Human Rights: Christian and Islamic Perspectives

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Describe human rights. (4)

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1

Describe human rights. (4)

  • The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was published in 1948, and sets out the rights that all humans should be entitled to.

  • Many countries have accepted it,

  • However, in countries it is not accepted, projects such as Amnesty International are working to campaign for those people whose rights aren’t met.

  • Some examples are the right to go to school, the right to be treated equally by the law, the right to establish a family, and the right to a nationality.

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2

What are the 2 main aims of social justice.

  • To close the gap between the opportunities of rich and poor families.

  • To create opportunities for all, regardless of where they live, their upbringing and how much money they have.

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3

What do Christians believe the dignity of human life. (6)

  • Christians believe this to mean that many of the characteristics of God are reflected in humans. As a result, Christians believe that all human life should be treated with respect and dignity.

  • Jesus showed in his teachings and practice all life should be valued and treated with re-spect, e.g. Visiting the lepers, Parable of the Good Samaritan.

  • Teachings from Pope Francis refers to the importance of caring for the homeless and the elderly.

  • Every person is sacred and of worth—this is a core Christian belief.

  • Each person should be treated with selfless, unconditional love-agape.

  • ‘God created mankind in his own image’ - Genesis.

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4

Islamic beliefs toward the dignity of human life. (5)

  • Muslims believe that human beings have a right to dignity and equality as stated in the Qur’an.

  • Muslims believe all people are created equal by Allah and that all human life is precious, as a gift from God.

  • ‘Whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption in the land - it is as if he had slain making entirely.’ - Qur’an.The

  • Qur’an refers to the uniqueness of each individual and the importance of helping even just one individual.

  • Allah created all life and therefore it should be treated with respect.

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5

2 key practices to promote human rights in Christianity.

  1. Agape in action

  2. Liberation theology

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6

Agape in action - Christianity (6)

  • Christians also try to treat each and every person with agape.

  • This refers to unconditional love. It is the type of love which Jesus displayed to others, and Christians believe they too should carry out this example.

  • ‘love thy neighbour’

  • An example of Jesus showing agape was giving his life to save others.

  • Many Christians show agape by dedicating their lives to help others.

  • Organisations, like Tearfund, are working with other charities to promote a stable society for everyone.

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7

Liberation theology - Christianity (5)

  • Liberation theology is a religious movement which is about applying a person's religious faith and belief to help and support others.

  • It is based on the teachings and actions of Jesus. During Jesus' life he helped many people who were living in unfair conditions.

  • Christians believe that God has the power to change things in the world which are unjust.

  • Many Christians have taken part in peaceful protests or campaigns to stand up to oppression.

  • An example of a person who supported liberation theology and spoke out against injustice was Oscar Romero, the Archbishop of the Catholic Church in San Salvador, who was assassinated while celebrating mass for standing up for social injustice and torture which was taking place in San Salvador at the time.

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What are the Islamic practices to promote human rights? (5)

  • The concept of the ummah means that all Muslims throughout the world join in Salat prayer to worship Allah. It also means that all Muslims share in the Ramadan fast together.

  • Regardless of race, all Muslims share in their desire to live in submission to Allah.

  • The mission of the Islamic Human Rights Commission in London is to work with different organisations and campaigns for justice for all peoples, regardless of their race, religious or political background.

  • Zakat is a practical expression of supporting Muslims anywhere in the world through financial action, with funds raised from the Zakat tax. It is the third Pillar of Faith, which demonstrates how important it is to all Muslims.

  • All Muslims join in Salat prayer in the same way all over the world. As Muslims pray together, they demonstrate the unity of the ummah and equality.

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An example of conflict between law and religion - christianity (5)

  • Martin Luther King Jr. believed that laws needed to be changed in order to allow the white and black communities in the USA equal rights, during a time when black people were discriminated against and treated in a derogatory way.

  • He had a strong Christian faith and believed in equality for all.

  • He campaigned using peaceful methods to stand up for these beliefs.

  • He successfully led a civil rights movement, being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and a change in law to give the black community equal rights.

  • He was assassinated by a racist who did not agree with his teachings.

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An example of conflict between law and religion - Islam (5)

  • Pakistani schoolgirl, Malala Yousafzai, was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman for daring to attend school and for "promoting secular education".

  • She survived the attack and has continued to fight for the right of girls to receive education.

  • In 2014, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize as the youngest to do so.

  • Malala's case raises an interesting issue about the possible conflict between the laws of a country and personal religious conviction. Malala wants young women to have the opportunity to go to school and be educated. She believes that girls have as much right to learn to read and write as boys.

  • Her beliefs have come about as the result of her strongly held religious views about justice and equality, but have led to conflict between the laws of the country and her religious faith.

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11

Censorship (7)

  • Media can be deemed unacceptable for reasons including being violent, sexually explicit or using bad language.

  • People may also be restricted in their speech by censorship laws.

  • In the UK, people are free to express their views about issues such as religion unless it incites hatred or discrimination towards the followers.

  • In the past, the Church censored any books that spoke against or contradicted their teachings and faith.

  • The list of banned books included the works of the following authors: Darwin, Chaucer and Galileo.

  • In the early Church many of the banned books were scientific works that disproved what the Church taught on topics such as Creation.

  • The list was abolished in 1966, but some Christian countries still ban certain books, films and music if they go against Church teachings.

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For censorship (3)

  • Young people would be safer from exposure to sex, violence, bad language and bad behav-jour.

  • The media would be an example of how to behave in society.

  • Religious values would be reinforced.

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Against censorship (4)

  • Atheists and some religious people might not agree with religious groups 'controlling’ the media.

  • People's freedom of choice regarding their consumption of mass media would be taken away.

  • Tougher censorship might lead to a dull and unrealistic media.

  • Different religious groups may not be able to agree about what should be censored.

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For the freedom of religious expression. (8)

  • Religious believers should have the right to express their religion as it is a huge part of their identity.

  • In Islam, some Muslims choose to wear the niqab, hijab or burka as it follows tradition in their religion.

  • Also, wearing these may show a Muslim’s devotion to their religion.

  • The Qur’an also states, ‘Allah has set upon their hearts and upon their vision is a veil’. As a result, Muslims should be able to follow the word of the holy scripture they believe in, as they believe God is telling them to express their religious beliefs in this way.

  • Using religious symbols (e.g. the crucifix for christians) could help religious believers to identify one another and feel a sense of unity.

  • It should be peoples own decision to express their religious beliefs.

  • When Christians were being persecuted, the Ichthus was used as a secret symbol to show their Christianity; this shows a desperation to express religious identity even when in danger.

  • When priests wear vestments, they feel it is important and keeps them humble.

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Against the freedom of religious expression (6)

  • On the other hand, some people take offence when others express their religious beliefs or it leads people to complain.

  • In some countries it is illegal to wear religious symbols in public.

  • In France, overtly religious symbols cannot be worn in public institutions such as in state schools.

  • Many religious symbols are heavily misused. For example, the rosary has been banned in some schools as it has been used as a symbol of gang identity.

  • Wearing symbols in school settings may create rival groups and encourage violence.

  • More importantly, in openly expressing their religious beliefs, the religious believer may be putting themselves at risk to prejudice, discrimination and violence.

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16

What are 4 reasons for religious extremism?

  1. Their interpretation of their religious holy book.

  2. The belief that they will be rewarded for it in this life or an afterlife.

  3. They are influenced by others.

  4. They believe that they are doing it for God.

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17

Example of Christian extremism. (2)

  • There are several cases of anti-abortion violence taking place in the USA, where abortion clinics have been attacked by extreme Christians who believe that only God has the right to take a life.

  • In the most extreme cases, some members of staff working at abortion clinics in the US have been killed by Christian terrorists.

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Religious extremism in Islam - 5 main reasons.

  1. People's interpretation of their religious holy book.

  2. The belief that they will be rewarded for it in this life or an afterlife.

  3. They are influenced or radicalised by others.

  4. They believe that they are doing it for God.

  5. Some form of disillusionment with society.

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Religious extremism in Islam. (3)

  • Religious extremism steps over the careful balance of freedom of speech and action.

  • In contrast to the actions of extremists, moderate Muslims condemn the actions of extremists and jihadist groups.

  • The Muslims Council of Wales has issued statements after terrorist atrocities, condemning those who have committed these actions and how terrorists are not acting in the name of Islam.

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20

An example of Muslim extremism. (7)

  • In January 2015, gunmen shot 12 people dead in a terrorist attack at the Paris office of the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.

  • Four of the magazine's well-known cartoonists, including its editor, were among those killed, as well as two police officers.

  • The magazine staff were targeted because they had published cartoon images of the Prophet Muhammad.

  • The office had previously been firebombed in November 2011, a day after the magazine published a caricature of the Prophet Muhammad.

  • Most Muslims believe it is prohibited to make images of the Prophet Muhammad, or any of the other prophets of Islam.

  • Images, as well as statues, are thought to encourage the worship of idols. This is a great sin in Islam, known as shirk.

  • The actions of the terrorists received condemnation around the world.

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21

Examples of prejudice. (7)

  • Prejudice based on gender is called sexism. Both women and men can be victims of this, but it is more common for women to be the victims.

  • Prejudice based on the national grouping or race a person has known as racism. Colour prejudice is the most common form of racism, as skin colour is a more obvious sign of the race a person belongs to.

  • It is possible for racism to occur between people of the same skin colour. Connected to this are prejudices based on ethnicity - cultural heritage, language, traditional dress code, etc.

  • Prejudice towards Jews is called anti-Semitism. Prejudice towards Muslims is called Islamophobia.

  • Prejudice towards homosexual people is called homophobia.

  • When people, young or old, suffer from prejudice because of their age, it is called ageism.

  • Other main categories of prejudice are concerned with social class, disability and life-style choice, eg travellers, and appearance.

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22

Reasons for prejudice. (8)

  • Some are related to historical events.

  • Often, prejudice is based on ignorance.

  • Lack of education. Many people choose to remain ignorant, as their prejudices often make them feel superior.

  • Victims of a particular kind of bullying may go on to become bullies themselves. In the same way, if a person has been a victim of prejudice, there is a chance that they will come to hold similar opinions about others.

  • A person's upbringing may cause them to become prejudiced. If parents had prejudices of their own, there is a chance that these opinions will be passed on to the next generation.

  • One bad experience with a person from a particular group can cause a person to think of all people from that group in the same way. This is called stereotyping and can lead to preju-dice.

  • The media has a powerful influence on people in the 21st century and can often be responsible for promoting a stereotype of a particular group.

  • Scapegoating is an example of a specific type of prejudice. A person or group can be blamed for the sins or wrongs of another person or group. For example, in 1930S Nazi Germany, Jews were made scapegoats for the country's economic difficulties.

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23

Christian beliefs about prejudice and discrimination. (6)

  • Prejudice and discrimination are unacceptable and are against Christian beliefs and teachings.

  • God created all human beings as equals, whatever race, ability or gender.

  • The Ten Commandments give advice on how to live in harmony with others.

  • Jesus commanded us to 'love one another'.

  • Jesus treated all he came into contact with in a compassionate and caring way.

  • Jesus didn't discriminate between women.

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Teachings on MLK as an example of fighting discrimination and prejudice. (6)

  • As a Christian, he believed in Jesus' teaching on love and non-violence

  • Dr King believed all humans are equal in the sight of God

  • He believed in and dreamed of a world where people would be equal

  • He gave speeches, organised campaigns and protest marches all of which were peaceful and non-violent

  • He said we must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools'

  • He believed that we must 'meet hate with love'

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25

Islamic beliefs on prejudice and discrimination.

  • All people are equal, though not the same.

  • All people are important in their own right, as created by Allah; men and women both face the same judgement.

  • The Ummah (brotherhood) crosses all national, cultural, political, racial and language boundaries

  • The act of prayer stresses the importance of equality: individuals stand as equals before Allah.

  • On pilgrimage, all pilgrims wear white.

  • Muhammad selected Bilal, the black slave as the first muezzin.

  • Qur’an teaches that men and women have equal religious and ethical rights.

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Christian Muslim Forum as an example of fighting discrimination and prejudice. (3)

  • It was set up by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby and brings together groups of Christians and Muslims to build good relationships

  • It is a safe place to explore and discuss similarities and differences between Christianity and Islam.

  • It facilitates opportunities for education through interfaith dialogue

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27

Ethical considerations about the acquisition and use of wealth in Christianity. (6)

  • Spiritual values are more important than material values

  • A person's value should be based on their actions rather than their possessions

  • Being wealthy is not bad or wrong; it depends how the wealth was acquired.

  • Many Christians oppose gambling, particularly Methodists and Quakers.

  • The Parable of the Rich man and Lazarus warns against storing material riches. The Rich man was greedy and ignored pleads for help by Lazarus. He ended up being punished in hell for his sin

  • Lazarus went on to experience heaven and enjoyed a new life there

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Christian aid aims (5)

  • Challenges systems that favour the rich.

  • End poverty.

  • Reflect a belief that God loves all,

  • Ensures people are treated with dignity.

  • Be committed stewards of the earth’s resources.

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Christian Aid: Actions (4)

  • Organises projects to educate people.

  • Runs campaigns and Fairtrade activities.

  • Works cooperatively with other faith and secular groups.

  • Publicises examples of inequality.

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2 Aims of food banks.

  • Expresses Christian values by sharing food following Jesus' instructions in his sermon on the mount'

  • Puts into practice Jesus' teachings of giving to those in need, e.g. When I was hungry you save me something to eat.

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3 actions of foodbanks.

  • Organised by many churches or as a network of churches in a certain community.

  • Food is donated, sorted and stored by the local worshipping community and then given to food bank clients who are in need.

  • Volunteers meet with clients and signpost them to other agencies which support with housing needs etc.

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Proper use of wealth in Islam (3)

  • All wealth is a gift from Allah.

  • It is not wrong to be wealthy; the more wealth you have, the more generous you should be.

  • Wealth should not be used to harm others.

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4 types of giving that Islam promotes.

  • Zakat - 2.5% of residual wealth given each year to the poor and needy.

  • Khums - 20% of savings, paid to Muslim scholars and leaders for community welfare.

  • Saddaqah - all muslims are encouraged to do good deeds 'from the heart’. Out of compassion and generosity

  • Zakat-ul-fitr - donation at the end of Ramadan, for the poor (so even those in poverty can eat a generous meal at Id-ul-Fitr)

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Islamic relief - attitudes (2)

  • Guided by Muslim Values to create a caring world.

  • Aims to show compassion, justice and sincerity through their actions.

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Islamic relief - actions (3)

  • Responds to disasters and emergencies.

  • Provides long term care and support for shelter and education.

  • Supports orphans emotionally and financially.

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