Our first author on chapters 10 and 11 had this to say about her photo: "This is a picture of my family. In my blog entry, I talk a lot about how love is important, and what better way to show that than the love I have for my family?" Well said, Caleigh!
Happy reading!
While reading the chapters on prayers and rituals in The Faith Club, there were many thoughts that went through my mind. All three of these women have different religions and many different ways of practicing their religion. In the chapter Prayers the women seemed to have talked more about their relationship with God. Priscilla had explained that after 9/11 she had lost her faith in God. The other two women were there to question, why? The problem that I see in the world today is more people than not tend to obsess about the negative. Suzanne made a good point in her response to Priscilla when she said that, instead of looking at the negative outcomes, to look at the good being done because of it.Of the three women, I felt that Suzanne had the strongest confidence when it came to talking about her religion. However, when her daughter asked questions, she found it hard to answer. How do you make a child understand faith and religion? They are not able to yet grasp the concept of something that is abstract. So as a parent, you have to explain as best you can. That is how you should approach life as well, to be the best you can be. That was a very strong message that I got from this chapter on prayer.
In the next chapter Rituals, the three women discussed why rituals are or are not important to a religion. Ranya had a feeling of being disconnected because she did not have a place of worship where she felt comfortable and accepted. Could this be the same kind of thinking that adolescents face when going to school and going through that “awkward” age? A feeling of belonging seems to make people feel whole. Priscilla stated that the way that she practices her religion is on her own terms. She is able to define what religion is to suit herself and her family.
While Ranya was explaining that rituals do not make up a religion, it made me think about why rituals are even in place. Having rituals is a way to come together. This made me think of the rituals that I have in my own family. Rituals do not always have to apply to religion, but can be for anything. I find that in my family, rituals are ways to stay connected. All members of my family lead busy and sometimes separate lives. Having specific rituals helps keep us together and have that sense of feeling connected. With that said, rituals do not make my family. When I say that, I mean that rituals are not all my family is about. We have love for each other and that is what makes us a family.
I do not disagree with anything said in these chapters. I think that all three women have different opinions and that is a good thing. It is important to get different perspectives on things so you can live with that open-mindedness that these three women express. The conclusion I came to is that all religions seem to have the same goal. It does not matter what your rituals are or how you decide to pray, it’s about the love you have to give.
I, too, think that there are shared goals at the heart of all religions, and that recognizing this helps us to be more culturally competent. When I was a student at Fresno State (YEARS ago!), I bought a little framed print at Vintage Days that is hanging above my computer in my office. It is called "The Golden Rule," and it contains phrases from 8 different phrases from religions/belief systems that are various forms of what Christians refer to as "The Golden Rule" (Do unto others as you would have them do unto you). The other religions/belief systems that are represented are North American Indian, Hinduism, Judaism, Zoroastrian, Bahai Faith, Islam, and Buddhism. Very cool stuff.
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