Community

I've been trying to put my finger on why I'm so drawn to Hinduism surely the bright colors and the outfits have something to do with it but I think it also has to do with this:

It feels like community is so strong. You never see a group of Christians doing this in the middle of town. Sure in Christianity your church creates it's own community. But it's like a gated community that has quiet hours and calls you to tell you to mow your lawn. For the Hindus the whole town gets together to celebrate their gods. 

I feel like the fact that Hinduism has so many gods and people can choose who they connect the most with also helps. There isn't one way, one god. 

Also. There is no separation between church and state where most Hinduism is practiced. Huge religious rituals would never happen in the middle of Westlake. I read part of a book that claims Hinduism in some ways is not a religion, but more a way of life. A system of beliefs. It's so engrained in society that most everyone simply believes without question. Now countries that believe in Hinduism are far from perfect. The caste system is practically inescapable. But I would like to see those religious rituals. To be taken up by the crowd in a passion. It used to happen for Christianity in the Middle Ages. I wonder if we all could someday get together and celebrate everyone's god and everyone's faith. 

But here I am talking about community and whenever I have a chance to be a part of a church community I try to get out of it in anyway possible. Whenever I go back home I'm forced to go to this church that cost 25 million dollars to build. Money that the church community raised. But, why? How many starving children could that money have fed?  Do we really need an atrium and a coffee shop to worship God? Every time I go there I feel farther away from God. 

My thoughts are a little jumbled in this post. They were much clearer when I was discussing this with my boyfriend. But that's just how it goes right? 

This week I emailed the Hindu Organization at UW. Wrote a bit. Annotated most of my sources that I've used so far. And read a chapter in The Feast of Fools. I researched ways of preparing to die and looked at several hospice websites. I got a little scared so I listened to this song.

Next week I hope to: Call the Hindu Temple. Write a bit more. Interview Michael Blalock and Matt Aguayo. Read more in The Feast of Fools. And I know I should be more specific and not just put 'research' but following where this research takes me is working out pretty well for me. How about I say that I shift my focus away from Hinduism and on to Islam and Judaism (except for the possible interview and my occasional whirlwinds of passion). Deal? Deal.

I'm curious if community is necessary for worship. Are there any religions that focus more on the self than the group?

Satanism is obvious. But I wonder if there are others. 

My new mantra:

All shall

be well,

and all shall

be well,

and all manner

of thing

shall be well.

-   Dame Julian of Norwich - 
- 14th Century Mystic –