On religion
"When [author Harry Golden] was young, he once asked his father, 'If you don't believe in God, why do you go to synagogue so regularly?' His father answered, 'Jews go to synagogue for all sorts of reasons. My friend Garfinkle, who is Orthodox, goes to talk to God. I go to talk to Garfinkle.' (Harold Kushner When Bad Things Happen to Good People)
Reading Blankets has really got me thinking about my religious views...
I believe in God. I believe in the teachings of Jesus. My faith has been a big part of who I am. That doesn't mean I'm a crazed dogmatic zealot. Religion has always been a more spiritual, personal experience for me. My parents raised me as a Roman Catholic. I've never been much into reading the Bible or going to Catholic mass. While I really believed Pope John Paul II was a holy, devout man, I really could not believe the doctrine of Papal infallibility. Humans are not perfect, the Pope included. Also, I always felt Catholic mass to be so impersonal. You go in, sit through a long service, put your money in the basket, and leave a few dollars poorer and not feeling much better at all. Now, I go to a United Methodist Church. It's much more of a communal experience. My reason for liking church is best echoed in the opening quote by Harold Kushner. I go to church for the sense of community. To me, I can find God anywhere, but the community of The Church of the Incarnation is only at The Church of the Incarnation.
However, I also believe the teachings of the Buddha. Buddhists are some of the most devoted and holiest people. Want proof? Take a look at his Holiness the Dalai Lama. I really wish I could've been in Chicago to see him. There are many parallels between what Jesus and Buddha taught: Peace, love, and compassion. One of my favorite books is Living Buddha, Living Christ by Thich Nhat Hanh, a Buddhist monk from Vietnam. It's a wonderful book exploring the idea of dialogue between the religions and gives a beautiful view of both Christianity and Buddhism. I'm going to attend Buddhist service some day. I know that for a fact.
I'd like to explore other religions as well. I'm really interested in learning about the Baha'i faith. The Baha'i faith sees religious history as an evolving educational process for mankind, through God's messengers. These messengers include Buddha, Jesus, the Hebrew prophets, etc. The religion teaches tolerance, unity, the elimination of prejudice, and peace. There is a Baha'i temple in Wilmette, not very far from the high school I used to attend. I've been there once on a field trip, but I'd like to go there for service sometime.
Does this make me a heretic? I don't think so.
"To me, religious life is life. I do not see any reason to spend one's whole life tasting just one kind of fruit. We human beings can be nourished by the best values of many traditions." (Thich Nhat Hanh, Living Buddha, Living Christ)
Reading Blankets has really got me thinking about my religious views...
I believe in God. I believe in the teachings of Jesus. My faith has been a big part of who I am. That doesn't mean I'm a crazed dogmatic zealot. Religion has always been a more spiritual, personal experience for me. My parents raised me as a Roman Catholic. I've never been much into reading the Bible or going to Catholic mass. While I really believed Pope John Paul II was a holy, devout man, I really could not believe the doctrine of Papal infallibility. Humans are not perfect, the Pope included. Also, I always felt Catholic mass to be so impersonal. You go in, sit through a long service, put your money in the basket, and leave a few dollars poorer and not feeling much better at all. Now, I go to a United Methodist Church. It's much more of a communal experience. My reason for liking church is best echoed in the opening quote by Harold Kushner. I go to church for the sense of community. To me, I can find God anywhere, but the community of The Church of the Incarnation is only at The Church of the Incarnation.
However, I also believe the teachings of the Buddha. Buddhists are some of the most devoted and holiest people. Want proof? Take a look at his Holiness the Dalai Lama. I really wish I could've been in Chicago to see him. There are many parallels between what Jesus and Buddha taught: Peace, love, and compassion. One of my favorite books is Living Buddha, Living Christ by Thich Nhat Hanh, a Buddhist monk from Vietnam. It's a wonderful book exploring the idea of dialogue between the religions and gives a beautiful view of both Christianity and Buddhism. I'm going to attend Buddhist service some day. I know that for a fact.
I'd like to explore other religions as well. I'm really interested in learning about the Baha'i faith. The Baha'i faith sees religious history as an evolving educational process for mankind, through God's messengers. These messengers include Buddha, Jesus, the Hebrew prophets, etc. The religion teaches tolerance, unity, the elimination of prejudice, and peace. There is a Baha'i temple in Wilmette, not very far from the high school I used to attend. I've been there once on a field trip, but I'd like to go there for service sometime.
Does this make me a heretic? I don't think so.
"To me, religious life is life. I do not see any reason to spend one's whole life tasting just one kind of fruit. We human beings can be nourished by the best values of many traditions." (Thich Nhat Hanh, Living Buddha, Living Christ)