RE104- Prelims

Question 1

five (5) approaches to morality

Answer 1

1. as law
2. as inner conviction
3. as personal growth
4. as love
5. as social transformation

Question 2

• emphasizes the external
• morality is not something that originates from us but IMPOSED on us

Answer 2

as law

Question 3

• associated with authority figures
• see our moral role in terms of duty or obedience

Answer 3

as law

Question 4

emphasizes the value of conscience

Answer 4

as inner conviction

Question 5

deep within our conscience we discover a law that we have not laid upon ourselves, but which we must obey

Answer 5

as inner conviction

Question 6

• we experience this approach when we no longer need someone to tell us not to do bad
• able to see and feel the injustice that we bring to ourselves, and others when we do it

Answer 6

as inner conviction

Question 7

the inner peace of a good conscience accompanies the knowledge that we have been true to our principles.

Answer 7

as inner conviction

Question 8

shifts from the action that we do to we, who are doing the action

Answer 8

as personal growth

Question 9

• more dynamic
• allows us to see change in the person

Answer 9

as personal growth

Question 10

the primary moral experience is an experience of the I, with the other.

Answer 10

as love

Question 11

It focuses on a loving relationship, becoming alive, and being responsive to the demands that it entails.

Answer 11

as love

Question 12

when present, we know there is an implicit call for us to be kind, courteous, fair, and sympathetic

Answer 12

as love

Question 13

we understand that the outcome of being moral might be expressed in terms of togetherness and communion

Answer 13

as love

Question 14

• sees morality as a relationship
• goes beyond the small world of interpersonal relationships, to the larger world, the society

Answer 14

as social transformation

Question 15

To be moral here means to be personally affected by the suffering of the poor and the marginalized.

Answer 15

as social transformation

Question 16

involves not only a preferential option for the poor and marginalized but also a preferential option for the care of and responsible stewardship of our environment

Answer 16

morality as social transformation

Question 17

four (4) images of god

Answer 17

1. strict lawgiver
2. a judge who rewards and punishes
3. tester (sufferings come from god as a test)
4. controller

Question 18

TRUE/ FALSE: the intimate connection between the image of God and the perception of Christian morality/how we live our lives.

Answer 18

TRUE

Question 19

We often use ____ as an analogy for God’s love.

Answer 19

human loving

Question 20

We sometimes make the mistake of thinking that God’s love is like imperfect human love (3)

Answer 20

selective
arbitrary
conditional

Question 21

Distortions can also come from some scripture passages that use ___ to describe God, particularly in the Old Testament

Answer 21

human metaphors

Question 22

come from childhood experiences with strict authority figures who emphasized obedience to rules.

Answer 22

god as a strict lawgiver

Question 23

can come from biblical passages that portray God punishing rule breakers (e.g., Adam and Eve, Israel and the golden calf)

Answer 23

god as a strict lawgiver

Question 24

we end up with a life that overemphasizes observance of the law.

Answer 24

god as a strict lawgiver

Question 25

begin to measure our goodness and the goodness of others based only on obedience to rules

Answer 25

god as a strict lawgiver

Question 26

unable to deal with situations that are not covered by existing rules of the Church. We either become paralyzed or insist on a forced application of the rules.

Answer 26

god as a strict lawgiver

Question 27

“I think God is always watching and judging my every move. if I am good, God will love me more and I will have many blessings in my life; if I am bad, God will withdraw his love and I will get punished with bad things in my life.”

Answer 27

god as a judge who rewards and punishes

Question 28

problem: does not match what we see in reality – evil persons seem to prosper and bad things happen to good people

Answer 28

god as a judge who rewards and punishes

Question 29

perceived inconsistency can lead people to question God’s love -- some would conclude that God is cruel, has favorites, or is blind to human suffering.

Answer 29

god as a judge who rewards and punishes

Question 30

interpret every tragedy as a punishment from God for some past or unknown sin and blame themselves for deserving such a punishment

Answer 30

god as a judge who rewards and punishes

Question 31

Such an image of God will foster a morality that justifies the strict punishment of sinners.

Answer 31

god as a judge who rewards and punishes

Question 32

lead to a morality that equates goodness with prosperity and sinfulness with suffering.

Answer 32

god as a judge who rewards and punishes

Question 33

- God’s love has to be earned as a reward for good behavior. - can affect how we relate with others – we seek to earn other people’s love and other people have to earn our love

Answer 33

god as a judge who rewards and punishes

Question 34

- loving is reduced to a transaction - it is not freely given; it is something one has to earn.

Answer 34

god as a judge who rewards and punishes

Question 35

people view many difficulties in life as challenges sent by God to test one’s faith.

Answer 35

god as tester

Question 36

This view can come from a literal reading of bible passages where God is presented as testing a person’s faith (e.g., Abraham; Job)

Answer 36

god as tester

Question 37

- negative emotions are signs of a weakening of one’s trust in God’s love - to give in to these feelings is a sign of a lack of faith and a failure in God’s test.

Answer 37

god as tester

Question 38

- feel guilty about questioning God about bad things that happen - they think that one should never question God’s ways -- it would be a sign of disrespect

Answer 38

god as a tester

Question 39

- god plans everything that will happen in their lives - they believe that a person cannot escape the will of God.

Answer 39

god as controller

Question 40

- “Everything that happens in my life has already been planned by God.” - “God has a reason for allowing things to happen to me.”

Answer 40

god as controller

Question 41

when dealing with difficulties in life, they either become passive or resigned to suffering or rebel and blame God for being cruel

Answer 41

god as controller

Question 42

they try to make deals with God to influence God’s plan for their life.

Answer 42

god as controller