Insight Into Foreign Faiths & Religions

Foreign Faiths
By Drew Davis; Executive Director; 05-09-09
Available at http://www.wiscnews.com/wde/opinion/450474

Do you pray to one God or 300 million? Perhaps zero. Regardless of the religion you choose to embrace, theology is a deeply personal topic for most people. With over 22 major religions in the world—from the jungles of Africa to the islands of the Pacific—it is a topic that would be of interest to over 84 percent of the world. The remaining 16 percent, either agnostic or atheist, would probably prefer to talk about something else. We’ve all been told not to discuss religion or politics at the dinner table or with people we’ve just met, but, with a BA in politics and government and world religions, it’s all I ever want to talk about!

You’ve certainly noticed the many cultural nuances of our international guests. Whether it be their actions, language, or clothing, many of our visitors become pleasantly visible when strolling through the downtown River District. With most of these identifiers attributable to their religious beliefs, to understand what we’re seeing and why, we must glean the significance of the practice from each religion itself. Unfortunately, fear and distrust come from a lack of understanding; and religions have been misunderstood more than anything in history. We can avoid this in our increasingly diverse towns by simply understanding.

Have you ever seen a man with a colored and tightly wrapped turban around his head? He would look as though he’s from India, because he is. This man is a Sikh [“seek”]. Sikhism advocates the pursuit of salvation through disciplined meditation on the message of God—who should be understood more as a force than a person.

There are distinctive features of the 26 million Sikhs in the world that both reflect their devotion and make them very recognizable. The turban is certainly one of them. It wraps a head of uncut hair and frames a face covered with a beard. Allowing the body’s hair to exist naturally is a celebration of God’s perfect creation.

You may also see a wooden comb to maintain this creation, an iron bracelet to remind followers of their binding faith, and a small sword strapped to the waistline to indicate bravery and protect the weak. With a dignified attire to reflect high moral character, the Sikh’s personality—rooted in their Chardi Kala (positive energy)—will also be recognizable. They are notably positive and have an optimistic and buoyant view of life. They are a hard people to fear.

Perhaps the most visibly devout beyond the Sikhs are the Hindus [“hin-doos”]. Hinduism, also cradled in the Near and Far East, is a religion of 300 million deities with one ultimate salvation: unification with Brahman—the impersonal, transcendent reality of the universe. Hindus channel their “third eye”—the eye of knowledge—as they distill life’s wisdom to attain salvation. The eye is accentuated on the forehead just above the brow with a vermillion mark or jewel known as a bindi.

For Hindu women, the bindi symbolizes female energy and is believed to protect them and their husbands. Often dressed in vibrant or elaborately-patterned tunics—known as saris for women, dhotis for men—Hindus seek to engage all of the senses in their pursuit of fulfillment. Ornamental jewelry, such as nose rings, ear rings, and belly rings, denotes visual stimulation while aromatic fragrances, colognes, and incense invoke particular moods, especially during meditation and ceremonial rituals. Life for Hindus is a truly sensational experience.

For Muslims, adherents of Islam, embracing extravagance is not the norm. In fact, the hijab [hee-job], which women use to veil their heads and faces, and the dishdash, which men wear to their cover their bodies, is indicative of the Islamic principles of simplicity, modesty, and morality. It is not an attempt to be secretive or appear conniving. In a religion that means “submission to God”, it is no surprise the hijab represents the metaphysical veil which separates the world from God. Women who elect to cover their entire bodies, save the face and hands, have noted its liberating effect from social pressures, which allows for a closer relationship with God. Men are similarly expected not to wear tight, revealing, or eye-catching clothing and are prohibited from wearing gold jewelry. It is a faith of humility and prostration.

With insight into foreign faiths, uncertainty can move away from distrust and fear and toward inspiration and admiration. Amen.
Drew Davis is a columnist for Capital Newspapers, headquartered in Madison, WI.