How are Catholics in our time and place to understand the commandment “You shall not kill” (Ex 20:13; Dt 5:17)?
More than 30 years ago, the poet and songwriter Leonard Cohen penned “The Future,” which included the darkly prophetic line: “I have the seen the future, brother, it is murder.”
His prediction tragically describes our time and place. In addition to dozens of daily homicides, we witness particularly troubling trends:
- Abortion is now widely accepted, even celebrated.
- Euthanasia – sometimes termed “physician-assisted death” – is now legal in 12 states and the District of Columbia.
- “Selective reduction” of embryos is a regular part of in vitro fertilization (IVF) techniques.
- In “kinetic strikes,” people are killed without warning on suspected drug trafficking boats.
- Death penalty executions are increasing, including in states that until recently had paused these killings.
- “Collateral damage” includes thousands of innocent people who are killed in air and artillery strikes on suspected soldiers or terrorists, most recently in Gaza.
Views based in ideology or faith?
How are Catholics today to understand the Fifth Commandment?
We might begin by examining our initial reaction to the list above. If we find ourselves appalled by the first three items listed above, but not by the other three items (or vice versa), there is a good chance our opinions have been formed more by ideology or partisanship than by our Catholic faith. Some may resist that conclusion, but Catholic teaching is clear that all violate the principle of respect and protection for the life and dignity of every human person. Start by noticing how proponents surround them with euphemisms to avoid naming the murder involved.
There are complexities and legitimate differences of opinion around the edges of these topics, just as there are about the meaning of “you shall not kill” within the entirety of the Old and New Testaments. However, Catholic teaching sets a “baseline” under each, a foundation established by, for example, the Catechism of the Catholic Church in Section 2, Chapter 2, Article 5 entitled “The Fifth Commandment.”
- Abortion – “Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law …” (CCC 2271).
- Euthanasia – “Direct euthanasia … is morally unacceptable” (CCC 2277).
- “Selective reduction” – “… the embryo must be defended in its integrity, cared for, and healed, as far as possible, like any other human being” (CCC 2274).
- “Kinetic strikes” – “Non-combatants, wounded soldiers, and prisoners must be respected and treated humanely” (CCC 2313).
- Death penalty – “…the death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person, and (the Church) works with determination for its abolition worldwide” (CCC 2267).
- “Collateral damage” – “The mere fact that war has regrettably broken out does not mean that everything becomes licit between warring parties” (CCC 2312). Catholic teaching on “just war” calls for special protection of civilian lives.
We Catholics have a baseline
For more about all these topics, see other official Church documents, such as the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, published by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace in 2004. On the topics above, particularly read sections 155, 233-236, 405 and 488-520.
“You shall not kill.” Full understanding of the commandment’s meaning for our time and place demands prayer, discernment and study of specific concerns. But we Catholics have a baseline.
We must refuse ideology or partisanship when they distort it.
Deacon Clarke E. Cochran serves at St. Peter Parish in Charlotte. Reach him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..