Religion and Ethics

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/rs/prejudice/christianityrev1.shtml

Prejudice is the attitude of someone whose opinion is not based on fact. Prejudice can be triggered by differences of religion, race, colour, sex, language, disability or age. Prejudice is not illegal, as an attitude can’t be illegal, but discrimination is illegal.

Discrimination and human rights

All forms of discrimination go against the first two Articles of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights: Article 1 All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

Article 2 Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.

Christian attitudes towards prejudice and discrimination

Christianity teaches that everyone is equal in the eyes of God. Therefore there is no reason to treat people differently.
Christian teaching about other people is based on love and this is stated by Jesus:

I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.
John 13:34

You shall love your neighbour as yourself.
Matthew 22:39

There are also two important teachings in the writings of Paul about this:

From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.
Acts 17:26

There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 3:28

No one can follow these teachings perfectly, and there will be occasions when Christians, like those of other faiths, are guilty of prejudice and discrimination.
But there are many examples too of Christians challenging injustice when they see the laws of God being broken.
John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York, is from Uganda where he was a lawyer and judge until 1975 when he was forced to flee to Britain when President Idi Amin started a reign of terror against his own people. Archbishop Sentamu has done a lot to raise awareness of racism in British society and in the Anglican church.

Inequality in the Christian Church

Many people think that the Christian Church is sexist. It does not treat men and women equally.
The teaching of St Paul is often quoted to support the way some churches today treat women. From the extracts below, it would seem that he believed that the role of women was different to that of men, and secondary to it.
St Paul said:

Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. If they want to enquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.
1 Corinthians 14:34-35

Now I want you to realise that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonours his head. And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonours her head - it is just as though her head were shaved. If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off; and if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, she should cover her head. A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man.
1 Corinthians 11:3-7

Jesus, however, always showed by his actions that he respected and valued women. He included them among his closest companions, and sometimes went against the conventions of his time which kept men and women apart. Jesus made it clear in the Parable of the Good Samaritan how his followers should treat people – he made no distinction between men and women.
Some Christian denominations have recently begun to allow women to be priests or ministers (eg, Church of England and the Methodist church). Some remain opposed to this (eg, the Roman Catholic Church). Some Christians believe that women are second to men, that men should lead and women should follow (see 1 Timothy 2:8–15).
So although Christianity teaches that everyone should be equal and should be treated the same, this doesn't always happen.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/rs/prejudice/christianityrev4.shtml

Muslim attitudes towards prejudice and discrimination

The Qur’an (the Divine Book revealed to the Prophet Muhammad) teaches that everyone was created by Allah (God) and that everyone is equal:

Of His Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the diversity of your tongues and colours.
Surah 30:22

O mankind, We have created you from male and female; and We have divided you into tribes and sub-tribes for greater facility of intercourse. Verily, the most honoured among you in the sight of Allah is he who is the most righteous among you. Surely, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware.’
Surah 49:14

Therefore there is no reason to treat people of different races differently. The Prophet Muhammad showed how important this teaching was in his last sermon, when he said:

All mankind is descended from Adam and Eve, an Arab is not better than a non-Arab and a non-Arab is not better than an Arab; a white person is not better than a black person, nor is a black person better than a white person except by piety and good actions. Learn that every Muslim is the brother of every other Muslim and that Muslims form one brotherhood.

No one can follow these teachings perfectly, and there will be occasions when Muslims, like those of other faiths, are guilty of prejudice and discrimination.
But there are many examples too of Muslims challenging injustice when they see the laws of God being broken.
One such person is Farid Esack, a Muslim university teacher who decided to challenge racism and inequality in South Africa at a time when Apartheid was the political system. Today he continues to work with people of all religions to find ways to resolve conflict, misunderstanding and injustice.

Muhammad said: "Believers are in relation to one another as parts of one structure. One part strengthens the other."
Bukhari Hadith 8.88

The most excellent jihad is the uttering of truth in the presence of an unjust ruler.
Tirmidhi Hadith 17

Attitudes towards women

Islam also teaches that men and women are equal in the sight of Allah. They are individually accountable for their actions, and will be judged equally by Allah.
However, although men and women are equal, they are not the same. They have different purposes. It is part of Allah’s design and purpose for men and women to have different physical characteristics; likewise it is the duty of a man to provide for the financial needs of his family, and for a woman to look after the home and family.
Some of these differences and responsibilities are mentioned in the following words from the Qur’an:

O Prophet, direct thy wives and daughters and the women of the believers that they should pull down their outer cloaks from their heads over their faces. This will make it possible for them to be distinguished so that they will not be molested.
Surah 33:59

Wives have rights corresponding to those which the husbands have, in equitable reciprocity, though, in certain situations men would have the final word and would thus enjoy a preference.
Surah 2:229

Men are appointed guardians over women, because of that in respect of which Allah has made some of them excel others, and because men spend of their wealth.
Surah 4:35

Although the rights of women are different to those of men, they do have the right to choose whom they marry, to divorce, to study, to own property, to conduct business and to take part in politics.
The Prophet Muhammad stressed the importance of women and the respect that should be shown to them when he said: Paradise lies at the feet of your mother. (Sunan An-Nasa’i).
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/rs/prejudice/islamrev4.shtml

Jewish attitudes towards prejudice and discrimination

Judaism teaches that everyone is equal in the eyes of God and that everyone should be treated well. The Jews have experienced times in their history of being the 'stranger' or 'outsider' without a homeland. Jewish scripture reflects this experience:

When an alien lives with you in your land, do not ill-treat him. The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the Lord your G-d.
Leviticus 19:33-34

They also believe that everyone is descended from Adam and Eve and so should be given equal respect:

Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living.
Genesis 3:20

Judaism teaches that everyone should follow their own religion to please G-d. The only rules that apply to all people are those of the Noachide Code, given to Noah by G-d after the flood:

• Worship only G-d
• Do not blaspheme
• Do not murder
• Do not steal
• Do not commit adultery
• Do not be cruel to animals
• Establish a system of law and order so that everyone can live together in harmony
• Although Jewish people have been the subjects of discrimination for many years - particularly in the 20th century Holocaust or Shoah - Judaism teaches peace:
  

  The world endures on three things - justice, truth and peace
  Ethics of the Fathers 1:18

  Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
  Psalm 34:14

  No one can follow these teachings perfectly, and there will be occasions when Jewish people, like those of other faiths, are guilty of prejudice and discrimination.
  But there are many examples too of Jewish people challenging injustice when they see the laws of G-d being broken.
  The Jewish Council for Racial Equality (J-Core) works with the Jewish and wider communities to promote a positive multi-ethnic UK free from all forms of racism. They have a passionate concern for social justice and work closely with a wide variety of people and organisations eg
• other minority ethnic communities
• refugee organisations
• anti-racist organisations
• interfaith groups
• schools and colleges
• community and youth groups
• agencies such as the Refugee Council
• the Equalities and Human Rights Commission
• the Runnymede Trust

Atheism

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/atheism/