Version vom 23. November 2012, 00:14 Uhr

Homework

For Tuesday: Watch the video at least two times!

Religion and Politics and the Christian Right
Look at your homework (book, p. 80/81) and the worksheet on TV Evangelism and the Views of the Christian Right!

• How do TV evangelists and the Christian Right influence US politics?
• Who are the Christian conservative voters according to these texts?
• How many people can TV evangelists and the Christian Right mobilize?
• What aims do the Christian conservatives have? What do you think would happen in the USA and in US politics if they prevailed?

Recent Homework

Watch the video at least two times!

Collect facts about:

• Lakewood "Megachurch"
• Joel Osteen's message
• the "Services"
• financial matters

What is your impression of Osteen and his church?

Why do you think is his church growing so fast?

Explain for three groups/people/events from our blog:

• What person/group/historical event?
• What is the link between them and Obama's Slogan "Yes we can!"

Be prepared to give a three minute talk!

Watch Obama's full speech in 2008 here + identify tricks/rhetorical devices, effective/crucial phrases/emotions ... (+ give timecode, e.g. 1:40).

Use this mindmap to find features that make this speech effective.

• For Friday: Describe+Analyse this cartoon!
• Work on 2nd part of worksheet on Presidential elections (Electoral College) using SQR Method!
• Add useful phrases (E+D) to list of vocab from Wiki (cf US Politics on this page)

Basic Skills & Information

• Information on homework and oral grades
• Reading and Marking technique - SQ3R Method A useful method to read, mark and annotate texts.
• Working with Cartoons
• A good speech/speaker ...
• Answering questions on the text
• Starting a paragraph
• Starting an Essay/Comment
• Writing an interview
• Mediation
• Characterization
• Building an Argument

US Political System

Useful Vocabulary

Religion in the US

Facts on Religion and Politics in the US

Special Religious Groups and Institutions

• (Evangelical) Mega-Churches

• church should not play the role of the state, but have clear positions
• against stem cell research
• against gay marriage
• against abortion
• some are liberal in enforcing their views
• 7,500 seats in church
• 11,000 congregants

Trends

• 72% of the Americans want their president to be clearly religious
• majority says churches should not endorse candidates
• half of the Americans think churches should express views on political matters
• 41% of the Americans want more religion in politics
• Americans are comfortable with showing their faith in public
• vote for candidates who aren't afraid to express their religious views
• only about 30% of Americans refuse gay marriage in 2003 - as compared to 41% in 1996
• about 25% are white evangelical christians and vote republican
• so many Americans believe that religion should not have any direct influence on and US politics but believe in religion being a privately exercised, individual matter
• many American Christians are not evangelicals and clearly want a more liberal, open-minded idea of Christianity and belief in God

Typical aspects/facts concerning religion in the USA

• US constitution strictly separates church and state
• US politicians - unlike their counterparts in Europe - often mention God in their speeches (God bless you, God bless America ...)

Influence of the Christian Right in the US

Cf. Book, p. 80/81

1. Majority of conservative judges at US Courts appointed by Bush - hope for Religious Right?
2. Religious Right fails at forcing schools to do school prayer and teach intelligent design.
3. Religiously motivated influence on US Foreign Policy
4. Most states forbid gay marriage while Washington refuses to include ban in Constitution
5. Christian Right successful with ban on new stem cell research
6. Supreme Court still rejects display of religious symbols in public institutions

TV Evangelism & Lakewood Megachurch

Watch the video at least two times!

Collect facts about:

• Lakewood "Megachurch"
• Joel Osteen's message
• the "Services"
• financial matters

What is your impression of Osteen and his church?

Why do you think is his church growing so fast?

Download Summary of facts about Osteen's megachurch

The Amish in the USA

• Look at text1 and text2.
• Write an interview with an Amish, supposedly done when you visited the USA as a tourist!
• It should cover the topics of electricity and cars, of the strange clothes they wear and of their attitude to being photographed!

Talks on Religion

1. The Amish (Keupp)
2. Muslims in the UK today. Numbers, self-perception, difficulties for Muslims and Christians - (2)