Basic 5 · Religious and Moral Education · God the Creator
Every Person Is Special
In this topic you will explain why each person is special and unique as a creation of God.
By the end of these notes you should be able to:
- Explain what makes each person unique
- State what the three main religions teach about human beings
- Show respect for yourself and others
What you already know
- God the Creator (Basic 4)
Copy everything that has a blue line on its left into your notebook. The other parts are for reading.
- Strand
- God’s Creation & Attributes
- Sub-strand
- God the Creator
- Indicator
- B5.1.1.1.1 – Explain how special each individual is
Introduction
There are more than eight billion people in the world, yet no two of them are exactly the same. Even identical twins have different fingerprints. Each person is a special creation with a purpose.
1. What Makes Each Person Unique
Every person has a different face, voice, fingerprint and way of walking. We also have different talents: some people sing well, some are good at mathematics, some can draw, some are good at football and some are kind listeners. We come from different families, speak different languages and have different dreams. These differences are what make each person special.
| Area | Examples |
|---|---|
| physical features | face, height, skin colour, fingerprints, voice |
| talents | singing, drawing, sports, mathematics, storytelling |
| personality | quiet, cheerful, brave, patient |
| background | family, hometown, language |
| dreams | becoming a nurse, farmer, engineer, teacher |
2. What the Religions Teach
Christianity teaches that God created human beings in His own image (Genesis 1:27). The Psalmist says, "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139:14).
Islam teaches that Allah created human beings in the best form (Qur'an 95:4) and made them His representatives (khalifah) on earth.
In African Traditional Religion, every person is believed to receive a soul (okra in Akan) from the Supreme Being, Onyankopɔn. The Akan proverb "Nnipa nyinaa yɛ Onyankopɔn mma; obi nnyɛ asaase ba" means "All people are children of God; no one is a child of the earth."
3. Living as a Special Person
Because every person is special, we must respect ourselves and others. We should not laugh at people because of how they look, where they come from or what they cannot do. Instead, we should discover and develop our own talents and help others to develop theirs. A person with a disability is just as special and valuable as anyone else.
Remember: Being different does not make anyone better or worse. Every person has value.
New words
- unique
- The only one of its kind.
- talent
- A natural ability to do something well.
- image of God
- Having qualities that reflect God.
- khalifah
- An Arabic word meaning representative or steward.
- okra
- The Akan word for the soul given by God.
- respect
- Treating someone as valuable.
Summary
- No two people are exactly the same.
- Each person has unique features, talents and dreams.
- Christianity, Islam and Traditional Religion all teach that people are God's special creation.
- We must respect ourselves and others.
Class activity: My Special Gifts
- Write three talents or qualities that make you special.
- Write one talent you have noticed in a classmate.
- Share with your group and thank each other.
You need: Hand mirror, Printed portraits of diverse Ghanaian children, Personal-strength cards
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. What shows that no two people are exactly alike?
- A. Fingerprints
- B. Uniforms
- C. Shoes
- D. Books
Show answer
Answer: FingerprintsEven twins have different prints.2. Which verse says we are "fearfully and wonderfully made"?
- A. Psalm 139:14
- B. Genesis 1:1
- C. John 3:16
- D. Matthew 5:9
Show answer
Answer: Psalm 139:14It is a song of praise.3. In Akan belief, the soul given by God is called…
- A. okra
- B. sunsum
- C. mogya
- D. abusua
Show answer
Answer: okraIt comes from Onyankopɔn.4. Every person has a talent.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueEach person has gifts.5. People with disabilities are less valuable.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: FalseEvery person has equal value.6. Islam teaches that humans are Allah's ______ on earth.
Show answer
Answer: khalifah (representatives)They care for creation.7. Name three ways people are unique.
Show answer
Answer: Fingerprints, talents and personality (or voice, dreams).Any three.8. Explain why we should not laugh at others' differences.
Show answer
Answer: Every person is God's special creation with equal value; laughing hurts them and disrespects God's work.Respect.
Homework
- Write a short poem titled "I Am Special".