Lisnagarvey High School

RELIGION AND MORALITY

A moral issue is an area of life where often the correct course of action is unclear.  They pose questions about life situations which people disagree on in terms of whether they are right or wrong.  It is a matter of opinion based on a person’s beliefs, e.g. is abortion right or wrong?

                         KEY WORDS

Morality 

The subject of right and wrong.

Moral

An action/behaviour that is right.

Immoral    

An action/behaviour that is wrong.

Absolute Morality

An action that is wrong or right on all occasions (e.g. right - helping a person in need/wrong - murder).

Reality Morality    

An action that is right in some circumstances but considered to be wrong in others.

Conscience 

Our personal understanding of right and wrong.  This differs from person to person because it is influenced by our different experiences in life - these may include the following i.e. (upbringing/friends/society/school/friends/religion).

Our beliefs and opinions affect our understanding of what is right and wrong; and what you see as moral and immoral will determine the way you live your life - e.g. if you are a Christian you would follow the teachings of the story of the Good Samaritan and ’love your neighbour’ by helping with charity fundraising, or you could believe you should look after your body (to some it is a gift from God) and therefore you would exercise regularly and not smoke.

Your conscience will allow you to do certain things but not others.  Guilt is a feeling you have when you have gone against your conscience, and done something you think you should not have done.  A religious or spiritual person would say that this is God communicating with you.

 What are people’s beliefs based on?

Another way of wording this is to ask: ’How does a person’s conscience develop?’  The answer to this is that it is based on their life experience in a number of different areas.  We are influced by:-

• The example set to us by our parents.
• What our school teaches us.
• The example of people who live in our society.
• The behaviour of our friends and associates.
• What our religion teaches us.

END OF TOPIC TEST

1.  What do the following terms mean?

(i) Moral    (ii) Immoral   (iii) Absolute Morality   (iv) Relative Morality?

2.  Describe what a person’s conscience is.

3.  What do religious people say ’conscience’ is?

4.  Name 3 influences that help to develop a person’s conscience.

ZigZag Education 2010