1. Respecting Human Dignity

2.  Think of someone who has hurt you. Are you able to see any good in him or her? In a paragraph, explain the reason for your response.

3.  Christian vision of justice: belief that all of God’s creation has goodness and dignity  Respect: ◦ Taking a second look ◦ Look beyond outer appearances and see our neighbors and our world in the light of the goodness inherent in all God’s creation

4.  What lessons do you think can be gained from this exercise?  Do people slow down and take a second look at their environment often enough? Why or why not?  What are possible consequences of failing to take a second look at their environment often enough? What are the benefits?

5.  Is there beauty in your surroundings? Survey them as if you were looking through the lens of a camera--or actually do so if you have a camera available. Write a paragraph about what you saw and whether it appeared to you as beautiful.

6.  Goodness given by God is at the core of all people and creation  Respect is the recognition of that goodness  All creation is precious and valuable

7.  Respect in action  When an attitude of respect is expressed in actions, justice occurs  Christian vision of just can be realized only when respect, based in God-given goodness of creation is active in human life

8.  What criteria are used by students in this school to discriminate against one another?

9.  What do all of these images have in common?  Deut. 32:11  Isa. 42:14  Isa. 66:7-13  Luke 15:8-10  Matt. 23:37

10.  The creation account states that God created human beings in God’s image, male and female (Gen.1:27)  If we overlook female images of God, might our sense of the dignity of women be inhibited?

11.  Just as inclusion of female images can increase our sense of God and the dignity of women-and men-the inclusion of other cultural images of God can expand our sense of God and the dignity of all cultures.

13.  Basic human dignity of all people  Created in God’s image ◦ Our loving actions, actions that flow from the core of our being and display our concern for others, demonstrate most fully that we are images of God ◦ Abilities and skills unique to each person ◦ Through these abilities that we express the image of God on earth

14.  Can never be taken away, even by our actions  God given right to express ourselves  Cannot be destroyed  Can be violated, disregarded and disrespected  Is assaulted by any action or circumstance that prevents us from expressing our true nature as images of God

15.  Basic human dignity of all people  Write down your responses: ◦ What words or images come to mind when you think of people in prison? ◦ The purpose of prison is… ◦ Even criminals have a basic dignity that must be respected.

16.  Tradition  The Social Teaching of the Church ◦ US Catholic Bishops  Make amends with a crime  Deterrent  Rehabilitation  Rights must be respected

17.  Vengeance ◦ Law is strong, but we frequently don’t live up ◦ Ex: violence, denied basic medical, access to lawyer, family ◦ Assaults harm possibility of rehab  Rehabilitation ◦ Respect is key to empowering people so they can rehabilitate

18.  Justice demands protection of the common good  Given this idea of justice: ◦ How should we treat criminals?

20.  Cardinal Joseph Bernardin  Consistent Ethic for Life  From the womb to the tomb  Heart of Justice

21.  In groups: choose on life issue ◦ Write what the most Pro- Life, Respect- Full stance on that issue.

22.  Murder Victims Families for Reconciliation– organized to abolish the death penalty  Break the cycle of violence  Display that all life should be respected

23.  Americans with Disabilities Act

24.  Lack of self respect  Addiction  Treat addiction—change values, thinking, behaviors, spirituality  Embrace responsibility, honesty and caring for others

25.  Examples of a lack of self-respect  What are the criteria for self-respect  Make a list of guidelines.  HW: Self-evaluation: how are you doing with these? Set personal goals for improvement.

26.  Wage gap  How does this affect other areas of justice?

27.  Advertisements manipulate  People become identified with what they own instead of what they think

28.  All people have basic goodness and dignity because they have been created in the image of God  This human dignity must be acknowledged and respected

29.  Do you ever think about pro-life issues? How do you feel about them?  Are your family and friends supportive of you views?  Who do you think you are more like Morton or Horton? Why?  Why do you think that people are afraid to stand up for life?

30.  Why do you think pro-life issues generate so much passion in people?  Have you ever had to deal with people who oppose your beliefs? What did you do?  How is the dignity of all human life attacked? What is the opposition to pro- life issues look like in your life?  How can you take a stand for life both in big ways and small ways.