Benny Hinn, American Airlines Arena, October 10, 2008

Check out this video and comment on what you think about it. Are these manifestations of Sacred Power? Why or why not?

Which academic discipline (Phenomenology, sociology, anthropology, history or psychology) would you use to to an analysis of this group or these practices?

Watch closely the man in the suit 22 seconds into the video. Does he go up or down at first?

Have you ever experienced anything like this?




Compare what you see in this video with some of the miracles of Jesus. What is similar? What is different?

Luke 5:12-15 (pay special attention to 14 "tell no one")

Luke 8:49-56 (also notice verse 56 - "he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened")

Matthew 9:27-31 (again, read verse 30 - "Jesus warned them sternly 'See that no one knows about this'")

Are there any ethical guidelines to how sacred power should be used? What are the dangers of sacred power?

SACRED POWER AND THE EXPERIENCE OF THE HOLY

Here is the Prezi for Week 3, SACRED POWER

The Greek gods and goddesses

(left: Zeus)
hi class,

I am preparing to teach an online course in Spanish on Greek and Roman religion. I found a cool website with descriptions of the Greek gods and goddesses if you are interested; I know this is not exactly part of our course (REL2011) but some of you might find it interesting.

http://www.listal.com/list/titansthe-olympians-greek-heroes

There are actually three different (or even more) kinds of Greek gods, the Titans, the Olypmpians and the Greek Heroes.

The Titans,The Olympians and The Greek Heroes

Added by Vrajitoarea

on 1 Jan 2013 01:59

check it out. It has great graphics images of all the gods and goddess ...  (right: Aphrodite, goddess of love)

Grammar test, I got 14 out of 15, can you beat me?

Before I start grading your essays and online film discussions, let's have a little fun and test your grammar. Can any of you beat me? I got 14 out of 15 on this test.

Take the Grammar Test.

To go take the grammar quiz, click here or go to the following URL:

http://en.what-character-are-you.com/d/en/927/0.html


Please come back and share your results in this blog post!

Prof. Holbrook

Get a certificate or a minor in religious studies

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.

Brainfall "goodness vs. evil" test

Here is a fun test to take to measure your ratio of "good vs. evil." Of course, do not take it too seriously ....

How good or evil are you?

I came out 83/17 .... what did you get?


http://www.brainfall.com/quizzes/how-good-evil-are-you/2277t2/

Hell no! You guys were ALL GOOD ... I can testify to that ...

However, a little naughty is sometimes nice ..


<-- like this sign I saw at Starbucks today ...

Festival of Dangerous Ideas 2013: Lawrence Krauss & Peter Rollins - New Religions vs. New Atheism

Published on Nov 6, 2013

Have the new atheists won the battle of ideas by proving that religion isn't true? Scientists and philosophers such as Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens and Lawrence Krauss have brought a new fire to debates on religion and belief by using the tools of logic and scientific method to dismantle the 'God Hypothesis.' But the response of 'new religion' is that theology cannot necessarily be understood by evidence or facts. As with the belief in equality or the belief that torture is wrong, defending religious belief in this misses the point. According to Peter Rollins, "faith is not placed into danger by being exposed as counter-factual," and to try and defend it in this way is to undermine its very nature. Can these contemporary views of religion open a new front in the atheism vs. religion battle? Or are they just a strategy to co-opt the middle ground for the religious? Join new atheism's most entertaining exponent Lawrence Krauss and postmodern religious firebrand Peter Rollins for a challenging debate.

Chair: Simon Longstaff is Executive Director of St James Ethics Centre, and is co-curator of Festival of Dangerous Ideas.

Lawrence M. Krauss is a renowned cosmologist and science communicator, and is the author of recent bestseller A Universe From Nothing.

Peter Rollins is a leading figure of the postmodern Christianity movement and author of books such as How (Not) to Speak of God and Insurrection.