Religion ethics

Contrasting Religious Views: However, not all religious traditions hold the same view. Some denominations and faiths, like certain branches of Judaism and the Unitarian Universalist Association, hold different ethical perspectives. Jewish law (Halakha), for instance, often emphasizes that personhood is not achieved until birth and that the life and well-being of the mother take precedence over the fetus. The ethical framework here is more utilitarian or based on a hierarchy of values, where the mother's life is of greater moral weight than the fetus. This highlights how diverse religious ethical beliefs can lead to opposing views on the same issue.

The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is often viewed through a geopolitical lens, but religious ethics are a core component, influencing both sides' claims to the land and their actions.

Religious Ethics in the Event: For many religious Israelis and Jewish Zionists, their claim to the land is a matter of divine promise. They believe the land was given to them by God, a belief that forms a powerful ethical and theological foundation for the establishment and expansion of settlements in the West Bank. This can lead to a deontological ethical view where occupying the land is seen as a fulfillment of a divine command, making compromise difficult. Similarly, some Palestinian groups, particularly those with a religious-nationalist ideology like Hamas, view the conflict through the lens of Islamic ethics and holy war. They see the land as a holy endowment (waqf) for Muslims and resistance against occupation as a religious duty. This framework justifies violence and a refusal to recognize the legitimacy of the Israeli state, as it is seen as a violation of religious law.

Impact on the Conflict: The presence of religious ethics on both sides creates a significant barrier to a peaceful resolution. When a claim to territory is based on a divine right rather than political negotiation, it becomes non-negotiable. This infuses the conflict with a sense of moral absolutism that makes it more intractable, as seen in the refusal of some religious factions to compromise on issues concerning holy sites or settlements.

Sample Answer

Religion frequently intersects with ethics to shape public debate and policy. Two recent examples from current events where religious ethics played a significant part are the ongoing debate over abortion access and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Abortion Access in the United States

The debate over abortion in the U.S. is deeply rooted in religious ethical beliefs about the sanctity of life.

Religious Ethics in the Event: For many conservative Christians, particularly Catholics and Evangelicals, religious ethics dictate that life begins at conception. This belief is grounded in the idea that a fetus is a human being with a soul and the same right to life as a born person. From this perspective, abortion is seen as a moral wrong, often equated with murder. The ethical framework here is a form of deontology, where there is an absolute moral rule against taking a life. These religious groups have actively campaigned for legal and political changes, such as the overturning of Roe v. Wade, to align civil law with their religious ethical stance.