RE GCSE

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RE GCSE

• Belief in God

Mrs Strange
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How to revise for RE

• Use this Power Point to investigate or revise key
  points on the unit shown on the front cover
• GCSE Bite size is also a valuable revision tool

Mrs Strange
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Belief in Godclick on the links to revise a key
area
Reasons theories
Evil and suffering
Miracles
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What and where is God?

• A person or a force?
• Inside or outside the universe?
• One or many gods?
• God supports and cares
• God is omnipotent (everywhere at once)
• Term personal God refers to him as a concept,
  force or idea of goodness and light.

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Belief in God

• Reasons for believing in God Theist
• There are several reasons for believing in God.
• The universe seems to have been designed by
  someone the designer must be God
• Science says that everything has a cause
  including the universe therefore God must exist
• Humans cannot be here by chance life must have
  a meaning and purpose.
• So many people in the world belong to a religion
  they cant all be wrong.

• Reasons against believing in God Atheist
• There are several reasons against believing in
  God. These are
• Science explains the world better than religion
  and often leads people to be agnostic or atheist.
• Miracles are seen as a problem because why would
  God help some people and not others.
• Some people argue that if God cares for everyone
  why doesnt he answer prayers.
• If God is all powerful (omnipotent) why does he
  let people suffer form earthquakes and other
  natural disasters that he could stop?

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Theories in the belief in God

• Cosmological Argument
• This argument is based on the ideas of
  Thomas Aquinas and on his observations of the
  world. The cosmological argument for Gods
  existence is that The world could not exist on
  its own so there must have been a first cause
  that brought it into being. This first cause is
  God. Or put another way, the universe could not
  just exist on its ownsomeone or something must
  have made it. This cause of the universe is God.

• Teleological Argument
• The teleological argument is also known as
  the argument from design (The Greek word
  telos means purpose or design.). The
  argument is The universe evidence shows great
  complexity or design thus, it must have been
  designed by a great Designer or God.
• The best known example of this argument is
  by William Paley who says the argument from
  design can be likened to a watch. A watch is
  obviously made by a watchmaker. The world, which
  is much more complex than a watch, must also have
  been designed by a great Designer or Divine
  Watchmaker (God).
• Therefore the teleological argument says
  there is too much design it cannot be chance.

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Belief in God and religious upbringing

• Religious Upbringing
• Christianity teaches that God exists by
• Children are baptised
• Children are taken to church and taught how to
  pray
• Thank God for gifts especially at
  Easter/Christmas
• Could attend church school
• With this sort of upbringing they would think
  that God existed.

• Islamic religious upbringing
• God is great
• Family prays five times a day
• Ramadan
• Madrasah (mosque school)
• Learn Arabic and Quran as Gods word

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Types of evil and suffering

• What is evil?
• Moral evil evil which is deliberately caused by
  humans such as cruelty or dishonesty.
• Natural evil evil which is not anyones
  deliberate fault such as floods and diseases.
• Many people think that the existence of evil and
  suffering in the world shows there is no Godor
  it there is a Godhe isnt very kind.
• Why is there evil and suffering?
• Sometimes Christians say the world was made
  perfect but that people disobeyed God. This is
  called THE FALL. This happened when Eve gave Adam
  the apple to eat. In the Bible God gave Man many
  opportunities to do the right thing but man
  wasnt interested therefore suffering is a
  punishment for sin.

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Evil and Suffering Christian and Islamic response

• Evil and suffering
• This is a problem for Christians because if God
  is good (benevolent) he would not want evil and
  suffering.
• If God is all-powerful he should be able to get
  rid of suffering. Therefore atheist says that as
  there is evil and suffering God must not exist.
• A Christian response would be that Christians
  pray and help those who suffer. People suffer
  because humans have misused their free will.
  Jesus showed how people should fight against
  evil. If there was no suffering/evil Christians
  would not be able to develop into good people and
  would not get to heaven. Christians should help
  those who suffer e.g. Christian Aid. Christian
  attitude to suffering and evil
• suffering is a test of faith
• it is a punishment from God
• part of gods plan
• acts of nature God allows to happen
• God gave us Free will to use as we wish.
• Muslim attitudes to suffering and evil
• It is a test for the next life (a better life to
  come if they remain strong they will be awarded
  a place in paradise
• Allah has a plan
• Good can come of suffering
• Humans have free will

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Is suffering part of Gods plan?

• Why does God allow suffering?
• God gave people FREE WILL to live their lives as
  they choose. If people are to have real freedom
  they have the opportunity to make the wrong
  choice.
• If there was no evil or suffering we would not
  develop as human beings. We would not be brave
  unless there was danger. We wouldnt be generous
  unless there were people in need. We wouldnt
  learn to be patient if we received everything we
  wanted immediately.
• Is suffering part of Gods plan?
• Some people say suffering is a test from God to
  see how people will respond. Others disagree
  saying God does not need to test us. God has a
  plan of this world and humans have to accept that
  suffering is part of this plan as God can see the
  whole picture.
• Some Christians believe evil and suffering are
  the work of the devil he encourages people to
  do wrong. It is the devil who causes disease and
  natural disasters. Others believe that the Devil
  cannot exist as this would imply hat God isnt
  all powerful.

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Miracles

• Miracles can be defined as
• An event that appears to be contrary to the laws
  of nature and is regarded as an act of God.
• An event or action that is totally amazing,
  extraordinary, or unexpected.
• Something admired as a marvellous creation or
  example of a particular type of science or skill
• For many Christians the accounts of miracles in
  the Gospels are factual stories detailing Gods
  power through Jesus to intervene in the world and
  overcome death, sin, disease and nature.

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Arguments that show miracles are the work of God

• God is all-powerful and is able to manipulate our
  lives and our world if he desires. Miracles
  therefore occur as and when God commands them.
• God shows us what he is like through miracles.
  Every miraculous event tells us something about
  the nature of God. We learn of his power, his
  wisdom and his love.
• God uses miracles to balance out the existence of
  the evil/bad forces in the world.
• God responds to those who pray for his help and
  assistance by rewarding with miracles. The
  occurrence of miracles inspires a stronger faith
  in others.

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Arguments that show miracles are not the work of
God

• Nature is not fully understood by science.
  Miracles are therefore misunderstood natural
  forces at their most awesome.
• Miracles can be explained by coincidence if
  looked at logically.
• Miracles are human inventions and are advertised
  by people wanting fame, fortune and power.
• Miracles are part of historic events the work
  of Jess reminds us Christ was Gods son. However
  miracles are no longer part of our world.

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