The church says:
The first right of the human being is his life
Many have different opinions on when actually the unborn child becomes alive and intituled to the right to life. The Declaration says:
“From the time that the ovum is fertilised, a life is begun which is neither that of the farther nor of the mother. It is rather the life of a new human being with its own growth. It would never be made human if it were not human already.”
So this would mean that having an abortion at any stage from the moment an ovum is fertilised would break the commandment, “Do Not Kill.”
In genesis it describes the creation of human beings as personal. Human beings were made in the image, and likeness, of God and so we have a special, place in God’s eyes and in Gods creation. Interpreted by Pope Paul VI, he said, “Human life is sacred-all men must recognise that fact.”
The church teaches this, that all human life is sacred and holy and God given, so only God has the right to take life away.
The main argument against abortion and the reason given by Catholics to why it is wrong is that:
Abortion is infanticide (child killing) as the child is alive from the moment of conception.
Many Catholics will also argue that abortion maybe accepted in some circumstances. Some of these are the following reasons:
- Danger to physical or mental health of the mother.
- Pregnancy through rape and the baby will only be a constant reminder of the traumatic event.
- A child that will be defective and it is the loving thing not to bring the child into the world.
- Financial problems.
- It is a women’s body and so she should have the right to decide what to do with it.
- Making abortions illegal would only increases the number of illegal abortions.
Euthanasia is the practice of ending the life of a person who is suffering from incurable diseases or handicap, using painless methods. Euthanasia is sometimes called mercy killing but has the Greek meaning of easy death. Euthanasia is illegal in Great Britain.
Many Christians argue that there is no place in the bible or teachings of Jesus that life must be kept alive at any cost. Euthanasia is an action of love and lets people die with dignity, whilst they have their family surrounding them in a loving atmosphere. Relatives would be spared the risk of watching love ones suffer a slow painful death.
Christians follow the same beliefs about life as with abortion, which make euthanasia wrong and life and death are in Gods plan and so should not be ended before its time. The church also teaches that especially suffering during the last moments of life has a special place in God’s saving plan. Everybody is called to “Love their neighbour” and in killing we do not fulfil this. We should make it our duty to love and care for the sick and act our lives in compassion. The parable of the sheep teaches how God will judge on how we have helped those in need. Life is a gift and death is unavoidable, therefore we should accept death with full responsibility and dignity and not hasten the hour that at which we die.
“Every Human from Contraception has the right to life and no one has the right to take it away except God.”
