Session One Discernment Syllabus

SESSION ONE DISCERNMENT SYLLABUS

1. OVERVIEW AND INSTRUCTIONS

☐ The Session One Discernment Syllabus is formatted in the same design of all the syllabi. Each syllabus will have the following sections: (a) overview and instructions (b) prayers and meditation, (c) vocabulary phrases/words/names, (d) session materials, and (e) questions for your consideration. Please take notes as you go and write your thoughts at the end of each session. Your notes can also be used for prayer and meditation and will be vital as your progress through the sessions. ☐ The material selections are chosen from both religious and secular sources and are designed to be a starting point for you in Session One. Bathe yourself in prayer and meditation as you learn about current beliefs, issues, debates, history, new words, and as you examine them and your heart and beliefs.

2. PRAYERS AND MEDITATION

☐ If you believe in God: (a) Ask the Lord to guide you each time as you prepare to watch, read, and learn, (b) Ask the Lord to give you strength and patience each time in case the task of watching, reading, or learning is bothersome, and (c) Thank the Lord for the opportunity to consider these things for discernment when you conclude each time. ☐ Consider meditating on Martin Luther King’s words: “Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.” ☐ Consider meditating on Voltaire’s words: “Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.” ☐ The beautiful act of Lectio Divina is best described here. Consider trying Lectio Divina with the introduction’s scripture verse (Romans 12:2) or the Session One scripture verse (Proverbs 12:10). ☐ Alternate Prayer from the Author of Silent Communion: “Father God, thank you for this opportunity to examine if our thinking, action and words are those in which you would want us to partake. Guide us, teach us, show us Your way as we begin and work through this discernment process. Amen.”

3. VOCABULARY PHRASES / WORDS / NAMES TO LEARN

☐ Factory Farming [Cambridge definition] [Merriam-Webster definition] ☐ Idolatry of consumerism (defined in Catholic Social Teaching and Animal Rights [at timeline 12:00 – 12:34]). ☐ Inconvenient Dignity (defined in Catholic Social Teaching and Animal Rights [at timeline 17:10 – 18:15]). ☐ Renee Descartes [New World Encyclopedia] ☐ Structural Violence/Sin (as defined in Catholic Social Teaching and Animal Rights [at timeline 18:19 – 19:12]). ☐ Vivisection [Cambridge definition] [Merriam-Webster definition]

4. SESSION ONE MATERIALS (START FROM THE TOP AND WORK YOUR WAY DOWN CHOOSING FOUR OR MORE. PLEASE EXAMINE THEM ALL IF YOU CAN.)

☐ VIDEO: “Catholic Social Teaching and Animals Rights” – Excellent Discussion free from the Berkley Center at Georgetown University with Theologian Charile Camosy and others. (If you are Christian, especially Catholic, please watch this.) ☐ VIDEO: “Earthlings” This is an eye opening video of how our society current uses the Lord’s creation. The entire video (not just the trailer) is often offered free from the earthings.com site under a “view now” area. It can also be found on YouTube and Vimeo. (I pray everyone in this discernment process will watch Earthlings. Bath yourselves in prayer. It is well made, thought out, and we are causing these things to happen. We will not be able to make changes until we understand what we are doing. Learn so you can discern.) ☐ WEBSITE: “Mercy for Animals” works to help the Lord’s creations that are in factory farms. Please look at these two pages of their website About and Investigations. ☐ WEBSITE: “Stop Crush” works to help the Lord’s creations that are being exploited for certain types of pornography. A law was passed to ban crush videos in the U.S. in December 2010, but crush is still continuing in other countries and available by internet to the U.S. Please read their About page (there are NO graphic pictures) to become aware of the meaning of the phrase “crush video”. You never know when you may be able to help someone steer clear of exposure to this abuse of the Lord’s creation if you are informed. ☐ VIDEO: [Timeline 36:37 – 51:31] of “The Superior Human” documentary where Professor Bernald E. Rollin (bio) answers “Could Descarte have been right?” This documentary is wonderfully sarcastic, fun yet serious, scholarly, secular, and thought provoking! Please consider watching all of it, not just the timeline above with Professor Rollin’s answer. The video is available to preview for free. Choose “about” and then “preview” from this link: http://thesuperiorhuman.ultraventus.info/movie/press/reviews/ ☐ VIDEO: [Timeline 55:52 – 59:54] of “The Superior Human” documentary where Dr. Richard D. Ryder talks about the development of the term “speciesism” and why. This documentary is wonderfully sarcastic, fun yet serious, secular, and thought provoking! Please consider watching all of it, not just the timeline above with Professor Rollin’s answer. The video is available to preview for free. Choose “about” and then “preview” from this link: http://thesuperiorhuman.ultraventus.info/movie/press/reviews/ ☐ LISTEN: BBC’s “Agree to Differ” on Vivisection here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04fc70m or (info). This is a very good discussion/debate between Dr. Richard D Ryder (info) and vivisectionist Dr. Tipu Aziz that contrasts nicely after watching “The Superior Human”. (And remember Britain has much better laws for animals than the U.S. in many areas!) ☐ WATCH: Simone Reyes’ presentation. Simone Reyes gives a different first person perspective coming from the world of reality television and explains her beliefs and why she wants others to stop using animal products. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIMaetrqLXc ☐ READ: “Every Twelve Seconds” Excerpt (Free 18 pages in pdf) from Yale Press. The last paragraph of the excerpt is very powerful. Excerpt: http://yalepress.yale.edu/yupbooks/excerpts/Pachirat_excerpt.pdf . (You are encouraged to read the entire book if you have time. You can search for it in a library near you on WorldCat or Google Books, or purchase it online if it is affordable for you.)

5. QUESTIONS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

☐ What are my views before starting the discernment process for (a) how I regard the Lord’s creation? (b) how animal derived products and bi-products are produced?, (c) and what is my definition of dominion if I am a Christian concerning our relationships with other species? ☐ Would I rather not know these things? If so, then why? ☐ How much of this did I already know? ☐ Do I cling to Descartes’ false “living machine” mindset in any way? ☐ What do I agree with most from the material above? ☐ What do I disagree with most from the material above? ☐ Does my current participation in the treatment of the Lord’s creation exemplify my relationship with the Lord?