RE Peace and Conflict

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Why the UN works for wolrd peace

The UN can stop any threats to wolrd peace by:

  • Imposing sanctions on countries threatening world peace.
  • Authorising the use of force by memeber states
  • Sending a UN peacekeeping force to: prevent outbreak of conflict, stabilise confict situations, bring about a stable governemnt and help to make peace agreeements work.

Example of the UN's work = Kosovo

  • The UN tried to negotiate a deal over Kosovo but Milosevic rejected it.
  • In 1999, the UN took control of Kosovo, giving the people their protection.
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How religious organisations try to promote world p

Main groups promoting world peace:

  • Christian Peacemaker team teams
  • The Muslim Peace Fellowship
  • The Jewish Peace Fellowship
  • Pax Christi International

What they do:

  • Organise meetings so people learn the horrors of war & vote for policitcal parties working for peace.
  • Organise protests about war to change public opionion & governements policys
  • Work for economic justice & worldwide acceptance of human rights
  • Organise & attend interfaith conferences to help all religions work together to promote world peace.
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Causes of War

  • Religion or Religious differences (2 religious groups claim one area as their God)
  • Differences about ideas and politics (if one group holds strong views on certain issues and try to enforce these views on other countries can cause wars)
  • Arguments about money and resources (world economy can cause conflicts if one country has a resource another country needs)
  • Nationalism and ethnicity (an ethnic group within a country is much larger than other groups, they can favour their own group over anther, which can cause the minority groups fighting civil wars)
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Just War

A Just War is:

  • Lead by legimate authoirty, has a just intention, begun as a last resort, weapons and methods are used in a just proportion to the cause

Chirstian Attitudes:

  • Many believe that on occasion, war may be an inevitable means of securing peace:
  • Jesus said 'Give to Caesar what is Caesar's' suggesting Christians should obey the gov.
  • Christian leaders state Christians have the right to fight in just wars.
  • Christians believe if we need police to protect innocent people against criminals then we need armed forces to protect innocent states against criminal ones.
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Christian & Muslim attitudes to war

Most Christians are pacifists

  • The 6th commandment says 'You shall not Kill'
  • Jesus stopped Peter from using violence when he was being arrested
  • Jesus taight to love your enemies and taught hisfollowers to 'turn the other cheek' and not retailiate.
  • The first 300 years of Christianity, Christians refused to fight in wars

Most Muslims believe that if a war is just then a Muslim should fight in it because:

  • The Qur'an teaches that Muslims must fight if they are attacked
  • Muhammaed himself fought in wars
  • The Hadith permits justifiable wars
  • The Qur'an teaches anyone who dies in a just war will go directly to heaven.
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Bullying

Why do people bully?  

Problems at home, been a victim of bullying themselves, low self asteem, jealousy.

Christian Attitudes (see bullying as wrong):

  • The Golden Rule
  • Christinans believe people are made in the image of God, bullying is an assult against God.
  • Using violence without a just cause is sinful, therefore bullying is sinful
  • The duty of Christians is to protect the weak and innocent, and bullying is the opposite.

Muslim Attitudes (see bullying as wrong):

  • Islam teaches that every member of the Muslim community should be treated equally and Muslims should act like brothers
  • The Qur'an teaches to protect the vulnerable in society
  • Islam teaches that it is the duty of Muslims to protect the weak and innocent, and bullying is the oppsoite
  • Islam regards using violence without a just cause as sinful, therefore bullying is sinful.
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Conflicts within a family

Non religious causes:

  • Parents refusing to accept childs choice of partner
  • Moral issues like divorce, cohabitation, abortiom.
  • A family members choice of religion
  • Siblings disagreeing as children or as adults

Religious Causes:

  • Children no longer want to follow their parents religion
  • Mixed faith marriages
  • Children being more religious than their parents causes parents to worry about fundamentalism
  • Divorce or abortion can cause issues due to religious beliefs.
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Christian & Muslim attitudes to forgiveness

All Christians teach that forgiveness and reconciliation are necessary to end conflict:

  • Jesus told Peter not to forgive 7 times but 70 times 7.
  • St Paul teaches that Christians should live in peace with everyone.
  • Jesus told parables about the importance of forgiveness and reconciliation
  • The Lord's prayers asks God to forgive our sins, so if we can expect God to forgive us then we should forgive others.

Islam teaches that Allah is forgiving:

  • Muslims should be merciful as Allah is merciful towards them
  • The Qur'an states that if a perosn forgives, his reward will be from God.
  • There are many sayings of the Hadith stating Muslims should forgive others
  • However, a Muslim must not forgive those who are working agaisnt Islam.
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