Religion & Morality Revision Cards

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The Relationship Between Religion And Morality

Depends on religion - Is a link between religion and morality

Is independent of religion - An atheist can still have morals

Is opposed to religion - Religious people are not always moral

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Divine Command Ethics

God's will alone decides what is right and wrong. Human reason has no authority, God has absolute authority.

God (religion) tells us right from wrong through revelations:

General - Bible (accessed by everyone)

Specific - Visions of God (specific to you)

Proves there is a link between religion and morality as God (religion) is telling us right from wrong (morality.)

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Coppleston

Everyone who does good (even atheists) please God, "All goodness reflects God."

Goodness comes from God, therefore he is the reason for our morals.

Proves there is a link between religion and morality as God (religion) is happy when we do good, moral actions.

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Kant & Sommum Bonum

Used the idea of sommum bonum to show that there is a link between religion and morality.

Sommum bonum is "pure justice, virtue and happiness."

Kant observed that good things happen to bad people (a murderer wins the lottery) and bad things happen to good people (a doctor gets cancer.)

This shows that life is unfair and no one achieves sommum bonum in this lifetime.

Therefore there must be an afterlife where the good are rewarded and the bad are punished.

God must exist to judge us.

There is a link between religion and morality as God (religion) judges our morals in the afterlife.

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Newman & The Conscience

Used the idea that the conscience is universal to prove that there is a link between religion and morality.

Conscience is our inner sense of right and wrong.

Must be God given as everyine has an inner sense of right and wrong.

Is a link between religion and morality as God (religion) gave everyone a conscience to know right from wrong (morality.)

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Abraham & Isaac

In the story of Abraham and Isaac God told Abraham to sacrafice his son Isaac, Abraham agreed to do this.

Murder is an immoral act.

This proves there is no link between religion and morality as God (religion) commanded an immoral act.

Even though he interviened God is supposed to be omniscient. Therefore he would have known what Abraham would do without testing him. This proves there is no link between religion and morality.

However God stopped the immoral act (murder) he was just testing Abraham.  This proves there is a link  between religion and morality as God (religion) prevented the immoral act.

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The Westborough Baptist Church

Promotes hate and voilence towards homosexuals.

Bible says that "homosexuality is detestable."

Proves there is no link between religion and morality as it isn't a moral thing to do if people are getting hurt.

However the Westborough Baptist Church are an extriemist minority, they don't represent the majority of religious people who are moral. 

Therefore there is a link between religion and morality.

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Grayling

Observed that mordern society tells us to save money and plan for the future.

Where as Christianity tells people to "take no thought for tomorrow and give there possesions to the poor."

This is not a moral thing to do as it could cause suffering.

Proves there is no link between religion and morality as Christianity (religion) is telling people to give away all there things, this could cause suffering and conflicts with modern society.

However giving to the poor is a moral thing to do.

This proves there is a link between religion and morality as helping others is a moral thing to do.

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