The Moral Virtues and the Ten Commandments - Essay Example

The moral Virtues and the Ten Commandments Section A Question It is necessary for people to develop good habits. Good habits help individuals do things in a right way without putting much thought on how to do them well. Morally, good habits utilise the nature of human beings falling into regular patterns of behaviour in a good manner and in the process protect the same individuals. Conscious development of good habits results in effective training for a person to do things rightly. Scholars of religion define a habit as an aptitude, custom, or an inclination for particular action developed through repetition. Most scholars apply the terms good habits and virtue interchangeably without changing the meaning and describing the same concept. A moral virtue is a constituent of human virtues that entails the exact appetitive senses of the soul putting together the sensuous taste and the will. This means that moral virtues entail habits regarding the will and people’s appetite. This raises questions on actions how to manage the habits. The human effort plays a significant role in acquiring the moral virtues. In this case, a clear distinction exists where the grace of God is beneficial to humanity and people take the initiative to acquire moral virtues. Here, four moral virtues necessary for people to acquire constitute prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance. Question 2 Cessario makes consistent suggestions in his writings. First, Acquired virtues are different from infused moral virtues. In his explanation, the two types can exist with temperament in relation to a specific acquired vice. Secondly, infused moral virtues entail the truest intelligence of moral virtues. There are separate sections for infused and acquired moral virtues. This essay addresses the differences as well as similarities between infused and acquired moral virtues as held by Cessario. At the end, the essay demonstrates infused moral virtues are different and independent of acquired virtues. Evidence from fortitude and prudence by Cessario supports the differences. Relying on the stance that acquired virtues arrange a person to go though procedures of right reason gives little knowledge of the details involving the real form of acquired virtues. The first difference between acquired and infused virtues comes from the context that understanding the former requires making considerations of exposition of the sources that have acquired virtues as the product. Cessario discusses the seminal principles of acquired virtue. Many misunderstandings of concepts by Cessario arise from the fact that most analysts make assumptions on many issues he raises. Some hold that sources of virtues are specific monster inclinations on virtuous actions. Therefore, they define the process of acquiring temperance as gradual and resulting from natural disposition inclined to the same and developing into a rational urge to acquire the same. Cessario outlines virtues as “senses that develop out of the nature of man” (Bennett 47). Furthermore, he refutes the theory of referring to the virtue as uncovered and innate. According to him, “a virtue does not develop from without” (Bennett 49). Infused virtues contrast acquired virtues that develop from springs going against rules used to measure them and defying the process of developing the same virtues. Infused virtues arise from various seeds and stick to distinct rule. The true ends of a person exceed the abilities of the same person’s nature by far. Question 3 In the same way scholars define art as the right mechanism of production, Cessario holds that prudence is the appropriate method of behaviour. This section discusses the importance of prudence in the entire functioning of moral virtues comes from the context that it stands out as a virtue in the absolute sense bestowing preparedness for behaving well and facilitating a person to use the preparation in the right manner. Precisely, prudence shapes the process of choosing the right methodology within prevailing circumstances with the aim of reaching a reasonable destination in behaviour. Since it occurs in the direction of choice, it is the appropriate way for people to behave. Its difference with moral virtues comes from the perspective that it does not reside in the appetitive powers but in the intellect. This is despite the fact that prudence is more of an intellectual virtue. However, under special circumstances, prudence is a moral virtue. This is when its subject matter is actions of moral virtues. Cessario defines prudence as the “the appropriate reason put into practice (Bennett 53) .” “It is an intellectual behaviour permitting people to view given positions of human activity regarding what people consider as virtuous or not virtuous” (Bennett 54). Prudence is intellect in the different ways it satisfies practical decisions. It carries the moral responsibility of redirecting the course of action that an individual ought to take in different circumstances. Their function covers here, which, as well as now, constitutes the appropriate channel concerning the position of all virtues. Prudence keeps of showing direction over what it discerns as good because that remain the responsibility of the specific moral virtue characterised by the particular behaviour. The function provides prudence capacity to carry other virtues. Apart from measuring the performance, prudence gives direction for the way of behaviour. Prudence helps a human being to understand differences between reality and mere semblance. Prudence oversees all ways of good behaviour to make them develop into full sense. In this case, foolhardiness develops in place of bravery in the absence of prudence, temperance becomes fanaticism, and weakness takes the position of mercy. It is important at this point for people to comprehend that prudence is different from other moral virtues. Section 2 Question 1 Outline 1. I am the Lord your God You shall have no other gods before me- God’s warns people against having other gods to worship in His place. 2. You shall not make for yourself an idol- God gives clear instructions against making graven images. People should also desist from making things similar to God for the purposes of worshipping. 3. Do not take the name of the Lord in vain-God warns that his name should appear in the lips of people in vain 4. Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy- God reminds people to work for six days but save the seventh day for worshipping. This applies even to the workers 5. Honour your father and mother- God will add the number of days for people who respect their parents 6. You shall kill/murder-Stopping life for any human being becomes an abomination from God Himself 7. You shall not commit adultery- Adultery would result in lack of respect and God forbids it through this law 8. You shall not steal- Taking other people’s property becomes illegal henceforth 9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour- Lying while giving testimony is abolished 10. You shall not covet your neighbour’s wife- Closely related to adultery and forms the avenue for the same You shall not covet anything that belongs to your neighbour Question 2 Decalogue entails the division of the principle laws in the Bible. The divine laws form the basic ethical code of conduct of Islam, Christianity, as well as Judaism. This section analyses the division of these laws into the two perspectives. The Biblical narrative avers that Moses received the Ten Commandments from God on Mount Sinai inscribing them on two different stone tablets. On returning, Moses found Israelites worshipping the Golden Calf and in anger broke the tablets. However, he replaced them and enshrined the same in the Ark of the Covenant. Deuteronomy 5: 6-21 and Exodus 20: 1-7 offer two different versions of these principle laws (Bennett 71). Decalogue is a Greek word that translates to the ten words in the English language. God wrote the laws a second time when Moses broke the initial tablets. Other terminologies referred to the same are the moral law, the covenant, the tables of testimony, and the tables of covenant. The promulgation of the Decalogue to Moses by God entailed a significant point in the history of Jews because it went ahead to meet the needs for humanity in terms of behaviour. The cause was the inability of man to avoid doing what is evil. The Decalogue stands conspicuous compared to other spiritual and moral laws. It covers all human actions. It remains the only law with capacity to regulate human conscience. Over time, it condenses human behaviour and touches on all human perspectives. Biblically, it provides the only way a person can secure eternal life. God tailored the laws to suit all types of societies of humanity. Furthermore, the laws are ever eternal. This means that they can never become obsolete. The Decalogue is not a product of the divine will despite the fact that divine authority handed it over to man. On the contrary, it is represents an expression of divine nature. It is a manifestation of both love and holiness. It is not possible for people to fulfil the law of God in all they do without love. Jesus arrived to summarize the Decalogue into two simple laws namely love to God and love to man. Scholars refer to this as a process of bridging the Decalogue. Love has the responsibility of protecting humanity going against the Ten Commandments. Loving Gods keeps people away from worshipping other gods. If an individual loves, his neighbours he can cannot steal from them or even covet their property. Loves constitutes the essence of fidelity for man to God. It also carries the respect and honour a man has on the rights of other people. It remains the greatest motive that aligns people to obey God. The primary function of the Decalogue is to help sinners differentiate between evil and good. The fact that most of its episodes entail the phrase thou shall not means that it insists on hitherto issues that man should suppress. The negative form of the Decalogue demonstrates that it satisfies the spiritual and moral activity available to humanity. The writing of the Decalogue on two different tablets reiterates the two classes entailing moral obligation that is duty to God as well as duty to man. Man cannot separate the obligations that people have to God and man (Bennett 121). This is because when a person neglects his responsibilities to other people, the next action will be neglecting his responsibilities towards God. The scripture unites duties relating to God and man directly. The Decalogue is unique based on the circumstances of delivery. God spoke about the Decalogue Himself as opposed to other laws He gave. The circumstances entailed an awful show of splendour, frightening junctures of lightning and thunder, as well as sounds of solemnity and trumpet. This situation was never because Jews had never witnessed the same. The role of angels during promulgation is also evident. Furthermore, God wrote the laws using His fingers on the tablets, an imperishable material a reason the laws remain active through centuries. Works Cited Bennett, William J. The Book of Virtues: A Treasury of Great Moral Stories. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996. Print. Read More