BBC IWONDER
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A SERIES OF SHORT FILMS FOR BBC IWONDER, THE INTERACTIVE KNOWLEDGE AND LEARNING GUIDE ON BBC.CO.UK.
BBC iWonder is designed to give people access to content in a new and more interactive way and to deepen understanding and challenge preconceptions. The guides are curated by experts and BBC talent and provide a compelling new source of educational narratives.
WHY DO BUDDHISTS MEDITATE?
This BBC iWonder guide on Buddhist meditation explores the role of religion in meditation and the benefits of meditation for both religious and non-religious people. The guide will also take you through meditation step by step and explain how the Buddha used meditation to find enlightenment. Presented by Bettany Hughes. View the guide here
The guide explores:
- What is meditation?
- Meditation, step by step
- Mastering the basics: Breathing and posture
- Finding nirvana
- The health benefits of meditation
- The difference between prayer and meditation
- How can we meditate in our everyday lives?
Sunnis and Shias: What's the story?
There are an estimated 2.8 million Muslims in Britain. Of these some 5% are Shia, the rest are Sunni. Although Muslims in the UK have been part of a united community with a shared experience of immigration (Muslims from Asia were encouraged to come to Britain in the 1950s to help rebuild the country following WWII), the relationship between these groups has recently been in the spotlight. The guide explores the differences between Sunnis and Shias and how these differences affect the lives of Muslims in the UK. Presented by Samira Ahmed. View the guide here
The guide explores:
- A question of leadership
- In the UK
- Shared beliefs
- Sources of tension
- What role does politics play?
When is Easter? Well, it depends…
Easter, the oldest Christian festival and the holiest in the Christian Calendar, celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ three days after his crucifixion. It’s at the very heart of Christian faith, celebrated by billions across the world, and yet Easter falls on a completely different date each year. The guide explores why Easter is such a moveable feast, how its date is calculated year and how the Easter controversy affected the British Isles in the Middle Ages. Presented by Robert Beckford. View the guide here
The guide explores:
- A movable feast
- Follow John the Evangelist - and be a heretic
- England: May the strongest saint win!
- The Reformation: Fast forward the clocks!
- East vs West
- Doomed by its own complexity?
- What if Easter was always on the same date?
Prostitution: Is there anything wrong with selling sex?
For centuries people all over the world have sold sexual services. But when did it become frowned upon, and why? The first part of the guide introduces prostitution from a historical perspective, focusing on Britain under the reign of Queen Victoria where prostitution was branded ‘the Great Social Evil’ through to current UK law. The second part tackles the question whether buying and selling sex should be criminalised and explores how different countries around the world have responded to ‘selling sex’. Presented by Anita Rani. View the guide here
The guide explores:
- Selling talent
- What the law says
- Private matters
- Around the world
- Grey areas
- An ethical maze
- Which model do you think works best?