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So, it’s been a while since I last worte, on here at least. Hopefully I’ll be adding more in the near future. For right now, though, here are some thoughts:
Last night, the Worldview Team visited a Hindu Temple in Chattanooga with Rev. Augustine Asir, himself an Indian. While I don’t have time to go into all the details, I do want to say that I was struck by a couple things. For one, the experience was much different that I expected. I’ve heard of Christians going into temples or Mosques, and they come out saying that they felt something evil. I experienced no such thing last night. The room, crowded with Worldview teamers and ornate idols, was serene. I felt I was observing more of a cultural tradition than a mystical, deceived religious shrine.
That brings to mind some thoughts on culture and even history. I love the study of both. Sometimes I forget, though, that culture and history are not just ideas and concepts; they are not simply tales and legends. Culture and history allure us because people’s stories are tied up in them. Individual lives, often times lumped together, are what make culture and history. And each of these individuals has a story; each person has shortcomings and fears, gifts and aspirations, challenges and problems, family and friends. People are at the heart of these things, and so many deserve to have their stories known.
Michael Reneau 