Guest guest Posted November 9, 2008 Report Share Posted November 9, 2008 Sunday » November 9 » 2008 Ask the Religion Experts Question: If God is everywhere, why do we need churches or temples? Radhika Sekar Citizen Special Saturday, November 08, 2008 A: Vedanta advocates God as without form, attributes or agent. Advaita (a school of Vedanta) observes that the world we live in and see quite clearly is an illusion (Maya), created by our ever adaptive minds. Thus the human goal is to shed the illusion and realize the true reality, i.e. to see God everywhere and in everyone. Yet Adi Sankara (AD 788-838), the greatest proponent of Advaita, frequented temples and composed glorious hymns in praise of various deities. It is said that he confessed to three lapses: confining That Which Has No Form to stone and mortar; describing That Which Transcends All Qualities; and, by frequenting temples, denying the omnipresence of the divine. Living in the abstract does not come easily to humans. We are "social animals" and "creatures of ritual," who need interaction. We also have the need to construct systems of expression and communication. The path to realization, therefore, is a movement from the concrete to the abstract, beginning with structure, symbol and ritual. All forms of religious expressions are therefore no more than markers that guide us on the journey from illusion to reality. Temples help focus our intentions and act as reference points where we may seek solace and gather with others of similar cultural histories to celebrate and worship the intangible in tangible form. In bygone times, when there was no sharp distinction between culture and religion, local temples were the primary focus of social life that supported all activities, be they religious, economic or cultural. Although no longer pivotal in our lives, nor even mandatory, they nevertheless remain important hubs of spiritual and cultural activities. Most importantly, in the absence of central authority, Hindu temples provide local leadership in religious matters. Radhika Sekar has a PhD in Religious Studies and taught Hinduism at Carleton University for several years. She is a disciple of the Sri Ramakrishna Mission. - - - Write to the experts, c/o The Ottawa Citizen, 1101 Baxter Rd., Ottawa, Ont., K2C 3M4 or e-mail experts Replies from the Citizen's religion experts can also be read at ottawacitizen.com. Look for Ask the Religion Experts under Current Features. © The Ottawa Citizen 2008 CanWest Interactive, a division of CanWest MediaWorks Publications, Inc.. All rights reserved. CanWest Interactive, a division of CanWest MediaWorks Publications, Inc.. All rights reserved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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