HW Help: Interview for World Religion paper

[Bails_B]

Hello! I am currently a college student and am taking a world religion class. I’ve been assigned to conduct an interview of someone that is passionate and knowledgeable about their faith. I have already done one about Christianity so preferably any other religion will do! Thank you so much! Here are the ten questions and do not worry it is all anonymous there will be no names or info in my paper!

1: What religion do you belong to and what subgroup (if any)?

2:Has your religion been with you your whole life or at some point did you choose it?

3: As simply as possible what does your faith tradition teach?

4:How does your religion shape your daily life?

5: What is a common misconception about your faith tradition?

6: what is the most difficult thing about belonging to your faith community?

7: Where do you find beauty in your religion?

8:what experiences have you had that cause you to believe your religion is true?

9: How does your religion understand other religions ( I.e., are people outside your religion lost in some way?)?

10: is there anything you wish were different about your faith tradition?

Again thank you so much!

 

[Secret Chief]

1. Buddhism. Soto Zen.
2. I chose it in adulthood.
3. All conditioned things change, no thing has inherent selfhood, conditioned living involves dukkha, nirvana is beyond concepts.
4. I live it. (!?)
5. That it involves reincarnation.
6. Nothing. (I'm not part of a "faith community", I used to attend a Buddhist centre).
7. My religion is not about beauty.
8. Life (obviously!)
9. I'm not sure there is an "official position" regarding other religions.
10. Nope.

 

[Quintessence]

1: What religion do you belong to and what subgroup (if any)?

Paganism - Druidry

2: Has your religion been with you your whole life or at some point did you choose it?

Yes. In a technical sense was not raised Pagan, but I consider religion to be synonymous with one's lifeway and there was no point in my life where I wasn't a tree-hugging nature lover. Learning Paganism existed was simply a homecoming.

3: As simply as possible what does your faith tradition teach?

Paganism and Druidry are nondogmatic, so there are no universally held teachings or doctrines. Broadly speaking, Contemporary Paganism as a religious movement was borne of two other countercultural movements in the late 20th century: environmentalism and feminism. The worth and dignity of all humans is recognized, as is the sacredness of nature. Beyond that, traditions and individuals vary.

4:How does your religion shape your daily life?

As mentioned, I view religion as synonymous with one's lifeway. It is who you are, what you do, how you relate to others, how you belong to others. So it shapes everything because it is everything.

5: What is a common misconception about your faith tradition?

Dunno - ignorance about religion is severe in my country so folks don't even know Paganism is still a thing, much less Druidry specifically. Indigenous religions or their reconstructions are very foreign, so I suppose the most common misconception would be thinking Paganisms operate like the organized/institutionalized religions that dominate Western culture.

6: what is the most difficult thing about belonging to your faith community?

We're a religious minority. Which means we're more or less never considered conversations about religion and it is often difficult to connect with fellow peers on the journey. The second of these is further complicated by Paganism not being an organized religion or at best a very loosely organized one.

7: Where do you find beauty in your religion?

Everywhere.

8: What experiences have you had that cause you to believe your religion is true?

I don't believe my religion is true. My religion is who and what I am. I am what I am. It is very weird to me to talk about religion as if it is something that is "true" or "false" somehow. It just is. It's your identity and your way of life. It simply exists.

9: How does your religion understand other religions ( I.e., are people outside your religion lost in some way?)?

Other people are what they are just as I am what I am. Each to their own nature as they must be who they are.

10: is there anything you wish were different about your faith tradition?

Not really. A major benefit of one's religion not being a "faith" or organized or dogmatic is it can change whenever and however it needs to as my life does.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Hello! I am currently a college student and am taking a world religion class. I’ve been assigned to conduct an interview of someone that is passionate and knowledgeable about their faith.

Please share the name of the college and, if possible, a link to the class description.