RE- Community Cohesion

How have attitudes changed?

• Before the 1900's women were treated differently to men
• 1921 women over 30 could vote
• 1982 women had equal voting rights to men, could stand as MP's.
• Equal Pay Act 1970
• 1975 Sex Discrimination Act

Why have attitudes changed?

•  WW1&2 women took men's jobs, proved they could do it just as well.
• Other countries gave women equal rights, so the UK had to follow.
• The Suffragettes fought for equal rights
• U.N Human rights means its now illegal for women and men to be treated differently.

Traditional Protestants:

• Men and women, different roles so different rights
• Jesus only has male disciples
• In Genesis Adam was created first
• St Paul taught that women should not speak in church

Modern Protestants:

• Men and women should have equal roles in life and religion, even accept female ministers
• Genesis-God created man and woman equally, all in God's image
• Jesus treated women as his equals
• There were women priests in the early church

Catholic Christians:

• Men and Women should have equal roles in society
• Genesis- God created man and women at the same times, in Hi image so should be treated equally
• However only men can become priests because in mass the priest represents Jesus and Jesus was a man.
• Catechism teaches equality.

Traditional Muslims:

• Men and women should have different roles in life and religion-Women create a home and raise children, Men provide for the family because the Qur'an says women are created to bear children. 
• The Qur'an says men should support women because they are stronger
• Traditionally only men attend mosques.

Modern Muslims:

• Completely equal roles in life and religion
• The Qur'an teaches that men and women are equal in religion and education
• The Prophet Muhammad encouraged women to worship at the Mosque
• Women were religious leader in early Islam
• Many British Muslims mix the two ideas saying women should have equal roles in everything except religion.

Problem caused by a multi ethnic society:

• Racism
• Extremist groups (BNP)
• Ethnic groups not being employed, refused accommodation, paid less
• Stop & Search-some police officers will stop you because of your ethnicity
• Begin to work against society
• Not achieving
• Turn to crime

Benefits of a multi ethnic society:

• Less chance of war brings peace
• Inter-marry
• Progress develop more, and quicker
• See all people as one race

Benefits of living in a multi faith society:

• Can learn about regions from friends and others
• Seeing other people practice their religion seriously makes you think about your won
• Understand other people, how they act and that everyone is entitled to their own opinion
• Religious tolerance will stop religious conflict

Issues raised for religion by a multi faith society:

Conversion:

• Many religions see it is as their duty to convert others, they believe their religion is the only true religion an that others are mistaken.
• They believe everyone should go to heaven and the only way to go to heaven is for them to be converted.
• It causes problems because it can lead to prejudice and discrimination as other people don't like being told that their view is wrong.
• It can also lad to arguments and violence.

Issues raised for religion by a multi faith society:

Bringing up children:

• Parents want children to follow their religion, therefore reject others.
• Religions teach life after death, parents worry that they will not see their children after death so they pressure to follow the religion.
• There is social and peer pressure put on children to save family and cultural traditions.
• Many children experience secular schools,. so turn away from religion. All of this causes problems for religious followers.

Issues raised for religion by a multi faith society:

Interfaith Marriages:

• Raises problems for religious parents and leaders because there is only one religious ceremony (when getting married), and both couples must be members of the religion for a religious ceremony, people worry about leaving their faith.
• Question over which religion the children will be raised in. For parents there is a feeling of children betraying their roots by falling in love with someone from a different religion.

Ways in which RELIGIONS work to promote Community Cohesion in the UK:

• Religious leaders identifying similarities-by meeting and sharing the information with their followers.
• Interfaith marriages- developing services to bring families together, develop a shared view. (They are actually creating special wedding so that people from two different religions can get married in their own religious way)
• Raising children-by having to be taught at least 2 religions, to stop ignorance, racism and to break down barriers.
• Working together in special groups-interfaith networks and websites, to understand others.

GOVERNMENT actions to promote community cohesion:

• Financially support groups running community cohesion projects
• Making community cohesion a part of the national curriculum, and the OFSTED inspection
• Funding research for how to achieve community cohesion
• Appointing ministers, judges etc from ethnic backgrounds
• Passing the Race Regulations Act, making it unlawful to discriminate against race and color.