week ten March 18 - march 22, 2013

Chapter 20
The Identity and cultural change in the colonial Era is basically the experience of racism. The exposure to european and its social economic upheaval contributed to the change within asian and african societies. People of those origins thought different of their community, cultural identities and the believe system in people changed as well.
Many missionaries came to help and created schools. Africa became influenced big time by the european colonialism. Kids would learn how to write and read and gained knowledge about many different topics and even had the chance of graduating and getting a degree or carries. People would dress like europeans and started to look like them. All those changes could mean an escape from a hopeless future and become something or someone else.

In this weeks lecture we also discussed the catholic social teachings in action of living justice. We looked in detail at the topics of dignity of every person and human rights and the property ownership in modern society and the rights and responsibility that comes with it.
The catholic teachings are the historical development of the Church's social teachings that are in the form of scriptural and theological sources. Those are catholic principles and set of rules how a catholic person and people in general should address ethical and moral questions that effect our society and our ecosystem.
Every culture or religion affirms some sort of dignity and values the human life. The key of human life is all humans are made in the image and likeness of God. We can see evidence as it appears in the story of creation and humans reflect the image of God in their praying and physical bodies and because we are all close to God we all deserve the same respect and way to be treated equal. We should not make a difference in people even if they committed crimes because you never know the situation or stimulations they had. People are able to change and are part of God. Threats to human dignity also known and it includes abortion, euthanasia and capital punishment. It is also mentioned that we are all part and family of God and because of that we all deserve that our needs are met and people of faith should speak up if they experience injustice or witness it. Some people enjoy vast holdings of wealth and resources while others suffer starvation and just try to survive. In this part it also addressed the problem of the division into different social classes because of wealth. Human rights can consider the entire web of a relationship that people can create and connects one with each other. The natural environment, government and local communities all work with each other and it wouldn't work if one was missing.

On the other hand property and ownership in modern society is a controversial topic as well. Common good and the advantages of individual ownership of property can go hand in hand and vast establish into conflicts between different parties. It is an argument if you really need a 8 million dollar mention or can be the same happy living in a 500.000 dollar house. The necessary goods ini life should be available for everyone and all the human communities. No one should be privileged. But that would be not fair to people that work hard, in-heritage things and other people that are lazy.
But if you have those "necessaries" it shouldn't give the absolute and unconditional right for people. No one is justified in keeping his or her exclusive use what he or she does not need, when others lack necessities. Some people are even hoarding wealth and when we talk of that, we mean they own a great deal of property or land and are not using it correctly or efficient to satisfy the community and should be dishonored of this possession. This way it can be used for better use and help many people that are affected from starvation.

Overall both those topics make a it clear in the catholic teachings, no matter how poor or wealthy you are don't picture yourself as less or more instead we are all equal and deserve the same treatment and measurements in our community. One hand washes another and giving back if you have more is essential to not lose the connection to your neighbors.