1. Learning to Choose Definition/Development of Conscience Elements of a Moral Decision
2. Fundamental Choices The Book of Deutronomy – challenge to make a fundamental commitment to a life centered on God. Created with free will, we choose how we will live. Our choices affect not only our life here on earth, but also our life hereafter.
3. Fundamental Choices Jesus confirms this in his depiction of the Last Judgment (Matthew 25: 34-36, 40-43, 45-46) Choosing to lead a God-centered life is not easy. At its heart is the call to conversion. (Matthew 16:24
4. Fundamental Choices Self-centered living leads to unhappiness in this life and ultimately to eternal punishment; separation from God.
5. Fundamental Choices God-centered living inevitably bears fruit in love , joy , and peace in this life, and leads finally to eternal life with God and the saints in heaven.
6. Definition of Conscience Conscience is the inner sense of power by which we judge an act to be right or wrong.
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9. Elements of a Moral Decision There are 3 elements in a moral decision, the object , the intention , and the circumstance .
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11. The Object The object may be good or evil in itself. For example, it is good to give to the poor. Lying is evil.
12. The Intention The intention may also be good or evil. A good intention does not make something which is evil into something good. For example, lying with the intention of obtaining something good does not make it good to lie. THE END DOES NOT JUSTIFY THE MEANS .
13. The Intention The intention may also be good or evil. A bad intention can make something which is ordinarily good into something evil. For example, pretending to be a friend to someone, for the sake of gaining some advantage or ourselves, makes a friendly action hollow, deceptive, and therefore morally wrong.
14. Morally Good Decisions ALL MORALLY GOOD DECISION ARE BOTH GOOD IN THEIR OBJECT AND INTENTION
15. Circumstance The circumstance, including the consequences, do not make a bad action good or a good action bad, but the may increase or decrease the good or evil of an action. For example, Jesus points out that the widow who gave two small coins, which was all she possessed was more generous than the rich people who gave large sums.
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17. Process of Making a Good Moral Choice Some moral decision can be complex and difficult and the temptations to choose other than the good can be great. Having formed our conscience, we must listen as we utilize the following decision-making process
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19. Failure to Choose the Good Sin is deliberately choosing not to do God’s will.
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21. Venial Sin Venial Sin is not serious enough to beak our relationship with God, but it weakens that relationship because it is an action we know is wrong, yet freely chose to do. The continual committing of venial sin can lead us to commit mortal sin.
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24. Social Sin Sins of individuals can give rise to social situations and institutions opposed to God’s goodness, such as slavery, child labor, prostitution, and exploitation of third world countries for profit. Structures which perpetuate violence, injustice, and other disorders in society are called “social sin”. Social sin is an outgrowth of personal sins, and leads its victims to do evil.
