1. God’s Role in Morality Unit 1: Being a Moral Person 1

2. God’s Role in Morality is… the authority that establishes the rules… 0 How do we know there is a God? 0 How do we know this being has created rules? 0 What are the consequences in regards to morality if there is no God or there is a God?

3. The Consequences 0 If there is no God then what is the purpose of life? 0 If there is no God is all authority just human authority? 0 If there is a God should we not try and find out what the correct rules are? 0 Should we not try to ensure our rules match God’s rules?

4. Morality “Freedom makes humans moral subjects” 0 Morality: the sinfulness or goodness of an act 0 Humans have inherited the wisdom and goodness of the Creator who gave humans mastery over their acts and the ability to govern themselves with a view to the TRUE and the GOOD. 0 In order to believe this you must believe that there is such a thing as objective truth and good

5. Two Truths 0 Subjective: based on somebody’s opinions or feelings rather than on facts or evidence OR existing only in the mind and not independently of it.  Ex. I think The Simpsons is better than Family Guy 0 Objective: based on facts rather than thoughts or opinions OR existing independently of the individual mind or perception.  Ex. Math: 1+1=2

6. So based on our understanding of Morality and Objective Truth… Is Murder Wrong? What would Michael Corleone or Tony Soprano say?

7. The Godfather Part II Fredo’s betrayal of brother Michael http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeZ5GpcG4sc&featu re=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeZ5GpcG4sc&featu re=related Part III Michael’s guilt http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2QvuZpxmeo Objective Truth: Murder is Wrong!

8. Religion 0 People’s beliefs and opinions concerning the existence, nature, and worship of a God or Gods &Goddesses, and divine involvement in the universe and human life.  a particular institutionalized system of beliefs and practices

9. If there is no God then, by logic, no absolute or ultimate goodness would exist in the world and therefore all morality becomes relative and subjective If all morality is subjective and relative then individuals and by extension individual societies become the sole determiners of right and wrong

10. If there is no God then all is material; there is no divine spirit If this is the case then one would have to question why killing is wrong, where moral outrage could exist, and how exactly Hitler is evil or any act be considered evil as there is no absolute or universal good