MODULE 1 Lesson 1 – Course Orientation and Importance of Rules

MODULE 1
UNDERSTANDING MORALITY AND MORAL
STANDARDS

LESSON 1 – Course Orientation and the Importance of Rules

Intended Learning Outcomes:

• To state what are expected of me in this course;
• To explain the importance of rules

INTRODUCTION

Everywhere you go are rules – at home, at school, on church, in the barangay. Do these
rules make our life more difficult and so should be eliminated or do these rules make
our life more peaceful and orderly? Imagine your life, your home, your school, your
church and community without rules. In this lesson, we’ll study about the importance of
rules.

ACTIVITY 1

1. Go over the course syllabus. Pay particular attention to what is required and
expected from you.
2. Clarify points that need to be clarified with your Instructor.

ACTIVITY 2

1. Form groups of 5. Recall and share with your group a rule that you have to follow
in your community and the reason behind such rule.

ANALYSIS

Share with your small group your answers to these questions:

• What if there were no rules? What are possible consequences?
• Are rules important? Why or why not?
• Do you find them constricting? Why or why not?

ABSTRACTION

Rules are important in social beings. Just imagine the chaos that results from the
absence of rules. What happens when students and professors alike come to school in
any attire they want? Imagine what happens when in the classroom everyone wants to
talk at the same time. Let’s go out our classroom for more examples. What if there were

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MODULE 1 Lesson 1 – Course Orientation and Importance of Rules

no traffic rules? Rules can be expanded to include the Philippine Constitution and other
laws. What if there were no Constitution and other laws of the land?
Rules are meant to set order. Rules (the Philippine Constitution and other laws
included) are meant for man. The greatest teacher, Jesus Christ, preached
emphatically, “The Sabbath is made for man and not man for the Sabbath”. The law of
the Sabbath, i.e. to keep it holy and observe rest, is meant to make a man whole by
resting and by giving him time to thank and spend time in prayer and worship for his
own good.
For the sake of order of the society, everyone is subject to rules. In a democratic
country like the Philippines, we often hear the statement “No one is above the law,”
including the highest official of the country. We are all subject to rules or else court
chaos.
Rules are not meant to restrict your freedom. They are meant to help you grow in
freedom, to grow in your ability to choose and do what is good for you and for others. If
there are rules or laws that restrict your ability or strength to do good, they are
suffocating laws and they are not good laws. They ought to be abolished. Any rule of
law that prevents human persons from doing and being good ought to be repealed.
They have no reasons to exists.
In fact, if you are rule or law-abiding citizen, you don’t even feel the restricting
presence of a rule of law because you do what the law or what the rule states
everybody should do. Looking from the higher point of view, this is the state when one
acts not because rules demand it but because one sees he has to act that way. It is like
saying one no longer needs the rule or law because one has become mature and wise
enough to discern what ought to be done. This is an ideal state which the ancient
Chinese sages (Confucius, Lao Tzu) referred to as state of no-more rules, no-more
laws, because people discern what is right or good and do what is right or good without
thinking or a rule of law; people are no longer in need of a government because they
can govern themselves. It is a state where one owns the moral standard no just abide
by the moral standard.

APPLICATION

1. The Sabbath is made for man and not man for the Sabbath. What does this
mean? Illustrate an example.
2. Rules/Law are made for the good of man. State the good that is derived from the
following school rules:
a. No ID, No Entry
b. Students/Teacher Tardiness beyond 15 minutes means absence
c. Any form of cheating is punishable by suspension.
d. Use of illegal drug is punishable with dismissal.
3. Give an example of a constricting rule or law. What should be done with it?
4. The ancient Chinese sage named Lao Tzu taught: “Leave the people to
themselves, no laws or inner goodness will flourish.” “The more laws and
commands there are, the more thieves and robbers will be.” Do you agree? Why
or why not?

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MODULE 1 Lesson 1 – Course Orientation and Importance of Rules

KEY TAKEAWAYS
• Rules are meant to set order in society.
• Rules are intended for human persons. They are not meant to limit a person’s
freedom which is the ability to choose and do what is good. Rather rules are
meant to help persons choose and do what is good.
• Those who do what is good don’t even feel the presence of a rule that prevents
them from doing what is not good. It is those who intend to do the opposite of
what is good that feel the suffocating and limiting presence of a rule.
• When society is ideal, i.e. when all persons are good and do only what is ideal
then there will be no more need for rules and laws according to Lao Tzu.

CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING

Why are rules important?

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REFLECTION

Reflect on your attitude toward rules. Do you welcome rules? Or are you allergic
to rules? What if there were no rules?
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