One of the classes I am taking this semester is “Comparative Religions,” which happens to be online. When I signed up for this, I thought “wow, this is gonna be great! I’ll get to learn about other religions with other people doing the same thing!”
Well, it is now the second week of class. Everyone in that class is Christian except for myself and one guy who claims to be agnostic or an athiest. Every. Single. Post. in this course made by these other members has contained witnessing. I didn’t mind when it was in the introduction posts. I understand that being saved and born again was an important event in their lives. I respect that. But they have continued to do so!
Hellloooo people? This weeks subject was supposed to be Hinduism. Did they really discuss Hinduism and the different beliefs, and so on? Fuck no. The posts mainly consisted of “I can’t believe these people believe in so many different gods.” “I just don’t get polytheism. It’s stupid. You really only need one God.” (and yes, they capitilized that!!!)
ARGH!!! How will I be able to get through another fucking 14 weeks of this!!!
I’ve never taken an online class (I’m a goddamn dinosaur), but doesn’t the instructor have any control over it? Can’t he declare the witnessing posts off-topic and impose penalties if they persist?
Ugh. My sympathies, ** liirogue.** I don’t think I could put up with that for a whole semester! If there’s one thing I cannot stand, it’s narrow-minded people. jayjay, it depends on the instructor, really. I imagine most wouldn’t step in unless it was a case of classmates going beyond debating and getting nasty with each other. I took sociology online last semester, and my professor would always say stuff like “please be considerate of your classmates when posting messages” and blah bling blah, but it never got to the point of her having to intervene.
i know exactly how you feel, in the four years i’ve been doing religious education at school we’ve spent a total of about 2 weeks (and thats one lesson a week) on non-christian religions. the class are ok and we all dislike being forced through this every week but unfortunately the teacher is the school chaplain and not only does he only teach christianity he makes RE compulsary for GCSE which as far as i know is not usual.
oh and as its the pit *%^£$^%^&^&^&*religion teacher$%%^%^%dr. my @$$
You know, I am a Christian, but I would never try to witness to other people in a religion class. I think that a lot of the ways people witness is just weird. If I am going to believe something it will be because of myself, not what you want me to think. Anyhow, what’s the deal with this class anyway, do you have to post or what? My education about such matter was really cool in that I was opened to new beliefs and I was interested in what they were all about. These people just want to ignore the parts of the world they don’t understand.
Well, for one, I was hoping I’d get insights into the different religions I wouldn’t get if I studied by myself (which I have done, btw). Second, I get college credit studying something I find fascinating.
Yes, every week you have to make a discussion posting answering questions about what you read and your reactions. And it never fails… these people turn it around so they can witness and belittle something they don’t understand and don’t want to.
Well, that just sucks. One can only hope that, when the teacher assesses the students’ contributions, you’ll ace the course and the others will flunk it. Wouldn’t that be satisfying?
Be a good Doper - make them learn stuff about other religions. When they post something that is 90% witnessing, respond with something like “That’s nice, but how do you feel about pantheistic neosyllogism?” and keep doing that until either they get sick of you dragging them back on topic or the course is over. You’ll be helping to fight ignorance, and I suspect you will learn even more if you do this to them.
Ahh the final tactic available to witnessers of all stripes: ignore dissenting opinions. If you don’t respond to them, perhaps they won’t exist and you won’t have to actually confront the tough issues like your own ignorance.
You can be happy knowing that you may well be the only one in the class actually giving evidence that she’s learning something and thinking about the subject matter, which should translate into an “A” just from the instructor eyeballing the “white space” between you and everyone else. Judging from your description of the way things are going, you’re gonna wreck the curve…
If they are too busy being closed minded and thumping their bible to take the time to understand other belief systems, someone is going to pass the class…other’s aren’t.
