Utilitarianism - consistent with religious decision-making?

• Bentham’s utilitarianism was formulated independently of…?

  belief in God, if God is irrelevant to the theory, then this suggests that utilitarian moral decision-making is inconsistent with any religious form of moral decision-making
• for utilitarianism, what is inevitable?

  self-interest, whereas, Christianity lacks this focus
• Since Christian’s seek to put self-interest on one side…?

  Bentham himself clearly saw little/no consistency between utilitarianism and Christian moral decision-making
• Unlike utilitarianism, what does religion have?

  A spiritual dimension
• Religion emphasises the spiritual dimension to life and the relationship with a personal God, in other words…?

  The kind of happiness that Christianity looks for is rooted in the kingdom of heaven
• whereas for Bentham…?

  Happiness is pointless if it is not quantifiable within society as we experience it in day-to-day living
• Act utilitarianism makes decisions for…?

  Specific situations
• Christianity makes decisions…?

  With regard to the will of God and the reward of life after death
• Who does christian moral decision-making have a particular focus on?

  The weaker members of society e.g. the poor and disadvantaged
• Bentham’s Act Utilitarianism isn’t really compatible with this approach, why?

  Since it insists that every individuals happiness counts as one
• Christianity in general gives greater value to rules in decision-making (NML, DCT etc), whereas act utilitarianism…?

  The “primary principle of utility“ is more important than any rules
• However, Jesus’ actions were utilitarian, how?

  Because he judged people by how they responded to the needy (e.g. parable of the sheep and the goat) - people are to be judged according to their response to situations of need
• Like a utilitarian, how does Jesus act?

  Situationally, e.g. when Jesus broke the rules of sabbath to heal a blind man - here, its evident that he was concerned with the consequences / greatest happiness
• What did John Stuart Mill claim?

  That there is a direct link between utilitarianism and Christianity
• Jesus made decisions by…?

  means of the “golden rule” - and so do utilitarians