Religion, Peace and Conflict

Question 1

crime

Answer 1

an offence that breaks the law set by the government

Question 2

7 reasons for crime

Answer 2

• greed
• poverty
• addiction
• upbringing
• mental illness
• hate
• opposition to an unjust law

Question 3

views on poverty as a reason to commit crime

Answer 3

• C: stealing is always wrong, however society should ensure there is no situation where someone has to steal to live. Christians support actions that aid those in poverty.
• J: committing crimes, even out of need, is discouraged. Jews try to create a society where crime is never a necessity

Question 4

views on upbringing as a reason to commit crime

Answer 4

• C: parents should teach their children the right way and actions
• J: Children should be brought up in the Jewish faith with Jewish morals

Question 5

views on mental illness as a reason to commit crime

Answer 5

• C: treating the cause of the illness is the most compassionate thing to do
• J: Jews are expected to care for the mentally ill

Question 6

views on addiction as a reason to commit crime

Answer 6

• C: support rehabilitation
• J: people should be helped to overcome the addiction

Question 7

views on greed as a reason to commit crime

Answer 7

• C & J : heavily discouraged by the 10 commandments
• C: envy is discouraged and envy often leads to greed-inspired crimes

Question 8

views on hate as a reason to commit crime

Answer 8

• Cs and Js reject this heavily

Question 9

views on opposition to an unjust law as a reason to commit crime

Answer 9

• C: may support this, but only if it is done through peaceful means / nobody is physically harmed
• J: does not encourage this, but may work to change it if it goes against Jewish morality

Question 10

christian attitudes to lawbreakers

Answer 10

• christians believe the law is set out by God to govern humans
• offenders should be punished accordingly
• offenders should not receive inhumane or harmful punishment
• some Cs think the punishment should match the crime

Question 11

Jewish attitudes to lawbreakers

Answer 11

• the law of a country should be obeyed as long as it does not contradict the Torah law
• punishment should reflect the severity of the crime
• punishments should not be unreasonably harsh
• offenders should be given help so they do not reoffend
• individuals should take responsibility for their own crimes and try to make amends

Question 12

hate crimes

Answer 12

• often include violence
• often targets someone due to race, religion, gender, sexuality, disability etc.
• a massive example is the holocaust
• condemnded by Js and Cs

Question 13

theft

Answer 13

• often considered less serious than other crimes, but still results in a victin suffering a loss

Question 14

murder

Answer 14

viewed often as the worst/ one of the worst crimes a person can commit
- some murders are classed as hate crimes
- Js and Cs believe only God has the authority to take a life

Question 15

4 aims of punishment

Answer 15

• retribution
• deterrence
• reformation

Question 16

christian views on retribution

Answer 16

• Christians focus on other aims of punishment
• anger and hate is looked down upon
• although some christians believe in the death penalty / punishment that directly mirror the severity of the crime (s)

Question 17

jewish views on retribution

Answer 17

• most Jews reject the idea of retribution as an aim of punishment

Question 18

Christian views on punishment as deterrence

Answer 18

• most Cs agree with this as long as the punishment does not include disproportionate harm
• they oppose public punishments as they believe offenders should be respected

Question 19

jewish views on punishment as deterrence

Answer 19

• criminals should always be treated with respect, so example should not be made of specific offenders
• punishment as deterrence is acceptable if it is humane

Question 20

christian views on punishment for reformation

Answer 20

• most Cs favour this over other aims of punishment
• it focuses on the positive and demonstrates a sense of forgiveness
• not a replacement for punishment but should always be an aim of / work alongside punishment

Question 21

Jewish views on punishment for reformation

Answer 21

• reformation should not replace punishment
• reformation is important alongside punishment
• punishment should aim to turn the life / actions of the offender around

Question 22

religious attitudes to suffering

Answer 22

• suffering is a result of free will
• suffering causes growth
• suffering could be a test of faith and morality from God
• suffering allows people to appreciate the good

Question 23

Prisons

Answer 23

• C: prisoners should be treated well, it is important when conditions are humane and civilised.
• J: Torah makes no mention of prisons but most Jews today agree with their use for serious crimes. prisoners should be treated well and given an opportunity to reflect, show remorse and reform

Question 24

corporal punishment

Answer 24

C: Most Cs disagree with this
J: the Torah and the Talmud allow corporal punishment but most Jews today reject the idea.

Question 25

Community service

Answer 25

- C: agree if the person is likely to benefit from it. also works are reparation. no harm is done to the offender which is important - J: not harmful, helps the offender understand and pay for their crime

Question 26

Christian attitudes to forgiveness

Answer 26

- forgiveness is a key teaching, but most believe that it comes alongside punishment, not as a replacement - Cs believe they should forgive people always and fully no matter what

Question 27

Jewish attitudes to forgiveness

Answer 27

- not expected to be an automatic response - offenders should show sincere remorse in order to achieve forgiveness from both the victim and God - showing forgiveness is a duty if the offender is genuine in their asking - not a replacement for punishment

Question 28

Arguments for the death penalty

Answer 28

- retribution (in proportion the crime e.g. a murderer should be murdered) - protection of society - principle of utility

Question 29

arguments against the death penalty

Answer 29

- injustice / killing an innocent person - little evidence of it as an effective deterrent: UK murder rate is no higher than other countries that legalised CP - not right to take someone's life - imprisonment also protects criminals - does not allow a chance for reformation

Question 30

Average number of years between being sentenced to death and exoneration

Answer 30

11.3 years

Question 31

christian view of the death penalty

Answer 31

- sanctity of life - wrongdoers should be reformed - violence is not acceptable

Question 32

Jewish views on death penalty

Answer 32

- The Torah identifies 36 offences that can be punished by the death sentence but the conditions laid out in the Talmud make it very hard to pass this sentence - sanctity of life - retribution and deterrence