Freedom, Law, and Conscience Flashcards
What is the meaning of freedom
The power, rooted in reason and will, to act or not, performing at one’s own responsibility
Explain the natural law
-God Leads all creatures to their end
-He Leads man to end not externally, but internally through his reason
What does reason command
Good must be done, evil avoided
Properties of natural law
- It is universal
It applies to all humans at all time - It is immutable
It does not change with history and culture - It is obligatory
In order to move towards God, man must choose good and avoid evil
Explain Divine Positive Law
-Because of man’s sinful tendencies, the knowledge of the natural law can be blurred
-God chose to reveal this law in the 10 commandments
- Jesus gave us the correct interpretation of the law of God
Explain the relationship between freedom and law
- Human Freedom finds it’s authentic and complete fulfillment in the acceptance of the Law of God
- Man does not create law but discovers it
- He becomes freer by following the law
What are human laws
- Laws enacted by human authority to rule society
- Human laws are just when they conform to the natural law
What are the laws of the church
1) You shall attend mass on sundays and holy days of obligation and rest from service labor
2) You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during Easter season
3) You shall confess your sins at least once a year
4) You shall observe days of fasting and abstinence established by the church
5) You shall help provide for the needs of the church
What is a Conscience
The judgement of reasoning whereby the person recognizes the goodness or evil of an act he is doing, has done, or is about to do
Rules about conscience
1) We have the obligation to acquire and foster an upright conscience
2) Ae Must follow our consciences
3) When in doubt, we must remove the doubt first in a way that is most probably not sinful
Forming the conscience
1) Pray
2) Study
3) Examine the conscience
4) Seek advice
5) Live an upright life
6) Be sincere
What are human acts
- Human Acts are those that are freely chosen in consequence of a judgement of conscience
- They are either good or evil
What does an acts morality depend on
Object
Intention
Circumstance
What is the intention
- It is the purpose pursued in the action
-The intention can guide several actions towards the Sam end
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What is the circumstance
- These are the situations or conditions that surround a human act
- They contribute to increasing or decreasing the goodness or evil of a human act
-A morally good act requires good object, intention, and circumstance
Indirectly voluntary acts
- Acts that although a person lacks direct voluntary control over them, they can cause them to happen if they choose to perform some intermediate action
What is responsibility
- A quality of free human acts whereby whatever we do freely will leave its mark in us
- We own the acts we freely chose to do
What is merit
- It is the recompense to an action.
- It can be a reward or punishment
What is merit
- It is the recompense to an action.
- It can be a reward or punishment
