Religion and Community Cohesion Flashcards
Why do Christians generally consider men and women to be equal?
- The Bible teaches that men and women are equal “God created man in his own image…male and female he created them”
- Jesus treated women with great respect and had female followers
- The Bible should not be interpreted literally
Why do some Christians believe women are not equal and should not be priests?
- St Paul said women should remain silent in churches
- Jesus did not have any female disciples
- In Adam and Eve, it was Adam who was created first and Eve was the sinner
- Parts of the Bible suggest that “wives should submit to their husbands”
Why do Muslims generally consider men and women to be equal?
- Islam teaches that men and women are equal and created by God “All people are equal…as the teeth of a comb”
- Men and women are seen as having different but equally important roles
- The Qur’an stresses the importance equality for men and women
Some people argue that in practice Muslim women are not treated equally. What are some of the examples of this?
- The religion requires women to dress modestly (wearing niqab, burka or hijab). Many people believe this is a symbol of men dominating women
- Men and women worship in separate areas in the mosque. Some see this as sexist
- Women are allowed to work but their first duty is to look after the children. This makes it difficult for them to get a job as priority is given to men who are expected to work
What are the benefits of living in a multi-ethnic society?
- Able to learn new languages
- We are able to experience new things such as new types of food, new music, new dances
- Can lead to a greater understanding of different cultures and different viewpoints
- Can lead to a greater tolerance to different people and their ways of life
What are the disadvantages of living in a multi-ethnic society?
- Can lead to prejudice and discrimination in particular racism
- Loss of traditional “British” values
- Resentment from those who see foreign cultures as a threat to their way of life
- Society becoming segregated as people socialise within their own racial/cultural groups
- Having a variety of beliefs and cultures could lead to conflict
What is Community Cohesion?
Where different communities live and work together and share a common vision and respect each others differences
Why should Christians promote racial harmony?
Jesus treated people in the same way, no matter where they were from. In the Parable of the Good Samaritan he taught that people of different races and ethnic groups should not hate each other, but should follow God’s command to love one another.
What are some Bible teachings that teach that all races are equal in the eyes of God?
- “For God created man in his own image”
- “God does not show favouritism, but accepts men from every nation”
- “There is neither Jew nor Greek…you are all one in Christ”
- “Love your neighbour as yourself”
What are some examples of Christians working to achieve racial harmony?
- Martin Luther King dedicated his life to achieving equal rights for black people in the USA
- Christian Churches condemn racism and encourage all Christians to treat everyone equally
- Desmound Tutu campaigned for equal rights for black people in South Africa. He became the first black Arch Bishop
- The Church of England has its own Race and Community Relations Committee to advise Christians about issues of racism
Why should Muslims promote racial harmony?
- Every Muslim is part of the ummah (the community of Muslims worldwide) who are united by their faith no matter what race they are
- The Qur’an teaches that all races are equal and that Islam is a religion that is meant for everyone
- The Prophet declared that we are all descended from Adam and Eve and the only thing that makes us different from one another is our good and bad actions
- Islam shows racial harmony throughout the religion because all Muslims pray together in the same language, they all make a pilgrimage to Mecca, they all pray in the same direction, and all fast during Ramadam. These shared experiences unite Muslims and help them to understand that being a Muslim is not about race
What is an example of Muslims working to achieve racial harmony?
-Malcolm X campaigned for racial equality in the USA. He believed the pilgrimage to Mecca was the greatest example of racial harmony because all races were united with a shared aim
The belief that there are many different religions that all lead to God. All religions are equal and should be respected. What is this called?
Religious Pluralism
Only one religion is completely right. But other religions have some truth and should be respected. Their followers should be encouraged to convert. What is this called?
Religious Inclusivism
Only one religion is right, all others are wrong. Members of the right faith should convert all others to their faith. What is this called?
Religious Exclusivism
