Issues Arising

Question 1

Is religious teaching relevant to people today? Yes

Answer 1

• Religion holds truths which have been lost to society today. Modern permissive sexual activity has led to a lot of unhappiness, left people with dysfunctional relationships and left people helped to spread disease
• religious teaching is one of the main purposes of religious books
• the desire of many for religious ceremonies shows that not only is religion still popular but as lo that its role is seen as significant
• religious teaching is not set in stone- it has adapted over the years in dealing with issues. Eg. Divorce, remarriage and homosexuality, without losing a sense of identity

Question 2

Is religious teaching relevant to people today? No

Answer 2

• Religion essentially offers an old fashioned pre-scientific view of the world which has none of the advantages of modern ideas of human physiology and political ideas of human Equality
• marriage ceremonies are ancient and culture-based and they are being adapted into neutral, secular ceremonies.
• some scriptural teachings are impossible to apply universally today because of the law and human rights. Eg. The teaching that practising homosexuals should be put to death
• some ideas within religion are sexist. Eg. The exclusion of women from key roles in the Church

Question 3

Should religion concern itself with sexual behaviour? Yes

Answer 3

• religions are concerned with human nature. They express ideas about how human beings are and how they should be. They hold messages for humanity about how to live and reach salvation or enlightenment.
• religion has a lot to say about the positive effects of sexuality. Eg. Sex is a gift from God

Question 4

Should religion be concerned itself with sexual behaviour? No

Answer 4

• Religion sometimes seems rather too concerned with sexual acts. Religious teachings can be oppressive and stifling, causing deep rooted problems such as psychiatric problems and feelings of guilt
• Religious teachings can be seen to be discriminative and offensive
• sexuality seems to be less fixed and less standard for human beings that was once thought and much more is known about human sexuality than in the past.
• Many religions teach that sex should be in accordance with certain ideas of what is natural- procreative reasons
• Masturbation: many women never reach orgasm through simple penetrative sex but are much make likely to do so through masturbation

Question 5

Is modern society setting its own codes of behaviour, and is religion simply trying to adapt to them? Points in favour

Answer 5

• younger and younger people engage in sexual relationships, sexual acts which were once considered taboo become more commonly accepted in general among consenting adults
• in British society, gay and lesbian relationships have legal recognition in civil partnerships, a far cry to a half a century ago when gay sex was criminal
• modern society is contrary to religious teachings
• modern society has moved away from old religious teachings

Question 6

Is modern society setting its own codes of behaviour? Points against

Answer 6

• Roman Catholic teaching is very much constant
• new ideas cannot be adapted to fit traditional values
• natural law does not change

Question 7

Is marriage important today?

Answer 7

• No- marriage is outdated-some countries-only father’s names go on wedding certificates suggesting that it’s still linked to patriarchy, to an old world view that women should submit to men
• no- people cohabit instead. Couples no longer feel the need to get married as a status symbol