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How GCSE teaches Christianity

Started by David Pinnegar, April 28, 2013, 03:38:43 PM

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David Pinnegar

Hi!

A young person has just leant me her GCSE Revision notes on "Beliefs and Values, Religion and Society"

It goes through a number of topics and outlines different religions' attitudes.

With respect to Genetic Engineering:
"Jesus was a healer so by using genetic engineering to heal others we ar following Jesus' example"

In relation to War:
"Christian attitudes to 'just war'

Most Christians would fight in a war if it is a "just war" that meets the following criteria
- the cause of the war is just (eg self defence)
- it is being fought by the authority of a government or the united nations
- it is being fought with the intention of restoring peace
- it is begun as a last resort (all non-violent methods of ending the dispute have been tried and failed)

Why Christians believe in 'just wars'
The reasons for Christians believing in 'just wars' are:
- St Paul taught that governments should be obeyed Jesus never condemned soldiers (said they were bad)
- Jesus praised the faith of a Roman Centurian (soldier)
- We need to protect the weak / innocent and protect against injustice
- Situation ethics - it may be the most loving thing (e.g. WW2 - stopping the Holocaust)
- All the main Churches teach that some wars can be 'just'
- The commandment not to kill only applies to murder, not killing in a just war
- There are lots of examples in the Bible of God helping the Jewish people to win wars"

Is it more useful to teach children what to think or how to think? Did Jesus really teach us what to think . . . or was he not trying to get us to think, and to teach us how to think?

Is this sort of education useful?

Best wishes

David P


"

Paul Duffy

#1
Wars could be just if political ambitions and egos weren't involved, but on the whole, wars are bad. Even the Crusades occurred through political aims: holy relics were big business in those days. I don't see how you can try to follow Jesus' teachings AND think wars are good. Christians are told not to fight violence with violence. Of course, we have a problem. The great cheerleader of holy wars, the Roman Catholic Church, does not follow Jesus' teachings anyway, (e.g. lay not up treasure for thyself upon earth), and changes its mind regularly (e.g. the church's hand in Joan of Arcs death as a heretic and later canonization). No, nothing good comes of wars. All that occurs is the mass slaughter of innocent humans, followed some years later by business deals secured between the main protagonists.

In short, I think it is useful for students to be asked these questions. These are revision notes in which clearly the student has outlined the main points and made her own decisions. I sincerely hope that is the case anyway or the next generation is truly sunk.

Best wishes,
Paul