Community Cohesion

Women’s Rights and Sexism

Key Words

Sexism Discriminating against people because of their gender (being male or female)

Men and women in the UK have equal rights. During the twentieth century women gained the right to vote and to have equal pay with men.

There have been many Acts to gain women equal rights.

1975 Sex Discrimination Act – illegal to discriminate in employment on the grounds of gender or if someone is married.

Why attitudes changed

• During the First and Second World War women had to do jobs previously done by men and proved that they could do them.

• The work of the suffragettes showed men that women were not willing to be second class citizens.

• UN declaration of human rights and the Feminist movement put forward a strong case for equal rights.

Christian attitudes to the roles of men and women

Traditional Protestant Christianity

Men and women have separate and different roles.

• Women raise the children and run a Christian home. Should not speak in church and submit to their husbands.

• Men provide for the family and lead the family in religion. Love their wives as themselves. Only men can be church leaders.

These teachings are based on…

Teachings of St Paul in Timothy about women not being allowed to teach or speak in church.

Teaching in Genesis 2 that says Adam was created first.

Jesus’ disciples were men.

I am not giving permission for a woman to teach or to tell a man what to do. A woman ought not to speak, because Adam was formed first and Eve afterwards, and it was not Adam who was led astray but the woman who was led astray and fell into sin.

(1Timothy.2:12-14)

Modern Protestant Christianity

Today they accept that men and women have equal roles. They have women ministers and priests.

This teaching is based on…

Genesis 1 teaches that men and women were created at the same time.

St Paul taught that in Christ there I neither male or female.

The Gospels show that Jesus treated women equally. Treated Samaritan woman as his equal and he had women disciples who stayed with him at the cross.

Council of Laodicea banned women priests in the fourth century, so they must have existed at some point.

Catholic attitudes to the roles of men and women

Teaches that men and women should have equal roles. Women can study and teach about the faith. They can take funerals and hand out the bread and wine.

BUT only men can be priests. Women are equal but priests represent Jesus at the Mass.

This teaching is based on…

Men and women are created at the same time (Genesis)

The Catholic Catechism teaches men and women are equal.

The apostles were all men and priests follow on from them.

Jesus was a man and priests represent Jesus in the Mass.

Islam and equal rights for women in religion

1) Traditional Attitude Some see women and men as having different roles in religion and life. As such they should have different rights.

Women should create a halal home and bring up children as good Muslim. Men must provide for the family and make sure that their children go to the madrasah.

They have this attitude because…

• Quran teaches that men should support women as God has given them a stronger physique.

• Quran says women have been created to bear children.

• Traditional for only men to be Imams and attend the mosque.

• Quran says women inherit half what a man does. This shows men need money in order to support their family.

2) The modern attitude Some say men and women should have completely equal roles in religion and education. Women can have careers but their role of mother should come first. Some would accept a female religious leader.

They have this attitude because…

• Quran teaches that men and women are equal in religion and education.

• Muhammed encouraged both men and women to worship at the mosque.

• In the early stages of Islam there were women religious leaders.

• Muslim women have seen the rights that other women have and they want the same.

Key Words

Discrimination - Treating people less favourably because of their ethnicity, gender, colour, age, sexuality etc

Prejudice - Believing some people are inferior or superior without even knowing them.

Key Words

Ethnic Minority - A member of an ethnic group (race) which is smaller than the majority group.

Multi-ethnic society -

Many different races and cultures living together in one society.

Racism - The belief that some races are superior to others.

Effects of Discrimination an Racism

• If treated unfairly some groups could start to work against society.

• Racism and discrimination can lead to the rise of racist groups like the BNP. They can stir up hatred between groups.

• Some politicians believe that young black people feel that they are not treated fairly and as such may be more likely to turn to crime.

Benefits of living in a multi-ethnic society

Less chance of war. People get to know those of other countries

Lots of people means lots of ideas and society moves on quicker.

Life is more varied and interesting.

Lets people see the things they have in common with other human beings.

Key Words

Community

Cohesion -

A common vision and shared sense of belonging for all groups in society.

Multi-faith society -

Many different religions living together in one society.

Government action to promote community cohesion in the UK

• Giving money to groups working for community cohesion.

• Schools have to promote community cohesion by law.

• Race Relations Act – illegal to discriminate against people based on race, colour etc

• Cabinet ministers and judges appointed from ethnic minorities.

Why community cohesion is important

• Without it different groups work against and not with each other which causes tensions.

• Riots in Oldham and Burnley were due to different groups living ‘parallel lives’ and not mixing with each other.

• Violence is a way of life in countries with no community cohesion e.g. Iraq.

Why Christians promote racial harmony

The following slides will give you lots of evidence to show exactly why Christians should try to promote racial harmony.

The Christian church has members from all over the world. 70% of Christians are non-white.

Christians are taught to promote racial harmony.

The Story of the Good Samaritan (Luke.10:30-37)

In this parable Jesus tells us to help whoever is in need, even if they are people who you would usually dislike…

Jesus treated a Samaritan woman as his equal (John.4)

Healed a Roman Centurion’s servant (Luke.7)

St Paul

In Galatians.3:26-29 that everyone is equal in Christ. There are no different races within Christianity.

Taught that God created all nations from one man, Adam. Therefore all nations are equal to each other.

“You are, all of you, sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus…there are no more distinctions between Jew and Greek, slave and free, male and female, but all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” (Gal.3:26-28)

The parable of the sheep and the goats (Matthew.25:32-33)

The sheep are those who treat others well and will go to heaven.

The goats are those who are selfish and will go to hell.

God is concerned with our actions it does not matter what we look like.

There are Christian leaders of every race

and colour.

All Christian Churches have condemned racism.

May 1998 the Presidents of Churches Together in England published a letter against racism and religious hatred.

“Any attack on the dignity and human rights of any racial or religious group damages all of us.”

Islam and racial harmony

Many Muslims promote racial harmony because…

• Quran teaches that all races are equal in the eyes of God. All races are related and cannot be superior to each other.

• Muhammed promoted racial harmony. In last sermon he said that every Muslim was a brother to every other Muslim.

• Muslims follow Muhammed’s example. His first prayer caller was a black African Muslim. Muhammed was an Arab and so he was promoting racial harmony.

• Islam is the world’s second largest religion and has members of every race within it. As such it makes sense for it to promote racial harmony.

The U.K as a multi-faith society

Multi-faith society

Many different religions living together in one society.

Britain has many different religions represented within it and they are free to practice their own religion. This is not the situation in all countries.

Christians 42,558,000No religion 8,197,221No answer 4,823,000Muslim 1,591,207Hindu 558,746Sikh 336,040Jewish 267,711Buddhist 149,237Other Religions 157,000

Religion in England and Wales

2001 Census

Other statistics showing that the UK is a multi-faith society

• Tower Hamlets in London is made up of 36% Muslims.

• Muslims make up 14% of Birmingham’s population.

• Buddhists make up 1.3% of Westminster’s population in London.

• Leicester’s population is 14% Hindu.

Benefits of living in a multi-faith society

Religions living closely can learn about what they have in common.

Make people question their own faith or take it more seriously.

May become more understanding of other faiths

Could help to stop religious based conflicts.

Problems for religion in a multi faith society

Conversion

Bringing up children

Mixed Marriages

Conversion

Christianity sees converting people as a duty. Some see it as the only true religion and should show other religions that they are wrong.

Is this the right attitude to have in a multi faith society?

Is it not prejudiced to believe other religions are wrong unless you have studied them all?

Treating others differently because they have a different faith is discrimination. What problems might this cause?

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”

(Matthew.28:18-20)

Problems of trying to convert

• Trying to convert people from other religions could be seen as a form of discrimination or prejudice.

• Can’t call all other religions wrong unless you have studied them all.

• It can lead to arguments and even violence.

Bringing up children

In a multi faith society children have the chance to think for themselves about religion.

Most religions encourage people to raise children in that faith. Some do not want their children to learn about other religions.

Some religions teach that people will only have a good life after death if they follow their faith. Parents fear not seeing their children in death if they leave the faith.

Mixed Marriages

People of all faiths mixing together can lead to them falling in love. What problems can this cause?

• Where will they marry?

• What religion will they raise the child?

• Where will the couple be buried when they die?

• Their parents might feel betrayed.

Ways religions promote community cohesion in the UK

1) Some people are working to find out what different religions have in common with each other and then build on it. E.g Christianity, Judaism and Islam all believe in the prophets Abraham and Moses.

2) Some religious groups are working to help interfaith marriages.

• Protestant churches and liberal Jewish synagogues have developed wedding services for mixed faith couples.

• Those in mixed marriages have developed the website www.interfaithmarriage.org.uk to offer help and advice to other couples.

3) Some liberal religious groups encourage mixed couples to raise their children in both faiths. The children can then choose when they are older.

4) Different groups are joining together to explore ways of helping community cohesion.

• The Inter Faith Network was set up in 1987 to promote good relations between people of different faiths.

• See www.interfaith.org.uk.

Media

• In this section remember to use the ‘Vicar of Dibley’ episode that we watched.

• Focus on how a Christian would feel watching it. Remember that some do not agree with women becoming vicars.

• How do some of the Christian characters come across?