Relationships and Families

• "Man and woman should be united together and increase in number" C
• "Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, that is detestable"
• Sex before marriage

  Catholic: Sign of commitment only secure within marriage

  "Flee from sexually immorality"

  CofE: Acceptable also if the relationship is committed

  Buddhist: As long as no harm, okay
• Sex outside of marriage

  C: Breaks marriage vows " you shall not commit adultery"

  B: Adultery is unskilful as it involves deceit and is likely to cause harm
• Contraception

  Catholics: No - go against God's plan for sex and marriage

  CofE + B: Allowed but not when a fertilised egg is destroyed
• Marriage

  C: Spiritual bond of trust. Covenant before God. Proper place for sex and to provide a safe and secure place to raise children

  "Be fruitful and increase in number"

  B: Civil ceremony. Social contract which may help wellbeing of a community and may provide the best place for a child to grow up
• Divorce and Remarriage

  Reasons:

  • addiction
  • lack of communication
  • adultery
  • illness/disability
  • immaturity
  • work/money pressures
  • People change
  • inability to have children
  • domestic abuse
• Divorce and Remarriage

  Catholic: Cannot divorce as belief in sanctity of marriage vows. Cannot remarry whilst partner alive

  Other C: See divorce as the lesser of two evils. Some accept under special circumstances

  "If a man divorces his wife for any other cause than unchastity, he involves her in adultery"

  B: no teachings against but would be disapproved of in Buddhist communities. However, holding onto a relationship that just causes suffering goes against teachings
• Types of family

  • Nuclear: fulfils God's family plan
  • Extended: many people in Bible times and Buddhist countries now live like this
  • Same-sex parents: children should be brought up by male and female parents. Others say that it doesn't matter as long as the home is loving and secure
  • Polygamous: Illegal in UK. Goes against God's plan. Not favoured by Buddhists as likely to cause suffering
• Role of Parents/Children

  Parents:

  • Encourage positive morals and values
  • Love and care for children
  • Educate children in the faith - "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it"

  Children:

  • Support and care for parents in old age
  • Love and respect parents
  • B: Preserve traditions of the family
  • "Children obey your parents in everything"
• Purpose of families

  C:

  • procreation
  • safe and secure environment for children
  • Good role model
  • Bring children up in faith

  B:

  • Safe and secure environment for children
  • teach children Buddhist beliefs and practices
  • teach how to show Buddha devotion etc.
  • Involve children in ceremonies
• Gender Equality

  C:

  • All created equal in image of God
  • "God created man in his own image"
  • "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus"
  • Loving your neighbour means discrimination is wrong
  • Some Christians believe that a husband should rule over their wives

  B:

  • In Buddha's time women were inferior to men
  • Buddha was reluctant to ordain women as nuns
  • Some believe that women must be reborn as men to be enlightened
  • Now believed it is showing metta to repsect equality