Modern Religious Experience: Personal Commemoration- Reflection #7

Modern Religious Experience: Personal Commemoration- Reflection #7: "Think of an event in your life- past, present or future. You are going to create a commemorative ritual for this event. First, describe the ..."

The event that I want to create, would commemorate the closeness of my family. Not just my immediate family that is, but my extended family. Almost once a week, our family calls our extended family back in the states via skype or phone (although that sometimes skyrockets our phone-bill). And at least once or twice a month, I share a meal with my aunt and family, my only other relatives on my mothers side out in korea. And every year, without fail, we all meet up together and go vacationing, be it to Lake Arrowhead, or to Hawaii. And every year, we get closer and closer. This in itself is important to me because not every family is as close as I see my family is to each other. Thus, the event itself I want to create, is a time of silence, and reflection, as thanks for each other. The phrase that I would want all of us to say, together before all of our meals (excluding the meal prayer) would be, "Thank you Lord, for everything. Thank you for each other, and thank you for our love for each other." And after this phrase, the aforementioned moment of silence and thanksgiving would follow. Then we would share our meal. This would be at every dinner meal at the vacation.

Modern Religious Experience: The Morality of Greek Myths- Reflection #6

Modern Religious Experience: The Morality of Greek Myths- Reflection #6: "The Creation of Seasons: Demeter and PersephoneFor this reflection, upload a picture that represents your character in the Greek myth you pr..."

                In the Greek myth, "The Creation of the Seasons: Demeter and Persephone" that our group acted out, I played of Zeus. The myth basically starts with Persephone, the daughter of Demeter, attracting Hades', the little brother of Zeus, eye. She is frolicking on Earth, Demeter's backyard, when Hades is granted permission by Zeus to kidnap Persephone. She is kidnapped, and when Demeter finds out, she lets everything die, as she has power over all nature. Seeing the suffering on earth, Zeus makes Hades return Persephone, who he had taken for a wife, but not early enough, because Persephone was tricked into eating 7 pomegranate seeds. The seeds keep her in the Underworld with Hades 7 months out of the year, and it is said that at this time, Nature withers and winter comes, but when Persephone is returned, flowers come out and spring comes. This myth attempts to explain why there are four seasons and how they were created. 

              The moral of the story is well, quite superficially, that one should not kidnap anyone regardless of how insignificant the consequences seem. But on a deeper note, I think that the moral being taught and virtue that can be found significant in Greek was that of Love. The power of a mother's love that would lead Demeter to wreak such havok on nature and overcome Hades love of Persephone. One should learn that, when it comes to family, that one should not blink an eye in keeping them safe, no matter what the cost.