Thou shall not kill seems easy and obvious to avoid. Matthew's Gospel finds Jesus taking this commandment to even our thought life. Do not even be angry as you will find the same judgment as murder. Murder or killing is born in the heart and Jesus asks us to control our thought life so hate and anger will not progress to a sin that no sane person wants to deal with. It is in this fifth chapter of Matthew that we find we are culpable for our thought life. Even though the vast majority of people will never find themselves in a situation where murder is an option, it is a select few who will never have angry or murderous thoughts come across their minds. A simple fight in school which begins out of anger can lead to a blow to the head, or a person hitting the ground that can be fatal. One never knows the consequences of anger that is expressed. That is why Jesus asks us to be accountable to even our thought life.
One of societies most contentious political debates comes from abortion. The Church decries this action, along with embryonic stem cell research, and even capital punishment. While these debates seem to be linked to politics, this is in no way true as they erode the very foundation of what it is to be human and the value God puts on a human life. As we approach Advent, the Incarnation or the birth of Jesus reminds us of what it means to be human. As Jesus was an embryo, fetus, and pre-born, it is only logical that there must be a value to these stages of life for every human being and God values them as human beings also.
There are many sins that can be discussed under this commandment. Suicide, war and the injustices associated with it, euthanasia, and the death penalty are but a few. We are created in the image of God and Jesus became a human being should be considered first and foremost when forming an opinion as to how we see life from the perspective of this commandment.
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