Learning @ MindSay

• I'm learning how to live without her.  I'm learning that I wouldn't want her back even if she wanted me.  I'm moving forward little by little, and it gets easier as each day goes by.  But this is still the hardest thing I've ever gone through.
• I'm wanting a tattoo... I don't currently have any, and I'm just feeling the need.  I have no idea what I want a tattoo of, though.
• I'm being pestered to run a 5K at the beginning of June.  I've been running a little bit lately, but no more than 2 miles.  I'm not sure I'm prepared to do 3.
• It's raining, and while most people around me today are complaining about that fact, I love it.  I don't know why, but I've always loved rainy days.
• I've been working for awhile on a website for my photography with the hope and idea of eventually selling prints from it.  I'm getting close to being able to try it out, and I'm suddenly questioning the quality of my photographs.  Are they really good enough to sell, or am I being foolish?

Multitasking, when it comes to paying attention, is a myth. The brain naturally focuses on concepts sequentially, one at a time. At first that might sound confusing; at one level the brain does multitask. You can walk and talk at the same time. Your brain controls your heartbeat while you read a book. Pianists can play a piece with left hand and right hand simultaneously. Surely this is multitasking.

But I am talking about the brain’s ability to pay attention. It is the resource you forcibly deploy while trying to listen to a boring lecture at school. It is the activity that collapses as your brain wanders during a tedious presentation at work. This attentional ability is not capable of multitasking.

After Sept. 11, 2001, I decided to ask my students in Composition 2, academic discourse, to study and write about the influence of religion on war and peace. In the beginning I told my students that our subject was the faculty of reason itself—that is, critical thinking, logical reasoning, the academic aspiration to objectivity—and I assigned the book Education and the Significance of Life by J. Krishnamurti. Over the next six years I continued to tinker with my materials and methods until, just the last two years, I decided to address directly the conflict between reason and religious faith. Last year I assigned Bertrand Russell’s Religion and Science, but many students found that text too difficult, so this fall and winter I assigned instead Russell’s essay “What Is an Agnostic?” and his book Why I Am Not a Christian, though this winter we had time to read only the “Preface” and the title essay of the collection. We also listened to the audio of a talk by Sam Harris, “Believing the Unbelievable,” and I provided students with a transcript of it. Most of the final papers were about fifteen pages long, the shortest ten, the longest twenty-four. At the very end of their conclusions I invited them to offer any general comments they wanted to add about the course, the class, the materials, their instructor, me, whatever. I hurriedly standardized the worst of their usage and mechanics and below I post the student comments I received in fall and winter quarters.

1

English 1020 was not the typical English class. I had heard from previous students and professors at Metro that it would be difficult if I was a Christian. They were right. I was tempted to drop at the beginning but decided to make it through. I believe the class did exactly the opposite of what its intention possibly was. My faith was strengthened an incredible amount. Listening to the discussions on a daily basis was hard, making me want to run out of the room or shout, anything to make the nonsense stop. I am still startled that this material was allowed to be taught in the manner it was. It seems very dangerous to instill preconceived ideas in the minds of young adults who did not grow up in a Christian home. Mr. Skank claims to be open-minded and he claims not to judge people, although his comment earlier in the semester that “Christians seem to be the most judgmental” is a judgment in itself. I consider myself extremely blessed to have grown up with the morals of the Christian church and to be taught the love of Christ. I pray that Christ will open Mr. Skank’s eyes to see the incredible hope and love that we can have in our savior, Jesus Christ. There is something to live for much greater than ourselves.

2

I have felt this conflict between reason and religious faith in my own life. I think it is natural for everyone to feel this conflict because there are always new reasons not to believe in God and always people who want to teach only facts instead of faith. I believe that there is much more to faith than just trying to prove God is real. I am able to resolve this conflict in my life because I have a strong faith in God and everything he has done. This class has been a real trial for me. I have never been put in a situation where my faith was questioned. It has been very frustrating at times, but I think it has also been good for me. It forced me to think about what I believe and what my opinions are about the arguments over religion and reason. I think the material used for this class was good, but I would really have liked to see the other side. I know classmates were able to share what they knew on religion, but there were never any readings on religion, and I think that made the class very one-sided, whether it was meant to be that way or not.

3

One fact that will always stand true is that no matter what side of the argument you are on, whether you’re defending religion or you are pointing out its flaws: No one really knows the truth. I have dealt with the conflict between reason and religious faith my whole life. I can remember being in second grade and asking my teacher if Jesus was real. I was of course told that he was very real and to not ask again. This conflict has always been on my mind. I don’t think that I will ever be able to resolve this conflict because of the lack of proof. I will always look at the more reasonable side of things. Religious faith to me lacks any sort of reason.

4

This class has really opened my mind to many different perspectives on life. It also made me realize how strong religious belief can be. The first couple meetings of class the tension was dense in the air, but that was a good thing. This class definitely broadened my horizon in the way I listen to other people’s perspectives on religion and also on life in general.

5

I guess I personally don’t understand how you can believe in something so much that you’re willing to die for it. I can’t think of anything I would be willing to die for, let alone a belief in something that I’m not even sure really exists. Regularly attending a college class has always been hard for me. Knowing I could still pass a class while I slept instead of actually attending it is probably my favorite part about college. In most classes I would just sit and listen to a lecture while I pretended to take notes on my laptop while I was really on Facebook talking to friends. This class seemed different to me. Discussing touchy subjects has always been fun for me, even if I’m just listening and not talking. I liked listening to everyone’s opinion about religion and to just how strong some of those opinions were. To be honest there were some comments that I completely disagreed with. I remember the first week of class a comment was made about how everyone in this world is Catholic, some are just better than others. I was born and raised Catholic, and even I don’t believe that, although my beliefs and opinions have changed since the beginning of this class. I knew I didn’t believe in everything the Catholic religion has taught me, and now I’m starting to agree more with the agnostic point of view. Discussing the agnostic side of view was probably my favorite part of the class, most likely because I agreed with it.

6

I believe the conflict between reason and religious faith arises when people’s faith overrides their reason and causes them to do things that their reason would not allow. The causes of this conflict are the idea of a higher power, an afterlife, and the idea that whatever faith you have is the right one no matter what. The idea of an afterlife makes some people think that life on this earth is second-rate compared to the one that comes after death. The idea that your personal faith is the right one tends to make people judgmental and intolerant of other people’s beliefs. This can lead to violence of many kinds. The last cause is the idea of a higher power. People may do some pretty harmful and nasty things because they believe that a higher being has power over them and their life. I have never really felt this conflict in my life. I have always just tried to do what I think is right and best in all situations and I will continue to do so because I believe that that is all that we can do.

7

When people speak of the conflict between reason and religious faith, they are referring to the unexplainable contradictions of religion, which religion answers by emphasizing a need to have faith or, as I would call it, dogma. This conflict is caused by the many unbelievable teachings thought to be absolute truths in the Bible or other holy books. I have felt this conflict in my life by having beliefs different from some of my family who are strong believers in the Bible. My not believing in a heaven and hell as described in the Bible has been hard for much of my family to accept. Still I feel lucky because I do have the freedom to believe what I want and continue to be loved by my family. I have taken great pleasure in this class and the chance to hear someone else’s opinions that are similar to mine. Where I live and have grown up my beliefs have always been unorthodox and not well-perceived. It is not often that I get a chance to speak my mind without a backlash of negative remarks for my beliefs. This is a class I think should be mandatory for all students just so they can actually take the time to actually think about what they believe and why.

8

My thoughts on this class are very different from most of my classmates. Because I came into this class with a open mind and heart, Mr. Skank and the class really made me think about what is true and what is not true. Most of the things that some think are not true are up for interpretation. Mr. Skank never tried to change our minds. But he did make us think about why we do take some things that we are told as truth with no proof they are right. Mr. Skank also made a good point about how if you question some major religions you are going to hell or you are labeled a heretic. Isn’t it basic human instinct to be skeptical and to question everything we know or think we know? The last point that Mr. Skank tried teaching us was to use academic discourse and the rules of it the right way. It is not always easy to stay level-headed when we are talking about god and religions. I am more open-minded than I was when the class started, but it is not someone else’s job to find out answers for us. It is our job to find out the answer even if it is contrary to what we think. This is the way people should look at religions. I think this class made me think outside my comfort zone and made me think about things I would not think about in my daily life.

9

So what truly is the conflict between reason and religious faith? I believe that it is nothing more than a misunderstanding between groups of entirely different people. The academics use facts and reasoning to prove their points whereas religious fanatics hold onto their faith with every fiber of their being. They simply do not allow other ideas into their heads. I have felt this conflict throughout my life, not only externally, but internally as well. I have had many people try to shove religion down my throat, and I also have encountered many who have challenged my religious beliefs to the point where I am an agnostic of sorts. Through taking this class, I have found that the side of reason is the more legitimate side to understand and believe. I have not yet resolved this conflict, but I have found that I am able to live more peacefully than before. I enjoyed this class thoroughly, and I hope to encounter someone with strong religious beliefs so I can hand them Bertrand Russell’s book and hopefully open their eyes to a new world like this class did mine.

10

Before this class started I, to say the least, was definitely wavering in my beliefs as a Christian. After reading Bertrand Russell and listening to Sam Harris I have finally heard what I needed. I needed to hear someone else say that it is okay not to believe. Not only to say that it is okay not to believe but to back it up with such a well-rounded and thought-out argument. It made me realize it is okay to question the “facts” that have been drilled into my head since I was a small child. Before this class I had no one to talk to about religion other than people from my own church and my family. It was refreshing to be around other people and be able to have that conversation with people who didn’t have a biased opinion and had some idea of what they are talking about. Before this class I felt as though I was lost and not really believing what I was supposed to. Now I know what my beliefs are and know that I am not alone.

11

There will always be disputes and wars over religion. There are many places where religion is a very touchy subject, where talk about it will start up brutality. Academic discourse, as frequently discussed, provides us the atmosphere to debate and talk about our beliefs in a nonviolent setting. We can hear about other people’s beliefs and tell our own without aggression, knowing that we are going to disagree and may not be able to sway the other people’s views. This is a healthy way to open up about our beliefs. I think talking about certain views in great detail may actually bring out new or changed beliefs. If we believe in one thing but never talk about it again, how will we know if it has changed without addressing it? There are a few things that I believed in at the beginning of this course that have changed slightly after talking about them. Other people didn’t influence me, but I did think about things in more detail when I was asked to talk or write about them. This class helped me. It actually made me a little stronger in my belief. When I had to iron out the kinks in a few of my views and put them all out on paper, they evolved. I now feel considerably more passionate about a few of my principles.

12

I think this was a fun subject to work with as an assignment. I thought it was fun because in some cases you would get under someone’s skin and make them mad or even get them going. It was an effective subject because it gets you thinking if you never thought before on the subject. I had to take my time with this and think what was going on. Going through this was a good thing, because now I know where I really stand and how I believe in religion. I understand myself where I am going and how I believe that there is no higher authority.... What is the evidence that there is a higher authority? Everything that we want to believe we believe; we have our own power to believe in what we want to believe in. Mr. Skank, you are a great instructor in my point of view because you speak the truth when you speak and you really don’t try to change someone’s beliefs, but you try to make people think about everything, which should be done anyways. You make us use our brain to our full potential and you help us when we start to slack. In academic discourse you have to go into it with an open mind and not get mad about what is talked about. You are supposed to be able to talk about everything and make your point and somehow support your beliefs.... You would challenge our minds and make us think before we speak or even put it on paper.

13

As far as the class, I really enjoyed it. I have never taken a class with such an open structure. I also have never had a professor quite like Mr. Skank. When people try to teach me about religion I normally turn the other way, but with Mr. Skank I cannot turn away. I think it’s because of the knowledge that he has with so many religions. He holds so much credibility with this topic that it’s hard for me to stray away from his own beliefs. But the main thing that Mr. Skank has taught me is not about Bertrand Russell, it’s about figuring it out for oneself. His class has pushed me to think about my own beliefs. This course has also made me want to figure out where I stand religiously. Should I stay with my parents' beliefs that I was raised with? Or should I go out and find one that fits me best? See, I think that courses that make you think and make you want to go take action are the best courses. That is why I believe this could be the best college course I have ever taken.

14

I registered for this class and then went to the bookstore a couple weeks later to purchase the book. When I found the book on the shelf, I read the title, Why I Am Not a Christian. I thought I’d found the wrong book, so I asked for help from the bookstore lady. She confirmed that I indeed had found the correct book. So then I looked to see what the other instructors were requiring. Theirs seemed much more interesting. What, did I get stuck with some religious freak? So I thought about changing my class to a different teacher with a more interesting book. I showed the book to my husband and he told me that I might learn something. I told myself that he was right. Religion was a topic I didn’t know a lot about, so I thought I’d see what happened. This class has been a really good experience for me to learn about the differences in religion. It’s opened my eyes up even more to the impact that religion has on all our lives. From 9/11 to the war, medical research, or our children’s education, religion plays a big role in all our lives. Humans have turned religion into power and control. After taking this class, I am more grateful that I wasn’t raised religiously. I believe this has allowed me to keep an open mind. My mind was never trained to have faith in one religion. My faith has no rules or restrictions. My God has no control of me. I am free to believe in God. I am free to pray. There is a God. There is a God because I believe. I will leave this class with a more educated view about all the conflicts involved in religion. I feel I have a better understanding of the differences in people’s feelings. I don’t have to agree, but I can better understand why they believe what they believe. This knowledge will be a great asset to me in my life in many ways.

15

I believe completely in people’s freedom of choice for religion. No one should be forced to believe something they do not wholeheartedly think is true. With all of the intolerance in the world, it seems unnecessary to compel others to believe something they have no intention of believing. One question I have is why can’t we have it all? We have come so far in our way of life, yet we still cannot manage to peacefully live together. People should also not use the Bible as a way to better their own lives. So commonly, people will twist the words of the Bible to benefit themselves. It is hard to interpret the Bible today because times have changed so much. I know we aren’t supposed to kill people on Sundays if they are working, and we aren’t supposed to beat someone for looking at another man’s wife. I think we should learn lessons from the Bible and apply them to our daily lives.

16

The first day I came to the class, I thought that I was in the wrong one. It was not what I expected; I thought it was going to be an English writing class, not religion or philosophy. I was frustrated because I came with the specific need to learn how to compose better in English: grammar, usage, tense…these technical things. In the end, I had to rely on writing centers and fluent friends to help me correct these composition problems. I learned many things in this class. One is that there are more than just the three religions I have known. In the Middle East, we know just the three religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Muslim. I did not have any idea about Buddhism, Hinduism, and Agnosticism. In English Composition II, I learned what each religion believes in, which is good information to me. To be honest, in the beginning I did not like it and I felt uncomfortable. I am not used to sitting with people who do not believe in God and discussing the many questions that you asked. I prayed to God for patience and to give me the right answers. I liked the discussion. When you read our essays in the class, it showed how people are different from each other. The conflict between reason and faith is intricate, each side has its ideas or opinions, and we cannot change them. It is a hard subject to discuss, but we should respect each person’s opinion because it is their belief.

17

I am almost nervous that some day I will not have any bit of faith left. I just hope that someday I will figure out what it is I am looking for. For now I will just live life the way I want my life to be lived. This course made me think deeper on religion, and faith, and God, and Heaven, and Hell probably more than any college course has made me think about any of the subjects they were offering. Most courses in college, or even high school, have been based on books, and history, and facts, but with this course it was more about our thoughts and beliefs and exploring new ideas and concepts, and I really enjoyed it. I feel like in most of the classes that I have taken it is just tests and homework assignments and things that I probably will not remember after the final exam. In this class I enjoyed getting to know my classmates and my teacher. I think that academic discourse is a great way to teach a class and that more professors should teach that way! I would like to thank you personally for helping me open my eyes to new ideas and letting me know that it is okay to be an agnostic or even to believe differently than other people do.

18

People answer yes, no, or maybe to the question of the existence of God, and then are labeled into ideological categories based on their answer. After hearing a person’s ideology and discussion opens, then this conflict between reason and religion arises. The conflict I believe is that people claim they are right or more knowledgeable than those on the opposing side. Bertrand Russell and Sam Harris share the belief that religion is harmful. After reading Russell and Harris, I am still convinced that my answer to the question “Does God exist?” is a yes. I continue to believe and I do not agree that the teachings of my Christian religion, specifically the Catholic faith, are harmful or unknowledgeable. I don’t care to be labeled as unknowledgeable just because of the fact that I have a religious faith.

19

Overall I enjoyed taking the class; it was not too easy nor too hard. I have never taken an English class taught in this way before. It was a totally new learning experience for me. For the first time the teacher did not hand out tests and quizzes and think you were only as good as the grade you had. You actually let us write our opinions on an interesting school-related subject; that is what I think I enjoyed the most about taking the class. If I hadn't taken the class I would not have learned about Bertrand Russell or Sam Harris. At first I did not enjoy reading the things that Russell wanted to talk about; most did not seem relevant to me, because that was not what I believed in. But the more I read through his book, the more I started to appreciate some of things he had to say, the things that were not religion-based. When he spoke about life, love and knowledge, they were subjects that I could related to and could understand where he was going with it. Overall, I have a new respect for Russell. I did not like what he had to say in beginning, but after reading through his text, I know he is a very intelligent man who only means well.

20

I do believe that there is a conflict between reason and religion faith simply because I believe that the reason many things happen are not religious. I do not believe that the reason where I am today is because of my religious faith or beliefs, because honestly I lack religious faith and belief. Many people believe that the reason things are the way they are is because of religion and God. I don’t believe this at all. Like I mentioned before, I want to have more faith, I want to know there is a God, and I want to keep praying. However, I don’t know how long it will be until I think I have it figured out. Honestly, I don’t think I will ever have it all the way figured out or understand completely. Actually, I feel that I will always have doubts on things like Jesus and heaven and hell until they are proven to me to be true. I wish I had all the answers but no one has all the answers. I am here on earth to learn and that is my plan, to just keep learning a little at a time until I feel satisfied about my religious faith or lack of religious faith. Right now, though, at this point in my life I feel like I have everything I need to go on with my life. I have friends and family and love and knowledge. My life seems as complete as it could be. I don’t feel like I am missing or lacking anything. I don’t feel like I need a religion or the bible to make me happy and suit my life. I believe to have everything that I feel is essential to my life. So why change it and try to become religious, or read the bible, or add something in my life that I don’t have any certainty about? I have no idea where I am going, or where I will end up. I am just along for the ride.

21

In conclusion, contrasting faith and reason seems a greater challenge for the reasons Harris cited, involving the taboo of questioning one’s belief in God. Both authors provide apparently logical and understandable arguments concerning the improbability of certain religious convictions, in addition to the harm they cause society—perhaps with a more urgent focus on the latter. My job involved weaving my thoughts and ideas with those of Russell and Harris, which I found difficult at times, having little to add. Even in the way of personal experiences, I seem to have few—I never experienced a religious upbringing, which disallows me the pleasure of relating how I embraced or abandoned it, while sharing the beliefs to which I was exposed. Although having a Catholic and a Muslim parent might seem like grounds for interesting anecdotes, the truth is that my childhood was rather uneventful in that sense. There were no conflicts, only avoidance. My opinion of the class was generally positive. I have had experience with this instructor in the past, and believe I was more suited to the material during the second course, perhaps because I attempted to eliminate the lack of confidence I previously held. I think this class helped in that sense, by forcing me outside the comfort zone—not with any religious comfort zone the instructor may have mentioned, but with my own conviction in my personal inabilities. However, I cannot state that writing this paper hasn’t been frustrating; I will probably continue reading material similar to that within the course, from curiosity and the desire to impress, but I shall avoid the need to write papers like this, if given the choice—should I take a writing class where I am expected to choose my own topic, it shall not involve Harris or Russell. However, I did enjoy the experience within this class, including the discussions we undertook and the opportunity for me to expand my self-imposed limitations, as mentioned.

22

Throughout this course, we have discussed the conflicts between reason and religion. The difference between reason and religion is that people who are agnostics think with reasoning. People of agnostic faith gather proof to make sure that what they are being told is really true, or if proof cannot be found, evidence of the issue being discussed. Religion, on the other hand, is completely different. People just believe; they trust in the Bible; they trust in the Lord with all their heart. Throughout the course of this semester, the discussions that we had in class and the reading materials assigned allowed me to take a deeper look at my own religious beliefs. I can now have confirmation on how I have grown through the years as a person of substance and a person of faith. I have found that there are many different views of the Bible, and religion for that matter, that were all new to me. This course has helped me come to the realization that there is no set religion, faith, or beliefs that apply to everyone; it is truly a personal preference. This course has taught me about acceptance and diversity. I truly believe that we should not judge a person based on their religious beliefs, but on the content of their character and who they are as a person. Mr. Skank opened my eyes and helped me to realize that I have a lot more to learn about my own faith and life in general. The lessons that I have learned will follow me through the rest of my life, and I hope that one day I can pass them on to my own children.

23

After all of the discussions we have had in class and all the readings we have done outside of class, I would like to say that this class has been one of the more challenging ones I have taken in a long time. Not because of its difficulty, but because of how you challenged all of us to think and to really get down to how we feel about religion and all of the readings we did in class, which is why I really enjoyed this class. I have never been asked about my thoughts on Christianity and the Bible except for in this class, and I think it gave me a good idea on where I stand on those things. I liked how each person pressed each other's buttons and knew how they were going to get the discussion going and make everyone really stand up for what they believe in and fight for it, to challenge everyone's thoughts to see exactly where they were coming from and how they got that way. It does worry me a little bit simply because of the fact that I don’t know how my parents would react to the things I have written in this paper. I know they would never shun me from the family, but I would be very interested to see what they thought on the things I wrote in this paper; it would bring up some interesting family dinner conversations, I know that for a fact. I think you did a very excellent job with the class knowing that God, Christianity, and the Bible are very touchy subjects and knowing full well that you would eventually step on some people's toes and even cause some dramatic arguments between classmates. I know some people didn’t make the entire semester, whether it be because of the way the class went and the things that you believed and how you challenged everyone's beliefs. I think that you did a good job not to force anything onto people. You knew the right things to say to the right people and that was why this class was a lot of fun to be a part of.

24

I firmly believe that religion is not only wrong and harmful to humanity, but also unnecessary. We do not need religion to love others, to help each other out, or to be good people. Unfortunately, as a product of religion, people are maiming and killing each other simply because they disagree. This cannot stand. We, as humans, are responsible for each other and the shape of our society. Do we really want to bring children into a world where their people will try to use them, take advantage of them, try to get them to believe something that is morally wrong and twisted? That doesn’t sound very smart to me, and I know that it won’t be avoided. Still, our priority should remain in becoming a society that promotes unbiased education, based on fact and not on wild beliefs in something that no one can prove, save a two-millennium-old book that was written by some people and was just said to be the word of God. I hope when my kids are in school, they will be endowed with skepticism and critical thinking/reasoning skills, and think and believe in things as they please, not for what society tells them is right and wrong. I am afraid for humanity, because I really feel threatened by people who cannot see past the end of their nose and are too afraid to speak out their objections for fear of death, or worse. I agree with Bertrand Russell on most of his points, certainly the ones on the dangerousness of being unreasonable, unable to see another’s point of view. We can do better, we must. Otherwise, I am afraid that we will keep killing each other off until no one is left. That just won’t do. We are smarter than that; we have just been suppressed into accepting dogmas and mantras for two thousand years and made afraid to speak out against it, even though it makes no sense whatsoever. I just hope that someday things will be different.

25

I feel as though there is no conflict between reason and religion; the conflict is between science and religion. Science seeks proofs for everything whereas faith is a set of beliefs that do not depend upon scientific research. In my opinion, faith has a reasonable basis for everything. Throughout this course, I have obtained the courage to be independent with my beliefs and what I stand for as an individual. Everyone has their own personal view of religion and/or science. I have acquired the knowledge through this class that analysis of something is not harmful, such as probing deeper into one's religion beliefs and basis. By looking deeper and acquiring more information, it can only make your belief firmer and stronger. None the less, it may also help you obtain the knowledge to see that there are other opposing factors. The course professor, Mr. Skank, was educated in many religions and doctrines creating an environment where one could learn effectively and obtain knowledge on all different levels. My eyes were opened, helping me realize that I have not looked deeper into certain aspects of my religion’s core.

26

Overall, I believe science coexisted with God, as God was its creator. I believe it played a profound role in the creation and development of the world, and I believe it will play a profound role in the end and destruction of the world, in the form of a nuclear Armageddon, which is of course prophesized in the bible. Each day that prophecy seems to be more of a forthcoming reality as tensions continue to grow around the world. The class as whole was very interesting. It was thought-provoking to say the least. I took a History of Christianity class last year at UNL, and I think this still the most I’ve ever thought or written about this topic. I definitely liked the course; it beats grammar any day of the week.

27

The conflict between reason and religious faith is definitely an issue that affects everyone. A huge issue right now is the war in the Middle East. The idea that some are willing to kill innocent people because their religion is making them heroes for doing so is preposterous. No one wants to lose loved ones in a war that many do not think we should be in. Faith seems to become an issue when it stunts the growth of society. Whether in research or schooling, many believe religion to be dangerous because of the fact that it makes some naïve to what is really going on in the world. I believe everyone has been in contact with such conflict. As a religious person I care about my faith and beliefs. But I do not want that to stop me from learning other ideas taught. Some may see this as unfaithful, but I believe God wants us to see every side to life and then decide our beliefs. One can still be virtuous to the Lord’s teachings while hearing differing views. The only way to solve this conflict is keeping true to yourself and your beliefs no matter the situation.

28

I think that when people refer to the conflict between reason and faith that they are talking about how hard it is for them to believe. I have a hard time accepting some of the teachings, but I know that is what I must do in the core of my being. I think that there are right brainers and left brainers. For some it is easier to be moved by faith and for others they must truly struggle. For the strugglers I pray. For the ones who have no idea who God is or why we are here I pray. I think that the conflict comes when the true meaning of what God and Christ intended is missed. We are to be living in peace. When radicals take an offensive position with the words of God, they end up hurting people. This is what should be stopped. It is the ones who are raising arms. The ones who are defending those who are being attacked because of the words of God are doing no wrong. I think it is important to have doubts. I think that if you have doubts you can move closer to God. I have realized through the writing of this paper that my mother does not handle well any doubts that I have about my religion. There isn’t anyone else who seems to mind any doubts that arise. I have many sources to ask questions about my faith. For this I am very thankful. I will pray for you, Mr. Skank, and I hope that before you leave this earth you are able to see or at least believe in the wonders of our Savior, the Lord, Jesus Christ.

29

All of these philosophers and atheists prove their points mainly by addressing all of the evil and cruelty in the Bible, but there are also many good aspects of the Bible too. That is what inspires me to still believe and want to continue to be a Christian, or just a gracious person that has a kind heart. From the bottom of my heart I know that I will always have questions and wonder if there really is a God, and if so will I ever see him or have enough proof to never doubt him. The conflict for me between reason and religious faith is all the proof out there that my God could possibly be a figment of the imagination really scares me. However, I do know that the philosophers have researched and studied their whole lives to answer certain questions about God, Jesus Christ, and the Bible. The more I listened to Mr. Skank discuss the material of Bertrand Russell and heard the obvious ironies or facts in support of their thoughts and ideas about religion, the more questions I had for myself about my beliefs and faith. I believe that I will always struggle with reason and religious faith because the more I learn and allow myself to accept the opinions of others about this topic, the more I will desire to learn above and beyond the limitations of my upbringing. My family may be disappointed that I have some reservations about my religion and God; however, I know that they will be accepting of me no matter how I practice my faith. I do know that attending the church that I attend makes me feel fantastic and joyous inside and it has helped me through some struggles in my life. God and Christianity have always been a positive part of mine and my family’s life. I have never taken the time, or maybe I was too scared, to hear the negative flaws of God and his ways. I prefer to keep the encouraging and wonderful things about my religion and faith a constant in my life; that does not mean that I am not willing to recognize the truth, though. It just means that having faith and believing in something is what keeps me going through life, hoping that someday I will be in heaven with all of my loved ones. I do appreciate the opportunity I had to learn about other religions and beliefs in this class and I thank Mr. Skank for making it interesting and enjoyable for me. I benefited from the class discussions and was eager to hear my classmates’ thoughts, opinions, and beliefs about God; it made me realize how sensitive some are to their faith being questioned. I was quite open to all the knowledge of my teacher and other philosophers about their viewpoints and the uncertainties of my God. I was ready to walk out after a half hour of the first day in Mr. Skank’s English Comp II class; however, I am glad I stuck it out and challenged my faith. This has been an experience I will not soon forget. Thanks again, Mr.S!

30

So much goes into the conflict between reason and religious faith because there are so many views on the subject. What people refer to when speaking of the two opposites is usually an argument. Some people refuse to understand what another is saying about their own beliefs because they are not open-minded. There are people who will believe anything they hear if it is desirable and what they want. Then there are people who listen to other opinions and respect what they believe but still stay strong to what they think is right. I would classify myself in the last category. Like any person, I have had doubts about what I believe and wondered if it really is the truth. Mr. Skank has helped me dig into God’s word with questions and things I never knew for sure. It has not made my faith weaker but much stronger. Finding out the reason for so many things I never realized has made me grow stronger in my walk with God. I’m sure that many people took Mr. Skank’s words and comments in a judgmental and harsh way as did I at the beginning. Then I realized that God wanted me to take this class to grow closer to him even though it was difficult as times. Mr. Skank didn’t turn out being so much of a burden as a blessing. Mr. Skank always talks in a joking manner about how all his Christian students think he will go to hell. I never say anything because it is not at all my place. According to the Bible, Mr. Skank will go to hell if he does not accept God as his eternal savior but who am I to judge him? I say again as I have many times in this paper, we are all equal in God’s eyes so I am not worthy to judge my equal. On judgment day, in front of God will Mr. Skank know where he will go for all of eternity. I will keep praying for my teacher and hope that we will come to see the light, but it is his choice to live in the arms of Jesus Christ for ever and ever.

31

I believe that when you're talking about religious faith and the reasoning behind it you will find many different views. Most people, I say most people because our class was mainly Christians, believe in God and the church. I think there is a fine line between reason and religious beliefs for a few reasons. One reason is how can God say he is trying to do good but all he seemed to do in the bible is kill people? He destroyed whole cities. He killed people just because they didn’t believe. It’s hard to think that the God in the bible is a good man. How could you? It’s like when the man got killed for gathering wood on a Sunday. I never knew that was a crime; however, it showed disrespect for God so he was killed. There are just too many stories like this in the bible for you to tell me with some rational thoughts God did the right thing. I liked this subject just because it made you think a lot. It made me think of my choices I have made about not attending church. I have talked to my parents about this subject and they haven’t given me the answers that I’m looking for, so therefore I don’t attend church. I think this is a choice I am going to stick with until people can answer all my questions and I can actually see that there could be some truth behind it.

32

What I believe people refer to when they speak of the conflict between reason and religious faith is just the many inconsistencies that religion presents. The many unresolved doubts and questions that people find in their religions. Here is an example: Common sense and compassion lead us to think that we should not judge others or disrespect them. Yet religion pushes us to judge the unbelievers and those who behave “immorally” and to treat certain people differently whether it is because they are unbelievers or women or sinners or inferior in some way. The sources and causes of this conflict can be summarized in one word—“religion.” This is the cause. Religion teaches us how to see the world, what to think of it, how to live our lives. What religion teaches is the source of this conflict. The word religion by itself is not the problem; the problem is what it represents and what it stands for—blind obedience. I have always felt this conflict in my life. I have always had a problem not questioning many things that religion teaches and/or promotes. This stubbornness of mine has caused my family quite a few episodes of becoming upset and claiming I’m "not going to turn out right.” It seems that if I refuse to follow Catholicism, which is the religion I grew up in, I am somehow going to be lost and I am going to become a bad person, which is just not true. Of course there are exceptions; there are people that I will probably never make any progress with, like my grandmothers. I do not think they will ever quite accept my refusing to follow Catholicism. In their eyes it makes me the black sheep, but I have learned that I am okay with that. I am okay with that if I am doing what my gut feeling tells me. I have realized that if people cannot see positive things in you because you do not believe what they believe, I have to feel sorry for them. I feel sorry for them because their minds are so closed, box-shaped, and mainly like a one-way street, and that is just no way to live this life. As arrogant as this may sound, it has to be their loss and not mine. Speaking of the class and of this whole experience, writing this paper and reading all this material, knowing that there are people out there who are free to think differently has widened my horizons and made me so much freer. I really liked this class. Actually I would like to point out that I could have taken this class earlier in the morning and with some other teacher and my schedule would have worked out better. However, I hate English composition so I was curious to see what textbooks would be used for each class and when I came across Russell’s book I knew that was the English class I wanted to be in. I felt that with a topic like this one, so interesting to me, I could forget I hated English and bear with the class. So I am extremely happy and grateful for this experience. Even before this class I had already rebelled against religion, against going to church and following other teachings. I am free to think and do what I want, and as long as it makes me happy that is what I will continue to do. However, now I have so much more knowledge to explain my point to others. Now I can tell other people that I refuse to follow religion because it does not give women an equal place to men and because it threatens and scares. Well, things like that…. I almost forgot to mention that I really liked my teacher. I do, however, want to suggest that he is not so harsh as some say on those people in class who hold such strong beliefs. It is, though, funny seeing other students defend religion with such passion and yet when they are asked to offer evidence or supporting material they just cannot come up with it, not because they do not know enough about the subject but just because that is the way religion is. Religion and its teachings are inconsistent, incomplete and it is taboo to criticize religion.

33

I believe that religion is causing our world a lot of agony and pain. Religion is a problem, and it's going to get worse before it's better. I am a religious person, but I don't think that religious people have a right to demonize homosexuals. It's not anyone else's business but yours. I hate how some religious freak people are trying to control people's lives that aren't their own! Like I said, I do believe in God but I don't take things out of control like some people do. I have read three different essays on why some people are agnostics, or why they don't believe in God. I still firmly believe that there is a God that created our Earth. I completely understand that some people don't believe in a God, or my God, and some people even aren't sure if there is a God or not. I'm not ashamed of what I believe and somebody isn't going to change my mind on what I do believe. These essays I read did get me to think outside the box a little bit and make me question if some things are rational beliefs. I am very glad I read the essays and wrote what I thought was right and wrong. I think the essays were excellent and they didn't make me mad at all. Harris and Russell seem like they are very interesting, smart men. They just think outside of the box and I respect that. I loved writing this paper!

34

After reading the writings of these two men, I have come to a lot of conclusions about the conflict between reason and religious faith. The way I have understood this is that for some there is not enough proof for of God's existence. They doubt many or all great chapters in the Bible and have no reason to believe in any type of religious God. I also think that a lot of what we read was very contradictory. I think that for people to be on the fence about these beliefs and to say they neither deny or accept that there is a God is the proper answer. It seems to me a safe answer, for there may be a slight chance there is a God. It is a way to redeem themselves if there is. I have never experienced this type of conflict in my own life. I cannot remember a time when I have doubted the existence of God. I have seen on television and read in the papers a lot about the removal of religion in our schools and judicial systems and countless other requests, all on grounds that it offends non-believers. Non-believers state there isn’t a God and ask, if there is, then why doesn’t he send us signs? On the other hand, this offends believers, and is that ok? Did non-believers ever think that just the normal daily things are the signs that many say they have never received from God to prove his existence? Just like in this class, have you, Mr. Skank, ever thought that God sends you a class full of Christians each quarter to be a sign for you? What about all of the papers you read? These all could be very good signs from God that these people and you are missing.