Christian Moral LivingChristian Moral Living

““So for one who So for one who knows the right knows the right thing to do and thing to do and does not do it, it does not do it, it is a sin.”is a sin.”

James 4:17James 4:17

Mr. Pablo CuadraMr. Pablo CuadraReligion ClassReligion Class

Question?Question?

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

Ex: SpeedingEx: Speeding

Aspects of MoralityAspects of Morality

A. The A. The ability to know ability to know rightright from from wrongwrong..The ability to know The ability to know goodgood from from evilevil..

B. The B. The ability to ability to distinguish what is distinguish what is appropriate from appropriate from what is inappropriatewhat is inappropriate..

C. TheC. The commitmentcommitment to do what is rightto do what is right..

..

Questions?Questions?

What is one action What is one action you consider wrong you consider wrong or evil?or evil?

What is one action What is one action you consider right or you consider right or just?just?

Christian Moral LivingChristian Moral Living

Christian morality is Christian morality is based on based on the the teachings teachings of Jesus and his Church of Jesus and his Church through:through:

The teachings of the The teachings of the Magisterium (Pope, Magisterium (Pope, bishops).bishops).

The essence of Jesus’ The essence of Jesus’ teaching is teaching is love.love.

Christian Moral LivingChristian Moral Living

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

““You Shall You Shall love love the the the the Lord, Your God, with all Lord, Your God, with all your soul, and your your soul, and your neighbor as neighbor as yourselfyourself.”.”

Matthew 22: 37-39Matthew 22: 37-39

Question?Question?

Why is loving our Why is loving our neighbor as neighbor as important as loving important as loving God? God?

Christian Moral LivingChristian Moral Living

Jesus’ teachings about love Jesus’ teachings about love have two dimensions:have two dimensions:

1. Vertical = pointing to God1. Vertical = pointing to God

2. Horizontal = pointing to 2. Horizontal = pointing to othersothers

Faith in God alone is not Faith in God alone is not enough in order to live a good enough in order to live a good life. We must also love our life. We must also love our neighbor. neighbor.

Question?Question?

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

Did You Know?Did You Know?

The book, The book, The Day The Day America Told The TruthAmerica Told The Truth reports:reports:

91% of Americans lie on 91% of Americans lie on a regular basis both at a regular basis both at home and at work.home and at work.

Most Americans admit Most Americans admit goofing off on the job on goofing off on the job on the average of seven the average of seven hours per week, hours per week, according to this book.according to this book.

Did You Know?Did You Know?

Most workers admit Most workers admit calling in sick calling in sick regularly even if they regularly even if they feel well.feel well.

25% of Americans 25% of Americans say they would be say they would be willing to leave their willing to leave their families if offered $10 families if offered $10 million to do so.million to do so.

Did You Know?Did You Know?

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

Did You Know?Did You Know?

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

Question?Question?

Do you think money Do you think money has the power to has the power to blind people’s good blind people’s good judgment?judgment?

Catholic FaithCatholic Faith

A. The Catholic Faith A. The Catholic Faith teaches that “wrong teaches that “wrong is wrong, even if is wrong, even if everyone is doing it.”everyone is doing it.”

B. And that “right is B. And that “right is right, even though no right, even though no one else is doing it.”one else is doing it.”

Catholic FaithCatholic Faith

God is going to God is going to judgejudge us:us:

on our COURAGEon our COURAGE

to choose what is to choose what is good in ALL good in ALL circumstances.circumstances.

Questions?Questions?

What makes What makes something wrong?something wrong?

What makes What makes something right?something right?

The Sources of MoralityThe Sources of Morality

Because we have Because we have free willfree will and and reasonreason,,

we are we are responsible responsible for our acts for our acts

and our and our failuresfailures to to act. (sin of omission)act. (sin of omission)

The Sources of MoralityThe Sources of Morality

We can judge whether We can judge whether our actions are good or our actions are good or bad by reflecting on bad by reflecting on three traditional sources three traditional sources of morality:of morality:

A. The object A. The object B. The intentionsB. The intentions C. The circumstancesC. The circumstances

The Sources of MoralityThe Sources of Morality

A. The oA. The objectbject Chosen (What I Chosen (What I choose to do).choose to do).

B. The B. The intention intention (Why I choose to do (Why I choose to do

something).something). C. The C. The

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

What is the Object What is the Object Chosen?Chosen?

In morality the Object In morality the Object chosen is what we chosen is what we choose to do, choose to do, the act the act itself.itself.

The act can have good The act can have good matter, bad matter, or matter, bad matter, or just be neutral.just be neutral.

An example of a good An example of a good act could be tutoring a act could be tutoring a classmate in math.classmate in math.

What is the Object What is the Object Chosen?Chosen?

Bad matter Bad matter automatically makes automatically makes an act evil.an act evil.

Ex: Gossiping about Ex: Gossiping about a classmate is a classmate is consider bad matter. consider bad matter.

Spreading half truths Spreading half truths about someone is about someone is always wrong. always wrong.

Questions?Questions?

What is one thing What is one thing you would consider you would consider bad in itselfbad in itself??

What is one thing What is one thing you would consider you would consider good in itself?good in itself?

The IntentionThe Intention

What is the intention?What is the intention?

A. The motiveA. The motive B. The purposeB. The purpose C. The end for which C. The end for which

we choose to do we choose to do something.something.

The IntentionThe Intention

Our intentions Our intentions answer answer why we acted why we acted in a certain way.in a certain way.

Intentions can be Intentions can be good, bad, or mixed.good, bad, or mixed.

Intentions determine Intentions determine whether our acts are whether our acts are morally right or morally right or wrong.wrong.

IntentionsIntentions

An example of a good An example of a good intention:intention:

You tutor a friend because You tutor a friend because you want him or her to do well you want him or her to do well on the upcoming test.on the upcoming test.

In this example, what you In this example, what you choose to do, the Object, and choose to do, the Object, and why you choose to do it are why you choose to do it are both good.both good.

The act is good.The act is good.

IntentionsIntentions

Our intentions may also Our intentions may also be mixed.be mixed.

Example: You can give Example: You can give money to a charity for money to a charity for two reasons:two reasons:

First, you wish to help First, you wish to help the poor.the poor.

Second, you want to be Second, you want to be praised for your praised for your generosity.generosity.

IntentionsIntentions

A good intention can A good intention can never turn something never turn something that is bad (the object) that is bad (the object) into something good.into something good.

Ex: Robbing a bank in Ex: Robbing a bank in order to help the poor.order to help the poor.

IntentionsIntentions

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

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

IntentionsIntentions

Wanting to go to a Wanting to go to a good College is a good College is a worthy motive; worthy motive; however, cheating is a however, cheating is a bad action.bad action.

A good intention A good intention cannot make cannot make something that is bad something that is bad into something good.into something good.

The opposite is true.The opposite is true.

IntentionsIntentions

A bad intention can turn A bad intention can turn something that is good something that is good into something bad.into something bad.

For instance: For instance: complementing someone complementing someone just to get a letter of just to get a letter of recommendation.recommendation.

In this case, one is In this case, one is insincere and deceitful insincere and deceitful using a person to get using a person to get something you want or something you want or need.need.

Question?Question?

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

CircumstancesCircumstances

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

It includes the act’s It includes the act’s consequences.consequences.

Circumstances can Circumstances can lessenlessen or or increaseincrease our responsibility for our responsibility for an act.an act.

CircumstancesCircumstances

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

SummarySummary

For an act to be morally For an act to be morally good and acceptable, good and acceptable, the object, the intention, the object, the intention, and the circumstances and the circumstances must all be good.must all be good.

A person also has to A person also has to have full knowledge of have full knowledge of his or her actions.his or her actions.

And free consent of the And free consent of the will (permission to act in will (permission to act in a certain way).a certain way).

The The endend