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paraphrase and re write the text in your own word using the same idea as…

paraphrase and re write the text in your own word using the same idea as…

paraphrase and re write the text in your own word using the same idea as if you were to visit the locations. please re wite in your own words 1/2 page each visit, in total 2 pages. Hsi Fang VisitI found the visit to the Hsi Fang Visit temple less satisfactory than the visit to the Shiva Vishnu temple. A contributing factor to my dissatisfaction was the seemingly westernized nature of the temple. There was English writing on the walls in the temple and both of the presenters to our class were clearly American which, at the risk of being politically incorrect, discredited the originality of the presentation for me. Despite this small dissatisfaction, I still learned a lot of interesting things about the temple and the Buddhist faith during our visit to the Hsi Fang temple. One of the first things that was taught to us is that everything in the temple has a purpose, or represents something greater that what it appeared. For example, the color scheme contained a large amount of red, which represents good qualities like achievement, wisdom, virtue, fortune and dignity. The fresh flowers that were strewn throughout the temple represented impermanence, as they will eventually die and cease to exist, just like everything else in life. They were there to remind visitors about the cessation of everything, including our bodies and to remind and encourage visitors to live “unattached” lives. Similarly, the “backwards swastika” on the Buddha’s chest represents auspiciousness, and I believe the tiles behind the alter represented good fortune. I like the concept of a deeper meaning behind the objects in a temple; I think it is a worthwhile practice that helps remind those in attendance about important religious practices and thoughts. The main shrine in the temple contained five Buddhas, each of which we were taught about. The Sakyamuni Buddha is the teacher and founder of Buddhism. The Amitabha Buddha is the teacher of the Western Pure Land. Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva is the embodiment of compassion for the suffering world, Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva represents wisdom, and finally the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva is celebrated for his vow to relieve all suffering beings in hell. Overall, the visit was very educational and it helped me comprehend Buddhism quite well. Shiva Vishnu VisitThe visit to Shiva Vishnu temple was very enjoyable and educational. I really liked the style of the man who presented to our class; he seemed very knowledgeable about “Hinduism”, despite not being a Hindu priest, and he was very humble. Speaking of, “Hinduism”, I found it interesting that “Hinduism” was actually a name given to the religion based upon a mispronunciation of the Sindhu (Indus) River, and that Indians will never use the term “Hindu” to refer to their religion unless it is to clarify for a westerner. While at the Shiva Vishnu visit, I asked the presenter what the most important principle of the “Hindu” faith is. His answer was that everyone is divine, and that the ultimate goal of life is to manifest the divinity within oneself. I found the notion that everyone is divine quite hard to comprehend at first, likely because it varies from the Christian religion that I was raised adhering to. However, as he elaborated more, the concept of “mass-divinity” began to make more sense to me. Since everything is a product of the ultimate divine entity that created it (including life itself) it only seems logical that, in turn, everything is holy through its means of creation. Although everyone and everything is divine by nature, we learned that it takes devotion to become in-tune with ones divinity (achieving Moksha). In the age of distraction that we live in today, one must be very dedicated and passionate about achieving self-realization and acquiring self-knowledge. This requires daily meditation and intense focusing that can easily be interrupted by today’s fast-paced society with all of its technologies. The contentment that comes with achieving Moksha is one that is very attractive to me, and I thought could be felt in the Shiva Vishnu temple. Despite its location in a warehouse, the mood was very mellow, contemplative and satisfactory in the temple. The burning of incense likely contributed to my perception of this mood. Islamic Center VisitToday we visited the Islamic Center of San Diego. I found the visit to be the most informative visit that we have had in the class thus far. The man presenting the Islamic faith was very thorough in his explanation of what the faith stood for, as well as his personal views about controversial issues pertaining to the faith. The thing that I found most interesting was how much Islam coincides with the Christian faith. Many of the values held close to Muslims are similar to those that are important in the eyes of devout Christians. For example, their monotheistic viewpoint and the importance that is placed upon the repentance of sins. There is a stigma in the United States that people of Islamic faith are terrorists and are anti-American. Although I have never held this viewpoint, there are members of my family who feel this way. I have always expressed the ignorance of this viewpoint but, as the speaker today mentioned, many Americans rely on national news to shape their views of those who are different from them. I found it interesting that Muslims, to an extent, view Jesus at the same stature as Mohamed. I never knew about the value placed in Jewish and Christian scripture when it came to those of Islamic faith. Additionally, I thought the explanation about women’s rights was very well put and accurate. You could feel the frustration in the man’s voice when he explained that the discrimination of women is not something that is associated with Islam, yet is a cultural immorality that has been passed on from generation to generation. The prayer room was another aspect of the visit that I enjoyed and learned from. The requirement to pray five times a day in Islam displays the strictness of the religion and the devoutness that Muslims feel about the faith. I liked how the prayer room lacked anything that could be potentially distracting when in a state of prayer. There were no pictures, monuments, or anything of that nature, something that I thought seemed to make a lot of sense.  Immaculata Church I enjoyed our class visit to the Immaculata Church and Founders Chapel. Although I am a student at USD, I rarely visit these places. Most of what we learned I had learned earlier in life, although it was good to have a refresher on what everything in Catholic (and protestant) churches represent.  Realistically, I think I have only been in the Immaculata Church once since attending USD in the Fall of 2012 so I really enjoyed taking time to appreciate the architectural beauty of the building, both inside and out. Although I was aware of much of the symbolism that was discussed, there were a few things that I hadn’t been completely aware of before our visit. Firstly, was the concept of incorporating people into the artwork within churches to represent people important to that specific church. I think this process is one that is creative and quite entertaining, as it makes the congregation really pay attention to the artwork they are surrounded by and the significance of it. Additionally, I never was aware that architects, at least when constructing Catholic churches, do their best to design the church in the shape of a cross. The amount of symbolism and talent within the artwork and design of the Immaculata at USD, and many other Catholic churches, is absolutely astounding. I enjoyed learning about why Protestant churches prefer the empty cross in their churches as opposed to the crucifix. While it makes sense that they prefer the empty cross because it symbolizes Jesus rising from the dead, it also makes sense that the Catholic tradition prefers to place significance upon his death on the cross. According to Christianity, it was the death of Jesus that took the place of the punishment for the sins of this world. Yet, the resurrection of Christ is also essential to the Christian faith. In Founders Chapel, I thought that the golden “stage” surrounding the crucifix were a bit distracting, despite their beauty. Overall, I enjoyed the visit and the knowledge I acquired through it.