RE313 Study Guide - Quiz Guide: Ontario Human Rights Commission, Archangel, Tibetan People
Document Summary
Robert kastenbaum (2001) has outlined some of the different cultural meanings suicide can have and i"ve listed a number of them below: various religious meanings. Most proponents of the western religions maintain that suicide is a sin. Interestingly, neither the hebrew bible nor the christian new testament prohibit suicide directly. Kastenbaum finds some answers to this question by turning to some of the christian theologians. St. augustine argued that the suicidal violate the sixth commandment: thou shalt not kill. later another. Christian theologian, st. thomas aquinas, agreed with augustine and added that god alone has the power to grant life and death. Thus suicide is also seen as the sin of pride. These traditions view life as having intrinsic value and therefore one"s life should not be taken, no matter what the circumstances. Dante"s inferno, an epic poem, tells the story of dante"s journey through hell.
