...Contemporary Issues in Western Religions Religious beliefs have been the center of many conflicts across the entire world since the beginning of time. Christianity, Islam, and Judaism the major monotheist religious traditions have been at the heart of many of those religious conflicts. Historical connections and theological similarities are prevalent between the three. In parallel to the similarities exists the contemporary struggles affecting these western religious traditions. From the internal struggles within Christianity such as abortion, to its struggles with Islam and Muslim extremists, finally to the contempt against Christianity from actions of the Holocaust, each tradition faces contemporary struggles within their own right. Gaining a better understanding and insight into the historical, theological, and contemporary struggles between Christianity, Islam, and Judaism will enhance appreciation for each belief. Historical Connections and Theological Similarities: One main pillar of similar theology between Christianity, Islam, and Judaism is the belief in one god. However, each has different perspectives in relation to God. For example, Christians believe in [pic]the Trinity[pic] of [pic]God; God the Father, the Son (Jesus[pic] Christ), [pic]and the Holy Spirit[pic] ("Judaism, Islam, Christianity-Comparison", 2002-2011). Also Christians consider Jesus [pic]the son of God, born to the Virgin Mary, and[pic] had [pic]come to earth to offer redemption for...
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...writing this with a neutral stand point on homosexuality. I am not for homosexuality and neither am I against it. INTRODUCTION Homosexuality is sexual attraction, romantic attraction or sexual behavior between members of the same sex or gender. The most common terms for homosexual people are lesbian for females and gay for males, though gay is sometimes used to refer to both male and female homosexuals. There are a number of homosexuals that do not openly identify themselves as such due to homophobia and heterosexists discrimination. Homophobia is the showing of negative attitudes and feelings towards homosexuals and homosexuality. It can be expressed as contempt, aversion or hatred and is sometimes related to religious beliefs Many gay and lesbian people are in committed same-sex relationships which are seen to be equivalent to heterosexual relationships. Some people admire and encourage such relationships while others condemn them and base their argument on religion. Religion and homosexuality are two aspects that have always clashed historically and recently. Many religions argue that it is the homosexual actions that are sinful rather than the state of being homosexual. Some religions condemn homosexuality while some accept it. Here we look at different religious views on homosexuality. DIFFERENT RELIGIOUS VIEWS ON HOMOSEXUALITY A. Christianity Christian denominations hold different views on the issue of homosexuality, some condemn it out rightly while others...
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...Axia College Material Appendix F Impact Matrix Assignment Directions: Assume that you are on the school board of your school district and you are tasked with the job of strategic planning for issues facing your district. Complete the matrix below to determine the potential response of each of the religious groups in your community. Use the attached links to research the basic moral and ethical principles believed by each group. Then determine how you believe each group will react to the issue based on what you find. Provide a brief justification for your answer. After completing the matrix, write a 300- to 500-word summary of the significant similarities and differences among the different religious groups. SCHOOL ISSUES Prayer in School Creationism v. Evolution Studying Women’s Rights in the Middle East Saying the Pledge of Allegiance Starting a Gay and Lesbian Support Group Inter-Racial Dating COMMUNITY RELIGIOUS GROUPS Pro/Con Justify your answer Pro/Con Justify your answer Pro/Con Justify your answer Pro/Con Justify your answer Pro/Con Justify your answer Pro/Con Justify your answer Atheist Con According to the BBC website, many atheists are "hostile" to any special treatment given to organized religion; they may find prayer in school to be offensive, as atheists tend to believe that a God is not a necessary belief. Pro Evolution Atheists would be pro-evolution, as evolution tends to use scientific evidence to justify its assumptions. According to the BBC website...
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...Islamic views on Homosexuality I take this opportunity to express profound gratitude and deep regards to my Teacher Mrs. Dennis and for her exemplary guidance, Monitoring and constant encouragement throughout the course of this thesis. The blessing, help and guidance given by her time to time shall carry me a long way in the journey of life on which I am about to embark. I also take this opportunity to express deep sense of gratitude to my parents for their cordial support , valuable information and guidance , which helped me in completing this task through various stages. Once again I say thank you. Introduction Islam’s views on homosexuality There is no doubt that in Islam homosexuality is considered ‘Sinful’. Homosexuality as far as Islam concerned as a profound mistake (as are all sins if they are not intending to do wrong). Humans are not homosexuals by nature. People become homosexuals because of their environments. Particularly critical in the environment during puberty. Suggestions, ideas & strange dreams are symptoms of confused attempts to understand new and blunt sexual desires and are rashly interpreted as defining someone as being one sexuality or another. If these conclusions are accompanied by actual homosexual acts they are even more strongly reinforced. Methodology Aims of research Aim of this is to find out more...
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...Associate Level Material Appendix F Impact Matrix Assignment Directions: Assume that you are on the school board of your school district and you are tasked with the job of strategic planning for issues facing your district. Complete the matrix below to determine the potential response of each of the religious groups in your community. Use the attached links to research the basic moral and ethical principles believed by each group. Then determine how you believe each group will react to the issue based on what you find. Provide a brief justification for your answer. After completing the matrix, write a 300- to 500-word summary of the significant similarities and differences among the different religious groups. |SCHOOL ISSUES | |Prayer in School |Creationism v. Evolution |Studying Women’s Rights in the Middle East |Saying the Pledge of Allegiance |Starting a Gay and Lesbian Support Group |Inter-Racial Dating | |COMMUNITY RELIGIOUS GROUPS |Pro/Con |Justify your answer |Pro/Con |Justify your answer |Pro/Con |Justify your answer |Pro/Con |Justify your answer |Pro/Con |Justify your answer |Pro/Con |Justify your answer | |Atheist |Con |Atheists are opposed to prayer in school. They find it to be of an offense. They do not believe in God, therefore they do not believe in praying...
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...11 Religion Sexuality Assignment Sexuality is one of the most significant and controversial issues in modern society and in the most considerable religions such as Islam, Judaism, Catholicism and Buddhism. Sexuality can be defined in several manners; most individuals would assume that sexuality is about sexual identity and gender role. However, sexuality is a very broad topic that can be explored in many ways, more significant aspects of the topic can be seen below: o Purpose of sexuality o Male/female roles o Sexual orientation o Sexual abstinence o Consequences of sex o Sexual identity o Gender stereotyping o Marriage o Sex and love o Pregnancy o Sex before/outside marriage In modern society these are the aspects that define sexuality,...
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...Despite the countless problems that the LGTBQ+ community is facing, some claim that homosexuality is an issue that does not exist in the Middle East. The most notable example is when former Iranian President Ahmadinejad stated during a speech at Columbia University that “In Iran we do not have this phenomenon” when asked about the LGBTQ+ community in his country. However, homosexuality has been occurring in the Arab world for a very long time and is far from being a foreign concept. As Sabine Schmidtke, a well-known Islamic scholar explains in her article, Homoeroticism and Homosexuality in Islam, “The frequency of homosexual practices in the Islamic world is well attested by a variety of sources, such as prose romances, poetry, adab literature,...
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...Third Gender – Equality and Truth http://caissg.org/third-gender-equality-truth/ It is a brave and honest person who can stand apart from the masses and openly challenge its most treasured beliefs. ~ Donna Evans As humans, we understand a little about our complex bodies even with the greatest medical science. It is what it is. Then why lie? Secrecy and stigma are worse than the condition itself. Without truth and transparency, it is difficult to pass laws, provide equal rights, offer support and help for all. We need to have an environment which encourages truth, tolerance, and respect for all. Are there only two genders or is there a third gender?Regardless of which side of the issue you are on, we can all agree thattruth is always the right option and secrecy and lying have no place for a long-term solution in a civilized society. There are several issues withsecrecy and lying. First it is wrong. Second it does not take into account the feelings and trauma of the person being lied to. Third it could lead to criminal acts such as if lying is a crime under oath. What are the bioethics for disclosure to spouses? It is NOT about gender identity or it is NOT about the sexual identity, it is about the HUMAN identity which is to say the truth. As a human being, everyone deserves a feeling of “belonging”, understanding and acceptance. Without recognition of the truth, how will an intersex person marry legally or how can an intersex couple (who are infertile) adopt a child legally...
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...Religions LaKeisha Davenport Rel/134 University of Phoenix Sammy Frailey July 26, 2010 Contemporary Issues in Western Religions One of the ways to understand people of a diverse society is to understand their religious beliefs and practices. In the western world there are three major religions. These religions are Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Each of these religions is monotheistic and is practiced by more than half the people in the world. Monotheistic religion is the belief in one God. Although Judaism, Christianity and Islam religious practices are each monotheistic, some of the religious traditions are different. Judaism believes there is one God who cannot be made up of parts; Islam embraces an immaterial, invisible God, one to be intensely feared in His omnipotence; Christians hold fast to the trinity of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The differences mentioned are but a few of the differences between the three religions that could very well be reasons for some of the struggles believers faced during the early biblical days. To better the religious traditions of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, one must study the early traditions and struggles of each religion. The writers of this paper will discuss the similarities, differences, theological and historical connections between the three religions. Historical Connections Judaism is historically connected to Christianity through Jesus and the Old Testament. Jesus is considered...
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...Introduction Homosexuality is defined or characterized as attraction towards the same gender either male or female. It came from the Greek language, where “homo” means the same or similar, hence referring to the attraction between two beings of the same sex. Homosexuality is also referred as a clinical term. Most male homosexuals generally prefer to be called "gay men" and most homosexual women generally prefer to be called "lesbians." Homosexuality is one of the three main categories of sexual orientation, alongside bisexual and heterosexual. The longstanding consensus of the behavioral and social sciences and the health and mental health professions is that homosexuality is an example of normal and positive variation in human sexual orientation. Currently the most common adjectives in use are lesbian for women and gay for men, though gay can refer to either men or women. The American Psychology Association defines sexual orientation in the following way: “Sexual orientation is an enduring emotional, romantic, sexual, or affectionate attraction toward others”. There are three broad categories within the family of sexual orientations which are defined as: heterosexuality, homosexuality (gay orientation) and bisexuality. The origins of homosexuality has been surfacing now and then in our time and we will look at how the future will hold for them(homosexuals). Literature Review Nowadays, homosexuality is an uncomfortable and even forbidding topic for many, but in the ancient...
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...Historical and Scientific Perspectives on Homosexuality Alton Masters Psy/265 – Psychology of Human Sexuality June 7, 2013 Professor Belden This paper is all about the historical and scientific perspectives on homosexuality. In this essay we will be discussing the historical, biological, and psychological perspectives on homosexuality. We will also go over the impact that these perspectives may have had on the way homosexuals perceive themselves. Also included will be an analysis of the experiences of coming out and adjusting as a gay individual. Lastly we will talk about how these historical, biological, and psychological perspectives have impacted mine own sexual orientation and how they have shaped the way I view homosexuality. Historical Perspectives on Homosexuality Homosexuality, be it gay or lesbian, has existed throughout history. There have been many different attitudes towards homosexuality including tolerance in some societies, open encouragement in others, but in most societies this behavior has been condemned. While homosexuality has mostly been condemned, this was not always the case. A couple of examples are the ancient Greece and Rome. In Greece is was common for established males to form sexual relationships with adolescent males at about eh age of the adolescents growing their first beard. “Romans described highly feminine gay men who dressed flamboyantly, had showy hair styles and mannerisms, and cruised certain neighborhoods, searching for partners...
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...There are many different perspectives on gay male and lesbian sexual orientations. Gay male and lesbian sexual orientation is commonly referred to as being homosexual. A homosexual is a male and or female that is attracted to the same sex. Homosexuality is the term used to define sexual orientation of homosexuals that engage in sexual activities with the same sexes. Homosexuality is widespread throughout history including the past, present, and future generations and varies widely amongst societies and cultural acceptances. In some cultures and religions homosexuality is accepted and tolerated. Whereas, in other cultures and religions it is found to being condemning and dirty. Some even think of the individual as being in a sick state of mind. It is because of these different historical and scientific perspectives that are being placed on homosexuals minds are what shape their perceptions of themselves. In historical perspectives western cultures have never censured any sexual practices or orientations more than the male and male and female and female orientations. The sexual behaviors have varied per religion and past cultures of what is accepted and what is not. In ancient Greece it was common and accepted for males to have sexual relationships with other males, sometimes even boys. It was thought as soon as the young man grew a beard it was time to start the male-male sexual behavior. Greek vases displaced artwork of men having sexual relations to boys by placing their...
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...Court left states to freely define what the word marriage means. The majority of the states continued to define marriage as the union between man and woman, however, some still opposed this controversial definition of marriage. In recent years, the debate of homosexuality and same sex marriage has become even more of a hot topic due to the media, politics, and society in general. So, what does the definition of marriage mean to an individual? Christian conservatives say that marriage is strictly the formal union between man and woman. However, some general Christians may argue that marriage means to live a happy and joyful life with an intimate partner regardless of gender. Within these countless arguments about banning same sex marriages are the small but controversial topics that heat up the debate even more. The biggest issue that fuel the fire even more are the constant debates regarding the definition of the word “marriage”, people around the world have different definitions of the word marriage based on their environments, religion, and other external sources. Another issue that debaters, politicians, and people of the country are constantly debating and arguing about is the concept that can be simply put as “is homosexuality natural?”, believe it or not this one question is the most debated and argued topic between people who oppose same sex marriage and people who approve of same sex marriage. The final issue is the disagreement of the pros of same sex marriage, every time...
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...Christianity and Islam. Both religions have many followers that openly and subtly attack the opposing religion today. The fact that both religions preach strong beliefs and devout lifestyles that contradict each other creates an environment for struggle. Additionally, the expression “two wrongs don’t make a right” helps encapsulate the root of the problems that continue to persist between the two religions. This prolonged hatred is the result from centuries of conflict between religious descendants. In the modern world, social media is increasingly influencing both Christianity and the Islam faith through raising awareness and presenting biased opinions. As Christianity and the Islamic state globally become more aware of each other, the differences in each religion have become an expansion of animosity against the opposing faith. A popular view from both faiths of Islam and Christianity involve a defensive and aggressive stance towards the opposing religion. Islamic followers in many aspects of belief disagree with and reject Christian views. This is created by feedback loop that has influenced many Muslims on different levels towards having a hateful mindset. Largely due to media created opinions, Islamic followers are lead to believe the worst about Christianity. This is only compounded by a conflictual history between the two religions and many people’s unwillingness to forgive. Not unlike the Islam view on Christianity, there are many views of Islam that are popular to...
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...Gay Marriage Introduction Gay or homosexuality is considered to be romantic or sexual attraction among behaviors among male. Gay refers to an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affection, or romantic attractions primarily to" people of the same sex; ". They do not have such kind of feelings for females. In normal marriage two people one male and one female start their lives together but in gay marriage males of same sex start living together. All over the world, homosexuals exists whether openly or hidden. In America, almost 10 percent of the population is gay. In many parts of the world such as Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Iran, India etc it is considered to be wrong and it is not considered good there but no one can help the feelings of any person. Whether same sex marriage should be legalized or not is more of a religious debate then a political one. Marriage is considered to be a sacred union between man and woman but in America, everyone has the right to pursuit happiness and everyone has the free will. It can have a positive and negative effect on the society depending on the type of society on which people are living in. Reduction in Marriage Benefits For many years now, same sex marriage has been the top of leading religious and secular controversies in America. It is a complex and strange topic. People have both opposing and favorable view points for gay marriages. One of the many reasons why states provides many benefits to people who get marry...
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