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Lesson Plans


RE: Theology of Toys

From: Lawrence A. Parker/OCCTI (occti)
Date: Thu Feb 17 2000 - 10:25:26 PST

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    As others have commented on the list, art class may not be the appropriate
    place for such discussions (of belief). It is interesting to note, however,
    that a great number of young people *do* want (and need) to discuss these
    topics. Most of them do not have a forum which they can make use of.

    One way to "avoid"... teacher self-disclosure(?) is to ask them what they
    believe...and why. Continue asking "why?" until you get to fundamental
    reasons and discuss those. Let the students discuss these things among
    themselves and only facilitate the discussion.

    Open it up to art: how do different faiths and belief systems use art? Are
    there common elements, themes? How important is the depiction of their
    deity? Use the Gestalt "Young Woman/Old Hag" print. If they can look at
    the same thing and see different things, isn't it possible to describe
    something they can't see many different ways?

    What has always amazed me in theism, in all its forms, is the belief of most
    of them that there is only one God. If that is the case, isn't logical that
    they are all worshipping the same God, just using different names and images
    as they've been developed historically and culturally? No, rather they
    maintain that their "image" is the right one and all others are the wrong
    ones.

    One of the things I've admired about the Islamic faith is that they maintain
    that there are 100 names for God, yet they only know 99. The 100th is the
    true name. ("As for the Tao, the Tao that can be spoken of is not the
    eternal Tao; As for names, the Tao that can be named is not the eternal Tao.
    The nameless is the beginning of the ten thousand things;" "He who claims
    to know, knows little; he who claims little, knows much."

    As I said, the personal decisions you make have to be your own and will
    necessarily be based on your particular school/community situation.

    Larry 

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