RE Religion and Life 2015 Exam Paper

RE Religion and Life 2015 Exam Paper Animals 1) What is factory farming? 1 Mark An intense method of farming animals for the purpose of producing food It is where many animals are kept in cruel conditions such as overcrowding and small spaces. This is because eit is a cheap way of farming for food 2) Describe what some religious believers may do to promote animal rights 4 Marks Christians believe that animals are part of God s creation and as a result they should be free from cruelty where possible Christians may campaign against activities that are harmful to animals such as factory farming or fox hunting Some religious people may try to educate others in the importance of protecting animals from extinction Muslims believe that animals are a gift from Allah and as such they may peacefully campaign against animals testing (although some Muslims agree with it) Some religious people may buy free range products which are less cruel to the animals and promote animal rights Religious people may support the law that states it is wrong to abuse animals unnecessarily. They may work for the RSPCA or write to local MPs 3) Religious believers have a duty to prevent animals from becoming extinct. 3 Marks Christianity teaches that animals are part of God s creation and we have a duty to ensure that they are cared for as such. - Not one sparrow is forgotten by God The Christian belief of stewardship states that humans were put in charge of animals with a responsibility to look after and care for them this means that we should not allow animals to become extinct Muslims believe that humans are responsible for looking after the animals for Allah Muhammad forbade using animals in a disrespectful way which means were should do what we can to prevent extinction In the Qur an it states animals are important and they must be treated with respect so Muslims should protect animals from extinction Religious people may campaign against the ivory trade or deforestation which endangers animals It is the duty of all humans tyo protect animals for future generations to come

4) Explain the religious teachings on genetically modifying animals 4 Marks Christians believe that God created Humans last and they were put in charge of all animals we may use them to help us survive so some believe that genetically modifying animals to help with organ transplant or find cures for diseases is acceptable. Christians believe that we do have a responsibility for the animals so we should not hurt them or abuse them there must be strict regulations in genetic testing. Muslims believe that Allah created the animals for us to use to genetically modifying animals may take place as long as suffering is kept to a minimum animals must be respected Muslims prefer to use alternatives such as computer simulation to help try and find cures for diseases. Religious people believe that you should not play God so modifying animals in an unnatural way would be seen as wrong Not one sparrow is forgotten by God all animals should be protected from pain and suffering 5) Religious believers should not eat meat 5 Marks Christians believe that animals can be eaten as God put animals on the planet to help humans and use as we see fit including for our own survival The bible states that God told Noah after the flood that animals may be used for food, and later St Paul said that all animals may be eaten Muslims believe that Allah allows us to use animals for food. They have food laws that must be followed and the meat must be deemed as halal. Muslims are however not allowed to eat pork as this is seen as unclean in the Islam religion Some people would argue that eating meat helps maintain a healthy diet and gives use essential nutrients many people believe that our teeth are designed to help us eat meat Some people think we can now live a healthy life eating meat supplements such as Quorn and may choose to be a vegetarian as they view eating meat as cruel and unnecessary Christians may prefer to eat free range meat as this is a kinder option to the animals factory farming is a cruel method of producing meat as animals are kept in small enclosed spaces with no access to sunlight Buddhists believe that we should respect all life and therefore many are vegetarian and avoid eating animals I believe that animals may be eaten for food as long as they are kept in suitable conditions such as free range (although this is expensive) and suffering is kept to a minimum. Eating animals is part of the natural food chain. However no endangered animals should be used in this process

Planet Earth 1) What is conservation? 1 Mark Conservation means to protect the environment and the animals It means to look after the Planet and protect it for the future 2) What some religious believers may do to look after natural resources 4 Marks Christians may decide that in our to look after the Planet as the teaching of Stewardship says you should look after the natural resources by using less energy for example turning of electricity Christians may make sure that they recycle where possible rather than throw away resources that could be used again Some Muslims may decide to share lifts or take a bus rather than use a car unnecessarily Religious believers may have solar panels put on their houses to use renewable energy rather than fossil fuels They may campaign to the government about renewable energy or deforestation that happens all around the world. 3) The natural world inspires feelings of awe and wonder. 3 Marks The universe itself is amazing whether you believe in the creation or the big bang theory, how everything works so life can exist is extraordinary There are many amazing places around the world that inspire people such as Mount Everest or the Grand Canyon In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth as it is God s creation Christians should stop climate change Religious people believe that the amazing planet is proof that a God must exist and that he created such a wonderful place. Some people may argue that natural disasters are very powerful but have a huge impact on our world Some people are so captivated by amazing places that they aim to travel across the planet so they can experience it

4) Explain why religious people are concerned about pollution 4 Marks Christians believe humans were put in charge of the planet (stewardship), therefore responsible for the environment and need to stop pollution from damaging the planet Christians believe that the world is a gift and they should preserve it not destroy it by pollution. Oil spills can have devastating effects on plant and animal life in the area. Muslims also believe in stewardship and this means they are responsible for looking after the planet not destroying it pollution therefore is frowned upon in the Islam religion The Qur'an teaches that the balance of the universe should be maintained pollution is adding to global warming which will disrupt the balance of the planet Muslims believe that humans will be judged on how we look after the planet on the Day of Judgement Pollution is having a huge impact on the Planet and we will not be able to reverse the damage so future generations will suffer Climate change is the result of air pollution this is changing the world s climate in such a way that there may be freak weather patterns global flooding and extinction of animals Polluting the seas, rivers and atmosphere is not good stewardship as it can destroy wildlife and the animals that exist there In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth as it is God s creation Christians should stop climate change 5) Religious believers must help stop climate change 6 Marks Climate change is the result of air pollution this is changing the world s climate in such a way that there may be freak weather patterns global flooding and extinction of animals Christians believe humans were put in charge of the planet (stewardship), therefore responsible for the environment and need to stop climate change from damaging the planet In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth as it is God s creation Christians should stop climate change Muslims also believe in stewardship and this means they are responsible for looking after the planet not destroying it climate change therefore is must be controlled Religious believers will try to avoid climate change by recycling, reusing items and turning off unnecessary electrical items. Some people believe that there are more important things that should be tackled before climate change such as war and poverty Christian Aid works to combat (stop) climate change from affecting farmers in Africa. It is not just religious believers that should look at stopping climate change political leaders and governments can do far more than religious believers to protect and conserve the planet I think that we all have a responsibility to stop climate change although there are many people and scientists that question whether or not it has been to human activity

Religion and Prejudice 1) What is meant by scapegoating? 1 Mark Blaming a group or race of people for social problems Putting blame for problems like lack of jobs or terrorism on immigrants or Muslims 2) Religious people should oppose all discrimination 3 Marks Christianity teaches that God created all people equally and that they should help ensure that humanity also treats people with equality so discrimination should be opposed Islam promotes tolerance and harmony. They believe that people should be treated with respect and not discriminated against However Positive discrimination can help the weak or vulnerable for example letting old people sit down on a bus this would follow Jesus teaching of love thy neighbour The main focus on religion is helping people in need so if discrimination is for a good reason then it should not be opposed Discrimination is not fair and therefore it should be opposed and people should be treated equally 3) Explain how religious believers may promote harmony 4 Marks Harmony means living in tolerance and peace with other people Christians believe that we should help others to promote harmony Christians work together in parts of the world such as Northern Ireland to focus on how people should live together with tolerance not fight over their beliefs The Muslim community has tried to speak out against terrorism and extremism to reduce the conflict that exists between different religions Places of worship have been opened to all faiths to share culture and different ideas The parable of the Good Samaritan shows that Christians should work and help different races treating all people as their Neighbours Leaders of different faiths and religions meet to discuss how they can make this world a better place

4) What are the religious attitudes towards ageism? 4 Marks Christians believe that God created everyone equal so prejudice and discrimination are wrong this includes prejudice due to age Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan where he said we should help people of all types and love your neighbour whether they are elderly or young The Muslim holy book (Qur'an) states that prejudice and discrimination are wrong and they do not agree with people being prejudice due to age the elderly must be respected Christianity teaches that we should value the individual no matter what their age and ensure that we treat people fairly Muslims believe that they should all wear white when they go on Hajj to show they are equal in the eyes of Allah whether they are old or young! 5) Religion is the worst form of prejudice 6 Marks One of the most horrific events of human history occurred because of religious prejudice - during WWII over 6 million Jews were killed in the death camps run by the Nazi party this shows that a lot of people have lost their lives because of religious prejudice More recently troubles in Northern Ireland has cause many conflicts between the protestant and catholic people There has been a lot of prejudice against Muslims across the world after the events of 9 /11 and the London bombings with many peaceful Muslims being called terrorists. Prejudice against Muslims has increased at a dramatic rate in the UK However there are many other forms of prejudice that affect our society today. Racism caused the death of Anthony Walker when he was violently struck with an ice pick and killed because he was black Discrimination due to ageism and sexism is still a problem in many work places for example women may be paid less doing the same job as a man People with a disability are often targeted as a source of abuse and violence this can have a huge effect of people who have to live with the problems of prejudice in our society Prejudice as a whole needs to be tackle not just religious prejudice. Education and stronger laws will help achieve this Religion promotes peace and tolerance of others and states that any kind of prejudice or discrimination is wrong In the bible it states there is no difference between Jew Non-Jew Male or Female So Christians would disagree with not only religious prejudice but other types of prejudice such as sexism

Religion and Early Life 1) Explain what is meant by the Sanctity of life 1 Mark All life is special and should be respected wherever possible Religious believers think that life is a gift from God and that it is sacred and should be looked after 2) Explain the different choices to having an abortion 4 Marks Some women in difficult circumstances might have considered an abortion but decided that with help and support they will keep the baby and work through the problems Some parents may decide that adoption is a better option for them than keeping the child. They may hope that this will give the child a better standard of life than they can offer It may be the case that some parents or mothers decide that fostering is a good option for the baby until they have managed to resolve some issues in their lives. This could be a lack of money or addiction to alcohol 3) Religious believers should join pro-life pressure groups 3 Marks Catholic Christians are against all form of abortion as they believe life begins at conception. Some of them like to campaign against abortion and make other people aware that they consider abortion to be murdering and unborn child Christians while they may consider abortion breaks the sanctity of life find that in some extreme circumstances it could be acceptable. They may believe that it should be treated with understanding rather than judgement Muslims believe that abortion should only be allowed in extreme circumstances so they may join groups that promote that life is a gift from Allah Abortion is a difficult topic that has many different circumstances so some people do not believe that others should be pressured by pro-life groups Religious believers can join pressure groups but they must respect and tolerate that others have different beliefs to them

4) Explain why some religious believers think it is necessary to have abortion laws 4 Marks Catholic Christians believe that abortion is morally wrong and that it should not be allowed by law. This is true for Ireland and Northern Ireland that have very strict laws that do not allow abortions to take place Catholics believe that the sanctity of life should be respected at all costs and the laws of the country should reflect these religious beliefs in Catholic Countries Christians may find some abortions understandable in extreme circumstances such as the mother s life is in danger. They believe that this should be reflected in the law in order to protect the mother s right to safety Christians believe that abortion should not be allowed on demand and therefore that law should protect the foetus and give it a right to life in most situations Muslims only believe abortion should be allowed in very extreme situations. The foetus is a gift from Allah and should be respected and given a right to live. 5) It is wrong to teach that life begins at conception 6 Marks For a Catholic Christian they would disagree as they believe that life does begin at conception and from that point is should be respected under the sanctity of life Catholics believe that from Conception life has begun and full human rights should be given at this point Muslims believe that there is potential life from conception but that the soul is not implanted until 120 days this is when they would really consider life to have begun You could argue that DNA is set at conception and so genetically life has begun at this point people may disagree as you cannot call a collection of cells human life Some people believe that life does not being till the heart starts beating the heart is a symbol of life and death for many s would say that life has not really begun till viability where the foetus would live outside the mother s womb. At this point it has become viable to exist and live as a human being Another idea is that human life does not begin until birth this is when things really change and life has begun as a separate individual People have many different beliefs so it depends on your own personal religious or scientific opinion on when you think life begins. It also may depend on what country you live in as to what people are taught

Religion and War 1) Explain what is meant by a weapon of Mass Destruction 1 Mark A weapon of war that targets multiple numbers of people A weapon that kills in large numbers for example nuclear weaopons 2) Religious teachings cannot support terrorism 3 Marks Some religious believers have been involved with terrorist acts for example extremist in the Islam religion have killed innocent people for example 9-11 or by becoming members of IS Some extreme Muslims would argue that they are doing the work of Allah and following the Qur an by committing these acts Religion teaches that life is a gift from God and that all life should be respected therefore religion must be against the killing of innocent civilians One of the 10 Commandments in Christianity is Thou shall not kill so religious teaching clearly states that we should not harm others 3) Explain why some religious believers will fight in a war 4 Marks Christians believe that in some cases it is necessary to go to war. They believe in the Just War theory: 7 conditions that must be met to say the war is justifiable. If the war meets these conditions then some Christians would be prepared to fight These include conditions such as there must be a just cause / good reason to go to war also that the war must be for a good intention and peace talks must have taken place Some Christians believe that we must protect people from evil and stand up for justice against people such as Hitler or Bin Laden and to stop the evil that these people commit Muslims believe that peace is better than conflict however they are allowed to go to war in self-defence or the defence of Islam these wars must also meet certain conditions and should protect innocent people and the environment from damage Sometimes we must go to war in order to protect civilians in our country or other countries around the world. It is our responsibility and duty to ensure that innocent people stay safe

4) Describe the work of one religious believer who has fought for peace 4 marks Irena Sendler was a Roman Catholic (Christian) who was born in Poland. During the Nazi attack in WWII she was a member of the Polish resistance who offered Jews food and shelter. They helped created over 3000 false documents so Jewish families could avoid arrest. She also organised the smuggling of Jewish children from the Ghettos and placing them with Polish families so they would be safe. In 1943 Irena was arrested by the Nazi secret police, she was tortured and sentence to death. The resistance bribed the German guards to release her, she was found in the woods unconscious with her legs broken. After the war she attempted to unite the Jewish children with their families, although many had died in the concentration camps. Ghandi was born in India but trained to be a lawyer in England. He practised a non-violent way of living and encouraged people to treat others with equality. In 1915 he used peaceful methods to fight against the British who ruled India. After the British massacred unarmed civilians he led a campaign that included boycotting British goods and refusing to pay tax. He also tried to make peace between the Muslims and Hindus over the role of Pakistan. He was assassinated in 1948 Martin Luther King allowed Desmond Tutu allowed 5) War is not the best way to solve problems between countries 6 Marks Throughout human history there has been conflict, violence and wars and many people think that this will continue into our future and it is the best way to protect innocent civilians Unfortunately there will always be people such as Hitler or Bin Laden that need to be removed to stop the suffering and genocide (mass killing) of humans Sometimes war is a last resort when peaceful negotiations have failed especially with groups such as IS people however are more hopeful and believe that we are creating a more peaceful society and countries are learning to work together rather than fight with each other Many successful peace talks have taken place that have meant war could be avoided and as relations improve between countries this should improve Christians believe in tolerance and understanding. Part of the Just war theory is that peace talks should have taken place to resolve the conflict Muslims believe that Allah wants peace so many work towards this and try to help with the threat of terrorism from Muslim extremists. As humanity continues to evolve and realise that all people of all races need to be tolerant of each other, however it will take a long time before wars are no longer taking place in our world War may not be the best way to solve problems as people will die as a result but sometimes it is the only way