I need questions for a documentary about religion.

[StarryNightshade]

I'm currently saving up money for a good camera and I'm in the pre-production process of making an independent documentary about religion in my southern town. The goal is to show the differences, as well as the similarities, of the different religions practiced. It is also to show that there is diversity in a small industrial city in the southern United States.

Some of the religions I will be documenting are Christianity (Catholic, Orthodox, various protestants), Judaism (All 3 branches), Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Baha'i, Sikhism, Paganism and hopefully Native American spirituality.

What are some of your suggestions for questions?

 

[Iti oj]

One word to describe your faith..

 

[Skwim]

Consider the intent of the documentary---what is it you want to accomplish with it---and let the questions speak to that goal.

 

[CG Didymus]

Why do you believe your religion is true? Do you believe the others are false? How do you apply your religion to everyday life? Specifically for Fundamentalists: Are you guys nuts? How can you believe this garbage so literally? Okay, maybe those questions might be better if Bill Maher asks them. However, I think you do need some "hard" questions to make the movie more interesting. Maybe have a round table discussion between more liberal forms of religions and another one with conservative/fundamentalists. That way they would ask each other the tough questions. Good luck, I wish I could be there to help. It sounds like a great project.

 

[Iti oj]

I feel like questions that high light similarities would serve you well

 

[crossfire]

What is your religion's version of the Golden Rule?

 

[Jainarayan]

Were you raised in your religion, and if not what made you choose it? If your religion is different from family, have you had a hard time from them?

 

[Quintessence]

What is sacred and holy to you? What is worth celebrating? Worthy of worship? What is held in especially high regard?

These all get at the same thing, and are a roundabout way of asking about a person's god-concept without using the word "god" in there.

 

[InformedIgnorance]

Do you know or believe - is there anything that would change your mind?

 

[BruceDLimber]

• Whether--and how emphatically--your group accepts other religions, especially those significantly different from yours (as different as, for example, Buddhism and Islam).
• Whether your group condemns or persecutes any other religious group, and if so, why. (Example: official persecution/execution of Baha'is by the nominally-Muslim Iranian government solely because of their religion.)

Bruce

 

[paarsurrey]

I'm currently saving up money for a good camera and I'm in the pre-production process of making an independent documentary about religion in my southern town. The goal is to show the differences, as well as the similarities, of the different religions practiced. It is also to show that there is diversity in a small industrial city in the southern United States.

Some of the religions I will be documenting are Christianity (Catholic, Orthodox, various protestants), Judaism (All 3 branches), Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Baha'i, Sikhism, Paganism and hopefully Native American spirituality.

What are some of your suggestions for questions?

1. Why at the core all revealed religions have similarities? What does that indicate?
2. Why there sprang up differences in the religions? What does that indicate?
3. What is the purpose of religion?

Answers:

1. The similarities show that in origin its founders had revelation from the same source i.e from the one true creator God. In this sense, the founders of all revealed religions are brothers of the same faith.
2. The differences sprang up because of the denominational feuds in the religion; this could easily be traced, if sincerely searched into.
3. To be one with the one true creator God; to be attuned with His attributes to serve humanity with love; love, kindness and mercy being His primary attributes.

 

[McBell]

I'm currently saving up money for a good camera and I'm in the pre-production process of making an independent documentary about religion in my southern town. The goal is to show the differences, as well as the similarities, of the different religions practiced. It is also to show that there is diversity in a small industrial city in the southern United States.

Some of the religions I will be documenting are Christianity (Catholic, Orthodox, various protestants), Judaism (All 3 branches), Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Baha'i, Sikhism, Paganism and hopefully Native American spirituality.

What are some of your suggestions for questions?

There are tons of documentaries, articles, and even books that drone on and on about how the religions are difference.

My suggestion is to concentrate on the differences of the similarities.
As mentioned before, the Golden Rule.
What are the differences in this similarity?

 

[StarryNightshade]

Hello everyone. Been a while since the last post, eh?

Due to school and lack of money (mainly due to bills), I have put off doing my project. That and not being able to fully pinpoint what topic I want to explore.

However, I think I have decided on the topic for my project: Paganism, Magic(k) and the Left Hand Path in the southern United States. Attitudes from outside Paganism (both religious and secular) and perhaps following a few people for their personal stories.

It's basic, yes, but what do you think?

 

[Quintessence]

It's something that isn't well-documented, but there are some resources out there. I know there have been a couple good documentaries done that feature these religious minorities, but I'm not recalling the titles off the top of my head. I don't think there has been a specific focus on the American south.

 

[muziko]

The first question that popped up in my head is what is a religion. You can also ask them how God manifests himself to us, that might be interesting to see. Good luck!

 

[Pastek]

However, I think I have decided on the topic for my project: Paganism, Magic(k) and the Left Hand Path in the southern United States. Attitudes from outside Paganism (both religious and secular) and perhaps following a few people for their personal stories.

It's basic, yes, but what do you think?

Sounds very interesting

But what will you do exactly ?

 

[StarryNightshade]

But what will you do exactly ?

Purpose or structure-wise?

Well, the purpose of the project is to show a religious minority in a part of a country where not a whole lot of people know what it's practitioners do. Especially in a part of a country where a large percentage of the religious majority (Christians) are Evangelical, Southern Baptist and Pentecostal. These particular denominations (I was raised Baptist and have family members who adhere to these 3) often claim that other denominations of Christians are going to hell, much less other religions.

Often times when Paganism, Magic or anything of the like is brought up, many people (no matter if they're religious or secular) imagine naked people running through the woods, animal/human sacrifices and devil worship. I hope my project will shed light on the fact that, as a whole, Pagans are just people who just so happen to follow a different faith than the majority. They are not evil "Devil worshipers" and they are not after your children.

Structure-wise? Interviews, briefs histories of the different paths (as well as their relationships with majority religions), hopefully filming some rituals and following a number of people and hearing their personal stories.

 

[Caladan]

If your intention is to educate common people about religious or cultural minorities in a Southern town, then before I'd focus on challenging/provocative questions I would focus on questions that show how these people are an essential part of the landscape, perhaps show how their faith or group specifically played an instrumental role in Southern culture, maybe show their way of famous Southern hospitality. I'm sure that some religious minorities in the South are possibly deeply rooted communities or individuals with a deeply rooted history in the place or in the country in general. How does their faith enrich or is relevant to the surrounding cultural, economic, political, or social landscape?

 

[StarryNightshade]

If your intention is to educate common people about religious or cultural minorities in a Southern town, then before I'd focus on challenging/provocative questions I would focus on questions that show how these people are an essential part of the landscape, perhaps show how their faith or group specifically played an instrumental role in Southern culture, maybe show their way of famous Southern hospitality. I'm sure that some religious minorities in the South are possibly deeply rooted communities or individuals with a deeply rooted history in the place or in the country in general. How does their faith enrich or is relevant to the surrounding cultural, economic, political, or social landscape?

Thanks for the input!

While my original intent (a few months ago) was to ask various religious people (lay and clergy alike) a multitude of questions ranging from simple to more "provocative"; with a new project idea comes a new format and I quite like your suggestion. Quite anthropological.

 

[Sha'irullah]

Bill Maher's comedic documentary called Religious is very beneficial if you ask me.

To me if you do not understand matters from a cynical perspective. The film often gets facts wrong about certain religions and religious claims but overall there is much to be learned from the social aspects of religion.