The BIG Questions

Please leave your comments or questions about”The Chosen” here.

While Valerie Saiving focuses more on the differences between male and female identity and its implications for religion, Penelope Washbourn focuses on the unique physical experiences of women’s bodies and their spiritual dimensions.   Do you agree that your body is a source of spiritual experiences?

Whale Rider raises questions about the value of tribal myths and cultures for groups like the Maori who are struggling to maintain a group identity in the modern world. Please leave any thoughts or questions you have about the film here.

By the way, you may have noticed that the star of Whale Rider, who acted in that film for the first time at age 12, is now starring as Mary, the mother of Jesus, in The Nativity Story.    Apparently, she recently caused some scandal when she revealed that she is pregnant.   The father is noone supernatural, just her 19 year-old boyfriend.

Here is a place for students in Religion and Film class to comment on films relevant to religion that you have seen outside of class. Please let us know a little about what films you liked and what religious issues they raised. Click below on “Comments” to write.

There are two perspectives presented in our first few readings.   Rita Gross argues for the elimination of gender roles, while Valerie Saiving and Penelope Washbourn insist on the importance of gender for how people use religion.     Do you think that men and women relate to religion in the same ways, or does religion have different functions and values for men and women?   Leave your comments below by clicking on “comments”.

I have been reading reviews from the Religion and Film class about connections between Ferngully and things like the garden of Eden, Christian symbols, animism, and environmentalism. If anyone has any further thoughts or comments to make please leave them by clicking on “comments (no comments)” below.

Professor Charmé

I’m very excited to announce that we will have an opportunity to discuss the idea that God is a delusion with a renowned scholar of psychology and religion on January 26th at 12:30 pm in Penn 401 on the Rutgers-Camden campus. Susan Blackmore will be on campus to discuss “The Power of Memes, or How Infectious is the God Delusion?” Whether you agree or disagree, be sure to come.

Personally, I don’t think it is necessary to pathologize religious belief by suggesting it is a mental illness (delusion) or a disease (infection). Nor do I think most people come to their belief in God on the basis of rational argument, so rational arguments against God are about as likely to be very successful as trying to talk someone out of being in love on the basis of a “rational” appraisal of their beloved. It seems to me that there are many powerful experiences in human life are non-rational and our brains are capable of more than just analyzing logical arguments. When Freud called God an “illusion,” he was careful to say he couldn’t disprove God based on scientific evidence anymore than believers could prove God’s existence with any kind of hard evidence. Rather he was suspicious about religious belief in a benevolent deity who rules the universe with perfect love and justice because it corresponds so perfectly with our deep wish for the world to be just and meaningful place. Emotionally, belief in God is as deeply satisfying as being in love. What we have to decide is whether the benefits of our irrational experiences and beliefs outweigh the dangers. Obviously, in the case of religion, the dangers of actions based on irrational beliefs are considerble.

Hope you all can come to the lecture and discussion on Jan. 26.

For an amusing presentation on the issue of atheism and belief, take a look at this:

http://atheistdelusion.cf.huffingtonpost.com/

Stuart Charmé

(click on “comments” below to leave your responses)