The Religious Trip

The purpose for our religious trip to Masjid Jamek was to experience the similarities in Buddhist, Hindu, and Muslim places of worship. Although the religions are different the way they are practiced or where they are practiced is similar. In the mosque the was a huge dome with a moon and a star on top of it and minarets surrounding it. Between the minarets (to form a wall) there were repeated designs. Most of the mosque was made of white marble but some of it was also made from cement. The only smell that was there was the smell of dirty water as there was a river right next to the mosque. The next place that we visited was the Buddhist temple. The Buddhist temple was very open and you could go anywhere you wanted. It also had a high glass ceiling. As soon as you entered the temple a strong smell of incense hit you like a tornado. You could hear people praying and every once in a while someone would hit the gong. What really made the temple stand out was that almost everything was in red and gold. There were many deities in one corner but nothing overpowered the most powerful deity of them all: Buddha. He was beautifully carved and carefully painted in gold. The last place to visit was the Hindu temple. As you stepped in the music filled your ears. Unlike the mosque and the Buddhist temple there were many vibrant colours in the Hindu temple. There were many Gods as Statues or Gods carved into the wall. People were praying and lighting lamps.

The common values in all the religions is that all of them had some kind of repeated pattern. The Buddhist and Hindu temples had lots of colours and incense. Though, the biggest similarity is that they are all places to pray in and relax. Also once I left all of these religious places I felt more calm and at peace. The reason could be because of the psychological feeling of God or it could just be because of the smiling people and the atmosphere they give out.