Persepolis - Debate Worksheet (Religion in politics)

Group Poom Jaja Tientein Gap Kim Class #: 1202

Members:

Topic: Does religion create more violence or more peace?

Print this worksheet and bring it for the class debate. Worksheets will be submitted to the instructor.

Peace Violence
Argument 1 No dogma of any religion that teach Religion create conflict
people to kill others, or have - Past: religions cause war
List arguments in bullet-point format. violence - people want to
- Religions shared common spread their
You may use phrases; complete principle: The need to feel religions
sentences are not required. remorse from and avoid sins - Destroy several sacred
- EX. The five precepts of places
buddhism - Ex. Muslim rulers
- First precept: No plundered and
taking life destroyed
- Christianity thousands of
- God wants: to - Hindu temples
trust love and and built mosques
mercy in their place
- not trust - Religious extremism (ISIS)
nationalistic self- - Rohingya: conflict between
interest Buddhists and Muslim
- Simon Smart (Christainity): causes severe
- Religion teach institutionalized
about moral → so discrimination and violence
act violently =
non-religion

Sources - https://bulletin.hds.harvard. - http://www.hinduwebsite.c

List websites, articles, videos, quotes, edu/articles/springsummer om/ask/why-are-religions-
and authors/organizations. 2007/does-religion-cause- destructive.asp
violence - https://www.dailyo.in/varie
- http://online.sfsu.edu/rone ty/muslim-invaders-
/Buddhism/BUDDHIST%20I hinduism-india-bharat-
DEAS%20FOR%20ATTAININ islam-
christanity/story/1/17529.h
G%20WORLD%20PEACE.ht
tml
m
- https://tricycle.org/magazin
e/the-five-precepts/
- https://peacetheology.net/t
he-bible-on-peace/02-gods-
creative-
love%E2%80%94genesis-1/
- Quote from Simon:
“Christianity that is not depleted
of its meaning but ...”

Argument 2 Religion teaches people to be unite Some religions groups are zealots
- “Islam” came from “peace” - Some religions group
List arguments in bullet-point format. in Arabic
- Christainity:
You may use phrases; complete - Godwant→ living
sentences are not required. by moral values
- God’s law against
murder is
universal.
- human do not
harm or kill one
another
- Buddhism:Avoid
wrongdoing, Do good and
Purify the mind.
- Buddhism: a religion of
peace according to
Theravadin pharase "Hatred
is never appeased by
hatred. Hatred is only
appeased by Love (or, non-
enmity). This is an eternal
law."
Sources - https://www.goodnewsnet
List websites, articles, videos, quotes, work.org/6-quran-quotes-
and authors/organizations. teach-love-tolerance-
freedom-religion/
- http://www.parami.org/wh
y-are-buddhists-happy-and-
peaceful/
- https://www.urbandharma.
org/udharma6/peace.html
Argument 3 Human causes war not religion
- Simon Smart (Christainity):
List arguments in bullet-point format. - Pursuit of profits
or power →
You may use phrases; complete causes war
sentences are not required.
- David Hart note:
Religion =
variable (change
over time),
Human =
constant
- What causes war are the
traits of human beings in
general.
- Christainity
- Wars should be
avoided to extend
our love even to
our enemies
because they
are rarely
justified(nonsen
se)
- Christian
- Ex.Kach&Kahane
Chai in Israel →
violence = duty
- Ex. India’s Christian
community under attack by
Hindu zealots → fanatical
Hindus attacking
- https://www.beyondintract
ability.org/essay/religion_a
nd_conflict%20
- Case: India’s Christian
community under attack by
Hindu zealots
https://www.irishtimes.com
/news/world/asia-
pacific/india-s-christian-
community-under-attack-
by-hindu-zealots-1.2149152
Religion divides people
- Researchers from the
University of Central
Florida and the
University of Colorado:
- Religion creates
conflict between
leaders of
communities
- Within only in
small
community →
helps creating
unity
- Religion has some
inherent tendency to
endanger conflict
- Unites the same
nationality, but religion
separates nation from
nation
- misconception in religion
and belief
 pacifism: all kinds
of violence is
incompatible with
christain’s faith
- Jane Caro (Atheism):
- Religion provides
moral
- Atheists did not
kill anyone → For
atheism
- Violence → from
political
philosophy

Sources - http://www.debate.org/opi - News: Religion has been

List websites, articles, videos, quotes, nions/does-religion-cause-
and authors/organizations. war
- https://www.theguardian.c
om/commentisfree/2013/ju
l/02/religion-wars-conflict
- Quotes from Jane Caro
(Atheism) and Simon
Smart (Christainity)
dividing human society for
2,000 years, say scientists
https://www.telegraph.co.u
k/news/religion/12064796/
Religion-has-been-dividing-
human-society-for-2000-
years-say-scientists.html
- http://www.debate.org/opi
nions/does-religion-divide-
the-world
- https://www.smh.com.au/
politics/federal/does-
religion-unite-or-divide-us-
20110422-1drac.html

Debate Format

Main Arguments - Peace 4 minutes

Main Arguments - Violence 4 minutes

Working Period 4 minutes

Rebuttals - Peace 3 minutes

Rebuttals - Violence 3 minutes

Working Period 3 minutes

Summary - Peace 2 minutes

Summary - Violence 2 minutes

Audience Vote Total Time = 25 minutes

Audience Vote -- 5 Points

Audience members will vote on who they believe makes the strongest, most well-supported arguments:
● the quality of the arguments presented.
● the quality of challenges (to your opponents) raised.
● the clarity, organization and cohesiveness of the argument.
● the quality of supporting evidence.
 ● NOT on who they personally agree with.
● NOT on who they are friends with.
● NOT on who screams the loudest

People cause war.Religion does not inherently cause war. Correlation is not the same as
causation. Religion is just an easily corruptible system that can influence many people
who subscribe to it.