relationships and families Flashcards
define human sexuality:
how people express themselves as sexual beings
what’s the difference between a heterosexual and homosexual relationship?
heterosexual: between man and woman
homosexual: between members of the same sex
what are the general Christian attitudes to sexual relationships?
- sex expresses a deep, loving, life-long reunion - some believe that it first requires the commitment of marriage
- all Christians are against unfaithfulness
- the Bible teaches that heterosexual relationships are part of God’s plan
- Genesis says a man and a woman should be united together to ‘increase in number’
what are the Christian views towards homosexual relationships?
- some oppose them, as they believe they go against God’s plan
- Catholics teach that homosexual sex is a sinful activity, ‘Do not have sexual relationships with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable’
- the CofE welcomes homosexuals living in committed relationships, but don’t allow same-sex marriage in church. some other Churches do
- some Christians believe loving, faithful, homosexual relationships are just as holy as heterosexual ones
what is the general Buddhist attitude towards sexual relationships?
- does not favour one form of sexuality over another, or teach that sex before marriage is wrong
- the most importance principle is to not harm others through sexual activity
what is the Buddhist attitude towards homosexual relationships?
- the dharma doesn’t oppose homosexual relationships/marriage
- many believe homosexual relationships aren’t morally different from heterosexual relationships
- it’s important there’s consent and respect regardless of the gender of the people involved
what is British society’s attitude towards homosexual relationships?
many believe homosexuals should have the same rights as heterosexuals. this is reflected in the fact that same-sex marriage is now legal in the UK, started in 2013 (although same-sex couples are not allowed to get married in many churches)
what are some statistics to show British society’s view towards homosexuality today?
- 1 in 5 people disapprove of gay/lesbian relationships
- in the early 1980s, more than half the population didn’t think it was acceptable for a homosexual to be a teacher/hold a responsible position in public life
- the opinion is now evenly split on gay couples adopting children
what is the difference between sex before and sex outside marriage?
sex before marriage: sex between two unmarried people. common in British society, accepted by most Buddhists. goes against the beliefs of many Christians
sex outside of marriage: sex between two people where one or both of them is married to someone else (adultery). most people believe this to be wrong
why are most religions and non-religious people against adultery?
involves lies, secrecy and the betrayal of trust
what are the Christian attitudes towards sex before marriage?
- for many, sex expresses a deep, lifelong union that requires the commitment of marriage. it should not be a casual, temporary pleasure
- Anglican and Catholic churches therefore teach that this is wrong
- some liberal Christians think sex before marriage can be a valid expression of love, particularly if the couple are intending to get married or have a life-long commitment
what do all Christians agree is wrong in terms of sex?
to use people for sex, to spread sexually transmitted infections or to risk pregnancy outside of marriage
- ‘Flee from sexual immorality’
what are the Buddhist views towards sex before marriage?
- teaches that sex before marriage is acceptable, and no less moral than sex after marriage. however, it’s wrong to cause harm to others through sex
- some Buddhists may wait until marriage to have sex, but this is likely to be for personal rather than religious reasons, and influenced by local, cultural practices
what are the Christian views towards sex outside of marriage?
- against adultery as it breaks the marriage vows they make before God, and threatens the stable relationship needed for their children’s security
- Jesus once forgave a woman who committed adultery, but ordered her to leave her life of sin
- adultery is forbidden in one of the ten commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery’
what are the Buddhist views towards sex outside marriage?
most would say adultery is unskilful as it involves deceit (5 moral precepts) and is also likely to cause harm (suffering)
what is contraception?
refers to the methods used to prevent a pregnancy from taking place. some prevent conception (e.g. pill/condom), some prevent the fertilised egg from developing (e.g. the ‘morning after’ pill)
what is family planning?
controlling how many children couples have and when they have them
what is the Catholic view towards contraception?
- artificial contraception goes against natural law and the purpose of marriage, and doesn’t follow God’s plan
- sex should always be open to creating new life
- family planning should only involve natural methods of contraception (i.e. the rhythm method/natural family planning. avoid sex at fertile times of the month)
what do Christians believe about sex?
that it’s a gift from God as a source of joy and pleasure for married couples, as well as for them to create a family
why are Catholics against contraception, due to the Pope?
- in 1930, the Pope condemned all forms of artificial contraception, then in 1950 the Pope affirmed the use of natural family planning
- Catholics also believe that artificial methods separate the unitive aspect from sex from the act, removing its purpose
what are the Anglican and Non-Conformist views towards contraception?
- allowed for couples to develop their relationship before having children, to space out pregnancies, to avoid harming the mother’s health, or to limit the number of children in a family so they can all be cared for
- a preference instead for contraception that prevents conception from taking place
what is another Christian view towards contraception?
- some Christians believe life begins at the moment of conception, so are against the methods (abortifacients) that prevent the fertilised egg from developing, as this is seen as causing an abortion and a form of murder (sin)
what is the Buddhist view towards contraception?
- most believe it’s acceptable to use contraception that prevents conception
- some believe contraception that prevents a fertilised egg from developing is a form of killing and breaks the 1st moral precept, so isn’t acceptable
- however, they might make exceptions (e.g. if the birth threatens the mother’s life, or if she’d struggle to care for the child)
- having children isn’t considered an obligation; it may even be considered better to not have children if one wants to lead a spiritual life
what is a quick for and against for the Buddhist use of contraceptives?
for:
- 4 sublime states (karuna) means you don’t allow a child to be born if they’ll have a bad quality of life
against:
- are you using them with the right intention? are they the right action?
what is the non-religious view towards contraception in British society today?
- widespread acceptance of contraception to help with family planning
- many think it’s responsible to use contraception to prevent unwanted pregnancies, control population growth and to control the spread of STDs
what is marriage?
the legal union between a man and a woman (or in some countries, like the UK, two people of the same sex) as partners in a relationship
what is annulment?
A Catholic church ruling that a marriage was never valid, e.g. someone lied in their vows and cheated
- they believe marriage is an unbreakable bond unless annulled, for which you must have a genuine reason
when is it not re-marriage?
when the previous spouse is dead
define divorcee:
if you’re divorced but the other person is still alive
define cohabitation:
refers to a couple living together and having a sexual relationship without being married
what is the non-religious view about the nature and purpose of marriage?
nature:
- a legal union between two people in a relationship
- a serious, lifelong commitment made in public to another person
purpose:
- provides legal and financial benefits
what is the Buddhist view towards the nature and purpose of marriage?
nature:
- a social contract rather than a religious duty/sacred act
- a civil ceremony (monks can bless the marriage, but can’t conduct it themself)
- can be same-sex
purpose:
- helps the wellbeing of the community and society as a whole by cementing strong, trusting relationships that provide support, protection and happiness
what is the Christian view towards the nature and purpose of marriage?
nature:
- a gift from God, part of the natural law
- an agreement (covenant) before God in which the couple promises to live faithfully together till death
purpose:
- a unique relationship between a man and a woman that allows for the possibility of creating new life ‘God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number”’
- a spiritual bond of trust that reflects the love of Christ for the Church
- the proper place to enjoy sex, raise children in a religious faith, and provide a secure, stable environment for family life
how can divorce be prevented (non-religious)?
- work hard on it: communicate, counselling, give each other time for each other
- stay faithful
- date nights/introduce romance
- be kind: look for the positives
how can divorce be prevented (religious)?
- forgiveness, reconciliation (the sacraments)
- prayer
- meditation
- studying Holy Books together
- meeting with other believers for support
- charities: relate/accord
what is the non-religious view towards cohabitation?
in Britain, many couples cohabit before they get married, or without ever getting married. they may want to see if the relationship will work before getting married, or may believe it’s not necessary to get married
what are the Catholic and Orthodox views towards cohabitation?
oppose it, as they believe sex should only take place within marriage
what are the Anglican and Protestant views towards cohabitation?
accept that though marriage is best, people may cohabit in a faithful, loving and committed way without being married
what is the Buddhist attitude towards cohabitation?
no dharma goes against sex before marriage or cohabitation
what is divorce, and describe it in the UK today:
- the legal ending of a marriage
- is allowed after one year if a marriage cannot be saved
- 42% of marriages end in divorce in the UK. these rates are much lower in Buddhist countries
what is remarriage?
when someone marries again while their former spouse is still alive
list some reasons for divorce:
- addiction
- adultery
- illness/disability
- immaturity
- work and money pressures
- domestic violence
- inability to have children
- people changing and growing apart
- lack of communication
what is the Catholic view towards divorce and remarriage?
- believe the sanctity of the marriage vows (made in God’s presence) means they must be kept no matter what. but sometimes, divorce can be the lesser of two evils
- Catholics teach that marriage is a sacrament that is permanent, lifelong and cannot be dissolved by civil divorce, as you’d still be married in the eyes of God
- Catholics can separate but not remarry while their spouse is still alive
- some remarried Catholics aren’t allowed to receive Holy Communion
what did Jesus teach about divorce and remarriage?
taught that anyone who divorced and remarried was committing adultery.
- ‘If a man divorces his wife for any cause other than unchastity (unfaithfulness) he involves her in adultery’
Mark: ‘…united with his _____, and the two will become __________. so there are not ___ but ____. God has joined the two together, so ______________________________.’
‘…united with his wife, and the two will become one body. so there are not two but one. God has joined the two together, so no one should separate them.’
what do Protestants teach about divorce and remarriage?
- believe that divorce is sometimes the lesser of the two evils and should be allowed for compassionate reasons
- Protestant churches (e.g. Methodists) accept civil divorce and allow remarriage in church under certain conditions. divorced Anglicans can remarry in church with the bishop’s permission
- these Christians believe the Church should reflect God’s forgiveness and allow couples a second chance for happiness
what is a Buddhist view opposing remarriage and divorce?
societies where Buddhism is prevalent tend to disapprove of divorce, which is seen as a last resort. this means couples put more effort into mending their relationship when it goes wrong, e.g. by applying scripture such as metta and the 5 moral precepts
what is a Buddhist view in favour of remarriage and divorce?
- no teaching that states divorce/remarriage are wrong
- they believe that applying life’s duties and responsibilities to a marriage should make it happy and healthy
- however, clinging to an attachment that produces suffering goes against the Buddha’s teachings (3 poisons due to ignorance, impermanence)
- most Buddhists would therefore consider divorce when it is not possible to reconcile the relationship, and it is the only way to reduce the couple’s suffering
- many Buddhists see remarriage as an opportunity to commit to a new, healthy relationship that increases people’s happiness
what are the Christian responses to couples having marriage problems?
- Christian churches may offer counselling, prayer and sacraments to support the couple, or refer the couple to outside agencies
- Christians may be encouraged to bring forgiveness and reconciliation (sacrament) into their marriage
what is the Buddhist response to couples having marriage problems?
may be encouraged to practise the 5 moral precepts more fully
what is a family?
people related by blood, marriage or adoption
what is a nuclear family?
- mother, father, children
- most common family type in the West, very popular after post-war Britain
- for Christians, it fulfils God’s plan for a man and a woman to be united together and ‘increase in number’. Jesus was born into a nuclear family
what are the positives of a nuclear family?
- both male and female role models for children
- husband and wife can support each other emotionally and financially
- stable base for parents and children
- option of one parent at home full time
what are the negatives of a nuclear family?
- can be conflict between the husband and wife, creating an unstable environment for the children
- if both parents are working, the parents may spend less time with their children
- more likely that the parents are young and inexperienced at handling the pressures of both work and family life. they may need an older house member (extended family), e.g. grandparent
what is an extended family?
- includes grandparents and other relatives as well
- in Biblical times, many people lived in extended families for extra support
- extended families are still common in Buddhist countries such as Thailand and Sri Lanka
- ‘anyone who doesn’t look after their relatives is worse than an unbeliever’
how has family life changed for the better in the past 50 years?
- cohabitation more acceptable
- women less dependent on men for money
- introduction of same-sex parents
how has family life changed for the worse in the past 50 years?
- more divorces, therefore more single parent families
- more sex before marriage
- more single parent families (more stress), due to more sex before marriage
- more remarriage
what is a same-sex family?
- when a homosexual couple raise children together
- some Christians disapprove of same-sex parents as they believe children should grow up with a male and female role model as parents
- other Christians, and most Buddhists, believe that it is more important for children to be in a secure and loving family regardless of the parents’ genders
what are polygamous families?
- when a man has two wives
- illegal in the UK
- for Christians, it goes against God’s plan for marriage to be between one woman and one man, which can lead to sexual immorality
- not the favoured family model in Buddhism as it’s more likely to cause suffering to those involved
define polygamy:
being married to more than one person at a time
define bigamy:
the OFFENCE of marrying someone while already being married to another person
define polyamory:
the practice of, or desire for, intimate relationships with more than one partner, with the informed consent of all partners involved
what is the role of parents?
- encourage positive morals and values
- love and care for children
- educate their children about the faith
- teach their children right from wrong
what is the role of children?
- support and care for their parents in their old age
- preserve the traditions of the family (Buddhism)
- (Christianity) ‘Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord’
- love and respect their parents
describe procreation as a purpose of the family:
- mainly takes place within the family
- more emphasis in Christianity (especially Catholicism) on procreation as a purpose of the family
- in Buddhism, there are no religious pressures or expectations to have children
describe stability and protection of the children as the purpose of a family:
- families provide secure, stable environments for children to grow up in
- families offer mutual support and protection for their members
describe educating children in a faith as the purpose of a family (Christian)
- parents expected to be good role models and teach their children Christian values
- they should teach their children about the faith and nurture their spiritual lives, which they may do through daily prayer
- some parents send their children to faith schools/groups run by their church for religious education
describe educating children in a faith as the purpose of a family (Buddhist):
- most Buddhist parents teach their children Buddhist beliefs and practices, and how to show devotion and respect towards the Buddha
- they will teach their children good morals and values (e.g. 5 moral precepts)
- will usually involve their children in religious ceremonies and gatherings
- some may send their children to monasteries to be educated
what is gender equality?
men and women should be given the same rights and opportunities as each other
what are some gender discrimination statistics?
- in developing countries, girls are 3x more likely to be undernourished than boys, and 65 million are missing from schools
- in HICs, 1 in 2 women report workplace discrimination due to their pregnancy
what is the difference between gender prejudice and gender discrimination?
gender prejudice: holding biased opinions about people based on their gender
gender discrimination: acting against someone on the basis of their gender
what is sexual stereotyping?
having a fixed idea of how men and women will behave
what is an act that makes gender equality compulsory by law?
the Sex Discrimination Act of 1975 made gender discrimination illegal in the UK. despite this, it still occurs today
what are some examples of gender prejudice and discrimination?
- in the UK, some women are paid less than men for doing the same jobs
- in Catholicism, women are not allowed to be ordained as priests
- in Theravada Buddhism, nuns are generally seen as subservient to monks
- in the UK, women make up roughly half of the workforce, but men hold a higher proportion of senior positions
what is the view towards gender equality in the UK today?
- in the past, men had more power and rights than women
- traditional roles involved men working to support the family, women caring for the home and raising children
- today, most people in the UK are against gender prejudice and discrimination, but it still occurs
- the roles of men and women have become more flexible, and childcare is often shared more equally between parents
- who takes on what role in a family may be decided by financial considerations or the different skills of the parents
what is the Christian view towards gender discrimination?
- Christians believe all people are created equal in the image of God
- ‘There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is their male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus’
- the command to love one’s neighbour means discrimination is wrong
- Jesus treated women with respect and welcomed them as disciples
what do traditional Christians believe about gender equality?
- some traditional Christians think husbands should rule over their wives - most Christians today, however, see marriage as an equal partnership
- ‘with painful labour you will give birth to children. your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you’. it’s a woman’s job to painfully have babies, and this is because of Eve’s disobedience, which has condemned women forever
how is the Catholic view towards women changing?
the Catholic church doesn’t allow women to become priests. the CofE decided to allow the ordination pf women in 1993 and in 2015, Libby Lane was the first female bishop in the CofE
what is the Buddhist view towards gender discrimination?
- in the Buddha’s time, women were seen as inferior to men
- the Buddha ordained women as nuns, although was reluctant to do so at first (he believed his teachings would die out twice as fast if women spread them as the patriarchal society wouldn’t listen to them). finally agreed, very liberal move for the societal norms in India - women were seen as inferior and eld a low societal position
- some Buddhist teachings suggest that women must be reborn as men before they can achieve enlightenment. some Buddhists still believe this today
- however, the Lotus Sutra teaches that men and women are equal in their ability to attain enlightenment
- many Buddhists today believe that men and women should have equal status, and that gender discrimination expresses a lack of metta
what is the Theravada view towards female monks, and how is this being challenged?
- Theravada Buddhists don’t fully ordain women as monks. to do so, they must be from an unbroken line of ordained monks and nuns and be ordained multiple times by multiple monks and nuns. very difficult
- these rules are now being challenged, and women are being ordained, but they’re still viewed as inferior and subservient
- in 2015, the Dalai Lama said he believed there’s no reason why a future Dalai Lama couldn’t be a woman
