Choose Wisely

Why do we need to?

     If I were to choose a religion, I do not think that I would be able to. I don't see how people say that there is one true religion because all faiths have the same concept. To me, everything has the same format. 

     Sometimes I wonder about converting to some type of faith. Something might go wrong and I would probably be banned. I swear, eat pork, have tattoos and piercings, and I celebrate the holidays. I am living the human experience and that is why I have ink and a metal ring in my nose. I celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas out of respect and tradition. 

     I have my morals. I respect my elders and the beliefs of others. I take care of the planet to the best of my ability. This is our only home; where else are we going to go? 

     I believe in God, but I am not the type of person to attend services. I prefer to believe in a higher being and keep it on an introverted level. 

     Televangelists annoy and offend me. Religious films offend me. When Omega Code opened, I was pissed. People were using the theater as though it were the house of God. Who uses a movie theater as a church anyway? The movie was awful and it was a waste of talent. I personally think it should have gone straight to DVD. 

     As a child, I always went from clique to clique. I think it would be nice to go from church to church. You get the same welcoming feeling and it would let others know that they are welcome in your world. 

     Religion is part of the structure of our society whether you realize it or not. It doesn't matter if you practice a faith or not. Religion affects you in one way or another. If that structure is broken, so is society. We learn so much about each other by learning what other people believe. 

     There is beauty in all faiths. I think it is because of the love and devotion. Sometimes the dedication and the stories are inspiring. 

     I have been curious about Hinduism. What is it like? I see these blue deities with many heads and think what is it like to worship something that looks like a cartoon character? They are colorful, jewel encrusted creatures.

     I am drawn to it because the Vedas are beautiful, epic tales of warfare. I think it is unique as compared to the Holy Bible. There was a story where one of the gods had changed from a male to female. I read a description of atomic warfare and it made me wonder if Einstein had read this before. 

    I love reading about the celebrations that Hindus have. There is a holiday for siblings, which I find really cool. There is Diwali, which is a holiday of lights that celebrates good overcoming evil. The one holiday I wouldn't mind observing is Holi, which is a holiday celebrating spring with bright colors and mischief. 

     One faith I would prefer is Buddhism. I like the idea of not worshiping a god of any kind. I think that aspect gives people less things to argue about. Nobody has a reason to argue about who is right or who is wrong. I think that Buddhism is about understanding what is causing distress in our own personal lives and the lives of others. It is understanding that possessions cause distress and they are really not that important. 

     I have been interested in in Judaism for a while. When I first moved to Boise and began attending Borah High School, I was introduce to the best literature I had ever read. One book in particular was Soft Pretzels and Mustard. I do not know if that is what the book is called because I cannot for the life of me find this book. 

     The book is about the friendship of two boys. One of the boys was Jewish and had a photographic memory. While the class read this book, we were given a study guide that taught us about Jewish traditions. I learned about the articles of clothing that they wear and the significance of each piece. 

     Years later, I discovered that one of my friends was Jewish. She has taught me so much that made me fall in love with Judaism. I never knew anything about Passover other than the fact that it was on the calendar around the same time as Easter. She posted pictures of the traditional meals they have and I felt that this was something I would like to participate in one day. 

     Unfortunately, I cannot see myself practicing any faith, but I love learning about them. Learning about them gives you a new perspective on others and changes how you communicate.