Religious Responses Flashcards
What do Buddhists believe about the origins of life?
There is no Buddhist creation story - the Buddha thought questions about how the earth started were idle speculation.
Buddhists believe that worlds evolve and follow a cycle of decay, death and rebirth.
What do Christians believe about the origins of life?
The planet was made and given to humans by God and it must be treated and looked after with care.
The Bible begins with a story that tells of how God created the heavens and earth out of nothing, filled the earth with living creatures and made human beings. God completed his work in 6 days and rested on the 7th.
The story doesn’t explain how the planet came about. It says it was already there but was covered in water and darkness. God made the planet able to support life (with plants and trees for food) and then made animals and humans.
A second story describes the creation of the first man and woman, Adam and Eve. Although some Christians take the stories word-for-word, most prefer to concentrate on religious truths they teach about caring for the earth rather than their exact details.
What do Buddhists and Christians believe about awe and wonder of planet earth?
Buddhist and Christian groups believe life is precious.
Buddhists believe the earth is a living thing. All parts of the natural world depend on each other. Humans are part of nature so they should not act against it.
Christians believe in the sanctity of life - life is very precious as it was given by God. Christians believe the world was created as an act of love. Humans have the responsibility to care for and protect the natural world and be thankful to God for his gift.
What do Christians believe about caring for planet earth?
Through the Genesis creation story Christians believe:
🌍God created the earth with the right conditions to sustain life
🌍God created all living things, including people
🌍the world belongs to God - NOT human beings
🌍plants, fish, birds, animals were created for people to use and to make the Earth a beautiful place to live
🌍God made living things capable of reproducing naturally so nature can continue.
STEWARDSHIP: people have been given a special responsibility by God to be in charge of the earth, to protect it and care for it. People have a duty as stewards to look after the earth on God’s behalf. When humans die God will judge them based on how well they looked after the earth. By looking after the world = respecting God = good afterlife.
The teaching “rule over… every living creature” teaches Christians they have a duty to conserve the earth for the next generation.
What do Buddhists believe about caring for planet earth?
Buddhists scriptures teach Buddhists not to do evil but to do good. Buddhists should develop loving kindness to all things including the earth. “To refrain from harming any living thing” (1st Precept). Humans may use nature to make useful things but must not exploit nature unnecessarily.
What are religious beliefs and teachings about pollution?
As pollution is a modern problem there are no direct religious teachings. Teachings must be applied to the issues.
Buddhism - pollution harms humans, animals and the planet so breaks the first moral precept and steps on the eightfold path.
Christianity - Pollution is not good stewardship as God’s creation is being destroyed. Pollution harms people so breaks “love thy neighbour”.
What are religious beliefs and teachings about the use of natural resources & climate change?
Religious believes will most likely waste the same amount of natural resources as non-believers.
Buddhists believe the earth is a living thing and must be protected for the future (rebirth means humans could be reborn to the earth). They would also follow teachings such as the first precept and the Eightfold Path. Buddhists believe all living things should live in harmony with one another and destroying the earth is greedy and results in bad karma. All living things depend on each other.
Christianity teaches the earth belongs to God and humans have a duty to care for the earth (stewardship). Looking after the earth is a way to worship God (SOL). Some may argue resources can be used as humans have dominion over the natural world and can use resources for their own needs and survival.
What are religious beliefs and teachings about looking after the world?
Religious leaders and believers meet to campaign for conservation and sustainable development due to beliefs in stewardship, responsibility for the earth & gaining good karma. (1st precept, eightfold path, stewardship).
Religious leaders meet with countries leaders to form an earth summit. They discuss threats to the earth and agree on international action.
What are religious responses to environmental issues?
World religious leaders met at Assisi (1986) and Ohito (1995) to discuss environmental problems. Religious groups promote sustainable development. Religious charities such as CAFOD and Christian Aid promote sustainable development, have projects on climate change and fair trade.
Buddhism teaches that destruction of the environment is a result of greed, ignorance, and disregard for the importance of all living things. Future generations will inherit a destroyed world. The current generation must follow all teachings to ensure the world is preserved for the next generation.
Christians believe that humans have a responsibility to care for the do world. Even though humans were put in charge it doesn’t mean humans can abuse, spoil, waste or destroy what God has made.
