unit 2 - sexual relationships Flashcards
what is the purpose of sex?
-for many christians the purpose of sex is procreation, and fostering a loving relationship, this means that it is both procreative and unitive,
-catholics believe that sexual activity should only take place in marriage and always be open to the possibility of new life
what is artificial contraception?
using artificial means to prevent a baby being conceived during sexual intercourse
what does the catholic church teach about artificial contraception?
they teach that this is wrong because God gave the gift of sex to be a loving and life-giving act. Natural family planning is permitted
why might some christians believe that contraception is permitted?
because God created sex to strengthen marriage and for the enjoyment
what is the age of consent in scotland?
in scotland the law states that the age of consent to any form of sexual activity is 16 for both and women, so that any sexual activity between an adult and someone under 16 is a criminal offence. the age of consent remains constant regardless of gender or sexual orientation.
what does the catholic church believe about sexual activity?
it should only take place within marriage and can only occur with full and free consent from both the husband and the wife
what does the catholic church teach about homosexual relationships?
that they are not permitted
what do liberal protestants believe about same sex relationships?
that it is acceptable provided that the couple is in a long-term relationship
why may people form relationships with one another?
-they wish friendship/companionship,
-some relationships are for personal or professional support or to share mutual interest/pleasure,
-they may also be the basis of starting a family,
-some people choose to marry or have a civil partnership to show they are committed to one other person,
why might people form sexual relationships?
-human adults have a normal biological urge to have sexual relationships and feel attracted to potential partners as this is how our species continues,
-they may wish to have children,
-for some, sex is for pleasure and enjoyment,
-they may see sex as a way to show love and commitment and to deepen a bond with a partner,
why may people say that consent is essential?
-consent is essential to follow the law,
-it promotes equality and an appropriate balance of power, because both partners must consent,
-it recognises that people have bodily autonomy and are not objects for other people to abuse or exploit,
-it means that people arent being forced to things that they arent comfortable with and protects their right to choose,
what are some arguments for waiting until marriage to have sex?
-sex is sacred and a special gift from God and should should not be used for one night stands or casually,
-irresponsible sex out-with marriages can contribute to problems like unwanted pregnancies, abortions, and STIs,
-it is a teaching for many religious people to save sex for marriage, so this should be respected,
-sex outside marriage such as promiscuity or adultery can hurt the feelings and cheapen sex, so should be avoided,
what are some arguments for having sex before marriage?
-sex before marriage is fun and there is nothing wrong with it if both parties consent,
-sex doesn’t need to lead to pregnancy or STI’s if protection is used,
-some people see a marriage as a bit of paper so sex is fine if you are committed to each other.
-a couple may have already decided that they are going to get married, so want to have sex, the commitment is already there.
how could it be argued that religious and non-religious views disagree on sex?
-Sex is a gift from God and that it is something to be enjoyed between a man and a woman who are married. Whereas for non-religious people sex has nothing to do with God and doesn’t need to be between a man and a woman and you do not need to be married to them,
-there are specific rules about sex based on religious texts however non-religious people’s rules about sex will more likely to be based on the law,
-Religion often teaches that sex is for the purpose of having children and for example in the Catholic Church the use of artificial contraception is restricted. However, non-religious views may see sex as something that can be enjoyed for its own sake and therefore the use of contraception is
encouraged.
what do utilitarian’s believe about sexual relationships?
-they believe in the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people so if sex leads to happiness for all parties then it is acceptable,
-Utilitarians like Dan Ariely accept young people are going to have sex so bad consequences like STIs and unwanted pregnancies can be avoided by using contraception such as condoms,
-Peter Singer is quite liberal in his approach and believes it is better to make things safe, so people should be educated about sex and given condoms etc. This will increase happiness and decrease unhappiness for a greater number of people,
-Adultery is not generally accepted as it breaks down trust in a relationship
