Kimberly Bittings
Death and Dying: SIS 2229
Dr. Vera Jakoby
03 December 2014
Genealogy Project: Suicide in Catholicism and Islamic Religions Suicide has always been look down upon, especially in Catholicism and Islamic Religions. For years it has been considered a sin to commit suicide, but many of these religions have been lenient. For Catholicism, suicide has always been the highest sin anyone could commit if you were Catholic. Suicide in Islamic Religions has been sin unless you die an honorable death, while committing suicide. While both of these religions are similar, they do have differences when it comes to suicide. I will examine both of these religions through art and through the history. The art that I will be explaining has to do …show more content…
In their eyes it was a sin against God, many thought how you could take your own life when God had created it just for you, therefore making an attack against God. Some priests had said “to allow suicide in order to prevent a greater sin against chastity.” (Stempsey 212) This quote directly relates to the first painting The Entombment of Atala, the women Atala gave up her life so she would not be tempted to break her chastity. This is interesting that this one suicide was allowed. Although in the Catholic Church, decades ago had penalties for suicide which were that the person who had committed suicide could not be buried in a Catholic cemetery, but now according to Stempsey “The most recent ecumenical council, Vatican II, does not speak of penalties for suicide, but continues to condemn it” (216) The author Scott M. Sullivan wrote “The Catholic tradition holds that man is not the master of his own life. Human life is a gift and God is the master and has dominion over life and death. Killing per se is not against the moral law, but it is unjust killing (i.e. killing the innocent) that violates. Moreover, the commandment ‘Thou shall not kill’ applies not only to others, but also to oneself” (387) Suicide has always been seen as a threat against God. Catholicism used to have penalties for suicide but now has none and just condemns it, like in both the second and third artworks above, would not receive any penalties but is sure that the Catholic Church condemned
Death and Dying: SIS 2229
Dr. Vera Jakoby
03 December 2014
Genealogy Project: Suicide in Catholicism and Islamic Religions Suicide has always been look down upon, especially in Catholicism and Islamic Religions. For years it has been considered a sin to commit suicide, but many of these religions have been lenient. For Catholicism, suicide has always been the highest sin anyone could commit if you were Catholic. Suicide in Islamic Religions has been sin unless you die an honorable death, while committing suicide. While both of these religions are similar, they do have differences when it comes to suicide. I will examine both of these religions through art and through the history. The art that I will be explaining has to do …show more content…
In their eyes it was a sin against God, many thought how you could take your own life when God had created it just for you, therefore making an attack against God. Some priests had said “to allow suicide in order to prevent a greater sin against chastity.” (Stempsey 212) This quote directly relates to the first painting The Entombment of Atala, the women Atala gave up her life so she would not be tempted to break her chastity. This is interesting that this one suicide was allowed. Although in the Catholic Church, decades ago had penalties for suicide which were that the person who had committed suicide could not be buried in a Catholic cemetery, but now according to Stempsey “The most recent ecumenical council, Vatican II, does not speak of penalties for suicide, but continues to condemn it” (216) The author Scott M. Sullivan wrote “The Catholic tradition holds that man is not the master of his own life. Human life is a gift and God is the master and has dominion over life and death. Killing per se is not against the moral law, but it is unjust killing (i.e. killing the innocent) that violates. Moreover, the commandment ‘Thou shall not kill’ applies not only to others, but also to oneself” (387) Suicide has always been seen as a threat against God. Catholicism used to have penalties for suicide but now has none and just condemns it, like in both the second and third artworks above, would not receive any penalties but is sure that the Catholic Church condemned