Week 11

The thing I found most interesting in this week's reading is Jesus' actions as well as how he is perceived. 

In the book, The First Paul, Borg and Crossan refer to Christianity as the way. I found this to be interesting because I don't necessarily agree with the fact that there is one religion. I believe that there can be many perceptions in religion. Borg states that although he was raised a Lutheran, he later realized that viewing the world in a Christian light was the way. Yes, the writing in the bible is open for interpretation and can be  seen through different ways, I cannot agree that it is the absolute way. Like any religion, it can be viewed in different mindsets at different times. 

Another thing that caught my attention was that in John 13, Jesus persists on washing the others feet. Like it stated in the video clip we watched in class, this shows Jesus as a servant leader. (I'm actually not sure if the video was in this class or another.) Regardless, the act of Jesus getting on his knees to do the "dirty work" of cleaning others' feet shows his willingness to put himself below others, and serve from the back. It shows his leadership of not always having the be right, not having to be the one in command at all times. I think this is a very important characteristic in being a leader. 

A verse that hit home for me was John 3:17-18. It states that because God gave us his only Son to save our world. In this quote, it resinates with me that we are all responsible for carrying on the legacy to leave the world a better place for the next generation to come. Because God gave us a chance to live on this world, we must pay our respects and do our part in continuing it. In a sense, we are all God's children and because of this, it is crucial that we do pray and keep a healthy communication with him or her. 

Week 10

The thing I found most interesting in the reading was Borg's interpretation of religion and practices.

The journey of me going through Marcus J. Borg's book Jesus has been an interesting one to begin with because I don't come from a religious background. Although I have some understanding of what Christianity preaches, I had never experienced it for myself. Reading the Bible for the first time and Borg's book has given me a different interpretation of the religion other than what I have heard any times. This quote from Jesus grabbed my attention, "Not only does our place within culture continue to shape us, but what happens within our culture's life can affect our view of the past" (Borg 294). Prior to this quote,  Borg talks about the idea of religion and how it may be applied to an individual's life. This interested me because being a first generation child from Japan, we always practiced Buddhism. My family did not attend temples every weekend or anything like that, but the context of how we spoke and believed traced back to Buddhism. Coming from a man who truly sides with Christianity, it intrigues me that I am able to relate to many of his sayings. From the quote, I can already relate that it is because of my Japanese heritage and culture that I am who I am today. My parents raised me with Japanese practices, for example eating as a family, using chopsticks, no shoes in the house, and speaking in Japanese. It is not until I came to Gonzaga that I found so much passion in my heritage. Since the tsunami that struck Japan, I have come to have a different view on the disaster that occurred in Haiti. Before, as horrible as it may sound, I speak with sincerity when I say that the occurrence in Haiti never grasped my attention. It is not until now, what has occurred in my motherland that I am able to empathize with those victims of Haiti. Though I did not realize until recently, I hold so much pride in my culture.

Another part that grabbed my attention is when Borg talks about the "rights" in Christianity. Because they are too long to list, I will write my reflection instead. I agree, Christianity emphasizes on the denying of the theory of evolution, abortion, homosexuality, pre-marital sex, emphasis on values, and the conformation to Christianity as listed on page 297. I feel that many Americans believe these rights, regardless of whether they are Christian or not. Coming from California, our view points are all over the scale so I cannot say where I get this assumption. To me, I feel that even if one is not of a Christian background, these "rights" are still implemented in their beliefs. It intrigues me that Christianity has the ability to relate with many different people around the world and I am excited to keep studying this religion.

I think it is ironic how it says "Pray for Japan" with the understanding that many people in Japan are not Christian, yet we all do the same thing, pray.

Week 9

The thing that interested me the most in the reading are the five points stated in Chapter 9 of the book Jesus.

The points really stuck out to me because it teaches the reader to be passive-resistant. I've never related Mahatma Gandhi or Martin Luther King Jr. to Jesus Christ or any religion to be exact. But when I read the five points, I immediately thought back to the two key leaders in my life. The first point basically says to me that it is okay to fight but fight the right fights. It tells me not to be violent and fight for my cause, rather fight with passion and wholeheartedly. It teaches to be more than what we stand for but living with what we stand for. Points two, three, and four is saying that it is alright to fight but to go the extra mile in order to achieve what we want. It's not about dipping our toes in the water to get a hold of what we want instead to dive in and keep in our hearts what we want. It taught me that it truly isn't enough to want something but to live something and execute it in our daily lives. Gandhi's quote is perfect for this situation, "be the change you wish to see in the world". Points one through four are about being the change, living as the change, and the inspiration for others to be the change as well. Lastly, the fifth point is about accepting failure. If the way things you planned does not go the way you would have liked them to, it is about acceptance. Seeing someone else create your failure is alright but the important thing is to give them guidance and support so that they are able to work through the next time. The fifth point really relates to religion and loving people regardless of their abilities and accepting the flaws. To be the hope for others and inspire them too to live the life you live. I would love to live like Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. did one day.