Hindu, Buddhism & Islam

The ornate dome of a part of the Hindu temple.

Buddhist offerings of oranges and incense sticks burning in a gold brass pot. Two brass dragons are on both sides of the pot.

One of the Mosque's archways. You can see that the architecture is based upon symmetry...

Religions

The three areas we visited were all sacred places of worship for major religions. The three areas include a Hindu Temple, a Chinese Temple and an Islamic Mosque. Both Hinduism and Buddhism are polytheistic religions, filled with many deities and important characters to pray to. Whereas Islam is a monotheistic religion; as Muslim people believe in one God only and their name for him is: 'Allah'.

Where the mosque seemed so authentic and silent (as when we went in, nobody was there); the Chinese and Hindu temples where colorful and filled with life, as well as occasionally loud.

All of the places of worship were filled to the brim with symbolic objects or signs. The Chinese Temple was filled with symbols: for example, the big red step that symbolized that the bad spirits would be tripped up; keeping them out of the temple. Red and gold are lucky colors in Chinese culture. The dragon statues at the front; guard the temple and it's believed to be good luck to rub the dragon's head and the stone ball in the dragon's mouth. In the Hindu temple, there was a bindi dot that we wore. The bindi dot is said to absorb energy and strengthen concentration. It also is said to protect the wearer against demons and/or bad luck. The Islam Mosque has symbols as well. We saw a star and a crescent at the gateway. The star with 14 points symbolizes the 14 states of Malaysia and the crescent moon is the symbol of Islam.

The places of worship hold many values in common. One of these values is rituals. All three religions and many more religions practice rituals. In Islam, one of the rituals is that they cleanse themselves at specific times or on certain days, one of these times is before prayer. There was an eight point star fountain and many faucets which is where the Islamic people would cleanse themselves before entering the Masjid or Mosque. In Hinduism they performed a ritual in which they cleansed the statues of the deities in the temple. Sahi explained that they were cleansed with mixtures of milk and holy water. They also made offerings of fruit and flowers. At the Buddhist temple they performed offerings with smoky incense and oranges. They burned the incense sticks then put them in specific pots after offering up a prayer.

All 3 of the religions value afterlife. Both Hindu's and Buddhists believe in reincarnation. But the Buddhist rebirth system is slightly different. Though, they both reconnect with the concept of karma: where if you do good, the good will find it's way back to you, either in your present life, or in rebirth.

The architecture of the areas were very different. The Hindu temple's was ornate and flowery, there was a jumble of colors all over the place. There were many carved out pillars with designs painted all over them. There were about 4 different rooms in the temple where they put deity statues in. At the side was a large bell that a man was ringing. The Islamic Mosque we visited was built geometrically and was a very simple design that was very spacious. The Buddhist temple was a bit squishy but was filled with tables and plates of offerings, candles etc. There were brass pots to put our incense sticks in. There were red lanterns hanging from the ceiling, and characters engraved into the pillars. The interior was mostly red, but you could see some black and gold here and there.

I found the Hindu temple the most interesting. The Buddhist temple was interesting as well, as we could participate in it by buying incense, but I found that it had become a bit more commercial then necessary and was evolving to accommodate tourists. Proof of this is the 'fortune-telling' they offered, but at a certain price. Sonja told us later that fortune telling wasn't a Buddhist Temple tradition, it was a way to earn money. The mosque was an interesting area, what with all the symmetry you could see. Though I find the tastes were refined and there wasn't as much color. I think that the Hindu temple was the most interesting because of it's interesting rituals. We got to witness the ritual firsthand. They were adorned with flowers a wrap for the waist down and they kept their hair tied. They went from room to room to cleanse each one of the deity statues. Only the priests are allowed to handle the cleansing ritual. Sahi and Rhea told us that the ritual happens daily. I also think I found the loud music blaring through the temple interesting, because it wasn't something I was entirely used to. An instrument like a clarinet was playing rather loudly, drums were banged and the bell was ringing (all at the same time)! It was really different and that uniqueness made it all the more interesting for me.

Auschwitz

***What if the world still held thousands of camps like Auschwitz? What would that be like?
***A world without freedom is unthinkable, it's a world without opportunities and choices. A world we'd all like to avoid.
***When and Why did Hitler persecute the Jews?--They had no part in the Treaty of Versailles.
***Were followers intimidated by Hitler? Did they ever think of overthrowing him?
***Did Hitler plan to take over the world, or was his goal: Central Europe?
***In Hitler's haze of dictatorship, I think he lost sight of what his plan was. And that plan was to redeem Germany. The moment he took control, he killed and persecuted tons of people and even created a stereotypical German face, a race of people who in his eyes had superior genetics.
***How was the Nazi sign chosen?
***Where did Adolf Hitler meet Eva?

Opposites

Credits to the awesome Stream Field Trip!

My Identity

Defending Your Beliefs

Statement:

If you disagree with a rule, law, or public policy, it is better to remain silent than to speak out and risk punishment.

All over the world, the authority sets down the laws. As people under the authority's power, we're meant to obey. Yet, we tend to wonder if the authority is always right when they set down those laws. There are instances where the government is corrupt or biased and the laws set down are unjust and affect the lives of many.

If everyone were to remain silent and have their voices stifled by fear of punishment, what kind of place would that be? Everyone should have the right to voice their concerns or complaints to the government and face punishment with their heads up. It takes a lot of bravery to stand up to those who oppress you, both physically and emotionally, but in the end it would be worth it, because you know you didn't act cowardly, but fought valiantly for what you believed in.

Many people speak out against what they think is wrong (e.g. Aung San Suu Kyi, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King etc.); these people usually end up in prison or shot. But there isn't an entirely fair reason behind killing/imprisoning those who voice opinions. We all have different opinions, and though the authority might not agree completely with the people's opinion; it's the authority's job to consider the opinions, instead of putting them in jail, or executing them for not agreeing with what the authority thinks. Sadly, this is not considered by all governments or authorities.

We should all have the guts; and it should be acceptable to say what we believe in, and be proud of it. There are others like you, who will agree with what you have to say. You have the power to inspire those people with your words or opinion to make a difference and say what they think is right.

This is why I strongly disagree with the fact that "it's somehow better to remain silent than to speak out and risk punishment". In the end you'll know and feel deep inside your heart a nagging guilt and feeling of betrayal asking you why you didn't defend what you believed in.

Define a "good" Life...

In my perspective I find that a good life is one where you incorporate core values that are important to you: e.g. Charity, Empathy, Respect etc. follow your core values as well as following your dreams. It's by doing this that you can live your life the best possible.

When you live a good life you're not only empathetic but charitable. Empathy is when you can put yourself in the other person’s shoes. That's very important but it isn't quite enough. I mean, sure you understand how he/she feels, but it doesn't mean you're making a difference about it. When you're charitable you are able to give to those in need, as well as understanding how they feel in their current position. Being charitable doesn't mean giving up everything you have; people don't actually expect that much from you. You just have to give what you can.

An example of a person with this empathetic and charitable trait is Mother Teresa. She followed her dreams and is now a well-known nun who for over 45 years helped the poor, sick, orphaned, and dying, while guiding the Missionaries of Charity's expansion. Mother Teresa was charitable and gave up her life to help others in India and later on around the world. She made a difference by following her dreams.

A person close to me (i.e. MY MOM) once said: "A good life is a life lived to the fullest." When you live your life to the fullest, you follow your dreams and you don't look back, so there are no regrets. Just going forward, and making what you can of your life today. You make the most of your life by doing what you want to do with your life.

Meet Auden Penelope West!

The protagonist in my case is named Auden. The book is written in her perspective.

In physical description she’s:

• "She had black hair and fair skin. Taller than you, but kind of bony." Page 53
• Her coal black hair is long and inherited from her mother. -'tall and curvy with very long jet-black hair....' p3 (description of her mother)

Before being introduced to the different life of Colby, she had a very different personality, which changed over time.

Her personality in the beginning of the book was:

Anti-Social-p16 0-"I mean, I did all the academic stuff. But I never had that many friends. So there's a lot I don't know."

"I guess" I said, "that I missed a lot in high school. Like, socially."- Page 159

Missed out on a lot of things, different lifestyle-

'There was not a lot of time for playing or toys, although I never wanted for books, which were always in ample supply. Because of this upbringing, I had kind of a hard time relating to other kids my age. I didn't understand their craziness, the rambunctious way they tossed around couch cushions, say, or rode their bikes wildly around culs-de-sac.' Page 8

"I guess" I said, "that I missed a lot in high school. Like, socially."- Page 159

Over Achiever-p7 to p8—‘obsessive about school and grades…the one thing that got my parents attention’ ‘succeeding was a habit too ingrained to break’ ‘school was my solace, and studying let me escape, allowing me to live a thousand vicarious lives.-p9

Hypocritical—p17- “Since I couldn’t say what I really felt, which was that you had to be a pretty serious narcissist to give a picture as a gift, I told her, “It’s beautiful.”

And in many ways, just like her mother, though this is a temporary phase until she finds herself.

Never-changing Qualities:

Insomniac—p5—“The insomnia started when my parents’ marriage began to fall apart three years earlier.” –p10-‘Ray’s Diner’ ‘...pulled in, went inside, and ordered a cup of coffee and some apple pie. I stayed until sunrise.’ ‘Became a regular’.

Book Smart-page 159- "I'm book-smart," I said. "Not street-smart."

Mature—“Auden’s very mature for her age.” –p8

Believes in change for the better- p14- “Well, that was a long time ago. Maybe he’s changed.” “You never know, Maybe Hollis has changed and they’ll get engaged.”- p20

• Defensive about people that she cares about- "I'm just saying," I said. "Heidi's not what she appears."

Auden’s Good Qualities are that she's sympathetic and caring.

Examples of this:

On pages 70- 76, Auden offers and receives a job in managing her step-mothers checkbooks for her store: 'Clementine's'.

She offers and usually babysits and takes care of her stepsister Thisbe. An example is on Page 63 when her Dad struggles with the new baby Thisbe. 'Thisbe woke up and started fussing...it began to escalate. By the time the hostess arrived and began to grab menus for us, she was pretty much screaming. "I'll take her," 'I said, grabbing the stroller from him and backing it up to the door.'

Auden is a complex character but through different problems, each solution usually makes her a better person. Her life is changing, and she is finding herself in it all. Its interesting to figure out Auden and see how she functions and all the personalities she posseses are different and can be very amusing. Its through these that Sarah Dessen keeps us-(well me); reading the book.

Eli and Auden's Journey

'Together they embark on a quest: for Auden, to experience the carefree teenage life she's been denied. For Eli, to put a tragic episode behind him. Combine two lonely people with a charming beach town and an endless supply of long summer nights, and just about anything can happen.'

:Excerpted from the blurb:

This excerpt from the blurb is the one I think best describes the journey that occurs in this book. Partly as the blurb has always done a magnificent job of providing short summaries of the book, and in this particular case: their quest or journey. Now, to break it down piece by piece, to put the meaning of it all together.

Auden, the first protagonist in this story is a teenage girl, with a rather unfortunate name. She was named after her Fathers favorite poet: W.H Auden. The story is written in her voice. Her background: her parents divorced after having two kids; Auden and her older brother Hollis (named after Detram Hollis, her father's favorite professor). Hollis was a tricky child and described as "colicky", so he got the chance to enjoy his wild, typical life. Once Auden was born, she didn't get to enjoy the typical teenage life. She was responsible for her age, and not very social, which then made her parents deny her a proper life. During the divorce she developed a slight case of insomnia. They had let Hollis have his wild life, and were very tired of that, so took that away from Auden. So now that you properly understand Auden and why and how she was denied that type of teenage life, we can move on.

Now Eli, in inaccurate terms could be described as Auden's complete opposite. As well as a very compatible match for Auden. He has a rather normal name and had a proper childhood. With the works: a functional mom and dad relationship, lots of friends, he was a professional bike rider, had a best friend named Abe and a typical teenage life. He had other brothers and sisters who were treated the same way. In fact, Eli thought that he had had TOO much fun in his life. Though at some point in his life he and Abe were involved in a mind blowing accident. Eli was driving them home after a bike tournament and they were hit by a drunk driver. It was a drastic turn of events, as Abe died, and Eli survived. A year later and Eli still harbored the pain in him.

They meet in Colby when Auden goes to visit her dad, his new wife Heidi and their new baby Thisbe. Eli takes her around town in the night, as he is as well a fellow insomniac. This might of developed after the accident. They spend their time introducing Auden to all of the things and events she never got to experience. For example, bowling and going to clubs. She also manages to find herself, who isn't as similar to her Mom as she thought. During this time, Eli starts to patch up the hurt from the dramatic events that had happened. They embark together on their quests, which coincidentally become one journey leading to: who knows where?

Along for the Ride is a suitable title for the book as they are literally going for rides in car that lead to many teenage experiences. Metaphorically they are just going along, gut for gut and trying to stick it out, as their destiny unfolds. Leading them to each other, and creating new self images for both of them.

So we fully understand the passage, it's hidden and clear meanings, as well as the character backgrounds. Now for the importance of this passage, as well as an explanation. This passage is important description of the journey as it lets the reader into Eli and Auden's magical world. Aiding the reader in the comprehension of the importance of the Eli, Auden relationship and their quests/journeys. From this Blurb you'd be able to sum up if this is the type of book you'd like to read and clue you in on the genre and plot. In my case, it just happened to fall into my favorite category of books and had a lot to do with quests and or journeys! Coincidence? I think not! That's just another journey, I'll have to follow with...

*CINDY*

My Journey Book

My Journey Book is:

* Along for the Ride *
by:

~ Sarah Dessen ~

Credits to:
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/d/sarah-dessen/along-for-ride.htm