Case Study # 4 – Assisted Reproduction:

This is a difficult subject because it involves reproductive issues. In our culture, reproductive liberty, the freedom to decide when and where to conceive a child is highly protected, and this can make these cases much more difficult.

Case 1:
There are two types of surrogacy. One type involves a surrogate mother who uses her own egg and carries the baby for someone else. The other type is a “gestational surrogacy” in which the mother has no genetic tie to the child she carries. In the case presented, a gestational surrogate is used.

A woman, after a bout with uterine cancer had a hysterectomy (surgical removal of the uterus). Before, its removal, however, she had several eggs removed for possible fertilization in the future. Now married, the woman wishes to have a child with her husband. Obviously she cannot bear the child herself, so the couple utilizes a company to find a surrogate mother for them. The husband’s sperm is used to fertilize one of the wife’s eggs, and is implanted in the surrogate mother. The couple pays all of the woman’s pregnancy-related expenses and an extra $18,000 as compensation for her surrogacy. After all expenses are taken into account the couple pays the woman approximately $31,000 and the agency approximately $5,000. Though the surrogate passed stringent mental testing to ensure she was competent to carry another couple’s child, after carrying the pregnancy to term, the surrogate says that she has become too attached to “her” child to give it up to the couple. A legal battle ensues.

Questions for Case 1:

• In the United States it is illegal to pay a person for non-replenishable organs. The fear is that money will influence the poor to harm their bodies for the benefit of the rich. Do you see a parallel between this case and this law? Can allowing surrogate mothers to be paid for their troubles allow poorer women to be oppressed?
• Does paying the surrogate harm her and/or the child’s dignity?
• Is it selfish/conceited for this couple to want children of their own genetic make-up? If yes, does this change if you can “easily” have a child? (Note: Over 100,000 children in the U.S. are waiting to be adopted. However, most are older, have several siblings, or have special needs.)
• On their website, the AMA says “that surrogacy contracts [when the surrogate uses her own egg], while permissible, should grant the birth mother the right to void the contract within a reasonable period of time after the birth of the child. If the contract is voided, custody of the child should be determined according to the child’s best interests.” Do you see any problems with this? (What’s a reasonable time? In a way can you steal the surrogate’s child?)
• One of the main arguments against the use of surrogate mothers is that carrying and giving birth to a child is such an emotional event that it is impossible to determine if the surrogate will be able to give up the child. Though adults enter into the contract, the child could ultimately suffer if a long custody battle ensues (as it could in states where surrogacy contracts hold no legal value, such as Virginia). With the possibility of such battles, do you think it is acceptable for parents to use a surrogate mother?
• Do you think that if the surrogate is awarded the baby, this could cause emotional harm to the child?
• Who do you think should receive the child, and why?

Case 2:

A married couple wishes to have a child; however, the 32 year old mother knows that she is a carrier for Huntington’s disease (HD). HD is a genetic disorder that begins showing signs at anywhere from 35-45 years of age. Its symptoms begin with slow loss of muscle control and end in loss of speech, large muscle spasms, disorientation and emotional outbursts. After 15-20 years of symptoms HD ends in death. HD is a dominant disorder which means that her child will have a 50% chance of contracting the disorder. Feeling that risking their baby’s health would be irresponsible, the couple decides to use in vitro fertilization to fertilize several of the wife’s eggs. Several eggs are harvested, and using special technology, only eggs that do not have the defective gene are kept to be fertilized. The physician then fertilizes a single egg, and transfers the embryo to the mother. Approximately 9 months later, the couple gives birth to a boy who does not carry the gene for the disorder.

• Is this a case of eugenics? “Eugenics” is defined as “the hereditary improvement of the human race controlled by selective breeding” (dictionary.com)
• Would it be acceptable for the parents to select for sex as well, or should they only select an embryo that does not have HD? How would this be different?
• Is it ethical for this couple to have a baby when the mother could begin showings signs of HD when the baby is just a few years old?
• With this technology possible, would it be ethical for this couple to have a child without genetically ensuring it would not have the disease? What if we did not have this technology, would it be ethical for a known carrier to have a child? (If not, how far should this carry? a carrier for cystic fibrosis ( which is recessive)? )
• Weighing everything we have discussed, do you believe the couple acted ethically?

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ASSIGNMENT 2 – FORUM

THE JEWISH RELIGION 

Cultural Immersion Project – Part 2 Forum Instructions

Based on the Cultural Immersion Project – Part 1 and Part 2 Paper, you will share some of your experience in the Cultural Immersion Project Forum. You will tell your classmates of the culture you are exploring, discuss with them some of the most interesting things you experienced in the events you attended, and describe any emotional reactions you had. Describe any challenges you anticipate for the final portion of this project (Part 3). First-person perspective is acceptable; integrate a Christian worldview and biblical themes as appropriate. Your thread must be at least 350 words. Do not attach your paper.

You will interact with at least 2 classmates who explored a different culture. Your replies must be at least 200 words each.

Discussion Response

Victoria 

Cultural Immersion Forum

For my cultural immersion project, I chose to focus on the African American population. A substantial amount of the research I read discussed the importance of spirituality to the African American population. In fact, researchers have found that African Americans are five times more likely to utilize spiritual coping mechanisms (such as prayer) when they experience depression or other chronic conditions (Lewis, Hankin, Reynolds, & Ogedegbe, 2007). Additionally, many African Americans state that spirituality is a source of solace, hope, meaning, and forgiveness when they experience oppression (Lewis et al., 2007). Due to these findings, I chose to observe a church service at a local African American church. The pastor encouraged everyone to hold onto the assurance that the light of God will always ultimately overpower the darkness of this world. He closed his message by reminding everyone that God is always with them and ready to help in their time of need. Congregants were encouraged to engage in the same spiritual coping tools (such as prayer, fellowship, etc.) that researchers have identified as being commonly used by this community.

The second event I observed was a march and rally that protested police brutality and the death of Mr. George Floyd. I was very anxious about how the event would go and also how to sensitively discuss the issues the protest was focusing on. However, I quickly found that the individuals that I spoke to were happy to discuss their perspective on the issues with me. No one expected me to be an expert, but rather, just appreciated me approaching the conversation as humbly as I could and viewing it as an opportunity to learn. I was very fortunate to witness a peaceful event that (in my opinion) reflected many biblical principles. As Christians, we know and believe that every person on this earth is made in the image of God. One verse that stuck with me was from the book of Galatians: “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28, NIV). We are all called to extend the love of Christ to every person. God makes it clear that no race is “greater” or “superior”. As Christians, we have a duty to live this truth out and be sure that we are setting an example for the world to follow.

The main challenge that I am anticipating with Part 3 of the project is that I will probably still feel anxious about whether or not I am being culturally sensitive enough as I conduct my final interview.

Reference

Lewis, L. M., Hankin, S., Reynolds, D., & Ogedegbe, G. (2007). African american spirituality: A process of honoring god, others, and self. Journal of Holistic Nursing, 25(1), 16-23. https://doi-org.ezproxy.liberty.edu/10.1177/0898010106289857

Paul 

Cultural Immersion

Hey All-

For my project I am working with the homeless population in and around northeastern NJ.  It has been extremely difficult since we are the epicenter of Covid-19 and basically all shelters and soup kitchens have closed down rendering this vulnerable population in an even more precarious situation.  One of the most interesting things I am learning through this immersion project is the desire for some of the homeless population to stay ‘homeless’ even when offered housing options.  Many of these men and women prefer the freedom that the streets provide as opposed to the rules and regulations that they must abide by in order to remain in housing projects or apartments.  This is interesting to me and reinforces the power of getting to know someone and empathizing with them to hear their story before simply trying to ‘fix’ them or help them with the next steps that I as a counselor feel they should take.

Another point of learning has been the extraordinary generosity and how the homeless group I am working with looks out for one another, shares what they have amongst each other and gives to those less fortunate than they are.  It is powerful to see the ‘sub-group’ with its norms and unwritten rules among this group of individuals.  Sadly, some of their interactions with each other seem more like a church then the church.

Overall, I am learning a ton while being socially distanced from the lost and the least of northern New Jersey.  So many people are stepping up and helping this group out that it has been an overwhelming display of God’s grace through people even during this crisis time in our state and nation.  I am thankful to be on the front lines of God’s grace being displayed in such tangible ways to such beautiful, messy, and valuable people who bear the image of their creator in so many ways.

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Wong Chapter 13

Topic: Bereavement Counseling
Question/Prompt: Utilizing your textbook readings from this module week, discuss how faith and spirituality may be potentially therapeutic to those who are dying. Then, read through The Code of Ethics for the Association for Death Education and Counseling and highlight two specific responsibilities that a counselor has when engaging bereavement counseling. Detail these responsibilities and discuss why they are important.

Reply to 2 other classmates by offering 1 new piece of information to add to their discussion of the different theories. Each reply must be minimum 250 words APA format cited referenced biblical worldview

Reference:“Liberty University Custom: Wong, D., Hall, K. R., Justice, C. A., and Hernandez, L. W.  (2015). Human growth and development (Custom Package). Thousand Oaks, CA:  Sage Publication. ISBN: 9781506355153. *Custom bundle contains Wong et al. (2015), Counseling individuals through the lifespan, ISBN: 9781452217949 and supplemental journal articles.

Derek Post-To be quite candid, the thought of dying is a scary thing, and many of us feel quite uneasy talking about it (Turner, 2011). Despite that reluctance, death is an inevitable result of being born. How death is thought of differs from religion to religion, with some religions, such as Buddhism, believing that death leads to reincarnation. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 tells us what we can expect as Christians:

Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.

John 3:16 also sums it up pretty well:

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

It is no wonder that those who are dying find a renewal in their spiritual beliefs (Moestrup & Hvidt, 2016). Yet many terminal patients complain that they do not feel that their religious needs are being met (Bonavita, Yakushko, Morgan Consoli, Jacobsen, & Mancuso, 2018). Pastoral care improves the quality of life for those that are dying by helping them cope with the dying process, which is often the part of death that causes the most discomfort (Moestrup & Hvidt, 2016). Turner (2011), a chaplain within a hospital, echo this, but states that sometimes the best thing that a chaplain can do is to just sit by quietly while the patient processes their end of life, instead of doing the “religious things” that many people expect of them, although prayer is usually involved. Many of those that lack this religious care report a feeling of “religious pain” (Bonavita, Yakushko, Morgan Consoli, Jacobsen, & Mancuso, 2018).

The Association for Death Education and Counseling (2010) has developed several ethical standards when providing services for those that are dying, as well as their families. These standards make clear that the counselor’s primary obligation is the patient and the patient’s family, and the codes require the counselor to promote the welfare of these individuals. The codes also require that counselors are familiar with the resources that are available to the patient, including professional and self-help resources, and that the counselor aids the patient in obtaining those resources when appropriate.

Grace Post– 1 Corinthians 15:55 (KJV) asks death where your victory is and where is your sting. Being a believer in Jesus, we know that to live is Christ and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21). Scripture gives the Christian hope for life after death, yet death can still be a source of anxiety. Religion can help ease anxiety about death as it deals with forgiveness and provides a source of hope for eternal life (Krause, 2015). Feldman, Fischer, and Gressis (2016) offer that how a person views God can influence how they deal with the thoughts of death. Research suggested that those believers who saw God as distant, unconcerned with them, or sometimes cruel had greater anxiety or avoidant behavior towards death and dying (Feldman et al., 2016). Feldman et al. (2016) recommend that the therapist work within the belief system of the person to assist and show where God is loving and concerned with them. Death is an inevitable part of life, and everyone will process it differently with some finding peace by employing their religion and others may not (Feldman et al., 2016). Krause (2015) states that regular worshippers have more spiritual support from their churchgoers which in turn leads to a greater trust in God, feel forgiven by God and experience less anxiety about death. Kruase (2015) proposes that it is the social network of like-minded believers that eases anxiety as those believers who did not have the system reported more stress.

The Association for Death and Counseling’s 2010 Code of Ethics mentions responsibilities that the counselor was providing bereavement counseling has. The first responsibility that is listed is the responsibility to those served. I do not believe it was coincidental that the server group is listed first as the counselor’s primary concern is the client being served. This responsibility is important because it focuses on the client and provides guidance on the rights and maintaining the integrity of the client-counselor relationship.  There may be many things shared during the end of life counseling and being aware of client wellbeing is crucial. The code allows for consulting with other professionals regarding the client. This is an essential responsibility because it provides the client with the best care available by permitting a counselor to interact with seniors and peers in areas they may not be a string in.

Another responsibility is a responsibility to society. I find this aspect of being important because at the time of physical demise those who are seeking counseling should be afforded to do such. The Code of Ethics (2010) encourages members not to discriminate due to age, race, gender, religion, lifestyle, sexual orientation, and many other categories.  The code guides that the counselor should ensure that the client has access to community services, resources, and opportunities. The code also speaks to how the counselor interacts with the public and to provide clarification when speaking as an individual or as the representative of a collective group. The responsibility to society ensures that counselors represent the profession in a manner that protects the privacy and integrity of the client and the profession.

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