Based upon Scott B. Rae's Moral Choices. This is designed to be a simplified and accessible aid for Christians interested in exploring contemporary moral issues from a biblical perspective.

1. Richard
Taking part will be graded—make an
e
ff
ort
Punctuality—be on time
Signal, not WhatsApp—9733459728

2. from the last two weeks
Headlines

3. Whatdoyou
think…why?

5. Surgeons conduct a xenotransplant with a
genetically engineered pig kidney Sept. 25, 2021.

6. Surgeons conduct a xenotransplant with a
genetically engineered pig kidney Sept. 25, 2021.
Xenotransplantation is the
transplantation of living cells, tissues
or organs from one species to another.
Such cells, tissues or organs are called
xenogra
ft
s or xenotransplants.

7. Is xenotransplantation
Ethically / morally acceptable?

8. • Is it ethically ok to use of animals for our
own ends?
• Can we treat animals as having a lesser
moral status compared to humans?
• Are we “playing at being God”?
• Does the good end result mean that it is ok
to do whatever is necessary?

9. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
An American animal rights organization. More than
9 million members and supporters globally.
"Animals are not ours to experiment on, eat, wear,
use for entertainment, or abuse in any other way."

10. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
An American animal rights organization. More than
9 million members and supporters globally.
"Animals are not ours to experiment on, eat, wear,
use for entertainment, or abuse in any other way."

15. “From an ethical perspective, PETA has always
been opposed to the use of animals as
warehouses for spare parts…Pigs and other
animals used for xenotransplantation are
genetically engineered and subjected to a lifetime
of con
fi
nement and almost unimaginably painful
procedures before being killed, all without their
consent.”

16. “From the perspective of biblical theology, no
de
fi
nite precepts to the permissibility of
xenotransplantation can be derived from biblical
texts alone. However, these texts emphasize that
man is required to treat animals responsibly.”

17. https://
www.healthline.com/
health/transgender/
can-men-get-
pregnant

18. Is it possible?
Yes, it’s possible for men to become
pregnant and give birth to children of their
own. In fact, it’s probably a lot more
common than you might think.

19. “Theoretically, men could receive a uterus, carry a baby to term,
and give birth…the day of male pregnancy is closer than you’d
think.
“My guess is
fi
ve, 10 years away, maybe sooner,” Dr. Karine
Chung”

20. What do you think are the
ethical / moral issues?

21. In the
fi
sh
family Syngnathidae (seahorses etc), males
give birth.
To date no human born as a male has given
birth to a child.

22. Transplanting a uterus into a male body poses a challenge
due to the lack of physiology required to support the uterus.
Karine Chung, University of Southern California, says that it
is still theoretically possible, as “male and female anatomy is
not that di
ff
erent.” The uterus would either have to be
donated or be tissue-engineered and then implanted into
his pelvic region. A
ft
erward, an in vitro fertilisation
(IVF) procedure would be followed to insert the embryo
into the male's newly formed womb.

23. Restart
What are ethics and morals?
What is the di
ff
erence?

24. https://
www.theguardian.co
m/world/2021/oct/
28/indian-police-
arrest-seven-for-
celebrating-
pakistan-cricket-win

25. Indian police have arrested seven Muslim
youths for allegedly celebrating Pakistan’s
victory over India…
Uttar Pradesh’s chief minister, Yogi
Adityanath, a senior BJP
fi
gure, said in a
tweet that the three may be charged with
sedition, on top of the charges of
cyberterrorism and “promoting enmity among
groups”.

26. …federal cabinet minister Sidharth Nath
Singh, told NDTV news channel that Uttar
Pradesh police would take the strictest
possible action against anyone for
exulting in India’s defeat in Sunday’s T20
World Cup cricket game in Dubai.

27. “Is there a biblical defense of free
speech? Or, should Christians accept that
there are forms of “hate speech” that
should be legally proscribed—that the
state should create and enforce “speech
codes” that police what we are and are
not allowed to say?”
https://erlc.com/resource-library/articles/is-there-a-biblical-defense-of-free-speech/

28. What of speech that hurts—that
leads to violence (consequences)—
what limits need to be drawn—are
we all allowed to have an opinion,
or only ‘informed’ people?

29. What do you think are the
ethical / moral issues?

30. “Why should your right to freedom of speech
trump a trans-person’s right not to be
o
ff
ended?” Cathy Newman to psychologist
Jordan Peterson. Under discussion was Canada’s
legislating for the right of transgendered people
to be addressed by their preferred pronouns—
something Peterson argues amounts to compelled
speech. “In order to be able to think, you have
to risk being o
ff
ensive”

31. “Why should your right to freedom of speech
trump a trans-person’s right not to be
o
ff
ended?” Cathy Newman to psychologist
Jordan Peterson. Under discussion was Canada’s
legislating for the right of transgendered people
to be addressed by their preferred pronouns—
something Peterson argues amounts to compelled
speech. “In order to be able to think, you have
to risk being o
ff
ensive”

32. Noam Chomsky,
“If you’re in favour of freedom of speech,
that means you’re in favour of freedom of
speech precisely for views you despise”.

33. Noam Chomsky,
Avram Noam Chomsky is an American
linguist, philosopher, cognitive
scientist, historian, social critic, and
political activist. Sometimes called "the
father of modern linguistics", Chomsky
is also a major
fi
gure in analytic
philosophy and one of the founders of
the
fi
eld of cognitive science.

34. John Stuart Mill’s ‘harm principle’
holds that one can do whatever one
likes as long as one doesn’t harm
other people. This principle is easier
to apply to actions than to speech.

35. Someone suggested these rules, do you
agree?
• The media and individuals should not
share known falsehoods, or information
they are not fully justi
fi
ed in believing.
• Is there a time where you should lie publicly?

36. Someone suggested these rules, do you
agree?
• The media and individuals should not
share known falsehoods, or information
they are not fully justi
fi
ed in believing.
• Is there a time where you should lie publicly?

37. • The media and individuals must be free
to make informed criticisms of
politicians, the government, and its
policies.
• Should your government be able to restrict
what you can say about them?

38. • People should be free to make informed
criticism of religious and ideological
tenets and beliefs. There is nothing
stopping them making informed
criticisms of scienti
fi
c theories, either.
• Should I be allowed to draw cartoons of the
prophet Muhammad?

39. • People should be free to make informed
criticism of religious and ideological
tenets and beliefs. There is nothing
stopping them making informed
criticisms of scienti
fi
c theories, either.
• Should I be allowed to draw cartoons of the
prophet Muhammad?

40. • People should not be
criticised for what
they are—their race,
colour, sexuality, etc.
—but only for what
they do.