Religion and Ethics
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Ethics is the cultural study of morality. It analyses moral discourse and allows us to detect the course of action that most benefits people and enhances personal goodness. Buddhism is a practical tradition and provides a large number of effective techniques, teachings and practices to help us grow towards this ideal and make it a real force in everyday life. Ethics in Buddhism are largely based on the teachings of the Dharma (teachings of the Buddha) while in Christianity, it is largely based on the teachings of Jesus and to a smaller degree, the teachings of St. Paul.
Buddhist ethics are a means to an end the end being Enlightenment. Unlike our normal western view, Buddhist ethics ask us to stand up and decide what sort of person we wish to be.
They believe that life begins at conception, therefore abortion is seen as a form of murder. It also has painful consequences and goes against the first of the five precepts, "I undertake to abstain from taking life." Buddhists don't speak of 'right' or 'wrong' but as 'skillful' and 'unskillful' actions so sometimes abortion is seen as 'skillful' in certain cases as rape or medical problems...