BOB ABERNETHY, anchor: In the U.S. and Europe, the other best-known Buddhist leader, besides the Dalai Lama, is the renowned Vietnamese Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh. He, too, has been on a U.S. tour, ended this past week — speaking, leading retreats, and promoting his latest of more than 75 books, Creating True Peace.

Many people may find Nhat Hanh’s teachings Utopian, but he is convinced they are practical and proven. He has opposed violence for more than 50 years. Martin Luther King, Junior nominated him for a Nobel Peace Prize.

Nhat Hanh insists he is a monk, not a politician. But as he toured the U.S. he spoke not only of Buddhist practices but also — often and critically — of American policies in the Middle East.

We caught up with Thich Nhat Hanh during late afternoon rush hour on Capitol Hill, in Washington. Shielding his eyes from the sun, he practiced his customary attentive, so-called mindful walking — to the Library of Congress to talk to Members of Congress, and others, about peace in a world of terrorism. He said since 9-11 the level of hate and violence has gone up. He blamed America’s use of force.

THICH NHAT HANH: Using violence to suppress violence is not the correct way. America has to wake up to that reality.

ABERNETHY: That’s not a sentiment you hear everyday at the Capitol. Nor is Nhat Hanh’s recommendation to this bitterly divided Congress that its members practice what he calls deep listening (to each other) and gentle speech.

Nhat Hanh became a Zen Buddhist monk when he was 16. His title “Thich” means, symbolically, in Vietnamese, that he is a member of the Buddha’s extended family.

During the Vietnam War, Nhat Hanh actively opposed the fighting, offending all sides. He developed what he called Engaged Buddhism: going beyond meditation to campaign for peace, care for refugees and help rebuild bombed villages.

NHAT HANH: If you hear the bombs falling, you know, you know that you have to go out and help.

ABERNETHY: Because of his anti-war activities, Nhat Hanh had to leave Vietnam. In the 1980s, he founded a Buddhist community in France and has spent most of the years since teaching, leading retreats and writing. In all, he has written more than 75 books.

Nhat Hanh’s message emphasizes simple practices. Concentration on every activity — walking, breathing, eating, everything. He says this mindfulness leads to understanding the roots of suffering, which encourages compassion that can dissolve anger.

On this year’s U.S. visit, he led private retreats for several members of Congress in Washington, and for police officers in Wisconsin.

I asked him what Buddhism has to say to people of other religions.

NHAT HANH: I think if Buddhism can help, it is the concrete methods of practice. We have the same kind of teaching, but in Buddhism there are more concrete tools.

There are ways to transform and to reduce the amount of suffering in our families, in our schools. We, as practitioners of transformation and healing, we know how to do it, how to reduce the level of violence.

ABERNETHY: Are there times when it is right to use violence in order to protect yourself, or your family, or nation?

NHAT HANH: If you see someone who is trying to shoot, to destroy, you have to do your best in order to prevent him or her to do so. You must. But you must do it out of your compassion, of your willingness to protect, and not out of anger. That is the key.

ABERNETHY: Can a person be both a Buddhist and a Christian?

NHAT HANH: Sure. There are many, many Christians who practice Buddhism and they become better and better Christians all the time.

ABERNETHY: Nhat Hanh thinks violence in America has increased in recent years. He says one reason is too much production and consumption of the wrong kinds of things — movies and television, for instance, that stimulate craving and violence.

NHAT HANH: I think we have the Statue of Liberty on the East Coast. But in the name of freedom, people have done a lot of damage. I think we have to build a Statue of Responsibility on the West Coast in order to counterbalance. Because liberty without responsibility is not true liberty. We are not free to destroy.

ABERNETHY: The continuing struggle in Iraq triggered questions for Nhat Hanh everywhere he went.

NHAT HANH: I think America is now caught in Iraq, like in Vietnam not very long ago. And you believed that search and destroy is the right path. But the more you continued that kind of operation, the more Communists you created, and finally you had to withdraw. I am afraid that you are doing exactly the same thing in Iraq.

The only way for Americans to get emancipated from this situation is to help build the United Nations into a real body of peace so that the United Nations would take over the problem of Iraq and the Middle East. America is powerful enough to do that.

ABERNETHY: At the Washington Hebrew Congregation, and elsewhere, Nhat Hanh made the same appeal for more UN authority. He also urged Americans to lobby their elected officials.

NHAT HANH: We have to offer them our insight, our compassion. We cannot just afford for them to be surrounded by advisers who do not have that insight, that compassion.

ABERNETHY: There was no way to tell how many people here agreed with Nhat Hanh, but there was no doubt about their interest in what he had to say.

Thich Nhat Hanh has scheduled a retreat for Israelis and Palestinians next month in France. He has done this before, and he says — for those attending — it always brings reconciliation.

In this lesson, students will have an opportunity to learn about the deep-rooted, historical conflict between Muslims and Hindus in India — particularly in the province of Gujarat. Using Religion & Ethics resources and a variety of other materials, including personal narratives of survivors and eyewitnesses, students will explore the violent nature of the animosity between the two groups. They will also consider larger issues: whether religious beliefs can ever legitimize violence; whether religious conflict is an inevitable human experience; and possible resolutions to situations of religious conflict.

Grade Level:

Grades 9-12

Time Allotment:

5-7 class periods

Note: The time needed for each learning activity is approximate. It will vary depending on the particular needs and skills of your students, as well as on course parameters and time constraints.

Subject Matter:

World History; Ethics; Culture and Society; Sociology; Religion.

Learning Objectives

Students will:

• Conduct research on important background information regarding the Muslim-Hindu conflict in India.
• Use analytical skills to explore and understand the ways in which India (and other nations) can resolve or address religious conflict.
• Develop interviewing skills.
• Work cooperatively in small groups.
• Synthesize the information they gather during the unit and through interviews in a class presentation.
• Understand the following vocabulary: secular, communalism/ communal violence, Gujarat, Ayodhya, Hindu nationalism, religious majority/ minority, mosque, temple.

Standards

• Click here to see the academic standards for this lesson plan.

This lesson was prepared by: Thandi Center

In this lesson, students will explore the controversy generated by embryonic stem cell research, paying particular attention to the question of whether it is ethical. Students will consider a variety of opposing perspectives on the controversy as they gather information from community guest speakers, Web-based research, collaborative discussion, and role-playing. Using a debate model, students will assume the roles of different interest groups and then prepare, present and defend their positions.

Grade Level:

Grades 9-12

(Especially appropriate for older students with some higher-level knowledge of science/biology.)

Time Allotment:

5-7 class periods

Note: The time needed for each learning activity is approximate. It will vary depending on the particular needs and skills of your students, as well as on course parameters and time constraints.

Subject Matter:

Bioethics; Biology; U.S. History; U.S. Government; Culture and Society; Sociology; Religion; English/ Language Arts.

Learning Objectives

Students will:

• Explore the field of stem cell research and understand what it can potentially offer to the field of medicine.
• Use analytical skills to explore and understand the controversy surrounding stem cell research, especially embryonic stem cell research.
• Explore a particular perspective on the issue through research and role-playing.
• Work cooperatively in small groups.
• Hone position-development, debate, and coalition-building skills.
• Prepare and present the position they have researched during a class debate.
• Understand the following vocabulary: stem cells, embryos, embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells, conception, fertilization, pro-life.

Standards

Click here to see the academic standards for this lesson plan.

In this lesson, students will explore the teachings and values of Islam and of the Muslim community in their own area. They will also examine the experience of the Muslim-American community after September 11, 2001. Through exposure to members of the Muslim community (i.e. as guest speakers, field trips to mosques) and research using various text and media resources, students will explore how Islam has been interpreted by terrorists for their own political purposes. Students will also consider why Islamic extremism and militarism might appeal to those individuals, especially young people, who have been subjected to intense violence and poverty.

Grade Level:

Grades 9-12

Time Allotment:

5-7 class periods

Note: The time needed for each learning activity is approximate. It will vary depending on the particular needs and skills of your students, as well as on course parameters and time constraints you may have to consider.

Subject Matter:

World History; Ethics; Culture and Society; Sociology; Religion.

Learning Objectives

Students will:

• Research the ways in which Muslim extremists have interpreted the teachings of Islam for their own political purposes.
• Explore and understand some of the teachings of Islam, and examine where extremists’ actions stand in relation to these teachings.
• Investigate the grievances voiced by many Muslims in the world, and look at how extremists have seized upon legitimate grievances to carry out acts of violence.
• Understand the experiences of Muslim Americans following September 11, 2001.
• Develop and conduct surveys.
• Work cooperatively in small groups.
• Synthesize the information they gather during the unit and through surveys in a class presentation.
• Understand the following vocabulary: extremism, radical Islam, militant, Mohammed, jihad, legitimate grievances.

Standards

Click here to see the academic standards for this lesson plan.

Around the world, governments, institutions, and individuals are struggling to deal with epidemic levels of HIV/AIDS infection. How communities and nations address AIDS reflects their values and beliefs, as well as the level of resources they are able to devote to this devastating illness. In this lesson, students learn about different approaches to dealing with AIDS in different countries/cultures — in particular, how attitudes and values about behaviors associated with AIDS affect the choices leaders and governments make in trying to treat and contain the disease. Resources include segments from RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY, Web sites, and interviews. As a culminating activity, students undertake a service project related to HIV/AIDS.

Grade Level:

Grades 9-12

Time Allotment:

This lesson [unit] can carry over anywhere from a few days to several weeks, depending on the level of interest and commitment to the topic.

Subject Matter:

Science, health, social studies, English/ language arts, religion.

Learning Objectives

Students will:

• Understand basic facts about HIV/AIDS and how the virus is transmitted
• Identify practices and behaviors that lower the risk of HIV infection
• Compare approaches in several nations/communities to HIV/AIDS prevention
• Interview guest speakers who work with HIV/AIDS patients and/or do related research
• Plan and carry out a community service project to assist AIDS patients

Standards

Click here to see the academic standards for this lesson plan.

Immigration is a part of life in the United States; the country was founded by immigrants and it continues to receive a steady influx of newcomers from all parts of the world. But increasingly, and especially since the terrorist attacks in the U.S. on September 11, 2001, policy makers and citizens are raising questions about our immigration policies.

In this lesson, students examine several of these crucial questions. Who should be legally allowed to immigrate to the U.S.? Do immigrants, legal or illegal, strengthen and enrich the U.S., or do they drain its valuable resources? What rights and supports should be given to immigrants, regardless of their legal status? What kinds of difficulties and conflicts occur when a community experiences dramatic change through a large influx of immigrants?

Using segments from RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY, students will build an understanding of key issues. As a culminating activity, students use a process of academic controversy to explore the issue of voting rights for legal immigrants; then they will stage a public debate to help members of their communities explore local immigration issues.

Grade Level:

Grades 9-12

Time Allotment:

This lesson [unit] can carry over anywhere from a few days to several weeks, depending on the level of interest and commitment to the topic.

Subject Matter:

Social studies; English/ language arts; religion; mathematics; health.

Learning Objectives

Students will:

• Research historical and current events involving immigration with an emphasis on policy.
• Identify, analyze, and discuss controversial issues regarding immigration.
• Collect oral histories from immigrants.
• Interview guest speakers who work with immigrants.
• Research and stage a debate about solutions to immigration problems.

Standards

• Click here to see the academic standards for this lesson plan.

This lesson was prepared by: Kathleen Cochran, Ed.M.

This lesson looks at end-of-life issues and examines the political and religious forces behind the decision to let a person live or die. Students will learn the key legal precedents behind such decisions. By studying the Terri Schiavo case and a similar case involving TV reporter Hugh Finn, students will understand the importance of a living will and the legal ramifications of this document. Through articles, video segments, written exercises, and group discussion, the lesson will put the end-of-life topic into perspective for the classroom.

Grade Level:

Grades 9-12

Time Allotment:

3 classes at 45 minutes per class

Subject Matter:

Religion, society, the legal system, state’s rights, medical ethics, the importance of a will, living will, political intervention, legal precedent

Learning Objectives

Students will:

• Understand the legal precedent behind allowing a person to live vs. letting the person die
• Identify important steps needed to avoid legal battles stemming from deciding a loved one’s fate
• Understand why the issue is so divisive
• Compare different cases where removing a feeding tube has created a political uproar
• Debate the various viewpoints surrounding the matter

Standards

• Click here to see the academic standards for this lesson plan.

This lesson was prepared by: Michael Flaherty

Every U.S. President has been affiliated with a particular religion and usually that affiliation has some effect on the choices voters make. Additionally, many religious groups have traditionally voted either along Democratic or Republican party lines. However, in the 2004 presidential election, traditional voting patterns of certain religious groups shifted. For instance, a larger number of Evangelical Protestants voted than ever before and a larger number of Catholics voted Republican than ever before.

In this lesson students will explore how particular religious blocs voted in the 2004 presidential election and how the hopes and/or expectations of these religious voters are impacting the second term of George W. Bush. Students will then consider the impact of religion on politics by investigating the controversy over judicial nominees, proposing a research topic, and presenting their findings to their fellow students.

Grade Level:

Grades 9-12

Time Allotment:

This lesson can be carried out over 4 classes at 45 minutes per class or over several weeks depending on the level of interest and time allowed for the group presentations.

Subject Matter:

Social Studies, Civics, Religion, Language Arts

Learning Objectives

Students will:

• Learn about the voting patterns of specific religious blocs in the 2004 election.
• Recognize that voting patterns among religious blocs have evolved overtime.
• Investigate the potential impact of the hopes and wishes of religious groups on politics and public policy.
• Propose a research topic to explore the controversy over the intersection of religion and politics through the lens of judicial nominations.
• Present their findings on their judicial nominee research topic.
• Reflect on their experience of working within a group.

Standards

• Click here to see the academic standards for this lesson plan.

This lesson was prepared by: Ellen Lenihan