1. 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 2. Question?

Why do you think peoplecommit actions that they know are sinful or wrong?

Ex: Speeding

3. Aspects of Morality

A. Theability to knowrightfromwrong .

The ability to knowgoodfromevil .

B. Theability to distinguish what is appropriate from what is inappropriate .

C. The commitment to do what is right .

.

4. Questions?

What is one action you consider wrong or evil?

What is one action you consider right or just?

5. Christian Moral Living

Christian morality is based ontheteachingsof Jesus and his Church through:

The teachings of the Magisterium (Pope, bishops).

The essence of Jesus teaching islove.

6. Christian Moral Living

Jesus summarized the way we are to live when he taught:

You Shalllovethethe Lord, Your God, with all your soul, and your neighbor asyourself .

Matthew 22: 37-39

7. Question?

Why is loving our neighbor as important as loving God?

8. Christian Moral Living

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.

9. Question?

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

10. Did You Know?

The book,The Day America Told The Truthreports:

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.

11. Did You Know?

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.

12. Did You Know?

23% of Americans would be willing to act as prostitutes for a week for that same amount.

13. Did You Know?

7% of Americans would agree to murder strangers if offered $10 million dollars.

14. Question?

Do you think money has the power to blind peoples good judgment?

15. Catholic Faith

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.

16. Catholic Faith

God is going tojudgeus:

on our COURAGE

to choose what is good in ALL circumstances.

17. Questions?

What makes something wrong?

What makes something right?

18. The Sources of Morality

Because we havefree willandreason ,

we areresponsiblefor our acts

and ourfailuresto act. (sin of omission)

19. The Sources of Morality

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

20. The Sources of Morality

A. The o bjectChosen (What I choose to do).

B. Theintention

(Why I choose to do something).

C. Thecircumstances(The what, where, when, how of my actions).

21. What is the Object Chosen?

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.

22. What is the Object Chosen?

Bad matter automatically makes an act evil.

Ex: Gossiping about a classmate is consider bad matter.

Spreading half truths about someone is always wrong.

23. Questions?

What is one thing you would considerbad in itself ?

What is one thing you would consider good in itself?

24. The Intention

What is the intention?

A. The motive

B. The purpose

C. The end for which we choose to do something.

25. The Intention

Our intentions answerwhy we acted in a certain way.

Intentions can be good, bad, or mixed.

Intentions determinewhether our acts are morally right or wrong.

26. 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.

27. 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.

28. 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.

29. Intentions

Good intentions can never justifychoosing something that is by its nature wrong.

Example:cheating to get higher grades so you can get into a good college.

30. 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.

31. 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.

32. Question?

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

33. Circumstances

Circumstances are the how, who, when, and where of an act.

It includes the acts consequences.

Circumstances canlessenorincreaseour responsibility for an act.

34. Circumstances

Ignorance, fear, psychological, and social factors can lessen and in certain cases cancel out our responsibility for our actions.

35. Summary

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).

The end