RELIGION STUDIES PAPER 2
GRADE 12
NOVEMBER 2020
MEMORANDUM

NATIONAL SENIOR CERTIFICATE

QUESTION 1
1.1
1.1.1 People between the ages of 15 and 29 commit suicide because of the following contributing factors:

  • They indulge in the abuse of alcohol and drugs.
  • During adolescence, they feel that they are in a state of confusion, desperation and lost in life.
  • They become depressed and suicidal when they have not performed well during school examinations.
  • They are often sexually or physically abused.
  • They are often exposed to violence.
  • They are unable to cope with failed relationships, and choose suicide to escape emotional pain.
    NOTE: Other relevant responses must be credited. (10)

1.1.2 EXAMPLE 1: BUDDHISM

  • According to Buddhist doctrine a person cannot avoid suffering by taking his/her own life.
  • One does not escape from the 'wheel of life' by committing suicide.
  • The destruction of the physical body merely transfers the entity to other spheres of existence, not resolving the situations.
  • Physical life is considered of great importance.
  • It is only in the present life that the way to liberation can be followed; there is no liberation after death.
  • Try to attain enlightenment which will be the liberation of your life from all suffering.
  • Taking your own life is therefore a waste of opportunity.
  • Remember the dogma of non-attachment: it will reduce your pain.

EXAMPLE 2: CHRISTIANITY

  • According to the Bible life is precious.
  • God has a plan for everyone (Jeremiah 29:11), including you.
  • 'Thou shall not kill.' This means no one has a right to take life, not even your own.
  • God is the giver and provider of life.
  • Suicide is understood as a major sin, for which there is punishment in the hereafter.
  • One needs to know that nothing they have done, and nothing that has been done to them can separate them from the love of God and His plan (Romans 8).
  • One needs to know that nothing one can ever do is so bad that the only answer is suicide. Trust in God's mercy.
    NOTE: The learner may use different religions in 1.1.2 and 1.2. (12)

1.2
1.2.1 NOTE: The learner may use different religions in 1.1.2 and 1.2.
EXAMPLE 1: CHRISTIANITY

  • Christians believe in the existence of a Supreme Being known as God.
  • God manifests himself as three persons in one God – God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
  • This doctrine is called the Holy Trinity.
  • God the Father is the Creator of the universe.
  • God the Son is the Saviour and Redeemer of humanity.
  • God the Holy Spirit is the counsellor of Christians. (10)

1.2.2

  • Christians believe that human beings were created immortal.
  • After death, they will continue to exist in an immortal afterlife.
  • Those who live a chaste life will live in heaven forever,
  • Sinners will be banished to hell forever.
  • Repentance for sins must be done in this world, as there is no repentance beyond the grave.
  • Therefore, Christians will strive to lead a life according to the Bible, so that they can go to heaven.
  • In this way, through belief in Jesus Christ, the Christian hopes to attain heaven in the afterlife.
    NOTE: Other relevant answers must be credited. (12)

1.2.1 EXAMPLE 2: TAOISM

  • Taoism teaches that 'the Tao that can be told of is not the eternal Tao'.
  • The Tao is eternal.
  • It is impossible to completely describe divinity in Taoism.
  • There is no clear nature of God in Taoism.
  • Tao means 'the path of the universe'.
  • Tao is the majestic way in which the universe works.
    NOTE: Other relevant answers must be credited (10)

1.2.2

  • The Taoist point of view on death is that we should appreciate life in order to accept death.
  • When one realises that what makes life wonderful is its cyclical processes, it becomes easier to accept that life.
  • In this religion, death is simply a process of transformation in which one goes from one form to another.
  • It means that one has been part of the universe from the start and will continue to experience both joy and sadness.
  • In the Taoist view, one should not be afraid of death, one should make fun of it.
  • In this religion, one does not need life after death in some kind of heaven or the kind of life after death that is found in Hinduism.
  • Taoism pays little attention to the afterlife. One should live a good life, as an end in itself.
  • One only gets transformed and ends up elsewhere.
    NOTE: Other relevant responses must be credited (12)

1.3
1.3.1

  • Grammar and historical context means you must use the rules of grammar and historical facts to interpret sacred texts.
  • The rules of grammar imply that you must look at the exact meanings of the words used in their most ordinary sense. (2)

1.3.2

  • You need to view a piece of writing as a whole.
  • What was the author's purpose in writing the text?
  • Without the proper context, you would not know what the author was trying to explain. (2)

1.3.3

  • The meanings of words change over time and in different places.
  • Try to find out what the meanings of words were, when they were originally used in the normative source. (2)

[50]

QUESTION 2
2.1
2.1.1 NOTE: A maximum of FOUR marks may be awarded if only ONE branch is discussed.
EXAMPLE 1: CHRISTIANITY
Roman Catholic Church

  • The Roman Catholic Church practises a number of rituals called sacraments (such as the Eucharist).
  • They practise the last rite before the death of a person.
  • The last anointing of the body with holy oil prepares the soul for death and life hereafter.
  • They also practise the burning of incense in their services.
  • They confess their sins to a priest.
  • They use the rosary in their prayers.
  • The clergy are required to remain celibate (unmarried).

Eastern Orthodox Church

  • They engage in the kissing of the images of saints, called icons.
  • The Eucharist is combined with the “Cycle of Prayer.”
  • These prayers are sung at sunrise and sunset.
  • Personal prayer (including the Jesus Prayer) plays an important part in the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Protestantism

  • They practise healing services.
  • They have revival crusades.
  • They regard charity as being an outward sign of inner grace.
    NOTE: 4 of the 14 marks are allocated to the naming of the two branches.
    Other relevant responses must be credited. (14)

2.1.2 NOTE: A maximum of FOUR marks may be awarded if only ONE branch is discussed.
Roman Catholic Church

  • Catholics believe that everyone is born in sin, because Adam and Eve disobeyed God's command.
  • They believe that the Holy Spirit comes from God the Father and the Son.
  • They believe that they are the original church of Christ.

Eastern Orthodox Church

  • According to the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Holy Spirit comes from God the Father only, and not the Son.
  • They believe that they are the rightly guided church.
  • They believe that no one has the power to change Christian teachings and traditions.
  • They see the Bible as canonical.

Protestantism

  • In Protestantism, they believe that rituals are less important than belief. (10)
  • They believe that faith is the key to salvation.
  • They believe that salvation is a gift given freely through the work of Jesus Christ, who died for sinners.
    NOTE: Other relevant responses must be credited.

2.1.1 NOTE: A maximum of FOUR marks may be awarded if only ONE branch is discussed.
EXAMPLE 2: AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGION

AmaZulu

  • They burn incense during communication with the ancestors.
  • When there is illness or misfortune, they consult the traditional healer or diviner.
  • UNomkhubulwana (goddess) is approached through a pilgrimage to the mountains during natural disasters or drought.
  • They practise a 'brought back' ceremony where the deceased is established as an ancestor after a year.

Aka

  • They dance and sing in honour of Dzengi.
  • When they go hunting they perform a ritual which involves animal slaughtering to communicate with the animal spirit.
  • They consult ngangas (traditional healers) when taking difficult decisions.
  • When there is illness or crisis in the family or community, the ngangas are consulted.

Yoruba

  • Religious practices focus on Ori Orun/Olorun.
  • Spiritual contact is made via various intermediaries, including Orisas (lesser divinities).
  • Each town has its own oris and a temple dedicated to it.
  • Sincere meditation and veneration strengthens one's links with the spiritual realm.
    NOTE: 4 of the 14 marks are allocated to the naming of the two branches.
    Other relevant responses must be credited. (14)

2.1.2 NOTE: A maximum of FOUR marks may be awarded if only ONE branch is discussed.
AmaZulu

  • They believe and acknowledge the existence of a Supreme Being called uMvelinqangi.
  • They teach that his status is so high that one cannot directly approach him.
  • Communication with uMvelinqangi is done through the ancestors.
  • The Amazulu also believe that there is a feminine goddess called uNomkhubulwane.

Aka

  • They believe in a creator spirit called Bembe.
  • They teach that Bembe retired after the act of creation.
  • They believe in the forest spirit called Dzengi.
  • They teach that Dzengi assists them in the successful hunting of elephants.

Yoruba

  • They believe that Olodumare is the creator spirit.
  • They teach that each human possesses a fate or destiny.
  • They also teach that life is cyclical (reincarnation in human form).
  • The aim of reincarnation is spiritual improvement.
  • They teach that good spirits become one with Olodumare.
    NOTE: Other relevant responses must be credited (10)

2.2

  • Bahá'i is a relatively new religion.
  • It is governed by a uniquely democratic structure, which allows for differences of opinion. (4)

2.3 EXAMPLE 1: CHRISTIANITY

  • In spite of differences in religious content, Christianity reveals the same pattern in the development of a written tradition as Judaism.
  • Christianity accepted the Hebrew tradition encapsulated in the Tenach.
  • Christianity re-interpreted it from its own religious perspective.
  • This is called the Old Testament.
  • It then compiled its own collection of texts, accepted as divine revelation (New Testament).
  • The New Testament was first an oral tradition from the disciples of Jesus Christ.
  • It was later written down and circulated to different Christian churches.
  • Christianity was forced to define its boundaries against other views.
  • The decision on a corpus of absolutely true and divinely inspired writings was taken.
  • The inspired books were accepted as Christian canon, and referred as the Bible.

Related Items

EXAMPLE 2: BUDDHISM

  • In Theravada Buddhism, the very large canonical tradition was orally transmitted for centuries.
  • It was later written down.
  • Buddhist scriptures are not seen as divine dictates.
  • They are not necessarily considered to be divinely inspired.
  • Theravada Buddhism has produced an ever-growing body of commentaries.
  • These commentaries are based on the canonical tradition.
  • Mahayana Buddhism also makes a distinction between primary scriptures (sutras) and secondary commentaries and philosophical interpretations (sastras).
  • Sastras were often linked to individual scholars and schools.
  • Oral tradition preceded sacred text, and had flexibility in meaning.
    NOTE: Other relevant responses must be credited. (14)

2.4 YES

  • The sacred books are fixed, whereas oral traditions are fluid and can be easily manipulated.
  • Written sacred books become yardsticks of measuring right and wrong.
  • In the religions of the 'Book', sacred scriptures are central to their beliefs.
  • They are seen as authoritative by adherents of these respective religions.
  • The sacred books are canonical in nature.
  • The Abrahamic religions do indeed regard their sacred books as their greatest source.

NO

  • Other religions, such as Hinduism and Taoism, lay greater emphasis on practices rather than on sacred books.
  • In such religions, sacred books are less important, or have no significance (e.g in African Traditional Religion).
  • Sacred books may lose their original meaning when they are translated and interpreted over time.
  • Teachings are transmitted orally.
  • Such teachings are fluid, and readily adapted into local culture.
  • NOTE: Other relevant responses must be credited.
    The candidate may offer a combination of YES and NO answers. (8)

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QUESTION 3
3.1 NOTE: If the candidate mentions the country of conflict even in 3.2 or 3.3 , credit must be given for the whole of Question 3.However, credit must be given ONLY for the first country mentioned.
EXAMPLE 1

Sri Lanka

  • Since 1983, there has been war on the island state of Sri Lanka.
  • Over the years more than 60 000 people were killed.
  • The conflict was between two groups: the Sinhalese-speaking Buddhist community and the Tamil-speaking Hindus.
  • Buddhists and Hindus had lived together for centuries harmoniously.
  • They influenced each other's beliefs and practices.
  • They worshipped some of the same deities and shared some common rituals.
  • The tension between the two groups started when Sri Lanka became independent from British rule.
  • Hindu families felt that the government favoured the majority Buddhist Sinhalese community.
  • The government was accused of discriminating against the minority Hindus. (18)

3.2

  • The main cause of this religious conflict was basically political in nature.
  • Hindus claimed that, because they were in the minority, they did not have the same education and employment opportunities as the Sinhalese Buddhist community.
  • The conflict was further aggravated by the government, by passing an Act in 1956 that declared Sinhala to be the only official language in Sri Lanka.
  • The Act effectively excluded the Tamil-speaking Hindus from the Sri Lankan society.
  • They believed that the main aim of the government was to establish Buddhism as a state religion.
  • In essence the government used the religious differences for political gain. (10)

3.3

  • There is some power-sharing in government.
  • The current situation is calm but volatile.
  • In February 2018, anti-Muslim riots broke out in the town of Ampara.
  • Muslim citizens, mosques and other properties were attacked by mobs of Sinhalese Buddhists.
  • The Muslim mobs then attacked Buddhist temples and Sinhalese citizens.
  • The riots immediately spread to other districts of Sri Lanka.
  • Sri Lankan government imposed a state of emergency and deployed soldiers to assist the police.
  • Buddhist monks and many Sinhalese rallied to protect and help Muslims and their mosques in Sri Lanka.
  • It is clear that religious tensions are still simmering in the country. (12)

3.4

  • Inter-faith religious organisations need to engage the religions in conflict in dialogue.
  • They must promote mutual respect of all religions.
  • They need to promote religious tolerance between Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists.
  • Religious organisations themselves must be impartial in their approach to this conflict.
  • They must be mediators in this conflict and agents of peace. (10)

3.1 EXAMPLE 2

  • Ayodhya in India.
  • Over 500 years ago, a beautiful mosque was built in Ayodhya, in the province of Gujarat in India.
  • Hindus always maintained that the site of the Mosque was the birth place of their revered god, Lord Rama.
  • Hindus maintain that their temple was torn down by Muslims in order to build the Mosque.
  • Today there is some archaeological evidence that this might be true.
  • Over many years, there has been tension about the site between Hindus and Muslims.
  • The tension exploded in 1992, when thousands of radical Hindus destroyed the ancient mosque.
  • Muslims retaliated by attacking Hindus, and thousands of people died.
  • The World Hindu Council announced that a temple in honour of Rama would be built on the site.
  • In 2002, a train carrying Hindus who had visited the site was fire-bombed by Muslims.
  • The courts in India banned any activity at the site until the matter was resolved. (18)

3.2

  • Religion is indeed part of the conflict to a great extent.
  • For many Hindus, Rama is the most important god, and Ayodhya is the holiest of all the cities in India.
  • Devout Hindus see the destruction of the Babri mosque as a 'release' of the birthplace of Rama.
  • The Viswa Hindu Parishad leaders had declared that they wanted the construction of the temple to start sooner.
  • They also declared that no judicial verdict would be accepted by them if it was against their wishes.
  • Leaders of the Babri Mosque Action Committee and Muslim Personal Law Board also declared that they were not prepared for any compromise about a plan to rebuild the mosque.
  • They are prepared to fight those who do anything to the detriment of Islam, such as destroying a mosque. (10)

3.3

  • The Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu National Baratiya Janata Party has been scaling up to build a Hindu temple in Ayodhya.
  • Walls in the districts surrounding the site have been plastered with posters that show Lord Rama going to war.
  • Other posters contain slogans that are essentially war cries against the inability by the previous government to get the temple constructed.
  • The situation has prompted a sense of panic and fear among Ayodhya's Muslim residents.
  • The Hindu National Baratiya Janata Party appears to be attempting to galvanise Hindus in Uttar Pradesh province along religious lines.
  • The Supreme Court has awarded the land to the Hindus, and alternative land has been given to the Muslims. (12)

3.4

  • Both Hindus and Muslim leaders must be committed to an everlasting solution in Ayodhya.
  • They should construct a national monument for peace, love and inter-religious harmony on the site instead of their places of worship.
  • They must welcome people of all faiths for prayer and meditation in that monument.
  • Inter-faith religious organisations must choose a neutral mediator who will preside in every meeting.
  • Terrorists from both sides must be handed to the law enforcement agencies.
  • They must discourage political interference in religious conflict.
  • The government should not be allowed to exploit religion for political gain. (10)

[50]

QUESTION 4
4.1
4.1.1

  • In the 15th century, Martin Luther set in motion certain changes that led to the splintering of Christianity.
  • This led to decades of religious wars in Europe.
  • Various Christian groups fought for dominance.
  • At the time, the church was very influential both politically and socially.
  • Most countries were not democratic, as they were ruled by emperors, kings, queens or nobility.
  • These rulers used the church to establish their power.
  • In return religious leaders also influenced rulers to promote the interpretation of their beliefs.
  • All warring parties thought that a society would be peaceful if everyone shared the same beliefs.
  • Protestant reformers were not tolerant of religious diversity.
  • Catholics and Protestants imposed their beliefs on each other.
  • People began a quest for a state where there would be religious tolerance.
  • The intellectuals concluded that religions were divisive rather than uniting.
  • A government which was based purely on reasoning and understanding of human nature was then a solution.
  • Thus government and morality were divorced from religion.
  • Secular humanism was thus established.
    NOTE: Other relevant responses must be credited (12)

4.1.2

  • The signing of the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648 settled most of the European religious conflict.
  • The Treaty is important for Western political and religious history; because it was the first time that the nation state was recognised, independent of religion.
  • Secular states have human rights and religious freedom at the heart of society.
  • There are no religious wars in, or between, secular states.
  • People in secular states are free to follow any religion of their choice.
  • Religious leaders from different faith communities are forced by the constitution to work as equal partners on religious issues.
  • As a result religions developed respect for and tolerance of each other.
  • Different religions have developed their understanding of one another's beliefs and practices.
    NOTE: Other relevant responses must be credited. (12)

4.1.3

  • Secularism is a belief that government and morality should not be based on religion.
  • It does not reject religion, but does not give religion the final say on morality or government.
  • Instead, secularism sees human intellect as the solution to all challenges.
  • Secularism advocates ethics based on reasoning about human nature, without referring to God or gods.
  • Secularism advocates freedom of speech, and freedom of religion.
  • Secularism understands the universe without appealing to religious explanations, such as Creationism myths. (10)

4.2 ATHEISM

  • Atheists reject the belief that divine or supernatural powers exist.
  • There are different degrees of atheism.
  • Soft or neutral atheists do not actively reject the existence of a supernatural being.
  • Strong or positive atheists believe that, there is evidence to support their atheistic views.
  • In some cases soft atheists reject both theism and strong atheism.
  • This is because they feel both world views depend on proof to support their claims.
  • Atheists often turn to science to explain the nature of the universe rather than relying on faith.

AGNOSTICISM

  • This term was first used by a philosopher called T.H Huxley in 1869.
  • Darwin's theory of human evolution challenged the idea of a supreme Creator.
  • Agnostics believe that it is not possible to either prove or disprove the existence of God or a supernatural being.
  • Agnosticism comes from Greek, 'a' meaning 'without' and 'gnosis' meaning 'knowledge'.
  • This refers to uncertainty about knowledge of God.
  • Agnostics are sceptical of religious teachings.
  • They reject religious doctrine, especially religions that claim they have spiritual knowledge.

SECULAR HUMANISM

  • This movement initially encouraged people to use their intellect to understand scripture.
  • Later, it became secular, non-religious and atheistic.
  • It teaches that supernatural beings are not a necessity for teaching right from wrong.
  • Humans can work this out for themselves, using their reasoning skills.
  • It rejects religious beliefs and the existence of the supernatural.

MATERIALISM

  • This secular worldview believes that matter is the only reality.
  • It denies the existence of a spiritual or supernatural realm.
  • It is therefore incompatible with religious worldviews which are rooted in belief in a deity or spiritual reality.
  • According to Karl Marx, the concept of materialism describes human history and economic activity.
  • Dialectical materialism means matter as the fundamental cause of everything.
  • Historical materialism means economics and relationships between workers and owners as the fundamental structure in society.
    NOTE: Other relevant responses must be credited. (16)

[50]

QUESTION 5
5.1
5.1.1

  • The scientific answer to the question comes from Darwin's theory of evolution.
  • It states that all forms of life are connected and go back to a common origin.
  • Different types of life occurred in one single continuum.
  • Life evolves in a process, leading from simple to complex.
  • Organisms change gradually, to adapt to changing environments.
  • Those that suit the environment best, become dominant.
  • This is called 'natural selection'.
  • The process started many millions of years ago, and is still continuing.
  • Human beings also emerged over a long process, spanning millions of years, until 'modern' humans finally emerged about 100 000 years ago.
  • The theory of evolution asserts that humans evolved from a common primate ancestor with apes.
    NOTE: Other relevant responses must be credited. (16)

5.1.2 CHRISTIANITY

  • Christianity teaches that God is the Creator of the universe and all that is within it, including humans.
  • Adam was created by God from the dust of the earth
  • God breathed His Spirit into Adam and he came to life.
  • Eve was created from Adam's rib.
  • Adam and Eve were the first humans.
  • All people are descendants from Adam and Eve.
  • Furthermore, each person is created in the image and likeness of God, and, as such, is unique and deserving of human dignity.
  • Humans represent the climax of God's creation and were put in charge to be stewards of creation, that is, to take care of it.
  • Christian teaching about creation is found in the book of Genesis in the Bible.

TAOISM

  • In Taoism, there is no concept of creation, but humans are merely a pattern of the universe.
  • There is nothing special about the creation of man.
  • Humans are a by-product of the interaction of Yang and Yin.
  • Yin and Yang represent opposing forces of nature.
  • These include light and dark, active and passive, and of course male and female.
  • Taoism asserts that if the one could produce 10 000 things, then it could produce everything, including human beings.

HINDUISM

  • According to Hinduism the universe is based on evolution.
  • However, Hinduism believes it has a more advanced theory of evolution than the scientific view.
  • The scientific view is based on observable facts. Hinduism provides a more comprehensive view because it includes the spiritual.
  • Scientists see evolution as a process that happens by chance. Hindus believe that you have control over both physical and spiritual evolution.
  • By the laws of karma, a good life leads to gradual evolution to a more advanced form.
  • Ultimately, you achieve liberation from the physical (moksha) and become one with God.
  • Hinduism does not have a problem with evolution because Darwin's theory is not in conflict with Hindu thought and belief.
  • In fact, Darwin's theory contributes to the understanding of evolution towards moksha.
    NOTE: Other relevant responses must be credited. (24)

5.2

  • The Big Bang Theory is currently the most popular scientific theory about the creation of the universe.
  • This scientific theory maintains that before the Big Bang, it was not known what existed.
  • After the Big Bang, the universe appeared and filled out to an enormous size.
  • The Big Bang occurred about 15 billion years ago.
  • Small temperature differences in the first explosion led to varying densities throughout the universe.
  • These eventually formed into clusters throughout the universe. (10)

[50]
TOTAL: 150

Last modified on Thursday, 24 March 2022 07:25