Consistent life Consistent life Ethic Ethic (Post Conventional (Post Conventional Moral reasoning) & Moral reasoning) &

Connections amongst Connections amongst Issues of ViolenceIssues of Violence

We CAN Create a We CAN Create a Non-violent Future.Non-violent Future.

A CULTURE OF LIFE is A CULTURE OF LIFE is possible.possible.

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Who is the most important?

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Why should Catholics not ask Why should Catholics not ask such a question?such a question?

1.Consistent Life Ethic

• Consistent – not changing, constant, persistent

• Life – reproduction, cycle / stages, growth, metabolism. Human life – begins at moment of conception and human DNA

• Ethic – set of beliefs /values that guides your behavior

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1. 1. What is a Consistent Life What is a Consistent Life Ethic?Ethic?

• Means respecting and protecting life in all its forms (fetus) and stages (elderly) no matter what the person’s level of suffering, capabilities or behavior. Making decisions that prevent threats to life and improve quality of life.

• Demonstrates post conventional moral reasoning (making decisions based on serving people’s needs)

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2.Consistent Life Ethic Issues

• Catholics and all people of goodwill are called to commit themselves to the protection of life which is threatened by war, abortion, poverty, racism, capital punishment and euthanasia. We must work on these issues in a cooperative spirit in protecting the unprotected. That means those working against abortion must also support those working to reduce root causes of abortion such as poverty.

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3.Protect life from womb to tomb

Protect life from the moment of conception, through all the stages of life, to the point of NATURAL death.

Choose one of the pictures below and make a connection to the phrase “protect life from womb to tomb.”

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4. 4. Why make a commitment to Why make a commitment to a Consistent Life Ethic ?a Consistent Life Ethic ?

• All people deserve respect and a quality of life because All people deserve respect and a quality of life because they are images of God. Motivates us to prevent violence.they are images of God. Motivates us to prevent violence.

• If we work together to build a web of peace and a quality of If we work together to build a web of peace and a quality of life, we can prevent the roots of violence. life, we can prevent the roots of violence.

• The roots of violence are a devaluing of certain forms of life roots of violence are a devaluing of certain forms of life (fetus) and certain stages (old age) and certain people certain people because of their actual or perceived behavior and capabilities (mental health issues). We cannot let people be We cannot let people be viewed and treated as “throwaways”. viewed and treated as “throwaways”.

• Humankind cannot progress unless we improve the quality cannot progress unless we improve the quality of life for all.of life for all.

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5.5.How is a consistent life ethic How is a consistent life ethic connected to human development?connected to human development?

• A consistent life ethic is part of reaching one’s self actualization and transcendence needs because such a person is contributing to their community by working to improve the quality of life for all

• Shows healthy response to life; intimacy and generativity

• Shows post conventional moral reasoning – concerned with creating structures where needs are met, and there is respect for all

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5.Catholic approach to solving issues involving human life is based on two beliefs:

a) human life is sacred because humans are an image of God and b) all human beings have equal dignity and an equal claim to fundamental human rights.

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6. If we were to think of the consistent life ethic as a line that represents our human life, we could put issues such as abortion/pro-life (beginning of life issues) at the beginning of the line and issues such as euthanasia and death penalty (end of life issues) at the end of the line. What

issues related to the protection of life and the maintenance of quality of life (rights and responsibilities) could we put in the middle?

(beginning of life issues) (quality of life issues) (end of life issues)

______________________________________________________________________________

ex: abortion/pro-life ex: euthanasia & death penalty

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TASK: connect two of these issues and explain how they are connected?

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7.7. Is it a consistent life ethic to be pro- Is it a consistent life ethic to be pro-life (against abortion) and be pro-life (against abortion) and be pro-capital punishment (for the death capital punishment (for the death

penalty)?penalty)?

YES/NO Explain: YES/NO Explain:

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8. 8. Is it a consistent life ethic to be pro-Is it a consistent life ethic to be pro-life (against abortion) and also be life (against abortion) and also be

pressuring the government to reduce pressuring the government to reduce welfare rates? welfare rates?

YES/NO Explain: YES/NO Explain:

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Protect the unborn from Protect the unborn from abortionabortion

We have to truly believe that each person is made in the image and likeness of God from the moment of conception. The form, stage of life, capability, or behavior of a person doesn’t change the fact that

each person shares God’s spirit.

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you.”

Jeremiah 1.5

9.What is abortion? And what is the Catholic view?

Abortion is the intentional termination of a pregnancy after conception. It allows women to put an end to their pregnancies, but involves killing the undeveloped embryo or fetus.

Catholics believe that life begins at conception, and thus the termination of a pregnancy is a termination of life. This is a sin according to the Catholic faith.

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You are an unrepeatable event: one particular egg and one particular

sperm

You are one in a million 

Life is a gift from God : You are a gift from God

 

Abortion in Canada

In 2000, there were 105,000 abortions. That’s 32 abortions per every 100 live births.

Abortion removed from criminal code in Canada in 1988. Supreme court ruled that “everyone has the right to security of person”. Unwanted pregnancy considered a possible threat to personal security.

Men have no rights to stop or legally force an abortion

Unborn fetus can be aborted at any stage in pregnancy in Canada. Most doctors will not abort in the third trimester; too dangerous.

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9.The debate over abortion is not whether life begins at conception

Scientists agree that life begins at conception

The question is: Does the growing life have rights given that it is not capable of life outside the mother’s womb?

The debate is focused on whose rights are more important; the mother’s right to do as she wishes with her body or the “little human’s rights” to life.

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Should there be criteria for determining the worth of a life?

Should we (the society) determine whose life has worth and therefore who should be protected?

Catholics believe that all life has worth. Basing worth and right to life on criteria like form, independent functioning, capabilities, or age is like basing worth on criteria such as skin color (racism) or gender (sexism).

Thus, the laws that allow abortion are discriminating against humans based on the form / stage of life of the human.

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Questions?

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Is a baby with Is a baby with Down’s Down’s

Syndrome a Syndrome a lesser image of lesser image of

God?God?

Is a person from another Is a person from another culture or ethnic group culture or ethnic group

any less an image of any less an image of God?God?

Is a person who is Is a person who is seriously disfigured seriously disfigured

worthy of life?worthy of life?

Is a baby a few Is a baby a few weeks before it is weeks before it is born any less an born any less an

image of God than a image of God than a newborn? newborn?

'Baby Growing in Mommy's Womb' Life is a Miracle http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=AJIKe9eJLh4&feature=related

9.The Church’s stance on rape and abortion

Rape is a trauma and resulting pregnancy (1% of unwanted pregnancies are result of rape/incest) likely will compound the trauma.

The circumstances around the child’s conception should not determine that child’s worth

The growing baby should not be punished for the crimes of the father

Something “good”, a new human life, can come from something horrible

If give up for adoption, giving a gift to an infertile couple.

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9. Church’s stance on abortion

All life regardless of form is valuable and must be given the right to life

Life begins at the moment of conception and therefore new life should be protected from the moment of conception

When the rights of the mother to safety and security or privacy or control over her body conflict with the baby’s right to life, the more fundamental right is the right to life

A pregnant women who needs medical treatment that will end up killing the unborn baby but saves her life is not having an abortion. She is having a life saving treatment (the intention of the treatment is not to terminate pregnancy, it is to save the mother’s life).

Supports, services, programs must be put in place that makes it easier for a woman/couple facing an unwanted pregnancy to choose life

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10.Why would a woman /teen have an abortion? (list reasons on board)

Fear Contributes to Abortion:What are those fears?

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POVERTYFact: * Women in poverty are more likely to have abortions than women of higher income. Why would poverty factor into a woman’s decision to have an abortion?

RAISING THE CHILD ALONE/ LACKING SUPPORTFact: * Women who are unmarried or are young are more likely to have an abortion. 3 out of 5 of teen pregnancies end in abortion. Why would a lack of support or young age factor into a woman’s decision to have an abortion? FEAR OF DISABILITYFact: * Parents who find out their unborn child has a severe disability are given the option of abortion by doctors. Why would a lack of support or young age factor into a woman’s decision to have an abortion?

Fear is not the only reason a women may have an abortion. A high percentage claim they had an abortion because a baby would be inconvenient.

10.Church’s response to women who have had an abortion

Do not condemn the person through the act of abortion is wrong

Offer women/ couples ways to heal from the psychological suffering caused by an abortion

Church-based programs to see the wrong, seek forgiveness and heal (Project Rachael)

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Poverty Contributes to Abortion

Material deprivation is among the more vicious pressures to abort. It’s exacerbated by people who take the attitude that poor women should not be having children because they will

become a "welfare burden."

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Poverty Amongst Women

When the argument is made that babies are not caused by sex, but by deciding not to have an abortion, they become the woman’s entire responsibility. Men ditch their paternal responsibilities because ‘she chose to have the baby.’ The feminization of poverty increases.

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“When we allow abortion, we are punishing the women—who must abort their children because their men have run away—and we are punishing the children whose lives are terminated . . . I want us to step back a little bit and say: Why is this woman and this child threatened? Why is this woman threatening to terminate this life? What do we need to do as a society? What are we not doing right now as a society?

Wangari Maathai (from Kenya), Nobel Peace Prize Winner, 200425

Quote to consider

Protect and support those who are suffering and near death

Recent debate over euthanasia often posed as “Dying with Dignity” This assumes that…

All pain and suffering is undignified / our culture often sees pain as evil What about athletes who endure pain training for their sport? Or child labour?

Church is not about loss of dignity or suffering for the sake of suffering, Church believes in pain meds

Life is a gift from God; God gives life and God takes it away. Humans should not be given that power (too likely to be abused) Life though precious does not need to be preserved at all costs

Church supports a person’s right to refuse extra-ordinary or disproportionate treatment 

Sometimes difficult to determine what is extra-ordinary so must have conversations with medical team, person suffering, other family members

Proportionate and disproportionate (the treatment should not add to the person’s pain if there is very little benefit or no benefit to the treatment)

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Euthanasia or assisted suicide often rooted in fear

Fear of pain, or loss of capability clouds the judgment Being unsupported or alone makes a person want to

end their life Culture of death: when we routinely turn to death to

solve our problems: includes war, poverty, crime and punishment etc.

Culture of Life : we recognize the gift of Life and we step up to our responsibilities to care for the sick and suffering

We are called to be there for them / compassionate care

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Abortion & Euthanasia Medicine has accepted abortion and has

changed public attitudes toward abortion. This medical and thereby societal acceptance of abortion may foreshadow what is to come. One may anticipate further development of medical technologies or procedures to implement death selection and death control for the very sick or terminally ill. If these technologies / procedures to prematurely end life are accepted within the medical field, they will be accepted within society .”

“A New Ethic for Medicine and Society," (1970, September).California Medicine 113, p. 68

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Militarism and Militarism and Lack of Social Lack of Social ServicesServices

Excessive military and Excessive military and war spending crowds war spending crowds out funding for human out funding for human needs, including crucial needs, including crucial supportive social services supportive social services such as free health care. such as free health care.

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September 10th, 2001. The day before 9-11…..What’s so special about that day?That was the day Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld held a press conference to disclose that over $2 Trillion in Pentagon funds could not be accounted for. Rumsfeld stated: “According to some estimates we cannot track $2.3 trillion in transactions.”

http://www.infowars.com/rumsfeld-says-2-3-trillion-never-lost-just-untracked/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjcRywb6Zf4

Question: What are the services that the US cannot adequately pay for?

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Quotations for Reflection

Colman McCarthy, columnist - Washington Post, April 11, 1992

“Both the military ethic and the abortion ethic are grounded in the same belief: Life is cheap. Iraqi life. Fetal life. . . . The language of the war lobby and the abortion lobby is the same. No one likes war, say the generals. No one likes abortions, say Pro-choice groups. But let's keep the killing option, just in case. And cases keep coming. If Iraqis are causing trouble, or Libyans, Columbians or Panamanians, bomb them. If fetuses pose problems, destroy them.”

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Canada is entering a military-spending era.

* In just 10 years, our annual defense spending has more than doubled — from $10 billion in 2000 to $21.8 billion today. * Afghanistan 7.2 billion (March 2008) * $22 billion, in actual money spent on the mission and future payments to rebuild equipment and provide long-term care for veterans, a military conference heard yesterday (The Ottawa Citizen 2008).* Military modernization, Canada is considering spending $16 (conservative estimate) to 45 billion (highest estimate, includes maintanence over 40 years) for Joint Strike Fighter F-35 jets despite $54 billion deficit.* $40 billion over the next two decades to replace our 33 navy ships, including 15 surface warships, two major supply ships and six Arctic patrol ships.

Canada’s military spending is threatening right to life and quality of

life

Question: What other programs and services could our tax payer money be spent on?

Cost of Militarism

• Military spending is skyrocketing in Military spending is skyrocketing in Canada Canada – we have moved from 16th to 13th highest in the world (6th highest in NATO), and our defense budget is higher every year.

• We should be reducing our spending on military We should be reducing our spending on military especially since we have the greatest numbers of especially since we have the greatest numbers of people in poverty because of the economic people in poverty because of the economic downturn.downturn.

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How will increased military expenditures and increased military worldview in Canada affect our society?

The deaths of 71 soldiers

Death Penalty & Culture of Life

John Paul II did include opposition to the death penalty in his encyclical discussing the Culture of Life.

“If we're trying to establish a culture of life, it's difficult to have the state sponsoring executions.”

conservative Republican U.S. Senator Sam Brownback Gloria Borger, “A Time for Uncertainty.” U.S. News and World Report, April 11, 2005. p. 34

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Question: explain the meaning of the above quote and explain the meaning of the hand print with written text.

Abortion & War “Both the military ethic and the abortion

ethic are grounded in the same belief: certain life is not valuable (Iraqi life, Palestinian life, fetal life. . . ) The language of the war lobby and the pro abortion lobby sounds the same. No one likes war, say the generals. No one likes abortions, says ProChoice. But let's keep the killing option, just in case. And cases keep coming. If Iraqis are causing trouble, or Libyans, or Panamanians, bomb them. If fetuses pose problems, destroy them.”

-- Colman McCarthy, columnist - Washington Post, April 11, 199234

Abortion, Death Penalty & War “Reference was made to my agreeing that

abortion is taking a human life, which it is. However, let us remember that war is also legalized killing, that the pilot that dropped the atom bomb on Nagasaki and Hiroshima killed human life. He got medals for it. We bless our troops when they go into battle to kill human beings, so that the taking of human life, including the death penalty in certain states like Utah, where the man was shot, is not a strange behavior in a society.” -- Frank Behrend, M.D., whose practice included abortions

tape-recorded speech November 7, 1977

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Question: What is the abortion doctor’s point?

This comment shows that when one form of killing is acceptable other forms of killing become acceptable.

Death Penalty, Racism & Poverty

Many statistical studies have shown that the chance of getting a death sentence shoots up for those of low income and for ethnic minorities. Even though blacks and whites are murder victims in nearly equal numbers of crimes, 80% of people executed have been executed for murders involving white victims.

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War & Death Penalty

Studies suggest promotion of war and death penalty can increase the criminal homicide rate. This is known as the brutalizing effect. If people in a society see the government (an authority) using violence, they will believe that it acceptable to also use violence to solve problems. Governments are particularly effective at modeling the use of violence through war. Archer, D. (1984). Violence and crime in cross-national perspective. New Haven: Yale University Press.

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Task: How does government promotion of war and death penalty influence people who are in conventional moral reasoning?

Connecting All Issues together

• Justifications for Violence• Dynamics of Violence• Effects of Violence• Attacking Hope• Deceptiveness of Violence as a Problem-solver

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ViolenceViolence Violence is a general term to describe actions,

deliberate but not always direct, that cause or intend to cause injury/harm to people or animals or the environment or intend to exploit or exclude people. Violence can result in physical, psychological, and spiritual harm. Violence is often associated with aggression, intimidation, exploitation, and power-over tactics. The ultimate goal of most violence is to control a person or people through a power over relationship. For example, many country clubs used to exclude people who were not white as a way to assert their power-over non-white people and keep these people “in their place.”

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3 categories of violence3 categories of violence Interpersonal violence describes small-scale acts of

random or targeted violence and is often one to one acts of violence or small groups committing violent acts towards another group or an individual. Examples include racial slurs, domestic violence, crimes of passion, bullying, assault, theft, arson

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Structural violence or Structures of Sin describes violence that is part of our social structure and our systems. It is violence that occurs within a variety of systems (i.e. the economic, political, educational systems) in our society because of the way that system is organized. Usually the violence occurs on a person(s) to institution level where injustice is supported by an institution within a system. Examples include: Residential schools, militarism, sex trafficking.

Structural violence is a form of violence that deprives people and other living beings of their basic needs.

Structural violence can include sins of omission. For example, many people are denied rights to housing because the government has failed to address a lack of affordable housing.

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Coordinated violence, describes actions carried out by sanctioned (police or military) or unsanctioned violent groups (para-military or terrorist cells) who are highly or somewhat organized and more planned and calculating in their use of violence to control others. Coordinated violence most commonly refers to gang activity, organized crime, war, and terrorist activities. However, coordinated violence can occur within an institution. Example: genocide

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War of WordsWar of Words

Violence begins in our speech. Violence begins in our speech. Dehumanizing language labels people Dehumanizing language labels people as:as:

deficient humans / lost causedeficient humans / lost cause non-humans or non-personsnon-humans or non-persons parasites, diseasesparasites, diseases waste products, useless, waste products, useless,

a burden, throwaways a burden, throwaways 4343

War of WordsWar of Words

This language has been used againstThis language has been used against

Ethnic, religious, or Ethnic, religious, or sexual minority groups (GLBT) sexual minority groups (GLBT)

WomenWomen People with disabilities or illnessPeople with disabilities or illness People who live in poverty People who live in poverty Children in the wombChildren in the womb ““Enemies” such as people with different Enemies” such as people with different

ideologies (communists)ideologies (communists)

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Slippery SlopeSlippery Slope

Slippery slope – the observation that people are Slippery slope – the observation that people are hesitant to go to great violence immediately, but hesitant to go to great violence immediately, but can be eased into it with “smaller” forms of can be eased into it with “smaller” forms of violence which then becomes more and more violence which then becomes more and more violence. violence.

In psychology, this was noted in the Milgram In psychology, this was noted in the Milgram electric-shock experiments, in which people were electric-shock experiments, in which people were induced by authority to give the most severe induced by authority to give the most severe shocks after starting small and building up. shocks after starting small and building up.

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Slippery SlopeSlippery Slope

Wars and other massive violence don’t Wars and other massive violence don’t generally start full-blown. They start with generally start full-blown. They start with dehumanizing language and smaller dehumanizing language and smaller violent acts, and build up. violent acts, and build up.

Justifying feticide has already led to Justifying feticide has already led to justifying infanticide and euthanasia; past justifying infanticide and euthanasia; past history with “life unworthy of life” (a Nazi history with “life unworthy of life” (a Nazi phrase) has shown how the slippery slope phrase) has shown how the slippery slope can work.can work.

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AftermathAftermath

Combat veterans have long shown that Combat veterans have long shown that Posttraumatic Stress Disorder is a common Posttraumatic Stress Disorder is a common aftermath of war, and seems to be worse aftermath of war, and seems to be worse for those who killed in battle. for those who killed in battle.

Evidence of post-trauma Evidence of post-trauma symptoms has also shown symptoms has also shown

up inup in execution staff and abortion execution staff and abortion

staff. staff.

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Attacking Hope

. When we use violence, we're saying there's no hope for another option. There's no way this pregnancy can happen, no way this murderer can be rehabilitated, no reason for this sick person to live any longer, no way our international problems can be solved diplomatically.

There's no hope for a non-violent solution, so we must turn to violence.

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Connected Solutions

* Re-humanizing language to celebrate us all • * Stopping a slippery slope at• the small beginning steps• * Healing the aftermath of• violence with knowledge, solidarity, & • loving care• * Helping all to understand that the• seeming quick fix of violence is• deceptive; rarely a long term solution

• Working to solve the roots of violence by reducing

poverty; especially poverty exacerbated by exploitation

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