Last Class

 I started the class with another cookie! I also took the coffee cakes home to my mom, thanks Kip, she loved them! I also thought that the shirt Kip was wearing was the same one we went on the Camino and checked through my photos. It was not. 

Oh, and I would like to clarify what I said about the Motilone, I said can we ever know what their religious experience was like? Kip said yes because their stories were translated into English. But I meant that without knowing their language and hearing it in their language can we ever truly know? What comes to mind is that the Quran when translated is not called the Quran, it's called the Quran translated. Because any words that are not Arabic are not the actual words that Mohammad heard on that mountain that Gabriel told him to Recite! 

Then we watched several religions going through rituals. (I would like to point out that I am very smart, and I knew all of the different religions we saw before everyone said it) Dr. Gardner taught me what Phylacteries were! Wow, almost like he taught a religion class or something. 

Then Kip explained that when rituals are more tribal they are connected to the land. I thought about which land I am connected to. The most connection I could feel was to my ancestral farm in Northern  Indiana about 30 mins from Notre Dame. Maybe I feel more connected to my ancestors through the faith they practiced for generations, a sect of Christianity called Mennonite. This is why we feel alienated now in the modern world. 

Kip then said that books don’t tie you to a palace. I thought of Bruce, and how he had lots of books but didn’t feel tied to a place. I also thought (because I am a Trekie) that no matter where Picard and Riker go in space there is always a sense of home, mainly on Earth. 

Then we listened to songs, Lost by Coldplay, A Celtic song, and a Police song (SOS?). We talked about how the sea is plastic. I thought that the sea could be a metaphor for technology. In it isolates. It's been a great semester! Thanks for reading!


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