Civic responsibilitie
Christian Religious Studies SS3 Second Term
Week 2
Topic: Civic responsibilities
Performance objectives
Pupils should be able to:
- Understand the U.N declaration and duties of good citizens
- Know the meaning of HIV/AIDs, symptoms, and preventive measures
Content
A. The U.N. declaration on human rights –good citizenship.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a milestone document in the history of human rights. Drafted by representatives with different legal and cultural backgrounds from all regions of the world, the Declaration was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris on 10 December 1948 (General Assembly resolution 217 A) as a common standard of achievements for all peoples and all nations. It sets out, for the first time, fundamental human rights to be universally protected and it has been translated into over 500 languages.
However, the U.N. declaration on human rights states that;
i. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
ii. Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinions, national or social origin, property, birth,a or another status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional, or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it is independent, trust, non-self-governing, or under any other limitation of sovereignty.
iii. Everyone has the right to life, liberty, and security of person.
iv. No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.
v. No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment.
vi. Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.
vii. All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.
viii. Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law.
ix. No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.
x. Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.
B. Peter’s message on the duties of a good citizen (1peter 2:13-17)
In Peter’s teaching on good citizenship, he told the people to make themselves subject to every human authority.
It does not matter, whether it is the emperor himself or the Governors sent by him to reward the just and punish the wicked because it is the will of God. When they do this, according to Peter, they will silence the ignorance of fools.
Peter advised them to live as people who are free but also they should not use their freedom as a pretext to encourage evil.
Peter told them to live as servants of God.
They must honor everybody, love the brotherhood. They must fear God and honor the emperor.
Ways in Which Christians Can Act As Good Citizens
i. Pay their taxes regularly.
ii. By exercising their voting rights.
iii. By being law-abiding.
iv. Maintaining a good environment.
v. By contributing to a voluntary organization.
vi. Caring for public property.
vii. By being loyal to the country.
Qualities of a Good Citizen
i. Love his nation and its legitimate institutions.
ii. Obey all laws of the country.
iii. Fight to defend the territorial integrity of his country, if options like dialogue fail.
iv. Help in the maintenance of law and order.
v. Must have respect for others and live in peace with them.
vi. Must not get involved in attempts to overthrow his government
C. Definition of HIV/AIDs
HIV: Human Immune Deficiency Virus
AIDS: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
This is a disease of the human immune system caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). The illness is the non-effectiveness of the immune system of the body.
We can also say HIV is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system. There is currently no effective cure. Once people get HIV, they have it for life.
But with proper medical care, HIV can be controlled. People with HIV who get effective HIV treatment can live long, healthy lives and protect their partners.
However, HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. HIV and AIDS is not the same thing. And people with HIV do not always have AIDS.
HIV is a virus that is passed from person to person.
D. Different ways of contracting HIV/AIDs and the symptoms
Anyone can get HIV. You are at greater risk through the following ways:
i. Sexual Transmission: When a person comes in contact with another person with HIV, during vaginal, anal or oral sex whereby the HIV person’s semen, blood has been secreted into one’s body, then such an individual is likely to have HIV or AIDS. The virus can enter a person’s body through the mouth, or small tears that sometimes develop in the rectum or vagina during sexual activity.
ii. Blood Transfusion: When an individual receives unscreened blood and the blood already has HIV in it, then one is bound to get infected.
iii. Sharing of Needles and other sharp objects: Through needles and syringes sharing, one can be infected. Sharing of intravenous drugs paraphernalia puts one at a high risk of HIV and other diseases such as hepatitis.
iv. Mother to Child: An infected mother can infect her babies during pregnancy or delivery or through breast feeding. But if a woman receives treatment for HIV infection during pregnancy, the risk of the baby is significantly reduced.
The channel of transfer or transmission is through the mucous membrane or the blood stream.
HIV/AIDS symptoms includes lack of energy, weight loss, frequent fever and sweats, persistent skin rashes or flaky skin, short-term memory, cough and shortness of breath, difficult or painful swallowing, severe headache, and many more.
E. Prevention of HIV/AIDs
Since the discovery of HIV/AIDS, in 1980, scientists are yet to have a cure for the illness. As a result of this, there is a need for us to prevent ourselves from contracting the illness, and the foresight, self-discipline, and education, HIV infection and AIDS can be prevented. Some preventive measures are:
i. Abstinence: The first and foremost effective measure to HIV/AIDS is abstinence, which means to desist from having sexual intercourse before marriage. In order words, it is not advisable to be having sexual intercourse anyhow.
ii. Faithfulness to one partner: Another means of preventing HIV/AIDS is by being faithful to one partner. It is not advisable to be having indiscriminate sexual intercourse. Thus, partners must be faithful to each other.
iii. Screening of Blood before Transfusion: It is usually advisable to donate blood so as to save the lives of others, it is important to screen the blood being transfused. The proper screening of blood reveals the HIV/AIDS status of the blood. Hence, it will prevent further infection if the screened blood is infected.
iv. Avoid Sharing of Sharp Objects: People should desist from sharing objects which can pierce any part of the body and bring about blood. Such items are syringes, razors, manicure items, needles, toothbrush, and so on.
v. Public Enlightenment: Another means of preventing HIV/AIDS is by vigorously mounting public enlightenment campaign alone. It should involve interpersonal and traditional methods such as in a market venue on HIV/AIDS among others.
F. People were sick and Jesus cared for them and healed them (Jn. 4:46-54)
Whenever Jesus Christ come in contact with the sick people, He would always be moved with compassion and in the process heal them.
In John 4:46 – 54, when Jesus visited Cana of Galilee where he turned water to wine, there was a certain noble man, whose son was sick at Capernaum. When the man heard that Jesus was in Galilee, he came to him and begged him to come down and heal his son who was at his point of death. Jesus said to him, “Except you see signs and wonders, you will not believe”. The noble man said to Jesus, “Sir come down so that my son will not die.” Jesus told him to go his way for his son's life. The man believed the words of Jesus and went his way. His servants came to him and told him that his son lives and told him that the fever left his son on the seventh hour, the same hour Jesus told him that his son liveth.
In John 5:1 – 8, there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. At Jerusalem, there was a pool by the sheep market which is called in Hebrew language, Bethsaida which had five porches. By the pool laid a great number of important folk of the blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water by an angel who went down at a certain season and troubled the water and whosoever entered the troubled water first, was made healed of whatever disease he had.
There was a certain man there, which had been sick for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him he knew he had been there for a long time. Jesus asked him if he would be like to be made whole. The Important man answered Jesus, “Sir I have no one when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool, but while I am coming, and another step down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.”
In John 9:1 – 7, as Jesus passed by, he saw a man who was blind from his birth. The disciples of Jesus asked Him who sinned, the man or his parent, that he was born blind. Jesus answered them that neither had the man sinned nor his people, but that the words of God should be made manifest in the man. Jesus told his disciples that he must do the work of God while it was day, that night comes when no man can work. Jesus said He is the light of the world. After the statement, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spit, and anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. He told the blind man to go and wash in the pool of Siloam. The man washed and came back seeing.
Moral Lesson
Christians should learn to relate well with the sick and encourage them that Jesus is still healing today and he is able to heal them.