Second reading

Where to start? I decided that the most interesting portion of this reading had to do with the religion portion and how it came about.  I am taking a world religion class on Monday night so I enjoyed refreshing my mind on the area of religion I had just studied.  I found that it was very interesting that although people are at opposite sides of the world, religion  and values started to come into play at the same time.  I enjoyed the reading in Chapt 5 when they compare Jesus to Buddha.  Although their backrounds are significantly different and there time on earth was different, their teachings were similar.  They talk about them both being "wisdom teachers" whom challenge the conventional ways of the time.  They ask people to renounce wealth and express the importance of love, compassion and a moral life.  Some of their sayings were very similar. I just found that interesting that two totally different men from two different walks of life can be so similar.The Classic Era seemed to be the begining of some of our most prominent religions. (Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, Islam)  All of these religions are still around today.They have survived centuries.

Reading about Caste and Class in Chapt 6 was also eye opening. I felt sorry for those people who are born into a caste and have no hope of ever moving up.  Birth determined social status for most of those people. At the top of the heirarchy was the priests known as Brahmins, then the warriors and rulers, the common people.  Below them were the servants.  To go outside the rules of your class was forbidden. Can you imagine your class defining your status in life? the job you can choose? the person you can marry? I couldn't even imagine living like that. You couldn't even eat in the same place or with a friend of a different class or caste.  I guess if you are raised this way, it may not bother you and would not know any different. I just think it sad that if you fell in love with someone that was a different class there would be nothing you could do.  It would be forbidden.  They talk of the untouchables. They don't even allow them to use the same drinking wells and make them do the worst duties.  Is that not discrimination? They talk about Karma...isn't that treating someone unkindly? almost abusive? (making someone wear a clapper so you can hear them coming).  All I know, is I know our world is not perfect now but I am sure glad I wasn't born an untouchable.