Persepolis - Debate Worksheet (Religion in politics)

Group Members: Hack, Bee, Guy, Chen  Class #: 1204

Topic: D​ oes religion create more violence or more peace? 

 
Print this worksheet and bring it for the class debate. Worksheets will be submitted to the instructor. 
 

Affirmative Negative
Argument 1 For the prompt: does religion create
more violence or more peace, I
List arguments in bullet-point format. Strongly believe that religion promotes
peace and opposes the starting of war .
You may use phrases;
Religion convince people to follow rule
and have self control.

The Buddhist tradition is most clearly

to associated with non-violence and
the principle of no harm. By the
eliminating desire to material thing, try
to combat covetousness which it is
becoming source of anger and violence
to other.

The example in which the use of

religion bring peace is when Buddha
prevented a war between Sakayas and
Koliyas, when the Buddha went to the
battlefield and discovered the reason
for war was a source of water, he
questioned leaders of two family about
whether water was more worthy than
the blood of fellow. Another
paradigmatic is Emperor of Ashoka
after he converted to Buddhism that he
was remorse for death and suffering
caused by his military. The two
example shows that religion, in which
Buddhism was used as an example, is
closely related to peace and the ending
of war by using moral and intelligence,
not the starting of war.
Sources
List websites, articles, videos, quotes,
and authors/organizations.
Argument 2
List arguments in bullet-point format.
You may use phrases; complete
sentences are not required.
Sources
List websites, articles, videos, quotes,
and authors/organizations.
Argument 3
List arguments in bullet-point format.
You may use phrases; complete
Article “Religion and Peace” by Eric
Brahm
https://www.beyondintractability.org/
essay/religion_and_peace
“Buddhism on Peace and Violence” by
Berkeley Center for Religion, Peace &
World Affairs
https://berkleycenter.georgetown.edu/
essays/buddhism-on-peace-and-violenc
e/#!english
● Non of the religions instruct ● The ‘Holy war’ in the Quran
people to commit evil ○ Doesn’t exist
actions. ○ Jihad = righteous
● Some people misunderstand intention
about principles of religions. ■ Help the
All religions always try to oppressed
teach an individual to be a ■ Have
better person. The reason religious
why everyone said that freedom
religion is the cause of wars ○ Doesn’t specify that
because it is used as a the fighting has to be
scapegoat for everyone to an actual fighting
put a blame on.
● The suicide bombers shout
“Allahu Akbar” before they
explode. The terrorists use
religion as an excuse or say
like they are doing this for
the god’s sake. These people
made religions look bad in
other people eyes.
● Actually, “Allahu Akbar” is
translated from Arabic means
“God is great” and every
Muslims say that word as a
daily routine, but terrorists
misuse it. In attacking others,
yelling that word affirms that
this act is done for the sake
of Allah which againsts the
real meaning of “Allahu
Akbar”.
●
● https://www.telegraph.co.uk ● “War and Peace in the
/news/2016/05/10/police-si Quran”
mulate-dramatic-terror-attac http://www.islamicity.org/4270/war-and
k-at-manchesters-trafford-c/ -peace-in-the-quran/#Jihad_as_an_Ob
● https://www.express.co.uk/n ligation
ews/world/703390/allahu-ak
bar-what-does-it-mean-why-t
errorists-muslim-arabic
Religion gave hope and the way of life
to people.
Many people who find some struggle in
life could find peace from religion and
sentences are not required. also because of their faith, people have
motivation to continue to live and give
their life a second chance to redeem.

Ex. Steve Jobs was a practicing Zen

Buddhist. At 18 years old, the tech
visionary dropped out of Reed College
and ​went to India​ to find himself — and
came home with Buddhist values that
would shape the rest of his life and
career.

Dr. Arjong Chumsai na Ayuttaya, the

scientist and engineer who successfully
design the landing part for the
spacecraft Viking 2, also believe in
meditation of Bhuddhism to find peace
and focus in life. He stated that the
teaching of Bhuddism improve his
behavior as a child, and also be the
path to his success

Sources https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013
List websites, articles, videos, quotes, /10/16/10-people-who-came-out-of_n
and authors/organizations. _4086176.html

https://www.gotoknow.org/posts/849
94

http://www.manager.co.th/dhamma/vi
ewnews.aspx?NewsID=9550000069352

Argument 4 ● African peacemaker Hizkias ● Although Religion sparks the

Assefa stated that religious
List arguments in bullet-point format. leaders could be the
inspiration of the people and
You may use phrases; complete would be able to promote
sentences are not required. peace more effectively
● Mahatma Gandhi is an Indian
peacemaker who
incorporated religious
teachings into his own
philosophy. He used a lot of
religious practice in order to
go against the government
such as fasting, in order to
get independence without
bloodshed.
○ The idea of ahimsa
(no injury) and
Satyakraha from
the religion
Hinduism
● Martin Luther King used the
principle of loving your
conflict between Pakistan and
India, the major reason for the
conflict is politics. The muslims,
who were benefited and
protected by the British when
India was under their ruling
were afraid that without the
protection of the British, the
new parliament would be
dominated by Hindus and they
would lose their rights.
○ No proof on the fact
that the Hindu would
go against the
Muslims
○ The Muslims wanted
their own nation in
order to comply to
Islam law
● However, another reason
behind the partition would be
Jinnah’s own political desire
 enemy from the Christian coated with falsely represented
bible in order to promote religious teaching
peace and raised awareness ○ Jinnah constantly
about racial inequalities in refuse to make
America without bloodshed. Pakistan an Islamic
● Vietnamese peacemaker and state after the
monk Thich Nhat Hanh: He partition
used the Buddhism principles ○ He told Mirza, a
to teach people about peace comrade that he
and founded the School of would make a Modern
Youth for Social Service, state, not an Islamic
where young people state
establish schools and health ○ Siri Prakasa, an Indian
clinics at the countryside commissioner stated
where the bomb landed. that Jinnah told him
that he would make a
secular state

Sources ● “Religious Contributions to ● “Root of India-Pakistan

List websites, articles, videos, quotes, Peace making: When Conflicts”
and authors/organizations. Religions bring peace, not https://rajivmalhotra.com/library/articles/
war” root-india-pakistan-conflicts/
https://www.usip.org/publications/200 ● “Jinnah’s Pakistan: Islamic state
6/01/religious-contributions-peacemak or secular state”
ing-when-religion-brings-peace-not-wa https://nation.com.pk/25-Dec-2015/jinna
r h-s-pakistan-islamic-state-or-secular-dem
● “Mahatma Gandhi ocracy
Biography”
https://www.biographyonline.net/polit
icians/indian/gandhi.html
● “Martin Luther KIng
Biography”
https://www.biographyonline.net/polit
icians/american/martin-luther-king.ht
ml
● “Ghandi’s philosophy of
Non-violence”
http://www.mkgandhi.org/africaneeds
gandhi/gandhi's_philosophy_of_nonvio
lence.htm
● “Thich Nhat Hanh”
https://www.biographyonline.net/spiri
tual/thich-nhat-hanh.html

 
 
Debate Format 
 
 
Main Arguments - Pro  4 minutes 
Main Arguments - Con  4 minutes 

Working Period  4 minutes 

Rebuttals - Pro  3 minutes 

Rebuttals - Con  3 minutes 
 Working Period  3 minutes 

Summary - Pro  2 minutes 

Summary - Con  2 minutes 

Audience Vote  Total Time = 25 minutes 

 
 
Audience Vote 
 
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.