Places of worhsip
The Place of Worship When it comes to religion there are many beliefs and practices that separate and define each religion. One area where there is a distinction, is where each religion chooses to worship their God or Gods. The place a person chooses to worship can bring an energy or spiritual mindset that helps the person feel closer to the deity they are coming forth to exalt. Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel said “Worship is way of seeing the world in the light of God”. Not every religion requires a mosque, temple, or church to worship in, sometimes worship is done outdoors or even inside the home. For Buddhists, worship can be done either in the home or in a temple and there is no set day of the week that everyone gathers for prayer as in other religions such as Christianity. Some will set up a room inside their homes that is decorated with a Buddha statue and candles. Some will choose to burn incense. Temples are typically set up to symbolize fire, water, air, Earth, and wisdom. The square shape of the temple itself is said to symbolize Earth, while a pinnacle at the top of the temple symbolizes wisdom. Temples will have Buddha statues and/or images of Buddha. Buddha is not really worshipped but is more of a state of mind that is sought and the statue is merely a representation of that. It is more of gratitude that is expressed for Buddha’s teachings. Upon going into a temple it is customary to remove your shoes before entering the building out of respect. For Hindu’s, worship tends be more personal and mostly is done at home. Worship should take place daily so going to a temple every day is not convenient. There is usually a room or some sort of shrine in the home where the person says prayers, meditates, and makes offerings. Burning candles and incense is also often part of the ritual. At the temple, festivals and ceremonies are often performed or can be just used a place to escape the modern world. The structure of the temple itself has
Cited: Neusner, Jacob. World Religions in America: An Introduction. 4th ed. Louisville, Ky.: Westminster John Knox, 2009. 315. Print. "The Hindu Temple." The Hindu Temple. Web. 25 Apr. 2015. <http://www.templenet.com/Articles/hintemp.html>. "Library." Sacred Space. Web. 26 Apr. 2015. <http://www.patheos.com/Library/Pagan/Ritual-Worship-Devotion-Symbolism/Sacred-Space?offset=1&max=1>.