Studies of Religion Short Answer Responses (Post 1945)

[BakerDad12]

Hey guys, here are my responses for some short answer questions. It would be awesome if you guys could take a look!


Outline the importance of TWO major decisions, laws or policies regarding Aboriginal land rights.

The Mabo Case of 1992 shifted the false ideologies Australians held regarding land rights and revitalised Aboriginal spiritualities, making it crucial for Aboriginal land rights. Eddie Mabo of the Mer Islands successfully demonstrated that he and his kin had an ongoing spiritual connection with the land. For example, Mabo highlighted the inextricable connection his traditional way of life held to the land. This resulted in an unprecedented case of the High Court granting land rights to Aboriginal people, and additionally, abolished the policy of terra nullius that had been in place since 1778. Hence, Mabo’s case was crucial to Aboriginal land rights. Mabo’s case caused the government to implement the Native Title Act 1993, which established a legal mechanism for managing claims to the land. Claims had to prove an ongoing spiritual connection with the land and a genealogical connection with the land, along with demonstrating the land was not privately owned. This was incredibly important to Aboriginal land rights as it allowed Aboriginal claims to adhere to a methodical procedure in an unbiased path. Hence, both the Mabo Case (1992) and the subsequent Native Title Act (1993) were imperative for the gaining of Aboriginal land rights.


For some Australians, God is longer important. Religion does not seem attractive as the country is becoming increasingly secular.

With reference to the statement, account for the religious landscape in Australia.
Australia as a nation is becoming increasingly secular. For approximately 30% of Australians, God is no longer seen as important and religion is losing its attractiveness. Secularism is exponentially rising, increasing 8% in just five years. This can be attributed to the individualistic society of present that focuses on individual wants rather than religious obligations. For example, many Australians decide to play sport rather than fulfill the obligation of Sunday Mass. The increase in secularism can also be attributed to the stigma placed on religious traditions. For example, the stereotype of Muslims are terrorists lead people away from Islam, and by extension, towards secularism. Another reason secularism is increasing is the changing values of society, which are becoming increasingly incongruent with the conservative religious values. For example, the ban on same-sex sexual relations may drive adherents away from religion and towards secularism. To conclude, the religious landscape in Australia is becoming increasingly secular as many residents are driven away from religious affiliation.


Describe the main issues for Aboriginal spiritualities in relation to the effects of dispossession. (5 marks)

The dispossession of the Aboriginal people of their land and by extension, their culture, created issues for Aboriginal people’s spiritualities. Firstly, the separation from the land led to multiple spiritual issues. For example, the inability to maintain sacred sites resulted in a disengagement with the Ancestral Beings. Furthermore, by not fulfilling one’s stewardly obligations, the sacred trust between the land and the people is broken. Additionally, dispossession caused a systematic removal of Aboriginal people from their kinship ties., impeding the orally transmitted knowledge of spirituality. For example, the approximated 100,000 Stolen children lost a generation of spiritual heritage that would have otherwise been passed down. Therefore, the dispossession of Aboriginal people deteriorated an Aboriginal person’s spirituality.

[louisaaa01]

Hi BakerDad12,

Firstly, I'd really like to commend you on your hard work - it's really pleasing to see you working on your writing right from the start of Year 12!

I have attached a document containing my feedback below.

I hope this assists you. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask!

[BakerDad12]

Hi Louisaaa01, thank you for the great feedback! I will definitely use that in my future responses. You identified the weaknesses of some phrases and sentences I wrote because it sounded more sophisticated, but in the end it lacked clarity and purpose. Also, I can definitely see the problem of the controversial religious statements being an issue with markers. So thank you!

Anyway, a bit off topic but scrolling down to respond to your response I saw that you got 100/100 and 50/50.  That's awesome!! But how did you come 16th in the state if you got those perfect scores? It doesn't matter because they are awesome scores, but I was just curious.

[louisaaa01]

Hey BakerDad12,

No problem at all, and thank you! Honestly, I am not completely certain about the intricacies of HSC marking, but what I've been told is that it's because the marks are subject to scaling and alignment and that Mathematics courses are incredibly competitive, so a few people would have achieved 100%!