Explain the different beleifs Christians hold about the sanctity of life and their responsibility for those at the beginning and end of life.

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Onyi 11EA

AO1. EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENT BELEIFS CHRISTIANS HOLD ABOUT THE SANCTITY OF LIFE AND THEIR RESPONSIBILITY FOR THOSE AT THE BEGINNING AND END OF LIFE.

Christians believe in the sanctity of life. In short, life has been described as priceless, its value exceeding all other values. Christians believe that each individual has a right to life and everyone is created uniquely in their own way. In Psalm 139:13 and15 the Bible says, “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb…You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb” This is expressing that God made us, He also “knit” each part of us together, and took care of us even though we were still unborn. In 1Samuel 2:6, it says “the Lord brings both death and life…” He has also been described as the “Lord of life”, this shows that God is the owner and giver of life and therefore, he is the only one with rights to take it away. “Human life is sacred. All men must recognise this fact”- a statement made by Pope John Paul VI. Furthermore, Genesis1: 27 says “So God created human beings, making them to be like himself. He created them male and female” this explains that if we are made to be like God, then we must be special. In addition, in Psalm139:16, it says “…Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed” this means that God had a plan for every second of our lives even before birth. God, especially saw through all stages of life’s creation and “knit” us together in our mother’s womb. Subsequently, if God took so much care to create a life, then surely life must hold a high significance.

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Due to this significance and value placed on life, life must therefore be protected. As God is the Lord of life, no one has the right to destroy an innocent human being. This is because God made life, so it is special in God’s eyes. In God’s commandment in Exodus21:13, God said “Do not commit murder.” This means that to kill a life is a sin. Accordingly, the sanctity of life gives rise to its inviolability. As we can see in Genesis 4:10, where God asks Cain, “What have you done?” after he killed his brother Abel. It is ...

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