Peace and Conflict Flashcards
What is the United Nations
-formed in 1945
-encourages socio economic progress
-every country can be a member and vote annually
Aim to:
-preserve world peace
-remove the causes of conflict
Christian reasons for pacifism
- Jesus’ sermon on the mount says ‘do not resist evil’ ‘offer up thy cheek’
- Jesus stopped Peter using violence on soldiers who came to arrest Jesus
- 5th commandment, thou shall not kill
- Jesus taught to love thy enemies
- Horrible events occur in war with weapons of mass destruction
Attitudes for Christians fighting in Just War
- teaching of churches that Christians may fight if the war fits the criteria
- St Paul said Christians should obey the government as it is authorised by God
- Jesus never condemned soldiers therefore accepting Christians as soldiers
- Everyone agrees that police force is essential to protect us from criminals so armies are needed to protect us from criminal countries
Why wars occur from religion (1)
- if countries feel other countries are treating followers of their religion badly
- If the majority of an area is one religion [eg Kashmir is mostly Muslim and Hindu is minority
- When there are different beliefs within a religion (eg Afghanistan government has different views to the Taliban)
Why wars occur from Nationalism and Ethnicity (2)
- separate ethnic groups believe they should have their own country causes civil wars for an independent state (eg Albanians in Kosovo)
- Nationalism insisting any minority be removed to all be one ethnic group can lead to genocide
- tension between ethnic groups after countries have been artificially created by colonialism
Why the UN is important for world peace
-impose sanctions on countries that threaten world peace
-authorises the use of force by member states on an aggressor
-sends UN peacekeeping forces to:
Prevent outbreak of conflict
Stabilise conflict situations after a ceasefire and create an environment of peace
Assisting peace agreements and put them in place
Lead states to a stable government (democracy)
Why wars occur from economic reasons (3)
- believed Iraq was invaded for its oil reserves
- economic problems in one country can lead to another country being involved (eg Zimbabweans migrating to South Africa and SA rejected and attacked them)
Why wars occur from from ideological and political differences
- political groups fighting for Power (democratic Republic of Congo had two: one by Uganda, one by Zimbabwe)
- Korean war 1949 North invaded South to unite in communism and no peace still
Why Christians are against bullying
- violence without a cause is sinful
- bullying is mistreating Gods creation
- duty of Christians to protect the weak and innocent
- bullying has harmful affects on society and stops people form achieving successful careers
Why Muslims are against bullying
- Violence without a cause is sinful
- duty of Muslims to protect the weak and innocent (Surah90: 12-16)
- Muhammed said ‘every Muslims is a brother to every other Muslim’
- Islam teaches all are members of the Ummah so should have equal treatment and respect
Religious conflict in families
(1) Children against parents religion
- refuse to go to place of worship
- parents worry child is immoral without religion
- Child won’t have afterlife with parents
- children feel it is their human right to freedom of religion
Religious conflict in families
(2) Children want interfaith marriage
- no religious ceremonies
- what religion for their child to be brought up in?
- after death are husband and wife buried apart
- parents feel betrayed by their roots
Religious conflict in families
(3) children become more religious than their parents
- child takes a low paid job after expensive education
- child criticises the lifestyle of parents eg contraception
- child forces parents to become more religious
Religious conflict in families
(4) Disagreements on moral issues
- Catholics divorcing to marry someone else
- cohabitation in religions banning pre marital sex
- a family member writing a porno or being a stripper
- abortions
Forgiveness and Reconciliation - Christianity
- Jesus died in the cross for our sins
- Jesus taught if we do not forgive then God will not forgive us
- St Paul taught Christians should live in peace
- Christianity is based upon it and it is so powerful that it can lead to the end of all conflict ( churches teach Christians should be committed to it)
- *no forgiveness if someone goes against Christianity**
