In November we have had three days of homeschool field trips. I organized these 'World Religions' field trips and they included 8 visits. I invited my homeschooling friends and I also put the word out for other homeschoolers in our area. I geared these trips for ages 8+. Younger kids were welcome, but I wanted the content to be for 8+.
Through many emails & calls & contacts who connected me to contacts who connected me to contacts I started getting responses from people and organizations who were willing to participate. I was unsuccessful in obtaining a Buddhist visit, something I really wanted. Very recently I was given another possible Buddhist contact and perhaps sometime next spring I will consider that. I also attempted to have visits with Taoism, Humanism & Native American beliefs. The Greek Orthodox church was willing to host us, but the timing didn't work. In all, about 35 homeschooling parents & students participated in at least some of the field trips, most of whom I had not met before.
The success of these 'visits' was upon the shoulders of our hosts. I communicated with them what I was looking for. I submitted a list of possible questions to cover. They were welcomed to provide tours of facilities as well as any visual aid or video that they wished. I did not want any of our hosts to feel restricted by or to the list of questions. Because the success was dependent upon the willingness of the hosts, they could fashion the trips in any way that worked for them. I did express that I did not want any participants to feel uncomfortable or asked to do something that might go against their personal set of beliefs.
The set of questions I submitted to hosts:
1. In very basic terms, what does it mean to be _________? (fill in blank w/ your religion.)
2. How does one become a ________________?
3. Please describe your God or gods.
4. What are your Holy books? Where did they come from? What role do they play in the life of a ______________?
5. How are your communities & houses of worship established and run? How often do you meet? What do you do? (This could be a time to talk about holidays, practices, etc.)
6. Brief history of your faith.
7. When a follower of ____________ is not at their house of worship, how is their everyday life different because they are __________?
8. How can we make a difference? Is there a misconception that we can be educated to change?
(I also wish I had asked a 9th: What do you believe happens after you die?)
These questions were more applicable to some visits than others. Some hosts directly went through questions and others had a different take on their presentation and all of them worked well. I believe it's best to let teachers teach in the fashion that works best for them. You'll get the best result that way. In the same way, these trips worked well because each host fashioned their talk in a way that worked best for them.
Clearly I entered these trips with a bias, as I am an evangelical Christian. I am writing this blog post with a bias too! To quote Rich Mullins, "I believe what I believe. It's what makes me what I am. I did not make it, no it is making me. It is the very truth of God not the invention of any man." I believe in walking the balance of believing & adhering to my set of beliefs, beliefs that include that there is only one way to Heaven, beliefs that include the command to tell others about this one way- while living human to human in a world with many sets of beliefs. When I respect the beliefs of others, it does not mean that I think they are correct or that I think, "Well, that works for them", it means that I respect the human who has those beliefs. In fact, this blog post will not tell 'the whole story' of what I thought about each visit. Some of those thoughts I will keep to myself.
Let's travel in time back to... 1996ish... I was a student at Philadelphia College of Bible. A Saturday 'world religions' field trip was offered. I paid my money and I was so excited to go. However, this chronic fatigue immune dysfunction syndrome girl overslept!! (I have had a lifelong battle with oversleeping, ever since I had mono in high school.) I was so disappointed. I was really looking forward to the opportunity.
Fast forward to 2014 and I decide to organize these trips for homeschoolers! I live in one of the least diverse states in the nation and certainly in the east. I feel that these trips are valuable for their educational value alone as well as for the human to human reason spoken of above. The Bible says that others will know we are Christians by our love. I want my children to be educated about other belief systems and also have the opportunity to have some misconceptions corrected. Doing this in no way diminishes what we believe. In addition, I did not choose to homeschool so that I could only teach my kids what I believe. (I know that is common with others.) Our favorite Science teacher, who I would still be using if it were possible, does not believe in a young earth or many other things that I believe in. Our history text this year is not from a Christian perspective and even begins with the Big Bang. Value can be found in learning more broadly than just what we believe.
Of the 8 visits we made, several are sects of 'Christianity.' I needed to 'go' with the hosts willing to work with me and I tried to make the visits as diverse as possible. This blog post is not meant to be a synopsis of what each religion visited believes. I will summarize some things we learned and some points of interest. There is absolutely room for error, for my error, and also for my misunderstanding something that was said. This blog post is about my experience.
The Catholic Church: St. John's Catholic Church, St. Paul the Apostle Parish, Bangor, Maine:
St. John's Catholic Church, part of St. Paul the Apostle Parish is beautiful. As my friend, Sonja, said, the Catholic church clearly 'wins' in the area of aesthetics!!
Look here for more info on Beautiful Corners: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icon_corner
Our host, Jack Butler, is the director of Faith Formation for the parish. He was very friendly. One of the kids said that they were expecting an elderly man! He immediately knew that none of us were practicing Catholics because none of us used the holy water upon entering and also none of us genuflected at the front! (genuflect was a new word for me!)
The word 'eucharist' means 'thanksgiving.' "It's not about you!" is Mr. Butler's answer when people say that they "don't get much out of it." :) It is the climax of the church service and the most intimate time in a Christian life. Catholics believe that Christ comes to them in the eucharist, truly in His body and His blood. Mr. Butler has a Protestant friend who said to him, "If I really believed Jesus was there I would never want to leave!!"
Confession is another important sacrament. It was this merciful & beautiful sacrament that brought Mr. Butler, as a college student, back to his Catholic faith. Just like the eucharist & the true presence of Jesus is in this sacrament, at the moment where God is using the priest to enact His forgiveness. It is not the priest who is forgiving, but Jesus through the priest. Catholics should go to confession at least once a year, but many will go once a month or even once a week. Priests are bound by confidentiality.
In a typical Catholic service, there are readings from the Old Testament, the Gospel and from one of Paul's letters. There is singing and a homily. Liturgy of the Word & liturgy of the table. As mentioned, the sacrament of the eucharist is the climax.
Baptism is very important in the Catholic faith. As long as baptism is done 'in the trinity', the Catholic church will accept baptisms from other faiths, whether immersion or sprinkling, infant or adult. (I need to do a bit more research as I am unclear of how baptism plays into the salvation process, but I believe that baptism is necessary for salvation & it is through the baptism that one is 'saved'.)
7 years old is considered the 'age of reason', when a child can make a spiritual decision for themselves. I believe Mr. Butler said that if a child dies before the age of 7 they will not go to hell. If a child is not baptized as an infant, there is a more formal process for joining the Catholic faith, (and salvation??). There is a class for adults called the 'Rite of Christian Initiation' that is several months long and culminates at the Easter Vigil Mass, which is the highlight of the liturgical celebration. A special candle is received at your baptism, whether you are an infant or an adult. (I asked my mother-in-law where Kevin's candle is, as he grew up in the Catholic church. Apparently they had some basement water damage once and it destroyed baby records as well as their candles.)
Catholics believe in heaven, hell, and purgatory. Hell is a place of no love, and it is void of God. Mr. Butler posed the question that does it seem right that a very common person with no special deeds should receive the same reward as Mother Theresa? Catholics believe 'no'. They are not able to handle God's love yet. A time of purification and preparation is needed, preparing for the 'consuming fire' of God. Therefore, and also based on interpretation of some Scriptures, there is purgatory. All Souls Day is a day to pray for those who are in purgatory, praying for them to get to heaven.
A big misconception is that Catholics worship Mary, the mother of Jesus. They do not. They honor her, just like the honor all the saints. And they ask for intercession. Catholics believe that those in heaven can and do still pray for those on earth, (and I believe also those in purgatory.) For example, St. Theresa promised to pray for anyone who prayed to her. Therefore asking for that intercession increasing the number who are praying for you and will decrease your time in purgatory.
Sainthood is for very holy, good people who have at least two confirmed miracles attributed to them.
We received a tour of St. John's, stopping at the confessional booth, various statues and the holy water, (which is a reminder of their baptism- Holy Water is water that has been blessed. It does not even go out the same drainpipe as regular water). The church is about 125 years old. It has a Hook Organ, which was brought by boat to Bangor, up the Penobscot River.
I left with an appreciation for the physical beauty of the Catholic Church and for the importance placed on the Lord's Supper and confession. I'm going to use the word symbolism here, ironically enough- but I came away with an appreciation for the outward symbols that represent beliefs. Many thanks to Jack Butler for your willingness and for an interesting presentation.
Jewish Orthodox, Congregation Beth Abraham, Bangor, Maine:
We have three synagogues in Bangor. Orthodox, Reformed & Conservative. A couple of months ago the kids & I went to a lecture at UMO and that same evening we went to the reformed synagogue to hear the same speaker talk on another subject and show a film.
At Congregation Beth Abraham, as I assume is true at all Orthodox synagogues, the men & the women sit separately.
Our host, BF, shared a ton of information, which I will try to type out in an understandable way. Keep in mind that the info I am sharing is to the best of my understanding of what Orthodox Jews adhere to. In our reading at home, in preparation of these trips, we read this quote by Rabbi Saul Strosberg: "Judaism is a religion of responsibility: It is not what we believe, it is what we do and how we act." This is the very thought that BF opened up with. Judaism is part of almost all aspects of life.
He then spoke about what being Jewish is. It's an ethnicity as well as an adherence of beliefs. Jews are the people of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob. You must have a Jewish mother to be Jewish. Jews see themselves as being a priesthood. Conversion is not just 'not encouraged', it's discouraged, for several reasons. Historically, the life of Jews has not been easy. Also, in the Jewish faith one does not need to be Jewish to be right with God. There is room for the 'righteous among the nations.' Therefore, there is no need to convert.
'Synagogue' is a Greek word. 'Shaul' means 'place of learning & study.' The center of Jewish life is not in the shaul, but in the home, in the family. (This made me think of Deuteronomy 6.) The shaul is a place of study & almost incidentally a place of prayer.
Learning is an act of worship. Jews are known as 'People of the Book', and interestingly, on our Islamic visit that is a term the Muslim women used to refer to Jews. The intellect is seen as important, as well as the heart. (I wish I had taken better, more & more legible notes on this!) The Holy Books for Jews are the Torah, (what we call the Pentateuch or the first 5 books of Moses) as well as the Talmud, which is 20 volumes. (To be honest, I cannot remember if BF mentioned specifically the Nevi'im & Ketuvim, the prophets & writings that together with the Torah, which is law, make up the Tanak. ~to my understanding, that is. I know that he did mention the Mishnah, the oral traditions of the Talmud, although I cannot remember him saying anything about the Gemara, commentaries by rabbis on the Mishnah.) Orthodox Jews will likely go through the 5 books of Moses every year. BF did say something to the effect that Jews are 'still engaged in the commentary on the commentary on the commentary..'
Blessings acknowledge a Jew's connection to God. The purpose is to participate with God in the elevation, perfection of the world. It requires a mindfulness. A recognition of the source of all things. This also plays into 'charity', although that wouldn't be the right word. It's not their money in the first place.
Jews are monotheistic and worship one God. However, they are hesitant to define God, feeling that putting Him in human terms so that our minds can grasp Him would make Him an idol. They don't like to use His given name, so they may say 'Hashem', meaning 'The Name.' 'Adonai' is a name for God, meaning 'My Lord', one that is familiar to many Christians. The tetragrammaton is YHWH, meaning 'mercy.' This was also in my Bible college studies. I believe I was first introduced to it in my first Poetics class, (although- let's face it. 20 years & a lot of water has gone over this dam)! Our host, BF, mentioned that this 'Yahweh' is falsely translated 'Jehovah.' Another name for God would be 'Eloheim', meaning 'judgement.'
For a little history:
I really appreciated the visual of the paper with every 6" representing 100 years. BF named several famous things that the students in the room would be familiar with, and pointed out that they all happened in just the past 100 years. The Jewish people have a long history.
Jews celebrate many holidays. Sabbath, observed weekly, is the most important holiday. 'Jews didn't keep Sabbath. Sabbath kept them.' Remembrance is very important to Jews. It gives them a different perspective on history. In some ways, the Jewish holidays are typical, agricultural holidays.
Someone asked about sacrifices. I asked if the Dome of the Rock was gone & the temple mount restored, would sacrifices resume. I believe that the answer was something like maybe. Maybe not literal sacrifices, maybe something else. The sacrifices were not just for forgiveness of sins, but for celebration as well, meant 'to draw us closer.' I believe he said that prayer takes the place of the bullocks.
Jews are waiting for the Messiah to bring back the Kingdom of God. The greatest moment was when the presence of God dwelt in the temple.
There is no need to submit to God, as in Islam. Jewish ancestors showed a struggle with God. This kind-of comes back to the idea of actions over beliefs. It actually makes a lot of sense to me personally. There is no need for salvation. No original sin.
What do Jews believe happens after you die? In short, this is unknown. They have a relationship with a God who wants good for them. Choose life. It's in His hands. Not earned. I believe there is likely a period of cleansing & that most can expect an eternal reward. Their hope for the afterlife is very like this life, To be closer to God.
I do hope I haven't butchered the re-telling of all I heard!! It was a wonderful visit, rich with meaning and information! And, NF amazed me by making matzo ball soup for everyone & explaining some to us about food! Incredible! I appreciate that our hosts made it clear that questions are not offensive to them. Ask away! Christians celebrating Christmas is not offensive either, btw!!
This is our church! This is 'home' for us. However, as our Catholic host mentioned, Protestants often 'shop' for church. Our family found ourselves doing this. We were very involved and long-time attenders at a different Evangelical church in our area. We came to Bangor Baptist in October, 2013. Therefore, even though it is our church, it still seems very new to us in many ways. Regardless, the doctrine is what we believe.
Pencil is the director of students ministries at BBC. He is our children's youth pastor. He led a mission trip Noelle went on to Boston this past summer. He teaches the lesson to them every Sunday night. When I first approached Pencil about being our host, about 70 homeschoolers had showed interest in these trips. As the time for the trips approached, those numbers dwindled. Then, on the day of the actual visit, this was attended by the least amount of people. Due to my personality, this led me to have a little anxiety during that visit because I felt badly that it was well-prepared & yet poorly attended. The time slot was the last in the day. Of all the places we went, people are the most familiar, or have the most experience, with evangelical Christians. I believe these factors played into whether or not people decided to attend. Those of us who did attend, however, very much appreciated it. Pencil has a welcoming way about him and is especially good with young people, (appropriately so.)
In addition, I had not expected anyone to get bogged down with what 'Baptists' believe. It had not occurred to me that this visit would be labeled such, because in my mind it was the 'Christian' one. However, many describe themselves, associate as Christians, and therefore some guests at this visit had a lot of Baptist-centered questions.
What makes Christianity different is that it is not about rules. It is about relationship. It is not about what we do in certain places at certain times with certain people. It is about a relationship with the Creator God. Jevovah-God is one God, in three persons. The trinity. God has always existed. When He comes again time will cease. He created the world.
Some people ask, and the nature of these trips caused our family to discuss it, do Judaism, Islam and Christianity have the same God? Evangelical Christians would say 'no.' They do all believe in Abraham though. (I like how Pencil drew in beliefs from other major world religions, knowing that was the focus of these trips.) Buddhists try to appease God. A huge difference is that Christians believe there is nothing we can do to earn our way to God. We cannot earn our salvation. It is a gift from God.
Sin separates us from God.
At this point, Pencil told what we call the Good News, the Gospel story. In my own words, briefly, God created us & loves us. He is perfect and holy. Sin cannot be in His presence. We all sin and therefore we are separated from God. We deserve punishment. The Bible says that 'without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins.' Jesus, part of the one God, God's Son, came to earth as a human. He took the punishment for us by dying in our place. When He died on the cross, He took upon Himself all of the sins of the world. We would not need to die for our sins. He died for us. He didn't stay dead. Jesus has the power over life and death. After 3 days He rose again. He ascended into heaven. He is preparing a place for us. Heaven is a perfect place, with God, where there is no sin, no sadness, no sickness, no death. Salvation for our sins & acceptance into heaven is a gift. Free.
The Gospel Story is relevant for everyone.
Christians are encouraged to 'read the Book' for themselves! We need to be connected to God's Word. It should affect our everyday life, 7 days a week.
Pencil gave a bit of his personal salvation story.
He talked about baptism. For evangelical Christians, baptism does not save. It is an outward expression, a public display, showing an allignment with Christ.
An audience question led to some discussion on the differences, the sect of 'Christianity.' Basically, the more fragmented Christians are, the less of a united army we are & the easier it is for Satan to destroy that army. Pencil also made a good point that what sets evangelical Christians apart from other sects is that we have not added anything to The Bible. It is our final authority.
I am so appreciative for Pencil's time. His presentation was well-thought out & clearly presented. And of course, it is what I believe is the Truth!
Latter Day Saints, (Mormons), Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Bangor, Maine
The Mormons were welcoming and well-prepared. They used a video, a tour of the facilities, and speaking to teach us. At least four of the people hosting us are young people who are on their mission, serving a church assignment for two years.
Mormonism began in the US in 1830 with 6 people. In the 1820's, people were very religious. Joseph Smith didn't know which church was correct. The struggle of the disagreeing doctrines was confusing and caused strife among the denominations. God could not be the author of so much confusion. The Bible says that 'if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God.' He felt like God was inviting him to find truth. In a grove of trees, Joseph Smith knelt down in prayer. A pillar of light fell upon him and he saw two 'personages'. They called him by name, saying 'This is my beloved son, hear him.' He saw one who was the Heavenly Father & one who was Jesus Christ. He was called to be a prophet and was given authority to restore the church of Jesus Christ.
By 1947 there were 1 million Mormons and today there are 15 million. It is the fourth largest church, membership-wise, in the U.S. There are 20,000 chapels, (including Bangor, Maine), and 143 temples, (closest one is in Boston.) The book of Mormon has been translated into 150 languages.
Mormons use the book of Mormon as well as the King James version of the Bible. The Bible is their history of Biblical times. The book of Mormon is their history of U.S. people. Both time periods had prophets. The prophets wrote down God's plan for us. There was a pattern of people rejecting the prophets, followed by a time of apostasy, where there were no prophets and no guides. When Jesus came, he established and organized the church, by the 'laying on of hands.' This is how man can hold the authority of God. When Jesus was rejected, the priesthood was lost. The book of Mormon is the Message of Restoration. Joseph Christ was the instrument.
I asked how Joseph Smith received the book of Mormon & what the original language was. I was told that the original language was 'Jewish/Egyptian'/ancient languages. It was buried and Joseph Smith found it and translated it. It is another testament of Jesus.
Mormons are centered on Jesus Christ & His atonement & His teachings. They believe that God loves each & every one of us and knows us individually. He hears and answers our prayers. Mormons have a strong family foundation, centered on Christ's teaching. Atonement took place in the garden of Gethsemane. Therefore, you won't see any crosses in Mormon churches. They celebrate the resurrection more than the death of Jesus.
Baptism washes away sin. Usually the Sunday following the baptism, there is the laying on of hands and the one who was baptized will receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. An 'age of reason' would be 8 years old. You need to be 8 years old to understand and to be baptized.
Mormons believe that the temple has been restored. Sacred promises are made in the temple. Mormons believe that they will live in happiness with their families forever. What is done in the temple is sealed forever. When you go to the temple you wear white from head to toe. You feel 'totally safe' and go there to feel as close to God as possible.
The Relief Society is for women. They provide for the needs of the church. They increase the faith & personal righteousness of all the women. They work to strengthen families and the home. The home should be a sanctuary. There are a lot of negative outside influences. They also help those in need. Jesus was an example of this, teaching & visiting. They visit women in the church monthly. I believe that their motto is 'charity never faileth.'
Much like some of the other places we visited, Mormons can expect the same lesson each week, regardless of whether they go to church in Maine or in California. The ordinances are the same. Sameness is important. There are 12 apostles who are in charge of the Mormon church as a whole. They make sure that all the church does is inspired by God. The General Conference meets twice a year in Utah. Each talk is inspired.
Lastly, we ended our tour in the Family History room. This was something I was completely unaware of before this visit. There is a very strong emphasis on family history. The Mormon church has the information and tools one needs to fully fill in a pedigree chart and see where your connections are.
We received a lot of information at our LDS visit. I left with questions that perhaps someday I will research! Our hosts were very welcoming & we are so thankful for their time. And the cookies were good!
Islam: The Islamic Center of Maine; Orono, Maine
So, if I sound like this was my favorite, I don't mean to. As mentioned, I'm not sharing all my thoughts on here. However, it's the visit that was the most foreign to me. That fact, coupled with how open & refreshing our hosts were, coupled with the fact that we spent the longest time at this visit, (we didn't have anything afterwards & the poor children just kind-of 'hung on' - sitting on the floor!- while we adults. Well, at least me! While we continued to ask questions), ~these things together made for a remarkable visit.
One-fifth of the world's population, or 1.6 billion people are Muslim. Islam is the world's 2nd largest religion. Only one-fourth of the world's Muslims are Arab. There are 7 million Muslims in the U.S. It is the fastest growing religion. 4 out of ever 5 converts are women. (And therefore the point was made that they do not oppress their women!) The majority of Muslims are South East Asians.
'Islam' means Peace & Submission. Submitted to the will of Allah. When Muslims obey & submit their will to God, it brings peace. Islam is a way of life. It is not just limited to praying & going to the mosque. Everything Muslims do is a form of worship- smiling. removing something harmful, the way they treat creation.
There are 6 pillars of faith in Islam: God. Angels. Scripture. Messengers. Day of Resurrection & Divine Destiny.
There are 5 pillars of action: Creed/Oath. Prayers. Financial Obligation. Fasting. Pilgrimage to Mecca.
Allah is a special word. It is not plural & there is no gender. It is the word for God. Creator. Unlike Christianity, no one is associated to be like God.
Angels have duties and no free will. They do what Allah tells them to do. There are no 'fallen angels'. Every single thing is submitted to Allah, but humans have free will. Muslims believe there is an angel in back of them who protects them. There is an angel on the right who writes down everything good they do. There is an angel on the left who writes down everything bad that they do. (I can't remember about the front?) These books will be brought & put on a scale.
The Scriptures are the Torah, Psalms, the Gospel & the Koran. In the original form. The Qur'an was given throughout 23 years of time. It includes everything needed to live life, a manual. There have been changes made to other Scripture, but not the Qur'an. The first chapter of the Qur'an is what is recited in prayer. (I can see as I'm writing this post that I wish I had taken better notes!!) The Suna is an important book with traditions.
Muslims believe in Jesus and all other messengers. They believe that Jesus was not divine. Every messenger was given miracles according to their talent. Mohammed was illiterate. The Qur'an makes sense because at that time people liked to have readings. So therefore it was clearly from God. Mohammed was the final messenger.
Conversion to Islam does not give Muslims a free ticket to heaven. It is about how you like your life. Praying & fasting. Allah is most merciful & forgiving. There is a Day of Resurrection. (I think that's when the books from the angels will be opened and weighed on a scale.) Justice is important. If a Muslim transgresses against a human, they must ask for forgiveness from the person first. All of creation has rights. Muslims are not supposed to judge anyone. It is not for them to say who goes to heaven & who doesn't. (Later I privately asked about this- basically there is room in Islam for non-Muslims to go to heaven. However, in my words and opinion, essentially there isn't, because a non-Muslim would not be praying & fasting & following the Qur'an so it seems very unlikely they would go to heaven. Again, in my opinion.)
Everything belongs to Allah & returns to Him. Divine Destiny. Everything has been written & has wisdom behind it.
On to the action pillars:
There is one God & a final messenger. A belief in paradise.
Prayers are the foundation of Islam. Prayers are preceded by washing. Prayers involve prostration. They should not be robotic. They should be mindful, connecting. Muslims can pray anywhere. Any spot on earth is clean. They pray toward Mecca. It is a unification tool. A safeguard against indecency and evil. Prayer provides inner peace and stability. Prayer happens 5 times a day: Before sunset, at noon, in the afternoon, at sunset, and at night. It is required, but it is to connect with God 5 times a day. At the age of 7, children should know the prayers. Prayers do not need to take long. Maybe only 2 minutes. But they should not be rushed.
Financial obligation is a purification of wealth. Muslims give at least 2.5% of the money that they have saved and aren't using.
During Ramadan, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. Personal restraint & proper conduct. Not just physical restrictions, but a God-consciousness. Repeatedly, our hosts stated that there is 'no compulsion in religion.' It needs to be for the sake of Allah. It is not meant to be difficult. At the end of Ramadan is a celebration.
The pilgrimage to Mecca needs to happen at least once in a lifetime. It symbolizes Sarah's struggle. Everyone - male or female, rich or poor- dresses in white clothing. There is a black box called 'karva.' Brotherhood of Islam.
If you want to know more, Islam is perfect, Muslims are not! Religion is not in the people, but in God and the religion. Allah is the turner of hearts.
Our hosts did not shy away from any of the 'hard questions.' We were allowed & encouraged to ask literally any thing that we wanted to. Our hosts did an amazing job of putting everyone at ease. They were correct & examples when they said that 'individuals break the stereotypes.' They were open about the fact that 'terrorists have hijacked their religion.' It's an uphill battle for a Muslim. Terrorists are a fringe who don't really know the Qur'an. We were repeatedly told that a terrorist cannot really be a true Muslim because Muslims are taught to respect and not take life.
'Jihad' means 'struggle.' There is no word in the Qur'an for 'holy war.' (I believe) that the Qur'an does speak of fighting for the sake of Allah. At the time, Muslims were oppressed. It is okay to fight to protect yourself and your family. This is taken out of context.
Some predominantly Muslim countries have cultural, but not religious, restrictions, including dietary restrictions. The rules about women are cultural.
Men are required to lower their gaze, (kind-of like how a Jewish Orthodox man is not likely to touch someone who is not his wife). Women are required for modesty to wear the scarf. It is meant for strange men she does not know, so of course she does not need to wear a scarf at home.
Our hosts did share that they feel very welcome and accepted here in Maine.
Religious Society of Friends, (Quakers), Orono, Maine
The Orono Friends meet at the Wilson Center at the University of Maine, Orono.
Quakers believe that all are equal. The clerk of a meeting is a facilitator. Quakers have Christian roots. During the Protestant Reformation, "Christian" meant the same as "Catholic." If you didn't agree with the church, you were labeled as a heretic and persecuted. Quakers protested what was coming down in the Catholic church, which was the Church of England, (Henry VIII). Quakers believed, (and believe), that everyone can have contact with God. You don't need a pastor or a priest. They protested the hierarchy of the church, the practice of putting some above others. (Quakers are known for wearing hats. The custom at this time was that when you came to someone who was 'higher' than you, you took off your hat. Quakers kept them on.) The language of Quakers, again, was about a protest of inequality. 'Thee' was used for a higher rank, so Quakers used that word for everyone.
Quakers split into two groups. One is more evangelical and basically Christian. They use the Bible. Believe in Jesus as Savior. The other group believes that everyone has their own connection with God, a higher power, a Creator, a still, small voice within. The Orono meeting is the latter, a liberal wing, not evangelical. Evangelical Quakers have pastors, the others do not- in general. My notes about Quakers will not be about Evangelical Quakers, but about the second group.
The Orono Friends Meeting is small. Larger groups might have a Meeting House. When they come together they sit in a circle and sit in silence. The idea is that everyone is trying to make connection to inner light, to God. If someone feels like they have had a connection, some insight, a message, they can say it aloud to the whole meeting. The other members listen and then it goes back to silence. There are some meetings when nobody speaks for the entire time. 'Settle in the Silence.' The meeting will likely last about an hour, but this is not carved in stone. It is hard to qualify what the 'shares' are. Quakers value & stress individualism. Because of this lack of conformity to community, it can go in all directions. This is balanced by Clearness Committees. Some want more silence. Some want more messages! Because it is a small meeting, they meet once a month. Every quarter, several meetings get together. Yearly, an even larger group of Quakers will meet.
Quakers believe that the Bible is not the end of God's revelation. It is still happening. There are still revelations. Really, there is no Holy Book. Some books that Jim recommends are Faith and Practice and Yearly Meeting of Friends (I believe). This is the writings from some early Quakers. "Testimonies"- the way Quakers try to live.
Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community & Equality are all important to Quakers. Tell the truth. Let your yes be yes & your no be no. Quakers have a reputation for being honest. For activism, standing up for the rights of Native Americans and being part of the Underground Railroad.
Sometimes they meet 'for worship with intention for business.' This is where they make their decisions as a group. "When it works, it is an amazing spiritual experience."
As for life after death, that is really up to what the individual believes. There is an emphasis on living as responsible, loving people.
There are 377,000 Quakers worldwide. 52% are African. This is in part because of the conservative Quakers sending out missionaries. 20% are North American. 15% are South American. The value of 'equality' may be different region to region. For example, there is tension between segments over homosexuality.
We were met by ~I'm not even sure how many~ but many Jehovah's Witnesses. Mostly men. They were engaging & kind & I was in a hurry to begin, and embarrassed to be late!
It probably won't surprise you that Jehovah's Witnesses have a lot of materials for use - videos and pamphlets, etc. We watched several videos, were welcome to take literature and different people were responsible for different portions of the presentation.
They began with the name. Jehovah's Witnesses. Yahweh, or Jehovah, means 'He causes to become.' He is the cause of all. Whatever is His will, He can make happen.
People are created in His image. People can know and feel. (For most of the 'points' Bible references were given. I just won't include them all here.) Humans were given the capacity to love. Witnesses see something & tell someone about it. By studying the Bible & learning who God is, how they should live, what He has planned for the future & by telling others- they are witnesses.
The word 'Jehovah' is in the Bible 7,000 times originally. The 'New World Translation' used by the JWs is a restored translation. Restored to the places and ways it originally was. The Bible has been translated into 25,000 languages. It is not an accident. It is the guidebook for everyday life, to live the happiest and most fulfilling. It shows God's purpose for mankind. JWs study one on one, using Bible and other texts. But the Bible is the only Holy book.
How does one become a JW? An individual can make a decision to have a personal relationship with God. To worship Jehovah & love His way. The level of accountability is when understanding and reasonable knowledge can take place. When someone is interested, 3 brothers will meet with them to make sure they understand. Then a public declaration is made.
JWs baptize by immersion. Baptism symbolizes dying to the old way of life & becoming a follower of God. JW worship in a Kingdom Hall. There are no crosses. No paid minister. Scripture is their guide. All JWs are trained in Scripture. A group of men will take the lead, and I found this to be true as I worked to plan this visit. There is no tithing. No collections are taken. JWs receive freely so they give freely. All volunteer to witness. They try to help one another, including volunteering after natural disasters, such as Hurricane Sandy. JWs feel a 'strength of international brotherhood.' (We watched a video on this.) JWs are in 239 countries. Their website has 700 languages.
All meetings begin & end with prayer. They include about a 30-minute lesson. The discussion, Q&A, family learning is based on the study guide in the Watchtower. Jesus would not have allowed secular work to interfere with beliefs. Meeting takes priority over work. The central organization gives information. The education center is designed for teaching & learning the Bible and being equipped to teach others the truth.
The first century church established this pattern of work and JWs, as a group of spiritually qualified individuals, are following this example. It was in the late 1800's, during the Great Awakening, that a Bible group came to be known as Jehovah's Witnesses. The Civil War challenged the beliefs of many. Many were searching because their faith was shaken. In 1891 it was recognized that a worldwide preaching campaign was needed. 'Photo drama of creation' was made & 9 million people have seen it. It was in 1922 that JWs began to go house to house
I had specifically asked about misconceptions. Our hosts mentioned that they sometimes hear that JWs don't believe in Jesus! Which isn't true. There are a number of 'apostates' - former JWs who didn't want to conform so they are trying to discredit JWs. Our hosts suggested going to the source, if you have questions . They have nothing to hide. They are not a secret society.
It is not always easy to be a JW. Bible commands are taken seriously and sometimes they conflict with government rules. JWs do not participate in war in any way. The Bible says, "Put away your sword. Those who life by the sword will die by the sword." This means that young men who are JWs in South Korea will go to prison for 3 years because they won't participate in the military. Lately persecution has risen in Russia. The harshest was during the Nazi era. Hitler wanted to exterminate JWs. 10,000 went to prison. 1,500 were executed during this time.
JWs do not celebrate holidays or birthdays. "Why do it if it's not right." Christmas is actually very commercial. It was a solstice, pagan time. These things have 'bad stuff' attached to them. There is a need to examine where things come from. Also, some medical procedures are not done. JWs will not accept blood transfusions. Blood represents life. However, 'bloodless surgery' is becoming more common. JWs do not smoke or drink. They are taught to take care of their bodies.
For JWs, worshiping and following God is a priority. There is a tremendous emphasis on Scriptural study. It is important to be educated to know God's moral standards and to know the truth about what the Bible actually says.
JWs do not worry about the future. They have faith that God's Kingdom government will take over the earth and will solve issues. This will likely happen in 'our natural lifetimes.' This is why there is an urgency to witness. People need to know so that they can decide for themselves. They hope that all they tell will choose Jehovah. When you die, you are unaware, not thinking or feeling. God has the capacity to remember everyone. After God's kingdom, God will resurrect all people and return them to life on this planet, perfect and beautiful.
I am sure that our Jehovah's Witness hosts would have loved even more time to explain more. I feel that they really thought through which videos and exactly what to share so that they could answer the questions I submitted. These are all lay people, (as were some other hosts), so they paused their jobs so that they could speak to us. They also provided snacks. We are thankful. One of our hosts is a professor at UMO. He kindly led us back to the campus, showed us where to park, and even walked us right to the building we needed to go to for our next visit.
Hinduism:
Our final visit was about Hinduism. In reality, Hinduism is not a religion, but a way of life. However, it is considered one of the major world's religions, so I am categorizing it that way. It is the only visit that I had to pay something for, and that is because a graduate student was willing to teach us, and I had to pay a fee for the use of a room at the University of Maine, Orono.
For weeks before these visits, as mentioned, I was calling & emailing, looking for contacts and willing hosts. I posted in Facebook groups & asked my Facebook friends to help me out! It was through one of these connections, that I was put in contact with 'P.' I am so grateful. 'P' is from India, but is living here in Maine, as a graduate student at UMO. I can only imagine how busy he is, but he took the time out to speak with us. His was the one talk where I feel that, in my opinion, a homeschooler or two were not respectful in their questions. I regret that terribly, although there really isn't much I can do about it! I will do my best to represent what he shared. 'P' used a power point presentation, and the visuals were helpful.
Hinduism in primarily in Asia. It was never an 'ism' or religion, but a way of life. There are many different varieties of Hinduism within India. It is one of the oldest religions. It is an intellectual, philosophical, scientific way of life. It comes down to- How well you can live a life. Core values are Honesty, Peace, Love, Well-being, and Honor for all humans and living organisms.
The 2 cores are Dharma and Karma. Dharma are the daily practices, what you do: prayers, obedience, acts of service, and going to temples. Karma is re-incarnation, depending on your karma. (I will add that this idea of re-incarnation clearly interested the homeschool kids. They asked a lot of questions about this belief!).
The 'vedas' are texts/books of principles & philosophy. Pre-vedic & vedic. (Oh, I hope I am not butchering this!) The texts are Smrithi, (written), and Shruthi, (oral tradition.) Scientific knowledge is very important. There are 4 types of vedas: Science of music, the Science behind the practical/worldy, art & sculpture & lastly, politics. This last one gives a whole picture, of political points and situations. Some agree in a supreme text. That God was incarnated as a prince and conquered the world.
If my 'notes' seem very open-ended it's because Hinduism is very open-ended!
How should Hindus live based on these books? What are their duties?
Birth to 24 years old is Brahmachanya.
Next is Grihastha, when one is married, has children, works.
Vanaprastha is the stage of life after the first grandchild is born. Up until this point, everyone lives together in the same house. At Vanaprastha, Hindus move out. They get more detached. Meditation, spiritual awareness and awakening happen.
Sannyasa is a complete detachment and focus on God. Some may live in the woods. This happens in the later stages of life.
Ashrama, dharma, artha, karma. Moksha is when one gets relief from this life & merges with God.
There are no hard set rules. There are many temples and they are each for specific idols. At the temple, someone does prayers, singing, preachings, fire, hymns, and eating.
The temple is a charging station, not really a place of worship. Everything is logical. 'P' went into interesting detail about how everything is scientifically linked, in a way that I know I cannot represent here. He showed us a diagram of a temple. A temple is where magnetic waves are strong, physically. The metal tower acts as an amplifier and the other towers distribute it.
There are many Hindu festivals. They celebrate everything! Some favorites: Sankranthi or Harvest. Festival of Color which emphasizes 'play.' In another 10-day festival favorite, each day has its own prominence . For example, one day, all 'machines' are decorated. Firecrackers hold historical reference. (I apologize- I don't remember the whole story but it's about a demon king killed & peace was brought.)
If you keenly observe Hinduism, it believes in taking capabilities of the human body & mind beyond imagination. The vehicle for that is yoga. The good side effect is that they mind has a better capacity. A main goal is to live your life in peace.
Are all Hindus vegetarian? No. It became a cultural norm to raise cows as pets. There is not a rule that you cannot eat meat. However, it again comes back to Science. It of course makes sense scientifically to not eat meat.
Illness if blamed on actions.
Someone asked about the caste system. It was originally a way to divide people according to skill: intellectual, artistic, skill labor. "As of now, it is still there, but is less."
Hindus recognize that "there is a force." 'Religion' kind of comes as a result. They want to treat all with openness and respect.
'P' ended with a Q&A time, as many of our hosts did. He really was our only chance at having a Hinduism talk as one of the visits on these field trips. We are, again, so thankful! He really taught us a lot. For me personally, he was taking me from about 'zero', as I knew so little.
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If any readers have made it this far, you can see that we learned SO much. So much! I believe that as we, (homeschooled students & homeschooling parents), encounter people with these belief sets in our life, moving forward, bits & pieces will 'come back' to us & we will hopefully be able to speak somewhat intelligently & have a base knowledge of what the beliefs are. Some groundwork has been laid. Discussions have sprung up. Some prejudices have been weakened. (Education has a way of doing that!) These visits have been tremendously positive experiences. This is really in thanks to our hosts.
(This is a super long blog post. I'm quite certain that even more than is normally true, my grammar & punctuation could use a lot of help! My style is inconsistent. Ah well!)
