Gr. 12 Religion - U2

Naturalism

• Humans are apart of a big chain of cause and effect

• We came to be from the Big Bang

Naturalism on Humanity

• Understanding of humanity is in genes

• We don’t have an “intended self“

• Challenges human spirit, and culture

• Freedom is a delusion

• Motives, emotions are caused by genetic deposition

• Denies the possibility of ethics and morality

• A person ISNT responsible for their actions

Social Determinism

• Argues that behaviour is determined by social influences

• Humans aren’t free, we’re products of our experiences

• Future decisions are based strictly on past experiences

Sigmund Freud

• Notable supporter for social determinism

• Believed that are motives stemmed from two instincts: Eros (Love), and Thanatos (Death)

Religious Determinism

• God has predetermined the course of the world

• Includes past, present, future

• Every individuals actions (God directs all things)

• Freedom and Ethics aren’t in predestination

• God given ultimate freedom at the expense of human freedom

• At odds w/ religious determinism

• St. Augustine (Great defender of free will)

Conscience in the teachings of the Catholic Church

• More than an ‘internal censor’ regulates our conduct by using guilt

• Conscience acts in love and guides us to live in Christ-like manner

• Key to responsible freedom

Hunch Theory

• Cannot give a definitive explanation but you know that it’s wrong

“Doing what comes naturally” Theory

• Born w moral instincts that decipher right from wrong

• Do what comes naturally

• Doing the right thing according to conscience

“The Little Voice” Theory

• Voice telling you what’s right or wrong

• Believe it’s the voice of a power (God) who gives guidance

The Feeling Theory

• Based off how one “feels” after the action and/or decision is made

• Feel Good = Right

• Feel Bad / Guilty = Wrong

Follow the Crowd Theory

• The majority can’t be wrong

• If enough people think this way it must be correct

No Conscience Theory

• No conscience at all

• Religions made it up to create guilt for certain actions

• Act as you must in each situation that is all that should be expected of anyone

"USING YOUR HEAD" THEORY

• Use reason and consider alternatives while trying to do the right thing 

• Try to do the most loving and least harmful thing for all concerned.

• This is the teaching of the Catholic church. 

• Conscience develops with age. Maturity, and experiences 

CONSCIENCE AS A CAPACITY TO RECOGNIZE RIGHT AND WRONG - Three senses of conscience

• We have a basic sense of right and wrong

• Most of us try to do good to avoid negative feelings

• Those with no capacity of conscience are sociopaths and/or psychopaths

CONSCIENCE AS A PROCESS OF MORAL REASONING - Three senses of conscience

• We are responsible to form our conscience

• How can we form it?

  • Maturing

  • Life experiences

  • Education

  • Reflection and Contemplation

  • Praying

  • Discussions

  • Researching 

OUR CONSCIENCE GROWS WITH AGE AND EXPERIENCE - Three senses of conscience

A CHILD AND AN ADULT SHOULD NOT HAVE THE SAME LEVEL OF MORAL REASONING.

CONSCIENCE AS A MORAL JUDGMENT 

• Your conscience is incomplete until you act on it

• Commitment to do what is right and avoid wrong

• We are the sum of our actions (Aristotle) 

• Our actions determine the type of person we are

RATIONALIZATION - SYMPTOMS OF A MISINFORMED CONSCIENCE

STEALING MAY BE WRONG SOMETIMES, BUT LARGE STORES CAN AFFORD IT BECAUSE THEY ARE MAKING HUGE PROFITS

TRIVIALIZATION - SYMPTOMS OF A MISINFORMED CONSCIENCE

IT'S NO BIG DEAL - EVERYBODY DOES IT.

MISINFORMATION - SYMPTOMS OF A MISINFORMED CONSCIENCE

’M CATHOLIC, AND I KNOW THAT GOD WANTS ME TO DO WHATEVER MAKES ME HAPPY.

THE END JUSTIFIES THE IMMORAL MEANS - SYMPTOMS OF A MISINFORMED CONSCIENCE

BY DROPPING A NUCLEAR BOMB TO END WWII, IT SAVED MANY LIVES.

DIFFICULT TO REASON - SYMPTOMS OF A MISINFORMED CONSCIENCE

I DON’T KNOW IF MY CLOTHES ARE PRODUCED ETHICALLY OR NOT. WORKING UNDER HARSH WORKING CONDITIONS IS BAD, BUT ISN’T BEING UNEMPLOYED WORSE? AM I HELPING PEOPLE BY PURCHASING THESE CLOTHES OR HURTING THEM?

OBJECTIVE MORALITY

• THIS ABSOLUTE MORAL TRUTH

• OBJECTIVE MORALITY IS THE BELIEF THAT MORALITY IS UNIVERSAL. IT IS NOT UP TO INTERPRETATION OR OPINION.

Who is The Moral Standard?

God

MORAL RELATIVISM

• AT ODDS WITH OBJECTIVE MORALITY

• IS THE PHILOSOPHY THAT MORALS ARE SUBJECTIVE.  
  CULTURES, GROUPS, AND INDIVIDUALS DETERMINE WHAT IS RIGHT AND WRONG.

What does living a righteous life w Christ w love look like?

• Loving God (Making him the centre of our lives)

• Making others a priority

• Loving God’s creation and making it a priority

• Loving ourselves, making us a priority

What is God’s most important revelation?

Sending us his only son as a message and example that we come to know God’s will more intimately W

What is Sin?

• When we fail to live up to God’s will

• Offence against reason, truth, right, and conscience

• Failure to show genuine love to God and neighbour

What’s expected from us?

• Loving God and making him a priority in our lives

Ways to make God a priority in our lives?

• Daily prayer

• Considering God’s will through our thoughts and actions

• Attend mass on sabbath day and other holy days

• Learn about God through scripture, church, reflection, and discussion

• Accepting Jesus as our Lord and saviour

The first 3 commandments calls us to right relationship w God

• I am the Lord thy God, thou shall not have any strange Gods before me

• Thou shall not take the name of the Lord in vain

• Remember to keep the Sabbath day holy

Purgatory

Purgatory is a state of purification after death where souls prepare for Heaven by atoning for minor sins.

Hell

• IT IS NOT GOD’S DECISION TO SEND US TO HELL, IT IS OUR OWN.

• AS GOD RESIDES IN HEAVEN, RESPECTING YOUR DECISION TO LIVE WITHOUT HIM MEANS GOING TO THE ONLY PLACE WHERE HE IS NOT… HELL

• IT IS A PLACE WHERE THERE IS AN ABSENCE OF GOD.

Heaven

• IT IS A PLACE OF ULTIMATE GOODNESS, 

  LOVE, HOPE, AND HAPPINESS…

• OUR DREAMS CHANGE AS WE GO THROUGH LIFE.

• AND WHEN WE ARE IN ETERNAL SALVATION, WE NO LONGER DREAM OF EARTHLY DESIRES.