Marriage/ Family life and the Media
Q. Do you think the media presented an issue from marriage and the family fairly? Give two reasons for your point of view. (4marks)
- Choose an issue from marriage and the family presented in one form of the media and explain whether the presentation was fair to religious people. (8marks)
“KEEPING THE FAITH ( Film)”
Issues: Interfaith Marriage Priestly Celibacy
A Jewish Rabbi and a Catholic Priest both fall in love with the same girl, whom they have known from childhood. The RC priest has a vow of celibacy and struggles with this, while the Rabbi because of the expectations of his congregation, has to marry a Jew.The situation is resolved: The RC priest remains faithful but he is presented as human.The Rabbi keeps his relationship secret but in the end the girl converts and he marries her.
Positively
Judaism and Christianity equally treated.
becomes a Jew and they can marry.
At the end of the film both communities come together in a social /fund rising event, which is a good example of religious community.
There is good discussion of how religion is important and shapes the way life is lived, and the value/ beauty of this. The film also shows how understanding a religion is a difficult task that takes a lot of good will and patience, but can be done.
Negatively
Some may take offence at the aspects of the film which appear to trivialise religion:
Neither the priest nor the rabbi seem to take their roles very seriously in parts.
It shows the difficulties that can arise if two people of a different faith/ none want to marry and may seem unnecessarily making things difficult.
When preaching both seem to delight in rejecting some of the traditional ways of doing things in worship.
Christian and Syed: a gay couple in “EASTENDERS”
Homosexuality
How are homosexual relationships presented in Eastenders?
Couple ( Christopher and Syed) get together and go onto openly living together when this goes against the teaching of Islam. Syed's a 'good' Muslim man: he doesn't drink, smoke or engage in sex before marriage. But he struggles with his sexuality when he finds himself drawn to Christian and he believes this goes against his faith.
Is Islam presented as harsh and rejecting/ discriminatory, or compassionate?
Positively:
it shows people of religious faith can and do experience homosexual attraction. Being religious does not mean such issues do not have to be dealt with.
Syed is not forced to turn his back on his religion but it is up to him to find a way to reconcile the two: for example, during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, extra-marital sex is forbidden, and Syed is shown refusing Christian’s advances.
The episode shows religious believers are understandingand reasonable because they accept homosexuality is a fact of nature to be struggled and faced, rather than something evil.
It shows that for many people their religion makes an important contribution to make choices about how to live their lives eg to take marriage seriously and be committed to it.
Negatively:
It causes problems with the family relationships: Syed’s dishonesty may be a result of his own hypocrisy and ambivalence about his relationship towards his religion, but also may be a result of experiencing Islam and his family/ culture as being homophobic.
There is little discussion of the difference between recognising same sex attraction and acting on it. The episode suggests being homosexual means having gay sex and adopting a same –sex sexually active lifestyle.
Dot: a faithful wife in “EASTENDERS”
Marital fidelity
Dot who is very religious is still looking after her ill husband even though she is very lonely.
Positively: it shows that marriage is something to be taken seriously “for better or worse” and although it can become demanding, this is also a noble and altruistic way to live. Dot witnesses that marriage is a vocation, not just for your own satisfaction and proves she is trustworthy and faithful.
Negatively: it may suggest that being faithful in marriage is an unfair demand and a negative influence on wellbeing, because her own emotional needs are being inadequately met in her selfless loving. Also, the positive value of her fidelity is not sufficiently presented: the comfort she brings her husband, a deepening of their relationship and mutual respect, her own satisfaction at living in this way ie growing in love and holiness.