Christian Moral Living

Christian Moral Living  “So for one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, it is a sin.” James 4:17 Mr. Pablo Cuadra Religion Class

Qu estio n?  Why do you think people commit actions that they know are sinful or wrong?  Ex: Speeding

Asp ects o f Mo rali ty  A. The ability to know right from wrong. The ability to know good from evil.  B. The ability to distinguish what is appropriate from what is inappropriate.  C. The commitment to do what is right.

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Qu estio ns?  What is one action you consider wrong or evil?  What is one action you consider right or just?

Ch rist ian Mo ral L ivi ng  Christian morality is based on the teachings of Jesus and his Church through:  The teachings of the Magisterium (Pope, bishops).  The essence of Jesus’ teaching is love.

Ch rist ian Mo ral L ivi ng  Jesus summarized the way we are to live when he taught: “You Shall love the the Lord, Your God, with all your soul, and your neighbor as yourself.”

Matthew 22: 37-39

Qu estio n?  Why is loving our neighbor as important as loving God?

Ch rist ian Mo ral L ivi ng  Jesus’ teachings about love have two dimensions: 1. Vertical = pointing to God 2. Horizontal = pointing to others  Faith in God alone is not enough in order to live a good life. We must also love our neighbor.

Qu estio n?  Why do you think people who consider themselves Christians commit actions that are not Christ like?

Did Yo u Kn ow?  The book, The Day America Told The Truth reports: 91% of Americans lie on a regular basis both at home and at work. Most Americans admit goofing off on the job on the average of seven hours per week, according to this book.

Did Yo u Kn ow?  Most workers admit calling in sick regularly even if they feel well.  25% of Americans say they would be willing to leave their families if offered $10 million to do so.

Did Yo u Kn ow?  23% of Americans would be willing to act as prostitutes for a week for that same amount.

Did Yo u Kn ow?  7% of Americans would agree to murder strangers if offered $10 million dollars.

Qu estio n?  Do you think money has the power to blind people’s good judgment?

Ca tholic F aith  A. The Catholic Faith teaches that “wrong is wrong, even if everyone is doing it.”  B. And that “right is right, even though no one else is doing it.”

Ca tholic F aith  God is going to judge us: on our COURAGE to choose what is good in ALL circumstances.

Qu estio ns?  What makes something wrong?  What makes something right?

Th e So urces o f Mo ralit y  Because we have free will and reason, we are responsible for our acts and our failures to act. (sin of omission)

Th e So urces o f Mo ralit y  We can judge whether our actions are good or bad by reflecting on three traditional sources of morality:  A. The object  B. The intentions  C. The circumstances

Th e So urces o f Mo ralit y  A. The object Chosen (What I choose to do).  B. The intention (Why I choose to do something).  C. The circumstances (The what, where, when, how of my actions).

What is th e Object Ch osen?  In morality the Object chosen is what we choose to do, the act itself.  The act can have good matter, bad matter, or just be neutral.  An example of a good act could be tutoring a classmate in math.

What is th e Object Ch osen?  Bad matter automatically makes an act evil.  Ex: Gossiping about a classmate is consider bad matter.  Spreading half truths about someone is always wrong.

Qu estio ns?  What is one thing you would consider bad in itself?  What is one thing you would consider good in itself?

Th e Intentio n What is the intention?   

A. The motive B. The purpose C. The end for which we choose to do something.

Th e Intentio n  Our intentions answer why we acted in a certain way.  Intentions can be good, bad, or mixed.  Intentions determine whether our acts are morally right or wrong.

Intentions  An example of a good intention:  You tutor a friend because you want him or her to do well on the upcoming test.  In this example, what you choose to do, the Object, and why you choose to do it are both good.  The act is good.

Intentions  Our intentions may also be mixed.  Example: You can give money to a charity for two reasons:  First, you wish to help the poor.  Second, you want to be praised for your generosity.

Intentions  A good intention can never turn something that is bad (the object) into something good.  Ex: Robbing a bank in order to help the poor.

Intentions  Good intentions can never justify choosing something that is by its nature wrong.  Example: cheating to get higher grades so you can get into a good college.

Intentions  Wanting to go to a good College is a worthy motive; however, cheating is a bad action.  A good intention cannot make something that is bad into something good.  The opposite is true.

Intentions  A bad intention can turn something that is good into something bad.  For instance: complementing someone just to get a letter of recommendation.  In this case, one is insincere and deceitful using a person to get something you want or need.

Qu estio n?  How would you feel if you discovered your friends are nice to you just to get something out of you?

Cir cums ta nces  Circumstances are the how, who, when, and where of an act.  It includes the act’s consequences.  Circumstances can lessen or increase our responsibility for an act.

Cir cums ta nces  Ignorance, fear, psychological, and social factors can lessen and in certain cases cancel out our responsibility for our actions.

Su mma ry  For an act to be morally good and acceptable, the object, the intention, and the circumstances must all be good.  A person also has to have full knowledge of his or her actions.  And free consent of the will (permission to act in a certain way).

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