender. successfully done at the Northen Luzon Subjects claim that the surgery is done to help State University in Nueva Ecija, Philippines. them in their “wrong” sex organs and give them a The cloned animals are healthy. If such feeling of belonging. When successful, this would  cloning of carabaos succeeded, so it could rights of the human person from manipulation by be done to human beings. medical science and technology. Medical scientists justify the experimentation of humans in the guise Cloning for human has advanced the following of improving the human race, production of justifications: geniuses, production of soldiers, et cetera. But no 1. It is great way of perpetuating the genius; amount of medical end can in any way outweigh 2. It can improve the human race; Kant’s moral imperative: never to use humans as 3. It can prevent genetic diseases in a means only but to treat them as ends. In this line of selected posterity; thought, to use human embryos as instrument of 4. It can provide a genotype of one’s spouse; experimentation constitutes a crime against their 5. It can be a form of perpetuating the donor; dignity as human beings. 6. It can increase scientific knowledge on human reproduction; The act of cloning, manipulation of embryos or 7. It can provide soldiers and servant classes fetuses who are already humans, inseminations, of people; and sperm and ova banking are acts against the dignity 8. It can exchange body parts and enhance and rights of the yet unborn child who has equal social communion. dignity as that of the already horn one. There is no difference in terms of humanity and dignity between What are the moral implications of human cloning? the unborn and the already born child. Thus, they Is it ethical to clone people on the basis of the are immoral. above justifications? For this, let us quote Pope John Paul II on 5. CONTRACEPTION FOR BIRTH CONTROL intervention: “ A strictly therapeutic intervention Contraception is the process of preventing whose explicit objective is the healing of various conception by the use of artificial means which maladies such as those stemming from hinder the meeting and union of the husband’s chromosome defects will, in principle, be sperm and wife’s ovum for fertilization. By considered desirable provided it is directed to the performing or providing such artificial means, the true promotion of the personal well-being of the sperm and egg cell of the spouses are prevented individual without doing harm to his integrity or from uniting, which in turn prevents fertilization and worsening his conditions of life. Such as conception. The basic purpose is to control intervention would indeed fall within the logic of number of births and birth spacing as desired by Christian moral tradition”. the couple. Other purposes may be medical or therapeutic. For instance, pregnancy endangers The position of the Catholic Church is naturalist. the life of the mother; or the procreative organs of Since cloning is man’s act of intervention in the the mother are defective affecting both the child natural course or procreation, its application in the and the mother. production of humans is not only an intervention but also a bypassing of the procreative purpose of That there are a lot of artificial and natural methods marriage. The Pope, the head of the Church, is not and techniques of contraception is a common totally objecting against any artificial intervention knowledge. Suffice it for us to mention here the like cloning. But he is very much cautious in the common methods of contraception, as we classify matter because the subject is huma life production them into the natural and artificial. – not human life procreation. For any human intervention to be morally acceptable, he stressed A. Natural Methods that the intervention must be “directed to the true 1. Rhythm/ Calendar Method promotion of the personal well-being of the o This method is based on the individual without doing harm to his integrity.” menstrual cycle of the women’s The basic purpose must be categorically medical fertility and non-fertility periods. and therapeutic with the warning that in the These periods are computed within process, the human dignity of the individual is not the woman’s menstrual cycle of to violated but respected. In this sense, human every 28 days (average). Couples cloning is morally unacceptable. abstain from sexual intercourse one week before and one week after Naturalists and Christian moralists apparently have ovulation days which occur around one thing in common; safeguarding the dignity and the 14th day. In other words, sexual  intercourse is to be done on non- o This is another latex rubber fertile days which are outside the membrane fit into the vagina to week before and after the ovulation prevent the entrance of semen period, that is, the week before and ejaculated. This is also called after ovulation. While this method is cervical cap. This is inserted by a safe, it is no very effective due to doctor into the wife’s vagina. the uncertainty of the woman’s safe 3. Sponge and unsafe periods. o Similar to the diaphragm, this is a 2. Temperature Method rectangular shaped sponge to be o The method is based on basal body inserted into the vagina with jelly to temperature used to indicate the cover the entrance of the uterus to time of ovulation. The woman’s prevent semen from entering. temperature rises to 0.3 Celsius or 4. Vaginal tables and suppositories 0.5 Fahrenheit when ovulation o Tables and other suppositories are happens. At this time, the couple inserted into the vagina together should abstain from cohabiting with chemicals to kills sperms because the woman is fertile. entering. The insertion is done 3. Ovulation or Mucus Method some 10 minutes before sexual o The sign indicating ovulation in the intercourse. The tablets are melted woman is the presence of thick by body head to produce foam mucous discharge from the vagina. which prevents sperm entrance. This means the woman is fertile 5. Contraceptive pills and, therefore, sex relation is to be o Made of hormones, the pills are abstained to avoid conception. taken in by the woman everyday for 4. Sympto-thermal method 20-30 days within the month. The o Here the ovulation is indicated by tablet is taken in at the 5th day after some pain in the abdomen and the and 1st day of menstruation. cervix feels firm like the tip of the 6. Implanted pill nose prior to ovulation and o A pill, consisting of hormones and becomes soft like lips towards cholesterol, is implanted in the ovulation husband’s skin to make him 5. Coitus during menstruation infertile. This lasts for 3 years. The o Since the ovum is gone at this pill, however, weakens the man’s period, conception will not occur. sex appetite. The tissues and mucous secretions 7. Intrauterine device (IUD) of the vagina together with the o This device is made of stainless semen are washed away by the steel or plastic. Strictly speaking, menstrual flow. this method is abortifacient, not contraceptive. It fights against the development of the fetus, not the B. Artificial Methods prevention of conception. It 1. Condom prevents the developing fetus from o A sheath of latex rubber is put on implanting itself in the uterus and so the penis during the sexual it dies, disintegrates and join the intercourse so that the sperm menstrual flow. ejaculated will be held within the rubber sheath, preventing said 8. Morning-after pills (DES) sperm from entering the uterus. The o This abortifacient pill causes uterus condom is also used to prevent lining to shed off, so that if fetus is sexually transmitted diseases. implanted in the lining; the drug will kill it. 2. Diaphragm 9. Prostaglandin  o This hormone drug taken by mouth, recognizes man’s vocation to intervene in the injection or vaginal insertion working of nature, man must at the same time effectively cause contraction of the safeguard human dignity and the authentic uterus to eject the fetus to die. character of the marital act. Thus, Gorospe says, ”one cannot indiscriminately manipulate the sexual 10. Anti-pregnancy vaccine power in man for the purpose of fertility control o The woman is vaccinated to cause without necessarily affecting the total personality”. her to menstruate, in turn the menstruation effects miscarriage of The Papal Commission for birth control, the fetus. preparatory to the Humanae Vitae posed some arguments in favor and against contraception. The 11. Tubal ligation valid arguments against it are as follows, quoting o This is direct tying and cutting of the two therefrom: fallopian tube to hinder the ovum from passing through the uterus and 1. The sacredness of sexual intercourse the sperm is prevented from - The act of intercourse as a unique meeting the ovum for fertilization. cooperation of man with his Creator in initiating human life is sacred. Hence, it is a 12. Vasectomy desecration, a kind of sacrilege, to interfere o This consists of the cutting and in the act, to rob it of its unique power. tying the husband’s vas deferens so that sperms from the testicles are 2. Contraception and other human behavior prevented from passing through to - The norm against contraception is part of meet the ovum. an integrated Catholic morality on sexual behavior. First, if contraception in marriage 13. Hysterectomy is permissible, it is equality permissible o The uterus of the woman is outside of marriage. Hence, contraception completely removed through must be condemned to condemn operation. The sexual drive of the fornication. Second, the practice of woman is diminished if not totally contraception leads almost inevitable to eliminated as a side effect. widespread abortion (example, in Japan over 1,000,000 per year for the last 12 MORAL IMPLICATIONS OF CONTRACEPTION years) and to a general disrespect for life. The application of all the above-mentioned forms of contraception involves human and Christian values. On the regulation of birth in which contraceptions In the process, such values are to be protected. In are used, Humanae Vitae has this to say: the early 1960’s during which there was a growing A. On illicit means: concern for birth control and contraception, the 1. The direct interruptions of the generative Catholic Church came out with her Encyclical, process already begun, and above all, HUMANAE VITAE (HV), in “defense of the dignity directly while I and procured abortion, and sacredness of human life as well as an appeal event if for therapeutic reason, are to be for responsibility in sexual relationships in marriage. absolutely excluded as licit means of At the same time, in the same context, the regulating birth; Encyclical recognizes the responsibility in 2. Equally to be excluded is direct conscience of parents to determine the number and sterilization, whether perpetual or spacing of children; it determines illicit and licit temporary, whether of the man or of the means of birth regulation; and finally, it gives woman; pastoral directive to guarantee human and 3. Similarly excluded is every action which, Christian values. either in anticipation of the conjugal act or in its accomplishment, or in the Paul VI states likewise that the Church recognizes 4. development of its natural man’s responsibility in intervening with nature in the consequences, proposes, whether as an transmission of life. He warns, however, that “there end or as means, to render procreation are limits to man’s dominion over his body and its impossible. functions, limits demanded by due respect to the order established by God”. While the Encyclical  B. On licit means: this is summarized as and respected Filipino couple, who are writers and follows: speakers on family management, has this to say” 1. The use of those therapeutic means truly necessary to cure diseases of the “In the final analysis, it is the husband and wife who organism, even if an impediment of will face God in the life hereafter. They are procreation which may be foreseen, answerable to Him for the decisions they made in should result therefrom, provided such this world. Properly instructed, medically and impediment is not, for whatever motive, morally, on the methods of regulating fertility, they directly willed; and must make the final choice.” 2. It is licit to take into account the natural rhythms immanent in the generative 6. ABORTION functions, for the use of marriage in the - The practice of abortion is not a practice of infecund periods only, and in this way to contraception. While the two acts are both regulate birth. means of controlling birth, they are different from each other. The two acts must not be It is clear that the Church perceives all voluntary confused as one and the same by the artificial contraceptives, without any therapeutic or individual. No contraception is abortive in medical purposes, as morally wrong because they nature. Contraception is done with the do not respect the biological laws which are part of intention of simple preventing the sperm the human person, interfering in the biological from meeting the ovum so that fertilization process of human nature. Included as morally illicit will not occur disturbing the natural process are tubal ligation, vasectomy, and hysterectomy. or eliminating the sperm or ovum. Its contraception, no zygote or fertilized egg is The following are considered morally illicit involved. contraceptives or contraception: - On the other hand, abortion is an 1. Condom intervention to discontinue conception 2. Diaphragm which already formed fetus. Abortion kills 3. Sponge zygote, not sperm or ovum, directly or 4. Vaginal suppositories and tablets indirectly. Contraception discontinues 5. Vaginal jellies, creams and foams the natural process of conception. 6. Contraceptive pills Abortion discontinues conception. 7. Injections and implants - Abortion is defined, therefore, as “the 8. Intrauterine device (IUD) expulsion of a living fetus from the womb of 9. Morning-after-pills (DES) the mother before birth”. It is the 10. Prostaglandin termination of pregnancy, spontaneously or 11. Anti-pregnancy vaccine by induction prior to viability. 12. Tubal ligation 13. Vasectomy TYPES OF ABORTION 14. Coitus interruptus There are five types of abortion, namely: natural 15. Hysterectomy abortion, direct abortion, therapeutic abortion, eugenic abortion, and indirect abortion. Considered morally allowed are the following: 1. Rhythm or calendar method 1. Natural abortion 2. Temperature method - This is the expulsion of the fetus from the 3. Ovulation method womb of the mother by natural or 4. Sympto-thermal method accidental causes. Thus, this type is also 5. Coitus during menstruation called spontaneous or accidental abortion. This can happen when the COUPLE’S DECISION pregnant woman accidentally slips on the Final decision belong to the couples concerned. floor affecting adversely the fetus in her The Canadian Bishops recognized the couple’s womb causing it to be aborted. As long as right to follow their conscience. “Couples feel that the accident is not willfully intended to until the Bishops all over the world have formed a cause the abortion, there is no moral harm. consensus, married couples should follow their own conscience, after a mature and responsible deliberation in the sight of God” and well-known  2. Direct or Intended Abortion Therapeutic Abortion - The expulsion of the fetus from her womb - Justified with medical purposes, therapeutic is deliberately done because the baby is abortion may be morally allowed. That is, if unwanted for whatever reason. The person the illness of the mother is established and or persons doing the act are therefore that the child is with an incurable disease. If responsible for such. the fetus is healthy and can be saved through the use of modern technology, 3. Therapeutic Abortion then, much the better. Saving the life of the - The removal of the living zygote is mother should not overshadow the value of deliberately done for medical or therapeutic the fetus life. Therapeutic abortion should reasons, that is, to save the life of the never used as a pretest for the attainment mother. The pregnant mother may die of some evil ends. during pregnancy or delivery due to some This applies too in the case of ectopic pregnancy. If heart disease, for instance. the fetus can be saved while saving the life of the mother, that would be excellent. 4. Eugenic Abortion - The is performed where the developing In a case where the lives of both fetus and mother child is foreseen to be defective or are at stake, where only one of them can be saved, diseased. This is to prevent the birth of the doctor doing the surgical operation shall try his child who might be suffering after all, best to save the two lives without choosing one to biologically and socially. Society wants to live and the other to die. One cannot choose an get rid of babies with disease and alternative to die even for practical reasons. Any abnormalities which affect the community. human being, including physicians, have no power to make the choice for one to die even if it is 5. Indirect abortion situational. Rather, he just try his best, and if one - The expulsion of the fetus is not the direct dies in the process, his conscience will be clear. If objective but the side effect of a primary he happens to save the two lives, he becomes a act. It is a secondary outcome of a direct hero, a savior! act with double effect. MORAL IMPLICATIONS OF ABORTION Eugenic abortion Direct abortion - The argument presented in favor of it - In the assumption and belief that like sounds to be charity. Prevention of the birth begins at the very moment of conception, of a suffering child and keeping the society that is, at the moment of fertilization, the free from such are the justification for the fetus that is aborted is already human act. The good of the society is prioritized being, a person. Thus, to abort it, is a crime over the personal interest of the child to of murder. come. But the theoretical good of the The Catholic Church teaches even today that the community and the ailment or abnormality spiritual soul of each person is immediately created are adequate to outweigh the life value of by God at the moment of conception. Granted that the potential child and his right to be born. the fetus is humanized only after fertilization, the The child should not be faulted on the Church still maintain that “human life is present at problem of disease and abnormality; rather, the time of conception”. the parents should be blamed for this, whose responsibility is to foresee the heath The 1986 Philippine Constitution protects not only of their child-to-be. Responsible the life of the existing child but also that of the parenthood starts from the wedding day unborn one. Article II Section 12 states: “The State and onwards. To produce a sickly or recognizes the sanctity of life and shall protect and abnormal fetus/baby in the womb and abort strengthen the family as basic autonomous social him/her for that reason is not only parental institution. It shall equally protect the life of the irresponsibility but a crime of murder. Thus, mother and THE LIFE OF THE UNBORN FROM eugenic abortion could hardly be morally CONCEPTION.” Aborting an unborn child without justified to be allowed. The evil aspect of any valid reasons is violating his right to be born the act – the expulsion and death aspect of and live. the fetus- far outweighs the good effect, the eugenic reasons. Indirect abortion 7. EUTHANASIA - The expulsion of the fetus is not the - Means plainless death intended objective but rather a secondary - The term comes from the Greek word result or side effect of a non-abortive act. EU(easy) and THANATOS(death). Here applies the principle of double effect, Euthanasia is defined as the deliberate where one moral act can have double putting to death, in a peaceful and painless results, one primary and the other a way, of a patient suffering from a lingering, resulting effect in the process which is not severe and incurable ailment. It is “an act of necessarily intended or perceived. including death painlessly in order to abort - In a biologically problematic child birth the suffering of one afflicted with an where the lives of both child and mother incurable or unbearable sickness”. are at stake, that is, saving the life of the - Euthanasia is popularly known as mercy one through surgery causes the loss of the killing since the idea behind the ending of other, a judicious and honest decision has life is to terminate the patient’s suffering out to be made prior to the operation. Basically, of mercy, or as some people claim, out of as the surgery permits, one life has to be love. They cannot afford looking at their saved. If the death of the other inevitable, beloved in unbearable agony. or with all honesty cannot be avoided, so be it. We cannot do anything. The TYPES OF EUTHANASIA physician, however, must be cautioned that The practice of euthanasia may be classified into saving the life of one is never to be taken the following: as license to “kill” or allow to be killed, in 1. Active-voluntary Euthanasia the surgical process the other. Besides, the - It is active insofar as an act is performed by death of the fetus or of the mother as a the physician or anyone other than the result of the operation is not for anyone’s patient for the ending of his/her life; choice-making, including that of the doctor. voluntary since the patient request it so. No man has the authority to intend the death of a fellowman just as he has no 2. Passive-voluntary Euthanasia power to select who will die. - The patient is simply allowed to die without any medical method done voluntary as As stated previously, the operating doctor should requested by the patient. (Pinabayaan) rather try his best to save both lives, the mother’s and the child’s, and if in the process of one them 3. Active-non-voluntary Euthanasia dies, at least the doctor will have a clear - Decided by the doctor, spouse, or relative, conscience. If luckily the two lives are saved, the some medical act is done for the termination doctor should be awarded. What is basic is the of the patient’s life. This, however, is without death of one must not be intended. After all, the life the consent or request of the patient. of the child and the life of the mother are of the same dignity. 4. Passive-non-voluntary Euthanasia - The termination of the patient’s life is done There are cases where the mother is chosen to live by merely allowing the subject to die without (and the child to die) for practical reasons, any positive medical means performed. especially if she is young with children to care for. Decision for the termination is not of the But this is unfair to the child who has also the right patient but of the relatives or the doctor. to live as that of the mother. Pragmatic justifications are no valid reasons for the choice making. In applying the Principle of Double effect in PEOPLE’S JUSTIFICATION OF EUTHANASIA indirect abortion, the following conditions required Pro-euthanasia individuals pose the following must be fulfilled. The act must be good in itself; the justifications for doing euthanasia: evil effect must not precede the good effect; the 1. To end the severe suffering of the patient good effect must be greater than the evil one; the 2. To preserve the human dignity of the patient acts the only means of attaining the good effect; 3. For the patient to die with dignity and the intention of the agent must be honest. 4. Patient’s suffering affects members of the family, and 5. Lack of financial means for the patient’s medical maintenance. MORAL IMPLICATIONS OF EUTHANASIA Thus, “euthanasia is looked upon a infamous, If one looks deeply into the motives or justifications harmful to civilization and dishonorable to the for euthanasia and compare them with the Creator” arguments of those contra, the former is far outweighed by the latter. People who favor the practice of euthanasia seem not to see the value of suffering for life, or at least The Roman Catholic Church, among others, in the Christian view. Pain or suffering is a constant strongly objected euthanasia as morally evil for the companion of life. The life of the Christian cannot following reasons: be devoid of the cross. It is because the cross, 1. It is regarded as homicide and murder; which is pain and suffering, is the gateway to 2. It is an intentional killing; happiness. Christ has set the example for us – for 3. It is contrary to the natural and divine mankind. For Kim, there was Calvary first, then positive law, God alone has the ownership came His Resurrection. But Christ is the Way. We of life; pass through Him to the Father; hence, we cannot 4. Euthanasia is a violation of the natural but undergo His Cross. inclination to preserve life, hence, it goes against nature. The best solution to alleviate the suffering of a beloved is not death but love and concern. Give Why does the Christian Church condemn more attention and care. euthanasia? It is a grave crime against justice, human and divine. Man whether a doctor, spouse or immediate 8. SUICIDE member of the family or the patient himself, has no - The term suicide is derived from the