Introduction
The film Awakening by The Church of Almighty God (2015) follows Chen Xin, a dedicated worker who is put in a difficult position when deciding between her religion and career. Chen Xin is a member of the Church of Almighty God, an outlawed religious organization in China.
Description of Theories
An ethical theory places a premium on cultivating good moral character. According to this theory, the qualities that an action fosters, rather than its effects, matter most when determining its morality (Papouli, 2019). However, utilitarianism is a consequentialist ethical theory that evaluates the rightness or wrongness of an action by how much happiness or pleasure it brings to the most significant number of individuals (Papouli, 2019). It advocates for pursuing the greatest good for the most significant number of people.
Application of Theories
In the context of the movie, Chen Xin’s decision poses a moral dilemma that can be evaluated using these two ethical principles. From a virtue ethics perspective, Chen Xin’s decision should be guided by the virtues she wishes to cultivate and exhibit in her character (Ottuh & Idjakpo, 2021). On the other hand, utilitarian ethics may suggest that Chen Xin should consider the consequences of her decision on the most significant number of people. This essay discusses the effectiveness of virtue and utilitarian ethical theories when making ethical decisions in complex situations.
Application
Virtue Ethics
Virtue ethics examines how one might develop positive character traits to become a better person. In virtue ethics, the emphasis is on character traits like honesty, compassion, bravery, and fairness. Remaining faithful in the face of adversity is an act of bravery, as seen in the film (The Church of Almighty God, 2015). By aiding other members of the Church of the Almighty God in their flight from persecutors, they also show the values of charity and compassion. The Christian faith that shapes the family’s ethics is essential to who they are.
Utilitarianism
Utilitarian ethics, on the other hand, is concerned with the results of actions and places value on achieving the best for the most significant number of people. Utilitarians hold that the morally just action is the one that results in the most favorable outcome for the largest group (Papouli, 2019). The film portrays the Chinese government’s persecution of the Church of Almighty God as a heinous act that has disastrous consequences for believers (The Church of Almighty God, 2015). The Chinese government claims this is necessary to prevent harmful cults from destabilizing society. However, the government’s actions cause more harm than good, violating the citizens’ fundamental rights.
Conflict Analysis
Virtue Ethics
One conflict relates to the virtue ethics theory, which emphasizes the importance of personal character and moral virtues. To escape jail time, the film’s protagonist, Chen Xin, must decide whether or not to forsake her trust in God and betray her fellow believers (The Church of Almighty God, 2015). Because of this dilemma, her moral value is tested, as she must choose between protecting herself and being faithful to her values and religion.
Utilitarianism
The utilitarian ethics theory, which seeks to maximize the pleasure and well-being of society as a whole, is another source of contention. According to The Church of Almighty God (2015), the movie portrays the government and authorities as putting society’s stability and order ahead of the people’s pleasure and welfare. The authorities think repressing religious ideas and practices would improve society.
At the same time, the believers claim their religion is the source of their pleasure and satisfaction, highlighting the dichotomy between individual rights and the larger good. The most significant value for most people is societal stability; hence, it makes utilitarian sense to continue persecuting members of The Church of the Almighty God. However, doing so would force him to disregard the suffering it causes.
Guiding Protagonists with Ethical Theories
Virtue Ethics
The virtue and utilitarian ethical systems give the film’s protagonists divergent moral instructions. Those who subscribe to the virtue theory place a premium on acquiring admirable character attributes and acting according to high moral standards. The film’s protagonists are exhorted to trust God and obey his commands, hoping that doing so would make them better people (Ottuh & Idjakpo, 2021).
Utilitarianism
Utilitarianism, on the other hand, stresses the significance of increasing enjoyment while reducing suffering. The film’s protagonists are urged to consider the repercussions of their decisions and choose the one that helps the most people overall (Hegde et al., 2020). Ultimately, both ideologies push the movie’s protagonists and antagonists toward doing what is right and thinking about how their actions may affect others.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the video explores a range of moral concerns, including the tension between individual agency and conforming to cultural norms, the value of empathy and forgiveness, and the impact of one’s choices. There are hints of both the Virtue and Utilitarian ethical systems in the film. Chen, who is persecuted but ultimately comes to embody compassion, forgiveness, and love, is used to illustrate the virtue theory. On the other hand, utilitarians are exemplified by public servants who put the common good ahead of people’s individual liberties and constitutional protections.
One of its flaws is the difficulty in defining and applying the virtue theory. Individuals’ views on the significance and appropriate expression of virtues may vary. Similarly, the utilitarian theory may be attacked for putting the enjoyment of society above the rights and dignity of individuals and failing to account for the possibility of unintended consequences. This film taught me the value of developing character traits like mercy and forgiveness, which will serve me well in my private and professional relationships. Even in the quest for societal development, it is crucial to acknowledge the significance of individual rights and liberties.
References
Hegde, A., Agarwal, V., & Rao, S. (2020). Ethics, prosperity, and society: Moral evaluation using virtue ethics and Utilitarianism. In 29th International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence (IJCAI 2020), 10. Web.
Ottuh, P. O., & Idjakpo, O. G. (2021). Imperativeness of Ethics in Christianity: Perspectives and Praxis. KIU Journal of Social Sciences, 7(1), 129-135. Web.
Papouli, E. (2019). Aristotle’s virtue ethics as a conceptual framework for the study and practice of social work in modern times. European Journal of Social Work, 22(6), 921-934. Web.
The Church of Almighty God. (2015). Gospel Movie “Awakening” [Video]. YouTube. Web.