Chris Peregin
Third of students say abortion sometimes morally acceptable
More than one third of University students, 37 per cent, believe abortion is sometimes morally acceptable, a survey reveals.
The overwhelming majority of students disagree with the Church's teachings on divorce, artificial contraception and pre-marital sex, the survey on religious beliefs, carried out by the University Chaplaincy, shows.
When the survey was first carried out in 2003, before EU membership, 60 per cent agreed with the Church's position that divorce is morally unacceptable. This has dropped to 44 per cent.
The survey was sent to 600 randomly chosen students, of whom 421 replied.
Three quarters of students believe there is nothing wrong with pre-marital sex and one in four believe cohabitation should not be approved.
Even though 91 per cent of respondents said they lived with their parents, 44 per cent said they have had sexual intercourse recently. Only 0.5 per cent said they were cohabiting.
The least acknowledged moral teaching was that of artificial contraception, where fewer than 15 per cent said its use was morally wrong.
According to the authors, the survey revealed overwhelming support for marriage as a life-long commitment, despite the fact the respondents preferred divorce to an unhappy marriage and believed divorcees who remarry should not be barred from receiving Holy Communion. Almost all respondents, 91 per cent, said they were Catholics and five per cent claimed to be agnostic.
Sixty per cent said they attended Mass on Sundays and 71 per cent said they received Holy Communion at least monthly.
There was a greater consistency between belief and religious practice and between belief and moral standpoints, University researcher Mary Ann Lauri said.
Compared to the survey carried out in 2003, students had become more liberal on every moral issue they were asked about. But the issue on which students' opinions changed the most was divorce, where opinion shifted by 16 per cent, compared to the change seen with the abortion issue, of 5.6 per cent.
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James De Giorgio
Jun 21st 2009, 10:50
If they said abortion is morally acceptable SOMETIMES, it doesn't mean that 37% of all students think that abortion is OK. I think that "sometimes" means when the mother's life is threatened or in cases of rape. I'm sure that a near-total majority of students are against abortion on demand, ending the life of a baby just because one doesn't feel up to have her/him.
Having said that, I still believe that it's neither the baby's nor the mother's fault that a rape happens, therefore the baby shouldn't pay the consequences with her or his life. There are people who are more than ready and willing to adopt, give life a chance.
Christopher Xuereb
Jun 21st 2009, 09:00
Long may the trend continue. Perhaps one day we will do away with the hypocrisy (not to mention expense) of having to travel to Sicily or the UK to have terminations performed.
Sandro Agius
Jun 21st 2009, 07:40
What is morally wrong remains morally wrong even if 90% agree with any issue being questioned...and is morally wrong also if one a non-believers....for there is a supreme judge who defines what is right and what is wrong. Right or wrong is not based on majorities, political ideas, religious ideas or opinions but on the laws seeded in everone's heart which we tend to go against many times.
I am just 28 but I think that divorce is wrong not just because I am Catholic and the Bible or the Church says so, but because its against the society itself, even if it is an atheist society for it does not effect some families but has its effect on all the society, were contracts will become without a value, no one will trust the other and love becomes switch on and switch off. Speaking in the light of what happened this week at Marsa Power Station...Divorce will trip the all the bases of our society and earthquake that will change Malta.
In my opinion, politicians must not be easy to accept a divorce legislation....for votes will come and go....but are values which determines the progress of Nation.
Noel Cutajar
Jun 20th 2009, 18:40
@Effie Carbonaro - life changes as well as the way we view the world. The future does not mean the end...look back and see how Christianity had seen other religions...a way to annihilate.
Joe Tabone-Adami
Jun 20th 2009, 15:32
The survey indicated the outlook of about 6% of the present University student population - from about a total of less than 10% approached by the Chaplaincy. Should one presume that their opinions represent those of the vast majority? If no, then the survey certainly lacks credibility. If yes, then how does that bode for the future pillars of Maltese society? What, one may legitimately ask, is their outlook on other important matters - such as work ethics, honesty in dealings, responsible social/political leadership? Again, if University students are as lacking in basic values as the survey would suggest, what about other sections of Maltese youth with less educational possibilities?
Luke Borg
Jun 20th 2009, 14:30
I am a student at the university of Malta... It is my belief that 421 of 10,000 students is quite a small percentage... My other perplexity is this why are we asking these questions??? Why are we asking questions focused on the Church and issues related to the morality of the church... When will a survey be drawn to see how we can improve participation in organizations and in other university based meet ups??? In my opinion this would also help increase the participation rate in these surveys and give a much more valuable contribution... Thanks
C.Busuttil
Jun 20th 2009, 14:22
what's morally unacceptable is that they receive a stipend.
effie carbonaro
Jun 20th 2009, 13:25
from this survey we are seeing the beginning of the end of all religious values.just think what will be the mentality in say 20 years time.the church has to choose between changing and still keeping its value or pass out of existence.
mariella caruana
Jun 20th 2009, 13:21
i am an agnostic, but still find abortion abnoxious - i find no moral grounds for it. i believe that abortion is a sign of weakness and an act of cowardice. it can never be condoned. it is murder, no less and no more.
Anthony Schembri Adami
Jun 20th 2009, 12:02
Some sage once said that education matures all human powers such as the brain, emotions, ethics, etc. while trhe totally free education we are providing it is only the brains that are developed;thus turning humans into robots