Redefiing Globalization
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Darrol Bryant introduces viewers to basic principles of dialogue. Unlike the general term often used in politics, Darrol proposes open ended exchanges without agendas or predetermined outcomes.
VISUALS from this video show one of Darrol's visits to the city of Amritsar in northern India, home to Harimandir or Golden Temple, the spiritual and cultural centre of the Sikh religion. When Darrol first visited the Punjab with a group of students in 2000, he met Bonvindar, a Professor in the Planning Department of Guru Nanak Dev University. Bovindar helped the group find accommodations. He was generous was with his time and escorted the group to visit the Golden Temple. Later they were invited to visit his home and family on the Campus of Guru Nanak Dev University. Darrol recalls everyone crowding into his small living room and sharing stories, including lots of laughs. He calls it a beautiful example of what the World Council of Churches calls the "dialogue of life." As Darrol's student's were able to witness the Sikh Way in a very personal way as they got to know Bovindar and his family. It also exemplifies one of Darrol's core beliefs; how the important work of building relationships between people of different religious traditions starts in the context of everyday life. MORE ABOUT BOVINDAR Bovindar is well known in the area for his research on the city of Amritsar's expansion around the main shrine of the Sikh tradition, the Harimandir or Golden Temple. His grounding in the Sikh tradition came from his father, a Sikh scholar. TRANSCRIPTION: One of the problems right now is that this term dialogue has come to be so globally used for every kind of exchange that happens, and especially in relation to politics. People are continually saying, "oh, we're having dialogue with this people, that people" and when I look at that I say, "no, that's not dialogue, that's politics. It's putting out there this idea that we're having this profound exchange and dialogue with people from other cultures, from other societies but we're not really engaging them because it's always an exchange that has built into it presuppositions about what we want as an outcome, and it's only dialogue when they agree with our agenda for what that outcome should be. That's not dialogue. Dialogue is more open ended. It's a willingness to enter into that relationship with the other and see what the outcome is. People always ask me, well what do you get out of dialogue as if we could sort of, you know, give you one, two, three, four. That's not what dialogue is all about. Dialogue is open ended. We simply have to see what happens in the exchange and then we can talk about what has come from it and what has been learned from it. So that's why for me, this question of dialogue, of its outcomes, it's implications for the future, is such a vital question and it depends on our practice of living dialogue and exchange between peoples. CINEMATOGRAPHY CREDIT: Grayden Laing http://www.graydenlaing.com |
Religion as Culture
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Darrol Bryant proposes a broader perspective of religion, one that incorporates its inextricable ties to culture.
CINEMATOGRAPHY CREDIT: Grayden Laing http://www.graydenlaing.com |
Redefining Dialogue for Politics
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Darrol Bryant introduces viewers to basic principles of dialogue. Unlike the general term often used in politics, Darrol proposes open ended exchanges without agendas or predetermined outcomes.
VISUALS from this video show one of Darrol's visits to the city of Amritsar in northern India, home to Harimandir or Golden Temple, the spiritual and cultural centre of the Sikh religion. When Darrol first visited the Punjab with a group of students in 2000, he met Bonvindar, a Professor in the Planning Department of Guru Nanak Dev University. Bovindar helped the group find accommodations. He was generous was with his time and escorted the group to visit the Golden Temple. Later they were invited to visit his home and family on the Campus of Guru Nanak Dev University. Darrol recalls everyone crowding into his small living room and sharing stories, including lots of laughs. He calls it a beautiful example of what the World Council of Churches calls the "dialogue of life." As Darrol's student's were able to witness the Sikh Way in a very personal way as they got to know Bovindar and his family. It also exemplifies one of Darrol's core beliefs; how the important work of building relationships between people of different religious traditions starts in the context of everyday life. MORE ABOUT BOVINDAR Bovindar is well known in the area for his research on the city of Amritsar's expansion around the main shrine of the Sikh tradition, the Harimandir or Golden Temple. His grounding in the Sikh tradition came from his father, a Sikh scholar. TRANSCRIPTION: One of the problems right now is that this term dialogue has come to be so globally used for every kind of exchange that happens, and especially in relation to politics. People are continually saying, "oh, we're having dialogue with this people, that people" and when I look at that I say, "no, that's not dialogue, that's politics. It's putting out there this idea that we're having this profound exchange and dialogue with people from other cultures, from other societies but we're not really engaging them because it's always an exchange that has built into it presuppositions about what we want as an outcome, and it's only dialogue when they agree with our agenda for what that outcome should be. That's not dialogue. Dialogue is more open ended. It's a willingness to enter into that relationship with the other and see what the outcome is. People always ask me, well what do you get out of dialogue as if we could sort of, you know, give you one, two, three, four. That's not what dialogue is all about. Dialogue is open ended. We simply have to see what happens in the exchange and then we can talk about what has come from it and what has been learned from it. So that's why for me, this question of dialogue, of its outcomes, it's implications for the future, is such a vital question and it depends on our practice of living dialogue and exchange between peoples. CINEMATOGRAPHY CREDIT: Grayden Laing http://www.graydenlaing.com |
Secular Religion
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In much the same way as traditional religion creates identity for its adherents, Darrol Bryant suggests that modern secular culture also enshrines its values; thereby creating what can be thought of as its own popular, self-styled religion.
DIRECTOR/EDITOR: Marjonneke CINEMATOGRAPHY CREDIT: Grayden Laing http://www.graydenlaing.com MUSIC CREDITS: "Business as Usual" by Footage Firm, "Break you Off" by Footage Firm |
Traveling Guru (1 Minute Trailer)
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