While the statement might appear rather simplistic � the response is not! �All Christians should love their neighbours.� Do you agree with this statement? Show that you have considered the views of others in your response. For As �love your neighbour� is the Golden Rule of Christianity, it is argued by most people, (Christians, especially Quakers, and non-Christians alike), that yes, Christians should always, (when), love their neighbours, no matter who they are, where they are, what they believe, or how they behave. Linking belief to teaching When Jesus was asked �Who is my neighbour?� he said, �Everyone is your neighbour.� Jesus did not say, love only those whom you like! Example Recently a man was mugged and killed in London and his Christian parents not only forgave the young man who committed that act of murder, they gave a large sum of money to a national charity, that provides help and support to young people and aims to �get them off the streets� so enriching their quality of life, rather than �simply� dishing out punishments. Conclusion Most people would say that that act of forgiveness is �love your neighbour� in action, for it is easy to �love� our friends but not the �stranger� and some people�s behaviour is very suspect, yet we should still �love� them. Against However, history tells us that some individual Christians, from all denominations, find it very difficult to love their neighbours, if those people have behaved in any way that has caused �evil and suffering�, have a different faith, colour of skin, or nationality! There are always some people who do not or cannot put their �beliefs� into action. Example In some Christian countries, the U.S.A. for example, they have the death penalty, in forty-eight of the fifty states, for those who abuse and kill others. Conclusion Yet, if they are saying someone is wrong to kill another and then �kill� them, that is not an act of love or an example of love they neighbour in action, rather this �harks� back to Judaism, and eye for an eye and as Gandhi said, �If we take an eye for an eye, pretty soon everyone will be blind.� All Theists believe in the Sanctity of Life, that God gives and �takes back� life, when God is ready, and that we should not play at being God. God will punish us all, if we do not do as God asks us, no matter how difficult it might be, for God is the ultimate judge. Personal Conclusion Personally, I think all Christians should always �love their neighbours� �because that is what Jesus asked them to do; it is the right thing for them to do. Indeed, I think this is a rule everyone should follow, as all the Golden Rules essentially say the same thing, �Anything that abuses our three dimensions is morally wrong. Therefore anything that enriches them is morally acceptable.� Formula For Linking belief to teaching Example Conclusion Against Example Conclusion Personal Conclusion |
| Evaluation statement/questions A Model for an A* |
| Hope this will help; let me know what YOU think. Ms. P-Hen |
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