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I need questions for a documentary about religion.

DaftChrisDaftChris Spiritually conflicted. Not of this world. Veteran
edited June 2012 in Faith & Religion
I'm going to be a film minor when I transfer to my new college and my "pet project" is a documentary about the various religions practiced in and around the city I live. Of course we have the various Christian denominations, as well as Jewish temples and a few Muslim mosques; but we also have a sizable Pagan population, Hindu and Sikh practitioners and even some people of the Bah'ai faith.

The purpose is to compare and contrast the various viewpoints on social and spiritual issues, as well as to show that a small city in the Bible Belt is not full of fundamentalist bible thumpers and is as diverse as any other city.

I already know of some questions I'm going to ask (what is your religion, is it the only "right" one, is everything in your holy texts literal), but what could be other good questions to ask?

Comments

  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    You need to ask neutral questions which encourage dialogue, so you should steer clear of any confrontational or challenging questions precisely like the one you have mentioned
    "is it the only "right" one"....

    Your comment about the small city in the bible Belt not being 'full of fundamentalist bible thumpers' already shows a tinge of resentment and animosity.
    in order to achieve a reliable profile, you have to tackle this completely impartially and neurally.
    don't start, provoke or engineer an argument.
  • DaftChrisDaftChris Spiritually conflicted. Not of this world. Veteran
    edited June 2012
    It is not meant to be vicious in anyway; it's quite legitimate and is something I'm going to put a good bit of time in. As for the "right one" question, I plan on getting full and honest answers from everyone I interview and many religious leaders DO believe their faith is the only correct one.

    Besides, arguments are almost inevitably going to start. Even on neutral posts.
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    No, because this is asking questions, not demanding answers.
    If you're running the show, it is absolutely your duty to maintain rational on-topic discussion, and to not permit arguments to explode.

    This is a documentary, not a propaganda exercise.
  • genkakugenkaku Northampton, Mass. U.S.A. Veteran
    edited June 2012
    What distinguishes your faith?
    What role does belief play?
    In what way is your faith actualized?
    In what ways does your faith address those not of your faith?
    Does your faith say/suggest/mandate that this is the only true faith?
    If your faith encompasses a heaven and/or hell, how can you be sure that heaven and hell exist?
    If your faith relies for proof on a book, what happens when the book is no longer available?
    What divides birth and death, good and evil, joy and sorrow?

    Just a few off the top of my head.

    PS. It used to drive me nuts as a newspaper reporter that religion or spiritual endeavors always seemed to be treated with kid gloves. Be respectful ... but I see no reason not to ask hard questions.
  • ozenozen
    Who are the pagans?
  • DaftChrisDaftChris Spiritually conflicted. Not of this world. Veteran
    @ozen

    Mainly Wiccans and Witches. I actually think there is a high priestess for all of the covens.
  • JeffreyJeffrey Veteran
    How does your religion deal with outsiders?
    Where is the bedrock of the faith?
    What is the foundational truth(s) of the faith?
    How many holy men/women do people of your faith need to screw in a lightbulb? j/k

  • SattvaPaulSattvaPaul South Wales, UK Veteran
    edited June 2012
    Also you might ask a question or two about issues in society and the environment.

    I am reminded of a film made a few years ago in which the filmmaker talks to priests/leaders from different faiths in a effort to show the common truth underlying them. I think it would be beneficial for you to watch it. Unfortunately I can't remember the film name now, but I think it was something like "the One" or something like that...
  • SattvaPaulSattvaPaul South Wales, UK Veteran
    Found it: http://www.onetheproject.com/TheMovie.jsp
  • ozenozen
    @ozen

    Mainly Wiccans and Witches. I actually think there is a high priestess for all of the covens.
    Do Wiccans and Witches refer to themselves as pagans?
  • AmeliaAmelia Veteran
    @ozen

    Mainly Wiccans and Witches. I actually think there is a high priestess for all of the covens.
    Do Wiccans and Witches refer to themselves as pagans?
    Some do and some don't.
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    @Amelia, It was a question suggestion for DaftChris, it didn't require an answer here...

    I don't think.... :)
  • CinorjerCinorjer Veteran
    edited June 2012
    Sounds like you still need to focus more on the point you want to make. That the city has a diverse religious population? First, acknowledge that you have a majority Christian population. But then seek out all the smaller groups of religions and ask them, (1) when did they arrive in the city, and (2) has their group grown or declined, and (3) do they feel included or excluded or have any problems with their neighborhood?

    And then interview some of the Christian leaders, asking them how they feel about these groups, and if they'd mind if a Muslim temple, for instance, opened up across from their church.

    If you try to teach the audience about what each religion believes or practices, you'll have a ten part, twenty hour movie. It's just too broad.

    DaftChris
  • ozenozen
    Interesting, pagan religions are only .3% less popular than Buddhism.
  • GuiGui Veteran
    I would ask,"what is the meaning to life?". Their answers and how they answer might be very insightful on different levels.
  • tmottestmottes Veteran
    edited June 2012
    What role(s) does community play in your faith?
    What role(s) does your faith play in the community?
    Where you born into your current faith?
    What other faiths did you explore before choosing this faith?
    Would you kill for your faith?
    Would your faith ever ask you to kill for it?
    Who were/are the most influential historical and present day members of your faith?
    What was/is their legacy to the faith?
    What role does/has love play/ed in your faith?
    What role does/has violence play/ed in your faith?


    ***A Note on Paganism***

    According to the dictionary, Pagans are those that hold religious beliefs other than those of the main world religions.

    Word origins: In Latin Paganus means "villager, rustic" and also "civilian" which in Christian Latin later became "heathen" (i.e. one not enrolled in the army of Christ).
  • tmottestmottes Veteran
    I would ask,"what is the meaning to life?". Their answers and how they answer might be very insightful on different levels.
    :thumbsup: This too!
  • personperson Don't believe everything you think The liminal space Veteran
    The purpose is to compare and contrast the various viewpoints on social and spiritual issues, as well as to show that a small city in the Bible Belt is not full of fundamentalist bible thumpers and is as diverse as any other city.
    Sounds like you still need to focus more on the point you want to make. That the city has a diverse religious population? First, acknowledge that you have a majority Christian population. But then seek out all the smaller groups of religions and ask them, (1) when did they arrive in the city, and (2) has their group grown or declined, and (3) do they feel included or excluded or have any problems with their neighborhood?

    And then interview some of the Christian leaders, asking them how they feel about these groups, and if they'd mind if a Muslim temple, for instance, opened up across from their church.

    If you try to teach the audience about what each religion believes or practices, you'll have a ten part, twenty hour movie. It's just too broad.

    I just want to echo Cinorjer's statement. Keep the focus narrow and stick to only a few similar questions about the experience of the smaller communities in a predominantly Christian culture.
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