Fengyuan Shrine - Fengyuan, Taiwan - January 22nd, 2014

   

       Some of the best adventures are the impromptu ones, especially when they are to such fantastic places as this Shrine near a cemetery in Fengyuan. I've always been fascinated by cemeteries, like churches and Temples that are old there is so much history to them. You have generations of lives in a single place.  

     My friend and coworker brought us here (myself and my other friend and colleague Adam) because I told him about the blog. He described the ceremonies that happen here, it is here where there are Tomb Sweeping ceremonies and many of the celebrations tied to the dead and honoring the ancestors.  

      It is this connection to the past that I wish was more prevalent in the west. I don't think that European traditions are very good at remembering the past or paying tribute to the ancestors in such a way that we remember where we came from. For many of us in the USA are pasts are lost in the changing of last names, knowledge that wasn't recorded or things that were lost. It is traditions like Tomb Sweeping and honoring of the past ancestors that I would like to carry on to whatever family I have in the future.

      This is a location that I plan on updating once I learn more about, since I can't find it anywhere online, even though you can see it from Fengyuan. It is high up on the mountain, though only reachable by a single road that as of a few months ago was blocked by a mudslide. I think that added to the adventure of being there. It was a mystical place and hidden treasure in an already quite amazing city. Our friend had showed around Fengyuan and I was very quick to fall in love with it.

         While there we talked about Taiwan and how we were getting used to being here (and enjoying our time here while teaching) as well as talking about home, the natural world and our experiences. It was a powerful experience.

    We also got to experience the silence. Night and the mind, one of the most peaceful places to be. A quiet, empty shrine with the stars in the sky and the lights in the cities below...these are the moments that add the magic and make life beautiful. 

Lotus Hase Kannon Temple - Waipu, Taiwan - January 20th, 2014

 
  The first visit of the blog in a new country and suffice to say the experiences that stand out were the ones leaving the Lotus Hase Kannon Temple (once called the Goddess of Mercy Temple) and the thoughts on the Temple afterword. The reasons behind this are tied to the reality of the day, my own biases in regards to Buddhism and the positive I think religion can bring in the right context.

     Today was a lot. Today I had my first of training at Mark's English, my team the Seattle Seahawks competing for the NFC championship to get to the Superbowl and my thoughts in general about where I am right now and the importance of all those who are a part of me...no matter how great or how small in relationship to me.

     When I went to the Lotus Hasse Kannon Temple, which is a Temple that is so close to my apartment I can walk there in under ten minutes...I was thinking about the day. So much of my heart in Seattle (and the surrounding area), it is the closest city I can call home. Here has been the new adventure and all the sadness, possibility and joy that comes with that. Going to the Lotus Temple was a chance to see the people and gave me a better appreciation of Mahayana Buddhism which is really about the community more so than Theravada Buddhism which is so focused on the individual. It tends to be in the Mahayana sects you find celebrations of marriage, Temple vendors whose livelihood is based around the Temple. I only went into the first Hall where the five Bodhisattvas were and noticed that relationship, which is something I don't give enough credit too given how much community a part of my life. I didn't see excess, just people attempting to live who were at the very lay practicioners of the Lotus Sutra tradition in Mahayana Buddhism (the sect that founded the Temple). 

   These realizations during the walk back and during and after Seattle Seahawks game were where the learning experience really happened. The good of community can only happen in practice and when we realize it when in practice. What are the ways that bind us together? That make us friends, family, community? These are things that I think religion can reveal at its best but at its worst (as seen in sports and politics too) when it devolves into brutal tribalism where all respect towards others is lost...

   That is the potential, and that's what I found today in my experience in teacher training, in the Temple visit and in my community celebrating the win of the Seahawks. Today was positive in so many ways, for today I got to experience just how close home is and the home others find. 

The Outsider Goes to Taiwan

      A new year and a new place to visit. This year I was given the opportunity to visit Taiwan, specifically the town of Dajia. Dajia is a great place for the blog for many reasons, one of which is its closeness to other cities (and how close Taiwan is physically to other nations) and the three Temples here in town.

      Over the course of this year I'll be covering holidays with friends and visits to the Temples.

    I look forward to what the future holds in regards to these explorations and others. I can hardly speak on the religious makeup of Taiwan but I plan to explore wherever I am and wherever I go in my time here, and hopefully through it all continue to grow.

   I look forward to your feedback and thoughts and look forward to seeing you on this side of the Earth or when I return to the USA. Thank you for your continues support and conversations that this blog has sparked. I would not have lived as long as it has if not for that interaction with people, community, you. So thank you.

  Here goes to this new year and time inTaiwan and all the possibilities to come.

Vietnamese Mass - Saint Joseph's Catholic Church - Salem, OR - January 5th, 2014

      This was the first time since my graduation trip to Italy that I have been to a service in another language. In both instances there things that stood out, and pros and cons in the experience like any religious service. Suffice to say, I'm glad I came with my girlfriend who understands at least some Vietnamese and was able to translate some of it for me. Also, the fact that it was a Catholic Mass meant that the Mass schedule of events was the same, just with some more things thrown in.

    When we first arrived it was the Adoration of the Eucharist. So there were continuous chants and prayers the moment we entered the church. It was good for reflection before the Mass began, and I noticed the association of gold with the Eucharist since the Priest got a golden shawl after adoration and being given the Eucharist to return to it's chamber.

      Then the Mass began, there were the readings, one of which was from Ephesians and after the priest spoke. It was his first time speaking at Saint Joseph's Catholic Church, and he shared a story from Vietnam about a Mother who's children grew up in a poor house and were able to get out and go to College and afterwords fell out of touch with their Mom. From here he argued that it is by accepting Christ into our lives that we can become Christlike and unselfish and remember those, unlike the children who had forgotten their mother. The story reminded me of the importance of family and communication and what religion can sometimes do for people.

     The Mass was much longer than an English Mass, just like the Italian Mass I saw in Florence. I think this is true for most things. Most English Church services are very quick, not being any more than an hour. The only exceptions I can think of are the Jehovah's Witnesses and the Mormons who are known for having longer services. I wonder what the reason is behind English language Christian Church services being so short...

    One of the things I noticed as well was how conservative it all felt. There wasn't the passion behind the parts of the Mass there is at the Newman Center and other Catholic services I have attended, and the folks who gave the Eucharist to the congregation were all older gentlemen in suits, unlike the diversity of gender and age I've witnessed in most Catholic Services in the States. 

     It was a great service and great for reflection, I do hope someday I'll be able to understand more services in other languages, as I was able to when I was in China.

"Blessed are the Poor" - Covenant Presbyterian Church - Issaquah, WA - December 15th, 2013

 

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 So far, I must say I have had overwhelming positive experiences with Presbyterian Churches and the Presbyterian community. I attribute this largely to having friends who are like family and mentors to me as being a big part of this. This visit was a nice break after a long day and waking up early in the morning sick...it was here where I saw people using their faith in intention and action.

     At the evening prayer there was the head of Tent City 4, the homeless community that looks after those in transition and those without. The Eastshore Unitarian Church has hosted them before as have a few communities in the U-District too. It was there the pastor got in touch with him after the service as did I to shoot some contacts who I knew his way to help with making sure they have a space and money for getting a van. 

    It was at the prayer I saw the inspiration of where that came from. All 3 of the members referenced the new testament and how Jesus praised the poor and how riches did not matter. They talked about how an incarnate God was most at him helping and being with those who had less. There were many powerful prayers, even for me as a non-believer. They also prayed for my teaching in Taiwan in January, which really matters very little in compared with Tent City 4 and the homeless.

   It was there that at least in that small group the chance for virtue in action was apparent and where for them that virtue was inspired from. The only downside was one guy went on about the Devil and false Christians which for me again, has always been a red flag. Usually when people talk about a character of malice it is as it is giving them permission to act the same towards strangers and speak generally about people they haven't met and do not know. 

    Suffice to say it was a great visit and in coming days I'm going to do what I can with connecting people to the Tent City and helping as I can before I leave to Taiwan.

Living Hope Bible Church - Issaquah, WA - December 8th, 2013

  

“You can safely assume you've created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do.”
― Anne Lamott

     First, I want to explain the reason for choosing this quote in regards to my visit to the Living Hope Bible Church today. The reason I chose this quote because the pastor began the sermon by quoting the statistics of everyone who calls themselves Christians. He then proceeded to imply that the Orthodox, Mormons and Catholics are not Christians. It was strange to hear such a narrow definition of Christendom considering that in general it is not something I've seen directed at other Christians, it is mostly against other religions when you see such a strict definition of the religion defining what it believes or what it considers a definition of it's beliefs. This forever marred it since I think that attacking others within the sect of its religion is part of what is wrong with religion in general...it is a great tribalism that sees no room for outsiders who aren't part of the group.

      To contrast this the people who welcomed me were kind and listened to me...they were a bit too eager to get me to join, but sadly I've come to expect that from most small churches. Invisibility and a place to listen is usually best found in large churches or congregations.

      The building is small, simple and nice...it clearly isn't about the money from what I saw, which was something I liked about it...the negative of attacking others and using Jesus's quotes in John towards the Jewish leaders about how him saying that genetics wasn't the basis of virtue or the good started being applied to everyone else...beginning with the groups named above.

      I don't see how one can live virtuously while condemning those who have not even been met and consuming those whose minds you do not know. It is a poison in religion that is propped up by most often the most literal interpretation of texts and the need to justify that which in the end so often to wrongs.

"The Dragon and the Nativity" - Issaquah Christian Church - Issaquah, WA - December 1st, 2013

 

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      Issaquah Christian Church was an interesting experience, overall good as far as the message is concerned and space being respected. The sermon was about "The Dragon and the Nativity" and worked on incorporating the Devil into the Nativity story (and tying the Nativity into the Fall at Genesis and visions in Revelations). Considering my view of the Supernatural I don't know if God exists, so do doubt the existence of a malevolent force of evil too, I am a bit of an empiricist and skeptic when it comes to the Supernatural and things that cannot be tested. Why I say it was overall good was because of the focus in the sermon.

    The focus of the sermon was the "So What?" The nativity story involves the social ostracizing of Mary and Joseph, both by the people in Bethlehem, and most likely Joseph's family if he had any, considering Mary was pregnant when they weren't married yet. It reminded me of how it could just as easily apply to a Gay or Trans couple...kicked out of their family because of their love and the child they chose to care for. In that way Jesus and the Devil as symbols of how we treat one another was very relevant to me.

    I know that I can do so much better for living love for others and being there for those who have no one. To me that was what the sermon and service reminded me of.

      The music was alright, there was a lot of passion from the singers and the people, and the songs were what I'd heard at most modern Christian services in regards to Christian Rock.

     My space was also respected, when I was there I got to remain anonymous and not pressured to join, which is a plus for me for any Church visit.

     The structure of the service was announcements, three songs, communion, the sermon, collection, final announcements and then everyone left.

     The environment was simple, which I liked, though I wish there had been more talk of social justice abroad...Haiti was mentioned but only as bringing over Christian music and radios...I was hoping education would at least get a mention as part of the mission. The sermon was also good when not taken literally but seen as symbolic as the potential we have with one another and strangers each and everyday.

     There are millions of ostracized Mary and Joseph's, just looking for acceptance, home and a safe to be...be it the refugees, the homeless, GLBTQ folks, and those who have been rejected simply for being who they are.