11B CONSCIENCE, MORALITY, VALUES LEARNING STRAND: THEOLOGY RELIGIOUS EDUCATION PROGRAMME FOR CATHOLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND 11B CONSCIENCE, MORALITY, VALUES LEARNING STRAND: THEOLOGY RELIGIOUS EDUCATION PROGRAMME FOR CATHOLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND Icons used in this resource Task Web based task Thinking about Extra activity Extra fact • Words marked with * can be found in the glossary. • Additional material for this topic may be accessed on the FaithCentral website www.faithcentral.net.nz THE LOGO The logo is an attempt to express Faith as an inward and outward journey. This faith journey takes us into our own hearts, into the heart of the world and into the heart of Christ who is God’s love revealed. In Christ, God transforms our lives. We can respond to his love for us by reaching out and loving one another. The circle represents our world. White, the colour of light, represents God. Red is for the suffering of Christ. Red also represents the Holy Spirit. Yellow represents the risen Christ. The direction of the lines is inwards except for the cross, which stretches outwards. Our lives are embedded in and dependent upon our environment (green and blue) and our cultures (patterns and textures). Mary, the Mother of Jesus Christ, is represented by the blue and white pattern. The blue also represents the Pacific… Annette Hanrahan RSCJ CONTENTS PART ONE Values Task 1: Values definition .......................................................................... 4 Icons used in this resource Task 2: Values on film ............................................................................. 5 Task 3: My values then and now ................................................................ 5 Task 4: Values in conflict ........................................................................ 6 Task Task 5: Consequences web ...................................................................... 6 Task 6: External pressures ....................................................................... 7 Web based task Task 7: External influences ...................................................................... 7 Task 8: Human needs ............................................................................. 9 Thinking about PART TWO Values from the Tradition Task 9: The Ten Commandments............................................................... 10 Extra activity Task 10: The Great Commandment ........................................................... 12 Task 11: The Beatitudes ........................................................................ 13 Extra fact PART THREE Morality Task 12: Making choices ....................................................................... 15 • Words marked with * can be found in the glossary. Task 13: Degrees of moral responsibility .................................................... 16 • Additional material for this topic may be accessed on the Task 14: Moral choices .......................................................................... 17 FaithCentral website www.faithcentral.net.nz PART FOUR Conscience and moral decision making Task 15: When do we use conscience? ........................................................ 18 Task 16: Considering conscience ............................................................... 19 Task 17: Voice of conscience ................................................................... 20 Task 18: Case study – The music store ........................................................ 22 Task 19: Case studies ............................................................................ 23 Task 20: What’s the difference? ................................................................ 24 Task 21: Moral problems ........................................................................ 25 Task 22: The unborn child ...................................................................... 27 Task 23: Case study – Sacredness of life ...................................................... 27 Task 24: Alcohol abuse .......................................................................... 28 Task 25: Illegal drugs............................................................................ 29 PART FIVE Bringing it together Task 26: Reflecting on scripture .............................................................. 30 SUMMARY Task 27: Topic summary ........................................................................ 31 GLOSSARY ....................................................................................... 32 3 PART ONE Values Focus: • There are connections between a person’s behaviour and their values. • In order to build good human relationships, true human values, such as sisterhood and brotherhood, co-operation, and communication with others must be fostered. • In the contemporary world many people are unable to recognise permanent values and as a result experience uncertainty and anxiety. Introduction People’s values* (their beliefs or attitudes about what self-discipline, or kindness. Other values are to do with is good, right, desirable, worthwhile, etc.) and their what a person wants out of life, for example, money, value system (the ways they organise, rank, prioritise security, fame, health, salvation, wisdom. and make decisions based on their values) provide Values exist as a complex set of interrelated the foundation for people’s personal choices. Values personal policies or priorities that serve as a guide for express an individual’s or a society’s beliefs about what decision-making. is important in life. Some values refer to how a person should act, for example, with honesty, Thinking about: What do we consider when In some cases we might act out of habit. we make a decision? Before we start we need to ask the question, Sometimes our decisions come from the how do we normally decide what to do in a attitudes we have towards something or given situation? someone. The boxes on the right contain some suggestions for you to think about. At times we might make a decision based 1 When you are about to make a decision do on the fear of punishment. these ideas come into play? 2 Are you aware of what influences your We may decide to do a particular thing on decisions? the basis of the happiness it will give us, 3 What other things change how you make a the ‘kick’ we’ll get out of doing it. choice? Task 1: Values definition Move into groups of four and take one placemat 4 Each group can share their findings with the per group. class. The placemat is available on the FaithCentral website. 1 In the outer spaces each participant writes their thoughts and ideas about the word ‘values’. 2 Each participant shares their views. 3 The common points made by each participant are written in the circle in the middle of the placemat. 4 Defining values A value is a motive for action For instance, if a person values money highly, that value will have a direct effect on the choices he or she will make in life. If it is their chief value, it will be the overriding reason for action. For example: if you find a wallet with one hundred dollars in it on school grounds, there are a number of choices available: 1 keep the money, return the wallet, 2 look for the owner, 3 turn it over to the police or lost and found. • If money is your number one value you are likely to keep the money. • If honesty is a stronger value you will return the wallet. • If friendship is a stronger value and the wallet belongs to a friend you will obviously give back the wallet and money. In this way, values determine our moral decisions. What if you found an ipod? What if you found a cell phone? Values can be Task 2: Values on film taught or caught. We should never Your teacher will give you a work sheet to complete while you are underestimate watching the stimulus material. the power that Read these instructions prior to watching the clip. the media has to influence or shape As you watch the selected video: our values. So as • pick a character well as being • place a tick beside the values your character demonstrates taught and caught, are important. values should also be thought. After the video: • in the second column record evidence from the clip for the We are normally values you believe your chosen character demonstrated as motivated to act important by the values that we hold. • in the third column use the evidence from column 2 to rank the values indicated • in column 4 rank all the values on the table as you hold them • finally give evidence for saying the values you ranked are values to you. What do you do that demonstrates that these are your values? Task 3: My values then and now A worksheet for this task is available on the FaithCentral website. 5 Task 4: Values in conflict Many of the choices that we make on a day by day basis are not difficult as they do not involve a conflict of values. A decision is difficult to make when the values that are involved Family ‘Do’ are in conflict. Two values that are both important to us give us Emma (15 years old) was two different choices. asked out by her friends on the same day as a big These decisions are complex because they are not easy to make, family ‘do’ was planned. so we need to spend time thinking about them. Emma’s family had been looking forward to everyone being together. The situations on the right all involve conflicting values. Consider these situations and respond to the following tasks. 1 List the values in conflict. Hassling A gang is going around 2 Underline the values you think are most important.