MORAL ISSUES AND

CONCERN IN
CONTEMPORARY LIVING
VALUE EDUCATION 07
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TABLE OF CONTENT

 CHAPTER 1
 Lesson 1 - What is morality
 Lesson 2 - History of Morality
 Lesson 3 - Foundational Principle of Morality

 CHAPTER 2
 Lesson 4 - Freedom
 Lesson 5 - Freedom and Responsibility
 Lesson 6 - Conscience
 CHAPTER 3
 Lesson 7 - Sin
 Lesson 8 - Sin
 Lesson 9 - The Seven Deadly Sin
 Lesson 10 - Seven Deadly Sin VS Seven Heavenly Virtues

 CHAPTER 4
 Lesson 11 - Morality of Human Act
 Lesson 12 - Human Act

 CHAPTER 5
 Lesson 13 - Making Moral Decision
 CHAPTER 6
 Lesson 14 - General Ethics: An Introduction
 Lesson 15 - Ethics and Christian Morality with Character Education

 CHAPTER 7
 Lesson 16 - Moral Issues
 THE FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLES OF MORALITY

 What is Morality?
 From textbook author, MORALITY refers to “the quality of human acts by which
we call them right or wrong, good or evil”.
 (Panizo, 1964) human action is right when it conforms with the norm, rule, or
law of morality. Otherwise it is said to be wrong. Ex. stealing is wrong.
 A man’s action, habit or character is good when it is not lacking of what is
natural to man, i.e. when it is in accordance with man’s nature.
 It is not natural that a man behave like a beast because he is not a beast. He is a
man, has intellect and free will. That intellect makes his capable of thinking,
judging and reasoning. His free will gives him the ability to choose, he is not
bound by instinct.
 Ex. It is a natural occurrence for beasts when a male dog meets a female dog
on the street and mate right there and then as they are not free but bound
by their instinct, like sexual instinct. But it is contrary to man’s nature when
a man and woman do as the dogs do. To do so is to go down to the level of
the beast.
 MEANING OF FOUNDATIONAL MORAL PRINCIPLES
 What is Foundational Moral Principle?
 The word PRINCIPLE comes from the Latin word princeps which means a
beginning, a source. A principle is that on which something is based, founded,
originated, initiated. It is likened to the foundation of a building upon which
all other parts stand.
 Ex. If we speak of light, the principle is the sun because the sun is the body
from which the light of this world originate.
 A foundational moral principle is therefore, the universal norm upon which
all others principles on the rightness or wrongness of an action are based. It is
the source of morality.
 Where is this Foundational Moral Principle?
 Foundational Moral Principle is contained in Natural Law. Many moralist,
authors, and philosophers may have referred to this foundational moral
principle in different terms. But it may be acceptable to all believers and
non-believers alike to refer to it as Natural Law.
 What is Natural Law?
 It is a law “written in the heart of men”. (Roman 2:15) For Theist, it is
“man’s share in the Eternal Law of God”. (Panizo, 1964) St. Thomas defines it
as “the light of natural reasons,” whereby we discern what is good and what is
evil.. An imprint on us of the divine light..” (Panizo, 1964) It is the law that
says: “Do good and avoid evil” THIS IS THE FUNDAMENTAL OR FOUNDATION
OF MORAL PRINCIPLE.
 All men and women, regardless of race and belief, have a sense
of this foundational moral principle. It is ingrained (deep rooted)
in man’s nature. “It is built into the design of human nature, and
women into the fabric of the normal human mind.” We are
inclined to do what we recognize are good and avoid that which
we recognize as evil.
 Panizo says:” Writings, customs, and monuments of past and
present generations point out to this conclusion: “ that all
peoples on earth, no matter how savage and illiterate, have
recognized a supreme law of divine origin commanding good and
forbidding evil:
 The same thing was said by the Chinese Philosopher, Mencius: “All men have
mind which cannot bear (to see the suffering of) others… If now men suddenly
see a child about to fall into a well, they will without exception experience a
feeling of alarm and distress.. From this case we may perceive that he who
lacks the feeling of commiseration is not a man; that he who lacks a feeling of
shame and dislike is not a man; he who lacks a feeling of modesty and
yielding is not a man; and that he who lacks a sense of right and wrong is not
a man… Man Hs these four beginnings… ( Fung Yulan, 1948, 69-70)
 The natural law that says: “do good and avoid evil” comes in different
versions. Kung-fu-tsu said the same when he taught: Do not do to others what
you do not like others to do to you”. This is also the Golden Rule of
Christianity only that it is written in the positive form: “Do to others, what
you like others do to you.”
 Immanuel Kant’s version is : Act in such a way that your maxim can be the
maxim for all:, For Christians, this Golden Rule is made more explicit through
the Ten Commandments and the Eight Beatitudes. These are summed up in
the two great commandments and , “love God with all your heart with all
your mind, with all your strength” and love your neighbor as you love
yourself.
 The Buddhist state this through the eightfold path. For the Buddhist they do
good when they:
 1. strive to know the truth
 2. resolve to resist evil
 3. say nothing to hurt others
 4. respect life, morality and property
 5. engage job that does not injure others
 6. strive to free their mind of evil
 7. control their feelings and thoughts
 8. practice proper form of concentration

 Buddha taught that “hatred does not cease by hatred; hatred ceases only by
love.” The Islamic Koran :forbids lying, stealing, adultery and murder”. It also
 Teaches “ honor for parents, kindness to slaves, protection for the orphaned
and the widowed, and charity to the poor. It teaches the virtues of faith,
 In God, patience, kindness, honesty, industry, honor, courage, and
generosity. It condemns mistrust, impatience and cruelty. Furthermore, the
Muslims abide by The Five Pillars of Islam:
 1. prayer
 2. self-purification by fasting
 3. fasting
 4 alms giving
 5. pilgrimage to Mecca for those who can afford.

 Teacher as a Person of Good Moral Character.

 As laid down in the preamble of our;
Chapter 7- MORAL ISSUES
ABORTION

 Abortion is the ending of pregnancy due to removing an embryo or fetus

before it can survive outside the uterus. An abortion that occurs
spontaneously is also known as miscarriage. When deliberate steps are taken
to end a pregnancy, it is called an induced abortion, or less frequently as an
“induced miscarriage”. The word abortion is often used to mean only
induced abortions. A similar procedure after the fetus could potentially
survive outside the womb is known a “late termination of pregnancy” or
less accurately as a “late term abortion". When allowed by law, abortion in
the developed word is one of the safest procedures in medicine. Modern
methods use medication or surgery for abortions. The drug mifepristone in
combination with prostaglandin appears to be as safe and effective as
surgery during the first and second trimester of pregnancy. The most common
surgical technique involves the cervix and using a suction device.
 Birth control, such as the pill or intrauterine devices, can be used
immediately following abortion.
 When performed legally and safely, induced abortions do not increase the risk of
long-term mental or physical problems. In contrast, unsafe abortions (those
perform by unskilled individuals, with hazardous equipment, or in unsanitary
facilities) cause 47,000 deaths and 5 million hospital admissions each year. The
Word Health Organization recommends safe and legal abortions be available to
all women. Around 56 million abortions are performed each year in the world, with
about 45% done unsafely. Abortions rates changed little between 2003 and 2008,
before which they decreased for at least two decades as access to family planning
and birth control increased. As of 2008, 40% of the world’s women had access to
legal abortions without limits as to reason. Countries that permit abortions have
different limits on how late in pregnancy abortion is allowed.
 Historically, abortions have been attempted using herbal medicines, sharp tools,
forceful massage, or through other traditional methods. Abortion laws and
cultural or religious views of abortions are different around the world. In some
areas abortion is legal only in specific cases such as rape, problems with the fetus,
poverty, risk to a woman’s health, or incest. In many places there is much debate
over the moral, ethical, and legal issues of abortion. those who oppose abortion
often maintain that an embryo or fetus is a human with a right to life, and so they
may compare abortion to murder. Those who favor the legality of abortion often
hold that a woman has a right to make decisions about her own body. Others favor
legal and accessible abortion as a public health measure.
 REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
 Reproductive health refers to the diseases, disorders and conditions that
affect the functioning of the male and female reproductive systems during all
stages of life. Disorders of reproduction include birth defects, developmental
disorders, low birth weight, preterm birth, reduced fertility, impotence, and
menstrual disorders. Research has shown that exposure to environmental
pollutants may pose the greatest threat to reproductive health. Exposure to
lead is associated with reduced fertility in both men and women, while mercury
exposure has been linked to birth defects and neurological disorders. A growing
body of evidence suggests that exposure to endocrine disruptors, chemicals
that appear to disrupt hormonal activity in humans and animals, may contribute
to problems with fertility, pregnancy, and other aspects of reproduction.
 Within the framework of the World Health Organization (WHO) definition of
health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not
merely the absence of disease or infirmity, reproductive health, or sexual
health/hygiene, addresses the reproductive processes, functions and system at
all stages of life. UN agencies claim, sexual and reproductive health includes
physical, as well as psychological well-being vis-à-vis sexuality.
 Reproductive health implies that people are able to have a responsible, satisfying
and safer sex life and that they have the capability to reproduce and the
freedom to decide it, when and how often to do so. One interpretation of this
implies that men and women ought to be informed of and to have access to
appropriate health care services of sexual, reproductive medicine and
implementation of health education program to stress the importance of women
to go safety through pregnancy and childbirth could provide couples with the
best chance of having a healthy infant.
 individuals do face inequalities in reproductive health services. Inequalities very
based on socioeconomic status, education level, age, ethnicity, religion, and
resources available in their environment. It is possible for example, that low
income individuals lack the resources for appropriate health services and the
knowledge to know what is appropriate for maintaining reproductive health.
 ANNULMENT is legal procedure within secular and religious legal systems for
declaring a marriage null and void. Unlike divorce, it is usually retroactive,
meaning that an annulled marriage is considered to be invalid from the beginning
almost as if it had never taken place (though some jurisdictions provide that the
marriage is only void from the date of annulment; for example, this is the case in
section 12 of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 in England and Wales). In legal
terminology, an annulment makes a void marriage or a voidable marriage null.
 An annulment is the legal voiding of a marriage. A court order is issued
declaring the marriage null and void. The legal meaning of “void” means the
marriage was determined to be illegal or invalid based on certain grounds, or
reason, spelled out in state law. An annulment requires a court hearing. If
you are the person seeking the annulment, you are the “petitioner”. The
other party to the marriage is called the “defendant” or “respondent”.

An Annulment Is Not a Divorce

An annulment is not the same as a divorce. A divorce is the dissolution of a valid
marriage. It is a legal method for ending the marriage between you and your
spouse. A divorce may entitle you to certain rights such as alimony, and you’ll
usually be awarded a portion of the marital assets. An annulment is different; it
means the marriage never existed. It does not give you or your spouse any rights
to alimony, and no division of marital property occurs. You also are not entitled
to any spousal benefits under the federal Social Security program.
 Grounds for Annulment
An annulment is a legal proceeding that is handled in state
count according to the laws of that state. An annulment is
not automatic. It must be granted by a judge. Annulment
procedures vary from one jurisdiction to another, and each
state has its own laws on the grounds for an annulment.
Reasons for annulment may include marriage between
minors who were too young to marry , marriage between
blood relatives, and a marriage that was entered into based
on fraud or coercion. Some states also will grant an
annulment if the marriage was never consummated or if one
of the parties suffers from mental illness.
 An annulment Is Permanent

 An annulment not only terminates the marriage but also

erases it. The law treats an annulled marriages as if it
never happened, unlike a divorce in which two people
were once married and the marriage has been legally
dissolved. After the judge has granted an annulment, both
parties are legally single. If the two of you later single. If
the two of you later decide to remarry each other,
assuming it is lawful for you to do so, you will have to
obtain a new marriage license and remarry.
 An Annulment Requires Residency
 An annulment requires you to be a resident of the state in
which you file your petition. If you are not a resident, the
annulment proceeding can still occur if the other party is
a resident of that state. At least one of you must be a
resident so the state count can assume jurisdiction over
the case. Without jurisdiction, the judge cannot hear the
case or grant the annulment.
 A Divorce Lawyer Can Help
 The law surrounding the annulment of a marriage
is complicated. Plus, the facts of each case are
unique. This article provides a brief, general
introduction to the topic. For more detailed,
specific information, please contact a divorce
lawyer.
THANK YOU!