FORIO, GINALYN F.

ETHICS

Assignment 4 - Project for Midterm

Activity: Conduct an interview with your parents, church leaders, and/or classmates (maximum of 3
interviewees) about their positions on one of the debatable social issues such as divorce, abortion,
surrogacy, etc. Then write a narrative report (at least three paragraphs: 1st paragraph - Introduction, 2nd
paragraph - Body of the report, then 3rd paragraph - Reaction. Use the frameworks/principles behind moral
dispositions as your basis in writing your reaction.

INTERVIEWEES:

• Rodeme Atterado (Pastor)

Abortion should not be used as another form of contraception. It is wrong to intentionally kill innocent
human beings.The problem is we are speaking about the morality of abortion as an isolated issue. The
reality is that values in society have fluxed over time. From fashion to values involving divorce, gender and
indeed bioethical issues such as abortion, surrogate motherhood, etc., there is conformity with a more liberal
world mostly for the good, but with some issues creating moral and cultural clashes. Infertility has been a
source of deep sorrow, for all of human history, as is evident from several narratives in Scripture
where God’s people are encouraged to trust him in the midst of such sadness. Modern medicine in
general is morally good, and it is right to use medical solutions to infertility, but within the constraints
of other moral principles in Scripture, including the protection of human life and the protection of
marriage. God’s definition of marriage was intended to apply to all people in all societies for all time.
Adultery is repeatedly prohibited by Scripture, and frequently destroys a person’s entire life. Other
sexual sins prohibited by Scripture include incest, homosexuality, and cohabitation before marriage.
The New Testament highly values singleness as well as marriage. Civil governments should define
marriage for all citizens.

Now, while everyone in general agrees with women’s rights, not all agree about the particulars. Abortion
has become about the right of the woman over her body . It is not any more about the status of the embryo
only. The question is whether I or anyone, for that matter have a right to tell a woman that she has to remain
pregnant in a way ordering her. Fundamental rights are those which many states agree upon to put it simply
and in lay terms. It took time for humanity to understand and accept these rights. It reflects normative values
of the times. Even if one expresses his or her opposition to abortion through a referendum, it would be like
hiding behind the crowd. Morality should not be about statistics and majorities. The answer is therefore
more long term. In the short term we can appeal to women; in the long term we need to focus on how we
want the youth of the world to be educated in the future what values are we giving them. The fact is that
the world is still dealing with wars between cultures, sexes and ideologies. Marriage is founded upon the
biblical basis of a covenant. Violations of the marriage covenant may lead to the dissolution of the marriage
covenant. Sexual intimacy within marriage was created by God and is fundamentally good. Marriage
according to Scripture is the legal union of a man and w oman as husband and wife. It is not merely a
human agreement but is also a covenant made before God. Some kind of public awareness is necessary
for a marriage to occur, and sexual intercourse alone does not constitute a marriage. Marriage pictures
the relationship between Christ and the church. Christians should only marry other Christians. About
adoption, morally acceptable types of reproductive technology include, in appropriate circums tances,
artificial insemination by husband, in vitro fertilization without the destruction of embryos, embryo
adoption, and pre-fertilization genetic screening for genetic diseases. Morally unacceptable types of
reproductive technology include in vitro fertilization with selective reduction, artificial insemination
by donor, surrogate motherhood, and cloning. Scripture views adoption as a wonderful blessing both
for parents and for the children who are adopted.

Several passages in the Bible indicate that an unborn child should be thought of and protected as a
person from the moment of conception. There is increasing scientific evidence supporting the distinc t
identity of the unborn child. Objections to this viewpoint are not persuasive. Therefore, abortion is
the wrongful taking of an innocent human life. However, abortion to save the life of the mother is
morally justified because it involves making a choice between one person dying and two persons
dying. For women who demand complete control of their body, control should include preventing the risk
of unwanted pregnancy through the responsible use of contraception or, if that is not possible,
through abstinence. Governments should give legal protections to the lives of people within their
countries, including unborn children. Objections to this position are considered and found to be
unpersuasive. Therefore, abortion is morally wrong. There are also morally acceptable types of
reproductive technology include, in appropriate circumstances, artificial insemination by husband, in
vitro fertilization without the destruction of embryos, embryo adoption, and pre-fertilization genetic
screening for genetic diseases. But there are also morally unacceptable types of reproductive
technology include in vitro fertilization with selective reduction, artificial insemination by donor,
surrogate motherhood, and cloning. On Adoption scripture views it as a wonderful blessing both for
parents and for the children who are adopted. I therefore conclude that divorce is wrong. People who
have been divorced for unbiblical reasons and then have married someone else should now stay
married to their present spouses. Such marriages began with adultery but they are now legitimate
marriages and should not be considered adulterous. The phrase “husband of one wife” (1 Tim. 3:2)
should not be used to prevent divorced people from holding office in the church. The arguments in
favor of the “no divorce and no remarriage” view and the “divorce but no remarriage” view are not
persuasive. Therefore, in cases of physical abuse, both the church and often the civil authority must
act to see that the abuse is immediately stopped. Immediate physical separation is often necessary.
Some evangelicals argue that physical abuse should be a third legitimate reason for divorce, but the
scriptural support for that position is not sufficient.