Paper 1 - Selfishness, Ignorance, greed, sin

Question 1

quote against selfishness

Answer 1

“love one another as I have loved you” (John 15).

Question 2

jesus teaching about selfishness

Answer 2

agape - unconditional love

Question 3

non religious views on selfishness (2)

Answer 3

generally bad

however is natural as we are programmed to survive and put our needs first

Question 4

how does selfishness lead to suffering (3)

Answer 4

o If people are only concerned with themselves then they will not care about trying to help others. If people do not take responsibility for each other then they will not care if another person is suffering or if they exploit another person. It also can lead to greed.
o They may say or do hurtful things because they do not care about the consequences of their thoughts or actions. E.g. they may bully others, victimise others or steal from others.
o They may not consider the needs of others if they themselves are alright. They may not give to charity, vote for ethical governments or policies or work to change unfair systems.

Question 5

quote to show everything belongs to god

Answer 5

“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it” 1 Corinthians 10:26

Question 6

quote about money

Answer 6

“The love of money is the root of all evil”. (1 Timothy 2:10)

Question 7

alternative to money for christians

Answer 7

store treasure in heaven through good deeds

Question 8

non religious views on greed (2)

Answer 8

o Greed is usually seen as a bad thing, but arguably capitalism is all about greed and trying to make more money. Some people would argue that we live in a consumer society which encourages people to be greedy and want things that they do not need.
o Some people would say that it is perfectly acceptable to be greedy. Greed is what motivates people to work hard and get more in life.

Question 9

how does greed lead to suffering (4)

Answer 9

o Greed for more land and more power has often led to war.
o Greed for more money or more success might make people exploit others.
o Greed for foods like meat or out of season luxuries can cause hunger in LEDCs as land and resources are diverted to produce the luxuries.
o Human greed has people to over-use the world’s resources which has led to environmental problems like deforestation and extinction and also causes problems for future generations.

Question 10

quote to show ignorance is not bad

Answer 10

“Father forgive them for they know not what they do” Luke 23:34

Question 11

quote to show ignorance is bad

Answer 11

“even if he did not know it, he is guilty and shall be held responsible for his sin.” (Leviticus 5:17)

Question 12

quote to show parents are responsible for ignorance

Answer 12

“Train up a child in the way he should go” Proverbs 22:6

Question 13

non religious views on ignorance (2)

Answer 13

o Many people would say that it is unfair to punish someone if they genuinely did not know what they were doing was wrong. This is why children under 10 cannot be held responsible if they break the law (the age varies in different countries). Similarly if someone is mentally ill they may not be punished for a crime (though they may be held in a secure hospital for the safety of others).
o Some people believe that conscience is innate (i.e. it is natural and does not need to be taught). Others say that right and wrong must be taught to people, it is not something that we have naturally.

Question 14

how does ignorance lead to suffering (4)

Answer 14

o Some people may have never been taught right from wrong. They are ignorant of the right way to behave. This could apply to the Edlington brothers case. People might commit crimes if they do not know that it is the wrong thing to do.
o Some people may not be able to understand right from wrong. E.g. the very young or the mentally disabled.
o Sometimes actions may have unforeseen consequences which harm people. We cannot know the future and we cannot necessarily know what will happen. This could apply to things like climate change and other environmental problems.
• Many types of prejudice are caused by ignorance: Racism or homophobia sometimes comes from a lack of understanding

Question 15

quote to show everyone sins

Answer 15

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves” John 1:8

Question 16

quote to show we must avoid sinning

Answer 16

“If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away.” Matthew 5:29

Question 17

how does sin lead to suffering (3)

Answer 17

o Adam and Eve’s sin brought suffering into the world and spoiled God’s perfect world.
o Many of the things that cause suffering are sins. Murder, theft, adultery etc.
o Problems like war and poverty could also be blamed on human sinfulness.

Question 18

reasons for these bad things always existing (4)

Answer 18

o Humans are naturally selfish and will always put themselves first.
o History suggests that they have always been part of life.
o It is impossible to end something like injustice. It is impossible to make the world a completely fair place because unfair things (like natural disasters) will always happen and will always cause suffering.
o As the population grows there will be even more competition for the same natural resources.

Question 19

reasons against the bad things always existing (4)

Answer 19

o Humans are essentially good at heart as imago dei
o Society is becoming less violent as it develops. People become less tolerant of injustice. If you look back at history you can see that society has become fairer and more caring.
o As society becomes more multi-cultural people will get better at living together.
o Technology and science will make the world a more efficient place which means that there will be less competition for resources and humans will gain more control over natural injustice.