For my final project I've decided to analyze various symbols in the Jewish faith to try and understand their meanings and how it explains the underlying ideals of the Jewish religion.  The symbols i've chosen are: The Star of David, a Menorah, the colors of the flag as well as the Jewish flag, a Mezuzah, and the Hand of Fatima.

This first picture is of the Star of David, or the "Magen David" means "Shield of David".  It is named after King David who, according the the Hebrew Bible, was the second the king of the united kingdom of Israel.  Interestingly, King David is also mentioned often in the Christian faith.  

The shape of the Magen David is very popular amongst other, earlier cultures because of its geometric symmetry.  This emblem, however, wasn't used by the Jews until 6th century BC.

Some theories suggest that the upwards pointing triangle represents male sexuality, and the downwards pointing triangle represents female sexuality, therefore representing harmony.  Another theory suggests that the two triangles represent fire and water, and together they represent a reconciliation of opposites, again another indicator that harmony is a key idea in the Jewish religion.

Some theories also say that this 6 pointed star represents the 6 aspects of the divine spirit.  

Something else interesting about the Star of David I found on youtube.com (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFqcAMeeZ28).   The video basically expresses the importance of this symbol in terms of the universe, and universal energy.  As I browsed youtube I found a lot of videos relating the star to the energy.  Though these videos seemed to be completely separate from the Jewish faith, i think there are many connections that can be made.  I think it shows the universality of Judaism and it's principles.  

This first picture is of the Star of David, or the "Magen David" means "Shield of David".  It is named after King David who, according the the Hebrew Bible, was the second the king of the united kingdom of Israel.  Interestingly, King David is also mentioned often in the Christian faith.  Note the overlap of faiths, because I will talk about it later.

The shape of the Magen David is very popular amongst other, earlier cultures because of its geometric symmetry.  This emblem, however, wasn't used by the Jews until 6th century BC.

Some theories suggest that the upwards pointing triangle represents male sexuality, and the downwards pointing triangle represents female sexuality, therefore representing harmony.  Another theory suggests that the two triangles represent fire and water, and together they represent a reconciliation of opposites, again another indicator that harmony is a key idea in the Jewish religion.

Some theories also say that this 6 pointed star represents the 6 aspects of the divine spirit.  

Something else interesting about the Star of David I found on youtube.com (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFqcAMeeZ28).   The video basically expresses the importance of this symbol in terms of the universe, and universal energy.  As I browsed youtube I found a lot of videos relating the star to the energy.  Though these videos seemed to be completely separate from the Jewish faith, i think there are many connections that can be made.  

The Menorah was originally used as the symbol for Judaism, instead of the Maged David.  The reason for this is because of Isaac Arama, a 15-th century kabbalist who claimed that Psalm 67 was engraved in the shape of a menorah on the back of David's shield--and, just as a side note, because of this Psalm 67 became known as the Menorah Psalm.  Another side note, Menorah's are often placed on the walls of many churches. 

The seven-branch menorah (see  first picture at top of page) was made according the commandment in Exodus 25:31.  It teaches us that the menorah was the vessel God used to combine the spiritual life that is supposed to come with the physical life of our world.  The purpose of a menorah acts as a symbol for lighting the world, it is not used simply as a lamp.  It is meant to pose as a physical reminder of the commandment in Isaiah 42:6 that the people of Israel are to be light to the nations.  Based on this, it seems fitting that Jews are often called "God's chosen people".

One last thing about Menorahs: You might find 

menorah's with nine candle holders (see above), this is mean to represent the eight days of Hanukah.  The ninth slot acts as a holder for the candle used to light each of the eight candles.

The purpose of a Mezuzah is to fulfill the biblical commandment in Deuteronomy 6:4-6:9 which says: Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. ... Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

The Mezuzah I think shows how God is always protecting the Jews.  If we follow the commandments God will always protect us.  You'll also notice a letter on most Mezuzah's that looks like a "W", this is called a Shin.  The Shin stands for the word Shaddai, which is a name for God.

Another symbol that deals with the idea of protection is the "Hand of God".  It is widely used in various cultures.  For example, it is a very popular symbol in all of the Middle East.  In Arab cultures this hand is referred to as the Hand of Fatima, and it represents the hand of God.  In the Jewish faith it is called Hamesh, or a Hamsa.  If you look up to the left you'll notice another image of a Hamsa with an eye in the middle.  The eye represents the evil eye.  This means that God is watching over us and protecting us from evil.

If you notice in the hand to the right there is hebrew engraving, it is called Chai, pronounced "Hrrri".  It means life.  

In both images you'll notice images of fish engraved into the hands.  

The image on the left is an image of the Jewish Flag, or the Flag of Israel.  A man named Morris Harris invented the Jewish flag 

in 1898.  The design was on the back of the tallit which is the traditional shawl worn during Jewish prayer.  The flag is meant to replicate this design, and that is why the Jewish flag looks the way it does.  The colors, and the design, the two stripes, are supposed to be symbolic for heaven.  Notice how the Jewish star is in between the two stripes, which means that heaven is both above and below.  In the Jewish faith there is no hell. 

I think this shows that in the Jewish faith all people are seen as good, regardless of the mistakes we make.  While there is no hell, it is said that If Jews doesn't follow the commandments of God they go "somewhere" to learn their lesson, however, there is no eternal damnation.  

Also, Jews are often referred to as the chosen people, which I think can be represented by the two stripes. Because the star is floating in between "heaven and heaven", it is as if it is being protected.  

Bahai Temple

For our blog this week we were to watch the following video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiukG-rpPfk

What I learned is that the Bahai temple was built in a way that emphasizes the values stressed in the faith: unity and equality.  I think it is really interesting that the architecture was built after a religions belief.  I think it shows a lot about the importance of equality and unity in the Bahai faith.   I wonder if the Bahai Temple of Chicago had built in with sharp edges and deep cut angle would we get the same sense of unity.  My guess is no, but i think it is really interesting how much the architecture of a building can impact the way you feel when inside it.  I imagine that being inside the Bahai temple feels very safe and welcoming.  Also, if you look at the picture below which a floor plan of the Bahai temple you'll notice eight rooms that jut off.  This represents the symbol of the Bahai faith, again showing how detailed the architecture of the temple is, and committed it was to replicating the belief and symbol of the Bahai faith.

  

More On The Bahai

I never realized how popular the Bahai faith was, no did I realize how widely spread it was.  I think it is really interesting that it started in Persia and has expanded to all over the world to multiple different communities.  I think it is really fascinating that there are religions that combine multiple different beliefs from various religions.  Like i've mentioned in previous posts, i really believe that each religion builds off of one another in terms of their ideas.  I think this is very true in terms of the Bahai faith.  For some reason, I am tempted to view Bahai faith as a way of life rather than a religion.  When i think of religion i think of a strict set of rules that one must follow in order to be the best person they can and be closer to God.  The Bahai faith, however, seems more like a loose set of beliefs.  The values taught in this faith don't seem to be imposed on it's followers, rather it seems suggested.  The main idea of Bahai faith is unity and equality.  I really like this.

Scientology

I found today's discussion on scientology really interessting. We recently just discussed what makes a religion a religion. What are the founding elements? I think that in order for a religion to be a religion it needs to have reason and a leader. I think this is funny because a lot of people make fun of scientology and say that it is not real or it is, excuse my language, bull shit. But why? It seems to have a legitimate reason to have been started. L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of scientology (see the following link for more information: http://www.aboutlronhubbard.org/) He describes scientology as describes itself as the study and handling of the spirit in relationship to itself, others, and all of life. The interesting thing about scientology is that it is basically a science. So, here is my question : are science and religion seperate? A lot of people argue that religion is not a science, however, i argue that science offers us some proof based on prior knowledge. All knowledge however is relative, and open to different interpretations, therefore, nothing is neccessarily set in stone, and because of this, science is basically a system of theories. So yes, why scientology is considered a "science" it can also be considered a religion.

Questions About Religions: Why a "God"?

The Baha'i faith is really interesting because it emphasizes a unity of major world religions.  This got me thinking: how separate are each individual religions underlying ideas from one another?  Don't all religions essentially build off each other?  This definitely seems to be the case.  All the religions we've studied so far deal with one particular figure that represents an all-knowing, transcendental figure.  Why is this?  Why do most religions, mainly the ones we've discussed thus far, deal with the notion that we are inferior.  Why must we be guided?  What is this idea of guidance?  I wonder if there is truth to this.  Are all human beings in need of guidance?  Is it possible to live a life with out a set of rules to follow?  Is that is behind Atheism?  Is there a need for a God like figure always? These are just some questions i wanted to raise that came to mind after reading about the Bahi'i.  

The Elements of Founding a Religion

One of the most important elements to founding a religion is having the need for one.  For example, unhappiness with a certain idea often leads to a need for a new religion, which was the case for the Bahais.  For a religioun to work, you also need a group of followers.  If the reason for starting a religion is strong enough, for example, enough of the Bahais were unhappy with the violent ideas to want to start a new religion, therefore there were enough followers.  Another important element in founding a religion is having a good leader.  What does a good leader entail?  Well you need a leader that is passionate about his/her teachings.  You also need a leader who is devoted.  With a strong enough religious ideal, group of followers, and persuasive, passionate leader, founding a religion seems easy, almost.  I think it's really cool how religions develop.  Not only this, but there are so many parallels among various religions.  For example, the Bab's teachings seem to have evolved, or incorporate much of the Islamic faiths' ideas.  These ideas are closely related as well with the teachings in Judaism and Christianity.  While new religions are meant to offer new ideas, they often sprout from existing ones therfore never allowing them to die, leading to a large parallel of ideas.  

Founding a Religion

One of the most important elements to founding a religion is having the need for one. For example, unhappiness with a certain idea often leads to a need for a new religion, which was the case for the Bahais. For a religioun to work, you also need a group of followers. If the reason for starting a religion is strong enough, for example, enough of the Bahais were unhappy with the violent ideas to want to start a new religion, therefore there were enough followers. Another important element in founding a religion is having a good leader. What does a good leader entail? Well you need a leader that is passionate about his/her teachings. You also need a leader who is devoted. With a strong enough religious ideal, group of followers, and persuasive, passionate leader, founding a religion seems easy, almost. I think it's really cool how religions develop. Not only this, but there are so many parallels among various religions. For example, the Bab's teachings seem to have evolved, or incorporate much of the Islamic faiths' ideas. These ideas are closely related as well with the teachings in Judaism and Christianity. While new religions are meant to offer new ideas, they often sprout from existing ones therfore never allowing them to die, leading to a large parallel of ideas.

Rastafari: A Collaboration of Multiple Religions?

This weeks assignment was to watch the following video ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCUy48bt3B8 ) and the comment on variuos symbols we find and what it says about Rastafarian beliefs. What I learned from this video is that Rastafarian principles come from a variety of religions. For example, one man named Ancient was taped saying that he wakes up at 3 am, 9 am, noon, and 6 pm for Psalms. (Or at least I think he said Psalms). The Psalms, as we learned, is practiced in the Christian faith, so already we see a bit of Christianity being incorporated into Rastafari. Ancient also explains that it is a daily ritual, which is very similar to the religion of Islam which requires its followers to pray five times a day, which I believe is called Salah. Sabath, which is practiced in the Jewish religion, is also practiced in Rastafari.

To further prove this point, I've included a picture on the left. I typed in "Rastafari" into Google, and this is one of the images that came up. This image shows that Rastafari is a religion about unity, as it so clearly says in the image.

What I find confusing, though, is the white and black hands touching. This suggests equality between races. However, in the youtube video there is a poster of a black "R" over a white "X" which is meant to symbolize "good over evil". This indicates that the white race is evil, so why in this picture are the two races uniting? Also, if white is viewed as evil, how does Rastafari claim to be a religion about unity? This seems ironic.

I didn't know much about Ethiopia at all prior to reading this story. Actually, I didn't really know anything about it except that it was in Africa.

I really liked that the Queen of Sheba ruled Ethiopia for six years, alone. I think it says a lot about the country. I mean, look at our country: Just now, 2009, we have a black a president in office, and a woman running for president.

Religiuosly speaking, I disocvered Christianity and Judaism are faiths heavily centered in Ethopia. Ethiopia plays a role in Christian and Jewish faiths. The fact that their line of kings descended from king Solomon gives a lot of strength to their country. While Jerusalem is often gone to on pilgrimages, not going to Ethiopia is like only understanding part of one's religion. So this story gives a lot of significance not only to Jews and Christians around the world, it also gives an identity to the peoples of Ethiopia.

Learning about a country's past kings is a great way to help you understand their religion. Not only do we understand about religion, but we learn alot about a country's history and values.

Symbolic Numbers

In St. Augustine teachings he explain the significance of why we fast for forty days.  He explains that four is how everything is divided.  For example, the four seasons, or the four different parts of the day.  Four seemed to represent an idea of universality.  Then I googled some websites to find more information on the number four and it's symbolism.

I found what St. Augustine was saying about numbers and their symbolism to be very interesting so I went online to find some other interpretations and their symbolism. Here is the website: http://vic.australis.com.au/hazz/Numbers.html

According to the various websites I googled, four represents the idea of creation.  The fourth verse of the bible reads: And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

I think it is interesting the symbolism of numbers, and how in different religions they represent different things.  It says a lot about religion, I believe.  I think it shows the religion is about interpretation, which is where the values come from.  

St. Augustine on Christian Teaching Book II

In Book II, St. Augustine spends a great deal of time discussing the idea of symbols and the ways in which we can and cannot interpret them.  She also expresses that ones "fear of God is the beginning of wisdom" and "those who fear God...seek the will of God".  I interpreted this to mean that we must understand that God is a transcendental being, and when we do this we, naturally, will fear God.  This isn't a negative thing however.  It simply means that God holds ultimate power, and we must look to God for help and guidance.  I believe that this idea is differently prevalent throughout the Psalms.  What I got from reading the Psalms is that if we put our faith in God, and follow certain requests (i.e. do good, commit no sin ... ) then God will protect us.  I think this is an idea underlies the basic ideals of most religions.  

Tattoos and Piercings

I know this doesn't have much to do with Psalm 18, however, me and my friend were talking today about how in Judaism it's against "Jewish law" to pierce and tattoo ones body.  People with tattoos and piercings are not allowed to be burried in a Jewish cemetery.  I find this interesting that not getting tattoos or piercing is a test of faith, and respect for religion.  How is personal appearance a test of faith?  Me and my friend then got to talking about how Rabinical law should be adjusted to suite the times.  It's a new day in age, and tattoos and piercings are seen as less taboo then they used to.  I also then got to thinking about the idea that religions can be adapated. 

I think I said this in one of my other blogs too, but i've always been under the impression that religions are set in stone, or that the underlying beliefs that come from religion are set in stone. Because this isn't the case it makes me feel like religion is less solid then i've previously viewed it.  It makes me believe in it less.  So what is religion really?  Is it just something to believe in  to make life seem more interesting?  Is it just something to guide us so we don't feel lost? ...

Psalm 18

As in most of the Psalms, in Psalm 18, God is represented as a healer, and as a guide.  God is very powerful in this Psalm, as he is capable of granting a multitude of various requests.  Of course, these requests come with qualifications, as is expressed in verse 21: The LORD dealt with me by my merit,/ for my cleanness of hands He requited me.  As long as we are free of sin, God will protect us and grant our requests.  Not only does God repay those who do good, but he punishes those who sin.  To me, it kind of seems like God was manifesting himself in the whomever the speaker is.  It is as the he is becoming human and coming down to Earth.  

This is very powerful, and through the humans actions and power he gains from God, we see what it is that God is capable of doing.  For this week's blog, you ask the question: is the image of God as a fighter and aid in battle scary?   I do not think this is scary, rather I see it as a very influence song.  It's as though the message conveyed in this Psalm is, if I am to believe in God, and if I am to follow the proper requirements that keep me from being a sinner, God will grace me with his power and protect me from all evil.  This Psalm gives me the image of God giving me special powers that turn me into Hercules, but I just have a weird imagination. 

Also, to answer the question: is it problematic that elements of this FOd have been borrowed from other religious traditions? my answer is no.  I think every interpretation comes from an influence of some other interpretation.  

Questions about the Psalms

I personally am very confused by the Psalms.  I do not really understand how to read them, or how to interpret it.  It's difficult because I have a hard time identifying the speaker of each song, and I also am unfamiliar with the historical context.  This might sound stupid, and perhaps ignorant, but who wrote all the stories in the Psalms?  How did these stories earn such an authoritative role in the world of religion? These are stories that make up the basis of Christianity.  I just find it interesting how quick people are to believe these stories, and view them as a type of spiritual guidance.  Especially when there are so many interpretations of each Psalm.  

I think it is very interesting that there are so many different interpretations of the Psalms.  I think it says a lot about religion.  When I was growing up, I used to believe that religious views were set in stone.  Raised Jewish, I used to believe that during, what is now called Passover, Moses parted the Red Sea.  I searched online for other stories of Passover and I, unfortunately, couldn't find any.  However, it is interesting because the story of Passover, or Pesach (as it is called in the Torah), probably comes from interpretation as well.

This might sound ignorant of me, but this is not my intention.  I am not a "religious" person, per say, however I would really like to understand what drives people to follow a certain religious belief.  I feel that when faced with multiple translations of the Psalms, I'd question the legitimacy of what I'm being taught.  However, what the knowledge of the Psalms having multiple interpretations has taught me is that religion is all subjective.  Each religious view is carried out based on each individuals personal interpretation.  I, now, feel that religion offers a set of guidelines for us to follow.  How we carry out these guidelines however is entirely subjective.  This is very different from my previous idea of religion, where I believed different religious offered single-minded approaches as to how one should live life.  I see now that this is not the case.

 

Psalm II

A significant difference between the early American translation of Psalm II from The Book of Psalms, and the original version, I noticed is in the tone. The early American version pertains to the early settlers in America, or the native Americans, while the original version pertains more to the Jews.  This is seen via various word choices and punctuation.

The first verse of the translation talks about Heathens, which are people who are unconverted, therefore not occupying any religious views.  The first verse asks why be angry at these people, thus indicating an almost non-religious tone to the Psalm.  In the second verse of the original version of Psalm II, the word "lord", written as LORD indicates not only a religious undertone, but a specific one.  As we learned in class, "LORD" references the Jewish God adonai.  In the second verse of the translation, "lord" is simply spelled "Lord".  While "Lord" is obviously religious, it doesn't pertain to a particular religion.  The translation seems to veer away from Judaic references.  I also noticed the language of the translation is more casual.  

(more to come)

Effigy Mounds

The definition of religion we learned in the class on monday was: A system of symbols which acts to establish powerful, pervasive, and long-lasting moods and motivations in men by formulating conceptions of a general order of existence and clothing these conceptions with such an aura of factuality that the moods and motivations seem uniquely realistic. 

I think it is really interesting that Geertz says that we must present these symbols with a light of factuality.  In order to form a set of beliefs, or ideas to follow, the only way to legitimize them is to present them in a factual matter.  When reading about the effigy mounds i noticed that everything was presented in this way.  

Is this really an accurate way of presenting religion though?  Nothing is really ever factual, especially not with symbols that date back over 1,000 years.  We have no idea where the mounds came from, or what they truly represent, we can only make educated guesses.  While i do agree that religion should be based around factual observations, this is rather unaccurate.  

I also find it interesting that Geertz explains that the reason we clothes these conceptions with an aura of factuality, is for them to appear to realistic.  This is kind of seems to be suggesting that we must make a personal opinion into a fact, which doesn't make it a fact at all.  So does religion come from a fake place?  Is religion essentially made up?  I think it is.  Of course, this isn't somethign most religious people want to admit, but we really have no evidence for beliefs or rituals.  Well we do, but we don't have evidence that these beliefs are the correct in what they suppose.

Blog 2

Lately, the past three classes have made me think about the distinction between culture and religion.  I kind of talked about this is in my first point, but I think this is a good time to expand on this idea.  From what we've talked about in class, it seems religion is defined by ideas, morals, values, and beliefs, but how is that different from culture?  For example, I was raised Jewish, however I have always defined Judaism as a culture.  Why, I do this, I don't know, and understanding this could probably shed light on a distinction between culture and religion.  In my family, though my parents believe in God, I was never raised being forced to feel this way.  I participated in certain religious ceremonies, such as going to temple on the high holidays, and celebrating Jewish holidays.  I was never Bat Mitzvahed, yet I still consider myself Jewish.  The belief in God aside, I've noticed a lot of similarities and moral beliefs and values among my family and other Jewish people.  I think this is what makes me classify Judaism as a culture.  So I guess, it seems what is making me classify a religion as a religion, is the presence of God, and the presence of a set of beliefs that guide one's life.  Maybe this has nothing to do with Judaism, and more with how my family raised me, but I never felt pressure to act and think a certain way.  

So far, it seems to me that I am using the presence of God to define religion.  As I learn more about various religions, I will  be interested to see if my answer changes.  I am pretty certain it will.  This is a question I will return to frequently.  

Post 1: Palaeolithic Art and Religion

Upon first reading "Palaeolithic Art and Religion" I was a bit perplexed as to how the Palaeolithic's history and cave drawings related to religion.  It got me thinking, is there a distinction between religion and culture? Can the two co-exist, or do the two diverge?  It almost seemed as though finding a connection to religion was force.  I feel that religion is something a lot of people look to for security.  It's a way of ensuring ourselves that we can answer the unanswerable: i.e. Where do we come from? Why do we exist? Too me it seemed the images almost had no religious context whatsoever.