Yr 9 RE Moral Decisions, Justice and Peace

1. Yr 9 REMoral Decisions, Justice and Peace Mater Dei Catholic College 2013

2. Moral Decisions, Justice and Peace Unit Overview: This unit focuses on moral decision-making and justice and peace, in relation to: moral maturity one theory of moral development the beliefs, values and actions of Christians of exemplary moral integrity Jesus’ teachings and Church doctrine on morality Catholic moral principles; and the application of the principles of Christian moral decision making, including a properly formed conscience, Scripture, and Church teaching, to one contemporary moral issue. The unit also includes a brief study of a Hindu or Buddhist person of exemplary moral integrity.

3. Moral Decisions, Justice and Peace Unit Outcomes: A student: C5.6 explains links between Christian life, fidelity to Church teaching, conscience, and inspiring people of faith C5.9 gathers and analyses information about religion, independently and in teams C5.10 communicates information, ideas and issues in appropriate forms to different audiences and in different contexts C5.11 uses appropriate terminology related to religion and belief systems C5.12 names, reflects on and integrates life experience, within a response to the Christian story and vision

4. Moral Decisions, Justice and Peace Unit Summary: • People's actions are generally motivated by their attitudes and values. • Sometimes external pressures from the expectations of peers or others influence a person's values. • The Ten Commandments, a summary of the implications of the Covenant between God and God's people, protected the values of the People of the Old Testament because they clearly spell out fundamental aspects of a law which safeguards full human integrity and happiness. • Jesus taught that love of God and oneself and neighbour is the greatest of all commandments. Sin is the deliberate and freely chosen refusal to keep any of God's commandments and especially Jesus' supreme commandment which obliges us to love God and neighbour.

5. Moral Decisions, Justice and Peace Unit Summary: • Jesus' teaching in the Beatitudes promised happiness (or blessedness) to those who choose to live by Kingdom values, a blessedness which begins in this life and is fulfilled in the life to come. • Conscience is an inner judgement that evaluates our choices and the way we have used our freedom, before, during and after an action. • Everyone is obliged to develop an informed conscience and to live according to its dictates. • For the Catholic Christian, the life and teaching of Jesus and that of the Church are the norms for morality. • Christian morality is based on the intrinsic value of the human person made in the image of God. • Persons are morally responsible for their actions according to their degree of freedom, knowledge of right and wrong and their intention or motivation.

6. Free will – Ultimate power If you had the 'Power' to change anything. What would you change? (You must name just one thing/aspect in your life) Describe the actions you must implement in your lifestyle, cultural, friendship circles and family situations to use this power so it’s most affective. Then evaluate the effects of this change on various groups in society. Was it to the benefit of everyone? OR was it merely selfish in nature?

7. Body Vote It’s OK to pay people less than the award wage? Every child should get pocket money regardless of his/her responsibilities at home. Uniforms should not be worn in schools Stealing is always wrong Young people do not need curfews How do you make decisions? How do you know if you’ve made a positive/negative decision?

8. Moral Decisions, Justice and Peace Words to Understand Use the web to research definitions for the following terms and post on “Wall Wisher” Morality Immorality Conscience Moral Maturity

9. Moral Decisions, Justice and Peace Words to Understand Morality- the area of life concerning right and wrong and the moral legitimacy of our actions Immorality – Conscience– the sense or inner voice regarding one’s own moral actions and motives. The innate knowledge of the natural law in the human heart. Moral Maturity –

10. Discovering Our Values How do we normally decide what to do in a given situation? In some cases we might act out of habit. At times we might make a decision based on the fear of punishment. Sometimes our decisions come from the attitudes we have towards something or someone. Many times we decide to do a particular thing on the basis of the happiness it will give us, the 'kick' we'll get out of doing it. We are normally being motivated to act by the values that we hold.

11. Considering Our Values In a word document, make three columns. Use the following headings for each column, as shown below: Arrange each of the following 20 items in the list below, according to your own evaluation of the worth of the item. Place the item in the appropriate column eg: if you consider 'sports' to be an important value, place as shown above.

12. Considering Our Values Tally the items to see which are the top 5 values of the class. Discuss how it is that our values affect the way we act.

13. Defining Value Very simply, a value is a motive for action. For instance, if a person values money highly, that value will have a direct effect on the choices he or she will make in life. If it is the chief value, it will be the overriding reason for action. For example: if you find a wallet with one hundred dollars in it on school grounds, there are a number of choices available. You can: keep the money and return the wallet Or look for the owner Or turn it over to a lost and found department If money is your number one value, you will probably keep the money. If honesty is a stronger value, you will return the wallet. If the wallet belongs to a friend and friendship is a stronger value, you will obviously find your friend and give back the wallet and money. In this way, values determine our moral decisions.

14. How Do We Form Our Values? As a child our values are largely those of our parents. The way we feel about ourselves – ‘our self-esteem’ is largely our parents view of us. As we move out from the family into the bigger world we find that not everyone’s values are the same as our family’s. The values of our peer group become more important to us. As our circle of friends grows larger we begin to think of alternatives to the way things are – different ways to live and act.

15. How Do We Form Our Values? New experiences help us to re-examine our values and adjust them. In some cases we may question or challenge the beliefs and values our parents have. Some of these beliefs may grow stronger, others may remain questions or even discarded. It is therefore natural for us to change our values as we grow older. It is part of becoming an individual.

16. Values In Conflict Focus: Value conflicts occur when individuals experience uncertainty about what values they really believe or want Ranking or prioritising is one of the best ways to help a person decide on their primary values Words to Understand Conflict - opposing ideas or interests Sensitive - able to arouse strong feelings

17. Values In Conflict External Pressures which can Influence our Values What effect can peer pressure have upon values? Can you give some examples of behaviour that are a result of peer pressure? Is peer pressure a reality here at this school? Why? In what ways? Are there any ways of overcoming undue pressure from a peer group? How? How can peer pressure exert the most influence positively? Who else can have an influence on your values, and therefore, motivations for actions?

18. Piaget & Kohlberg’s Theories of Moral Development Piaget studied many aspects of moral judgment, but most of his findings fit into a two-stage theory. Stage 1: Children younger than 10 or 11 years think about moral dilemmas one way; older children consider them differently. Younger children regard rules as fixed and absolute. They believe that rules are handed down by adults or by God and that one cannot change them.

19. Piaget & Kohlberg’s Theories of Moral Development Stage 2: The older child's view is more relative to their world . He or she understands that it is permissible to change rules if everyone agrees. Rules are not sacred and absolute but are devices which humans use to get along cooperatively

20. Piaget & Kohlberg’s Theories of Moral Development You only need to write the first dot point… Kohlberg wanted to test this theory and see how people responded to different moral circumstances and decisions. In 1958 he took a core sample comprised of 72 boys, from both middle- and lower-class families in Chicago. They were ages 10, 13, and 16. He later added to his sample younger children, delinquents, and boys and girls from other American cities and from other countries (1963, 1970). Kohlberg posed them the Heinz delimma…

21. The Heinz dilemma Let’s consider this dilemma… In Europe, a woman was near death from a special kind of cancer. There was one drug that the doctors thought might save her. It was a form of radium that a druggist in the same town had recently discovered. The drug was expensive to make, but the druggist was charging ten times what the drug cost him to make. He paid $200 for the radium and charged $2,000 for a small dose of the drug. The sick woman's husband, Heinz, went to everyone he knew to borrow the money, but he could only get together about $ 1,000 which is half of what it cost. He told the druggist that his wife was dying and asked him to sell it cheaper or let him pay later. But the druggist said: "No, I discovered the drug and I'm going to make money from it." So Heinz got desperate and broke into the man's store to steal the drug-for his wife (Kohlberg, 1963, p. 19)You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5czp9S4u26M

22. Questions to answer on Heinz 1. Should Heinz steal the drug? Why or why not? 2. If Heinz doesn't love his wife, should he steal the drug for her? Why or why not? 3. Suppose the person dying is not his wife but a stranger. Should Heinz steal the drug for a stranger? Why or why not? 4. Suppose it is a pet animal he loves. Should Heinz steal to save the pet animal? Why or why not? 5. Why should people do everything they can to save another's life?

23. Questions to answer on Heinz 6. It is against the law for Heinz to steal? Does that make it morally wrong? Why or why not? 7. Why should people generally do everything they can to avoid breaking the law? How does this relate to Heinz's case? 8. Why are laws made? 9. On what basis should one decide whether a law is just or unjust? If one decides to break a law intentionally, does a person have a responsibility to accept the consequences?"

24. Piaget & Kholberg’s Theories of Moral Development Kohlberg is not really interested in whether the subject says "yes" or "no" to this dilemma but in the reasoning behind the answer. The interviewer wants to know why the subject thinks Heinz should or should not have stolen the drug. The interview schedule then asks new questions which help one understand the child's reasoning. For example, children are asked if Heinz had a right to steal the drug, if he was violating the druggist's rights, and what sentence the judge should give him once he was caught. Once again, the main concern is with the reasoning behind the answers. The interview then goes on to give more dilemmas in order to get a good sampling of a subject's moral thinking.

25. Stages of Moral Reasoning – Kohlberg http://activism101.ning.com/profiles/blogs/lawrence-kohlberg-s-stages-of-moral-development

26. Moral Maturity What personal characteristics makes someone ‘Morally Mature’ – how does someone behave? Describe what it means to be ‘morally mature’ with reference to one theory of moral development (which stage would you be at?).

27. Ethical Principles and Actions – Christian Lives Focus: • Christians achieve what they do by trusting in God, following Jesus and being open to the Holy Spirit. • Christians inspire others when their lives clearly show the important human and Christian virtues. Words to Understand Inspiration – something that encourages or enthuses or inspires a person to achieve or act in a positive way

28. Ethical Principles and Actions – Christian Lives The Power of God Christians believe that everything they are and do comes about through the power of God. By trusting in God, following the example of Jesus, and being open to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Christians are able to lead meaningful lives. Even in the face of opposition, disappointment, failure, sickness, and death Christians can achieve wonders.

29. Ethical Principles and Actions – Christian Lives Christian Virtues The Church highlights seven Christian virtues that bring us closer to God. These help us grow into fully loving human beings. • Faith – our ability to believe in the truth about God's goodness and in the Good News. Faith tells us that God is a God of love and forgiveness who offers us the fullness of life. • Hope – believing the message of the Gospel gives us hope. Hope is a deep trust in God that keeps us going and stops us from becoming completely discouraged during life's dark moments. • Love – is at the heart of all virtue and from it springs all that is good. It inspires us to lead good and holy lives. Love unites us with God and neighbour. • Prudence – is the ability to know what needs to be done and how to do it in a particular situation. It is called the 'rudder virtue' because it steers all the other virtues.

30. Ethical Principles and Actions – Christian Lives Christian Virtues • Justice – this is having a sense of the dignity and the rights of others and a willingness to give to each person what is due to them. This includes a willingness to do something about injustice. • Fortitude – this virtue is like courage. It is a quality that helps a person to endure hardships and overcome fears that might turn them away from living a good Christian life. • Temperance – is related to self-control. It is a quality of character that allows a person to be balanced and in control of their desires (for example, for food or drink). It helps a person to act for the good in the face of temptations.

31. Ethical Principles and Actions – Christian Lives Christian Lives - Two Outstanding Christians At the beginning of the twenty-first century there are many outstanding men and women whose lives are based on Christian virtues. Two of the most inspiring are Jean Vanier and Sister Helen Prejean. Their lives clearly show that they trust in God, follow the example of Jesus, and are open to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

32. Ethical Principles and Actions – Christian Lives Christian Lives – Jean Vanier Jean first became aware of great human suffering when he saw the brokenness and damage that World War II inflicted on people. In 1963, while in France, Jean visited a number of institutions for men who were intellectually disabled. He was overwhelmed by the poor conditions in these asylums. In one of them he met Philippe and Raphael. Jean knew that intellectually disabled people deserved better. Within a year, he bought a small house in the village of Trosly-Breuil. With the help of a psychiatrist, Jean set up a home where he was joined by Raphael and Philippe. This was the birth of L'Arche, named after Noah's Ark, the symbol of life, hope, and covenant between God and humankind. As they learned how to live together, Jean began to understand the needs and requirements of Raphael and Philippe. This life of simplicity and poverty attracted many friends who helped in practical ways – bringing soup, doing carpentry, giving vegetables and apples. Little by little a small Christian community was built around them.

33. Ethical Principles and Actions – Christian Lives Christian Lives – Jean Vanier Jean began to see beyond the practical needs of Raphael and Philippe, and the other intellectually disabled people who joined the community. He discovered their immense hidden pain but also the beauty and gentleness of their hearts, which they could not express in words. Jean shared the conviction with his friend Father Thomas Philippe that God had called them together to accomplish something. Jean was inspired by the life of Jesus. He realised that our society, which places great value on production and competition, has much to learn about the importance of sharing, acceptance, and joy from people with a mental disability. In the years since its beginning, the Federation of L'Arche has grown to more than 120 faith-based communities in over thirty countries. L'Arche has been called one of the most significant Christian ministries of the twentieth century and a living sign of the civilisation of love. Trust your heart, listen to other people, realise the gifts of simplicity and affection that the handicapped have to offer, appreciate the goodness of people and the value of community - Jean Vanier

34. Ethical Principles and Actions – Christian Lives Christian Lives – Sister Helen Prejean Helen Prejean from Louisiana didn't know what she was getting into when, in her forties, she made a simple decision to dedicate her life to the poor. In her early years, Helen was 'hosed down with love' by her parents. Her own desire to love widely led Helen to join the Sisters of St. Joseph of Medaille. After years of teaching in schools and parishes Helen went to live in the St. Thomas housing project. There, she became pen pals with Patrick Sonnier, the convicted killer of two teenagers, sentenced to die in the electric chair of Louisiana Angola State Prison. Upon Sonnier's request, Sister Helen repeatedly visited him as his spiritual advisor. On the night of April 5, 1984 she accompanied him at his execution. Sister Helen assured Patrick there was no way that he was going to die without seeing a loving face: You look at me, you look at my face. I can't bear the thought that you would die without seeing one loving face. I will be the face of Christ for you.

35. Ethical Principles and Actions – Christian Lives Christian Lives – Sister Helen Prejean Patrick Sonnier's death opened Sister Helen's eyes to the injustice of the execution process, which she saw as cruel and unfair: I couldn't watch someone being killed and walk away. Like a sacrament, the execution left an indelible mark on my soul. Since then Sister Helen has educated the public about the death penalty by lecturing, and writing. She continues to counsel inmates on death row and accompany them at their execution. Sister Helen also works with the families of both murderers and their victims. She wrote about her experiences in Dead Man Walking which was made into a major motion picture. Straightforward dedication and prayer drive Sister Helen. When she's at the right place at the right time, she's aware of God's presence. Although the Catholic Church teaches that the death penalty is almost never morally acceptable in modern society, there are around 3,000 people awaiting execution in the United States. We must oppose the death penalty – and stand with all who suffer from crime. - Sister Helen Prejean

36. Christian Values – The Ten Commandments Focus: Christian values are based on the Ten Commandments and on the words and actions of Jesus The Ten Commandments state what is required in love of God and neighbour Words to Understand Covenant - an agreement or oath taken by two people or parties Decalogue - Ten Commandments Natural Law - law written on every human heart Moses and the Ten Commandments – by Guido Reni

37. Christian Values – The Ten Commandments The Ten Commandments are a set of biblical principles relating to ethics and worship, which play a fundamental role in Judaism and Christianity. They include instructions to worship only God and to keep the Sabbath, and prohibitions against idolatry, blasphemy, murder, theft, and adultery. Different groups follow slightly different traditions for interpreting and numbering them. The Ten Commandments appear twice in the Hebrew Bible, in the books of Exodus and Deuteronomy. According to the story in Exodus, God inscribed them on two stone tablets, which he gave to Moses on Mount Sinai. Each commandment came from a particular cultural and historical context and represented important values which the Jewish people saw as responses to God’s special favours. They were not seen as wearisome obligations. The 10 Commandments can also be called The Decalogue.

38. Christian Values – The Ten Commandments What do they really mean? Examine each of the Ten Commandments (The Decalogue) and list the values addressed by them. They are God’s rules for us, but they are expressed in old fashioned language and we need to interpret their message. For example: ‘You shall not steal’ – Means, Ensure honesty in friendship, relationships, don’t take things that don’t belong to you.

39. Christian Values – The Ten Commandments Task: Copy "The Ten Commandments" below into your workbook. In the box next to each Commandment, put the letter of the values given below which underlie each Commandment. e.g.: 1, C. In your workbooks, complete your page by rewriting the Commandments in a positive way to make their underlying values more evident. e.g.: 1 Give God a central place in my life and refuse to substitute 'idols' such as money, power popularity.

40. Christian Values – The Ten Commandments The Ten Commandments are found in Exodus 20:2-17 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21. The Summary below is adapted from the New American Bible translation. I, the Lord, am your God who brought you out of slavery. You shall not have other gods except me. You shall not take the name of the Lord, your God, in vain. Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day. Honour your father and your mother. You shall not kill. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour. You shall not covet your neighbour's wife. (spouse) You shall not covet anything that belongs to your neighbour.

41. Christian Values – The Ten Commandments

42. Values

43. Contemporary Commandments for today’s world… Apply the commandments in contemporary situations: Form groups; give each group a commandment and ask them to prepare a poster showing applications of that commandment to contemporary situations. e.g. ‘You shall not kill’ – You shall not engage in war, capital punishment, speeding, drugs, abortion. ‘You shall not steal’ – You shall not engage in shoplifting, vandalism, cheating on exams, plagiarism. Use images, colour and magazine clippings to illustrate your 10 Commandments!

44. The Values of Jesus Focus: Jesus sums up the Ten Commandments when he says the way to eternal life is love of God and neighbour. The Beatitudes are at the heart of Jesus' teaching and state what is necessary to share in the promised life. Words to Understand The Great Commandment – love of God and love of neighbour Privilege – advantage granted to certain people or persons

45. The Great Commandment [Matthew 22:34-40] ...and one of them, a lawyer, in an attempt to trip him up, asked him, 'Teacher, which commandment is the greatest?' Jesus said to him: 'You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart, with your whole soul, and with all your mind.‘ This is the greatest and first commandment. The second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbour as yourself.' On these two commandments the whole law is based, and the prophets as well.' In speaking of the Commandment to love God and self and neighbour, Jesus was not really imposing anything on human nature. Rather, he was exposing what was already there. Being fully human means knowing and responding to the love God has for you. Being human means loving and respecting oneself as made in God's image. Being human means showing this love respect towards everyone else who is also loved by God. As a consequence you would not steal what belongs to your neighbour out of respect for them. We cannot really separate the love of God from the love of self and neighbour.

46. The Values of Jesus Human Needs Various psychologists have pointed out that human beings have fundamental needs. Maslow, a psychologist, classified human needs according to different levels. The diagram below shows what these levels are. The first basic needs are physical ones: food, clothing, shelter for example.

47. The Values of Jesus Human Needs When these needs have been met, people can then move up to another level of need and so on until they reach the highest level of fulfilment, shown at the peak of the pyramid in the diagram. Full human life requires that all these needs are met. However, not everyone can have these needs fulfilled for various reasons: their situation in life, the selfishness of others etc. Make a list of things which stop people from having their needs met at each of Maslow's levels e.g. living in a war zone will prevent a person achieving security.

48. The Values of Jesus Love God, Self and Neighbour 1. Being in relationship with God requires us to acknowledge that God is our Creator. List three other examples of what being in relationship with God requires of us. 2. Complete the printable activity, 'Human Needs Grid', which is about loving our neighbour as we love ourselves.

49. The Beatitudes Focus: • The Beatitudes are Christ's answer to the question of happiness and along with the whole of the Sermon on the Mount encapsulate Christian ethics. Words to Understand Beatitudes – state of great happiness or blessedness Kingdom of God – life in God, initiated in Christ, and completely fulfilled at the end time Humility – conscious of one's failings

50. The Beatitudes The word 'beatitude' means 'blessing'. The list of blessings known as the Beatitudes is found in Chapter Five of Matthew's Gospel, at the beginning of the long and important passage known as the Sermon on the Mount. The Beatitudes are central to Jesus' teaching about the Kingdom (or Reign) of God. They are also found, in a slightly different version, in Chapter Six of Luke's Gospel. A true appreciation of the Beatitudes requires a belief in the reality of the Kingdom of God which Jesus came to proclaim. In fact, this Kingdom began to be present in the world with the coming of Jesus although it will not be completely fulfilled until the end of the world. The Preface prayer for the Mass of the Feast of Christ the King describes this Kingdom as: 'an eternal and universal kingdom: a kingdom of truth and life, a kingdom of holiness and grace, a kingdom of justice, love and peace.' All Christians are called by God to work towards making this Kingdom present 'on Earth as it is in Heaven' by living their lives according to the values of Jesus. The Beatitudes speak of the attitudes and behaviour of those living out the values of the Kingdom.