Persepolis - Debate Worksheet (Religion in politics)
Group Members: Mui Kate Jayne Sooyoung Ja Toey Class #: 1206
Topic: D oes religion create more v iolence or more p
eace?
Print this worksheet and bring it for the class debate. Worksheets will be submitted to the instructor.
Peace Violence
Argument 1 Religion divides people.
-Each religion has different teachings and beliefs which then
List arguments in bullet-point ultimately causes people to believe and rely on what they have
format. been taught.
-Different teachings can cause other people misinterpret the
You may use phrases; texts of other religions which could possibly lead to the
complete sentences are not misunderstanding of beliefs.
required. -People who believe in different religion, they could come
together and argue about one thing all day with all of the support
from their side (their religion) and nothing can prove that both of
their sides are wrong. And if the situation get worse there could
be violence
Sources https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/nov/20/isr
List websites, articles, videos, ael-palestine-conflict-religious-war
quotes, and https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/01/opinion/how-religion-ca
authors/organizations. n-lead-to-violence.html
Argument 2 Religion influence politics
-Religions often make strong claims on people’s allegiance, and
List arguments in bullet-point universal religions make these claims on all people.
format. -Some law take religion to be part of it which create conflict
-The government force people to believe in certain religion as
You may use phrases; they believe that this will create peace in the society. However,
complete sentences are not the truth is it influence chaos and conflict.
required.
Sources http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-35990353
List websites, articles, videos,
quotes, and
authors/organizations.
Argument 3 Religion plays with human’s emotions
- Religion deals with extreme things which can cause those
List arguments in bullet-point people to be extremism.
format. - People trust that what they depend on is real and afraid of
losing what they believe when other threaten their idea.
You may use phrases; - It makes people cannot question things and need to obey what
complete sentences are not the religion teach. Thus, when other believe differently, it
required. violates what they believe.
Sources -“Allahu Akbar”
List websites, articles, videos, -9/11
quotes, and -Crusade War
authors/organizations.
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.
Argument 1: Religion divides people
Each religion has different teachings Elaboration:
and beliefs which then ultimately - The religious war between Jews and Muslims: Israel and Palestine border
causes people to believe and rely on conflict (relating to political issues later on as well)
what they have been taught. - war caused centuries back and is still ongoing; two countries are
currently “terrorizing” each other.
- Destroying unity amongst individuals:
- Christianity: Catholics during the 14th - 16th century, they were the center
of knowledge, not even the king was higher than they were. They manipulated
people into paying them, making them no different from politicians, later
resulting Catholic Church to break apart.
e.g. #1: Using “Catholic Indulgence”** to manipulate people into paying and
donating their goods to “get closer” to god. **reducing one’s sin through
actions and deeds.
e.g. #2: Causing Catholic to break apart, therefore how could we trust religion
to keep people as “one” peaceful unit when the religion itself broke apart
rebled by their own believer(Martin Luther); resulting: Orthodox, Protestant,
and other minor branches.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/nov/20/israel-palestine-conflict-r
eligious-war
-
Different teachings can cause other Elaboration:
people misinterpret the texts of other - “Allahu Akbar” - people alter the meaning of this word
religions which could possibly lead to - E.g. ISIS misusing “Allahu Akbar”, alas causing major misunderstanding from
the misunderstanding of beliefs. non-muslim believers as a threat rather than a blessing.
Evidence: In Paris massacre, the murderer killed the French Priest and later shouted
“Allahu Akbar”.
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/01/opinion/how-religion-can-lead-to-violence.htm
l
In some cases, one nation could set - most of the policy must came from the national religion for sure
their own national religion. - people who don’t believe in THAT national religion could feel violated from
the other
People who believe in different eg. Buddhism believes that after death, only good people will go to heaven and bad
religion, they could come together and people will go to hell. While Christinity believes that everyone will go to heaven.
argue about one thing all day with all of
the support from their side (their
religion) and nothing can prove that
both of their sides are wrong. And if the
situation get worse there could be
violence
Argument 2: Religion influence politics
Religions often make strong claims on Islam people gathered together to praise Allur as a community (their religion tradition).
people’s allegiance, and universal Thai people has a Religion hoilday as our official holiday in calendar.
religions make these claims on all eg. Easter holiday, Christmas holiday, Valentine’s Day, etc.
people. https://www.iep.utm.edu/rel-poli/
Some law take religion to be part of it Most of the states in US passed the religious laws which finally caused the protest
which create conflict against the religious law.
According to BBC news, In Mississippi, the government authorize the business services
to denied serving the service for the gay couples based on the religious beliefs which
obviously violate the human rights.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-35990353
The government force people to According to Pew Research Center, in 76% of Muslim in South Asia and 56% of the
believe in certain religion as they Muslims in Middle East and North Africa believe that the people who gave up on the
believe that this will create peace in the religion need to be killed.
society. However, the truth is it http://www.pewforum.org/2013/04/30/the-worlds-muslims-religion-politics-society-o
influence chaos and conflict. verview/
Argument 3: Religion have an impact on the human’s emotions
Religion deals with extreme things - ISIS - extremists
which can cause those people to be - “Allahu Akbar”
extremism.
People trust that what they depend on Christian VS Islam
is real and afraid of losing what they - Both believe in god(The gods in their believe are the one who reveal the truth)
believe when other threaten their idea. → Crusade war against Muslims.
- Who believe differently can be harm without concerning on the morality as they
believe that it is the order from god which their duty is to make the other believe in
their religious.
It makes people cannot question things - When people questioning the god, it definitely means that you disrespect the
and need to obey what the religion religion. Also, they consider this action as sin.
teach. Thus, when other believe - “Denying or doubting the truth is extremely dangerous”
differently, it violates what they believe. - e.g. infidels
Crusade war:
The war between Christian and Muslim. This war originated from the Christian want to spread their religion to the
rest of the world. So that all people will believe in Christianity. They accused other religion such as Islam by writing
the books.
Hitler’s holocasut :
The war between the Germans and the Jews. Even though it was not a war that one religion against the other, but it
was the war that Hitler created against the Jews. He wanted to get rid of the Jews. So the main point of the war was
to get rid of a group of people who believe in this one religion.
9/11 :
Islamic extremist group al-Qaeda hijacked four airplanes and carried out suicide attacks against the world trade
center buildings in the United States. All of the plan was created by Bin Laden, bin Laden published a statement
claiming that the USA had declared war on God. So this attack was the one Islaist could go back to the US
ISIS(Isalamic State of Iraq and Syria):
ISIS is the Isalamic terrorist lead by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The main goal for them is to create Isalamic State. They
also create their own law which called Sharia Law. This law inspired from the Islam religion to control the people in
the society.
List of events caused by religion
- Crusades
- Hitler’s holocasut
- 9/11
- Isis
