RELIGIOUS STUDIES
PAPER 2
GRADE 12 
NSC PAST PAPERS AND MEMOS
NOVEMBER 2016

MEMORANDUM

QUESTION 1 
1.1.1 NOTE:  

• Two marks are awarded if all the branches of the  selected religion are mentioned. 
• In 1.1.1 and 1.1.2, if more than one religion is discussed,  credit only the first religion. 
• If only one of two existing branches is discussed, a  maximum of six marks must be awarded. 
• African Initiated Churches should also be recognised as  a branch of Christianity.
  EXAMPLE 1: Christianity 
• There are three main branches of Christianity, namely the  Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Protestant Churches. 

Roman Catholic Church 

• This branch sees itself as the original church of Christ. 
• They believe that everyone is born in sin, because Adam and  Eve disobeyed God's command. 
• God is made up of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.(i.e.  Trinity) 
• The Holy Spirit comes from God the Father and the Son. 

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. 
• The supreme authority of the Pope is not recognised. 

Protestantism 

• In Protestantism, the Bible has more authority than the Pope. 
• Rituals are less important than belief. 
• They believe that faith is the key to salvation. 
• Salvation is a gift given freely through the works of Jesus  Christ.  

EXAMPLE 2: African Traditional Religion 

AmaZulu 

• They believe and acknowledge the existence of a Supreme  Being called uMvelinqangi. 
• They believe 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. 
• They also believe in a ceremony called 'brought back', where  the living dead is established as an ancestor.

Aka (in Central Africa) 

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

Yoruba (South West Nigeria) 

• They believe that Olodumare is the creator spirit. 
• They believe that each human possesses a fate or destiny. 
• They also believe that life is cyclical (reincarnation in human  form). 
• The aim of reincarnation is spiritual improvement. 
• They believe that good spirits become one with Olodumare.
  NOTE: The candidate must mention all branches of the religion  chosen. Two marks are awarded for this. (10) 

1.1.2 NOTE: NO marks should be awarded for repeating the branches of  the religion in QUESTION 1.1.2. 

EXAMPLE 1: Christianity 
Roman Catholic Church 

• The Roman Catholic Church practises a number of rituals called Sacraments such as:
  • Eucharist (Holy Communion)
  • Ordination into priesthood 
  • Marriage
  • Baptism 
  • The last rite before the death of a person 
  • Burning of incense
  • Confession of sin to a Priest 

Eastern Orthodox Church 
They practise the following: 

• Lighting of candles. 
• Holy Communion. 
• Kissing of the images of Saints, called icons. 
• Burning of incense. 
• Baptism. 

Protestants 

• Attendance of Sunday services. 
• Holy communion services. 
• Healing services 
• Revival crusades.

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 is approached through a pilgrimage to the  mountains during natural disasters or drought. 
• They practice a 'brought back' ceremony where the deceased is  established as an ancestor after a year. 

Aka (Central Africa) 

• They dance and sing in honour of Dzengi. 
• They slaughter animals in communication with the ancestors. 
• When they go for hunting they perform a ritual which involves  animal slaughtering to communicate with the animal spirit. 
• They consult ngangas when taking difficult decisions. 
• When there is illness or crisis in the family or community, the  ngangas (traditional healers) are consulted. Yoruba 
• Religious practices focus on Ori Orun (spiritual self). 
• 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 strenghtens one's links with  the spiritual realm. (10) 

1.2 NOTE: The candidate may give any number of positive and negative  consequences. Any other relevant responses should be accepted. 
 A maximum of TWO examples may be credited. 

Positive consequences 

• Internal differences allow for differences in the interpretation of sacred  texts. 
• There is potential for religious growth, arising from interaction of  subdivisions. 
• It is also more accommodating, as human beings are not all the same. 
• Internal differences encourage tolerance, as different views are also  accepted within the same religion. 
• They force the adherents to focus on what is common, rather that the  differences. 
• Major beliefs remain unchanged, but practices may differ among  subdivisions of the same religion. 
• E.g. In Islam, the shahadah (testimony that Allah alone is worthy of  worship, and that Muhammad is His Messenger) is non-negotiable, but  differences in jurisprudence and rituals do exist. 
• In African Traditional Religion, ancestral worship is non-negotiable, but  rituals are very different across the various branches. 

Negative consequences 

• Internal differences weaken religions. 
• It causes division in communities and even families. 
• People become intolerant, as they expect all persons from one religion to  be the same. 
• Internal differences have led to major wars. 
• E.g. Iran-Iraq war/ Northern Ireland, etc. 
• People become confused, and lose interest in religion. 
• They may convert to another religion altogether. (14) 

1.3 

 Historical context 

• This means that the writings must be understood within the context of the  time and circumstances in which the text was written. 

Clearest meaning/Meaning of words  

• The meaning that is clearest (or most obvious) to the reader should be  considered. 

Plan, purpose and context 

• The writing plan or structure of the whole document must be taken into  account. 
• An extract must be seen as part of the whole. 
• For example, is the writing in the form of poetry or prose? 

Meanings of words 

• The meanings of words often change over time and context. 
• For correct interpretation, the original meaning must be used. 

Figurative language 

• Figurative language is used widely in some sacred texts. This must be  identified as such, so that it is not interpreted literally. 
• Figurative language requires the application of all other hermeneutical  principles, in order for it to be correctly interpreted. 

Other sacred texts 

• Sacred texts may be used to interpret other sacred texts on the same  topic.  
• This is because there is consistency among teachings of a religion and its  sacred texts. (16)

[50]

QUESTION 2 
2.1 EXAMPLE 1: Hinduism  

• The highest concept of God in Hinduism is Brahma, the Supreme Being.
• Brahman is everywhere and the source of our existence. 
• Hinduism believes that God can be experienced in graded stages  according to the spiritual development of the devotee. 
• The first level or experience of God under Brahman is Ishwara, the  formless God, who is everywhere and formless. 
• Hinduism's nature of divinity is illustrated in the belief in reincarnation,  which is a spiritual evolution, since one can experience Brahman in  gradual stages. 
• The Creator can be either in an active or passive state. 
• The passive state of the Creator is a state of rest when nothing happens. The active state was when the Big Bang happened. 
• Since God is seen in many forms, Hindus believe that all religions lead to  one truth. 
• In Hinduism the universe is the Creator, so they do not have a problem  with the theory of evolution. 

EXAMPLE 2: Islam 

• Muslims believe in a universal God called Allah. 
• Allah is beyond physical description and is referred to by a wide range of  titles reflecting His divine attributes (al-Rabb, al-Malik, al-Rahman and al Rahim). 
• Belief (iman) in Allah is the foundation of Islam. 
• Humans must affirm and acknowledge the existence of Allah and live  according to His divine will. 
• His divine will is expressed in the teachings contained in the divinely revealed scriptures, the Qur'an. 
• The Muslim understanding of the nature of God, of the universe and of  humanity is shaped essentially in the Qur'an. 
• The titles al-Rabb and al-Malik reminds us that Allah owns the universe  and will dispense justice on the Day of Judgement. 
• The above titles are reflected in Islamic belief in the Judgement Day. 
• Two fundamental doctrines in Muslim teaching, which complement each  other, are tawhid and shirk. 
• Tawhid is arguably the defining doctrine of Islam, and affirms the oneness  of God. 
• Allah must be venerated above all other beings and above animals; He is  one and has no son. 
• Of all major sins in Islam, shirk (associating partners with God) is the  gravest, because no gods, being or object has the attributes of Allah. (18)

2.2 EXAMPLE 1: Hinduism 

• According to the traditional Hindu view, human beings may be divided into four categories called varnas/ castes. 
• These varnas serve the purpose of organising society. 
• Individuals then know their place or role in society. 
• The resultant division of labour moulds the relationship between the  community and the individual. 
• Varnas is to categorise people according to their intrinsic qualities. 
• The highest caste consists of Brahmanas, the spiritual teachers, priests,  philosophers and law-makers. 
• They must provide spiritual guidance and intellectual sustenance to  society. 
• The second caste is the Ksatriyas, rulers and warriors, whose duty is to  govern the nation and to protect it against aggression. 
• They must use their power to protect the weak and punish the wicked. 
• The third category is the business persons. They must earn wealth. 
• They must spend their wealth in charity and for the welfare of society. 
• The fourth caste is Sudras, or labourers who must be active and honest. 

EXAMPLE 2: Islam 

• Islam creates a balance between the rights of individuals and the rights of  the community. 
• If there is conflict between the right of individuals and that of the majority,  the community's right takes precedence. 
• Individual rights must not cause harm to or violate the right of the majority. 
• The individual has specific rights which cannot be denied, but with those  rights comes obligations to the family, community and state. 
• Islam believes that its followers are obliged to provide support and  assistance to weak members of the community. 
• The community should create a context in which the physical and  intellectual capabilities of all its members can flourish. 
• The community must encourage all that is good or beneficial and forbid or  discourage all that is evil. 
• The collective affairs of the community should be run on a basis of mutual  consultation. 
• Muslims have social obligations not just to their communities, but towards  all humanity. (12) 

2.3 EXAMPLE 1: Hinduism 

• Hindus do not deny the reality of pain, misery and evil in the world. 
• They believe that evil is not inherent in the human being. 
• Evil is like a cloud throwing its shadow over the passing sun. 
• The cloud passes but the sun does not change. 
• In Brahman there is no evil. 
• According to Hinduism, suffering and evil are caused by a perception of  duality between man and the universe, between us and God. 
• If we become one with Brahman, there will be no evil.

EXAMPLE 2: Islam 

• Evil is linked with Satan or the devil. 
• Allah created Adam and commanded all of creation to bow before him. 
• Satan refused to bow claiming that he was better than Adam because he  was created from fire, whereas Adam was created with clay. 
• That pride led Satan to fall from grace. 
• Satan vowed that forever, he would use his power to mislead people and  dissuade them from obeying God. 
• Human beings have a natural moral sense given to them by Allah, which  enables them to distinguish between good and evil. 
• Every individual is obliged to avoid what is evil and do what is good. (10) 

2.4 EXAMPLE 1: Hinduism 

• Humans are trapped in the circle of birth and rebirth known as Samsara. 
• When a person dies, the soul is reborn (reincarnated) into another body. 
• The spiritual goal of humans is to liberate the soul from continual rebirth of the body. 
• The soul can be liberated once it has found its oneness with Brahma. 
• The soul can only be truly happy when this liberation is achieved.  
• This liberation is called moksha. 

EXAMPLE 2: Islam 

• According to Islam, life does not cease with death, but continues beyond  the grave. 
• Those who die enter a new phase, called barzakh, till the Day of  Resurrection. 
• In this phase (barzakh), the soul is in a state of either contentment or  torment. 
• On the Day of Resurrection, all people will be called by Allah to account for  their lives on earth.  
• On the Day of judgement, those who believe in Allah and have fulfilled  their obligations to the Creator as well as to humanity, will be rewarded. 
• They will be admitted to paradise (jannah). 
• Those who deny the existence of Allah will be punished and consigned to  hell (jahannam). 
• Death is not the end of life, but a phase in the journey of human kind. (10)

[50]

QUESTION 3 

3.1 

• AIDS is a disease caused by the HI virus. 
• This virus is passed mainly through unprotected sexual intercourse. 
• HIV and Aids can also be acquired through the sharing of medical needles (e.g. in drug abuse). 
• It can also be acquired through blood transfusion. 
• Substance abuse exposes a person to HIV and AIDS, as addicts have an  increased risk of engaging in risky sexual behaviour. 
• Older men (Sugar daddies/'Blessers') who may already be HIV positive,  sleep with younger women. 
  NOTE: Any other relevant point must be accepted. (10) 

3.2 

• There is a high mortality rate of young individuals in society. 
• This has a negative impact on the economy, as economically active people  are affected. 
• The death of young individuals also results in child-headed families. 
• This in turn leads to an increase in poverty stricken families. 
• There is also an increase in orphans and vulnerable children. 
• The economy of the country is also affected, since more people are  dependent on social grants. 
• Unfair discrimination among community members is experienced.  
• People who are suffering from HIV and AIDS are forced by their health  conditions to take early retirement or medical boarding.
  NOTE: Any other relevant answers should be accepted. (10) 

3.3 EXAMPLE 1: African Traditional Religion 

• This religion teaches followers about abstinence from sexual intercourse  before marriage. 
• The young maidens are encouraged to preserve their virginity. 
• Virginity testing takes place on regular basis in order to promote good  sexual behaviour among the youth. 
• This religion believes in 'ubuntu', which is central to nation building as it emphasizes right living in the society. 
• African Traditional Religion believes that young men should go to the  mountain to be moulded and prepared for manhood and responsible  adulthood. 
• They are taught different aspects of life: they also undergo circumcision  which becomes the climax of their training towards manhood. 
• Young male circumcision is also encouraged in ATR as another way of  protection against HIV and Aids. 
• It is expected that the eldest must play a leading role in the community by  protecting the young ones, rather than sleeping with them. 
• There are also rites of passage that are conducted for the young men and  women to encourage good behaviour. 
• Communal way of life encourages everyone in the community to be in  harmony with the values and customs of the community, including  abstinence.

EXAMPLE 2: Christianity 

• Christianity believes that there should be no sex before marriage. 
• The adherents of Christianity are taught to preserve their virginity and  undergo religious engagement, which is the last step before marriage. 
• In Christianity, the followers are expected to follow the Ten  Commandments that include teachings like, 'thou shall not commit  adultery.' 
• Christians are taught to live a holy life. 
• Promiscuity is abhorred. 
• Some of the Christian denominations teach against blood transfusion  which is one of the causes of HIV and Aids, e.g. Jehovah's Witnesses. 
• Christianity believes that the body is the temple of the Lord, so they must  not practise any form of immorality. 
• 'Love your neighbour as you love yourself' means that you should not harm  any fellow human being, which includes not infecting him/her with HIV. 
• We must care for all human beings and protect them against contaminated  needles and other materials, because God is Love. 
• Rewards after death encourage Christians to abstain from sex before  marriage and remain faithful to their partners. 
  NOTE: Any other relevant answer should be accepted. (20) 

3.4

YES 

• Interfaith organisations in South Africa organise workshops and  conferences in different communities to teach them about HIV and AIDS. 
• 'Love Life' is an NGO that is supported by all religions to raise awareness  about HIV and AIDS. 
• In each and every church conference, HIV and AIDs is included in the  agenda. and that has led to a decline in infections. 
• Most church goers who have undergone character building processes  within their churches display strong moral values and assertiveness.  
• Most churches are now equipped with HIV advisers who regularly raise the awareness about HIV and AIDS. Hence a reduction in the HIV and AIDS  infection rate.
  OR 

NO 

• Some organisations have made a considerable effort. However, the impact  is little and not visible in society. 
• There are still many reported cases of teenage pregnancy among school  girls. 
• Although learners receive life skills training, conducted by certain  organisations such as 'Star for Life', they (learners) still engage in sex  irresponsibly which results in unplanned pregnancies. 
• Sexually transmitted diseases are still prevalent among the youth and  adults. 
• There is still disagreement with the Department of Education about the  distribution of condoms, which is favoured by most non-governmental organizations. 
• Sexuality education is often taught by unqualified Life Orientation teachers.  They are unable to do justice to this important topic. 
• The influence of religious organisations is decreasing. (low attendance) 
• Religious organisations therefore have little influence on society, and even  less among the youth.
  NOTE: Any combination of YES and NO responses is acceptable.
  Any other relevant answer should be accepted. (10)

[50] 

QUESTION 4 

4.1 NOTE: If a candidate has discussed only 'how' or 'why', a maximum of EIGHT marks may be awarded. 
EXAMPLE 1: Materialism 

• Materialism originated in various areas within Europe and Asia. 
• It originated during the Axial Age from 800 - 200 BCE. 
• Materialism expresses itself in ancient Indian philosophy; in Buddhism and  Confucianism.  
• Baron d'Holbach (1723–1789) claimed that initially nothing existed except  nature. 
• In the West, materialism was first developed by Greek philosophers, the  Atomists, and was revived in the 18th century. 
• An elaboration of the concept of 'materialism' was made by Karl Marx  during the 19th century.  
• Marx included human history and economic activity into materialism. 
• It was at this time that the Protestant movement was gaining ground in  Europe. 
• This emboldened secularists, including materialists, to develop world views  other than religion.  

EXAMPLE 2: Secular Humanism 

• Secular humanism as a concept was first used in the 1950s. 
• Secular humanism is a branch of humanism. 
• The term humanism was originally a religious term. 
• In the Renaissance a humanist was anyone who studied the classical  literature and education. 
• In the 19th century, the meaning of humanism shifted to mean atheism to  most English speakers. 
• Secular humanism originated because particular philosophers needed to  put forth their own theory, which would replace religion. 
• The Council for Secular Humanism was founded in 1980.
• The Council for Secular Humanism issued a declaration reflecting its  members' beliefs-'A Secular Humanist Declaration.' 
• The twenty-fifth anniversary of the Council for Secular Humanism was  celebrated in 2005. 
• It was during the celebration that the World Congress was held. 
• At the World Congress, the secular humanists called for a 'new  Enlightenment.' 
• The new Enlightenment was meant to spread to the Middle East and other  parts of the world. (10) 

4.2 EXAMPLE 1: Materialism 

• Materialism as a secular worldview believe that matter is the only reality. 
• Materialism teaches its followers that there is no supernatural realm. 
• This worldview is opposed to the religious worldviews that are based on the beliefs that affirm the existence of any form of spiritual reality. 
• Materialism propagates that nothing exists but nature. 
• According to materialism, any being that is viewed as beyond nature is a  creature of imagination. 
• Materialism forbids its followers to subject themselves to any spiritual  dependency. 
• New terms were developed from materialism, namely: Dialectical  materialism and Historical materialism. 
• In dialectical materialism, matter is regarded as the fundamental cause of  everything. 
• Economics and the relationships between workers and owners as the  basic structure in the community is referred to as historical materialism. 
• However, contemporary physicists and neuroscientists are challenging the  materialist explanations of reality. 

EXAMPLE 2: Secular Humanism 

• Like other forms of humanism, Secular humanism holds a common belief  that attaches prime importance to humans. 
• To the Secular humanist, the divine does not exist. 
• Secular humanism rejects religious belief and the existence of the  supernatural. 
• In its teachings, the Council for Secular Humanism highlights the following: o A need to test beliefs – A conviction that traditions, ideologies and  dogmas should be weighed and tested by each individual and not by  faith.
  • Reason, evidence, Scientific method – A commitment to the use of  critical reason, factual evidence and scientific method of inquiry in  seeking solutions to human problems and other questions.
  • Fulfilment, growth and creativity – A primary concern with fulfilment,  growth and creativity.
  • Search for truth – a constant search for objective truth. 
  • This life – A concern for this life as opposed to an afterlife. 
  • Ethics – A search for viable individual, social and political principles of  ethical conduct. 
  • Justice and fairness – An interest in securing justice and fairness in  society. 
  • Building a better world – A conviction that with reason, an open  exchange of ideas, goodwill and tolerance can be used to build a  better world.

(20) 

4.3 NOTE: A discussion on only ONE normative source is an adequate response  to this question. 
If a religion and normative source are not mentioned, a maximum of 16 marks  may be awarded 
EXAMPLE 1: Hinduism 

• In Hinduism, the original sound of the spoken word is awarded absolute  priority. 
• The oral and written texts originate from the inspiration that can be traced  back to 4000 years ago. 
• The original inspiration was transmitted orally for centuries and even  millennia before the advent of heard writings (Shruti) 
• The heard writings are distinguished from secondary, derived, humanly composed writings such as philosophical interpretations. 
• This distinction above is not absolute. 
• The Brahmanas and Upanishads later become compositions,  commentaries and interpretations of the earlier collections. 
• The compositions, commentaries and interpretations were later included in  the sacred tradition of the Vedas. 
• As time went by there was development from the original to the derived, towards the different classical philosophical schools. 
• Examples of the classical philosophical schools that have developed are  the Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Sankhya, Purva-Mimamsa, Yoga and Vedanta. 
• Over the years there have been more innovative and authoritative  commentators and re-interpreters. 
• Examples of the innovative and authoritative commentators are Shankara  and Vivekananda. 

EXAMPLE 2: Judaism 

• Like in many religions, the original inspiration was largely spread first by  oral tradition. 
• Such an oral tradition was transmitted faithfully for hundreds and even  thousands of years. 
• The primary scriptures in Judaism are collectively known as the Tanach. 
• The Tanach is made of the Torah, Nevi'im and Ketuvim. 
• The first group of the primary scriptures began to enjoy canonical status by  the fifth century BCE. 
• The second group of the primary scriptures gained the canonical status by  the third century BCE.
• The third group of scriptures was finally accepted into canon in the last  decade of the first century CE. 
• The corpus of these scriptures was decided by the scholars after careful  deliberation, to be the revealed Word of God. 
• The Apocrypha were not included as divinely revealed books. 
• The canon was thereafter supported strictly as a secondary source. 
• The Talmud consists of the Mishnah and the Gemara. 
• The Talmud was completed by the end of the fifth century CE. 
• On the third tier were further detailed, rabbinical explanations of the Torah.
• The most important of these rabbinical explanations were written down  (Midrash). (20)

[50] 

QUESTION 5 
5.1

• In the 19th century, when Darwin's Origin of Species was published, the  response of the Church was total rejection. 
• It was seen as blasphemy. 
• Today there are more liberal views in Christianity, as well as in Judaism  and Islam.  
• Liberal believers believe that there is common ground between religion  and science. 
• They re-interpret part of their own tradition so as to accommodate  evolution. 
• They argue that at a deep level, teachings about nature in the holy books  must be understood allegorically, or figuratively. 
• For example, some Christian theologians have argued that the account of  creation in Genesis must not be interpreted in the physical sense. 
• Liberal believers say there is no conflict between science and religion, so  long as one sees science as uncovering God's laws. 
• They also explain creation through the terms 'creation science' or  'intelligent design'. 
• These concepts incorporate evolution into the creation plans of the  Supreme Being. 
• That is, organisms were designed by God to be able to adapt to changing environments, thus leading to new species. 
• Liberal believers thus argue that natural selection is part of God's  intelligent design. 
• The attitude of liberal believers has certainly become more accepting of  the theory of evolution  
• Amongst the orthodox believers of the Abrahamic faiths, the traditional  religious view is seen as absolutely true.  
• Everything in scriptures is equally timeless and eternal, and true in a literal  sense.
• Creationism as it is explained in the book of Genesis is regarded as true,  and in a literal sense. 
• God created Adam and Eve who were the first humans. 
• Adam and Eve were created perfect in the image of God. 
• They did not evolve from other life forms, but were created as a unique  species. 
• They are above all God's creation. 
• Orthodox believers refer to the famous 'watch analogy' of William Paley. 
• Paley argued that a watch is a complicated piece of engineering, and  cannot come into being by chance: It must have an intelligent designer. As  the universe is far more complicated, it too, must have an intelligent  designer (God). 
• Orthodox believers argue that God does not change His plans: He is still in  charge of creation. 
• Therefore, the attitude of orthodox/fundamentalist believers has not  changed at all. Religion deals with God and science deals with nature. 
• However, other religions, such as Hinduism and Buddhism, have always  accepted the theory of evolution. 
• Hinduism has no problem with evolution: they have a more advanced  theory of evolution which incorporates spiritual evolution. 
• The evolution theory did not create a conflict with Hindu thought and  beliefs for it contributed to the understanding of evolution towards Moksha. 
• Therefore, in these religions (Hinduism and Buddhism), there is no change  in attitude. 
• In African Traditional Religion, there has been no objection to evolution  theory, as the universe is seen as interconnected parts. 
• However, the status of man is clearly seen as above all other creation.
  NOTE: Relevant changes discussed in other religions should be accepted. If  a candidate discusses only one religion, a maximum of 20 marks may  be awarded. (30) 

5.2 EXAMPLE 1: Hinduism 

• To Hindus, the universe itself is the creator. 
• This does not contradict the Big bang Theory. 
• In Hinduism the Creator is not male or female. 
• The creator is simple the Creator. 
• No creator is mentioned in the Big Bang theory. 
• Hindus believe that Big Bang is the alternative way of explaining how the  universe came about. 
• In Hinduism, the Creator exists in either active or passive state. 
• The passive state is a state of rest, when nothing happens. 
• Scientifically the passive state was before the Big Bang.
• After a very long time the creator becomes active again. 
• This is when part of the universe becomes different from other parts, and  creation begins. 
• According to scientific view when a creator becomes active that is when  the Big Bang took place. 

EXAMPLE 2: Taoism 

• In Taoism, the world and everything in it comes into being automatically as  part of the activity of the Tao. 
• It is not planned, but it is not unplanned. 
• The Tao did not intend the world to exist, nor did it not want the world to  exist. 
• Taoism does not contradict the Big Bang Theory. 
• Scientifically the world was not created by any God or gods, but it  happened by chance. The world simply emerged as a tiny speck in the  enormous 'bowl' of creation as the Tao continued on its path. 
• According to Taoism the world consists of processes of creation and  destruction. 
• This is in line with the Big Bang Theory which states that there was an  enormous explosion. Within a second, the universe had appeared and  filled out to an enormous size. 
• According to science, the universe is ever expanding. There is no rest  period. 
• The Taoist view of the universe is based very much on their observation of  the natural and human world. 
• The Big Bang Theory is also based on observation of the natural and  human world. 
• Hence Taoism's acceptance of the Big Bang Theory. (20)

[50] 
TOTAL: 150