Religious Education (Catholic) 25 – Page 3

God’s Not Dead Assignment

Directions: Answer ALL of the questions below. The page titled, Movie Study Assignment Rubric, will be used to assess this reflection. It can be found on the left side under pages (5th from the bottom). When finished, print off your response and hand in or email it to Mr. S.

INTRODUCTION: There are no shortage of self proclaimed theists (e.g. Christians), atheists, or agnostics. For example, British actor Daniel Radcliffe, known for his role as Harry Potter, declared he was an atheist in a 2009 interview. “I’m an atheist, but I’m very relaxed about it” he was quoted as saying. Angus T. Jones, child actor who played Jake Harper on the American sitcom, Two and half Men, proclaimed, “Even though it’s my job to be an actor, I have given my life to God”. Jones is a self-proclaimed Christian theist. Antonio Banderas, a a Spanish film actor, film director, film producer and singer, once said, “I have to recognize that I am agnostic”.

QUESTIONS: 1) Clearly explain the difference between an atheist, theist and an agnostic? 2) If you were challenged to defend your beliefs, like Josh was, what would you do? Would you have integrity? Would you be a follower? Would you be a coward? Explain what you think you would do. 3) Every person fits into one of the three categories (atheist, theist or agnostic). Which of the three categories would you be in? Decide where you belong and clearly DEFEND why you claim to be either atheist, theist or agnostic. When you declare yourself to be one of these then you MUST be able to fully explain why you believe what you believe. Otherwise you are NOT what you claim to be. This is what you are being asked to do so in this assignment.

NOTE: You are NOT being graded on your beliefs. Your beliefs are between you and God (whether you believe in God or not). What you are being graded on is how much thought you have given to the topic and to think about why you believe what you believe. See the rubric to understand how this assignment will be evaluated. Also understand that your beliefs will continue to evolve and change as you gain more life experience and learn more about the topic.

God’s Not Dead Reflection

Directions: Answer ALL of the questions below. The page titled, Reflection Rubric, will be used to access this reflection. It can be found on the left side (third from top) under pages. When finished, print off your response and hand in or email it to Mr. S.

INTRODUCTION: Dr. Radisson gives the class their first assignment. He passes out blank papers, and demands that each student write, “God is dead” and signs their names in order to get a passing grade. Josh refuses, so the professor forces him to take an alternate assignment; Josh will be given time in the next three lectures to prove the existence of God. If the students in his class are convinced, he passes the assignment. If not, he fails the semester, and thus his chances at a prestigious law degree.

Thomas Jefferson once said, “In matters of style, swim with the current. In matters of principle, stand like a rock”.

QUESTIONS: What Jefferson is referring to when he says, “…In matters of principle, stand like a rock” is integrity. 1) What is integrity? 2) Is Josh taking a stand an example of integrity? How so? 3) Are the other 70 plus students in the class just cowards or followers which is what Jefferson is referring to when he says, “In matters of style, swim with the current…”? Explain your reasoning.

Oremus Bible Browser Link

Bible Browser Link

Religous Studies: The Human Experience Reflection #2

Directions: Answer the question below. The page titled, Reflection Rubric, will be used to access this reflection. It can be found on the left side (third from top) under pages. When finished, print off your response and hand in or email it to Mr. S.

Experience II: The abandoned children of Peru

Anna Halpine, World Youth Alliance stated, “In the West today, many young people do not have a meaning and purpose to their life. They’re looking to say, does my life matter? Do I have a unique contribution to make… In the developing countries, this is much more clear…for them it…[is a] a need to survive…to get an education…a job because someone needs me…when you recognize that you have a real mission, an indispensable contribution to make, then you embrace life, you celebrate life in a completely different way”.

Questions: Have people, especially young people, in the Western World lost their way? In other words, have they lost their sense of purpose and as a result no longer live life fully and joyfully? Provide reasons for your answer. Could it be true that people in the third world (e.g. Africa) really do embrace life more fully and celebrate life more than us in the 1st world? It states in John 10:10b, “I [Jesus] came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” What is it about Jesus and/or his message that might allow people to live life fully and joyfully? If you are not familiar with some of Jesus’ messages, click the link, Jesus’ message of love. Could love (in this case agape love) bring joy and fulfillment? Always justify your answers with examples, supporting quotes, etc.

Religious Studies 25: Who is Jesus? Webquest

Directions:

Use Google images, to search for artist’s portrayals of Jesus.
Pick out the artist’s picture that BEST portrays the Jesus as you believe he was. COPY the image and place it into a word document. Write a brief explanation indicating what it is in the picture that reveals the “real” Jesus to you.
Pick out the artist’s picture that LEAST portrays the Jesus as you believe he was. COPY the image and place it into a word document. Write a brief explanation indicating what it is in the picture that least reveals the “real” Jesus to you.

Examples

This image best portrays Jesus because he is laughing. The bible says Jesus was loving person. In John 13:35, it says, By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’ Disciples follow their leader, so Jesus must have been loving. Disciples wanted to be with Jesus, and they won’t want to be with someone who is unhappy, sad or angry. Therefore, for me, loving people to me are joyous and happy people.

This image least portrays Jesus because he is angry. Rarely does the bible ever speak of Jesus being angry. The only example that I know of was when Jesus cleared the temple of the moneychangers and animal-sellers. Loving people are rarely angry. For me, loving people, such as Jesus, are joyous and happy people. They are not angry people.

Religious Studies: The Human Experience Assignment

Directions: Answer the questions below. The page titled, Movie Assignment Rubric, will be used to access this reflection. It can be found on the left side (fifth from bottom) under pages. When finished, print off your response and hand in or email it to Mr. S. Remember, Assignments are worth much more than reflection questions.

Read the following quotes, then answer the question(s) that follow

Jeffrey Azize, the younger of the two brothers, when referring to the homeless people of New York City, asks, “What keeps them going? Why is it that they wake up every day? What is their reason for living? “

The New York homeless African American says, “I’m homeless and I’m happy”.

Dr. William B. Hurlbut M.D. stated, “No matter how bad off a person is…for every body their life was a treasure for them…life is worth living because it just is. It’s not the nature of life to be despairing. Its the nature of life is to be hopeful”

Mama Terri, Permanent volunteer Children’s Home said, “And the joy of living, this is what the kids have… because they want to live, so they don’t mind how painful it is”.

Mama Terri also stated, “Its not what we gave them [the abandoned children]. Its what they gave us. Because they gave us the reason to live”.

The lepers of Ghana experienced their families abandoning them , and thus consequently were forced to live away from others in a colony. Yet they were happy. They were happy that the “band” of brothers came. One of the lepers even exclaimed, “We are happy people!”

Questions: 1) How do you explain the happiness of these people? 2) Why are people (homeless of NYC, abandoned children of Peru and Lepers of Ghana) that you would expect to be depressed and wanting to give up on life, happy? Perhaps the article B eing Happy: Secrets of Happy People might be helpful in answering this question. 3) What did the band of brothers discover about the human experience? 4) What do you think is the central message of this movie?

Religious Studies: The Human Experience Reflection #1

Directions: Answer ONE of questions below. The page titled, Reflection Rubric, will be used to access this reflection. It can be found on the left side (third from top) under pages. When finished, print off your response and hand in or email it to Mr. S.

Experience I: Homeless people of New York City

Jeffrey Azize said, “Everyone lives differently. When you go somewhere out of your own comfort zone; out of your own realm, and you enter someone else’s; that’s learning”. In other words, Jeff is saying the same thing as the proverb, “Never judge a man until you’ve walked a mile [1.6 km] in his shoes.”

In John 8:12-15 it says, Again Jesus spoke to them saying, ‘I am the light of the world…you judge by human standards; I judge no one.'” In Matthew 7:1-2 it says, Do not judge so that you may not be judged. For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get.”

Questions: Is Jesus, in scripture, saying the same thing as Jeffery? Explain why or why not. Christian Slater, an actor, says, “Good judgement comes from experience. Sometimes, experience comes from bad judgement”. Jeffry in the movie exemplifies Slater’s quote. Explain how Jeffry and his brother’s experience as a homeless people provides evidence that Slater’s quote is true.

You may want to read these texts in context to help you with your response. The Oremus Bible Browser will aid you in doing this.

Jeffrey Azize stated: “You become more humble… you can feel the humility that the homeless people go through. And I don’t know. It’s different… my whole heart feels different.

In Matthew 18.4, it says, “Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” In Colossians 3:12-17, it is written, “As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.” You may want to read these texts in context to help you with your response.

Questions: What does it mean to be humble or have humility? Explain why humility would be one of the qualities of holiness? How is it possible for a person to have humility in our 21st century world when our society teaches us to be competitive; encouraging us to be number 1?

Religious Studies 25: Little Buddha Reflection Question

Instructions: Answer the questions below. The page titled, Reflection Rubric, will be used to access this reflection. It can be found on the left side (third from top) under pages. When finished, print off your response and hand in or email it to Mr. S.

The movie involves two stories happening simultaneously. One is the story of Prince Siddhartha and the other is the story involving Jesse Conrad.

Jesse asks the Lama, “Was Buddha a God?” The Monk responds with, “No, a real person. Like Jesus. Yes, like Jesus.” Christians, on the other hand, believe that Jesus is the Son of God, both human and divine. 1) Do Buddhists believe the same thing, that is, Buddha (the enlightened Siddhartha) is both human and God? Explain (you may have review what you have learned about Buddhism in class), 2) How is the story of Siddhartha similar to that of Jesus? How is this story different to that of Jesus? Provide at least two specific examples. 3) What is the biggest difference between Buddhism and Christianity? Explain your thinking.

Religious Studies 25: Pay it Forward Reflection

Directions: Answer the following two questions. Print your response and hand it in or email it to me. The page on the left titled, Reflection Rubric, will be used to evaluate your response.

Introduction: A Los Angeles reporter, Chris Chandler, interviews Trevor McKinney. Trevor says the following:

“…I don’t know. I think some people are too scared or something. I think things can be different and I mean the world’s not exactly “shit”. I guess it’s hard for people who are used to things the way they are. Even when they’re bad to change. They kind of give up. When they do you kind of lose”.

1. Are people scared to change things? Can the world be a better place? What are your thoughts? Mahatma Gandhi gives 10 suggestions to change the world. Read the article, Gandhi’s Top 10 Fundamentals for Changing the World. Select one suggestion from Gandhi’s list and explain how you could use the suggestion to help you bring about changes for a better world.

Introduction: Trevor gets killed during a fight where he was trying to help his friend, Adam. John 15:13 says, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends”.

2. Explain how is this an act of Agape love? Are there people in this world who love selflessly (i.e that love agape style) that they would even lay down their life to save someone else? Explain your reasoning. Do you know of any non-fictional examples of this kind of love? If you do, explain the example.

RS World Religions Research Project

Religion 15: Western World Religions: Christianity, Islam & Judaism

Religion 25: Eastern World Religions: Hinduism or Buddhism

Religion 35: Eastern World Religions: Confucianism, Taoism & Sikhism

Objectives:

To explore the great world religions .
To produce a visual creation to relay information about a world religion.
To discover common elements between the world religions.

Part 1: RESEARCH Each pair will be assigned one of the world religions (RS 15: Christianity, Judaism, & Islam; RS 25: Buddhism & Hinduism, RS 35: Confucianism, Taoism & Sikhism) to research. Completing the Research Info Chart will do this. REMEMBER, the chart also includes a timeline. To download a digital version of this chart, use the following chart: research_info_chart

World Religions Information

Keep in mind that these sites contain general information about the world religions. For example, it discusses Christianity’s basics beliefs. There may be differences between the different traditions of Christians such as between the Catholic and Anglican Church.

Comparison Chart (Has a good comparision table. You need to input the names of the religions you wish to compare)

World Religions map

Major Religions of the World (Select the religion you are researching using the links on the left hand side of the web page)

For Grade 10s, here another site related to the Islam (Muslim) faithThe Muslim experience in Canada

There is also the textbook in the classroom.

Using “Google” will also locate many useful sites. Be sure to critique the site to determine if it contains credible information. There are also numerous resources in the library.

Be sure to keep a record of the sites (URLs) and books used for the research so it can be recorded in your bibliography. To site resources properly, go to How to site references.

Part II: VISUAL CREATION Create a poster or power point presentation, using no more than ten words or phrases, that shows others what is important within your assigned religion.

For looking up bible verse, this link might be helpful.

oremus Bible Browser (just put in your scripture request e.g. 1 John 3:6-8 and up pops the text)

The rubric used for this assignment:

World Religions Project Rubric