RS Introducing Religion

Question 0

Name 6 world religions.

Answer 0

Christianity
Judaism
Islam
Sikhism
Hinduism
Buddhism

Question 1

What does ‘being religious’ mean?

Answer 1

It means that someone believes in someone or something greater than themselves. They usually call this greater power ‘God’.

Question 2

What are the arguments for the existence of God?

Answer 2

1. Cosmological argument: the universe, planets and humans exist. They could not have made themselves so something else must have made them.
2. Design argument: The world and its creatures are so complicated in their design, they must have be made by God.
3. Religious experience argument: a person has experienced God in some way: e.g. answer to prayer, miracle or feeling.
4. Moral argument: people tend to agree on what is generally right and what is wrong. God must have revealed this standard for behaviour.

Question 3

What are the arguments against the existence of God?

Answer 3

1. Design fault argument: If God created the earth it would be perfect.
2. Theory of evolution argument: man evolved from other animals.
3. Unfair God argument: there is too much inequality in the world to believe a god would allow this.
4. Good conscience theory: conscience originates psychologically due to innate death and life instinct. Belief in God is just a person creating a representation for their ‘superego’.