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The '''Consistent Life Ethic''' is an ideal that asserts that "all human life is sacred", and that this calls for "a coherent social policy which seeks to protect the rights of the weakest and most vulnerable in our society, the unborn, the infirm, the refugee, the homeless, and the poor." Though drawing on much religious and secular thought of the past, particularly on [[non-violence]], the contemporary idea took shape in the 1980s, with such early advocates as [[Joseph Cardinal Bernardin]].
The '''Consistent Life Ethic''' is a [[Philosophy|philosophical]], [[Ethics|ethical]], [[Religion|religious]], and [[Politics|political]] philosophy with the basic premise that "all human life is [[sacred]]", and that this calls for "a coherent social policy which seeks to protect the rights of the weakest and most vulnerable in our society, the unborn, the infirm, the [[refugee]], the homeless, and the poor." Advocates of the Consistent Life Ethic are consequently opposed to [[abortion]] ([[Pro-Life]]), [[capital punishment]], "economic injustice", assisted suicide and [[euthanasia]], and [[war]] ([[pacifism]]).


The current movement began in the mid-[[1980s]], through an organization known as the Seamless Garment Network (now known as Consistent Life). Most of its support was through religiously [[Conservatism|conservative]], politically [[Leftism|liberal]] [[Catholic social teaching|Catholics]], including Cardinal [[Joseph Cardinal Bernardin]].
Those who subscribe to the ethic are often equally at odds with the [[Conservatism|Right]] over [[capital punishment]], war, and [[poverty]] issues, as well as the [[Leftism|Left]] over [[abortion]] and [[euthanasia]].


The movement is difficult to define in terms of a Left-Right [[political spectrum]], since those who subscribe to the ethic are often equally at odds with the Right over capital punishment, war, and [[poverty]] issues, as well as the Left over abortion and euthanasia.
In the United States, the ethic is promoted by an umbrella organization called Consistent Life (formerly the Seamless Garment Network) which includes about 400 [[anti-war]], [[pro-life]], [[Christian]], [[Buddhist]], and other organizations.


In the [[United States]], the ethic is promoted by an umbrella organization called Consistent Life which includes about 400 [[anti-war]], pro-life, [[nonviolence]], [[Christianity|Christian]], [[Buddhism|Buddhist]], and other organizations.
Other notable exponents include [[Nat Hentoff]], the [[Dalai Lama]], and [[Wendell Berry]].

Other notable exponents include novelist [[Wendell Berry]], the current [[Dalai Lama]] [[Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama|Tenzin Gyatso]] (the head of state of the [[Government in exile]] of [[Tibet]] and spiritual leader of [[Tibetan Buddhism]]), political writer [[Nat Hentoff]], and actor [[Martin Sheen]].


==External links==
==External links==
* [http://www.consistent-life.org Consistent Life]
*[http://www.consistent-life.org/ Consistent Life]
* [http://www.no-violence.net No Violence Period (article collection)]
*[http://www.seamless-garment.org/index.shtml The Seamless Garment site]
*[http://madprof.home.mindspring.com/ethic.html Another Seamless Garment site]
*[http://kelly.jefferson.net/clering/ The Consistent Life net ring]
*[http://www.no-violence.net No Violence Period (article collection)]

Revision as of 04:10, 25 June 2005

The Consistent Life Ethic is a philosophical, ethical, religious, and political philosophy with the basic premise that "all human life is sacred", and that this calls for "a coherent social policy which seeks to protect the rights of the weakest and most vulnerable in our society, the unborn, the infirm, the refugee, the homeless, and the poor." Advocates of the Consistent Life Ethic are consequently opposed to abortion (Pro-Life), capital punishment, "economic injustice", assisted suicide and euthanasia, and war (pacifism).

The current movement began in the mid-1980s, through an organization known as the Seamless Garment Network (now known as Consistent Life). Most of its support was through religiously conservative, politically liberal Catholics, including Cardinal Joseph Cardinal Bernardin.

The movement is difficult to define in terms of a Left-Right political spectrum, since those who subscribe to the ethic are often equally at odds with the Right over capital punishment, war, and poverty issues, as well as the Left over abortion and euthanasia.

In the United States, the ethic is promoted by an umbrella organization called Consistent Life which includes about 400 anti-war, pro-life, nonviolence, Christian, Buddhist, and other organizations.

Other notable exponents include novelist Wendell Berry, the current Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso (the head of state of the Government in exile of Tibet and spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism), political writer Nat Hentoff, and actor Martin Sheen.

External links