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Catholic Morality | ||||||
The Ten Building Blocks of Cathollic Social Teaching | ||||||
1. The Pinciple of Human Dignity- This is the most basic and essential Catholic social teaching. It states that every person, whether they are white, black, rich, poor, homosexual, heterosexual, smart, not so smart, naughty, or nice, deserves respect for the simple fact that they remain a human being. Therefore, a human being is never meant to be used or exploited like an object, but rather each person should be treated as one deserving of dignity and respect. 2. The Principle of Respect for Human Life- The second principle states that every stage of human life, whether it be the very beginning stages, the middle, of the end, is meant to be held in the highest regards and treated as something invaluable. In order for any society to survive and to thrive there needs to be a basic respect of rhuman life. 3. The Principle of Association- Through association and rootedness in family and other community groups that promote the growth and development of dignity and a drive for the common good, people fullfil their purpose. Bonds made in families and other close groups should always be protected and never neglected. 4. The Principle of Participation- It is possible to be a member of the YMCA but never go there to do anything. Now, while this seems like only a waste of a monthly fee, but lack of participation also hides the benefits of the organization. Not everyone is allowed or able to join the YMCA, but very person should have the right to join a social organization that is necessary for a person to gain human fulfillment. For instance, people have the right to join unions in order to earn decent, living wages and to have some amoun of economic security so that they may support their family. 5. The Principle of Preferential Protection for the Poor and the Vulnerable- Because of the socio-economic divide present everywhere in our modern day society, it is necessary now more than ever for those who have power and the means to help people to actually help those who cannot help themselves. In order for our society to continue to survive we must continue on lifting or brothers up onto our shoulders. Our society as a whole is only as strong as our weakest link; if one link in the chain breaks, then the whole thing ceases to function. 6. The Principle of Solidarity- Solidarity serves as a moral guide that leads to the betterment of the common good. Loving our neighbor as we love ourselves doesn't just mean to love your neighbor, but it expands and is applicable on multiple dimensions. 7. The Principle of Stewardship- A steward in medeival times was a person who saveguarded the throne of the king while the king was away. We must likewise be stewards of this earth that we live on, the earth Our Creator has made. We must use our talents, abilities, and technologies in order to maintain and restore our environment, not only the natural world outside of cities and civilization but also our own personal health. 8. The Principle of Subsidiarity- Basically this principle states that the people in a society who have a problem should be the one's who get to fix it. No higher authority that is unfamiliar with the situation should step in to take care of it, but rather it should be handled by people who are more deeply invested in the situation. 9. The Principle of Human Equality- Discriminationin any shape or form is not part of God's grand design, rather all people should be treated equally regardless of their inevitable differences in background or talent. 10. The Principle of the Common Good- Pressuposing the previously listed nine principle there is the belief in the principle of the common good. That is that our motives as individuals and as a society should be geared on a whole towards the improvement of the common good of the society or the betterment of the standard of living for a particular society. Being part of a community is essential in aiding the common good of society and therefore once the community begins to faulter the whole groundwork of the society begins to tremble. I believe: I think that all ten on the building blocks are a sort of natural truth, similar to the truth that C. S. Lewis spoke of. It is very important to maintain each one of the building blocks in order for any civilized society to survive and for that matter, for any society to growth and prosper. It may not be the same as the natural truth that C. S. Lewis talked about in the sense that we have a tendancy to do them subconciously but rather that it seems like common sense that a society will crumble if it doesn't take care of its people. They are simply teachings that cannot be ignored when striving for success. |