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.