Human Rights & Social Justice

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Human Rights

  • a right which is believed to belong to every person simply because they are human
  • this include basic rights & freedoms, the right to...
    • to life
    • to a fair trial
    • to free speech
    • to shelter
    • to education
    • to healthcare
  • UN Declaration of Human Rights 1988
    • 'All humans are born free & equal in dignity and rights'
    • civil and political rights
    • economic and cultural rights
    • signed after WW2
  • Freedom of religious expression
    • All people were made free and equal, and in the image of God (Genesis 1:27)
    • It is ok to be Christian or a Jew (because they are ‘people of the Book’, but converting is apostasy and carries the death penalty)
  • Freedom of persecution because of religion (hate crimes)
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Human Rights 2

  • freedom of religion and belief (including religious expression) protected by the HRA
  • Should religious people openly express their beliefs?
    • Jews wear a kippah / Sikhs wear a turban / Muslims often wear tasbi
    • whether Muslim women should be allowed to wear a full face veil in public
  • Predjudice is pre-judging someone against people of different colour, religion, age, nationality, sexuality or appearance
  • Discrimination is predjudice put into action
  • Positive discrimination is legal and used to make things fairer
  • Types of prejudice: sexuality, disability, gender & racism
  • Christian Beliefs about discrimination
    • The first people to see Jesus after his resurrection were female, and early church leaders included women
    • There is neither Jew nor Gentile, slave or free man, male or female. We are equal in christ (Galatians)
  • Muslim Beliefs about discrimination
    • A woman may study the Qur'an & Islamic Law, but she may not lead, prayers by men and boys would not be valid
    • Allah created everyone as equal but different (Qur'an)
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Human Rights 3

  • The law on prejudice and discrimination/what protects it
    • Race Relations act 1976
    • Comission for racial equality
    • Equal pay (1975), Sex discrimination (1975), Disability discrimination (2007), Equality act (2010)
    • The Jewish council for racial equality and FAIR against islamaphobia & racism
  • Christian teachings about wealth
    • "For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil" (1 Timothy)
    • "You can not serve both God and Money" (Matthew 6:24)
  • Islamic teachings about wealth
    • "Riches are sweet {...} those who seek it out of greed are like people who eat but are never full." Hadith
    • No one has eaten better food than what he earns by the work of his own hands (Hadith)
  • Causes of Poverty
    • climate/natural disaster, disease/disability, bad investments, war/corrupt gov, addiction, high intrest loans, upbringing, debt, high taxes & immigration
    • "If anyone has material possesions & sees his brother in need, how can the love of God be within him?" (1 John 3:17)
    • He who eats & drinks whilst his brother goes hungry isn't one of us (Hadith)
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Human Right 4

  • How the poor are exploited
    • fair pay, excessive intrest on loans & people trafficking
  • Responsibility for those living in poverty
    • government, charities, religions & the poor
  • Religious charities designed to help the poor
    • CAFOD - Catholic agency for overseas development
    • Muslim Aid - responding to disaster & long term projects like education
    • Salvation Army UK
      • Rebuilding lives
      • offering (food parcels, clubs etc)
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