THE 1981 UNITED NATIONS DECLARATION ON THE ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF INTOLERANCE AND OF DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RELIGION OR BELIEF
 

 QUESTIONNAIRE

THE ULTIMATE MEANING OF LIFE
AND HOW TO LIVE ACCORDINGLY

This Questionnaire is part of The Tandem Project Human Rights Education Manual, How toMonitor Human Rights and Freedom of Religion or Belief. The Questionnaire asks for a response to questions on deeply-held beliefs. The answers to the Questionnaire will be kept confidential and will be used in a Community Assessment Report on Human Rights and Freedom of Religion or Belief

The United Nations Human Rights Committee in a General Comment on Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)-defines the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion or belief as protecting; “theistic, non-theistic and atheistic beliefs as well as the right not to profess any religion or belief. The terms belief and religion are to be broadly construed. Article 18 is not limited in its application to traditional religions or to religions and beliefs with institutional characteristics or practices analogous to those of traditional religions.”

The United Nations Human Rights Committee “therefore views with concern any tendency to discriminate against any religion or belief for any reasons, including the fact that they are newly established, or represent religious minorities that may be the subject of hostilities by a predominant religious community.”

POSITION: [Categories]

Highlight a category which generally describes your beliefs

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Answer each question below and SUBMIT after each answer. It will be sent by e-mail to The Tandem Project. Once you hit a Submit your screen will empty and you must start over if you want to edit the answer or move on to the next question Take as long as you like to complete the Questionnaire. The e-mail answers will be kept in a personal file for you and updated as the Questionnaire is filled out.

Describe your vocation or work in a few words:

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I. The Ultimate Meaning of Life

What is the ultimate meaning of your life is a religious, spiritual or non-religious question described in philosophy as a question of metaphysics, a core concern or first principle.

1) In a few sentences describe the ultimate meaning of life according to the teachings or understandings of your religion or belief. If you do not have an ultimate meaning of life or have not thought about the question explain what you think it may be.

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2) How did you come to know the ultimate meaning of life according to your religion or belief? What role do the doctrines or sayings of your religion or belief play in knowing the truth of this meaning? What role does faith play in this knowledge?

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3) In your opinion, what do you think is the ultimate meaning of life if you do not know the teachings of your religion or belief, or if you do not have a religion or belief?

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4) Are there other religions or beliefs that hold these truths on the ultimate meaning of life in common with your beliefs? If so how?

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II. How to Live Accordingly

Individuals and communities of like-minded individuals, have a code of values called morality or ethics which teaches them how to live according to their understanding of the ultimate meaning of life. How to live accordingly is expressed in three ways; as an ethical system applying only to the individual or like-minded community, as an extension of this code of values through politics applied to the public at-large, and as conscious or unconscious expressions of their ultimate meaning of life and how to live accordingly through beauty and the arts (see Integrated View of Life in the Reference Documents).

 

1) Briefly describe how your understanding of the ultimate meaning of life is applied through a code of ethics or morality. How does your religion or belief live according to its understanding of the ultimate meaning of life? What is the basis (sources of rules, norms and traditions) for this?

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2) If you have no understanding of an ultimate meaning of life, what is your code of values, morality or personal ethics based on?

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3) How are your values and ethics you or your like-minded community of religion or belief expressed through politics in the community at-large? Do representatives of your religion or belief guide or instruct their members on how to apply ethics and morality to politics? Explain.

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4) How do you or members of your community of religion or belief give expression to the ultimate meaning of life through beauty and the arts? In a few sentences, briefly describe particular ways, in which, for instance, you give expression through sacred music, art, or if you have no understanding of the ultimate meaning of life through spiritual or secular expressions.

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III. Intolerance and Discrimination  

Religions or beliefs bring tremendous hope, consolation and healing, as well as tension, intolerance and conflict within and between them. This paradox creates a need for human rights on freedom of religion or belief. Human rights are legal protection from intolerance and discrimination by states and others. They redress incidents of discrimination based on religion or belief.

1) Do you believe sources of morality (discerning good from bad) are based on diverse religious, philosophical and social traditions? Can an atheist have a concept of morality? What happens when sources of morality differ with each other?

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2) Can you name aspects of your religion or belief that could create conflicts with the way other religions or beliefs view the ultimate meaning of life?

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3) Intolerance and discrimination based on some extremist views of religions or beliefs has been a source of conflict throughout the ages. Why?

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