I think many of us hate having to take Gen Eds. We would rather take a class that has to do with our major(s) and our life. While this is true, I think that sometimes, taking a class that isn't a part of your major is worth it. One of the Gen Eds I took this semester ended up being the best class I have ever taken. This class was Theology 235 - Interreligious Dialogue. In this class, we discussed the different major world religions (Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, and Buddhism), as well as atheism. It does not fit with my majors, but it definitely fits with life.
I am someone who has always been interested in religions. I am Muslim, so I know about the Abrahamic faiths, but I didn't have much knowledge on the Eastern religions. I never really got a chance to study them at an academic level in a class with other people. I went to public schools, which for obvious reasons, tend to stay away from the topic of religion. If I didn't have to take a "Mode of Inquiry - QRT" religion class, I most likely would not have taken this theology class and would have opted for a business course instead. I am grateful for having to take a religion class because this class opened up my eyes to the other major world religions and showcased the many similarities and differences between them.
During political times like these when our ignorance is used against us to create fear of "the other," I think it is crucial that everyone take the time to learn about other people's beliefs. For this theology class, we had to go to two site visits completely outside of our own religious background. This means that if you identify as Catholic, you couldn't go to a church of any denomination. Or, if you are Muslim, you couldn't go to any mosque, even if it is one of a different sect. At first, I wished that wasn't the case because I was scared of how people might react if I entered their house of worship and didn't know what I was doing. I didn't want to accidentally offend someone or not understand what was going on. However, it ended up being a great experience and everyone was incredibly welcoming. For my site visits, I went to a Buddhist temple and a Jewish synagogue. Although they were completely different from each other and from my own religion in many ways, there were some similarities too. For example, we all want to feel at peace, seek the truth, serve humanity, and take time out of our day to focus on what is important to us. I learned that we can be strong in our own faith (or lack of faith), and still take away significant lessons from other people's religions.
Along with these site visits that showed me we all want the same things in life, such as peace, humanity, and happiness, I was able to have a fruitful dialogue with those in my class. Usually, people don't talk about religion, but as I learned in this class, people are actually willing to talk about their beliefs if you have a genuine interest in learning. I come from a Muslim background, so I try my best to show others what a true believer of Islam looks like. We all know there is a lot of hate for Muslims in the media these days, which is why I always do what I can to answer other people's questions. If I don't know the answer myself, I ask someone more knowledgeable and let the person know. I feel like it is everyone's responsibility to alleviate any misconceptions about not only their own religion but other people's as well. Many people in my class stated that during their family gatherings, at least one member has said false information about another religion. When we are educated, it is much easier to educate others and change ignorance into knowledge. I feel that I now have enough knowledge on other religions to stand up for them if I hear something false being spread about them.
If you go to Benedictine University, I would definitely recommend taking Theology 235 with Dr. George-Tvrtkovic next time it is offered. If you don't go to Benedictine University, take an interreligious dialogue class that is offered at your school. I promise you will learn a lot and that it will benefit you in ways you would not have even imagined.
The only way to combat hatred and fear is by learning about each other, having a dialogue, and remembering that even though we have our differences, we are still similar in many ways. We need to step outside of our safety bubble and learn about unfamiliar topics. It is up to us to find out the truth and get rid of any misconceptions and stereotypes about each other that are out there. We are stronger when we are united. We need to learn to respect each other's beliefs, instead of claiming they are "too different" from our own to even study.
