As we extend our stomachs past another Thanksgiving, it's always interesting to ponder what Thanksgiving is really all about. Are we truly thankful? And who are we thankful to?
Most of you know I have the prestigious job of a substitute teacher and I was working Wednesday in a very cute third grade class. We went to the school library that day and I noticed some books on other religions that caught my attention. I have been looking at other religions and their beliefs so I thought this would be a good time to do a little research.
As I read about two of the most famous religions, I wondered who they would thank for all their blessings? I'll give you a short synopsis of their beliefs and we'll find the answer to that question.
If you are a Hindu, then you belong to the one of the oldest religions in the world. There is really no founder known for this religion and there is no sacred book they embrace like the Bible. There are about 700 million Hindus and you have to be born a Hindu to be one--there are no conversions to Hinduism! So you don't have to worry about any proselytizing Hindus knocking on your door.
Saying prayers and visiting the temple is not necessary but many do it. They believe when you die, your soul lives on and is reborn into another body--humans or animals. And how you live effects how you'll be reborn-- Karma. (I bet you have heard that word before.)
Their ultimate aim is to gain salvation and break free of the cycle. Cows are highly regarded and considered sacred. I'm not sure if that is the ultimate "reborn" experience, but if it is, I'm glad I wasn't born a Hindu!
Their supreme spirit is brahman and they believe he was the creator of the universe. There are quite a few more gods and goddesses but there are only 3 main ones. The reason they have the red dot on their foreheads is because that represents a blessing from whatever god they were praying to at the temple or at a roadside shrine.
They use yoga and meditation in search of enlightenment and often repeat a mantra to achieve that place. When they die, they cremate the body and if possible, scatter the ashes in the River Ganges which is considered sacred to them.
So based on this synopsis of Hinduism, I would say that when they have "Thanksgiving", they thank brahman or one of the many other gods they have. And, they have quite a choice!
Now if you're a Buddhist, then you would be thankful to Prince Siddhartha Gautama who, in the early 600's BC, noticed that not everyone lived like he did-- in a palace. I have to say that I like this guy. He seemed to really care about the poor.
He left his wealth at age 29 and became as a poor person seeking the answer to life's suffering. Finally after 49 days of fasting and praying under a tree, he gained enlightenment. The word buddha means "enlightened one" and that's what he felt he attained. He went about preaching his message--the reason people are unhappy is because they are never content with what they have! He had a good point, I think!
Buddhists believe that gaining enlightenment is like waking up from a deep sleep and seeing things as they really are. They achieve this state through saying prayers and reciting passages from the sacred books. They often meditate in groups and try to rid their minds of any thoughts. They do this by chanting a simple verse called a mantra. They are taught to follow the "middle path" between extremes of luxury and hardship. They are peaceful and do not believe in any type of violence
The buddha died at age 80 and then entered what they believe to be heaven--nirvana--a state of perfect bliss and happiness. An interesting "side" note is that he died laying on his side!
Another interesting note about Buddha was that he did not want to be worshipped as a god nor did he claim he was the only path. His teachings were simply guides.Buddhists believe there are other buddhas besides Prince Siddhartha.
His followers are sent out to spread his teaching, called the dharma. So, in their case, you might have to worry about a buddhist knocking on your door! There are more than 400 million Buddhists in the world. They are the fourth largest religion behind Christianity, Muslims and Hindus. They are actually a branch of Hinduism.
What is my point in telling you about these two religions? Other than wondering who they would thank at Thanksgiving, I also believe that to look for truth, you must look at every belief that suggests they have found it! These two religions believe they have found truth.
So how do we know if they have found it? Well, in the first place, if Hindus have found the truth, we're out of luck since you have to be born a Hindu to be one! This is not a very gracious religion, in my opinion!
They also treat some people as untouchables; another form of exclusion which doesn't ring TRUE to me! Truth holds all people as equal! And the cow thing is a little hard to "swallow" in my opinion!
I'm sure Hindus have found some truths along the way, but as a whole, they are not founded on THE TRUTH! It doesn't really matter anyway, since we can't be one!
AS far as Buddhists go, they have discovered some great truths. Truly Prince Siddhartha was a kind man who wanted to find an answer to life's suffering and pain. He gave up a royal position to identify with the common man (much like Moses did in Egypt).
He did find some answers that I would certainly categorize as truths. But is the religion itself built on truth? Perhaps in many ways it is. I do believe we should strive for peace and violence is wrong. And I think he found truth when he said that the reason for much of our unhappiness is because we are not content with what we have.
Probably every religion or belief system is based on several, if not many, truths.
So could this religion be based on the Truth? The buddha, himself, said that he did not want to be worshipped and that his teachings were only guides. And these same principles can be found in the Bible and in other religions.
The buddha was a man who said he was not a god. But that has not stopped many of his followers from worshiping him. He should not be worshipped if he is a man. People are not worthy of worship. If he is looked at as a guide, then he has some good things to say.
We will explore this more in my next column which will also include the Muslim faith.
Hope you enjoy the holidays!
carolrtexas2@aol.com
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Nightmare on Pennsylvania Avenue
I wanted to share with you an article I wrote about the state of the Conservative Party now:
Wednesday morning, November 5th, I was jolted awake but it wasn't by my alarm. No, on this morning, it was Obama that gave me the jolt!!! I have awakened to the reality that Barack Hussein Obama is going to be our new President. It is a Conservative's worst nightmare! The most liberal Senator in Congress has now become the President-elect of the United States!
All of the conservatives knew it was coming but we still held out hope for a man who had weathered far worse odds . The Country respected McCain and over 57 million Americans voted for him. But that was not enough. When the votes were tallied, more than 65 million people voted for "that other guy."
The majority of America wanted something that McCain's campaign did not address. Their ideas did little to resonate with many voters. It did succeed in giving Saturday Night Live some excellent material, though.
The Conservative Party is in shock right now. They are in denial. They have just been dealt a death blow. There is no raucous partying in the park for their candidate. There is no anticipation of what can be accomplished in the coming year. There is only defeat.
Right now, for the most part, we are dead in the water. We have no leader. We have no hope. We have no clear vision of where to go now. We have retreated into our cabins for a long cold winter. We are not wanted by most of the American people.
The Conservatives need some time to mourn and then they must regroup. To survive, they must process the “Obama wake up call” and find a way to fit into this new society. America wants “change”. And I am sure that is what they will get.
The Conservatives have been asked to leave so Obama can come in and save America. A young Senator from Illinois, with virtually little experience and few accomplishments, has to deal with two wars and one of the greatest economic crises America has ever faced. A crisis, I might add, that originated in the Johnson Administration when they began the relaxation of mortgage commitments. The situation became considerably worse under Carter.
And, during the Clinton Administration, the radical group, ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now), became another indirect contributor to our woes by putting pressure on banks to make available more funds for mortgage purchases.
President Bush tried to warn the Congress for many years before this impending crisis occurred but they ignored his warnings. Some Congressmen even said there was no reason for concern.
Even so, The President has taken the rap for this crisis and McCain suffered the repercussions since he was constantly linked to Bush. From what I can see, President Bush didn't have much to do with this economic meltdown other than being the reigning President when it happened.
But no one seems to care who is really responsible anymore. They just want Obama to fix it. He will, no doubt, ask for help from some of the very ones in Congress who have contributed to our plight. This plight is the issue Obama has promised to address first. And I'm sure that is what America hoped to hear at his first news conference. What will be his plan?
The question was asked and his response was not what people wanted to hear. He still has not chosen a Secretary of the Treasury. He stressed the need for deliberation before haste but haste is what we need when our economy is going down the toilet. If he was going to have a press conference to calm our fears, why didn't he have this person in place?
The press gave him an out and asked about the puppy. The tension went out of Obama at this question. It seems the Country is preoccupied about the dog. Dogs are man's best friend and I have a feeling Obama is going to need one as these four years progress.
One of my fellow conservatives noticed he seemed nervous. That is understandable when faced with a room full of press asking tough questions and no teleprompter to boot! But his nervousness was endearing to my friend. She felt it showed humility. Or was it fear?
Conservatives are looking for ways to feel good about Obama. One of my most conservative friends is coping by trying to focus on Obama's beautiful family and how they will fare in the White House.
My son is a staunch Republican, which makes him a minority in his high school. He was disappointed that his peers were more concerned about McCain's connection to Bush than they were about Obama's to known terrorists.
Many of my conservative friends are nervous. They knew what they were getting with McCain. They knew he would protect the issues Conservatives have worked so hard to achieve. like pro-family and pro-life legislation. They do not know if these victories will survive under Obama. They just don't know what to expect.
But Conservatives realize that this is still America even though change is in the air. We must have hope that it will all work out in the end. And like my good friend, Joe the pastor, says, "People are putting their hope in the wrong place. In the big scheme of things, there is only one hope for these troubled times. It's the same hope that brought our forefathers to this Country in the first place."
My friends, Joe is right. Even though this candidate was not our personal choice, the Office of the President is one that demands respect by the people of this Country. Our prayers should always be offered up for the one who sits in that Oval Office for he has the hardest job in the world. May God bless America!
carolrtexas2@aol.com
Wednesday morning, November 5th, I was jolted awake but it wasn't by my alarm. No, on this morning, it was Obama that gave me the jolt!!! I have awakened to the reality that Barack Hussein Obama is going to be our new President. It is a Conservative's worst nightmare! The most liberal Senator in Congress has now become the President-elect of the United States!
All of the conservatives knew it was coming but we still held out hope for a man who had weathered far worse odds . The Country respected McCain and over 57 million Americans voted for him. But that was not enough. When the votes were tallied, more than 65 million people voted for "that other guy."
The majority of America wanted something that McCain's campaign did not address. Their ideas did little to resonate with many voters. It did succeed in giving Saturday Night Live some excellent material, though.
The Conservative Party is in shock right now. They are in denial. They have just been dealt a death blow. There is no raucous partying in the park for their candidate. There is no anticipation of what can be accomplished in the coming year. There is only defeat.
Right now, for the most part, we are dead in the water. We have no leader. We have no hope. We have no clear vision of where to go now. We have retreated into our cabins for a long cold winter. We are not wanted by most of the American people.
The Conservatives need some time to mourn and then they must regroup. To survive, they must process the “Obama wake up call” and find a way to fit into this new society. America wants “change”. And I am sure that is what they will get.
The Conservatives have been asked to leave so Obama can come in and save America. A young Senator from Illinois, with virtually little experience and few accomplishments, has to deal with two wars and one of the greatest economic crises America has ever faced. A crisis, I might add, that originated in the Johnson Administration when they began the relaxation of mortgage commitments. The situation became considerably worse under Carter.
And, during the Clinton Administration, the radical group, ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now), became another indirect contributor to our woes by putting pressure on banks to make available more funds for mortgage purchases.
President Bush tried to warn the Congress for many years before this impending crisis occurred but they ignored his warnings. Some Congressmen even said there was no reason for concern.
Even so, The President has taken the rap for this crisis and McCain suffered the repercussions since he was constantly linked to Bush. From what I can see, President Bush didn't have much to do with this economic meltdown other than being the reigning President when it happened.
But no one seems to care who is really responsible anymore. They just want Obama to fix it. He will, no doubt, ask for help from some of the very ones in Congress who have contributed to our plight. This plight is the issue Obama has promised to address first. And I'm sure that is what America hoped to hear at his first news conference. What will be his plan?
The question was asked and his response was not what people wanted to hear. He still has not chosen a Secretary of the Treasury. He stressed the need for deliberation before haste but haste is what we need when our economy is going down the toilet. If he was going to have a press conference to calm our fears, why didn't he have this person in place?
The press gave him an out and asked about the puppy. The tension went out of Obama at this question. It seems the Country is preoccupied about the dog. Dogs are man's best friend and I have a feeling Obama is going to need one as these four years progress.
One of my fellow conservatives noticed he seemed nervous. That is understandable when faced with a room full of press asking tough questions and no teleprompter to boot! But his nervousness was endearing to my friend. She felt it showed humility. Or was it fear?
Conservatives are looking for ways to feel good about Obama. One of my most conservative friends is coping by trying to focus on Obama's beautiful family and how they will fare in the White House.
My son is a staunch Republican, which makes him a minority in his high school. He was disappointed that his peers were more concerned about McCain's connection to Bush than they were about Obama's to known terrorists.
Many of my conservative friends are nervous. They knew what they were getting with McCain. They knew he would protect the issues Conservatives have worked so hard to achieve. like pro-family and pro-life legislation. They do not know if these victories will survive under Obama. They just don't know what to expect.
But Conservatives realize that this is still America even though change is in the air. We must have hope that it will all work out in the end. And like my good friend, Joe the pastor, says, "People are putting their hope in the wrong place. In the big scheme of things, there is only one hope for these troubled times. It's the same hope that brought our forefathers to this Country in the first place."
My friends, Joe is right. Even though this candidate was not our personal choice, the Office of the President is one that demands respect by the people of this Country. Our prayers should always be offered up for the one who sits in that Oval Office for he has the hardest job in the world. May God bless America!
carolrtexas2@aol.com
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