CFED REVIEWER (MIDTERM)
We moralize or judge as good or bad is the human act. In
the ancient time when there were no formulated norms yet
which we now call law/s.
Etymology of Moral
 Latin word “mores” means manner or custom/s,
which are widely used within a particular society or
culture.
 From its etymology, moral means good.
 Immoral means bad.
 Amoral or indifferent act – not judge as good
nor bad.
 Amoral or indifferent acts are the same with
the acts of man. Therefore, if you follow the
norms of society which in the ancient time
were customs, traditions, and other practices,
then your action is good, if not then what you
are doing is bad.
Customs
 the norms for people at that time were the established
practices called customs.
 Example in the Philippine context, people do not state
the rule such as “honor your parents/elders” but they
teach us the customs on how to do such like saying
“po or opo” or “pagmamano” and others. Even in
ways of dressing, our elders had their customs on how
to do it to be respectful and others.
*So, it is now clear to us that the customs set by our elders
before were the norms for people to live a good life and to
have a good relationship with one another*
There are no criteria on how are we going to moralize or
judge very specific human actions to see if they are really
good or bad. Even most of our laws today are still too
general as bases to moralize human actions. They cannot
give an exact judgment or exact amount or degree of
reward or penalty which corresponds to the action
committed. With this, we need specific criteria.
ELEMENTS IN DETERMINING THE MORALITY
OF HUMAN ACTS
There are three determinants of morality for us to assess
the quality of human actions:
1. The Act (The Object)
 There are actions that the act itself will
reveal if it is good or bad. There is no
need for norms or rules to base on to see
their quality.
 Examples: Killing, stealing, cheating.;
these acts are clearly or obviously bad.
Praying, attending the Holy Mass; these
actions are obviously good.
2. Purpose or Intention (The End of the act) –
WHY?
 A lot of our action is done with an
intention or purpose – the reason behind
the act. Although generally we do things
with a good intention, there are also
instances where some will really do an
action with a bad intention.
 Example: helping is generally good, but
some people will help a poor girl with
the intention of seducing her; then,
helping which was supposed to be a
good action became bad in that instance.
Studying is also good; but how about
studying how to make a bomb to kill
people whom you envy? This is how
crucial the intention is as part of the
criteria in moralizing human acts.
3. Circumstance (involves: place, time, person,
manner)
This refers to the persons involved, the time, place,
and occasion that surround the act. In other words, it
answers the questions: ‘WHO’, ‘WHEN’,
‘WHERE’ and ‘HOW’. This can change or
completely alter the moral quality of a human act.
Circumstance is a condition modifying human
actions, either by increasing or diminishing the
moral responsibility. It plays an important role in
affecting the morality of an action because human
acts are performed at a definite time and place, in a
particular manner, for a certain reason, etc. All of
which, in one way or another, increase or diminish
the responsibility of the action. Circumstance can
make a good action evil, as when a guard on duty
goes to sleep. It can increase or minimize the guilt of
the individual as when a student lies to his/her
teacher when he/she cheats. Since all human actions
occur at a certain time and place, the circumstance
must always be considered in evaluating the moral
quality of any human act.
Principles for Judging the Morality of Human Acts
(application of the three criteria above)
1. An act is morally good if the 3 (Act, Purpose
and Circumstance) are substantially good.
Examples: Helping, Studying, working, etc.
2. If one of the three is evil, the act is evil.
Helping one to steal, studying how to easily kill
someone (what is evil here is the intention)
3. Circumstance may create, mitigate or
aggravate sin/culpability
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Circumstance can create, lessen or increase or even
remove one’s culpability (guilt, penalty)
Example: walking on a newly cemented area is
bad since alam na this, how about if the one who
walked on that area is a two year old girl? Will
you moralize her action? Of course not.
4. For amoral act or indifferent act, its morality
will be judge by its purpose and circumstance.
ex: throwing a stone, walking, etc. how about if
one intentionally stepped on the newly cemented
area? Obviously, such action is bad.
5. An act which is intrinsically evil is not morally
allowed regardless of any circumstance.
ex: killing, suicide, adultery, rape, and the likes.
Other Moral Principles Based on the Three
Criteria of Morality
a. A good act done for a bad end becomes
bad.
Example: Politicians who gave relief goods to
people who were greatly affected by the mass
flooding taking advantage of the situation to
campaign for the election.
b. A bad act done for a good end does not
become good
Example: When a father put the justice into his
hands and kills the murderer of his daughter to take
revenge for her death.
c. The end does not justify the means. (The
end or purpose does not justify the means or
manner) This is almost the same with letter
b. No matter how good the purpose is if the
manner or way or act is bad then it is not
morally allowed.
Example: A student cheats during examination to
pass and obtain scholarship in a university. Recall
also the Robinhood story.
d. An indifferent act may become morally
good or bad. (depending on the
purpose/intention)
Example: To study law is in itself an indifferent
action. It becomes good when inspired by the
thought of alleviating human sufferings or making a
decent living. It becomes bad if it is intended to
perform illegal or immoral actions.
An elder brother who puts hot sauce on a cake
before giving it to a begging younger brother, so that
the younger brother will not ask for more, and the
elder can have the cake all to himself.
e. Choose the lesser evil (if no other options
or it is the last resort)
This is only allowed if there are no other options,
and the situation is a matter of life and death where
you need to decide at that very moment.
Why not give the same punishment for the same
crimes?
Aside from the purpose and circumstance which can
lessen or increase the culpability of a bad action,
there are also other factors which affect the manner
or the reason why a person committed such an act.
Not all acts are done perfectly by the doer/agent.
There are the so-called kinds of human act or
specifically called kinds of voluntary act.
KINDS OF VOLUNTARY ACT
1. Perfect Voluntary act - the is act done with full
knowledge and full consent.
2. Imperfect V.A. – the act is done with some defect
in the knowledge or consent.
3. Simple V.A.- the act is done by the agent because
he/she simply likes doing it.
4. Conditional V.A – the act is done with a
condition. “if”
5. Direct V.A - the act is intended by the agent.
6. Indirect V.A - the act is not intended by the agent but an
effect or result of the act which is directly intended.
Example: I intentionally threw a stone to the window but it
bounced back and hit my playmates.
7. Actual V.A – the act is spontaneous; an act is a result of
an intention done here and now.
8. Virtual V.A – an act done is a result of a previous
intention (which may have been forgotten) – it is like the
act is planned.
9. Habitual V.A – the act done is a result of habit.
10. Interpretative V.A. - an act influenced by an intention
which is presumed (interpreted) to be present in an agent
who lacks the ability to express his actual intention.
Example: A mute person is asking you something through
sign language, and you are the one who will interpret what
he/she is asking and you did or gave it.
These kinds of voluntary act are great factors which will
affect the judgement of a certain action.
IMPEDIMENTS TO HUMAN ACTS
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Human actions, though naturally a product of will
and reason, are sometimes influenced by many factors.
These factors can intervene and bar one’s actions from
being human or contribute to the reduction of the quality
of a certain action. Since they can bar one’s faculties like
the mind in performing a human act, these are called
impediments to human acts. These impediments reduce
the quality of human acts and so affects the judgement or
morality of human acts.
1. Ignorance – pertains to the lack of pertinent
information as to the nature, circumstances and
effect of a certain action. Either in commission or
omission, the willful lack of initiative to properly
understand the whole picture of the circumstance
affects the moral quality of an action.
 Ignorance takes place when an individual
consciously proceeds to act on a certain matter
without due consideration of the relevant o
necessary information related to it. Usually,
this takes place when someone unconsciously
violates certain rules and regulations. When
asked to be made responsible for the action
committed, one asserts that he/she must not be
held accountable since he/she was unaware
that such was a violation. This example is a
clear manifestation on how ignorance directly
alters the moral quality of an action.
 Ignorance is classified into:
Invincible Ignorance – This refers to a
total ignorance of the person about the
circumstance and other factors
surrounding the action that she/he
committed. This total ignorance is
unintentional.
Vincible Ignorance – This is an
ignorance that can be dispelled/removed a.
or learned through ordinary efforts,
conscientiousness, and proper diligence.
There are two forms of vincible
ignorance:
o Crass Ignorance (lack of effort) –
happens when a person exerts little
effort to dispel his ignorance.
o Affected Ignorance – is a willful
act of asserting one’s ignorance in b.
order to plead innocence to a
charge of guilt in doing or not
doing an act. The act is pretended.
An example is a student who
pretends not to know the school’s
policy on proper haircut when
confronted by the guards.
Morality of Actions done under Ignorance:
• Wrong actions done under Invincible
ignorance is not culpable; because of one’s
unintentional total ignorance.
Example: A person who does not know how to read
and write caught for jaywalking. You cannot
penalize him/her since he/she is totally ignorant
about the norm.
• Wrong action done under Crass Ignorance
is culpable but the culpability can be
lessened. This is so, since the person
exerted little effort to dispel his/her
ignorance despite the opportunities to do
so.
• Bad action done under Affected Ignorance
is totally culpable. In fact, the culpability
could increase since the person just
pretended his/her ignorance.
2. Concupiscence:
Happens when inordinate passion hinders one to
exercise correct reasoning. Passions are the emotional
elements such as pride, anger, love, joy, and the likes.
Concupiscence happens when these passions push the
person in doing a certain act without the intervention
of reasoning or mind.
Examples: Suddenly punching someone out of wrath,
destroying someone’s image out of envy, having pre-
Marital sex with someone due to being in loved, etc.
Two kinds of Concupiscence: (ante = before,
consequent = after)
Antecedent Concupiscence – A spontaneous
inordinate passion influences an action before it is
controlled by the will. The act abruptly or
suddenly happens. This is called “gavva lang” in
Ibanag.
For example, Juan was allegedly running late for
his class. When he entered the school campus, the
guard confiscated his ID for no apparent reason.
Out of anger, he cursed the guard.
Consequent Concupiscence – happens when the
intellect is aware of the inordinate passion and the
will still choses to arouse the said passion and
proceed with the act. So, it is pre-meditated.
Example: you got angry with your classmates and
after many hours or even a day, you did not calm
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your anger and still wanted to punch your
classmates and you did it.
Morality of Actions done under Concupiscence:
• Bad actions done under Antecedent
Concupiscence are still culpable but the
culpability can be lessened or can even be
negated. This is so since the action was abrupt
and so not intentional.
• Bad actions done under Consequent
Concupiscence are totally culpable.
3. Fear – happens when the individual is
threatened by impending danger. The
existence of danger or threats can limit one’s
ability to use the will and reason and merely
acts based on the instinct to survive or
overcome the situation. There are two kinds
of Fear:
a. Light Fear: The impending danger or
threat is light or somewhat like remote.
Example is your classmate tells you that he
will slap you if you will not give in to his
demand.
b. Grave Fear: The impending danger or
threat is so serious like a matter of life and
death choices. Example is when your
classmate demands something from you
with his gun pointed at your head.
Morality of Actions done under Fear:
Bad action done with light or grave fear are both
culpable. This is because, despite the presence of
the threat, one can still choose to do what he/she
prefers to do, although the consequence can really
affect the decision.
4. Violence – (physical attack) is the application of
physical force upon a resisting person to compel
him/her to do or not to do an act like protecting
oneself and others. There are two persons involve
here, the one who attacks and the one who
defends her/himself. What we judge here is the
reaction of the one being attacked since the act of
the one who attacks is understood as bad.
 Self-defense is a classic example for violence.
With the presence of fear, one has to protect
himself/herself against his/her perpetrator.
Self-defense means, there is no intention to kill
one’s perpetrator but only to defend oneself.
Morality of actions done under violence
If you are on the act of defending yourself against your
perpetrator like a rapist or killer or kidnapper and
unintentionally, you killed him/her, are you culpable? Of
course not, but if you intended to kill your perpetrator
while defending yourself, then you are culpable although
your culpability can be lessened.
5. Habit – Firm and stable behavior pattern of acting. An
individual naturally and consciously, although most often
unconsciously performs an action, as a result of its
repetitive performance through time. With the presence
of habit, an individual act based on his/her repeated
responses to situations.
Good habits are called virtues while bad habits are
vices. Obviously, we only moralize bad habits and not the
good ones. Examples of your habits is speaking bad
words as a reaction to situations, like “ko diablo” or
“diablo ka ko” or “pesti”, or always causing trouble in a
party when drunk, etc.
Morality of actions done under bad habit
Bad actions done because of habit are culpable. The
culpability is lessened only when the person exerts
utmost effort to free himself/herself from a vicious habit.
The S-T-O-P Principle
There is one good practice which is very helpful in
dealing with passions and dilemmas or problems in life.
This is called the STOP principle.
S – Search for the fact/s. Study what is the issue behind
one’s problems or dilemmas and other related situations.
T – Think for alternatives. This is necessary if your
proposed action is not clear or not sure.
O – Others are to be considered for advice. Ask others’
advice or suggestions if you are hard up.
P – Pray for guidance and wisdom. Pray to God for
enlightenment about the issue or problem.
*One should apply STOP if one is doubting, confused,
emotionally disturbed, things are unclear etc.
General Moral Principle:
One should not act nor decide if one is doubting,
confused, emotionally disturbed, problematic, things are
unclear and other same circumstances.
DOUBLE EFFECT – There are actions which have two
effects (good and bad)
Principles of Double Effect
One is allowed to do an act with two effects (good
and bad) under the following conditions.
1. The act must be good or at least morally
indifferent.
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2. The evil effect must not precede the good effect
or at least they should happen simultaneously.
So, the good effect must come first before the bad
one if ever.
3. There must be a sufficient reason to do the act.
Sufficient to do the act means like helping one to
escape death or escape danger and the likes.
4. The intention of the agent is honest.
There should be no other intention than to do
good like the ones mentioned as sufficient
reasons above.
An example of this is a physician/doctor operating a
pregnant woman with the expected effects if ever
like the mother might die in the process or the baby
in her womb might die or even the two might die.
Societal/Social Norms
 Social norms, or mores, are the unwritten rules
of behavior that are practice in a group or
society. Norms function to provide order and
predictability in society. People want approval
and sense of belongingness, and those who do
not follow the norms will suffer disapproval or
may even be outcast from the group. This is
how people keep society functioning, not just
with direct rules but also expectations. When
people know what is expected of them, they
will comply. While some people seek to be
different, most just want to be part of the
group.
NORMS OF MORALITY
These are standards on which human acts are based
to determine their goodness or badness. A proximate
norm is immediately applicable to the acts while the
ultimate norm guarantees the validity of the
proximate norm.
a. Proximate Norm
Proximate Norm of Morality arises from human
nature. This is present in everyone for all to
immediately find out if the action they are about to
do or the act that they have just done is good or bad.
Since this norm is in the human person, it is also
subjective. This proximate norm of morality is
Conscience.
CONSCIENCE
 Comes from the latin word, conscientia means
“a joint knowledge” or “knowledge with”
Based on this etymological meaning, conscience is
not an entity that is devoid of other factors.
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church
(CCC), Conscience is the practical judgment of
reason allowing the person to recognize the moral
quality of an act. So, Conscience is attached with our
reason/intellect.
Other definitions of Conscience:
it is considered as God’s voice that echoes in the
heart and mind of an individual. Conscience is the
most secret core and sanctuary of man. There he is
alone with God whose voice echoes in his depths
(GS 16).
Conscience has the final say in making moral
decisions. It helps a person make the final judgment
on how to act in a given situation. In addition, it is
the inner voice summoning us to love the good and
avoid evil, by applying objective moral norms to our
particular acts, and thus commanding: “do this, do
not do that”. (CFC 723)
There are two moments of conscience: (Ante =
before, Consequent = after)
1. Antecedent Conscience – is a conscience that
judges an act before it is done. In other words,
before an action is carried out; the Conscience
immediately gave a warning if it is a bad or gave
approval if it is good.
A typical example is during a difficult quiz,
a student thought of cheating but since his/her
conscience reacted that such is a bad action, the
student did not push through with it.
2. Consequent Conscience – judges an act after it
is done. In other words, moral assessment comes
after the completion of a certain act. This is the case
of people who act first before they think about the
action they did.
Such are called reckless or imprudent. In our local
language or dialects, you call these “padalos-dalos”
or “darusudos”
Going back to the example above, consequent
conscience works after the cheating has been done
by the student and so he/she starts feeling guilty
about the act that he/she committed. A part of
him/her would say it is alright because something
good happened – he/she passed the quiz. However,
another part of him/her says he/she should have not
done it because it was unfair to those who reviewed.
He/she finally realizes it as wrong.
Conscience is further classified into different
forms:
1. Correct conscience - judges a good act as
indeed good while a bad act is indeed bad.
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2. False conscience. This conscience judges a good
act as bad and bad act as good.
One example is gambling. Gambling in any form is
not good at all. In every game, one wins at the
expense of another person’s loss. Assessing this
situation, one may say that such action is good for
it is a form of fun and a game of luck. Thus, the
bad act is perceived as good for pleases and
comforts people.
3. Scrupulous conscience describes that one is
always afraid of committing errors; hence,
he/she becomes rigorous in everything that he/she
does. In other words, such kind of conscience
makes a person very legalistic (a person interprets
the letter of the law alone, not its spirit) in such a
way that he/she follow what is literally there in
the law and follows it no matter its effects on
his/her life. What matters most is the fact that
he/she will not commit any error.
Fulfilling one’s Sunday obligation of attending
mass is good act. This is in accordance with the third
commandment. Misunderstanding this Church law
subjects one to his/her scrupulous conscience. While
it is true that everyone needs to fulfill this obligation,
it does not however bind sick people. So that when a
student of a Catholic institution goes to mass despite
being sick, scrupulous conscience is working on the
person. In this case, he/she may not attend mass
anymore considering his/her condition but still
forces himself/herself due to his/her fear of
committing a sin.
4. Lax conscience is a case where a person keeps on
excusing himself/herself from every mistake
committed. It is as if, he/she does not commit any
mistake at all.
Intentional violation of traffic rules is one
example. Not stopping even when the red light is on
and giving the reason that no one sees anyway as
there are no traffic enforcers around. The driver
justifies his/her mistake by saying that anyway
he/she will not be reprimanded since he did not hurt
anyone. Another example are students who are just
contented with passing grades and do not exert effort
anymore.
5. Certain conscience is a firm judgment that one is
not in error. The person always makes it sure that
he will not commit any mistake.
6. Doubtful conscience is a case where judgment is
always suspended because of the uncertainty of
the goodness and badness of a human action. The
word ‘doubt’ denotes the idea that one is not sure
of what he/she is doing. A person’s suspension of
his/her desire for getting in shape until his/her
doctor gives clearance that he/she is fit to go
through strenuous activities is one good example.
The suspension gives him/her a reasonable period
to assess whether or not such an idea would really
help him/her or would rather bring about a
problem on his/her health.
LEVELS OF CONSCIENCE
❖ Instinctive level – dominated by fear of
punishment and desire for approval or
reward. - Natural level, it is normal for
children (it will not do bad because of fear)
❖ Moral/Philosophical – operates not just on
what is commanded by authority but from
the judgement or awareness of the inner
goodness or badness of an act.
❖ Christian level – one’s Christian Faith
illumines, clarifies and deepens what is
perceive as truly worthy of being a person. It
places moral striving as a personal call to
wholeness and holiness.
General Norm: Always follow your conscience
Challenges to the Formation of Conscience
With all the classifications of conscience, is it easy
to determine whether one’s conscience is geared
towards the good or bad? To say, “Let your
conscience be your guide” is easy, but in reality, to
act accordingly is difficult since many voices are
heard within oneself especially in making decisions.
This is where the education and formation of
conscience come in. It is good to stress that the
formation of conscience is a long process, not an
overnight activity. It is learned through experience
and time. It is therefore important to form one’s
conscience because it stands as the ethical
imperative of the Church – to mold Christians who
are responsible with a well formed and mature
conscience (McTavish, 2011).
While the formation of Conscience is a noble task,
there are some factors which hinders its good
formation.
McTavish in his article, The Formation of
Conscience, cites some challenges in the formation
and education of conscience which are worth
mentioning: First, one challenge can be attributed to
extreme relativism, which means, everybody
decides according to what he/she thinks to be the
good one, without consulting knowledgeable people
or other authorities. It is indeed detrimental to
decision making if a person depends only on his/her
relativistic thinking. There will be no room for
clarification and proper advice.
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Another challenge to the formation of conscience is
misinformation. This is to say that every now and
then, one hears reactions, comments and opinions
from people. Some are very convincing and
persuasive. Yet, it is not a guarantee that it is the
truth. Many mistakes are caused by misinformation,
so, people really need to clarify matters of which
they do not know their truth so as not to make
horrible decisions in their actions.
Another factor that could lead to a gross difficulty in
forming one’s conscience is individualism. It is a
drive towards one’s own satisfaction while
disregarding other people. In other words, it is an
attitude of “my world and mine alone and outside of
me is not significant.”
To come up with a good formation of one’s
conscience, people should brush aside these
hindrances mentioned above.
Formation of Conscience
To meet the aforementioned challenges, there are
suggested ways by which the Christian moral
conscience can be formed and educated.
1. Through Prayer – According to Lipio, prayer is
of vital importance in the process of conscience
formation. Persons who wish to have a true
Christian conscience must be faithful in
communicating with the Lord in their daily lives
(Lipio, 66).
One needs to develop and practice a good
prayer life. In this way one’s moral conscience is
formed. In prayer, a person is helped to discern what
is good and what is bad, how to accept and correct
mistakes, and reflect on concrete experiences. It
should be understood that prayer is not something
that is purely spiritual without any connection to the
concrete events of daily life. Rather, prayer is always
connected and relevant to the present and concrete
experiences of people. That is why, prayer helps
form one’s conscience because it enlightens the mind
and one’s able to assess properly a moral situation
from a Christian perspective.
2. Through Listening to the preaching of the
Gospel – “In the homily, preachers are exerting
greater effort to be faithful to the biblical text
and mindful of the condition of the faithful,
providing them assistance in interpreting the
events of their personal lives and historical
happenings in the light of faith” (McTavish,
2011). In this way, persons may see and realize
their actions in relation to what Jesus is telling
them in the Gospel.
3. Through the Role of the Christian
community – as children of God, people always
need to depend on one another especially on
matters that they want to be clarified with
regarding their course of action. People do not
live individually but with others. Gaudium et
Spes advises that, “In fidelity to conscience,
Christians are enjoined with the rest of humans
in the search for the truth, and for the genuine
solution to the numerous problems which arise
in the life of individuals from social
relationships” (Gaudium et Spes 16). The
Christian community can help in looking at
issues from different angles, not just form one
viewpoint.
To sum up the three factors mentioned above in
forming one’s conscience, CFC explicitly says, “…
to form the conscience of a disciple of Christ, the
key obviously is Christ and His Spirit, experienced
within Christ’s community the Church. The
formative process takes place in faith and through
prayer, by attending to the Word of God and the
teaching of the Church and by responsiveness to the
gifts of the Holy Spirit. Critical reflection on the
events and experiences of our life helps us in
forming moral judgments. It is in living out the faith
that we form our Christian consciences” (558).
4. Through Multi-disciplinary approach – Other
fields of science such as psychology, economics,
civil laws, natural sciences etc. are considered in
forming one’s conscience. However, these fields
should not be the only measure in decision
making but these other perspectives should also
be considered, and it is where one can derive
good decision.
Thus, the formation of conscience is indeed a great
challenge for all, not only for Christians. To say that
conscience is God’s voice is easy, yet in reality one
may get confused because there are conflicting
voices. That is why it is best to emphasize the
importance of prayer because it is where one can
truly be assured that he/she hears and listens to
God’s voice. Praying doesn’t only mean going to
mass alone or reciting formula prayers, but it is in its
broader sense when one is always in touch with the
presence of God in his/her life. It is by experiencing
His presence that she/he may be able to realize what
course of action he/she should take, especially in
very delicate and complicated situations.
Having a well formed conscience does not happen in
a split of a second, but it is a deliberate and lifelong
journey. It is a challenge to form one’s conscience
well but a worthwhile one.
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. Ultimate Norm
If the Proximate Norm of Morality like
conscience is subjective since it is dependent on the
person, the Ultimate Norm of Morality is objective.
These comes in the forms of laws, decree or
ordinances which are derived or formulated based on
higher orders that are found in Nature and the divine
aspects of reality.
THE NORMS WHICH GOVERN HUMAN
CONDUCT
LAW
Since not all are able to use properly their intellect
and free will and not all really have a formed and
informed conscience at once, people have set for
themselves and for the community standards or
guidelines to follow in order to live a morally
upright life. These rules are technically called
Law/s. These Laws are enacted as standards of life
and to promote genuine human development. As
stated above, the human person or Nature as a
whole is not a pure material entity but has spiritual
aspect. This spiritual aspect of reality reasonably
presupposes that there (God) is a Creator of the
universe and the pattern/order of all things that exist.
So, for laws to achieve its noble purpose, they must
be based on higher norms/orders which are called
the Eternal Law and the Natural Law
. through observations,
1. Eternal Law
Eternal Law can be described as the Divine
reason and will commanding that the natural order of
things be preserved and forbidding it to be disturbed.
Other definitions of Eternal Law are: God’s divine
plan for all His creatures and the “exemplar of the
divine wisdom as directing all actions and
movements”. This Law has the following
characteristics:
a. Eternal – this law is with God who has no
beginning and no end. It governs all the
creatures of God from the
beginning until the end of time (for the
material realities).
b. Immutable – the Eternal Law is not subject
to change.
c. Absolutely universal – this Law is
applicable to all creatures.
2. Natural Law
Natural Law is understood as the light of
understanding placed in us by God so that we know
what to do and what to avoid. Or the law of human
conduct which arises from human nature as ordered
to its ultimate natural end and which is recognized
by the light of reason. Natural Laws are discovered
and understood by people with the aid of reason.
In simple words, Natural Law are the pattern
or order of all things which are discovered through
experience and reasoning or even common sense.
 Examples of the Natural Law are the
following: Fundamental moral principles
such as “Good is to be done and evil is to
be avoided”, “Never do unto others what
you do not want others do unto you,” “the
end does not justify the means,”” “Honor
your parents;” “Preserve life;” “Do not
murder;” and others.
 Except for Commandment Number One
to Three, the next Seven Commandments
are basically Natural Laws. Actually,
people by nature know or will discover
these Commandments using their intellect
and conscience.
The Four characteristics of the Natural Law:
a) Universal – This law is applicable to all
creatures. Example: the rule, “you shall not
kill” is applicable in all countries.
b) Recognizable - The person will realize or
notice the existence of the Natural Law
interactions
with others, and through deeper reflection of
his/her activities or of his/her very own
existence. So, there is no excuse for one not
to obey the Natural Law since they are
noticeable or realizable.
c) Obligatory – Since this very law will lead
the person to his/her well-being and to
his/her desired destiny, there is no better
choice for the human person than to obey it.
Not obeying it would lead to the things that
the human person would like to avoid in life
such as sickness, calamities, and ultimate to
death or total destruction. In reality, most of
the sickness and calamities we experience
today are all effect of what people did to
mother Nature or not respecting the order in
nature or not following Natural Law.
d) Immutable – Since the Natural Law is in
accordance with the divine plan or with the
Eternal Law, it will never change or is not
subject to change. Example: The Ten
Commandments despite being an ancient set
of law is still relevant all throughout the
ages.
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3. Positive Law - the word “positive” means being
promulgated or “published.”
- Positive Laws are the specific (laws)
formulations derived from the Natural Law and the
Eternal Law. These are the specific application of the
Eternal Law or the Natural Law in different human
or societal contexts. Positive laws are formulated
since the Natural law often appears in general
forms/principles.
As the Eternal Law is seen or expressed through
the Natural Law, the Natural Law is also seen,
expressed or applied through the Positive Law. A
Positive Law which does not respect the Natural
Law contributes to the damage on the development
of the human person and of the whole creation.
Positive Law is categorized into two: the Divine
Positive Law and the Human Positive Law.
i. The Divine Positive Law – this is a God-
given law which is promulgated for all creatures or
only for a specific group of community. A good
example is the Ten Commandments which God gave
to the Israelites through the prophet Moses. (Divine
means God)
ii. The Human Positive Law – this is an
ordinance of reason promulgated for the common
good by one in charge of the community or by a
competent authority. Examples of human positive
laws are the ordinances of a certain place or the
constitution of a certain country. Other examples or
terms for human positive law are: Civil Law and the
Ecclesiastical Law (Law of the Church). To better
understand the meaning of the human positive law,
let us analyze all the key words in the definition.
a. Ordinance – it is a decree or a command and
not a request; it demands obedience. One has
to follow it.
b. Reasonable – it means a certain positive law
is based on reason and not on mere emotion.
It must be useful or good which means
it must attain its goal. A positive law is also
reasonable if it has the following
characteristics:
 just/fair
 honest – in harmony with higher laws
(Eternal and Natural Laws)
 possible for fulfillment/attainment –
means realistic
 useful – it is a means or tool to attain a
goal
 Relatively permanent – change if no
longer effective/no longer serves its
purpose. Example: Before, people were
allowed to wear slipper when driving a
car, now it is no longer allowed since
the shoes gives better protection than the
slipper.
 Must be promulgated – made known,
announced, published, written, before it
takes effect.
c. Common Good – a law must serve the
interest of the majority and not favor only
few individuals.
d. Competent Authority – one who enacts or
authors a law should be someone who is
knowledgeable, just, wise, and respectable.
Other descriptions of a Positive Law:
i. Territorial or Contextual. The application of the
law sometimes depends on the context (place and
time) or territory. Example: People on the
mountains which is usually cold in climate differ
in their way of dressing from those on the
lowlands; such as wearing jacket is necessary in
Baguio while people in Cagayan only wear
jackets during cold seasons.
ii. A law continues until it is changed by another.
(Relatively permanent)
As stated above, time and place may cause
change or revision of a certain law. When we were
children, we were not allowed to enter the room
without slippers, but now students are not allowed to
enter the classrooms with slippers. Why? Slippers
are no longer allowed for formal affairs and for
protection but shoes. Another example is the people
on the mountains who used to wear G-strings
(bahag), but now for more descent and body
protection purpose, they are all wearing pants.
The Two General Applications of the Norms of
Morality
1. Normative Morality – These are laws or
norms that are or should be universally
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implemented. For example, the dignity and
worth of a human life is a universal concept
freely embraced by all individuals regardless
of their profile (religion, ethnicity, gender and
others). All cultures put a high regard for life
and attach respect and honor to it. The rule is
“you shall not kill”. So, there are laws that
crossed all boundaries such as cultures, time,
place, and others. The Commandments
Number Four to Ten are good examples of this.
2. Descriptive Morality – this is the application
of a universal law to a specific place, time, and
other particular conditions of certain
communities/ societies. With this, the law
becomes exclusive and applicable only to a
certain society. As we have stated above, the
application of a universal law to the people on
the mountains may differ from those living
near the sea since their source of income or
livelihood may be totally different.
UNDERSTANDING THE TEN
COMMANDMENTS
God strongly revealed His plan for His
people through the Ten Commandments. When
Moses and the rest of the Israelites were on their way
to the Promised Land, God was gracious enough to
guide His people on what was the right thing to do
and what can open the door of blessings for them.
He gave guidelines on how they would live
harmoniously with Him and with the rest of the
society.
In full obedience to the command of the
Lord, Moses started his sojourn at Mount Sinai and
received the Ten Commandments on tablets of
stones. God gave the Commandments to remind His
people that there are certain acceptable guidelines
that they need to follow in order to live a life that
would reflect their respect for their own lives, the
lives, honor and dignity of others, and to deepen
their faith and fellowship with Him.
The Ten Commandments was a follow up of
the covenant between God and His people and the
promises connected with it. This was revealed When
God/Yahweh introduced Himself to Moses as the
God of their forefathers starting with Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob.
The Ten Commandments reveals the moral
responsibility of a Christian in two (2) dimensions:
towards God and towards others. For people to
live a fruitful Christian life, it is not sufficient that
they solely focus their attention on their relationship
with God, living harmoniously with others also plays
a vital role. The vertical bar of the cross points to a
loving relationship with God and His sovereignty
upon one’s life. The horizontal bar of the cross
reminds the human person’s responsibility towards
fellow human beings and other creatures. Jesus
Himself revealed that people must make peace with
others and continuously make conscious effort to
live harmoniously with them.
As Christians who are on a continuous journey
towards perfection, the Ten Commandments is a
great springboard for reflection on relevant
guidelines that we must live by to respond to our
moral responsibility towards God and others. When
we accept and follow the Commandments
wholeheartedly, we are worthy to be called God’s
children. However, when we choose to deviate from
the Commandments by misusing our freedom, we
separate ourselves from the love of God and the
harmonious relationship with others.
MORAL RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS GOD
IN THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
1. First Commandment
I, The Lord, am your God… You shall not have
other gods besides me. You shall not carve idols for
yourselves in the shape of anything in the sky
above or on the earth below or in the waters
beneath the earth. You shall not bow down before
them or worship them. (Exodus 20:2-4)
The Context when God gave the Ten
Commandments to the Israelites
First, In Egypt and in other countries, there was
the problem of identifying who really is the God of
all. With this difficulty, most often they identify God
with any creature such as the sun, moon, even the
pharaoh, animals and others. Second, all people are
searching for the meaning of life (true contentment)
and immortality. Third, the Israelites were busy
worshipping the golden calf.
Why did God-YHWH insist to stick with His
covenantal relationship with the Israelites and even
followed it up with the Commandments? Before His
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covenantal relationship with the Israelites, there was
the human search for the meaning of life and its
elements such as security or stability, harmony, true
contentment, and especially the longing for
immortality. With all these human longings, the
commandments especially the first one is God’s
gracious answer. This is God’s own initiative as part
of His salvific plan for humanity. As CFC says,
“True happiness and our final destiny are achieved
within the framework revealed in God’s laws” (880).
As Christ taught, “eternal life is this: to know you,
the only true God, and Him whom You have sent,
Jesus Christ” (John 17:3).
The Catechism for Filipino Catholics reminds
people that knowing the true God is liberating. It sets
people from restlessness in searching for true
contentment and everlasting happiness (883). Not
knowing the true God will lead people astray and
they will not achieve the noble human aspirations
mentioned above.
God has formed the Israelites as his special
possession and gave them the Ten Commandments
to proclaim Him as the true God for all people. The
prophet Amos proclaimed Yahweh as the God of all,
and this was ultimately realized by the coming of
Jesus, the savior of all.
Violations against the First Commandment
Furthermore, the first commandment rejects
the submission of Christians to other “gods” which
sometimes are manifested in superstition, idolatry,
divination, magic, irreligion, atheism, and
agnosticism. Superstition is a belief on some things
but rooted on unfounded and unknown reasoning.
Another violation of the First Commandment is
polytheism which is a belief in more than one God.
Polytheism obviously rejects the principle of having
a God since with their number then there is really no
god at all. Divination, another violation of the First
Commandment refers to complete reliance on
horoscopes, astrology, palm reading, and
interpretation of omens and lots as a basis to seek
guidance in determining the direction of an
individual’s life. These forms of divination are direct
recourse to other mediums to conceal the future or
seek for relief from temporal sufferings. This is
indeed a manifestation that one doubts his faith in
God, his promises, goodness and sovereignty.
With the changing of times, there are several
distractions that beset Christians on how they
demonstrate their veneration and worship of God.
Christians are more pre-occupied with material
possession, gaining more social stature, acquiring
technological gadgets -- people spend most of their
time fulfilling their temporal needs, such as over
pre-occupation to work, addiction to increasing
material wealth, spending more time in television,
internet and others. These are unconscious
manifestations of their disregard to the primacy of
God, thus a clear deviation from the first
commandment. Generally, anything or anyone that
tries to take over the primacy of God over the lives
of the Christians is indicative of disregard or
unresponsiveness to the divine charity and
unconscious veneration of earthly possessions and
social stature.
Is it really sinful to make or carve an
image/statue? Read Exodus 25:10-22.
The first Commandment has a follow-up
reminder of not making graven image or statues and
worshipping them as gods. This follow-up reminder
does not prohibit people from making any image or
statues such as statues of heroes and the saints since
the warning emphasizes on not worshipping them
as gods such as the golden calf.
In the Book of Exodus where the Ten
Commandments is found, there is also a chapter
(25:10-22) which shows God instructing His people
to make the images of the Seraphim and the
Cherubim (angels) on top of the Ark of the
Covenant. Later on, the Ark of the Covenant was an
image in itself which for the Israelites was a sign of
God’s presence in their midst. In the New Testament,
there are even images which directly point to God
Himself such as the Dove during the baptism of
Jesus and the tongues of fire during Pentecost. These
examples clearly tell that images which remind
people of God’s presence are not prohibited since
God Himself is also using images or signs and
symbols in communicating with His people. These
images are strongly emphasized as reminders of God
or of His presence, and they are NOT to be
considered as substitute for Him or totally equated
with Him since this will be very degrading on His
part. God as a transcendent and perfect Being cannot
be limited by a permanent image, statue or even by a
permanent name or word or language.
From the above discussion on the use of
images, it is also clear that the Catholic practice of
venerating sacred images is not a violation of the
First Commandment. Showing respect to the sacred
images was the same with the Israelite’s practice of
showing respect to the Ark of the Covenant and the
other reminders of God’s presence in their midst.
Veneration should not be equated with adoration or
worship. Adoration, praise or worship is only
reserved for God while veneration is for all sacred
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images. Veneration is simply giving respect to the
sacred images like by touching, kissing and other
ways which may have their cultural origin. CFC
says sacred images and statues can offer valuable
help or genuine aid for Christian prayer and worship
(892). A biblical example of veneration was when
God asked Moses to remove his sandals and staffs
since the ground where he stood was holy. So, even
the ground when God uses is becomes holy. Another
example was when Jesus got angry with the people
when they did not respect the sacredness of the
Temple (Matthew 21:12-13).
In venerating sacred images, CFC reminds
people to be always aware of the temptation from
these images which is: from merely reminding us of
God, they tend to gradually “become” a god, an idol.
An image can either bring the reality it represents to
mind, to aid devotion and attention, or it can become
a substitute for the reality itself and thus become an
object of idolatry. The Commandment reminds
people that God the Creator is infinitely beyond any
of His creatures; no image or mental concept can
ever “capture” Him. Deus simper major – God is
always greater (891).
3. Second Commandment
You shall not take the name of the Lord, your
God in vain. (Exodus 20:7)
Sanctity of the Name
For the Israelites, a name has great value. A name is
very closely connected with the person if not totally
identified with him/her. A name also indicates the
kind of life that the person will have or his/her
mission. As shown in many instances in the Sacred
Scriptures, there were changes in the names of
people such as the names of Abraham from Abram,
Sarah from Sarai, and others. Thus, a name is
equated with the identity or even the dignity of the
person. As CFC says, “The name stood for the
person, the name made the person present and
active” (895). It is in this context that the Second
Commandment should be understood. Since God is a
Holy One, His name, which for the Israelites is
intimately linked with Him, should also be treated
with reverence. There were even years in the history
of the Israelites when they did not even mention or
pronounce the name “YHWH” since it is too holy to
be uttered. So, they used other titles such as Adonai
(Lord), Eli and others.
Violations against the Second Commandment
Generally, the commandment abhors the misuse of
the name of the Lord, considering the sovereignty
and authority that come with it. False representation
of God is profanity, a discredit to is true nature and
divinity. This often comes when people make an
oath and using the name of God to curse or invoke
punishment. This maligns the true nature of God and
discredits His sovereignty and goodness. It is not
within the realm of humans that God may be
compelled to act on our behalf to inflict punishment
on others. This commandment also clearly prohibits
the casual use of God’s name in interjections and
curse. The blasphemous use of God’s name and the
act cursing portrays indecency and disrespect to
God, in general.
However, despite the strong prohibition, some
people still fall into the trap of using the name of the
Lord in vain. A concrete manifestation of violating
this commandment is through perjury. Though more
appropriate to legal situations, perjury pertains to a
willful and voluntary act of telling something with
the intention of not fulfilling it. It refers to the act of
fabricating the truth in the guise of eluding
punishment or reprimand.
In relation to this Commandment, there are many
ways on how people and even students violate it in
the Philippine context. Some examples of this are:
some of the politicians use the name of God to make
their promises more appealing to people when they
campaign before elections, some of them only attend
the Holy
Mass before election to be seen by people, some of
them gave donations to the Church or to newly wed
couple or even volunteer to become God-parents
during baptism of infants and wedding. For Louisian
students, during face-to-face classes many students
attend the Mass for the sake of attendance, even
these days, many students pass Sunday reflections
without attending the Mass, and even some copy the
reflections of others just to obtain points, and many
others.
3. Third Commandment
Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day. Six
days you may labor and do all your work but the
seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God.
No work may be done then either by you or your
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son or daughter or your male or female slave, or
your beast or by the alien who lives with you…on
the seventh day God rested…and blessed it and
made it holy. (Exodus 20:8-11)
There are two things that this commandment
emphasizes: the time for God and the respect for the
human person. How does one show this respect for
God and the human person? As Scripture and
tradition teach, this is shown primarily by
worshipping God as a community, as His people,
and respecting others by giving them time to rest.
Aside from worshipping God and resting, what are
other implications of the Third Commandment?
How should one make the day of the Lord holy? Is
this done only in the chapel or church? Some people
attend the Holy Mass but after their participation,
they go back to their usual lifestyle which is often
not consistent with Christian living. So aside from
worshipping God in the church, do people also make
the day of the Lord holy in their homes, in their
dealings with others, and in their dealings with
nature? The Second Plenary Council of the
Philippines (PCP-II) stresses that all of life is
worship or the whole of life must be an act of
worship as St. Paul also pointed out in his letter to
the Romans (167-168). Worship should not be
separated from the totality of life. There should be
no dichotomy between the two.
Violations against the Third Commandment
What then does this commandment prohibit? The
teachings of Jesus are clear such that anything that
does not amount to honoring God and respecting
others is a direct manifestation of violating this
commandment. Anything that does not glorify God
and respect the dignity of others must be avoided.
Resting is not only limited to rest from physical
work but also mental and the whole part of the
human person that needs it to be reinvigorated.
* In the first three commandments, we
received the gifts of God’s self-revelation to
humanity. The final seven commandments are gifts
that primarily reveal God’s will for us in our
relationships with each other.*
MORAL RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS
OTHERS IN THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
4. Fourth Commandment
Honor your father and your mother: That your days may
be long upon the land which the Lord your God has given
you. (Exodus 20:12)
Family as the Most Fundamental Unit of the
Society
The fourth commandment underscores the
imperative of respecting and honoring one’s parents
or elders with a guarantee of individual blessings.
God reveals that after one’s moral responsibility
towards God, an individual is also called to show
respect and to honor others, having one’s parents as
the foremost people to whom he/she accords such.
The family is the most fundamental agent of
socialization within a society. The strength of the
moral fabric of the family, mutual respect between
parents and children, reverberates and brings
positive effect to society.
The moral duty towards parents is not limited to
fully submitting to them when they are still
providing for one’s needs and education, but it
extends even up to their old age, especially in times
of illness and distress. This support is an
acknowledgement and a gesture of gratitude to
parents for the life, love and effort given by them.
The material and moral support is a manifestation of
giving back to the parents the immeasurable love
and sacrifices they have unselfishly given to their
children.
The commandment implies that parents are
innately good that they are primarily concerned for
the wellbeing and welfare of their children. Their
actions and decisions are geared towards the holistic
development of their children and a response to the
growing needs of the society. The parents are always
n continuous search for the good of their children,
and that as a simple gesture of gratitude for these
unselfish acts, children are bound to obey their
parents. However, modernity has been contributing
to the corruption of the moral fabric of the family,
including the parents. Sometimes, there are parents
who are not mindful of the needs of their children
and worse, do all sorts of abuse towards their
children. Some children scorn their parents and
show no apparent trace of respect towards them.
However, the Commandment calls for respect and
honor for parents by virtue of their stature as
parents.
Honoring our parents is geared towards active
obedience. Children are encouraged to listen to the
wisdom of parents on issues pertaining to their lives.
In case of conflict of ideas, the lines of
communication should be made open to properly
sort out the issues and draw a win-win resolution to
the problem. Obedience does not mean blind,
entirely following the whims and desires of parents,
but learning how to communicate one’s views and
opinions to further resolve the issues without
straining the relationship or harbor ill feelings
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towards parents. Most of rebellious children
emerged from families which failed to communicate
with one another. Hatred builds up until each
member of the family gets fed up with each other.
The song “Anak” reminds Christians on the
indispensable roles parents play in the lives of their
children that despite the lack of respect and gratitude
of the children towards their parents sometimes,
parents endure all the pains and sufferings and
always seek what is good and beneficial for their
children. They stick with their children in their most
difficult times and shelter them with love and
security with the many challenges life can offer.
5. Fifth Commandment
You shall not kill. (Exodus 20:13)
The Primacy of life
The fifth commandment emphasizes the
importance and the dignity of human life. No one
has the innate right to take this away from his/her
own self or from others. Neither it is a right that can
be bestowed on anyone. The primacy of life is
anchored on the fact that human beings are created
in the image and likeness of God, thus, must be
accorded full respect. The inherent value of human
life implies that in any dealings, one does not have
any entitlements to take away the life of others. It
reminds individuals that even in hatred and anger,
there is a need to consider the value of life and must
make continuous effort to respect and honor it. God
is the giver of life and He alone is entitled to end the
life He has given.
Violations against the Fifth Commandment
Murder and willful abortion are the direct
violations of this commandment. PCP-II stresses the
crime against the unborn who can neither defend
their God-given life nor cry out in even the feeblest
or cries for help. Their cries do reach the heart of the
Creator (382). It further stresses the Church’s
condemnation of directly willed abortion (585). Any
action that deliberately takes away the life of other
people is completely against this commandment.
Regarding euthanasia, debates have spurred
questions on whether it is justified and acceptable or
not. It is understood as an action that aids an ailing
person to die. It connotes that an ailing individual is
either in extreme pain or in a state of comatose, that
the chance for survival is considered to be too slim
and the best option to alleviate the pain is to shorten
the life of the patient. Therefore, death is the only
foreseen solution to ease the suffering of the ailing
individual.
God is the giver of life and He alone is entitled
to end the life He has given. The act of euthanasia
actually degrades the dignity of people who are sick,
vulnerable and disadvantaged, since they are already
regarded as burden and difficult to bear rather than
people to endure it in the name of love, hope and
faith. The Church upholds that as life is a gift from
God, thus sacred, must strictly adhere to the Natural
Law, allowing nature to take its course in ending the
life of a person.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church
explicitly mentions human acts that completely run
contrary to the commandment. These are direct and
intentional murder and the cooperation in it, direct
abortion, euthanasia, and suicide. God places
primacy on the value of life, thus must be respected
and protected. Directly aborting a fetus and ending
the life of those suffering (or in near-death situation)
are direct violations of the commandment.
Suicide, on the other hand, is considered a grave
offense that completely disregards the love of God
and the dignity of human life (470).
6. Sixth Commandment
You shall not commit adultery. (Exodus 20:14)
Family and Marriage
The Sacrament of Marriage brings together
husband and wife into the bonds of everlasting love,
with a promise to stay together “in sickness or in
health, till death do us part.” The importance placed
upon marriage, especially on remaining faithful to
one’s partner, is revealed in one of Jesus’ teachings
during His public ministry. Jesus says:
…have you not read that at the
beginning the creator made them male
and female and declared, for this reason
a man shall leave his father and mother
and cling to his wife, and the two shall
become one? Thus, they are no longer
two but one flesh. Therefore, let no man
separate what God has joined.
(Mt. 19:4-6)
This commandment also portrays that the
expression of love is not merely limited to sexual
intimacy, but more on companionship, shared vision
to build a family founded on Catholic faith, and
respect for the dignity of the spouse. However, in
order for a relationship to work, the spouses have to
understand and love each other despite their
imperfections, and weathering the hard times
together.
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True love is founded on mutual trust and
contentment of partners towards each other, with a
commitment to be there for each other through thick
and thin; a commitment to fulfill their marriage
vows
Violations against the Sixth Commandment
Adultery applies only to married partners. It
happens when one or both of the couples have
sexual relations with other partners. The sexual
intimacy shared within the context of marriage must
be continually reserved as the expression of
affection and the deepest union that only belongs to
married people. Both man and woman must grow in
chastity, enjoying sexual intimacy within marriage.
Adultery, aside from its impact on the
relationship between an individual and God, is also
an action that harms society especially the family as
the most fundamental unit. Those who commit
adultery have broken their commitments in the
sacrament of marriage, injuring the covenant of the
marriage bond. Moreover, they offend the dignity
and rights of the other spouse, and undermine the
social institution of marriage by breaking the
contract on which it is based (CCC, 2335).
Moreover, there areother violations
commandment which include divorce, polygamy,
free unions (cohabitation, concubinage), and sexual
acts before or outside of marriage.
Marriage is best described in Hebrews 13:4 –
“Let marriage be honored among all and the
marriage bed kept undefiled, for God will judge the
sexually immoral and adulterers.” The
commandment explicitly disallows sexual relations
outside the bounds of marriage. Both married
couples must be loyal to each other, cherishing and
valuing each other.
SEXUALITY AND MARRIAGE
Sex or Sexuality refers to the whole
composition of the human person whether
male or female, and this is wholly good and
sacred. Sexual Love is willed by the creator, a
human value and it is wholly good. The
purposes of sexuality are procreation
(Genesis 1:28,29), companionship (Genesis
2:18, Tob 8:6), and Education/formation of
Children/welfare of family. God’s words “and
the two shall become one” strongly mandates
that monogamy is really the intended nature of
a family. With this, sexual love (sexual
intercourse) is only proper between husband
and wife.
There are many violations of the Sixth
Commandment in line with the holistic
concept of sexuality or with the re-
appropriation of the application of the Sixth
Commandment in our present time. These are
also found in the Bible if we search them one
by one. Generally, this is called fornication,
but let’s enumerate them one by one.
Premarital-sex, masturbation, rape, bestiality,
paresthesia, pornography, homosexuality,
prostitution, lesbianism, annal sex, adultery,
extra-marital sex, concubinage, polygamy,
polyandry and Incest.
With the many ways of how people today
violate the Sixth Commandment and how they
abuse their sexuality and the sexuality of others,
there is a need to consistently practice the values
such as modesty, and chastity and to master our
sexuality. Modesty is the sense of shame or
respect in the realm of sex, while chastity is
cleanliness in one’s sexual life whether one is
single, married or whatever gender one has.
Mastery of sexuality does not mean suppressing
one’s sexual life but finding the proper
development and channel of sexual energy such
as sports, of this
physical work, dance, and the likes.
The Seventh and Eighth commandments are
concerned primarily with our duties toward two
possessions of our neighbor - their material goods
and their good reputation. Since human beings have
the tendency to be self-centered and neglectful of
the rights of others, God considered it necessary to
lay down the explicit commands: "Thou shalt not
steal" and "Thou shalt not bear false witness against
thy neighbor". Like the other commandments, these
two commandments prescribe more obligations than
those which they explicitly assert. The seventh
commandment forbids not only stealing but every
type of dishonest dealing; the eighth forbids not only
falsehood but also many other sins of the tongue
such as gossiping, the unlawful revelation of secrets,
and the likes.
The Ninth and Tenth commandments are
closely related with the Sixth and Seventh. The
Ninth forbidding interior sins regarding matters of
purity, while the Sixth forbids external acts; the
Tenth forbidding those internal sins and the external
performance of which is forbidden by the Seventh
commandment.
 CFED REVIEWER (MIDTERM)
In our days there is much dishonesty, due
largely to the excessive desire of people for riches
and luxuries. In business, in politics, even at home,
many people are so anxious on how to enrich
themselves that they are entirely unconcerned with
the rights of their fellow human beings. Moreover,
crimes of theft and robbery, often accompanied by
violence or even murder, are becoming prevalent.
MORAL RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS
OTHERS IN THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
7. Seventh Commandment
You shall not steal. (Exodus 20:15)
Respecting one’s property
The commandment recognizes sense of decency
regarding one’s material possession, being contented
with what one has, and not coveting others’ goods.
This commandment is a reminder of the Christian
virtues of temperance, justice and solidarity.
First, Christians must learn to discern that excessive
attachment to material possession instills greediness
and vicious attitude of continuously desiring for
more even to the point of stealing and fooling
others. Jesus taught His people to put to moderation
this attachment. Worldly goods, though important,
must remain subordinate to the spiritual and intimate
relationship with God.
Secondly, justice encourages Christians to accord
respect and dignity to what rightfully belongs to
others. When people need to be compensated, any
form of stealing from their compensation is not
acceptable. Justice requires people to recognize that
others are working hard for what they are and have.
One should not violate the decency of their hard
work and property by unjustly stealing these away
from them.
Violations against the Seventh Commandment
How do some students commit the sin of stealing?
Stealing may come in various forms, such as:
cheating during exams, tampering documents,
working poorly, asking additional allowance for a
requirement that is not really asked in school, and
others.
The violations against this commandment include
kidnapping and many forms of exploitation such as
exploitation in food, housing and clothing. Violation
against this Commandment also includes stealing
from public properties, social structures and
conditions which should serve the common good
(CFC, 901-903). This is where the attention and
conscience of some of our present-day government
officials who practice graft and corruption and
perpetuate sinful social structures should be called
to. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC)
mentions in detail the different actions that amount
to violation against the commandment. In general
terms, theft is considered as the taking or using of
another’s property against the reasonable will of the
owner. CCC enumerates various circumstances
through which theft is committed in different
contexts, such as paying unjust wages, speculation
on the value of goods in order to gain an advantage
to the detriment of others, forgery of checks or
invoices, tax evasion, business fraud, willful
damage of properties, usury, corruption, private
abuse of common goods, and work deliberately done
poorly (508).
Since the common good is essential for the survival
of all, CFC further stresses the need for respect of
the dignity and integrity of creation (906).
8. Eighth Commandment
You shall not bear false witness against others.
(Exodus 20:16)
Upholding the Truth
This commandment reminds us of the moral
imperative of according respect to others; the value
of integrity and honesty towards others and the
decency of speaking the truth about others and not
discrediting and dishonoring them through rumor-
mongering or baseless gossips.
The commandment prohibits altering the truth and
discrediting the integrity and honor of other people.
Since we Christians worship and honor God who is
the truth and who wills the truth, expectedly, we
must also speak truthfully of others as a clear
indication of our respect to God. Speaking against
others, and eventually, against the truth is an
infidelity against God.
Violations against the Eighth Commandment
According to the CCC, one is guilty of slander if
she/he discloses another’s faults and failings to other
persons without valid reason, and one is guilty of
calumny (a misinterpretation intended to harm
another’s reputation) who harms the reputation of
others and gives occasion for false judgments about
them by remarks contrary to the truth (2477).
Moreover, gossips and slander also are violations
of the commandment. Gossips pertain to spreading
baseless accusations or statements against others.
CFED REVIEWER (MIDTERM)
Slander is related to gossip but it is with the
intention of discrediting others towards their
prejudice or disadvantage.
One concrete example of speaking falsely against
others is lying. One lies when he/she speaks or acts
against the truth in order to lead someone into error,
thus the presence of deceit. Lying weakens the
fundamental relations towards God and towards
others. Failure to reveal the truth affects others’
ability to know, which is a precursor to every
judgment and decision they need to make.
Students are susceptible to gossiping. This usually
happens in their circle of friends when they talked
about someone they dislike or hate. When someone
commits a mistake or does not conform to what
others are doing, they ostracize that individual,
saying all unpleasant remarks about him/her. In
some cases, when they envy others, they are more
vulnerable to bearing false witness against the
others. Peer pressure will also force them to connive
with their peer in lying just to get away from the
troubles their members are in.
9. Ninth Commandment
You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.
(Exodus 20:17)
In the Gospels, Jesus taught about controlling one’s
sexual desires or not allowing sexual appetite to take
complete hold of one’s reason that will eventually
cause him/her to be lustful. Jesus, in His public
ministry, emphasized that our thoughts and attitudes
determine the commission of lustful behaviors. He
implored His disciples to live not only to respect
others in external manner, but also in internally,
through their minds and intentions.
The Catechism for Filipino Catholics says that
Christ perfected this teaching in His sermon on the
Mount when He said: “You have heard the
Commandment, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’
What I say to you is, anyone who looks lustfully at a
woman has already committed adultery with her in
his thoughts/heart” (Mt 5:28). St. Paul also exhorted
his converts saying, “Put to death whatever in your
nature is rooted in earth: fornication, uncleanness,
passion, evil desires, and that lust which is idolatry”
(Col. 3:5). To the Ephesians, he wrote, “make no
mistake about this: no fornicator, no unclean or
lustful person-in effect an idolater has any
inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God”
(Eph. 5:5) (868).
The commandment recognizes that sometimes, the
desire of the flesh overpowers right reasoning and
the will. The commandment reminds Christians to
make a conscious effort to continue to fight against
the desires and the lust of the flesh. Through God’s
grace, Christians overcome these lustful desires
through 1) chastity, 2) purity of intention, words and
emotions, and 3) prayer.
The commandment calls upon Christians to
embrace the virtue of modesty. Modesty guides
Christians to look at others and to behave toward
others in complete accord with the dignity of the
human person – and not looking at others lustfully.
Violations against the Ninth Commandment
In reality, the spiritual fabric to look at others with
modesty is slowly disintegrating with the onset of
mass communication which continually exposes the
society to liberality in relation to purity, faithfulness,
and modesty.
The entertainment industry has drastically changed
the moral norms pertaining to relationships. It seems
natural to see celebrities switching partners, within a
short period of time. This has unconsciously
changed the notion of marriage and true love,
convincing others that casual engagement in sexual
pleasure is the fad, and doing it is normal. The most
vulnerable to the influence of the negative notion of
marriage and love are young people who are most
exposed to mass media. Perhaps for them, it is easy
to enter and leave a relationship; thus, faithfulness
and stability which are characteristics of true love
are seen as less valuable.
10. Tenth Commandment
You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.
(Exodus 20:17)
The tenth commandment forbids the lust of the eyes
to the excessive desire for material possession. It
prohibits greed and envy which can lead to stealing.
The desire to own excessive material possessions
compels others to steal or defraud others.
The greedy and envious desires for material
possession serve as precursor to the commission of
other sins like violence and injustice. Greed pertains
to the desire for earthly possessions and goods
without limit, completely disregarding spirituality
and growth most of the time. The tenth
CFED REVIEWER (MIDTERM)
commandment tells us to be contented with what we
have. Sometimes, people feel jealous of what others
possess or achieved. Envy and sadness over others’
success and possessions violates the value of loving
one’s neighbor which is the core of the 4 th to 10th
Commandment.
Covetousness is the root of many evils. When
people feel envious of others, they commit crimes in
order to be like others or own what others have.
Stealing, murder, and all sorts of evil tale place
because of the insatiable desire of human beings for
material wealth and possessions.
In modern times, violations against coveting others’
goods are clearly manifested in stealing money,
illegal cutting of trees, vote-padding during
elections, using substandard materials in
construction, paying laborers unjustly, and others.
Men and women have to fulfill their physiological
needs, however, the desire to meet this must be
within the bounds of acceptable norms. Modesty and
contentment are therefore necessary for all
Christians. When they see others improving, they
should look at it as an inspiration and not as a threat.
The Christian faith reminds people to embrace
modesty and contentment and recognize that God is
the source of everything and that He graciously
provides for His people.
The Ten Commandments are sum up in the
words of Jesus when He said, "'You shall love the
Lord your God with your whole heart, and with
your whole soul, and with your whole mind.' This
is the greatest and the first commandment. And the
second is, You shall love your neighbor as
yourself.' On these two commandments depend the
whole Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 22:35-40)