RS Part Two

4/12 Form test 2 Syllabus

Form 3: Ultimate reality, the existence of God, Design argument , Cosmological

argument (all in f3 second term notes 1)

Form 4: Weapons of Mass Destruction, Bullying, Sin and Crime, Crime and Punishment,
Capital Punishment

3.1 c Holy War

3.1 d Weapons of Mass Destruction

Types of Mass Destruction
1. Nuclear weapons

2. Chemical weapons

3. Biological weapons

Nuclear weapons
Such at atomic bombs, which were first made towards the end of WW2

It was dropped by the US in Japan on Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Since then, defence scientists have developed nuclear weapons considerably

Chemical weapon
Contains toxic chemicals that may cause death and injury

The most dangerous of these are nerve agents, blood agents nad blister agents

Chemical weapons incapacitate, injure or kill by affecting the skin, eyes, lungs, blood,
nerves or other organs

Biological weapons

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 Biological weapons include things such as bacteria, viruses and fungi when used as an
act of war

May be lethal or non-lethal

An example is the bacteria that cause the disease anthrax, a serious bacterial disease
affecting the skin and lung which may cause toxic shock and death

Benefits of weapons of mass destruction

Nuclear weapons have the potential to destroy the earth and many people believe that
there have been no world wars since 1945 because of them

When two countries have nuclear weapons, like the US and Soviet Union, they will
hesitate to attack each other, because the other country would destroy them → mutually
assured destruction (MAD)

Biological and chemical weapons do not destroy buildings, road, bridges, unlike nuclear
weapons → an efficient way of destroying an enemy while leaving infrastructure to be
used by attacker

Those using weapons can be protected from their effects by using gas masks, protective
clothing, shelters and decontamination procedure

Problems of weapons of mass destruction

They deliberately target innocent civilians including children, old people and women-
groups excluded from the effects of war by holy and just war theories

Nuclear weapons are so powerful they threaten the world with extinction

Chemical and biological weapons can potentially kill as many people as nuclear weapons
although they act more slowly than bombs and missiles

Chemical and biological weapons are difficult to deliver effectively and the subsequent
effect of the attacks can only be guessed at → no one knows what will happen

The weapons could be uncontrollable once realised, nothing could stop them from
spreading outside the original target area

Catholic attitudes
They believed that every act of war directed to the indiscriminate destruction of whole
cities or vast areas with their inhabitants is a crime against God and man

A danger of modern warfare is that it provides the opportunity to those who possess
modern sacrifice weapons especially atomic, biological or chemical weapons to commit

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 such crimes

Real peace must be built upon love, justice and mercy

For example, Pope Francis visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial and reaffirmed that the
use and possession of atomic energy for purposes of war is immoral

The use of atomic energy is a crime not only against the dignity of human beings but
against any possible future for our common home

Previous popes also called for the abolition of nuclear weapons, but also granted
conditional moral acceptance to the system of nuclear deterrence in order to discourage
either country from launching an atomic attack

It is a step on the way towards a progressive disarmament

Muslim attitudes
Islam forbids the killing of innocents or vulnerable populations not involved in war

Pakistan is the only Muslim country that has an arsenal of nuclear weapons to defend
itself from India

However, Pakistan has never given an Islamic justification for having nuclear weapons,
whereas the spiritual leader of Iran condemned WMD

Jewish attitudes
Most Jews would be agains using WMD because the Jewish law explicitly prohibits the
waging of war in a situation where the casualty rate exceeds a sixth of the population

Under Jewish law it would be possible to threaten to use a weapons that is prohibited →
the lie of nuclear deterrence is a way of saving many lives if It prevents an attack

Humanist attitudes
No humanist would support the use of WMD, but some would take the jewish view that
it is acceptable in a world of nuclear weapons to have nuclear weapons a deterrent even
if you would never use them

Atheist attitudes
Atheists are split about WMD

Some are totally against WMD:

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 Believe that this life and earth is all we have as they do not believe in afterlife, so
they do not think it is right to contemplate the use of weapons that could destroy life
on the planet

Other atheists:

Think it is acceptable for a country to possess WMD as a means of self-defence to

frighten their enemies and so prevent then from attacking → accept that MAD as
kept peace and so accept the need to possess such weapons

They do not believe in God or in final judgements and so is acceptable to possess WMD
and would be prepared to use them if the need arose

Some people might use the ethical principle of utilitarianism to justify the possession of
nuclear weapons and argue that the concept of MAD means that countries which possess
nuclear weapons will never have to suffer horrendous consequences of war → possessing
a nuclear arsenal is right because it brings about “the greatest happiness of the greatest
number”

Everyone is happier living at peace than in war

3.3 Bullying
Definition
Bullying is a form of aggressive behaviour in which someone intentionally and
repeatedly causes another person’s injury (physical/psychological) or discomfort

Bullying can take the form of physical contact, words or more subtle actions

The bullied individual typically has trouble defending himself or herself and does
nothing to “cause” the bullying

Bullying can be a one-off or it can go on for a long time, which may happen to anyone

Bullies are made, not born

Specific types of bullying

Homophobic bullying based on your sexual orientation

Racist bullying because of your skin colour

Religious bullying because of your beliefs or faith

Sexist bullying focusing on your being of the opposite sex

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 Szeist bullying referring to your body size

Cyber bullying targeting you online, often anonymously

Being different from others

Different ways of bullying

Examples: eased, called names, lied about, being physically hurt, being pushed or pulled,
having your money or things stolen, being excluded or left out, being threatened,
receiving horrible texts, mobile film of you bring circulated

Consequences
Victims suffer depression, anxiety, social isolation and low self-esteem

Victims may resort to suicide as a result of extreme mental and social pressure

Individuals who are bulled in childhood

Emotional wounds into adulthood

Leading to depression, social isolation

Inabilities to react appropriately to situations

The UK Law
Some forms of bullying are illegal and need to be reported to the police

Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying is intentional and repeated harm inflicted on others through the use of
electronic devices like computers and cell phones

It can be conducted by a single person or a group of people, and can cause significant
distress

In recent years, there have been several high-profile cases reported in the media of young
people committing suicide as a direct result of being victims of cyberbullying

Types of cyberbullying: Harassment, cyber stalking, blackmail…

Characteristics of cyberbullying
It can be done anonymously as targets might not know who the bully is or why they are
being targeted → easy for someone to hurt another and not be held accountable

Can happen anywhere at anytime, hard to get away from

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 It can reach a very large audience → with reshaping and reposting, things said online
have the potential to go viral

It is easier to be cruel using technology through technology because of great physical

distance → people might not take cyberbullying seriously because they are not there to
see the immediate response of the target and might not recognise the serious harm from
their actions

Innocent bystander
There is no such thing as an innocent bystander and someone being bullied online can be
reported to the online site or app

Ignoring it may feel like the easiest thing to do but the person who is being subjected to
bullying might need help

Most sites have a report button which will send the bullying comments to the site to be
investigated

Catholic response: Catholic Social Teaching

Condemn all forms of bullying

Violates the 5th Commandment “Do not murder” as bulling is a denial of dignity to
another human being

Since humans are made in God’s image, they should be respected

Pope John XXIII that we find a reassurance of the absolute dignity of all human beings

As Roman Catholics, and as people seeking to live a moral life → must condemn
bullying as being contradictory to the Christian way of life and to the very understanding
of what it means to be a human being

When a person is bullied, the bully is not merely calling another human being names, but
rather they are desecrating a person who has been created in the very image of god

To accept bullying, or to avoid stopping it is to turna blind eye to Christ himself

We must say no to bullying and stand up to such with clear expressions of love and peace

Catholics are closed to protect the dignity of the human person without exception

We must recognise that bullying is an attack of human dignity and therefore we must
stand in solidarity with victims of bulling so as to call for an end to such

Social responses (most people)

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 The bullies are competent in moral judgments and understanding but fail in moral
compassion and sensibility

Condemns all forms of bullying

Tackle bullying

Example: Canadian education programme “Root of empathy” → by bringing babies

in the classroom to induce sympathy in students, and reduces bullying

3.4-3.5 Crime and Punishment

Crime
Can be defined as any offence which goes against the law

Laws are made by the government of a country → differ from each country

Laws are to protect the weak, give guidance on acceptable behaviour and so allow people
to live safely and without fear

The role of the police is to detect and prevent crime, the role of the justice system is to
enforce the laws and punish them

Sin
A sin is an action which goes against the will of god

Some sins are crimes like murder

Other sins such as adultery are not against the law

Absolute Morality
This is when a person holds a principle such as “stealing is wrong” and never alters it

This applies to all situations, no matter what the context or circumstance is

So even if someone was starving it would not be right for them to steal a load of
bread → stealing is always wrong

Another example would be the belief that it is wrong to kill → apply to all situations
such as war, abortion and euthanasia

Relative morality
This is the idea that a moral principle can be adjusted or adapted in certain situations

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 Stealing in principle is wrong, bu if someone has no other way to get food then
stealing is justifiable

Killing is usually wrong, but if someone kills in self-defence, then it may be

acceptable

Why do people commit crime?

Criminal behaviour fits into one or more categories:

Criminal behaviour can be caused by one’s free choice

Criminal behaviour can be caused by a person’s environment, for example a broken

home or failure at school could be a catalyst for the change to become a criminal

Criminal behaviour can seem like he only option for a person if they are unable to
conform to society

Criminal behaviour can develop through being associated with other criminals

Other reasons such as poverty, drugs, low-self esteem

Nature of punishment
Punishment is a penalty inflicted on an offender for breaking the law

Examples included imprisonment, community service order, probation and fine

Aims of punishment
To make sure that everyone obeys the law

To protect law-abiding members of society from lawbreakers

To deter law-abiding citizens from committing crimes

To reform and rehabilitate criminals so that they do not break the law in future

To make criminals pay for heir actions and give he victims of crime a sense of retribution

Theories about what punishment should be

Deterrence: should put people off committing crime

Protection: should protect society from the criminal and the criminal from themselves

Reformation: should reform the criminal and make them a better person

Retribution: should make the criminal pay for what they have done wrong

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 Reparation: should compensate the victims of a crime

Vindication: make sure that the law is respected

Retribution
The theory that criminals should pay for their crimes

People think this should be the main reason for punishment:

It makes criminals pay for their crimes in proportion to the severity of the crimes
they have committed → in the past, retributive punishment of murderers would lead
to them being killed, and taking the eyes out of those who blinded someone

It makes criminals suffer for what they have done wrong → criminal make their
victims suffer so they should also suffer

It actually punishes the criminal → make an offender suffer for what they have done

Deterrence
The theory that punishment should put people off committing crime

Many people think deterrence should be the main reason for punishment:

Aim of punishment is to stop people from committing crimes

The idea of deterrent punishment is that punishment should be so severe no one will
dare commit crimes, for example if someone know they will be executed if found
guilty, they will not murder

Reformation
The theory that criminals should be taught not to commit crime again

Many people think reform should be the main reason for punishment:

They believe the only way to stop crime is to reform the criminals so that they
become honest law-abiding citizens who will not want to commit crimes again

They believe that most criminals commit crimes because of how they have been
rigour up and because they do not know how to live without crime

Reformative punishment often involve giving criminals education and qualifications

so that they can find a proper job and no long feel the need to be a criminal
(rehabilitation of offenders)

Protection

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 The theory that punishment should protect society from criminals and their activities

Many people think protection should be the main reason for punishment:

Capital punishment is a good punishment for murdered and terrorises because if they
are dead, they cannot threaten people

Long prison sentences are a good punishment for violent people or persistent
burglars as they keep them out of society so that people and their property are
protected

Community service can be a good punishment for hooligans and vandals as it keeps
them off the streets

Christianity view about crime

Christianity teaches that sin is a part of human nature and that all people have the
potential to commit a crime

This is shown in the story of the fall of Adam and Eve in Genesis, where they disobeyed
God and ate the forbidden fruit

It also teaches that:

People should be treated fairly

God wants the world to be ruled justly

Criminal sweat people unfairly, punishment ensure that justice is done

Christians do not believe in taking revenge when they have been wronged → believe
that they should forgive the sins of others in the same way that they believe god
forgives them for their sins

As well as reform, some Christians would consider protection and deterrence to be

important aims of punishment → help ensure safety in society

Some Christians consider Old Testament teachings to be as important as New Testament

teachings, therefore may believe that retribution is an important aim of punishment

They may think that criminals should be treated in a way that reflects the crime they have
committed

Christianity view to crime and those who commit crime

Many Christians are concerned with the welfare of prisoners → may campaign for prison
reform, visit prisoners or vote for a political party that reflects their views on justice
equality

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 Jesus taught in the parable of the sheep and the goats that people who help those in
prison will go to heaven

Jesus identifies himself with the outcasts, including prisoners

Those who treat the outcasts well will have eternal life, which means they will go to
heaven

One of the aims of punishment is retribution (Lex Talionis - Law of payback) → based
on Leviticus, an Old Testament law book

Leviticus taught an eye for an eye, the principle of limited revenge

Punishment shouldn’t be too extreme

However, Jesus had said to not repay evil for evil “If someone hits you on the right
cheek, turn the other cheek”

He wasn’t saying that justice did not matter, but he was totally opposed to revenge

Upheld the Old Testament law as it came from god

The teaching of an eye for an eye was being used at the time as a way of getting revenge
through hatred → Jesus said this attitude was wrong and must be replaced by forgiveness

A God of Justice
Christians believe God is a God of justice → the ultimate judge and everyone will be
answerable to Him one day for their actions

On Earth He was delegated he right to judge crimes to the state

When the law sentences a criminal it is exercising justice on God’s behalf

Christians would extend forgiveness to a criminal who has wronged them but would also
expect justice to be done to that person in the courts → help the criminal reform

The two guiding principles are love and justice

Repentance and forgiveness

Repentance is the act of admitting wrong-doing and saying sorry

It involves someone understanding how their actions have caused pain and suffering to
another person

Forgiveness is the act of pardoning an offender

Nature of forgiveness

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 Forgiveness is a conscious deliberate decision on the part of a victim to release the
feelings of resentment or vengeance they have towards the person or group who harmed
them regardless of whether they deserve such forgiveness

Often connected with an increased ability to wish the offender well

Forgiveness doesn’t mean forgetting nor does it mean condoning or excusing offences

Can be the first step to reconciliation with the person who committed the harm →
does no release them from legal accountability for their actions

Jesus reminded people that God was ready to forgive anyone who repented their sins and
asked for forgiveness

Examples of forgiveness
1. The Lord’s Prayer

“And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us”

It might seem almost impossible to forgive a really serious crime like rape or
murder, but Jesus says everyone needs God’s forgives → must be prepared to
forgive others

2. Parable of the unforgiving Servant

Teaches that God will forgive a person if he entirely repents

Yet this person should also be prepared to forgive others

3. Parable of the prodigal son

Teaches Christians that God’s love is unconditional and that he loves us even when
we sin

It also teaches that Christians should forgive each other unlike the elder brother in he
story who was angry and jealous when the younger son was welcomed by his father

Restorative justice
Restorative justice is a problem-solving approach to crime which involves the offender,
victim and the community

Restorative justice originated in the USA and is based on the traditional justice found in
Native American communities

The focus is not on law and punishment but instead on the disruption an anti-social
action can cause to relationships, and how these broken relationships can be healed

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 Works to resolve conflicts and to repair harm by:

Encouraging those who caused harm to consider the damage they have done

Giving them the opportunity to make reparations

Offering those who have suffered harm or loss to have the opportunity to have this
acknowledge and have amends made

This idea is that the needs of victims the offender and the community are not
independent (must all work together)

Limitations of restorative justice

It relies on voluntary cooperation from the victim and the offender

If neither is willing, there is no option but to let formal justice take its course (the courts)

Restorative justice involved the community so there has to be a community that is

supportive and caring

People in the community have to want to work together for the good of everybody

Restorative justice would not be suitable for serious crimes, such as murder or rape,
where it is important to take measures to protect the rest of society

3.6 Capital punishment

Nature and purpose of capital punishment
capital punishment in the punishment which takes away the criminals life

This is often called execution or death penalty

A crime which can be punished but the death penalty is called a capital offence

In the past offences such as sheep stealing were capital offences, but gradually the
number of capital offences were reduced until only murder was a capital offence

There are several methods of capital punishment still in use around the world such as
lethal injection, electrocution, hanging, firing squad, stoning and decapitation

Some countries that retain capital punishment believe that its purpose is to deter people
from committing murder, to protect society from dangerous people and to act as
retribution for those who have taken a life

Catholic Attitudes

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 Today the Catholic Church does not agree with the death penalty, as it goes against the
commandment not to kill

In addition, Catholics believe that life is a gift from God, therefore God alone has the
power to take life

The death penalty allows governments to ‘play God’ and take control for the lives of
other people

The Catholic Church teaches that reform is the ultimate aim of punishment

Pope John Paul III: I am the living God, I do not enjoy seeing sinners die. I would
rather see them stop sinning an live

In addition, some people argue that in certain cases an innocent person has been
mistakenly put to death, and posthumous investigations have proven the individual
innocent (wrongful execution)

In Evangelium Vitae, a Church document on the value of human life, Pope John Paul II
identifies that in some rare cases, where i would otherwise not be possible to defend the
rest of society, capital punishment may be the only option

However, the document goes on to state that such circumstances are practically non-
existence

Catholic arguments in favour of the death penalty

Some Catholics argue that the death penalty helps to maintain order and protection in
society:

The Bible seats down the death penalty for some crimes so must be acceptable to
god → seen as retribution

St. Thomas Aquinas argue that peace in society was more importan than reforming
the sinner; he reflects that the Catholic Church’s teachings that the protection of the
whole of society is more important than the individual

Some Catholics would argue that the death penalty can never be justified:

Catholics believe in the sanctity of life, that life is holy and belongs to God and
therefore only God has the power to take life

Humanist attitudes towards capital punishment

Humanists reject capital punishment on the grounds that:

No court system can be sure that the correct verdict is always given

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 People are convinced for offences which is later proved they did not commit

Such innocent people can be released and compensated if they have been given life
imprisonment but not if they have been executed

The statistics of countries with death penalty and those without show that those countries
which do not use the death penalty have a lower murder rate → capital punishment does
not act as a deterrent

Many murderers do not expect to be caught and so do not think about the punishment →
murders who know they are going to be killed if caught are more likely to kill more
people to avoid being caught

Terrorises who are executed are occasionally hailed as martyrs and encourage more of
their followers to become terrorists

Human life is the most important thing there is so no one has the right to take it →
executing murders demonstrates that society does not regard human life as important

Murdered often regard life imprisonment as worse than death as they try to kill
themselves when in prison for life

Atheist attitudes to capital punishment (different from humanists)

Some atheists agree with the humanist attitudes to capital punishment and other atheists
believe that murder and terrorism should be punished by the death penalty:

If people know they will lose their life if they murder someone, it will act as a
deterrent and there will be fewer murders

Murdered and terrorists are a great threat to society, and the best way to protect
society from them is to take away their lives so they cannot reoffend

Human life is the most important thing there is and the value of human life can only
be shown by giving those who take human life the worst possible punishment → the
death penalty

Retribution and compensation are major parts of punishment and the only
retribution/compensation for taking a life is for the criminal’s life to be taken

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