Reference no: EM133257468
Introduction to Religion Religion in the Wild: An Exercise in Dialogue, Reflection, and Writing* This assignment has two parts: (1) you must initiate an interpersonal conversation or dialogue with an unwitting (or unsuspecting) person, outside of the classroom, and on a fundamental question in religious studies, and (2) you must critically reflect on, and write about, the results. The main purpose of this assignment is to examine attitudes about basic questions in religion and ways that ordinary people approach such fundamental questions**, but it is also to begin to find an answer to the question you choose. Choose a question that is live and open for you-i.e., one that is meaningful and important, and one for which you do not have a solid answer. Also, choose a question that might prompt you to live your life differently if you knew the answer. The question could be either one of the samples below, or it could be comparable to them. Note: You may wish to do some preliminary research on the question in order to be a better-informed conversationalist. Although Covid-19 might make this more of challenge-depending on your circumstances-you must raise this question with a neighbor, a roommate, a sibling, a parent, a high school friend, or even a stranger (social distancing and masks required!), but you must remain undercover for the entire length of the dialogue-you must not disclose the nature of the exercise. If your first interaction does not yield a conversation, try a different person (or question) until you get traction. Start early, as you do not know what will happen!
Questions:
1. Why do many people still practice religion? Why do they go to churches, temples, or mosques?
2. What does it mean to be "spiritual but not religious?"
3. How do we know that God exists?
4. If God does NOT exist, is everything permitted? (i.e., is there any reason to be good?)
5. Who, if anyone, is holy? Or, what makes someone holy?
6. Why is there evil in the world if God is all good?
7. Is the Bible (or Qur'an/Koran, etc.) true?
8. Why are religious rituals important?
9. How do we know which religion is true?
10. How do you have (or get) faith?
11. Do you believe in souls, and the afterlife?
Write up your responses to the following four questions. Number your responses, 1 to 4.
1. Which question did you choose?
2. How many people did you approach before you were able to sustain a discussion? Who did you approach, and why? How did they respond initially?
3. Description: How did the conversation unfold? For example: What was said? Did your ideas and/or your interlocutor's ideas develop? If so, how? If you and your interlocutor disagreed, what was the nature of your disagreement? (Be prepared beforehand to make these observations as you talk.)
4. Evaluation/Reflection: What did you learn about how others view religious inquiry? What did you learn about how you view religious inquiry? What might explain these attitudes? What insights, if any, did you gain about the place of religion in our world, and in your daily life? Please note: I am most interested in Question 4. Much of your response to Question 4 will need to be inferred from what you observe; it normally cannot be observed directly. *This exercise is based on an assignment given by Crystal L'Hote at St. Michael's College.