Servings of Religion

I often tell people that I look at religion as a big buffet, and I take a little bit from each of which I learn. This past week has been about dipping my ladle into 2 religions whose services I had not previously attended.

Last week I went to my first Mormon service. I've been to blessings before and even a baptism, but had never gone to a regular Sunday service. I purposely went to a Fast and Testimony Service because I heard that people spoke spontaneously and that is what I like! Prepared talks are good too, but I wanted to see what really moved people.

I felt at peace at the church, it's physically very similar to the churches I attended as a youth (Methodist and Presbyterian) minus the crosses. I was surprised how noisy it was during the service, and as I glanced around, I often felt people were not really paying attention to the speakers. Maybe they'd heard a lot of the same type of talks before, maybe they were distracted by their children, or because it's a service during fasting, maybe they were all just hungry! Anyway, the speakers got up without much pause between them, and most spoke of their belief in the Mormon Church being the true church, their gratefulness for the temples and their families. All good things and all similar to what members of other religions would say, I believe.

I appreciated the bishop, my friend's husband, speaking to me both before and after the service and I felt his welcome was genuine and without an agenda. Most people know I've lived in Utah long enough that if I wanted to convert to the dominant religion, I probably would have done so by now. I appreciate those friends I have who will answer questions, discuss their viewpoints and listen to mine without feeling they need to show me the way.

I was surprised by how content I felt at the service. I realized that all religions have the same intent, to lead their members to a better life and existence. The differences are in the details and really, those details are so insignificant when one looks at the source of each religion.

The second service I visited this week was at the Islamic Center in Logan. A friend invited me and I went to Friday's prayer at 1:45 p.m. I met another friend there and she helped me with the formalities of the service. I didn't learn a lot about the religion, but was invited back for the potluck the next night.

So, yesterday I went to the potluck at the Islamic Center and what a good time I had! The women (men and women are in separate rooms) were so willing to share their beliefs and practices and did so without any pressure to conform. I was able to watch the women pray and I admired their diligence and dedication...they pray 5 times a day! The food was not just shared, but rapidly passed to me and put before me and the genuine warmth I felt was so uplifting, I didn't want to leave.

I am so glad I visited both services, as I feel it gives me an opportunity to learn more about the religions by seeing how it really affects the members. I know I have not even scraped the surface of either religion, but I feel I have opened doors that I felt were closed and locked to me, an outsider.

I encourage all people to take the opportunity to visit a place of worship other than the one they normally visit, or if you are like me and don't have one you normally visit, then even better, because you really have no excuse!!