Dialogue Between Religious And Non-religious Groups

Question 1

Two types of non-religious groups

Answer 1

• atheists are people who believe that there is no God

- agnostics are those who say it is impossible to know whether God exists

Question 2

Secularism

Answer 2

• secularists Believe that everyone has the right to freedom of belief but beliefs are Private and should not affect other people if they don’t want to be affected by them. Also they say that religions and religious beliefs and practices should not have special status or be given special treatment by the state.

Question 3

Humanism

Answer 3

• humanists Believe in equal treatment of everyone but they do not except any religious view of the universe. They think that the universe can be explained entirely by science and that people find their own meaning in life and behave with compassion and dignity without the need of a God

Question 4

Christian values and ideas shared between religious or non-religious groups

Answer 4

• all agree that humans have a moral sense and have the capacity to behave in a moral way
• The point on which they disagree is the Christian teaching that morality is not possible without God and that positive values come from the teachings of Jesus. A non-religious view is that these values are not Christian values, they are human values.

There is agreement about what those values are:
• compassion
• support for those in need
• The promotion of peace over war
• protection of the environment

Question 5

Disagreements and differences between views

Answer 5

• some christians believe it is too easy for a married couple to get divorced
• sex before marriage is socially acceptable
• christianity teaches that marriage is the relationship within which a couple should have children
• ideal family is two parents who act as role models
• some believe that homosexuality is wrong
• secular society seems to value wealth and celebrity over spiritual and moral values. Christians Believe that there is a life after death in which wealth and celebrity have no meaning.

Question 6

Humanists and secularists Believe that religious values and institutions should not have special protection or privilege

Answer 6

• establishment: both of the National secular society and the British humanist Association campaign against establishment of the church of England. They also believe that religious groups play to greater role in advising governments and being involved in making decisions of the state
• education: they oppose the involvement of religious groups in publicly funded education
• religious exemptions: employment law in Britain allows religious organisations to discriminate against people who wish to work for them who do not share their faith. They are against public services that are run by religious groups selecting employees and clients on the grounds of faith.