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Blog Entry #6 - "The World's Religions" - Islam

By
Mike Vergin
on December 18, 2008 8:00 AM | | Comments (9)

We can use the blog to hold "conversations" about reading in Huston Smith's The World's Religions. We'll certainly talk about some of the readings in class, but this gives you another chance to share your ideas. You may respond to one or more of the questions, and you can also react to comments posted by others. I'll expect a comment of one good paragraph or more. (To me, that means 5-6 sentences at a minimum.) You do not need to worry about perfect grammar, spelling and punctuation, but they should be understandable. Remember that this is a public site, and you are responsible for the content of your postings.

Assume that each comment is worth 5 points. (5 points for solid or better comments, 4 for comments somewhat short of expectations, 3 or fewer for last-minute, little to no effort postings, and no points for those who have not posted.)

All posts should be made to this blog entry NO LATER than the beginning of class time on Wednesday, January 7th to be considered on time.


1. What did you personally find most appealing or intriguing about Islam, based on your reading? What was most difficult to accept or understand?

2. Huston Smith suggests that Islam is the most misunderstood of all the world's faith, at least for Westerners (p. 221). Why would this be so?

3. "Islam joins faith to politics, religion to society, inseparably," says Smith (p. 249). Can society be wholly secular or maintain itself without some common faith or religious reference point?

4. The Quran does not teach turning the other cheek, or pacifism, but sanctions the use of force for defense and correcting injustice (p. 254). Is Islam more realistic in this respect than some other religions?

5. Smith attempts to defend the status of women in Islamic society. Does he make his case? What are your feelings about polygamy (or polyandry)?

6. In what ways is Sufism different from, and similar to, other forms of mysticism we have encountered in Hinduism, Buddhism and Judaism? Are all mystics describing a common experience? 


These questions are excerpted from Understanding the World's Religions: A Study Guide to Huston Smith's The World's Religions by Gary Kowalski.

Blog Entry #5 - "The World's Religions" - Christianity

By
Mike Vergin
on December 2, 2008 8:00 AM | | Comments (21)

We can use the blog to hold "conversations" about reading in Huston Smith's The World's Religions. We'll certainly talk about some of the readings in class, but this gives you another chance to share your ideas. You may respond to one or more of the questions, and you can also react to comments posted by others. I'll expect a comment of one good paragraph or more. (To me, that means 5-6 sentences at a minimum.) You do not need to worry about perfect grammar, spelling and punctuation, but they should be understandable. Remember that this is a public site, and you are responsible for the content of your postings.

Assume that each comment is worth 5 points. (5 points for solid or better comments, 4 for comments somewhat short of expectations, 3 or fewer for last-minute, little to no effort postings, and no points for those who have not posted.)

All posts should be made to this blog entry NO LATER than the beginning of class time on Monday, December 8th to be considered on time.


1. What elements of Christianity did you find most intriguing or appealing, based on your reading? What was most difficult to accept or understand?

2. What is your understanding of the "Kingdom of God" that Jesus proclaimed? A place of psychic serenity? A human community of justice and equality? An otherworldly afterlife?

3. "We are given too few details to know exactly what happened after the crucifixion," says Smith (p. 329). What do you think might have happened?

4. What is the essential message of the "Good News" proclaimed by Christians? How does the "Christ of Faith" differ from the "historical Jesus"?

5. Central theological doctrines of Christianity include the Incarnation, the Atonement, and the Trinity (p. 339f). Which of these concepts, if any, is of particular interest to you? Why?


These questions are excerpted from Understanding the World's Religions: A Study Guide to Huston Smith's The World's Religions by Gary Kowalski.

Blog Entry #4 - "The World's Religions" - Judaism

By
Mike Vergin
on November 13, 2008 8:00 AM | | Comments (22)

We can use the blog to hold "conversations" about reading in Huston Smith's The World's Religions. We'll certainly talk about some of the readings in class, but this gives you another chance to share your ideas. You may respond to one or more of the questions, and you can also react to comments posted by others. I'll expect a comment of one good paragraph or more. (To me, that means 5-6 sentences at a minimum.) You do not need to worry about perfect grammar, spelling and punctuation, but they should be understandable. Remember that this is a public site, and you are responsible for the content of your postings.

Assume that each comment is worth 5 points. (5 points for solid or better comments, 4 for comments somewhat short of expectations, 3 or fewer for last-minute, little to no effort postings, and no points for those who have not posted.)

All posts should be made to this blog entry NO LATER than the beginning of class time on Monday, November 17th to be considered on time.


1. What did you find most appealing or intriguing about Judaism, based on your reading? What was most difficult to accept or understand?

2. "The Ten Commandments constitute the moral foundation of most of the Western world," says Smith (p. 286). What is your opinion of the Ten Commandments? Are they absolutes? Minimal expectations for social order?

3. Has messianism - the hope for a God-appointed liberator or savior - been a positive or negative force in human affairs?

4. Have the Jews, as a "chosen people," been held to higher standards of conduct than their neighbors in the Middle East? Should they be?

5. "Without attention, the human sense of wonder and the holy will stir occasionally, but to become a steady flame it must be tended" (p. 302). Judaism seeks to hallow life through prayer, ritual, and tradition. How do you personally fan the flame of reverence and wonder in your life?


These questions are excerpted from Understanding the World's Religions: A Study Guide to Huston Smith's The World's Religions by Gary Kowalski.

Blog Entry #3 - "The World's Religions" - Buddhism

By
Mike Vergin
on October 14, 2008 8:00 AM | | Comments (22)

We can use the blog to hold "conversations" about reading in Huston Smith's The World's Religions. We'll certainly talk about some of the readings in class, but this gives you another chance to share your ideas. You may respond to one or more of the questions, and you can also react to comments posted by others. I'll expect a comment of one good paragraph or more. (To me, that means 5-6 sentences at a minimum.) You do not need to worry about perfect grammar, spelling and punctuation, but they should be understandable. Remember that this is a public site, and you are responsible for the content of your postings.

Assume that each comment is worth 5 points. (5 points for solid or better comments, 4 for comments somewhat short of expectations, 3 or fewer for last-minute, little to no effort postings, and no points for those who have not posted.)


All posts should be made to this blog entry NO LATER than the beginning of class time on Wednesday, October 22nd to be considered on time.


1. Based on your reading, what is the most appealing or intriguing feature of Buddhism? What seems most difficult to accept or understand?

2. Siddhartha Gautama's search for enlightenment begins with his confrontations with the realities of sickness, old age, and death. Is personal crisis a necessary prelude to spiritual exploration?

3. The first noble truth of Buddhism holds that life is suffering and that even our most blissful moments hold a subtle residue of unhappiness. Is this an accurate description of the human condition?

4.Buddhists include "right livelihood" among the Eightfold Path. Are certain professions incompatible with spiritual growth? Are some jobs more conducive to enlightenment that others? Why or why not?

5. According to Einstein, the most important question that can be asked is, "Is the universe a friendly place or not?" How do Buddhists answer that question? How would you answer it?


These questions are excerpted from Understanding the World's Religions: A Study Guide to Huston Smith's The World's Religions by Gary Kowalski.

Blog Entry #2 - The World's Religions - "Hinduism"

By
Mike Vergin
on September 11, 2008 8:00 AM | | Comments (28)
We can use the blog to hold "conversations" about reading in Huston Smith's The World's Religions. We'll certainly talk about some of the readings in class, but this gives you another chance to share your ideas. Here's how we'll do this. You may respond to one or more of the questions, and you can also react to comments posted by others. I'll expect a comment of one good paragraph or more. (To me, that means 5-6 sentences at a minimum.) You do not need to worry about perfect grammar, spelling and punctuation, but they must be understandable. Remember that this is a public site, and you are responsible for the content of your postings.

You should post a response of at least one good paragraph to one or more of these questions by Thursday, September 25th. (You can also react to other posts.)

These questions are taken from "The Lifespan Series: Understanding the World's Religions - A Study Guide to Huston Smith's The World's Religions."

1. Based on what you read, what did you find most intriguing or appealing about the Hindu religion? What did you find most difficult to accept or understand?

2. According to Hinduism, our work and daily responsibilities can be spiritual pathways when performed correctly (page 38). Do you agree? If so, what examples can you give from your own experience?

3. Do you believe in the law of karma, where "everybody gets exactly what is deserved" (page 64). In what ways do you believe this idea to be true or false?

4. On page 73, you see the claim Hinduism makes that all religions are "routes up the mountain." Do you believe it is best to, like Ramakrishna, sample various faiths and belief systems, or should one choose a single path to follow wholeheartedly? Why?

Blog Entry #1 - The World's Religions - "Point of Departure"

By
Mike Vergin
on August 29, 2008 8:01 AM | | Comments (23)

We can use the blog to hold "conversations" about reading in Huston Smith's The World's Religions. We'll certainly talk about some of the readings in class, but this gives you another chance to share your ideas.

Here's how we'll do this. Periodically, I'll post several questions by the time a given chapter or section is "due" to have been read. Each of you will be expected to post a comment before the beginning of the class on the day listed. You may respond to one or more of the questions, and you can also react to comments posted by others. I'll expect a comment of one good paragraph or more. (To me, that means 5-6 sentences at a minimum.) You do not need to worry about perfect grammar, spelling and punctuation, but they should be understandable. Remember that this is a public site, and you are responsible for the content of your postings.

Assume that each comment is worth 5 points. (5 points for solid or better comments, 4 for comments somewhat short of expectations, 3 or fewer for last-minute, little to no effort postings, and no points for those who have not posted.)

So, let's get started... By the end of this first unit, you are supposed to have read the Foreward, Preface and Chapter 1, "Point of Departure." You should post a response of at least one good paragraph to one or more of these questions. (You can also react to other posts.) ALL POSTS SHOULD BE MADE BEFORE CLASS STARTS ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9th.  (Of course, you are welcome to do it earlier...)


1. You get a number of clues regarding Smith's personal approach toward religion in these pages. (This is in contrast to his academic approach to the topic.) What do you think of his own outlook and the ways that he has incorporated religion into his own life?


2. Beginning on page 2, Smith describes four things that he says this book "is not." Do you agree or disagree with the author's decision to consciously avoid doing these things? Why or why not?


3. Beginning on page 3, Smith describes three things that he says this book "is." Which of the three do you think is/will be most important to you as a reader of the book over the semester? Why?

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