The intentions of actions (OCR GCSE Religious Studies): Revision Notes

The intentions of actions

Most religious people believe that people who do wrong are still redeemable, that they are not themselves evil, and can be brought back to good ways. Religions believe in evil actions rather than evil people

Bad intentions and actions

Most people feel it is wrong for people to act with bad intentions and carry out bad actions

Bad intentions, Good consequences

• Utilitarians judge actions based on their consequences. They consider an action with bad intentions, but good consequences are good actions.
• Someone might act with bad intentions but actually produce consequences. They might act selfishly, but end up helping others.
• Many religious people might still think they acted badly. Regardless of the outcome, the person still had bad intentions.

Good intentions, bad outcomes

• some people might act with good intentions but commit bad actions such as crime, eg. stealing to feed their family.
• some people feel it is never OK to break the law or never OK to do certain actions because they have a duty to obey god and his commands
• Others feel that such actions are not as bad because it is not loving to make people follow rules if there are bad consequences.

Good intentions and actions

Christians believe that Jesus taught people to act with good intentions and to "treat others as they would like to be treated".

Possible justifications for inflicting suffering

• Causing one person to suffer to save another
• Causing suffering in self-defence
• Causing suffering now to stop suffering happening later

Christian beliefs of evil

• Evil is seen as the abuse of free will, that God gifted to us
• Evil is essential for free will and allows us to choose to follow God willingly
• Humans need to have the possibility to choose evil for good actions to truly be good.
• The existence of evil allows us to appreciate the good
• Many Christians believe in Satan who attempts to tempt people into sin.