Through some eight decades of determined scholarship, I have made a strenuous effort to become as thoroughly acquainted with all the moral codes of civilized society and all codes of honor adopted by law to regulate human behavior as possible. I may have missed a few — but not many.

 

In the terminology of law and in the records of justice meted out in all of civilized society, I find no justification, no authorization and no approval for such activities as mercy killing, assisted suicide, honor killing as punishment for the most horrendous crime, with the exception only of those offenders who have been formally charged, faced intense review of evidence and been adjudged by their peers as having no redeeming value and of being incapable of reversing, correcting or making adequate restitution for their deeds.

 

The law is crystal clear — if you kill, in absence of evidence of your having been a victim of crime or incompetent in such ways as to render you unable to detect the difference between right and wrong, you die. Convicted persons have, through the centuries, paid the price for their deeds by submitting to hanging, electrocution, crucifixion, suffocation, poisoning, gunshots or other missile assaults meted out by trained executioners or firing squads and in the most humane circumstances possible. Exceptions that could be pointed out were execution by wild animals, arsonist burning or similar activity, always accomplished outside the law and beyond the bounds of civilization’s approval. Beheading is a practice of ancient aristocracy long since discarded as improper.

 

In fact, when any executions are authorized as means of controlling the most vicious and selfish criminals, it is decreed that humane techniques, with limited torture or ruthless vindictiveness specified be applied. 

 

In most civilized societies suicide itself is listed as criminal behavior and assisted suicide is seen as criminal. In other words, to take away any human life, including that said to be yours, is unacceptable.

 

Above all, the mere statement, “honor killing” is an attack upon the integrity and the sacredness of human life. 

 

The value of human life as a sacred gift of God is so worthy, according to the New Testament, that in the Christian segment of the Holy Bible, it is given clear definition as the literal property of God, intended to be returned to him only when he decides that its mission on this plane has been completed to his satisfaction. By Biblical declaration, as by similar definition in the basic holy writings of every organized religion within the civilized world, God gives life for our temporary use, sees it achieve his purposes and then reclaims it for whatever use that will contribute toward the fulfillment of his will.

 

With such a ranking on the human value system, then every life, being sacred, is to be protected, preserved, honored, respected and recognized as among the greatest treasures ever. For that reason, it always is to be viewed with dignity and honor. But there is no honor in destroying it. Perhaps it can be submitted to the fundamental rules of justice but only after every conceivable means of preventing its destruction -- by itself or by others -- have been exhausted and every opportunity for its correction and adjusting to its proper use is undertaken.

 

Even the concept of “honor  killing” therefore is to be avoided and always rejected.