5th Commandment Thou shall not kill

Commands us to DO Respect the sanctity of all human life Conserve existing life Defend existing life

Life is Sacred "Human life is sacred because from its beginning it involves the creative action of God and it remains for ever in a special relationship with the Creator, who is its sole end. God alone is the Lord of life from its beginning until its end: no one can under any circumstance claim for himself the right directly to destroy an innocent human being.“ (Donum Vitae)

You Shall Not Kill – Human Life Is Sacred You shall not kill – Ex. 20:13; Deut 5:17 Magisterium: you shall not kill an innocent human being. (2261) Life’s origins in the very life of God… “Then God said: ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…’”

Sacred or not?

Pope Francis

Tom Brady

Alessandro Serenelli

Barack Obama

Adolf Hitler

Killing an innocent human being is a grave matter. “Therefore, by the authority which Christ conferred upon Peter and his Successors, and in communion with the Bishops of the Catholic Church, I confirm that the direct and voluntary killing of an innocent human being is always gravely immoral.” EV

You Shall Not Kill – Human Life Is Sacred JP II - notes the inviolability of life flows from its sacredness as the gift and creative activity of God. (EV 5, 7) “I came that they may have life …abundantly” “Love one another” “Life is always a GOOD” (EV 31)

Conserving/Defending Life Round Robin What are things in society that promote, conserve and defend life?

Commands us NOT to Do Unjust Anger or fighting Hurting others/assault Illicit mutilation of your own body Scandal – Leading others to mortal sin Unjust killing of humans Putting oneself or others in danger

What about Self-Defense? Read CCC 2263-2265

Self – Defense Love towards oneself is a fundamental principle of morality. Use the least force possible to end threat. Grave duty when defending another life.

Capital Punishment Must be done by Legitimate Public Authority Punishment has the twofold goal of protecting citizens and rehabilitating the offender. “If, instead, bloodless means are sufficient to defend against the aggressor and to protect the safety of persons, public authority should limit itself to such means, because they better correspond to the concrete conditions of the common good and are more in conformity to the dignity of the human person” CCC 2267

Capital Punishment Those who murder others can be justly considered to forfeit the right to their own lives. “Medicinal value” – Facing death and the prospect of answering God for crimes may help criminals experience repentence. Should not be done out of revenge.

Practically Speaking "Today, in fact, given the means at the State's disposal to effectively repress crime by rendering inoffensive the one who has committed it, without depriving him definitively of the possibility of redeeming himself, cases of absolute necessity for suppression of the offender 'today ... are very rare, if not practically non-existent.'[John Paul II, Evangelium vitae 56.] I.E. America should not have the death penalty.

Just War The damage inflicted by the aggressor on the nation or community of nations must be lasting, grave, and certain; All other means of putting an end to it must have been shown to be impractical or ineffective; There must be serious prospects of success; The use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated. The power of modern means of destruction weighs very heavily in evaluating this condition.

Starting a war –Jus ad bellum Just Cause – protect life and basic human rights Right Intention Legitimate Authority Last Resort Reasonable Chance of Success

During War – Jus in bello Proportional Non-Combatant Immunity

American Revolution Yes or No Legitimate or Illegitimate Have alternatives been sought out? Successful or Unsuccessful?

American Revolution – Proportional? $151 million was the total American cost of the war 25,000 Revolutionary Soldiers died during the war •8,000 Revolutionary Soldiers died from wounds inflicted during battle •17,000 Revolutionary Soldiers died from disease during the war 24,000 British Soldiers were killed during the war 74,000 total lives lost

American Revolution Were non-combatants killed or negatively affected?

Euthanasia

Beginning of Life Issues Contraception In Vitro fertilization Frozen Embryos Cloning Stem cells

Contraception

In Vitro

Frozen Embryos

Cloning

Stem Cells