Encountering Ethical Issues

                                                       K x P x (R-D) = Ethics

          I am not a Mathematics person and try to avoid formulae as much as I can. However, this new formula seems easy to remember because it makes so much sense. As we grow older, we gain more knowledge and have more power to lead ethical lives. Most importantly, ethics is grace-driven.  

          I came to this class thinking that “the lesser evil” is all I need to know about ethics and there is not much to learn about research since I tried out Zotero when I did my research paper for another module last semester. I am glad to be proven wrong. There are truly much to gleam from my teachers and fellow classmates during our formal and informal class discussions.   

Importance of Ethics

          As a child of God, it is important to pursue Christian ethics because the society is changing. We need to have an idea what our ethics are to have a clear conscience. I agree with our teacher Brother Han Hui that we need to know our stand and ethics before something happens. We need to be clear of our stand when all is peaceful and calm as we may panic and lose our footing when a crisis arises.

          Learning about the Seven-Step Guide will help me make consistent ethical decisions. I realized that it is very important to determine from the start whether there are moral conflicts involved in the issue. This calls for knowledge. If there are no moral conflicts, there is no ethical dilemma. Ultimately, we need to live by grace because we are fallen creatures and need God’s forgiveness to live in this fallen world. Thus, we should not condemn a young raped victim if she decided to go for abortion since the baby will be a stigma to her. If the Christian community she belongs to are pro-life, they should be ready to offer her any form of support she would need when she delivers the baby. This brings us to the significance of the Christian Faith Community.

Christian Faith Community

          Christians are not lone rangers. We need to remind ourselves constantly that we are interconnected with one another and have social responsibilities as well. In order to relate to people, ethics are involved. What we consider as right or wrong will inevitably affect the community. As a Christian, how do we relate to the larger community?

          Take for instance, what should my position be now that my group have presented on green environment? After we did our research and presented on the topic, I am more convinced than before that we need to be faithful stewards of the whole earth based on Psalm 24:1-2, Genesis 1 -2 and Leviticus 25:2-5. On my part, I have been trying my best by bringing my own bags to supermarkets and using less Styrofoam cups and plates. Now, I am challenged to make a more conscious effort to influence those within my sphere of influence to conserve the environment.

          The other topic we discussed briefly about in class was sexuality and modesty. Modesty is a constant struggle for a handful of my youths. The shorts have become shorter than ever and they need frequent reminders to wear longer ones. This short discussion has enabled me to remind them that our dressing impacts others more than ourselves. An important question to ask them would be, “Do we want people to look at what we wear or who we are?”   

Research method

          I am glad I learned about the use of a research proposal and the importance of a final detailed outline for any research paper. Looking back, I recalled with amusement how I fumbled through my research paper for Pentecostal Heritage last semester. There were so many readings to clear and references to note. It took a while to formulate my thesis statement too. I did number and arrange my readings though. That helped. I remembered writing my paper in five days. Now, I realized that if I had learned how to do a final detailed outline earlier and allocated an estimated number of pages to each heading and sub-point, writing the paper would be less tiring. Well, it’s better late than never. Writing a research paper will never be the same again.

Group dynamics

       I thank God for my team members who made my role as a leader less daunting. Initially, I was worried about it but everyone in the team was helpful and cooperative. Each one contributed in the area one could do best and we complemented in different ways. JingTing, thanks for volunteering to collate and edit our final detailed outline, and your readiness to make our presentation more interesting. David, thanks for your willingness to create the powerpoint slides. The pictures and animation were so adorable. Derek, thanks for the effort in making the points you presented more meaningful. Stephen, thanks for contributing your knowledge during our discussions. Finally, Alvin, thanks for your flexibility and willingness to present the points allocated.

Now, I look forward to our last session with all my classmates on Saturday!