Theme F: Religion, Human Rights and Social Justice
Status of Women in Religion
● M ost religions would claim that women have always been held in high
regard
● What some people would claim as discrimination, others may argue was
difference in role
● Often in religion, women have different roles, but they are not necessarily a
lesser role
● In Christianity men and women were created as equals in the image of God
○ “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for
you are all one in Christ Jesus”
● In Islam“Men are the protectors and maintainers ofwomen”
● In Islam, a man’s role tends to be to provide for the family and the woman
is to care for the home, husband and family
● In Catholic Christianity, women cannot be priests or higher
● As religions try to keep pace with modern society, the role of women is
undergoing changes
The Uses of Wealth
● ll religions teach that there is nothing wrong with being wealthy
A
● Wealth may be a sign of blessing from God
● Responsible use of money helps spiritual growth
● Should not be selfish as wealth should be used to benefit others as well as
oneself
● In Christianity, some believe you should give money to charity
● Others believe you should pay a tithe to the church
● On Judgment Day Muslims will be asked how they spent their wealth
● In Islam, greed and selfishness should be avoided
○ “Beware of greed, it is ready poverty”
Freedom of Religious Expression
● M any Christians believe the only way to eternal life is through Jesus, so this
excludes all other faiths.
○ Hence why they try and convert others to the word of Jesus
○ Despite this discrimination should not be shown to people of other
faiths and neither is persecution permitted.
● Other Christians believe as long as the person lives a moral life (through
religious beliefs or none), then eternal life is still available
, ● I n Islam, the right to choose or reject religious belief is famously revealed
toward the end of surah al-Baqarah as“there is nocompulsion in religion”
● Whilst there is no prejudice towards those who don’t choose Islam, for
those that convert from it there is a punishment
○ “he who has embraced Islam and then abandons it will receive
punishment in hell after Judgment Day”
Prejudice and Discrimination in Religion
rejudice - to judge someone with an unfavourable opinion without a full
P
examination of the situation
Discrimination - making a distinction against a person or group rather than
basing any action on individual merit
oth of these break people’s human rights because they stop them from having
B
the same chances as others and can lead to harm
ositive discrimination - when a particular individual or group is given privileges
P
to compensate for a disadvantage eg. disabled parking
● A ll religions believe in equality and justice and so would not generally
support discrimination
○ “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, slave nor free, male nor female, for
you are all one in Christ”
● Some may argue in favour of positive discrimination in order to bring
equality and justice
● Christianity today would see discrimination as wrong as God created
everyone equally
● Islam teaches that Allah created everyone equal but different
○ this was Allah’s design therefore to discriminate is wrong
Treatment and status of women: (see page 1)
Treatment and status of homosexuals:
● Homosexuals are fully accepted within the Christian Quaker tradition
● Other Christians only accept them if they remain celibate
○ Because they believe sex is for procreation only
● Some Christians do not accept them because they believe it goes against
God’s plan
● In Islam, homosexuality is a sin and the Qur’an sets out severe punishment
which can include the death penalty
○ "And those two of you males who commit it (the shameful act),
torture them both"
Status of Women in Religion
● M ost religions would claim that women have always been held in high
regard
● What some people would claim as discrimination, others may argue was
difference in role
● Often in religion, women have different roles, but they are not necessarily a
lesser role
● In Christianity men and women were created as equals in the image of God
○ “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for
you are all one in Christ Jesus”
● In Islam“Men are the protectors and maintainers ofwomen”
● In Islam, a man’s role tends to be to provide for the family and the woman
is to care for the home, husband and family
● In Catholic Christianity, women cannot be priests or higher
● As religions try to keep pace with modern society, the role of women is
undergoing changes
The Uses of Wealth
● ll religions teach that there is nothing wrong with being wealthy
A
● Wealth may be a sign of blessing from God
● Responsible use of money helps spiritual growth
● Should not be selfish as wealth should be used to benefit others as well as
oneself
● In Christianity, some believe you should give money to charity
● Others believe you should pay a tithe to the church
● On Judgment Day Muslims will be asked how they spent their wealth
● In Islam, greed and selfishness should be avoided
○ “Beware of greed, it is ready poverty”
Freedom of Religious Expression
● M any Christians believe the only way to eternal life is through Jesus, so this
excludes all other faiths.
○ Hence why they try and convert others to the word of Jesus
○ Despite this discrimination should not be shown to people of other
faiths and neither is persecution permitted.
● Other Christians believe as long as the person lives a moral life (through
religious beliefs or none), then eternal life is still available
, ● I n Islam, the right to choose or reject religious belief is famously revealed
toward the end of surah al-Baqarah as“there is nocompulsion in religion”
● Whilst there is no prejudice towards those who don’t choose Islam, for
those that convert from it there is a punishment
○ “he who has embraced Islam and then abandons it will receive
punishment in hell after Judgment Day”
Prejudice and Discrimination in Religion
rejudice - to judge someone with an unfavourable opinion without a full
P
examination of the situation
Discrimination - making a distinction against a person or group rather than
basing any action on individual merit
oth of these break people’s human rights because they stop them from having
B
the same chances as others and can lead to harm
ositive discrimination - when a particular individual or group is given privileges
P
to compensate for a disadvantage eg. disabled parking
● A ll religions believe in equality and justice and so would not generally
support discrimination
○ “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, slave nor free, male nor female, for
you are all one in Christ”
● Some may argue in favour of positive discrimination in order to bring
equality and justice
● Christianity today would see discrimination as wrong as God created
everyone equally
● Islam teaches that Allah created everyone equal but different
○ this was Allah’s design therefore to discriminate is wrong
Treatment and status of women: (see page 1)
Treatment and status of homosexuals:
● Homosexuals are fully accepted within the Christian Quaker tradition
● Other Christians only accept them if they remain celibate
○ Because they believe sex is for procreation only
● Some Christians do not accept them because they believe it goes against
God’s plan
● In Islam, homosexuality is a sin and the Qur’an sets out severe punishment
which can include the death penalty
○ "And those two of you males who commit it (the shameful act),
torture them both"
