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I love taking Cpt. Dylan on geeky dates. (Two weeks ago I took him to the planetarium.) Tonight, he came over after work, and after dinner together at the VU Commons, we went to the President's Distinguished Lecture Series at the WWU PAC.
The lecturer was Stephen Prothero, an academic who studies religion, and especially American religion. He was making the case (rather persuasively) that religious illiteracy is a problem in the United States, and that both biblical studies and comparative world religious should be mandatory subjects taught in schools. I tend to agree.
Probably the most intriguing thing he said was (paraphrasing): Islam is not a religion of Peace. It's a religion of War AND Peace. So is Christianity. So is Hinduism. All religions that stick around a long time have to be able to equip people to deal with war, and also equip them to deal with peace.
He also made the argument that environmentalism can be seen as an emergent religion -- that the zealotry that drives some environmentalists (think Earth First!) are the same impulses that drive religious devotion.
I enjoyed it, and had a wonderful time with Dylan. Yes, I take my boyfriend on dates to lectures. I am such a geek!
The lecturer was Stephen Prothero, an academic who studies religion, and especially American religion. He was making the case (rather persuasively) that religious illiteracy is a problem in the United States, and that both biblical studies and comparative world religious should be mandatory subjects taught in schools. I tend to agree.
Probably the most intriguing thing he said was (paraphrasing): Islam is not a religion of Peace. It's a religion of War AND Peace. So is Christianity. So is Hinduism. All religions that stick around a long time have to be able to equip people to deal with war, and also equip them to deal with peace.
He also made the argument that environmentalism can be seen as an emergent religion -- that the zealotry that drives some environmentalists (think Earth First!) are the same impulses that drive religious devotion.
I enjoyed it, and had a wonderful time with Dylan. Yes, I take my boyfriend on dates to lectures. I am such a geek!
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