Tyler Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 If you were taking a class on World Religion (remember it's a 1000 level class) what are some of the things you would want to know? I only have 6 weeks in this express class so time is short, but assume it was a normal 15/16 week class, what are some of the things you'd be interested in learning about? Right now I have: Week 1: Broad sweep of Native American religion and African Indigenous Week 2: Judaism and Christianity Week 3: Islam and midterm Week 4: Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism Week 5: Shinto, Paganism, Baha'i Week 6: Agnostics, Atheist, Modern Religious Pluralism Final The final is given its own time slot so it doesn't have to be included in the "weeks." So in each category, what are some of the things you'd expect, or wish, someone would know upon completion of a college course on world religion? Trying to get some more ideas other than my own and from when I took the class (in which I didn't really learn anything other than what I already knew, other than what owaska was lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joytron Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 Buddhism. Dump week Six, no one cares about Atheists anyways. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyler Posted June 21, 2013 Author Share Posted June 21, 2013 In week 6 I have a nice section of Buddhism and one of their topics is to defend it as a religion, a philosophy, or both -- since valid arguments can be made for all 3 stances from the academic point of view. Atheism is a big part of modern culture as well and is something that I think students should be well informed about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coleman Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 Naturalism being included in week six by any chance? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyler Posted June 21, 2013 Author Share Posted June 21, 2013 Naturalism is a field of philosophy not a field of religion :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coleman Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 http://m.gty.org/blog/B100427http://www.religiousnaturalism.org/ It has become a religion actually since it is a belief. Greg Graffin wrote his dissertation called "monism, atheism and the naturalist world view". True to find a link to the dissertation but be it that I'm on my phone I can't test the link http://atheistplanet.blogspot.com/2009/09/greg-graffin-evolution-monism-atheism.html?m=1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coleman Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 Tapatalk never let's me edit that link is to a page with the actual dissertation on it but I haven't been able to test the dissertation link yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chreees Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 I would like majority of it to be focused on agnostics and atheists since all the other religions are made up BS anyway (IMO, please take no offense). :P Seriously though, I do find it interesting to look at all of the similarities between religions, even Christianity and Islam. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustang67n Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 Scientology!!! You have a pretty solid sounding class already tyler. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyler Posted June 21, 2013 Author Share Posted June 21, 2013 Well, people do use Scientology as a religion lol. Part of the final has four essay responses. One of them will allow them to take something like Scientology, Naturalism, the Flying Spaghetti Monster, Star Warsism, Trekism, ect and explain how it is valued as a religion and whether or not it can be viewed as a religion or a philosophy, what the differences are in the two, and if they are compatitble with other religions. For instance, when I was at Xavier I knew quite a few Jesuit Buddhists, and a few naturalistic Christians. And Chris you gotta remember agnostics believe in something, they just don't know what. Agnostic literally means "without knowledge a- without gnosis-knowledge :P While there are forms of Buddhism which are considered atheistic religion, a-without theos-god. And Cole, the understanding of naturalism from a religion studies perspective is that naturalism is defined simply as the idea of belief that only natural (i.e. not spiritual or supernatural) laws and forces operate in the world. The idea that nothing exists beyond the natural world. However, when naturalism is applied to a religion, for instance, Hinduism, they can use the idea that a God/god/gods created the world and the order and established the natural laws and are unable to interfere for whatever reason, or something like a naturalistic Christian would say that God used the Big Bang as a catalyst for creation -- like they're involved, but not...if that makes sense. Kind of a supporting ideaology rather than a standalone religion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coleman Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 How can a belief that expresses that it has no belief in the supernatural meaning god will never exist in naturalism be part of a religion involving a deity that takes away from the idea of true naturalism. I see what your saying and I trust it, but unless it stands alone its not true naturalism. I know your busy but that first link is very informative and when I get home tonight I'm going to read Greg Graffin's dissertation hopefully, I have wanted to for years. I'm not saying make a big deal of naturalism but maybe a quick overview of it or a glimpse in week six since like atheism it is a god less religion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coleman Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 Readin more pages I see what you mean by religious naturalism and its difference from philosophical naturalism. It seems to be the poler opposite of the belief of naturalism so I get why people don't qualify it as a religion. What I now don't understand is why isn't it a religion because a religion doesn't not necessarily need a deity to be qualified as a religion, at least not by dictionary definition of religion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyler Posted June 21, 2013 Author Share Posted June 21, 2013 I can ask the other teacher what she thinks of naturalism and see what she says. I'm not against it I just really haven't done that much research about it beyond what little exposure I got in my studies. From what I remember, a lot of people think of naturalism like Taoism, where it is kind of both, but not completely either...if that makes sense lol. I'll try to find my old philsophy of religion book when I get home and see if I can find it again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coleman Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 That would be cool and I get what you mean by it is but it isn't. I have done some research but not much extensive research I want to learn more though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chreees Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 I know what agnostic means... I am agnostic. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coyote Posted June 24, 2013 Share Posted June 24, 2013 I would include the various types of Shamanism... different than "indigenous" religion, new age, and paganism... its found in every culture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spookyghost Posted June 24, 2013 Share Posted June 24, 2013 Cover Deism! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyler Posted June 24, 2013 Author Share Posted June 24, 2013 I cover Deism in the introduction of the Abrahamic religions. We have a short section of Shamanism with the Native American religions. Remember that it is an intro class so not a lot of time to get into a lot of detail on everything :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coleman Posted June 24, 2013 Share Posted June 24, 2013 You are covering a pretty wide base there already. The only thing is you dont want an overload hahah. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyler Posted June 25, 2013 Author Share Posted June 25, 2013 Yeah, I want to cover as much as I can, just so they know these things exist, you know? Maybe one, or a few, will grab their attention and they can learn about them. I'm not trying to convert anyone or preach any type of theology, I just want to present the academic side of religion and culture. That way if they ever meet someone of one religion, they might know something about their culture and way of life and why they believe what they do....if that makes sense lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coleman Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 It does my mother was Mormon and my father catholic and they decided it would be my choice of what religion I followed. I have looked at Buddhism, I went to Christian church I became atheist for a while and in between learning about these religions I was agnostic. I haven't practiced Buddhism but have learned about it through books and such mainly ones written by the Dali Lama (spelling?) of all of them I still haven't decided although technically it isn't a religion yet it is as we discussed earlier I now tell people I'm a naturalist. They usually give me odd looks or ask what's that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyler Posted June 25, 2013 Author Share Posted June 25, 2013 I think it is sad that we live in the "melting pot of the world" and so many of our citizens are ignorant to so many others' cultures. I never want my students to have to ask "what is that" when someone tells them they are a certain religion, and hopefully, they can have at least a basic conversational understanding of it when they finish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coleman Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 Yes especially the people who judge religions off the extremists. Every religion has extremists it doesn't mean you should base your whole idea for that religion off those people. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyler Posted June 25, 2013 Author Share Posted June 25, 2013 Amen brotha :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaintPendulous Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 Buddhism. Dump week Six, no one cares about Atheists anyways. "NOW Class we Talk About Atheists....They don't believe in anything.....there will be a test on this, so i hope you wrote that down." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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