Peace And Conflict Flashcards
What are Christian views on violence and bullying?
Violence is a rejection of God’s ideas for the world. Anger and jealousy can lead to violence so must be controlled. Bullying is a destructive form of violence so must be destroyed
What are Christian views on forgiveness and reconciliation?
We should always forgive others, as Jesus will always forgive us. God only forgives those who are willing to forgive others (The parable of the unforgiving servant). As long as we are truly sorry, God will always forgive us.
What are Christian views on justice and righteous anger?
God’s wish is for all of us to be treated fairly, and the prophet Amos said justice should be more important than worshiping God. Righteous anger is okay as it can be controlled, however violent protesting is not okay
What is the just war theory?
The idea that war can be okay if it follows certain stipulations, such as not attacking innocents, and not doing any unnecessary damage to buildings or the environment. “The one who has no sword must sell his cloak and buy one” Luke22:36.
What are the 5 main reasons the Catholic Church opposes WMDs?
- They are indiscriminate and have long term effects
- They are disproportionate to any success
- The possibility of success is small. There are “no victors, only victims” Pope Benedict
- The cost is too great and the money could be spent on making people’s lives better
- Possessing them increases tension across the world which makes the world less safe
What are Christian views on the consequences of modern warfare?
Civilians shouldn’t be harmed, they should be protected. Refugees should be given protected and welcomed, otherwise they might end up living in poor quality camps. As stewards of the earth, we have a duty to protect the environment and fix any damage done as a cause of warfare
What are Christian beliefs on Holy War?
Jesus teaches that war is rarely justified and God wants peace for us. Because of this we shouldn’t go to war in the name of religion. Passages in the Old testament that talk about vengeance only talk about individuals, not communities, so we shouldn’t take our anger out on multiple people for one person’s actions
What are Christian views on pacifism?
Jesus teaches that peace is always a better answer than violence “Blessed are the peacemakers” Matthew5:9. Everyone has the right to protect themselves, yet we should always find a way to figure things out peacefully, as even self defence is still violence and is therefore bad.
What have Catholics done in the 21st century to help people suffering from war?
Recent Popes such as Francis have worked more to bring peaceful resolutions to conflict. Pope Francis has held meetings of prayer and and international football game to bring people of different religions together peacefully. Catholic charities, such as CAFOD, Caritas and Aid to the Church in Need all help to support victims of war
What are Christian views on terrorism?
Pope Francis has said nobody should murder in the name of God, and Paul said we should never take vengeance. This means terrorism is outright wrong and groups such as the IRA and ISIS who killed in the name of their religion have been condemned by their Christian and Muslim leaders respectively
What are Christian views on torture, radicalisation and martyrdom?
Torture is wrong in all ways because it is inhuman, barbaric, illegal and denies us of our human rights. The Catholic Church focuses on mutual respect so radicalisation is a concern as it can lead to terrorism. Martyrdom follows Jesus’ teachings of “let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me”, however it doesn’t include suicide bombers as they can kill many other people
What are Catholic views on conflict resolution and peacemaking?
Catholic charities such as Pax Christi are working with the Catholic church to make peace out of conflict. Non-violent resistors such as Gandhi and Martin Luther King are influences for people who want peace on earth
