Hello, my name's Mrs. Rawbone, and I'd like to welcome you to this RE lesson today on censorship and freedom of religious expression.

In today's lesson, you will be able to explain Christian teachings and responses to freedom of religious expression, censorship, and extremism.

Keywords that we'll be using today are censorship, extremism, and freedom of religious expression.

Censorship is when an authority such as the government or a media company controls or limits what people can see, read, hear, or say.

Extremism is holding radical views that reject others' rights or promote hatred.

And freedom of religious expression is the right to practise religion freely without discrimination or punishment, for example, being allowed space or time to pray in the workplace.

Today's lesson will form two parts.

We'll be looking at freedom of religious expression and its censorship and extremism.

So let's start with freedom of religious expression.

Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states, "Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.

This right includes freedom to change his religion or belief and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private.

This applies to all people, and it gives everyone the right to choose whether they want to follow a religion.

It also means that as well as having beliefs, people have the freedom to express their beliefs.

Freedom of religion means that people are free to express their religious beliefs or to express beliefs that are not religious.

So for example, with religious freedom of expression, a Muslim woman may wear a hijab.

With non-religious freedom of religious expression, we might have a humanist attending or choosing a naming ceremony for their child.

Let's check your understanding of what freedom of religious expression is.

So which of the following is not an example of religious expression? Is it A? We have A.

Look carefully the picture.

We have B.

Different picture there.

And we have C with the third picture.

So pause the video, take your time to look and to decide which is not an example.

Come back when you're ready to check your answer.

So well done if you chose A.

This looked like an athlete about to start a race.

This is not an example of religious expression.

Not all countries grant freedom of religious expression.

This data shows the number of countries in which people from different religions were harassed in the years 2017, 2019, and 2021.

I'd like you to look closely at the data.

Which religious believers received the most harassment? Take a moment, pause if you need to, and then come back when you're ready to move on.

So well done if you spotted that it was Christians.

Brandon is a humanist, and although he's not religious, he explains why freedom of religion is important to him.

Brandon says, "I believe that freedom of religion or belief is a fundamental human right.

Everyone should be free to follow a religion, change their beliefs, or have no religion at all.

But this freedom also comes with responsibility.

We must respect others' rights and never use our beliefs to harm, exclude, or silence anyone." How does this view reflect humanist values like equality and respect? Pause the video, have a read of what Brandon said again, and come back when you're ready to move on.

Which of the following is a responsibility of someone exercising freedom of religion? Is it A, pressuring others to accept their religion, B, respecting someone's right to hold a different view, or C, using religious teachings to support negative talk about others? Pause if you need to, jot down your answer, and then come back when you're ready to check.

So well done if you put down that it is respecting someone's right to hold a different belief.

Christians reflect on issues such as those surrounding freedom of religious expression by consulting sources of authority including the Bible, church teachings, church leaders and fellow Christians, Christian ethical theories such as natural law and situation ethics.

They might also use their conscience and apply reason which they see as God-given gifts.

They may interpret the sources differently or emphasise one more than another.

The Bible is a source of authority and wisdom for Christians when considering freedom of religious expression.

"You are the light of the world.

Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16.

So Jesus seems to be saying that Christians should share their faith openly as a good example.

"You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free.

But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh, rather, serve one another humbly in love." Galatians 5:13.

This seems to suggest that freedom is a gift from God, but it must be used to serve others not to cause harm.

"If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." Romans 12:18.

Christians should use their freedom in ways that maintain peace and harmony.

So which Biblical teaching suggests Christians should share their faith in order to be a good example to others? Is it A, "Let your light shine before others, that you may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven," from Matthew 5:16? Is it B, "Do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh, rather, serve one another humbly in love," Galatians 5:13.

Or is it C, "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone," Romans 12:18.

So take a moment, pause if you need to, and then come back when you're ready to check your answer.

So well done if you put A.

Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds.

This clearly suggests that Christians should share their faith in order to be a good example to others.

All Christian denominations support freedom of religious expression.

The Catholic church teaches that religious freedom is a fundamental human right, grounded in the inherent dignity of every person.

According to "Dignitatis Humanae" from Vatican II, people must never be forced to act against their conscience in matters of faith.

And this is echoed in paragraph 2,106 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which states that the human person has a right to religious freedom.

The Methodist Church teaches that freedom of religious expression is a key part of respecting human dignity and promoting justice.

People should be free to follow their conscience and express their faith without fear or coercion.

The report "Called to Love and Praise" emphasises the importance of religious liberty and the church's commitment to tolerance and dialogue in a pluralistic society.

Evangelical churches teach that freedom of religious expression is essential, as true faith must be chosen freely and lived publicly.

The Evangelical Alliance supports this through its religious and liberty commission, by engaging with government, defending Christians facing restrictions, and providing guidance to churches on expressing faith, both respectfully and lawfully.

True or false? Most Christians believe people have a right to freedom of religious expression.

So take a moment, pause if you need to, have a think as well about why.

Come back when you are ready to check your answer.

The answer is true.

Well done if you got that correct, but why is this true? It's true because God gave everyone freedom and the ability to choose their own beliefs.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that the human person has a right to religious freedom.

Jun is answering this question.

Explain from either two religions or two religious traditions beliefs about freedom of religious expression.

Help him get started by developing each of the points in the table below.

The first point.

One reason Christians support freedom of religious expression is because God gave people freedom.

And you can develop it by saying, "This mean that individuals should be able to.

." And the second point, another reason why Christians support freedom of religious expression is because people should live peacefully.

And develop that with, "No one should prevent.

." So take your time, pause the video, come back when you're ready to check your answer.

Let's have a look at what you could have said.

For the first point, you could have said this means that individuals should be able to choose their own beliefs without being forced.

And for the second, no one should prevent anyone else from expressing their beliefs.

So well done if you managed to explain each of those key points.

For the second part of the task, I'd like you to help Jun support each of his points with a source of belief and teaching, and explain its importance.

So we have the point and development that we made earlier about God giving people freedom.

And the source will be the Catechism of the Catholic Church says.

And importance, showing that no one can be.

And for the second point, we have already mentioned about living peacefully.

So your source for this would be Romans 12:18 says.

And this encourages Christians to.

So take your time to think about the source of authority, which would help Jun expand on the development of both those points.

Pause the video, come back When you're ready to move on.

Let's have a look at what you could have said.

For the first point, our source could be, the Catechism of the Catholic Church says, "The human person has a right to religious freedom." And for importance, showing that no one can be forced to act against their beliefs.

And for our second point, Romans 12:18 says, "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." And the importance, this encourages Christians to support freedom of religious expression, as it promotes peace.

So well done if you manage to find a source of authority to go with each of those points.

For the second part of our lesson, we are going to be thinking about censorship and extremism.

Censorship is when an authority such as the government or a media company controls or limits what people can see, read, hear, or say.

There is a long history of censorship.

Here's one example.

During World War I and World War II, soldiers' letters home were read and censored to make sure they didn't reveal military positions, strategies, or details that could be useful to the enemy.

This helped keep operations secret and troops safe.

Letters were censored, so a letter home might contain blacked out sections.

For example, we are leaving for a town near, tomorrow, or in some cases, sections of the letter were actually cut out with scissors.

Censorship can be both positive and negative.

As we have seen with the example of soldiers' letters, its aim was to protect society.

It can restrict dangerous content.

Now this could include accidental dangerous content, as in the case of the soldier's letters, unintentional, or it might be inciting hate speech or incitement to violence.

On the negative side, censorship can aim to silence minorities, and there are governments that have used it to do this, and currently do use it to do this.

It can hide the truth.

It can limit freedom of thought.

So one example might be banning religious clothing.

Let's check your understanding.

Which of the following is an example of positive censorship? A, a government bans peaceful protests in public spaces.

B, a school blocks violent websites on its computers.

C, a teacher refuses to let students discuss politics.

Or D, a company deletes customer reviews that criticise its products.

So take a moment, have a think about which of those is an example of positive censorship.

Pause if you need to, and then come back when you're ready to check your answer.

So well done if you put B, a school blocking violent websites on its computers.

Extremism is holding radical views that reject others' rights or promote hatred.

It can be religious, it can be political, or it can just be ideological.

It's not the same as having a strong belief.

Extremism may involve aggression.

It's not open to dialogue.

It can threaten other people's rights and it may break laws, especially around hate or violence.

In contrast, a strong belief is usually expressed peacefully.

The person expressing it is open to dialogue.

They respect the rights of others.

And strong beliefs are protected under freedom of speech.

So they are lawful.

Extremism is often regarded as dangerous by both religious and non-religious groups.

Firstly, extreme views develop.

This leads to other opinions being rejected, and that stops open discussion.

It encourages intolerance.

From there, hate and divisions spread, which damages communities by spreading fear and distrust.

It may lead to people being radicalised.

So individuals can be influenced to support harmful or violent actions, and that, in turn, can lead to terrorism.

This, of course, puts lives at risk and it creates fear in society.

Let's check your understanding.

What is extremism? Pause if you need to, jot down your definition, and then come back when you're ready to see an answer.

So well done if you put holding radical views that reject others' rights or promote hatred.

Brandon is a humanist, he is explaining his views on censorship and extremism.

Brandon says, "I believe that people should be allowed to question beliefs, express opinions, and explore new ideas.

However, this freedom comes with responsibility.

Censorship should only be used when necessary to prevent serious harm, such as inciting violence, promoting hatred or encouraging extremism.

Silencing ideas just because they are offensive or controversial goes against humanist values of reason, open dialogue, and equality." According to Brandon, what are the pros and cons of censorship? Take a moment to turn and talk to someone nearby, or you can talk to me, pause the video, come back when you're ready to move on.

Is this statement true or false? Humanist believe censorship should only be used to prevent serious harm, like extremism or hate, not just to silence offensive ideas.

Decide whether it's true or false, but also have a think about why you have chosen whether it's true or false.

Pause if you need to, and then come back when you are ready to check your answer.

So well done if you put true.

But why is this true? Well, it's true because humanist value freedom of expression, and they believe that censorship should protect people from harm but not stop open discussion.

Christians generally support the freedom of religious expression and strongly object to the persecution of Christians and those of other faiths.

Open Doors and Christian Solidarity Worldwide are organisations that advocate for freedom of religious expression and support persecuted Christians.

Open Doors supports persecuted Christians in over 70 countries.

It works in areas affected by religious extremism, helping Christians respond peacefully.

Christian Solidarity Worldwide, known as CSW, investigates human rights abuses and lobbies governments and the UN.

It offers legal support and protection to victims of religious persecution.

Louise, who is a Methodist, explains how she supports freedom of religious expression.

She says, "I support Open Doors because they help Christians who are persecuted for their faith, particularly in countries like North Korea, where they risk imprisonment and death just for owning a Bible.

I contribute by donating and praying for persecuted Christians." Asher, who attends a Pentecostal Church, explains how he supports freedom of religious expression.

Asher says, "I support Christian Solidarity Worldwide because they stand with persecuted Christians like Leah Sharibu, a young Nigerian girl who was kidnapped by Boko Haram for refusing to renounce her faith.

As well as donating money, I pray for Leah and others like her." I'd like to check your understanding by asking you to name one Christian organisation that supports the freedom of religious expression for persecuted Christians around the world.

So take a moment, pause if you need to, and then come back when you're ready to check your answer.

You could have said either Christian Solidarity Worldwide or Open Doors.

Well done if you managed to remember either of those organisations.

Most Christians strongly oppose religious extremism.

Freedom of speech must be balanced with responsibility.

The right to freedom of speech and to express religious or non-religious beliefs is on one side of the balance.

But on the other side, we have a responsibility to use that speech wisely, truthfully, and with respect for others.

Extremism fails to fulfil this responsibility because it speech or actions to spread hatred, fear, or violence, rather than truth and love.

Charlie, who is a baptist Christian, is explaining why Jesus' words in the Great Commission require freedom of speech when it comes to expressing religious beliefs.

"Go and make disciples of all nations, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." Matthew 28:19-20.

Charlie says, "Christians must be able to share their beliefs openly to obey Jesus' command.

Without it, they couldn't fulfil their mission." Charlie goes on to explain that freedom of speech must be balanced with responsibility.

He says, "Supporting freedom of speech doesn't mean Christians support extremism.

Ephesians 4:15 teaches us to speak the truth in love.

We are called to be peaceful and not to force beliefs or cause fear, so extremism goes against Jesus' teaching and the spirit of the Great Commission." In general, Christians support censorship.

For Christians, curbing extremism, for example, by preventing hate speech or incitement to violence is a good thing.

Sometimes Christians would oppose it, but that might be if it unfairly silences religious views or it prevents them from sharing the gospel.

When would a Christian be most likely to support censorship? A, when religious speech causes offence to others, B, when someone expresses a different belief about God, C, when speech encourages hatred against a religious group, or D, when someone says religion shouldn't be taught in schools? Take a moment to think about your answer, pause if you need to, and then come back when you're ready to move on.

Well done if you put C, it would be when speech encourages hatred against a religious group.

Because, of course, Christians are told to share and speak with love.

For part one of our tasks, we're going to look at the statement, "Censorship protects people from harm without affecting their freedom of religious expression." I'd like you to complete the table by developing each point into an argument for the statement.

The first point, censorship targets extremism.

And the second point is censorship keeps people safe.

So pause your video, take your time to think about how to develop each of those points into an argument that could be used in a discussion around that statement.

Come back when you're ready to see what you could have said.

Let's have a look at what you could have said.

For the first point, censorship focuses on stopping dangerous content that encourages violence or hatred.

It does not stop people from practising their religion or expressing peaceful beliefs.

By removing extremist messages, it protects society without taking away freedom of religious expression.

For the second point, by removing harmful content like hate speech or extremist videos, censorship helps protect people from violence and discrimination.

It creates a safer society while still allowing people to follow their religion peacefully.

For part two of our task on the same statement, we're going to be completing the table by developing each point into an argument against.

So just to remind you, the statement again is, censorship protects people from harm without affecting their freedom of religious expression.

The first point, censorship can ban peaceful religious expression, and the second is censorship can silence both religious and non-religious beliefs.

So pause the video, have a think about how to develop each of those points into an argument against the statement.

Write down your answer and come back when you are ready to see what you could have said.

You could have said for the first point, in some countries, laws ban religious clothing like hijabs, turbans, or crosses in schools and public spaces.

For many, religious clothing is part of their identity and moral values.

This type of censorship limits personal freedom and unfairly targets harmless expression.

And for the second point, freedom of religion includes the right to have no religion, but censorship can silence this.

In some US states, schools have handbooks that include atheist or humanist ideas, such as those questioning religion or exploring morality without God.

So well done if you manage to develop both of those points against the statements, and you can see, hopefully, now that we've looked at some arguments for and some arguments against.

In today's lesson, you have learned that freedom of religious expression is a human right which is protected in law.

That censorship limits what people can see, read, hear, or say.

That extremism involves holding radical views that reject others' rights and can threaten their dignity and safety.

That Christians believe they should be free to share their faith.

Most reject extremism.

That Christians oppose persecution.

Organisations like Open Doors and CSW work to support persecuted Christians.

And finally, Christians may support censorship to prevent harm or reduce extremism, but not if it unfairly silences faith.

We've considered lots of challenging issues today.

I really appreciate your hard work on this lesson.