Prayers, Hopes, and Thanksgivings

One of the ubiquitous qualities of suburban and rural Mongolia are the scarves marking the sacred sites.  Here is one of the largest I saw, and it was in Terelj National Park.  The prayer walks 3 times clockwise around the pile adding a stone each time.  As you can see the middle is marked by the blue scarves, and the pile is littered with the crutches of those healed and grateful to whatever for their healing.  Remember in Buddhism, there is NO ONE to whom to be grateful.  I once heard a Christian philosopher note that it must be quite frustrating to be grateful, yet have no one to be grateful towards!

The scarves are those of relatives who have died, and are used to mark sacred sites on their behalf.  Looking back on that mound you will also see a horse skull or two.  These are left in hopes that another horse will replace the beloved one who has gone on to wherever horses go when they die.

I guess the most outstanding thing about these markers is how common they are.  Everywhere we stopped, we were likely to see at least a few scarves if we looked around.

When I observe the fervency and devotion of Buddhists, or Muslims, or Hindus, or Taoists, or others, I think to the lack of fervency and devotion in my own life.  The Muslims arise at 0530 to do the first of their five prayers per day.  Most of us Christians won’t pray 5 times per week.

These Buddhists mark the spirit trees, and the prayer sites with their scarves.  We are too educated, too sophisticated to do anything like that.  We wear our favorite team’s colors and symbols, we WANT to be identified with them… but not G^d.  To be identified with G^d might make someone uncomfortable.

Yet, we serve the TRUE and LIVING G^D who spoke the cosmos into existence.  Why don't we take G^d as seriously as these other religions do?

Why don't I?

That's a mystery to me.