Synthesis Essay: Atheists in Contemporary America

Over the past 20 years, atheists have become increasingly visible in American society. In some quarters of American society, such as academia and science, they've generally been welcomed. But other facets of American life, such as religion and politics, have been more hostile toward atheists. How would you characterize 2014 America's view of atheists? For example, are American generally accepting of atheist perspectives? Do you believe they receive fair representation in the media?  Do we reserve a space for non-believers in our national discussions? Finally, how are atheists reacting to their treatment from mainstream America? In a concise essay, synthesize five of the following texts into a "snapshot" of contemporary America's view of atheists:

• “‘Education, Not Indoctrination’: Atheists Protest Texas Homeschool Convention as Promised” (Christian News Network)
• “10.5 Tips When Coming Out to Family or Friends as an Atheist” (We Are Atheism)
• “Atheist Group Sets Up Chicago Display Protesting Christmas Scene and Celebrating Bill of Rights” (The Raw Story)
• “Bill O'Reilly Debates Atheist Over Obama Swearing in on Bible at Inauguration, Jan 18, 2013” (Fox News)
• “CNN’s Wolf Blitzer Tells Atheist Tornado Survivor: ‘You Gotta Thank the Lord’” (The Raw Story)
• “Diana Nyad, Atheist, Teaches Oprah a Thing or Two about Belief, Awe, and Wonder” (Huffington Post)
• “Five Facts about Atheism” (Pew Research Center)
• “How to Talk to an Atheist about Christianity” (Crisis Magazine)
• “Religion in America’s States and Counties, in 6 Maps” (Washington Post)
• “The Genesis of Alabama’s Only High School ‘Freethinkers Club’” (Southern Education Desk)
• “eBay Kills Eve Brannon's ‘Take an Atheist Leader to Church’ Ad Again and Again” (Huffington Post)
• "Religion Does No Harm" from Bill Maher: But I’m Not Wrong (HBO)

All texts are located in the eR.

Requirements:

• Three pages minimum
• Cite a minimum of five of the above texts
• MLA Style
• Parenthetical citation
• Works cited page

The best papers will:

• Stay within the parameters of the prompt, focusing exclusively on the current American perceptions of atheism
• Have a concise thesis
• Find "common threads" amongst a diverse group of texts and combine them to create a "snapshot" of America's view of atheists
• Cite a minimum of five of the above texts
• Properly cite evidence using MLA's parenthetical citation method
• Conclude with a summation of your points
• Be in MLA Style

Due:
Sec 16—03.05.14 (Final draft)

Sec 80—03.03.14 (Draft 1); 03.10.14 (Final draft)
 

Spiritual News 02.24.14

• Arizona considering passage of "religious freedom" bill which would allow businesses to refuse service to homosexuals (Fox News)
• Star Trek's George Takei pens scathing letter to Arizona legislators (E!)
• NFL prospect leaves scouting combine, claiming God told him to do so (Los Angeles Times)
• Study: Latinos and Blacks more likely to be anti-Semitic than Whites and Asians (Washington Post)
• Hindu fundamentalism on the rise (USA Today)
• British Muslims turn inward as hate crimes rise (New York Times)

Week 05: Mo 24/We 26

Ancient Greek Mythology (orgin. c. 1000 BCE, Greece)

Section 16:
Week 05: Mo 24/We 26
Readings: eR—“‘Education, Not Indoctrination’: Atheists Protest Texas Homeschool Convention as Promised” (Christian News Network), “10.5 Tips When Coming Out to Family or Friends as an Atheist” (We Are Atheism), “Atheist Group Sets Up Chicago Display Protesting Christmas Scene and Celebrating Bill of Rights” (The Raw Story), “Bill O'Reilly Debates Atheist Over Obama Swearing in on Bible at Inauguration, Jan 18, 2013” (Fox News), “CNN’s Wolf Blitzer Tells Atheist Tornado Survivor: ‘You Gotta Thank the Lord’” (The Raw Story), “Diana Nyad, Atheist, Teaches Oprah a Thing or Two about Belief, Awe, and Wonder” (Huffington Post), “Five Facts about Atheism” (Pew Research Center), “How to Talk to an Atheist about Christianity” (Crisis Magazine), “Religion in America’s States and Counties, in 6 Maps” (Washington Post), “The Genesis of Alabama’s Only High School ‘Freethinkers Club’” (Southern Education Desk), “eBay Kills Eve Brannon's ‘Take an Atheist Leader to Church’ Ad Again and Again” (Huffington Post)
Class: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations; Watch—“Lisa the Skeptic” from The Simpsons (FOX); Lecture—“Twelve Essential Grammar Rules to Know”
Due:  SHORT ANSWER RESPONSES

All assignments, including in-class essays, are due or take place on Wednesdays. 

Sec: 80:
Week 05: Mo 24
Readings: eR—“‘Education, Not Indoctrination’: Atheists Protest Texas Homeschool Convention as Promised” (Christian News Network), “10.5 Tips When Coming Out to Family or Friends as an Atheist” (We Are Atheism), “Atheist Group Sets Up Chicago Display Protesting Christmas Scene and Celebrating Bill of Rights” (The Raw Story), “Bill O'Reilly Debates Atheist Over Obama Swearing in on Bible at Inauguration, Jan 18, 2013” (Fox News), “CNN’s Wolf Blitzer Tells Atheist Tornado Survivor: ‘You Gotta Thank the Lord’” (The Raw Story), “Diana Nyad, Atheist, Teaches Oprah a Thing or Two about Belief, Awe, and Wonder” (Huffington Post), “Five Facts about Atheism” (Pew Research Center), “How to Talk to an Atheist about Christianity” (Crisis Magazine), “Religion in America’s States and Counties, in 6 Maps” (Washington Post), “The Genesis of Alabama’s Only High School ‘Freethinkers Club’” (Southern Education Desk), “eBay Kills Eve Brannon's ‘Take an Atheist Leader to Church’ Ad Again and Again” (Huffington Post)
Class: SHORT ANSWER RESPONSES; Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations; Watch—“Lisa the Skeptic” from The Simpsons (FOX); Lecture—“Twelve Essential Grammar Rules to Know”

Upcoming:

Sec. 16:
Week 06: Mo 03/We 05
Readings: eR—“Texas Public Schools are Teaching Creationism” (Slate), “The Growing Partisan Divide on Evolution” (Moyers & Company), Creationism Versus Evolutionism: When Will this Debate Ever End?” (Huffington Post), “Public’s Views on Human Evolution” (Pew Research Center), “Creationists Cite ‘Academic Freedom’ to Teach Beliefs in Schools” (Al Jazeera America), “How Evolution Gets Used and Abused in the Science-Religion Debate”
Class: SYNTHESIS ESSAY; Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations; Lecture—“On Wordiness”
Due: PERSUASIVE

Sec 80:
Week 06: Mo 03
Readings: eR—“Texas Public Schools are Teaching Creationism” (Slate), “The Growing Partisan Divide on Evolution” (Moyers & Company), Creationism Versus Evolutionism: When Will this Debate Ever End?” (Huffington Post), “Public’s Views on Human Evolution” (Pew Research Center), “Creationists Cite ‘Academic Freedom’ to Teach Beliefs in Schools” (Al Jazeera America), “How Evolution Gets Used and Abused in the Science-Religion Debate”
Class: SYNTHESIS ESSAY; Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations; Lecture—“On Wordiness”
Due: PERSUASIVE

Research Paper: Faith and Faithlessness in Contemporary Television

Often, much of what we know about a faith comes via the media. In fact, it is often television series give us our first glimpse of a particular belief system with representations varying from accurate and objective to stereotypical and biased, even offensive. But as television characters are often the first times Americans see someone of another or no faith, these depictions are crucial for establishing defining characteristics. For your research paper, you will examine the representation of faith (or lack of faith) in an American television series from the last 25 years. The goals are to illustrate the ways in which a specific belief system is portrayed and to analyze that portrayal's impact on the general perception of those beliefs.

Requirements:

• Minimum 10 pages in length
• MLA Style, including parenthetical citation
• Minimum of 6 outside sources—at least 3 from peer-reviewed academic texts—listed in a separate Works Cited page
• Examine at least 4 relevant episodes of a major American television series (see list below)

Include in your research paper:

• A clear thesis, arguing how this particular faith (or lack of faith) is portrayed in a specific television program
• An analysis of:

• The program's representation of one belief system—via specific characters, plot lines, themes, etc. 
• The media's historical representation of this particular belief system
• A contrasting view of this belief system via a secondary source

• At least one secondary television program (no more than two episodes) to compare and contrasted with your primary source
• A conclusion that illustrates an understanding of this intersection of faith and media

The primary focus of your paper should be on one of the following television shows; your secondary source may also come from this list:

1. 30 Rock (NBC)
2. American Horror Story (FX)
   
3. Battlestar Galactica (2004 remake; Syfy)
4. The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
5. Big Love (HBO)
6. Blue Bloods (CBS)
7. Bones (FOX) 
8. The Borgias (Showtime)
9. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (The WB/UPN)
10. Caprica (Syfy)
    
11. Carnivale (HBO)
12. Charmed (The WB) 
13. Community (NBC)
14. Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO)
15. Dexter (Showtime)
16. Downtown Abbey (PBS)
17. Family Guy (FOX)
18. Friends (NBC)
19. Game of Thrones (HBO)
20. Gilmore Girls (The WB)
21. Glee (FOX)
22. The Good Wife (CBS)
23. Grey's Anatomy (ABC)
24. House (FOX)
25. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX)
26. Joan of Arcadia (CBS)
    
27. Justified (FX)
28. King of the Hill (FOX)
    
29. Lost (ABC)
30. Mad Men (AMC) 
31. The Middle (ABC)
32. Modern Family (ABC)
33. The O.C. (Fox)
34. Oz (HBO)
35. The Office (NBC)
36. Rome (HBO)
37. Scrubs (NBC/ABC)
    
38. Seventh Heaven (The WB)
39. Sherlock (PBS)
40. The Simpsons (FOX)
41. Seinfeld (NBC)
42. Sex and the City (HBO)
    
43. Six Feet Under (HBO)
44. The Sopranos (HBO)
45. South Park (Comedy Central)
46. Supernatural (The CW)
47. That 70's Show (FOX)
    
48. Touched By an Angel (CBS)
    
49. True Blood (HBO) 
50. True Detective (HBO)
51. The Tudors (Showtime)
52. The Vampire Diaries (The CW)
53. The Walking Dead (AMC)
54. The Wire (HBO)
55. The X-Files (FOX)

Due:
Sections 16 & 80—

Week 12: Mo 04.21/We 04.23
RESEARCH PAPER THESIS (BRING TWO COPIES)

Week 13: Mo 0421/We 0423
DRAFT 1 (UP TO PAGE 4; BRING TWO COPIES)

Week 14: Mo 04.28/We 04.30
DRAFT 2 (UP TO PAGE 8; BRING ONE COPY)

Week 15: Mo 05.05/We 05.07
FINAL DRAFT

Spiritual News 02.17.14

• Evangelical civil war erupts over the Creationism vs. Evolution debate (Mother Jones)
• Snake-handling pastor dies after bite (WBIR)
• Why Americans have always needed Satan (Slate)
• New study says religious people more likely to feel they have a porn addiction (Huffington Post)
• Mormons, Lutherans, Catholics, and Baptists unite to defend Utah's same sex marriage ban (Christian Science Monitor)
• North Carolina 15-year-old seeking to start an atheist club is allegedly told by school officials that the club would "not be a good fit" (New York Daily News)

Week 04

Islam (orig. 570, Saudi Arabia)

Section 16:
Week 04: Mo 17/We 19
Class: SHORT ANSWER RESPONSES; Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations; Guest speaker (TBA); Lecture—“Essay Outlines 101”
Due: REFLECTION 02

All assignments, including in-class essays, are due or take place on Wednesdays.

Section 80:
Week 04: Mo 17
Class: SHORT ANSWER RESPONSES; Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations; Guest speaker (TBA); Lecture—“Essay Outlines 101”
Due: REFLECTION 02

Upcoming: 

 Section 16:
Week 05: Mo 24/We 26
Readings: eR—“‘Education, Not Indoctrination’: Atheists Protest Texas Homeschool Convention as Promised” (Christian News Network), “10.5 Tips When Coming Out to Family or Friends as an Atheist” (We Are Atheism), “Atheist Group Sets Up Chicago Display Protesting Christmas Scene and Celebrating Bill of Rights” (The Raw Story), “Bill O'Reilly Debates Atheist Over Obama Swearing in on Bible at Inauguration, Jan 18, 2013” (Fox News), “CNN’s Wolf Blitzer Tells Atheist Tornado Survivor: ‘You Gotta Thank the Lord’” (The Raw Story), “Diana Nyad, Atheist, Teaches Oprah a Thing or Two about Belief, Awe, and Wonder” (Huffington Post), “Five Facts about Atheism” (Pew Research Center), “How to Talk to an Atheist about Christianity” (Crisis Magazine), “Religion in America’s States and Counties, in 6 Maps” (Washington Post), “The Genesis of Alabama’s Only High School ‘Freethinkers Club’” (Southern Education Desk), “eBay Kills Eve Brannon's ‘Take an Atheist Leader to Church’ Ad Again and Again” (Huffington Post)
Class: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations; Watch—“Lisa the Skeptic” from The Simpsons (FOX); Lecture—“Twelve Essential Grammar Rules to Know”
Due: SYNTHESIS ESSAY

All assignments, including in-class essays, are due or take place on Wednesdays.

Sec. 80:
Readings: eR—“‘Education, Not Indoctrination’: Atheists Protest Texas Homeschool Convention as Promised” (Christian News Network), “10.5 Tips When Coming Out to Family or Friends as an Atheist” (We Are Atheism), “Atheist Group Sets Up Chicago Display Protesting Christmas Scene and Celebrating Bill of Rights” (The Raw Story), “Bill O'Reilly Debates Atheist Over Obama Swearing in on Bible at Inauguration, Jan 18, 2013” (Fox News), “CNN’s Wolf Blitzer Tells Atheist Tornado Survivor: ‘You Gotta Thank the Lord’” (The Raw Story), “Diana Nyad, Atheist, Teaches Oprah a Thing or Two about Belief, Awe, and Wonder” (Huffington Post), “Five Facts about Atheism” (Pew Research Center), “How to Talk to an Atheist about Christianity” (Crisis Magazine), “Religion in America’s States and Counties, in 6 Maps” (Washington Post), “The Genesis of Alabama’s Only High School ‘Freethinkers Club’” (Southern Education Desk), “eBay Kills Eve Brannon's ‘Take an Atheist Leader to Church’ Ad Again and Again” (Huffington Post)
Class: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations; Watch—“Lisa the Skeptic” from The Simpsons (FOX); Lecture—“Twelve Essential Grammar Rules to Know”
Due: SYNTHESIS ESSAY

Spiritual News 02.10.14

• Who won Bill Nye and Ken Harris' "Evolution versus Creationism" debate? (Christian Science Monitor)
• Striking portraits of Americans who've converted to Islam (Huffington Post)
• Iran executes poet for "waging war on God" (Al Jazeera)
• Inside Virginia's White Tail Nudist Church (WPEC)
• Get a Skype exorcism for just $295 (Daily Beast)
• New radiocarbon dating evidence of camels directly contradicts biblical accounts (Fox News)

Reflection 02: Is Nothing Sacred?—The Cultural Appropriation of Religious Symbols

Cultural appropriation is the act of one culture "incorporating" aspects of another culture into its own. This differs from cultural exchanges in which American hip-hop and Bollywood-style dancing incorporate each other's moves, or Korean and Mexican cuisines integrate each other's ingredients. In cultural appropriation, a dominant group assimilates aspects of a foreign culture without regard to their original use or intent. In other words, parts of one culture might be absorbed into another in insensitive, even offensive, ways, often for their perceived exoticism or cool factor. This extends to the religious and spiritual practices of other cultures, as well. Thus, in America, we've seen hipsters embrace Dia de los Muertos, the popularization of sacred Maori symbols as tattoos, celebrities sporting Kabbalah string bracelets, and the labeling of a clean, Asian-influenced design as Zen-style. Each of these is misunderstood and, in turn, misapplied; and yet, each has seeped into American pop culture. How have you seen the religious or sacred iconography of other cultures absorbed into the American mainstream? And what of those instances when a particular culture is offended by the use of their religious imagery in the mainstream, such as No Doubt's 2012 Native American controversy. What is the line between simply borrowing, often sacred, cultural artifacts and misusing them? For example, can we truly understand the traditions of Ojibwa dreamcatchers when they're worn as earrings, or respect Hindu principles when we do yoga with our dogs? Is it possible to appreciate another culture's artifacts in a respectful manner?

Include at least three of the following in your discussion:

• "A Much Needed Primer on Cultural Appropriation" (Jezebel)
• "Cultural Appropriation: Homage or Insult?" (Racialicious)
• "How to Follow an Eclectic Path, Minus the Cultural Appropriation" (In the Garden of Prosperpine)
• "Kanji Tattoos are Primarily for Western Eyes” (Japan Times)
• "On Hipsters/Hippies and Native Culture" (Bitch)  
• "Día de los Muertos: Cultural Appropriation Meets Craft" (ONTD Feminism)

Requirements:

• Be in MLA Style
• Be two full pages in length
• Works cited page

Due: Sec. 80—02.17; Sec. 16—02.19

Week 03

Mormonism (orig. 1830, USA)

Section 16: 

Week 03: Mo 10/We 12

Readings: DB—"Young Goodman Brown" by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Excerpt from The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky, “The Rapture” by Skip Horack, Excerpt from The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd, “NippleJesus” by Nick Hornby, “This Blessed House” by Jhumpa Lahiri, Excerpt from Snow by Orhan Pamuk, “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” by Gabriel Garcia Márquez, “The Nine Billion Names of God” by Arthur C. Clark

Class: Multimedia presentation assignments; Lecture—“Building a Better Multimedia Presentation”

All assignments, including in-class essays, are due or take place on Wednesdays.

Section 80: 

Week 03: Mo 10

Readings: DB—"Young Goodman Brown" by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Excerpt from The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky, “The Rapture” by Skip Horack, Excerpt from The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd, “NippleJesus” by Nick Hornby, “This Blessed House” by Jhumpa Lahiri, Excerpt from Snow by Orhan Pamuk, “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” by Gabriel Garcia Márquez, “The Nine Billion Names of God” by Arthur C. Clark

Class: Multimedia presentation assignments; Lecture—“Building a Better Multimedia Presentation”

Upcoming:

Section 16:
Week 04: Mo 17/We 19
Class: SHORT ANSWER RESPONSES; Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations; Guest speaker (TBA); Lecture—“Essay Outlines 101”
Due: REFLECTION 02

All assignments, including in-class essays, are due or take place on Wednesdays.

Section 80:
Class: SHORT ANSWER RESPONSES; Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations; Guest speaker (TBA); Lecture—“Essay Outlines 101”
Due: REFLECTION 02

Multimedia Presentations, Sec. 16

As you know, this semester you and two classmates will be responsible for a 10-minute multimedia presentation and a class hand-out. Below is a list of randomly assigned groups. By midnight on Monday, February 5th, one member from your group must email me (@ dhdelao@gmail.com) with your first and second topic preferences. All topics are first come, first serve.

Requirements:

• The work distribution is up to each group, though it should be somewhat equitable
• The presentation must be approximately 10 minutes in length—everyone must present at least part of the time
• There should be approximately 10 slides, including at least one video clip (no more than 2-3 minutes in length)
• You must provide a handout related to or outlining your presentation (23 copies) 
• On the day of your presentation, email both your presentation (or a link) and handout to me at dhdelao@gmail.com.

You may utilize any presentation program you like. 

The best presentations will:

• Have an introductory slide which contextualizes the topic—very important 
• Use words economically 
• Include visually interesting illustrations
• Avoid a heavy use of animation and effects 
• Have a style that complements the subject matter and strikes the appropriate tone
• Engage the class through a conversational style, utilizing questions and/or activities
• Embed a relevant video or audio clip (e.g. YouTube, SoundCloud)—ad blockers are also helpful in saving time*
• Conclude with a slide that summarizes the topic—also very important

Remember, this is an opportunity to be very creative, so feel free to have fun with the visual layout of your presentation.

*If you use PowerPoint 2007, here is a quick video explaining how to embed a YouTube clip into your presentation. Remember, embedding clips can save time during a presentation.

Lower scoring presentations might:

• Begin without an introductory slide and/or fail to offer any context upfront
• Be thinly researched
• Allow visuals to overrun their content, or lack a cohesive style
• Fail to engage the class in any meaningful way
• Lack multimedia
• End without a concluding slide

Remember, you are responsible for providing your own laptop.

Groups/Topics/Dates:

1. Sharmaine O., Julianne M., Melanie F. - Understanding Santeria (Week 06: Mo 03/We 05)
2. Sherry N., Samantha F., Keanu H. - Who are the Amish? (Week 07: Mo 10/We 12)
3.  Kelly B., Allison C., Tayyab K. - End Times: International Views on the End of the World (Week 08: Mo 17/We 19)
4. Margaret L., Hong C.,  Tipper T. - What is Karma? (Week 10: We 02)
5. Brittney W., Anthony N., Maaike C. - Who was the Buddha? (Week 11: Mo 07/We 09)
6. Charlotte B., Nick W. - Honor Killings: A Worldwide Crisis (Week 12: Mo 14/We 16)
7. Eddie S., Emilie N., Nancy N. - Mythical Creatures: Thunderbirds, Leviathans, and Faeries (Week 13: Mo 21/We 23)
8. Jennifer N., David N., Breauna P. - Possession: An Historical Overview (Week 14: Mo 28/We 30)
9. Rylan H., Aime H. - A Tragedy in New England: The Salem Witch Trials (Week 15: Mo 05/We 07)

Email me your group's first and second choices from the list below:

1. What is Karma?
2. End Times: International Views on the End of the World
3. Ancient Deities: The Egyptian Gods
4. The Jesuits
5. Understanding Sharia Law
6. Fundamentalism: Christian, Islamic, and Jewish
7. American-Born Faiths: Mormonism, Christian Science, and the Nation of Islam
8. The Passion of Joan of Arc?
9. The Crusades: An Historical Overview
10. Who are the Amish?
11. The Foods of the Bible
12. Four Goddesses: Danu, Isis, Durga and Itzpapalotl
13. The Blessed Mother to All: Mary Around the World
14. A Tragedy in New England: The Salem Witch Trials
15. Possession: An Historical Overview 
16. Understanding Santeria
17. Ancient Deities: The Mayan Gods
18. Who was the Buddha?
19. The Mystery of Bérenger Saunière
20. A Look at Snake Handling
21. Polygamy: A Worldview
22. A Look at von Däniken's Chariots of the Gods?:Unsolved Mysteries of the Past
23. Mythical Creatures: Thunderbirds, Leviathans, and Faeries
24. The Gnostic Gospels: An Overview
25. Honor Killings: A Worldwide Crisis

Multimedia Presentations, Sec. 80

As you know, this semester you and two classmates will be responsible for a 10-minute multimedia presentation and a class hand-out. By midnight on Monday, February 5th, you will be assigned partners, a topic, and a date.

Requirements:

• The work distribution is up to each group, though it should be somewhat equitable
• The presentation must be approximately 10 minutes in length—everyone must present at least part of the time
• There should be approximately 10 slides, including at least one video clip (no more than 2-3 minutes in length)
• You must provide a handout related to or outlining your presentation (23 copies) 
• On the day of your presentation, email both your presentation (or a link) and handout to me at dhdelao@gmail.com.

The best presentations will:

• Have an introductory slide which contextualizes the topic—very important 
• Use words economically 
• Include visually interesting illustrations
• Avoid a heavy use of animation and effects 
• Have a style that complements the subject matter and strikes the appropriate tone
• Engage the class through a conversational style, utilizing questions and/or activities
• Embed a relevant video or audio clip (e.g. YouTube, SoundCloud)—ad blockers are also helpful in saving time*
• Conclude with a slide that summarizes the topic—also very important

Remember, this is an opportunity to be very creative, so feel free to have fun with the visual layout of your presentation.

*If you use PowerPoint 2007, here is a quick video explaining how to embed a YouTube clip into your presentation. Remember, embedding clips can save time during a presentation.

Lower scoring presentations might:

• Begin without an introductory slide and/or fail to offer any context upfront
• Be thinly researched
• Allow visuals to overrun their content, or lack a cohesive style
• Fail to engage the class in any meaningful way
• Lack multimedia
• End without a concluding slide

Remember, you are responsible for providing your own laptop.

Groups/Topic/Date:

1. Cara, Donia,Vanessa - Mysteries of Stonehenge (02.17)
2. Colette, Adam, Sarah - Possession: An Historical Overview (04.21)
3. Tim, Karina, Erica - Polygamy: A Worldview (05.05)
4. Faviola, Odalis, Tommy - A Tragedy in New England: The Salem Witch Trials (02.24)
5. Nebay, Sarah H., Jae - Understanding Santeria (04.14)
6. Zubia, Justin - A Look at von Däniken's Chariots of the Gods? (03.10)
   
7. Nathan, Sarah Z., Shuhua - Four Goddesses: Danu, Isis, Durga and Itzpapalotl (04.28)
8. Xiaoya, Jessie, Chad - Who was the Buddha? (03.17)
9. Christina, Toan - The Foods of the Bible (04.07)

Topics:

1. What is Karma?
2. Understanding Ley Lines
3. Ancient Deities: The Egyptian Gods
4. The Earliest Christians
5. Understanding Sharia Law
6. Fundamentalism: Christian, Islamic, and Jewish
7. American-Born Faiths: Mormonism, Christian Science, and the Nation of Islam
8. The Passion of Joan of Arc?
9. The Crusades: An Historical Overview
10. Mysteries of Stonehenge
11. The Foods of the Bible
12. Four Goddesses: Danu, Isis, Durga and Itzpapalotl
13. The Blessed Mother to All: Mary Around the World
14. A Tragedy in New England: The Salem Witch Trials
15. Possession: An Historical Overview 
16. Understanding Santeria
17. Ancient Deities: The Mayan Gods
18. Who was the Buddha?
19. The Mystery of Bérenger Saunière
20. A Look at Snake Handling
21. Polygamy: A Worldview
22. A Look at von Däniken's Chariots of the Gods?:Unsolved Mysteries of the Past
23. Mythical Creatures: Thunderbirds, Leviathans, and Faeries
24. The Gnostic Gospels: An Overview
25. Honor Killings: A Worldwide Crisis

Spiritual News 02.03.14

• For the second year in a row, Scientology debuts Super Bowl ad (Deadspin)
• God and the Super Bowl (The Week)
• Christian rapper releases biblical response to Mackelmore and Ryan Lewis' "Same Love" (Houston Chronicle)
• French conservatives revive anti-Semitism in France (Independent)
• Recognizing a more "global society," Christian college drops its "Crusaders" team name (Fox News)
• Suit: Louisiana public school used Christianity to create a hostile environment for Buddhist student (Daily Beast)

Week 02

Shinto (orig. 660 BCE, Japan)

Section 16:
Week 02: Mo 03/We 05
Class: Lectures—“Engaging Writing as a Process 2.0”

Due: REFLECTION 01

All assignments, including in-class essays, are due or take place on Wednesdays.

Section 80:
Week 02: Mo 03

Class: Lectures—“Engaging Writing as a Process 2.0” 

Due: REFLECTION 01

Upcoming:

Section 16: 

Week 03: Mo 10/We 12

Readings: DB—"Young Goodman Brown" by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Excerpt from The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky, “The Rapture” by Skip Horack, Excerpt from The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd, “NippleJesus” by Nick Hornby, “This Blessed House” by Jhumpa Lahiri, Excerpt from Snow by Orhan Pamuk, “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” by Gabriel Garcia Márquez, “The Nine Billion Names of God” by Arthur C. Clark

Class: DIAGNOSTIC; Watch—“God's Close-Up” from This American Life (2007); Multimedia presentation assignments; Lecture—“Building a Better Multimedia Presentation”

All assignments, including in-class essays, are due or take place on Wednesdays.

Section 80: 

Week 03: Mo 10

Readings: DB—"Young Goodman Brown" by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Excerpt from The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky, “The Rapture” by Skip Horack, Excerpt from The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd, “NippleJesus” by Nick Hornby, “This Blessed House” by Jhumpa Lahiri, Excerpt from Snow by Orhan Pamuk, “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” by Gabriel Garcia Márquez, “The Nine Billion Names of God” by Arthur C. Clark

Class: DIAGNOSTIC; Watch—“God's Close-Up” from This American Life (2007); Multimedia presentation assignments

Lecture—“Building a Better Multimedia Presentation”