Religion Final

Ashley Weigand

12/8/11

Religion Final



Religion Final- Christian, Islam, Buddhism

Dear Abbot, 

My parents are so unfair! They expect me to get good grades at school, work afternoons and weekends at my father’s gas station AND watch my baby sister whenever they go out. I even have to spend all my vacations at my grandparents’ house with all my stupid cousins. They won’t let me date or even go out with my friends, and I’m fifteen years old! What should I do?

Signed

Want to Be a Kid

1.)    Dear Want to Be a Kid,

Hello, and thank you for your question, I am eager to help you with your question…  there is a few quotes from the Bible that I can give you to offer you some advice,  “He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding. Proverbs 15:32.” Some other advice that I can give you is that your parents just want the best for you and to be humble while helping them out with your baby sister, “A wise son heeds his father’s instruction, but a mocker does not listen to rebuke. Proverbs 13:1” along with also inspiring quote, “He who scorns instruction will pay for it, he who respects a command is rewarded. Proverbs 13:13.” One of the Ten Commandments that is within the Bible states that, “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.” What this quote means is that you should respect your parents; I know that they are being “unfair” but they are just trying to give you a good life and teach you what the real world. This also can help you with your future, having good grades could get you into your dream college, the work experience can help you in the job force and give you an edge above your peers. When it comes to dating, the Bible states about dating, “Each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God…No one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. 1 Thessalonians 4: 4-6.” I hope this has helped you with your question, please contact me if you have anymore.

Sincerely,

Pastor Humble-Heart

2.)    Dear Want to Be a Kid,

Hello, thank you for your question I am happy to help you with it as much as I possibly can. According to our Islamic teachings, to be obedient and to show kindness to parents has been enjoined in the Holy Quran in such a manner as to say that among the noble deeds, to obey parents, treat them respectfully. The Holy Quran states that, “Your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him, and that you be kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in thy life, say not to them a word of contempt, nor repel them, but address them in terms of honor. Surah Al Isra 17:23.” According to the Prophet Muhammad, the parents of a certain person are his Heaven or Hell. What this means is that if a person obeys his parents, attends to the needs of their parents and keeps them happy and comfortable, then he will attain Paradise. But if he is disrespectful and rude to them, offends them by ignoring their needs and feelings or causes them grief in any manner, his place shall be in Hell. Now I am not sayings that you will go to Hell for believing that your parents are being “unfair”, just respect their needs and help them. When it comes to dating in the Islam religion, the word dating does not exist among Muslims. Young Muslim men and women do not enter into relationships; their families choose that also in the Islam tradition pre-marital relationships of any kind are forbidden. I hope this has helped you with your questions, please feel free to contact me again if you have future questions.

Sincerely,

Respect-thy-Self

3.)    Dear Want to Be a Kid,

Hello, I found your questions very interesting and would personally like to thank you for sending me your questions. Our religion of Buddhism is not a family-centered religion, the reason as to why this is because the role of renunciation, detachment, and the individual’s pursuit of enlightenment. The virtue of renunciation derives from Siddhartha’s Great Going Forth, at which point he forsook his family and family obligations as a son, husband, and father. The goal of detachment also impinges negatively upon family life. The inherent nature of having a family and family relationships produces attachments that constitute formidable obstacles to achieving detachment from worldly affairs and desires. What I would do about your problems is when you are feeling upset or angry towards your parents for being “unfair”, just meditate this can help you feel a sense of enlightenment and peace within your very own being. But here is another piece of advice that I can give you, family life in Buddhist ethics rests upon the proper roles and responsibilities that characterize the parent-child relationship. Children are expected to be obedient and to preserve the traditions of the family, just remember that when believe that your parents are “unfair”. When it comes to dating the Buddhism religion a man and a woman do not date, instead, depending upon cultural traditions, marriages are either arranged between two families or decided upon, so there is no sort of dating. I hope that my advice has given you some enlightenment into your life, if you have more questions please contact me.

Sincerely,

Light-of-Enlightenment

Dear Abbot,

My friends and family are always on my case to get me to stop smoking. But I say it is my own body and I can do with it what I please. What do you think?

Signed

Smokey

1.)    Dear Smokey,

Hello, thank you for sending me your question, here is some advice that I can give you that will help. There really isn’t a specific Bible verse telling us not to smoke, however there are Bible verses that tell us to take care of our bodies. You should not only just look at smoking from the effects it can have psychologically or physically, but should also look at the spiritual component of the habit. Would God want you to do something that harms the body in any way? Would God want you to do somrthing that becomes an uncontrollable habit? Here is a quote from the Bible speaking of caring for your body, “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was give to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bough you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20.” Smoking can become an addiction, for your body becomes attached to the chemicals and your mind does as well, the Bible gives us a warning about using excessive drinking of wine as an example. It tells us to seek the Holy Spirit to feel good rather than other chemicals, because God will lead us on the right path rather than a path of physical destruction. “Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 5:18.” You must also look to this quote for inspiration, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2.” I hope this helped answer your questions, feel free to contact me if you have any more.

Sincerely,

Pastor-Humble Heart

2.)    Dear Smokey,

I have read over your question and hope you give you the best advice as much as I can. Islamic scholars have had mixed views about tobacco because there has not been a clear fatwa (legal opinion) to allow or forbid cigarette smoking. The reason why is because cigarettes are a more recent invention and did not exist at the time of the revelation of the Qur’an in the 7th century A.D. Therefore, a person cannot find a verse of Qur’an or the words of the Prophet Muhammad saying that “cigarette smoking is forbidden.” In our time though as the dangers of tobacco use have been proven, scholars have become more unanimous when speaking of tobacco use which is clearly haram (forbidden) to believers. In the Qur’an, Allah says, “…he [the Prophet] commands them what is just, and forbids them what is evil; he allows them as lawful what is good, and prohibits them from what is bad…Qur’an 7:157.” The Permanent Committee of Academic Research and Fatwa in Saudi Arabia stated that, “In view of the harm caused by tobacco, growing, trading in and smoking of tobacco are judged to be haram (foribben) The Prophet, peace be upon him, is reported to have said, “Do not harm yourselves or others.” Muslims are forbidden to harm themselves or others, Allah says, “…make not your own hands contribute to your destruction…Qur’an 2:195.” When it comes to your family and them wishing you to quit smoking for it is harming not only your being but theirs, in the Qur’an, Allah states that, “Those who annoy believing men and women undeservedly bear on themselves a glaring sin. Qur’an 33:58.” I hope this advice has helped you with your question, contact me again if you have any more.

Sincerely,

Respect-thy-Self

3.)    Dear Smokey,

Hello, thank you for your question and here is some advice I can give you on your current situation. When it comes to the Buddhism religion and our opinion on smoking, we have Buddhist practices that give us a way to examine out mind-habits and compulsions and see how they control our actions. Why would anyone of any religion or culture engage in behavior that harms the body and confuses the mind? As Buddhists engage in the process of Buddhists practices many begin to let go of destructive personal habits. Buddhism tunes our attention to within ourselves, not outside, by understanding ourselves we understand how this world and existence came to be. Because we keep ignorantly looking outside for satisfaction, we only keep ourselves within confusion and bad habits. When it comes to the monks, the stricter ones get closer and more serious they are about enlightenment and the Way. The less strict are starting out and still causing harm or offenses…if they improve then they’re on the way towards bodhi. And when they cut off all desires and attached thoughts, that is the way to enlightenment because the mind is still. If you are still attached to cigarettes, then your mind is currently shattered for you are contained within other worldly pleasures. Buddhists scriptures do not directly address the issue of substance addiction. Karma refers to the law of cause and effect in a person’s life. According to the law of Karma, “You are what you are and do what you do, as a result of what you were and did in a previous incarnation, which in turn was inevitable outcome of what you were and did in still earlier incarnations.” For a Buddhist it is all about dealing away with worldly pleasures and seeking out breaking bad habits that are harmful and finding enlightenment. I hope this has helped, contact me again if you have future questions.

Sincerely,

Light-of-Enlightenment