What is Shabbat? Shabbat is the seventh day of the jewish week and the day of rest in Judaism. Ah, Shabbat, I have so many memories on this day. Days with my adopted family celebrating each others existence. I remember celebrating Shabbat after service at Bet'Alef Synagogue and I remember the first of week school this year celebrating my first Shabbatluck with Evergreen Hillel.
Shabbat really is a time of community. The prayer that is said is gratitude for bread and wine and after those prayers it is interaction and getting to know people. Today getting to know people started earlier. I talked to one of the coordinators Ben for a while about the summer and then other people started arriving. We all talked about past schools and Evergreen. It was awesome and I made more friends.
Last Shabbatluck I felt disconnected after the prayers since there were to many people. Whenever there is a lot of noise and people my body gets fatigued. This Shabbatluck was small, so the fatigue didn't come.I was grateful for the delicious food, for the old friends present and for making new friends.
Ben did the prayer on the candles and the bread. Then we all ate and talked about life and school. The food was delicious and the company was good. I didn't ask any questions about people's personal faith, and what their religion means to them, but I plan on doing so. Today was about one of the most important parts of religion, gratitude and the community.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
Saint James Cathedral (Seattle) - Taizé - October 15th 2010
What is Taizé? Taizé was created as an ecumenical Christian Order...meaning it was an order that is made up of Protestants and Catholics. It was created in France by Frère Roger who was feeling saw what France was going through after World War 2 and though it was struck by poverty and suffering but great inner freedom. This lead to his founding of the Ecumenical order of Taizé also called the Taizé Community.
This Friday I would attend Taizé for the second time in my life. This time it would be with my girlfriend and our friend Kyle. My experience of Taizé was me falling asleep. I was in early high school and chants...well, chants, heat and a crowded large room, and no intellectually stimulating discussion usually means I would shut down.
I have changed a lot since then. I still enjoy the good sermons, and I will always be one for discussions. It's why I made discussions such a major part of the blog (I promise to post more)! What about silence though? Music without anyone telling you what to believe? It was around late sophomore year, to Junior of High School where I would discover how much these moments mean to me. It's in the silence we discover more about ourselves and the world. The music, scripture reading (which is done at Taizé) are the essence of discovery in silence and embracing the internal mystery of the self and the universe.
Initially the service was disconcerting...I was expecting a sermon or a Mass since it was in a Cathedral. So arriving to music and discovering there was no Priest or sermon and that it was music, prayer and silence was a huge surprise. I soon discovered "The Body of Christ" and "The Faces of God" during the course of Taizé when I embraced the experience.
As the three of us sung, behind me I could hear an old couple singing off tune. Around me were people from all over Seattle who each sung with a difference voice full of passion (if off key). The off key singing added so much more to the angelic singer whose melodic voice pierced the Cathedral and cut through to the soul.
I didn't see anything fantastic like mythical beings...I saw people. At one point the figurine of a Byzantine style painted Jesus was brought down from the altar. People bowed and kissed the symbol. I felt awkward at first, but when I went up...I looked beyond the symbol...at what it meant in that moment.
"I tell you the truth. Anything you did for any of my people here, you also did for me." in Matthew 25: 33-40
What it meant for me as I looked at the painting was seeing Everyone's face that came to mind, Christian or No. I know it's not how the "Body of Christ" is traditionally seen. But, I figure if there is a Higher Power out there, It would be looking out for everyone, and therefore all would be a part of it. The people I know are virtuous overall (family, friends, Love), and I think that capacity can exist within everyone. If there is something that is the essence of the Good and a part of humans out there, I hope it would recognize that too, and see Itself in all It's creations.
Talking with my girlfriend and Kyle afterwords was amazing. I hope to attend another Taizé worship again in the future.
This Friday I would attend Taizé for the second time in my life. This time it would be with my girlfriend and our friend Kyle. My experience of Taizé was me falling asleep. I was in early high school and chants...well, chants, heat and a crowded large room, and no intellectually stimulating discussion usually means I would shut down.
I have changed a lot since then. I still enjoy the good sermons, and I will always be one for discussions. It's why I made discussions such a major part of the blog (I promise to post more)! What about silence though? Music without anyone telling you what to believe? It was around late sophomore year, to Junior of High School where I would discover how much these moments mean to me. It's in the silence we discover more about ourselves and the world. The music, scripture reading (which is done at Taizé) are the essence of discovery in silence and embracing the internal mystery of the self and the universe.
Initially the service was disconcerting...I was expecting a sermon or a Mass since it was in a Cathedral. So arriving to music and discovering there was no Priest or sermon and that it was music, prayer and silence was a huge surprise. I soon discovered "The Body of Christ" and "The Faces of God" during the course of Taizé when I embraced the experience.
As the three of us sung, behind me I could hear an old couple singing off tune. Around me were people from all over Seattle who each sung with a difference voice full of passion (if off key). The off key singing added so much more to the angelic singer whose melodic voice pierced the Cathedral and cut through to the soul.
I didn't see anything fantastic like mythical beings...I saw people. At one point the figurine of a Byzantine style painted Jesus was brought down from the altar. People bowed and kissed the symbol. I felt awkward at first, but when I went up...I looked beyond the symbol...at what it meant in that moment.
"I tell you the truth. Anything you did for any of my people here, you also did for me." in Matthew 25: 33-40
What it meant for me as I looked at the painting was seeing Everyone's face that came to mind, Christian or No. I know it's not how the "Body of Christ" is traditionally seen. But, I figure if there is a Higher Power out there, It would be looking out for everyone, and therefore all would be a part of it. The people I know are virtuous overall (family, friends, Love), and I think that capacity can exist within everyone. If there is something that is the essence of the Good and a part of humans out there, I hope it would recognize that too, and see Itself in all It's creations.
Talking with my girlfriend and Kyle afterwords was amazing. I hope to attend another Taizé worship again in the future.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
The Problem of Evil - Greeners 4 Christ, Evergreen State College, Olympia - October 12th 2010
What is the Problem of Evil in regards to the existence of God? The classic argument is: If God is all powerful and all good he would prevent all the evil in the world from occurring. From this premise God is then either: All powerful but not good or all good but not all powerful. This is the classic argument and that was the argument the Campus Minster Greg was answering with Christianity and the Bible as a response to the claim.
Before the Christian response was brought up, the establishment of there being Good in the world was established in the forms of love, beauty, and from what I gleaned virtues. Through the good and evil of humanity being recognize, I saw the full human experience given recognition.
The group who came was small. I was one of five people. There were Alex and Ariel who I have done Comparative Religion Contracts with Greg as my co-sponsor. I've enjoyed discussion with them. The other two people were Sandy from Beijing and another student whose name I can't remember.
After Greg had established the premise of the Problem of Evil in relation to God there was a break in which music was played by Alex. It was worship music I've heard at other Churches but felt more powerful since the group was so small. I noticed again how much worship songs sounds like love songs...replace God with someone's name and you have a romantic song being sung to someone you love, which is what worship is built upon, love.
After the music we read John 14 where Jesus tells his apostles he is going to the Father to set up a place for them in the Kingdom. He will always be with them through the Holy Spirit, which will be internal and inside of them. It's in this passage that there is "No one comes to the father except through me." This quote is actually one of the things I find limiting as far as the love not being unconditional and being limited. I'll get to that later though.
My friends discussed their experiences of feeling the Holy Spirit. Like in Church and during prayer and experiencing the peace that Jesus promises to give to his people in John 14. I could relate moments that I've had with family, friends or in different religious communities, like mosques, gurudwaras, synagogues and churches and especially when with girlfriend.
In the end the answer to the Thesis is that God chooses not to destroy Evil in the world because it is up to us to accept God and destroy the evil in ourselves so that we can reach Him and the Good at the end. He wouldn't be good if he took away choice. We experience trials and suffering in order to grow and become virtuous. In doing so, we are always striving for the good to become a part of it.
This could work to an extent, but it discounts those who live virtuously and those who never heard of Jesus during, before and after his existence. Which in the end make the choice existing in the first place not entirely good since other good individuals' goodness does not matter because they don't believe the exact definition of God that John 14 gets at, I find this not loving or fair since there are so many virtuous people of different faiths and virtuous atheists and agnostics.
Suffice to say the exploration of different people and leaders within Christianity's thoughts on this question will allow me to explore the different interpretations on this question more...and see if the dilemma of those who were never given a choice and the virtuous people aren't who aren't Christian is answered. There are other questions to, but this goes along with the exploration of the theme of "The Problem of Evil" in regards to Christianity.
I was grateful to make new friends and get to know old friends as well as getting to experience their faith with them.
Before the Christian response was brought up, the establishment of there being Good in the world was established in the forms of love, beauty, and from what I gleaned virtues. Through the good and evil of humanity being recognize, I saw the full human experience given recognition.
The group who came was small. I was one of five people. There were Alex and Ariel who I have done Comparative Religion Contracts with Greg as my co-sponsor. I've enjoyed discussion with them. The other two people were Sandy from Beijing and another student whose name I can't remember.
After Greg had established the premise of the Problem of Evil in relation to God there was a break in which music was played by Alex. It was worship music I've heard at other Churches but felt more powerful since the group was so small. I noticed again how much worship songs sounds like love songs...replace God with someone's name and you have a romantic song being sung to someone you love, which is what worship is built upon, love.
After the music we read John 14 where Jesus tells his apostles he is going to the Father to set up a place for them in the Kingdom. He will always be with them through the Holy Spirit, which will be internal and inside of them. It's in this passage that there is "No one comes to the father except through me." This quote is actually one of the things I find limiting as far as the love not being unconditional and being limited. I'll get to that later though.
My friends discussed their experiences of feeling the Holy Spirit. Like in Church and during prayer and experiencing the peace that Jesus promises to give to his people in John 14. I could relate moments that I've had with family, friends or in different religious communities, like mosques, gurudwaras, synagogues and churches and especially when with girlfriend.
In the end the answer to the Thesis is that God chooses not to destroy Evil in the world because it is up to us to accept God and destroy the evil in ourselves so that we can reach Him and the Good at the end. He wouldn't be good if he took away choice. We experience trials and suffering in order to grow and become virtuous. In doing so, we are always striving for the good to become a part of it.
This could work to an extent, but it discounts those who live virtuously and those who never heard of Jesus during, before and after his existence. Which in the end make the choice existing in the first place not entirely good since other good individuals' goodness does not matter because they don't believe the exact definition of God that John 14 gets at, I find this not loving or fair since there are so many virtuous people of different faiths and virtuous atheists and agnostics.
Suffice to say the exploration of different people and leaders within Christianity's thoughts on this question will allow me to explore the different interpretations on this question more...and see if the dilemma of those who were never given a choice and the virtuous people aren't who aren't Christian is answered. There are other questions to, but this goes along with the exploration of the theme of "The Problem of Evil" in regards to Christianity.
I was grateful to make new friends and get to know old friends as well as getting to experience their faith with them.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Prince of Peace Catholic Newman Center (University of Washington - Seattle) October 3rd 2010
What can I say about the University of Washington Catholic Newman Center? I have so many mixed memories there. I've volunteered in the 9pm Choir for 2 quarters. I've made friends with the community. I've heard sermons that have made me want to leave and others that went beyond Christianity in their content. I've made friends with some of the priests, experienced visions, and shared countless unforgettable moments with my girlfriend here.
Before I get into the bittersweetness of my visit this day, I need to state my biases upfront. Most of you already know how anti-hierarchy I am when it comes to God, especially when the hierarchy is unequal in leadership and completely male dominated. I could write an entire book on everything I disagree with the Catholic Church on (like I could with most Conservative or Orthodox faiths). For a very brief list though, the fact that women serve under priests, even if they've fully devoted themselves to God, homosexuality being seen as a sin, and irresponsibility in regards to stopping the spread of AIDS and STDs trouble me. These are part of the list for my own personal disagreements with the Church...which you will find mirror my disagreements with other religions as well.
The things I like about Catholicism are the mystery and symbols. This is an essential in all religions and especially prevalent in Catholicism. This is expressed in the Eucharist, the Trinity and the ritual. This is part of religion in which I experience imagination and feel something. A fully intellectual faith becomes nothing more than a poor classroom experience. It's in the myths that the magic happens. The other essential part of religion is the people. The people are why it exists. I came to the service with my girlfriend and her cousin and had an amazing time with both of them just being present during the service.
The Priest's sermon was about the importance of doubt and how all that's needed is a mustard seed of faith in order to achieve great things. The reading was from the story in which Jesus says the same thing to his apostles when they ask him to make their faith stronger. I found this to be a good liturgy. People need to question and doubt in order to understand what they believe. It's in doubt that we come to know what is that matters to us and what we do have faith in. This was one of the better services I have heard in a while in my visits.
After Mass I talked to a man; I don't have permission to use his name so I will call him "The Man." The man was a Church Apologist. He believed the Church had done nothing evil throughout history and that the leaders of the Church were greater than other human beings in their time periods. When I brought up basic history he talked about conspiracy theories against the Catholic Church, apparently standard World History is Anti-Catholic in his eyes. He wasn't willing to admit the Church's persecution of minority religious groups when it was in power.
The discussion took another horrifying turn when I brought up persecution against Muslims in the United States. He brought up conspiracy theorists about Muslims wanting freedom to worship in America as a Trojan Horse to conquer the United States, since "Islam has always been spread by the sword."
He's also a faith healer and exorcist. How he holds himself is with humility and kindness...he was an old man...but his words and beliefs towards even his other brothers under God (Muslims...I fear what The Man thinks about the Jews, well he thinks the Inquisition wasn't all that bad) was horrifying.
What does this mean forthe state of the world if we can't even admit the wrongs of the institutions we believe in? If we can't be honest about our mistakes and go about demonizing others and making them devils what does that do except destroy freedom of religion and tolerance towards faiths, atheists and agnostics?
Today's visit was bittersweet. I experienced the best and worst of people in the Mass and discussion. The ideas of love are embraced while at the same time, when mixed with nationalism and fear becomes a monster that sees itself as pure, when in fact it is a weapon against love and compassion that exists in all faiths.
After today I will be interviewing followers as well as leaders. A religion only exists because of the people. All of its people.
Before I get into the bittersweetness of my visit this day, I need to state my biases upfront. Most of you already know how anti-hierarchy I am when it comes to God, especially when the hierarchy is unequal in leadership and completely male dominated. I could write an entire book on everything I disagree with the Catholic Church on (like I could with most Conservative or Orthodox faiths). For a very brief list though, the fact that women serve under priests, even if they've fully devoted themselves to God, homosexuality being seen as a sin, and irresponsibility in regards to stopping the spread of AIDS and STDs trouble me. These are part of the list for my own personal disagreements with the Church...which you will find mirror my disagreements with other religions as well.
The things I like about Catholicism are the mystery and symbols. This is an essential in all religions and especially prevalent in Catholicism. This is expressed in the Eucharist, the Trinity and the ritual. This is part of religion in which I experience imagination and feel something. A fully intellectual faith becomes nothing more than a poor classroom experience. It's in the myths that the magic happens. The other essential part of religion is the people. The people are why it exists. I came to the service with my girlfriend and her cousin and had an amazing time with both of them just being present during the service.
The Priest's sermon was about the importance of doubt and how all that's needed is a mustard seed of faith in order to achieve great things. The reading was from the story in which Jesus says the same thing to his apostles when they ask him to make their faith stronger. I found this to be a good liturgy. People need to question and doubt in order to understand what they believe. It's in doubt that we come to know what is that matters to us and what we do have faith in. This was one of the better services I have heard in a while in my visits.
After Mass I talked to a man; I don't have permission to use his name so I will call him "The Man." The man was a Church Apologist. He believed the Church had done nothing evil throughout history and that the leaders of the Church were greater than other human beings in their time periods. When I brought up basic history he talked about conspiracy theories against the Catholic Church, apparently standard World History is Anti-Catholic in his eyes. He wasn't willing to admit the Church's persecution of minority religious groups when it was in power.
The discussion took another horrifying turn when I brought up persecution against Muslims in the United States. He brought up conspiracy theorists about Muslims wanting freedom to worship in America as a Trojan Horse to conquer the United States, since "Islam has always been spread by the sword."
He's also a faith healer and exorcist. How he holds himself is with humility and kindness...he was an old man...but his words and beliefs towards even his other brothers under God (Muslims...I fear what The Man thinks about the Jews, well he thinks the Inquisition wasn't all that bad) was horrifying.
What does this mean for
Today's visit was bittersweet. I experienced the best and worst of people in the Mass and discussion. The ideas of love are embraced while at the same time, when mixed with nationalism and fear becomes a monster that sees itself as pure, when in fact it is a weapon against love and compassion that exists in all faiths.
After today I will be interviewing followers as well as leaders. A religion only exists because of the people. All of its people.
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