human rights and social justice

Question 1

what are human rights?

Answer 1

rights inherent to all human beings, regardless of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, or any other status.

Question 2

what is the Christian response to human rights?

Answer 2

every human being was created as equal and in the image of God, therefore every human being has equal right and is entitled to equal protection.

Question 3

what is the Buddhist response to human rights?

Answer 3

• the fundamental moral code of Buddhism is represented by the 5 precepts, which arguably uphold human rights.

Question 4

why do human rights exist?

Answer 4

1. to prevent world wars or other types of conflict.
2. to ensure all people are treated equally.
3. ensures fairness - in the workplace, housing, education.
4. to ensure people’s safety.

Question 5

is the universal declaration of human rights law?

Answer 5

the universal declaration of human rights was created in 1948 by the united nations, to ensure an event like ww2 never happened again. it was only made a law by the British government in 1994, but in most other countries, it is not a law, just a strong, well-known declaration.

Question 6

how did amnesty international begin?

Answer 6

• started when two men were wrongfully imprisoned for speaking their opinions. Peter Benenson was infuriated by this and set up Amnesty International.

Question 7

what does amnesty international believe in changing in the world?

Answer 7

• implementing the rights of refugees
• fighting the death penalty and normalised torture
• protects the rights of prisoners, and vulnerable women and children
• campaigns for gender and racial equality
• wants to save lives destroyed by armed violence every year - aims to put a stop to abuse, rape, etc.
• raises the importance of dignity, compassion, mutual respect, no matter a person’s race, gender, race, age, sexuality.

Question 8

what has amnesty international done, to set their beliefs in motion?

Answer 8

• collects data of abuse from across the globe, and exposes abusers.
• lobbies governments. ensures laws are enforced, and holds governments accountable for their actions and decisions.
• offers education to adults, as well as children, ‘global education’
• have saved many families, children, and communities, and even Aung San Suu Kyi has thanked them for their hard work.

Question 9

describe the difference between equality and justice?

Answer 9

Equality is where everyone is given the same opportunity, but it doesn’t work for everyone. Some don’t require aid, and some require more. Justice is where some people are given more aid than others when needed, and some aren’t given any or are given very little, as they don’t require it.

e.g. both the poor and the rich are offered school meals for their children, however you have to pay £2 a day. this is equality. rich people, however, can afford this, and poor people can’t. justice is given when the poor are given aid by the government to pay for these school meals, and the rich aren’t given this aid, as they can afford the fees.

Question 10

what are some examples of social injustice?

Answer 10

• children experiencing poverty
• unfair imprisonment
• homelessness
• women’s/trans rights
• unequal access to education and healthcare
• racial discrimination (police brutality)

Question 11

describe children experiencing poverty as an example of social injustice:

Answer 11

• children in certain areas of the UK are experiencing poverty, due to no fault of their own, but simply because they were born into this situation.
• they therefore have a lower life expectancy, and overall not have nearly as many opportunities as their wealthier classmates.

Question 12

what is the Christian response to social injustice?

Answer 12

many Christians believe it is part of their religious duty to help the poor. they follow the example of Jesus, who reached out to the poor in society.

• ‘Do to others as you would have them do to you’.
• ‘God does not show judgement’. people created social injustice out of their own free will, not from God’s will, so they’ll seek to return society to its original, injustice-free state.
• many Christians living in rich nations feel they have a responsibility towards those in poorer nations.
• they offer practical help to the poor, and include them in their prayers.

Question 13

how might Christians help with cases of social injustice in the community?

Answer 13

• support a scheme to help the homeless.
• be involved in a local church or food bank.
• organise a weekly youth club for less advantaged young people.

Question 14

what is the Buddhist response to social injustice?

Answer 14

Buddhists aim to solve the problem of social injustice using the 4 noble truths, as injustice can be seen as a form of suffering.

1. injustice and suffering is inevitable.
2. there is a cause to this suffering/injustice
3. by realising the underlying cause, we can put an end to this injustice
4. by encouraging all people to follow the eightfold path, we can put an end to this suffering/injustice

Question 15

describe the difference between discrimination and prejudice:

Answer 15

• discrimination is when you go out of your way to unfairly treat someone based on their sexuality, ethnicity, etc.
• prejudice is when you believe someone is inferior or superior to you without even knowing them - based on first impressions and societal stereotypes.

Question 16

what are the general Christian responses to human rights and equality?

Answer 16

1. prejudice and discrimination is wrong, it damages human relationships.
2. humans were created in God’s image, meaning everyone is equal in the eyes of God.
3. you must love God and others through your words and actions, you must also value others by showing respect.
4. ‘Treat others as you would like to be treated’ - the Golden Rule.
5. society cannot exist in harmony if people aren’t treated equally.

Question 17

what is the Catholic view towards gender equality?

Answer 17

• God created men and women at the same time, and both in the image of God. therefore everyone is equal in the eyes of God.
• the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) teaches that we are equal. women can teach and study theology, administer Holy Communion, visit the sick, and host funerals. they can’t however, become priests.
• the CCC teaches that only men can be priests because the apostles were all men, and priests and bishops are descendants of the apostles, therefore they must also be male.
• the CCC teaches that only men can be priests because Jesus was a man and priests represent Jesus.

Question 18

what is the traditional protestant view towards gender equality?
EVANGELICAL

Answer 18

• St Paul banned women from speaking or teaching in Church.
• St Paul also used the story of Adam and Eve to show that men should be given more rights than women.
• it’s a Church tradition for only men to have leadership rights.
• although Jesus had female followers, he only chose men as his 12 disciples.

Question 19

what is the modern protestant view towards gender equality?
LIBERAL

Answer 19

• in the Creation Story, God created men and women at the same time and made them of equal status.
• St Paul said that we’re all members of Christ, so we all have equal rights, it doesn’t matter if we’re male or female.
• Jesus treated women as his equals - women were also the first to arrive at his resurrection site.
• there is evidence that there were female priests in the early Church.

Question 20

what is the Buddhist response to gender equality?

Answer 20

• traditionally, women are not allowed to become monks, as it is believed that they aren’t a complete entity. Buddhists believe that women are not considered fit to attain enlightenment and become a Buddha.
• in Mahayana Buddhism, Buddhist women who dedicate their lives to seeking enlightenment can be ordained as nuns, but not full monks.
• in the Buddhist teachings, there is no difference between men and women. both suffer. women are believed to have the same potential as men to gain the wisdom, insight, and compassion necessary for enlightenment.
• both the Mahayana and Theravada traditions mention women who have become enlightened.

Question 21

what is the Catholic response towards sexuality?

Answer 21

the Catholic Church doesn’t believe that being homosexual is a sin, but rather that homosexual acts are a sin. the Catholic Church asks people to live without sin, therefore ask homosexuals to live without sexual activity. the Catholic Church rejects all forms of homophobia, as we are all equal and can only be judged by God.

Catholics have this attitude because the Bible condemns homosexual activity and states that women are made for men in order to procreate. the magisterium continue this view in their reinterpretations of the Bible, written in the Catechism.

the Catholic Church does teach that people cannot control their sexual orientation, but can control their sexual activity. it is therefore wrong to judge someone for something they have no control over.

Question 22

what is the evangelical response to sexuality?

Answer 22

• the Bible is God’s word, and it condemns homosexuality, therefore it is wrong.
• the salvation of the Church can remove all sins, including homosexuality.
• hold special prayer meetings to help homosexuals to change their lives.

Question 23

what is the liberal response to sexuality?

Answer 23

• the Bible needs reinterpreting in the light of modern knowledge, so homosexuality is acceptable.
• Christians are supposed to be honest, refusing rights to gay people leads them to lie and hide the truth, which is a sin.
• people are guided by the Holy Spirit, if it guides them to be gay, it must be okay.
• Jesus teaches us to love and accept everyone, he rules no one out.

Question 24

what is the Buddhist response to sexuality?

Answer 24

the 5 Moral Precepts teach that sexual behaviours are desires, which are acceptable, as long as you do not follow sexual misconduct.

• Buddhists believe in anatta, in not being attached to your current form. therefore, Buddhists are open to the idea of gender fluidity, as it means the person has realised their detachment from their current body.

however, overall, Buddhists believe that celibacy is preferred to marriage (monks), and the only forms of sexual contact within marriage should be for procreation.

Question 25

describe the social injustice of disability:

Answer 25

• largest minority in the world.
• includes physical, learning, and mental disabilities.
• 20% of the world suffers from a disability: 1 in 5 people.
• ‘Disability isn’t a choice, discrimination is.’
• the UN created: ‘The rights and dignity of persons with disabilities.’

Question 26

describe the social injustice of racial discrimination:

Answer 26

• 1300 resumes sent in to employers - people with traditional black names are 50% less likely to receive a call back than people with white names.
• prison sentences for black men are typically 10% longer for the same crime. black men experience 3.6x more police brutality.
• 45% of indigenous families have experienced racism at some point.
• stress caused by racism has been linked to breast cancer, hypertension and heart disease.
• half of medical students believe that there are biological differences between difference races. they’re also less likely to prescribe medicine to black people.
• racism is often learnt from someone’s environment or up bringing.

Question 27

why does racism and discrimination happen?

Answer 27

• culture
• misunderstanding
• ignorance
• experience
• fear
• upbringing
• unintentional

Question 28

describe the Disability Discrimination Act (1995), and how it was reached:

Answer 28

in order to reach the 1995 DDA, people had to protest for equal treatment of disabled people, but the authorities and the Government were against this for a long while, but eventually gave in, as the disabled were campaigning so often and alerting the public of the Government’s actions. the Government was pressured to introduce the act after this.

• since the day the act was introduced, people have been much less discriminated against, but still face many problems.
• all public places (schools, hospitals) must be wheelchair accessible.
• privately owned land and things (e.g. SWR) don’t have to be wheelchair accessible.

‘You can go to the train platform, but you can’t get on a train’.

Question 29

describe the case study of Ida Phillips vs the Martin Marietta Corporation:

Answer 29

• Ida Phillips was a single mum with a pre-school aged child.
• looking for a job in 1971.
• the MMC (aeroplane manufacturer) had a policy of never hiring women with pre-school aged children, because they were ‘unreliable employees’.
• even though Ida was very well qualified for the job, she was turned down because she had a young child.
• SEXISM. society frowns upon her if she doesn’t have a child, but she’s frowned upon if she does have a child, and tries to support it and herself.

Question 30

describe the Equality Act 2010:

Answer 30

• there were too many laws designed to deal with discrimination, and it was starting to get confusing where they began to overlap.
• the Equality Act 2010 was created, and it’s an important piece of anti-discrimination legislation in the UK.
• age
• disability
• gender re-assignment, sexual orientation, sex
• marriage and civil partnership
• pregnancy and maternity
• race
• religion or belief
• people are protected from discrimination, harassment and victimisation.
• people are protected at work, school, housing, and on other premises, and when using public transport, or when using services (e.g. restaurants, hospitals). basically all public places.
• protected in clubs or associations, or in public bodies (e.g. local council/government department).

Question 31

describe the Christian argument against racism:

Answer 31

‘There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.’

the story of the Good Samaritan details two countries at war. a man needed help, and the men of his own country walked past him. a man from the opposing country helped him, regardless of their races.

Question 32

describe the Buddhist response towards racism:

Answer 32

• racism is unkindness, causing suffering.
• it goes against the 5 Moral Precepts - harming living things, wrongful speech.
• goes against the 8-fold path - right speech.
• however, some black and Briton Buddhists feel they don’t quite fit in, as Buddhists are mainly asian, and often, writings are in Chinese or Thai.
• this forces converts to attend Buddhist centres ran by white teachers, as they feel more comfortable there.

Question 33

what is the Christian response to disabled people?

Answer 33

Christians help the disabled, treat them with love and kindness. they would not shun them. this is because Jesus helped the disable - e.g. he healed a man with cerebral palsy, and made him walk again.

Question 34

what is the Buddhist response to disabled people?

Answer 34

a Buddhist feels that people are only disabled as a result of their own actions and karma - the person must deal with that themselves. Buddhists can’t heal that for them. people, if they have been made disabled, are supposed to be disabled, and to experience this life.

however, Buddhists still believe in treating the disabled with karuna and metta.

Question 35

what are some examples where people’s freedom of religion has not been allowed?

Answer 35

• China is currently placing Christians, Hindus and Muslims in ‘re-education camps’, and they’re never let out.
• Catholics used to boil Protestants alive in Britain.
• Elizabeth I fined people £12 who didn’t attend church. If they couldn’t pay, they’d either have their property confiscated, or be sent to prison.
• Queen Mary killed Protestants for their beliefs. Elizabeth I then came to the throne, and started killing Catholics.
• in China, Iraq and North Korea, Christians must meet in secret, as they’re killed, beaten and raped for their faith. this is because country leaders often see organised religion as a threat to their power.

Question 36

what is the Buddhist response to freedom of speech?

Answer 36

Buddhists follow the 8-fold path, which says that we must practice right speech, but also have the right intention when we speak. they also follow the 5 Moral Precepts, which tell Buddhists to abstain from harmful speech.

Question 37

describe the different Christian responses to freedom of speech:

Answer 37

Inclusivists:
‘We should show love to all, and be tolerant to others. the Bible says, ‘We need to bear with one another in love’, meaning we must try and get along with each other, despite our differences. If people are morally good (including in their speech), they can get to Heaven whatever their religion.’

Exclusivists:
‘We don’t all have to get along with other religions - only Christians get to Heaven, anyway. We should try and convert people to Christianity.’

Question 38

what are examples of the main causes of poverty?

Answer 38

• war/corrupt governments
• high taxes
• addiction
• high interest loans
• unfair trade/poor wages
• disease/disability
• climate disasters/natural disasters
• human trafficking
• bad investments
• family/upbringing
• debt
• lack of effort
• immigration
• lack of education/unemployment

Question 39

what are some ways in which people become rich or poor?

Answer 39

rich:
- having a successful job/business, inheritance

poor:
- unemployment, laziness

Question 40

who helps the poor get out of poverty?

Answer 40

• charities, food banks, NGOs
• schools/colleges (education to allow you to get a better job, free school meals).

Question 41

why would a Christian, and why would a Buddhist help someone in poverty?

Answer 41

Christian:
- the Golden Rule
- Jesus helped the poor

Buddhist:
- they gain good karma
- shows karuna, metta (4 sublime states)

Question 42

why could the national lottery be a positive thing?

Answer 42

• gives people the chance to get out of poverty
• shares wealth
• develops people’s patience

Question 43

describe the parable of the rich young man, and relate it to a quote about a camel:

Answer 43

• the rich young man does everything God asks of him (e.g. he follows the 10 commandments), but when ordered to sell all his possessions to the poor, he refuses.
• this is because he doesn’t care about others and is selfish, despite his loyalty to God. this makes him unworthy of Heaven.

‘It’s easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than a rich man to enter Heaven.’

• the camel, in order to fit through the eye of the needle, must shed its fine accessories and riches atop it, in order to squeeze through the gate to heaven.

Question 44

what is the Christian attitude towards wealth?

Answer 44

• Christians are told to love their neighbour, meaning to help others when they’re struggling financially.
• some Christians and nuns live in poverty in order to grow closer to God.
• e.g. Franciscan Friars are encouraged to give all of their possessions to the poor, to be happy with the one tunic, and to spend their entire time doing charity work, instead of being lazy.
• there are many Christian organisations which help the poor (e.g. Christian Aid, Salvation Army, Oxfam).

Question 45

what is the Buddhist attitude towards wealth?

Answer 45

• Buddhists often shun material possessions. Buddhist monks and nuns often own nothing at all.
• this is because they believe that getting too attached to anything in life can prevent enlightenment. you can have possessions but you must not attach your status to them or desire more things.

Question 46

what are the key Buddhist beliefs about poverty?

Answer 46

• wanting to help the poor (karuna - develops one of the four sublime states).
• actually helping the poor shows metta (another of the four sublime states).
• helping others produces good karma.
• giving away possessions can help guard you against greed.

Question 47

why might different jobs have different wages?

Answer 47

• hours worked (night shifts earn much more than day shifts).
• qualifications needed.
• necessity of the job (key workers during Covid were given a pay rise afterwards because their necessity was recognised).
• type of job.

Question 48

what are the minimum wages for the different age groups?

Answer 48

21 and over: £11.44
18-20: £8.60
under 18s and apprentices: £6.40

Question 49

what is the UK living wage?

Answer 49

for people aged 25 and over, it’s £10.42. this is the minimum wage to not live in poverty in the UK. based off of a 36 hour week. this is not obligatory, however - not all companies do this.

Question 50

what are the advantages and disadvantages of the minimum wage?

Answer 50

• minimum wage means companies can’t exploit their workers, as they must pay a certain amount of money, can’t just make someone work for £1 an hour.
• if people at different ages earn different amounts of money for the same exact work done, this could be seen as unfair and ageist?
• they’re seen as dependents, so the money they’re earning isn’t used to pay rent or bills, so they don’t need as much.
• the minimum wage isn’t fair, otherwise the ‘living wage’ wouldn’t be a thing. if the minimum wage were to rise, however, food prices and the cost of living would also rise, which is just as problematic.

Question 51

describe unfair pay:

Answer 51

• minimum wage in the UK protects the very low paid, though this may not be seen as enough, so they pay the ‘living wage’, which is slightly more.
• there are workers who are exploited in the UK and there are those who do not deserve the wages and bonuses they get.
• low paid workers often do jobs of great necessity for our everyday living, so it isn’t as if the job is worthless, yet the wages they are paid by the government of employees are unfair.

Question 52

name some ways people are exploited globally:

Answer 52

• working as slaves (born on a slave site, forced to work as a slave for life as a result of this).
• unhealthy work conditions.
• slavery.
• having no choice about where they work, due to extreme poverty, or manipulative employers.
• living in poverty.

Question 53

describe the Rana Plaza factory incident:

Answer 53

in 2013 in Bangladesh, over 1100 workers lost their lives and over 2000 were injured as the eight story Rana Plaza factory collapsed. these workers were being exploited, due to unhealthy work conditions (flashcard 52).

Question 54

what piece of scripture shows that Christians support the idea of fair wages?

Answer 54

‘Do not exploit the poor, because they are poor.’

Question 55

describe payday loans:

Answer 55

those in poverty often take loans to pay for what they need. loan companies exploit this by offering same day release of money, but the rate to pay it back can be huge, even 1000s of percent interest.

people paying weekly only at the minimum rate will see that what they owe actually increases rather than reduces. each payment only pays off some of the interest on the loan, which gets bigger the longer it takes the pay the loan back.

the poor often fall behind with payments and some take on another loan to pay the first one off. this is a vicious cycle of increasing debt. in 2015, the UK government implemented restrictions on interest, but it was nowhere near enough and poverty continued to increase.

Question 56

what are the ‘for’s’ and ‘against’s’ of payday loans?

Answer 56

for:
- helps people in the short-term, in an expensive emergency.
- helps the ‘middle class’, just those who make some money, but not enough money for emergency sums.
- people would otherwise refer to loan sharks, which are even more illegal. prevents theft (prevents breaking 10 commandments/5 moral precepts).
- all Christians are able to have free-will, we should choose if we want to have a pay-day loan or not.

against:
- worsens the poverty crisis. targeted at the poor, so in theory is exploitation, ‘Do not exploit the poor because they are poor’.
- people in poverty are put in even more debt. doesn’t comply with Buddhist ‘right intention’.

Question 57

give some statistics about human trafficking:

Answer 57

• 21 million people worldwide are victims of forced labour.
• generates over 7 billion dollars every year.
• 46.95% of all people trafficked are between the ages of 18-24.
• 80% of trafficking involves sexual exploitation. 19% of trafficking involves labour exploitation.
• 80% of victims are women.

Question 58

what is the lifestyle of a trafficked child?

Answer 58

• cramped, unsanitary sleeping and bathroom conditions. unclean clothes.
• work from the minute they wake up to the minute they sleep.
• 1 nutrient-lacking meal a day, and that is rushed, between work, on the floor.

Question 59

name some reasons for human trafficking:

Answer 59

• due to war, some people are promised new, safer lives in different countries by trafficking organisations.
• people are co-erced into working for criminal organisations, and they can’t alert the police because they are in the country illegally, usually as prostitutes.
• some children are sold to criminal gangs as slaves due to their family’s poverty, and their family use this money to support their other children.
• other children are sold to criminal gangs as slaves, and their income doesn’t go to them, but goes to their family instead, who use it to fud themselves. the child then lives in awful conditions as a result.
• people may pay organisations to take them across borders, due to a lack of understanding, or desperation.

ALL OF THESE REASONS ARE FINANCIALLY MOTIVATED.

Question 60

why do people stay in these trafficking systems?

Answer 60

• fear
• lack of understanding (they may not realise that they’re being trafficked)

Question 61

describe the case study, ‘Operation Fort’:

Answer 61

operation fort = police movement, took years of planning, took down the criminal organisation responsible in the end, imprisoned the entire gang.

• in 2021, over 400 Polish victims were put to work in the West Midlands.
• lured from Poland in the promise of a better life, work. had to do forced labour.
• trapped in a tiny house, with eleven others. no running water (they had to wash in a river), awful living conditions, derelict building.
• the gang made over £2 million.

Question 62

describe ‘Rebecca’s story’ (sex trafficking):

Answer 62

• in Las Vegas, 90% of prostituted women and girls (as young as 12 years old) are controlled by pimps (men who control prostitutes, and arranges clients for them, taking a percentage of the earning in return).
• Rebecca met a man, who seemed like the ideal boyfriend. he encouraged her to move to Las Vegas, and isolated her from her family.
• she was forced into being a prostitute, and expected to make a certain amount of money each day, he was using her young daughter as blackmail.

Question 63

describe the case of the Cameroonian being trafficked in the UK:

Answer 63

• victim was already subject to abuse, torture and violence in Cameroon - not a good place for women, so she escaped.
• became homeless in the UK after being rejected asylum and refusing to return to Cameroon (scared).
• individual was provided with accommodation and a false identity by the criminal organisation, she got a job at a mobile phone shop. she was forced by the gang to steal SIM cards that they could sell.
• she was put in prison for 14 months, for false identity and two accounts of theft.
• UK says that with their improved laws now, she’s protected, and wouldn’t have been sent to prison, and they would have realised she’s being trafficked. she was then granted asylum.

Question 64

describe ‘send a cow’ (A.K.A. the ripple effect):

Answer 64

• looks for communities in poverty (mainly in Africa, e.g. Rwanda, Ethiopia).
• seeks to help these communities long-term (instead of sending them emergency shelter, they send them livestock for families to breed, meaning they can have an income to support themselves).