Class Discussion Notes: 10.13.2005

 

Ritual

Nature

Industrialization/Technology

Fear of Disconnection

Identity

 

  • (Megan) “People through industrialization have hence ruined one true sign and symbol of God in this world”- Why do industrialization and technology ruin God in the world? Can industrialization, technology and God coexist?
    • (Susan) By destroying nature, we destroy part of the mystery
    • With technology, there’s less of a need for miracles

 

  • Relationships
    • There’s no focus on building relationships—constantly move people around in contrast with education systems in Israel, Saudi Arabia, etc.
    • (Mitha) have to find some way to fit into a group
    • Who is doing this?  Government? Society?
    • (Ben)American dream=”you have to do it on your own”
    • (Anush) ethic that man could essentially take from nature—givers and takers
    • (Brian) “name” is to know or be familiar with

 

  • Sense of God
    • (Thomas) Is it that we don’t feel God anymore or we’re replacing an older concept of God with a newer concept of God?
    • Evolution of Thought
      • Where is God? (18th Century- people who wrote the Constitution)
      • We must find God here again (Romantics)
      • Where is God?  How can he be in charge of this cruelty? (Darwin)
      • Where’d God go? Did he disappear?
      • God is dead (Nietzche)
      • Cities destroyed God
        • London is the first big city
    • People tend to idealize the Middle Ages
    • (May) Just because we’re in an urban environment, it doesn’t mean we will lose God.  We just need to change a bit to provide for unity instead of always feeling “so sorry”.  It’s the way people have dealt with urbanization.  Who really wants to go back to the Middle Ages?

 

  • Attempts to Solve the Problems of Relationships and Sense of Nature and God
    • (Mitha) Just trying to make us feel better by bringing back nature artificially
    • (Thomas) Facebook makes me you feel like you have more friends