Interfaith Outreach Sample Program 21 February 2017 Emma Nisonson
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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 religions 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 religion. 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. Islam, GL= Ashley Schlaeger 3. Hinduism, GL= Abigail Dickstein 4. Buddhism, GL= Taylor Guba 5. Sikhism, 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 Saints, 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 virtue 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 Mecca) 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 Vedas, Truth is One, but the wise express it in a variety of ways. ● Brahman 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 revelations 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 dharma. ○ 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.