S3 - Marriage And The Family Flashcards
Explain the changing attitudes to marriage, divorce, family life and homosexuality and reasons for them
- Fifty years ago people only had sex in marriage and married in church, however now it is mostly the opposite because of contraception
- Divorce and remarriage used to be rare, however it is now more common because of women’s rights and cheaper/easier divorces
- Often parents are not married or are remarried
- Homosexuality used to be illegal however it is now legal and homosexual people have rights
Define civil partnership
A legal ceremony giving homosexual couples the same right as a husband and wife
Define cohabitation
Living together without being married
Define nuclear family
Mother, father and children living as a unit
Define re-constituted family
Where two sets of children (step-brothers and sisters) become one family when their divorced parents marry each other
Define homosexual
Sexual attraction to the same sex
Re-marriage
Marrying again after being divorced
Explain the Christian attitudes to sex outside marriage and reasons for them
- All Christians believe adultery is wrong and breaks one of the Ten Commandments
- Most Christians believe sex before marriage is wrong because the Church and the Bible teach this
- Christians believe procreation within marriage is the purpose of sex
- Adultery is condemned by Jesus
Define pre-marital sex
Sex before marriage
Define adultery
A sexual act between a married person and someone other than their marriage partner
Define faithfulness
Staying with your marriage partner and only having sex with them
Define procreation
Making a new life
Define promiscuity
Having sex with a number of partners without commitment
Explain the attitudes to sex outside marriage in Islam and reasons for them
- Sex before marriage is forbidden by the Qur’an
- Islam teaches the main purpose of sex is procreation
- Adultery is condemned by God in the Qur’an
- Adultery is likely to hurt the family and the Qur’an teaches nothing should be done to hurt the family
Explain the different Christian attitudes to divorce and reasons for them
- Catholic church
- Do not allow religious divorce and remarriage they believe marriage vows cannot be broken
- Remarriage would be like adultery and bigamy which are both sins
- However they do allow annulment if it can be proven that the marriage was never a true Christian marriage - Other Christian groups
- Disapprove divorce but allow religious divorce and remarriage if the marriage is broken down
Define annulment
A deceleration that the marriage was never a true marriage and so the partners are free to marry
Bigamy
Someone marrying another person whilst being lawfully married
Explain the different islamic attitudes to divorce and the reasons for them
- Majority Muslim view
- Divorce should be permitted if the marriage cannot work
- Divorce is permitted in the Qur’an
- Islam teaches that divorce can be the lesser of the two evils - Minority Muslim view
- Marriage is for life and couples should never divorce
- Muhammad said God disapproves of divorce
- Many marriages are arranged by families so there is parental pressure against divorce
Explain the Christian teachings on family life and it’s importance
- Purpose of marriage is to have children and to bring them up in a Christian family environment
- The Bible teaches the importance of the family
- Christian teachings on divorce show why the family is so important
- Family is a place where children learn the difference between right and wrong
Explain the islamic teachings on family life and it’s importance
- Purpose of marriage is to have children and to bring them up in a islamic family environment
- The Qur’an teaches the importance of family
- Islamic teachings on divorce show the importance of family
- Family is a place where children learn from right and wrong
Explain the Christian attitudes to homosexuality and the reasons for them
- The Catholic Church
- There is nothing wrong with homosexual feelings or relationships as long as there is no sexual activity
- They believe this because it is the teaching of the bible on procreation - Evangelical Protestants
- Homosexuality is a sin and is condemned in the bible - Liberal Protestants
- Homosexuality is acceptable because it is natural and Christians should love and accept everyone
Explain the islamic attitudes to homosexuality and reasons for them
- The majority attitude
- Most Muslims believe homosexuality is wrong because it is condemned in the Qur’an
- The Prophet Muhammad condemned homosexuality in several Hadiths
- Shari’ah condemns homosexuality - The minority attitude
- Some Muslims believe that it is acceptable because Islam is a religion of tolerance, not hatred
- They believe that God created all humans, including homosexuals, and so we must love them
Explain the Christian attitudes to contraception and the reasons for them
- The Catholic attitude
- Using artificial methods of contraception to stop a baby is wrong
- God gave sex for procreation - The Non-Catholic attitude
- Almost all non-Catholic Christians believe that contraception is fine because Christianity is about love and justice
- Church of England said it is legitimate to limit family size
- It is better to combat HIV/Aids
Explain the Islamic attitudes to contraception and the reasons for them
- Some Muslims are against the use if contraceptives
- God created sex for procreation
- They believe it is the duty of Muslims to have large families - Other Muslims believe that contraception is okay
- The Prophet Muhammad said contraception could be ok
- Muslim lawyers agree that contraception is different from abortion and should be permitted
