Gotta have faith.

Different religions have different places of worship, for example Catholics have a church, Jews have a synagogue, Islams have a mosque, etc. It doesn't matter what it's called a house of worship is just that; a house of worship. There have been stories of different houses of worship being burnt down throughout history, however, this was especially common during World War II and the Holocaust. The Nazi's burnt down Synagogues, which in my opinion was just terrible. A religion doesn't need a house of worship, but it is extremely nice to have. If you believe in something, you don't need to just show it at a church, synagogue, mosque, etc. you should be sticking to your faith throughout your daily life. However, in a house of worship, you have support. Everybody that attends the different masses, or meetings are there for you; they believe the same thoughts as you and go through the same things as you when it comes to those belief's. When the Nazi's burnt down synagogues they thought they were ridding the planet of "scum" when in reality they were just making their support waver, they made it a little harder to have everybody sticking with each other. I can't even imagine what they were feeling when their house of worship was burnt down; emptiness, sadness, grief, agony. I feel terrible just thinking what they had to endure when they watched them be burnt down. After they burnt, some still had faith that everything would be okay, if not now but sometime in the future whether it be five days or five years. All you need to do, is have a little faith and everything will be okay.
To the people who remained faithful to your belief's after their house or worship was burnt- I respect you, so much.

Stop the hate!

In Holocaust the other week we read an article on a city who banned together to stop the discrimination of Jews. A few years ago in Billings, Montana people were taking actions to "rid" the town of the Jewish families who lived there. There was one incident that stuck out to me. A Jewish boy had taped a Menorah to his window in celebration of Hanukkah and had laid his head down to sleep but sometime during the night a brick was thrown through his window and barely missed him. The boy could have died if the brick had only fell a foot  closer, and for what- his religion? It didn't make sense- why should that little boy be put in danger for having different belief's then you? Once news got around the city, the citizens were devastated, which I understand, to hear that anybody would do this to their neighbors and friends. It didn't make sense- how could people harass and torment others about what they believe in? Billings citizens banned together to help support their Jewish neighbors by putting Menorahs in their windows during Hanukkah. They showed their bravery, and because they showed they didn't support what happened to that little boy the Jewish citizens in the community are no longer being harassed. They were all so brave and ready to stick up for their neighbors without a second thought, I truly respect them for that fore I know if that happened in my town I would be doing the same. I don't get why everyone treats people differently because of their belief's. We're all unique and have thoughts, ideas, belief's, lifestyles, something that others don't agree with. That doesn't mean we should be harassed and ridiculed for it. It only means that we should learn to accept; accept how there is going to be someone out there with different views but you're going to have to get over it. 


It's time stop the hate.