Day1

RachelL.Day
MaryMartin
English110
29November2015

Diversity&Democracy
Eveninacountryfoundedontheprinciplesofreligiousfreedom,opendialogueabout
religiousdifferencesisthesourceofdeepseatedanxietyinclassrooms.Asfaculty,staff,and
administratorspreparestudentstoliveinaworldwherereligiousbeliefsgreatlyinfluenceglobal
relations,theymustenterthedeepanduncertainwatersofspiritualityandreligiousinquiry.
Studentsneedandoftenrequestguidanceaboutthesetopicsthatarerestrictedfromtheir
personalidentityandtheirpreparationforpublicroles.Knowingthatbeliefaffectslearning
acrossdisciplines,fromphysicstohistorytopoliticalscience,doesspiritualitybelonginour
publicculture?Howdowebesteducatestudentsforconversationacrossreligiousdivides?
Weweresupposetobethefuturegeneration.Thehopefortheworld.Butweweliveinaquick
fixsociety,andrefusetotakethehighroadandtrytounderstandourdifferences.Societysimply
placesanxacrossitandlabelitterrorism.Noonewantstoliveinfear.Whenweareinpain,
wewanttobuyorgetourhandsonsomethingthatwillvanquishallourfearandanxiety.
Unfortunately,thishasleadtothedeathofmany.Ourphysicalworldseemsreadyandableto
accommodatetheneedsofthespirituallyawakenednewSuperhuman.Theconstraintsor
demandsofourmaterialworldarenottherealproblemitisourownspiritualawarenessand


Day2

philosophicalwisdomthatislaggingbehind.(AnthonSt.Maarten,
DivineLiving
)Ifweare
everexpectedtomoveforward,weneedtotakeastepintherightdirection.
Foravarietyofreasons,manyeducatorsareunderstandablyreluctanttoraisethetopicof
religionintheclassroom.Theymayworryaboutoffendingastudent,misrepresentingatradition,
orfavoringonebeliefsystemoveranother.Butreligionplaysasignificantroleinhistoryand
society,studyaboutreligionisessentialtounderstandingournationandourworld.Shuttingout
factsaboutreligiongivestudentsfalseideasofreligiouslifeandmakesitseeminsignificant.
Failuretounderstandevenbasicsymbols,practices,andconceptsofvariousreligionsmakesour
history,literature,art,andcontemporarylifemeaningless.ItwouldbehardtoteachNathaniel
HawthornesTheScarletLetterwithouttalkingaboutthePuritans.Ifstudentsaretofunctionas
globallycompetentcitizens,theyneedtounderstandreligion'sprofoundimpactonhistory,
politics,society,andculture.Theyshouldknowbasicreligiousfactsandprinciplesand
recognizethediversitythatexistswithineachbeliefsystemacrosstimeandplace.Familiarity
withcentralreligioustextsisalsoimportant,andit'slegaltostudythesetextsinpublicschools,
aslongasthepurposeiseducationalandnotpersonalordevotional.Forexample,theBiblecan
bestudiedasapieceofliteraturethathasinfluencedmanyclassicworks.Ifwewanttogiveour
futureafullwellroundededucationwemustincludereligion.
Publicschoolsmustbeplaceswherereligionandreligiousconvictionaretreatedwith
fairnessandrespect.PublicschoolsupholdtheFirstAmendmentwhentheyprotectthereligious
libertyrightsofstudentsofallfaithsornone.Schoolsdemonstratefairnesswhentheyensurethat
thecurriculumincludesstudyaboutreligion,whereappropriate,asanimportantpartofa
completeeducation(TheFirstAmendmentinSchools:AResourceGuide)Notonlyisit


Day3

perfectlylegaltoteachaboutreligioninunbiasedandacademicallysoundways,buteducators
havearesponsibilitytodoso.Religiouslymotivatedhatecrimesareontherise.Moreandmore
peoplearebeingattackedforsimplybeingassociatedwitharaceorreligion.Yourealways
livinginfear.Imeanawomaninaburkaoramanwithabeardwilltrynottogooutatnight,
avoidpubs,avoiddarkalleyways,avoidstoppingnearacarandspeakingwithsomeonelooking
fordirections.Itsalljustfear.(VeiledMuslimWomen,HidingBehindtheDoor)By
encouragingstudentstounderstandandrespectpeopleofdifferentreligiousbeliefs,wewilllive
inasaferworld.Ibelieveinordertoprepareourgenerationtoliveinaworldwithsuchharsh
realitiesweneedtolearnmoreaboutreligion.Itshouldconsistofafewmajorreligionsthathave
astrongimpactintheworld.Themoreyoungstudentslearnabouttheworld,themoretheywill
understandwhycertainthingshappen.Mostpeopleofthehighschoolageoryoungeronlyhave
knowledgeoftheirownreligion,ornoneatall.Ifreligionismademandatoryinpublicschools,
studentswillhaveaccesstotheknowledgeofreligionsbeyondtheirown.
AmericaisoneofthemostreligiouslydiversecountriesonEarthandyetweremain
dangerouslyignorantaboutreligion.Toensurethatstudentsoflessfamiliarculturesand
religioustraditionsfeelincludedandsafeintheirlearningcommunities,teachersneedtoprovide
opportunitiesforallstudentstoshareuniqueaspectsoftheiridentities.Astheirclassmates
becomemoreeducatedaboutthesedifferences,thelikelihoodofexclusivityandbullying
diminishes.Ayoung,muslimboysaidhowhispeerstoreoffhispatka(thereligioushead
coveringhewore),andhowanotherboystoodbyhislockersaid,Hey,isthereabombinyour
locker?Theboywentofftoreporttheotherchildrenbuthewassimplyignored.WhenItold
myfriendsaboutwhathappenedtome,theyfoundithilariousthatIreportedit.Becausethey


Day4

thinkitssomethingweirdtodo,theyrejustsousedtoittheynolongerviewitasahatecrime
atall.(Muslimyouth,HidingBehindtheDoor)Welearnracismearlyinlife.Rightoutofthe
wombweassociateourselfswiththingsthatarefamiliar,fromsound,touch,andsight.Ifwe
growupinonlyonetypeofenvironmentthenwewillonlyliveinfearofanewone.
Adaybeforethanksgivingmygrandmotherstoppedbymyhouse.Shehadalwaysbeena
believerofreligiousstereotypes,butthiseveningshetookafrighteningapproachbystating
SyrianrefugeesareinvadingtheunitedStates,describingthemnotasdesperatepeople,alarge
numberofwhomare
children
,fleeingwarandviolence.Butasevilterroristswhoarenot
comingtodestroyAmerica.Ithurtmeseeingherinthislight.Ihadalwaysthoughtofherasa
sweetladywithpassionforquilting.Shehardlyeverspokeofanythingelse,buttheracistliving
insideherfoundthecontrols.Shethenwentontohow,allMuslimsareterrorists.Then
describingrecentclaimsbytheleadingtheGOPcandidatepool,DonaldTrump.Thathesaw
thousandsofMuslimpeoplecheeringinNewJerseyonSeptember11whentheWorldTrade
Centerbuildingscollapsed.Policeandreporterswhoranfactcheckshave
denied
ithappened,as
havemembersofthelocalMuslimcommunity.Now,everydayIseeherIknowthatIhaveto
holdmytongue.Iamnotallowedtofightinmyownbeliefs.Iamforcedtolistentoherrantsof
extremists.Knowingfullwellofalltheinformationsheislacking.OnedayIaskedherWhat
doyouknowaboutMuslims?MuslimsliveintheMiddleEast.Muslimssupportviolenceand
terrorism.MuslimsareengagedinJihad(war)againstus.Islamoppresseswomen.Muslimsare
ignorantanddontvalueeducation.Muslimsplacelittlevalueonwomen,familylife,and
children.MuhammadwasthefounderofIslam,andMuslimsworshiphim.Weneverhear
Muslimsspeakagainstterrorism,andtheysupportextremists.Ineverknewhowmuch


Day5

misconceptioncouldchangeaperson.Shedidntunderstandanyofthereligion.SoIdecidedto
gooutandtrytolearnfirsthandwhatamuslimis.
SowhatactuallyisaMuslim?AMuslimisapersonwhofollowthereligionofIslam.Thevast
majorityofMuslimsaremoderate,piouspeoplewhosuffermorefromterrorismandviolence
thannonMuslims.NinetythreepercentofMuslimsdonotsupportextremistviewsofterrorism.
ThemeaningoftheArabicwordjihadisstruggle.Itusuallymeansastruggleofonessoul
againsttheselfandsinfuldesires.Muslimsrefertothisinnerstruggleasthegreaterjihad.
Muslimsalsohavesocialcampaignstoendpovertyandhungerwhichtheyalsocalljihad.Most
oftheoppressionofwomenbyIslamandMuslimsthatishighlypublicizedisusuallydueto
localcustomsandtraditions.Muslimwomenhavebeenpresidentsandprimeministers.Violence
towardswomenandforcingthemagainsttheirwillisnotpermittedbyIslam.Careforwidows,
orphans,andthepoorisoneofIslamsstrongestteachings.(IslamicBeliefs)Thisisjustsomeof
theinformationIlearninsuchashortperiodoftime.Ifmoreofuswentoutofourwaytolearn
othersidesoftheargumentwewouldhavemorepeaceinourlife.Ihurtforthoseunconsciousto
thesefindings.Theymustbesoscaredallthetime.
TheHandsofGod,byDeborahRudacilleandAfraidofOurselves,byDianaL.Eck
aretwostoriesinRereadingAmericathatdonothavesimilarsubjectsbutcanbecompared
basedontheirmainpoints.Thekeypointinbothoftheseisthetermdifference.Manypeople
lookatthiswordinanegativemannerbutyetitisatermthatsignifiestheunknown.Rudacilles
essayisfocusedontransgenderissuesandthewayinwhichmostpeopleviewthisprocess.She
usesexamplesfromaprofessoroftheUniversityofHawaiiwhousesdistinctcharacteristics
suchasheightandweighttoexplainthateveryoneisdifferentinonewayoranotherandnotjust


Day6

transgenderedpeople.Hequotes,Differenceisadirtywordtomany(458).Rudacillethen
goesontoexplainallthetroublesandprejudicesthatatranssexualwouldencounterthroughout
one'slife.Itisarecurringdifficultythattheymustbypassinordertomaintainhappinesswith
theirgenderidentity.Ecksessayisfocusedmoreonthereligiousaspectofdifferencehowever,
thereisstillprejudicethatisperceivedbythesocalleddifferent.Eckstartsheressay
describingallthedifferentreligiousbackgroundinasmallFloridacommunity.Thengoingonto
describeasimplewhitemaninFloridathatrespondedtotheessay.Hewentonsayinghowthere
shouldbenootherreligioninAmericabesideschristianandhowallotherreligionswereonly
aftertodestroyourpeacefulcountry.ShequotesdifferencesuchasInallthesecaseslooking
differentmaysometimestriggeruneasinessandevenfear
thefearthatwedonotknowwho

theyareorperhapsthatwedonotknowwhoweare.AsAmericans,weareliterallyafraid
ofourselves(696).Eckistryingtoprovetousthatmaybeitisnotthemthatweareafraidof,
maybeitisourselves.Maybewedontevenknowexactlywhoweareanditscaresustosee
differentpeoplesosatisfiedwiththeirappearancesandlives.Bothwritersencouragethe
acceptanceofdifferenceinoursociety.Theywantpeopletorealizetheprejudiceweare
puttingonpeoplebecauseoftheirchoicesandthewaysinwhichitdeeplyaffectstheirlives.
Theyarealreadytryingtoovercomethesocietypressuresandusputtingmorecriticismonthem
isonlygoingtoweakentheirminds.Differenceisnotabadthing.
Thisholidayseasonanewcontroversyappeared.AccordingtoJoshuaFeuerstein,the
StarbuckscoffeecorporationwasstartingawaronChristmas.Itallstartedwhenthenewdesign
fortheholidayscupswereasimple,andplainredthisyear,Insteadoftheusuallyhanddrawn
holidayimagery.JoshuathenwentevenfurtherdescribinghowthecompanyhatesJesus.Inthe


Day7

pastthecompanyhasneverdisplayedanyscenescoincidingwithanyreligionatall.Itwasall
winterthemed,fromreindeertosnowmen.Manypeoplefollowedsuitwithhim,andstarteda
movementtoboycottStarbucks.AgroupofpeopleinVancouver,Canadathencreatedsleeves
forthecupswithasimplemessage,ItsJustACupOnthebackofthedesignitdescribedhow
pointlessthisfeudwasandtriedtoshowhowthiswastheleastchristmasythingyoucoulddo
duringtheholidayseason.Theargumentwascompletelypointless.Weneedtofocusourtime
andenergyincausesthatneedourhelp.Weaschristiansseemtolosesightofwhatreally
mattersinourworld.
Weareunforgiving.Weareracist.Wearestubborn.Christianwillgoonandonabout
howtoloveyourneighborbutwecan'tfollowourcommandmentsourself.Thenwegoand
judgeotherfornotfollowing.Weneedtolearntobealightforothers,aninspirationormodel.
Wehaveenoughpeoplefightingforourreligion,nowitistimetotalkthetalk.Withonlypeople
fightingitisnowonderwhysomanypeoplelookdownonthereligion.AccordingtoRom
12:172113:8Donotrepayanyoneevilforevil.Becarefultodowhatisrightintheeyesof
everybody.Ifitispossible,asfarasitdependsonyou,liveatpeacewitheveryone.Donottake
revenge,myfriends,butleaveroomforGod'swrath,foritiswritten:"ItisminetoavengeIwill
repay,"saystheLord.Onthecontrary:"Ifyourenemyishungry,feedhimifheisthirsty,give
himsomethingtodrink.Indoingthis,youwillheapburningcoalsonhishead."Donotbe
overcomebyevil,butovercomeevilwithgood....Letnodebtremainoutstanding,exceptthe
continuingdebttoloveoneanother,forhewholoveshisfellowmanhasfulfilledthelaw.Weare
meanttobehereforothers,andthroughouttheentirebibleitstartstoliveinhisword.Itmakes
mewonderhowmanyofusarelivinglies.


Day8

Ihopeourgenerationwillgetitright.Thatwewillstartacceptingnewideasandfinda
peacebetweenbrothers.Wedontneedanxietytofightallourbattlesanymore,ifwecouldjust
becomemoreknowledgeableofothersbeliefsandhonorthem.SomedayIwillnothavetofear
havingbeliefs,butuntilthatdaycomesweneedtoteachalldifferentreligionstoeveryone.Then
wewillnothavetofear,duetobeinguneducated.


Day9

WorksCited
Breitbart,."Pew:MuslimsWillBeLargestWorldReligionByEndOfCentury".N.p.,
2015.Web.14Dec.2015.
Corey,Ben."TheBloodOfAmericanChristianityWillBeTheSeedOfTheChurch".
MennoniteWorldReview
.N.p.,2015.Web.14Dec.2015.
Crosswalk.com,."What<I>Would</I>JesusDo:DiscerningWhichBiblicalLaws
Matter,AndWhichDon't".N.p.,2015.Web.14Dec.2015.
DesMoinesRegister,."Christians,PleaseStopWhining".N.p.,2015.Web.14Dec.
2015.
DesiringGod,."TrueFaithWillMakeYouAFighter".N.p.,2015.Web.14Dec.2015.
Gasca,Peter."3LessonsFromStarbucks'RedCup'Controversy'".
Entrepreneur
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2015.Web.14Dec.2015.
Rapidnet.com,."WhatTheBibleSaysAbout"Christian"Activism/JustWars/Passive
Resistance".N.p.,2015.Web.14Dec.2015.
Reformation21,."WhatIsATrueChristian?".N.p.,2015.Web.14Dec.2015.

"TheFirstAmendmentinSchools:AResourceGuide."
NationalCoalitionAgainst
Censorship
.NCACSTAFF,10July2013.Web.15Dec.2015.

Whitten,Sarah."BrandsTakeAdvantageOfSBUXRedCupControversy".
CNBC
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p.,2015.Web.14Dec.2015.
UnitedChurchofGod,."WhatDoesTheBibleSayAbout...WhoIsAChristian?".N.p.,
1215.Web.14Dec.2015.