Losing My Religion

 The more I travel, the more skeptical I become of organized religion. Everywhere I go, people seem convinced that they have found the one true faith and that competing beliefs are misguided or false. Yet from my perspective, every religion often appears no more or less credible than the others.

Of all the religions I have encountered, Hinduism strikes me as the most plausible. I am drawn to its belief that all living beings in the animal kingdom (and not just humans beings) are part of the spiritual journey and that growth continues across many lifetimes. The idea of reincarnation feels more just and compassionate to me than the concept of eternal damnation. If you make mistakes in this life, you are given another opportunity to learn, improve, and move closer to enlightenment rather than being condemned to hell for eternity.

My Bible Review

I am trying again.  I wrote a review a year ago.  It wasn't vulgar or foul.  It didn't make any comments about how ridiculous this book is. It was just my opinion of what I thought of the bible. I gave it a one star and it was there for about four days before I got a notice from Amazon that my review had received complaints and did not fit the norms of reviews. It was removed.  I was warned that if I violated the policy gain, I may not leave any more reviews on Amazon. So I guess my opinion really matters.

And, so I have posted a review again.  It is up there for teh world to read and so far, it's been a week and I haven't been heard of any complaints yet.

The Dali Llama Turns 65 Today

 The Dali Llama Turns 65 Today
Lhasa, Tibet
July 6, 1999


I landed in Lhasa on July 4th, two days before the Dali Llama's birthday and what would be the last day the Chinese government was allowing any westerners in to the country for the next few days.  On this day, we are followed by police. They make no effort to hide this fact. They want to make sure we do not bring any of our western celebration ideas to any of the Tibetans.  Our guide warns us to be extraordinary cautious today about mentioning the Dali Llama. I am so frightened that I want to tape my mouth shut for the day.

Fortunately, we are leaving Lhasa this morning and heading up to the mountains, away from the police and suspicions.  I am relieved to board our dirty bus and move on.

After a few hours on the road, the bus pulls off the road.  We are at the high point of the mountain and as is tradition in Tibet, this point is decorated in prayer flags. We stop to say a prayer.  I use this moment to relieve myself.  I leave the crowd and attempt to find a private spot.  And just as I think I found this spot, an old, Volkswagen Beetle car stops right in front of me.  The door swings open and half a dozen or more people pile out.  They are mostly Tibetans.  But there are two young American women with them.  These women are loud and brash, so Americans.  The Tibetans  respectfully stand in silence and pray.  The Americans, oblivious to the moment, take this opportunity to sing Happy Birthday to the Dali Llama. They sing loudly, off-key and without any regard to the surroundings or the political climate of the day.

We are all caught off-guard by this brashness.  I am angry with them.  They are bringing their egocentric American behaviors with them and they are jeopardizing the safety of their Tibetan friends and me.  I get away from them as quickly as possible.  The Tibetans get back in their car.  And the young women stand there alone, seeming so proud of their ugly brazenness.