Here are two responses, both dealing with the topic of Americans assuming everyone in the Middle East is Muslim. It's amazing that Islam, one of the world's most influential and popular religions can be so misinterpreted.
The first blog comment is on Adam Tobin's page. He is concerned about the education of America's youth, and Lauren and Avery being up some important points as well.
http://adamtsblogspot.blogspot.com/2012/04/western-bias.html?showComment=1335638217075#c3557154246815860861
Wow...I never thought of it like that. It is one thing to be sheltered from the truth, but something worse to be led astray from real intentions. Many of the guys from my high school joined the military for reasons similar to ideas that everyone in the Middle East are, "evil fanatics who want to bomb America until no one there is alive."
Do you think that keeping America's youth ignorant helps the economy? (may be true, but it's not right at all.)
My second blog comment appears on Sebastian's blog. He talks about one of his favorite artists, Lupe Fiaso, and how his music was inspired by Muhammad. Many of his songs are about his faith.
http://swaldron1.blogspot.com/2012/04/muhammad-walks.html#comment-form
This is pretty cool. I've heard of Lupe Fiasco, but I've never listened to his music. Like you said, it's really cool that main-stream rap artists rap about religion like this.
I wanted to learn more about the holy war, or Jihad. Many people in our Western World are unaware of what Jihad really is. Like Prof. Silliman said, the holy war is an internal struggle to surrender to Allah. He compared it to the Dhammapada and the battle on the field of Dharma. There are those who take this holy war to be a literal translation, meaning slaughtering of those who are non-Muslim, but the majority of Muslims are advocates for peace.
This may be a bit of a stretch, but the chorus from Words I Never Said, "it's so loud inside my head, with words I should have said," reminded me of Muhammad and his visions. He was scared and afraid he was being possessed by a demon, but he was brave and was able to withstand the torment. He listened to the words of the angel and became a messenger of God. There wasn't much Muhammad could do to change the terrible living conditions, but by accepting to become the prophet, he was able to spread the message of God and give the people hope.
"I think that all the silence is worse than all the violence."
Keeping quiet and doing nothing about it is worse than freely allowing the violence to continue. Muhammad tried to make a difference in any way that he could.
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Friday, April 27, 2012
Worse than death...
In class on Tuesday, we talked about the importance of remembering.
This was a culture with low literacy rates, so most stories were told orally. The stories sounded repetitive, like music, to ensure they were remembered. Arabia needed ways to remember what was important to them.
Today, we have planners, calendars, reminders to help us remember dates and appointments. Many of us are literate, and can write things down. We have photos of friends from birthdays and special occasions. For our friends whom we've lost, we create collages and tell stories of the good old times.
In Arabia, they had little to no external means of remembrance. If someone died, their memory only lived as long as those remaining still remembered. Remembering was so important, and to be forgotten was a terrible thing to be.
In Karen Armstrong's book, she notes that hell is not like the angry fires of hell in Christian beliefs. This place is full of sorrow. In this place, the fierce licks of the flames of anger are as equally painful as being forgotten.
This was a culture with low literacy rates, so most stories were told orally. The stories sounded repetitive, like music, to ensure they were remembered. Arabia needed ways to remember what was important to them.
Today, we have planners, calendars, reminders to help us remember dates and appointments. Many of us are literate, and can write things down. We have photos of friends from birthdays and special occasions. For our friends whom we've lost, we create collages and tell stories of the good old times.
In Arabia, they had little to no external means of remembrance. If someone died, their memory only lived as long as those remaining still remembered. Remembering was so important, and to be forgotten was a terrible thing to be.
In Karen Armstrong's book, she notes that hell is not like the angry fires of hell in Christian beliefs. This place is full of sorrow. In this place, the fierce licks of the flames of anger are as equally painful as being forgotten.
This conversation reminded me of one of my favorite characters, Freya (of final fantasy IX). Freya is a dragoon of Burmecia searching for her loved one. When she finds him, she is heartbroken to realize he remembers nothing about her. She falls to her knees, and says "to be forgotten is worse than death."
Imagine a world without photos to cherish. A world without a way to recall advice or words of a loved one. A place where we only have our memories. When we no longer have those, what do we have left?
Saturday, April 21, 2012
RE: Koran by Heart
This is a response to Lauren Feeney's post about the Koran By Heart. She posted some photos from her trip to Egypt and all she learned about the Muslim culture.
http://feeney05.blogspot.com/2012/04/koran-by-heart.html?showComment=1335066820155#c7452019202842729039
Wow that is awesome you actually traveled to Egypt!
I remember when I learned about Islam for the first time in 8th grade, it seemed very interesting. I'm excited about this unit so I can refresh my memory.
The thing I found most interesting was that several times a day, they had to wash their hands and feet. I remember thinking that people who live in the desert with so much sand must have trouble staying clean. But that is not true.
And that is very cool, the open sky lit area in the mosque. That reminds me of my church which holds outdoor services each summer. It's so nice to be outside and closer to nature, I wish all masses could be held outdoors. It's interesting that this is kind of a universal idea.
http://feeney05.blogspot.com/2012/04/koran-by-heart.html?showComment=1335066820155#c7452019202842729039
Wow that is awesome you actually traveled to Egypt!
I remember when I learned about Islam for the first time in 8th grade, it seemed very interesting. I'm excited about this unit so I can refresh my memory.
The thing I found most interesting was that several times a day, they had to wash their hands and feet. I remember thinking that people who live in the desert with so much sand must have trouble staying clean. But that is not true.
And that is very cool, the open sky lit area in the mosque. That reminds me of my church which holds outdoor services each summer. It's so nice to be outside and closer to nature, I wish all masses could be held outdoors. It's interesting that this is kind of a universal idea.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Meat- sacrifice or dinner?
In class on Tuesday, we talked about how animals are viewed in Islam.
Some people are upset when they hear about animal sacrifices in the name of God, or Allah.
How terrible to do to an innocent animal, right?
And then we talked about how we Americans are in no position to judge others.
Think of everything we do to animals. Think of our slaughter houses. Think of all the grocery stores with meat cases. Even better, check out this link.... (not for the queasy)
McDonalds http://www.mccruelty.com/
This organization is trying to eliminate suffering of animals in the slaughter house. It is not possible to shut down slaughter houses. Animals consume other animals, and always have, that's not going to change.
But what we can do is try to treat the animals without cruelty or abuse.
I'm not sure, due to the mass numbers of animals killed for consumption each day, if that's really possible though.
According to this blog, http://animaldeathcount.blogspot.com/
" 62 billion animals died to feed Americans in 2010.
Over a lifetime, this amounts to 16,000 animals per meat eater."
In comparison, we are in no position to judge those who sacrifice a goat every once in a while.
(Although, do note that in the Middle East, they consume skinless meat as well. I'm aware that they slaughter animals for consumption as well, but no where near the scale of America. The purpose of this post is to reiterate that we all slaughter animals for different reasons: religion, meal, animal products, fur, etc.)
My advice is to be like the Buddha and minimize the amount of suffering you are responsible for.
In the mean time, check out some Middle Eastern etiquette!
http://www.cyborlink.com/besite/mideast.htm
Some people are upset when they hear about animal sacrifices in the name of God, or Allah.
How terrible to do to an innocent animal, right?
And then we talked about how we Americans are in no position to judge others.
Think of everything we do to animals. Think of our slaughter houses. Think of all the grocery stores with meat cases. Even better, check out this link.... (not for the queasy)
McDonalds http://www.mccruelty.com/
This organization is trying to eliminate suffering of animals in the slaughter house. It is not possible to shut down slaughter houses. Animals consume other animals, and always have, that's not going to change.
But what we can do is try to treat the animals without cruelty or abuse.
I'm not sure, due to the mass numbers of animals killed for consumption each day, if that's really possible though.
According to this blog, http://animaldeathcount.blogspot.com/
" 62 billion animals died to feed Americans in 2010.
Over a lifetime, this amounts to 16,000 animals per meat eater."
In comparison, we are in no position to judge those who sacrifice a goat every once in a while.
(Although, do note that in the Middle East, they consume skinless meat as well. I'm aware that they slaughter animals for consumption as well, but no where near the scale of America. The purpose of this post is to reiterate that we all slaughter animals for different reasons: religion, meal, animal products, fur, etc.)
My advice is to be like the Buddha and minimize the amount of suffering you are responsible for.
In the mean time, check out some Middle Eastern etiquette!
http://www.cyborlink.com/besite/mideast.htm
Friday, April 13, 2012
Re:Letting Go
This is a response to Rachel's post about letting go or thoughts, rather than suppressing or succumbing to them. Through meditation, she has been able to discover what she really wants in life.
http://butisthechocolatereallygone.blogspot.com/2012/04/letting-go.html?showComment=1334344713671#c323884883186636655
Congratulations, Rachel! =) I'm happy that through meditation, you have been able to realize where your path in life is headed.
By taking the time to focus on where we are in life, and by letting thoughts come and go as they like, we are better able to understand our jumble of thoughts from a hectic life.
It sounds like you have used the Four Nobel Truths: Understand that we all have feelings and thoughts, and we should not suppress them, but instead come to terms with your thoughts. Realize you can control them, and use meditation as your tool.
Before learning more about meditation, I thought the goal was to think of nothing. I was never able to achieve this, and gave up quickly. If someone says, "think of nothingness, and not about the day or what I have left to do," or "don't think of an elephant in the park," failure is imminent. Of course I would imagine what I wasn't supposed to...that's how our minds work. But I saw this as failure, and gave up.
After the Buddhism unit, I have learned that the end goal is to think about nothing, but in the mean time, it is encouraged to analyze your thoughts. Why are you thinking about this, and where did this idea come from? How does this thought affect me?
Although probably not near the point of enlightenment, you still appear to have taken great strides toward a more peaceful mind and healthier life.
Good luck next fall!
http://butisthechocolatereallygone.blogspot.com/2012/04/letting-go.html?showComment=1334344713671#c323884883186636655
Congratulations, Rachel! =) I'm happy that through meditation, you have been able to realize where your path in life is headed.
By taking the time to focus on where we are in life, and by letting thoughts come and go as they like, we are better able to understand our jumble of thoughts from a hectic life.
It sounds like you have used the Four Nobel Truths: Understand that we all have feelings and thoughts, and we should not suppress them, but instead come to terms with your thoughts. Realize you can control them, and use meditation as your tool.
Before learning more about meditation, I thought the goal was to think of nothing. I was never able to achieve this, and gave up quickly. If someone says, "think of nothingness, and not about the day or what I have left to do," or "don't think of an elephant in the park," failure is imminent. Of course I would imagine what I wasn't supposed to...that's how our minds work. But I saw this as failure, and gave up.
After the Buddhism unit, I have learned that the end goal is to think about nothing, but in the mean time, it is encouraged to analyze your thoughts. Why are you thinking about this, and where did this idea come from? How does this thought affect me?
Although probably not near the point of enlightenment, you still appear to have taken great strides toward a more peaceful mind and healthier life.
Good luck next fall!
RE: The Monk Hakuin and the Baby
This is a response to Lauren's post about the monk who was accused of being the father of a child, and also found some adorable photos of children who spend time with the monks.
http://feeney05.blogspot.com/2012/04/monk-hakuin-and-baby.html?showComment=1334342527808#c4829516632072502601
So cute!!! ^.^
I find it interesting that young boys spend time as monks.
There is a passage, 138 in the introduction to chapters 9 and 10, the Buddha says children are exempt from karmic residue because he is still innocent and does not fully acquiesce in the action as an adult would have to (ex: hitting another child.)
I found this to be a bit contradicting to the other notion that we are born carrying all traces of karma from past lives to our current life. So wouldn't children be responsible for their karma?
Either way, I see no harm in having children spending time with monks. Teaching them how to be mature at an early age could save a lot of struggle down the road.
http://feeney05.blogspot.com/2012/04/monk-hakuin-and-baby.html?showComment=1334342527808#c4829516632072502601
So cute!!! ^.^
I find it interesting that young boys spend time as monks.
There is a passage, 138 in the introduction to chapters 9 and 10, the Buddha says children are exempt from karmic residue because he is still innocent and does not fully acquiesce in the action as an adult would have to (ex: hitting another child.)
I found this to be a bit contradicting to the other notion that we are born carrying all traces of karma from past lives to our current life. So wouldn't children be responsible for their karma?
Either way, I see no harm in having children spending time with monks. Teaching them how to be mature at an early age could save a lot of struggle down the road.
Religious harmony
In the beginning of the semester when we learned about Hinduism, we read a packet that mentioned Hinduism is not based on one creed- there are many factors that make up what Hinduism is. It is a collection of so many ideas based on animals or gods with six arms, etc. Hinduism is excepting of many different ideas, and that's why they call it a religious harmony- there is no one correct note, rather a combination of sounds.
The three religions we learned about thus far all have similarities within them, but bring different views to the table.
Their differences are too numerous to list (you're much better off exploring them for yourselves if you have not done so already) so I will stick to the similarities I have found between the words of Buddha, Jesus, and Sri Krishna.
Buddha and Sri Krishna often spoke about reaching Nirvana, enlightenment, and striving to find a better place for your Self and have a focused mind.
Buddha and Jesus actually believed that a place of peace, or the Kingdom of God was not a place you go when you die, but any place where two or more people meet in "God's name." Buddha encouraged his followers to seek others on a similar path of enlightenment, and to stay away from those who could hold you back.
Both Buddha and Jesus believed the body was a temple. Jesus taught that if they destroyed the temple, he would raise it in three days. Later, his followers decided that he was actually talking about his own body. The Buddha taught that the body is just a home for the mind, and it wasn't really a part of "you." It houses the mind for some time, but all life moves on and changes, and so the mind must find a new home.
Jesus and Sri Krishna both gave encouraging words for warriors, whether on the battle field or doing what they could to not give into the Romans.Sri Krishna taught the Warrior Arjuna to be brave on the field of Dharma and to not be afraid of death.
Jesus taught his followers to be the bigger man, and refuse to fight back to your enemies, thus making them look like bullies.
I guess, in this way, Buddha taught something similar: do not get angry when someone falsely accuses you of something you did not do, but accept it. The truth and justice may or may not prevail in the end, but never cause suffering to others.
The point is, the world is full of many religions. They are different in many aspects, but they have similar intentions. It is interesting to look at them each as a way of thinking, instead of a religion, which, unfortunately, can have negative connotations.
I do not think there should be one universal religion, because there is no one right answer. This course has shown me many different sets of beliefs and ideas, and in each unit, I have found something I believe in. I think the people of the world should be more tolerant of other beliefs. Mainly, those of my friends who say they are atheistic because there is no proof of God's existence. Whether there is or isn't, is somewhat irrelevant to my idea that you can incorporate "religious values" into your life.
I think the world would be better off if we neither repressed or fell victim to our anger or cravings. It would be better if we lived like we weren't afraid of dying, and tried to live good positive, and healthy lives. It would be better if we accepted everyone for who they are, gross skin conditions or not.
Have tolerance for each other. Embrace the religious harmony and see just as a band needs different instruments, they can all be played together and sound beautiful.
Buddha and Sri Krishna often spoke about reaching Nirvana, enlightenment, and striving to find a better place for your Self and have a focused mind.
Buddha and Jesus actually believed that a place of peace, or the Kingdom of God was not a place you go when you die, but any place where two or more people meet in "God's name." Buddha encouraged his followers to seek others on a similar path of enlightenment, and to stay away from those who could hold you back.
Both Buddha and Jesus believed the body was a temple. Jesus taught that if they destroyed the temple, he would raise it in three days. Later, his followers decided that he was actually talking about his own body. The Buddha taught that the body is just a home for the mind, and it wasn't really a part of "you." It houses the mind for some time, but all life moves on and changes, and so the mind must find a new home.
Jesus and Sri Krishna both gave encouraging words for warriors, whether on the battle field or doing what they could to not give into the Romans.Sri Krishna taught the Warrior Arjuna to be brave on the field of Dharma and to not be afraid of death.
Jesus taught his followers to be the bigger man, and refuse to fight back to your enemies, thus making them look like bullies.
I guess, in this way, Buddha taught something similar: do not get angry when someone falsely accuses you of something you did not do, but accept it. The truth and justice may or may not prevail in the end, but never cause suffering to others.
The point is, the world is full of many religions. They are different in many aspects, but they have similar intentions. It is interesting to look at them each as a way of thinking, instead of a religion, which, unfortunately, can have negative connotations.
I do not think there should be one universal religion, because there is no one right answer. This course has shown me many different sets of beliefs and ideas, and in each unit, I have found something I believe in. I think the people of the world should be more tolerant of other beliefs. Mainly, those of my friends who say they are atheistic because there is no proof of God's existence. Whether there is or isn't, is somewhat irrelevant to my idea that you can incorporate "religious values" into your life.
I think the world would be better off if we neither repressed or fell victim to our anger or cravings. It would be better if we lived like we weren't afraid of dying, and tried to live good positive, and healthy lives. It would be better if we accepted everyone for who they are, gross skin conditions or not.
Have tolerance for each other. Embrace the religious harmony and see just as a band needs different instruments, they can all be played together and sound beautiful.
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Re: The beauty inside...
This is a response to Dania's post about the Buddha encouraging others to cleanse their minds of impurities. Only those who can do this are fit to be called beautiful. She talks about how unfair it is that superficial and selfish people who are only interested in wanting nice clothes and looking good are the only ones considered beautiful.
Read more here: http://daniaguadalupe1228.blogspot.com/2012/04/beauty-inside.html?showComment=1333847640956#c1384084395136208189
Read more here: http://daniaguadalupe1228.blogspot.com/2012/04/beauty-inside.html?showComment=1333847640956#c1384084395136208189
If we are so concerned with always owning the right clothes or latest gadget, we will never win. There is no end to the wanting. Wearing a lot of makeup will not hide an ugly personality. As Buddha says, a pure mind is the only fit quality of a beautiful person.
Actually, maybe there is a difference between being a beautiful person and living a beautiful life. Society's depiction of glamour is typically sought after by shallow, selfish, and delusional people. These "beautiful" people are not at all what the Buddha would want to see. But maybe there is hope that these people can change their ways. They need to take small steps, and begin with cleansing their impurities from their mind instead of just what's on their face.
As you said, "Beauty shouldn't be about what you look like nor what you wear. It should be about the good positive changes we do today, and tomorrow." Be more than a pretty face, be a beautiful person all around.
-I have also posted this on my blog.
RE: Two sides of the same coin
This is a response to Brandon's post about life and death being two sides of the same coin. While playing through Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess, one of the characters was explaining that light cannot exist without shadow, because they are two sides of the same coin, which reminded me of the Buddhist idea that all life must die, and everything that dies must live. One cannot exist without the other.
http://hylianfolklorednf.blogspot.com/2012/03/life-and-death-two-sides-of-same-coin.html?showComment=1333845385856#c6597307854327342029
Last night I finished my second play through Twilight Princess (it's been a while since 2006) and following the end credits, Midna was talking to Link and Zelda about how this will be the last time they meet- light and shadow cannot mix. Zelda corrected her, saying that they were two sides of the same coin, and one cannot exist without the other.
I remembered reading this post and just thought I'd share.
It reminds us that we can't have life without death. In your post, it seems you have found a loophole- what if you never die?
As Avery said, there are no current means for attaining immortality, although it is a popular fantasy.
I cannot confirm that there is a soul which lives forever in either heaven or hell, nor can I confirm that souls exist.
I do believe that everything which begins, ends. Even someone who is immortal cannot physically last forever. They may take their own life tomorrow or be victim to some catastrophic event in 3,000 years. The end is inevitable.
http://hylianfolklorednf.blogspot.com/2012/03/life-and-death-two-sides-of-same-coin.html?showComment=1333845385856#c6597307854327342029
Last night I finished my second play through Twilight Princess (it's been a while since 2006) and following the end credits, Midna was talking to Link and Zelda about how this will be the last time they meet- light and shadow cannot mix. Zelda corrected her, saying that they were two sides of the same coin, and one cannot exist without the other.
I remembered reading this post and just thought I'd share.
It reminds us that we can't have life without death. In your post, it seems you have found a loophole- what if you never die?
As Avery said, there are no current means for attaining immortality, although it is a popular fantasy.
I cannot confirm that there is a soul which lives forever in either heaven or hell, nor can I confirm that souls exist.
I do believe that everything which begins, ends. Even someone who is immortal cannot physically last forever. They may take their own life tomorrow or be victim to some catastrophic event in 3,000 years. The end is inevitable.
What would Buddha do?
Buddhism, like Hinduism, presents a new way of thinking about the world around us. In class we talked briefly about how looking at something as a religion can be a turn off or filled with negative connotations. But if we view it as a way of thinking or understanding life, more people seem to listen. And they aren't disappointed.
After reading the first 13 chapters, I'm trying to implement some of the Buddha's ideas into my own life. The story about the Monk who was accused of being the father, and later found to be innocent (a story Alexandra shared in class) was inspiring. In good and bad times, the monk shrugged off the accusations and accepted the consequences. The Buddhist monks are taught that they should not cause suffering to living things. In other words, be level minded and be aware that you can't change what people think. You know what you did or did not do (and you also know that you do not exist...) so really, there is no harm done, and you should not cause any now.
It's also interesting to see habits people have. Something is damaged or something goes wrong, and too quickly people get angry or defensive. The Buddha teaches that we should not let ourselves give in or take the easy path by getting mad or angry. He encourages us to paddle against the current, and try to show compassion and understanding. The greatest battle to win, is not over others, but over yourself.
Today was the day before Easter, and many customers were in a rush. Some customers were buying eggs and coloring kits or flowers for their mothers-in-law. And per usual, there were the bitter customers, upset at the sales that never ring in correctly, or mad that the strawberries are always rotten. They always appear so infuriated! How nice it must be, I thought, that your biggest concern is about a coupon on toothpaste being expired. And then I realized, maybe these people do have other concerns. It is not natural to be this defensive over such a small issue, there must be an underlying problem. Think like the Buddha. What would he do?
Remain calm, find the real cause of suffering, resolve it. If they are still mad, do not hold onto grudges. If they never want to shop because they think the boy on register 2 is incompetent, there is really nothing I can do to change their mind. I can only hope that they find peace someday, and perhaps their spurts of anger will come back as karma. I'm not hoping for revenge, but justice.
After reading the first 13 chapters, I'm trying to implement some of the Buddha's ideas into my own life. The story about the Monk who was accused of being the father, and later found to be innocent (a story Alexandra shared in class) was inspiring. In good and bad times, the monk shrugged off the accusations and accepted the consequences. The Buddhist monks are taught that they should not cause suffering to living things. In other words, be level minded and be aware that you can't change what people think. You know what you did or did not do (and you also know that you do not exist...) so really, there is no harm done, and you should not cause any now.
It's also interesting to see habits people have. Something is damaged or something goes wrong, and too quickly people get angry or defensive. The Buddha teaches that we should not let ourselves give in or take the easy path by getting mad or angry. He encourages us to paddle against the current, and try to show compassion and understanding. The greatest battle to win, is not over others, but over yourself.
Today was the day before Easter, and many customers were in a rush. Some customers were buying eggs and coloring kits or flowers for their mothers-in-law. And per usual, there were the bitter customers, upset at the sales that never ring in correctly, or mad that the strawberries are always rotten. They always appear so infuriated! How nice it must be, I thought, that your biggest concern is about a coupon on toothpaste being expired. And then I realized, maybe these people do have other concerns. It is not natural to be this defensive over such a small issue, there must be an underlying problem. Think like the Buddha. What would he do?
Remain calm, find the real cause of suffering, resolve it. If they are still mad, do not hold onto grudges. If they never want to shop because they think the boy on register 2 is incompetent, there is really nothing I can do to change their mind. I can only hope that they find peace someday, and perhaps their spurts of anger will come back as karma. I'm not hoping for revenge, but justice.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)