currentchristian Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 This is an example of a recognition of the roles of science and religion in our lives. I was surprised that 71% of incoming Harvard students state that they attend religious services. I wonder how regularly? -CC in MA ************* Source: CNN.com Biggest curriculum overhaul at Harvard in 30 years BOSTON, Massachusetts (Reuters) -- Harvard University announced Wednesday its biggest curriculum overhaul in three decades, putting new emphasis on sensitive religious and cultural issues, the sciences and overcoming U.S. "parochialism." The curriculum at the oldest U.S. university has been criticized as focusing too narrowly on academic topics instead of real-life issues, or for being antagonistic to organized religion. Revisions have been in the works for three years. One of the eight new required subject areas -- "societies of the world" -- aims to help students overcome U.S. "parochialism" by "acquainting them with the values, customs and institutions that differ from their own," said a 34-page Harvard report on the changes. An earlier proposal would have made Harvard unique among its elite Ivy League peers by requiring undergraduates to study religion as a distinct subject, but that was dropped in December. The changes to the general-education requirements, imposed on students outside their major, still address religious beliefs and practices. Study of those issues, however, would be folded into a broader subject of "culture and belief." The "culture and belief" requirement will "introduce students to ideas, art and religion in the context of the social, political, religious, economic and cross-cultural conditions" that shape them, Harvard said. The university's Faculty of Arts and Sciences is expected to vote on the report in March, but Harvard officials said it was expected to be implemented. The university is also expected to soon announce a new president to steer the changes. Founded to train Puritan ministers 371 years ago, Harvard has been criticized by some conservatives in recent decades as a liberal bastion unfriendly toward religion. A task force of six professors and two students which drafted the new curriculum said religion should be addressed, but only as one of several cultural influences. "Harvard is a secular institution but religion is an important part of our students' lives," it said. It noted that 94 percent of Harvard's incoming students report that they discuss religion "frequently" or "occasionally," and 71 percent say that they attend religious services. Under the changes, science wins greater prominence, including the study of the ethical issues surrounding embryonic stem cell research, which has raised hope for cures for ailments such as Alzheimer's disease while being opposed by others as an immoral destruction of human life. Plagiarism -- which rocked Harvard last year when a novel by star undergraduate writer Kaavya Viswanathan was found to have copied passages from another work -- is also addressed. The curriculum shake-up is the first major overhaul since Harvard formulated its current "core" course requirements in the 1970s. It had been advanced by former Harvard President Lawrence Summers, who resigned his post in June after a faculty revolt over his leadership style. Other new requirements include the study of empirical reasoning, ethical reasoning, the science of living systems, the science of the physical universe, and "aesthetic and interpretive understanding." Copyright 2007 Reuters. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 "The curriculum at the oldest U.S. university has been criticized as focusing too narrowly on academic topics instead of real-life issues, ]or for being antagonistic to organized religion. Revisions have been in the works for three years." That's sad news. Here we are, one of the most advanced societies on Earth, and we're going backwards into mythology. Hopefully they'll put the stuff in a history class. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vigile Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 I agree Dave. This stuff belongs in either Art History, History, History of Philosophy, or Anthropology. I thought that Harvard had a school of theology already though. Considering it was founded by Pilgrims some 400 odd years ago. I know that Princeton does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lycorth Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 I agree as well; no god can be proven to exist, hence, it is academically dishonest to teach any religion as if it were factual. All religions belong in mythology courses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 I agree Dave. This stuff belongs in either Art History, History, History of Philosophy, or Anthropology. I thought that Harvard had a school of theology already though. Considering it was founded by Pilgrims some 400 odd years ago. I know that Princeton does. Harvard has a "divinity school." That's not good enough. Relitionists want to indoctrinate/infect everyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mythra Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 The curriculum at the oldest U.S. university has been criticized as focusing too narrowly on academic topics instead of real-life issues What does having pretend friends have to do with "real-life issues"? If my surgeon wants everyone to join hands in prayer before he cracks my chest open, I'm gonna find another surgeon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
currentchristian Posted February 8, 2007 Author Share Posted February 8, 2007 I agree as well; no god can be proven to exist, hence, it is academically dishonest to teach any religion as if it were factual. All religions belong in mythology courses. Why would anyone teach any religion as fact, except in a school devoted to a particular sectarian cause? I'm taking a World Religions class right now. It's a very simple matter, common sense really, to understand that what is being taught is not being taught as literal truth, but as the literal and/or metaphorical truth for some. It's a very easy point to get across. -CC in MA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
currentchristian Posted February 8, 2007 Author Share Posted February 8, 2007 Harvard has a "divinity school." That's not good enough. Relitionists want to indoctrinate/infect everyone else. What shall we do with the religionists? "Concentrate" them in certain places with "shower rooms" and "cooking ovens," and make sure this virus does not infect anyone else? Surely, Harvard students are smart enough to resist indoctrination -- not that any such attempt will be happening anyway. -CC in MA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
currentchristian Posted February 8, 2007 Author Share Posted February 8, 2007 The curriculum at the oldest U.S. university has been criticized as focusing too narrowly on academic topics instead of real-life issues What does having pretend friends have to do with "real-life issues"? If my surgeon wants everyone to join hands in prayer before he cracks my chest open, I'm gonna find another surgeon. Most people on Earth have these, what you call, pretend friends. Therefore, the study of religion most definitely is a real-life issue. Really like your new sig line, Mythra. Ingersoll makes a good point, there. -CC in MA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 What shall we do with the religionists? "Concentrate" them in certain places with "shower rooms" and "cooking ovens," and make sure this virus does not infect anyone else? Are you stalking me? I don't like your mean spirited responses. You're not a nice person. Surely, Harvard students are smart enough to resist indoctrination -- not that any such attempt will be happening anyway. I'm not naive enough to believe that this is not just another attempt at christians trying to force their religion in where it doesn't belong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mythra Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Most people on Earth have these, what you call, pretend friends. Yeah. I know. Sigh. It doesn't make em any more real, though. I was reading a bunch of quotes by Mohamed Atta lately - and, if you put in "God" instead of "Allah", they could all be from a fundy christian. Sigh. If only the world were more like me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
currentchristian Posted February 9, 2007 Author Share Posted February 9, 2007 What shall we do with the religionists? "Concentrate" them in certain places with "shower rooms" and "cooking ovens," and make sure this virus does not infect anyone else? Are you stalking me? I don't like your mean spirited responses. You're not a nice person. Surely, Harvard students are smart enough to resist indoctrination -- not that any such attempt will be happening anyway.I'm not naive enough to believe that this is not just another attempt at christians trying to force their religion in where it doesn't belong. No, Dave. Good to hear from you again! -CC in MA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
currentchristian Posted February 9, 2007 Author Share Posted February 9, 2007 Most people on Earth have these, what you call, pretend friends. Yeah. I know. Sigh. It doesn't make em any more real, though. I was reading a bunch of quotes by Mohamed Atta lately - and, if you put in "God" instead of "Allah", they could all be from a fundy christian. Sigh. If only the world were more like me. We definitely have to confront extremism -- of all kinds, including religious. Extremism is not healthy for an individual or for the community. I'm with you on this one, for sure. -CC in MA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 I was reading a bunch of quotes by Mohamed Atta lately - and, if you put in "God" instead of "Allah", they could all be from a fundy christian. Sigh. If only the world were more like me. There is no difference between a fundy christian and a fundy Moslem..... even those that pretend not to be fundies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 No, Dave. Good to hear from you again! Oh, you're stalking me again..... I'm so scared..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 We definitely have to confront extremism -- of all kinds, including religious. Extremism is not healthy for an individual or for the community. I'm with you on this one, for sure. Except that you are one of them. Don't reply, you'll just be stalking me again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mythra Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Except that you are one of them. I'm gonna part ways with you on this one, Dave. I can't see CC flying a plane into a building. Or bombing an abortion clinic. He's no extremist. If all christians were like CC, they'd still be confused. But they'd be a decent group of folks, overall. And the world would be a better place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lycorth Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 What shall we do with the religionists? "Concentrate" them in certain places with "shower rooms" and "cooking ovens," and make sure this virus does not infect anyone else? You mean like the Babble would have True Believers do to us non-xians? No, we're better than that. Education is the answer, not extermination. Unlike the depictions of Yahooweh in the Old Testament Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Except that you are one of them. I'm gonna part ways with you on this one, Dave. I can't see CC flying a plane into a building. Or bombing an abortion clinic. He's no extremist. If all christians were like CC, they'd still be confused. But they'd be a decent group of folks, overall. And the world would be a better place. He may not be doing those things, yet, but his believing is along the same lines; black and white compartmentalized thinking, multitudes of logical fallacies, armies of straw men, and extremely selective reading. They claim to be liberal, but when it gets down to basics, they are not. You can disagree though. Hell.... we can't agree on everything. That would be just too boring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
currentchristian Posted February 9, 2007 Author Share Posted February 9, 2007 Except that you are one of them. I'm gonna part ways with you on this one, Dave. I can't see CC flying a plane into a building. Or bombing an abortion clinic. He's no extremist. If all christians were like CC, they'd still be confused. But they'd be a decent group of folks, overall. And the world would be a better place. You are a scholar and a gentleman. Thank you for defending my honor. Just kidding on the kisses. Don't freak out on me, or I might have to fly my private jet into a building somewhere. (First, I'd have to get a private jet.) -CC in MA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mythra Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Just kidding on the kisses. Ewww! I need to pull out some chest hair now. Did you see the snickers bar commercial in the super bowl? I see there was a pretty good protest over it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Ewww! I need to pull out some chest hair now. Did you see the snickers bar commercial in the super bowl? I see there was a pretty good protest over it. I guess I took it differently than most; I saw the two guys portrayed as fools for being so homophobic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mythra Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 I guess I took it differently than most; I saw the two guys portrayed as fools for being so homophobic. Yeah. That's how I took it too. Kinda making fun of a couple of redneck hick mechanics. But there was a gay outcry about the commercial. People need to get a sense of humor. But, who knows. If I was gay, I might feel differently about it. Maybe it's the automotive mechanic's union that should be starting a snickers bar boycott. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Yeah. That's how I took it too. Kinda making fun of a couple of redneck hick mechanics. But there was a gay outcry about the commercial. People need to get a sense of humor. But, who knows. If I was gay, I might feel differently about it. Well..... they are a bit sensitive about things right now. Can you blame them? Maybe it's the automotive mechanic's union that should be starting a snickers bar boycott. Maybe, but if the rednecks boycott Snickers, it wouldn't hurt the company a bit. The rednecks don't eat Snickers, they just get in their pick up truck, with the gun rack in the back window, and go on down to the Piggly Wiggly an get a Moon Pie and a Yahoo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legion Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 If all christians were like CC, they'd still be confused. But they'd be a decent group of folks, overall. And the world would be a better place. I agree with Mythra on this one. I don't agree with CC on some fairly big things. I don't think nature is fallen for instance. Nature is what it must be. But despite our disagreements I think CC is alright. I wish more Christians were like him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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