RELIGION REVIEWER

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PREFERENTIAL OPTION FOR THE POOR

-It is a Christian choice.It calls on us to prioritize the needs of the poor in order to remove the
scourge of dire poverty from all.

POVERTY
-It encompasses living conditions, an inability to meet basic needs because food, clean
drinking water, proper sanitation, education, health care and other social services are
inaccessible.

POVERTY IN THE PHILIPPINES

-It is primarily economic. Thousands of Filipinos grow up malnourished. uneducated, and
homeless

FORMS OF POVERTY

1. Economic impoverishment is the most prevalent form of the poverty in the

Philippines. It brings with it the other kinds of poverty like powerlessness and
selfishness.
2. Relying on material wealth- It deprives a person of a meaningful life.
-The material wealth as the only solution to poverty.

CAUSES OF POVERTY
Poverty among Filipinos is often attributed:
1. The poor are lazy
2. High birth rate

1.The poor is not lazy- The real problem is that no matter how hard they work, they remain
stuck in poverty.
-Low paying jobs
-Lack of required skills
-Lack of educational background.

2.High Birth Rate-Many blame the poor for having too many children. Because they have
many mouths to feed, it is difficult for them to keep the whole family well fed, clothed and
sheltered.

THE REAL CAUSES OF POVERTY

Corruption-The poor do not have access to the common good.
Goods and services are not properly delivered.

THE CHURCH IS NOT AGAINST ALL FORMS OF FAMILY PLANNING

1.Married couples must be free to make decisions on the number of children they want.
2.Parents should make this moral decision exhibits a sense of responsibility to each other
and to their children.

3.Church advocates family planning as a method that can foster deep respect.

4.Church rejects all artificial means of birth control.

THE TEACHINGS OF THE CHURCH

-Responsible family planning and parenthood is its response to the problem of

population and poverty.

-The primary cause of poverty is deeply rooted in something spiritual in the moral behavior
of the people.

PREFERENTIAL OPTION FOR THE POOR

-Is the choice to commit oneself to opposing the injustice,exploitation, oppression, and
marginalization.

-Is a Christian obligation. It is an essential option (not optional) of a Christian faith, an

obligatory choice to love all especially the poor.

-Is a commitment that can be made by rich and the poor.

-The rich are called to enter into the lives of the poor by reaching out in fraternal unity.
-The poor are called to help themselves as best as they can and contribute to the commo
good.

HOW TO PRACTICE PREFERENTIAL OPTION FOR THE POOR

1. See things through the eyes of the poor.
2. Work with the poor.
3. Work for them.
4. Trust in God’s Providence.

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HUMAN WORK

Who works?
-It is an act of human beings.
-In work,intelligence,creativity, and free choice are involved.

What is work?
-Work is usually understood as an activity done for pay. It refers to career, job, or profession.

-It is an aspect of our life that serves not just as a source of livelihood, but also a symbol of
social status, and in a sense, self-worth.
Laborem Exercens:Work as a sustained human activity done for a purpose.
-It can be manual or intellectual, paid or not paid, light or heavy.

-Work is a duty. If we are capable of working, we must work.

St.John Paul II- Admonishes those who are capable of working, “if anyone was unwilling to
work, neither should that one eat” (2 Thes 3:10)

PURPOSE OF WORK
1. Earn a living and provide for our material needs.
2. Express and develop ourselves as unique creatures of God.
3. Serve our community.

ASPECT/DIMENSIONS OF HUMAN WORK

TWO ASPECTS OF HUMAN WORK

-OBJECTIVE DIMENSION
-SUBJECTIVE DIMENSION

OBJECTIVE DIMENSION
-It refers to the output or product of human work:
a.)Goods produced-machines, tools, programs,technology
b.)Services
rendered-studying,teaching,curing,experimenting,dancing,cooking,broadcasting,etc.

VARIOUS FIELDS OF WORK

1. Agriculture and Fishing
2. Technology
3. Industry
4. Social structures, System of Services and civilization

SUBJECTIVE DIMENSION OF WORK

- It pertains to workers as the subject or agents of their work.
- The real value and dignity of work rests on the human persons as the subject of
work.
The subjectivity of human work implies that:
a.) human persons are the purpose of work.
b.) works supports our dignity
c.) work promotes communication and responsibility
d.) work is for the common good &
e.) Human persons are important than capital.

RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF WORKERS

 1. Right to Work
a.) Employment - There should be a suitable employment for all who want to earn a living
and are capable of working.
b.) Work Environment - Adequate safety measures and equipment must be provided to
protect them from any danger and harm.
c.) Work hours - workers have the right to legitimate rest.

2. Right to Just Share in the Fruits of the Work

a.) Right to just wage - Wages give workers access to the goods needed for
a decent life.
b.) Social Benefits - Workers must also obtain a just share of the fruits of
their work through other benefits, like health care, pension and accident insurance.
3. Right to Organize
a.) Right to form an associations - Workers have the right to form and join
organizations, usually called labor on trade unions.
b.) Right to Strike or Work Stoppage - legitimate means to pursue other
rights- fair wages, adequate rest, good working conditions, etc without being
subjected to a personal penal sanctions.

SOLIDARITY WITH THE WORKER

-The church insists that human work is something personal and social; thus, the problems of
the worker are the problems of the society.

-The teaching underscores the need for solidarity of all members of society with the worker.

The Church develops this principle by presenting two types of employers.

A.Direct Employer
B.Indirect Employer

1. A Direct employer - a person or institution which workers enter directly into a work
contract within the bound of specific work conditions.An
2. indirect employer - refers to the different sectors or elements aside from the direct
employer that affect the condition of the work relationship.

SPIRITUALITY OF HUMAN WORK

Work is a way to participate in God’s creative and redemptive work.

1. Participation in God’s creative work.
2. Collaboration with Christ’s redemptive mission.
3. Cooperation with the work of the holy spirit.
ECONOMIC JUSTICE

-The idea that the economy will be more successful if it is fairer.

-There is a belief that creating more opportunities for all members of society to earn viable
wage will contribute to sustained economic growth.
- Equal access to resources and opportunities, decent work with fair wages and safe
working conditions, and the right to organize all of these are critical components of
economic justice.

THE SEARCH HAPPINESS

- The story of shoemaker teaches us, that the happiness we associate with material wealth
is just an illusion.
- We realize that we do what we do because we ultimately want to be happy.
- One big mistake: to seek happiness by endlessly trying to have more and earn more. This
is the attraction to materialism.
- Material goods are important for our survival and dignity.
- The opposite of materialism and consumerism is simplicity of lifestyle.

SIMPLE LIFESTYLE
- A way of living that focuses on the essentials - on what can make us happy.
- Only God can give us a deep sense of fulfilment.
- Genuine happiness is God’s gift. It is an experience that springs from utter
dependence on God and love for fellow human persons.

ECONOMIC NEEDS
- are not purely material or physical. Economic needs always have a spiritual, nonmaterial
dimension since humans are embodied spirits.

CHRISTIAN VIEW OF MATERIAL GOODS

1. BASED ON SCRIPTURE

a.) CREATED BY GOD - God created and is creating all things in this world.
a.1) Basically good - Everything that God has made is very good.
a.2) God’s gift - Material things is a great help in make us the kind of persons God
wants us to become.

b.) OUR RESPONSIBILITY - He ordered human persons to exercise dominion over

all creation. We are commanded to act as stewards of God’s creation.
b.1) Human persons over material things - Humans are more important than
temporal goods. Human dignity is superior to the worth of material things.
b.2) No absolute control - God is the sole Creator and ultimate owner of everything.
We are only God’s “trustees”.

c.) Part of Jesus’ Salvific Mission - Christ freed us from excessive attachment to
material things.
 - Frees us from greed and self-seeking attitudes
- Infuses us instead with respect for others, sensitivity to our surroundings,
compassion and generous love for the needy.
c.1) The danger of riches - If we allow material wealth to overwhelm us, it
can hinder us from recognizing God’s many gift to us.
c.2) A new hierarchy of values - Jesus showed that giving is better than
taking, sharing is more liberating than hoarding.
2. BASED ON CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHINGS - The church has developed
socio-economic teachings. These are the right to private property, the universal
destination of goods and care for the environment.
a.) The right to private property - Work is the concrete exercise of our intelligence
and freedom to subdue the earth. We are entitled to make part of the earth our own.
The right allows us to meet temporal needs.
b.) Universal destination of goods - To legitimately use our private property we
must recognize the social responsibility attached to owning it.
c.) Care for the environment - We have to take care of our environment because
the destruction of our physical environment is the destruction of life.

3. DOING THE ECONOMICS

a.) Desired end - refers to whatever goal or objective is sought by an individual or
society.
b.) Allocation of Resources - the process of making economic decisions includes
appropriating resources. The wealth and resources of our country must be properly
distributed.
c.) Alternative uses - Economic decisions involve choosing among possible uses of
the resources available.