Building a Culture of Life

What gives life value in our culture?• How do we know a

person matters?• Our brainstormed list • We need to reduce this to 5 criteria

we can agree on• Clothing• Hygiene• Job• They fit in, popularity• The fact that they are alive• They are loved• They are kind• Age (young)• They have feelings

• Ability to make choices• Independence• Ability to learn• Hard working• Culture (race?)• Power• Wealthy• Being famous• good education• Physical ability

Judging the Value of Human Beings• What qualities give a person value in our culture?

(brainstorm)• What are the top five criteria to determine a person’s

status in our culture? (rank)• Look at your slip of paper (this is the person you will

represent)• When it is your turn, read your slip of paper and ask “How

does the culture value me?” and receive your candy.• This is how people seem to be valued in our culture. How

do you feel about the unequal distribution of candy?

• We have 2 options:– We can keep the criteria as it is – will you divide up

the candy equally?– We can change the criteria for value

• God wants abundance for all – and we need to see everyone’s dignity if the world is to be just.

• People are free to make choices and we don’t have to share – but don’t all humans deserve a decent chance at life?

Building a Culture of Life

• Since the church approaches topics like capital punishment and abortion in “both-and” terms; it seeks the well-being of women and their children, of both criminals and their victims. In order to do this we must become a culture that values each person so much that we are willing to make necessary sacrifices.

How do we build a culture of life?

How do we build a culture of life?

• In reference to capital punishment, retributive justice (emphasis is on hurting the offender – “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth”) contributes to the culture of death. We need an alternative to build a culture of life. • The goal of a criminal justice system

should be the restoration of life.

Ameneh Behrami• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ql_IUPICBG8&feature=related• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmD2dVWvLKo&feature=related

Could you forgive?

Restorative Justice• Shows equal concern to victims and offenders• Works toward the restoration of victims, responding

to victims’ needs as the victims see them.• Supports offenders while encouraging them to

understand, accept, and carry out their obligations• Recognizes that while obligations may be difficult for

offenders, they should not be intended as harms• Provides opportunity for dialogue, direct or indirect,

between victims and offenders, as appropriate

• Read pages 127-128 in Living Justice and Peace together

Define “Culture of Death”

• Read pages 129-130 in Living Justice and Peace together

Define “Culture of Life”

• Culture of Life• Life is a gift from God. All life comes from God and

is meant to return to God in time.• The value of a person is present because they are

created in the image of God and have dignity as a result.

• Being fully alive means imitating Jesus because he was the perfect image of God.

• Focus is on souls.• The Paschal Mystery (Jesus’ death and resurrection)

shows us that through suffering we can become fully alive.

• Culture of Death• Life is separate from God.• The value of a person is based on what they have.• Being fully alive means having all we want and in

doing what we want.• Valuing things leads to death because things like cars,

clothes and bodies all pass.• In a culture of valuing people for what they have

means the unborn, criminals, elderly, ill etc are seen as less valuable.

Journal Question:

• In your own life, which one do you see yourself in: Culture of death or Culture of life? Why?

(Explain in at least two sentences.)

Videos• Pope to Doctors: Promote the Culture of Life• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deorp-rTXS0• How does our culture see itself? Who is

defending women? Who is defending the unborn?

• An authentic culture of life – Catholic News Service

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0-zM5iq9Ms

Videos• 99 Balloons – • When we think that one life doesn’t have an

impact…• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=th6Njr-qkq0

• The Butterfly Circus• How does a person learn that they have

dignity?• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p98KAEif3bI

• Nick Vujicic – No Arms, No Legs, No Worries!• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKTg_INHgpc