Modern Religious Experience: Reflection #9: The Incarnation of God

Modern Religious Experience: Reflection #9: The Incarnation of God: "After viewing 'The Nativity Story', analyzing your chosen Christmas carol, and reading Philippians 2:1-7, reflect on the meaning of Christma..."

Jesus is described as the Messiah or a King, or the savior of the Jews. Songs and stories emphasize that Jesus will save the Jews from all their sins, and he is the Almighty. Angels sing about his coming, and he will bring peace.

My song is "Little Drummer boy". This song is written in the view point of the visitors of Baby Jesus. It emphasizes how everyone who came brought gifts, the first verse says "Our finest gifts we bring… to lay before the King". In this song, Jesus is described as a "new born King".

In the Nativity Story, Mary and Joseph had to trust each other, and Joseph had to take extreme care for Mary and the unborn baby. He goes through troubles just to find Mary a place to give birth. Afterwards, the shepherds had to have faith and follow the star, same with the Persian astrologers. However, the Persian astrologers had to be careful of King Harod, because they knew if they went back to him, the King would kill Jesus immediately.

I think God sent Jesus down as a mortal baby to represent the humility of Jesus. Having a savior who lived the times, from a baby to adult, the people back then lived can help you realize that there was nothing superbly special like he couldn't die and whatnot.

Modern Religious Experience: Reflection #8 Islam: Two Perspectives

Modern Religious Experience: Reflection #8 Islam: Two Perspectives: "Find where Islamic religious beliefs intersect with current events. Research a Western news source on the story and summarize the article fr..."

Despite the two articles being about the same general event, they are very different. An aspect in where they are different are the point of the article. The point of the article on yahoo news is just to summarize the event and tell how everyone, even Americans are strongly against it. The second article, however, from an Indonesian site, focuses on how Muslims can join together and to protest against this event. However, some aspects of both articles are similar. Both articles provide examples of how most people in the world are strongly against this. For example, the second one provides a quote from Faisal, a spokesman of a conservative Islamic organization, stating how God should curse Terry Jones. It also provides a quote from an American, Jennifer S. Byron, who strongly urges against the “Burn a Quran Day”. The first article shows that world leaders like the Secretary of State and the Defense Secretary, celebrities (who are also linked to political organizations like the U.N.) like Angelina Jolie, and countless others have been fighting against Jones’s intentions. Rather than being offensive toward the Muslims, the article in the yahoo news websites and the article from the Indonesian website seem to have similar standing points, respecting both Christianity and the Muslim religion, while standing against Jones’ Quran burning event.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100908/ap_on_re_us/quran_burning

http://www.waspada.co.id/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=141331:muslims-urged-to-unite-against-qburn-a-quran-dayq&catid=30:english-news&Itemid=101

Modern Religious Experience: Personal Commemoration- Reflection #7

Modern Religious Experience: Personal Commemoration- Reflection #7: "Think of an event in your life- past, present or future. You are going to create a commemorative ritual for this event. First, describe the ..."

On January 2nd, I stepped onto a bus with a big suitcase and my snowboard. I was really excited to snowboard at Yong Pyong Ski Resort. What I didn't know was that the biggest snowstorm of the century was on its way. The storm hit right when our bus left, and the trip that was meant to take at the most, 2 hours, took eleven hours, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. This event is important to me, not positively, but very negatively because it was one of the most boring, grueling trips I've ever taken in my life. However, good things always pay off. When we got to the resort, I was able to ride in the midst of a snow storm with fresh snow on the slopes, making it one of the best rides of my life. Every January second, everyone will fast and do nothing for eleven hours, and after the eleven hours, there will be a feast to commemorate the worst trip then the best ride. This will be read before every trip.

"These days are the days

We surpass all our troubles

and rejoice and praise"

-Haiku

In this event, the people are encouraged to stay outside in the cold for the eleventh hour. People outside will be wearing warm clothes to re-enact the event. After the eleventh hour, people will go into their houses and eat ramen noodles.

Finally, every new decade (e.g. 2010, 2020,2030…), the people will go onto a pilgrimage to Yong Pyong Snow Resort.

The Morality of Greek Myths- Reflection #6

The Morality of Greek Myths- Reflection #6

My story, the "Sword of Damocles" is about a courtier, Damocles, under the service of the evil King Dionysius. Damocles foolishly praises King Dionysius and his wonderful position as king, and it goes to an extent where Dionysius offers his throne to Damocles for one banquet. However, Damocles is tricked because he sits down on the throne joyously, only to find out that above is a sword, a representation that a king may die any second. I think the moral of this story is, in short, not to be a suck-up. Damocles foolishly praises King Dionysius even though the king is evil and does not deserve the praise. All this foolish praising only leads Damocles to a throne with death hanging right above him. This story has no answers to life mysteries because it is a story with only humans and only with morals. I think something one should learn from this story is to not judge a book by its cover. It seems as though Damocles thinks that being a king is the best position ever, and it is understandable that he thinks so. However, the king's position, although filled with lavish and extravagant materials, is faced with the possibility of dying every second.

Reflection #5: Bongwonsa Temple and Nature Walk

Primarily, I think people devote their lives to religion because religion answers so many things, especially about nature. Nature and creation has so many unanswered questions that man must go to a supernatural thing, in this case, gods or God to answer them. People don't know what happens to them when they die, so in the Bongwonsa Temple, we learn that there are judges who judge you, and phenomenas like the grim reaper to take you to the afterlife. Also, I think people like Buddhists devote their lives and give up all material things because material things are only temporary, whereas nature and happiness is eternal. Also, by getting rid of temporary, material things (in essence, these things are almost useless), then a man can get close to nirvana, which is not only eternal, but the prime state of being, which is, in theory, better than any possible material object. Thus, we may find happiness through a new iPod Touch or a new computer, but that happiness only lasts for a while, whether if you break the device or you just get sick of it. Things like close family and relationship with nature will last until your last reincarnation and when you have reached nirvana.

Modern Religious Experience: Reflection #4: Buddhist Meditation

Modern Religious Experience: Reflection #4: Buddhist Meditation: "Spend 20 mintues in a silent meditation; a place you won't be disturbed, your own "fig tree" as was Buddha's inspiration. In those 20 mintues, notice to where your mind wanders. Can you attain "right thoughts", "right mindfulness" and "right concentration".
Write a one paragraph reflection about this time. Could you empty your mind to seek life's truths? What did you have trouble controlling in your mind? Finally, what inspriation did you receive? Any? If not, why not?"

Before I sat down to close my eyes and meditate, I never knew I would be able to get through 20 minutes of doing nothing but staring into my eyelids and concentrating on breathing. Then I got started, and after a few minutes, my mind started to ease, my whole body relaxed, and everything was smooth. I started to think about the Eightfold Path we've been learning about, and tried to tell myself to have "right thoughts, mindfulness, concentration, actions, etc." Then my mind went on a stroll, thinking about how hard school would be from monday to winter vacation. I took control again and thought of ways my life was good, and thought of ways I can help anyone else. Simple things like saying "hi" or helping out if they dropped something crossed my mind, and a little more meaningful things also crossed my mind. Although I couldn't receive a big epiphany that could change my life, this experience of meditating for 20 minutes was definitely very relaxing. The moment I opened my eyes, I took a deep breath, and all the stress had gone out, all (at least most) of the physical pains and worries I had disappeared also. After this experience, I could definitely do this more, each time controlling my mind a little more than the previous time so I can get a good concentration and good discipline.

Modern Religious Experience: Reflection #3- Gandhi: Hindu and Activist

Modern Religious Experience: Reflection #3- Gandhi: Hindu and Activist

Gandhi was a political leader, a spiritual leader, and a major influence on moral and ethical values, and even to the future leaders of the world. Mainly, Gandhi was a Hindu believer. But, what did Hinduism really mean to Gandhi? Was it solely just believing in the Hindu gods, practicing the caste system, and other things unique only to Hinduism? No. To Gandhi, Hinduism meant everything. He was a Jew, a Hindu, Muslim, Christian, and all religions. Because he was everything, he had to accept everything. He accepted the British despite their harsh control in India, even stating that when the British leave, they and the Indians must remain friends. On top of being accepting of other religions, Gandhi believed that humbleness was key. Although born in the highest caste, the Brahmans, he dressed and lived like the lower castes. He refused to wear the fine clothing of the Western people and wore home-made cloths (linen) to cover his bare skin.

There is a common saying that goes, “An eye for an eye”, meaning equal treatment and judgement, even if it means revenge. However, Gandhi took this phrase further. “An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.” Gandhi stuck to this saying without having any intentions of abandoning it. A general, prime example in the movie is when the Hindus are defending themselves, or practically the whole movie. Whenever the Hindus would get beaten, they wouldn’t stand up and rebel and take an eye for their eye. They took the beating and enforced Gandhi’s ideas of non-violence. Examples include when the Hindus were trying to take over the salt mine and lined up in front of the guards. Few by few, the Hindus walked up towards the gate, only to be struck down. However, instead of getting back up to strike, they went to the sides to get treated for. In the end, the Hindus got what they wanted (or mostly). Who knows if the policy of “an eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind” would have actually worked? What we know now is that not taking on revenge ended up well with no violence from the Hindus, keeping their morals and ethics proper.