Good and Evil

• KEY TERMS (Good+Evil)
• Good


  - considered morally right, beneficial and to our advantage

  E.G. giving to charity
• Evil


  - considered extremely immoral, wicked and wrong

  E.G. murder
• Forgiveness


  - grant pardon for a wrongdoing and give up resentment and desire for revenge

  E.G. Jesus forgave those who crucified him
• Free Will


  - Make choices voluntarily and independently

  E.G. choice to believe in God or not
• Justice


  - fairness; everyone has equal provisions and opportunity

  E.G. criminal getting a punishment (deserved)
• Morality


  - Principles and standard which actions are right and wrong

  - 2 types; relative and absolute
• Conscience


  - inner voice, keep person on right track

  - religious; God guiding behaviour
• Suffering


  - pain or distress caused by injury, illness or loss

  - suffering physical, emotional or spiritual
• PUNISHMENT (Good + Evil)
• Retribution


  - form of revenge on behalf of those who were wronged or subject to attack
• Reformation


  - trying to ensure the criminal is helped to change their approach on life for the better

  - give 2nd chance
• Detterance


  - discourage people from committing crime as they know what the punishment is
• Justice


  - Criminals get what they deserved

  - Show law and authority are of supreme importance
• Protection


  protect people from being victims of crime
• Vindication


  Allowing people to have respect for and confidence in the authority of the law

  showing who is boss
• Reparation


  - Repairing damage done through crime

  - restorative justice - community service
• Christianity


  - God gave humans free will - responsible for our actions

  - Jesus taught importance of forgiveness, punishment mist be given

  - End of life, God final judge, God of justice
• PRISON REFORM (Good + Evil)
• Elizabeth Fry


  - 19th century, Quaker Christian, Newgate Prison

  - Female inmates, read and write, set up school

  - First chapel, bible readings

  - Bread to feed prisoners. made clothes

  - Influential on prison life
• Jesus

  PRISON REFORM (Good + Evil)

  - Influenced by Jesus who taught teachings on compassion

  - "Love thy neighbor"

  - Everyone given chance to change for the better
• PEACE, WAR, CONFLICT (Good + Evil)
• Christianity views

  PEACE, WAR, CONFLICT (Good + Evil)


  - 10 commandments; "Do not kill", conscientious objectors, pacifists

  - Jesus taught "Blessed of the peacemakers", avoid conflict

  - Pacifists, all war and violence is wrong, Jesus taught "Turn the other cheek"

  - Jesus taught "Love thy neighbor"

  -Use the Aquinas' Just War Theory, 6 conditions of war being accepted e.g. last resort
• ATTITUDES TO DEATH PENALTY (Good + Evil)
• Christianty (FOR)

  ATTITUDES TO DEATH PENALTY (Good + Evil)

  - Old testament says "An eye for an eye", kill they deserved to be killed (as retribution-revenge)

  - Believe its a way to deter people and stop them from committing crimes

  - capital punishment can be a form of vindication
• Christianity (AGAINST)

  ATTITUDES TO DEATH PENALTY (Good + Evil)


  - Life is a gift from God ( all life is sacred and special

  - "Do not kill", only God can take away life

  - Quakers campainged against it for 200 yrs

  - Each made in God's image and life should be respected

  - Jesus taught agape/love, "Love thy neighbor", most loving thing is to give a second chance
• ATTITUDES TO SUFFERING AND EVIL (Good + Evil)
• Christianity

  ATTITUDES TO SUFFERING AND EVIL (Good + Evil)

  - suffering through evil is necessary to develop moral souls, soul making

  - Story of Job, strengthen relationship in God, its a test

  - Punishment for sin, for Catholics its the results of original sin from Adam and Eve

  -allows us to appreciate good in the world, grow closer to Jesus who suffered
• IMPORTANCE OF FORGIVENESS (Good + Evil)
• Christianity

  IMPORTANCE OF FORGIVENESS (Good + Evil)

  - Religion known as forgiveness, love and compassion

  - Jesus forgace those who crucified him, whilst on cross "Father, forgive them"

  - Most important prayer for christians (Lord's prayer), "Forgive us our tresspasses, as we forrgive those, who tresspass against us"

  - Jesus said "forgive not 7 times but 70 x 7", meaning forgive endlessly

  - Gee Walker, forgave her sons killers

  - MLK, forgave those who treated him and other blacks unkindly
• Prison Chaplains


  A chaplain is a minister or religious figure who provides pastoral care for patients, including prisoners. Prison chaplains play a crucial role in providing counseling, support, and spiritual care to inmates, who often face complex emotions and needs during their sentence. They help prisoners re-enter the community, working with parole officers and other volunteers.
• Absolute Morality


  There are two types of morality: absolute morality, where a person holds a moral principle and applies it to all situations, such as killing, and relative morality, where a person is willing to adapt it in certain situations. Examples of absolute moralists include Catholics and Quaker Christians,
• Relative morality


  while relative morality is seen in Protestant Christian denominations like the Church of England, and humanists who follow a relative moral approach to judging situations and moral dilemmas.
• Moral decision making


  Moral decision-making is complex and requires a conscience to assess the right choice. It develops as we grow older, influenced by both right and wrong decisions. Some believe our conscience provides advance warning of the rightness of a decision, allowing us to make choices that are truly our own, despite the risk involved.
• causes of crime


  The causes of crime are complex. Most people today accept that poverty, parental neglect, low self-esteem, and alcohol and drug abuse are all connected in explaining why people commit crimes. Some people are simply at greater risk of becoming offenders because of the circumstances into which they are born.
• Christian attitudes to Justice and Punishment 2


  They also believe in compassion and addressing causes of criminal behavior, such as poverty and unemployment, to restore social justice and prevent crime. Punishment should enable individuals to reform upon release, adding value to the community. Some Christians have become prison chaplains to help prisoners reform effectively.
• quote for Christian attitudes to Justice and Punishment


  'But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream
• Christian attitudes to Justice and punishment


  Christianity is a religion of forgiveness, and as such Christians do not support the idea of retribution as a purpose of punishment - Jesus taught compassion and not revenge and because of this many Christians have been actively involved in prison reform to ensure that people are treated humanely in prison
• Forgiveness in Christianity


  Prayer/afterlife/The Creed/ Atonement/ 'Turn the other cheek'

  -Christianity is based on the idea of reconcillation and forgiveness

  -Parable of the prodigal son - teaches forgiveness showing people can make mistakes