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-71251938710Religion and Life0Religion and LifeReligion and LifeThe Origins of the UniverseThere are millions of stars, millions of planets, an unknown number of galaxies. The currently observable universe is about 93 billion light years in diameter and contains more than 100 billion galaxies. There are questions we do not know the answer to such as; does the universe go on infinitely? Who created it? Christians believe that the universe didn’t just make itself, but that it was designed and created by God. The belief is that God created the universe out of nothing (ex nihilo in Latin). If you turn to the Bible, you will see in Genesis 1:1-2:3 accounts of how God created the universe. Look at the Christian beliefs in creation (from Christian Beliefs topic) to revise this.The Big Bang Theory is the leading scientific explanation for how the universe began. This theory suggests that the universe started with an incredibly small, hot, dense something – a singularity, which expanded over the next 13.8 billion years or so to become the cosmos that we know today. As the universe continued to expand and cool, the matter that had been flung in all directions became stars grouped into galaxies. We cannot prove this but the theory comes from mathematical theory and models. The question people have is whether or not this theory of the beginning of the universe can work alongside religious belief or are the two at odds with each other?The Origins of Human LifeThe story of Adam and Eve shows the creation of mankind by God. There are 2 different accounts of this creation, one found in Genesis 1 and the other found in Genesis 2. These vary in terms of the order of creation and the detail in how humans were formed. Some Christians believe that this story is literally true and that the whole human race is descended from Adam and Eve. Other Christians would say that it is not meant to be a scientific account but is meant to show how special humans are to God.Science has come up with a different theory about how humans came about and this is called evolution. Charles Darwin suggested this theory in his book The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection in 1859. His theory suggests that, as the earth cooled, conditions became right for the beginning of life. Single-called creatures appeared in the sea which, over a long period of time, evolved into other species. Some became able to live on land, some in sea and some gradually developed the ability to fly. Humans are thought to have started evolving 2.5 million years ago and have stayed with the same anatomy for about 200,000 years. Fundamentalist Christians believe that the origin of human life was exactly as it is recorded in Genesis. Some Fundamentalist Christians do accept that adaption can take place within a species, they don’t think there is enough evidence to show that evolution happens. Some Christians believe that God is the creator but that evolution also took place. They believe that the Bible deals with ‘why’ it happened where scientists are concerned with ‘how’ it happened. They may believe that God started everything and set it in motion to allow for evolution which was part of His plan.The Value of the World-700644192405Religion and Life0Religion and LifeThe world is seen as valuable because it provides and sustains humans and animals. As far as we know, nowhere else in our solar system can sustain life like our planet. Christians and Muslims regard this as a gift from God – God created the planet and he created life on it to be able to be sustained by the planet he made. The world is filled with things that give us awe and wonder which Christians and Muslims give God responsibility for. It is for this reason that religious believers worship God. Christians believe God has given us the privilege of living on planet Earth but we have the responsibility of looking after it and protecting it. This responsibility to protect and care for the Earth is called stewardship. This is shown in the story of Adam and Eve in Genesis 2 when they were given the responsibility of looking after the Garden of Eden. In order to manage the Earth, Christians teach that humans were given the power and authority to rule over the planet. This is known as having dominion.Use and Abuse of the EnvironmentGod gave permission for people to rule over his creation in a way that sustains and protects the environment (Genesis 2:15 and Psalm 8:6). It is becoming increasingly important to encourage sustainable development because the demand for natural resources increases with the population and future generations will suffer if the use of natural resources is abused.Oil is a natural resource that is in danger of being used up – worldwide roughly 14,310,000,000 litres of oil is used per day. Forests are being cut down fast to make land available for other things and to provide timber. Around 73 million hectares of forest (roughly the size of the country Panama) are lost each year. Many other natural resources are being used up quickly and are not replaced fast enough – when the earth runs out of natural resources, we will have to adapt drastically in order to live without them.The good thing is that scientists are developing alternatives to fossil fuels that allow us to generate electricity through the sun, wave power and wind power. However, wind turbines are only able to generate power when the wind blows which is not something that will definitely happen 100% of the time. Furthermore, people believe that they spoil the landscape and are too loud. Wave power is in it’s early stages and needs a lot more research which is very expensive, solar power only works under the right climatic conditions so whilst theoretically we have unlimited energy from these sources, there are currently a number of issues with them. This is why Christians and Muslims but also non-religious believers are very concerned with conserving as much energy as possible.Pollution is also a serious cause for concern as it puts the health of humans, plants and animals at risk. Even though laws have been put in place to try to limit the amount of pollution this has not helped to eradicate it. With the growing population, increased level of technology and continued use of pollutants, we are still damaging the environment. There are many different types of pollution but the main 3 are: air pollution, land pollution and water pollution.Both Christians and Muslims believe they can help the planet by avoiding waste, conserving energy and reducing the demand for natural resources. This can be done by:Walking, cycling or using public transport instead of a carSelecting products that don’t have a lot of packagingTurning off lights when they are not being usedReusing bags when shoppingDonating second-hand clothes, toys and furniture to charity shopsRecycling waste.-581891180529Religion and Life0Religion and LifeLeaders from 5 different world religions were brought together in 1986 by the World Wildlife Fund. They met in Assisi to discuss how their faiths could help the environment. Another meeting happened in Ohito in 1995 which brought together religious leaders and environmental scientists. Religions agreed that thoughtless exploitation should be opposed and that we do not have the right to spoil, abuse, waste or destroy what God has created for us to look after.Animal RightsAnimals are sometimes used for experimentation to test products and medicines on. This helps us to see what the reaction would be on humans. Some people view animal experimentation as cruel but others think that as long as the good (safety for humans) outweighs the bad (animals suffering) then animal experimentation is necessary (utilitarian approach). Animals are also used for food. Some say that humans are built to consume meat. Other people argue that hurting animals is wrong, so it’s better to be vegetarian or vegan.442920777762000Christians believe that God made animals for our use but also to care for. Some people might argue that dominion gives humans the right to do what they want with animals but others say that stewardship means we should be caring for His creation. Christianity teaches that we should treat animals with kindness however, they can be used to benefit mankind as long as their suffering is considered. Some Christians think it’s always wrong to cause suffering to animals especially since some medicines don’t have the same effect on animals as they would on humans. Unlike many other religions, Christianity does not have any specific food laws when it comes to the consumption of animal products however some Christians will choose to be vegetarian or vegan because they believe we should not be harming animals for our own benefit. Muslims believe that we should show compassion for all creatures and cruelty to animals is forbidden. Animals are part of Allah’s creation which Muslims are entrusted to look after. Islam has food laws in which certain food are halal (Arabic for ‘allowed’) and some foods are haram (Arabic for ‘forbidden’) – some of these rules include not eating pig and slaughtering animals humanely to be eaten. Muslims will generally only allow animal testing if it is done to produce genuine medical advances for humans. The animals should be treated humanely, no unnecessary pain should be inflicted upon them.AbortionAbortion is the removal of a foetus from the womb to end a pregnancy. This can happen naturally through what is called a miscarriage. The difference between an abortion and a miscarriage is that an abortion is the deliberate termination. There were 190,406 legal abortions in 2016 in England and Wales.Before 1967 abortion was illegal in the UK. The 1990 Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act currently allows abortion up to 24 weeks in pregnancy but two doctors need to agree that one of the following conditions applies:The woman’s life is in danger if the pregnancy continuesThere is a risk to the woman’s physical and mental healthThere is a significant risk that the baby will be born with severe mental or physical disabilities-593766192405Religion and Life0Religion and LifeAn additional child may affect the physical or mental health of existing children in familyThe 24 week limit doesn’t apply to women if their life is in danger or if the foetus is severely deformed.424972317879Arguments for and against abortionPro-choice groups, such as Abortion Rights, agree with legalised abortion because they believe that a woman’s life comes first. It is the woman who has to carry the baby and give birth to it and therefore they believe that she should be the one to decide whether or not to continue the pregnancy. Furthermore, there are some pro-choice groups who believe that life doesn’t begin until childbirth or at least until the foetus is viable which means the mother’s life is more important.Pro-life groups, such as the Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child (SPUC) argue that life begins at conception because the DNA is there to create a unique individual therefore abortion is seen as murder. Instead of abortion the baby could be born and then given up for adoption for those couples who cannot have children of their own. Pro-life groups will remind others that as a result of abortion, women often suffer from depression and guilt.-581891192917Religion and Life0Religion and LifeEuthanasiaThe word euthanasia comes from two Greek word: eu which means ‘good’ and Thanatos which means ‘death’, so euthanasia means ‘a good or gentle death’. The intention of euthanasia is to end the life of someone who is in pain or has a poor quality of life due to terminal illness.Types of euthanasia:Voluntary euthanasia is when a person asks a doctor to end their life as do not wish to live anymore. This is their own choice.Non-voluntary euthanasia is when the person is too ill to request to die, for example because they are in a coma, but a doctor will end their life for them because it is thought that to do so would be in the best interests of the personInvoluntary euthanasia is when the person is able to provide consent but does not, either because - they do not want to or because they are not asked, but their life is ended anywayForms of euthanasia:Active euthanasia is when active steps are taken to end someone’s life, for example by giving them a lethal injectionPassive euthanasia is when doctors stop providing treatment or do something that is intended to quicken the natural process of dying. For example, when a person is not resuscitated after a heart attackArguments for and against euthanasia: 530629200173Many Christians believe that taking a life is interfering with God’s plan. They believe it can be compared to murder. Many Christians are of the belief that if euthanasia were to be -61746738100Religion and Life0Religion and Lifelegalised then it could potentially lead to those who feel like they are a burden to their family because of their age taking the euthanasia route. The sanctity of life means that God has given you life, therefore he is the one who has the power to take it away. We should not right53387000throw this gift away. Christians believe that modern drugs and hospices provide care for the dying and it allows them to end their lives with dignity and without pain. Some Christians believe that euthanasia may be the most loving thing to do for a person in insufferable pain. This is supported by “blessed are the merciful” (Matthew 5:7).Islam strictly forbids euthanasia of any form. Life is a gift from Allah which should not be taken for granted. It is believed that euthanasia is a sin against the will of God. It is also considered wrong because of the impact it has on the people (friends and family) who are left behind.Case Studies for Euthanasia would include Tony Bland and Tony Nicklinson.Death and the AfterlifeBoth Christians and Muslims believe in a life after death. But how can we prove the afterlife? Some believe that accounts of Near Death Experiences (see Ian McCormack) are enough to prove that there is a life after death as it has been experienced by some. There are stories of encountering heaven and hell which could show that the afterlife does exist. However, some other religions are of the belief in reincarnation (the cycle of life, death and rebirth; life, death and rebirth). There are also believers of resurrection which is also hinted at in Christianity and Islam. The belief that your soul is what lives on after you die could be argued to be a type of resurrection. Furthermore Christians believe our bodies will be resurrected on the day of judgement.Practice Questions:0 2 . 1 Which one of the following means being gently and painlessly put to death? [1 mark] A Stewardship. B Euthanasia. C Evolution. D Dominion. 0 2 . 2 Give two religious beliefs about pollution. [2 marks] 0 2 . 3 Explain two similar religious beliefs about the use of animals for food. In your answer you must refer to one or more religious traditions. [4 marks] 0 2 . 4 Explain two religious beliefs about the afterlife. Refer to sacred writings or another source of religious belief and teaching in your answer. [5 marks] 0 2 . 5 ‘Evolution proves that religious beliefs about the origins of life are wrong.’ Evaluate this statement. In your answer you: ? should give reasoned arguments in support of this statement ? should give reasoned arguments to support a different point of view ? should refer to religious arguments ? may refer to non-religious arguments ? should reach a justified conclusion. [12 marks] [+ 3 SPaG marks] ................
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