Religion, Peace and conflict

what are the concepts surrounding peace and conflict

1. peace
2. justice
3. forgiveness
4. Reconciliation

Which famous philosopher was an advocate of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament?

Bertrand Russell

What is righteous anger?

to be angry at injustice

When has God used violence in the bible?

the story of Noah and the Flood (Genesis 6-9).

Give a quote from bible that justifies violence

‘You are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.’ [Exodus 21 : 23-25 NIV]

Give an example of catholic violence which aim's was to strive for peace

The crusades

What do catholic teachings promote?

peace

Give an example from the bible that Catholicism promotes peace

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.’ (John 14: 27)

What do christians believe Jesus was sent down to earth for?

Peace and reconciliation

What brings reconciliation?

repentance and faith in God

What was Jesus seen to promote?

Pacifism

Give an example that shows Jesus promoted peace

If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.’ [Matthew 5 : 38-39 NIV].

What are the 2 different views on violence?

1. Violence is wrong when it is purely aggressive
2. Violence is just when opposing injustice - self-defence

What does the CND stand for?

Campaign for nuclear disarmament

What are peaceful protests?

Non-violent actions and acts of passive resistance

Who are two people known for non-violent protests?

Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King

What is terrorism?

The use of indiscriminate (random) violence to create fear and achieve a particular goal

Why is the catholic church against terrorism?

It goes against 2 just war precepts -
1. Action is taken against civilians.
2. Action is taken without legitimate authority.

what is torture?

it involves inflicting suffering on someone in hopes of gaining useful information?

how can torture be justified?

sometimes it can be justified on utilitarian grounds where the pros outweigh the cons

Does the catholic church support torture?

No - they teach that torture goes against human dignity and is contrary to the moral law

What is radicalisation?

A process by which someone becomes so convinced of their beliefs that they want to force them on others.

What are Buddhists teachings towards violence?

They generally go against forms of violence because it opposes the first moral precept - to not cause harm to any living being

Give an instance in Buddhism when violence is acceptable

When it is more ethical to use violence
The Dalai Lama quoted; "If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun"

What are buddhist view towards non-violent protests?

They usually support peaceful protests
eg. in the 1900's a cambodian Monk led a series of non-violent marches to advocate reconciliation and peace after decades of civil conflict

give an example of a violent protest by a monk

In Vietnam 1963, monk Quang Duc set himself on fire in hopes of bringing light to the repressive government towards Buddhists

What are the Buddhist teachings to counter acts of terrorism?

To counter terrorism with acts of love and compassion, because revenge only causes suffering

What are reasons for war?

1. Greed
2. Self-defence
3. Retaliation

Give an example of a war fought for greed?

The Gulf War

What is the just war theory?

Just War theory is a tradition that lays out the conditions for a war to be necessary and permissible.

What are the 2 catagories

1. Jus ad bellum - right to go to war
2. Jus in bello - right conduct in war

What are the conditions for a just war?

1. Just cause - there must be a good reason.
2. Right intention - only going to war with peaceful or good intentions
3. Declared by a legitimate authority.
4. Reasonable chance of success.
5. Last resort - all other options must have been exhausted.

What are the conditions for right conduct in war?

1. No use of excessive force.
2. War must be waged only against combatants (fighters), not civilians.
3. The benefits of any actions must outweigh the harms.
4. Proportionality - actions and attacks must be just severe enough to win, and not out of scale with the situation.

Give 3 common ethical approaches to war

1. situation ethics - looking at the context
2. Just war theory
3. Utilitarianism - striving for the greatest possible happiness

What is catholic view point on weapons of mass destruction?

They oppose weapons of mass destruction - it is considered a crime against God to cause widespread suffering to non-combatants and wholesale destruction [CCC 2314].

What does WMD stand for?

Weapons of mass destruction

What damage can biological weapons inflict?

- spread harmful bacteria in the atmosphere, polluting water, food and the air we breathe.
- also cause death on a massive scale and are illegal.

What is the argument for nuclear weapons?

1. Deterrent: many countries argue that having nuclear weapons deters other countries from using nuclear weapons.
2. Utilitarianism: the US justified their use of nuclear weapons in Hiroshima and Nagasaki to end WWII by arguing that it was the least costly means of winning the war - both economically and in terms of (American) lives.

What is the argument against nuclear weapons?

1. Economics: A nuclear weapons programme costs money that could otherwise be spent on healthcare or benefits.
2. Loss of lives: Nuclear weapons do not discriminate and have negative health effects for many generations after an attack. This is because of the effects of radiation. This is against the Just War theory, which prohibits targeting innocent civilians.
3. Many countries, including the UK, have signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to limit the spread of nuclear weapons.

Give christian view on WMD's

- All Christian denominations are against the use of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction.
- Some do say that having nuclear weapons maintains peace because they work as a deterrent.
- Religious people are likely to believe this goes against the sanctity of life.

What is a holy war?

Holy wars are wars in which people believe they have God on their side.

What are features of a holy war?

- A holy war must be authorised by a religious leader with great authority,
- A Holy war's purpose should be to defend the faith from attack
- Those who take part believe they will gain spiritual rewards
- Those who dies in battle will go straight to heaven

Give an example when Buddhism has caused a war

Japanese Buddhism war - 20th century

What is a christian quote that shows that all religious work is to create peace?

'Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.’ [Matthew 5 : 9 NIV]

What is pacifism?

Pacifism is a belief that war is never right and that peace is the only option

Give a christian pacifist

Mariead Corrigan

Give a buddhist pacifist

Thich Nhat Hanh

What is a Conscientious objector?

An "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, or religion.

What did the Dalai lama say about peace?

"We can never obtain peace in the outer world, until we make peace within ourselves"

What is non-violence for buddhists?

It emerges from inner peace and practice

What do buddhists believe about resisting oppression?

They believe that you must resist to oppression or injustice since it causes suffering for many beings

What are some consequences of war on civillians?

War can have devastating affects on the country's resources and the inhabitants. For example, if the main wage earner in a family dies, their family might struggle financially without them. If crops and food are destroyed, the people that survive on this food can become starved and dehydrated if water systems become polluted.

What is a quote from christian teachings that support helping victims of war?

"Love your neighbour as yourself"