Religion, Peace and conflict (Christianity)(includes scripture): RE GCSE AQA

Some Christians have been prepared to fight for their faith/country even though church teaches that killing is wrong, quakers are pacifist who believe war is always wrong and work to prevent it, The concept of peace, justice, forgiveness, and reconciliation are important in the aftermath of conflict and as tools to prevent war in the first place

Hard to achieve through war because aftermath is often instability and resentment, seek and a peace and Tranquility through prayer and meditation, prophet spoke of time when God will bring peace

Profit says God the ultimate judge will established justice, justice is linked to a quality and opportunity, if more profile parts of the world seem to be cause of injustice may result in conflict

Taught to forgive others if they wish to be forgiven (lords prayer), Forgiveness doesn’t mean no action to right a wrong but when conflict is over forgiveness should follow, Believe God offers forgiveness to all who ask in faith

A conscious effort to rebuild a relationship which has been damaged by conflict, important in the prevention of conflict

Protest to achieve what is right is acceptable as long as violence isn’t used, for example Martin Luther King Jr. organise peaceful protest against just racist laws which succeeded to bring civil rights to African-Americans citizens, different religions have different views about when violence can be justified

-Unlawful use of violence against innocent civilians to achieve and a political goal by pushing authorities to give way to their demands through fear
-for example suicide bombers, car bombs gunman shootings into crowds and using vehicles to injure,
-Terrorists may link calls with religion but no religion promotes terrorism

it’s wrong as it targets innocent people

-greed: gain more landegain land previously lost, control important sources e.g. oil, deprive enemy of main source of income
-self defence: defend one’s country against invasion or attack/defend allies under threat, defend one’s values, beliefs and ways of life, defeat evil e.g. genocide (Deliberately killing whole nations/ethnic group)
-retaliation: fight against country that has done something very wrong, fight against country that has attacked or damaged country

-greed: against, ‘love of money is the root of all evil’
-self-defence: justified if all other ways of resolving conflict have been tried and failed, ‘ Do not repay evil for evil if it is possible’
-Retaliation: Jesus taught against, ‘ If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn them the other cheek’

-nuclear weapons: work by a nuclear reaction, devastating huge areas and killing large numbers of people
-chemical weapons: use chemicals to poison burn or paralyse humans and destroy natural environment
-Biological weapons: have living organisms or infect material that can lead to disease or death

-do not support the use as kill large number of innocent civilians and that cant be justified
-Only God has the right end life, possession could be used as deterrent to maintain peace and prevent attack
-“eye for an eye” Sometimes used to justify war but can’t justify use of weapon of mass destruction
-sanctity of life

“ thou shall not kill”

US forces used atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II causing 140,000 people to die in Hiroshima alone, Japan surrendered ending the war so some people say use was justified, since then many countries develop powerful nuclear weapons as deterrent

Chemical weapons stockpiling and use is illegal worldwide although I believe her been used between Iraq and Syria, Biological weapons are illegal, but many countries have them

war Which meets internationally accepted criteria for fairness

C. Fought for just CAUSE (E.g. self defence not greed)
L. LAST resort (Other solutions tried first)
I. Just INTENTION (Promote good or defeat wrongdoings, justice and peace restored afterwards)
P. PROPORTIONAL (Excessive force should not be used and innocent civilians not killed)
P. declared by PROPER legal authority
S. Chance of SUCCESS (Good gain by winning should outweigh evil which led to war)

1. fought by just means (innocent civilians not targeted or harmed)
2. appropriate force should be used (including type and how much force)
3. internationally agreed conventions must be obeyed (Geneva convention rules)

Fighting for religious cause or God probably controlled by religious leader

God helping Jews win battles to settle in promised land (Old Testament), The crusades between Christians and Muslims both believed God was on their side

Authorised by religious leader with great authority, fought to defend faith from attack

-‘ eye for an eye’ justifies retaliation but teaching intended to reduce violence by limiting retaliation to individual offenders rather than whole tribe who are innocent
-Jesuss teaching that violence and anger that leads to violence are wrong
-some believe Jesus’s advice to disciples to buy a sword is justification for violence but most believe Jesus is warning about dangerous times ahead

Most Christians do not respond violently to attack on the faith , During the troubles in northern Ireland conflict between Catholics and protestants led to violence however was also political and economic

To overcome an injustice that might lead to , Sponsors week of prayer for world peace Ribes to peace related events and religious services and raises Awareness of pacifism

Blessed Are the peacemakers, all who draw the sword die by the sword, Overcome evil with good

War and violence can really be justified and conflicts can be settled in peace , Prevent war by promoting justice, Prayer and meditation can help people be at peace with themselves and others, Quakers strongly support pasifism, during ww2 those refusing to fight were punished

Psychological support, money if main wage earner dies, Safe place to live, medical help for injuries, access to food and clean water, way of Earning a living

Injured members of armed forces, families of those who died or injured, civilians left in warzone where everything destroyed, refugees

Jesus talked to Love thy neighbour, parable of good Samaritan taught everyone is everyone else’s neighbour regardless of race, age, gender, religion, or political beliefs

Catholic charity that serves poor and promotes charity and justice worldwide, provided food shelter translators and legal services to Syrian refugees who escaped Greece in 2015

Poverty and promote justice and human rights so war is prevented, To support local organisations that help refugees in places like Gazza, Afghanistan and Syria

Love thy neighbour , Treat others how you would like to be treated, I was hungry and you gave me something to eat (Parable of sheep and goat)