UNIT OUTLINE

WHAT IS RMPS?

WHY RMPS IS IMPORTANT

THE GOLDEN RULE

MULTICULTURALISM

RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS AND AWARENESS

IMPORTANCE OF HUMAN BEINGS

BELIEFS AND OUR BEHAVIOUR

BELIEF AND ACTION

BIG QUESTIONS

ULTIMATE QUESTIONS

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY RELIGION?

SIX MAIN WORLD RELIGIONS IN SCOTLAND

INSTRUCTIONS Work Presentation in RMPS

Most of the tasks in this booklet should be completed in your jotter.

Always write the date in the margin of your jotter at the beginning of the lesson.

Always write the heading from the top of the page in the booklet.

Know exactly what you are learning.

Understand what is expected of you.

Discuss your learning with others.

Always answer questions IN SENTENCES.

UNIT OBJECTIVES

By the end of this unit you should be able to:

Know why United Kingdom can be described as Multicultural.

Know some benefits of Multicultural Community.

Understand terms such as Fairness, Justice, Honesty and Compassion.

Understand the meaning of R.M.P.S.

Understand what beliefs are.

Understand why different people hold various beliefs.

Give your own opinion on different beliefs.

Appreciate the importance of Human Beings.

Give your own interpretation to the Golden Rule.

Understand Moral Issues with examples.

Understand the six main world religions.

Know key figures for each of the major world religions.

Understand the Ultimate Questions and be able to apply them.

What is RMPS?

Why is RMPS Important? RMPS stands for RELIGIOUS MORAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL STUDIES. RMPS is about: The six main world religions, beliefs, comparing things that they have in common as well as their differences. The six main world religions are: Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, and Sikhism. RMPS therefore helps you learn more about these religions including their founders, country of origin, festivals, ceremonies, and their main symbols. Big questions about life and its purpose. e.g. Why am I here? Is there life after death? Is there a God? These are the questions which RMPS tries to answer. Morality, the dilemma of what is right and wrong. By thinking about issues or topics like Animal Rights, Racism or looking after the Environment and listening to people’s opinions about these. This helps us to understand what we think, and then make informed choices about how we behave.

BELIEFS

In RMPS you will learn about the different beliefs that people have.

This will help you to think about your beliefs and why you have them.

RMPS does not try to impose (force) beliefs on you.

You will never be told which beliefs are right or wrong.

That is for you to decide for yourself.

You are entitled to your own opinions.

Remember though, it is also important to say why you have certain beliefs.

Considering your beliefs is an important part of your growing up.

MULTICULTURAL SCOTLAND

The United Kingdom of today may be described as a multicultural community which means when distinct cultures are accommodated within the same society without discrimination. And for the purpose of getting on well with others; good citizens should learn how to respect others. Scottish society is diverse. This diversity needs to be sustained for a just, strong and enviable Society. RMPS intends to prepare you to fit in today’s Scottish society. What does a community gain from being diverse? Compassion, Respect, Support, Tolerance, Honesty, Justice, Trust, Social Inclusion, Equality, and Responsibility.

One Scotland many cultures one Complete Picture.

Definition of Terms

Multicultural – many different cultures living together.

Multi-faith – many different religions in one society.

Tolerance – being prepared to live and let live.

Religious freedom – the right to freely choose your faith.

Fairness - being fair, absence of bias.

Diverse - of a different kind or form.

RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS AND AWARENESS

Why do we have different kinds of people in Scotland and UK today? To answer this question there is no one particular answer. However, some people think that this could be as a result of free movement of people around the world, modern communications which allow people to meet each other and as well as people who are looking for a safe place to live in as a result of war, hunger or possibly looking for a good job or better education. It is our responsibility therefore to respect and tolerate other people within our communities for a safe, just and friendly nation. Responsible citizens build a good nation.

Also, one of the values of Fraserburgh Academy is Awareness. To actually understand this value; find a partner in the class and chat to them over the next five minutes and find out information about them using the following boxes.

TWO THINGS THAT I LIKE 1. 2
TWO THINGS MY PARTNER LIKES 1. 2.

TWO THINGS THAT WE BOTH LIKE IF ANY? 1. 2.

SOMETHING IN LIFE I THINK IS UNFAIR (EXPLAIN WHY?)
SOMETHING IN LIFE MY PARTNER THINKS IS UNFAIR (EXPLAIN WHY?)

THE IMPORTANCE OF HUMAN BEINGS

Human beings are very important part of life on earth. Compared to other forms of life on earth, human beings are the most intelligent. They have the greatest ability to think and therefore have a great deal of power and control over things that happen in the world.

Many animals live by instinct but human beings have the ability to think things out and can ask whether they should do certain things or not. Human beings also have the ability to decide whether certain things are right or wrong, good or bad.

This is what we call our CONSCIENCE, For example, most human beings would think that it would be wrong to take some thing that belonged to someone else and certainly that it was wrong if someone took something forcefully from them.

Human beings are thinkers and creators. We have put people into space, walked on the moon and have learned a great deal about how the world and nature works. And yet not all of our ideas are good or helpful ones. Our technology can be used in the wrong way and can destroy nature and the lives of human beings.

We could now destroy all or most of life on earth with the nuclear weapons we have invented.

We have the ability to feed, cloth, and house, give basic medical care and education to all the world’s population-yet a very large number of them are in great poverty and suffering from starvation and diseases that could be avoided if we did something about it.

Beliefs and Behaviour

What is belief?

A belief is a statement that you think is true but you cannot prove. For example I believe that God exists. A fact is something everyone agrees on. For example 2 + 2 = 4.

Different people have different ideas about certain things in life and most people would respond to challenging questions of life differently. These answers are called beliefs. The way in which people trust the answers without being certain is called faith.

Each religion has its own set of beliefs although within each religion, people also have their own personal beliefs. Such beliefs make one religion different from another. Interestingly, there are beliefs that are common to two or more religions. Theism is ideas about God. People who believe that God exists are called Theist.

Christians believe that there is one God and Jesus is his Son. Muslims however believe that there is only one God called Allah but does not have a son. People who do not believe there is a God are called Atheist, while those who are undecided about the existence of a God are called Agnostic.

Key Words

Theism - ideas about God.

Theist- someone who believes in God.

Atheist – someone who denies the existence of a God.

Agnostic – someone who is undecided about God.

Belief – feeling of certainty that something exists or is true.

Faith – feeling of confidence, trust about something.

The Golden Rule

Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan is found in the Gospel of (Luke 10: 25–37). The parable of the Good Samaritan teaches that anyone can be your neighbour. Do not hate anyone but love everyone.

"A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead with no clothes. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.

So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, he too passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he travelled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and looked after him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the inn keeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'

What do you think about the parable of the Good Samaritan and golden rule? Sadly we often forget how to behave properly; we often forget the Golden rule. This means that we hurt other people and the world that will live in. We do not always think about the consequences of our actions.

Home becomes real home when we apply The Golden Rule. I can make others feel welcome by being friendly. Always apply the Golden Rule.

Belief and Action

As you already know beliefs affect your decision and your behaviour. Some people hold such strong beliefs that it affects their actions and their whole attitude to the world and the people in it. These people are often prepared to put their lives at risk or to even die for what they believe in. (A martyr is someone who suffers or dies for what they believe in.) Think about Mahatma Ghandi, Martin Luther King Jr. Nelson Mandela and Mother Teresa.

In RMPS you will discover that the different beliefs that we hold come from different influences in our lives, for example our family, friends, School, Teachers, Books and Magazines to mention a few.

If your beliefs are not in line with the School rules and may perhaps offend others you may need to change them and think about something positive that will bring out the hero in you.

THE BIG QUESTIONS

We develop some of our most important beliefs through asking questions about important issues. Beliefs are what we get in response to these questions.

Here are some examples of questions on important issues.

Moral Issues:

Is the death penalty right or wrong?

Should we eat meat?

Is war ever justified?

Moral Issues are about deciding what is right and wrong in certain situations.

As you already know different people have different views on what is right and wrong. Even among the pupils in this class there will be lots of different opinions because you have all had different influences in lives.

ULTIMATE QUESTIONS

You have discussed moral issues, now you are going to look at the ultimate questions about life.

Ultimate questions like is there a God? Or who created the world? Have no certain or absolute answers. The religions of the world, however, give answers to these questions. Some people accept what their religions say as being true other people who do not follow religion can use the answers of a religion to help them decide what they think is the right answer to these questions.

By studying the different religions you will discover that they sometimes have different answers to Ultimate questions about the meaning and purpose of life.

Ultimate Questions:

Who created the world?

What is the meaning of life?

Is there a God?

Why do bad things happen to good people?

Is there life after death?

Who I am?

When will I find answers to my Questions?

Finding answers to these questions is not always easy. There has been lots of discussion and debate about all of the above and there is still not one final answer that everyone agrees on.

You will have to consider the answers to Ultimate Questions and decide for yourself what you think you believe.

The answer that you accept or believe can affect:

What you think

What you say

What you feel

And what you do with your life.

Here are some religious and non-religious answers to these seven Ultimate questions. In other to get it right with ultimate questions your teacher will put you into groups for really good group discussions.

Is there a God?

Is there life after death?

Who created the world?

Who I am?

What is the meaning of life?

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY RELIGION?

Religious people usually have beliefs about God, about life after death, about the meaning and purpose of life, about what is right and wrong. Most people, in fact have beliefs which could be called 'religious'. In following a religion people are looking for answers to ULTIMATE QUESTIONS, which are deep, searching questions about what life really means.

Religion can be described as a set of beliefs that people have, to help them make sense of themselves and the world they live in. Also religion can be described as a code of belief which often involves the worship of a God or gods.

I get a lot from religion. It makes me feel better and makes me want to do the right sort of things. Religion provides answers to important questions and helps make sense of life. (Ruth)

Improving communications are allowing more contact between people in different parts of the world. It is important we know about religion to help us understand other people’s lives. (Adam)

The world’s great religions have much in common. They are all concerned with the same things including caring, justice. Love, peace and the environment. (John)

Main six world Religions in Scotland

Religion	Followers	Founder/Leader	Some main Countries	Name of symbol	Picture of symbol
Christianity	Christians	Jesus	All European Countries, South America and Africa.	The Cross
Islam	Muslims	Mohammad	Saudi Arabia Iran Iraq	Crescent moon
Hinduism	Hindus	No founder	India	Om
Buddhism	Buddhists	Siddhartha Gautama	China Tibet	Wheel of Life
Judaism	Jews	Abraham	Israel USA	Star of David
Sikhism	Sikhs	Guru Nanak	Punjab	Khanda