New Rounup 10.15.11

Some Christians are embracing the Occupy Wall Street movement

• Would Jesus Occupy Wall Street? Christian Post
• Coming to light: A recent rash of attacks on the Amish Associated Press
• Tightening their grip: Kazakhstan passes restrictive religious legislation Time
• Is Buddhism the secret to living longer? Chankra News
• Christian school removes alumni from webpage because he's gay WSYX-TV
• Mormons aren't Christians? Really? Time 

Assignment: Synthesis Essay

Atheists are increasingly visible in 21st century American society

How would you characterize 2011 America's view of atheists? Do you believe they receive fair representation in the media? Is our society generally accepting of their perspectives? Do we reserve a space for non-believers in our national discussions? In a concise essay, synthesize the following diverse texts into a "snapshot" of contemporary America's view of atheists:

• Interview with Dave Silverman from The O’Reilly Factor (FoxNews)
• “Fox News Facebook Page Gets 8,000 Death Threats” (All Facebook)
• “Reading the Bible (or the Koran, or the Torah) Will Make You an Atheist” (BigThink)
• “Culture War Update—The Dividening of America—American Atheists vs. Ground Zero Cross” from The Daily Show (Comedy Central)
• “Lisa the Skeptic” from The Simpsons (FOX)
• “Coming Out of the (Atheist) Closet” (The Harvard Crimson)
• “Atheism Billboard Greets O.C. Drivers (Los Angeles Times)
• “In US, Atheists Know Religion Better than Believers. Is that Bad?” (Christian Science Monitor)
• Scene from Bill Maher: But I’m Not Wrong (HBO)

Requirements:

• MLA format, including parenthetical citation
• 3-page minimum 

The best papers will:

• Stay within the parameters of the prompt
• Have a concise thesis
• Find "common threads" amongst a diverse group of texts and combine them to create a "snapshot" of America's view of atheists
• Properly cite evidence using MLA's parenthetical citation method
• Conclude with a summation of your points
• Be in MLA Style

Due: Mo 10.17 (Bring three copies)

Week 08: Mayans

The Temple of Kukulkan (or "El Castillo") was a major religious site

Mo 10.10
Read: eR—Interview with Dave Silverman from The O’Reilly Factor (FoxNews), “Fox News Facebook Page Gets 8,000 Death Threats” (All Facebook), “Reading the Bible (or the Koran, or the Torah) Will Make You an Atheist” (BigThink), “Culture War Update—The Dividening of America—American Atheists vs. Ground Zero Cross” from The Daily Show (Comedy Central)
Class: Watch—“Lisa the Skeptic” from The Simpsons (FOX)

We 10.12
Read: eR—“Coming Out of the (Atheist) Closet” (Harvard Crimson), “Atheism Billboard Greets O.C. Drivers (Los Angeles Times), “In US, Atheists Know Religion Better than Believers. Is that Bad?” (Christian Science Monitor); Scene from Bill Maher: But I’m Not Wrong (HBO)
Class: Reading discussion; Presentations; Assignment—Synthesis essay
Due: PERSUASUVE ESSAY; REFLECTION 4

UPCOMING:

Week 9
Mo 10.17
Class: Presentations; Writers workshop
Due: SYNTHESIS ESSAY (DRAFT 1, BRING IN THREE COPIES)

We 10.19
Read: GO—0:00-35:18
Class: Guest speaker TBA

News Roundup 10.08.11

Buddhism's mantras of focus and simplicity guided Apple's late CEO

• Steve Jobs, Buddhist Wall Street Journal
• Evangelical pastor survey: Mormons are not Christians Huffington Post
• Pressure mounting on Christians in the new Egypt Associated Press
• Muslim SJSU woman, removed from Southwest flight, sues USA Today
• Catholic League: Madonna not right for Super Bowl Christian Post
• Pentagon: Military chaplains may perform same-sex marriages Washington Post

Reflection 04: If You Believe—The Existance of Miracles

Charleston Heston as Moses in the Bible's dramatic parting the Red Sea

Do you believe in miracles, those events attributed to divine intervention? For example, can a patient with terminal cancer be cured of disease through prayer? Or can a person rid themselves of a harmful addiction through a steadfast adherence to faith? How do you rationalize so-called miracles? Perhaps you believe that what some consider miraculous actually has a basis in natural law? Maybe upon hearing of such events, you immediately search for a logical explanation? But whether you believe or you don't, these extraordinary events occur occasionally. The question is: How do you explain them?

Include at least two of the following in your discussion:

• "Do You Believe in Miracles? Most Americans Do" (NPR)
• "Exploring the Science of Miracles" (Washington Post)
  
•  "Scientists Explain Red Sea Parting and Other Miracles" (ABCNews)
• "Of Signs and Miracles: Lourdes, 1968" (Salon)

Required:

• MLA Style
• Must be exactly two-full pages in length

Due: We 10.12

Assignment: Persuasive Essay

Should Adam and Eve be taught as science in American public schools?

For several decades, some segments of American Christianity have pushed for Creationism, the creation myth of the Bible, to be included in the country's public schools, either supplanting Evolution or, at least, presented with equal weight. They argue that Creationism is not only divinely-directed, but scientifically sound, and therefore, appropriate to be taught in schools. In reality, the issue is part of a larger continuing debate about the divisions between religious and secular interests in our society. What do you believe is the appropriate place, if any, for Creationism in a public school education? Does it belong in a science lab? A humanities classroom? Or not at all? What are the consequences of having Creationism in (or out) of American schools? Finally, how does Intelligent Design changes the parameters of the debate? In a clear and concise persuasive essay, argue for the most appropriate role for Creationism in an American education. Cite from the texts below to support your thesis:

• “The Crusade Against Evolution” (Wired)
• “Intelligent Designer” (Salon)
• “In Defense of Evolution” (NOVA)
• “God by the Numbers” (ChristianityToday)
• “Paul Bettany’s Journey to the Dawn of Creation” (Vanity Fair)
• “Governor Perry, Like Many Christians, Wants to Leave Room for God” (Washington Post)
• “Teaching Evolution: A State-by-State Debate” (NPR)
• “The Evolution of Creationism” (Salon)
• “The Texas-Size Debate over Teaching Evolution” (Newsweek)
• “Defending Intelligent Design” (NOVA)
• “Board vs. Teachers” (NOVA)
• “Evangelicals Question the Existence of Adam and Eve” (NPR)
• “Evolution vs. Creationism: Study Reveals Public School Science Lagging” (Huffington Post)

Requirements:

• MLA format, including parenthetical citation
• 3-page minimum

The best papers will:

• Have a concise thesis with a clear argument about the appropriate role of Creationism in schools
• Utilize rhetorical techniques in order to convince readers of your position
• Support their thesis with solid evidence organized in a logical structure
• Properly cite evidence, using MLA's parenthetical citation method
• Conclude with a summation of your points
• Be in MLA Style

Due: We 10.12

Week 07: Catholics

Michelangelo's Pieta in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican

Mo 10.3
Read: eR—“The Evolution of Creationism” (Salon), “The Texas-Size Debate over Teaching Evolution” (Newsweek), “Defending Intelligent Design” (NOVA)
Class: Reading discussion; Lecture—“The Fundamentals of Rhetoric;” Assignment—Persuasive essay

We 10.5
Read: eR—“Board vs. Teachers” (NOVA), “Evangelicals Question the Existence of Adam and Eve” (NPR), “Evolution vs. Creationism: Study Reveals Public School Science Lagging” (Huffington Post)
Class: Carrielynn Haedtler, Church of Christ Scientists

UPCOMING:

Week 8
Mo 10.10
Read: eR—Interview with Dave Silverman from The O’Reilly Factor (FoxNews), “Fox News Facebook Page Gets 8,000 Death Threats” (All Facebook), “Reading the Bible (or the Koran, or the Torah) Will Make You an Atheist” (BigThink), “Culture War Update—The Dividening of America—American Atheists vs. Ground Zero Cross” from The Daily Show (Comedy Central)
Class: Watch—“Lisa the Skeptic” from The Simpsons (FOX)

We 10.12
Read: eR—“Coming Out of the (Atheist) Closet” (The Harvard Crimson), “Atheism Billboard Greets O.C. Drivers (Los Angeles Times), “In US, Atheists Know Religion Better than Believers. Is that Bad?” (The Christian Science Monitor); Scene from Bill Maher: But I’m Not Wrong (HBO)
Class: Reading discussion; Presentations; Assignment—Synthesis essay
Due: PERSUASUVE ESSAY; REFLECTION 4