Hopefully, I will finish this college thing sometime in the next 200 years and won’t have to ask for any more help - and yes, I’m as sick of it as you are of me.
I’m sorry to bother y’all again, but now I AM REALLY stuck. You wonderful people helped me in GQ about a word I needed (I used “triune” - thanks yojimbo - let me know when you’ll be in the burbs and I’ll buy you a beer or ten :)) but now, I have a new question - I’m supposed to explain MY creationist views contrasted with those of Greek Mythology - and I don’t HAVE any. I was raised a Lutheran, but at 36, I don’t know NOW how or what I believe. I can’t say I believe the religious dogma I was tought because I don’t - but I have nothing else to put in it’s place. I basically don’t have an answer - really - I don’t know WHAT I believe right now.
How do I tell a teacher I can’t really answer a question because I just don’t know what to think?
If you have a lot of time, just go talk to the man–this is what office hours are for. Tell him the truth, and he will tell you what to do.
If you do not hve much time, aswer trhe question as if you were your mother, and in your introduction explain that your own beliefs are in a state of flux, and so you have chosen to anwer the question using your mother’s beliefs. Do not just not do the assignment, as it will make it seem that your explaination is just an excuse.
You can also have your “beliefs” be the straight, simple scientific explaination: “myth” does not equal “untrue” (i.e., true things can also be myths). If you are not sure whether or not you believe the scientific explaination, again, put something in the introduction about your own beliefs being in a state of flux and how this paper is written from the perspective of a secular mindset.
Thanks, Manda JO, you always have such good advice. You rock, babe.
I’ll call her (my professor) - since I’m doing this whole thing External Studies it’s kinda tough - I have half written my answer - would you be at all interested in reading it and giving me your opinion? I don’t blame you if you say “no”, but if you’re willing, I’d love a second opinion…
Going to run up and take a shower and take my Most Wonderful Number One Son out to breakfast so I should be back in an hour or so…
Let me know? And thanks again…
Oh - PS - Support like you’re giving me is going to make this whole college thing happen for an old, dried up 36 year old bat like myself happen, I’m thinkin… Thank you!
Once in freshman comp. I had to write a comparison/contrast paper. I put it off until the very last minute. So I sat down and wrote about the paper I was supposed to write as opposed to the paper I actually wrote. So it contained things like, “The comparison/contrast paper I was supposed to write would have been well researched, using examples and evidence from good sources. But the paper I actually wrote was put together off the top of my head with no research at all.” And so on. The prof. loved it. She actually asked me if she could use a copy of it for examples in the future.
Another time I was assigned an oral report and the topic was something to the effect of “In the play Amadeus, Saliari (sp?) was obsessed with god.” I didn’t agree with that assessment. I felt that he was obsessed with Mozart. So what I did instead was to go through the play and pick out all the passages that I felt showed his obsession with Mozart. Then on presentation day, I went up with the book with all the relevant passages bookmarked and a piece of paper with sentences linking the passages together. Then I just read the sentences and passages and the prof. loved it. She said that I actually changed her opinion.
The third thing was in a Tai Chi class, we had to write a paper about the spiritual aspect. I experienced none. So I wrote about that. I don’t know if he loved it, but I did get a good grade.
I guess what I’m driving at is that if you were to explain what the topic is supposed to be and why you can’t do it, i.e. why you don’t know what your beliefs are, and explain in logical detail why you don’t know what you believe, what you do believe, etc., then I bet the prof. might actually appreciate your honesty and viewpoint. The key is that it has to be well written. Otherwise you’re screwed.
If that doesn’t make sense, let me know. I just found out I have to leave the house to go to dinner in a big rush. If I made no sense please say so and I’ll try again later tonight.
Thank you!