If I were to look at the temple ecosystem in the US, I think I would want to call over some young, socially aware priests from India to come provide support - if not take the helm - to temples all throughout the US.
Why?
Well a couple reasons. I think the families that have been in the US a long time try very hard to do everything as they would have in India in a way that would make them and their kinfolk proud. But. There's just not the number of people and cheap labor costs that allow them to do everything in the same way or the same scale.
Then, realize that temples in the US are not looked at, or regarded, the same way as they are in India. I realized this when I saw my jijaji (my brolo, aka my brother in law, aka my el cunado) taking off his belt when he went into a temple. When I saw him doing it, for two seconds I was like what the hell is going on? Then I was like OH SHIT. SO MANY PEOPLE WEAR LEATHER BELTS TO THEIR TEMPLE AND DON'T EVEN REALIZE. But then I was like OH SHIT. IS IT THAT THEY DON'T REALIZE OR THAT THEY DON'T CARE OR THAT THEY DON'T KNOW. Another similar incident. We were at our 'Heritage Class', what many would call Sunday School or religious/cultural education class, and then afterwards many of the kids were preparing for an upcoming cultural show. This one kid's mom decided to get him food and she came back with a little pizza hut personal pan pizza. Cool, NBD. Just because we're in the temple it doesn't mean you have to eat Indian food (the NRI palette often craves other cuisines). BUT THEN YOU LOOK OVER AND HOMIE IS EATING PEPPERONIS. And whether they were pork or beef is IRRELEVANT because this little fellow has brought meat into the temple and is eating it there.
Pause.
Did he do it out of malice in his heart for the Hindu faith? No. Did he do it because he's addicted to meat? No. At this point, many of you out there in readerland are asking yourselves why didnt the mom know that he should have gone with her if he wanted to eat that? Or why didnt he get a veg pizza back to the temple?
This points to a very interesting and much larger discussion point: In the US, houses of worship (temples, mosques, I'm guessing churches) are used as the focal point of the social scene as much as the focal point of culture and religion. It is to this point that my hometown created a Cultural Center split apart from the Temple itself.
Does the bolded part make sense? If not, let me give you some examples. It's quite common that women show up to the temple with all their golds and diamonds shining, the newest saris from their most recent trip and with their whole family in tow, rocking their new gear. Is it wrong? No. Does it call into question why you are even at the temple in the first place? Eh... a bit. Especially when you see whole families show up in time just for the Aarti to mark the end of the religious segment of the evening allowing them just enough time to get into the cultural show or food.
Then, let's look at the little buggers - the desi kids being born outside of the US. They often have to balance the cultural values their parents want to instill in them with the culture of the country they live in & their cultural identity as youth of community they are raised in. It's an idea that's been beaten to death, but let's revisit it one more time: There are so many kids that don't feel comfortable talking to their parents about a lot of things. Wouldn't it be cool if they had a community leader to talk to? Someone who could listen to what they have to say without judgment to get advice on how to live their life in a moral and safe way, in accordance with their faith?
Wouldn't it be cool to have a pandit who is able to help kids understand what exactly they are reciting or doing as part of the spiritual rites and ceremonies? I know pretty much 1 in 100,000 kids are going to be interested in learning Sanskrit. What's the alternative? You have to help these kids understand their faith and understand their lives in the context of their faith... right?
How many Muslim kids do you know that speculate as to what is haraam vs. what is halal? What is morally and ethically acceptable vs. what is not? They should be able to hear from someone that a kiss will not banish them to hell or that accidentally eating that [type of meat] that your religion says is terrible is not that big of a deal. Or maybe it is.
All I'm saying is - we need to get some priests (or whatever your faith calls them) that are hip to the game and hip to life to come provide some assistance up in these houses of worship. Am I right? Comment on this if you strongly feel that you agree or disagree. Otherwise I will just continue to assume I'm a damn genius.
Why?
Well a couple reasons. I think the families that have been in the US a long time try very hard to do everything as they would have in India in a way that would make them and their kinfolk proud. But. There's just not the number of people and cheap labor costs that allow them to do everything in the same way or the same scale.
Then, realize that temples in the US are not looked at, or regarded, the same way as they are in India. I realized this when I saw my jijaji (my brolo, aka my brother in law, aka my el cunado) taking off his belt when he went into a temple. When I saw him doing it, for two seconds I was like what the hell is going on? Then I was like OH SHIT. SO MANY PEOPLE WEAR LEATHER BELTS TO THEIR TEMPLE AND DON'T EVEN REALIZE. But then I was like OH SHIT. IS IT THAT THEY DON'T REALIZE OR THAT THEY DON'T CARE OR THAT THEY DON'T KNOW. Another similar incident. We were at our 'Heritage Class', what many would call Sunday School or religious/cultural education class, and then afterwards many of the kids were preparing for an upcoming cultural show. This one kid's mom decided to get him food and she came back with a little pizza hut personal pan pizza. Cool, NBD. Just because we're in the temple it doesn't mean you have to eat Indian food (the NRI palette often craves other cuisines). BUT THEN YOU LOOK OVER AND HOMIE IS EATING PEPPERONIS. And whether they were pork or beef is IRRELEVANT because this little fellow has brought meat into the temple and is eating it there.
Pause.
Did he do it out of malice in his heart for the Hindu faith? No. Did he do it because he's addicted to meat? No. At this point, many of you out there in readerland are asking yourselves why didnt the mom know that he should have gone with her if he wanted to eat that? Or why didnt he get a veg pizza back to the temple?
This points to a very interesting and much larger discussion point: In the US, houses of worship (temples, mosques, I'm guessing churches) are used as the focal point of the social scene as much as the focal point of culture and religion. It is to this point that my hometown created a Cultural Center split apart from the Temple itself.
Does the bolded part make sense? If not, let me give you some examples. It's quite common that women show up to the temple with all their golds and diamonds shining, the newest saris from their most recent trip and with their whole family in tow, rocking their new gear. Is it wrong? No. Does it call into question why you are even at the temple in the first place? Eh... a bit. Especially when you see whole families show up in time just for the Aarti to mark the end of the religious segment of the evening allowing them just enough time to get into the cultural show or food.
Then, let's look at the little buggers - the desi kids being born outside of the US. They often have to balance the cultural values their parents want to instill in them with the culture of the country they live in & their cultural identity as youth of community they are raised in. It's an idea that's been beaten to death, but let's revisit it one more time: There are so many kids that don't feel comfortable talking to their parents about a lot of things. Wouldn't it be cool if they had a community leader to talk to? Someone who could listen to what they have to say without judgment to get advice on how to live their life in a moral and safe way, in accordance with their faith?
Wouldn't it be cool to have a pandit who is able to help kids understand what exactly they are reciting or doing as part of the spiritual rites and ceremonies? I know pretty much 1 in 100,000 kids are going to be interested in learning Sanskrit. What's the alternative? You have to help these kids understand their faith and understand their lives in the context of their faith... right?
How many Muslim kids do you know that speculate as to what is haraam vs. what is halal? What is morally and ethically acceptable vs. what is not? They should be able to hear from someone that a kiss will not banish them to hell or that accidentally eating that [type of meat] that your religion says is terrible is not that big of a deal. Or maybe it is.
All I'm saying is - we need to get some priests (or whatever your faith calls them) that are hip to the game and hip to life to come provide some assistance up in these houses of worship. Am I right? Comment on this if you strongly feel that you agree or disagree. Otherwise I will just continue to assume I'm a damn genius.
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