Persepolis - Debate Worksheet (Religion in politics)

Group Members: Mui Kate Jayne Sooyoung Ja Toey  Class #: 1206 

Topic: D​ oes religion create more v​ iolence​ or more p

​ eace​? 
 
Print this worksheet and bring it for the class debate. Worksheets will be submitted to the instructor. 
 

Peace Violence
Argument 1   Religion divides people. 
-Each religion has different teachings and beliefs which then 
List arguments in bullet-point ultimately causes people to believe and rely on what they have 
format. been taught. 
-Different teachings can cause other people misinterpret the 
You may use phrases; texts of other religions which could possibly lead to the 
complete sentences are not misunderstanding of beliefs.  
required. -People who believe in different religion, they could come 
together and argue about one thing all day with all of the support 
from their side (their religion) and nothing can prove that both of 
their sides are wrong. And if the situation get worse there could 
be violence 

Sources https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/nov/20/isr
List websites, articles, videos, ael-palestine-conflict-religious-war  
quotes, and https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/01/opinion/how-religion-ca
authors/organizations. n-lead-to-violence.html  

Argument 2   Religion influence politics 

-Religions often make strong claims on people’s allegiance, and 
List arguments in bullet-point universal religions make these claims on all people. 
format. -Some law take religion to be part of it which create conflict 
-The government force people to believe in certain religion as 
You may use phrases; they believe that this will create peace in the society. However, 
complete sentences are not the truth is it influence chaos and conflict. 
required.

Sources   http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-35990353 
List websites, articles, videos,
quotes, and
authors/organizations.

Argument 3   Religion plays with human’s emotions 

- Religion deals with extreme things which can cause those 
List arguments in bullet-point people to be extremism.  
format. - People trust that what they depend on is real and ​afraid ​of 
losing what they believe when other threaten their idea. 
You may use phrases; - It makes people cannot question things and need to obey what 
complete sentences are not the religion teach. Thus, when other believe differently, it 
required. violates what they believe. 

Sources -“Allahu Akbar” 

List websites, articles, videos, -9/11 
quotes, and -Crusade War 
authors/organizations.

 
 
 
Debate Format 
Main Arguments - Peace  4 minutes 
Main Arguments - Violence  4 minutes 

Working Period  4 minutes 

Rebuttals - Peace  3 minutes 

Rebuttals - Violence  3 minutes 

Working Period  3 minutes 

Summary - Peace  2 minutes 

Summary - Violence  2 minutes 

Audience Vote  Total Time = 25 minutes 

 
 
Audience Vote -- 5 Points 
 
Audience members will vote on who they believe makes the strongest, most well-supported arguments: 
● the quality of the arguments presented. 
● the quality of challenges (to your opponents) raised. 
● the clarity, organization and cohesiveness of the argument. 
● the quality of supporting evidence. 
 
● NOT​ on who they personally agree with.  
● NOT​ on who they are friends with. 
● NOT​ on who screams the loudest.   
 Argument 1: Religion divides people 

Each religion has different teachings  Elaboration:  

and beliefs which then ultimately  - The religious war between Jews and Muslims: Israel and Palestine border 
causes people to believe and rely on  conflict (relating to political issues later on as well) 
what they have been taught.  - war caused centuries back and is still ongoing; two countries are 
currently “terrorizing” each other. 
- Destroying unity amongst individuals:  
- Christianity: Catholics during the 14th - 16th century, they were the center 
of knowledge, not even the king was higher than they were. They manipulated 
people into paying them, making them no different from politicians, later 
resulting Catholic Church to break apart.  
e.g. #1: Using “Catholic Indulgence”** to manipulate people into paying and 
donating their goods to “get closer” to god. **reducing one’s sin through 
actions and deeds. 
e.g. #2: Causing Catholic to break apart, therefore how could we trust religion 
to keep people as “one” peaceful unit when the religion itself broke apart 
rebled by their own believer(Martin Luther); resulting: Orthodox, Protestant, 
and other minor branches.  
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/nov/20/israel-palestine-conflict-r
eligious-war  
-  

Different teachings can cause other  Elaboration: 

people misinterpret the texts of other  - “Allahu Akbar” - people alter the meaning of this word 
religions which could possibly lead to  - E.g. ISIS misusing “Allahu Akbar”, alas causing major misunderstanding from 
the misunderstanding of beliefs.   non-muslim believers as a threat rather than a blessing. 
Evidence: In Paris massacre, the murderer killed the French Priest and later shouted 
“Allahu Akbar”.  
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/01/opinion/how-religion-can-lead-to-violence.htm
l  
 

In some cases, one nation could set  - most of the policy must came from the national religion for sure 
their own national religion.  - people who don’t believe in THAT national religion could feel violated from 
the other 

People who believe in different  eg. Buddhism believes that after death, only good people will go to heaven and bad 
religion, they could come together and  people will go to hell. While Christinity believes that everyone will go to heaven.  
argue about one thing all day with all of 
the support from their side (their 
religion) and nothing can prove that 
both of their sides are wrong. And if the 
situation get worse there could be 
violence 
 
Argument 2: Religion influence politics 

Religions often make strong claims on  Islam people gathered together to praise Allur as a community (their religion tradition). 
people’s allegiance, and universal  Thai people has a Religion hoilday as our official holiday in calendar. 
religions make these claims on all  eg. Easter holiday, Christmas holiday, Valentine’s Day, etc. 
people.  https://www.iep.utm.edu/rel-poli/ 

Some law take religion to be part of it  Most of the states in US passed the religious laws which finally caused the protest 
which create conflict  against the religious law.  
 
According to BBC news, In Mississippi, the government authorize the business services 
to denied serving the service for the gay couples based on the religious beliefs which 
obviously violate the human rights.   
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-35990353  

The government force people to  According to Pew Research Center, in 76% of Muslim in South Asia and 56% of the 
believe in certain religion as they  Muslims in Middle East and North Africa ​believe that the people who gave up on the 
believe that this will create peace in the  religion need to be killed. 
society. However, the truth is it  http://www.pewforum.org/2013/04/30/the-worlds-muslims-religion-politics-society-o
influence chaos and conflict.   verview/ 
 
 
 
Argument 3: Religion have an impact on the human’s emotions 

Religion deals with extreme things  - ISIS - extremists 

which can cause those people to be  - “Allahu Akbar” 
extremism.  

People trust that what they depend on  Christian VS Islam 

is real and ​afraid ​of losing what they  - Both believe in god(The gods in their believe are the one who reveal the truth) 
believe when other threaten their idea.  → ​Crusade war against Muslims. 
   
- Who believe differently can be harm without concerning on the morality as they 
believe that it is the order from god which their duty is to make the other believe in 
their religious. 

It makes people cannot question things  - When people questioning the god, it definitely means that you disrespect the 
and need to obey what the religion  religion. Also, they consider this action as sin.  
teach. Thus, when other believe  - “​Denying or doubting the truth is extremely dangerous​” 
differently, it violates what they believe.  - e.g. infidels 
 
 
Crusade war: 
The war between Christian and Muslim. This war originated from the Christian want to spread their religion to the 
rest of the world. So that all people will believe in Christianity. They accused other religion such as Islam by writing 
the books.  
 
Hitler’s holocasut : 
The war between the Germans and the Jews. Even though it was not a war that one religion against the other, but it 
was the war that Hitler created against the Jews. He wanted to get rid of the Jews. So the main point of the war was 
to get rid of a group of people who believe in this one religion. 
 
9/11 : 
Islamic extremist group al-Qaeda hijacked four airplanes and carried out suicide attacks against the world trade 
center buildings in the United States. All of the plan was created by Bin Laden, bin Laden published a statement 
claiming that the USA had declared war on God. So this attack was the one Islaist could go back to the US 
 
ISIS(Isalamic State of Iraq and Syria): 
ISIS is the Isalamic terrorist lead by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The main goal for them is to create Isalamic State. They 
also create their own law which called Sharia Law. This law inspired from the Islam religion to control the people in 
the society. 
 
List of events caused by religion 
- Crusades 
- Hitler’s holocasut  
- 9/11 
- Isis