This Ted talk focuses on the need to have empathy and compassion for people who are persecuted. Specifically, it details the struggles between religions and the values that different religions promote.
REFLECTION
What I knew (And didn't know about my topic when I started)
1. When I first decided to choose this topic, I knew that there was a serious problem in the world today with religious persecution and discrimination. As a Catholic, I also knew that The Bible is focused on promoting love and compassion for all people, but also that there are areas of concern that are not applicable to the world today. I didn't know the specific passages and examples which is why researching into different chapters and stories was so important. Moreover, I understood that The Quran was very similar to The Bible in many of its themes and its overall message. I did not know the subtle details behind this, and in complete honesty I had a lot to learn about Islam as a whole.
Beyond the religious details in scripture, I was also very aware of the impact that religious wars and persecution have and have had on the world. I had always known facts about The Crusades and the the Cambodian Genocide for example, but there was a lot I didn't know on why specifically these problems erupted. I knew many of the obvious facts, but the underlying roots were unclear to me when I began my research.
Overall, I knew basic facts from my religious upbringing, classes in school, and recent events, but there was still a vast amount of information I needed to find out. I carried many stereotypes on different events and information going into this project from what people have told me, but I did not know the hard facts behind the most crucial information to my project. This is turn is what inspired me to decipher the religions of love.
Why I selected this topic and why it mattered to me
2. Growing up I had always been told have powerful religion was and the love and connection it made between different people around the world. So every day when I turned on the news and saw countless deaths and murders of people of all religions, I simply did not understand the contradiction. I selected this topic because I believe that what is happening in the world today is extremely scary. Pure hatred for other groups of people has become justified, simply because of the way in which they view the world. How did it come to this? I honestly believed that society as a whole had come to the understanding that there would be differences of opinion, and that those differences must be treated with respect, not ridicule.
I want people to understand also that religions like Islam are not focused on "bringing death to America" and the west. Different groups reputations are going down the drain because of the actions of small subsets within the greater community. For this reason, people need to show empathy for those who are forced to deal with the problems created by these minority factors. Religion is inherently good, empathy is good, connecting the two was the goal of my project, and I sought to find a way to make people understand my point of view.
What I learned -- Research
3. Researching proved to be a rather easy aspect of my presentation, something I was not expecting going in. There's a plethora of information online and in the news cycle about my topic because of the impact it has around the world today, and the impact it has had since the beginning of time. I researched mainly on websites, but their were written articles I also found to help support my evidence for the project. My favorite source because of the vast amount of knowledge I gained was from a New Mexico State University website, from an article titled, "The Ku Klux Klan: America's Forgotten Terrorists." In this article I learned the story of Charles Barefoot, an American citizen who had planned to carry out domestic terror against his local jail with the help of other Klan members ("The Ku Klux Klan: America's Forgotten Terrorists" New Mexico State University). This information was surprising and I had never heard of the story until I found this article. It gave lots of insight into the world of Christian terror and helped convince me that there are problems with sects of Christianity, just as there are with Islam.
There were many different new things I learned from my research, mainly through looking at scripture and facts from different religious problems. Different quotes from the Quran were very interesting to me, especially, “God does not forbid you from being good to those who have not fought
you in the religion or driven you from your homes" (Quran Chapter 8). This information contradicts the ISIS propaganda of terror against the United States, and it was very insightful to find this specific quote from the Quran. Another new thing that I learned came from The Bible. "All of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each
other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude" (1 Peter 3:8). This is direct evidence that The Bible and Christianity are focused on creating members of the faith who practice empathy. Loving each other is something that has been forgotten in the world today, and in order for a more sympathetic society to exist, the words must not be forgotten. Both of these points proved to be very helpful to a better overall understanding, and it helped me to realize that both religions push the value of companionship and a great connection between different groups. This helped me to prove to my fellow classmates, my main thesis of love for one another.
My work ethic in class was spotty at best. Although I did develop my idea, I spent a great majority of my team socializing with classmates. I did receive the positive benefit of gaging their opinions on my topics, and when I heard they thought it was interesting I knew I was on the right track. Clearly, I should have been more productive with class time, but I am happy I got the chance to talk to friends and still complete my project.
What I learned -- Presentations
Heading into the presentation I felt nervous, but prepared. Some of the challenges I had while practicing were with posture and speed of reading. After practicing a few different times I felt like I had gotten these under control, but posture and weight-shifts did impact me during the presentation. I rehearsed 3 times, all in front of my family. I also talked to my dad because he does lots of public speaking so it was good to get some helpful pointers on what I needed to do to deliver a great talk.
Watching my video was exciting. It made me cringe a little at certain points because of things I did, but overall I was very happy with the result. I'm extremely happy with the product I put forward and I think it shares a strong message to my audience. If I could improve two main areas it would be my weight-shifts and the little clicking noise I kept making when starting a new point. Besides these two areas, I am very proud of my work.
What the Audience Learned
The goal of my presentation was to build on popular news and culture to create a fresh perspective and viewpoint to challenge the audience. I want people to be more aware of their actions towards others and to attempt to put an end to religious stereotyping and discrimination.
Overall, I thought I was very successful in making people aware of some flaws within their own lives. I myself had problems with stereotyping that my presentation helped me to put a stop to. In the end, I just want people to be conscience of what they say and understand the need to treat others with respect and dignity.
My Advice
Public speaking is an extremely rewarding experience. My advice for C-Lit students next year is to find something you're very passionate about to make the presentation about. When making your talk, the more information the better. Also, preparing is key for being comfortable about speaking and sharing new ideas. Making note cards and practicing early and often are all good ideas. Also, test the waters surrounding your idea. See what other people in your class think of your idea and what you want to talk about. If you relax and have fun it is an easy project that is enjoyable and thought-provoking. It's a nice break from the norms of school curriculum and try to enjoy it if you can!
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