Integrity of Life
Introduction:The rules and regulations on "Cheating in Major Examinations" are not only intended to sanction students who are academically dishonest but also meant to encourage and protect those who do not cheat. So that when they graduate and practice their respective profession, they can use their academic honesty and personal integrity as armours against temptation or inclination to cheat. The entire profession in the Philippines is suffering in great anguish as its integrity is raked over the coals with cases of actual or alleged sexual misconduct, corruption, fraud and dishonesty of some of its practitioners. Some members and leaders of the profession, through loose and even dishonest practice, stray from the path of righteousness and integrity. We all suffer the pain when one, like a body, does wrong. This session is hoping to regain honesty and integrity of the profession; to recognize importance of telling the truth and be able to identify situations in which they have a choice to be honest or dishonest. They will also recognize the consequences of being dishonest. Each student will be able to articulate reasons why it is best to be honest. And at the end of the session, it is hoped that the students will become proud of a "cheat-free" Ateneo de Davao University.
Activity 1. Play the song "Honesty" by Billy Joel. Divide stanzas into sections. Assign students into small groups to discuss the meaning of each stanza. 2. Have students brainstorm times when they feel tempted to be dishonest. . . . . more Exposition 1. Honesty is a direct reflection of our inner character. Our actions are a reflection on our faith, and reflecting the truth in our actions is a part of being a good witness. Learning how to be more honest will also help us keep a clean conscience. 2. Corruption is the abuse of official power in government or in the private sector for private gain or enrichment. A more general term, graft is the use of dishonest or questionable means for private gain. Ordinarily, we connect graft and corruption to political life. But we must recognize that both the public and the private sectors perpetrate this evil. Our high tolerance of the evil is still the greatest problem. We as a people are also responsible. In the public sector, direct theft of government resources and the sharing of profits from government contracts, illegal gambling and drugs continue. In the private sector, connivance with corrupt activities of public officials, bribery and dishonest reporting of finances for tax evasion purposes are reportedly not infrequent. Insider trading, stock market manipulation and shady business deals worth billions of pesos deprive small investors of meager resources and discourage investors, both domestic and foreign. Corruption is instrumental in driving down the value of the peso. It makes possible the proliferation of criminal syndicates engaged in kidnapping and the drug trade. It imposes countless burdens on business people and ordinary citizens who must give lagay in order to obtain services to which they are entitled. It has weakened the moral and spiritual fiber of a people that sees almost everyone as “on the take”, “lahat nandadaya”, including the most powerful institution of the land. Corruption has weakened the resolve of many to work for change as they are gradually being conditioned to accept and tolerate systemic and institutional wrongdoing by those in power. Today these corrupt systems have become so established that they can even boot out well-intentioned and crusading officials in critical offices notorious for graft and corruption. Legislators hold up the national budget because of squabbles over “pork,” or so-called “development” funds. Indeed, corruption has become so entrenched as not to spare even such revered institutions as media and civil society. Even some in the Church have been known to accept donations from persons known to be corrupt. For this we express our repentance and ask the forgiveness of the Lord. (July 7, 2003 CBCP PASTORAL LETTER) 3.Christ said that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. If Christ is Truth, then it follows that lying is moving away from Christ. Being honest is about following in God's footsteps, for He cannot lie. If our goal is to become more God-like and God-centered, then honesty needs to be our focus. (Hebrews 6:18 - "So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie.") 4.Honesty is a direct reflection of our inner character. Our actions are a reflection on our faith, and reflecting the truth in our actions is a part of being a good witness. Learning how to be more honest will also help us keep a clean conscience. Character plays a big role wherever we go in life. Honesty is considered as characteristic employers and college interviewers look for in candidates. When we are faithful and honest, it shows that we can be trusted. (Luke 16:10 - "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much." 1 Timothy 1:19 - "Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked.") 5. While our honesty level is a reflection of our character, it is also a way to show our faith. In the Bible, God made honesty one of his commandments. Since God cannot lie, He sets the example for all of His people. It is God's desire that we follow that example in all that we do. (Exodus 20:16 - "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor." Proverbs 16:11 - "The Lord demands accurate scales and balances; he sets the standards for fairness." Psalm 119:160 - "The very essence of your words is truth; all your just regulations will stand forever." ) 6. Being honest is not always easy. As Christians we know how easy it is to fall into sin. Therefore, we need to work at being truthful, and it is work. The world does not give us easy situations, and sometimes we need to really work to keep our eyes on God in order to find the answers. Being honest can sometimes hurt, but knowing that you are following what God wants for you will make you more faithful in the end. Honesty is also not just how we speak to others, but also how we speak to our self. While humility and modesty is a good thing, being too harsh on our self is not being truthful. Also, thinking too highly of our self is a sin. Thus, it is important for us to find a balance of knowing our blessings and shortcomings so we can continue to grow. (Proverbs 11:3 - "Honesty guides good people; dishonesty destroys treacherous people." Romans 12:3 - "Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.") 7.The Bible says that God requires honesty among His people. In the preceding verses this is especially true with Israel regarding the way they conducted business. Today, as suspicion and distrust seem to be the "standard operating procedure" in business and in all human relations how crucial is the lesson of honesty. In Luke 16:10, the Bible says, "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. " Dishonesty shows through whether we are dealing with someone for five cents or five million dollars. The amount involved is irrelevant. Perhaps the most graphic demonstration of God's displeasure with dishonesty is found in Acts 5:1-11. The Bible says that the dishonesty of Ananias and Sapphira cost them their lives. The fact that they were immediately struck dead by God shows that their dishonesty was felt all the way to heaven. The Bible says that truth and honesty are virtues that should be practiced in all areas of life (Psalm 51:6; Ecclesiastes 12:2; Ephesians 4:25; Leviticus 19:11). 8.Aide: Pope Looking for Ecumenical Honesty by Zenit (The Holy Father Not Satisfied with "Well Wishing") NEW YORK (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI is looking for a "commitment of honesty" from Christians engaged in ecumenical dialogue, according to a Vatican aide. Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Vatican press office, said this Saturday in comments to the press on the address the Pope gave to ecumenical leaders Friday evening. The meeting of over 300 religious leaders involved in ecumenical dialogue gathered at St. Joseph's Parish in Manhattan. According to organizers, some 250 represented various Protestant churches, 50 were Orthodox leaders and 50 were Catholics. Father Lombardi said the Pope wants "to go to the foundations," "to move all Christians of every community to reflect on the importance of seeking the truth together," without being satisfied with "a certain 'well wishing,' let us say, a certain generic goodwill, but to seek out that which is our duty to revealed truth." What the Pontiff is promoting, he added, is therefore "a commitment of honesty, of honesty and reflection in which the true Christian faith is brought to light [...] by seeking the essential elements of the profession of faith that Scripture and Tradition uphold and on the basis of which, then, we must come together." Challenges In his address, Benedict XVI outlined various challenges facing the globalized community, which he said today is "poised between two poles." He commented that on one hand "there is a growing sense of interconnectedness and interdependency between peoples even when -- geographically and culturally speaking -- they are far apart," but on the other hand "we cannot deny that the rapid changes occurring in our world also present some disturbing signs of fragmentation and a retreat into individualism." The Pope added that using new communication technology can often cause greater isolation, and that people are yearning for "more authentic forms of community." Additionally, the Pontiff highlighted the spread of a secularist ideology that "undermines or even rejects transcendent truth." "The very possibility of divine revelation, and therefore of Christian faith," he added, "is often placed into question by cultural trends widely present in academia, the mass media and public debate." "For these reasons," the Holy Father urged, "a faithful witness to the Gospel is as urgent as ever. Christians are challenged to give a clear account of the hope that they hold." Division Benedict XVI said the division among Christians causes confusion among non-Christians regarding the authentic message of the Gospel, "just at the time when the world is losing its bearings and needs a persuasive common witness to the saving power of the Gospel." The Pope recalled the "unwavering conviction of the early Christian community that its unity was both caused by, and is reflective of, the unity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This, in turn, suggests that the internal cohesion of believers was based on the sound integrity of their doctrinal confession." "My dear friends," continued the Holy Father, "the power of the kerygma has lost none of its internal dynamism. Yet we must ask ourselves whether its full force has not been attenuated by a relativistic approach to Christian doctrine similar to that found in secular ideologies, which, in alleging that science alone is 'objective,' relegate religion entirely to the subjective sphere of individual feeling. "Scientific discoveries, and their application through human ingenuity, undoubtedly offer new possibilities for the betterment of humankind. This does not mean, however, that the 'knowable' is limited to the empirically verifiable, nor religion restricted to the shifting realm of 'personal experience.'" The Pontiff called this line of reasoning "faulty," and that accepting it would lead to more division and a loss of the "importance of doctrinal content for Christian living." Benedict XVI said that even within the ecumenical movement, some are "reluctant to assert the role of doctrine for fear that it would only exacerbate rather than heal the wounds of division." "Yet a clear, convincing testimony to the salvation wrought for us in Christ Jesus has to be based upon the notion of normative apostolic teaching," he asserted, "a teaching which indeed underlies the inspired word of God and sustains the sacramental life of Christians today." "Only by 'holding fast' to sound teaching," added the Pope, "will we be able to respond to the challenges that confront us in an evolving world. Only in this way will we give unambiguous testimony to the truth of the Gospel and its moral teaching." (http://www.catholic.net/church_teaching/template_article.phtml?channel_id=15&article_id=6692 9. Like the prophet Amos seven centuries before Christ, we should lament and denounce the social injustices of our day. Even as we hope, we should also believe – if we all cooperate with God’s grace and with one another, there will come a day when the Lord’s exhortation to his people will come true: “Let justice flow like water and integrity like an unfailing stream” (Amos 5:24). Evaluation: 1. Finish the session by asking the students to write, for homework, the answer to these 2 questions: Have you ever cheated on a test or on a homework assignment? What do you intend to do to make sure that you won’t do so in the future? 2. Tell the class that only they will know if they have done their homework. You, as teacher, won’t collect the assignment. However, the next meeting or class , you will ask each person to tell you whether they have completed the assignment. You will then take their word for it and write down a homework grade of 100 if they say they’ve completed the assignment. Tell them that this is an honesty test that only they will know their true grade on. Tell them that this is the way that many things are in life - with no human being around to watch over what you do 3. Ask the students what is honesty for them and why is it so important? What's wrong with a little white lie? |
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