Zusammenfassung der Ressource
Religion and social responsibility
- Using the bible to make moral decisions
- It is the word of God (absolute
authority)
- Contains God's teachings on how to behave (the
Decalogue)
- Has Jesus' teachings on how to live (The Sermon on the
Mount)
- Records Jesus' actions which Christians want to
follow
- BUT it was written by humans, inspired by
God.
- Using the church to make moral decisions
- The Church is the 'Body of Christ'
- God speaks to the world today through the Church
- By following the Church, all Christians follow the same thing
- Church authority for Roman Catholics comes from the Magisteium
- Using the conscience to make moral decisions
- Believe it is God talking to them
- Church says they should follow their conscience
- St Paul said the conscience should be the last part of the decision making process
- Could be mistaken - The Yorkshire Ripper
- Life would be chaotic if everyone did what they want and not what the law said
- Using Situation Ethics to make moral decisions
- Jesus acted in the same 'do the most loving thing' way
- Should only do things that lead to good results
- Jesus said 'love thy neighbour'
- Christianity is a religion based on love
- Bible is the word of God which should not be over ruled
- Christians should all act in the same way
- Church knows what's best
- You can never know all the facts
- Why human rights are important to
Christians
- Right to life is covered by teaching of sanctity
of life
- All humans made in God's image and are
equal
- Christians are protected by these laws (the right to freedom of religion)
- Human rights ban
discrimination
- Some Christians are against civil partnerships which are protected under
human rights
- Roman Catholics do not allow women priests which is a form of
discrimination
- Why should we take part in democratic and electoral process
- Government decides on taxes and voting gives you some control
- They make new laws which you could influence
- You get a say in things like schools and the NHS
- People fought for the right to vote and this should be respected
- 'Do to others as you would have them do to you'
- Parable of the sheep and the goats - states you will be judged on how you have treated others
- 'Am I my brothers keeper?' - you have a role in society to look after others in society
- Genetic Engineering and Cloning
- Could lead to cures for usually incurable diseases
- Using 'cybrids' does not involve loss of human life
- Genetic research is monitored closely by the law
- Jesus was a healer and so we should try all possible ways of
healing
- HOWEVER there is no information on the long term consequences
- Effects are irreversible
- Gives too much power to scientists and this power could
be used in the wrong way
- Killing an embryo is the same as killing a human and thou
shalt not murder
- Life begins at conception, whether in a dish or the womb
- Humans should not interfere with God's will
- We should not try to make the Earth perfect - if that is what God wanted he would have made it
perfect anyway