The Church views human life to be sacred and that an individual’s dignity is the basis of their moral behaviour. Human beings derive the meaning of social order from human dignity. It refers to self-respect and respect of other people. Dignity is closely related to righteousness (Sheahen, 2015). Dignity dictates the way people tend to behave around others and the manner they are treated back. In addition, it dictates the choices we make and thus indicates our righteousness and other virtues that we portray. The worthiness of man was first introduced in the Judaic tradition, which said that man had been created in the image of God and there he is worthy, thus his acts should also reflect this worthiness. As seen in the bible righteousness and moral integrity are the main qualities man is judged on and which his ethics reflect on. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied/ blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God" (Matt. 5:6-9).
The dignity of humanity has always been recognized by most human cultures and has been incorporated in the universal law containing all fundamental rights. These rights were not made under mere human will of wanting to have rights but because they are in the very nature that men are based on (Sheahen, 2015). All men are born free with equal dignity. The environment in which they grow up is what determines how much of that dignity that they uphold. The world has changed over time and become a very dangerous place. Human dignity is a major factor in most of these situations. Seeing murders and acts of terrorism has become a norm whenever we open our radios and televisions. Problems such as violence, war, poverty, racism have become major issues in the modern day setting. In most countries, we find Sharia laws, which in many instances go against the meaning of human dignity. They allow women to be shamed murdered brutally and tortured. Human dignity is thus not respected in every country.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Human Dignity on Child Education and Learning
Education is a very important step in life. It starts at conception and goes on throughout one’s life until they die (Sheahen, 2015). Most of this education takes place in schools while the rest takes place during our daily day interactions. Not all children are the same. They differ in their qualities and talents. During teaching in schools, a child might be a slow learner and instead of the teacher being patient with the child, they mock and criticise him. This makes him feel shame and that he has been deprived of his dignity when the teacher belittles him in such a manner. This shuts down the child’s capacity to think and if it goes on the child might grow up thinking that they are stupid.
Dignity on Poverty
About 34 million people in the United States live below the poverty line. This is hard to understand considering that; it is one of the richest countries in the world. This poverty is caused by various elements of the economy such as the increase in consumer’s debt and the enormous increase in the money spent on the military (Singh, 2017). Poverty undermines human dignity and makes an individual feel less human. They are unable to acquire the basic needs required for quality living. Unemployment also leads to poverty. The increased overpopulation in the world is causing the high rates of unemployment. Most people are left homeless without something to eat. This slowly takes away then human dignity from a person since they are unable to support their basic needs and do anything to stop the suffering their children might be enduring.
Dignity on Human Trafficking
Human Trafficking refers to taking of individuals without their consent. Most of these victims do not know things they might be getting into or the dangers that are ahead. Human trafficking is still a major issue in the modern world. People are taken against their will and taken to other countries either by land or by sea where they are forced to go through various acts that go against the human dignity (Gray, 2013). They are harvested for their organs, others are used for sexual exploitation and others are used for forced labour. Human life is sacred and should be held with the utmost respect. People involved in this human trafficking treat others as if they were animals, forgetting the fact they are the same. It takes away all the dignity that a person has for himself and may lead to suicide or depression leading to mental illness.
Human Dignity on Capital Punishment
Various countries such as the United States still practice capital punishment. Man is forced to go through so many things in life where he has to fight for his life and dignity constantly. No man has the power to judge whether another should live or die. Only God has this power. It is not fair to kill someone because he killed another person (Schall, 2018). This is because it denied the person time to reflect on the severity of his sin and get the chance to repent and change his ways. On many occasions in the bible, God emphasizes on forgiveness. It might not be possible for the state to forgive but they should always consider human dignity and the way it should be upheld no matter what crime a person has committed. Another issue that comes up is when someone goes through capital punishment but later on is found to have been innocent. Human dignity is not upheld when one man decides that another should die. Jesus said: “Let anyone among you who is without sin, be the first to throw a stone at her” (John 8:7).
Human Dignity on Violence
Violence covers a wide scope of crimes. Violence can occur in many places. It can start at home, where a child is abused mentally and physically. Many children are nowadays exposed to the media and internet. These sources display acts of violence openly to these children. Even most of the games that they play on phones and consoles are filled with violence. This makes them see it as interesting and entertaining hence; as they grow up, they view it as just a normal thing to do. There have been numerous cases of school shootings where a child decides to take a gun and kill his fellow schoolmates. All human beings live with equal dignity (Ericksen, 2013). Acts of violence demean this dignity and make it lose its importance. If human rights are not upheld then dignity is undermined.
Human Dignity on Racism
Racism is an occurrence when a member of a certain race undermines a member of another race viewing them as less capable or inferior. Racism is an act of hate and shows that the person being racist has no love for his fellow human being. Racism is evident in almost every country with multiracial citizenship. It is found in every interactive place where human beings come together, from schools to workplaces to sports. Racism has been an issue for centuries and it is a wonder that it is still an issue in the modern world (Sheahen, 2015). To view another person as inferior is to undermine his or her dignity. All people are created the same underneath; colour should therefore not be a basis of judgement. We should love one another as Jesus said that the greatest gift of all was love.
Conclusion
Human dignity starts with the basics. People must learn to live together and respect one another. This helps all human beings to enjoy their freedom and will to live. Every human has dignity, no matter who they are, thus they should be protected and treated in similar manner. Every step in life is precious and to take someone’s opportunity to experience these moments by killing them is taking away their dignity and that has no place in the eyes of God.
References
Ericksen, A. (2013). Human Dignity: The Sense and Senselessness of Violence. The Raven Review .
Gray, L. (2013). Human trafficking meets human dignity. World Vision International .
Schall, J. (2018). On human dignity and the death penalty. The Catholic World Report , 1-6.
Sheahen, L. (2015). Life and Dignity of the Human Person. Catholic Relief Services , 1-8.
Singh, D. K. (2017). Poverty and Human Dignity: A Human Rights Approach. IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science , 48-55.
