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Interfaith Outreach Sample program 21 February 2017 Emma Nisonson

Touchstone Text: “First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Socialist. ​ Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Trade Unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.” --MARTIN NIEMÖLLER ​ Goals:

1. PPs gain a greater understanding and appreciation for other belief systems 2. PPs will place an emphasis on interfaith cooperation 3. PPs will see all others as more equal and connected to themselves

Objectives:

1. PPs will learn about other religious systems 2. PPs will view the difference between perceived knowledge and informed knowledge based on 3. PPs will be informed of how other religions cooperate in the modern world.

Materials: (from GUCI)

1. 36 sheets of 25 x 30 poster sticky paper 2. 100 markers of assorted colors People:

1. 90 PPs 2. 7 GLs 3. 1 PL Space Needed: 1. Tarbut

Time Table: 00:00-00:05 Introduction 00:05-00:15 PPs write on posters 00:15-00:20 PPs regroup and split into groups 00:20-00:30 Introduce group and read facts 00:30-00:40 Draw on new poster 00:40-00:50 Discussion 00:50-01:15 Presentations

Detailed Procedure:

00:00-00:05 Introduction PPs walk into tarbut, and as they walk in, they get numbered 1-7 on their hands. PL says to everyone “Today’s society is facing many issues regarding feelings of xenophobia and religious intolerance. There is a famous quote by Martin Niemoller that goes (insert touchstone text). ​ ​ Today you will be learning about different religious groups and what they truly believe in order to gain an understanding of the world around you. Hopefully, this will increase your connection to all others despite differences in faith. Around the room you will see posters with different faiths on it. When I dismiss you, you will grab a marker from this box and go around and write/draw/demonstrate what that faith means to you and what it makes you think of/ your understanding of it.”

00:05-00:15 PPs write on posters PPs wander tarbut filling out posters with what they associate with .

00:15-00:20 PPs regroup and split into groups Call out groups to different locations based on numbers (Appendix A). ​

00:20-00:30 Introduce group and read facts GLs will have PPs go around and state name, grade, where they are from, and their favorite ____. After this, the PP will read the information about their religion out to their group (Appendices B-H).

00:30-00:40 Draw on new poster After learning information about their religion, PPs will be asked to draw on new poster of what they now understand about their religion (Appendix A).

00:40-00:50 Discussion PPs will be shown the first poster that everyone wrote on about their religion, then they will be asked discussion questions (Appendix C). ​

00:50-01:15 Presentations Each group will stand up and share what they learned after comparing the understanding of their religion prior to having researched knowledge, and after the fact.

Appendices:

Appendix A-- Groups 1. Christianity, GL= Stephanie Blumenthal 2. , GL= Ashley Schlaeger 3. , GL= Abigail Dickstein 4. , GL= Taylor Guba 5. , GL= Max Young 6. Confucianism, GL= Lindsey Halaz 7. Jainism, GL= Jack Braun

Appendix B-- Religious Facts (Christianity) Beliefs/Practices:

● Followers of the Christian religion base their beliefs on the life, teachings and death of Jesus Christ. ● Christians believe in one God that created heaven, Earth and the universe. ● The belief in one God originated with the Jewish religion. ● Christians believe Jesus Christ is the "Messiah" or savior of the world. They also believe that Christ is the son of God. ● Jesus was born in a manger in Bethlehem to Mary, a virgin at the time of conception, and Joseph, her husband. Mary was visited by the angel Gabriel and told she would conceive a son, though she was not yet married and a virgin and he would be the Messiah. ● Jesus was crucified on a cross. His death made salvation and forgiveness of sins possible for all. ● On the third day after his crucifixion, Jesus Christ arose from the dead. The resurrection of Christ is celebrated on Easter, which is considered Christianity's most important ​ ​ holiday. ● After Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection, God's presence remained on earth in the form of the Holy Spirit to be a comforter to all. ● Salvation can only be obtained by believing that Jesus was sent by God to forgive the sins of every human, and to confess those sins to him. ● Interpretations of the Bible and the practices of each church vary by denomination, but the belief in one God and Jesus as the Messiah is central to all Christians.

Current:

Despite its dominance among American faiths, Christians have been the victims of religious intolerance throughout our nation's history and non-Protestant denominations -- particularly Catholics and Mormons -- have borne the brunt of it. The same conflagration that began with Joseph Smith's tarring and feathering also saw massacres, the forced removal of Mormons from Missouri and, ultimately, the assassination of Smith and his brother in 1844. To this day, Mormons are regularly accused of condoning polygamy, despite the fact that the denomination, also known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day , has been one of the most vigorous opponents of the practice since 1890. Catholics, as well, have long been maligned by their fellow Americans. Many states had laws restricting Catholic civil rights, including the right to hold public office, and one of Benedict Arnold's stated reasons for his betrayal was America's alliance with Catholic France during the Revolution. Driven by nationalist fears of papal allegiance, riots and other violent incidents against Catholics persisted well into the 19th century.

Appendix C-- Religious Facts (Islam) Beliefs/ Practices

The Kalima itself is known as the 'brief expression of faith'. It summarizes the basic Muslim ​ ​ beliefs, which are five in number. These are belief in: 1. God, Who possess the most perfect and excellent qualities. 2. Angels, who act upon the heart of each person, inspiring him to do good. 3. Prophets and Messengers of God, sent to all the nations of the world, who taught by their own high moral example. 4. Books of God, which were revealed to all the nations through their respective prophets, containing guidance on how man should live and conduct himself. 5. Life after death, when each person shall become conscious of all the deeds, good or bad, he/she did in this life, and shall face the consequences. 5 pillars of Islam: Shahada (faith) only one God; Salat (prayer) 5 daily prayers; Zakat (charity); Sawm (fasting) Ramadan; Hajj (pilgrimage to )

Current: Muslims have long been the targets of discrimination in the U.S., but following the tragedies of 9/11, anti-Muslim sentiment and activity have risen sharply. Events such as the controversies surrounding the so-called "Ground Zero Mosque" and Florida pastor, Terry Jones, who burned copies of the Quran, are well publicized but they are far from isolated incidents. The American Civil Liberties Union reports what they call "anti-mosque activities" in 31 states between December, 2005, and September, 2012, ranging in severity from simple graffiti and other minor vandalism to arson and bombings. In one case, a Muslim woman was verbally assaulted and pepper-sprayed in front of an Islamic center in Columbus, Ohio. President Trump also recently signed an executive order to keep “radical Islamic terrorists” out of the country.

Appendix D-- Religious Facts (Hinduism) Beliefs/ Practices: ● Hinduism is not an organized religion and has no single, systematic approach to teaching its value system ● Contain a caste system to organize their social structure ● Truth is eternal. ○ Hindus pursue knowledge and understanding of the Truth: the very essence of the universe and the only Reality. According to the , Truth is One, but the wise express it in a variety of ways. ● is Truth and Reality. ○ Hindus believe in Brahman as the one true God who is formless, limitless, all-inclusive, and eternal. Brahman is not an abstract concept; it is a real entity that encompasses everything (seen and unseen) in the universe. ● The Vedas are the ultimate authority. ○ The Vedas are Hindu scriptures that contain received by ancient saints and sages. Hindus believe that the Vedas are without beginning and without end; when everything else in the universe is destroyed (at the end of a cycle of time), the Vedas remain. ● Everyone should strive to achieve . ○ Understanding the concept of dharma helps you understand the Hindu faith. Unfortunately, no single English word adequately covers its meaning. Dharma can be described as right conduct, righteousness, moral law, and duty. Anyone who makes dharma central to one’s life strives to do the right thing, according to one’s duty and abilities, at all times. ● Individual souls are immortal. ○ A Hindu believes that the individual soul (atman) is neither created nor destroyed; ​ ​ it has been, it is, and it will be. Actions of the soul while residing in a body require that it reap the consequences of those actions in the next life — the same soul in a different body. ○ The process of movement of the atman from one body to another is known as transmigration. The kind of body the soul inhabits next is determined by ​ ​ (actions accumulated in previous lives). ● The goal of the individual soul is . ○ Moksha is liberation: the soul’s release from the cycle of death and rebirth. It ​ occurs when the soul unites with Brahman by realizing its true nature. Several paths can lead to this realization and unity: the path of duty, the path of knowledge, and the path of devotion (unconditional surrender to God) Current: Alleged blasphemy of the Prophet Mohammad carries a mandatory death sentence. Most of these cases are either false accusations or pursuits of personal vendettas—a tool of repression often used against Hindus and other minorities. Many of the approximately 2 million Hindus in are compelled to pay regular sums, as a type of ransom, to extortionists and local leaders in exchange for the physical security of their families and themselves. It is conventional wisdom that no job higher than a clerk’s post may be obtained by a Hindu. Furthermore, Hindus usually need a Muslim as a silent partner in order to run a business.Many Hindu temples have been desecrated, destroyed, or converted into government offices in Pakistan. In 1992 alone, hundreds of Hindu temples were destroyed in Pakistan in response to communal riots in , in which Pakistani Hindus played no role. Despite official promises to rebuild these temples, in many cases, little or no action has been taken to redress the situation. Illegal encroachments on Hindu temples and lands, molestation and abduction of Hindu girls, demanding of huge ransoms in kidnap cases, and frequent arrests of Hindus on false charges have become commonplace in Pakistan

Appendix E-- Religious Facts (Buddhism) Beliefs/Practices: ● Considered to be more of a philosophy rather than a religion ● Buddha is not a god ● You should not believe anything without thinking ● Meditation is key to reaching enlightenment ● Healing comes from the mind ○ Buddhism believes that our external situation is created by our internal minds. This is equally true for our health and the state of our bodies. ● Our bodies are precious ○ A life reborn as a human is considered a very precious thing. To have a long life is a rare and important opportunity to end our suffering. Hence, it is important to keep healthy. ● Everything is interconnected ● "four noble truths": ○ existence is suffering (dukhka ) ○ suffering has a cause, namely craving and attachment ( ) ○ there is a cessation of suffering, which is ○ there is a path to the cessation of suffering ● 8 fold path ○ right view, right resolve, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right "" (meditative absorption or union). Current: There have been four Buddhist persecutions in China. The first two occurred in 567, when former Buddhist priest Wei Yuansong submitted a memorial to Emperor Wu Di of the Northern ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Zhou Dynasty calling for the "abolishment of Buddhism". In 574 and again in 577, Emperor Wu ​ had Buddhist and Taoist images destroyed and their clergy returned to lay life. He believed the ​ ​ ​ ​ temples had become too rich and powerful, so he confiscated their land and gave it to his own soldiers. During this time, the Shaolin Monastery was closed but later reopened after Northern ​ ​ Zhou Emperor Xuan Di had the monastery renovated. The details of the other two are largely debated. One of the most egregious modern examples was the Taliban murder of Buddhists in Afghanistan and the dynamiting of the masterpiece giant stone Buddhas. At present, the prime zones of Buddhist persecution are in the People's Republic of China (although this is diminishing since temples and monasteries now have value as quaint tourist attractions), , Burma and some of the smaller countries of the South Asian Pacific. Recent statistics report that North America is among the most tolerant places in the world.

Appendix F-- Religious Facts (Sikhism) Beliefs/Practices:

● Goal: The goal of every Sikh is to build a close, loving relationship with God.

● Deity: believe in a single, Formless God, with many names, who can be known through meditation. his concept is similar to Islam whose followers believe in a single God who has 99 names. The Mool Mantar, the first composed by ​ ​ Nanak, is recited daily by many Sikhs. It contains a description of many of the attributes of God: There is only one God; His Name is Truth; He is the Creator; He is without fear; He is without hate; He is beyond time (i.e. is immortal); He is

beyond birth and death; He is self-existent.Only he can be worshiped.

● : They believe in samsara (the repetitive cycle of birth, life and death),

● karma (the accumulated sum of one's good and bad deeds, and reincarnation the belief of a rebirth following death. These beliefs are similar to Hinduism. ​ ​ ​ ● Caste system: Sikhs have rejected the caste system of the Hindu religion. They believe that everyone has equal status in the eyes of God. This is a very important principle that permeates all Sikh beliefs, behaviors, and rituals.

● Code of Conduct: ○ Any human being who faithfully believes in ■ (i) One Immortal Being, ■ (ii) Ten , from Dev to , ■ (iii) The , ■ (iv) The utterances and teachings of the ten Gurus and ■ (v) the baptism bequeathed by the tenth Guru, and who does not owe allegiance to any other religion, is a Sikh ● Prayers: repeated multiple times each day. ● Worship: Sikhs are prohibited from worshipping idols, images, or icons. ● Temples: There are over 200 (temples, shrines or holy places) in India alone. The most sacred is Harmandir Sahib, the , at . However, all places where the Sri Guru Granth Sahib is installed are equally holy. ● The Five K's: These are clothing practices followed by stricter Sikhs, called saints: 1. Kesa (long hair, which is never cut). This term is sometimes used to refer to the turban that is used to cover the hair. 2. Kangah (comb) 3. Kacha (short pants) 4. (metal bracelet) 5. (a ceremonial dagger) ● Sikh code of conduct states "A Sikh must not take hemp, opium, liquor, tobacco, or any intoxicant." Drinking of alcoholic beverages or smoking is thus forbidden. Current: The Sikhs in Afghanistan have been persecuted and continue to be vulnerable to Islamic jihadists. Islamic supremacists in the West, meanwhile, attempt to co-opt the Sikhs into their victimhood narrative (which is designed to intimidate people into thinking it wrong to oppose jihad terror), and to their shame, some Sikh leaders have gone along. On the other hand, Sikhs stood with us for freedom at our Ground Zero Mosque rally in 2011. Sikhs in the northern Indian state of have staged protests, enforced strikes and blocked roads in several towns and cities in the past week. Protests came after a torn-up copy of Sri Guru Granth Sahib - Sikhism's holy book - was found in the village of Bargari, near Kot Kapura in Faridkot district.

Appendix G-- Religious Facts (Confucianism) Beliefs/ Practices: ● Its primary purpose is to achieve harmony, the most important social value. ● Confucianism strongly emphasizes: ○ Mercy ○ Social order ○ Fulfillment of Responsibilities ● “Ren” is the central ethical principle, and is equivalent to the concepts love, mercy, and humanity. ● There are five cardinal relations (“wu lun”): ○ Sovereign-Subject ○ Father-Son ○ Elder-Younger Brother ○ Husband-Wife ○ Friend-Friend ● The family is the center and comes before the individual. The father is the undisputed head of the family. With regard to filial piety (“xiao”), sons, especially the oldest son, have specific obligations toward the family and are expected to respect and care for parents ● “Li”, the “proper way” or “propriety”, includes a set of rules for interaction with others and the role system. Control of emotions, restraint, obedience to authority, conforming and “face” are highly valued and important. Current: The last several years have seen an official revival of Confucianism in China. President Hu Jintao has developed the idea of a "Harmonious Socialist Society," drawing on Confucian ideas. The government has set up a network of cultural Confucius Institutes around the world. And earlier this year, a statue of Confucius was erected in Tiananmen Square. There are hundreds of philosophies in ancient China but an emperor nearly annihilated all of others and promoted Confucianism only and Confucius a sacred sage. Through thousands years of the founding and destroying of dynasties, Confucianism was always used as a standard to make laws and a standard of ethos and moralism, which are engraved and engrained in Chinese education. Buddhism nor Daoism replaced Confucianism. Although efforts has been made to deracinate some anachronistic contents of Confucianism to adapt Chinese to modern values, no much progress has been accomplished, and no matter how long time elapse, some core values can stand the vicissitude, because those are what make Chinese a Chinese.

Appendix H-- Religious Facts (Jainism) Beliefs/ Practices: ● Non-violence ● Truth/Honesty ● No theft ● Celibacy ● Non-possessiveness ● Lay Jains, also known as householders have exceptions to these practices. Such as owning clothing, a home and being intimate with a spouse. However they are to limit their possessions as much as possible, and they should limit their sexual activity to only when necessary and with one's spouse only. Once a son has been produced, complete celibacy should be practiced. ● Monks and Nuns do everything in their power to abide to these rules, such as: ○ Wearing/Possessing no clothing (Nuns and some Monks wear three sheets of a simple fabric and Nuns wear white saris.) ○ They practice complete celibacy and don't have children ○ They do no own homes or have any possessions, they beg for food ○ They only eat vegetables, fruits, nuts and milk ● Daily rituals, for the average Jain consist of: ○ prayer ○ repenting for sins and violence ○ self control through medition, (usually for 48 minutes) ○ going without something pleasurable ○ paying respect to the Monks ● is the festival of lights, and marks a new year for the Jain calendar. It is the most elaborate and beautiful festival of Jainism. ○ The lights symbolize good overcoming evil within all humans and creatures on earth and symbolizes Nirvana.

Appendix I-- Discussion Questions 1. What differences do you notice between the first poster and the one you made after learning information about the religion? 2. How does the current state of our country relate to what you have learned through this exercise? How does this relate to the quote by Niemoller? 3. How do you feel an understanding this information will improve issues if it will?