Transcript Document

Unit 8
The complete & easy guide to
success
8.1-8.4
8.1
Rights and Responsibilities
Remember:
You will need to know both Christian and
Muslims attitudes in this unit!
Why use different types of authority?
• Bible : Word of God, moral guide, contains
laws, doesn’t change.
• Church : body of Christ, teachings of Jesus,
provides rules, God talks to us through Church,
Church interprets bible.
• Conscience: the voice of God, Church says it
should be followed, speaks directly to
individual.
• Situation Ethics: Jesus used it, wrong to ignore
consequences, Jesus taught love, forgiveness
Tip:You can use opposite ones to argue against another!
Using a variety of authorities
• When Christians have to decide what to
do about an issue, they can:
Use what the bible says about it
Use what Church leaders say about it
Use what they feel is right (their conscience)
Work out what is the most loving thing to do.
(Situation Ethics)
Most Christians would use more than one of
these one may not contain relevant answer.
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Human Rights in UK
Everyone has the right to: life, liberty, a fair trial, own
property etc.
Argue for:
• Without HR could live in dictatorship (opposition
imprisioned)
• Without freedom of thought, minority religions and
political parties might be banned.
• No freedom to vote = no democracy.
Against
• Abuse of HR
• Torture could be used to get info to save innocent
lives.
•
Importance of Human Rights for
Christians
• All created in God’s image
• God loves all equally so all should be
treated equally
• Bible teachings support HR e.g 10
commandments.
Examples:
• Parable of sheep and goats
• Golden rule
Why should take part in
democratic/electoral processes
Arguments for:
• Some control over how taxes etc. is spent.
• Can affect new laws passed
• Say in how NHS, schools and benefits are run.
Arguments against:
• One vote makes no difference to outcome
• Politicians make promises that aren’t kept
• Doesn’t matter who is voted in, EU will decide.
Moral responsibilities for Christians
Specifically refer to teachings: (pg60)
• Golden Rule
• Parable of Sheep and Goats.
• Am I my Brothers Keeper? St Paul
Arguing against using Christian teachings when taking
part in voting:
• More important to love God than take part in elections
• Going to mass every Sunday is more important
• Christianity is about loving God – both don’t mix
Genetic Engineering
Need to know what it is! (not in plants)
Non religious arguments for G.E
• Prospect of cures for diseases
• Done in other countries
• Cloning using animal eggs rather than human does not mean loss
of life
• G.E monitored by law but has benefits
Non religious arguments against
• No information about long term consequences
• Effects that can’t be changed, permanent
• Too much power for scientists
• Treats human body as no different than plants
Christians and G.E
Liberal Protestants = support
• Jesus cured diseases
• Finding genetic cures no different than drug cures
• Embryos not foetus until 14days old
Catholics and some other Christians = agree (not including embryos)
• Life begins at conception – killing is wrong
• Killing human embryo is wrong
• Embryos been produced by un – Christian means (e.g
masturbation)
Other Christians = against all G.E
• God creates people at conception – G.E interferes with this.
• G.E is trying to play God. = sin
• Wrong to try to make world perfect
8.2
Religion: Environment and Medical Issues
Global Warming
Causes
Burning of fossil fuels
– increases
greenhouse gasses
Rise in temperature
(natural)
Effects
Ice melts = sea levels
rise
Drought, lots of rain,
flooding
Extreme weather e.g
hurricanes
Animals and plants
die out
Solutions
Individually – recycle,
walk more, turn off
electrical things
Government – laws
for factories, reduce
energy usage
Scientists – research
causes of GW and
find solutions
Pollution and Solutions
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Waste
Air
Water
Land
Solutions:
• Create less waste
• Alternative energy sources
• Government action
• Different manufacturing methods
Natural Resources
Renewable resources
Non - Renewable
Wind power
Coal
Solar power
Oil
Fertile land
Gas
Wood
Minerals and rocks
Advantages:
Never run out
Clean energy
Disadvantages:
Can be expensive
Only available in some areas
Advantages:
Metals can be recycled.
Disadvantages:
Once used up can’t be used again
Issues: Rely on non renewable resources, used at current rate will run
out
Christian and Muslim Attitudes to
Environment
Christian Teachings
Muslim Teachings
God gave humans stewardship over the
world
Allah put God in charge of creation so
should respect it
God gave humans
dominion(responsibility and power) to
care for creation
Adam = Khalifah/ caretaker of the earth
All humans given this responsibility
Will be judged on judgement day on
how they have looked after earth.
How this affects Christians?
• Take care of environment – it’s a gift
• Share resources
• Conserve natural resources
• Reduce pollution
How this affects Muslims?
• Support organisations/charities
• Recycle and reduce energy use
• Don’t overuse resources
• Share resources
Infertility Treatments
• Infertility treatment = when a couple
cannot have a baby.
• Treatments include: IVF, Artificial
insemination, egg and embryo
donation
• Important? Lots of people have fertility
problems
Christians and Muslims = Infertility
Christians
Some = Against
• Might not be God’s will
• Embryos not needed are
destroyed.
• Donation = adultery
Some = for
• God intended people to have
children
• Depends on situation
• Humans given skill to create
children artificially = God
Muslims
Some = against
• Allah might not want you to have a
child.
• No donation = adultery.
• Surrogacy is wrong.
Some = for
• Seen as a disease so okay to cure
• Having children is an important
family commitment
• IVF and artificial insemination by
husband are okay
Transplant Surgery
Uses healthy organs from donor to replace
dying organ.
Can give life to dying people, brings life out
of death.
Christians and Muslims – Transplant
Surgery.
Some Christians:
Agree – both types, but not buying organs.
Because – organs aren’t needed after death.
Only agree if – is from a living donor
Because – using dead people is ‘playing God’
Disagree – with all forms
Because: ‘it is playing God’
Some Muslims:
Agree – can be from close relatives
Because: it is allowed by some Muslim lawyers
Most Disagree because: need their organs for the Last Day
8.3
Religion: Peace and Conflict
United Nations and World Peace
UN = formed after 2ndWW to promote world peace and
cooperation
What do they do?
• Bring conflict to peaceful end, reconciliation.
• Reduce number of weapns
• Try to tackle long term issues – e.g poverty
Case Study KOSOVO:
• Sent peacekeepers in to protect Ethnic Albanians from
Serb army
• Used methods like setting up political parties
How religious organisations try to
promote world peace?
Actions:
• Hold interfaith conferences
• Public demonstrations against war/injustice
• Help those suffering from injustice
• Educate
• Teach forgiveness.
Example:
Pax Christi
• Catholic organisation
• Opposed to war and violence
• Encourage government to solve disputes through discussion.
Why do wars occur?
• Religion – e.g followers of a religion are being
treated badly in another country
• Nationalism and Ethnicity e.g if an ethnic
group wants to set up its own country.
• Economics – eg. If a country has oil but country
next door does not
• Political reasons – e.g if one country is
communist and wants to make other countries
communist.
Just War Theory
Just war theory = idea that it is right to go to war
if the reasons are just(fair)
Some of the criteria needed for a just war.
•
There is a reasonable chance of success
•
No innocent people killed
•
Fought to bring
peace
• Methods are fair and reasonable
• Last resort
Example: it is being fought in self defence
Christians and War
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Bible teaches about peace e.g Blessed are the
peacemakers’ (Matt 5:39)
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Just war – some would follow JWT as it has been
accepted by many Churches, some bible teachings
support it.
• Because: Jesus taught to obey government, St Paul said to obey
authority, sometimes violence is necessary (response to invasion), lesser
of 2 evils
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Pacifism – refusing to fight in wars.
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Because : 10 commandments – no killing, Jesus didn’t agree with
violence, Jesus – love your neighbours
Muslim attitudes to war
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Believe in peace, some believe war is not acceptable:
- Modern weapons aren’t compatible with Muslim rules about
fighting.
- Non violence is only way to peace. Violence = more violence
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Teaches that if religion is attacked, Muslims must
defend their religion. (fighting Jihad – just war fought
in a just way)
Why?
- It teaches this in the Qu’ran, this is the word of God.
- Muhammad fought in wars
- Qu’ran teaches anyone killed in just war will go straight to
heaven.
Bullying
Never accepted by Muslims/ Christians
Christians? Why?
Muslims? Why?
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Violence without cause =
sin
Made in God’s image
Jesus taught love one
another.
Bible – God will take action
against cruel behaviour
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Aggression and violence
without just cause =
wrong.
Everyone created by Allah
– wrong to abuse creation
Muhammad = Muslims
should protect the weak
Judged on last day
Religious Conflict within families
• Children go against parent’s religion
• Children wanting to marry a partner from a
different faith
• Children becoming more religious than their
parents.
• Disagreements over moral issues e.g living
together without being married (against
teachings about sex outside of marriage)
Forgiveness and Reconciliation
Christianity and Islam
Christianity
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Jesus on cross = bring
forgiveness
Jesus= don’t forgive others
and you won’t be forgiven
St Paul – should live in peace
with everyone
Unforgiveable?
If conflict about moral/religious
issue where Bible has answer, it
can’t be reconciled.
Islam
Allah = ‘compassionate
and merciful’
• Muhammad taught people
to forgive
• Qu’ran teaches forgiveness
is important.
• Judgement day – Allah
shows mercy
Unforgiveable?
- Working against Islam
- Denying Muslim principles
- Images of Muhammad
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8.4
Crime and Punishment
Need for Law and Justice?
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Protects weak
Create peace for everyone
Keep safe from criminals
Guidelines for acceptable behaviour
What is justice and why is it important?
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Allocating rewards and punishment based on
what is right
If laws aren’t fair, people might break it
If laws are unjust they will cause more disruption and
crime in society.
Importance of Justice for Christians
and Muslims
Christianity
• Bible says God is one
of Justice
• God will reward good
and punish the bad at
end of the world.
• Bible and Church
want Christians to
work for justice by
campaigning.
Islam
• Qu’ran says God is
just.
• Shari’ah says
Muslims must work
for justice through
zakah if they are to
go to heaven on
Last Day.
Theories of Punishment
Main theories of punishment are:
• Retribution - that criminals should be punished
for what they have done
• Deterrence – that punishments should be so
harsh, no one would dare to commit a crime.
• Reformation – that punishment should try to
change criminals into law abiding citizens
• Protection – that punishments should protect
society from criminals
Capital punishment
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Execution of those condemned to death
Abolished in UK in 1973
Methods: hanging, lethal injection, electric chair, beheading and
firing squad.
Non Religious attitudes:
For
Against
It is a deterrent
Death penalty doesn’t = low crime rate
Value of human life clear – taking life
of those who take others.
Executed sometimes found innocent
People can confess crimes to get lesser Human life is special and shouldn’t be
sentence
taken.
Religious Attitudes to Capital Punishment
Christians:
For because:
• Old Testament – death penalty should be used.
• Jesus never taught it was wrong
Against because:
• Against sanctity of life
• Jesus taught revenge is wrong.
Muslims
For because:
• Qu’ran teaches its okay for some crimes e.g adultery
• Muhammad sentenced people to death.
Against because:
• CP is an option, not compulsory
• Conditions for CP often not met.
Social and health problems caused by drugs and
alcohol
You should know some laws on drugs and alcohol.
Smoking – bad health effects and deaths, causing
problems for families and employers etc.
Alcohol – health problems like liver disease and
alcoholism.
Social problems e.g violence.
Drug abuse – addiction and death
Linked to gang problems and stealing to fund habit.
Drugs and Alcohol – Christianity and Islam
Christianity
- Against drugs: illegal and
abuse body which is
God’s temple
- Some accept alcohol
and smoking in
moderation – Jesus
drank wine.
- Some don’t have W/T as
harmful social and health
effects. Bible concerned
about effects of alcohol
Islam
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Forbids use of alcohol
and drugs – banned in
Qu’ran and hadith of
Prophet.
Tobacco is
disapproved of but
not banned.