Did anyone see Survivor China last thursday?( I have to admit I really enjoy that show.) Well, it really affected me. It’s set in China where the landscapes are absolutely breathtaking! I, unfortunately, felt like an uneducated , ignorant American because I had no idea the beauty that country possessed. It was like nothing I’d ever seen before. I’m really glad that the show gave me a glimpse of a land so rich in color and tradition. Now, the reason I bring this up is because of the actions of one of the contestants in the show. Here’s the situation, all of the contestant were brought to an ancient Buddhist Temple and the were to participate in a welcoming ceremony where they would bow in the temple in front of a statue of Buddha. A NON religious ceremony. One of the contestants is very Christian, and refused to participate in the ceremony. I found it so frustrating and a perfect example of why I do not believe in Organized religion. She said it felt like she was bowing down to another god. It astounded me that she was that closed minded. To me, the sheer beauty of the location and the idea of a new experience in a culture that is so foreign to me would be thrilling and so exciting. I would EAT UP EVERY MOMENT! I’m not Buddhist, or Muslim, or Jewish, and now in my life I wouldn’t even consider myself Christian, but don’t you think that each religion has something very valid to say about spirituality? If you are secure with your faith, hearing other points of view should not be an issue . Right? I think her actions exemplify what’s wrong in Organized Religion: the closed mindedness that breeds war and negativity and bigotry. I know this is a HUGE statement to make, but I find it very sad that she couldn’t have thought about her god while being in a Buddhist temple. Your faith doesn’t leave you because you’re in a new location. Your faith doesn’t disappear when in the presence of an inanimate object. Your faith is just that, a system of thoughts repeated over and over until it is your primary method of action. I think the spiritual aspect of religion has been forgotten somehow. All of the spiritual books I’m reading quote passages from EVERY religion. Now I think of religion as a way to find the “truth” or the “source” or “god.” It’s like this image of a tire. All the spokes in the tires are different religions, and they are leading to the same center. When we think of religion in terms of that, it makes it so much easier to be open minded about the way others think and believe. Wow, I didn’t realize all that was inside me. Something to think about huh?

Felipe

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