Why study religion?
- Religious studies can gave one a good grasp on world civilizations and increasingly globalized culture.
- Religious studies can help one clarify one’s ethical and moral views.
- Religious studies can help provide meaningfulness to life and work.
- Religious studies can help one identify ways to make the world better
- Religious studies can give one the motivation to pursue transformation and change.
- Religious studies can give insight into existence and the cosmos.
- Religious studies allows one to develop knowledge of multiple disciplines such as history, philosophy, anthropology and psychology.
- Religious studies can open the door to other significant fields of knowledge.
- Religious studies helps one appreciate ancient wisdom
- Religious studies can help one to learn about God
- Last but not least, religious studies can help one know one’s self
Please share some other reasons. Also please share what you got out of this semester, either on a spiritual, ethical or intellectual level.
Any study that can be approach from many different ways is a field that is worth exploring. Whether a staunch Atheist or a fundamentalist, it is important to understand where other religious perspectives originate. The combination of the professor and the class subject was really interesting. The most memorable part of the class was probably the first class, in which the professor shared some personal information and got the whole class involved.
ReplyDeleteThis class how taught me about worldly interactions in the past, present, and future. I know that critical thinking is an important skill when truly understanding something. People may not tell you the truth, so you must so research and think on your own. I learned that most behaviors and societal norms are the that way because of past events. I also learned that everyone is different, and that differentness should be respected. I love how Professor Holbrook taught the class with open discussions, so people's true opinions became revealed. This class has made me question my values and what I hold close to me, because I have realized religion is manmade. Even if there is a God out there, religion makes up laws/commandments/rules for their followers to follow, so it is very controlled. Just because many people follow someone or something does not mean that it is a good thing they are following. Because of this class, I am very passionate about understanding the world. Thank you Professor Holbrook.
ReplyDeleteWhy study religion? In this era of mass migration, we have been interacting daily with people of different cultures. Religion is closely tied to a culture's beliefs, way of thinking, and norms of society. By getting an insight about many different religions, we are becoming more aware of our surroundings; therefore, we will be able to make less generalizations and not judge based on stereotypes, and it will be easier to conduct intercultural communication successfully without offending anyone. Since Miami is so culturally diverse, it is important to be aware of the various belief systems that exist not only for our personal knowledge, but also to understand where one's opinions may originate from. Thank you for a great semester, Professor!
ReplyDelete-Margi
I agree with most of the reasons as to why we should study religion. I do believe it can clarify one's beliefs and morals. It just helps you see what is truly important to you from your beliefs. This connects to the last reason which is getting to know one's self. So, what did I get from this class this semester? It was to know more about my beliefs. I started to understand what I believed in more and what I found to be important/good and what things where negative and such. It also made me more open minded as to listening to people's different perspectives. I was always very closed minded but hearing people's options on certain issues made me think in differently and made me understand their point of view more. Thank you professor for a great semester! Hope to see you soon!
ReplyDelete-Cassandra Villagomez (3:00-3:50 Class)
I believe studying religion makes us more used to each other. In Appiah's essay, he quoted some public figure that basically makes this point. The more we learn and get used to other religions, the easier it is to accept them as a norm. I did not know much about Islam and Hinduism before this class. I learned more about the difference between radical and conservative Islam (which really changed my perspective on the religion as a whole). This is just one example. The little "wow I didnt know that" facts are just cool to learn and this class really had an abundance of those. Awesome group, thanks for everything Prof. Holbrook!
ReplyDeleteStudying religion is extremely important, I believe it makes us tolerant people. Before this class I was not familiar with many of the religions that were taught, but this class had opened my mind to a new world. Our society today is so diverse and I feel like this class really put me in other people's shoes. I was able to look at the world from another perspective. Religion is something amazing and it has so much history that just shocks me every time I read the book. I learn about new cultures and different people around the world who started these religions. I also learned about my classmates and how different they are. I loved hearing their stories and seeing the respect that everybody had towards each other. I learned about myself, and how I fit into my religious community. Not everything in this world is just black and white, there is more to this world and its people. I was able to understand my classmate’s point of view, and sympathize in many cases with their stories. Not everything is about me, the world is so much more complex then people think. There are people suffering and dying because of what they believe and that is just wrong. I was taught to fight for what I believe in no matter what other people tell me, just like Gandhi. Peaceful protests are very successful. Class discussions were my favorite. The passion and energy that you put into this class was really great and I appreciate everything you taught me! Thank you Professor Holbrook, I hope to see you again soon.
ReplyDeleteReligious studies gives people hope and gives them a moral guideline to follow. In countless times in the Bible God took people out of difficult situations and that gives people hope. Many people feel like when they get in one of those same situations that God will come through and that feeling is what people long for and need. Religion gives people a glimpse on what can be seen as right and wrong and that there are repercussions for your actions which is essential in today’s society. In this class, I learned to broaden my horizons and change my perspective. I also, educated myself on different religious and it will make a better Christian and person.
ReplyDelete"Last but not least, religious studies can help one know one’s self" This certain line stuck out to me most. This class helped me learn most about my self. This semester I have truly learned how important it is to be open minded. Religious studies opens your mind and lets you create new perspectives. I believe that to understand others we have to have knowledge about their own practices and religious beliefs. Going off stereotypes and judgments shows how little knowledge we might have. Opening up your horizons can make you see things differently and learn new things about yourself. When we open our minds we become free and let ourselves experience new things. We see what others see as right and wrong compared to our moral values. Thank You professor for this semester.
ReplyDeleteAngelica
I feel almost as if it was my fate to be enrolled in this class this semester. These past few months have been hard to get through, but through everything I was lucky to have a professor that actually cared about my well being and showed his concern. Even though I am always hesitant, and really, just someone who keeps to myself, I knew that if I ever needed someone to just talk to, I can contact you. Along with the turn of events, this class has opened me up to thinking about things that never even crossed my mind in the slightest way. The greatest of those things was the question "Why do negative things happen in the world?" Not only did learning about the different approaches to theodicy allow me to see how much people view certain aspects of the world differently, but it also made me re-evaluate the way I think and become more open to different approaches. That, itself, has to be the most beneficial thing about studying religion. It takes you out of your comfort zone, and you are forced to think differently and openly about all aspects of not just religion, but the world; and I feel that when you accept that change, your thoughts become more independent. You can develop your own perspective on many things because you now have been exposed to new knowledge. Thank you, Professor Holbrook, for everything!
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ReplyDeleteOne cannot go about, believing in what they were taught as a child, with no questions asked. Our faith needs to be personal, and strengthened with trials. How can I ascertain that I do not agree with a certain belief system or religious group without truly understanding its origin and reasoning? I cannot, and to do so would be an act of ignorance. It is so important, to not only know what somebody believes, but also why they believe. Many practices and belief systems can seem strange because we do not have the context necessary to understand them. This religious studies class has given me the opportunity to learn about, and analyze a plethora of religions from around the world. This has helped me attain the contextual knowledge necessary to better understand those religions. Yes, at times I felt uneasy when researching other beliefs and comparing them to my own, but in the end it proved to strengthen my faith. This class has shown me how important religious study is, and I believe everyone should take the opportunity to do so.
ReplyDeleteThis class taught me a great deal about religion. Before I thought I knew the basics, but I was mistaken. This semester I learned to look at religion from a different perspective, and that I believe is another reason why one should study religion. All the reasons listed above in this post are valid, and some of them were the reason why I took this class in the first place. I believe in continuing studying religion because after this semester I feel more curious as to why religion exists. One thing I learned is that religion influences actions, but if you think about it, actions influence religion. Studying religion can help you find the answer to human behavior, and that is a very curious question to answer. Thank you professor for a great semester. Happy holidays!
ReplyDeleteAlejandra Pages
Why study religion? The real question is; why not? Studying religion can open one's mind to a whole new world. Maybe he or she only knows about his or her religion. Studying more than one religion can expand one's views. It can help him or her discover what they really believe. Also, it can help someone be less ignorant and face the fear of not knowing the unknown.
ReplyDeleteAfter taking this class, I agree that Religious Studies is a great subject to study. It helps people gain a better understanding of other cultures and society.
ReplyDeleteIn today's society where people come from different backgrounds, it is essential that we become aware of other religions. From learning we can be tolerable of difference, I believe that the root of rejection or prejudice against other religions is not being informed of their beliefs.
ReplyDeleteI'm more of a number type of person, but I think your arguments are very valid.
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