Christian Principles

What are principles?

•ideal values which are good in themselves

•basic ideals on which we should shape our moral decision making

•Christian principles are based on...onatural lawoTen Commandmentso teachings of Jesus

Making Principled Choices

• standards by which you judge whether certain decisions or actions are morally good or bad

• reflect and influence what is most important in your life

How do you apply your principlesAnswer these questions:•How do the principles involved apply to my available alternatives?

•Does each choice uphold or violate my principles?

•Will each choice protect or unjustifiably harm people?

Choose your principles carefully...

• they are the foundations for your decisions in your life

• stand by your principles and follow them faithfully

Christian Moral Principles

•Jesus didn't give his followers specific rules or instructions

•taught us basic principles to guide us

•they have become ideals throughout the world

Make a List of the Things You Value

Spiritual Values Come First

•more important than material values

•source of peace and happiness

•place people before money, success, power, schedules

What does Jesus say is the most important moral principle?

•love of God, love of others•most important principle in Christian moral conduct

•put people first in decision making--oabove structures, institutions, rules, laws, material success, possessions, schedules, time

oLive our love

Make a list of all the things you think human beings should be entitled to…

•Look at the list from the United Nations

•How many of these things did you assume were there without being given as rights.

Respect for Human Dignity•respect for each person's dignity

and basic rights•cruelty, torture, and depriving peple

of life's essentials are unacceptable•God given rights that are essential

to being fully human•we all must do our part to respect

human rights•best way to respect rights and

human dignity of others is to live as Jesus taught us

Equality and Justice

•Flow from concern for human welfare and entitle everyone to fair treatment

•treating others the way we like to be treated

•protect rights as we would like our rights to be safeguarded

•Have a responsibility to be concerned about other's well being

Honesty

•depend on one another's integrity•trust and truthfulness are

necessary for social relationships•society prohibits lying--we have a

legal obligation to tell the truth•there is a high cost to dishonesty•must work to repair wrongs

committed

Is it ever ok to lie?• Lying is speaking or acting in an untruthful

way with the intention of deceit• sometimes we might have sufficient reason to

not divulge the trutho someone's safety or common welfare-

legitimate respect for privacyo no one should ever reveal private or

prejudicial information• entitled to truth and should have access to it• sometimes telling the truth is necessary even

if it means someone will be hurt or upseto must say it in a kind wayo not inconsiderate, imprudent, irresponsible,

or unkind

Why do people lie?

 

What's so wrong about lying?

•violates the purpose of speech•Dishonesty offends against God•Breach of love•trust is necessary for love and happiness

•without trust close relationships are impossible

Compassion

•try to understand and empathize with others in their troubles

•essential human and Christian principle

Mercy• compassion and forgiveness in action• never punishes for the sake of punishing• punishment should always be in proportion

to the seriousness of the offense• four main legitimate purposes of

punishment areo to remedy, where possible, the harm

causedo to seek pardon for the offense doneo to preserve the necessary order of safetyo to help reform the offender

Is Capital Punishment moral?

 

3 Parts of an Action

Intention:

Circumstances:Who:What:When: Where:How:

End:

Reasons for opposing the death penalty

•The death penalty does not rehabilitateono chance for rehabilitationo there's always a chance someone could be innocent

•The death penalty does not deter crimeodoes not stop other crimesoviolent crimes are often of result of passion with no thought given to punishment

•Revenge is Unchristianoviolates justice

often poverty and racism seem to be a greater cause for the death penalty

oshould not punish the guilty by injuring them

•There are better ways to combat violenceoviolence does not stop violence

We must always respect human life