Moral Dilemmas

[Traveler]

Here is what people think:

1. Divorce 66% acceptable 27% wrong

2. Medical Testing On Animals 63% acceptable 33% wrong

3. Death Penalty 64% acceptable 31% wrong

4. Sex between unarried men and women 58%
acceptable 41% wrong

5. Human embryo stem cell research 54% acceptable 38% wrong

6. Doctor assisted suicide 45% acceptable 49% wrong

7. Homosexual Behavior 44% acceptable 52% wrong

8. Abortion 37% acceptable 53% wrong

9. Suicide 14% wrong 81% wrong

10. Cloning Humans 8% acceptable 90% wrong.





Just a sampling what do you think

 

[His Divine Shadow]

Interesting......from what I've been hearing about Stem cells, I figured that more would be opposed to it, since there is so much outcry over it.

 

[Haltickling]

Perspective, please

That may be what people in the US think. Ask the same questions in Northern Europe, or in predominantly Catholic Southern Europe, or in Islamic countries, or in Asie or Africa, and you get completely different results.

 

[His Divine Shadow]

True, very true. It must have been taken somewhere outside the US. Perhaps it was in Europe. But, to get back on track, with most of these issues I have no problem. The only one I don't like is suicide. IMHO, it is a terrible waste to give up your life simply because bad things are happening to you. Now, I am all for doctor assisted suicide, as I believe that if a patient has, say, an incurable disease that does nothing but cause them pain BUT that doesn't kill them right away, then they should have the right to end it, since it is certain anyway that you will die. But, that's just me.

 

[Haltickling]

HDS, one indication that this survey was taken in US is the high rate pro death penalty. I doubt you'll find any European country with an approval rate above 10% on that issue. The only other countries which have a higher pro-death-penalty-approval than in the US are Russia, China, and most Islamic countries.

OTOH, the approval rate of divorce, pre-marital sex, homosexuality, and abortion is much higher in most Central/Northern European countries, and probably a lot lower in Southern Europe. More reasons to believe that this survey was taken in the US.

But then, never trust any statistics which you haven't falsified yourself... 😛

 

[His Divine Shadow]

I bow to your superior knowledge. But, only Travler knows for sure. So, where exactly did you find this little gem, Traveler?

 

[TklDuo-Ann]

Those survey results would likely be differenet in various groups within the US as well. I've seen surveys on a single topic that, given in different parts of the country or to different groups within the country, yeild VERY different results. The problem with surveys is that, unless given to EVERYONE, they really aren't that accurate.

Ann

 

[His Divine Shadow]

Well, perhaps that is the case here. The results are pretty even, more or less, than they would be if only one group was surveyed, and except for one wierd one which should be 50/50 or so in this hypothetical circumstance, abortion, it seems likey this could have been a very widely done survey.

 

[jordan]

8. Abortion 37% acceptable 53% wrong

(For me its 100% wrong and -0% right.)

 

[BigJim]

Another indication that it's based on US responses, is the extremely high rate of "we're in the minority but we'll still put a bomb on your car if you do something we don't like" groups.

It'd be interesting if we could see figures that showed how many people who took part in this survey held the opinions they did because of their religious beliefs, or if they arrived at them independantly. The high scores against unmarried sex, divorce and homosexual sex suggest that this survey (from my point of view anyway) was carried out among people with quite strong Christian beliefs. Of course in America they might not seem that way but compared to Europe, America is very fundementalist.


Abortion is one that's highly debateable, but hasn't yet graced the TMF.

My take on it is that the mother should have every right to decide if her body should be forced to provide growth for what will become another human being. If it's wrong, then she and those involved with her will bear the karmic reponsibility or face the verdict on Judgement Day; depending on your perspective of it.

You cannot destroy a human soul. It is impossible. Not even the full might of Satan himself can do it. You might deprive one of entry into the world in a particular body, at a particular time, but that's it.
As for morality, I find it hard to believe that an almost microscopic ball of a few dozen cells with no neural or attached emotional function can suffer from the termination proceedure.

Yes it may be immoral before God/Allah/the Force/Spirit, but that is between the people involved and said deity. There is no suffering caused to innocent parties as a result of this proceedure, so I believe it is a case where people who do not approve should wind their necks in when it comes to interfering with people who do want to do it.

Now comes the shocking part........

I actually disapprove of abortion. I would not councel it or contemplate using it. If I was an expectant mother (quite a frightening thought) I would either make the best of life, or go for adoption.(Easy to say, seeing as how I'm male.) Adoption circumstances are much better today than they were thirty years ago, as is the emotional support that goes with them.
My personal beliefs are that the mother and father of the soon-to-bebaby attracted those circumstances to themselves spiritually and should deal with them properly. Similarly the soul of the soon-to-be-child selected that place and time to be born into this world for a reason, whatever it is. Maybe there's an advantageous lesson all concerned could benefit from in the long-run. going for a termination would be a waste of a learning opportunity, no matter what the ultimate solution is.