Also I found several websites that have the basic beliefs of many religions. Belief.net is very helpful as well as religioustolerance.org.
Next week I would like to continue watching God in America, Read the chapter on Mysticism in Religion in the Harvey Cox book, read a bit of the Tibetan book of the dead, edit more videos, do some more interviews and do even more writing.
None of the professors that I emailed have emailed me back yet, but Seattle U just started last week so they might be really busy with school.
I'm stil trying to narrow my subject and finding things that I want to include. My main focus is What Happens when we die, but I'm also very interested in what people will sacrifice for their religion. There's that footage of the monk lighting himself on fire. It all just happens so fast. He doesn't fight death and then within about 30 seconds, He falls over and you know he's gone. Just watching that is chilling. To see a man go from living to dead so willingly. I wonder where he is now?
I'm finding that one of my biggest challenges with this project is to not think so much. Of course I will continue thinking, but I need to put my thoughts into actions. That is where progress occurs. Instead of staring at a picture for an hour I need to write how I feel about it or research the religion to try and explain why certain people do things certain ways.
The self-immolation by the Buddhist monk was a lifechanging news story of the Viet Nam War era. Anyone who was alive then will be able to tell a story about the impact of that event. As you ponder this story, consider the possibility that it wasn't merely (or even primarily) a religious act, but a political one. Check out this link: http://thoughtcatalog.com/2011/in-terrifying-color-vietnamese-buddhist-monks-1963-self-immolation/
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