Theme D- Peace and Conflict ☮️⚔️

Question 1

What is peace?

Hint: absence of…

Answer 1

• peace is the the absence of war and conflict; harmony between all in society.

Question 2

What is justice ?

Hint: bringing about

Answer 2

• Justice, is bringing about what is right and fair, according to the law,
• [ ; justice can also mean making up for a wrong that has been committed]

Question 3

What is forgiveness?

Hint: showing compassion

Answer 3

• forgiveness, is showing compassion, mercy and pardoning someone for what they have done wrong.

Question 4

What is reconciliation?

Answer 4

• reconciliation, is [making up and] restoring friendly relationships after conflict.

Question 5

What is the difference between forgiveness 🆚 reconciliation ?

Answer 5

• forgiveness, is showing compassion, mercy and pardoning someone for what they have done wrong
• ; reconciliation, is [making up and] restoring friendly relationships after conflict.

Question 6

What is a Christian quote that supports peace ?

Answer 6

• ‘blessed are the peacemakers’- [Jesus said this on the sermon on the mount]

Question 7

What is a Christian quote that supports justice ?

Hint: Isaiah 1:17

Answer 7

• Isaiah 1:17 teaches Christians to ‘seek justice’

Question 8

What is a Christian teaching that supports forgiveness ?

Answer 8

The Lord’s Prayer teaches that if they want to be forgiven, they must forgive others- ‘forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who trespass against us’

Question 9

What is a Christian quote that supports reconciliation?

Answer 9

• In Corinthians, St Paul said ‘God reconciled himself to us through Christ’

Question 10

What is a Christian quote that supports peace ?

Answer 10

• ‘blessed are the peacemakers’- [Jesus said this on the sermon on the mount]

Question 11

What is a Buddhist teaching that supports peace ?

Answer 11

• kamma- showing peace to others can help develop good karma, reducing the amount of suffering that would instead be caused by suffering.

Question 12

What is a Buddhist teaching that supports justice ?

Answer 12

• Buddhism teaches that justice should be attained, but in a non-violent method. This is because if violence is used, it can lead to hatred, which is one of the three poisons.
• [keeping people trapped in the cycle of samsara, unable to reach enlightenment and gain nirvana]- link to Gotama Buddha in the Dhammapada, verse 3.

Question 13

What is a Buddhist quote that supports justice ?

Answer 13

• Gotama Buddha in the Dhammapada, verse 3 states: ’He abused me, he attacked me, he defeated me, and he robbed me, but Gotama Buddha didn’t retaliate

Question 14

What is a Buddhist quote that supports forgiveness ?

Answer 14

• Buddhism teaches that if you don’t forgive others, you are quenching onto anger and hatred which is unskillful and can lead to mental dukkha [suffering].
• Instead, Buddhism teaches we should consistently forgive others to express a mindset that consists of metta [loving-kindness]

Question 15

What is a Buddhist quote that supports reconciliation?

Answer 15

• For Buddhists, reconciliation [restoring friendly relationships] allows people to let go and blame or a feeling of resenting the individual.
• Link to karuna- isn’t it more compassionate to reconcilate and forge a stronger relationship, than simply forgive and never let go of blame and resentment ?

Question 16

What is violence ?

Answer 16

• Violence is behaviour involving physical force, which intends to hurt, kill or cause damage.

Question 17

Why might some Christians oppose violence ?

Answer 17

• Some Christians might oppose violence, since they might argue it will always harm you. Jesus taught that ‘those who live by the sword, die by the sword in Matthew 26.
• Aditionally, Jesus also taught to ‘turn the other cheek’ in the sermount on the mount. Who are we to contradict the teachings of someone who is God incarnate ?

Question 18

Why might some Buddhists oppose violence ?

Answer 18

• Some Buddhists might oppose violence since it contradicts Buddhist ethics [sila]: the right action [which is an aspect of the Eightfold path].
• The right action teaches Buddhists to practise and follow the five moral precepts, but how is violence ever following the first moral precept, which teaches Buddhists to refrain from taking or harming life- violence directly contradicts this core teaching of Buddhism.

Question 19

Can you give some other reasons why some Christians might oppose violence ?

Answer 19

• Some Christians might oppose violence because of the concept of imago dei [in the image of God].
• Genesis 1:27 teaches Christians that we are all made ‘in his own image’, therefore violence is wrong as it harms what God has ‘wonderfully’ and ‘fearfully’ made- [Psalm 139:14]

[- violence also contradicts the sanctity of life.]

Question 20

Can you give some reasons why some Buddhist might oppose

Answer 20

• Some Buddhists might oppose violence since it is unskillful. This is because it causes dukkha [suffering] for the receiver, which is never compassionate.
• Buddhists are taught to show karuna [compassion], not to cause suffering which keeps people trapped in the cycle of samsara [rebirth], because hatred can fester from violence.
• Therefore a Buddhist might argue violence is wrong, as it keeps people trapped in the cycle of samsara, continuing to cause more dukkha [suffering]

Question 21

Give some reasons why a Christian might support violence.

Answer 21

• Some Christians may support violence because Jesus [who is the key founder and role model for Christians] committed violence in the temple/cleansing of the temple, as he ‘overturned’ the table of the money

Question 22

Give some reasons why a Christian might support violence.

Answer 22

• Some Christians may support violence because Jesus [who is the key founder and role model for Christians] committed violence in the temple courts/ cleansing of the temple, as he ‘overturned’ the table of the money changers Aswell as the ‘benches of those selling doves’.
• Therefore Matthew 21 clearly teaches Christians that are certain times when violent protest may be acceptable.

Question 23

Give some reasons why a Buddhist might support violence ?

Answer 23

• Although most Buddhists would oppose violence as it: contradicts the first moral precept, Buddhist ethics, causes Dukkha-dukkha etc [the suffering of suffering- physical and emotional pain] some Buddhists might see violence as acceptable, if it’s to fight against the repression of their religion.
• For example, in 1963, Thick Quang Duc [a Buddhist monk] committed suicide, by setting himself on fire/alight in order to protest against the governement policies of the time, that were repressive [to Buddhism.]

Question 24

Give some reasons why some Christians might support violence ?

Answer 24

• Some Roman Catholics might support violence if it’s to protect/preserve their own life.
• This is because of the doctrine of double effect [Aquinas] which claims that if something happens as an unintended result of an action, it can be seen as acceptable.
• Therefore some Christians might support violence, if it the primary action is not to cause harm.
• For example, in self-defense when the primary action is to protect your own life.

Question 25

What are some other reasons a Christian may support violence

Answer 25

• Some Christians may support violence, it it’s for retribution. This is because Exodus Old Testament 21:24-27 teaches Christians ‘an eye for an eye’ and ‘a tooth for a tooth’.
• Therefore some Christians might see violence as acceptable, only if it matches what the offender has caused.