Personal Commemoration- Reflection #7

Personal Commemoration- Reflection #7

The event that i chose for my personal commemoration is my High-school Graduation. To me that is one of the biggest milestones in my life. It also signifies freedom and independence but at a same time I am given a great responsibility. The commemoration will take place every 4 years at Seoul Foreign School. All alumni will be required to wear a graduation cap and all together they will throw them up in the air. After that takes place the alumni will proceed to give they're parents hugs because our parents show us unconditional love and support. Then we proceed to the eating where there is a massive buffet with Western and Korean Food. (preferably not J&J) And also there will be a barbecue on the side and all the root beer that anyone could ask for. If people want to they may play sports after they are finished eating. Such as swimming, basketball, tennis, volleyball, or soccer. Of course we will be allowed to use the SFS facilities. (:
At midnight everyone will shout THANK YOU and all go home.

My Greek myth was the story of Damon and Pythias. In our skit I played a harpy which is what we chose to be one of the 4 obstacles that Pythias had to overcome. Damon and Pythias are two extremely loyal friends. In the town that they live there is a tyrant named Dionysius. Dionysius accused Pythias of plotting to kill him and sentenced Pythias to death. Pythias accepted this sentence, however, he requested that he return home one last time in order to settle his affairs. In order to leave Pythias left Damon as Dionysius' hostage. If Pythias did not return in time for his execution Damon would be killed in his place. On his way back Pythias encounters obstacles but he overcomes them and arrives at the last minute to save Damon. After seeing this Dionysius was so moved by their loyalty that he freed both of them and they became friends. The moral of this story is that loyalty and trust are what make a good friendship and it can bring about good results. The life mystery about trust and loyalty is that it is something where we must lay ourselves on the line for our friends. For example Damon put his life on the line for Pythias' sake. To the Greeks the values of friendship, trust, and loyalty are extremely important because it deals with the relationship that they have with other humans. In their relationship with the gods it is one sided so this myth touches on the aspect of human relationships.

Modern Religious Experience: Reflection #5: Bongwonsa Temple and Nature Walk

Modern Religious Experience: Reflection #5: Bongwonsa Temple and Nature Walk: "After visiting the Zen Buddhist Temple, Bongwonsa and attempting to see nature as a Taoist, answer this question: What is it about creation,..."

I believe that people seek out religion because of the things in life that we cannot explain. Nature and life is so extraordinary and intricate. I personally cannot accept the fact that we human beings and nature could have been created from something as simple as a Big Bang. Only a God with love and complexity would be able to create life. Also for example in Hinduism karma and reincarnation help answer the unexplainable. The question of what happens after death. Many religions help answer that questions. For Christians it is Heaven and Hell. For Buddhists it is also reincarnation.

Nature itself is a key foundation in Taoism. Taoists believe that we should not obstruct nature but that we should harmoniously flow with nature without disturbing it. Back then they didn’t have the technology that we have today. They spent most of their time experiencing nature. Through that experience that believed that in order to fully understand life they must achieve enlightenment, by immersing themselves in nature the came to the understanding of life and the significance of nature.

As I sat down to begin my meditation I sat down on the floor with my back against the wall. I began to breath in with my nose and breath out with my mouth. While thinking breathe in the blessings and breath out the blessings. At first I began to think of things in my life that were in the near future. Like the homework in needed to do. The volleyball game on Saturday. What my mom was making for dinner. Then my mind started to wander on to things further ahead. Like college apps. APAC. Basketball season. And then I started thinking about college and how I'll be graduating in a couple months. When I finished I felt relaxed and calm.

Reflection #3 - Gandhi: Hindu and Activist

Gandhi's idea of Hinduism was of a religion where all were accepted and united. Gandhis strong sense of unity can be seen in the movie when he chooses not to put of a flag when India and Pakistan split up. Because he was unable to gain Indias indepencence in unity he veiwed it as one of the biggest failures in his life. Also the sense of acceptence of others as well as other religions is seen throughout the movie. He fasts for numerous days in order to stop the fighting between the Muslims and the Hindus so that they would accept each other. Also he tells a riot in front of his house that he is a Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and Hindu. This shows that he is accepting of other religions and believes if everyone accepts each other they may be united.

“A man who was completely innocent, offered himself as a sacrifice for the good of others, including his enemies, and became the ransom of the world. It was a perfect act.” This quote exemplifies how Gandhi lived out his faith. Gandhi conducts countless acts that can be considered "perfect acts". For example he fasts despite his old and and poor constitution in order to stop the fighting between the Muslims and Hindus. He also only wears a tunic that is homespun so that he may be humbled and also to boycott British goods. This is how Gandhi lived out his life. Selflessly.

My father cut down the big ol' pine tree
So that all would be able to see
The pride of our people
For as long as the pole would stand

We requested different animals
All with their own meanings
Some good others bad
But ring true to the familys will

Some animals represent revenge
Some represent strong will
Some represent wisdom
While other represent loyalty and so on and so forth

These will be passed on
Generation to generation
to know their family's history

Modern Religious Experience: Reflection Question #1

Modern Religious Experience: Reflection Question #1: "According to Mircea Eliade religion has 'not vanished without a trace; [it] has contributed toward making us what we are today and so, after..."

Religion has played a role in my personal history since the day I was born. My dad was a pastor at a large Christian Korean church in California. So I spent most of my childhood days going to church with my parents and going to Sunday school on Sundays and VBS during the summer. When I turned 4 my dad got the calling to become a missionary and decided that our family would move to Russia. So I spent 7 years of my life in Russia. After that our family moved to Korea and my parents have been training people and sending them out to the Middle East.

As you can see Religion has played a huge role in my life and I grew up accepting everything about Christianity. I didn’t question it because that’s what I had been raised up in a church society and I just accepted it as fact. However after I moved to Korea I questioned a lot of things and I realized that I only knew a superficial level of Christianity. I realized at a certain point in my life I had stopped making progress in my faith. I barely knew any scripture that would back up the things that I believed in. And to this day I am seeking to further my relationship with Christ.