Religion, Peace and Justice

Violence and Pacifism
1. Violence is a destructive force used to achieve goals
  1. Christian Attitudes
    1. Force is different from violence and can sometimes be justified, for example when police might use force to prevent other people causing harm
    2. George Bush allowed the torture of terrorist suspects after 9/11 as punishment and part of an investigation
      1. some think violence can be used as a consequence of bad behaviour
    3. Some think using violence goes against the idea that God made us all in His image and that we should only be punished by Him
      1. "Surely you know that you are God's temple...!"
2. Pacifism = non violence... the belief peace should be the central value
  1. Nuclear Pacifism in the belief that the use of an atomic weapon can never be justified as the consequences of using it could never equal the evil that needed to be defeated
Treatment of Criminals
1. justice = fair behaviour or treatment
2. everyone should be treated with dignity and respect... all should be cared for and protected
  1. when someone breaks the law, it is the responsibility of the government to ensure justice is served and the 'criminal' is still treated fairly
3. The Aims of Punishment
  1. Deterrence
    1. to deter the person/people from doing the same thing again
  2. Protection
    1. to protect society and innocent people from harm from others
  3. Retribution
    1. to provide the victims of crime with evidence that the criminal has been punished
  4. Reformation
    1. to give the criminal the chance to reform and live a better life
4. Christian Beliefs
  1. justice should be done but the criminal should be treated appropriately and fairly
5. Elizabeth Fry
  1. 18th Cent' Quaker
    1. helped ensure prisoners received good treatment
War can be right
1. Just War
  1. this is when a war is fought only for the purpose of defending a country or group of people or to stop a tyranny
  2. "A war that is better fought than not"
  3. The war must follow a 'criteria'
    1. must be proportional - any excessive use is immoral
    2. a greater evil would exist if the war was not fought
    3. only the military services should be involved
    4. damage to property, livestock and places of worship should be limited
2. Holy War
Social Injustice
1. the belief that some individuals or groups in society are denied the rights and benefits of the majority of others in the society because of poverty or discrimination
  1. race, sex, religion, sexuality, wealth or class
2. Christian Responses
  1. Many set up or join organisations like Amnesty International to work towards social justice
  2. everyone is equal and should be treated in the same way
    1. "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them"
    2. The Parable of the Good Samaritan
3. Mother Theresa
4. Martin Luther King
War is wrong
1. Who would say this?
  1. Pacifists such as Quakers
    1. although they help in emergency situations, under no circumstances do they participate in the fighting
    2. they say war can never be justified
  2. Why?
    1. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God"
    2. "Put your sword away, for he who lives by the sword shall die by the sword"

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Religion, Peace and Justice

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