UNIT 3: Good & Evil Flashcards
What is Good?
That which is considered morally right, beneficial and to our advantage. For example, donating to charity is considered a good deed.
What is Evil?
That which is considered extremely immoral, wicked and wrong. For example, committing murder is seen as evil and immoral.
What is Forgiveness?
To grant pardon for a wrongdoing; to give up
resentment and the desire to seek revenge against
a wrongdoer. For example, in the Qur’an Muslims are strongly encouraged to forgive.
What is Free Will?
The ability to make choices voluntarily and independently. The belief that nothing is predetermined. For example, people can make a free choice whether to commit a crime or not.
What is Justice?
Fairness; where everyone has equal provisions and
opportunity. An example of justice is someone being set free from prison after DNA evidence shows they are innocent.
What is Morality?
Principles and standards determining which actions are right or wrong. For example, some people believe in absolute morality where something is either right or wrong with no exceptions.
What is Punishment?
A penalty given to someone for a crime or wrong they have done. An example of punishment is capital punishment where the person is executed for their crime.
What is Sin?
Deliberate immoral action, breaking a religious or moral law. For example, murder is a sin.
What is Suffering?
Pain or distress caused by injury, illness or loss. Suffering can be physical/ psychological or spiritual. For example, breaking a bone which causes physical pain is suffering.
RELATIVE MORALITY
Relative morality is when a person holds a moral principle but is prepared to adapt or adjust it in certain situations. For example, killing can be acceptable in a situation of abortion.
ABSOLUTE MORALITY
When a person has a principle such as ‘it is wrong to
kill’ and never alters it, they apply this principle to every situation no matter the context or circumstance.
CONSCIENCE
A person’s moral sense of right and wrong- is viewed as acting as a guide for your behavior.
VIRTUE
Behaviour showing high moral standards.
UTILITARIANISM
- Utilitarianism is a theory of morality, which advocates actions that foster happiness or pleasure and opposes actions that cause unhappiness or harm. When directed toward making social, economic, or political decisions, a utilitarian philosophy would aim for the betterment of society as a whole. Utilitarianism would say that an action is right if it results in the happiness of the greatest number of people in a society or a group.
- It is absolute
How people make moral decisions
- Religious texts
- Conscience
- Past experiences
- Religious authority figures
- Laws
- Reason
- Free will
CRIME
A crime is an act that goes against the law and therefore is punishable by the law. For example, robbery is a crime.
CAUSES OF CRIME
- Peer pressure
- Poor parenting
- Poverty
- Mental health issues
- Drug/alcohol addiction
- Unemployment
- Poor education
- Media
Aim of Punishment: PROTECTION
to prevent innocent people from suffering the wrongdoings of the criminal
Aim of Punishment: RETRIBUTION
this means revenge, the criminal suffers just as they have made others suffer
Aim of Punishment: DETERRENCE
to deter or put people off committing crime altogether
Aim of Punishment: REFORMATION
to reform or rehabilitate offenders so that they can understand why they committed offences and attempt to ‘fix’ these problems
Aim of Punishment: VINDICATION
exists to prove the authority of the law, and to remind people that without law and order there is chaos
Aim of Punishment: REPARATION
simply means repairing the damage done through crime
JUSTICE & PUNISHMENT (Christianity)
QUOTE
‘But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a
never-failing stream’. - Amos 5:24
-this means that what God wants in society is justice and good morality
JUSTICE & PUNISHMENT (Christianity)
- punishment should be restorative
- forgiveness is essential
JUSTICE & PUNISHMENT (Islam)
QUOTE
‘Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct.’ - Quran 16:90
-this means that Allah ordered justice in this world and He warns people about it so that they will be reminded of what happens if they go against what God ordered
JUSTICE & PUNISHMENT (Islam)
- protect the Ummah and follow Shariah Law
- deter others from the doing same
CHAPLAINS
- Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister, such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, imam, or community member of a religious tradition.
- They are attached to nonreligious institutions such as hospitals, prisons, schools, or universities.
- Their job is to provide ‘pastoral’ care for patients, pupils, or in this case, prisoners.
THE ROLE OF A PRISON CHAPLAIN
- counseling
- looking after the inmate’s spiritual health
- helping the prisoners re-enter the community
- supporting the families
- bereavement counselling
HELEN PREJEAN
‘Through my work as chaplain I am following Jesus’ commands – I am showing compassion, love and kindness.’
- Jesus taught us to be kind and forgiving
- working as a chaplain means you are following Jesus’ teachings and doing good deeds
DEATH PENALTY (Conservative Christian) QUOTE
‘Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed’ - Genesis 9:6
- this supports capital punishment
- whoever commits murder should be killed themselves
DEATH PENALTY (Liberal Christians) QUOTE
‘‘Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.” - Romans 12:17–18
- this means capital punishment should not be practiced
- if you kill someone for revenge, you are doing the exact same evil they have done
DEATH PENALTY (Islam) QUOTE
‘Nor take life – which God has made sacred, except for just cause’ - Qur’an 17:33
- murder is a sin because human life is precious and sacred
- but if someone does commit murder, they should be executed for justice
FORGIVENESS (Christianity)
QUOTE
‘For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.’
- this means Christians should forgive those that have done harm to them because God will also forgive them for the sins they have committed
- this shows forgiveness is key in Christianity
FORGIVENESS (Islam)
KEYWORDS
Al-Ghafoor (The Most Forgiving)
Al-`Afuw (The Pardoner)
Al-Rahman (The Most Merciful)
Al-Rahim (The Most Compassionate)
FORGIVENESS (Islam)
QUOTE
“God loves those who turn unto Him in repentance
and He loves those who keep themselves pure.” -Quran
- this means Allah loves those who ask for forgiveness and those who turn to him away from a sinful life
- forgiveness is important in Islam
FORGIVENESS (Humanism)
QUOTE
‘Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea, until they
have something to forgive.’ - C. S. Lewis
- humanists don’t have to forgive
- not everyone is able to forgive someone for harm they have done against them
GOOD (Christianity)
- In Genesis it says that God made the earth ‘and it was good’.
- God has given people free will – the ability to choose between right and wrong for themselves.
- For example, Adam and Eve eating the apple in The Fall.
- The 10 commandments and Jesus’ life is a guide for Christians .
- It is considered a Christian duty to treat others with kindness, humanity and genuine acceptance.
GOOD (Islam)
- Everyone Muslim is born with a natural instinct to understand the difference between right and wrong (fitrah).
- Some say this means choosing between the path of God and the temptations of Shaytan (the devil).
- The Qur’an speaks of true Muslims very often as ‘those who believe and do good deeds’.
- The Qur’an and the Prophet Muhammad outline the qualities required for good, including truthfulness, patience, humility and kindness to others.
- For example, by doing sadaqah (charity).
MORAL EVIL
acts of humans that are considered to be morally wrong such as murder and rape
NATURAL EVIL
natural disasters, such as earthquakes, tornados, and tsunamis
EVIL (Christianity)
SOUL-MAKING
- St Irenaeus (130–202 AD) was a Father of the early Christian Church.
- He believed that humankind was not created perfect, but that they required growth in order to become spiritually perfect and moral.
- John Hick (1922–2012) agrees with Irenaeus’ theory (known as the Irenaean Theodicy).
- Hick argues that the process of ‘soul making’ (as he calls it) is a response to the evil in the world. If murder, cancer, and natural evils did not exist, we would not have the means to develop and perfect ourselves spiritually.
- The process of soul-making also involves the struggle to find religious faith.
EVIL (Christianity) ORIGINAL SIN (Catholic)
- Catholics believe that evil comes from human beings.
- Adam and Eve introduced sin to the world (known as original sin) when, in the Garden of Eden, they chose to disobey God and eat from the tree of knowledge. This act brought sin into humanity.
- Every baby is born with sin and this life is a test.
EVIL (Islam)
QUOTE
‘O you who have believed, indeed, among your wives and your children are enemies to you, so beware of them.’ - Qur’an 64:14
-this teaching directs Muslims to beware those who might be corrupting, and to resist temptation and follow the path laid down
EVIL (Islam)
-Within Islam, it is believed that everything happens because it is the will and the plan of God.
-This is known as al-Qadr and means that suffering and
hardship are part of God’s greater plan for humanity.
-Life is a test
-Shaytan temps people to turn from God and to do wrong.
INCONSISTENT TRIAD (P.O.E)
The problem of evil is that there is moral evil and natural evil. As a result, people suffer. If God is all-loving, all-powerful, and all-knowing, why doesn’t He do something about the evil and suffering? This leads to some people concluding that God doesn’t exist.
P.O.E (Catholic Christians)
Original Sin:
- this is the Catholic belief - humans choose to disobey God
- original sin - the first sin ever committed when Eve ate the forbidden fruit and therefore all humans are born with original sin or in other words, the ability to commit sins.
P.O.E (Protestants)
Predestination:
-God already chosen who He wants to save and those that will commit sins
(for more: https://www.gotquestions.org/predestination.html)
P.O.E (Sunni)
They believe in the concept of the ‘Preserved Tablet’ and that God has written down all that has happened and will happen.
P.O.E (Shia)
They reject the idea of predestination/preserved tablet. They firmly believe in the concept of ‘Bada’, which states that God has not set a definite course for human history.
NATURAL SUFFERING
This is suffering that is caused by nature and has nothing to do with the actions of humans. Examples include earthquakes, floods, tsunamis and disease.
HUMAN SUFFERING
This is suffering caused by the actions of humans. Examples include acts of murder and war.
SUFFERING (Christianity)
- Free will
- Life is a test
- To help us grow
- Not in heaven yet
- God’s plan
- Soul making
- Original sin
- Helps us relate to Jesus
- Beyond human understanding
SUFFERING (Islam)
- God’s plan
- Al Qadr - Allah knows everything and has already decided everything that will happen. This is called predestination
- Life is a test
- Suffering allows Muslims to show faith
- Preparation for paradise
- Moral development
- Follow example of Muhammad
SUFFERING (Humanism)
- Not a punishment
- Must accept responsibility for our actions
- Natural evil is by chance or natural order
- Moral evil is the fault of humanity
- Humans must fight against evil and suffering
- Original Sin is cruel
