Father John Martin

Father John Martin, a spiritual director of Shantiranam, compares major religions of the world with hikers trying to reach the top of a high mountain. The hikers are unaware of each other because they are all on different sides of the mountain so that when they reach the top they are surprised to find one another. I think what Father John Martin is saying is true because it is kind of what I learned in this class. The hikers being unaware of each other is how I was prior to this class. I am Catholic and I knew there were other religions but I never really knew anything about them. As far as the hikers being on different sides of the mountain this is the unique route taken by each religion. Each religion has its own unique rituals, beliefs, and practices. It doesn't matter how they get to the top just as long as they get there. I think each hiker reaches the top of the mountain when they have strong faith and religious beliefs. When they get to the top they are surprised to see anyone else because everyone is so consumed in their own beliefs they forget other beliefs exist. I found it very interesting to learn about different religions and to find out how similar they could be. But the most important thing I learned is that everyone's faith is important to them so we need to respect each other's religious beliefs.

Jesus and Martin Luther King

If Jesus and Martin Luther King were time warped into the present I think they would be confused with some of the things they see and happy with others. I think Jesus would be unhappy with the sexual scandal of the Catholic Church, the high rate of divorce, and the issue of abortion. On the other hand I think that Martin Luther King might feel it is the individuals body and it should be their choice when it comes to abortion. Martin Luther King challenged the nation to live out a more consistent obedience to the moral absolutes of the Bible. He felt that people believed in the Bible but they didn't necessarily practice all aspects of it. He wanted everyone to be treated fairly. I think both Jesus and Martin Luther King would be happy if they visited a Catholic Church now because its parishoners are from many races and are very diversified. They would both be unhappy with how important material things are to people and the excuses people have not to attend mass. Jesus would be happy with Protestantism and how the bible is the one rule of faith and practice. Martin Luther King would be happy about the marriages of priests since he was a married minister.

Romney preaches to several choirs

Mitt Romney's Texas speech defending his right as a Mormon to serve as president has produced comparisons to John Kennedy's 1960 speech to a hostile crowd of Protestant leaders in Houston. Romney's hurdle is not just that he's of a different religion but that he's the first Mormon who's a serious presidential candidate. Kennedy during his speech made a strong case for the separation of church and state. But Romney offered something for every side in the church- state separation debate. He stated "Let me assure you that no authorities of my church, or of any church for that matter, will ever exert influence on presidential decisions." He also said that when he was governor " I did not confuse the particular teachings of my church with the obligations of the office and of the Constitution - and,of course, I would not do so as president. But then he offered this opinion " Freedom requires religion just as religion requires freedom.
Kennedy's speech put the Catholic issue mostly to rest in 1960. But that may not be the case with Romney's Mormonism. Rightly or wrongly! Protestants thought they knew pretty much all they needed to know about Catholicism. It was familiar to them while that is not true of Mormonism. Most Americans are unfamiliar with its rituals or beliefs. Some see it as a cult, others as an exotic offshoot of Christianity. Some people feel it is legitimate to challenge Romney on his political beliefs because of his conversion from liberal positions to conservative positions. But the big question is should Romney be challenged on his religious beliefs? We are making progress in having a woman and African American as front runners on the Democratic side. Now let's see if the Republican party will have a Mormon as it's front runner.

Judaism

The key factor among all Jews is a belief in one God. They believe the Messiah is coming and the Torah is the holy book. According to the Rabbi that I interviewed Judaism is more than a religion - he believes it is closer to a civilization or culture. It is a way of life with its own history, language, music, art, and foods. Orthodox, Conservative, and Reformed Judaism share the same rituals but the theology is different. ORTHODOX - strives to preserve traditional Jewish culture and religion. They practice strict following of the nature of biblical and Talmudic Judaism. They stress the kosher food laws and the strict observance of the Sabbath. Men and women are separated in the synagogue and both men and women must cover their heads. Hebrew is the only language spoken during their service. CONSERVATIVE - this falls in between Orthodox and Reformed Judaism. It is firmly rooted in the rabbinical tradition but it is more relaxed when it comes to religious practices than the Orthodox movement. Conservatives tend to worship on Saturday morning. Men and women cover their heads during worship. Many conservatives attempt to follow the biblical and Talmudic laws regulating food and Sabbath observance. In its service the vernacular is used more than Hebrew. REFORMED - also follows the traditional Jewish values but it attempts to be as modern as possible in its beliefs and practices. They usually worship on Friday evening in a temple. Men and women sit together with their heads uncovered. The vernacular is used throughout the service with Hebrew only spoken occasionally. Also in Reformed and Conservative Judaism women can become Rabbis.

Interview with Rabbi Barry Kenter

Interview with Rabbi Barry A. Kenter
at Greenburgh Hebrew Center

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A RABBI?
Rabbi Kenter has been a Rabbi for 27 years.

CAN A RABBI GET MARRIED?
Yes, and Rabbi Kenter is married.

HOW DID YOU KNOW YOU WANTED TO BECOME A RABBI?
When he was nine years old he thought it would be cool to become a rabbi but when he was eighteen years old he changed his mind. After college he decided he really wanted to become a Rabbi.

WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO DO TO BECOME A RABBI?
You need to go to college and then attend six years of rabbinical school.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT POSITIONS IN YOUR TEMPLE?
First there is the Rabbi, then a chief educator, a canter, and a religious school director.

HOW MANY RABBIS ARE AT THIS TEMPLE?
Rabbi Kenter is the only Rabbi at this temple. But some temples have more than one Rabbi depending on the size of the temple.

DO YOU LIVE AT THE TEMPLE?
No, he doesn't live at the temple but he lives in walking distance of it.

WHAT IS THE MOST RELIGIOUS HOLIDAY AND WHY?
The Sabbath is the most religious holiday. It is a day of complete rest and a recognition that the world can get along without human interference. It is an acknowledgment of God as Creator.

IN THE CATHOLIC RELIGION WE MAKE SACRAMENTS - DO PEOPLE IN THE JEWISH RELIGION HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THIS?
We have a life cycle which includes birth, baby naming, bar mitzva, wedding, divorce, and death.

ARE THERE SINS IN YOUR RELIGION?
Yes, the Hebrew word for any kind of sin is avera. There are three levels of sin. The first one is someone who does an avera intentionally. This is the most serious. Second, is when someone does an avera by accident. While the person is responsible for their action it is considered less serious. Third is a person who was raised in an environment that was assimilated or non-Jewish and is not aware of the proper Jewish laws - not accountable for their actions. There are also three different names for sins - Pesha a deliberate sin. Avon a sin of lust or uncontrollable emotion. It is done knowingly but not done to defy God. Cheit an unintentional sin. This word comes from the root word to miss the target.

IS IT MANDATORY TO GO TO TEMPLE?
No, it is considered to be a positive religious deed to help others in prayer but you are not forced to attend. More people attend temple near the holidays.

FROM WHAT AGES DO KIDS GO TO HEBREW SCHOOL?
Children go to Hebrew School from kindergarten to 8th grade. Which is from the ages of 5 to 13.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF BEING A RABBI?
Rabbi Kenter enjoys helping people.

IS BECOMING A RABBI A POPULAR CHOICE FOR YOUNG JEWISH MEN?
No, it is not a popular choice. Rabbi Kenter's son is attending rabbinical school now and there are 35 people in his class. This is a fairly large class,the normal size in the past has been around 18 people in a class. Also women can become Rabbis in every branch of Judaism except for the Orthodox.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN THEY SAY IT IS KOSHER FOOD?
It means it is fit to eat. According to the Torah, cloven hoofed, cud chewing mammals are kosher. Deer, sheep, and goats are kosher. But pigs and rabbits are not kosher. Chicken, duck, goose, and turkey are kosher. Fish and tuna are kosher but shellfish, lobster, shrimp and clams are not kosher.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ORTHODOX AND CONSERVATIVE AND ORTHODOX JUDAISM?
The rituals are the same but the theology is different.

WHY ARE THERE 8 DAYS TO CHANUKAH?
It commemorates the miracle of the oil that burned for 8 days. After three years of fighting the Maccabees drove the Syrians out of Israel and they reclaimed the temple in Jerusalem. While they were cleaning the temple they lit a jug with only enough oil for one day but a miracle occurred and the jug stayed lit for eight days which gave them enough time to get new oil and finish cleaning and rebuilding the temple.

IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THIS INTERVIEW?
Judaism is more than a religion it is closer to a civilization. It is a way of life with its own language, music, art, and food.

Christianity Video

Elie Wiesel- Nobel Prize for Peace

He came from a very religious family that was considered well to be. Which means they didn't go hungry. He spent most of his time talking to God. He felt that God was his friend, partner, teacher, King, and sovereign. He became a Hasid because of his grandfather and mother's influences and he still feels that they are his soul. His father taught him to reason and reach his mind. He always liked religious books as a child.He has written dozens of book, including novels, plays, books of esays, biblical commentary and works on Jewish folkware and mysticism. At the age 15 his family was departed from their home in Romania to concentration camp, Auschwitz. His father, mother, and younger sister all died at the hands of the Nazis. His older sister survived whom he met up with in Paris at the age of 16 at an orphanage. He became a Chairman of the Presidents Commission of the Holocaust in 1978. He appointed a survivor of the Holocaust to every committee. He wanted to glorify the survivors. He was the one who first used the word "Holocaust" in context. He was reading about sacrifices and burning and felt this word best described the ordeal. Ten years after the war he wrote his book "Night" about the Holocaust. He had a hard time getting it published because many people felt it was too morbid Finally a small publisher in America published the book and it orginally only sold 1500 copies. Throughout his career he has spoken out for his victims of oppression all over the world. I think this is what hept him going after his ordeal, he survived forced labor, forced marches, starvation, disease beatings and torture. He felt victims should be heard and not only the enemy. He knew that silence never helps the victim it only helps the victimizer. He thinks of the killer and loses faith but then he thinks of the victim and he feels compassion. He feels people need to be sensitive to indifferences.His American Dream would be that no group is superior to another group, that people should be generous and give back to one anoter, and finally we need to remember that every minute can be the begining or the end of adventure. I enjoyed reading the interview about Elie Wiesel and learning about his life , struggles, and accomplishments.

My Temple Visit

On Friday night, I attended a service at the Greenburgh Hebrew Center in Dobbs Ferry with my partner Stephanie and friend Kimmy. When we first arrived for the service I thought that we got the time wrong because there were hardly any cars in the parking lot. I later learned that the people attending temple don't drive because of the Sabbath and most of them walk to temple. While walking up to the synagogue I noticed pews to sit in, a podium, an ark case, and the rest of the temple was basically very plain. There were only about thirty people attending the service and they ranged from old people to young children. Everyone was dressed fairly nice and the men and young boys wore yarmulkes on their heads. The rabbi stood on the bima, which is like an altar, and he spoke from a podium which had flowers around it. The rabbi was wearing a black robe with a tallit, which is like a scarf with fringes hanging from the end, around his neck. The tallit has Hebrew writing on it and he wears a yarmulke on his head. They also have a cantor who stands off to the side of the bima and he is dressed like the rabbi. He does the chanting and singing of the prayers. The Torah(scripture) is covered in an ark case until the rabbi takes it out and they say a prayer in Hebrew. The rabbi opens the Torah and he rolls it to the portion that has to do with this week's service. The rabbi walks throught the temple with the Torah and he goes around the temple so that all the people can reach the Torah. The people attending the service touch the Torah with their siddour (Bible) and then they kiss their siddour. The rabbi then puts the Torah back in its covered ark case. The congregation then says another prayer. The rabbi then finishes the service with the temple community news. Our service began at 8pm and lasted for about an hour. There was another service on Saturday morning beginning at 9:30am and it would last for about two and a half hours because they cover more portions of the Torah. The reason for these services is to honor the Sabbath which starts at sundown on Friday and ends at nightfall on Saturday. People observing the Sabbath feel it is a precious gift for God, and a day of great joy that they eagerly await throughout the week. It is a time where they can set aside all of their weekday concerns and devote themselves to higher pursuits. After the service the people meet in the front portion of the temple for refreshments.
I was nervous to attend the service because I didn't know what to expect and I was glad that I went with other people. I found it to be a little difficult to understand because most of the service was in Hebrew. But after the service, I talked to a girl from my softball team who is Jewish and she was able to answer some of my questions about the service. I am looking forward to my interview with Rabbi Barry Kanter so that I can learn more about the Judaism.

My Kamidana

My Kamidana will be placed on a shelf in my bedroom. Since I share an apartment with Stephanie my only private space is my bedroom. Since this is the space where I spend most of my alone time I thought it would be the perfect place for me to enjoy and reflect on my shrine. I placed a candle with a picture of Grandpa George next to it. I like to burn the candle in memory of my grandfather and think of the happy times we shared. I also placed a cross in my shrine because it is very comforting to me. This cross was used at my grandpa's funeral so I feel that I have both Jesus and my grandpa looking over me. Then I have a statue of black lab dogs and this is in memory of my two dogs Bear and Cub. Bear was a police dog and went to work with my dad so we got another black lab named Cub as our family pet. Whenever I look at this statue I have to smile when I think of all the fun I had with these dogs. I also placed a Holy Bible on this shelf. Not only does it remind me of my religion and faith but there is a family tree inside which I enjoy looking at. The last thing on my shrine is a statue figure of Belle. This is purely for fun. Belle is my favorite princess and when I look at her I think of my family and our fun vacations. My shrine is set up to remember the loved ones that I have lost, to remind me of my faith in God, and to think of my family and the good times that we have shared.

Lao Tzu versus Confucius

What do you consider the meaning of life?

Lao Tzu: The meaning of life is to live quiet and simply lives. You should avoid any achievement except that of seeking to understand the Tao.

Confucius: The meaning of life is to set personal and social goals.

What is your opinion on the nature of family?

Lao Tzu: Life is the greatest possession that one can have because fame, wealth, power, and education, are mere illusions. So therefore, family is a very important part of everyday life.

Confucius: I feel that men and women should respect their elders and superiors. There should be righteous behavior in the husband and obedience in the wife. Fathers should show kindness to their sons.

What is your opinion on government?

Lao Tzu: I feel there should be little government in the ideal state. The least government is the best government. The best ruler is the one who rules least. If all of this were realized, all striving, quarrels, and wars would cease.

Confucius: In order for people to achieve goodness they must have a good government. A poor government with bad laws causes people to do evil. I believe that an idealized feudal system is the best government. I believe in rules and structure.

How do people live a well-balanced life?

Lao Tzu: You live a well-balanced life by living a simple and quiet life. You seek to understand the Tao. You despise fame, pomp,and glory that most people seek. You have little concern for life after death and you are more concerned about the quality of life as it is lived on a day to day basis, without much interset in the heavens, the gods, and rituals.

Confucius: People should love and respect one another and practice respect and courtesy toward each other. Under proper conditions, people simply grow and develop into "Superior Man"

WU-WEI AND TAO

The main principle of Wu-Wei is going with the flow, swimming with the current. Another principle is to live without purpose, and to live in harmony and balance. They definitely don't believe in fighting or showing aggression. The greatest possession is life, and fame, wealth, power, and education are mere illusions. They despisethe fame, pomp, and glory most people seek. In today's society these beliefs would be hard for me to follow. I was raised to state my opinion and not to be afraid to say I don't believe in something. I am a person that basically goes with the flow because I follow laws and rules and basically do what is expected of me. But sometimes I might see someone being treated unfairly and then I need to speak up and defend that person. I don't necessarily believe in fighting but I do believe that people can have different opinions, and that in today's world governments have to be able to defend their people. We are also raised to want an education and wealth. I'm not saying money is everything but most people want finanical security. I think our beliefs are alomst oppsite of those of Tao because we seek to achieve and set goals for ourseves which may include fame, power, and wealth. We are also taught to have a purpose in life which is against another principle of Tao.

Big Questions

Big Questions: What is the ultimate god? What is the nature of the person? What happens to us after death?

Hinduism believes in one god but they accept the beliefs of many gods. Gandhi believed in love, non-violence, and compassion and he shared his views with his poeple. They believe in rebirth and you can move up or down in the caste system depending on how you lived your life.
Buddhism believes the ultimate god is Budda. He wants you to find your own enlightment instead of depending on the gods for their help and support.They believe in reincarnation and Budda felt the combination of birth, death, and rebirth is what makes up the human personality. Jainism feels a person is bound to life because of the Karma they acquire. The individual must acquire the release from the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. A person is freed from matter only by hir or her own actions. Jainism acknowledges the existenceof gods but does not rely on them for help. They believe in reincarnation and they feel a happy or sad life is determined by your actions in a previous life. Sikhism believes in on god whom they call the Unseen. They accept the principle of reincarnation. They believe the spirit of Nanak was reincarnated in the bodies of those gurus who succeeded him as the leaders of Sikhism. They believe people continue to acquire karma and live again and again until they are freed from this cycle. The people are different from some of the other religions because they believe they are the primary creation and are free to kill and eat animals.

"Religion right may commit the sin of political suicide"

According to an article I read, conservative Christian leaders almost unanimously approved a resolution to support a third-party candidate if neither major party nominates someone who is pro-life. James Dobson, founder and chairmanof Focus on the Family, explained that Christian leaders believe any presidential candidate has to commit to traditional moral values, including the sanctity of human life, the institution of marriage and other pro-family principles. At this point John MCCain Has a perfect pro-life record, but he supports federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. He doesn't support Federal Marriage Amendment, which conservatives believe is necessary to protect marriage as between a man and woman. Fred Thompson doesn't support the Federal Marriage Amendment. Mitt Romney fought for same sex unions and embryonic cloning. He is pro-life. Even though Romney shares their belief in Jesus Christ as God, but some of his mormon beliefs cause deep conflicts for the Christian leaders. It will be interesting to see whom they come out and support for the Republican Party. This article made me believe that there is still a strong connection between religion and politics.

Jainism

According to our reading this week I learned that like many other Indian religions, Jainism also viewed life in terms of reincarnation. This is where people live their lives, die, and sre born again. Jainism views people as bound to life because of the karma they acquire. According to Jainism there are two essentially two substances, soul, and matter. Soul is life- it is eternal and valuable. Matter is lifeless, material, and evil. Thus, it is the goal of Jainism to liberate the soul from matter. This belief is also found in some form in Hinduism, Buddhism,Christianity, Islam, and nearly every other major religion in the world. Jainism maintains that release from the cycle of life, death, and rebirth must be acquired by the individual. The soul can only be freed from matter by the actions of the person involved and not from help. Although Jainism may be acknoeledge the existence of gods, it does not rely on them for help. Jainism will go to great lenghs to avoid harming any living creature, that is why they are vegetarians and and avoid leather products. Jainism and Buddism both deny the validity of the Vedas as inspired scripture, and both reject the religious implications of the Indain caste system.

Buddism

We were told to observe those around us and our community during the past week. Well during the past week my only community has been on the softball field or at practices with my teammates. We were getting ready to play five games this weekend. Our first scrimmages as a team so you an image all I have done is eat, sleep, and play softball. During the week there were many spiritual struggles with girls not getting along, the coach getting mad at the team, everyone was tired and of course there was school and homework to deal with too. It was a very long week with 6am running and workouts, the weight room, practices, and going to frozen ropes for batting and conditioning. All I wanted to do was sleep or maybe even give up. There is a lot of pressure on this team to improve its record from last season. Last year the team didn't win a game so the coach is working us hard to try and rebuild the program.
According to Buddism you have to have enlightenment and Budda was much more concerned that people find their own enlightenment than appeal to the gods for help and support. Budda also felt the combinationof birth, death, and rebirth is what makes up the human personality. I felt that these teachings were true with the spiritual struggles my team was facing. It is always easy to say God please let us win, or let me get a hit, or help me catch the ball. But the truth is we can only achieve these goals if we work hard and practice to improve our skills and ourselves. So it is not up to god it is up to my team to find our own enlightenment by practicing, playing hard, and working as a team. Also the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth is also true with my team. The old team is dead and this weekend showed the rebirth of a new team. Our team won all five games this weekend. Believe it or not we went undefeated. I think this team has been reincarnated.

Mohandas Gandhi

Gandhi was a major political and spiritual leader of India and the Indian independence movement. His belief in resistance of tyranny and total non-violence helped to lead India to independence and inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world. Gandhi was born a Hindu and practiced Hinduism all of his life. He believed all religions were equal, and rejected all efforts to convert him to a different faith. Gandhi believed that at the core of every religion was truth and love. He felt compassion and nonviolence were the golden rule.
I think Gandhi practiced Hinduism in many ways, he was a vegetarian, he believed in love and non-violence and he never caused violence. He was very spiritual and would spend one day a week without speaking to clear his mind and soul. I think the parts of his religion that he emphasized the most were non-violence, love, and compassion. The part of his religion less important to him was the caste system. He didn't follow the system because he treated everyone fairly and equally. I think Gandhi would have considered himself a good Hindu because he felt strongly about his beliefs and he didn't cause harm to other people. I would agree that Gandhi was a very religious and spiritual man and that he was a good Hindu. He once said," an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind". If only more people believed in this saying and practiced it.

Happy Birthday to Gandhi

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born October 2, 1869 and he passed away on January 30, 1948. In India he is officially known as the "Father of the Nation" and October second his birthday, is commemorated each year as Gandhi Jayanti, a national holiday. On June 15, 2007 the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution declaring October 2 to be the "International Day of Non-Violence". I thought it was appropriate to mention Gandhi today on his birthday since we just watched a movie on him and we are learningabout Hinduism.

Four Types of Yoga

The four types of yoga are Raja, Bhakti, Karma, and Jnana. Raja stresses mental and spiritual development. It works through various stages to free the mind form anger, lust, hatred, greed, and so by mediation. Bhakti is the fostering of love and devotion to god. Karma is where one can obtain salvation or love or god by performing their duties in an unselfish manner. Everything you do is with pure intentions and with the hope of uplifting the lives of others. Jnana is the ability to distinguish between what is real and unreal, it is the path of knowledge and wisdom. I think the yoga that best fits my personality is Karma because i do not do things with evil or malice intentions and I like to make other people feel better. Before I do things I think of how it will affect other people and I always take my friends into consideration.

Hinduism

After this weeks reading I have learned that the Hindus and Muslims have managd to live side by side despite their differences. The Muslims are monotheistic while the Hindus are polytheistic. hindus have richly decorated temples and their homes are decorated with images portraying their many gods. The Muslims sacrifice cattle in commemoration of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son at God's command while the Hindusregard the cow as a sacred animal and seek to protect it. The Muslims feel that everyone is equal while Hindus follow caste system that divides society into classes, with the upper classed having more religious privileges than the lower. The Indian society has adapted many elements of the Muslim world with their art, architecture, sciences and dress style. I also learned that because the Hindus worship a variety of gods and goddesses there many festivals, fasts, feasts,and pilgrimages in Hinduism.

Protestant to Catholic

My grandmother is Protestant and my grandfather is Catholic. My grandparents would have been married for fifty years this september but my grandpa pssed away eight years ago. When my grandparents got married they wanted to get married in a Catholic Church. In order for my grandma to be able to get married on the alter she had to sign papers that she would bring up her children as catholic. My grandma told me she was one of the first people from the protestant religion to be able to get married at the alter in my grandpa's Catholic Church. I think that this practice has ended because my mother's girlfriend got married in a Catholic Church and she wasn't catholic and they didn't make her sign any papers. I think if a married couple has different religious backgrounds it may be easier to raise the children with the same religion as the parent that has the strongest religious beliefs. In my family my mother goes to church but my father only attends on holidays. Thereforeif my parents were from different religions I think it would make sense for us to be brought up as my mother's religion. If both my parents have strong religious beliefs then the child could participate in both religions and as they grow up pick the religion they are more comfortable with. I don't think the church should dictate the religion of a child, it should be up to the parents.