RS: War and Peace

RS: War and Peace

War
1. A state of armed conflict between different countries or different groups within a country
2. Causes
  1. To defend their country
  2. To defend beliefs, religion, freedom and way of life
  3. To defend an ally or protect a weaker country that was unfairly attacked
  4. To remove their leader/government - civil war
  5. To gain land/territory lost in previous war
  6. To gain wealth, power or important resources e.g oil
3. Effects
  1. Individuals & communities affected
  2. Takes lives of billions of soldiers & civilians
  3. Damage to economy
  4. Destruction of infrastructure
  5. Displaced & forced to evacuate & leave their homes
4. "You can make a war in a minute but peace takes a long time" - Karen Armstrong
5. "Chritians should be peacemakers, not war makers: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God" - Mathew 5:9
Just War
1. St Augustine of Hippo, writing in the fourth century, thought that war could be justified in terms of self-defence & St Thomas Aquinas (1225 - 74) outlined the beginnings of the just war theory.
  1. This affected:
    1. When it might be just to go to war
    2. How that war should be fought
2. The aim of the theory is to limit warefare so that war only happens when necessary
3. When is it just?
  1. Must be last resort
  2. Must be serious threat
  3. Must be a chance of success
  4. Weapons must be used proportionately
  5. Decision must be made by legitimate authority
  6. The ultimate goal is restoration of peace
4. Problems
  1. Civil wars where gvnmts harm their own people
  2. Conflicts between minority groups which feel wronged by gvnmt
  3. Conflicts which intend to remove in dictator or a gvnmt & replace with democracy
Pacifism
1. Pacifism is the belief that violent actions are wrong & that only peaceful, non-violent solutions to disagreement should ever be used. Biblical teachings suggest that peace is a better way foreward
  1. Types
    1. Violence allowed for personal defence and not warfare
    2. Neutrality - refusing to get involved in military conflict
    3. Non - violence - a strong pacifist position rejecting all violence
    4. Non - combatancy - refusal to be involved in military combat
2. "Do not resist the evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn him the other also" - Mathew 5:9
3. Quaker Pacifists
  1. Reject all forms of violence
  2. Given dangerous jobs during WW2
    1. drove ambulances
    2. Stretcher bearers
4. Ghandi
  1. Who: Hindu Lawyer
  2. When: Beginning of the 20th century
  3. Why: Campaigning for independence from Britain in south Africa & India
  4. E.g Salt March
Terrorism
1. When groups use violence or the threat of violence, to achieve their aims, rather than using a democratic process. The violence is often indiscriminate to create fear
2. Normally...
  1. Violent
  2. Intended to create fear through a psychological impact
  3. Carried out for some ideological or political goal
  4. Targeted at civilians
  5. Disguised
3. Causes
  1. Greivance
  2. Political, social & economic inequality
  3. Religious extremists
  4. Ethnic conflict
4. Ireland
  1. Nationalists who wanted UK independance and unionists who wanted to stay
5. 9/11
  1. Attacks on the world trade centre (twin towers) in 2001
6. 7/7
  1. attack on London transport systems in 2005
7. 9/11 & 7/7
  1. Both were attacks by radical militant Islamists. They were the result of radicalisation of young Muslims by militant Islamist groups. These groups identify greivances to justify their actions including the Israeli occupation of Palestine and the war in Iraq
8. Qur'an teachings
  1. Sanctity and dignity of human lives. Some Muslims do not include suicide bombers as part of their religion. They must also follow the laws of the land
9. Christian responses
  1. Reconciliation is prevented
  2. Aggravates problems and tensions
  3. Harm and suffering is caused
Nuclear War
1. A war in which the participants use nuclear weapons
2. Atom Bombs
  1. Earlier version of nuclear bombs, not as powerful
  2. In 1945 WW2 the USA dropped 2 atom bombs over Japan; first over Hiroshima and second over Nagasaki.
3. The arms race
  1. After WW2, many countries became nuclear powers. America and Russia competed with each other, creating more bombs to keep up with each other. Chrisitians do not agree
4. The cold war
  1. A war that almost happened between Russia and the USA. the only thing that stopped it from happening was the threat of the nuclear weapons
5. Nuclear Proliferation
  1. The increase in countries which have nuclear weapons. The increase in these weapons means it is more likely they will be used and also more likely that terrorists could afford them or steal them
6. Christian responses
  1. Vast majority disagree
  2. "There is no ethical justification for weapons of mass destruction"
  3. "Do not kill" - Bible
  4. "All life is sacred" - Bible
7. Nuclear Disarmament
  1. Since the 1950's a christian charity has been campaigning for nuclear disarmament
8. Christian attitudes to war
  1. For
    1. In defence
    2. If it meets just war criteria
    3. "An eye for an eye"
    4. Get rid of a dictator
    5. "Defend the weak and needy"
  2. Against
    1. "All life is sacred"
    2. Christians follow Jesus who was a pacifist
    3. 10 commandments say do not kill

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