2. Unit One: What does it mean to be human? Lesson 3: Are we good?

3. Recall the 5 Principles of Humanity… #3: To be human is to be essentially good, despite the capacity for disorder and sin.

4. These are violent times… Nearly half of Canada’s young people accept that violence is a part of life. 1 in 4 Canadians do not feel safe walking in their neighbourhood alone at night. Canadians are 50% more likely than Europeans to be victims of burglary, assault, sexual offenses and robbery, and 5 times more likely than those in Japan.

5. Crime rates in Canada

6. Case Study 1: Taber School Shooting April 28, 1999 12:20 p.m. 14 year old Todd Smith walked into W.R. Myers High School with a sawed off shot gun, fatally wounding 17 year old Jason Lang

7. Case Study 1: Taber School Shooting Took place 8 days after the shooting at Columbine High School in Denver, Colorado Smith was severely bullied and suffered from depression After his arrest, Smith suffered from numerous health problems including having open heart surgery, a stroke and a coma Smith pleaded guilty and served 3 years Upon his release, the prison psychologist noted he continued to be obsessed with violent movies

8. Case Study 1: Taber School Shooting THE VICTIM THE PERPETRATOR

9. Questions for Discussion Is Todd Smith a bad person? Was justice served in this case? If you were Jason’s mother or father, could you forgive Todd for what he did? p. 28 in textbook read Tragedy in Taber and answer #1-4

10. Case Study #2: ReenaVirk Virkwas first swarmed by eight teenagers (seven girls and one boy). The names of six of the girls involved in the first beating, known collectively as "the Shoreline Six," have not all been released. Following the first beating the boy, Warren Glowatski, and Kelly Ellard murdered Virk. Glowatski was given a life sentence after being convicted of second-degree murder. Ellardwas tried three times. The verdict of her third trial, a conviction, was set aside. The verdict was appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada which ruled not to hold a fourth trial in an 8-1 decision, upholding the conviction and sentence.

11. Case Study #2: ReenaVirk Virk came from a large extended family who had emigrated from India. Virkhas been described as a girl who was desperate for acceptance amongst her peers, but was taunted and/or ostracized by these girls whose subculture was influenced by Los Angeles street gangs. At the beginning of her adolescence, Virk had become estranged from her family. She began to rebel against her immediate family and their strict religious beliefs.

12. Case Study #2: ReenaVirk On the evening of Friday November 14, 1997, ReenaVirk was invited to a "party" by her friend near the Craigflower Bridge, west of the city of Victoria, British Columbia. While at the bridge, it is claimed that teenagers drank alcoholand smoked marijuana. Virk was subsequently swarmed by a group later called the Shoreline Six. Witnesses said that one of the girls stubbed out a cigarette on Virk's forehead, and that while seven or eight others stood by and watched, Virk was repeatedly hit, punched and kicked. She was found to have several cigarette burns on her skin, and apparently attempts were made to set her hair on fire. This first beating ended when one of the girls told the others to stop. Virkmanaged to walk away, but was followed by two members of the original group, Ellard and Glowatski. The pair dragged Virk to the other side of the bridge, made her remove her shoes and jacket, and beat her a second time. It is believed that Ellard forced Virk's head under the water and held it there with her foot until Virk stopped struggling.

14. Focus Questions: Just how good are we? How do we know we are good? What sources tell us we are good?

15. What is goodness? God is the source of all that is good. Humans, by their nature and vocation, are directed toward the good. Coming from God and going toward God, human beings live fully human lives only if they freely live in communion with God. Goodness results in being connected with God, like branches to a vine.

16. Genesis 1:26-31 – The Creation of Man The God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the birds of the air, over the cattle, and over the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”

17. Genesis 1:26-31 – The Creation of Man So God created humankind in his own image; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it …” God saw everything he had made, and indeed, it was very good…”

18. The revelation in Genesis: We were created good. We are good because we come from God and are called to be co-creators with God through our abilities to reason and love.

19. Small Group Activity Work in groups no larger than 4 or 5 people. Collect chart paper and one marker for your group. Choose a recorder. Task: Describe 3 evils that exist in the world. For each, explain what your group feels needs to be done to return those involved to a state of natural goodness. Record your discussion neatly on chart paper and be prepared to share your responses.

20. For example: Government corruption in Egypt Allow people to peacefully demonstrate and express their inherent right to free speech President Mubarak could resign to make way for a more democratic government Allow free elections on a regular basis