“Christians should not take part in sporting events or go shopping on a Sunday”Do you agree, give reasons for your answer showing that you have thought about more than one point of view.

"Christians should not take part in sporting events or go shopping on a Sunday" Do you agree, give reasons for your answer showing that you have thought about more than one point of view. 400 Words 8 marks Christopher Fitzsimons 11Q The commandment " Keep holy the Sabbath" Is very vague in what it says. The commandment tells us what to do, but where the problem lies is that it does not tell us how to do it. In today's society more so than at the time of Jesus, the commandment is open to interpretation. There is little doubt any more that Sunday is fast losing its holy day status. Some devout, orthodox Christians still live as people did at the time of Jesus with regard to the Sabbath and would fully agree that we should keep Sunday holy, refrain from all unnecessary work on the Sabbath, and that shopping stores should not open on a Sunday. However in modern day society it is accepted that to devote a full day to God is very difficult and something which is, sadly not very common anymore. The majority of 21st century Christians would probably agree that Sunday is a day of leisure nowadays and to go to Mass on a Sunday is regarded enough to keep the commandment. They would also agree that it is not at all practical in this day and age to relax and cease work of all kind for one entire day. People generally believe that once we have gone to the Church for an hour we should

  • Word count: 585
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Religious Studies & Philosophy
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'If one of the divisions in Judaism is right then the others must be wrong'

'If one of the divisions in Judaism is right then the others must be wrong' Discuss Within Judaism there are two major splits, the first is orthodox and the other is non orthodox. Even though they are both on the same branch of religion their belief of how such actions and laws are determined differently on how strict their society is. This does not mean the non orthodox are further from god it's just the idea they interpretation of the Torah, Talmud and laws are different to orthodox. Orthodox Judaism's main belief is that the Torah, including both the Written Law and the Oral Law, were given directly from God to Moses and can never be altered or rejected in any way. As a result, all Orthodox Jews are required to live in accordance with the Commandments and Jewish law. As well within the UK there are 80% of Orthodox Jews therefore it is open to interpretation that the Orthodox belief is primarily considered the right way to worship. Ways in which we can Orthodox abiding all of Gods laws is by keeping to the 613 commandments set down within the Torah, especially the first 10 for example 'thou shall not kill' an orthodox would defiantly not contemplate killing another leaving person even if they were in pain as it goes against the 6th commandment. As well as keeping the commandments the orthodox believe in the idea of physical being and the belief that the messiah is

  • Word count: 988
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Religious Studies & Philosophy
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Bioethics essay

Bioethics is the branch of ethics that arises from issues relating to life and death. The response of Jewish adherents to issues such as IVF, abortion, euthanasia, stem cell research and suicide expresses the teachings of Judaism on bioethics. For adherents of Judaism, the most significant principle driving bioethical decisions is to follow the will of God. This demands a great reverence for human life. With close reference to Euthanasia and Abortion in the context of variant responses, we will be able to witness how the bioethical teachings of Judaism are expressed. The basic guideline to follow the will of God will guide bioethical decisions made by the Jewish adherent. They will make a decision that they believe is protective of human life and maintains the covenant with God. All variants agree that life belongs to God and is a sacred gift, created in the God's image. This equal value for every individual life drives a responsibility to protect life and heal the sick. Such claims are supported theologically, in the Decalogue; the 6th commandment "thou shalt not kill" suggests the protection of human life. In every bioethical issue, Jews seek to preserve the dignity of life and maintain their covenant with God. However, actual Bioethical teachings may differ based on each variants source of ethical guidance. Varying responses stem from levels of reliance/adherence to

  • Word count: 725
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Religious Studies & Philosophy
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Orthodox Judaism is Kantian Whereas Progressive Judaism is Relative, Discuss

"Orthodox Judaism is Kantian Whereas Progressive Judaism is Relative." Discuss This statement is a vast simplification. Kantian ethics, cannot be considered as a category of ethics, - it is an ethical theory in its own right. Orthodox Judaism includes an ethical theory that overlaps with Kant's theory but which is by no means identical. Progressive Judaism on the other hand is practically speaking relativist but base their relative code of behaviour on certain principles, which "affirms the central tenets of Judaism.1" The theory of Immanuel Kant is deontological in nature. An action is good because it conforms to certain independently valid principles. These principles are not valid because they promote a good situation but rather because they are intrinsically good. So far, the Orthodox Jewish ethical approach lives up to the status of a deontological approach. A good action is one that fulfills G-ds will, as defined in a guide of principles and laws, the Torah, independent of the human reality. Unlike Orthodox Judaism, Kant did not have divinely revealed principles. Kant had to find principles that were intrinsically good. He did this through the mode of rationality. Reason is universal, and so morality can be logically deduced. Orthodox Judaism places a tremendous emphasis on logic. However natural human logic is not a sophisticated enough tool for discerning moral

  • Word count: 2348
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Religious Studies & Philosophy
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Jewish beliefs on life after death and Jewish Funerals

Topic 4 GCSE Question AO1 - Describe the Jewish beliefs about what happens to evil people after death. Death as a general concept is a very difficult concept to come to grips with; it is one of the very few events that occur in modern life where we do not have primary sources to inform us. The torah talks about "Every Jew having a portion in the world to come". So we have already established that even the most evil person amongst our ranks will live beside us in the world to come. The problem in the above paragraph which is talked about a lot in Jewish teachings and literature is weather the evil people will live beside us or weather just like a class divide on the trains in England's past they will be mere peasants in the back carriages. All sources at hand concur that for those possessed with good that have devoted their lives to mitzvoth the after life will only bring pleasure and the most desirable dreams. Back to the original question the problem and arguments occur when talking about evil people. During torah times we were told of a place designed for these sinners referred to as "Sheol". When comparing this ideology to the idea of "Hell" believed by followers of the Christian belief, it was agreed that this is not the case and in fact Judaism does not believe in Hell. - Which is believed to be a mans worst nightmare and often depicted as a fiery underworld. The

  • Word count: 822
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Religious Studies & Philosophy
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What Are the Causes and Effects of a Religion Splitting Into Divisions or Sects?

By Julian Gertner Introduction: In this project I intend to learn about how two main Jewish groups, Hasidism and the Reform, began and developed into a modern day sect of Judaism. I will learn how the different movements agree and disagree with one another by studying their beliefs, attitudes, social practises and the effect it has on their adherents. By looking at the advantages and disadvantages, I will also learn if Jews overcoming their differences and uniting is a good or bad idea. Questions: a) (i) Describe the origins of two main Jewish groups and the ways in which they have developed. (ii) What were the religious issues, which caused the origin and development of these two groups? b) In what ways have the religious issues, which caused the group to develop, affected the moral behaviour, attitudes and social practises of their adherents? c) 'Jews should try to overcome their differences and unite.' Do you agree? Give reasons to support your answer and show that you have thought about different points of view. Answers: a) (i) Describe the origins of two main Jewish groups and the ways in which they have developed. The two groups I have chosen to describe are: (i) Hasidism, (ii) Reform. Hasidism: In the early seventeenth century, most of the Jews in Europe dwelled in Poland. Many famous yeshivot (Talmudic academies) were also situated in Poland,

  • Word count: 7291
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Religious Studies & Philosophy
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Explain how Jewish people put their beliefs about Israel/Zionism into action

Zionism A02 Question: Explain how Jewish people put their beliefs about Israel/Zionism into action (7 marks) Israel is very important to Jewish people because Jews believe that it is the land that God promised to the Jewish people and that he looks favourably upon it. It is one of the things Jews gain in return for keeping the covenant relationship with God. Jews also might have a preference to live in a Jewish state. Jewish people use the term "aliyah" which means "going up" when describing and talking about going to live in Israel. Traditionally Jews put their beliefs about Israel into action by joining a movement known as the Zionist movement. "Zion" is a word which is used for Jerusalem in the Old Testament but is often used to refer to the whole of Israel. Zionism is the name given to the belief that Jewish people should have a national homeland in which to live. It is a political view based on the Jewish people's religious beliefs about Israel. Zionism first began in the 19th century. It was a movement which aimed to give Jewish people a homeland in Israel. The main two reasons for the start of the Zionist movement were because the Jewish people longed to have Israel as their homeland again and secondly because of anti-Semitism against Jews which was greatly experienced in the 19th Century e.g. in Russia anti Jewish riots were held which brought death and destruction

  • Word count: 750
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Religious Studies & Philosophy
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Covenantal Monotheism: A dissection of Jewish movements currently practiced in the United States.

Covenantal Monotheism: A dissection of Jewish movements currently practiced in the United States David Bernardi The covenant of Judaism; a term that is so deep in the practices, beliefs, and history of Judaism that a life-long student scholar of religion would fall short in any attempt to encompass its meaning in mere words or writings. A bond between two. A bond forever unbreakable in the eyes of many, a bond so clear and understood it has directed the lives thousands of generations of people. A bond that has created beauty and life for some yet has brought war and death for others. Judaism is more than a religion. Judaism is a people, a history, a religion, and a culture; a culture that has, over thousands of years, endured years of persecution and has enjoyed years of ideological success. Judaism has also found the ability have a multi-lateral foundation of growth in terms of its beliefs and practices. Judaism has remained amazingly unchanged in practice and belief and has also found strength in evolving with modern times of changing eras. This remarkable feat is the basis of the different movements within Judaism. To examine the meaning of the Covenant of the Jewish religion it is necessary to first have an understanding of the differences that separate and similarities that bind the various movements. The practice of Orthodox Judaism is best described

  • Word count: 1464
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Religious Studies & Philosophy
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Critically evaluate the claim that all religious doctrines and institutions exercise patriarchal control over women.

Critically evaluate the claim that all religious doctrines and institutions exercise patriarchal control over women. Patriarchy is a social system, which systematically benefits males over females. Many feminist have argued that religion is a patriarchal institution. Teachings and practices from a range of religions suggest that males are benefited over females. This claim can be supported simply by looking at a quote from one of the religious books. For example the Islamic holy book states 'women have the same rights in relation to their husbands as are expected in all decency of them, while men stand a step above them'. This demonstrates a common teaching displayed in most of the world religions, teaching that women hold a lower status to men. Again this can be demonstrated through noting that most Gods from the world religions are male. Similarly the majority of all religious professionals are male. In Christianity females are not eligible to become priests in the Roman Catholic Church, nor can they become imams in Islam. However this idea can be challenges as it seems that as far as Christian churches are concerned, women are more likely than men to attend a religious service and 66%of regular church goers are women. This surely suggests that as women have greater religiosity than men they must not feel exploited or subservient to males. On the other hand their roles

  • Word count: 1146
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Religious Studies & Philosophy
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What is the difference between Orthodox Jews, Progressive Jews, and Conservative Jews?

What is the difference between Orthodox Jews, Progressive Jews, and Conservative Jews? This question can be answered by first looking at Judaism as a whole, then moving into the different types. Judaism is a monotheistic religion. It can also be classified as an ethical religion. It is taught that the Hebrew people accepted the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai and that the Land of Israel was apart of that covenant. Jewish people also believe that the Messiah will be a person from the family of King David, not God, and will lead the world onto unity and peace. They do not believe that Jesus is "The Messiah." Along with the Ten Commandments, Jews believe in Rambam's Thirteen Principles of Faith which are: 1.) God Exists, 2.) God is one and unique, 3.) God is incorporeal, 4.) God is eternal, 5.) Prayer is directed to God alone, 6.) Words of the Prophets are true, 7.) Moses was the greatest Prophet, 8.) the Torah was given to Moses, 9.) there is no other Torah, 10.) God knows the thoughts and deeds of all mankind, 11.) God rewards the good and punishes the wicked, 12.) The Messiah will come, 13.) The dead will be resurrected. The main source of Jewish teachings comes from the Torah in both its forms. Torah means "teachings," and is God's instructions for them. It teaches how to act, think, and even hoe to view life. The Torah contains 613 commandments. The Written Torah contains

  • Word count: 892
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Religious Studies & Philosophy
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