The aspect of religious expression that I have chosen is Gay marriage.
Gay marriage or same-sex marriage was passed by the house of representatives in new zealand on 19th August 2013. With the world slowly adjusting to the views of same-sex marriage NZ joined as the 13th country to recognise and support it as a legal civil union. Civil union is the recognition of two people being in a union as a legal status without religious input. Despite New Zealand being a predominantly secular society i will focus on it with a religious take.According to a 2013 NZ census the biggest denomination is the anglican faith, as part of of their beliefs they permit and support the Gay marriage as acceptable before God. I will analyse and compare Gay marriage across two faith systems. The first religion is the anglican church which in nz supporting gay marriage the second religion in comparison will be the Seventh Day Adventist Church which as a global church opposes it and the celebration of it. Further on in this report i will discuss the key events and people that influenced same sex marriage being passed in New Zealand and what impact it is had on the congregations across the nation. I will back up these finding with evidence from the bible and other relevant writings. I will then include an evaluation were i will discuss the pros and cons and understanding their relevance to same sex marriage and the changes within a religious traditions .Finally i will conclude and discuss the wider
Popular culture is culture found in a large, heterogeneous society, that shares certain habits despite differences in other personal characteristic. Popular culture can consist of: a popular song, performer,movie or tv show, comic trip, “super hero”, etc.
Many people in this world today have some kind of religion in their lives or just none. However, no matter what people beliefs are, they believe in some form of religion in some part of life such as the satanic, idols, myths, or astrology. They believe in some sort of a higher being other than people. Nevertheless, there is a difference between beliefs, being scared, and being religious. In this paper, you
In recent years, the debate over same-sex marriage has grown into a nationwide controversy, reverberating into the halls of congress, at the white house, in dozens of state and legislature and courtrooms, and in the rhetoric of election campaigns at both the national and state levels. As the debate rages on, the American religious community remains deeply divided over the issue, and over the morality of homosexuality. The debate has grown from an issue that occasionally arose in a few states to a national and even worldwide controversy.
In his essay titled “Gay Marriage: Societal Suicide,” Charles Colson talks about his reasons for opposing same-sex marriage. The essays’ main argument is built around Colson’s belief that legalizing same-sex marriage would lead to the decoupling of marriage, and ultimately result in what he describes as: “an explosive increase in family collapse, out of wedlock births - and crime.” Colson shares his personal experiences as a prison minister, various studies, statistics, and real world examples to elucidate the reasons behind his controversial stance on marital rights.
The definition of marriage has changed over time. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the United States defined marriage as a union between a consenting man and woman, of non-African decent (Stahlberg, 2008, p. 443). This, however, changed after the civil war. In 1868 two consenting adults of opposite gender could marry someone of the same race, but this was also restructured in 1967 to allow marriage of all consenting adults of opposite genders regardless of race (Stahlberg, 2008, p. 443). Today, the law looks very different. Recently, on June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples have the right to marriage (gay marriage, 2015).
Despite the historical aspects of gay marriage, all across the United States many hetero sexual and homosexual communities have spoken up about their natural rights, freedom of religion.
Same-sex marriage, a controversial social issue in the U.S. for several decades, is constantly evolving. When viewed historically, great change has happened in a short period of time, in the movement for same-sex marriage, given that until recently, no society in thousands of years has ever allowed it.
In "On Gay Marriage in Churches, Stances Vary Among Religions, Clergy, Members" by Jaweed Kaleem, published on June 26, 2013, Kaleem investigates the various religious reactions to the declaration of the Defense of Marriage Act's unconstitutionality, which subsequently also reversed Proposition 8 in California. Much of the conflict that has arisen is due to the religious definition of marriage being defined as a union between a man and a woman. While some religious institutions, such as the
The free exercise of religion, the freedom of speech, and the freedom of assembly are each absolutely essential for the health of our Republic. That is why the Founding Fathers enshrined them all in the First Amendment. While some people up hold the first amendment and respect its meaning. Unfortunately, these freedoms are currently under assault by the government, state officials and communities.
My initial introduction to this essay was gracious and open-minded, highlighting the priesthood of all believers and the need for personal and community discernment on the topic of marriage equality in Australia. It is very important to note that this author still sincerely believes these things, and their virtues. However, in light of recent life events, like the picketing of one’s Church for employing a) a female minister, and b) the Church leadership’s support of marriage equality, on top of one’s own father feeling the need to explain exactly how the institutionalisation of marriage equality is evidence we live in the end-times as its signifies the tearing apart of society’s very fabric, one’s Christian grace and mercy is wearing
Religion has played a significant part in the foundation of our country. It is safe to say that religion has both united and divided our country in many ways. However, I believe that religion has helped in uniting our country more. Christianity is the religion that our country’s morals and beliefs have been based upon for decades. For the first time in history, religion played a role in unifying the country; Separatists (a small group of dedicated Puritans) came to America to practice religious freedom. They longed for a haven where they could live and die as purified Protestants. Religion has played a very significant role in the foundation of our country and has been a common factor that everyone has. It has divided our country several
Chris Kalassen’s Religion in Popular Culture argues sports can act as a religion today. Seemingly, tests of athleticism and skill have been around for years. Perhaps this lived religion is more prominent in communities today. One common trend sports possess is their ability to unite a crowd and provide a sense of community. While those who are the chosen best embodies what it means to be the best. The best example of how to lead a great life are often the religious figure head many worships. Sunday is the sacred day for many Americans. This past Sunday, along with its religious significance, was the annual super bowl. The Atlanta Falcons and the New England Patriots went head-to-head in the Houston NRG Stadium. The Super Bowl drew in over
Religion has a potent message. It provokes us to recall that message everyday life. The message is not complex, all it is to be religious by including it in our everyday life. People need to have some religious practices in their everyday life. Although people have accepted religion they have formed many different ideas on how to follow it, and most of the time they have even stopped following the religion. People have not taken the message seriously, which has changed their belief, and so they start to believe in themselves. A religion that is unique in nowadays, was once common in the ancient times described by Karen Armstrong’s text “Homo Religious”. This text describes different ancient religions and how people, in premodern world have defined being religious. Ancient religions had gods, but one does not necessarily need to follow a “deity” to have a religion. They can be religious with their own “rites” and “rituals”. People hope to the ability to follow their own rules, and dreams to live a perfect life without being forced by the society. Cathy Davidson wrote “Project Classroom Makeover” which gives students the opportunity to evolve with technology. As technology has benefitted society greatly, Davidson suggests allowing technology to be present in schools can do much more than it already has. People can acknowledge that even though institutions are constantly evolving, one thing that remains the same across time and culture is that they are always are willing
One of the most controversial issues around today is gay marriages. Many believe that the media is primly responsible for the idea of same-sex marriages, but when it all comes down to it there are really only two sides; those who support gay marriages, and those who oppose them. Two authors write their opinions on their opposite views on this issue. Sullivan (2002) supports same-sex marriages and believes marriage to be a universal right, not just restricted to heterosexuals. Contrary to Sullivan, Bennett (2002) believes that marriage is a sacred traditional family value that should be set aside for heterosexual couples. (2002)Throughout this essay, I will summarize both authors’ ideas and evaluate them through their evidence and
Freedom of religion or freedom of belief is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance; the concept is generally recognized also to include the freedom to change religion or not to follow any religion. The freedom to leave or discontinue membership in a religion or religious group—in religious terms called "apostasy"—is also a fundamental part of religious freedom, covered by Article 18 of United Nations ' 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.