Here is the same blog with refined thoughts and sans grammar mistakes (thanks Cari)
Growing up in Canada, I believed (or rather was taught) that Canadians were amongst the most tolerant of people. Having been here in Darjeeling I can see that our efforts to be inclusive pale in comparison.
We visited St Joseph's school (I will have to blog about this wonderful place later) and I was amazed to find four different books of scripture at the entrance: verses from the Dhammapada (Buddhist scripture), The Bhagavad Gita (Indian scripture), The Quran, and The Bible. I don't know any Canadian school that would do this. I can see the protests already. They also celebrate all the major holidays of the region's most popular religions. Kids are exposed to all the different teachings, practices, rituals, with no emphasis of one over the other (despite it being technically a Catholic run school).
Father Creamer talked about how North America has made religion taboo. Something to be done behind close doors. You can choose your religion but don't do it in public, it might offend someone. Here in India religion is public, it's celebrated and revered. There are shrines everywhere, statues and paintings by sidewalks, pictures of Gods, people praying and wearing a tilaka (a red mark on their foreheads as a symbolizing the third eye associated with many Hindu Gods). Here in Darjeeling Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Tibetans, Christians and people of many other religions live together and live out their religion publicly. Wonderful.
Efforts in our Canadian society although well intentioned seem laughable now (IE changing the name of the Christmas tree to The Holiday Tree and hanging Menorahs off their branches). It's efforts like these that have secularized religion in the name of tolerance and isolate us from each other. Since we practice religion behind close doors, there is no chance to be exposed and learn from someone else's practice. There is no chance for dialogue. You can be different than me and pray to a different God just don't let me see it. I can't wait to keep learning more from India and its people.
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1 comment:
Eddsel
As always your blogs are very thought provoking. Your concerns about being too harsh or controversial are unnecessary as; far as I am concerned you are right on the money
My only criticism it your common error in your use of the apostrophe in it's at the end of the blog...it's is the contraction for it is, whereas its is belonging to it (the one you should have used).....but that's just the grade eight English teacher in me 8)
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