Response to Danielles Final Presentation

Danielle did a great job with her presentation and captured a lot of the points that I was trying to make in my own. She uses powerful words to push people to think past their own issues and realize the importance of the one she is presenting, such as; “Stop hating, start tolerating!” Her position, about how a lot of this religious tension is our own fault, is strongly represented in the images she used about how some limitations apply. She exemplifies the issues between different religions but also that everyone is entitled to their beliefs. It is not one religions fault, in order to have religious unity and tolerance there must be cooperation from all people from all different religions. The characters unite video makes a very important and strong impact. The quote “you can use your differences to make a difference” is a great point and very meaningful. She did a great job of making me think and giving me a different perspective than my own. This presentation pushes you to see each other without our eyes and prejudgments, but with our common bond and unity. Her idea of coexistence plays very well with the point she is trying to make about Americans and their level of tolerance toward other Americans of different religions. Overall a great presentation and good information.

Response to Chris' Final Presentation

Before watching Chris’s Finals PowerPoint I knew almost nothing about Native Americans other than what I had learned in history classes. Through his use of the painting of Manifest Destiny he shows the hardships that Native Americans have gone through and how they were viewed and treated by Americans in the past. He does a good job displaying the superiority Americans believed they had over native Americans and their culture, religion, and overall way of life. He also uses literature affectively in showing how much the lives of Native Americans were changed so that they were north Americanized. They barely knew their own mother and could not relate to their own rich Native American culture. Ayah talked to her son in the native language, but "when he tried to answer her, he could not seem to remember and he spoke English words mixed with Navajo."(Silko). He describes how difficult it is in modern day to keep up with their heritage, avoid poverty, and avoid drug involvement. He shows this through a news broadcast that displays current life as a Native American and how hard it is because of the pull between modern times and holding onto their ancestry. He truly captures this issue successfully from several different views and allows me to see the regret and hardships they are currently experiencing.

Response to Jill's Final Presentation

Music is something very important to me because it’s able to change my mood so instantly and there is so much passion involved, but I had never thought of it in terms of how it came to be or how it evolved. The song that Jill used towards the beginning of the PowerPoint (Buckshot Lefonque) describes the way jazz and other types of music evolved and it got me thinking that all variety of music I listen to originated from different times people and places. I loved the videos that Jill used about Haiti and the Tribute to Michael Jackson because they were visual and emotional examples of how all different types of people can come together to celebrate a talented and music changing artist. Jill did a good job showing rather than telling how important music, or the arts, is to freedom of expression in America, and how they have changed America in many different ways. They lyrics she uses are very powerful and meaningful and they back up the points she is trying to make. Especially with rap, she did a good job trying to see both ends of the spectrum and how different people like different music but over all it can unite or separate us for our tastes. Jill did a great job telling the story of music and how it’s related to America and she made it interesting by using great examples of videos, lyrics, and quotes, all of which backed her points. “Why am I fighting to live, if I'm just living to fight Why am I trying to see, when there aint nothing in sight Why am I trying to give, when no one gives me a try Why am I dying to live, if I'm just living to die? Someone tell me why”-- Tupac Shakur. This is one of the many examples of this and how she relates what it means to be an American to music, she shows an American trying to express his struggles and passion through music.

Literary

In the short story Redemption by John Gardener the theme of religion play a huge role in that a boy and his family who are very religious suffer a huge tragedy and must find their own way to cope with their misfortune; each person reacts differently toward their God after this accident. The main character, Jack, completely turns away from his religion and bury’s himself in the grief of his brother. His father, religious and kind man, blames God for his pain and what happened and he rebels against God and does things completely against his character . Eventually he breaks down and discovers that no matter how hard he tried he could not continue to avoid God. He truly has unconditional faith and accepts that he cannot live his life without his faith. His mother, extremely caring but emotional, is a wreck but seems to maintain her faith and even rely on it more. Jack’s little sister who is holding on to maintaining her innocence, is insisting on God and praying a lot because she needs to know that God had a reason and that he is still there. Through playing the French horn and meeting his teacher who had also been through a very big tragedy and found redemption through music, Jack realizes that God had been there the whole time and that whatever he had put him through he took him through. The French horn was his way out and he was able to finally forgive himself and move on with a new found faith. This story suggests that religion requires an enormous amount of faith and that one must be patient and allow themselves to trust and deal with things over time, and not to immediately lose faith after tragedy but to trust that what you have invested your faith in will come through. Having read this short story and analyzing the role of religion in it rather than just reading about religion, it adds to the definition in that people need to be able to make their own choice in their own time, one can force you. “Jack his sister said, did you want to say grace? Not really, he said and he glanced at her. He saw her face in alarm, her mouth slightly opened, her eyes wide, growing wider, and though he did not know why, his heart gave a jump. I already said it, he mumbled. Just not out loud. Oh, she said then smiled.” His sister having turned to God after such a tragedy wanted so much for him to do the same because it was helping to heal her and she knew he needed healing. He needed to go back to trusting his religion on his own terms and time, when people need their religion others must be tolerant and allow them to do it for themselves, but in return they must be willing to be tolerant of what they place their faith in and give it time to act as well. Every type of religion; judaism, christianity, budhism, etc calls for some sort of trust in what you believe, when misfortunes happen people blame it on what they beleive in just as they worship when something great happens to thank who or what they believe in. If one feels strongly enough about a religion to live their life by it, than they should be able to stick with it not only through the good part of life but the dark ones as well.

Backround Information

My topic is religion and it is one of the most highly controversial and debated topics there are, but there is a reason why there are very few big disputes over it in America. Freedom of religion is one of the best laws in the United States because although we have certain disputes and intolerance's, America is very tolerant for such a controversial subject. Religion is everywhere even places it is not supposed to be such as schools and the government. Religion can be found in many places in the government such as courts, when one is sworn in with the bible to tell the truth, or in the Declaration of independence there are many inferences to a God or a supreme being, or even in the constitution where it is stated, "the year of our lord,". Although it is spotted in the certain places the founders of our country went to a far extent to see that our religious freedoms were protected. These attempts can be shown in the first amendment in the first provision prohibits Congress from passing laws leading to "an establishment of religion." The second provision restrains Congress from "prohibiting the free exercise thereof." When the law was made to allow freedom of religion and protection from it as well, they meant to keep one religion from dominating society and to allow equal influence of other religions as well. This is exhibited by an analogy that Thomas Jefferson made where he referred to a "wall of separation of church and state,". The government also saw it only fitting to keep religion out of schools because it is impossible to teach every religion and equally represent all of them without separating students, yet evolution is being taught; which is an alternate belief but still in description a religion. Laws were made to keep religion out of schools such as the first amendment, and there have been many court cases discussing the legality of certain religious exceptions and situations in schools like in Engel v. Vitale (1962) where a standard prayer was made for all students non specific yet it was struck down because it forces those who do not believe in a religion at all to pray or it may have favored one religion over another putting students who were unfamiliar with it into a unfair position. Whenever evolution is brought up creationism comes along with it, therefore religion being intertwined with a lot of things that students learn. The government is very particular as to what they allow to be taught in schools in terms of religion."In 1925, the legislature of Tennessee passed a law making it illegal to teach evolution in schools in that state. In the nationally publicized Scopes trial, a schoolteacher named John T. Scopes was found guilty of breaking that law and fined $100." Religion is also unavoidably in government because many of the morals that America is built off of are morals of certain religions, those that in turn will be favored by the government having influence over its people, such as do not steal, or do not kill (from the ten commandments). The very framework of America is based on quotes like these “one nation under God” making a religion-free government practically impossible. Even with theses factors, this statement "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof” allows for the government to have no say as to what people believe, only to how they are governed. The factors of religion that make it so important are that in American we are all able to decide our own, they are many times what people base their values and live their lives upon, and much of the time religion determines right and wrong. To be tolerant to others who have different religions is to accept that America is home to a great diversity of people who have the awareness and longing to be one regardless of differences and this is what makes America one of the happiest countries on earth. Although it is known that religion is somewhat involved in places where in theory it shouldn't’t be, schools and government, it is these faults that make us tolerant of minorities and less ignorant creating a country where people can feel comfortable with their beliefs. To the core religion is what each holds to be personally true, and living in a country where we are allowed and set up to do so makes it much easier to be happy and see the other side as well.

Current Events

The current events that I found, that related to religion, all related back to one theme; religious tolerance. I have found that in each of these articles there are cases in which the religion or faith of one person is being challenged, criticized, or silenced for fairness. All of these have to do with religious tolerance or the ability to understand that something is different but accept it and understand that all people are entitled to accept as true what they choose. For example in the article Doubt, “He asked me all sorts of wild questions I had never thought about before, like, ''Well, why do you believe that?'' Everything I said that year, Frank would ask me that question. Then I started asking myself that question about every thought I had.” When this person was challenged by someone else to defend their belief he began to doubt himself, if this person had just accepted and respected those beliefs than he wouldn’t feel this unsettling doubt about something he has believed in for so long. This is not the only form of religious tolerance but there are many, such as tolerating all religions in school rather than none, if evolution is allowed to be taught in curriculums than religion should be too it is unfair to represent one view of how the earth came to be and not the other. If the government believed that Americans were able to tolerate religion in schools, more kids would be raised with better morals, and a greater sense of self and faith. Not one religion is school but the teaching of many, and not forcing kids to believe but to learn so they are able to accept differences. Many people in America are ignorant and are not willing to see things differently than their own way. An example of this is after the 9/11 attacks people immediately associate Muslims with terrorists and this is completely false and the way they are viewed and treated here is unjust. “Why are only Muslims required to defend the horrendous acts of co-religionists? Why is it that Christians aren’t asked the same questions when one of their own commits the same?” This means that if Muslims are judged by the wrong doings of those with the same religion than Christians should be judged by all wrongdoings of all Christians. Tolerance starts with accepting a different perspective, not agreeing with it, but accepting it. The reasons behind all this intolerance is that because religion is such a powerful force in our world those who are intolerant feel the need to defend their own religion by putting down other ones. Others reasons for intolerance are protecting rights, although it is important to protect the rights of American citizens doesn’t it limit them by forbidding religion is schools? Some people are unwilling to accept any religion and therefore feel the need to challenge and probe at people who do because they need to prove a point. Religion appears everywhere today and that is why it is important for Americans to be able to recognize that tolerance is different that agreement, that freedom of religion in schools is different than forcing kids into religion, and that not all people are the same therefore many will have different beliefs.

Opposing Viewpoints: Doubt

Junkert, Dustin. "Doubt.(Education Life Supplement)(GEORGE FOX UNIVERSITY)(Photograph)." The New York Times. 158. 54748 (July 26, 2009): 21(L). Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 10 Feb. 2010 http://find.galegroup.com/ovrc/infomark.do?&contentSet=IAC-Documents&type=retrieve&tabID=T004&prodId=OVRC&docId=A204446344&source=gale&srcprod=OVRC&userGroupName=deer63488&version=1.0.

http://find.galegroup.com/ovrc/retrieve.do?subjectParam=Locale%2528en%252C%252C%2529%253AFQE%253D%2528su%252CNone%252C10%2529%2522Religion%2522%2524&contentSet=IAC-Documents&sort=DateDescend&tabID=T004&sgCurrentPosition=0&subjectAction=DISPLAY_SUBJECTS&prodId=OVRC&searchId=R2&currentPosition=5&userGroupName=deer63488&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&sgHitCountType=None&qrySerId=Locale%
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This article is probably the most important one I have read throughout my research because it so many people especially teenagers go through this as they try to figure out who they are and what they believe in. Almost every person in their life time will be challenged to prove or explain what they believe in and very few know that it is ok to doubt it sometimes, that not knowing all the answers is part of being human. Personally I believe the best way for faith to grow is to struggle, but to struggle well and come out of your doubt understanding why you believe what you do and even though the reasons may not make sense to anyone else they make sense to me. The best part of religion is having something else that no ones else should be able to touch, something that you decide and only you should effect. Everyone chooses their own religion as true, its true because you choose to believe it, its as simple as that.

Opposing Viewpoints: Teaching Religion in Public Schools

http://find.galegroup.com/ovrc/tab.dosubjectParam=Locale528en252252C2529253AFQE253D2528su252CNone252C82529religion2524&qrySerId=Locale28en2C2C293AFQE3D28SU2CNone2C829religion24&sgHitCountType=None&inPS=true&sort=Relevance&tabID=T010&sgCurrentPosition=0&subjectAction=DISPLAY_SUBJECTS&prodId=OVRC&searchId=R2&displaySubject=&userGroupName=deer63488&prevSubject=&searchType=BasicSearchForm

Kafer, Krista. "Public Schools Should Teach More About Religion." At Issue: Religion and Education. Ed. Tom Head. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2010. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 8 Feb. 2010 http://find.galegroup.com/ovrc/infomark.do?&contentSet=GSRC&type=retrieve&tabID=T010&prodId=OVRC&docId=EJ3010391207&source=gale&srcprod=OVRC&userGroupName=deer63488&version=1.0.

This article brings up a lot of good point in that, According to the Constitution, the American people are guaranteed the right to practice religion free from government intervention, however there is not a current standards religion that everyone believes in and creating one would be prohibiting choice and freedom of religion. "Schools need not be and, legally speaking, should not be "religion-free" zones. The Supreme Court has affirmed students' rights to religious expression and the appropriateness of instruction about religion. An understanding of the role of religion in history, art, and current events is necessary for a well-rounded education." Even though I agree with this statement I also believe that if schools are to incorporate religion in schools they must be careful when they do it. They must be sure that all religions are Incorporated in the curriculum and discussions so that all are included and have an equal opportunity to represent themselves and be heard. This is almost impossible and that's why i believe Religion should be discussed but not taught in schools; since religion is a very important part of peoples lives they should be able to discuss it with others who have different or similar beliefs in their primary place of learning. I also believe that teaching evolution is a violation of the constitution because it it basically another religion and teaching it as the standard truth to kids is possibly misleading and unlawful. They should form their own opinions as to what they choose to believe and shouldn't be influenced by what they learn in schools.

God and Evolution Can Co-Exist, Scientist Insists

By Robin Lloyd
As one of the most controversial issues of today, in NEW YORK — "A scientist is going public with his Christian belief in God and acceptance of evolution in the wake of the Dover, Pa., school trial and recent, high-profile scholarly writings that have highlighted the contradictions between religiosity and science".Many people are either completely to one side, or completely to the other but if one interprets the main ideas of both not just the details that they can both be compatible and true. "Some evolutionists very strongly rejected any and all Christianity as totally impossible with science. And many Christians began to read the Bible and interpret literally, believing that evolution was not consistent with it." Its important to be sensitive to both ideas because both are favored by a huge amount of people. Its not really hard see the truths in both of them, one is based on faith and the other based on science; they are both important, and all have the right to believe either , or, or both. Even though they seem polar opposite, they are actually very similar because they are both based on belief, we have seen neither one occur; creation or evolution. They are both also easy to doubt, but the whole point is that faith is in their structure and evolution being just like another religion we are all entitled to opinions. The whole idea is that the two subjects could use the other to balance each the other. Science does not have all of the answers, and making limits could be beneficial. Much of Science has come from religion in the past. Maybe they have a future intertwined too.

Religious Intolerance Can Lead To Violence

Muslims & America: What should "tolerance" mean in an online world?

http://www.readthespirit.com/ourvalues/2009/11/muslims-america-tolerance-with-teeth.html

This statement is absolutely true, not only proven with facts but also in theory. This can be connected to things that occur today, many people make the stereotype that anyone from the middle east is Muslim and and therefore also a terrorist, they also assume that all terrorists are Muslim and treat them without dignity and judgment .There have been many disputes and violence who has the TRUE religion, but the truth is they are all "TRUE", at least to those who choose believe them. Everyone should be entitled to choose their God or what they live their life by, and other should respect that. The main issue here is that we as Americans stereotype anyone from the middle east as a terrorist.What one person believes in terms of religion usually doesn't affect others (accept in cases where they believe in something that harms people), I do not understand why people feel they must change all people to one religion or have one dominant one. Yes I feel strongly about my religion and if someone is open to hearing about it I will definitely try to help them learn about it or tell them what it is all about, but by no means do I feel the need to force people or criticise them for not believing what I do. People find God in all different places in all different places and its great that they do cause our personalities and needs on a faith level are different. There are many reasons for hatred, and there are simple solutions to all of them; understanding and eliminating ignorance. These are things that would do a world of difference because I think that if people learned about each other and accepted that all people and places of the world are different that they can understand them believing what they do. On another level if you increase the tolerance and understanding that people have for each other than this would ease a lot of tension creating less violence all around the world. People just need to understand that we are all trying to make our mark on the world, and everyone has a different way of doing that. Disregarding race, religion, and nationality, we are really all people. It just so happens that those things are the things people notice right away and judge, this is why our world lacks peace and unity.

The Mythical "Wall of Separation": How a Misused Metaphor Changed Church–State Law, Policy, and Discourse

By Daniel L. Dreisbach
Even today there is a dispute among lawmakers and citizens about church ans state. I think that church and state should be separate, even though I feel strongly about my religion I understand and respect that others don't or others favor another religion and no one should be forced to be part of something they don't believe in; especially when it comes to faith. Minority religions must be equally represented, and governing from the standpoint of one religion policies or ways of ruling may not regard minorities as much. Although i do agree that no matter what kind of government you have aspect of the church or other religions will be involved because much of the time religions are based on morality faith and belief and America has been built upon those standards since its creation. I think that it is very important to have a religion because it is something that we as Americans have a right to and we can choose our own way as individuals. It has a lot to do with who we become and what we want to accomplish and something of such importance should not be involved in government, in fact it is written in the foundations of our laws (the Constitution) that we have the freedom of religion and will not be forced to be a certain faith.

Redemption By: John Gardener

This story for me was very interpretive and important, because like the title it is basically a story about a boy who "kills his brother" by running him over with a tractor. Although Jack could have prevented this accident by pressing on the brakes, he was so shocked that he didnt react fast enough. His intentions were definately not meant to kill his brother. Jack spends the next years draped with guilt and unable to find redemtion within himself and pushes God away, although others seem to be supportive and forgiving. As Jack seems to be wasting away ignoring his family and friends he finds an escape and peace in playing the french horn. He begins to use it to fill up his time and it becomes his world. Jack comapres to his music teacher both of them surviving from a tragic accident and fining peace through music. Jack and other characters either turn to God or ignore him, those who look for him or rely on him seem to find peace or at least are able to face this, but those who turn away just bury thier pain inside and do not face it because they deep down know that God is forgiving.He finally finds that disregarding your faith is not the best way to heal, and when your God sends you through something he will always pull you through as well. Even when we think God is unfair or cruel in the things that he does to us he has a plan to help us out as well. for Jack, after the accident he wanted nothing to do with God, God gives him a way out and puts the French Horn in his life to help him to move on and discover redemption within himself.

Where Im at Now

Right now I'm at a good place in my research, each new article is bringing my topic (religion) into a better and more broad perspective, rather than just my own views I am being exposed to the views of many others and the foundations of how our society and government are connected with religion. I have already answered some of my key questions that i had hoped to answer such as government and free exercise of religion, and morals, and similarities in religions. I am really glad I was given this topic because religion is an important part of my life and the lives of many others and it is a timeless topic one that will always be controversial and discussed, and it is important to continue to avoid ignorance by knowing what has gone on currently and in the past. Beliefs among Americans are some of the most diverse on the planet, but as long we search for our many similarities rather than our differences we will be able to move forward; this is the essential message I have pulled out of all my responses and articles.

The Church and Democracy: Primary Source

http://america.eb.com/america/article?articleId=387209



John Courtney Murray " The State-Church and Democratic Society," Annals of American History. <http://america.eb.com/america/article?articleId=387209>[Accessed February 1, 2010].



The idea of this article was to merge democratic standards and standards of the church together to form a theological society. It also connects the two saying that they go hand in hand and each requires parts of the other to be successful. I think this article is both truthful but also unrealistic, it is true that many morals that exist in society also exist in most religions such as do not kill, or do not steal, but the idea that all are going to agree to a church state rather than a democratic state is very far fetched. The church state after all is highly controlled by its figures of power and maintained by conservatives, while the basic framework and building of our government is to have as little power given to single figures as possible. He also talks about how although the Constitution says there is freedom of religion to believe or not to believe what you want to, this conflicts often with the ability to exercise it freely. Sometimes in attempt to protect those who don't believe a certain thing from being made to, the government often prevent the free expression of religion. A big part of this article is that the church must adapt to changing times and changing people, the world is becoming more and more liberal (not to say there aren't many conservatives) and with change must come adaptation in order to prosper.