World Religions, Wednesday, 2nd Period

[preacher-custer.livejournal.com]

Jesse seems to be permanently locked into his favorite spot, feet propped on his desk. Or he might just be asleep with a cup of coffee in his hand.

The clipboard for sign-ins is once again on one of the front desks, with a stack of handouts.

After everyone has come in, signed in, and taken their seats, Jesse opens his eyes and starts in on his lecture.

"Today, the syllabus says we're going to talk about Shinto¹ and Confucianism². Not because they're closely related. They ain't. But because they influenced the thought and culture of two major eastern nations - Japan and China.

Shinto could be considered a form of animism, which those of you who were awake will remember from last week.

Confucianism, on the other hand, is not really a religion, it's a kind of secular thought that has been so deeply ingrained in Asian culture that it has been given almost sacred status."

What follows is a lecture on the political philosophy of Confucianism, and Shinto, which had been the state religion of Japan until after World War II.

---

"Obviously, there are other religions that believe in reincarnation. There aren't many moral codes that include such an organized setup for bureaucracy.

I ain't a big fan of bureaucracy myself, but it worked for China and a lot of Asia for a long time.

What I want from y'all today is gonna be nice and easy." Jesse grins.

"Get together in groups of two to four and pick a topic." He finally brings his feet down off his desk and stands up to write two questions on the whiteboard:

1. Reincarnation - who was your partner in a past life?

"If you're in groups of larger than two, everyone mix and match. Give it a guess. Was your partner a goatherd, a princess, a bug? Do me a favor, kids, remember that in history, there are a helluva lot fewer Cleopatras than there are shit shovelers."

2. Shame - does it help or hurt?

"Confucianism ritualizes shame, saying that internalizing the values gets people to behave properly because they fear shame and losing face. It works. Does it take away people's free will? Or is it an irrefutable way to make people make the right choices without some boogeyman threatening eternal damnation?"

He finishes writing the discussion options and sits down again. Funny thing for students paying attention - while lecturing, Jesse's thick Texas drawl recedes, only to return once he drops the teacher's posture and relaxes again.

"I figure I know which one most of y'all are gonna wanna talk about. Have fun. I know I'll have fun listenin' to what y'all've got to say."

---

Handout links:
¹Shinto
²Confucianism

Syllabus

Comments

Discussion Questions

[preacher-custer.livejournal.com]

Get together in your groups, choose your question, go forth and discuss.

Re: Discussion Questions

[enginegirl.livejournal.com]

Kaylee looked around for anyone to work with.

Re: Discussion Questions

[nadiathesaint]

"So," Nadia turned to face Kaylee. "Who do you think I was in a past life?"

Re: Discussion Questions

[enginegirl.livejournal.com]

"I could say you were...you in a past life since I am from the future," Kaylee said with a grin. "But I guess that ain't gonna work."

She thought about it for a moment. "Maybe you were someone who created things, like a writer or painter or something."

Re: Discussion Questions

[nadiathesaint]

"So long as I wasn't an architect, I'm okay with that. But I'd be curious as to why you think that."

Re: Discussion Questions

[enginegirl.livejournal.com]

"You seem..." Kaylee paused to think of the correct word to use. "You seem resourceful. Maybe because you were creative in a past life."

Re: Discussion Questions

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

Chad was busy sketching out dinosaurs and Mexican flags idly in the the margins of his notes in between looking up and seeing if anyone might need a partner.

Re: Discussion Questions

[lovechildblair.livejournal.com]

"I think you were probably a princess." Blair moved his seat closer to Chad. "Possibly of the Pretty Pony variety."

Re: Discussion Questions

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

"You're pretty good at this," Chad said. "You were possibly one of those jungle virgins who went out volcano-style." It was pretty difficult to tell if Chad was simply returning the humor or taking a minor offense to the thought of him as a princess. What was certain was that Chad definately remembered the last time he and Blair worked together, and was quite pleased to ressurrect what he remembered best from that conversation.

Re: Discussion Questions

[lovechildblair.livejournal.com]

"Volcanoes are cool." Blair nodded, managing not to blush at 'v' word. "I've always liked a grand exit."

"It's quite possible that one of your lives involved being the guy who clipped toenails of large mammals."

Re: Discussion Questions

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

"And we all know how that ended." He shook his head dismally.

"In that vein, you were quite possibly a hairdresser who met a terrible end with a pair of scissor, and its never left your spiritual...psyche, or whatever, since."

Re: Discussion Questions

[swerval_zero]

Zero looked around hopefully for a partner.

Re: Discussion Questions

[bookwormwood.livejournal.com]

Matilda approached her and entended a hand to shake. "Hello. I'm Matilda, would you like to be partners?"

Re: Discussion Questions

[swerval_zero]

Zero shook her hand and said, "All right. I'm Zero. Nice to meet you."

Re: Discussion Questions

[bookwormwood.livejournal.com]

"It's wonderful to meet you as well." She smiled. "So we have to talk about reincarnation first correct?"

Re: Discussion Questions

[swerval_zero]

Zero shrugged. "I'm pretty sure we just have to pick one. Reincarnation would be my choice, but if you want to do the other thing that's fine, too."

Re: Discussion Questions

[connernotconnor.livejournal.com]

Conner was rolling his miniature soccer ball back and forth across his desk, looking for a hapless victim person to work with.

Re: Discussion Questions

[l1ttle-billy.livejournal.com]

"So, shame or reincarnation?" Because Billy had a few things to say about the shame thing, but speculating on past lives could be fun.

Re: Discussion Questions

[connernotconnor.livejournal.com]

"Thinking about past lives gives me a headache," Conner said immediately. "Me and shame go way back, though."

Re: Discussion Questions

[l1ttle-billy.livejournal.com]

"Okay, let's talk about that. Something he said stuck with me, the whole thing about making the right choices. Who decides what the right choices are?"

Re: Discussion Questions

[notafairmaiden.livejournal.com]

Gwynn? Was a little confused about these ideas he had. She looked around for a partner.

Re: Discussion Questions

[sogothcally.livejournal.com]

"Hey Gwynn, right?" Cally said, with a little wave. "You need a partner?"

Re: Discussion Questions

[notafairmaiden.livejournal.com]

Gwynn smiled and nodded. "You're... Cally? Yes, I am in need of a partner." Her smile was a grateful one.

Re: Discussion Questions

[sogothcally.livejournal.com]

"So... past lives or shame?" Cally asked.

Re: Discussion Questions

[stykera]

Stark who just realized he never joined the discussion, oops, looked around for someone to work with.