I grew up in a small Midwestern town where the question was, “Which church do you go to?” rather than, “Are you religious? If so, which religion do you follow? Tell me more about what it means to you.” Christianity showed up in the many churches around the town, the Christmas decorations, and the music played in stores and restaurants. Other religions showed up in textbooks and classes. To be clear, I appreciate anyone being open about their faith, so long as they are not judgmental. Recently, I’ve noticed and appreciated actually seeing diverse religions in practice.
On my morning walk, I noticed a wooden structure the size of a large garden shed had been constructed on the front yard of a house. There were lights and foliage on the roof, but it was clearly a temporary building. Fortunately, there was also a sign that explained that the structure is a sukkah, which is a temporary dwelling for the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. The sukkah represents the tents that the Israelites lived in during the 40 years they spent wandering the desert after they were freed from Egypt. (Further reading: What is a Sukkah?) I only learned about Sukkot because I saw the sukkah, and the Jewish Student Center was kind enough to educate the public with their sign.
On a different walk (this time in the afternoon), I saw a man bent over on the sidewalk, not moving. I was initially concerned, and as I got closer, I realized that he was praying quietly in Arabic. I vaguely remembered learning that Muslims pray five times a day at certain times. Upon a bit of further research, I learned that Salat is the five prayers each day that Muslims honor as the second pillar of Islam. (Further reading: Salat – Daily Prayers)
On a personal note, I’ve attended a small church that doesn’t have its own building. Due to concerns about covid-19, the church cannot use the school space they previously used. So, each Sunday, the church conducts its worship and sermon in a public park. All are welcome to join, and sometimes passersby will join the session or even just pause and listen to the music for a few minutes. I love that this arrangement invites people to see and join in if they wish.
Learning about other religions in class is important. But seeing them in practice can ignite more curiosity and open-mindedness. I want to live in a place where I can see and appreciate diversity of religion and beliefs.
Daily Learnings 