Religion and Community Cohesion

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

Prejudice
Where you pre-judge someone or label them before you know them for mroe than a stereotypical judgement. The belief. that they are inferior or superior without even knowing them.

Discrimination
Discrimination is acting upon the pre-judged opinion and treating them differently due to their aesthetics. Treating them less favourably. 

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

Multi-ethnic society
Many races and cultures living together in society. 

Racism
The belief that some ethnic groups are superior to others

Racial Harmony
Different ethnic groups living together peacefully 

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

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

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

Sexism
Discriminating people because of their gender 

Example of prejudice

•  Saying all teenagers wear hoodies and hang around on street corners

Example of discrimination

• Not employing someone with high skills due to the fact they are not straight (sexuality)

Sexism

• Women are not allowed to work as builders because they are not as strong as men

Racism

• Not allowing a particular person to sit next to you due to their skin colour 

Ignorance

• People often reject and stereotype people they do not know 

Scapegoating

• People pick on others to pass the blame onto when something goes wrong
• Usually those who are easy targets

Fear

• People feel threatened by something new and different

Following the crowd

• Seek security in own group 
• Those not inside the group become outsiders and enemies  

The law in Britain makes discrimination on the grounds of: race, gender, religion, age and disability illegal. However prejudice still remains wide spread.

Some advantages of living in a multi-cultural society:

• Good reputation for tolerance of religions
• New experiences 
• Developed understanding of other religions and cultures
• Various places of worship
• Education acceptance 

The bible says:

• "Love thy Neighbour"
• "Their is neither Jew nor Greek slave nor free male and female for you're all one in Christ Jesus"
• "In my fathers house there are many rooms"
• "God has no favourites but that anybody of any nationality who fears him and does what is right and acceptable to him"

Parable of the good Samaritan
This teaches us that the Samaritan helped the 'enemy' and shows that despite your race you should treat people well and with respect regardless of skin colour or nationality.

The Quaran says:

• "We have created you from male and female and made your people those that you may know one another"
• "Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that Muslims constitute one brotherhood"
• "Adam and eve - all humans are part of the same family"
• "And of his signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and the diversity of your language and your colours"

Sexism

• Discriminating against people purely due to gender 

Example of sexual discrimination

• Not paying a woman the same as a man doing the exactly same job for the exact same amount of working hours

The Law

• Treating people differently on the grounds of gender is illegal under the 1974 Sexual Discrimination Act. 
• A person cannot be refused a job due to their gender
• They cannot be paid any more or less purely on the basis of their gender

Stereotypical roles of men and women

• Men: positions of power, more authority and work more
• Women: cooking, cleaning and raising children

How women's rights have changed

• 1882 - The Married Women's Property Act
• 1892 - The Local Government Act
• 1918 - The Representation of the People Act
• 1928 - Electoral Reform Act
• 1961 - Contraceptive Pill became available on the NHS
• 1970 - The Equal Pay Act
• 1975 - Sex Discrimination Act
• 1979 - First Female Prime Minister
• 1992 - Church of England allows women to be ordained

• The roman catholic church teaches that women and men are both important in the formation of society.
• However, men and women have different roles. 
• In many areas women and men are equal
• The church rules that men can be priests but women cannot
• There are still levels of inequality
• Many Christians, particularly in the roman catholic church think that women cannot become priests. 
• The bible teaches that "women are not permitted to teach or to have any authority over a man; she must be silent."
• The roman catholic church wants to maintain the tradition of apostolic succession
• This is that the spiritual power and authority went Jesus -> Apostles -> Popes

• Many Christians will say it was women who stayed with Christ during and after the crucifixion
• Many Christians feel that the church should do all it can to include women 
• This is an accurate reflection of modern society
• Jesus didn't show favouritism 
• Christianity teaches about equality
• Many churches, including Methodists and the Church of England do allow women to be ordained
• The bible teaches: "in the image of god, he created them, male and female, he created them"
• "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus"