GCSE AQA RE Themes A, B, D & E Quotes

Homosexuality

“Men who have sex with men will not receive the kingdom of God” “intrinsically evil” (Catechism) “Who am I to judge?” (Pope) “exceeding all bounds” “dishonour them both” “There are many ways of doing Islam” (Inclusive Mosque Initiative)

Pre-marital sex

“sex outside of marriage is a grave sin” “It is the nature and quality of the relationship that matters” (Quakers) “Remain chaste (until marriage)”

Extra-marital sex

“Flee from sexual immorality” “You shall not commit adultery” “Do not come close to zina” Shariah

Contraception

“intrinsically evil” (Catechism) “Contraception is acceptable if it is done in the light of Christian principles” (Lambeth Conference) “do not kill children for fear of poverty” “Allah wants for you ease and not hardship”

Marriage

“What God has joined, let no one separate” “God himself is the author of marriage” (Catechism) “One flesh” “Marriage is half of religion” (Hadith) “There is no institution more beloved to God than marriage” (Hadith)

Cohabitation

“Love’s decisions are made situationally” (Joseph Fletcher, Situation Ethics) “Remain chaste (until marriage)”

Divorce

“Anyone who divorces their wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery” “What God has joined together, let no one separate” “Until death do us part” (Marriage vows) “The most hated of lawful things to Allah is divorce” (Hadith) “Those who intend to divorce shall wait four months”

Nature + purpose of families

“Be fruitful and multiply” “Anybody who does not provide for his relatives is worse than an unbeliever” “The home is the 1st school of Christian life” (Catechism) “Honour your father and mother” “Perfect their (i.e. children’s) manners” (Hadith) “Heaven lies under the feet of your mother” (Hadith) “Do good to your parents”

Polygamy

“Marry women of your choice – 2, 3 or 4.”

Gender roles + equality

“Wives submit to your husbands” “There is no male or female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” “Men are in charge of women” “God has promised believers, both male and female, Gardens graced with flowing streams”

Origins of the Universe

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” “The Big Bang theory does not contradict belief in God” (Pope) “God is the creator of all things” “We are its expander”

Dominion

“You put everything under their feet” “God has made for you the grazing animals” “Do not commit abuse on the earth”

Stewardship

“Let us be protectors of God’s creation” (Pope) “God has appointed you his stewards” (Hadith)

Environment

“You put everything under their feet” “Let us be protectors of God’s creation” (Pope) “God has made you successors upon the earth” “God has appointed you his stewards” (Hadith)

Animals (Food)

“They may rule over all the creatures” “God has made for you the grazing animals”

Animals (Experimentation)

“They may rule over all the creatures” “It is wrong to cause animals suffering or death needlessly” (Catechism) “Actions are judged by intentions” (Hadith) “All creatures are communities like yourselves”

Origins of Human Life

“In the image of God he created them” “Belief in evolution is not inconsistent with creation” (Pope) “I am going to create a human from clay” “God gave you life”

Sanctity of Life

“Do not kill” “Do not take life which God has made sacred”

Quality of Life

“Take delight in the Lord” “Do not lose hope, nor be sad”

Abortion

“Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you” “Love’s decisions are made situationally” (Joseph Fletcher, Situation Ethics) “Do not kill your child for fear of poverty” “No mother shall be made to suffer harm on account of her child”

Euthanasia

“Do not kill” “Love’s decisions are made situationally” (Joseph Fletcher, Situation Ethics) “Nobody may die except by permission of God at an appointed time” “Allah wants for you ease and not hardship”

Afterlife

“My Father’s house has many rooms” “Whoever believes in me will not die but have eternal life” “God has promised believers, both male and female, gardens graced with flowing streams” “bring them to burn in the blazing fire” “Humanist believe death is annihilation” (British Humanist Association)

Peace

“Blessed are the peacemakers” “Say words of peace”

Justice

“Seek justice” “Uphold justice”

Forgiveness

“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” “Forgive others and Allah will forgive you” (Hadith)

Reconciliation

“God reconciled himself to us through Christ” “Whoever makes reconciliation, his reward is from God.”

Violence

“Eye for eye” “Do not repay evil for evil” “Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress limits”

Violent Protest

Jesus turning the tables in protest, “Uphold justice”

Terrorism

“Do not kill” “Do not take life, which God has made sacred”

Greed

“For the love of money is the roots of all evil” “Competition for more gains divert you from Allah”

Self-defence

“Eye for eye” “Do not repay evil for evil” “Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress limits”

Retaliation

“Eye for eye” “If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other cheek also” “Those who have been harmed are permitted to take up arms because they have been wronged”

Just War Theory

“Strict conditions” (Catechism) Thomas Aquinas - just cause, declared by a lawful authority, good intention, last resort, reasonable chance of success, proportionate use of force, innocent civilians must not be harmed.

Lesser Jihad

“Fight in the cause of Allah” Women, kids, elderly, religious figures must not be harmed, dead must not be mutilated, religious buildings and the crops must not be destroyed.

Holy War

“Take vengeance” – Pope commands Crusaders to retake lands. “Wherever you encounter polytheists, kill them” – Allah commands Muhammad to take Makkah (Conquest of Makkah)

Pacifism

“Blessed are the peacemakers” MLK – “Use the weapon of love” “Say words of peace” Muhammad Ali – “Islam is peace and not violence”

Victims of War

“Whatever you did for the least of these, you did for me” “Love your brother as you love yourself”

Good/Evil Actions + Intentions

“A good tree produces a good fruit, a bad tree produces a bad fruit” “Actions are judged by intentions”

Suffering

“Suffering produces perseverance” “With hardship comes ease”

Poverty

“Clothe yourselves with compassion”, Zakah

Upbringing

Educating children part of 5 primary precepts, “Perfect their manners” (Hadith)

Mental illness/Addiction

“Clothe yourselves with compassion”

Greed

“For the love of money is the roots of all evil” “Competition for more gains diverts you from Allah”

Hate

“In the image of God he created them” “All people are equal like teeth of a comb” (Hadith)

Opposing Unjust Law

“Seek justice” “Uphold justice”

Hate Crime

“In the image of God he created them” “All people are equal like teeth of a comb” (Hadith)

Theft

“Do not steal” “Cut of the hands of thieves”

Murder

“Do not kill” “Do not take life which God has made sacred”

Retribution

“Eye for eye” “If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, tun to them the other check also”

Deterrence

“I will punish their sin with the rod” “Cut off the hands of thieves”

Reformation

“Restore that person gently” “If they repent and mend their ways…leave them alone”

Prison

“Submit to the governing authorities” “I was in prison and you came to visit me” “Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you” “Eye for eye”

Corporal Punishment

“I will punish their sin with the rod” “Turn to them the other check also” “Cut off the hands of thieves” Used in Iran, Saudi etc.

Community Service

“Restore that person gently” “If they repent and mend their ways…leave them alone”

Forgiveness

“Forgive not 7 but 77 times” “Forgive others and Allah will forgive you”

Death Penalty

“Eye for eye” “Whoever sheds blood, by humans shall their blood be shed” “Do not kill” “Do not take life which God has made sacred”

Secular – Principle of Utility

Action is right if it promotes max. happiness for max. no. of people.