Theme A: Relationships and families

• Homosexuality is being physically/sexually attracted to a person of the same gender.
• Reasons to support homosexuality:

  • Quakers say that’s “it is the nature and the quality of the relationship that matters”
  • Humans are created “imago dei” - God created us all unique
  • Situation ethics: Jesus said “love thy neighbour”
• Reasons to reject homosexuality:

  • “Be fruitful and multiply” - sex is for procreation
  • The Guru Granth Sahib does not mention homosexual relationships though heterosexual relationships are encouraged
  • “Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable” (Leviticus 18:22)
• Sex outside marriage is sex between two people where one or both are married to someone else.
• Sex before marriage is sex between two unmarried people.
• Reasons to support sex before marriage:

  • Liberal Christians think it’s a good expression of love if you are in a committed relationship and intend to marry in the future
  • Situation ethics: if it is loving and not harmful, it isn’t always wrong
• Reasons to reject sex before marriage:

  • The Rehat Maryada claims that you aren't a “True Sikh” if you have sex before marriage
  • It lowers self-esteem and respect for others, who hold the divine spark
  • “Flee from sexual immorality” (1 Corinthians 6:18)
• Christian views on sex outside marriage:

  • Breaks marriage vows made before God
  • “You shall not commit adultery”
• Sikh views on sex outside marriage:

  • Adultery is one of the 4 misdeeds (kurahat) for amritdhari Sikhs
  • The kachera reminds Sikhs they must be faithful in marriage
• Marriage is a legal union between a man and a woman/or same-sex.
• Christian nature of marriage:

  • “To become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24)
  • “Be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:28)
  • Covenant before God in which the couple promises to live together until death
  • Raise children in a stable environment
  • Fulfils the sacraments
• Sikh nature of marriage:

  • “They alone are called husband and wife, who have one light in two bodies” (Guru Granth Sahib 788)
  • It is a union witnessed by God, shown by the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib
  • As long as the man and woman profess the Sikh faith, they may be married
  • The way God intended them to live
• Cohabitation is when a couple lives together and have a sexual relationship without being married.
• Support for cohabitation:

  • The Church of England accepts it as a trial if they will marry later on
• Opposition for cohabitation:

  • Catholics think sex should be in marriage
  • Sikhs think sex should be in marriage
• Divorce is the legal ending of marriage.
• Causes of divorce:

  • Addiction
  • Lack of communication
  • People growing apart
  • Inability to have children
  • Illness / disability
  • Domestic violence
  • Work and money pressure
  • Adultery
  • Immaturity
• Support divorce:

  • According to Matthew 5:32, Jesus allowed divorce in cases of sexual immorality
  • Situation ethics: if it is a deeply unhappy marriage
  • Methodists and Anglicans can remarry with the priest’s permission
  • Sikhs accept if the sangat can’t do anything else to help
• Oppose divorce:

  • Divorce breaks the “one flesh” (Genesis 2:24) - it is a sacrament
  • “What God has joined together, let no man separate“ (Mark 10:9)
  • “Until death do us part” is taken seriously
• Instead of divorce, Catholics support temporary separation or annulment.
• Remarriage:

  • catholics are against remarriage - they describe it as living in “permanent adultery”
  • The Church of England allow remarriage if the minister says yes
  • Sikhs allows remarriage if widowed and the replacement is acceptable
• Nuclear family = mother, father and children
• Nuclear families fulfil God’s plan to “Be fruitful and multiply”
• Extended family = includes grandparents
• • Extended families are common in Sikh communities
  • Extended families were common in biblical times
• Same-sex parents = homosexuals raising children
• Same-sex parents:

  • Most Christians and Sikhs think children should grow up with a mother and a father
  • Some Christians (e.g. Quakers) think love is more important, regardless of gender
• Polygamous family = a person who has more than 2 husbands and wives
• Polygamy:

  • Against God’s plan
  • Sexually immoral
  • Illegal in the UK
• The role of parents:

  • Encourage positive morals and values
  • Love and care for their children
  • Educate their children about the faith
  • “The householders assert their faith in family life” (Guru Granth Sahib 71)
• The role of children:

  • Support and care for parents in their old age
  • Learn religious values and traditions
  • Love and respect their parents
  • “Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord” (Colossians 3:20)
• Purpose of families:

  • Procreation
  • Stability and protection of children
  • Educating children in a faith
• Purpose of families - procreation:

  In Sikh and Christian families, grown up children have a duty to care elderly relatives:

  • “Honour your mother and father” (Exodus 20:12)
  • “The faithful uplift their family and relations“ (Guru Granth Sahib 3)
• Purpose of families - stability and protection of children:

  • “Within the family, we care for the young, the old and those with caring needs” (The Church of England)
• Purpose of families - educating children in a faith:

  • Christians should teach children about faith and nurture their spiritual lives, which they may do through prayer
  • Sikhs initiate their children into wearing the 5Ks
  • The Rehat Maryada states that “it is a Sikh’s duty to get his children educated in Sikhism”
• Gender equality is when men and women are given the same rights
• Gender prejudice is holding biased opinions about people based on their gender
• Gender discrimination is acting again someone on the basis of their gender
• Against gender discrimination:

  • All humans are made “imago dei”
  • “Love thy neighbour”
  • Jesus treated women with respect and welcomed them as disciples
  • “Without women, there would be no one at all” (Guru Granth Sahib 473)
• Not against gender discrimination:

  • St Paul teaches that wives must submit to their husbands and remain silent in church
  • Catholic Church does not let women be leaders as Jesus only appointed them as apostles
  • Some traditional Christians think that husbands should “rule over” their wives