Person-Centered Morality

Chapter 7

What is morality’s main concern? People Whose example is morality based on?

Jesus Centered on neighbors and ourselves

What should we first consider in decision making? Who is involved and how they will be

affected Ask yourself: “How can I be more loving?

Considerate? “Love and do whatever you want.” -

Augustine

Is loving everyone unrealistic? God loves us through other people Different kinds of love Don’t have to like everyone Agape: wish them well Must be loving people who really care

what happens to other people

You have been given $1000 in your group to split among you. Read your character aloud and listen as your group reads theirs. Decide how much money each person receives and why you decided this.

Must focus on… Those who need our help the most Those who suffer, who are poor powerless,

vulnerable How do we view people with special

needs? People must be valued not by what they

can produce but by the fact that they are capable of reflecting God’s absolute love and goodness

Where do the world’s biggest problems come from? Economy Who has the most power and wealth and

how it should be used People’s welfare must come before profits Decent working conditions, fair wages

must be a priority in a just economy Money’s only value is the good it does for

people

Failing to Love Personal sin:

Inward rejection of God’s command to love Outward actions to go against God’s Law Knowingly committing or omitting

Doing wrong Failing to love people, God as we should

Results of Doing Wrong Harms ourselves, harms others Sin harms people– not God Effects of sin are seen everywhere Sin isolates us

When we fail to love we create a barrier between ourselves and others

Wrong because it breaks relationship between us and God or us and others

Laws are intended to help us love– to keep us from being broken

Intending Wrong Sin is deliberate Willfully violating and rejecting Never right to intend wrong Reasonably believe you are doing good

then not wrong Must intend sin

Responsible to consider appropriate action

Social Justice and Sin Justice: sense of what rightfully belongs to

you and others Equal in value and dignity…not in ability

and opportunity God created us to need each other

4 Types of Justice1. Commutative Justice: 1 person rightfully

owes another person2. Legal Justice: citizens owe their society3. Distributive Justice: what society owes its

members in proportion to their needs and contributions

4. Social Justice: broader issues of justice are handled especially those involving large numbers of disadvantaged

Particular duty to protect those in greatest need

When we act justly it brings good to everyone

When we act unjustly it negatively effects everyone

Make a Christmas list of all the things you want this year.

List as many things as you can think of trying to have at least 10

Go back through and evaluate… Do I need these things? How many of these do I already have? Why do I want these things? What do they say about me?

Forces at work against Justice Materialism: esteeming wealth and

pleasure above values and ideals “I’ll never have enough.” “I can never have too much.”

Consumerism: the premise that it is good to consume, regardless of need

Spending time with people becomes secondary

Live more simply focus on what really matters

What do people deserve from employers? Everyone should have equal access to

employment Business should adopt truly cooperative

decision making approaches Workers are partners and can affect change Treated as human beings not pawns

What happens when workers are treated unfairly? Diminishes human dignity Consumers are mistreated

What should we do? Solidarity applies Employers and employees along with

consumers must cooperate Church needs to set example and support

Evil Extremes Deliberate acts of cruelty and indifference Terrorism Torture

Is torture ever justifiable?

Beyond Hate Do people still hate today? Where do you see this hatred? How is it

expressed? Why do people hate? Where does hate come from? What can we do to overcome hate?

What is the worst moral attitude? Indifference Not even bothering Responsible for caring and being care-full Loving ourselves means helping others

Prejudice Are people in our society prejudice? Are you prejudice? It is impossible to grow up in a society where

prejudices are common without our perceptions being affected

What are different kinds of prejudice? Racial, ethnic, gender, sexual identity, religious,

social or other Where does prejudice begin? In our hearts

Has prejudice gotten better or worse in our society?

Have you ever been a victim of prejudice? How did it make you feel? What can we do to end prejudice?

Review Christian Morality is centered on Neighbors Is loving everyone unrealistic? Who do we need to focus on? What is the measure of a good society? Sin Justice 4 types of justice Materialism Consumerism

Business Ethics Socially Responsible Companies What should we do? Hate Prejudice Torture Terrorism Worst moral attitude