Persepolis - Debate Worksheet (Religion in politics)

Group Pom, Golf, Ling, Phang, Roong, Keen Class #: 1206

Members:

Topic: Does religion create more violence or more peace?

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

Peace Violence

Argument 1 (Individual)
Teaching - Religious practice
List arguments in bullet-point Bring peace to our mind
format. Learn to be kind and love each other
Learn to eliminate hate and overcome greed
You may use phrases; in order to understand the true of nature and
complete sentences are not accept it.
required. Teach to forgive
Religion did not create peace directly. Religion
tells us the purpose of life.
EX: Buddhism - Teach us to have self
acknowledgment
Christianity - Teach people to believe in god,
that everything is going according to god’s will
and god is the finest being.

Sources “Giving up hatred and forgiving the harm done

List websites, articles, videos, to us by others allows us to move on and to
quotes, and achieve peace of mind.” -
authors/organizations. https://classroom.synonym.com/buddhists-
beliefs-of-forgiveness-12085558.html

Argument 2 (community)
Unity
List arguments in bullet-point Have a spiritual values
format. Center of a community (ex. temple, church,
mosque)
You may use phrases; Create culture and civilization
complete sentences are not - Christmas, Songkran, Lunar
required. New Years
- Visakha Puja
- Magha Puja
 - Asalha Puja
Religious teach us to accept the diversity of
people
Value the eternal concerns over individual
interest

Sources - All religious celebrate the richness of

List websites, articles, videos,
quotes, and
authors/organizations.
diverse beliefs and expression that
honor the sacred Truth of God. -
https://www.unitychurchofpeace.org/what-is-
unity
- strong faith communities give their
members strength to challenge injustice
in the larger society
http://www.zocalopublicsquare.org/2010/10/19/
how-religion-strengthens-community/ideas/up-
for-discussion/
- Certainly, religion requires immediate
actions but those actions are in pursuit
of eternal values beyond individual
interests
http://interfaithtexas.org/religion-as-a-source-
of-unity-in-a-time-of-division/

Argument 3 (World)
Religion inspire people to commit not only for
List arguments in bullet-point oneself but the whole population.
format. - Gandhi
Since he was young, Gandhi had been
You may use phrases; worshipping Hinduism and Jainism. He
complete sentences are not immersed himself and followed strictly to the
required. religious practices of the religions such as
fasting, nonviolence, vegetarianism. Moreover,
his interest in religious ethics and teaching
brought him to study deeper in many other
world’s religion. In his lifetime, Gandhi ,with
religious ethics, committed himself to liberate
Indian people without using any violences.
- Bahai’s teaching
Bahai is a peace seeker organization based on
the teaching of different religions.
They found the constructive power of religion
can empower the goodness of people. The
purpose of this organization is to make a
“oneness” of humanity through teaching of
 different world religions.

Sources - https://www.biography.com/people/mah
List websites, articles, videos, atma-gandhi-9305898
quotes, and - http://bahaiteachings.org/southeast-asia-
authors/organizations. religion-create-peace

● Rebuttal
○ Religion never manipulates people only people themselves use religious to
manipulate others. ( People are easily manipulated by ideas convenient to their
individual biases )
○
■ Religion always be an excuse to cause hatred and violence by the wicked.

● Crusade war: it was not all about religion, but also a territory and
authority. At that time, the land and people were separated by a
“belief” or “religion” and church worked like a protector of the
land. They were much more like a landlord. Therefore, invading
the area could also considered as invading the land of a group of
people whose name is under a certain religion.
https://strangenotions.com/the-crusdades-urban-legends-and-truth/
■ Without religious involves, the war still occurs.
● Example of non religious war
○ Cold war during 1947-1991
○ Conflict between the different ideology, which are
Liberalism (US) and Communism (Soviet Union).
○ The cold war was not affect only US and Russia, but also
other countries such as Korea and Vietnam.
○ The Cold war causes a severe damage such as the partition
of Korea and Vietnam war.
○ Peace is not determined by the religious but by the human
action that will bring peace or disaster.
Summary:
Religions can bring peace in three stages: self, communities, and the world.
1. Religions guide people to be morally good, and do no harm to others. Generally, people
are scare of death so, religion creates belief about heaven and hell, sin and virtue to
provide the way for people to emerge themselves away from cycle of life.
2. Religions make unity among people by coming up with culture that gather people to do
activities togethers.
3. Religions also bring world peace by promoting the eternal concern of people in
community over self interest. Therefore, people overcome the selfishness and unite as a
community which create peace among people.

Since the existence of mankind, countless of conflict and suffering has befell. This is
because of human desire, avarice and selfishness. It is time, for us, to reflect the true meaning of
religion, so we can develop our own goodness and contribute its to society. Eventually, Peace
that everyone is crave for will come true.

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.