...recognition of a moral obligation to do what is right, 100% of the time, regardless of what could come of it. Also, Kant states that in order for an act to be wholly moral, it must be carried out by a sense of duty. This type of obligation termed by Kant is called the “categorical imperative.” The categorical imperative, according to Kant, acts as a basis to which moral requirements stem from. The categorical imperative also equates to Catholicism’s’ “golden rule” in that they both call for treating human beings as ends, not as means. Duty, according to Kant, has four motives, self-interest, self-preservation, sympathy, and happiness. Kant goes on to explain that we all have a sense of moral duty that is innate in us at birth. When we have feelings of guilt, this is the end result when we have done something that has infringed this moral duty. To Kant, to act moral is to obey the moral laws, which are in us at birth, which is our duty. For example, giving a beggar money for the soul purpose of getting he or she to leave you alone is not an example of a moral duty according to Kant. Instead, he believes that a more genuine example would be someone who gives the beggar money regardless of his or her own self interest, for a reason that does not benefit him or her in any way. If a person acts in a way that benefits others while also benefiting themselves, they are not acting truly moral according to Kant’s definition. For example, doctors help cure diseases and save human lives for profit...
Words: 1509 - Pages: 7
...find a compromise on slavery in the days and years leading up to secession and the catastrophic and bloody war. There was the careful attempt to admit to the Union, in tandem, one slave state and one Free State to insure the balance of power in the Senate. Henry Clay of Kentucky, the “great compromiser” helped to work out the division of Western territory so that this balance was to be preserved “in perpetuity.” Slavery, however, was not a political battle that could ultimately be negotiated; it was rather a moral battle that did not lend itself to compromise. It pitted a new consciousness against a dying definition. Slavery could not be partially moral or moral under some circumstances. It was either moral or immoral. There was no middle ground. In the slavery debate, those who shared the new consciousness were quite clear. Human beings cannot be held in bondage. This new consciousness challenged those definitions, which suggested that some people did not qualify as human beings; that some people were primitive, childlike, created to be subservient, and were, therefore, fit for nothing other than manual labor. Within that definition, slavery was deemed to be morally acceptable and those who held this position actually believed that slavery was virtuous, since the slaves were assumed to be receiving the benefits of better health, longer life and wonderful new opportunities in “a civilized and Christian land.” These arguments sound strange, even hostile, to us today but ideas...
Words: 1720 - Pages: 7
...Title: Proof of God’s Existence By: Vicki Williams PHI208 Ethics and Moral Reasoning Instructor: Barbara Palomino de Velasco June 10, 2013 The Bible diagnoses humanity's deepest need and then prescribes what it claims is the only antidote: God saves sinners. Is there an intellectual basis for believing in God? Or is being religious just a matter of faith? Christianity invites scrutiny into its claims and its reasons for having faith and these deserve examination... Some people feel that acceptance of God is entirely a matter of faith. But the Scriptures actually claim that it is the truth which is the basis for this faith (Rom. 10:17). Truth is only truth if it is objective truth, that is, it is true for everyone regardless of time or circumstances. Thus, God is either true (and there can be objective proofs to support this), or He is not true and only subjective 'truth' can be offered for 'proof'. Some ancient Philosophers have argued that the fact mankind can imagine there being a God is a proof that there must be one. While this argument does have some merit, it mainly has limitations. Taken to its natural application this means that if anything can be imagined it must exist. Based on the nightmares I had as a three and four year old boy- I really hope this theory isn't true or I'm not going to sleep well tonight! On the other hand, 'beliefs' and 'truth' are sometimes not entirely related. Tertullian once bragged that the main reason he so readily accepted...
Words: 2629 - Pages: 11
...Swinburne offers a strong counterargument in the form of a theodicy. Swinburne takes up the position that God is only omniscient within the logical realm (i.e. his actions must be logical) and that people have free will (Swinburne, 83). Swinburne refutes critics who claim God could have created perfectly-good humans by explaining that by commanding his creations to always choose the good, God would be breaking logic, something even an omniscient being can’t do. He similarly explained that God couldn’t have reduced evil, as that would still be indirectly controlling humans, which he said was analogous to “hypnosis or drugs” (Swinburne, 85). Another approach to the problem of evil is the soul-making defense, of which Hick is a key figure. Hick argues evil exists as a form of human development. Hick firmly stated that a human which “attained to goodness” via experience, was more valuable than one created as such ab initio (Hick,...
Words: 1696 - Pages: 7
...Name School QUESTION 1 Bonhoeffer seemed to ditch Christian ethics against other ethics because he tried to undermine the Christian ethical reflections when he stated that Christians were supposed to invalidate the knowledge of good and evil (Bonhoeffer, 21). This is because the knowledge of good and evil is the aim of ethical reflections. Bonhoeffer quoted this because he strongly believed that the tasks concerned with Christian ethics were not discerning the good and evil in the universal principles but the main goal of these Christian ethics being towards the restoration of the human desires to their original focus, God. The Christian ethics task did not show a good judgment between what was right and what was wrong and the Christians only get to know what is good through their conversions of their human desires towards God. This according to Bonhoeffer was that there was nothing like the existence of christian ethics because he never believed that Christianity really existed. Bonhoeffer further claimed that the Christian ethics differed greatly from the other types of ethics. The Christian ethics positions alone making it questionable as to whether it really exists or does not exist at all. Man only knows God and it is through the unity of the knowledge that he knows of the existence of God that he knows about other things, men, and also himself. This shows that man only knows about the existence of things in God. This knowledge of good and evil clearly shows that man...
Words: 2092 - Pages: 9
...LIBERTY UNIVERSITY Pain and Suffering A PAPER SUBMITTED TO DR. JIM ZABLOSKI SEMI 500- B15 LIBERTY THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY BY Donald Clark LYNCHBURG, VA February 3, 2015 Contents Title Page……………………………………………………….1 Table of Contents………………………………………………2 Introduction…………………………………………………….3 History and Beliefs……………………………………………..4 The Logical Consistency and Moral Judgment of God………..5 Conclusion……………………………………………………...9 Bibliography……………………………………………………11 Introduction One of the most frequently asked questions in today’s society is “why do bad things happen to good people?” Why does God allow suffering and evil things to happen? These questions are central to a Christian’s faith. These questions have not gone unexplored in the cannon of Christian philosophy. Job, Augustine, C.S. Lewis, and others have all considered and contributed to an ongoing dialogue surrounding these issues. For some, the stories of personal sufferings, persecution, and martyrdom provide them a rallying point and as well as constant reminders of the pain Christ faced at the cross and what it took to pay the price for sin; while others suggest that suffering are character-building endeavors. One thing is sure: suffering is an important and ever present element of the Christian faith. Pain and suffering are controversial subjects encompassing all aspects of their meaning from whether God allows it?1 Does God bring it about? Who and what are the intended recipients...
Words: 2630 - Pages: 11
...CHRISTIANITY. THE Being who has influenced in the most memorable manner the opinions and the fortunes of the human species, is Jesus Christ. At this day, his name is connected with the devotional feelings of two hundred millions of the race of man. The institutions of the most civilized portions of the globe derive their authority from the sanction of his doctrines; he is the hero, the God, of our popular religion. His extraordinary genius, the wide and rapid effect of his unexampled doctrines, his invincible gentleness and benignity, the devoted love borne to him by his adherents, suggested a persuasion to them that he was something divine. The supernatural events which the historians of this wonderful man subsequently asserted to have been connected with every gradation of his career, established the opinion. His death is said to have been accompanied by an accumulation of tremendous prodigies. Utter darkness fell upon the earth, blotting the noonday sun; dead bodies, arising from their graves, walked through the public streets, and an earthquake shook the astonished city, rending the rocks of the surrounding mountains. The philosopher may attribute the application of these events to the death of a reformer, or the events themselves to a visitation of that universal Pan who—— ***** The thoughts which the word "God" suggests to the human mind are susceptible of as many variations as human minds themselves. The Stoic, the Platonist, and the Epicurean, the Polytheist, the Dualist, and the...
Words: 10307 - Pages: 42
...using the seven underlined titles for subheadings. The Christian Worldview: Describe the beliefs of the Christian worldview with regard to the following components corresponding to Topics 2-5. Write at least one paragraph for each component using the underlined title for a subheading. God: What is God like? What are God's characteristics? What is his creation? To explain god and what his characteristics mean to a Christian would be to explain what it means to Christian. God is good, an entity that does not present with evil. God is loving, does not represent hate. God is just, has understanding with reason. These are also three of the attributes that humans should have and possess. This make the Christian god relatable and with achievable expectation. The attributes of god allows for a base of morality for people. With this ability to meet the expectations of god people can achieve a moral world view. This in turn gives Christians the ability to have an open heart and mind towards society. It is revealed that god want us to spread the word of god through man. The word of god is his characteristic and moral compass. Prior to the sin’s of mam, man had pure heart and moral strength. This is the man he wanted...
Words: 1785 - Pages: 8
...Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body A Cliff Notes’ Version Introduction A. The Theology of the Body is the term used to describe the teaching of Pope John Paul about the human person and human sexuality given during his Wednesday Catecheses in St. Peter’s Square between September 5, 1979 and November 28, 1984. John Paul II says that these catecheses could be called “Human Love in the Divine Plan” or “The Redemption of the Body and the Sacramentality of Marriage.” B. Various scholars, in different language groupings, will generally break the theology of the body found in these 129 catecheses down into four main sections, others six. I think the most logical way to do so is to break it down into seven interrelated sections: 1) The Original Unity of Man and Woman as found in the Book of Genesis • 23 catecheses from September 5, 1979-April 9, 1980 2) Purity of Heart versus Concupiscence: Catechesis on the Sermon on the Mount • 27 catecheses from April 16 to December 10, 1980 3) St. Paul’s Teaching on the Human Body: Life according to the Spirit • 13 catechesis from December 17, 1980 to May 6, 1981 4) Marriage and celibacy in light of the resurrection of the body • 9 catechesis from November 11, 1981 to February 10, 1982 5) Virginity or celibacy for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven • 14 catecheses from March 10, 1982 to July 21, 1982 6) The sacramentality of marriage based on Ephesians 5:22-33 • 27 catecheses from July 28, 1982 to July 4, 1984 7) Reflections...
Words: 32011 - Pages: 129
...Virginia Embleton Daniel Lloyd REL 123 14 June 2015 Explaining the Doctrine of Atonement, Erroneous Theories and Jesus’s Incarnation The Doctrine of Atonement is a very important part of what the Christian Church believes. It lies at the very heart of the Christian system, and even Paul the Apostle exclaimed that “For I deliver unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; And that he was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures “(I Corinthian 15:3, 4). This document describes the forgiving of sin through the death and resurrection of Jesus and how, with his death, man was forgiven for all his sins and is able to receive redemption from God. The atonement is who Jesus is, along with what Jesus has done. There have been a few different explanations of the atonement according to C. S. Lewis, yet no one theory has been explained as the being valid. There are 3 main principle theories in Christianity, but many more still exist. The first main principle theory is the ransom theory. Who did Jesus pay his life to? Was it the devil to pay for man’s freedom from sin? This theory came from Irenaeus of Lyons. He claims that God actually tricked the Devil into thinking that the ransom of Jesus soul would go to him, but the ruse was that Jesus was actually God himself and the Devil was unable to hold His soul. There does not seem to be any scriptures to support this theory, but...
Words: 1715 - Pages: 7
...them. Several characteristics of the Law have become clearer to me. I read about the ceremonial laws and offerings of the Sanctuary and overlooked the moral and civil laws. The Law is summed up in one word "Love". In John Chapter 1 and verse 4 I read "God is Love". The author mentions that law is also a reflection of God's character. So in expressing love, we reflect God's character. Essentially, the aspects of biblical law are positive rather than negative. Obeying God's Law is the core of Christian living. To obey God is to observe the Sabbath, faithfully tithe and have a proper dietary program. Obedience brings...
Words: 1253 - Pages: 6
...through which a person interprets everything. (Hindson & Caner, p 498) A Christian or biblical worldview however is one that practices the teachings of Christ. We live our lives in a many of which is obedient to the scriptures and honors Christ. Through this worldview the focus is God. Having a biblical worldview affects the way in which we view the natural world, human identity, human relationships, and civilization. One scripture that can be focused on to help give a better understanding is Romans1-8. When it comes to the natural world view it is stated in Romans 1:20 “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” In today’s modern world many follow what can be considered an “atheistic” or “scientific” worldview, they belief in man and nature. In school we are taught that the universe came into being through naturalistic causes, and not through the work of God. This teaching focuses on the physical and chemical properties of the natural world. These views are contradicting to each other. When a child is taught in Sunday school, they are taught on the premises of God’s creation. God took seven days and created the universe and its beings. Everything was created in his like and image. Romans discuss creation in the aspect of sin. Mankind was created in to be “good” in the God’s sight. However it became sinful through immoral...
Words: 1300 - Pages: 6
...very serious and majority of the book has emphasis by Lewis on the roles of Christianity and what their view would be on a particular subject. Subjects in the book ranged from the law of human nature to Christian beliefs to Christian behavior and to the new men. Lewis uses many forms of exaggeration to represent his wanting or desire for the reader to clearly understand. Lewis made strong points on particular things like charity, the great sin and faith. Lewis’ first book is prominently about the “Law of Human Nature.” The law of human nature is the sense/value of right and wrong that we all seem to share. It is basically some universal standard of behavior that we all appeal to. A sense of the law of human nature is when people dispute or argue over what seems to be “fair” or “unfair.” C.S Lewis emphasizes multiple times throughout the chapter how when people quarrel or argue they demonstrate this law or theory. Lewis also brings up the point that people defend their own wrong actions with excuses, but denying that some rules exist, while in reality this is all part of the concept of the “law of human nature.” Next, Lewis begins to explain moral relativism and how the differences between cultural moral norms are very small and how we as a group or nation see that NONE of us can live up to the moral standards that we find internally encoded. In conclusion to the first chapter, Lewis ends with this statement: “We know what we ought to do but we...
Words: 2602 - Pages: 11
...In any given society there are a number of things that are inseparable from the people and one of them is religion. Religion is an important part of human life that contains and maintain human beings to keep going from one step to another. Utah tends to be among the areas that has lived according to his will and it is sighted by its culture that dwells in his presence (God). However, religion is diverse within the area since it is divided among different religion like Catholics, evangelicals, Protestants, Buddhism, Jehovah, Islam and the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Therefore, the largest group of people in the area are believers of Christ thus making them to be Christians. This paper focuses on explaining the reasons why most of the people are Christians, the history of the religion and why a large percentage of the people are believers in Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints church. History has it that Christianity takes about 60% of the population in state of Utah thus making one of the main religion in the great depression. As far as religion is concerned religion has made the state to grow both socially and economically since most of the people are business men...
Words: 650 - Pages: 3
...the Ancient Mariner Samuel Taylor Coleridge's "The Rime of an Ancient Mariner" is a lyrical ballad that seems to be more like a miniscule adventurous story. However, not only it is a ballad depicting the adventure of an old mariner who is cursed for the entirety of his life because he kills an albatross; even deeper than that, it is also a religious allegory that conveys a plethora of themes pertaining to Christianity. On one hand, if a person were to read "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" simply as a tale at sea, the poem stands to be remarkable because of its rhyme of simplicity and easy flow. On the other hand, if one reads much deeper into the intricate details, symbolism, themes, and literary aspects, Coleridge will have produced a masterpiece in their eyes. Furthermore, a multitude of critics agree that there are several connotations that signify religion in this ballad; however, very few agree upon it being an allegory that mainly reflects the specific ideology of Christianity. Christianity preaches that life is basically a test by which we either pass and go to heaven, or fail and go to hell. Also, the human body is a victim of the human thought and action, which is represented by the soul. Therefore, in relation to the ballad, we can refer to the ship as the human body and the Mariner who steers the ship and leads it to destruction as the human soul. This ship led by the Mariner goes through a trial of storm and winds, but fails because of the Mariner. In Christianity...
Words: 1365 - Pages: 6
