What is the purpose of suffering?

Transcription

1 Saturday, 24 February 2018 What is the purpose of suffering? L.O. To understand the purpose of suffering I can explain WHAT suffering is. I can explain the different theories about the purpose of suffering. I can explain how the origin of evil conflicts with a loving God and how religious people explain suffering.

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3 Deliberate immoral action, breaking a religious or moral law. Pain or distress caused by illness, injury or loss. Suffering can be physical, emotional, psychological or spiritual.

4 Suffering: Does it have a purpose?

5 THEODICY

6 God allows evil to test our faith. God allows evil because in times of difficulty people often do great things. God allows evil because he would rather that humans choose to do the right thing rather than being forced to do the right thing. God allows evil because it is a punishment for sin. God allows evil because he has given humans free will. This means allowing us to choose to do the wrong thing. God allows evil because this makes us appreciate the good things in life. We can t hope to understand why God allows evil because we are just people and we can t hope to understand God. God allows evil because we learn from our mistakes, just like our parents allow us to make mistakes.

7 Soul - Making Some Christians and Sikhs believe that God allows evil to exist because suffering through evil is necessary for individuals to develop or complete their souls. We need to learn what morality (good and bad) is about and we need to develop the proper virtues. We are not born knowing what morality and goodness is. The suffering of ourselves and others is essential for individuals to learn lessons about morality and virtue. Without the opportunities offered by suffering and evil, people would not have the chance to develop or demonstrate moral virtues, like compassion or courage. Saint Irenaeus believed that human kind was not created perfect, but that they required growth in order to become spiritually perfect and moral. He also believed that God does not intervene in human affairs to prevent evil as that would mean interfering with free will. John Hick agrees with Irenaeus. He believes that God created humans with potential for spiritual growth. Hick argues that without suffering in the world we would never be able to grow spiritually. He states that there is some suffering that we will never understand this is because God is much wiser than we are and we don t always know Gods plan.

8 Life is a test: JOB Many Christians also believe that life is a test. Part of this test is whether or not a person will tolerate suffering and keep their faith. They away people react to suffering and evil determines whether they go to heaven or hell in the afterlife. Christians are taught in the Bible that suffering must be endured and that they must remain faithful to God. The story of Job in the Bible gives Christians an example of how suffering can come to anyone, even the most holy and good. Job is a very holy and good man. Job suffers greatly and is taken from great success to misery. His friends try to convince him that he is suffering due to his own past sins. Job questions God on this but is given no direct answers. He somehow maintains his faith in God and is rewarded when his suffering is brought to an end. God wants to know which ones of us deserve a place in heaven.

9 How do we make moral decisions? Many people believe that humans have FREEWILL and can therefore use their CONSCIENCE to help them make decisions. Many religious people believe that God created humans with freewill (Adam and Eve had the choice to obey God). Some Christians (Calvinists) believe that their lives are PREDETERMINED / PREDESTINED by God and that they have NO CHOICE. Everything they do is part of God s plan.

10 Sikhs believe that suffering is necessary for people to pay back karmic debt from a previous life. Sikhs believe that you live your life doing a range of good and bad actions, these are decided using your free will. While doing these actions you build up either good or bad karma. They believe that in the next life you will either be rewarded or punished based upon your karma. Whether a person lives a gurmukh (god-centred) or manmukh (self-centred) life determines their future. Only once you have paid back all your karmic debt can you achieve mukti liberation of the divine spark and union with Waheguru. Suffering is a natural part of the world in which we life. Suffering is necessary for people to pay back any bad actions that they have previously done. Suffering also gives us the opportunity to do good actions towards other people such as Sewa and build up good karma.

11 C) From two different religions or two religious traditions, explain views about suffering. (8) Christians believe that suffering exists because of In the Bible it teaches This means that Sikhs believe that suffering exists because They teach that This means that

12 Band Band Descriptor Mark 4 An excellent, highly detailed explanation showing knowledge an understanding of the diversity of religious ideas, beliefs, practices, teachings or concepts. An excellent understanding of how belief influences individuals, communities and societies Uses a range of religious/ specialist language, terms and sources of wisdom authority extensively, accurately and appropriately. A very good, detailed explanation showing knowledge and understanding of the diversity of the religious ideas, beliefs, practices, teachings or concepts. A very good understanding of how belief influences individuals, communities and societies Uses a range of religious/specialist language, terms and sources of wisdom and authority accurately and appropriately. A good, generally accurate explanation showing some knowledge and understanding of the diversity of the religious ideas, beliefs, practices, teachings or concepts. A good understanding of how belief influences individuals, communities and societies. 3-4 Uses religious/specialist language, terms and/or sources of wisdom and authority generally accurately. A limited and/or poorly organised explanation showing limited knowledge

13 The existence of suffering proves that there is no God. Refer to both sides of the arguments and support using religious points of view. (15 marks) POINT EVIDENCE EXPLAIN ANALYSE GIVE YOUR OWN OPINION throughout the essay.

14 POINT EVIDENCE EXPLAIN ANALYSE The existence of suffering proves that there is no God. Atheists would argue that the existence of suffering proves that there is no God because However, Christians and Sikhs would argue that the existence of suffering proves that there is a God because Your paragraphs should refer back to the question Add your own opinions throughout your essay!

15 Saturday, 24 February 2018 What is the purpose of suffering? L.O. To understand the purpose of suffering I can explain WHAT suffering is. I can explain the different theories about the purpose of suffering. I can explain how the origin of evil conflicts with a loving God and how religious people explain suffering.