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The 5th Commandment . You Shall Not Kill. The story of Cain and Abel forms the biblical foundation for the Church’s absolute insistence on the inviolability and sacredness of innocent human life. . JO. What is meant by “ You Shall not Kill” .
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The 5th Commandment You Shall Not Kill
The story of Cain and Abel forms the biblical foundation for the Church’s absolute insistence on the inviolability and sacredness of innocent human life. JO
What is meant by “You Shall not Kill” • The main focus of the 5th Commandment is the absolute duty to respect, defend, and protect human life. • This commandment essentially means that killing an innocent person is a violation of natural law and, therefore, a most grievous sin. • Intimately linked to this prohibition against taking innocent life is the dignity of human person, a dignity that transcends the value of all creation. JO
Christ’s deeper teaching on the Fifth Commandment is enriched with the proclamation of the commandment of love. The precept of not killing is understood in the life of Jesus: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” This commandment of charity thus enriched the Fifth Commandment beyond its Old Testament interpretation. JO
What is Meant by “You Shall not Kill” • Jesus taught that it is not enough to simply follow the clear definitions of the Commandments • This Commandment extends far beyond these words and to truly follow this Commandment, we must avoid all things that may hurt ourselves or another CC
Respect for Our Own Lives • The Catholic Church teaches that each person has innate dignity and value • This value was given to each person by birth and therefore no other person has the right to disrespect God’s will CC
Respect for Our Own Lives • Some of the sins that show a lack of respect for one’s own life include: • suicide • gluttony • substance abuse. JO
Moral Evils • By not following the 5th commandment fully, these moral evils may be committed: • Abortion: All human life is precious and no one has the right to take that away • Family and Spouse Abuse: Abuse is hurting God’s gifts and is not allowed. • Euthanasia: No one has the right to take away God’s most precious gift of life KR
Moral Evils (continued) • Death Penalty: No matter how badly someone messes up or commits a crime, they do not deserve to die. • Human Trafficking: Human trafficking is a violation of the 5th commandment because it abuses someone’s sexuality. • Racial Prejudice: Racial prejudice can be a result of violating this commandment because prejudice can become violent and hurtful. KR
How to live out the Commandment • Exercising regularly • Having a well balanced diet • Joining support groups if one thinks that they may be suicidal CC
How to Live out the Commandment Cont. • Living positively by avoiding non-righteous anger • Avoiding alcohol and substance abuse • Standing up for victims of physical abuse CC
Positive Restatement • “You shall not kill” can be restated in a positive way by saying “You shall respect the lives of all of God’s creations and gifts” KR
Positive Calls • Instead of looking at the negative connotation of ‘Do not kill’, we can positively look at this commandment as a call to love and be faithful to everyone • also called to love and respect God’s creations and everybody around us KR