Religions Field Trip Reflection

On Thursday, we went on a field trip to explore new religions. We went to the Chinese Temple, the Hindu temple, and the Islam mosque. The atmosphere was different in each place of worship. For example, in the mosque the atmosphere is very controlled, and it seems as though we were not very welcome there.They did allow is in, but there were certain areas that we were not allowed to step on because we were not Muslim. There were a lot of arches and crescents, and all the girls had to wear head scarfs. In the Chinese Temple, there was a lot of smoke and incense, and there were many people praying. I think that the atmosphere was very tense, and very spiritual, and it also felt like we were interrupting something very old and powerful. The Hindu temple was very free, and open, and you felt like you were welcome there. You could even pray there if you weren't Hindu. In the picture above, you can see all the chambers with statues in them. You can also see that it is bright, colorful, and there is a lot of details. In the Hindu Temple, you are sort of allowed to do whatever you want. You can sleep there, study there, and it is also a good place to just come to sit down and think. I think in each place, the atmosphere sort of depended on the religion. The Islamic religion is a bit more strict in my opinion, so the mosque was more controlled, whereas the Hindu temple is more relaxed because the religion is a bit more free. The Chinese temple is very superstitious, so they have many things that have to do with luck. A lot of things there symbolize good luck, bad luck, success, ghosts, and things like that. For me, the most interesting one was the mosque, because it was so interestingly shaped, and the architecture was very beautiful. I thought it was interesting how only Muslims were allowed to step on certain areas, and how the girls had to wear the head scarf. There was an interesting history behind the towers, and I found that very cool. In our field trip we learned a lot, and had fun!

Identity of an Auschwitz prisoner

I wonder why the Nazi's separated the men and women. I don't see anything wrong with keeping them together. I also want to know what the prisoners were given to eat, but why would they have been given anything to eat? The Nazis wanted them dead anyway. What is the point of wasting food on them if you are going to end up killing them? I do think it is good that they were given food, because without the food we would not have any survivors.

Opposites

OPPOSITES

These two pictures are opposites because they show city and nature. The nature is what it should actually be like, and the city is what man made. The nature is preserved from its beginning.

BISP Test Question

If you disagree with a rule, law, or public policy, it is better to remain silent than to speak out and risk punishment. Do you agree?

I disagree!

Think back to all the great heroes and leaders in history. For example, Mahatma Gandhi, or Rosa Parks. What did they do to make them such big names in history? There was injustice in their society, and they were not okay with that, so they spoke out, took action, and changed the world. They knew the consequences, yet they decided that risking punishment for a good cause was worth it. They were shunned and hated, but that did not stop them from doing what they thought was right. Without them, their society probably still would have been the way it was before, cruel and unfair. I think what they had the strength to do is admirable . I have always thought so, and since reading The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, and I still do. I still think that you should have the courage and bravery to stand up for what you believe in and what is right, no matter what the punishments are, if there is something against humanity, and there is social injustice. You don't have to be someone of importance to know that you can help make this world a better place. A quality that you have to have is perseverance. You can't start something like this, and back out halfway. Once you decide to stand up, you can't sit back down no matter what the consequences are. But if you think that you have the perseverance, strength, courage, and determination to make a change, then stand up and let your voice be heard. Chances are, there is probably someone else who is thinking the same thing.

"It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds."

- Samuel Adams

What is a 'good' life?

Each and every person has a unique life, in the sense that nobody else has had the same experiences as you have, even if the person is a twin. But an interesting question is whether of not your life is good. Different experiences shape different lives, and the way we look at our lives defines whether or not it is good.The good life is when you are happy with what you have, and aren't upset constantly about small things. I was in community service last year, and we went to visit the chin refugees. For example, you may have all the basic needs in life, such as food, water, shelter, and education, yet you may be always complaining about some material item that you don't have. If you look at some that are not as fortunate, you will see that they're still happy. I think the reason is because they know not to expect as much as we do. We noticed that though they are not as well off as we are, they are always happy and enjoying what they have. I used to think that famous people had a good life, but there are always stories that you hear about stars who make silly demands and throw fits when they don't get what they want. I think that if they want a good life, then they should take an example from the Chins, who are the ones that really know how to make a good life with what you've got.

My Identity

This picture describes some of my personality traits.

Journeys-Raven's Gate

The name of my book is Raven's Gate. In the Raven's Gate, the main character, Matt, has just been sent to a foster home in a small town, where nothing ever happens. He soon senses that something is wrong with his new guardian, but then realizes that it's not just his new foster parent that is a little creepy, it is the entire village. Matt also realizes that he has "special powers", after he made a glass break by just looking at it. Matt's journey in this book is to find out what is wrong with his village, realize who he is, and how he can help things get better.
On page 182, Matt says "All my life, I have been involved with some pretty strange things..... Sometimes, I think it was meant to happen. I'm meant to be here. I don't know why." I think that this is showing that Matt is beginning to realize that he is destined to do great things, and that everything is happening for a reason. This is the climax, and when he finally is beginning to fulfill the journey.