sanctity of life

CATHOLICS

  • Catholics believe that human life is holy and sacred and a gift from God. ‘God breathed life into Adam’.

  • St Paul taught that God lived within the human body ‘ do you not know you are God’s Temple and Gods spirit lives in you’

  • Human life is sacred as humans are made in the Image of God (imago Dei) – Genesis

  • The intentional taking of a human life is forbidden in the 10 commandments - thou shalt Not kill

  • Human life is sacred even before birth as the psalms teach “You knit me together in my mother’s womb”. Is sacred from moment of conception CCC.

  • Jesus stated that God would care for us because ‘we are worth more than Sparrows’ stating that Human life is of greater value than animal life.

JUDAISM

  • Life is so important that the Talmud states you save a life you are considered to have saved the whole world.

  • An example is that they can drive on the Sabbath in an emergency and that the pregnant, elderly and very young do not fast on Yom Kippur.

  • human life is sacred as created by God ‘ in genesis God breathed life into Adam’. Murder is forbidden in commandments ‘ you shall not murder’

  • Life is so important that Jews believe that it acceptable to break the mitzvoth in order to save a life. This is based on the teaching that when God gave them the mitzvoth he stated that ‘ you shall live by them’ the Talmud added ‘ you shall not die by them’.