Interesting changes...

Parliament this week will be repealing parts of half-century old legislation which will make the practise of mediumship and clairvoyance subject to much closer scrutiny and potential prosecution for misrepresentation.

I am highly sceptical of all things 'ghost 'n ghouly' and I support the introduction of such legislative measures. More significantly, though, I wonder how far the provisions outlined will be challenged and stretched.

The legislation will force purveyors of paranormal services to advertise their expertise as "entertainment only" to prevent 'unsuspecting' punters from being lulled into thinking that chatting with the deceased is a dependable scientific practise. Most customers visiting clairvoyants probably share the consultant's belief in it's credibility so the legislative changes will largely have no effect on either party.

I do wonder, however, if aggreived mediums will pursue legal challenges against the legislation's application: citing - for instance - religious practitioners and a necessity for them to prove the existance of a god to vindicate their particular vocational persuasion.

I await Clairvoyants v. God at the Old Bailey...

Medical ethics

Ethics is a peculiar arena.

I've been reading - with interest, this week - the proposals for sanctioning the experimental use of hybrid human-animal embryos and the reduction on pregnancy termination time-limits.

I often find - with such emotive and controversial subject matter - that the objections are difficult to comprehend. I, fairly obviously, have a legal bias towards many topical issues raised in the contemporary media and will often adopt the correct legal stance (out of habit) before considering any moral implications.

My problem (with the hybrid embryo proposals in particular) is that so many of the objections vociferated on the Radio or in the national press are arguments on "ethical" grounds.

"Ethical" - eth·i·cal - [eth-i-kuhl] –adjective

1. pertaining to or dealing with morals or the principles of morality; pertaining to right and wrong in conduct.

2. being in accordance with the rules or standards for right conduct or practice, esp. the standards of a profession.

What is ethical? There is demonstrably no consensus on 'ethical' issues or debates would not be so divisive. It seems, to me, that very often ethical correctness is borne out of indoctrinated religious ideals. I'd be interested to see what percentage of those against the experimental utilisation of hybrid embryos are religious against those who vote in it's favour.

I'm not criticising religion per se. I am more concerned that, as we strive to diversify our population with a multitude of cultural and religious denominations, we are allowing politics and laws to be determined by an increasingly varied representation of religious beliefs. I'm not religiophobic. And I understand and respect the need to embrace everyone's beliefs. But not to the detriment of the majority who do not uphold such ideals.

Democracy will out in Parliament. But I reserve uncertainty over the interference of religion in law.