Sanctity of Life ~ Naomi Knight
The phrase ‘Sanctity of Life’ has become commonplace in recent decades. The phrase itself refers to the idea that human life is sacred, holy, precious, and is argued in debates over such problematic issues as abortion, contraception, euthanasia, embryonic stem-cell research, and the "right to die." Many people put the phrase ‘the sanctity of life’ to issues such as abortion and euthanasia, and, while it definitely applies to those issues, it applies to much more.
Every human being, at all stages of life, with every kind of experience and relationship, are included in the meaning of ‘sanctity of life.’ Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “The test of the morality of a society is what it does for its children.” Society has not done well for its children; it teaches them life doesn’t really have a worth, it is something that can be easily thrown away, as evident in abortion, human trafficking, domestic abuse, and many other evils; in quests to satisfy their own selfish desires.
People do not realize how important and valuable life is, that humanity has an immeasurable worth, (Matthew 10:41, Romans 5:8) indicating every human being has a value that goes beyond any human attempt to measure. Humankind was designed in the likeness of God (Genesis 1:27) and set apart from the rest of creation, but because of the fall of man, anything innately holy in man vanished as humanity turned towards dark ways. God’s image is still present in humankind and this likeness should always be given its due respect, because humanity is far more sacred than the rest of creation. This is what we ought to mean when we speak of the worth of sanctity of life. “The real question today is not when human life begins, but, what is the value of human life?” – Ronald Reagan
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