December 6. Assistance. Course Stuff. If it is so difficult to define religion, what do scholars of religion actually study?

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1 If it is so difficult to define religion, what do scholars of religion actually study? Give four examples of how non-religious culture may involve religion or religions. According to Nye, is religion inherently peaceful or violent? What is the TRC? What did it focus on? Assistance Now = BAD TIME Try not to get discouraged Ask for help! Resources: me, Health + Counselling, AccessAbility Resource Centre, RGASC, UTM Registrar s Office 1 2 Course Stuff Next week: course review + final exam! Copies of old exams on UTM library site Click Old Exams (good name for the link!) December 6 3 Course participation marks Up to you to keep track of your own Reflections on UTM events 4

2 On December 4th, UTM Remembers 12:30-1:00pm Memorial and Vigil at the Peace Pole 1:00-2:30pm Community Showcase, Snacks & Refreshments at Symposium on the Importance of Indigenous Education in Ontario Classrooms Senator Murray Sinclair (TRC Chair) December 7 9pm (UTM: IB) ( ) 5 6 Today 11. Contemporary Religion Course evaluations Finish: Definitions Field Research Analysis Contemporary religion 7 8

3 Course Evaluations Invitation by Due by December 7 Please do this! PLEASE Course Evaluations Your feedback matters! Used to improve teaching ALSO affects instructors employment Important: COMMENTS! Also important: your TA s NAME 9 10 Complete your course evaluations Check your for a link to your evaluations, or go to uoft.me/openevals and click Complete Your Evaluations 12

4 Definitions Religions vs. Religion Religions Specific traditions (e.g., Buddhism, Judaism, etc.) Religion General / universal (e.g., meaning, value, etc.) 15 Study of Religion Religion is complicated! Many many (MANY!!) definitions Enormous diversity (between traditions AND within traditions) Social AND individual Transcendent (abstract) AND concrete (day to day) Religion and Religions 16

5 Study of Religion What do scholars of religion study? Anything that might be considered as religious for some reason by someone Most scholars study religions Some study religion Can use theories from study of religion to examine non-religious stuff too Study of Religion Study of religion search for Truth Data accessible to everyone Focus on people, not god(s) Study of what people do Field Research Proposal Field Research Analysis Most people: 20/20 Yay! Marked for completion You could have poor ideas but still get perfect (Cooking food: terrible vs. tasty) Read TA feedback carefully! 19 20

6 Field Research Analysis Due Dec. 1 (with feedback) or Dec. 5 Limit: 1500 words TA office hours on Thursday, November 29 in NE4207 Amin, Ian, Kyle, Michelle: 2 5 Anna: 3:30 6:30 Field Research Analysis Quercus documents for final assignment: 1. Instructions 2. Advice + example paragraphs 3. Example paragraphs with comments 4. Theories 5. Grading rubric 6. Student samples Field Research Analysis 5 paragraphs: 1. Description of observations 1 2. Analysis of observations 1 3. Description of observations 2 4. Analysis of observations 2 5. Reflection Field Research Analysis Descriptive paragraphs Identify pattern + give observations Pattern = topic sentence One point is not a pattern Look at all observations, find links between some of them Linked to theory (e.g., hybridity) 23 24

7 Field Research Analysis Descriptive paragraphs Only describe observations that are part of the pattern No assumptions or interpretations: At the temple I saw people paying their respects to the gods At the church I observed ideology. Field Research Analysis Descriptive paragraphs Patterns from student samples Music Traditional behaviour by women Height Field Research Analysis Analytical paragraphs Theory = topic sentence Describe theory, then apply theory to observations from descriptive paragraph Do not bring in outside knowledge of any religion Do not introduce new observations! Field Research Analysis Analytical paragraphs You are not proving anything You are making an argument Okay to be wrong!! Hypothesis (might change with more evidence) 27 28

8 Contemporary Religion 1. Are people less religious now? Contemporary Religion 2. Contemporary religions 3. Non-religious culture 4. Indigenous traditions Are people less religious now? GET OFF MY LAWN YOU KIDS! 31 32

9 People These Days Common view: things are worse than they used to be Less religious More violent Worse writing The environment People These Days 1. What is the evidence for these views? Actual data? Or feelings / anecdotes? 2. Evidence of improvement? Indigenous traditions Toronto: less violent crime 3. Definition of religion? Contemporary Religions 2. Contemporary religions Religions and nationalism Religions and culture Religions and violence New religions 35 36

10 Contemporary Religions Religions and nationalism (p ) USA + Christianity (mainly Protestantism) India + Hinduism Pakistan + Islam Ireland + Catholicism Israel + Judaism Myanmar + Buddhism 37 Contemporary Religions Religions and culture (p ) Hybridity/syncretism Religions affected by cultures Examples? Cultures affected by religions Examples? 38 Québec Ban 39 40

11 Contemporary Religions Bhagavad Gita Religions and violence (p ) USA + Christianity (mainly Protestantism) India + Hinduism Pakistan + Islam Ireland + Catholicism Israel + Judaism Myanmar + Buddhism

12 Thus says the Lord of hosts... Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have; do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey. (Hebrew Bible, 1 Samuel 15:2-3) Golden Rule Do to others as you would have them do to you. (Christianity) Do not do to others what would cause pain if done to you. (Hinduism) Not one of you truly believes until you wish for others what you wish for yourself. (Islam) Treat not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful. (Buddhism) Contemporary Religions Religions and violence (p ) Is religion inherently violent or peaceful? Focus on people (e.g., actions, words) Actions: peaceful AND violent Words: peaceful AND violent 47 48

13 Contemporary Religions New religions (p ) 1. Recently created traditions Scientology, Jediism, etc. 2. New traditions with old connections Paganism, spirituality, etc Iceland: Revival of Norse Traditions 3. Non-religious culture 51 52

14 Non-religious Culture Film, literature, TV, music, art, YouTube, sports, games, award shows, protests, etc. Religions (=specific traditions) Religion (=general / universal) Song Love Runs Out by OneRepublic (2014) Love Runs Out Love Runs Out I got my mind made up, man, I can t let go. I m killing every second til it saves my soul. There s a maniac out in front of me. Got an angel on my shoulder, and Mestopheles. but mama raised me good, mama raised me right. Mama said, Do what you want, say prayers at night, And I m saying them, cause I m so devout. I ll be your light, your match, your burning sun, I ll be the bright, in black that s makin you run. I'll be your ghost, your game, your stadium. Ooh, we all want the same thing. Ooh, we all run for something. Oh for God, for fate, For love, for hate, For gold, and rust, For diamonds, and dust

15 Lion King Religion (= general / universal) Meaningful beliefs and actions that are not part of specific traditions within the film Beliefs: be kind, responsible, etc.; no worries (Hakuna Matata!) Actions: murder of Mufasa; Simba s rite of passage Lion King Religions (= specific traditions) Beliefs and actions that are part of fictional traditions within the world of the film E.g., Circle of Life, Rafiki s teachings + practices Symbolic references to real traditions E.g., Christianity! Messiah = Christ = Anointed One 59

16 And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulphur. (Revelation 20:10) Darkness (Rev 16:10) And the one who was seated on the throne said, River Dried Up (Rev 16:12) See, I am making all things new. (Rev 21:5)

17 Platoon Rocky Alien 3 Spider-Man 2 65 Cool Hand Luke 66 Superman I and II Light Show the Way I had life threats, because people accused me of approaching Brando as God and his son was Jesus. I literally had people saying that my blood would run in the streets for doing that. Richard Donner (interview with Ken Plume, 2001) Sent My only son

18 Superman Returns Pilate said to them, You have a guard of soldiers; go, make [the tomb] as secure as you can. (Matthew 27:65-66) He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. (Matthew 28:6) Man of Steel

19 ACTUAL JESUS! 74 The Daily Show (Nov. 13, 2014) Interview with Maziar Bahari 4. Indigenous Traditions 75 76

20 Residential Schools 134 federally government funded schools 1830s 1996 / ca. 150,000 children Point was to civilize Indigenous people Assimilate (re: language, culture, etc.) Separate children from families / traditions Not permitted to speak own languages 77 Residential Schools ca. 6,000 deaths (+ more unknown) Disease (tuberculosis) + malnutrition 1906 report: 75% of children died before 18 Abuse: physical / psychological / sexual / spiritual Cut hair / shaved heads Given numbers Food experiments 78 Residential Schools Schools run by churches Catholic (60%) Anglican (30%) United (10%) Egerton Ryerson Chief Superintendent of Education in Upper Canada ( ) The North American Indian cannot be civilized or preserved in a state of civilization... except in connection with, if not by the influence of, not only religious instruction and sentiment but of religious feelings. (1847) 79 80

21 Duncan Campbell Scott Deputy Superintendent of the Dept. of Indian Affairs Oversaw residential school system Our object is to continue until there is not a single Indian in Canada that has not been absorbed into the body politic and there is no Indian question, and no Indian Department. (1920) 81 Apologies Churches: Anglican (1993), Presbyterian (1994), United (1998) Catholic: still waiting : Canadian government re: physical and sexual abuse at residential schools 2004: RCMP 2008: Canadian government re: schools overall Announced the TRC 82 Prime Minister Stephen Harper (June 2008): The treatment of children in Indian Residential Schools is a sad chapter in our history... Today, we recognize that this policy of assimilation was wrong, has caused great harm, and has no place in our country. The government recognizes that the absence of an apology has been an impediment to healing and reconciliation. Therefore, on behalf of the Government of Canada and all Canadians, I stand before you... to apologize to Aboriginal peoples for Canada s role in the Indian Residential Schools system. 83 TRC Truth and Reconciliation Commission Focus on Residential Schools June 2008 to December 2015 Interviewed ca. 6,000 school survivors Reviewed schools records Reviewed government documents Issued 94 calls to action 84

22 Indigenous Traditions Indigenous people and traditions still exist! Impacted by colonialism, genocide, etc. Many modern forms mix old with new Maori: full moko on women Yoruba: Ogun (god of war) connected to welders, car mechanics, and chauffeurs Painting, literature, film 85

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25 The End!