Need Some Debatable Ideas about (Many) Religions
January 16, 2012 5:02 PM Subscribe
Revamping my course materials and need more discussion topics for an undergrad world religions class online.
I am revamping my online world religions course this semester, and I'm basically done, except I'm trying to come up with some fresh topic starters for the discussion board. My brain is exhausted from creating a whole new class as well as revamping this one, and I can only think of old starters I've used in the past. (I'd like to get them all done at the beginning of the semester so I can set them to auto-execute, in case I'm not online on the day a unit starts, so everything time-sensitive will launch on its own.)
Among the new starters I have are one about whether yoga should be practiced outside Hinduism and one asking students to identify some taboos in American society. Basically a starter should be something debatable but not fighty, with multiple legitimate viewpoints, that either asks them to analyze something within the religion (yoga & Hinduism) or asks them to extend a perhaps-strange religious thought into their everyday life (taboos). They can be tied to current events, but they shouldn't be SO current they'll expire within, say, a semester. (Also, "this major national event/controversy a year ago" is a better starter than "this off-the-cuff-but-insane remark by a candidate last week.") They can also be tied to popular culture (most usually movies -- I've had ones about Bend it Like Beckham, etc., before).
One restriction is that because our units are based on individual religions, I prefer topic starters to be about or closely tied to a particular religion (the "taboo" one is for the chapter on indigenous religions, where taboos are discussed extensively, even though the concept of taboo, if not the name, occurs in several chapters). A starter like "Should Jewish authorities bless interfaith marriages?" is easier for me to use than "Is interfaith marriage okay?" or whatever.
Specific units: Indigenous Religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism & Sikhism, Confucianism & Taoism, Shinto, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, & "New Religious Movements" (including Scientology, Wicca, etc.).
Even half-baked ideas will help me get my brain moving in new directions to come up with some fresh starters. I could really use fresh thoughts!
I am revamping my online world religions course this semester, and I'm basically done, except I'm trying to come up with some fresh topic starters for the discussion board. My brain is exhausted from creating a whole new class as well as revamping this one, and I can only think of old starters I've used in the past. (I'd like to get them all done at the beginning of the semester so I can set them to auto-execute, in case I'm not online on the day a unit starts, so everything time-sensitive will launch on its own.)
Among the new starters I have are one about whether yoga should be practiced outside Hinduism and one asking students to identify some taboos in American society. Basically a starter should be something debatable but not fighty, with multiple legitimate viewpoints, that either asks them to analyze something within the religion (yoga & Hinduism) or asks them to extend a perhaps-strange religious thought into their everyday life (taboos). They can be tied to current events, but they shouldn't be SO current they'll expire within, say, a semester. (Also, "this major national event/controversy a year ago" is a better starter than "this off-the-cuff-but-insane remark by a candidate last week.") They can also be tied to popular culture (most usually movies -- I've had ones about Bend it Like Beckham, etc., before).
One restriction is that because our units are based on individual religions, I prefer topic starters to be about or closely tied to a particular religion (the "taboo" one is for the chapter on indigenous religions, where taboos are discussed extensively, even though the concept of taboo, if not the name, occurs in several chapters). A starter like "Should Jewish authorities bless interfaith marriages?" is easier for me to use than "Is interfaith marriage okay?" or whatever.
Specific units: Indigenous Religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism & Sikhism, Confucianism & Taoism, Shinto, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, & "New Religious Movements" (including Scientology, Wicca, etc.).
Even half-baked ideas will help me get my brain moving in new directions to come up with some fresh starters. I could really use fresh thoughts!
Do you have any starters about conversion? What is required of the convert? Is it 'as good as' religion by birth? How hard should conversion be? What is the benefit of difficult conversion? To the community? To the individual convert? (pick a religion for any that I don't specify!)
Is the ordainment of women in any particular religion or sect too fighty for your student body? If so, how about women reading from the Torah or counting toward the number required for certain prayers?
Punishing the Ritual Use of peyote or ayahuasca in the united states?
Are your students aware of the splits within christianity? Are there any readings that address anabaptist sects like Mennonites or Amish?
Do they know the big deal of what was nailed to the door?
Are they aware of Buddhist monks prohibitions against killing for food or eating meat they know was killed for them? The corresponding stickiness that allows them to eat 'leftover' meat? The pressure on laity to provide a filling and tasty meal for monks? The quiet contradictions this subjects folks to?
Are they aware that members of some Hindi castes eat meat? That some calves are allowed to die (gender of calf varies with geography, etc) or are viewed as not being cared for by the gods, which causes their death? That both of these are true depending on whom you ask?
Can you work in a question about meditation as a spiritual practice?
Do they know about monks and cloisters and the hermit brothers who would die in their catacombs?
Feel like tackling the political economic wrangling behind celibacy for Catholic priests?
posted by bilabial at 6:11 PM on January 16, 2012
Is the ordainment of women in any particular religion or sect too fighty for your student body? If so, how about women reading from the Torah or counting toward the number required for certain prayers?
Punishing the Ritual Use of peyote or ayahuasca in the united states?
Are your students aware of the splits within christianity? Are there any readings that address anabaptist sects like Mennonites or Amish?
Do they know the big deal of what was nailed to the door?
Are they aware of Buddhist monks prohibitions against killing for food or eating meat they know was killed for them? The corresponding stickiness that allows them to eat 'leftover' meat? The pressure on laity to provide a filling and tasty meal for monks? The quiet contradictions this subjects folks to?
Are they aware that members of some Hindi castes eat meat? That some calves are allowed to die (gender of calf varies with geography, etc) or are viewed as not being cared for by the gods, which causes their death? That both of these are true depending on whom you ask?
Can you work in a question about meditation as a spiritual practice?
Do they know about monks and cloisters and the hermit brothers who would die in their catacombs?
Feel like tackling the political economic wrangling behind celibacy for Catholic priests?
posted by bilabial at 6:11 PM on January 16, 2012
Best answer: Is Western buddhism as valid as Eastern buddhism?
posted by desjardins at 6:34 PM on January 16, 2012
posted by desjardins at 6:34 PM on January 16, 2012
Best answer: Should non natives hold religious ceremonies such as sweat lodges? Are healing circles a legitimate way to deal with legal issues? How do Sanjay Patel's images reinterpret Hindu gods/godesses? Were Quebec politicians correct in banning Kirpans from the National assembly?
posted by Cuke at 6:51 PM on January 16, 2012
posted by Cuke at 6:51 PM on January 16, 2012
Best answer: Judaism: moving to Israel/automatic Israeli citizenship.
Skyclad ceremonies in pagan religions.
Lay people/governments/nonpracticers paying for religions and leaders. (I'm thinking of early America and taxes paying for preachers, specifically.)
The Crusades. Compare to today's religious wars.
Should church and state be separate? Nordic countries are Lutheran, some Arabic countries are Muslim, Israel is Jewish.
When is it ok to step into another's religious place? I'm thinking the native americans in mesa verde.
Prosteletizing. Actively trying to convert others.
Are private, home altars better than public ones?
(i realize these are not formed as questions, but rather as random topics. Also, this is Ms. vegetable)
posted by a robot made out of meat at 7:01 PM on January 16, 2012
Skyclad ceremonies in pagan religions.
Lay people/governments/nonpracticers paying for religions and leaders. (I'm thinking of early America and taxes paying for preachers, specifically.)
The Crusades. Compare to today's religious wars.
Should church and state be separate? Nordic countries are Lutheran, some Arabic countries are Muslim, Israel is Jewish.
When is it ok to step into another's religious place? I'm thinking the native americans in mesa verde.
Prosteletizing. Actively trying to convert others.
Are private, home altars better than public ones?
(i realize these are not formed as questions, but rather as random topics. Also, this is Ms. vegetable)
posted by a robot made out of meat at 7:01 PM on January 16, 2012
Should religion be casual (jeans, around the table) or formal (dresses in a religious place)?
posted by a robot made out of meat at 7:03 PM on January 16, 2012
posted by a robot made out of meat at 7:03 PM on January 16, 2012
Are new religions and ancient religions equally valid?
Should minors be able to participate fully in any religious ceremony/act/rite?
posted by a robot made out of meat at 7:21 PM on January 16, 2012
Should minors be able to participate fully in any religious ceremony/act/rite?
posted by a robot made out of meat at 7:21 PM on January 16, 2012
Best answer: I feel like there's room for discussion fodder around 'jokey' religions, like people declaring themselves jedi on census forms, or the pastafarian response to creationist dogma.
posted by rmd1023 at 7:22 PM on January 16, 2012
posted by rmd1023 at 7:22 PM on January 16, 2012
Best answer: My personal fascination is with syncretism. There are a whole flood of topics you could do about that.
One of my favorite books associated with syncretism in Brazil is The Devil in the Land of the Holy Cross, which has some sections that could be easily used to jumpstart discussions. Sweet's book Recreating Africa also looks at how people who were brought to the Americans invented their own idea of what their religious practices would look like. A Refuge in Thunder talks about Candomblé and its relationship to African religions. The Return to Judaism talks about how many families of Spanish and Portuguese Jewish descent practice rituals handed down from their ancestors who were converted from Judaism against their will and how those practices inform their understanding of their identities.
The University of Pittsburgh even has a handy little activity and sheet about it!
posted by winna at 7:54 PM on January 16, 2012
One of my favorite books associated with syncretism in Brazil is The Devil in the Land of the Holy Cross, which has some sections that could be easily used to jumpstart discussions. Sweet's book Recreating Africa also looks at how people who were brought to the Americans invented their own idea of what their religious practices would look like. A Refuge in Thunder talks about Candomblé and its relationship to African religions. The Return to Judaism talks about how many families of Spanish and Portuguese Jewish descent practice rituals handed down from their ancestors who were converted from Judaism against their will and how those practices inform their understanding of their identities.
The University of Pittsburgh even has a handy little activity and sheet about it!
posted by winna at 7:54 PM on January 16, 2012
Response by poster: These are helpful, I'm already mentally developing several. I'll check back tomorrow when I'm not on my phone and can type more.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 9:46 PM on January 16, 2012
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 9:46 PM on January 16, 2012
Christianity and their views of online Christian dating? (or any religion's views on online dating)
posted by carpediem at 10:17 PM on January 16, 2012
posted by carpediem at 10:17 PM on January 16, 2012
I think something that could be brought up with relation to any faith is the role of Tradition and traditions in said faith. Each faith generally has multiple ways of handling this question, and the differences can range from something as "minor" as choosing which version of a particular doctrine to follow* while retaining the basic processes and procedures for interacting with tradition, to entirely revamping that whole concept while still keeping an active conversation with the past, to deliberately or unconsciously abandoning tradition entirely.
I'm most conversant about Christianity, and the fragmentation of the religion into a bewildering array of different groups is, I think, inherently interesting. But Christianity is far from the only religion to exhibit such phenomena. The Jewish tradition is broadly divided into Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform traditions, but even the Orthodox tradition itself is divided into Modern and Haredi streams. Islam contains both Sunni and Shia traditions, and both of these--particularly the former, being larger--are subdivided into various traditions.
This sort of thing could be used as a general question during an intro session, or could be specifically tailored for a particular split in a particular religion.
*Though the effects of that can be massive.
posted by valkyryn at 5:36 AM on January 17, 2012
I'm most conversant about Christianity, and the fragmentation of the religion into a bewildering array of different groups is, I think, inherently interesting. But Christianity is far from the only religion to exhibit such phenomena. The Jewish tradition is broadly divided into Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform traditions, but even the Orthodox tradition itself is divided into Modern and Haredi streams. Islam contains both Sunni and Shia traditions, and both of these--particularly the former, being larger--are subdivided into various traditions.
This sort of thing could be used as a general question during an intro session, or could be specifically tailored for a particular split in a particular religion.
*Though the effects of that can be massive.
posted by valkyryn at 5:36 AM on January 17, 2012
Best answer: What do you think about non-Muslims being excluded from Mecca? or of people who are not of a designated group being excluded from a place? is this less objectionable than having water fountains that say "Whites Only" and "Colored"?
What gender is god? What effect does it have to refer to god as "He"? How do different religions deal with gender? There's acres and acres of prickly questions here -- gender separation at the Wailing Wall, on buses, in mosques and temples, in everyday life.
What's with the story of Abraham being willing to kill his son? Is this really something that should be admired, celebrated and emulated? Is it a good story to tell to children?
posted by Corvid at 2:50 PM on January 17, 2012
What gender is god? What effect does it have to refer to god as "He"? How do different religions deal with gender? There's acres and acres of prickly questions here -- gender separation at the Wailing Wall, on buses, in mosques and temples, in everyday life.
What's with the story of Abraham being willing to kill his son? Is this really something that should be admired, celebrated and emulated? Is it a good story to tell to children?
posted by Corvid at 2:50 PM on January 17, 2012
Response by poster: I had to go have a cold and be miserable for a week, but I'm putting together my final list of questions now and getting them ready for the specific units. Thanks, all, for the input.
In response to various questions, nothing in particular is too fighty for the class as a whole, but we have more directed discussions on topics that are particularly complicated or heated, where I guide them more closely. And on topics where a great deal of background knowledge (not in our textbook) is necessary, I'm more likely to assign papers. So for the less-directed discussion board, where they talk more among themselves with less direction from me, I look for things that are debatable but not likely to end up in a flame-war, that they can discuss with their knowledge from the text and without having to do a lot of outside research. (Many of them DO come in with some research, but it's not required for that part of the class.)
I actually make them not just interview a religious leader but actually attend a religious service for a faith that isn't theirs. (Best assignment of the class, and students mostly agree with that.)
I'd say at least 50% of my students have never met a member of another religion -- many of them are members of a small, rural-and-small-town Christian denomination that's pretty unique to this part of the country, that encourages all socialization to be within the in-group and discourages exposure even to other types of Christians. There are towns in the area where this denomination makes up close to 90% of the population. And I'd say about half of my students are taking the class because they are eager to learn about other religions (even those raised in fairly intellectually repressive environments) and about half are taking it because it's required for the nursing program and some HAAAAAATE being exposed to other faiths. So there's a somewhat delicate line to walk when teaching this course, exposing them to new and (to them) very strange ideas without causing the more reluctant students to shut down completely and sometimes explode with a violent flame-out that poisons the class atmosphere. (That said, it's an intensely rewarding class to teach because I get to expose so many students to the richness and variety and fascination of the religions of the world, and for so many it's their very first peek at the parts and peoples of the world who are Not-Here. It blows my mind a bit that they can make it to 18-25 without knowing a thing about the wider world, but it's cool that I get to be the one to teach them about it.)
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 7:47 PM on January 29, 2012
In response to various questions, nothing in particular is too fighty for the class as a whole, but we have more directed discussions on topics that are particularly complicated or heated, where I guide them more closely. And on topics where a great deal of background knowledge (not in our textbook) is necessary, I'm more likely to assign papers. So for the less-directed discussion board, where they talk more among themselves with less direction from me, I look for things that are debatable but not likely to end up in a flame-war, that they can discuss with their knowledge from the text and without having to do a lot of outside research. (Many of them DO come in with some research, but it's not required for that part of the class.)
I actually make them not just interview a religious leader but actually attend a religious service for a faith that isn't theirs. (Best assignment of the class, and students mostly agree with that.)
I'd say at least 50% of my students have never met a member of another religion -- many of them are members of a small, rural-and-small-town Christian denomination that's pretty unique to this part of the country, that encourages all socialization to be within the in-group and discourages exposure even to other types of Christians. There are towns in the area where this denomination makes up close to 90% of the population. And I'd say about half of my students are taking the class because they are eager to learn about other religions (even those raised in fairly intellectually repressive environments) and about half are taking it because it's required for the nursing program and some HAAAAAATE being exposed to other faiths. So there's a somewhat delicate line to walk when teaching this course, exposing them to new and (to them) very strange ideas without causing the more reluctant students to shut down completely and sometimes explode with a violent flame-out that poisons the class atmosphere. (That said, it's an intensely rewarding class to teach because I get to expose so many students to the richness and variety and fascination of the religions of the world, and for so many it's their very first peek at the parts and peoples of the world who are Not-Here. It blows my mind a bit that they can make it to 18-25 without knowing a thing about the wider world, but it's cool that I get to be the one to teach them about it.)
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 7:47 PM on January 29, 2012
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posted by TrarNoir at 5:38 PM on January 16, 2012