Theme E Flashcards
Why do some religious believers view intention as more important than action?
Certain actions are only right if the intention is good e.g. giving to charity just to show off would not be considered moral / part of the Buddhist Eightfold Path is ‘Right Intention’ / many Christian rules focus on intention e.g. ‘Do not covet your neighbour’s wife’
Why do some religious believers view action as more important than intention?
Some acts can never be justified e.g. murder is ruled out by almost all religions / Anyone can claim to have good intentions but since we cannot tell, it makes more sense to judge people by their actions
What are the four main reasons for crime?
Poverty and upbringing
Mental illness and addiction
Greed and hate
Opposition to an unjust law
Why might poverty cause someone to commit a crime e.g. gang violence?
Membership of a gang can bring social status in a disadvantaged community / many people in these communities already have broken relationships with the police due to feeling singled out
Why would an unjust law cause someone to commit a crime?
The law singles them out for who they are e.g. homosexual couples living under laws which prohibit homosexuality / they do not respect the law so choose to ignore it e.g. blasphemy / they get involved in criminal acts (e.g. violent protests) in order to protest against an unjust law
What is a hate crime?
A crime committed because of prejudiced views about a person or group
Why do many people view murder as the worst crime?
For religious believers it goes against the sanctity of life / murder (unlike manslaughter) is intentional and premeditated
How do religious believers respond to murder?
Recognise the seriousness of murder e.g. unrepentant murderers will go to hell in both Christianity and Buddhism / encourage the murderer to repeat and serve penance e.g. jailtime, giving back to the victims in some way
How do religious believers respond to theft?
Theft is banned in both Christianity and Buddhism, but Buddhists may take this further as ‘Do not take what is not freely given’ goes beyond theft to include time-wasting and gambling / religious believers may be more tolerant of theft which is committed out of desperation e.g. to feed a starving child
How do religious believers respond to hate crime?
In Christianity they would emphasise the importance of loving your enemy and healing the rifts between groups which might be hateful towards each other, as shown in the Good Samaritan / Buddhists would recognise that hate crimes are caused by all three of the poisons (ignorance, greed, and hatred) and will try to counter these, for example by educating people about minority groups
What are the three main aims of punishment?
Reformation
Retribution
Deterrence
What is reformation?
helping the criminal see how and why their behaviour was wrong, so that their mindset changes for the better
What is retribution?
getting the criminal back for their crimes
What is deterrence?
the threat of punishment as a way to put a person off committing crime
How is the idea of reform shown in religion?
In the Parable of the Sheep and Goats, the righteous are praised for visiting those in prison / The Buddhist story of Angulimala shows the importance of reformation. This is reflected in the work of the Angulimala Prison Chaplaincy, who work in prisons to provide mindfulness and guidance to prisoners.
How is the idea of retribution shown in religion?
The Old Testament idea of “an eye for an eye” suggests that Christianity supports retribution, however this is later undermined by Jesus instructing his followers to “turn the other cheek”. / Buddhists downplay retribution, as this could be considered a negative emotion and an expression of the poison of hatred.
How is the idea of deterrence shown in religion?
Most religions want to prevent violence (e.g. ahimsa in Buddhism) so would support an effective deterrent / religious traditions also use Hell as a deterrent against bad behaviour
Why is it argued that the UK prison system does not meet the aims of punishment?
Overcrowding prevents proper reform for prisoners
Many people do not fear prison and use it to get social status, so it fails as a deterrent
Many people feel sentences are not harsh enough which shows prison can fail at retribution
Which prison system famously focuses more on reform than retribution?
Swedish - better conditions for prisoners and lower re-offending rates
Give an example of a prisoners’ right
Healthcare / protection from bullying / 30 mins in the open air daily
What is corporal punishment?
the use of physical punishment, in both schools and prisons (now illegal in the UK)
Give an example of corporal punishment
Flogging, whipping, limb amputation
Which of the aims of punishment does corporal punishment focus on?
Deterrence - it is often physical to deter others from breaking rules
How many hours does community service usually involve?
40-300
What kinds of offences is community service usually used for?
Minor offences e.g. graffiti
Which of the aims of punishment does community service emphasise?
Reform - helping the offender learn to give back to society
What type of offence is the death penalty usually given for?
Severe offences e.g. murder (it is no longer used in the UK though)
Give an example of a form of execution
Stoning / beheading / hanging / electrocution
Which of the aims of punishment does the death penalty focus on?
Deterrence and retribution - there is no chance of reform
What is the principle of utility?
the idea (made popular by the philosopher Jeremy Bentham) that we should do the greatest good for the greatest number of people. It is not a religious view.
How can the principle of utility be used to defend the death penalty?
Killing one person could protect thousands of people so leads to a greater good
Which type of punishment do religions generally support?
Community service
What is the name for the type of justice which involves bringing the offender and victim together for reconciliation?
Restorative justice
Give two religious teachings which take a positive view of forgiveness
Christians always aim to follow the example of Jesus, who died on the cross in order to forgive our sins. / The Lord’s Prayer states “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us”. In Matthew, when asked how many times a person should be willing to forgive, Jesus says “70x7”. / The Dhammapada has a famous section in which the Buddha says “Hatred cannot overcome hatred. Only love can overcome hatred”./ The example of Angulimala demonstrates that metta (loving-kindness) forgives even the worst offenders and sees their humanity.
Give two examples of negative religious attitudes towards forgiveness
Some Christians may struggle to forgive particular offenders, focusing on an Old Testament “eye for an eye” attitude, or pointing out that God does not forgive unrepentant sinners, only those who are sorry for their crimes. / Though Buddhists forgive, they still punish severely certain acts, e.g. a monk who commits a serious offence such as breaking their vow of celibacy will be expelled from the Sangha for life.
