What's All The Show For?

Are modern expressions of religion, like stages, light shows and loud music the right way to get closer to God? Like most issues, everyone has a different opinion. A lot of new churches that have started up have been targeting teenagers. They have bands on stages and modern worship music that attract the youth to their churches. But many people, especially those from older generations aren't too sure about how genuine and sacred this is.

It is denominational and generational.
By denominational, I mean that the way that people worship God varies largely from church to church. There are churches that are exuberant and over the top, and churches that are simplistic and traditional. Most people say that it's just up to preference.
By generational, I mean that Christian's opinions on this issue varies from generation to generation.

The older generations of Christians were mostly brought up attending small and quiet churches or holy cathedrals. They were taught early on that the sacred way to worship God was in quiet and reverent silence. Their preferences would mostly be to worship this way, the way that most people did when they were growing up because they think it is appropriate.

Though, a lot of people don't mind what way others worship God. Some like to spend time with God in nature, or at youth group with lots of noise, or in an awe-inspiring cathedral. But still, what is all the show of  "contemporary" worship for?




I think it's just about being relevant. Teenagers would have no way, or would struggle to worship God if the only way was by singing hymns on a Sunday. The Bible says to "make to make joyful noise to the Lord", it doesn't say at this certain time, at this certain place and this certain way. So personally I think it doesn't matter what type of worship you are conducting, or how you show your love to Him. What matters is that it comes from the heart, and  it's completely genuine.

Why Should We Respect Uluru?

Uluru, or Ayers Rock, is Australia's most famous national icon and the world's largest freestanding rock. The indigenous people of Australia are responsible for the protection and appropriate management of this natural landmark, and regard it as one of their most valued sacred spaces. Uluru symbolises the living relationship between the Aboriginal people and the natural environment. For many people, walking to the top of Uluru is a great experience. Others see it as a violation of the cultural aspect of the rock. Even though there is a sign that informs tourists to respect the wishes of Aboriginals and not trek to the top, over half of the 400,000 that visit still do.

Uluru is a highly sacred place to the Aboriginal people. The features that are seen on the rock even have mythical stories that explain why they are there. It is obvious that this natural formation in central Australia has high importance to them.

There are many positives and negatives to allowing people to walk on Uluru. Some of the negatives are that it is a safety hazard, 35 people have died while walking to the top. The environmental state of Uluru is slowly declining, and if Australians want to still have it in a few hundred years time they might need to slow this procedure down. Some positives are that it is also a massive commercial symbol, and makes money not only for the tourism industry but also retail. 


Some tourists to Uluru have said:
"The sooner societal respect is shown to the world's most ancient living culture, the richer our society will be."
"All people should be able to experience it's beauty."
"If we weren't allowed to climb it, a major part of our tourism industry would be damaged."
"It is right for Aboriginals to want to protect it, because it is sacred to them."
"Tourists walking on it are slowly damaging it."
"People shouldn't litter or damage it but they should have the chance to walk up it."
"Uluru is sacred, just like a church."

I haven't personally been to Uluru, but I can understand it's importance to both the Australian tourism industry and the Indigenous people. I think tourists should be properly informed about it's sacredness and the risks before making the trek, and possibly stricter rules need to be put in place to ensure it's future. But I think people climbing Uluru shouldn't be ruled out completely, because I'm sure it would be a magical and truly great Australian experience and lifetime experience. 

The Importance of Sacred Space

Do we need sacred space to be with God? 

Sacred space is a place that connects humanity to the holy.  Throughout all of history, mankind has yearned for something to connect us to the divine.  This is why we have places like cathedrals, mosques, synagogues, temples, etc.   Sacred space is a place where human beings have attempted to feel closer to the otherworld. But does sacred space make us any closer to God or the divine? Every religion has it's own opinions, and it's own take on what sacred space is.

A good example of a Christian's sacred space would be Coventry Cathedral in England. 

Coventry Cathedral was one of the many Cathedrals that shaped Britain, but was badly damaged by German bombs in 1940. 

It was quickly decided that it would be rebuilt, and the people of Coventry paid for this million dollar project from out of their pockets. The cathedral had a special importance to them, they cared for it because for them it was, and still is, a place to come and meet with God. 

Christians do not think that by being in a church or an ornate cathedral they are actually any closer to God than if they were, say,  out in nature. It's just about having a special place to worship their God, having a place to go to focus on the greatness of God and their relationships with Him. It's about respect and reverence and especially having a community of believers surrounding you. Some Christians believe that you can connect with God anywhere, but it's that ornate decór and majestic architecture of a cathedral that is made specifically to reflect on the character of God and create the atmosphere of being a sacred space.

Jews have a different perspective on sacred space. Judaism is a religion filled with traditions and customs. Their particular place of worship, education and community is called a Synagogue. These synagogues are sacred spaces, but are common and more a place to learn the teachings of the prophets. An example of a Jewish sacred space is the Western Wall (or the Wailing Wall). It is regarded as one of the most sacred places in the religion of Judaism. 

Jews from all across the world come here to pray, to grieve over the destruction of the Jewish Temple, and to write prayers on notes and stick them on the wall. 

Jews place high importance on rules and believe they have to be at a certain place (eg. a temple) and do certain things (eg. sacrifices) in order to be closer to God. So Jewish people would say that yes, we need sacred space to be close to God.

Stonehenge was sacred space for the Druids. They built it from 2950 BC to 1600 BC. It was used as a place of worshiping and observing stars, a place of sacrifice maybe and a place to perform rituals and ceremonies. It is considered to have been a sort of Druid temple. 

Even back then, these ancient people had a desire to be connected to the spirit of life, and they used this sacred space as their instrument. Druids believe that all aspects of life are sacred, and that it all fits together in an interwoven web. This being said, it would make sense that anywhere in nature would bring them closer to the sacred, but it seems that even the Druids, who don't believe in a God, feel the need for a a sacred place in order to be closer to the divine. 

A Battle of Beliefs: Buddhism Vs. Christianity

Buddhism and Christianity, two different religions, two different sets of rules, two different disciplines, two different philosophies, two different faiths.
This past week I have been exploring both of these, finding out what the similarities and differences are between them.

Differences:
Some of the obvious differences between these two religions are that Buddhists do not follow any Gods or deities, whereas Christianity is a Monotheistic religion, it believes in one God only. Buddhists believe that they have to earn and work for their salvation. For Christians, it comes as a free gift. Eternal life for a Buddhist depends on their Karmic state; Christians get eternal life in Heaven as a result of their faith in god. Buddhism doesn't deal with the beginning or the end of the world, Christianity teaches of a God that created the world and rules it accordingly to His plan. Buddhists teachings are just words from a man's head, but the Bible is the ‘Word of God’. Buddhists believe in reincarnation, Christianity has a defined Heaven and Hell. In Buddhism, each person is his own refuge but in Christianity the ultimate judgement is by God.

Similarities:
Both of the teachings of the two different religions are based on the welfare of all people, they both have an emphasis on love for all of mankind. Both births of the founder were through mysterious circumstances, including omens and miracles. Jesus Christ is believed by Christians to be the Son of God, or God in the form of Man. Siddattha Gotama was a wealthy prince from Northern India who eventually became a homeless holy man in order to discover the source of true happiness. Siddattha is now known as Buddha. 

Aside from all of the factual differences and similarities, I wanted to know what the moral comparisons were. I wanted to compare the principles behind the two religions. I found out that in Buddhism, there are five guidelines to living a Buddhist life.

1) I vow to avoid killing living beings where possible
2) I vow to avoid taking what is not given
3) I vow to not misuse sex
4) I vow not to use false speech
5) I vow to not loose control by drugs (except for medical purposes).

I think these are good morals to have in your life. They are similar to the Christian’s Ten Commandments.

1)    You must not have any other god but me.

2)    You must not make for yourself an idol.

3)    You must not misuse the name of the Lord of your God.

4)    Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.

5)    Honour your father and mother.

6)    You must not murder.

7)    You must not commit adultery.

8)    You must not steal.

9)    You must not testify falsely against your neighbour.

10)You must not covet.

I also think these are good morals to live by as well, but refer more towards God.

Overall, the main similarity between Buddhism and Christianity is their moral codes. They both believe in doing things for the benefit of everyone. The main difference between them is their core principles. Buddhism is roughly based on the idea of self and  Christianity's focus is on loving God.

Week One: How does religion shape our lives?

This  is  such  a  hard  topic  to  write  about.  I'd  have  to  say  that  there's  not  one  definite  answer  to  this,  as  it  would  vary  for  different  people.  For  me  though,  I  think  religion  definitely  has  an impact  on  all  of  us,  whether  or  not  we  include  it  as  a  important  part  of  our  lives  or  don't acknowledge  it  at  all.
Religion  most  certainly  influences  the  way  in  which  we  look  at  life  as  well  as  the  way  in which  we  treat  other  people.  It  can  determine  our  morals  and  what  we  value.  It  gives  us  a reason  to  wake up  in  the  morning,  to  keep  on  going  when  a  voice  in  our  heads  asks  us,  "who  are  you?"  or,  "is  there  meaning  behind  it  all?"  It  has  the  ability  to  change  our  way  of thinking  and  ultimately,  provides  purpose.