Religion and Ethics

• Module 4: TOWARD VALUE FORMATION Values, Belief and Actions
• Desired Learning Outcomes


  • Seen the relationships between values, beliefs and actions
  • Determined their personal values and identify the principles of valuing
  • Enumerated the steps of the valuing process
  • Applied the "beatitudes" as a model for values that are inherently Christian
• Values


  One's actions, what he or she most cherishes
• Some value


  • Money that they become misers
  • Powers and become dictators
  • Family, and their whole lives center on what they can do for their spouse and children
• Values


  • Always have a positive function
  • Negative values are actually actions violating the standard behavior but are rationalized in the context of existing values
• Negative value


  • Pakikisama - when someone takes drugs due to peer pressure and later would resort to stealing
• Values


  • Influential that they affect the totality of the person's life
  • Control one's actions and choices
  • Determine a group's feelings of likes and dislikes as well as feelings related to what is acceptable and unacceptable
  • Serve as a guide to one's plan, decision making and response to change
• Values


  Related to one's search for meaning in life
• Beliefs


  Verbally spoken statements about what is true, important or what ought to be
• Actions


  An operation by which a value is determined, serving as a pointer or indicator to one's value
• Before anything becomes a value, it has to pass through what is called the "seven sub-processes of valuing"
• Jesus shows the importance of the relationship between words and actions


  A false prophet is one who said one thing and did another
• There is only one way a person's sincerity can be proved, and that is by his practice</b>
• Fine words (stated beliefs) can never substitute for fine deeds
• False prophets harm other people by lying to them and manipulating them to act in ways they would not normally act
• False prophets hurt themselves since they are always on "shaky ground", afraid to be discovered for what they really are
• There is a great need for people today to identify and clarify their personal values
• People may be grouped in to three in relation to their values


  • Those who appear to have no apparent values
  • Those who have strongly defined values
  • Those who have values yet they are poorly defined
• Value indicators


  That which help people know what they truly consider important in life, such as goals, purposes, aspirations, beliefs, convictions, activities, worries, problems, daydreams, use of time, use of money, use of energy
• Jesus felt that people should have clearly defined values

  He challenged people to determine what they valued the most
• The valuing process


  1. Choosing freely

  2. Choosing among alternatives

  3. Choosing after thoughtful consideration of the consequence of each alternative

  4. Prizing and cherishing

  5. Affirming

  6. Acting upon choices

  7. Repeating
• Unless something satisfies all seven of the criteria of the valuing process, we do not call it value
• Choosing freely


  If something is to guide one's life, it must be a result of free choice
• Choosing among alternatives


  There can be no choice if there are no alternatives from which to choose
• Choosing after thoughtful consideration of the consequence of each alternative


  Impulsive or thoughtless choices do not lead to values
• Prizing and cherishing


  When one values something, it has a positive tone, we prize it, cherish it, esteem it, respect it, hold it dear
• Affirming


  When we have chosen something freely, after consideration of the alternatives, and we are proud of our choice, glad to be associated with it, we are likely to affirm our choice when we are asked about it
• Acting upon choices


  Our values show up in our living, we do something about it, it gives direction to actual living
• Repeating


  For something to be a value, it must be repeated
• Value


  Something that has a positive tone, that we prize, cherish, esteem, respect, hold dear
• Choice


  Even when made freely and thoughtfully, may be a choice we are not happy to make
• Values


  Flow from choices that we are happy to make, that we prize and cherish as a guide to life
• Valuing Process


  1. Choosing freely

  2. Choosing from alternatives

  3. Choosing after thoughtful consideration of consequences

  4. Prizing and being happy with the choice

  5. Affirming the choice publicly

  6. Acting upon the choice

  7. Repeating the choice in a pattern in life
• The processes of choosing, prizing and acting collectively define valuing
• The results of the valuing process are called values
• The Beatitudes come from the Latin word "beatus" meaning "blessed" or "made happy"
• Some modern cynical people refer to the Beatitudes as the "Be-attitudes"
• Jesus was advocating values in the Beatitudes that, if accepted and claimed, would have led to happiness of those around
• The poor in spirit


  Simple, unspoiled folk who recognise their spiritual poverty and turn to God for spiritual enrichment
• The sorrowing


  Those who bear suffering courageously and with faith, trying to understand and share their neighbor's pain