A number of years back, I
attended a Greek Orthodox Church as a guest of a friend. This was a new
experience, as I had only been to Catholic Churches. I knew it would be a
different experience, but I wanted to see what other religions were like. The
first thing I noticed was how beautiful and unique the outside of the church was
designed. I kept staring at the church as I was awestruck by the sheer beauty.
Once we entered the church, I
kept looking around. I did not know how to proceed into the church and felt a
little apprehensive. Again, the art was breathtaking and the altar was
stunning. I did not know whether to stand, sit, or genuflect as I was entering
the pew. I kept glancing around me to see what other people were doing. This is
when I really started to feel uncomfortable and realized that I was the
“other.”
Since the service was in Greek,
I could not follow the sermon and my eyes began to wander around the church. I
noticed that I was staring at “other” people to try to see what I should be
doing. I noticed that they did the sign of the cross a little different from the
way I was used to. The first thought that came to my mind was that “they” were
doing it wrong. It was perplexing to me. I then realized I was observing all the
rituals of the Greek Orthodox religion and trying to compare it to the Catholic
rituals I was used to. The comparing of the two separate religions was how I was
“otherizing” the people in the church. I realized the best action I could take
was to observe and appreciate a different religious culture and gain a better
understanding of what different religions have to offer.
Really enjoyed your blog. I think your point is very true and clear. The "other" only exists when you create it yourself. You wrote of how you after your initial observations, you immediatly began to compare their traditions to your own. A very natural response, that I know I personal find myself doing in many facets of life. It is only when we take that initial response a step further, and declare their way of doing things as wrong that we casue trouble. There are many ways of doing things, and many different ways people practice religions. While people do practice religions in ways different than ourselves, we must learn not to "otherizie," but they way you put it was great, we are to "observe and appreciate" people with respect. We are all people.
ReplyDeleteI think you brought up a very important aspect of identifying "the other". Your story really shows that "otherizing" goes both ways. While, to you, the people at the greek orthodox church were "the others", as you said, they probably viewed you as "the other". Often times people think that their lives and the things they do are what is considered "normal" and think that other people are weird. Your conclusion was great, and it's so true! The best thing we can do is try to learn and understand those who we consider "the others", and we may even find that they are not much different than ourselves. What we should all really strive for is elimination of "otherizing". By that, I mean that we should make it a priority to get to know people before improperly judging them.
ReplyDeleteI think it is one thing to say that we shouldn't stereotype and another to recognize that our stereotypes are not about the other person but about ourselves and our fears. Why not ask, "What lens am I looking at this person through and why? How does this lens reflect who I am?" This is hard to do, I know, though it is a worthwhile practice.
DeleteI like how you wrote about you being the other. Did this make this experience a one time thing for you, or do you think it opened your eyes to undergo even more "otherized" opportunities such as this one? All though you may have been uncomfortable, as I probably would have been in this situation, I wonder if you gained a respect for these people and the difference of their religion from yours, or a judgement towards them. The fact that you took this risk of trying something new is great and shows you have an open mind and non-judgmental so I would assume that although you noticed the differences between you and the people, by the end of the day, you still appreciated their religion and ways.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with how you are characterizing them as the other. I have had similar experiences since my major is world religions. I first started trying to compare everything with my Catholic traditions even though i was there to learn about other religions. Seeing how other people worship makes me appreciate and understand why we do the things we do.
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