Islam Christianity
Relationships and families
Human sexuality
● Sexuality is a part of being human, not wrong or unhealthy
● Sex is for pleasure not just for reproduction
● Human beings have natural sexual instincts that should be nurtured and not suppressed
● The human body was created by God and all parts have a useful purpose
● Celibacy (choosing not to marry and have sexual relations) is wrong
● Heterosexual relationship between a husband and his wife is considered a blessing from God
● This is the only permitted form of sexual relationship in Islam
● Christians believe that human sexuality is such a powerful force that it can result in a new life, the
Christian Church teaches that the only valid place for a sexual relationship is within marriage
● Many christina see heterosexual relationships as part of God’s plan for humans, Genesis says that
a man and a woman should be united together and ‘increase in number’ (Genesis 1:28)
● This is why many Christians are opposed to sex outside marriage and some are strongly against
homosexual relationships and artificial contraception
● Other Christians believe that the most loving thing to do would be to adapt their teachings to fit a
changing world
● The Bible includes no specific detail regarding homosexual relationships between women and
there's nothing in the Bible that prohibits homosexual relationships that do not involve penetrative
sex
● The catholic church teaches that homosexual people are not sinful because of their homosexuality,
but that they should remain chaste to avoid sinful acts
● The Church of England welcomes homosexual Christians who live in a faithful, committed
relationship but it does not allow them to marry in church
● Some Christians think Bible texts need to be interpreted in the context of modern society and
therefore consider loving, faithful homosexual relationships to be just as holy as heterosexual
relationships
Attitudes to homosexuality
● In most Muslim countries homosexual relationships are forbidden
● Sexual orientation is a human choice
● Most Muslims believe that just because some people are drawn to forming homosexual
relationships it does not make it right
● Islam considers same-sex relationships to be against the natural law created by God
, Islam Christianity
● Majority of Muslims believe that the Quran and hadith teach that homosexuality is against God’s
will and that homosexuals should control their actions and not break God’s law
● In Muslim majority countries, punishment is severe
● A person must confess or there must be four eyewitnessed to the act
● This punishment may take place on earth or the person will have to answer to God on the day of
judgement
Contemporary British attitudes
● Muslims accept that in British society individuals have the right to make their own choice
● More people today have sex before marriage, multiple sexual partners, children outside of
marriage, affairs or open homosexual relationships
● In 2016 a survey showed that approximately half of British Muslims do not approve of
homosexuality
● In the past church was more powerful and the majority of society accepted this viewpoint
Age of consent
● Sex should only occur within marriage and dating is not encouraged except within strictly controlled
circumstances, and never involving sexual relations
● Muslim parents may arrange for their children to be married, but this is done only when they agree
and are ready to enter into such a commitment
Sexual relationships before marriage
● Muslims believe sex is a gift from God
● Casual sex is wrong and detracts from the dignity of those involved
● Sexual responsibility involves moral considerations e.g shouldn't cause harm
● Children have a right to be born into a loving family and to know their mother and father
● Casual sex can lead to promiscuity and other evils such as rape and deception
● The shariah law considers sex before marriage, adultery and rape, to be zinah (a sexual offence)
● Many Christians believe sex expresses a deep,loving lifelong union that first requires the
commitment of marriage
● They believe it is important to be seually pure before marruage because having sex is part of the
loving trusting relationship that should be developed within a marriage- it should not be a
casual,temporary pleasure
● Christians believe it is wrong to use people for sex and irresponsible to spread sexually transmitted
infections or risk pregnancy
● Although the Anglican and Catholic churches teach that unmarried people should not have sex,
some Christians accept that for some people sex before marriage is a valid expression of their love
for each other
Sexual relationships outside marriage
Relationships and families
Human sexuality
● Sexuality is a part of being human, not wrong or unhealthy
● Sex is for pleasure not just for reproduction
● Human beings have natural sexual instincts that should be nurtured and not suppressed
● The human body was created by God and all parts have a useful purpose
● Celibacy (choosing not to marry and have sexual relations) is wrong
● Heterosexual relationship between a husband and his wife is considered a blessing from God
● This is the only permitted form of sexual relationship in Islam
● Christians believe that human sexuality is such a powerful force that it can result in a new life, the
Christian Church teaches that the only valid place for a sexual relationship is within marriage
● Many christina see heterosexual relationships as part of God’s plan for humans, Genesis says that
a man and a woman should be united together and ‘increase in number’ (Genesis 1:28)
● This is why many Christians are opposed to sex outside marriage and some are strongly against
homosexual relationships and artificial contraception
● Other Christians believe that the most loving thing to do would be to adapt their teachings to fit a
changing world
● The Bible includes no specific detail regarding homosexual relationships between women and
there's nothing in the Bible that prohibits homosexual relationships that do not involve penetrative
sex
● The catholic church teaches that homosexual people are not sinful because of their homosexuality,
but that they should remain chaste to avoid sinful acts
● The Church of England welcomes homosexual Christians who live in a faithful, committed
relationship but it does not allow them to marry in church
● Some Christians think Bible texts need to be interpreted in the context of modern society and
therefore consider loving, faithful homosexual relationships to be just as holy as heterosexual
relationships
Attitudes to homosexuality
● In most Muslim countries homosexual relationships are forbidden
● Sexual orientation is a human choice
● Most Muslims believe that just because some people are drawn to forming homosexual
relationships it does not make it right
● Islam considers same-sex relationships to be against the natural law created by God
, Islam Christianity
● Majority of Muslims believe that the Quran and hadith teach that homosexuality is against God’s
will and that homosexuals should control their actions and not break God’s law
● In Muslim majority countries, punishment is severe
● A person must confess or there must be four eyewitnessed to the act
● This punishment may take place on earth or the person will have to answer to God on the day of
judgement
Contemporary British attitudes
● Muslims accept that in British society individuals have the right to make their own choice
● More people today have sex before marriage, multiple sexual partners, children outside of
marriage, affairs or open homosexual relationships
● In 2016 a survey showed that approximately half of British Muslims do not approve of
homosexuality
● In the past church was more powerful and the majority of society accepted this viewpoint
Age of consent
● Sex should only occur within marriage and dating is not encouraged except within strictly controlled
circumstances, and never involving sexual relations
● Muslim parents may arrange for their children to be married, but this is done only when they agree
and are ready to enter into such a commitment
Sexual relationships before marriage
● Muslims believe sex is a gift from God
● Casual sex is wrong and detracts from the dignity of those involved
● Sexual responsibility involves moral considerations e.g shouldn't cause harm
● Children have a right to be born into a loving family and to know their mother and father
● Casual sex can lead to promiscuity and other evils such as rape and deception
● The shariah law considers sex before marriage, adultery and rape, to be zinah (a sexual offence)
● Many Christians believe sex expresses a deep,loving lifelong union that first requires the
commitment of marriage
● They believe it is important to be seually pure before marruage because having sex is part of the
loving trusting relationship that should be developed within a marriage- it should not be a
casual,temporary pleasure
● Christians believe it is wrong to use people for sex and irresponsible to spread sexually transmitted
infections or risk pregnancy
● Although the Anglican and Catholic churches teach that unmarried people should not have sex,
some Christians accept that for some people sex before marriage is a valid expression of their love
for each other
Sexual relationships outside marriage
