Religion And Society

SECTION 1: Rights and Responsibilities

The Bible
The Christian holy book
Collection of 66 books Old and the New Testaments

The only source of moral authority?

The word of God; how God wants people to live their lives and worship him The leaders of the early Church; St Peter and St Paul, gave moral guidance and teachings (second half of the Old Testament, after Jesus death) The laws of God; how people should act, the Ten Commandments The teachings of Jesus; follow Jesus teachings and example, the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew Chapters 5-7), parables

The Old Testament

Before Jesus Ten Commandments The Law of Moses

The New Testament

The teachings of Jesus The beginnings of the Christian Church

Carries authority- inspired by God

Decision making Sometimes only for making moral decisions

Not all Christians understand the Bible in the same way

Fundamentalist Christians Needs to be interpreted by the Church Inspired by God- contains spiritual truths, has to be adapted

The Church
Guides Christians
Bible can be difficult to understand and no answers to modern moral dilemmas The Church help their members: talking, praying, worshipping, the priest/vicar, the authority of the Church

Why does the Church have authority?

God speaks to them through the Church The Church is the Body of Christ Jesus acts through the Church The teachings are Christs teachings The Church is a community of believers in God So they believe that God guides the church in moral teachings Christians trust their priests, archbishops etc that what they are telling them is Gods will Teachings are important because everyone then knows what the rules are

Different Christian denominations different way of how moral issues are solved
Debating in an assembly, the Church of England assembly is called the General Synod Leaders make decision, Roman Catholic Church, the Pope and Council of Bishops act as the Magisterium, offer moral guidance through the Catechism or letters from the Pope called encyclicals

Christians should therefore follow the Churchs teachings as they are inspired by God

Conscience
What is a conscience?
Every human has one Given by God to us all

Conscience and obedience

Significant for Christians Christians consult Bible and Church on moral issue then follow their conscience Never act against their conscience Conscientious objectors A human being must always obey the certain judgement of his conscience- Catechism of the Catholic Church

What does it do?

Way to judge your moral actions Feel guilt in wrong actions Inner part of a person where the sense of right or wrong is developed Kind of guardian prompting to act rightly to their moral code the voice of God within us

Some say
Conscience is not a perfect guide Useful tool to decide right or wrong Does not always work properly

Acting on conscience
Moral dilemma, I.e abortion Does the end justify the means? I.e. If God told a Christian to kill Hitler, they would not

Situation Ethics
What is it?
A Christian approach to making moral decisions Put forward by minister Joseph Fletcher (1960s, time of big social change) Make moral decisions based on love Good action is the most loving one; My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you said Jesus (John 15:12) Only obey by the rules (Bible or Church) is it is the most loving option

Moral decisions
Many Christians use other ways of making moral decisions as well

Only situation ethics

Similar to Golden Rule Most people want to be treated in that way Jesus followed situation ethics He suggested that an adulterous womans accusers search their conscience (John 8:1-11)

Does it work?
Every situation is judged individually and has a Christian intention Depends on prediction of what will happen Anything could be justified as the most loving thing to do Easier to apply Situation Ethics in extreme cases, not everyday life

The New Testament:

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you (Matthew 7:12)

Agape love
Love enemies and act lovingly to undeserved people

Moral Authorities
Four different authorities:
Laws and teachings of the Bible Teachings and guidance of their Church Conscience Situation Ethics Some will use one of the above, others more to help them Consulting the authorities available to make the best decision Behaving the way God wants is most important Living life according to Gods will Different views because different Christians believe Gods will is in different authorities

Spirit or society?
Different authorities also provide guidance for life Good actions are important to living a moral life Put their faith into an action (charity, voluntary work)

Christians form Pressure groups

Campaigns for or against an issue

Other Christians
Believe that Christianity and moral development should be concerned with spiritual (and not social) issues Concentrate on having a closer relationship to God through prayer

Human Rights
What are they?
Basic rights and freedoms Everyone is entitled to them UK is a member of the European Convention on Human Rights

Right
Controversy in national security and terrorism Specific human rights should be overruled when national security it at risk Suspected terrorists should not have rights

UK citizens are entitled to the following rights:

Life Food Liberty/free speech Racial/sexual/religious equality Education Health care Privacy

Wrong
Suspected terrorists should be entitled to rights Terrorism Acts of 2000 and 2006 abuse human rights 2001-7: 1,228 people arrested on terrorism offences, 224 of them were convicted and imprisoned, 114 are awaiting trial and 890 released

Rights are protected by law

Human Rights Act 1998 Anyone can appeal to the European Court of Human Rights if they feel their rights have been violated

Human Rights Act is criticised heavily

Human Rights and Christians

Christian and human rights
Important Christian Churches support the UN Declaration of Human Rights All of Gods creations should be treated well, humans were made by god God loves everyone equally, everyone should be treated the same The teachings of the Bible are in line with most human right laws

The Decalogue sums up human rights

As does the teachings of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew Chapters 5-7) Christian values are the basis of many of the human rights provisions we have today The Golden Rule William Wilberforce (slave trade) Lord Shaftsbury (working conditions and education) Archbishop Desmond Tutu (racism and apartheid in South Africa Some Christians campaign for the Government to behave in a good and morally correct way Christians should be involved in helping to establish and protect human rights Christians in a secular world Christian teaching- loving God Society- secular, non-religious The Bible says political leaders were given authority by God Christians should obey political leaders

The Bible and human rights

The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats Second most important commandment after loving God is Love your neighbour as you love yourself St Paul said : Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are maltreated as if you yourselves were suffering (Hebrews 13:3)

Democratic and Electoral Processes

Democracy in the UK
Demos (Greek for people) Kratein (rule) Political system UK and the Western world People vote for representatives

The Liberal Democrat Party

Green issues are important The government and individuals should work together to help everyone

Voting is important
Over 18 years Voting rights were restricted Politics affects everyone Laws rule our lives

The UK is a representative democracy

Governed by an elected parliament General election every five years to vote for the political party that will form the next government Participating in the democratic process, by voting, is important

Other ways of taking part

Contact Local MP (represents people that live in the local area) Lobbying (by writing to MPs, demonstrations or signing a petition) Become a member of a political party and work and campaign for them without necessarily wanting to become an MP Stand for election

The Labour Party

The state should help the poor It should provide health care and education

The Conservative Party

People should look after themselves The state should only provide what people cant afford

Moral Duties and Responsibilities

God makes moral commands
They are good Christians should follow them Being a Christian means living life according to Gods moral code The Bible says that all Christians have moral duties and responsibilities:

The Golden Rule

The guide to how people must treat others All Christians should do to others what you would have them do to you (Matthew 7:12)

The sheep and the goats

Jesus teaching of welfare God will separate people into: Sheep- those who have helped others Goats- those who have not Christians should help others It Christians do things for people in need, they are doing them for Jesus

The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:217)

Honour your parents Do not murder Do not steal Do not commit adultery Do not lie Do not covet other peoples belongings

My brothers keeper
St Paul taught that Christians should not stand by while others are in need Cain was a jealous man who killed his brother Abel He then denied he had anything to do with it and said it wasnt up to him to care for others Am I my brothers keeper? Paul uses this example to warn Christians that it is their moral duty actively to care for others

The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew Chapters 5-7) Jesus told his followers:
To love their enemies To give to the needy Not to store up treasure on Earth Not to judge others

Genetic Engineering
The process where the structure and characteristics of genes are changed Gene therapy
Cells are taken from an organism and grown in a laboratory Missing genes are inserted and the cells allowed to develop The cells are then put back into the bloodstream to cure genetic disorders

Research has been focused on plants, especially GM crops The government have strict control over research on GM crops in the UK
Crops could beresistant to diseases and pests Nutritionally beneficial That will grow in harsh climates/unfertile land

Genes are also used to produce hormones and proteins

I.e Insulin

Cloning
An exact copy of something Reproductive cloning is a technology It creates an animal or plant with an identical genetic make-up to the other Asexual reproduction, where a foetus is created from one mammals cells not two Dolly the sheep A brilliant race horse Illegal to clone humans in the UK

Human parts
Genes can be inserted so animals grow human parts Potential for organ transplants

Changing the genes in an embryo

Get rid of inherited disorders e.g cystic fibrosis

Genetic Engineering Cont.

Therapeutic cloning
The cloning of embryos Research on human development and disease To harvest stem cells (cells which are developed in an embryo to form many different cells in the body) Big possibilities of using stem cells (to produce other cells which could be used to cure illnesses like Alzheimers disease) Issues
Controversial subject The growth and use of GM plants has caused debate in the UK Genetic engineering more so

Arguments against it:

Nature is complex Effects may be dangerous as it is still early days Could be very dangerous Used to mass-produce substances that could be used as biological weapons What is defective? Who decides? Getting rid of genetic disadvantages could be bad Makes us unique human beings Could lead to designer babies

Stem cells could produce

Red blood cells Platelets White blood cells Liver cells Nerve cells
Blood and immune cells

Christian Attitudes to Genetic Engineering

Different attitudes
All believe that life is sacred Some agree with it, but it should only be done for the right reasons (healing the sick, feeding the hungry)

Oppose
Only God can create life
Humans should not play at being God Most extreme view

Accept
God has given them dominion over the fish of the sea. The birds of the air, and every living thing that moves on the earth
Some argue that this includes the genes of these organisms GM would be acceptable if no harm was caused in the process

Human life begins as conception

Embryo is a person Roman Catholics Opposed to research on embryos which are then discarded As it would be murder

Opposed to correcting defects that dont cause suffering

E.g being short-sighted

The Golden Rule

Genetic engineering is acceptable when it is a cure for painful diseases or disorders

Vast majority of Christians are against

Not just because its Gods role to create life Takes away individuality God makes everyone unique for a purpose Effects on the person that has been cloned Effects on society in general

Jesus healed many people

Suggest that Christians should do what they can to heal and improve the health of human beings

Key term
Bible Parables Fundamentalist Christians Church church Conscience Conscientious objector Situation ethics Social change Agape love Pressure group Human rights The Decalogue Democratic processes Electoral processes Political party

Definition
The holy book of Christians Stories that have a moral message, the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) Believe the Bible is literally the word of God- God directly told the authors what to write, it is totally right The community of Christians A Christian place of worship An inner feeling of the rightness or wrongness of an action A person who objects against war because it is against their conscience- killing is against Gods moral code The idea that Christians should base moral decisions on what is the most loving thing to do The way that society has changed and is changing (and also possibilities for change in the future) An attitude towards people rather than a loving feeling A group formed to influence government policy on a particular issue The rights and freedoms to which everyone is entitled The ten commandments The ways in which citizens can take part in government (usually through elections) The ways in which voting is organised A group that tries to be elected into power on the basis of its policies

Lobbying The Golden Rule

Trying to influence decisions made by the government Jesus teaching that you should treat other people as you would like them to treat you