The Sixth Commandment

You shall not kill.
In society murder is everywhere. We are told to join the Army- that kills people. We are told that abortion is okay- that kills people. We are told that the death penalty is respectable- that kills people. The very laws that are ingrained into our society tell us that taking a life is perfectly alright. Every day people kill nonchalantly, every day people become immune to the atrocity of death. This is wrong.
Killing is a horrible sin. When you take a life, you take away something that can never be replaced, remade, or replicated. You can't apologize to a person you have killed. You can't imagine how many other lives you have effected. If you cut one thread in the blanket of our interwoven lives, the entire blanket could unravel. You never know.
The vast array of death and destruction in society is much too broad a topic to fill in one post, or even in one book. So I will stick to four main points:
-when it is okay to kill
-abortion
-death penalty
-suicide

When it is okay to kill
Many would probably be astounded if I told them that the Catholic Church allows people to kill in specific circumstances.
But first and foremost, this is a decision that shouldn't be between you and the church or your family or your friends- this is a decision that should be between you and God. If you are in a difficult position, then pray. God will answer you.
With that being said, this is what the Church provides on the subject,

"Unfortunately, it happens that the need to render the aggressor incapable of causing harm sometimes involves taking his life. In this case, the fatal outcome is attributed to the aggressor whose action brought it about, even though he may not be morally responsible because of a lack of use of reason." The Gospel of Life, Encyclical Letter of Pope John Paul II.

So- the Church says that if you need to take a life to defend an innocent or multiple innocent lives, then so be it.

Abortion
A VERY hot topic today. First of all- there are many drastic situations in which abortion is an understandable route. HOWEVER- abortion has gone much too far. It is understandable for a mother to not want a baby because she was a rape victim- it is not understandable for a mother to not want a baby because she just doesn't feel like it. Abortion is the taking of an innocent life that has no ability to defend itself. Abortion is wrong. All citizens of the United States are entitled to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" Aborted babies never enjoy any of these rights. Abortion is causing people to treat children as a problem or inconvenience that should be dealt with as opposed to a life. A child is a blessing, not some plague or tumor to be killed and removed.
In some cases, however, there is legitimate concern for the mother's or the baby's life if the mother chooses to give birth. Everyone has a right to defend their own life. There also is the case of the mother not being able to care for her child.

"Decisions that go against life sometimes arise from difficult or even tragic situations of profound suffering, loneliness, a total lack of economic prospects, depression and anxiety about the future. Such circumstances can mitigate even to a notable degree subjective responsibility and the consequent culpability of those who make these choices which in themselves are evil. But today the problem goes far beyond the necessary recognition of those personal situations." The Gospel of Life, Encyclical Letter of Pope John Paul II.

But for those who can take care of their baby and who don't have the threat of death looming over them, abortion is wrong. It kills.

Death Penalty
This will be short- the death penalty is always wrong when society has the capability to keep offenders from causing more harm. In America, we have ways to jail murderers or otherwise keep them from having access to the means of killing others. Taking a like is not the last resort to protect innocent lives in this case. So killing is not an option.

Suicide
Unless for some reason your death will save the lives of others- suicide is wrong. This includes all types of suicide- self administered, doctor assisted, and pity. Suicide victims often argue that their lives are so horrible that they just can't stand living them anymore. But God only gives us as much pain as we are able to handle. And He is always there with us to help bear that pain. Enduring pain makes us who we are and dealing with pain shapes the people we will become. Not that people have to take ever last measure to extend their lives- it's okay if you don't want to take costly pills just to extend your life for another two months. That's not suicide. But deliberately ending your life is wrong. Suicide is wrong.

God makes all of his commandments for a reason. He knows all. He loves each of us. It may be hard to understand why we can't kill (especially in some cases) but God says we can't. So we can't. But if you look around, there are many reasons thou shall not kill. Maybe we're not suppose to murder because some murderers end up going crazy with guilt. Maybe we're not suppose to have abortions because millions of mothers who go through with abortions regret it. Maybe we're not suppose to commit suicide because many people who kill themselves have last minute regrets- but then it's too late. There are countless reasons we shouldn't kill. But the best one is that God commands us not to.

The Fifth Commandment

You shall honor your father and mother.
Just listen to your parents! They are the ones who brought you into this world, who love you, and who care for you. So listen to them.
Now there is an exception to this rule: if your parents tell you to do something that conflicts with God. So if they tell you to do something you know you aren't suppose to do, or know is against God's other commandments, you don't have to listen to them.
But even if they aren't telling you to do something bad, it's easy to fall into the trap of disobeying parents- you eat that forbidden extra cookie when you're a kid, or say a word like 'stupid' that you aren't suppose to say. And it only gets harder when you're a teenager- the keys are right there but your parents won't let you drive, or you swear like everyone else at school and your parents flip.
And when your parents tell you you have to be back by 11, you start thinking, "Ok, so it's a commandment to obey my parents, but does God really care if I spend an extra hour at John's house?"
No, there is a really good chance God doesn't care how long you spend at John's house. But He does care if you don't obey your parents. I'm sure you can come up with at least five good reasons to listen to your parents without thinking-
-respect
-love
-loyalty
-trust
-they would kill me
You only need one reason though- because God said so. That pretty much trumps everything else.