Good and evil

• Actions


  Judged by intentions
• Jesus: 'Love one another as I have loved you'
• Good intention


  Doing something for the right reasons and being genuine and sincere
• Muslims believe that good intentions (niyyah) shall be taken into account on judgement day
• Both Christians and Muslims believe in the importance of intentions - you should desire to help others and serve God
• Good actions


  Rewarded by God in the afterlife and include helping and caring for others and treating people with kindness
• Evil intentions


  Having the desire to deliberately cause suffering and harm to others
• Evil intentions


  May lead people to perform evil actions, punishable by going to hell
• Evil intentions go against God's Will and the 10 commandments
• Theists' belief about intentions


  God is omniscient meaning he knows the intentions behind your action and takes them into account
• Someone with bad intentions


  May not be forgiven in comparison to a person who had committed a crime with good intentions
• St Paul: 'Suffering produces perseverance'
• Quran: 'You are sure to be tested'
• Quran: 'With hardship must come ease'
• Christians recognise that suffering


  • Teaches people to be stronger
  • Helps Christians to develop empathy and compassion
  • Unites people together for a common aim to help
• Catholics believe suffering


  • Is the result of the original sin as suffering entered the world when Adam and Eve ate from the tree of knowledge
  • We must pay the price by suffering
  • We are then born into the world with original sin into a suffering world
• Muslims believe that suffering


  • Is Allah's plan
  • It is a test of faith and character
  • A reminder of sin and the revelation of Allah
  • Result of free will
• Both Christians and Muslims believe that intentionally causing suffering to others is wrong and you shall be held accountable on judgement day
• Both Christians and Muslims believe that good can come from suffering and it has value in our lives
• Both Christians and Muslims believe that suffering can test, strengthen and help to become a better person
• When could suffering be justified?


  • Self defence
  • Punishment- helps to bring retribution and deterrence
  • Ends justify the means
  • To prevent future suffering
  • Lesser of two evils
• How do Christians and Muslims respond to suffering?

  • Praying and asking God for strength
  • Doing good to alleviate suffering
  • Compassion to the suffering
  • Trust in God's plan
  • Try to find a reason/learn the lesson of their suffering
• On the flip side, suffering could make Christians and Muslims lose faith in an omnibenevolent God - why would a loving God subject them to so much suffering