THEME B: RELIGION AND LIFE

Beliefs about the Origins of the Universe

• Big Bang Theory

• Christianity: 6 days, rested on the seventh, ex-nihilo, created with divine word

• Islam: created with divine word, ex-nihilo, 6 periods of time, his creation never ends, story refers to Big Bang

Islamic views on Origins of Universe

• Encourages search for scientific explanation since enable greater understanding of God

• Scientific discoveries are within the scope of Qur’an

• Refer to Big bag (heavens and stars as beings at one time ‘smoke material’

• More important on the WHY than HOW (not accident, perfect and good creation)

Christian Views on the Origins of the Universe

• Liberal: symbolic accounts, parables, Literal/Biblical/Fundamentalist: accurate since words were inspired by God

• Most important message is that it was God who was the creator

Beliefs about the Value of the World

• Christans and Muslims: stewardship (khalifah) -> special and unique responsibility to take care of Earth

• Christianity: world is God’s gift, responsible for wonders of life + Dominion to have power and authority to rule over it 

  Islam: Khalifahs, judges on how well they’ve fulfilled this role, given task in humility not arrogance, valued and seen as place of worship so damage to it is a serious sin

• Respect creation by: recycling, public transport, prevent pollution, not litter, protest/ advocate for sustainability, support charities, support fair trade

Religious Beliefs on the Use + Abuse of the Environment

• Use of natural resources, pollution, climate change, deforestation

Buddhism 

• Reincarnation -> protect environment for own future and compassion for all beings, bad karmic consequences

Christianity 

• Life is grounded in relationship with God, stewardship, motivated by idea of DofJ, Dominion doesn’t give right to abuse, spoil, waste, destroy God’s creation

Islam

• Khalifahs, duty to those in present and future to preserve and ensure earth isn’t damaged when passed on

Religious Quotes about the World

• “The Earth is… the ultimate source of all life” (Dalai Lama)

• “The Earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it” (Bible)

• “Do not seek from it more than what you need” (Hadith)

For + Against Arguments for Use of Animals as Food

• For Food: rich in protein, enjoy eating it, religion allows it, for health conditions, natural order

• Against Food : against killing animals, believe it’s healthier to be veg, don’t enjoy eating meat, moral reasons, environmental consequences (lands, gh gas emission), health risks

For + Against arguments for Animal Testing

• For testing: ais development of drugs to save lives, antibiotic rely on it, vaccines for animals too, benefits more people than it harms

• Against testing: don’t have option for consent, cosmetics aren’t vital for life, assumes humans are more important, selfish to use for our own gain, drugs that work on animals may not work on humans

Religious Quotes about Animals

• “Anything that moves is food for you” (Bible)

• "The righteous care for the needs of their animals” (Bible)

• “Whoever kills a sparrow or anything bigger than that without a just cause, Allah will hold him accountable on the Day of Judgement” (Hadith)

Religious attitudes towards Use + Abuse of Animals

• Christianity: stewardship (don’t exploit animals), natural law says animals can be eaten

• Buddhism: Don’t kill other beings (5 precepts), love all equally, some recognise that more good karma than bad for testing + sometimes no alternative

• Islam: killing animals for food is a just cause, only if killed according to Shariah Law, animals must not suffer pain

Beliefs about the Origins of Human Life

• Evolution

• Christians: Fundamentalists believe accounts are literals, others see it to show our special relationship with God, with science as the how and God initiated the laws of evolution

• Islam: show believe evolution is compatible with idea of God as the creator, others creationists reject idea of evolution, other believe evolution applies to all other species but humans as they were created separately by God 

Religious Quotes about the Origins of Human Life

• “God created mankind in his own image” (Bible)

Religious Views on Abortion

• For: some foetus are so disables it is cruel to allow them to be born, if a result of rape, mother’s choice and right to decide what happens to her body, if we banned it, women would have it anyways but not in a safe way so should protect women, if mother’s life is at risk, actual life is greater than potential life, before ensoulment

• Against: sanctity of life is sacred and protect, God made us stewards to protect life, abortion is considered murder, disable foetus may still have good quality life so can’t forbid it, foetus has a right to life, everyone has a purpose in life

• For Catholic, conception is when the foetus is a person so no exception apart from Doctrine of Double Effect (if mother’s treatment causes foetus’ death as not intentionally killing it)

• Muslims view it as haram in general, but if done before ensoulment (40-120 days) than may be acceptable

Religious Quotes on Abortion

• “If anyone kills a person… it is as if he kills all mankind” (Qur’an)

Attitudes towards Euthanasia (+ some info)

• For: lack of quality of life, free will, God’s wouldn’t want suffering, drugs to end life are God-given, right to make choices about own lives, reduces financial  burden of prolonged medical care, compassionate to end unbearable suffering, gives control over final moments

• Against: Sanctity of life, could be abused to end another’s life, improving palliative care is a better alternative, suffering is a test of faith, only God has right to determine when a life should end, life is consider a trust from Allah so no right to interfere with his divine decree, may reinforce societal biases against people with disabilities

More specific:

• Christianity 

  • Some drugs are god-given, most are against it for sanctity of life, and only God has the right, suffering brings nearer to God, free will

  • Islam

    • Haram, life if a gift and should be valued, sanctity of life, may be a test of faith or for another to look after a person to do the good need to enter paradise, against God’s will

• Voluntary, Non-voluntary (can’t give consent), involuntary (doesn’t give consent), active euthanasia (active steps taken), passive euthanasia (life support stopped to quicken natural process of dying)

Religious quotes on Euthanasia

• “Blessed are the merciful” (Bible)

• “You shall not murder” (Bible)

• “Do no take life, which God has made sacred” (Qur’an)

• “No soul may die, except with God’s permission” (Qur’an)

Beliefs about the Afterlife

• Buddhist, Hindus, Sikhs: reincarnation (based on karma)

• Cease to exist with no consciousness

• Heaven/Hell

Religious Quotes about the Afterlife

• “ The righteous will have gardens in paradise” (Qur’an)

• “I believe in the resurrection of the body” (Bible) 

• “Fear the fire which has been prepared for those who reject faith” (Qur’an)