R.E Section 4 UNIT 4

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

Interfaith marriage Marriage where the husband and wife are from different religions

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

Religious freedom The right to practise your religion and to change your religion

Discrimination  Treating people less favourably because of their ethnicity/gender/colour/sexuality/age/class

Multi-ethnic Society Many different races and cultures living together in one society

Racial harmony  Different races/colours living together happily

Religious pluralism Accepting all religions as having an equal right to exist

Ethnic minority  A member of an ethnic group that is much smaller than the majority group

Multi-faith society Many different religions living together in one society

Racism  The belief that some races are superior to others

Sexism  Discriminating against people because of their gender

Since 1970, women legally have equal rights in the workplace

Men are now taking on some of the more traditional women's roles-nursing, childminding, etc.

Many cartoons and comedians still stereotype the roles of men and women. 

"Allah created men and women from a single soul" (Surah 4.1)

Islamic Law guarantees certain rights to women: She can own property, she has the right to inherit property, she can have a job, she has control of her wealth, she should be paid equal pay for equal work, she has the right to get a divorce, she has the right to education.

Religious practice:Both: 

• follow the five pillars
• equal judgement at the last day

                             Men:

• Friday prayers at the mosque are compulsory

Women:

• Attendance at the mosque is voluntary, depending on her family commitments

Daily Responsibility: Both:

• can own property and run a business

Men:

• responsible for the financial welfare of the family

Women:

• Duty to bear children and bring them up as Muslims
•  Keep a halal home

Daily life and relationships: Both:

• Right to a good education
• Can become teachers, doctors, lawyers, etc.

Men: 

• Physically stronger - protectors of women

Women:

• Emotionally weaker - Can expect to be cared for

Traditional: 

• Equal but different roles, Bring up children and keep halal home, no need to go to mosque, men and women should always be separate, physiologically not suited to leadership

Modern:

• Equal in religion and education
• Women can have jobs but the priority to bring up children
• Worship in mosque but separately
• Women can be teachers as Aisha r.a was

Advantages of living in a multi-ethnic society:

It creates tolerance by helping people experience and understand different cultures

It can bring new people with fresh ideas

It brings a wider variety of music, food, clothes and cultural traditions.

Community cohesion:

• Making strong and positive relationships with people of different races
• Ensuring equal opportunities for all in the community
• Appreciating and valuing the differences
• A common vision and sense of belonging

What is the Government doing? Each area receives:

• Money to help integrate new arrivals
• Money to establish good youth projects
• Help in setting up groups to encourage good citizenship
• Help to set up specialist integration teams that work to support local council in managing any major changes in the local population. 

Islamic teaching on racial harmony:

• All humans were created by Allah therefore all are equal.
• No race is superior to another

Muslims believe that Allah created every human being and they are all equal regardless of race or colour.

Everyone has the right to be treated equally and Muslims have a duty to treat people equally.

All Muslims believe in religious freedom. In the quran it says "there is no compulsion in religion". This means that all religions should have the freedom to practise providing they do not harm Islam.

Other Muslims believe that Jews and Christians will go to paradise as the Quran says that the people of the book who "believe in god and the last day, and work righteousness, on them shall be no fear"

Why is it good to live in a multi-faith society?

• You can learn about a variety of beliefs
• You can understand more about these beliefs and decide which one you think is best
• It creates tolerance amongst different faith groups
• It helps people to live together in harmony

The issues:

• Will other religious people want to convert me to their faith?
• Will the mix of religions cause confusion so that no one really understands them?
• What will my children learn about Will they want to stay in my religion
• Suppose I fall in love with someone from a different religion?