Theme F - Religion, Human Rights, and Social Justice

Question 1

Give two of the causes of poverty [2 Marks]

Answer 1

• Conflict

- Poor education

Question 2

Give two religious beliefs about social justice [2 Marks]

Answer 2

• God is just so Jews should be too

- All human life is holy, sacred, and made by God it should be protected equally and justly

Question 3

Give two examples of what religious believers would see as exploitation of the poor [2 Marks]

Answer 3

• Child labour

- Underpaying the poor or not giving them breaks

Question 4

Give two religious beliefs about how women should be treated within religion [2 Marks]

Answer 4

• Christianity - equal “there is neither Jews nor Gentile, nor slave nor free, nor male or female… for you are all one in christ” – Galatians
• Orthodox believe women do not have same roles as men (eg. Minyan)

Question 5

Give two reasons why it is necessary to have human rights [2 Marks]

Answer 5

• Ensure people have their basic needs met

- Protect vulnerable groups from abuse

Question 6

Give two reasons why short-term aid may be necessary [2 Marks]

Answer 6

• To keep people fed + hydrated

- To give needed medicine quickly

Question 7

Give two reasons why long-term aid may be necessary [2 Marks]

Answer 7

• To rebuild livelihoods and infrastructure after a disaster
• To break the poverty cycle (e.g. education such as farming and fishing)

Question 8

Give two forms of prejudice. [2 Marks]

Answer 8

• Gender prejudice

- Racial prejudice

Question 9

Give two examples of human rights. [2 Marks]

Answer 9

• The right to privacy
• The right to education
• The right to not be tortured

Question 10

Give two religious beliefs about working for social justice. [2 Marks]

Answer 10

• Christians – Jesus said “do this for the least of my brothers you do it for me” – form of worship
• Jews – social justice can heal the world – respecting every citizen justly

Question 11

Give two ways religious believers are working to combat people-trafficking. [2 Marks]

Answer 11

• Educating and freeing/liberating individuals

- Working with the government to shut down criminals who benefit from it

Question 12

Give two reasons why the work of charities is important. [2 Marks]

Answer 12

• Helps long-term needs (e.g. education)
• Helps short-term needs (e.g. food)
• Pressure/influence governments to make big changes

Question 13

Explain two religious beliefs in contemporary British society about what role women should be allowed in worship [4 Marks]

Answer 13

• Liberal Christians – men and women should same rights and roles (e.g pastors and ordination of women, women bishops) Galatians.
• Orthodox Jews – men and women are equal but have different roles – God ordained leadership roles to the male – eg. Only man can be rabbi.

Question 14

Explain two similar religious beliefs about the responsibilities of having wealth [4 Marks]

Answer 14

• Jews believe you should give to charity. 10% - tithe // Leviticus “a tenth…”
• Christians believe you should also give to charity because Jesus said “love thy neighbour”.

Question 15

Explain two contrasting beliefs in contemporary British society about the right of freedom of belief [4 Marks]

Answer 15

• Liberals (Christians or Jews) – everyone has the right to express their beliefs (e.g. believeign in Allah or Jesus) as it makes society a open and tolerant (welcoming) place to live in.
• Orthodox Jews and Christians – people cannot believe anything they want because this may contradict God given principles (eg. Gay marriage or abortion).

Question 16

Give two similar religious beliefs about freedom of religion and belief [4 Marks]

Answer 16

• Liberal Christians – everyone has the right to express their beliefs (e.g. believeign in Allah or Jesus) as it makes society a open and tolerant (welcoming) place to live in.
• Liberal Jews – everyone is loved by God and made in the image of God, so people should respect others belief and views.

Question 17

Give two religious beliefs about social justice and human rights [4 Marks]

Answer 17

• Jews – we are all made in the image of God and therefore have equal rights and status in his eye. This should be the same for people treating others on earth.
• Christianity – to protect and respect the rights of others is to love them. Jesus commanded that we should “love your neighbour” (Mark and Leviticus) and that “when you do these to the least of my brothers you do it to me” (Matthew)

Question 18

Explain two contrasting beliefs in contemporary British society about homosexuality. [4 Marks]

Answer 18

• Wrong // Orthodox Jews // God made Adam and Eve male and female and able to reproduce // Leviticus “man shall not lie with another man as he would with a woman; that is detestable”
• Okay // Liberal Christians // As long as couple are faithful, loving, and committed people should not judge them. It is not loving for any believer to condemn the love-life of another person

Question 19

Explain two contrasting beliefs in contemporary British society about human rights. [4 Marks]

Answer 19

• Some religious believers interpret the human right; “we are all born free and equal” (Declaration of Human Rights) to focus on equal. Therefore communism/distribution of wealth is most important.
• However, other religious believers interpret the human right; “we are all born free and equal” (Declaration of Human Rights) to focus on free. Therefore capitalism/creation of wealth is most important.

Question 20

Explain two similar religious beliefs about racism. [4 Marks]

Answer 20

• Racism is wrong // Jews // all made in Gods image

- Racism is wrong // Christians // love neighbour or Galatians

Question 21

Explain two similar religious beliefs about justice. [4 Marks]

Answer 21

• Christians should be just because Jesus is // required to follow example of Jesus
• Jews // key moral principle // Liberal Jews believe the messiah may never come, and it is up to us to create messianic age // therefore everyone needs to be just to create this

Question 22

Explain two contrasting religious beliefs from contemporary British society about the status of women in religion. [4 Marks]

Answer 22

• Orthodox Jews // women and men are equal but women have different roles // e.g. women cannot serve in the minyan
• Liberal Christians // women and men are equal in Christianity // Galatians // E.g. women can be ordained, can be pastors, can be bishops, etc

Question 23

Explain two contrasting beliefs from contemporary British society about the use of wealth. [4 Marks]

Answer 23

• Jews – giving to charity // tithe // Leviticus

- Christianity // get as rich as you can to do God’s work (e.g. giving people work) – parable of the talents (Luke)

Question 24

Explain two religious beliefs that show why racial discrimination is wrong [5 Marks]

Answer 24

• Jews // we are all made equally in image of God (Genesis)
• Christians // Galatians // Jesus promoted justice and love, and it is neither fair or loving to discriminate against someone because of their race.

Question 25

Explain two religious beliefs about the status of women in religion [5 Marks]

Answer 25

• Orthodox Jews // women and men are equal but women have different roles // e.g. women cannot serve in the minyan
• Liberal Christians // women and men are equal in Christianity // Galatians // E.g. women can be ordained, can be pastors, can be bishops, etc

Question 26

Explain two religious beliefs about the right use of wealth [5 Marks]

Answer 26

• Jews – giving to charity // tithe // Leviticus – “a tenth of your produce, whether grain or fruit, is the Lord’s and is holy”
• Christianity // get as rich as you can to do God’s work (e.g. giving people work) – parable of the talents (Luke)

Question 27

Explain two religious beliefs about social justice. Refer to sacred writings or another source of Christian belief and teaching in your answer. [5 Marks

Answer 27

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Question 28

Explain two religious beliefs about equality. Refer to sacred writings or another source of Christian belief and teaching in your answer. [5 Marks]

Answer 28

• Equality is needed to create a harmonic and loving world. This mean that without people treating others fairly, as it says to do in Galatians then, then the world would be a horrible and unfair place to live in.
• Equality is something, for many Orthodox Jews, that the Messiah will bring when he comes to earth. Most orthodox Jews believe that, therefore, they need to prepare the world for the messiah to come, and equality is one of the principles that needs to be put in practice.

Question 29

Explain two religious beliefs about freedom of belief. Refer to sacred writings or another source of Christian belief and teaching in your answer. [5 Marks]

Answer 29

• Liberal Christians – everyone has the right to express their beliefs (e.g. believing in Allah or Jesus) as it makes society a open and tolerant (welcoming) place to live in.
• Liberal Jews – everyone is loved by God and made in the image of God, so people should respect others belief and views.

Question 30

Explain two religious beliefs about giving to charity. Refer to sacred writings or another source of Christian belief and teaching in your answer. [5 Marks]

Answer 30

• Jews believe you should give to charity. 10% - tithe // Leviticus “a tenth…”
• Christians believe you should also give to charity because Jesus said “love thy neighbour”.

Question 31

Explain two religious beliefs about charging interest. Refer to sacred writings or another source of Christian belief and teaching in your answer. [5 Marks]

Answer 31

• Jews // Torah discourages charging interest when lending money to other Jews (Exodus: “if you lend money to any of my people… you shall not charge them interest”)
• Christians and Jews // modern Christians and Jews believe that charging interest (like charging for any other business service) is fine, but it mustn’t exploit someone in a position of weakness (e.g. loan sharks).

Question 32

“Racism is the worst form of prejudice” [12 Marks]

Answer 32

For’s:
- Many would argue that historically racism has caused the most damage to society (e.g. slavery)

• Some would say that it is the form of prejudice most present in today’s society. Even if it is not overt comments, it is baked into modern society economically, educationally, socially, etc. (e.g. it may be harder for a black person to get a job than it would be for a white person). For Christians and Jews, this directly contradicts the teaching in Genesis in which God says we are all made equally in his image (no matter our race).

Against’s:
- Some would argue that prejudice against women is the worst form // it affects over half the world population and goes back throughout history and continues to exist today

• All prejudice is bad should not compare // people should not make different types of prejudice compete as they are all terrible

Question 33

“All religious believers must give to charity to help the poor” [12 Marks]

Answer 33

For’s:
- Both Christianity and Judaism share the view of protecting the poorest and the weakest in society. This is stated in the Christian Bible and the Jewish Torah when it says “he defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow… giving them food and clothing” (book of Deuteronomy). Therefore, Christians and Jews (if they are able to) must give money to the poor or charities.

• Christians and Jews believe that we are made in the image of God. This means that when we love the poor or those who are suffering, we are also loving God. Therefore, if we do not love or help the poor, we are not loving God. In Matthews Gospel it says, “truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me”.

Against’s:
- Some religious believers may argue that if they themselves are poor and fighting to be able to feed themselves and their families, they should not have to give extra money to the poor.

• Giving directly to the poor can create many problems. For example, they may spend the money on feeding destructive addictions like drugs, alcohol, or gambling instead of food, water and shelter. Furthermore, it can encourage the poor to become dependant and not take responsibility for their own lives.

Question 34

“religious believers who still oppose homosexuality and priesthood for women need to get up to date with modern Britain” [12 Marks]

Answer 34

For’s:
- Society has changed and many traditions are no longer relevant even though they are based on beliefs that were established over 2000 years ago. Therefore, the opposers are basing their opposition on rules that are over 2000 years old and just not relevant anymore.

• It is the opposite of evangelism to be rude and condemn people for who they are. It is nothing like how Jesus behaved and how he taught Christians to act.

Against’s:
- If the Bible is Gods word, and they believe God’s word, then however uncomfortable it may be they still have to obey God.

• When it comes to eventual judgement, it is the judgement of an eternal God and his eternal laws that really matters (not the momentary judgement of modern society)
• Obedience to God’s law has never been comfortable in any society; some of the laws always run counter to society but we do not simply bend and change to suit fashion, not today, not at any point in history.

Question 35

“people should have the right to say whatever they want about religion” [12 Marks]

Answer 35

For’s:
- God gave people free will, so they should be able to do and say whatever they want about whatever they want.

• The Declaration of Human Rights says all people have freedom of speech, so people should respect that and allow others whatever they want to say.
• If religion is true, it does not need to be defensive. Taking offence about what people says about your religion suggests you are not very sure about it.

Against’s:
- You should not be able to say ANYTHING about someone’s religion as it could be rude or offensive.

• Religion is a deep cultural and personal identity for many. By not respecting their religions, it can cause extreme civil unrest and hurt. (unlike football teams or favourite actor).

Question 36

“If everyone followed religious teachings then laws about human rights would not be needed” [12 Marks]

Answer 36

For’s:
- If everyone followed religious teachings then you would not need human laws to protect people as everyone would be kind to one another (“love thy neighbour” – Leviticus)

• The weakest in society would be protected e.g. – “do not afflict any widow or motherless child” – exodus // human rights are all about protecting weakest, but if people followed religious teachings they would already be doing that
• Religious teachings insist on justice for all. If everything was fair, like is commanded in the Bible, then there would be no need for human rights

Against’s:
- Religious teachings are ancient, and therefore may not give us insight into rights for women’s education or homosexual rights (for example)

• Many people interpret religious teachings very differently (particularly between Liberal and Traditional views) so it is necessary to have human rights legislation.

Question 37

“It is always right to give charity to the poor” [12 Marks]

Answer 37

For’s:
- “love thy neighbour”

• Tithe “a tenth of your produce, whether grain or fruit, belongs to the Lord and is holy”
• “When you do this for least of my brothers you do it for me” – Matthew // helping the poor is also helping God

Against’s:
- Money is sometimes used by the poor to fuel addictions such as drugs, alcohol and gambling

• People should not give charity to the poor, but instead teach them skills to help them make an earning. “give a man a fish and feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime” – a Chinese proverb
• It is the poor persons fault for getting themselves in the situation. They should not rely on others to help them out of it.

Question 38

“Those who live in poverty should help themselves to overcome their difficulties” [12 Marks]

Answer 38

For’s:
- Liberal Christians would say that every person deserves dignity, and there is great dignity in taking responsibility for your own life and solving your own problems

• People who overcome their difficulties create a good example for those around them and motivation for their future children.

Against’s:
- Christians and Jews believe it is their calling to help those in need // “love thy neighbour” – Leviticus

• It is not someone’s fault if they are born into poverty, but without help it is often impossible to break the cycle; no shelter, no education, no health – no chance.
• By working together we should strive to demolish poverty, and make the world a better place for everyone. We cannot leave it to those in poverty to sort this out.

Question 39

“everyone should have the same status, no matter their role” [12 Marks

Answer 39

For’s:
- Galatians

• Every human being is made in the image of God and is of equal status in the eyes of God (whatever their role) so other humans should adopt this view too

Against’s:
- Some people contribute more to society in terms of creating knowledge wealth or wellbeing, so it is right that they have a higher status and are rewarded for it

• It would be unjust for someone who has not worked for anything in their life (and also does not care) to be of the same status as someone who has strived to do the right thing their whole life.

Question 40

“All religious believers must give to charities that help the poor.” [12 Marks]

Answer 40

For’s:
- Love thy neighbour

• Tithe
• “when you do this for the least of my brothers you do it for me” - Matthew

Against’s:
- Not all religious believers have enough money to do so

• Can give to other charities – saving endangered animals, women’s education, climate etc

Question 41

“Racism is the worst form of prejudice.” [12 Marks]

Answer 41

For’s:
- Racism has been the most damaging historically

• It is still around today

Against’s:
- All prejudices are equally evil, and should not be ranked (sexism, homophobia, xenophobia, etc)

• Racism is being actively opposed on a global scale basis. Whereas homophobia is openly active (and sometimes encouraged) in many parts of the world

Question 42

“Christians should always help the poor.” [12 Marks]

Answer 42

For’s:
- Jesus helped the weakest in society // follow his example

• “love thy neighbour”
• “when you do it for the least of my brothers you do it for me” - Matthew

Against’s:
- Sometimes the poor need to be encouraged to help themselves, instead of getting others to do it for them as this denies them their dignity and self-worth and opportunity for growth

• Christians have many ways to spend their time and money, and they may feel better and more able to help with education, health or evangelism

Question 43

“People should have the freedom to say whatever they want about religion.” [12 Marks]

Answer 43

For’s:
- God gave us free will, including freedom of speech, he would not have done that if he felt it was wrong

• Suppressing people’s freedom of speech causes resentment and rather than protecting religion it would create further division

Against’s:
- Cannot say things that are offensive just because you can – unkind and unhelpful // creates divides in society (even conflict or unrest)

• It is important to respect peoples beliefs, just as you would want yours to be respected, and while it is good to debate, certain forms of comment merely upset people and do not move society forward.

Question 44

“Christian denominations who still oppose homosexuality and equality for women need to get up to date with modern Britain.” [12 Marks]

Answer 44

For’s:
- Society has changed and many traditions are no longer relevant even though they are based on beliefs that were established over 2000 years ago. Therefore, the opposers are basing their opposition on rules that are over 2000 years old and just not relevant anymore.

• It is the opposite of evangelism to be rude and condemn people for who they are. It is nothing like how Jesus behaved and how he taught Christians to act.

Against’s:
- If the Bible is Gods word, and they believe God’s word, then however uncomfortable it may be they still have to obey God and it is clear that women’s roles are different and homosexuality is condemned.

• Christian denominations should stick with their morals, as modern British views are going to change. Attitudes have changes dramatically in just the last 30 years, and they will doubtlessly change again in the next 30.

Question 45

“People focus too much on human rights and not enough on their responsibilities.” [12 Marks]

Answer 45

For’s:
- People should not focus on legal arguments about human rights (their own or other peoples), they should instead make sure that their own actions are generous and respectful of others; this is something they can control and which will actually make a difference

• Christians are called to love their neighbour. If everyone focused on this, and took responsibility for caring for the weakest in society, there would be no need for human rights to be focused on.

Against’s:
- It is really important to focus on human rights because it is only when governments take action, and the weakest are protected in law that we can ensure everyone will be treated fairly

• Taking personal responsibility for acting generously is important, but it will never change the world
• It is important to strike a balance // both human rights and personal responsibilities need to be focused on equally to create a fair society

Question 46

‘A religious believer can only truly be righteous if they are poor.’ [12 Marks]

Answer 46

For’s:
- The poor have struggles which allow them to deepen their trust in God, whereas rich people often feel more in control and do not depend on God in the same way

• “money is the root of all evil” – makes us clear that being rich distances us from God // therefore those who are poor do not have this problem, and can grow close to God

Against’s:
- No, religious believers have many ways to grow close to God; their wealth or statues does not define this.

• For some people, their wealth actually allows them to serve God and “love thy neighbour” better // e.g. can give more money to charity or can fund missions overseas

Question 47

‘Rights are more important than responsibilities.’ [12 Marks]

Answer 47

For’s:
- It is essential that everyone is treated fairly (their rights are respected) and without this they cannot be expected to exercise their responsibility (e.g. homeless man is not going to go out of his way to help old ladies cross the road) // without rights, responsibilities are not realistic

• Society needs clear guidelines on what everyone can expect (their rights); without this, prejudice and discrimination will easily happen // everyone needs to know their rights (what is and what isn’t acceptable) so they can be protected

Against’s:
- The Bible says more about what we should do for others (our responsibilities) rather than what is due to us (our rights).

• Responsibilities are what humans should focus on to create a fair society – if everyone followed their responsibilities (to act kindly, with justice and generosity) there would be no need for rights

Question 48

‘The most important human right is for everyone to be free.’ [12 Marks]

Answer 48

For’s:
- God gave us freedom, and without freedom no human life can be complete

• Certain human rights, such as right to education or shelter, can be fixed by an individual with hard work and help – however, without freedom the individual cannot improve their own situation (as they are not free to do so)

Against’s:
- The right to religion is most important // without being able to subscribe and practice ones wanted religion, life loses its meaning and we can lose hope of eternal life (which is the most important thing)

• The right to vote is more important // it is the only way that long-term change can be achieved // this, in turn, will create a better world for everyone (including future generations)

Question 49

‘Freedom of religion and religious expression is not possible in the modern world.’ [12 Marks]

Answer 49

For’s:
- True freedom of religion is impossible because there is so much pressure from scientific and secular forces that people are embarrassed and intimidated about expressing their true religious beliefs

• In some countries it is illegal to have a certain religious belief // this has always been true, but in the modern world, where everyone knows everything, it is much harder to evade (or work around it)

Against’s:
- In the modern world, with social media and other technologies people who are interested in religion, are more free to exlopre ideas and express themselves than they in the past.

• In the modern world, the united nations has declared that freedom of religion is an important part of a civilised country // this puts pressure on governments to allow some form of religious freedom, which was not the case in the past

Question 50

‘You need to change the way people think to prevent discrimination.’ [12 Marks]

Answer 50

For’s:
- You cannot change peoples behaviour unless you change their attitudes and the way they think

• Once people understand other cultures and minorities they will change the way they think, but without this understanding they

Against’s:
- You need to change the law, because that is quick to implement – it takes generations to change people’s attitudes.

• You need to change society so that new expectations are set – e.g. it simply becomes embarrassing to be racist in Britain // that way peoples behaviour changes even if their inner attitudes are still lagging behind

Question 51

‘Discrimination is the worst thing a person can suffer.’ [12 Marks]

Answer 51

For’s:
- Discrimination attacks you personally and everything your group stands for now and stood for in the past (e.g. also attacking grandmother, great great grandfather, etc).

• It oppresses you for something that you are at the core of your identity // you cannot change it
• Discrimination destroys every element of your day to day life; economically, socially, politically, etc (e.g. might be more difficult for a black person to get a job than a white person)

Against’s:
- Physical suffering such as torture or abuse from a loved one is worse because it is impossible to shrug off or resit as easily as discrimination

• Terminal illnesses and gradual painful death is a torture even worse than discrimination (not just for you, but also for friends and family) – there is no hope of overcoming it

Question 52

‘Being discriminated against because of a disability is worse than sexism.’ [12 Marks]

Answer 52

For’s:
- When you re discriminated against because of your sex, you are part of half the world. Whereas when you are discriminated against because of a disability you are in a more lonely minority

• Disability discrimination is worse because it is harder to fight back because you do not have the same political power or body or evidence, rather than those who are discriminated against because of their sex.
• If you are severely disabled, discrimination enforces your feeling of being already marginalised, whereas sexual discrimination is less likely to make you feel marginalised and powerless, and is easier to dismiss. It can make people feel like they do not belong

Against’s:
- Casual sexism is far more prevalent, and is almost unnoticed. Whereas disability is noticed (ramps into shops, free parking places, etc) and people make active attempts to compensate.

• All forms of discrimination are destructive and should not be compared

Question 53

‘Religious believers should fight racism more than other forms of prejudice.’ [12 Marks]

Answer 53

For’s:
- Racism is one of the most prevalent forms of prejudice today, and is still causing many peoples lives to be negatively affected

• Historically it has caused the most problems in society

Against’s:
- Religious prejudice – believers should stand up for those who are discriminated against because of their religion because they particularly understand the importance of this freedom and why it should not be oppressed.

• All prejudice is evil – Galatians

Question 54

‘Not enough religious people stand up to fight prejudice.’ [12 Marks]

Answer 54

For’s:
- Yes, because it is still here so clearly not enough believers stand up to it

• You can see prejudice against many religions themselves (women’s ordination, fewer black ministers in positions of authorities, homophobia, etc)

Against’s:
- Religions have a proud history in leading the fight against prejudice. E.g. the abolition of slavery

• Christianity and Judaism have equality and dignity of all human life at the heart of their religion. Their believers are more aware of the need to fight prejudice than most of society, and the blame of prejudice still being around should not be forced on them

Question 55

‘If you have wealth you have a responsibility to tackle the causes of poverty.’ [12 Marks]

Answer 55

For’s:
- Jesus helped the weakest in society, so if he ahs blessed you with wealth then you should use it to follow his example

• The causes of poverty are often to do with lack or investment and poor infrastructure, therefore those with wealth are able to directly address and fix these problems and should feel morally obliged to do so (and not use their wealth to indulge themselves)

Against’s:
- You can use wealth for many good reasons which advance God’s kingdome (not just to tackle poverty). E.g. you should use it to support evangelism so others may know the love of God.

• Those who create wealth are free to use it as they feel best (free will). It is not for us to jusge or to dictate how they should spend their money.

Question 56

‘The poor will always be victims.’ [12 Marks]

Answer 56

For’s:
- Our society is often geared around wealth, and how much money people earn and spend, and their material possession, define their status // the poor are locked out of this race and looked down upon

• Many poor people have not been given education and opportunity, which therefore makes it extremely hard for them to break the cycle of poverty.

Against’s:
- In the eyes of the Lord, the poor are raised up and loved by the Lord because he is the God of the weak and needy.

• In terms of faith, poor people and rich people can both be rich in faith. Therefore, in this sense, there is no divide between rich and poor and therefore the poor are not victims

Question 57

‘The poor in the UK are just as deserving as poor abroad.’ [12 Marks]

Answer 57

For’s:
- Poverty is poverty and Jesus calls all his followers to be generous to the poor. It does not matter where you live. All are made in the image of God and all deserve to be helped

• The poor in the UK are struggling. They are not underserving of our help just because their suffering is not as drastic (e.g. in terms of famine) as other countries // “love thy neighbour” – Leviticus

Against’s:
- The poor in the UK have opportunities (for education, for work, for help from the government) which is far greater than many overseas // although one feels sorry for those in poverty in the UK, they are not as deserving as those in other countries who have not been given any opportunities to help themselves

• Poverty in the UK is often self-inflicted, or people have some responsibility for their own situation (smoking, drinking, gambling, refusing to work, etc) // in other countries the poor are often more deserving as they lead blameless lives in broken economies

Question 58

‘Those who live in poverty should help themselves to overcome their difficulties.’ [12 Marks]

Answer 58

For’s:
- Everybody has dignity. Poor person should keep dignity and overcome their difficulties by themselves – set a good example to others struggling and to possible future children

• We have to take responsibility for our own lives – “with freedom comes our own responsibility” (Eleanor Roosevelt)

Against’s:
- Religious believers should help them by donating money and providing support // “love thy neighbour” // people in desperate situations need help to get back on their own two feet

• It is the responsibility of the government in a civilised society to provide services and opportunities for the poor // they cannot be expected to overcome their difficulties all on their own

Question 59

‘It is always right to give to charity.’ [12 Marks]

Answer 59

For’s:
- Tithe – “a tenth of your produce…” – Leviticus

• Kindness to others – “love thy neihgbour” – follows Jesus’ example as he always helped the weakest in society

Against’s:
- Giving directly to a homeless person may lead to them fuelling their addictions instead of spending on food, water, shelter, etc.

• Poor need to learn to help themselves and get themselves out of their situation – should not rely on others
• Their may be better things to give to – e.g. investing in a small business to create employment and innovation which sets people free

Question 60

‘There is nothing wrong with positive discrimination.’ [12 Marks]

Answer 60

For’s:
- It might be necessary to help people, e.g. keeping a seat with easy access for a handicapped person

• ensures minorities are represented
• most loving thing to do // “love thy neighbour” – Leviticus

Against’s:
- Can upset those who feel it has worked against them

• Lead to resentment
• goes against the religious idea of equality
• shows favouritism (God has no favourites)
• all discrimination is wrong