Each religious culture has its own particular order. Each one proposes how our human actions should be regulated and each one has its own ways and structures to instruct its adherents to comply with its teachings and principles. And yet, there are a number of sources that the religious traditions of the world make use of in order to reach their processes of ethical decision–making. The contents of these sources are of course not the same in the various traditions, but most of the types of sources that we will identify below can be found in the majority of religious traditions.
Sacred stories
First, there are sacred stories. One of Judaism's creation stories about Adam and Eve tells of a rib being taken from Adam's side and fashioned into a woman, Eve. Eve is then brought to Adam who recognises her as a very part of himself. Adam then says: 'This is now bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh'. The Hebrew text implies that the woman will co–operate with him in good times and support him in adversity. The story concludes that this is why men and women unite sexually in marriage and they become one body or person. The story justifies sexuality in marriage.
Case study
In the oral tradition of the Amazulu a different account is rendered with regard to the creation of the first human beings. According to this tradition a mischievous young man was sent to earth for his punishment by iNkosi yezulu , "the Lord of the Sky". The young man was lowered to earth with an umbilical cord through a hole in the floor of the sky. The young man then cut himself loose form the cord by using a reed. When iNkosi yezulu later observed the loneliness of the young man, he lowered the most beautiful young sky maiden to comfort him and to be his wife. At the sight of her great beauty, the young man cut her cord as he cut his own. iNkosi yezulu then withdrew the cord and closed the hole in the floor of the sky. With this act, they were granted authority and decision–making power in their new environment. They could then on multiply on earth, establish social relations that would combat loneliness and they no longer needed to return to heaven.Sacred texts
Linked to sacred stories are the second source, sacred texts. Written texts, accepted as divinely guided writings, may prescribe or forbid a certain behaviour. In this regard there is the Torah or Jewish Law, the New Testament form Christian side, the Qur’an, the sacred text of Islam and Buddhists texts such the Dhammapada. In all of these writings the ethical demands to the followers of that particular tradition are clearly outlined.