Understanding Ethics and Moral Dilemmas

To be ethical means relating subjects to moral principles. Ethics and morals relate to “right” and “wrong” conduct. Ethics refer to rules provided by an external source, (codes of conduct in workplaces or principles in religions). Morals refer to an individual’s own principles regarding right and wrong. Ethical dilemmas or issues, also known as a moral dilemmas, are situations in which there is a choice to be made between two options, neither of which resolves the situation in an ethically acceptable fashion but the decision has to be made, leaving one party either dissatisfied or happy with the outcome.

People within the Catholic Church and in the secular world have different views on the ethical issue of abortion; some say its ok and others

If the foetus is a person, then abortion is technically murder and should be illegal. However, even if the foetus is classed as a person, abortion may still be justified; as shouldn’t a woman have the legal right to make decisions about her own body?

The decision as to whether abortion is right or not remains an ethical issue because either the Catholic Church or the Secular world will inevitably end up disagreeing with the outcome. This can cause many problems and a high level of stress for members of our community, especially women in tough situations.

Pros and Cons of Abortion

Pros Cons

If the mother is unable to take care of an unplanned child either through mental impairment or where it is simply impossible to raise a child without family support and finance which is not available.

Medical emergencies can compel a woman to resort to abortion. If there is a possibility that her own life might be at risk if she delivers the child.

Rape victims wouldn’t be mentally or physically prepared to take care of the new born baby. Why should victims go through the ordeal of bearing a child, which is a product of a rape?

Giving life to a baby suffering from a serious metabolic disease or disability, and watching the baby suffer can be highly traumatising for the family as well as the newborn

Even though the bible doesn’t say anything strictly about ‘abortion’ or the laws on whether it’s right or wrong, there is a general assumption among Catholics that principles of the sanctity of life found in the Bible forbid abortion. “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.”(Psalm 127:3). Catholics believe the human body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, not to be killed. God’s 10 Commandments are considered the laws from God which every Catholic should live by, living a good Catholic life free of sin. The fifth commandment, “You shall not kill,” means human life is sacred. This is because, from its beginning, life involves the creative action of God and it remains for ever in a special relationship with the Creator, who is life’s sole end. God alone is the Lord of life from its beginning until its end and no one can under any circumstance claim for himself the right directly to destroy an innocent human being. To understand this it means that God made every individual in his own image and we remain forever attached to the Creator “who is the sole end” meaning that the end of a person’s life is believed to be God’s decision, not from unnatural procedures. This is why the Catholic Church believes that abortion is a sin and not right in the eyes of the