Thelenberg 2017 18
Homework
- Listen to this video!
| Interviewee | Question |
|---|---|
| man1 | How has the dream changed? |
| woman 1 | What is it for her personally? |
| man 2 | Why does he want to be rich? |
| couple 1 | Why is their definition very family oriented? |
| couple 2 | What are their views on debt? |
| 2 women | How do they see the role of the government? |
| woman 2 | Why does she seem sceptical? |
| man | No question! |
| couple 3 | What do the man and his wife agree on? |
| woman 3 | How has the American Dream changed? |
Recent Homework
- Look at this cartoon. Describe and analyse it!
- Look at your worksheet on the American Dream (2 pages!) and answer question 2!
- Then look at Voices on the American Dream and add further aspects concerning criticism of the idea or the achieveability of this dream.
Write an interview (about 500 words) with an Amish (man or woman) about their life!
- Use the notes on the film and Wikipedia: Amish way of life
- Information on Writing an interview!
Look at this cartoon and describe + analyse it!
- Newt [Gingrich] in picture 2 of the cartoon is a Republican politician.
- Write out the topic sentence!
- The rest of the description and analysis can be done as notes!
- Work with the concept of Irony
Work through the worksheet on TV Evangelism and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_right#Views.
- Cover these aspects:
- 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 will happen in the USA and in US politics if they prevail?
Watch from 0:00 bis 10:10.
Watch twice! Take notes!
- What is criticized about the churches/televangelists/message they preach?
- What is the prosperity gospel?
- Describe and analyse this cartoon!
- Follow the instructions given here!
- These phrases may be useful
- Describe and analyse them using the phrases and the 3 steps decribed here!
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
.
Muslims in Britain
Texts and Summaries
- A problem of perception: Muslims are well-integrated in Britain – but no one seems to believe it
- Problematic issues between British Muslims and the "Christian" majority:
| fast-growing, disadvantaged part of population |
|
Situation:
Attitude:
|
Attitude:
|
Statistics
Statistics on muslims' education and emplyment!
- If you are not sure how to work with statistics, see here!
- What effects does this have on the muslims' situation, attitudes and integration?
Concepts of Intergration and Assimilation
Multiculturalism - positive ethnic diversity
- descriptive approach: assessment of fact of cultural diversity
- normative approach: ideologies or policies that embrace and promote this diversity - multiculturalism as a society “at ease with the rich tapestry of human life and the desire amongst people to express their own identity in the manner they see fit.”
- focus on interaction and communication between different cultures
- focus on diversity and cultural uniqueness
- common aspect : no specific ethnic, religious, or cultural community values presented as central.
Cultural assimilation
Process by which a person or a group's language or culture come to resemble those of another group.
- Full assimilation: new members of a society become indistinguishable from members of the other group.
- quick or gradual change?
- desirable for an immigrant group?
- Immigrant assimilation:
- complex process in which immigrants fully integrate themselves into a new country.
- four primary benchmarks for immigrant assimilation:
- socioeconomic status (education, occupation, income)
- geographic distribution
- second language attainment
- intermarriage
Why do young muslims turn extremists?
- Read from beginning to "And it's a very powerful grip on one's mind. And in my case it took years to shed that influence." (third box)
Reasons for Extremism:
- crucial event: death of thousands of European muslims in war in Bosnia in 90s! West just watches and doesn't help the muslims there. (Parallels to wars in Iraq .... muslims are being killed and no-one cares)
- Islam is cleverly presented as way of looking at history: like in Marxism it is always a struggle, them against us, bad against good, everybody against the muslims (idea of Western/Jewish conspiracy against Islam/muslims)
- at school/in university young muslims become part of an active, organized, outspoken movement ⇒ proud to be an active muslim, feeling of power, feeling of belonging to group and of changing the world.
Two Generations of British Muslims
Cartoon
Cartoon women's rights in Islamic countries
Who/what/where:
- two women who accidentally meet on the street
- both turn around, after the have have met and look at the other …
- contrast
| left: | right: |
* clothes, shoes => show …
|
* garment
|
| Who ==> modern, western woman: …. | ==> conservatively dressed muslima: …. |
.
Religion in the USA: The Christian Right, Megachurches and TV-Preachers
Vocabulary
.
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
- some churches are big: up to 8,500 seats in church and about 11,000 congregants (Megachurches even bigger)
Trends
- 72% of the Americans want their president to be clearly religious
- half of the Americans think churches should express views on political matters
- 41% of the Americans want more religion in politics
- Americans vote for candidates who aren't afraid to express their religious views
- Americans are comfortable with showing their faith in public
- about 25% are white evangelical christians and vote republican
BUT:
- majority says churches should not endorse candidates
- only about 30% of Americans refuse gay marriage in 2003 - as compared to 41% in 1996
- many Americans believe that religion should not have any direct influence on 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
BUT:
- US politicians - unlike their counterparts in Europe - often mention God in their speeches (God bless you, God bless America ...)
Megachurches
Download Summary of facts about Osteen's megachurch
TV-Evangelism
Comedy can be so informative: Churches exploit peoples´ faith for money
Watch 0:00 to 10:10
- What is criticized about the churches/televangelists/message they preach?
- What is the prosperity gospel?
What TV Evangelist do:
- people send huge amounts of money
- vulnerable and sick people are the main target, esp. poor or severly ill, desperate persons (e.g. donate money instead of getting cancer treatment)
Churches/TV evangelists:
- claim they can heal in the name of Jesus ( even cancer )through prayer
- really use money for privat airplanes , big houses (instead of church-work)
- braggg with wealth
- preach prosperity gospel:
- wealth shows you that god likes you and that you believe enough
- donations help to get god's favour
- seed faith : donated money is a seed and it can be harvested, it multiplies through god's favour
- god even wipes out your credit card debts if you use the card to donate
All this is legal, as long as creed of the church is nothing illegal!
- churches don't pay taxes for donations and big houses,and for the TV channels, because they are exempted as churches
.
How do TV evangelists and the Christian Right influence US politics?
- have their own TV show
- social media to influence voters
- direct mailing lists
- massive book sells
- try to get the right president elected
- donate money to a presidential campain
Who are the Christian conservative voters according to these texts?
- female and over fifty
- people who want to believe something
- people are more religious
.
How many people can TV evangelists and the Christian right mobilize?
- 17 thousand members in one mega church
- audience of 20 million viewers/voters
- 20 to 25 percent of the electorate
.
What aims do the Christian conservatives have? What will happen in the USA and in US politics if they prevail?
- they save America
- influence in politics
- raise money and recruit new followers ==> want to form a disciplined army
- against gay marriage
- against abortion
- against divorce
- no sex before marriage
- against contraception
- against sex education in schools
- religious education into school
- they want creationism to be taught in schools
.
Cartoons
Notes on this cartoon
- 4 frames, three show acts of violence/hatred committed in the name of Christianity/Western Civilization
- evangelical pastor [=church] burning Korans, evangelical/conservative politician [politics] against building mosque in USA, secret service agent [=government] torturing terrorist suspect)
- irony: they all want revenge/act as unchristian/intolerantly as those they accuse of doing this to them
- irony: preacher is completely stupid: of course "them folks don't act like Christians" - they simply aren't christians!
- preacher also doesn't seem to know his Bilble: "Jesus hates Mohammed" is absolutely like anthing Jesus preaches in the Bible: Jesus preaches love, peace and forgiveness - not hatred!
- picture four shows the result: children in USA have learned, that you needn't act as you wish others to act towards you (in civilized way, mercyfully, helpfully, tolerantly ...) but can do anything you want as long as nobody stops you.
- General criticism: christian/western preachers and politicians and governments do the same things they accuse terrorists and radical islamist of ⇒ they are no better than them
Possible solution (full text):
The cartoon shows the effects of double standards that religious leaders, politicians and the state have when the deal with muslims or islamic states. It is split up in four frames.
In the first frame you can see a crazy older man, wearing a suit and tie, who publicly says „I’m burnin Korans ‚cause them folks don’t act like Christians.“and a sign in the background says „ Jesus hates Mohammed“. He represents the right winged Christians in the USA who strongly oppose Islam.
The second frame shows a TV where you can see a fat old angry man who thinks „We shouldn’t allow the Mosque in New York because they won’t allow Churches in Saudi Arabia.“ He refers to the mosque near Ground Zero in New York, which many Americans saw as an insult.
The third frame shows a man wearing dark suit and sunglasses and he`s holding something censored in his hand. He is interogating a suspect and is saying: "Its`s okay to torture terror suspects.`Cause they are utterly devoid of human decency."
In the last frame we can see a woman with three children sitting on the floor in front of her in a room with a big cross. She is trying to teach them the christian values, and begins a sentence: " And so, children we do unto others..."which a boy finishes with the words: " Any way we can get away with."
The cartoon criticizes the self-righteousness and hypocrisy of fundamentalist evangelicals, conservative politicians and the government that shows in their attitude to Islam and Muslims.
The pastor reveals not only his own limitations by accusing Muslims of not acting like Christians (which isn't really surprising for a Muslim) but shows his own hypocrisy or rather gross misunderstanding of what Jesus - who he claims hates Mohammed - teaches in the bible: tolerance, forgiveness, love and respect for orthers - not hatred and war against them. This is truly ironic for a Christian pastor.
The politician seems to have one motive - revenge for the way Saudi Arabia treats Cristianity, and he, too, ironically reveals that he lacks the tolerance he demands, as well as a truly Christian, loving and forgiving attititude, or a sound political strategy. Such a strategy that really helps Christians in the Arab world: They would rather profit from serious talks with Saudi Arabia (which is an ally of the US) and from a political deal, that balances the mosque in New York with some churches in Saudi Arabia.
The next bitter irony is that a government-agent accuses terrorist suspects of a lack of human decency while torturing a suspect (who should be seen as not guiltey until proven to be guilty). He clearly represents our or rather our governments' double standards while dealing with people we believe to be terrorists: We suddenly forget everything about human rights, the rights of suspects or basic human decency.
The result of this behaviour is obvious in the last frame: Our children grow up in a climate that teaches a dangerous lesson: that you needn't live the Christian values you preach - at least not while dealing with muslims.
The American Dream
Links
- Cf. worksheet: "The American Dream Today"
- The American Dream (Wikipedia)
- Todaysamericandream.com
- Library of Congress: American Dreams
.
Explanation
Basic ideas:
- Declaration of Independence:
- All men are created equal => everybody has the chance
- Pursuit of happiness
- Attitude of hope and faith
- fulfills your desire for success, prosperity, happiness, liberty, religious freedom
Different groups and dreams:
- Puritan pilgrim fathers: escape from Britain and religious freedom
- Settlers/pioneers: land, natural resources, personal freedom, ability to surive on your own hands' work and build an existence from what God/the land offers you by working hard, wish to be independent
- Revolutionaries/founding fathers: USA as the result of a successful revolution and fightfor freedom against the English king. Democratic federal state! => No nobility and no monarchy, free and equal men, national and personal independence
- Immigrants: new and safe life, escape from poverty, from religious and political prosecution, from inequality ==> freedom, chance to create a better life
Different groups and dreams:
- Puritan pilgrim fathers: escape from Britain and freedom from religious persecution
- Huguenots: freedom from religious persecution
- Quakers: religious freedom and new life
- Settlers/pioneers: land, natural resources, personal freedom, ability to surive on your own hands' work and build an existence from what God/the land offers you by working hatd ==> personal independence
- Revolutionaries/founding fathers: USA as the result of a successful revolution and fightfor freedom against the English king. Democratic federal state! => No nobility and no monarchy, free and equal men
- Immigrants: new and safe life, escape from poverty, starvation from religious and political prosecution, from inequality
- Americans today: car, good job, nice house, teach your kids the dream, pay for college or university
The American Dream is:
- to make money/have a job and to have a house
- to raise a family and care for them
- to build a better and safe future for you and your children through education, love, and hard work
- the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, regardless of your skin color
- to be able to safely own the things you need or want
Rules/Guidelines
- Work hard!
- Do what you wanna do, be what you wanna be!
- Be patient!
- Just do it!
- Always do your best!
- Never give up!
- Nothing is impossible!
- Go hard or go home!
- Be independent!
- If the plan doesn’t work change the plan, not the goal!
- It doesn't matter where you came from, just work hand and you'll make it here!
- Believe in yourself!
- Trust in God!
- Follow your dream!
- Believe in God and America!
- If you want it, you can do it!
- You can be what you wanna be!
- Don´t dream it, do/be it!
- You get what you deserve!
- From rags to riches!
- Don’t have small dreams
- You gotta fight for your dreams
- Only the sky is the limit
- Every day is another chance to make your dreams come true
- Die with memories, not dreams!
- Don’t dream your life, live your dreams!
Criticism:
- Working hard and wealth is over-emphasized. No time to enjoy what you have.
- Over-emphasizing material aspect oft he dream – spiritual and idealistic aspect is lost.
- The dream is a farce, a slogan used by politicians
- It’s called the American Dream because you have to be asleep to believe it
- Many have no time for the American Dream, but are busy enough hanging on to what they have
- They work so much, they don’t have time to enjoy the things they have earned
- Dream gives a tough answer to those who don’t make it: „You didn’t try/work hard enough ==> it is their own fault, not our society's!==> you can’t expect any help
- Dream is unachievable for many people (poverty, inequality still exists) ==> doesn’t work for the working poor/discriminated groups/people with chronical diseases/ill people without insurrance
- The gap between the rich and the poor people gets bigger
- Immigrants are widely held responsible for the failure of the American Dream
BUT: Immigrants themselves are those who most ardently believe in the dream and see it fulfilled, as life is better than where they came from and will even be better for their children
Mindmap: The American Dream
.
