UNIT 8: PEACE & CONFLICT

  1. WHY DO WARS OCCUR

2.Long standing racial hatred

3.Fear

4.National Pride

5.Self defence

6.Money and natural resources –water, land etc.

7.Religion

8.Fighting against injustice

Darfur, SUDAN 2003-2007. A civil war broke out between the Sudanese Army and some Non- Arab groups. Sudan is now split into two countries – Sudan and The Re[public of South Sudan.

2.THE UN & WORLD PEACE ORGS

  • The United Nations is made up of 192 countries from around the world. It is often called the UN.
  • It was set up in 1945, after WW2, as a way of bringing people together and to avoid further wars.
  • The UN aims to ensure that people don’t suffer from hunger and homelessness.
  • It has a special section called Unicef that tries to help children.
  • The UN would like all countries to follow a set of rules about the treatment of children.
  • Religious groups want to achieve world peace and aim to find an end to conflict like the UN.
RELIGIONS & THE UN
  • All religions believe that peace is better than war.
  • Think of the Golden Rule!!
PAX CHRISTI
  1. Founded by Catholic Church
  2. Runs sessions on peace and non-violence
  3. Arranges prayer services
  4. Lobbies governments to take peaceful action against conflict
  5. Provides materials to educate about the need for peace
  6. Is part of the National Justice and Peace Network

3.JUST WAR THEORY

A JUST war is one that is fought for the right reasons and in the right way. It is an ancient theory that was developed by St Thomas Aquinas in the C13th to help religious believers decide whether war is right or just.

  1. There must be a just cause.
  2. The war must be started and controlled by the authority of state or ruler.
  3. The war must be for good, or against evil. Law and order must always be restored.
  4. The war must be a last resort.
  5. The war must be fought proportionally.

4.BULLYING

•Bullying is wrong.

•It is discrimination and can harm a person both physically and mentally.

CHRISTIANS & BULLYING

  1. Christians, like all other people, teach that bullying is wrong.
  2. Christians believe that people who are being bullied should be helped and protected.
  3. Christians also believe that people who are bullies need help to find out why they bully and to stop.

Muslim believe bullying is wrong because…..

  1. It goes against all Muslim teaching about the care of others.
  2. It is against the teachings of Prophet Muhammad.
  3. It is against laws in the sharia
  4. Allah created everyone and no one should mistreat Allah’s creation.
  5. It is a sin to use violence without a very good reason.
5.RELIGIOUS ATTITUDES TO WAR

CHRISTIAN ATTITUDES

  1. Sometimes Christians accept war because….
  2. It might be needed to overcome great evil.
  3. War can be used to achieve peace
  4. Jesus helped the Roman centurion(soldier), he did not condemn him.
  5. Christians should work for justice; war may be the only way to achieve this.
  6. The teaching ‘love your neighbour’ may mean fighting for them in a conflict.

PACIFISM - Some Christians believe war is never acceptable because……

Jesus did not fight his arrest or crucifixion

Jesus taught to love your enemies

The Ten Commandments

Christians should follow the teachings of the Sermon on the Mount to ‘turn the other cheek’

The teaching ‘love your neighbour’ can never mean killing.

When Jesus was arrested he told Peter not to fight, saying ‘put back your sword’

MUSLIM ATTITUDES

Islam means peace. Jihad means struggle

Lesser Jihad = Physical struggle or war. There are some circumstances when the Quran allows violence – for example Muhammad fought in wars, and Muslims should fight in ‘Just’ wars. The Quran teaches that anyone killed in a just war goes straight to Paradise.

Greater Jihad = the struggle Muslims face within themselves. For example fighting greed and envy and trying to be a good Muslim.

Some Muslims are against War because…..Peace and reconciliation are at the heart of Islam.

  1. Modern weapons cannot be used in a way that is compatible with Muslim rules about fighting.
  2. Non-violence is the only way to achieve peace.
  3. Violence leads to more violence.

6.CONFLICT & RESOLUTION

Causes of Family Conflict

School ;Divorce; Money; Smoking/Drugs; Moral issues; Rivalry between brothers and sister; Choice of friends

Causes of Conflict in Religious Families

  1. Social behaviour – drinking, opposite sex
  2. Moral issues – cohabiting, abortion
  3. Jobs and careers – certain jobs can conflict with religious teachings
  4. Choice of partner
  5. Raising children – times have changed, older generations may hold different views.

Religion itself can be a problem in some families –children brought up as religious may convert to another religion, or chose to follow no religion. Or a child of atheist parents may choose to follow a religion.

CHRISTIANITY TEACHES…

Children should honour there mother and father as in 10 commandments

Parents should care for their children and support them

ISLAM TEACHES….

No child should cause harm to their parents and parents should care for their children

Muslims should obey their parents, even in adulthood and respect their wisdom.

Reconciliation = bringing together people who were opposed to each other

Forgiveness = to stop blaming someone for something they have done wrong.

CHRISTIANS & RECONCILIATION

JESUS – died on the cross to bring forgiveness and reconciliation between humanity + God

Christians should forgive others and God will help them to do this even when it is difficult.

The Bible says you should forgive those you have argued with.

Reconciliationis the best way to solve conflict with family and friends

Love your enemies ..… (Luke 6:27)

If you hold anything against anyone, forgive him….. (Mark 11:25)

Some Christians believe that with the love of God everything is forgivable.

Christians believe that if they do not forgive, God will not forgive them.

Other Christians argue that if the conflict was about religious or moral issue, where theBible has a definite teaching, then there can be no reconciliation.

MUSLIMS & RECONCILIATION

Islam teaches that conflict should be resolved by forgiveness and reconciliation.

On the day of Judgement, Allah will show mercy to those who have done the same to others.

One of the names of Allah is ‘the compassionate and merciful’, showing that Allah forgives, so people should too.

The Qur’an teaches that forgiveness and reconciliation are important

Prophet Muhammad taught people should forgive and be reconciled those who have offended them.

On Hajj (pilgrimage) to Mecca, Muslims climb Mount Mercy where they pray for forgiveness. They believe Allah will forgive their sins when they do this.

Some actions may not be forgivable by Muslims

  • working against Islam
  • Making images of Prophet Muhammad