issues of good and evil Flashcards
what makes an act wrong
- if it breaks rules/laws
- if it goes against the will of god
- of it doesnt bring about the greatest happiness for the most people
- if it isnt the most loving thing to do
- if it goes against purposes revealed in nature
- if it doesnt develop virtues
- if it goes against your conscience
strengths and weaknesses of relative morality
S:
- it considers the situation and what might be the best consequences leading to a more compassionate outcome
- it can bring about the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people
W:
- a minority will suffer if it is for the greater good
- people have to think for themselves in any given situation, which may be difficult
strengths and weaknesses of absolute morality
S:
- people dont have to think what to do, it is simpler
- following gods rules must be right
W:
- can lead to a lack of compassion
- doesnt consider the consequences of an action, only the action itself
what are the main causes of crime
- poor parenting
- poverty
- poor education
- drug/alcohol addiction
- poor mental health
- peer pressure
- unemployment
- media
what are the main aims of punisment
vindication (to uphold the law)
justice (to ensure fairness)
retribution (to ensure revenge)
deterrence (to deter people from committing the crime)
reformation (to change the criminal for the better so they stop offending)
protection (to protect society from criminals)
what are religious beliefs on the causes of crime
traditional christians (original sin of adam and eve, passed down as inherited sin from the fall, all humans have an inclination to sin)
lib prots (less literal reading, humans are innately selfish so will give into temptation if it benefits them)
buddhists (crime is caused by tanha (2nd NT), which leads to craving, unskilful acts are also motivated by 3 poisons (greed, ignorance, hatred))
what are evangelical views towards punishment
they agree with retribution, thus agree with capital punishment
- “let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never ending stream”
- “blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness”
- “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth”
-36 capital offences in OT - “authorities are put there by god” - st paul
- Vatican statement 1997 “capital punishment is the only way to protect society from the criminal”
what are liberal protestant views on punishment
they agree with reform and forgiveness, thus dont agree with capital punishment
- “go and sin no more”/ adulterous woman parable
- “forgive 70 times 7”
- “forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us”
- “the days allotted to me are recorded in your book”
- “father forgive them for they know not what they do”
- “turn the other cheek”
- 2018 Vatican statement “inadmissible”, “an attack on the dignity of the person”
- “if you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly father will forgive you, but if you refuse to forgive others, your father will not forgive your sins”
what are buddhist views of punishment
buddhists do not support capital punishment, and instead support restorative justice
- people are punished by the law of karma, this should deter from crime
- they teach anatta, criminals can change, if they were forced to see the consequences of their actions {pratitya), then they would feel guilt
- the way we punish someone can set up conditions for more or less suffering, if it is motivated by metta and karuna, less suffering will be caused
- “we are not punished for our anger but by our anger”, the person who suffers the most will be the criminal, retribution will only cause more suffering
who were the prison reformers and what did they do
john howard- prisons should have access to clean water, separated men and women, more prison officers, access to medical attention and should be safe
elizabeth fry- educating female prisoners by teaching to read through bible readings, teaching to knit and sew so they could earn money and got them clean clothes
now: offered drug rehab, education, work training, counselling and chaplains
what do prison chaplains do
- care for the spiritual concerns of an inmate
- support through rehab
- help to continue practising religion
- help to re-join communities
- care for families’ spiritual needs
- go with the prisoner to their death and pray with them to the end
why do people become prison chaplains
- “love thy neighbour”
- “love the sinner hate the sin”
- to develop virtues of jesus
- parable of sheep and goats- should help others
- right livelihood, action, mindfulness
- metta and karuna
- anatta
- good karma
- to fulfil the bodhisattva vow
Gods qualities- proof
omnipotence- sent the ten plagues, parted the red sea, jesus can walk on water and rise from the dead
omnibenevolence- god is compassionate and gracious, “for god so loved the world that he gave his only son so that whoever believes in him shall not perish but instead have eternal life”, “forgive us our sins”
what did st augustine believe
- god was perfect and created a perfect world, “god saw what he had made, and he said it was good”
- evil is an absence of good, not a creation
- god gave humans free will
- the fall caused an imbalance in nature and thus natural evil
- everyone now born with inherited sin and now have inclination to abuse their free will
- human suffering comes as a consequence of this, and it is also a punishment from god
- god would be justified to send all humans to hell, but instead he showed grace by sending jesus for atonement
- those who turn to jesus go to heaven, those who dont go to hell
criticisms of st augustine
- a perfect world cant go wrong
- the price of free will is too high, better to not have it
- sin cannot biologically be passed on
- its not loving to punish everyone for adam and eves sins
