African American Spirituality, Atheism and the LGBT Community

Course Title: African American Religion, Atheism and the LGBT Community Course Catalogue#: ED7000/SOC 5010 Course Credit Hours: 3 Prerequisites for the course: None Institutional Affiliation: Wayne State University, School of Education Course Instructor and Contact Information: Alecia A. Becks Wayne State University School of Education Office 230, Third Floor 346 Kirby Way Detroit, Michigan 48201 313-507-5039 office 313-408-4342 cell ALECIAABECKS@GMAIL.COM www.JournalStudentEntry.com Office Hours for Students or please arrange for a time more convenient for us both. Monday 2- 6 PM Wednesday 2- 6 PM Saturday Noon until 3 PM Course Dates, Meeting Hours and Location: May 7, 2012 until July 7, 2012 Saturdays from 9:00 until Noon 1200 Cass Avenue, Detroit, Michigan 48201

Introduction from the Instructor Hello and thank you for joining this course to explore ways to address social problems in the way that is most fruitful. I greatly enjoy working with the communities I am apart of, while finding reasons why I need to be open to other communities no matter how offensive their free speech. This course will teach you one standard to hold all people accountable. This one standard will be how you conduct your life and accepting the responsibility to find truth in the most complicated. I will be available online, by phone and via www.JournalWeb.com, so please always keep me informed of your progress with this course. How and why this course began: I am currently researching ways to talk with angry and frustrated people who are greatly alarmed by gay and lesbian marriage, religious diversity, immigration, racism, to only name a few issues I see daily in my online outreach. I additionally have spent 30 years learning from over 20 different religions and can speak very passionate with people who disagree with me. I am very relaxed, peaceful and clear about my objectives during these conversations. Earlier in life, I considered studying at seminary but changed my mind after 8 years of discernment. Three years later, I worked toward a Masters in Education and become very clear how powerful the human mind is in learning and what learning should look like to alleviate social oppression. My course is presented as a people lab to explore questions that address your needs to be Community Learners. Media, Technology Needs and Student Supplies Every course is video recorded, each student given a copy of the full course proceedings unedited and will be placed on You Tube after completion. This course is a public event to share ideas with the community. An additional technology issue is that you will need access to a computer with internet service and an email account. You will need technology access for your weekly journal logs. Course Synopsis, Objectives and Intent This course is meant to increase your thinking process regarding how to best confront socially destructive communication. While communication (Free speech) is not destructive in most cases, we know that we do hear and read comments that are shockingly offensive and lack any logic. Communication of such words, are a result of what overall needs to be addressed. In reaching this goal, the objectives of this course are as follows: Students will gain a historical perspective of human knowledge and science. Students will gain skills to address Hate-Speech by addressing its eventual harm. Students will become deeply reflective regarding why you are motivated to struggle for freedom. Students will be able to demonstrate leadership skills as a community role model. Students will develop a critical understanding of the exact steps that religion can use to decrease trust in reality. 2

What you can expect during class: The class can be frustrating because few answers are provided for exact actions anyone should take. However, after serious consideration and analysis of each students desire for social change, every student will develop their own plan of action to enact in their community. You will find this course intellectually rigorous as we attempt to cover massive amounts of information. In addition to the information and concepts provided, an equally challenging task for students is to self-reflect and seek reasons for your conclusions. God said it so I believe it will never be accepted in this course because of the many things that the bible condones. The nontheistic perspective says: If you take God out of the issue, now what do we have?

Student Assignments and Personal Research/Reflection Process You will be defining a question that people care about when evaluating faith and belief. From reading, research, interviews, videos or any way possible you choose, you will spend your time learning about this issue related to whom you want to build a working relationship with. This person is currently a political enemy. All of the assignments take step by step toward this final project. Each course assignment is listed under Course Assignments as a Scientific Process for this course. Due Date
May 7 July 21, 2012 Ongoing May 7 May 21, 2012 May 28 June 17, 2012 June 30 July 14, 2012 July 28, 2012

Course Assignments as a Scientific Process

Journal Reflection: One journal entry per week. Meet with the Instructor: We will define your hypnosis for creating change. Testing your Ideas and Reality: Go online and find people who display violent words. Engage them, then report back one success about how you both won. Share your Ideas/Results with someone in the community to seek criticism. Refine, Practice and Present your example of creating social justice and equality.

Course Behavioral Code This course is designed to allow honesty with great push back. You will constantly be asked to explain further. This is an organic and natural process. Also remember that we are having a public class and the community can see what happens during our learning. This is not the time for deeply private and personal issues to be discussed. We will discuss our views, ideas and concerns in a diligent, passionate and concise manner. We will be highly professional in presentation and performance. Course Text and Readings The literature that accompanies this course falls under Required, Highly Recommended and Recommended. I will also supplement your reading by providing hand outs of the readings. If you wish to read more deeply and/or to find additional chapters, please visit the reference librarian and ask for the books that have been reserved for your class. There is a set of our book collection at the Undergraduate Library on campus. A second set of the books associated with this course are being held in the Purdy-Kresge Library. All of the books included on your list are excellent reading for contemplation, however I have categorized then in three levels to assist you in selecting the best way to use your time in this course. Our reading list is as follows: 3

Required Text The Nature of Prejudice as written by Gordan W. Allport When Religion Becomes Evil as written by Charles Kimbal The Us Constitution for Everyone as produced and illustrated by Mort Geberg

Highly Recommended Text Rules for Radicals: A Pragmatic Primer for Realistic Radicals as written by Saul Alinski A Psychopathic Racial Personality and Other Essays as written by Bobby E. Wright

Recommended Text Why God Wont Go Away as written by Andrew Newburg, M.D., Eugene DaQuili, M.D., Ph. D. and Vince Rause

Schedule for Course Readings

Date May 7, 2012 May 14, 2012 May 21, 2012 May 28, 2012 June 3, 2012 June 10, 2012 June 17, 2012 June 24, 2012 June 30, 2012 July 7, 2012 July 14, 2012 Author
Mort Geberg Bobby E. Wright Charles Kimbal Gordan W. Allport Newburg, DaQuili and Rause Gordan W. Allport Newburg, DaQuili and Rause Newburg, DaQuili and Rause Gordan W. Allport Saul Alinski Saul Alinski

Chapter and Pages

Become familiar with entire book of 62 pages Review entire book of 40 pages Read Chapter 5, Pages 126 - 153 Read Chapter 3, Pages 29 46 Read Chapter 7 and 8 , Pages 128 142 Read Chapter 4, Pages 48 65 Read Chapter 5, Pages 77 96 Read Chapter 2, Pages 11-34 Chapter 9, Pages 142 161 Read Chapter 6, Pages 98 125 Read Chapter 3, Pages 48 - 62

Class Dates and Topics

Date May 7, 2012 May 14, 2012 May 21, 2012 May 28, 2012 June 3, 2012 June 10, 2012 June 17, 2012 June 24, 2012 June 30, 2012 July 7, 2012 July 14, 2012 July 21, 2012 July 28, 2012 Subject of the Week
US History, The Constitution and Understanding Community Hopelessness The Causation, History and Consequences of Hate Ancient African History, Anthropology and the Scientific Method The History of Religion and People of Color Religious, Sexual and Human Evolution Fear of Death, Hell and Discomfort Not Knowing, Waiting or Faith? What is Evidence and Logic?

Training and Reflection

Journal Entry: Why did you take this class? Journal Entry: Write about who you hate or have ever hated in your life? Journal Entry: What question has science not found an answer for? Journal Entry: What are my beliefs about RESPONSIBILITY? Journal Entry: Is it ever appropriate to think of another person having sex? Journal Entry: If hell scares me, why is it so powerful in my mind? Journal Entry: Should faith be respected if faith disrespects you? What is the middle ground? Journal Entry: Do you need more Facts or Emotions in your life to be an effective change maker? Journal Entry: What does Fred Phelps need to hear from you? Journal Entry: Should you ever cry during the public struggle for equality and justice? Journal Entry: Write down 4 questions you would like to ask Eddie Long to see if you have anything in common with him. Journal Entry: Why are you a radical, conservative or progressive? You will take this project into your community.

Argument Structure and Debate verses Reacting Inner Reflection when in Crisis Community Organizing Techniques for One on One Social Change Public Community Organizing Techniques for Long-term Social Change Student Research Presentations You will be focusing on a question that people care about when evaluating faith and belief. From reading, research, interviews, videos or any way possible you choose, you will organize your time in learning about this issue and others related to the person you want to build a working relationship with. This person must currently be a political enemy.

Disability and No Special Treatment Policy You may interrupt the class if you have a heart attack, give birth or pass out. The class will continue after emergency needs have been addressed. If you desire reasonable assistance regarding a physical or cognitive disability, please inform the instructor before the beginning of the first session. If you find an unforeseen complication limiting your participation during the class, you will be asked to identify any concerns during the first 30 minutes of class. After this time, address all disability concerns privately and without diverting attention from the class work being conducted.

The rational for this policy is that regardless of someones disability, you must find a way to put forth your argument regardless of any factor not related to your argument. For example, if getting into a church is prohibited by you because of a disability that has resulted in me being in a wheel-chair, how will I make my message heard in this building? Another example (for) in our class is if you have a difficult time seeing the board. Please move quietly to independently meet your needs and rejoin the current focus of the classs activities.