Mountain Springs Community Church - Cottonwood Heights, UT - March 2nd, 2014

 

  Mountain Springs Community Church was an amazing experience, and a good reminder of how to live in general and virtue behind what I admire about Christianity when it is at its best. The service began with an early fellowship where there was coffee and I met a few of the people there. The church is small and made up of about 5 to 7 families that I could see. They were kind and open when I said I was just exploring communities in the area.

   Next the service began with opening music. The music was christian rock meets jazz, since one of the musicians was playing the Clarinet which added a calm organic feel to the songs and gave them a slightly different feel than most churches where I have heard Christian Rock played.

     Mountain Springs Community Church is a Reformed Christian Church, which arose out of John Calvin and strictly following the Bible. This in my opinion is mixed when meeting some old Testament passages and New Testament passages which aren't based in virtue or love (see people being condemned to Hell, tribes being annihilated in the name of God, etc.) but today I saw the good that is in the Bible (as their is in most religious texts).

     The sermon was about Isaiah 58:6-9, which is about how God calls us to do more than just follow the rules, that there is no point. That God calls us to justice and to serve the poor and save the oppressed. It was powerful and outside of God being a factor of why it should it be done, something I believe is just and virtuous. The pastor described the work the youth are doing with IMPACT in South Dakota serving the poor and how it is so easy for Christians and people to follow in to checklisting all they need to be good:

1. Go to church.
2. Serve my church.
3. Accept God into my life.
4. Give to the church.

    The pastor described how that misses the point though, that Isaiah was calling people out on doing that but that God wants more. He than tied it into Jesus's words of "What you did for the least of these, you did for me." (Matthew 25: 31-46).

    It is these words and action that are religion at its best. It is so easy for us in general to be unable to see beyond ourselves and ourselves can include our friends, family, partner and even community we consider ourselves a part of. Religion and in this instance, Christianity at its best is the call to be more, the call to see that who we are is a part of everyone else and it is in that action that we become our best.

   Afterword I discussed the sermon a little bit with the pastor and one of the middle aged guys there, it was a great experience and I plan to visit again and bring that action that was described in the sermon in to my life. 

Visit to Temple Beth Hatfiloh - Olympia, WA - January 28th, 2010

     What is the thing that seperates legalistic faiths from the reforms they go through later? Well, for one thing the interpretation behind the words is much greater and more based on the essence (the living of love) rather then the laws (considering many laws that existed years ago expressed in the Torah are clearly unethical - the stoning of prostitutes, of people who cheat on their spouses and people who are homosexual, ect.). These are laws that existed in Leviticus and the laws of Moses and because of this exist in Islam, Christianity and Judaism.

    The thing is even if the Book doesn't change, people do. For what's worth I think we have become more aware then we were back then. The types of torture that happen today pale in comparison to what institutions of power did to those without power. The cruelty was creative and public...like the stonings I mentioned from Leviticus. As society evolved more and more cultures got away from that and began practicing a culture of healing rather then punishment. Where you could live if you were a non-believer and not be killed for it, and where all faith traditions were protected. Though there are exceptions and even back then there was the culture of healing and tolerance in some instances. The role of women has also evolved to that of an equal role thankfully, which also involved getting away from what the Holy Books stated on the matter.

    What does this have to do with Temple Beth Hatfiloh though? Temple Beth Hatfiloh is a Reform Jewish Synagogue. It's been here when the first Jewish settlers arrived in the 19th century, though where they currently worship is new. Friday I visited them to get the rabbi's contact information and check out the Synagogue.

     What I noticed were two themes. Jewish identity with emphasis on music, literature and community, and an all inclusiveness. On the Youth Board there was Scholarship being offered for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender youth. This is a living of the love of God for people and community. It's supporting people regardless of what horrifying things are actually said on the matter in regards and law and living what Rabbi Hillel (A Rabbi who predates Jesus) said in regards to the Torah.

    "That what is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow. That is the whole of the Torah; the rest is explanation; now go and learn." 

    Every religion has this teaching, yet it is the teaching more ignored historically it seems. It's so much easier hurt and disenfranchise other people who are different, yet the essence of what all faiths call on is for us not to do that. Temple Beth Hatfiloh shows that it is living that rule in it's actions.

This made me joyous and I look forward to getting to know the community better, celebrating Shabbat with them, and my interview with the Rabbi that I will be scheduling.