Peace
- An absence of conflict which leads to happiness and harmony
- j to i non achieve through war as it often leads to instability and resentment
Christians/muslims seekkkdn iinner peace through prayer/meditation
Christianity- Prophet Isiah said god will bring peace (sending of a messiah) u
- Islam- Quran emphasises peace
Justice
- What is right and fair according to the law, or making up for a wrongj
- Liked to equality of opportuni
- If more privileged countries cause injustice this leads to conflict
- Isiah says god will establish justice
- One of Allah’s 99 names is ‘the just’
Forgiveness/reconciliation
- Christians/muslims believe forgiveness and jo should come after war
- They must forgive others in order to be forgiven (lord’s prayer)
- Forgiveness does not mean no action/punishment (instead needed to prevent future)
- Reconciliation is a conscious effort to rebuild a relationship which has been damaged
Christians beliefs about war
- Church teaches that killing is wrong
- Many christians have been prepared to fight for their faith/country
- Quakers (pacifists) believe war is always wrong and work to prevent it
- Concepts of peace, justice, forgiveness and reconciliation are important tools to prevent war
but also in the aftermath of conflict.
Muslim beliefs about war
- The main message of islam is peace (salam)
- Fighting in self-defence or for faith can be justified
- Fighting without cause is against the will of God and muslim teachings
- Concepts of peace, justice, forgiveness and reconciliation are important tools to prevent war
but also in the aftermath of conflict.
VIOLENCE AND PROTEST
- The right to protest is a fundamental democratic freedom
- Uk allows peaceful protests (police told 6 days prior so violence is avoided)
- Christians believe that protests to achieve what's right is acceptable (with no violence)
- Dr Martin luther king jr (christian pastor) organised peaceful protests against unjust racist
laws- brought civil rights to african-american citizens
- No religion promotes violence, but different views on when it is justifiable
- Islam, fighting only allowed in self defence/for faith and only against those actively fighting
against you
, TERRORISM
- Individuals/groups who use killing innocent people to further their cause
- E.g Suicide bombers, car bombs, gunmen shooting into crowds
- Aim of terrorism is to make society aware of their cause, make people scared, push
authorities into giving way to their demands
- Can link cause with religion (but no religion promotes terrorism)
- Christians/muslims believe it is wrong as it targets innocents
Reasons for war
- Greed → To gain more land, Control important resources (oil), Deprive enemy of main
source of income
Self defence → To defend ones country from invasion, help allies under threat, defend ones
values and beliefs, To defeat evil e.g genocide
- Retaliation → To fight against a country that did wrong or has attacked your country
- Belief that fighting in self-defence is justified, only if all other ways of resolving has been tried
and failed
- Jesus taught retaliation is wrong- easy to implement in own life but difficult for war
- Islam teaches that God understands the need for justice, and allows ‘fair retribution. Must be
measured so no torture/violence and better to forgive’
Nuclear weapons
- Weapons that work by nuclear reactions- kill large numbers of people, land
- WW2- Hiroshima (killed 140,000) and nagasaki war - led to Japan surrendering
- Many countries developed nuclear i mmmkk kook weapons as a deterrent
(defence/protection)
Weapons of mass destruction
- Chemical weapons- use of chemicals to poison/burn humans or destroy environment
- Biological weapons- use of living organisms/infective material that cause disease/death
- The Chemical weapons convention (1993) made the production, stockpiling and use of
weapons illegal worldwide
Christian beliefs on Nuclear weapons
- Only God has right to end life
- Kill many innocent civilians so their use is never justified
- Retaliation does not support use of weapons of mass destruction
- oko uhnk Some christians see possession as a No ijideterrent to maintain peace/prevent
conflict
Muslim beliefs on Nuclear weapons
- God created all life- duty to take care and preserve it (khalifa)
- Nuclear weapons destroy god's creation (humans and world)
- Quran goes against use of weapons, instead promotes good behaviour and peace
- Some Muslims see possession as a deterrent to maintain peace/prevent conflict
- An absence of conflict which leads to happiness and harmony
- j to i non achieve through war as it often leads to instability and resentment
Christians/muslims seekkkdn iinner peace through prayer/meditation
Christianity- Prophet Isiah said god will bring peace (sending of a messiah) u
- Islam- Quran emphasises peace
Justice
- What is right and fair according to the law, or making up for a wrongj
- Liked to equality of opportuni
- If more privileged countries cause injustice this leads to conflict
- Isiah says god will establish justice
- One of Allah’s 99 names is ‘the just’
Forgiveness/reconciliation
- Christians/muslims believe forgiveness and jo should come after war
- They must forgive others in order to be forgiven (lord’s prayer)
- Forgiveness does not mean no action/punishment (instead needed to prevent future)
- Reconciliation is a conscious effort to rebuild a relationship which has been damaged
Christians beliefs about war
- Church teaches that killing is wrong
- Many christians have been prepared to fight for their faith/country
- Quakers (pacifists) believe war is always wrong and work to prevent it
- Concepts of peace, justice, forgiveness and reconciliation are important tools to prevent war
but also in the aftermath of conflict.
Muslim beliefs about war
- The main message of islam is peace (salam)
- Fighting in self-defence or for faith can be justified
- Fighting without cause is against the will of God and muslim teachings
- Concepts of peace, justice, forgiveness and reconciliation are important tools to prevent war
but also in the aftermath of conflict.
VIOLENCE AND PROTEST
- The right to protest is a fundamental democratic freedom
- Uk allows peaceful protests (police told 6 days prior so violence is avoided)
- Christians believe that protests to achieve what's right is acceptable (with no violence)
- Dr Martin luther king jr (christian pastor) organised peaceful protests against unjust racist
laws- brought civil rights to african-american citizens
- No religion promotes violence, but different views on when it is justifiable
- Islam, fighting only allowed in self defence/for faith and only against those actively fighting
against you
, TERRORISM
- Individuals/groups who use killing innocent people to further their cause
- E.g Suicide bombers, car bombs, gunmen shooting into crowds
- Aim of terrorism is to make society aware of their cause, make people scared, push
authorities into giving way to their demands
- Can link cause with religion (but no religion promotes terrorism)
- Christians/muslims believe it is wrong as it targets innocents
Reasons for war
- Greed → To gain more land, Control important resources (oil), Deprive enemy of main
source of income
Self defence → To defend ones country from invasion, help allies under threat, defend ones
values and beliefs, To defeat evil e.g genocide
- Retaliation → To fight against a country that did wrong or has attacked your country
- Belief that fighting in self-defence is justified, only if all other ways of resolving has been tried
and failed
- Jesus taught retaliation is wrong- easy to implement in own life but difficult for war
- Islam teaches that God understands the need for justice, and allows ‘fair retribution. Must be
measured so no torture/violence and better to forgive’
Nuclear weapons
- Weapons that work by nuclear reactions- kill large numbers of people, land
- WW2- Hiroshima (killed 140,000) and nagasaki war - led to Japan surrendering
- Many countries developed nuclear i mmmkk kook weapons as a deterrent
(defence/protection)
Weapons of mass destruction
- Chemical weapons- use of chemicals to poison/burn humans or destroy environment
- Biological weapons- use of living organisms/infective material that cause disease/death
- The Chemical weapons convention (1993) made the production, stockpiling and use of
weapons illegal worldwide
Christian beliefs on Nuclear weapons
- Only God has right to end life
- Kill many innocent civilians so their use is never justified
- Retaliation does not support use of weapons of mass destruction
- oko uhnk Some christians see possession as a No ijideterrent to maintain peace/prevent
conflict
Muslim beliefs on Nuclear weapons
- God created all life- duty to take care and preserve it (khalifa)
- Nuclear weapons destroy god's creation (humans and world)
- Quran goes against use of weapons, instead promotes good behaviour and peace
- Some Muslims see possession as a deterrent to maintain peace/prevent conflict
