Human life

[Deathfire]

No body has given me a suitable answer to this question and i dont know where else to put it, so dont rage at me for putting it here:
How is that Christians define shortening a human life to be 'bad', yet the find lengthening it be 'good'? Im looking for a solid reason not some dodgy, God says life is sacred, i want proof, show me that human life should be kept longer. We all talk about how God would have wanted us to not kill the environment and not harm it (basically staying out of it) so then why is it we interfer with ourselves? Afterall we are nature. Idk if you get what im saying...

 

[Goldberg208]

What specific source (scriptural passage or other) do you cite that proposes “shortening a human life” to be “bad”?

Do you mean to do murder? The moral basis w/ that is more a matter of overriding another person’s will to survive, rather than merely affecting his lifespan.

The idea of maximum extending of human lifespans probably has more to do w/ the Hippocratic Oath & medical science/ethics than Christian doctrine…

Overall, religious worldviews (as a whole) have seemed to favor individual sacrifice (yes, death) rather than striving for personal longevity, and Judeo/Christian systems lean in this direction as well...

 

[theFijian]

So what you're looking for is someone to explain to you why killing someone is bad, and not killing someone/helping someone live longer is good?

 

[Chesterton]

I see two different views could be taken:

Life is beautiful, so why not eat health foods?

Life is ugly, so why not kill yourself?

So, it depends.

 

[SkyWriting]

Nobody has given me a suitable answer to this question:
<snip>
How is that Christians define shortening a human life to be 'bad',
yet they find lengthening it be 'good'?
<snip>
After all, we are nature.

Christians focus more on the life after death.
There is no Christian stand on the length of this life,
longer or shorter, that I can find.

Though most feel this life should be treated similar to how God would
want it to be. If you are innocent, you should be treated well.
If you are guilty of acting against God's laws, you should pay dues.
Those who would murder, should pay with their own life in the worst cases.
Those who commit no crimes should be allowed to live with no constraints.
And there are levels in between where small crimes against humanity,
get limited restraints on their lives.

If there WAS a "Christian" stand on long or short lives then every Christian group
would either be involved in health care for the innocent, or the penal system for the guilty.

Prison inmates, are some of the most "maladjusted" people in
society. Most of the inmates have had too little discipline or too
much, come from broken homes, and have no self-esteem. They are very
insecure and are "at war with themselves as well as with society"
(Szumski 20). Most inmates did not learn moral values or learn to
follow everyday norms.



The number of (Texas) convicts increased from 146 to 264 between the end
of the Civil War and the fall of 1866...

The inmate population grew from 36,769 on August 31, 1983, to 39,664 at the
end of August 1988. Between August 1987 and August 1988 the prison system
received 33,816 new inmates but released 33,428 prisoners through parole or
discharge, to mandatory supervision, or after termination of shock probation.
Handbook of Texas Online - PRISON SYSTEM

 

[Deathfire]

Well its not the fact there is nothing supporting the extension of life other than the promise of eternal life, for those who obey God's law, its that there is nothing against it. If there is a law against shortening life why isnt there a law against extending it. I mean in refrence to the Sixth Commandment. But if God DID actually create us, and give us life, then surely he intends it to go on its natural course, not affected my humans cutting it short or humans extending it. And if you say its the moral of afflicting your values or 'superiority' over someone else, by murdering them (afterall its the ultimate show of dominance) then why is that (i think its the CCC or something of the sort :S) Suicide is wrong because we dont own our lives, because they belong to God, ie. we'd be showing our superiority over God by taking our own life. Which is why Chrisitians say it is wrong. Making a life shorter is the opposite of a life longer correct? its exactly the same thing, cept a different direction so why is it that this is not trying to show superiority over God?

 

[Goldberg208]

Well its not the fact there is nothing supporting the extension of life other than the promise of eternal life, for those who obey God's law,

Cite an example of a life form that lives “eternally”.

But if God DID actually create us, and give us life, then surely he intends it to go on its natural course, not affected my humans cutting it short or humans extending it.

I’d have to suggest that it would’nt be possible in any way to extend it further, after it has already run it’s natural course. I think various types of Life-support actually help the body attain its true lifespan potential, even if that type of existence may not be too pleasant.….also whether to extend life or not is up to the individual in the form of so-called living wills for one example….

Suicide is wrong because we dont own our lives, because they belong to God, ie. we'd be showing our superiority over God by taking our own life.

Hmmm…so none of us are our own property, or private citizen/person? Each individual is “owned by God”??? What do you mean by this…”the Church”?? Theocratic government?? Is this supported or enforced by law in any way??

 

[Deathfire]

CCC Catechism of the Catholic Church or something like that, it actually states that. That God owns our lives, that there is confusion that, we have the right to end our lives because we own it, when the CCC claims that God does. Well isnt it apart of your faith that you believe that you will live forever in God's kingdom when you die? LIVE forever, spiritually perhaps, but still alive... give me your reasoning then as to why Thou Shalt Not Kill, is important.

 

[juvenissun]

If you do not believe in God, then kill yourself anytime. It does not make a bit difference.

But if you do believe in God, then it is different. One attached meaning of believing is that you "give yourself to God". Then your life is not yours any more and you can not change it.

What does God want your life for? If you believe in God, then He has a job for you to do. You are going to do the job on the earth for God. The more you do, i.e. the longer you stay on the earth and do the job, the happier the God. The happier the God, the more price He will give to you. Use one word to describe the whole situation, it is GOOD.

Don't make mistake. God want you to do the assigned job is all because He wants to give you price. Not that God can't do your job by Himself.

I stop here. Any question?

 

[Goldberg208]

If you do not believe in God, then kill yourself anytime. It does not make a bit difference.

So if a person who happens to embrace atheism commits suicide it will make absolutely no difference and have no effect at all on family members, children, business or community associates as compared to a person who happens to "believe in God"??....

I'm not quite sure I follow the thinking w/ this....

 

[juvenissun]

So if a person who happens to embrace atheism commits suicide it will make absolutely no difference and have no effect at all on family members, children, business or community associates as compared to a person who happens to "believe in God"??....

I'm not quite sure I follow the thinking w/ this....

Sorry, I was not talking about the effect to other people. I was talking about the effect to himself only (I guess that is what was talking about in the OP). Jesus calls them living dead. That is why God says to Israelites in the Book of Joshua: kill them all.

 

[theFijian]

So if a person who happens to embrace atheism commits suicide it will make absolutely no difference and have no effect at all on family members, children, business or community associates as compared to a person who happens to "believe in God"??....

I'm not quite sure I follow the thinking w/ this....

He is equivocating atheism and nihilism.

 

[juvenissun]

He is equivocating atheism and nihilism.

No. I am not.

Atheism does have goal of life. But it is one with little value (does not last). So, have goal or not have goal does not make any difference.

 

[theFijian]

No. I am not.

Atheism does have goal of life. But it is one with little value (does not last). So, have goal or not have goal does not make any difference.

So why doesn't it make a difference?

 

[Chesterton]

I agree with juve here, based on the fact that most of the best atheist philosophers have concluded that life is nothing but doom and gloom ("a sucking whirlpool of despair", I think Bertrand Russell said?).

And a poor atheist philosopher like Dawkins writes God Delusion to dismiss all the "fairies in the garden". Then, in recognition that the message is a bit depressing for modern book-buyers tastes, has to include a few pages at the end about why life is worth living. I think he said something to the effect that you can tell your dying loved one that they should cheer up because the universe is elegant and science is glorious.

 

[juvenissun]

So why doesn't it make a difference?

To human society, it does not change a thing in the long run.
To the spiritual world, the consequence is the same: death.

 

[theFijian]

To human society, it does not change a thing in the long run.

If it only makes a difference 'in the long run', why should they just go ahead and kill themselves?

 

[juvenissun]

If it only makes a difference 'in the long run', why should they just go ahead and kill themselves?

I did not say they should. I said that if they do, there is no loss to them.

 

[Deathfire]

I dont really agree with it, but i understand that job thing. Ty bro.

 

[juvenissun]

I dont really agree with it, but i understand that job thing. Ty bro.

This forum may be a suitable place to explain your disagreement.