Roman Catholic Ethics

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  • Created by: liadanxa
  • Created on: 03-01-16 15:37

Making Moral Decisions

  • How we choose to live reflects our values, principles, morals and beliefs. Christians believ the choices we make matter to us as well as God. Making a moral decision is not simply about how we deal with particular issues, but how we live our lives. Christian living is following God's laws, treating people with love and respect, trying to act in a moral way, listening to our conscience, the voice of God inside us. The way Christians live our lives is based on what we a told by the 10 commandments and the teachings of Jesus in the beatitudes.
  • The Bible says that all human beings are made in the image and likeness of God. Human beings have dignity and human life is sacred. Christians cannot simply treat people as objects, as tools to be used for some greater purpose, because all human beings have a greater purpose as creations of God.
  • Conscience is a powerful voice or law that connects us God's moral truth with our feelings, instincts and thoughts. It helps people to do good and avoid evil. We must not ignore it but act in accordance with it. Our conscience needs to be trained or nformed through studying the Church teaching and through prayer.
  • Human being were made to be free, but should act in the service of love, not selfishness and evil. Great responsibility comes with the freedom God has given us.Human sin can lead conscience away. Humans have a natural weakness called Original Sin. This is a tendency towards sin inherited from the sin of Adam and Eve. God's law, found in the Church's teachings guides a conscience to overcome sin.
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Virtues, Gifts and Fruit of the Spirit

  • Virtue is the power of doing good, and each human being has this power within, however it needs to be encouraged and trained and the Holy Spirit helps people to do this. Virtue is like a habit, a way of living out beliefs, values and moral teachings in life. It requieres practise and help from God through gifts of the Holy Spirit. The way he or she behaves in according to this is known as the fruits of the Holy Spirit.
  • Cardinal virtues: Prudence (commonsense), Justice, Power, and Temperance (living in moderation as opposed to excess)
  • Theological virtues: Faith, Hope, and Love
  • The gifts of the Holy Spirit are received through baptism. They are; wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety (worship), and fear of the Lord. The fruits of the Holy Spirit are also received in baptism. They are: charity, joy peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, chastity. The teachings of the gifts and fruits are both found in the commandments and the beatitudes.
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The 10 commandments

  • They were revealed on Mount Sinai, are the word of God and are part of covenant between God and man.
  • They are a gift of freedom, freedom from the slavery of sin and offereing a way of living by which we can become fully human. The Church calls them a path of life and the path to eternal life.
  • I am the Lord your God, you shall not have other gods before me.
  • You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
  • Remember the sabbath, to keep it holy.
  • Honour your mother and father
  • 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 covt your neighbour's wife
  • You shall not covet your neighbour's possessions
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The 10 commandments; Loving God

  • I am the lord your God, you shall have no other gods before me. God freed his people from slavery so at that time this could have meant the current Egyptian gods. I modern times this could be refering to money, sex, power, magic or supersitions.
  • You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. Using the name in blasphemy or curse is wrong. Promises made in the name of Lord or religious vow must be kept.
  • Remember the Sabbath, to keep it holy. It is a special day kept special for worshipping God. The sabbath was made for man, man wasn't made for the sabboth. It is the day of Christ's resurrection, the day of our Lord. The day for Mass; worship, prayer, the word, and Holy Communion. A day for caring for family, health, the sick and the elderly, as well s for rest and leisure.
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The 10 commandments; loving neighbour

  • Honour your mother and father. Children owe respect, gratitude and obedience to their parents to support family life. Adult sons and daughters should care for their parents and provide support in times of illness, lonliness or old age.
  •  You shall not kill. Killing threastens peace and Christians are called to be peacemakers. This covers, murder, abortion, euthanasia and suicide. This is legitimate to defend life, even sometimes if that means killing the attacker. Execution is only permitted if the person is a serious threat to the lives of others and this person's danger cannot be permitted through imprisonment
  • You shall not commit adultery. It breaks marriage vows. It is against the moral chastity. Covers ***********, prositution and ****.
  • You shall not steal. Christians must respect the fair distribution of wealth around the world and ownership of private property. Covers unjust wages, forgery, corruption and damaging things held in common. Christians must not force people to work in harsh or undignified conditions.
  • You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour. Christians are called to live truthfully. It affects community, friends and work, public and private living. Covers perjury, lying, slander, defamation and malicious speech.
  • You shall not cover your neighbour's wife. Christians must overcome desires and sexual thoughts, so they do not commit adultery. Shows a lack of loyalty and respect. respect each persons human dignity for a pure heart.
  • You shall not covet your neighbour's possessions. Christians must respect the property of others. greed, envy, covetness, self-centredness and selfishness are against the Law of Love.
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The beatitudes

  • They were presented by Jesus as part of his Sermon on the Mount.
  • Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
  • Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
  • Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God.
  • Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
  • Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill.
  • Blessed are they who mourn: for they shall be comforted.
  • Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land.
  • Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven
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