ProvideinformationaboutyourCivicEngagementactivity(thename,place,date,hours

oftime,etc).Giveanoverviewoftheeventthatyouattended,orthevolunteer
organizationthatyousupported,includingyourparticipation/support/duties/
responsibilities/etc.
1 FormycivicengagementactivityIdecidedtofocusonmodule4whichwas
FundamentalsofReligiousBeliefWhyareWeHere.Idecidedtodomy
civicengagementactivityonreligionbecauseIfinditfascinatinghowthere
aresomanydifferentreligionsandhoweventhoughtheyeachbelievein
theirowngoditsallbasicallythesameformatofhowthingswork.Formy
activityIdecidedtovisitthreedifferenttempleseachfromadifferent
religiontolearnmoreaboutwhattheybelieveinandtoseehowtheyare
differentbutyetsimilar.TheonesthatIenjoyedgoingtothemostwerethe
CatholicChurchandthemosquesothesearetheonesIllbetalkingabout.
ThefirstchurchthatIwenttowasacatholiconeinwestvalleycalledSaint
PeterandPaulCatholicChurchandIspendabouttwohoursthere.Iwent
thereonaMonday10minutesbefore6andIwasletintoviewoneofthe
biblicalclassesthattheyhadgoingon.TheclassIwenttowasforchildren
andwasinpreparationforoneofthesacramentsthattheCatholicChurch
offers.Thechildrenreadfromabookandhaddiscussionsaboutthetopic.
ThedayIwenttheytalkedaboutwhattheybelievewasgodsfirstcreations
whichwasthecreationofAdamandEve.Manyofthechildrenhadquestion
andforeveryquestionitwasasiftheteacherhadmorethanoneexplanation
forthem.Itwasinterestingtoseehowthechildrenweresoinvolvedinthe
classandhowtheywereinterestedinwhattheteacherwastellingthem.
Beforetheclasswasoverallthechildrenheldtheirhandsinacircleandthey
saidthreeseparateprayersandtheywentaroundeachgivingthanksfor
somethingthattheyhad.Ithoughtitwasamazinghowtheydidthatbecause
astheyheldtheirhandstogetheryoucouldseethediversityintheroombut
tothemitdidntmattertheywereallequalandtheywereallfriends,they
wereallunitedasiftheywereone.AftertheclassIwentontotakealookat
theirmass.Onstageweretwomenindifferentrobes.Bothofthemtook
turnsspeakingandreadingthentheonewiththemoredecoratedrobegavea
prayerandstoodtherewhilepeopleformedinalinetoreceivethe
sacraments.ThecatholiconewasonesthatIspendthemosttimeinandit
wastheoneIenjoyedthemost.OnFridayofthatsameweekIattendedthe
serviceinamosquedowninsugarhouseanditwasamazing.Itriedgetting
thenameofthetemplebutitwasinadifferentlanguage.Atfirstitwasabit
embarrassingbecauseIalmostwentintothewrongside.Themosqueis
dividedintotwosectionsonesidehasallthewomenandtheotherallthe
men.SinceIdidntknowIhadwalkedintothesidewhereallthemen
belongedandittookmeafewminutesandacoupledirtylookstorealizeI
 wasinthewrongplace.Ihaveafriendwhobelongstothatchurchand
thankstoherIwasabletoattendtheirservice.OnceIwalkedintothe
correctsideIquicklytookoffmyshoesandcoveredmyheadwithascarf.
Allthewomenandgirlssatinthisroomquietlywaitingfortheprayerto
startovertheintercom.Afterabout45minutesoflistening(unfortunatelyit
wasinadifferentlanguageandIdidntunderstand)twoolderladiesgotup
andwalkedintoanotherroomandacoupleminuteslatertheycameoutwith
thesedoughballsthathadwhatIthoughtwaspotatoandcheeseandstarted
handingthemout.Needlesstosaytheyweredelicious.Againweallsatin
silenceandafteranother30minutesallthewomengotontherekneesand
startedbowingrepeatedlyandtheyeachmumbledcertainthingsasthey
keptonbowingbutIjustsatandwatched.Theydidthatforafewminutes
andthentheysatbackdownlisteningtothevoiceontheintercom.Asthey
weresittingsomeofthewomenhadlikeastringofbeadsandtheykepton
mumblingandthenmovingthebeadupbutIdidntwanttointerruptthem
byaskingwhattheyweredoing.EventhoughIjustwatchedandlistenedin
allthetemplesthatIwenttooIfeellikeIlearnedsomuch.Thefewtimes
thatIparticipatedIfeltlikeIwaswelcomesandIcouldtellthattheywere
united.ItwasagreatexperienceandIwasabletoconnectittomorethan
oneofthemodules.
2
Howdidtheeventorvolunteerserviceconnectwiththethemeyouchosefromthe
course?(Makereferencetocoursematerials).
1 WhenIfirstthoughtofwhatIwasgoingtodoforthisassignmentIthought
itwouldbeinterestingtotakealookatthedifferenttypesofreligionsand
comparethemtoseewhatItookfromeachofthem.IthoughtthatwhenI
wasdonevisitingthedifferenttemplesthatIwouldjustbeabletoseethe
differencesbetweenthereligionsandthepeopleandthatIwouldlearnmore
abouttheculturesbutwhatIgainedwassomuchmorethanthat.Ive
alwaysbeeninterestedinlearningaboutdifferentreligionssowhenItooka
lookattheprojectIthoughtitwouldbeagreatideatostarttherebutlittle
didIknowthatitwouldexpandedintosomuchmore.Ilearnedaboutthe
culturesandaboutthebeliefswhichleadintomegainingasortofrespectfor
eachofthem.AsIsatsilentlyinthemosqueIstartedthinkingaboutthe
rightsofpeopleandhowtheyvechangedsomuchovertheyears,hownow
womenhavetherighttoattendthechurchthattheywantandhowtheyhave
therighttoexpresstheirreligiousbeliefs.OverallIthinkthatthisactivity
helpedmeconnectwiththethemeofreligionbutitalsohelpedmeconnect
andobserveotherthemeslikehumanrightsspecificallyforwomen,freedom
ofspeechandsomanyothers.Itwasaveryinterestingproject.
2
 Didyoufeelthatyourparticipationmadeyouamoreresponsiblecitizenintermsof
promotingyourownfreedomorthefreedomofothers?Ifso,why?Ifnot,whynot?
Ithinkthatthisassignmentdefinitelyopenedupmyeyesanditgavemea
differencesenseoflife.WhenIfirststartedIwasntsureexactlyhowIwould
feelattendingthreedifferentreligiousceremoniesandIwasntsurehow
welcomeIwouldbebythepeoplewhobelongtoeachreligion.WhenIwent
totheCatholicChurchIfeltlikeitwasthemostwelcoming.Theyallsmiled
andwerewillingtoansweranyquestionsthatIhadwhichmademefeel
comfortablethere.ThepeopleintheChristianchurchweretheoneswho
wereleastwelcominginmyopinion.Itdidntseemliketheyenjoyedhaving
methereanditmademefeeluncomfortable.WhenIthinkaboutthe
participationthatIhadandtheimpactithadonmeIrealizedthatitopened
upmyeyestoviewtheaspectofreligiondifferently.Idefinitelythinkthatit
helpedmebecomeamoreresponsiblecitizenintheaspectofhelping
promotethefreedomofothers.Ineverreallyunderstoodwhytherewasso
manypeoplewhoweresodevotedtotheirreligionbutwhenyouexperience
itfirsthandyoucanseewhytheyaresodevotedandwhytheyfightand
standupfortheirreligion.Idothinkthatthisexperiencedhelpedmegrow
andIwouldlovetohelpandstanduptohelpthesereligionskeeptheirrights
andtogetotherstounderstandwhytheybelieveinwhattheybelieveinand
whytheydowhattheydo.Havingthereligionswelcomememademe
understandthatweshouldallbelikethat.Weneedtoacceptoneanotherfor
whatweareandforwhatwebelievein.Honestlythiswasaveryenlightening
experience.
Didyouenjoythisexperienceandwouldyoudoitagain?Whyorwhynot?
1 WhenIfirststartedthinkingaboutmycivicengagementactivityIstruggled
abitbecauseIwasntsureifIwasgoingtobeabletoattendthethree
differentreligiouschurchesbecausetheywerenotmyreligion.OnceI
actuallystartedtheprojectIloveditandIlovedgoingtovisitthedifferent
churches.Theyallhadsomethinginterestinganditwasfuntogoandvisit
thechurchesfirsthand.IfIwasgiventheopportunitytodoitagainI
definitelywouldbecauseitreallywasenlightening.AsIreadaboutthe
religionsinmodulefourIpicturedcertainthingsinmyheadandIhad
certainideasastowhattheservicewasaboutandeventhoughIalreadyhad
anideaofwhattheymightlooklikefromtheinsideorwhattheservice
wouldbelikewhenIgotthereitwasnotwhatIimaginedatall.Thecolor,
thelights,thedecoration,thepeopletheprayers;simplyeverythingwas
different.ItwasallbetterthanwhatIhadimaginedinthefirstplaceitwas
allprettymagical.MyfavoritewastheCatholicChurch.Theyhadmore
decorationmoreinteractionanditseemedliketheyhadmoreofaconnection
withthepriestincomparisontothemosqueorChristianchurch.Itsan
experiencethatIwoulddefinitelyrecommendandIdlovetodoitagain.