Unit 8: Section 1 Flashcards
1
Q
Why do many Christians use only the Bible when making moral decisions?
A
- It is the word of God so is Gods guidance on how to make decisions.
- It contains Gods laws on how people should behave (e.g. the Decalogue).
- It contains letters from Jesus’ disciples (they knew Jesus and were guided by the Holy Spirit when writing).
- It contains Jesus’ teachings on how to live, and these should be followed as Jesus is the Son of God.
2
Q
Why do some Christians think the Bible is not the most important tool for making moral decisions?
A
- It was written by humans (inspired by God) many years ago, so some attitudes need to be updated for the modern world (e.g. Pauls attitude to slaves/women).
- They need the Church to tell them what the Bible means for today.
- They use conscience/reason to decide wether to follow the Bible.
3
Q
How does the Church help Christians to make moral decisions?
A
- Christians believe the Church is the body of Christ, so it must have the same authority as Christ.
- Christians believe that God speaks to the world through the Church.
- The Church is guided by God on (modern) moral issues.
- Many Christians believe the Pope gives perfect guidance.
- Following the Church stops Christians being confused, as other Christians can ensure they’re doing the right thing.
4
Q
How does the conscience help Christians make moral decisions?
A
- The voice of conscience seems to be the same as the voice of God.
- Paul and Thomas taught Christians should use their conscience as the final part of making a decision (so Christians should use their conscience to decide about things the Church says is wrong).
- The Church says Christians should follow their conscience as if it were the voice of God.
- The Bible has to be interpreted, but the conscience is God speaking directly to the individual so should be followed.
5
Q
Why do Christians think they should not follow their conscience?
A
- Christians need to follow the Bible (as it is the word of God) and is not corrupted like our consciences.
- People have heard ‘God’ telling them to do bad things, and if people are mistaken about God speaking to them then they can be mistaken about their conscience.
- If everyone followed their conscience instead of laws, there would be chaos.
- If Christians follow Church teachings, then they are doing what other Christians think is right.
6
Q
Why do Christians think they should use Situation Ethics?
A
- Jesus seemed to use Situation Ethics (he did not allow a woman who committed adultery to be stoned to death).
- Christians should only do what produces good results and base decisions on love, not laws.
- Jesus said the greatest commandment is to love God and love your neighbour, so Christians should do what produces the most loving results.
7
Q
Why do Christians think they shouldn’t use Situation Ethics?
A
- The Bible is Gods word on how to live, so should be the basis for making moral decisions.
- Christians should follow the Decalogue and Jesus’ sermon on the Mount (which tell them how to behave) instead of relying on their own ideas.
- The Church knows better what Christians should do rather than an individual Christian.
- It is confusing and unreliable because people may disagree upon what is loving.
8
Q
What methods would Christians use to make moral decisions? Give advantages and disadvantages.
A
- The Bible - A - Straightforward, e.g. ‘Do not murder’. D - Difficult to used for modern issues e.g. contraception.
- Authority of the Church - A - Applied Bible teachings to modern life. D - Christians may feel unable to apply the Churches ban on artificial contraception to African states with lots of AIDS.
- Conscience - A - It is God-given and easy to use, and encourages them to do good by making you feel bad about dishonest acts. D - The conscience has been corrupted by the Fall, as it can be selfish. Advice may be needed from the Church.
- Situation Ethics - A - Based on Jesus’ teaching to love your neighbour. Simple to understand. D - The issue may be complicated or effects of the choice may be uncertain, so it would be easier to follow the Church/Bible than decide alone.
9
Q
Why are Human Rights important?
A
- Without the right to freedom and a fair trial we could end up in a dictatorship, where opposition parties are banned (For example Nazi Germany).
- Without the right to freedom of thought/expression minority religions/political parties could be banned.
- There would be no democracy without the right to take part in free elections.
- Everyone is supposed to be treated equally, so there should be no more prejudice/discrimination (e.g. homosexuality is no longer illegal).
10
Q
Why are Human Rights not important?
A
- People abuse Human Rights (e.g. prisoners claiming their punishment goes against their Human Rights).
- We should be allowed to torture terrorists to find out information which will save lives (e.g. bomb locations).
- In a democracy we don’t need Human Rights as people can vote for what they want.
11
Q
Why are Human Rights important to Christians?
A
- Every human is created by God in his image, so everyone should be treated with respect.
- God loves everyone equally so they should be treated equally.
- The teachings of the Bible agree with most Human Rights laws.
12
Q
Which Bible passages support Human Rights?
A
- Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (long talk on mountainside).
- The Parable of the Sheep and Goats (teaches Christians to help people in need).
- ‘Love your neighbour as you love yourself’ (most important commandment after loving God).
13
Q
Why may Christians not approve of Human Rights?
A
- Many Christians are against the right to form a civil partnership as the Bible says homosexuality is against God’s will.
- Some Christians are against the right to marry someone of a different religion, because they believe Christians should marry Christians so the children are brought up as Christians.
- Some Christians are against the idea of homosexual couples raising a family, as they believe children should be raised by a mother and father.
- Problems may be caused for the Roman Catholic Church if people used Human Rights laws to argue that women should become priests, or for priests to marry.
14
Q
Why is it important to take part in democratic/electoral processes? (vote)
A
- Your ancestors fought to have these electoral/democratic rights so you should use them.
- You pay income tax on your wages and VAT on what you buy, voting gives you some control over how much this is.
- Local councils are responsible for waste disposal, leisure services and social services. These are important areas you need a say in.
- The national government is responsible for the army, NHS and schools. Voting gives you a say on how these are run.
15
Q
Why is it not important to take part in democratic/electoral processes? (vote)
A
- There are 60million+ people in the UK, one vote makes no difference.
- It doesn’t matter who wins, they will just have to follow EU laws.
- Politicians cannot be trusted, they’re not worth voting for.
