Religion & Life

Heaven = a reward for living a righteous life.

Hell = punishment for living immorally.

Judgement = when decisions are made about your future.

C+M Views:

• Parable of the Sheep & Goats
• Death > Angles > Barzakh (purgatory) > Yawmiddhin (Judgement Day) > Book of Deeds.

Need to get it right as decision lasts for eternity (forever).

C+M will answer to God on everything they do, accountability, repentance, forgive others & God will forgive you.

Creation:

• Literalists - 6 24-hour periods.
• Liberalists - 6 undetermined periods of time.
• Muslims - 6 undetermined periods of time

Big Bang Theory = The universe started from an infinitely dense singularity that exploded and keeps expanding, forming the universe, mentions no God but can link to 1st cause argument.

Theory of Evolution = Living things adapting and changing to survive, survival of the fittest.

Some Christians accept evolution but all agree it does not happen in humans, Muslims believe in it, except humans.

The world is essential for our survival. It has the "wow" factor, many variations of terrain and life.

Stewardship is caring for the earth and all on it, we need to look after it.

Dominion is controlling, believing we have dominion will make people abuse it.

Khalifahs are trustees/stewards, roles:

• Look after earth and all on it
• They follow a set of extreme rules that have been around for 1000+ years.
• Treat environment & animals respectfully.

Ways we abuse the environment:

• Mining
• Pollution
• Littering
• Hunting
• Deforestation - cutting down trees, less CO2 being converted to O2

Renewable Energy (Wind, Solar, Hydro) is endless, can be used again.

Protect the environment by tree planting, protect endangered species, reduce carbon footprint, lobby MPs, support initiatives. 

C+M hold meetings with all other religions and politicians, create action plans & spread them everwhere.

Main types of pollution (damage to something):

• Air
• Water
• Light
• Noise

Consequences of pollution:

• Death
• Climate Change
• Melting Ice Caps
• Disease
• Radiation

Everyone has responsibility, we can recycle & use alternate energy.

C+M believe pollution is wrong, reduce it, God gave the earth to care for not destroy.

Animals are important to God, knows every creature.

Humans use them for:

• Food
• Work
• Pets
• Experimentation - acceptable if benefits humans.
• Sport
• Entertainment
• Clothing

Experimentation on animals for cosmetics is illegal in Europe, if limited suffering & benefits humans C+M will agree.

Battery Farming is cheaper, meets demand & Free Range farming, conscious shopper.

M - rules for 1000+yrs on how to look after animals, Muhammad always cared for his. C+M are proactive in protection of them.

Euthanasia = good/easy death or mercy killing.

3 types:

• Voluntary - chosen by the person
• Non-Voluntary - PVS, life support unplugged
• Involuntary - murder (Hitler & Jews)

2 Forms:

• Active - lethal overdose taken by individual
• Passive - removal of life support

Euthanasia is illegal in Europe & UK unless authorised by a high court.

It is the person's right to decide when death occurs.

C+M view euthanasia as wrong as it goes against God's plan & only God has the power to decide when someone dies,

Hospice Movement is looking after a terminally ill person until they die, providing painkillers.

1st hospice in 1967 created by Cicely Saunders.

Hospices offer companionship, carpooling, physical or occupational services, to help the patient & family.

Palliative care is helping someone who has a terminal illness by providing relief (eg, painkillers, help with stress) to the patient & family, begins at diagnosis rather than after failed treatment.

C+M like the hospice movement, "love thy neighbour", does not interfere with God's plan, arent killing anyone.

Abortion = artificial termination of a pregnancy.

Law says that abortion is legal up to 24wks but if mothers life in danger, anytime.

Reasons why women have abortions:

• ****
• Financial Struggle
• "Contraception"
• Poor quality of life for child

Pro-choice - woman's body her choice. Pro-life - all life is sacred, murder.

C - abortion is sin, goes against sanctity of life, is potential life, could give for adoption, sometimes necessary evil to save mother.

M - sin, against gods plan & sanctity of life, wrong unless before ensoulment, mother will answer to child in purgatory, sometimes necessary evil to save mother.