Notes

For module 1.1, the first thing that I did was review the syllabus. I looked at the grading system, the required texts, and the assignments that we would have to complete as the class progressed. I also looked at other aspects of the syllabus that I had not previously listed. The syllabus allowed me to understand what was expected of me throughout the course. After doing so, I took the "I Read the Syllabus" quiz. The next thing that I did was watch Professor Tassell’s week one welcome video. In this video, I learned more about how the course works and the specific topics of religion that we will be studying in this course. I felt that this was a great way to start the class, as I was introduced to the professor by video. This video also made me more comfortable with the class and its structure. I then wanted the video titled "What Is Religion?". The main subject of this video was finding a definition for religion; however, by the end of the video, I learned that there was no set definition for religion and that the definition of religion has changed multiple times. In conclusion, the definition of religion changes based on the perspective and experiences of each person. This video made me realize that my definition of religion may not be the same as another person's. It also made me curious about all the different religions and how the perspectives and experiences of people have shaped different beliefs in those religions. The third video I watched was "Crash Course Sociology #39". This video was about what religion is, why understanding religion in the US is important to sociologists, and the advantages and disadvantages of religion in society. It was shown that religion has many benefits, such as establishing social cohesion, forming social control, and providing people with a sense of purpose. It was also shown that the disadvantages of religion were that it divides society and contributes to many inequalities in society through the social conflict theory. When reflecting on this video, it made me think about the amount of conflict we have in society purely based on religion. It also made me think about whether or not there are more cons to religion than pros. The last video I watched was "What is Mario's Religion?". This video was about figuring out Mario’s religion based on the events of the game. Religious themes were used to show that star worship was the religion that Mario most likely followed. When reflecting on this, it made me realize that there are many other video games I have played where religion has played a subtle role. Because of this, I started thinking about the role of religion in my everyday life. After reflecting on this week's course materials, I started questioning my definition of religion. I am a Hindu, but I do not believe in any of the gods. The only part of Hinduism that I follow is the beliefs. These beliefs include how to live and how to treat others. Because of this, I can now understand how I and another Hindu who follows all parts of the religion will both have very different definitions of it. In the rest of this class, I hope to learn and explore more about religion and myself.