Explain what Christians believe about the 'sanctity of human life' and especially their responsibility for those at the beginning and those at the end of life. Use bible passages and Christian church teaching to support your answer.

In Psalms 139:13-16 'you knit me together in my womb' shows that God has mapped out our lives, we have a purpose even if you are disabled or handicapped in any way. The baby ('you') has realised that God created him or her, the baby can think for it's self and can make it's own choices even at such a young age. Jeremiah 1:5 'before I formed you in the womb I know you' suggests that God has planned out our lives before conception, destroy this baby through abortion is directly going against God's plan for our lives.

There is not as many teaching's about the end of life from Jesus but the apostle Paul says 'do you know that your body is a temple' which implies that God is present in all of us and should not be chucked out with age or illness though euthanasia. Jesus healed all people not just the young, he knew that everyone is equal no matter there illness or age. For example he cured lepers, which was incurable, the people at the time thought they where sinners destine to die. This shows everybody has a purpose and meaning, they should not die so willingly.

Everyone has the holy spirit, killing a person destroys that link with God. This is also disobeying the ten commandments 'you shall not kill'. It shows us that God doesn't want us to kill each other but preserve life up till the end. The patient who has stated he wants euthanasia to end his suffering and stop the pain that he could be going though. God gave us free will and the ability to make rational choices about our lives, these choices could be clouded by pain. God doesn't want us to die.

However some Christians believe that euthanasia is speeding up the process to be with God, and a chance to be completely healed and free of sin. They may believe that God has chosen them to die this way, pain free, with there loved ones around them.

Mother Teresa was an active Christian who lived by this teaching and put it into practice in Calcutta. She was against abortion, therefore very pro-life 'But I feel that the greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion, because it is a war against the child, a direct killing of the innocent child, murder by the mother herself.' Mother Teresa believed a baby is the greatest gift God could give and was not something to be thrown away. She believes in the sanctity of life, everything should live or die when God decides. 'If we accept that a mother can kill even her own child, how can we tell other people not to kill one another?' She is saying here that abortion is murder and severly wrong. Her work with the dieing in hospices shows respect and dignity towards human life to its very end.

In conclusion human life is sacred. It should be preserved and cared for no matter what the situation. I think abortion is wrong in almost every case except if the mother is in danger of dying as well as the baby. The Catholic Church aims to preserve life no matter what situation. Its precise beliefs are set out in the Catechism. 'Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion.'