No class this Sunday.
Our next class meeting is Sunday, Nov 04.
Summary of last time:
God loves us and wants us to be happy, so He gives us rules to help us make the kinds of choices that will in fact make us happy. There is a connection between happiness and holiness -- the choices that will help us become the best versions of ourselves are the same choices that will also bring us happiness. (Video: God's Dream for You.)
We then discussed the concept of worldviews and what might make a worldview better; we decided that one that relies on facts / evidence, reason, persuasion through logical argument about ideas, is self-consistent and true to reality wins hands-down. Next, we looked at several examples showing that our post-modern culture is weak on these qualities and has a broken and invalid worldview; however, it is strong on the "practical propaganda" that Screwtape mentions in the following quote:
“The trouble about argument is that it moves the whole struggle onto the Enemy’s own ground. He can argue too; whereas in really practical propaganda of the kind I am suggesting He has been shown for centuries to be greatly the inferior of Our Father Below. By the very act of arguing, you awake the patient’s reason; and once it is awake, who can foresee the result?” – Screwtape, The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis
Note to those not familiar with The Screwtape Letters. They are the purported letters written by a senior demon (Screwtape) to a junior one, telling him how to effectively tempt his assigned victim. The "Enemy" he refers to, then, is God.
Then, I briefly summarized key aspects of the Christian worldview. We then looked in some detail at the "real life" data about three specific areas of Catholic teaching that are directly opposed by our modern culture: abortion, contraception, and divorce. There is overwhelming evidence of significant negative consequences to each of these choices, for example: to women from abortion; to children, innocent spouses, and families from divorce and unmarried parenting; and to individuals, marriages, and societies from contraception.
Again, I want to clarify that bad consequences are not the reason these things are wrong, but rather, because they are wrong, they will have bad consequences. On the other hand, our culture tells us that these are all good choices for those who make them, and completely fails to account for the widespread bad consequences. Instead it copes largely by denying that the bad results exist. The benefits it has claimed for these choices have also failed to materialize.
In contrast, we saw that the Christian worldview is not only self-consistent, but also makes sense of all this evidence and engages other viewpoints rationally.
I spent this time looking at worldviews because a person who holds an incoherent worldview isn't just failing a pop quiz, but is wrong about reality itself. So, such a person is also likely to fail to find the true meaning and purpose of life and to be unhappy. Worst of all, the flight from reason and reality is insanity -- and it can't do anything to solve the very real problems that we face as individuals or as a culture.
I invite you to watch two brief Matthew Kelly videos: "Be a Rebel" and "Decision Point." You might find it odd to hear, "Be a rebel!" at church, but really -- it's good to rebel against the culture and choose freedom instead of slavery.
Class worksheet / handout:
Due to an error on my part, the class worksheets were printed incorrectly. Please go to the resources post at the blog and print a copy of the worksheet. If you have any problems filling in the answers, we will go over them at the start of our next class. (If you are unable to print it, let me know, and I'll bring along a printout for you.)
If you missed class or want to review, go to the Resources post for this class and follow the directions there.
For your enjoyment:
Abortion Fans Are Bad at Science and Even Worse at Making Rational Arguments (A Fisk of Bill Nye's pro-abortion video)
New location reminder: We will be meeting in the Wasco Room in Aquinas Hall. Since we will be the sole occupants of the building, the doors will remain locked for security reasons. Class will begin at 10:15 as usual. At 10:20, the door minder will return to the classroom. Students will take turns assisting with this task.
I will be taping a portable doorbell to the front doors. If you are unavoidably delayed (e.g. after serving the 9 Mass), please ring the doorbell -- only once, please! It's very loud! -- and wait a few minutes for someone to let you in. Thank you.
Next time, we will begin our study of the Theology of the Body for Teens based on Pope St. John Paul's profound vision on the "Theology of the Body." I am excited to share this inspiring program that provides satisfying explanations for so much of the Church's teaching on marriage, vocations, and life issues -- the “whys” behind the “whats” -- paving the way to true freedom and happiness.