Oh yeah....and World Peace

(Jerusalem)
I've been reading this book called The Faith Club: A Muslim, A Christian, A Jew--Three Women Search for Understanding. This book really stands out to me. It is about interfaith dialogue between the three Abrahamic faiths, which is what I'm passionate about and what I want to dedicate my career, future, and life towards. As I've read through it, I have definitely learned a lot about interfaith dialogue on a personal level. It has also confirmed within me that this is what I care about, what my heart beats for.

One section I read tonight really stood out to me because the woman is writing words that my heart speaks. I read it aloud to my mom and her response was simply, "That's exactly your heart." The woman writing this section is the Jewish woman and she is reflecting on her changing views on Israel and also about her love for the Holy Land.

"I'd like to imagine [Israel as] a land of milk and honey, a place where Christians, Jews, and Muslims live together in that one little sliver of holy land in peace, where Jerusalem is the holy city for all faiths. Where saplings are planted and ancient olive trees revered. Where children of all religions and backgrounds believe they have a future. Many people would call me a dreamer. But I don't want to live my life any other way. If I weren't an optimist, I would never have entered into [this interfaith dialogue and relationship]. So many other people would have seen the obstacles to real dialogue and stopped talking. But I need to live in a world where I believe good will prevail over evil, where people will eventually, somehow, put down their arms, and say 'Enough.'

I've read enough now to understand how deeply and tragically conflicts evolved between the Jews and the Arabs over time. But I need to have a dream, to believe that place can exist again. Imperfectly and improbably. And I believe that being a dreamer might in fact take more courage than being a cynic.

There is ultimately no way for me to escape talking honestly about Israel. Hadn't I learned, after all, to see the good alongside the bad, the bitter with the sweet? Could I hear people talk about how beautiful the land of Israel is without pointing out how difficult life is in the Palestinian refugee camps? I will speak out when the time is right, I've decided. I no longer have a choice."
(Birzeit, Israel--olive trees)
(Deheisheh Refugee camp--the largest Palestinian refugee camp in Bethlehem)

I cannot adequately describe how beautiful this quote from Priscilla Warner is to me, how well it puts words to my deepest convictions and passions. I almost cried after reading this because this really is my heart speaking out. I really do dream about peace in Jerusalem even though many say it is impossible. Whether or not it is probable is not what matters to me. What matters is doing everything we can to try for understanding, justice, and peace. If one person's life can be made better, then it is worth it. I have to speak up about Israel in full honesty, honesty that understands this issue politically, religiously, and culturally, honesty that seeks unification not further division, honesty that is willing to work hard for a peace that some would call just a dream.

You may say I'm a dreamer,
But I'm not the only one.

Road Trip

( Saguaro National Park)

In a little bit I will help my parents load up the truck with our three dogs, hop in, put on some tunes, open a Vault energy drink, and keep my dad awake until 5 am. We are leaving for a road trip to Tuscon, Arizona. We will drive 20 hours one way, stay there on Saturday, and head back home on Sunday. We're picking up a 1994 Toyota Land Cruiser my dad bought. I'm excited for the road trip and to get the hell out of Willard/Springfield for a little bit. I think the change of scenery may be just what the doctor ordered. Plus Saguaro National Park is right there too. I'm excited to go there.

I've been listening to Alana Grace all day today and her song The Tunnel is just one of many I identify with:

Oh, I wanna know, I wanna go/
where the air will clear my soul/
to see the light/
I will find a way through the tunnel.
(Alana Grace, The Tunnel)

On the drive there I will be reading up on Judaism. Istudied it somewhat extensively while in undergrad (that and Islam), and I have the opportunity to help teach it at my church next week. I'll miss this Sunday, so I gave the college pastors some material that they can use to teach from. Next week I get to cover modern Judaism in all it's complexities: the different types, spirituality, modern practices, anti-Semitism, and the Arab-Israeli conflict....all in one hour. Not sure how that's going to happen, but I'm excited for the opportunity to use my degree for something. I will also be teaching Sunday school for each of the major world religions. The objective of this study is to explore the religions in order to learn how to best communicate and ultimately evangelize to people of different faiths. I don't agree with the evangelism aspect at all, but I'm excited to teach my peers about these religions since they wouldn't study them otherwise. Hopefully I can do a good job. My father, who is an awesome teacher, has offered me advice to help curb what he thinks is my opinionatedness and elitism.... Heh. I know I struggle/thrive with those two things. *shrug* It will be a good opportunity, nonetheless, and I really hope to teach everyone as much as I can about Judaism (which just rocks!).

World Religions: A digital photography portfolio

I decided to put up the pictures I created for my final portfolio in digital photography from this last fall. We had complete free creative reign for the project. I chose to reflect on my passion and career path, religion. We were required to have 12 pictures, so I chose to represent the world's 6 major religious traditions with 2 photographs each. My canvas of sorts that I photographed was nature. Nature is sacred to me, but I'm not alone; each of the major religions believe that nature is a beautiful creation by the divine, that it's intricately and intimately connected with us humans, and a combination of the two. On each of the pictures I listed a verse from that particular faiths sacred texts or traditions. Unfortunately, they are difficult to read on here, but I wrote the text below the pictures so that you can read them. I also included a distinctive element of each of these faiths that makes them unique and beautiful, including symbols and forms of worship.

I put these in a chronological order of sorts that the religions developed, but divided them into Western religions first followed by Eastern religions.

Enjoy!

Judaism:

"The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork." Psalms 19:1

In the hill, the pine trees (the green ones) spell out Yahweh in Hebrew.

"Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving and perform your vows to the Most High, and call upon me in the day of trouble. I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me." Psalms 50:14-15

The Jewish man (Well, he's actually a Messianic Jew, but shhhh!) pictured is demonstrating the way the priests would raise their arms up at the brazen altar at the tabernacle when the sacrifice was accepted by God as a form of worship. (That was at the "Holy Land" in Eureka Springs, AR.)

Christianity:

"And he said unto them, 'Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.' Immediately they left their nets and followed him." Matthew 4:19-20

The Chi-Rho symbol is on the "No fishing" sign. If you are unaware, the ChiRho was an early Christian symbol that was discrete because it had the appearance of an anchor, which also represented hope. It combined the first two letters of the name "Christ" in Greek.

"Let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 5:16

The man I merged into the photograph is a Christian monk.

Islam:

"I was a hidden treasure and I wanted to be known: That is why I created the world." Hadith

In the water is the text Allah in Arabic, which represents how creation reflects the divine, who is in this case, Allah.

"For with God are the keys of the unseen; no one knows them but God...and not a single leaf falls but God knows it." Qu'ran Surah 6

The man pictured is a Muslim with his prayer rug performing the pillar of daily prayer.

Hinduism:

"Wherever you find strength, or beauty, or spiritual power, you may be sure that these have sprung from a spark of my essence." Sri Krishna, The Bhagavad Gita

On the tree trunk to the left of the image is the ohm symbol, which represents Hinduism.


"Nothing in this world purifies like spiritual wisdom. It is the perfection achieved in time through the path of yoga, the path which leads to the Self within." Sri Krishna, The Baghavad Gita

In the center of the picture is a woman practicing yoga.

Taoism:

"When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or compete, everybody will respect you." Tao Te Ching

For this photo, I opted to express ultimate simplicity in nature which characterizes Taoism.


"Humanity emulates earth, earth emulates heaven, heaven emulates the Way, the Way emulates Nature." Tao Te Ching

In this photo I inclued the yin-yang symbol that represents Taoism. The yin-yang is used because it signifies total balance in all things.

Buddhism:

"The thought is calm, the speech and action are calm, in one who is liberated and gone to serenity by perfect knowledge." The Buddha, from the Dhammapada

Walking down the path is a Buddhist monk in his telling orange robe.

"The spirit of the best of men is spotless, like the lotus in the muddy water, which does not adhere to it." Lalitavistara Sutra

Throughout the water are lotus flowers floating on the water. The lotus flower is a powerful symbol of Buddhist teaching because it represents growing up out of muddy water into something beautiful and set apart.



I really enjoyed working on this project because I was able to work with two things I love: photography and religion.

Let me know what you think! :)



*All of the base photographs were taken by me on a digital camera. The images merged onto the photos included appropriated images, text, and my own photographs.