I attended an Institute class tonight called "The Gospel and World Religions". For those foreign to "Institute", it is not a place where they lock up little Mormon girls gone bad, but a program in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for young adults who want to know more about the gospel of Jesus Christ and doctrines of the church. Anyway, I have taken the class before, but I remember having greatly enjoyed it and so I decided to take it again for kicks and giggles. And I'm really glad I did.
Ok, so just know this about me: though I am very devoted in my own faith, I have always been interested in other religions. I find that studying other religions helps me to appreciate mine even more, as well as appreciate my friends' beliefs without casting judgement. I shun ignorance and believe that it is the root of hatred- thus, I like to ask questions to understand the beliefs and motives of others.
I believe that every religion has a certain amount of truth in it. Truth, pure and simple- not according to our view, but God's. The thing about humans, especially in Western society, is that we tend to always think that OUR way is right, and that people on the other side of the world are backward in some way. But it's just not true! There is a lot to be learned from eastern philosophies. I read a quote in my class tonight that I wanted to share that illustrates the difference between Western and Eastern cultures. (It is from the point of view of an Indian man, so keep in mind that may appear a little biased. When he says "you", he means Westerners; by "we" he means Easterners.)
Observations by Hari Dam, student from India at the University of Minnesota:
"You live in time; we live in space. You’re always on the move; we’re always at rest.
You’re aggressive; we’re passive. You like to act; we like to contemplate.
We always hark back to the past; you always look forward to the future. We pine for the lost paradise; you wait for the millennium.
We accept the world as it is; you try to change it according to your blueprint. We live in peace with Nature; you try to impose your will on her.
Religion is our first love; we revel in metaphysics. Science is your passion; you delight in physics.
You believe in freedom of speech; you strive for [expression]. We believe in freedom of silence; we lapse into meditation.
You first love, then you marry. We first marry, then we love. Your marriage is the happy end of romance; our marriage is the beginning of a love affair. Your marriage is a contract; our marriage is an indissoluble bond.
Your love is vocal; our love is mute. You delight in showing it to others; we try hard to conceal it from the world.
Self-assertiveness is the key to your success; [self-denial] is the secret of our survival.
You’re urged every day to want more and more; we’re taught from the cradle to want less and less. [Joy of living] is your ideal; conquest of desires is our goal.
We glorify austerity and renunciation; you emphasize gracious living and enjoyment. Poverty to you is a sign of degradation; it is to us a badge of spiritual elevation.
In the sunset years of life, you retire to enjoy the fruits of your labor; we renounce the world and prepare ourselves for the hereafter."
Ok, now don't think that I hate Western civilization, because I don't. In fact, I love it and I am grateful that I live in the culture I do because there is so much good. But just think about this for a moment. Did you see any traces of yourself in his remarks? Maybe you were struck by an observation he made about your culture that you have never thought about before. Is there anything you would like to change in your life, or in yourself, based on what he has said? I personally found this quote to be beautifully poignant, and felt that I should pass it along. Why is it that we are always swept up in our busyness? When will we learn to slow down?
Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency of the LDS Church, stated in his talk entitled "Of Regrets and Resolutions" (Visit http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/10/of-regrets-and-resolutions?lang=eng to read the whole talk.),
"Isn’t it true that we often get so busy? And, sad to say, we even wear our busyness as a badge of honor, as though being busy, by itself, was an accomplishment or sign of a superior life.
Is it?
I think of our Lord and Exemplar, Jesus Christ, and His short life among the people of Galilee and Jerusalem. I have tried to imagine Him bustling between meetings or multitasking to get a list of urgent things accomplished.
I can’t see it."
Seriously, folks, it's time to reevaluate. Having desires and hopes and goals for the future is definitely important, and I myself look forward to the future with great anticipation, but I think we need to remember the past as well. After all, we would not be who we are today without it. And the world would not be what it is today- a beautiful, big, interesting place- without the difference of opinion and the balance of beliefs. My new challenge is to try to integrate more of Eastern philosophy for life into my own life, to give myself more of a balance.
Namaste!
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