Friday, April 29, 2011

In order to know one, you got to know the other

These past few weeks for me I've been on a WW2 kick. I've started watching a documentary on Auschwitz and currently watching Anne Frank. I also just finished a book on the Temple by Apostle Boyd K. Packer. Very good book if you're new to the Temple. With Passover just ending and having two best friends who are Jewish I always take a time to research a little on it and remind myself what they are celebrating. Especially since the book I was reading kept talking about Elijah.

The point of this blog is that in order for people to understand one, they need to understand the other. So! In order to truly understand the Bible (King James version, I've never read others so I can't speak for those) you need to understand the beginning. This being the Old Testament or the Torah (first 5 books of the Old Testament). You need to take a good luck at the Passover, Rosh Shanna, Yom Kipur and depending on your level of Judiasm much more. How many people know what the number 7 means? 3? Did you know that when they say 40 days in the Bible it usually really isn't 40 days!! It's just a really long time. I think some of my Jewish friends get sick of the questions. But I know that for me to really understand why some things are the way that they are you need to look at the beginning. The past 2 summers I have had a co-worker that is an Orthodox Jew, we would love to sit and talk about the similarities and differences between us. Have you ever done this? It's amazing!! I have truly learned a lot and in turn, have become a better Mormon. In this book about the Temples they kept talking about Elijah. Elijah is in the Old Testament people!! To understand the Temple, you need to understand the Old Testament! At Passover there is a place set at the table of Elijah, for when he comes. I am appalled sometimes at how little people know of other religions. We should always look for opportunities to learn, you may understand more about your own religion. For some Religion is a taboo subject, but if you approach it the right way it's not taboo at all, it's so interesting and such a learning experience. When talking to my Orthodox Jew friend I always learned more about Mormonism, and I think she in turn learned a lot.
So if you want to understand even more of the Bible I hope you will take my advice and learn more about the Judaism faith.  The Religion and history is so amazing and incomparable to others.
I challenge, my readers, if there are any. To talk to a friend, co-worker, the man in the bike next to you at the gym. To, if it feels appropriate and can come up, to talk about religion. Ask questions, seek to learn more about what they believe and why (not in a challenging way).   In order to know one, you got to know the other, don't you?

1 comment:

  1. That is wonderful advice. I love learning about what other people believe. I often visit patheos.com because there aren't very many people of other religions I get to run into with great frequency being in Utah.

    I sometimes miss Virginia precisely because of the diversity there. And the trees.

    Great post!

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