What I learned...

I think the most important thing I learned while taking this class is how alike several religions can be. Throughout this course we studied Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. While all of these religions have their differences, I have come to realize that we're more alike than we are different. I found it really interesting that of the theistic religions we studied, most of them worshiped the same God even though He was referred to by different names. I wish that more people would realize this and stop the prejudices that seem to have overtaken our media. Muslims aren't terrorists. They are people just like you and me. They even worship the same God. In fact, some of the Qua'ran (their holy book/scripture) sounds very similar to what the Christian Bible says. I was also a little surprised at how welcoming and open all of the people at each worship place were. They were all very willing to answer questions and always seemed to be happy to teach us about their faith. I would like to think that we, as Catholics, are the same way.

Studying different religions has also given me a new perspective on my own faith. I have been reassured that Catholicism is what's right for me and helped me to deepen my faith. By listening to what other religions believe, I have been able to make comparisons and strengthen my beliefs. I have had to use logic and even ask difficult questions of both my own beliefs as well as the beliefs of other religions in order to figure out what I truly believe and why. I have also taken a look at how I portray myself and how that reflects my faith. I have thought that I am open and willing to teach others about the faith, but now I feel as though I could be an even better teacher because I have a little more background and I can compare Catholicism/Christianity to other religions.

One of the biggest connections I have made to other classes I've taken (which haven't been that many or anything like this one) is to my Modes of Inquiry class. One of the books that we had to read was Eboo Patel's Acts of Faith. This book talked about his efforts to develop pluralism or an understanding of other religions. He did this through having people from different faiths work together on common service projects. Although we didn't work on any projects together, just learning about other faiths is a step in the right direction. If just a few people understand, they can teach and correct others when they misrepresent other religions.

I feel as though this class also fits well with the Loras dispositions: creating active learners, reflective thinkers, ethical decision makers, and responsible contributors. This class was all about active learning. We didn't just sit in a classroom and listen to the professor lecture. We visited places and learned by participating. When we visited the mosque and the Zen Center, we were able to actually participate which made it easier to understand what was going on. I was also able to make more connections when we were able to see the places. After we visited each place, we were expected to reflect on what we did and learned from each trip by writing a blog or a paper. I know that my faith plays a role in making ethical decisons and through the things I learned in this class, I now have a better understanding of how others make their decisions. I believe that this class has helped me to become even more of a responsible contributor. I can contribute to the understanding of all religions by teaching others what I have learned. Hopefully I can help others see that many religions are more alike than they are different. We were also expected to be both active learners, reflective thinkers, and responsible contributors in our final project. Each project had an interactive aspect (mine was making Baklava) as well as a teaching aspect (posters and talking with the members of the retirement community). I also had to use skills in this class that I had learned in other classes, such as writing, researching, and leading discussions/giving presentations.

Overall, I really enjoyed this class and learned a lot. There were so many different ways of learning such as lectures, discussions, quizzes, field trips, and projects and so much information to learn. This course has left me with a desire to learn more - more about other religions as well as more about my own religion. If I can learn and understand, I can also teach and empower. Even if I don't remember specifics about each religion, I know that I will always remember that we're more alike than we are different.

Isthmus Zen Center - Madison, WI

On Thursday evening, we traveled to Madison, Wisconsin to the Isthmus Zen Center as a part of our study of Buddhism. I found it both strange and interesting. I enjoyed learning about how Buddhists think that everything is within themselves. They don't believe in a high being (God or gods) nor do they believe in reincarnation. They follow the eightfold path and the four noble truths which they believe will bring them to enlightenment or Nirvana. While meditating, Buddhists usually focus on something called a koan which is a question that doesn't really have an answer. Two examples that I really like are "What is the sound of one hand clapping?" and "What did your face look like before you were conceived?"

While we were at the meditation center we tried 2 different types of meditation. We did a silent meditation for about 5 minutes as well as a chant. It was strange, but slightly relaxing at the same time. I didn't really find it that difficult to sit still for 5 minutes once I found a comfortable positon. I sat in the half lotus position (one foot on the opposite thigh) for both meditation sessions.

I would like to try the ideas of meditation and focusing on one thing when I go to adoration. I think it will help me grow deeper in my faith by allowing me to just focus on prayer instead of everything else that is going on in my life.

Overall, I learned a lot and really enjoyed this field trip.

Quad Cities Hindu Temple - Rock Island, IL

Today’s trip was to the Hindu Temple in Rock Island, Illinois. Just like all of the other new places we’ve visited, I didn’t really know what to expect since Hinduism is fairly new to me. I understood that they believe in reincarnation as well as multiple gods, but I had no idea what their worship space would look like.

I believe that Hinduism is “closer” to Christianity than to Judaism or Islam. The biggest difference is the fact that Hindus believe in more than one god. Hindus believe that the spirits or souls of the gods were once on earth in another form – either as an animal or a human being. In the epic Ramayana (epics are the stories used to explain what the Hindu gods did and how they came to be), the god Shri Rama commanded the monkeys to build a bridge. This idea shows that he was very human-like, but could still do extraordinary things, just as Jesus was human, but did things that no ordinary human could do. Judaism and Islam do not believe that God ever came to earth. They believe that Jesus was just a prophet who came to do God’s will and spread His word.

The Hindu temple was simple, yet it was decorated with the statues of the gods. All of the statues reminded me a little bit of the statues that are found in a Christian church, specifically a Catholic church. They had one main god whose statue was much larger than the others and placed in the center just like a crucifix in a Catholic church. There were also many bright colors which one might find in the paintings and stained glass windows of a Christian church. Both the Jewish synagogue and Islamic mosque were decorated very simply with only a few colorful decorations, which is quite the opposite of the Hindu temple.

Each specific god in the Hindu religion has a few things that it is known for. For example, there is a god of earth and a god of wealth and many, many more. I thought that the idea that there was a god for each thing was similar to Catholic saints being the patrons of different things. Judaism and Islam do not have saints, nor do they have specific gods or people representing or watching over particular things. They pray to a certain god when they need help with something just as we would pray to a particular saint. The priest also told us that they pray to the gods every day in the morning and evening. I know that morning and evening are common times for Christians to pray as well. I found this idea interesting as well.

Hindus believe that god is in everything, which is basically the same idea that Christians hold. We, as Christians believe that all people are created in God’s image and therefore, are a part of Him. We also believe that God created all things, so they too, are a part of Him, just in a slightly different way. I was taught to respect God’s creation in everything I do and the priest today mentioned something similar. For example, he said that people in India take quick showers because they don’t want to waste water which contains god.

One thing that I found really interesting was one of the “slogans” that the Hindu priest talked about. He said “Worship your own, respect all.” I believe that this is an idea that all religions are trying to achieve and I think that Christianity does a fairly good job of it. A specific example of being respectful and welcoming is right here on campus at the beginning of Sunday mass when the community leader explains that people from other faith traditions are welcome to come forward at communion time to receive a blessing. I’m not saying that the Jewish religion and Islamic religion aren’t welcoming because they certainly are, I’m just pointing out that it is another similarity between Christianity and Hinduism.

It’s taken a little bit of work to find the similarities between Hinduism and Christianity, but they are definitely there. I’m going back to the idea of pluralism/tolerance, but if people would just take the time to look at the different religions, they would see that we are more alike than we are different. It is my hope that people start to realize this and start breaking down stereotypes. Remember, worship your own, respect all.

Tri-State Islamic Center - Dubuque, IA

On Friday, our class traveled to the small Islamic mosque here in Dubuque. Through this visit and our guest speaker, Dr. Kassas, I have come to a much better understanding of the Islamic religion. Before this, I basically knew that people who were of the Islamic faith were called Muslims and that they worshiped at a mosque. I also knew that Muhammad was an important figure and that their holy scripture was called the Qua’ran. I also knew that there were a lot of stereotypes associated with the Islamic faith, but I didn’t know why or how they came to be. I now know much more about the Islamic faith and would like to work toward sharing my knowledge with others. Muslims believe that "There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger (or prophet)." This is not only the underlying “theme” of Islam, but it is also a prayer that is repeated often.

One thing that I noticed right away when we walked into the mosque was that it was very simple. There were a few decorations/pictures on the walls, but nothing too extravagant. The floor was covered in a cream colored carpet with tape lines across it. The walls were white and the blinds covering the windows were white. It reminded me of a combination of the chapel/worship space at New Melleray Abbey and the synagogue at the Beth Israel Center. Even though it was very simple, there was still a beauty to it. I made a connection between the simpleness of the worship space and the movements during prayers to the "theme" of Islam - "There is no god, but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger." It is such a simple message, yet it still conveys so much. Muslims believe that there is just one god and that he had prophets come to earth to share his good news and teach the people. Not only does this message sound similar to Christianity and Judaism, but I also learned that Muslims believe they are worshiping the same God as Christians and Jews. They also believe that Qua’ran is God’s word just as Christians believe that the Bible contains God’s word and Jews believe that the Tanakh is God’s word. Muslims, however, believe that God is speaking directly to the people through the Qua’ran. I also found it interesting how they sometimes referred to Allah as god during prayers. I thought that they always referred to him as Allah. I learned that Muslims are more similar to Jews and Christians that I first thought. It was eye-opening to find out how close our beliefs really are. I wish more people would realize this same thing instead of believing all of the stereotypes that our society has placed on the Islam faith.

I'm still wondering whether or not the number five has significance to Muslims. In the Islamic faith, there are "5 pillars" or basic practices, which is another thing I learned about. Those five "pillars" are to recite shahada ("There is no god, but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger") with full commitment, pray five times daily, keep the fast during the month of Ramadan, visit Mecca once during your life if possible (make a Hajj), and give alms. One of those pillars is to pray five times a day. One of the stories in the Islamic religion is about how one of the prophets was told to pray fifty times a day, but then thought it was too much, so he went back and asked for less until it ended up at five times a day. Muslims pray at pre-dawn (fajr), noon (dhuhr), afternoon ('asr), sunset (maghrib), and evening ('isha). The specific times of these prayers varies depending on the time of the year because they are determined by the sun. Another thing that varies is the month of Ramadan. Islam follows a lunar calendar and Ramadan moves throughout the year. During Ramadan, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. Muslims are also encouraged to make a Hajj at least once during their lifetime. A Hajj is a pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca in which many Muslims come together to pray. The last pillar is to give alms. Alms could be given in terms of time and/or money. When giving alms, the most important idea is that one is being generous and giving of themselves.

One of the biggest stereotypes associated with the Islamic faith is the idea of jihad. The word jihad is often mistranslated as “holy war” which fuels the idea that Muslims are violent people. I learned from our reading as well as from Dr. Kassas that jihad actually means “striving” and that there are many different levels to jihad. There can be jihad within a person which means overcoming temptation and similar situations. There can also be fighting for the sake of God, but there are very specific parameters which constitute actual fighting. The biggest idea associated with a jihad is putting forth effort and in order to do that, one must specify the goal.

For me, learning about the Islamic faith from Dr. Kassas has made me think about my own faith in a new way. He talked a lot about how action is a part of Islam – not only during prayer time, but in one’s life. He explained to us that everything should be done in the most beautiful way possible. The example he used was giving money to the mosque or even a charity. He said that one should think about why he or she is giving the money. Is it because he or she is obligated or is it because he or she truly wants to make a difference. This idea of doing things in the most beautiful way is something I need to think more about in not only my faith life, but my life in general. To go along with this idea, Dr. Kassas explained that God will lead us to where He wants us to go, which is something I’m working on trying to remember during the beginning of my college career. I was a little bothered when Dr. Kassas said that God will make things easy and make us happy if we are on the right path and he will make things difficult for those who aren’t on the right path. I wasn’t really sure how to take that. I know that it is a different religion and that I don’t have to believe it, but it was still hard to hear. I became even more confused when he said that God gives us hardships for a reason – because there is something we must learn. In a way it makes sense, but then again, it seems to contradict his earlier point about being on the right path. I did, however like his point about how we can choose, but God ultimately determines the results. It made me think about how even though I think I have a say in what goes on in my life, it is really God that determines how things happen. It was almost reassuring to hear that from someone who has a different faith background and practices a different faith than I do. Overall, I learned a lot from our readings, talk with Dr. Kassas, and visit to the mosque and I’m grateful for the opportunity to do so.



Here are a couple of pictures from our visit. Photos courtesy of Kay Paul. :) Thanks Kay!

Beth Israel Center - Madison, WI

Today we traveled to the Beth Israel Center in Madison, Wisconsin. Before today, I had never been in a Jewish synagogue. I found it very interesting and it helped me to understand a little bit more about the Jewish religion. I definitely felt welcomed which I find as a sign of religious tolerance/cooperation. Beth and our other tour guide (I know she was a Rabbi, but I can't remember her name. Rebecca?) were very knowledgeable and willing to share information, life stories, and answer questions. I had a good impression from the beginning, and came away with a better understanding of the religion. I thought that the synagogue would have been decorated a little bit more than it was. It was very simple and there weren't a lot of colors, except for the curtains which covered the Torah scrolls. Even though there wasn't a lot of decoration or color, the little bit that was there drew my eyes right to the most important part of their worship space - the Torah scrolls.

One thing I learned a lot about is the idea of kosher - what it is and how they observe it. Being kosher originally stemmed from just one line in the Torah. This line says "You shall not boil a kid in its mother's milk." This line has been interpreted and built upon until now where it means to separate meat and dairy. Jewish people do not eat meat and dairy at the same meal. They also use separate dishes to cook it in as well as separate serving dishes, utinsels, and silverware. At the synagogue, they had separate stoves, refrigerators, freezers, and ovens in addition to the items listed above. Beth told us about how she and her family choose food in non-kosher restaurants and even in kosher restaurants as well as buying items at a grocery store. I had noticed the "u" with a circle around it before, but I didn't know that it was a symbol for an item being kosher. I found that very interesting. I also found it very interesting that chicken was considered meat, but fish was not.

I also learned that they don't have pictures of God because they believe no one knows what he looks like, which is true in Christianity as well. Even though we don't have pictures of God, we do have pictures of Jesus as well as pictures of saints and martyrs. The few pictures that they had in the synagogue were representations of the Tweleve Tribes of Israel, which I found fascinating. To go along with learning about the actual synagogue building, I learned that all synagogues need to have natural light and need to be oriented toward Israel. On the Sabbath, prayers are done toward Israel (which is facing away from the congregation in this particular synagogue) and reading from the Torah is done toward the people (away from Israel). Beth told us that their services on the Sabbath last about 2.5 or 3 hours each week. Students also come other times during the week to learn about the Jewish faith, learn Hebrew and to prepare for their bar or bat mitzvah.

I found the mourning process interesting as well. They go through several "steps" during their mourning process. There are "milestones" at 7 days, 30 days, and 11 months after the date of death. For the first 7 days, the family typically comes to the synagogue everyday and says a special prayer. They might also sit on low benches in their houses while not wearing shoes. After the 7 days, the family goes out and walks around the neighborhood as if to announce that they have finished their 7 days of mourning. They then begin to return to their normal lives, however, for 30 days, the family wears a torn ribbon. There's another tradition that is done for 11 months. On the 1 year anniversary of the death as well as all following anniversaries, the family may come to the synagogue and say the prayer of mourning. The dead may also be remembered with plaques that are hung on the wall of the synagogue. Each plaque has a light next to it which is lit during the week of the person's death anniversary.

Photos from the day courtesy of Kay Paul

St. Francis Xavier Basilica and New Melleray Abbey - Dyersville and Peosta, IA

The Basilica of St. Francis Xavier and the New Melleray Abbey are sacred spaces for Christians, specifically Catholic Christians. The Basilica is highly decorated and has many intricate details. There are several paintings, murals, and statues of various saints, angels, and other biblical figures. Many things throughout the church are adorned with vibrant colors and not many "earthy" tones. Most of the pews, ceilings, floors, and other places in the church had curves or arches associated with them. On the other hand, New Melleray is very plain and simple. In the main chapel at New Melleray, there was a painting of Mary and Jesus as well as a crucifix, but that was about all for paintings and statues. During our tour, we also saw that there were a few other pictures, such as the stations of the cross. The majority of New Melleray was done in "earthy" or natural colors. There was quite a bit of limestone, cinderblock, and bare wood. The furniture and design of the chapel/other parts of New Melleray were mostly made up with straight lines. Even though the Basilica and New Melleray both looked very different, there were also several similarities. Each place had a crucifix, an altar, a tabernacle, pews, and depictions of Jesus and/or other biblical figures. Each sacred space is also used for prayer, both private and as a community.

If I had to give a tour of both places to someone who is not Christian and explain how they are both sacred places for Christians, I would probably first begin by explaining how Christians believe that "church" is more than a building. I would explain that "church" also represents the people that go to worship there as well as the Christians outside of that particular worship space. I would then explain that mass (for Catholics) or a religious celebration can be done in more than one place, for example, when I was at the Christian Leadership Institue this past summer, we had mass around a campfire one night and the next night had it in a chapel. It was the same ritual with the same prayers and the same group of people, just a different space. I might also compare the two spaces to two different classrooms in a school. Both of these classrooms might be used for teaching math, but they may look completely different. One teacher might like a lot of colorful designs and quotes while the other doesn't do much decorating at all. Because both classrooms are used for math, they might have simliar elements such as numbers or formulas and be used for the same purpose, but they still look very different.

If someone asked me which space I preferred and why, I would probably answer that I prefer the Basilica. I like it because of the sense of communtiy and because of the intricate details. When I am able to worship with a large number of people, I feel as though I'm part of something bigger and that there are more people who share my beliefs. This sense of community is like a security blanket on which I know I can fall back upon. I also enjoy all of the depictions of different saints and biblical figures found at the Basilica. Sometimes I learn best by and relate to pictures and things I see, so all of the visuals in the Basilica allow me to do that. The pictures also spark my interest in learning more about the people and/or events depicted. While I like the sense of a large commmunity and intricate details found at the Basilica, I sometimes prefer the "isolation" (meaning a smaller community) and simplicity of New Melleray. Sometimes I just feel the need to be alone with God, which is sometimes hard to do in a big church. It seems more intimate when I'm in a smaller place. Along with being more intimate, when things are more simple, it is sometimes easier for me to be with God. There aren't as many distractions. I can focus on my intentions, prayers and listening to God. In other words, I usually prefer more detailed sacred spaces such as the Basilica, but there are instances where I prefer a more simple sacred space such as at New Melleray.

Pictures from the day, courtesy of Kay Paul