Comments on: Postcard from Abroad http://www.champuru.net/blog/2007/06/20/postcard-from-abroad/ A pinch of this and a dash of that makes champuru a spicy dish. Fri, 05 Dec 2008 10:13:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: shari http://www.champuru.net/blog/2007/06/20/postcard-from-abroad/#comment-12777 shari Tue, 26 Jun 2007 09:40:35 +0000 http://www.champuru.net/blog/2007/06/20/postcard-from-abroad/#comment-12777 It's pretty hard being a christian, and growing up in a buddhist family...both sides of my family are buddhist...only my cousin and I are christian...when I entered into High School, that is when I had the chance to choose what religon I wanted to turn too...i'm happy to have great understanding parents...my Mom wasn't mad or anything she was very supportive...in fact none of my family members really care...till this day even when a family memeber passes away I still do attend services...and also still attend yearly services for my grandparents, aunt, and uncle who has passed away...it's my way of showing respect to my family...if someone was against me from going to a buddhist temple to pay my respects to a family member oh wells...I wouldn't turn my back on family members...I guess that's my way of thinking...everyone thinks different...my cousin also who is a christian pays his respect as well at my family services...no one tells us anything, and i'm sure if they did my cousin would say something...haha... It’s pretty hard being a christian, and growing up in a buddhist family…both sides of my family are buddhist…only my cousin and I are christian…when I entered into High School, that is when I had the chance to choose what religon I wanted to turn too…i’m happy to have great understanding parents…my Mom wasn’t mad or anything she was very supportive…in fact none of my family members really care…till this day even when a family memeber passes away I still do attend services…and also still attend yearly services for my grandparents, aunt, and uncle who has passed away…it’s my way of showing respect to my family…if someone was against me from going to a buddhist temple to pay my respects to a family member oh wells…I wouldn’t turn my back on family members…I guess that’s my way of thinking…everyone thinks different…my cousin also who is a christian pays his respect as well at my family services…no one tells us anything, and i’m sure if they did my cousin would say something…haha…

]]> By: Ryan S. http://www.champuru.net/blog/2007/06/20/postcard-from-abroad/#comment-12477 Ryan S. Mon, 25 Jun 2007 06:52:10 +0000 http://www.champuru.net/blog/2007/06/20/postcard-from-abroad/#comment-12477 As a devout Buddhist, what I can say about the incense ceremony is this: It's far more important to me that someone shows up for the service and shows respect in their own way than do something that does not respect themselves or their faith. Perhaps it's a Buddhist way of thinking--I brought this up to a Christian who I worked with and subsequently got lambasted--but my feeling on faiths is that they are different roads toward the same destination. I have much more respect for someone following their own road faithfully than for someone to sway off of their road to try to accommodate someone else. My own two cents, of course... ...and it's not like I'm always looking at who offers incense either ;-) As a devout Buddhist, what I can say about the incense ceremony is this:

It’s far more important to me that someone shows up for the service and shows respect in their own way than do something that does not respect themselves or their faith.

Perhaps it’s a Buddhist way of thinking–I brought this up to a Christian who I worked with and subsequently got lambasted–but my feeling on faiths is that they are different roads toward the same destination. I have much more respect for someone following their own road faithfully than for someone to sway off of their road to try to accommodate someone else. My own two cents, of course…

…and it’s not like I’m always looking at who offers incense either ;-)

]]> By: Donna http://www.champuru.net/blog/2007/06/20/postcard-from-abroad/#comment-12050 Donna Sat, 23 Jun 2007 06:59:27 +0000 http://www.champuru.net/blog/2007/06/20/postcard-from-abroad/#comment-12050 To answer your first question: yes. To answer your second question... I don't know if this is the "proper" thing to do, but this is what I do: out of respect, I approach the altar, do not offer incense, but bow my head and lift a short prayer to the Lord for the deceased and the family. I have seen others do the same and it doesn't seem to ruffle feathers, at least not that I've caught wind of. To answer your first question: yes.

To answer your second question… I don’t know if this is the “proper” thing to do, but this is what I do: out of respect, I approach the altar, do not offer incense, but bow my head and lift a short prayer to the Lord for the deceased and the family. I have seen others do the same and it doesn’t seem to ruffle feathers, at least not that I’ve caught wind of.

]]> By: Mark From Hawaii http://www.champuru.net/blog/2007/06/20/postcard-from-abroad/#comment-12039 Mark From Hawaii Sat, 23 Jun 2007 05:07:05 +0000 http://www.champuru.net/blog/2007/06/20/postcard-from-abroad/#comment-12039 So are the odds favorable for a random chapuru sighting at Wahiawa Hongwanji this weekend? ;) Seriously I've still not come to terms with what I, also a devout Christian, would do during the incense offering (shoko) during a Buddhist funeral service - especially for a close relative. Maybe just walk up and offer a prayer to the Heavenly Father... So are the odds favorable for a random chapuru sighting at Wahiawa Hongwanji this weekend? ;)

Seriously I’ve still not come to terms with what I, also a devout Christian, would do during the incense offering (shoko) during a Buddhist funeral service - especially for a close relative. Maybe just walk up and offer a prayer to the Heavenly Father…

]]> By: Donna http://www.champuru.net/blog/2007/06/20/postcard-from-abroad/#comment-11822 Donna Thu, 21 Jun 2007 06:23:03 +0000 http://www.champuru.net/blog/2007/06/20/postcard-from-abroad/#comment-11822 <b>Ryan:</b> Absolutely! I have seen the popularity of bon dances grow over the past few years, it's amazing. People of all ages, races, and religions go to bon dances to enjoy the cultural experience. It's one of the things that makes Hawaii such a great place -- the diversity of cultures and our acceptance and appreciation of them all. I also agree with you about politicians seizing it as an opportunity to campaign. That bugs me, too. Ryan: Absolutely! I have seen the popularity of bon dances grow over the past few years, it’s amazing. People of all ages, races, and religions go to bon dances to enjoy the cultural experience. It’s one of the things that makes Hawaii such a great place — the diversity of cultures and our acceptance and appreciation of them all. I also agree with you about politicians seizing it as an opportunity to campaign. That bugs me, too.

]]> By: Ryan S. http://www.champuru.net/blog/2007/06/20/postcard-from-abroad/#comment-11819 Ryan S. Thu, 21 Jun 2007 06:14:11 +0000 http://www.champuru.net/blog/2007/06/20/postcard-from-abroad/#comment-11819 As a devout, service attending, practicing Buddhist (try to be that if you're under 50 in Hawai'i and you'll understand what it's like to be swimming against the tides), I can say that the bon dance season is really more of a cultural rather than religious event. The vast majority of the folks who come to, say, Kane'ohe Highashi Hongwanji's event are neither Buddhist nor regular service attendees, but they are appreciated for who they are, and for coming (and in secular terms, the dance is also a fundraiser for the temple, so the more, the better). The one part of the event that I dislike is when local politicians show up--only in election years. I don't mind that they come, but if they're going to come only in election years to try to get votes, that bothers me. Come every year, or if you only come once every four years, then don't pander. My opinion, of course, only, take it for what it's worth. As a devout, service attending, practicing Buddhist (try to be that if you’re under 50 in Hawai’i and you’ll understand what it’s like to be swimming against the tides), I can say that the bon dance season is really more of a cultural rather than religious event. The vast majority of the folks who come to, say, Kane’ohe Highashi Hongwanji’s event are neither Buddhist nor regular service attendees, but they are appreciated for who they are, and for coming (and in secular terms, the dance is also a fundraiser for the temple, so the more, the better).

The one part of the event that I dislike is when local politicians show up–only in election years. I don’t mind that they come, but if they’re going to come only in election years to try to get votes, that bothers me. Come every year, or if you only come once every four years, then don’t pander.

My opinion, of course, only, take it for what it’s worth.

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