Peace, religion and conflict themes

• Just war criteria:

  1. Just cause
  2. Right intention
  3. Last resort
  4. Controlled violence
  5. Proportional
  6. Reasonable chance of success
  7. Proper authority
• Absolute pacifism is when someone will never agree with violence or war, no matter the circumstances
• Conditional pacifism is when someone does not typically agree with violence or war, but does in extreme or necessary situations.
• Ghandi was a pacifist. He believed in sanctity of life. Martin Luther King was also a pacifist and he agreed with sanctity of life and believed that everyone was a child of God.
• Reasons for choosing pacifism:

  1. Sanctity of life
  2. Killing is against most religious books and teachings
  3. War causes more suffering than the evil being fought
  4. Using violence to achieve freedom can make you the same as the oppressor
• Dietrich Bonhoeffer was an absolute pacifist but he believed that killing Hitler was morally necessary but not morally good.
• Reinhard Niebuhr was Christian and developed a theory that pacifism was unrealistic because humans are naturally corrupt and sinful. We cannot rise against this as a group, but can as an individual. He also believed that pacifism was unrealistic because countries would always be attacked, and violence was then needed to stop this.
• Quakers will never take part in a war or violent actions.
• Terrorism is an act or threat of an act designed to influence the government or to intimidate the public to advance a political, religious or ideological cause.
• There are three key features of terrorism:

  1. use of threat or violence
  2. members of the public or civilians
  3. political, religious and ideological gain
• Quotes for pacifism:

  ”Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore”

  ”I tell you, anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgement”

  “Put your sword back in its place… for all those who draw the sword die by the sword”
• Some Christians may disagree with the just war theory because it defends the concept of war in certain circumstances and could lead to a general acceptance of war.
• Quotes about terrorism or can be applied to terrorism:

  ”You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgement”

  ”Love your neighbour as you love yourself”
• Problems with the just war theory:

  1. Just cause- who decides what is just and what if someone lies about their cause?
  2. Right intention- does having a good intention mean a good outcome?
  3. Proper authority- what if the UN doesn’t want to get involved?
  4. Last resort- what if people are dying whilst governments are discussing and how long should they discuss for?
  5. Chance of success- what if you wont win but war is morally the right thing to do?
  6. Controlled violence- what if civilians are attacking you?
  7. Proportional- surely you want to win as quickly and efficiently as possible?
• “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God”
• Anglican Pacifist Fellowship is a charity that promotes peace and pacifism.
• Weapons of mass destruction are capable of killing large numbers of people and cause a huge amount of destruction. They are known are indiscriminate weapons.
• What are some arguments in support of weapons of mass destruction?

  A country would use them to support and supply them in a war, boosting population, industry and natural resources.
• What are the arguments against weapons of mass destruction?

  The radioactive fallout can pollute soil, ground water, cause cancer and birth defects.