You know i was in a hurry to write a post if it's full of typos.
Sick of the Autumn pics yet? TOO BAD.. I'm freaking LOVING this red and goldness.
Have to say i really hit a low point last night. I just thought that coming here was a mistake and i just wanted to go home early. I was up at night, despite my exhuastion, thinking how to ask mom to let me go home early. The problem? I was sick of being patronised and treated like a wee infant.
Then i woke up and i said to mom i was sick of being treated like a child, can i go home? Or at least stay home today while my aunts and an uncle (plus mom obviously) go to the temple for the anniversary of the death of one of their brothers. I'm forever hating how I am dragged to these things (based on some arbitrary rule it seems) while my cousins get out of it. She said no, but suprisingly didn't lecture me about ingratitude for wanting to go home. After breakfast i realised it's probably just a reaction to not feeling well and changes in weather or something. you'll feel better later. So i tried to not moan about the temple thing.
Being around my family can be taxing. I also had visions of being forced to do the prayer thing. They wanted me to "pray" the last time i went to a temple. When i was a "christian" I didn't want to participate in Heathen activities. Now? Well my religion STILL prohibits me from such things. I'm an athiest and i follow the God of Rationalism and sensibility. It prohibits me from participating in pointless charades of ritualised obeisance.
I'm not rude... or cruel. I showed the requisite amount of respect to the monks and others who pray. I wont go around trying to convert people into athiesm, despite it being the ONLY path to salvation. But I am deeply against doing the strictly choreographed prayer practices of faiths I dont believe it. As in i'm not going to do the bowing thing, specially when it has to be done in a specific way.
Lucky for me, Mom knows just how far to push me. Too far and I become evil bitch from hell. So she made me go to the temple, gave me money to donate despite my principled objections against giving away such a huge amounts to religion, but she didn't make to go in and bow.
That left me free to wander the temple area and snap pics. Some came out looking awful. Some came out looking better then expected. (And when the general rule is that most come out WORSE then expected, This is a good thing.) Ergo i'm a happy puppy.
Oh and i got my hair permed again. Only marginally more successful then the last time methinks. Gotta wait two days before i can wash it to find out, but i'm liking my hair curly... hides my chubby face more effectively.
3 comments:
Personally, I don't mind going to churches and temples, etc and observing their religious practices... I have nothing against them as long as they're not being harmful to anyone. I, as you know, don't really follow any religion, but I find the rituals and the drama really fascinating! If I'm asked to take part, even if I don't believe, I just do it out of respect...what's the harm? There may or may not be a god, but seeing as you've stepped into someone else's territory, I just think it's respectful to do as they like...or stay out otherwise. Look at it as you're on stage and it becomes a whole load of fun that way! :D
And I'm loving the autumn pictures. How is the job hunt going in Korea?
I still like religious buildings. I no longer have the fear of temples being 'demon dens' that I did when I was younger.
I do now try to treat people's rituals with tolerance now, but it's really hard to if they don't extend the same tolerance to you.
Tolerance i can do, and if i didn't HAVE to participate i'd be more open to the experiance but when they EXPECT you to participate because God forbid that you dont *gasp, shock dismay* then i bulk.
I korea there are alot of things i'm EXPECTED TO DO. i just draw the line somewhere. if i could do the prayer thing alone, i might do it. but the staring, oh for the love of all that is holy.. the staring...
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