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TSR Wiki > Study Help > Subjects and Revision > Revision Notes > A Level Religious Studies Revision Notes > Do only religious people need to be moral because they believe in life after death?

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Essay Plan

Do only religious people need to be moral because they belive in life after death?

(You will also need to think why non-religious people need to act moral)

Contents 1 Why is the connection relevant 2 Part 1 why is morality necessary in connection to afterlife existing 3 Part 2 - why is morality necessary even if there is no afterlife 4 Extra - why we dont need to be moral for afterlife 5 Conclusion 6 Comments

Why is the connection relevant

Most religion either being Western e.g Christianity or Eastern - hindu belive that

1. There is an Afterlife
2. What we do in this life determines what will happen in the next (heaven or hell ro rincarnation etc)

So in theory it is very important for religious people to act morally as they will want to be rewarded after death rather then be punished or have less rewards

Counter - But isnt there reason fornon-religious people have reason to act moral as well?, religious people are just looking for reward, others argue that morailty help society or is part of just being nice to others (obviously write all this better im just throwing down general thoughts)

Part 1 why is morality necessary in connection to afterlife existing

Kant catagorical imperative - Imperative is inside all of us

We need to be virtuous/moral to achieve the summon bonum we do this by:

1. we should act in a way that we would want everyone else to act (e.g We are friendly because we want others to be friendly back)
2. We would want people to act this way at all times

Afterlife is necessary as we act moral to achieve a summon bonum, and this can only be achieved in a perfect world (afterlife) without evil/suffering impeding us.

Hick

We are moral because we want to know that we will be rewarded and also be statisfied by the fact that evil will be punished.

He talks of heroic acts and self sacrifice, we do these acts to be rewarded e.g. Endanger our own lives to save others because we are not scared of dying because we should be reward for it.

Therefore afterlife must exist because everyone naturally wants to help/save others.

Part 2 - why is morality necessary even if there is no afterlife

Humanist Argument - Dont need to be relgious or belive in heaven to be moral

Humans are sensitive and care for others - we treat others as we would like to be treated, it is part of our moral upbringing to form a peaceful society

Sociology - Look back at sociological argument if you can bacially they are saying that we are moral for society to functions and so that everyone can live amongst one another, it is normal for us to be moral to others we dont need religion for morality

Extra - why we dont need to be moral for afterlife

Universalist argument - God is all-loving, God sends everyone to heaven

Have a little think about if this was true, would it be good or bad? arguments for both

Conclusion

Basically talk about how both work and maybe give your own judgement if you want depding on the question

Comments

These notes are based on an essay plan for the topic of mortality and life and death for the OCR A2 Synoptic Philosophy and Ethics paper.

Origianlly written by XtrepT on TSR Forums.