GCSE Religious Studies - Believing in God

GCSE Religious Studies - Believing in God

1. Reasons for Belief

   • Due to your upbriging
     • It's said that God has no grandchildren so it must be your decision
     • Muslims believe that everyone is born in submission to Allah, if someone becomes a Muslim later in life the are "returning"
   • Religious experiences
     • Holy books
     • Prayer
     • Miracles
     • Numinous experiences (sensing the presence of God)

2. Design and Causation

   • Design - "Someone must have designed the universe"
     • Isaac Newton's thumbprint theory (every thumbprint is unique)
     • William Paley's watchmaker theory (you wouldn't think an intricate watch was made by chance)
   • Causation -"There must have been a first cause"
     • Only two possibilities: 1) the universe has always existed 2) there was a first cause (which some believe I God)
   • However science suggest evolution and the big bang theory (alternate first cause)
   • Musliums and Christians believe that God is OMNIPOTENT (all powerful), OMNISCIENT (all knowing) and OMNI-BENEVOLENT (all loving and compassionate)

3. The Origins of the World

   • Scientific Arguments
     • The big bang theory in which the universe began in an explosion of matter and energy. It is supported by the evidence that the universe is still expanding
     • Evolution argues that life evolved over millions of years, humans evolved form apes
   • Christian Ideas
     • According to Genesis Chapter 1 God created everything. The process took 6 days in the order: Light and darkness, the sky, land and plants, sun and moon and stars, fish and birds, land animals and people till on the seventh day he rested
     • If the bible is taken literally evolution is wrong and humans descended from Adam and Eve
     • Some Christians view Genesis as a parable or as symbolyic
     • In 1996 the Roman Catholic Church accepted the Big Bang theory
   • Islamic Ideas
     • Is very similar to Christian Genesis however the Qur'an states Allah formed Adam from clay and breathed life and a soul into him and all humans are decended form Adam

4. Evil and Suffering

   • Types of Evil
     • Moral evil is suffering by cruel actions of people e.g. war, rape and torture. The person has a choice
     • Natural evil is suffering caused by the world not humans e.g. disease, floods and earthquakes. Howevr recent natural disasters may have been influenced by humans
   • Cause people to question faith
     • They can't believe a good god would allow evil
     • Prayers are unanswered
       • Roman Catholics often pray to saints on behalf of God by intercessory prayers
       • Other Christians and Muslims pray directly to God and believe no sincere prayer goes unanswered
     • God can't be all powerful if he is unable to prevent suffering
   • Christian Views
     • They teach that evil entered the world as a result of Adam and Eve giving into temptation (the original sin)
     • Humans have free will to choose right or wrong
     • Suffering is a test of God
     • Evil is the devil
   • Islamic Views
     • It is a test of humanity's free will "We will surely test you"
     • If we choose against the will of Allah we will have to answer on the Day of Judgement
     • Suffering should be accepted as there will be joy in the next life
     • Pray for forgiveness (one of the 99 names of Allah is The Forgiver)
     • Muslims work to help others suffering
     • The devil (Iblis or Shaytan) tempts us
   • The problem of evil
     • Some Christians believe that evil needs to be there for us to have a choice or free will but in the end all evil will become good
     • Islam teaches everything that happens is Allah's plan (not for us to question) and evil gives people the chance to do good
   • The Holocaust
     • Six million Jews died so why did God allow it
     • Some Jews concluded there was no God and others thought he didn't care or was powerless
     • It was a test of faith and demonstration of free will
     • God wouldn't kill Hitler as no one is truly evil
     • Must keep practicing Judaism or else Hitler will have one

5. Media

   • Songs of Praise
     • Views share experiences and shows the relevance of Christianity in peoples lives
     • Is interactive and build community
     • A deeper understanding of Christianity
   • 9/11
     • Islam is linked with terrorism
   • Atheist's Views
     • Programs like Professor Richard Dawkins "The Root of All Evil" and his book "The God Delusion"
     • He argued that a process of non-thinking called faith leads to intolerance, violence and destruction

6. Keywords

   • Agnostic
     • A belief that it is impossible to know if God exists or not
   • Atheist
     • Denial of the existence of God
   • Conversion
     • When someone's life is changed by becoming a follower of God