11.3.1 Religion & Violence (AQA GCSE Religious Studies A (8062))

Attitudes to Violence & Violent Protests

Attitudes to violence

• There are lots of reasons which lead to a lack of peace within the world
  

  • Acts of crime can lead to violence eg. murder or assault

  • When countries go to war with each other 

  • Terrorist activities when groups deliberately cause fear and inflict suffering on people, for religious or political reasons

• Violence is any behaviour involving physical force intended to hurt, damage, or kill someone or something

• No religion promotes violence in its teachings, and all are generally agreed that conflict should be avoided if at all possible

• However, religions have some slightly difference teachings on when violence and conflict may be justified

• Some religious people would condemn violence regardless of the reasons but some people would accept violence is necessary in some situations

• Some religious and non-religious people are pacifists. These are people who are against war, violence and conflict no matter what the reason

  • Some pacifists have refused to go to war in the past. They are known as conscientious objectors 

  • Most pacifists would refuse to go to war under any circumstances

  • Some would only choose violence if there was absolutely no choice

  • There were some pacifists during the Second World War who went to prison for refusing to fight. Many were humiliated and abused for their beliefs

• Other religious and non-religious people would accept violence providing there was justification for it

Violent protests

• A protest happens when a group of people get together to campaign about something they disagree with

• The right to protest is considered to be a fundamental democratic freedom

• The law in the UK allows individuals and groups to protest in public to demonstrate their point of view

• If the protest involves a procession or a march, the police must be told at least 6 days before it takes place

• The Police have the rights to alter the route or take out a court order to ban the march if they feel it may intimidate others or involve violence

• Most protests are peaceful but some protests can turn violent if the protestors who have different views clash

  • Martin Luther King Jnr led peaceful protests during the Civil Rights Movement in America to try and improve the rights and conditions for black Americans

  • In 1913, suffragette Emily Davison stepped in front of the king's horse at the Epsom Derby to protest against women being denied equal rights to men. She was struck by the horse and later died

• Most religious people would be against violent protests because peaceful resolutions would always be preferred

Christianity - Attitudes to Violence

• Christians believe that violence is wrong and that people should always aim to be peaceful

• They believe this due to the teachings of Jesus which shows that peace should be the goal for all humans

  • Jesus is referred to as the 'Prince of Peace' in the bible (Isiah 9: 6)

  • Jesus commanded for everyone to 'Love your enemies' meaning that love instead of violence and conflict should always be the answer

  • Jesus rejected the teachings of the Old Testament of the bible which focused on retaliation 

  • Jesus said,

• This means that instead of using violence against someone, you should be peaceful and avoid conflict

• Even when Jesus was betrayed by Judas he did not condone violence against him

• The bible says, 'All who draw the sword, will die by the sword' (Matthew 26: 52) meaning that if you use violence in your life, your life is likely to be ended by violence

• Some Christians believe that war and conflict can be justified providing there is a good reason to go to war but it should always be a last resort

Islamic - Attitudes to Violence

• Muslims believe in a civilised society and people should not use violence except under legal authority because

  • Using violence without just cause is sinful

  • Any Muslim who is violent to a fellow Muslim is acting against the Ummah

  • It is the duty of Muslims as vicegerents to protect the weak and innocent not attack them

  • In his final sermon Muhammad (pbuh) said: 'every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim' therefore no one should be violent to their brother

• There is a tradition of passive resistance within Islam based upon the story of Moses and Aaron who refused to fight against the Israelites who rebelled against God (Qur'an 5: 28)

• The Qur'an also condemns violence, 'If anyone kills a person, unless in retribution, for murder or speaking corruption in the land, it is as if he kills mankind' (Qur'an 5: 31)

• However, the Qur'an encourages Muslims to 'struggle in the way of Islam' (Qur'an 22: 78) and there is no idea of pacifism or 'turning the other cheek' within Islam

• If some human rights, for example, the freedom to worship are taken away, then Muslims are forced to act 

• Muslims also believe in the 'Greater Jihad' and the 'Lesser Jihad'

  • The Greater Jihad refers to the inner struggle that every Muslim has to do the right thing

  • The Lesser Jihad is the justification to defend the religion if it is being attacked

• Although the Lesser Jihad is not viewed to be as important as a Muslim's own inner struggle, it is still part of Muslim belief

• Muslims believe that war can be justified in certain circumstances like defending their religion from attacks