Censorship (WJEC Eduqas GCSE Religious Studies): Revision Note

What is censorship?

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

  • This could be because something is considered obscene, offensive or a threat to security

  • People may also be restricted in their speech by censorship laws

• The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) Article 19 says that everyone has “the right to freedom of opinion and expression”

• There is a difficult balance between censorship and freedom of expression. It raises questions such as:

  • Should people be free to express views even if they offend others?

  • Should people avoid causing offence or alarm with their opinions?

  • Do we want to live in a society where people cannot speak their minds?

  • Should governments or broadcasters censor information, even if this makes truth harder to discover?

  • How should society deal with people who express shocking views simply to provoke others?

• Different individuals and groups take different positions on these issues

 Freedom of religious expression

• Freedom of religious expression is the right to freely practise religion without discrimination or punishment. This may include rights such as:

  • Having space or time to pray in the workplace

  • Being allowed to wear religious symbols or clothing

• Some religious people feel it is important to share their faith with others

  • Inviting people to services or religious activities is called mission 

  • Trying to help others adopt a new religious faith is called conversion

• Missionary work may include:

  • Preaching in public places

  • Door-to-door visits

  • Distribution of pamphlets and promotional materials

• Christianity has a strong tradition of mission and evangelism based on Jesus’s instruction

• Some people think that trying to convert others is disrespectful towards their existing beliefs

Religious extremism

• Many religious believers express their faith peacefully, but there is a difference between genuine religious expression and extreme behaviour

• Religious extremism refers to believing in and supporting ideas that are far from what most people would consider correct or reasonable. They may be radical views that reject others’ rights or promote hatred

• Religious extremists may feel justified in their actions, but others — even within their own faith — would reject them as unacceptable

• There are many types of religious extremism. Some common features may include:

  • Absolutism: believing that only their interpretation is correct

  • Narrow-mindedness: refusing to consider alternative views

  • Superiority: seeing followers of other beliefs as inferior

  • Expectation of sacrifice: risking or giving one’s life for the cause

• Examples include jihadist groups such as Al-Qaeda, Boko Haram and Islamic State

  • Their extreme views and use of violence do not follow the teachings of the Qur’an

  • They are condemned by the vast majority of Muslims and classed as terrorist organisations by Western governments