WRITINGS
I have finished a two-semester English Department class entitled "Sacred Literature," reading a wide variety of religious texts. We were assigned a write a journal, one page every week, about the texts with general observations and comments (Log #1). We were also to write one page on every separate text read during the term, but with more of a focus on its applicability to our own lives (Log #2). We also had two papers assigned for each term: one giving a personal response to a passage, and another comparing and contrasting different translations of the same verse. The first take home finals asked us to come up with a personal philosophy and how that philosophy is reflected in the texts we read. The second take home final asked for observations on western culture in light of having read the West's foundational document, the Tanakh a.k.a. the Old Testament.
Since I am frequently requested to send out copies of this work, I thought it best to simply post these writings. So, here are the links. Feel free to use this copyrighted material, just be sure to give me credit unless you want that "Bjork and her Swan" virus :-)
Weekly Journals/ Wisdom Logs:
Log #1 Log #2 Spring 1999: Bhagavad Gita (Hinduism), New Testament, Gospel of Thomas (non-canonical Christian, Gnostic), Qur'an, Tibetan Book of the Dead (Buddhism), Native American Creation Stories.
Log #1 Log #2 Fall 1999: Tao Te Ching, The Analects (Confucius), The Dhammapada (Buddhism), The Tanakh (Old Testament), The Upanishads (Hinduism), The Egyptian Book of the Dead.
Papers/ Finals:
Feeling vs. Reason: Through the Dilemma
Bhagavad Gita 2:58-61, Spring 1999
Translating Free Will
The Qur'an, The 'Imrans 3:154, Spring 1999
What Have You Learned, Dorothy?
Tibetan Book of the Dead, Mild Deity Reality In Between; Gospel of Thomas,
Saying 2; Bhagavad Gita 4:11; Pawnee Prayer; Spring 1999
The Road Less Traveled
The Dhammapada 1:1-2, Fall 1999
Translating Lust to Love
Song of Songs 3:1-5, Fall 1999
The Tanakh: Lens of the West
Genesis, Exodus, Job; Fall 1999