religion and life

Give a fundamentalist Christian view about the creation of the universe

Literal interpretation, God created the universe in six days and rested on the seventh

Give a liberal Christian view about the creation of the universe

Genesis might be seen as a parable or symbolic

Give a Buddhist view about the creation of the universe

Buddhism does not teach that the universe has any origin: unanswerable question

Explain the teaching of the poisoned arrow

A man shot with a poisoned arrow would only survive it if was removed quickly enough, but rather than removing it, he sought out answers about the shooter and arrow. He dies before the man could find the answer to these questions.

Give the scientific view about the creation of the universe

The Big Bang theory is the leading scientific explanation

Provide a definition of 'awe'

A feeling of devout respect, mixed with fear and wonder

What is stewardship?

Believers have a duty to look after the environment on behalf of God

Provide a quote to support the view that Christians should be stewards

"The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it" Genesis 2:15

What is dominion?

Dominance or power over something

Provide a quote to support the view that Christians should be dominions

"fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground" Genesis 1:28

What is a natural resource?

Materials found in nature - such as oils and trees - that can be used by people

Give two examples of renewable energy resources

Wind, wave, sun

Give two things that a Christian can do to help the planet

Reduce, reuse, recycle

Give a Buddhist reason for protecting the environment

Dependent arising: animals and plants depend on a healthy planet. Second noble truth is that everything is caused by greed: people should practice contentment, taking too much from the environment goes against this teaching.

What is the Holy Isle Project?

A Tibetan Buddhist centre in Scotland, built with a focus on the environment

What are the main types if pollution? (Give 3)

Air, Land, Water

Give a quote to support the claim that Christians can eat meat

"Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you" Genesis 9:3

What is the Buddhist attitude towards animals?

Loving-kindness (metta)

Provide one reasons Buddhists believe we should care for animals

They may be reborn as animals. The first moral precept says that we should not harm or kill living beings. Treating animals cruelly is unskilful and will lead to suffering.

What is the sanctity of life?

Life is a sacred, precious and God-given blessing

Provide a quote to support the sanctity of life

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart" Jeremiah 1:5

What is 'quality of life'

The extent to which a person can enjoy their life

What is the catholic view on abortion?

It is always wrong unless the mother's life is at risk

What is the law on abortion (if no extenuating circumstances)

If two doctors agree, a person can have an abortion before 24 weeks

Give one reason why a person could have an abortion after 24 weeks

Mother's life is at risk, or possibility of severe physical/mental illness, or the baby might be born with a serious disability

Give a pro-choice argument about abortion

Bodily rights: women have a right to choose what happens to their body, the foetus is part of their body, therefore, women have a right to choose what happens to the foetus

Give a pro-life argument about abortion

Potential futures: killing humans is wrong because you take away their potential future life. A foetus also has a potential future life. Therefore it is wrong to abort a foetus.

Give a Christian quote against abortion

"It does not matter whether you take away a life that is born, or destroy one that is coming to the birth. In both instances, destruction is murder". Tertullian

Based on the first moral precept, what might a Buddhist say about abortion?

Killing any living being is always wrong, therefore abortion is wrong

Why is the question of when life begins relevant to the debate on abortion?

If a person believes life begins at conception, they will believe that terminating a pregnancy at any point is ending a life

Give one reason why a Buddhist might be pro-choice

They believe in certain situations, it might be the most compassionate thing to do

What is euthanasia?

A good death: ending the life of someone who is in serious pain

What is the difference between passive and active euthanasia?

Active involved steps to take away the life, passive involves stopping treatment

True or false: "Euthanasia is legal in the UK"

FALSE

Give a Christian view against euthanasia

Taking a life is interfering with God's plan

Why might a Christian support euthanasia?

It might be seen as the compassionate or merciful thing to do

Give a Buddhist view against euthanasia

The first moral precept says that Buddhists should not kill or harm any living being

Why might a Christian support euthanasia?

Compassion or personal choice

What do Christians believe happens after death?

God judges whether the person will spend eternity in heaven or hell

What do Buddhists believe happens after death?

Death is a process of transition of consciousness into a new physical body