RELIGIOUS BURIALS

Jewish Traditions


When a member of the Jewish faith dies, the family arranges a burial (after meeting with the rabbi) within 24 hours. In life, Jews do not have the threat of heaven or hell; their actions immediately have consequences in the eyes of God. As a result, after-life is a matter of interpretation for Jews, even though the traditional belief is that Jews go to sheol (not hell or heaven, but waiting ground). Some believe that the dead go to heaven, some believe that they are reincarnated, and others believe that death is a place to wait (sheol) to be resurrected by Christ's next coming. Cremation has always been discouraged because the Jewish believe that the body is the "temple of the soul," a sacred thing. Cremation today is especially discouraged because of its connection to the Holocaust. The deceased is dressed in plain white robes (to symbolize equality (see right)), put into a plain wooden coffin, and guarded (by a family member) until the burial (out of respect). Family members tear their clothing or wear black ribbons in honor of the deceased. Ritual includes the traditional funeral and burial. Left: Jewish grave with menorah markings.





Traditional Roman Catholic Traditions

The reward for good behavior in life is a place in heaven. Catholic funerals are meant for the deceased and the living, because they are a source of closure and comfort. Catholic burials are preceded by a vigil (prayer service) the night before. The next requirement, the mass, consists of more prayers for the deceased along with the Eucharist. The Eucharist is very important because it is believed to be the source from which life flows and returns; therefore, it is very important for it to be performed for the deceased and the mourners. After the mass, the attendees proceed to the burial. In honor of the deceased, visitors are encouraged to wear black. Similar to the Jewish tradition, cremation is discouraged. Catholics believe that the body is a temple that will be resurrected by God. Catholics strongly believe in an after-life; they hold the belief that their deeds in life will affect whether they land in heaven or hell. The required rites performed at the funeral ensure the deceased's voyage into heaven. Top and bottom-left: typical graveyards of the United States. Bottom right: the body during a Catholic mass.


Sikh Traditions

The Sikh view of death, in contrast to Christianity and Judaism, is largely focused on the earth. The Sikhs believe that it is a natural process in which the body is reincarnated (life and death are closely related), but they also believe that the soul returns to God; because of this, hope should be the overwhelming feeling, not grief. Cremation is the preferred method of disposal of the body, because to them, the body is only a shell, not an expression of the actual soul. Crying and expressions of grief are discouraged at the viewing because death is a natural process that everyone experiences; it is something that shouldn't cause fear. Sikhs read prayers at the viewing to console themselves, which is followed by the washing of the dead, a procession to the cremation ground, and then the actual cremation (where more prayers are offered). The ashes are thrown into the nearest river (see picture), which is concluded with more prayers.




Islamic Traditions

Islamic funerals are similar to Sikh funerals because the expression of grief is prohibited. Muslims accept death as a return to Allah; if they are good servants of God in life, they will spend eternity in Heaven. Cremation is discouraged; it is an Islamic practice to be respectful of a person in life and in death. The grave of the deceased points towards Mecca, the center of the Islamic world. The body should be wrapped in plain cloth to ensure privacy. It is interesting to note in the bottom picture that the clothing is completely opposite of the Catholic tradition; the body is wearing black, and the mourners are wearing white. The rituals of an Islamic funeral included prayer from the Q'uran, the burial, and a period of 3-day morning for relatives and loved ones. If the relative mourner is a widow of the deceased, then she is required to mourn for 4 months and 10 days. During the mourning period, the relative or friend must be especially devoted to prayer, receive condolences, and avoid distracting jewelry and clothing because they take away from the solemnity of the occasion (black not required). Above-left: friends and family pat down the grave for closure. Top right: funeral procession on its way to the burial.


Late Woodland Tribe (Effigy Mound Builders) Traditions

In Native American culture, death signifies a return to the earth, a continuation of the cycle of life. It is therefore very appropriate that members of the tribe were buried in effigy mounds-shapes that represent animals from the spirit world. In each animal, the heart of the mind is where the burial is located. The deceased is buried as a bundle of cleaned and bound bones. Often times, there are symbolic sacrifices along with the burial, including pipes, charcoal, and other stones. The people were not buried immediately after death; in fact, there appeared to be ceremonial times during the year when the deceased were returned to the earth. It is possible that the animal which the person is buried in represents the kinship of the deceased. Picture: bear effigy at Effigy Mounds National Monument.




Hmong Traditions

Hmong deaths are not just a time for grieving, but a time for family reunion. Hmong rituals for the deceased last up to a week long, full of feasts, rituals, and prayers. The Hmong people believe that, after death, they go on a journey to rejoin their ancestors. Because of this, most of the rituals prepare the body for the voyage, with material objects and prayer asking for their safety. The body is dressed in special ceremonial robes (see left) and given paper money, food (ex. above chicken), and a walking stick, among other necessities. Throughout the week, the people who prepare the deceased wear red ribbons to prevent their own souls from joining the deceased in its journey. After the body is sufficiently prepared, it is buried. Family members throw dirt on the coffin for closure. Above right: a chicken about to be sacrificed for the deceased's journey to the ancestors.


Contemporary American

Today, many American people choose to not follow traditional rites as strictly. Unlike the aforementioned traditions, today's funerals concentrate less on community aspect of the ceremony, and more on the sending of the body into the earth. Many people choose cremation as an alternative, partly for its convenience but also for its capability of individuality. The family can throw the deceased's ashes in a place that was particularly special to them. People find other ways of distinguishing their loved ones in death with special gravestone inscriptions. If you're a sports fan, you can have your favorite team mascot on your grave. Another recent trend in burial is "green" burial, in which the deceased is put into a biodegradable casket with biodegradable cloth. No embalming fluid is used in the body. People can also choose to be buried in a non-denominational way at funerals by withholding any mention of God from the service. Today, there is no definitive way to let go of one's deceased; people actively individualize death. Above: green burial.

Chicago Baha'i Temple

I just looked through the Baha'i center website in Chicago. I was very surprised, actually. I've lived in the Midwest for most of my life and knew nothing about it. I really liked how the components of Baha'i faith were incorporated into every aspect of design. There are 9 sides to the temple; nine is the highest single digit number, and represents completeness/fulfillment in the Baha'i faith. Like old Christian churches, the temple is intentionally built to be very tall so it will be closer to God. In the auditorium of the temple, the famous Baha'i inscription reads (in Arabic): "O Glory of all Glory's." There are however, other religious symbols incorporated into the architecture: the cross, the star of David, the crescent moon, and the wheel. This is to represent unity, but the fact that the Baha'i inscription is the largest and most noticeable, there is still the implication that Baha'i faith has the truth/prophet. In the video, however, the narrator side-stepped this issue, saying that all prophets are from God but that Baha'ullah is the most recent and closer to truth.

When I first saw the gardens, I assumed that they were modeled after the Garden of Ridvan. However, when talking about the garden, the narrator only said that the garden was supposed to represent unity. Apparently, Baha'ullah likened people to flowers; there could be unity when they were together. I also learned that there is no priesthood or clergy in the faith. Services are short and consist of prayer, music, and readings of great world religion texts.

I found all of this fascinating. However, what I'm really wondering about is how the Baha'i faith spread from the Middle East. It astonishes me that, since it is an off-shoot of Islam (a religion that is greatly stereotyped by Westerners), it spread so quickly to new places. Did the Baha'i faith send out missionaries? How did that happen? Baha'i faith is the second most widespread faith, and I'm sure there is a reason that could explain it.

Spiritual Healing and Medicine

Today in class, we briefly discussed the medicinal practices of a certain sect of religion (maybe Christian science). The story that someone brought up was about a couple that did not supply medical care to their sixteen-year-old because of religious beliefs. They believed that the child could be cured if their faith was strong enough. Obviously, they were wrong. It's a shame that the child died, when a very simple cure was readily available. However, in a way, it makes sense when you look at other cultures. In my ethnicity class, we've been talking about Shamanism with Hmong Americans. The spiritual leader, the shaman, has a set of rituals that he practices on the inflicted to make them well again. Often times, the shaman has cured problems that even medicine could not seem to cure. We read a story about a woman who doctors thought would die. In an act of desperation the family requested a shaman to help. It took the shaman 8 hours to heal the woman, but it worked. I think that traditional medicine is a wonderful and powerful thing, but I think that a lot of it could be psychological. There have been many studies that prove the effectiveness of positive thinking and religion. However, there are also cases that traditional medicine can't help. Sometimes it's necessary to go to a medical doctor. In the ethnicity class reading, there was a story about a Hmong doctor who occasionally treated Hmong patients. The people he saw had had problems that they had neglected, problems that had steadily grown more serious over the years. The shaman could not heal everything. In reaction to both of these viewpoints, I would say that there needs to be a balance between the two; medicinal and religious healing.

I think that the couple whose child died were not completely in the wrong. I can understand their viewpoint; they truly believed that their faith could save their child. I think that positive/religious thinking can do wonders, but there is a point when hard medicine is required. Convincing people with traditional medicinal background, however, is a whole different story.

Picture:
Shaman venturing into the spirit world to regain the soul of the diseased person.


Link: explains shamanism and its importance in Hmong culture.
http://www.pbs.org/splithorn/shamanism.html

Baha'i Faith Requirements

Baha'ullah made me stop and think about how a religion is founded. It almost seems like the Baha'i faith had it easier than the older religions (Islam, Judaism). Basically, Baha'i is an offshoot of Islam. I haven't read a lot about the Baha'i faith, but it seems as though it might be ready-equipped with certain traditions and practices, yes? There was some variation with the basic tradition; for example, a woman took off her veil during a meeting and revolutionized ideas about women. So there are changes to the religion, but some traditions are still kept. In any case, I'm not sure how Judaism began; there must have been some kind of founder, someone similar to Baha'ullah.

So that's the first necessity: a founder. A leader is necessary for a religion to begin; people need to be united by (and believe in) a charismatic person. Baba was the founder of the previous religion out of which Baha'i morphed, but after Baba was imprisoned and later executed, Baha ended up with a pretty huge leadership rule. He initially taught the scriptures and writings of Baba, but, after he was exiled to the Ottoman Empire, began writing and teaching his own words. His first followers were first followers of Baba who went to Baha for the teachings of Baba, but many were so devoted to Baha that they became a part of Baha'i. However, this didn't happen overnight. It was a long process; Baha's ideas began as a child, and he didn't even begin teaching his own work until at least his 40s or 50s (from what I gathered from the book). His ideas developed. It seems that it takes a long time for ideas to meld into a faith base, and for people to become deeply devoted. In addition to that, I think that time and experience can meld a religion; it is probably true that the devotees of Baha'i faith became even stronger believers after their persecution throughout their time in Iraq and the Ottoman Empire. Sometimes persecution can form an even stronger identity.
Baha'i faith is no different from other religions in that it requires a set of tools to be strong; a founder, traditions, and time to grow.

Official Baha'i website.
http://www.bahai.org/

Baha'i Faith Requirements

Baha'ullah made me stop and think about how a religion is founded. It almost seems like the Baha'i faith had it easier than the older religions (Islam, Judaism). Basically, Baha'i is an offshoot of Islam. I haven't read a lot about the Baha'i faith, but it seems as though it might be ready-equipped with certain traditions and practices, yes? There was some variation with the basic tradition; for example, women are not required to wear veils. So there are changes to the religion, but some traditions are still upheld. In any case, I'm not sure how Judaism began; there must have been some kind of founder, someone similar to Baha'ullah.

So that's the first necessity; a founder. A leader is necessary for a religion to begin; people need to be united by (and believe in) a charismatic person. Baba was the founder of the previous religion out of w hich Baha'i morphed, but after Baba was imprisoned and later executed, Baha ended up with a pretty huge leadership role. He initially taught the writings of Baba but, after he was exiled to the Ottoman Empire, began writing and teaching his own words. His first followers were previously followers of Baba who went to Baha for Bab's teachings, but many became so devoted to Baha that they followed his faith. However, this did not happen overnight. It was a long process; Baha's ideas began as a child, and he didn't even begin teaching his own work until at least his 40s or 50s (from what I gathered in the book). His ideas developed. It seems that it takes a long time for ideas to meld into a faith base. I don't think that it takes such a long time to create a base of followers, the fact that it only took 20 or 30 years for people to become devoted shows how easily religion can influence people when it has something attractive to say. In addition this, I think that time and experience affect religious ideas; it is probably true that the devotees of Baha'i faith became even stronger believers after their persecution in Iraq and the Ottoman Empire. Sometimes persecution can form an even strong feeling of identity. Baha'i is no different from other religions in that it requires a set of tools to be strong; a founder, traditions, and time to grow.

Pop-Culture vs. Religion

In class on Wednesday, we talked about whether it's a good or bad thing to relate religion to pop-culture. An example of the merge is the church behind the city center, an IMAX theatre converted into "The Core." Apparently, there is still stadium seating and even a pop-corn stand. I'm a little skeptical about this conversion; after all, religion is not supposed to be about being entertained. I don't think that religion should fall prey to the instant gratification mindset. Americans have access to so many resources; if a person wants something, they'll get it pretty quickly. So, my concern is that this will apply to religion. First of all, being a part of religion is not supposed to be easy. Finding your personal spirituality is not easy. I'm not saying that this is true, but perhaps the individualization of religion is a form of laziness? Maybe that's why people don't go to church anymore; it takes too much work, and there's not a lot of instant satisfaction out of it. Maybe it's easier to tell yourself that you are religious, but in your OWN way. This is just an observation.

In any case, I think that the relation of religion to pop-culture is necessary. As Augustine said, religion must evolve with the time period. If religions don't evolve to meet the needs of people, they will quickly fade out. So, the modernization (for lack of a better word) of church may be necessary but contradictory to the rules or beliefs of the church.

Really interesting article about clothing and religious statement.
http://www.religionnewsblog.com/7368

A picture of an Evangelist church with stadium seating.

Rastafarianism-Boboshanti vs. Mainstream

The way of living as portrayed by the Boboshanti Rastafari was completely different than my impression of general Rastafari. I think that a lot of people get a certain impression of Rastafarianism because of Jamaican's tourist promotion and Bob Marley's music (more generally, reggae). The people in the video were very devout, practicing a seemingly more strict doctrine. They rise at 3 in the morning to pray, and later pray at 9 am and 3 pm. They wear their dreadlocks in turbans. They live in the mountains-completely isolated from society-in often primitive conditions. Another thing that differentiates them from mainstream Rastafarians is that they practice resting on Sabbath. So that's the basic idea of these people.

It was such a contrast to what I had imagined about Rastafarians; I had the impression of informal gatherings, relaxed rules and community, and yes, smoking ganja. I had imagined the Rastafarians to basically be intermingled in mainstream society, living among others but practicing their own religion, but these people were isolated. There was also no mention of ganja smoking among these mountainous people, although it might have been omitted because of the producers. The people did wear red turbans, which I assume is related to one of the Ethiopian colors. These people were also very strongly committed to Ethiopia and the crown. I wasn't sure whether the RX symbol was also used in mainstream Rastafarian tradition; it symbolized righteousness (R)over evil (X). Another thing that took me by surprise was the music. Because of Bob Marley and his influence, I had assumed that reggae was a form of music that all Rastafarians relate to because of its concentration of equality and hardship. However, the Boboshanti seemed intent on chanting, not reggae. Overall, I had imagined all Rastafarian people to be more modern. The Boboshanti seemed almost tribal; I never would have guessed that there were Rastafarians like this, because it always seemed that Rastafarians were concerned with current and (particularly) urban issues, like equality. However, I can understand why some Rastis would live in the mountains, as they refuse to be involved politically. It never occurred to me that there would be offshoots of a main religion, even though it happens in other religions all the time.

Link: a journalist explores a Boboshanti community.

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/lifestyle/html/20040531T010000-0500_60580_OBS_LIFE_IN_THE_BOBOSHANTI_CAMP.asp