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University religion course advice?

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shibby
Posts: 7088 - Karma: -19
Has anyone taken courses in religious studies at university? I'm looking at a class that would fit nicely into my schedule. Literally every other course that interests me as an elective is full or creates scheduling conflicts. Another problem is that it's in French (apparently the prof is good though). It's a historical introduction to world religions, so nothing too gnarly and potentially very interesting.

So for those speaking from experience...as someone who is not religious and is considering this purely as an interesting/easy elective will I want to blow my head off?
Jan 12 2011 11:18PM
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paige.
Posts: 1932 - Karma: 924
Honestly, I feel like you are better off going into these courses being non-religious because you will be open minded and find it easier to make connections. You won't have the mindset that one of religions is right and the others is wrong.
I haven't taken one myself (the one I liked the sounds of had a brutal prof) but a few of my friends have and they didn't have any problems (other than quite a lot of reading).
Jan 13 2011 12:16AM
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BenWest
Posts: 470 - Karma: 89
I am myself a Christian, and I'd say its a great idea but not because of my own views. I just think it's a good idea to do it so that you can understand where people are coming from. My crew boss treeplanting this summer just finished an entire degree on comparative religions and he did it just because of that exact reason. He had no particular religious affiliation himself and wasn't even planning on really doing anything with it, but he found it really interesting and thought it was important in today's world to understand what people believe in and why they do.
Jan 13 2011 12:20AM
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uosdwiSrjewoH
Posts: 4220 - Karma: 122
college =/= university
Jan 13 2011 12:22AM
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skier_boy26
Posts: 11295 - Karma: 502
If the professor/course has been well received or rated, and it makes your schedule a breeze, then why not?
Jan 13 2011 12:23AM
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pmills
Posts: 7162 - Karma: 59
do you know the difference between validity and soundness?

can you deal with people who don't understand this distinction asking questions that a. don't pertain to the topic or b. are obvious non-starters

it'll be a good class because of the historical understanding you'll get. If your prof is french I wonder how much descarts you'll have to go through.

Again here it's about just figuring out what rules the person is trying to play by, and using them to look for inconsistencies or paradoxes, not to prove them wrong.
Jan 13 2011 12:40AM
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paige.
Posts: 1932 - Karma: 924
generally:
university = degree programs
college = diploma programs or university transfer programs
Jan 13 2011 12:46AM
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uosdwiSrjewoH
Posts: 4220 - Karma: 122
easiest, while not exactly the best, way i can put it is:
college = community college - university = university
Jan 13 2011 12:57AM
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Casey
Posts: 7844 - Karma: 24,254

Most likely you will have one person in your class that raises their hand 6 times a day and asks, "If God doesn't exist, then who wrote the Bible?" But learning about religions is decently interesting, I am not religious and I thought it was one of the better classes that I've taken.

Jan 13 2011 1:26AM
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shibby
Posts: 7088 - Karma: -19
I ended up registering for it. My university has a policy that papers and exams can be written in either French or English regardless of the language the course is given in so that will help.

Thanks all, God bless/praise Allah.
Jan 13 2011 1:51AM
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Mr.Panda
Posts: 17711 - Karma: 564
All I can say about it is that when I took two different ones the best thing to do is stay quiet until you can tell which direction he professor/instructor leans (do they or do they not believe) and if they believe what branch do they believe and go from there. Disagreeing shouldn't affect a grade but it can.
Jan 13 2011 1:53AM
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