Essay for Week 4: Folklore of the Holy Land

Three Main Abrahamic Religions

Source: Wikimedia

The unit I decided to read this week was Folklore of the Holy Land . My reason for choosing this unit was because I was contemplating doing my storybook project on all three Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. I thought this unit would give me some good insight to some ideas that I could use for the project and help me decide if that was the direction I wanted to go in. I was extremely busy at the beginning of the week so I was unable to complete the Reading A section of this unit, but I was able to complete the Reading B part. Many of the stories about Abraham were in the first part of the reading, and I did take a look at a few. These stories are so interesting to me because it is crazy how closely related all three of these religions are. Christianity and Islam stem from Judaism so much of their history and significant individuals and places are equally as important in all three religions. I think this unit is not only interesting to read just for class, but I feel like it is important to know about these religions in relation to what is going on in the world. So many people have a skewed view of what it means to follow either one of these religions, and categorizing someone on those skewed views causes hate and war. I am a Christian, but I find it so important to understand other religions aside from my own. Not so I can judge other, but understand the actions and responses of the world in live in. I would encourage everyone to read this unit as well as other texts to explain these religions in more detail. I think it could prevent a lot of hatred towards people who believe differently than us.

Storytelling for Week 4: Lot

 

Alcatraz

Source: Wikimedia

Lot had been in prison for 2 years now. He knew what he did was wrong, but he could not stand the fact that he would spend the rest of his life locked up. He had to do something about it. One day, he asked to see a judge to plead for forgiveness.

"Please, I'll do anything. I just want to get out of here. Tell me what I can do, so I don't have to die here!"

"Alright fine. This is your only chance. If you do not complete your task, then you will have to accept your fate and spend the rest of your life in prison," the judge explained.

"I'll do it! Whatever it is, I'll do it."

"Do you see that tree out there? Outside of the prison gates?" the judge questioned Lot.

"Yes sir, I see it. What about it?" Lot asked.

"I want you to water that tree. Do that for me, and I will forgive you of your crime."

"That's it?! Water that tree, and I'm a free man?" Lot couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"That's what I said. Now go!"

Lot thought this was a ridiculously easy request, but knew there had to be some catch. The next morning, he filled a bucket and made his way to the tree with an officer escorting him out of the prison gates. As he approached the tree, he noticed it was surrounded by a very poor neighborhood. As he got closer, he came across a little boy lying on the ground who looked as though he hadn't eaten in weeks.

"Sir, please may I have some water?" the little boy asked.

Without a thought, Lot answered, "Of course you can. Here you go," and before Lot knew it, the little boy had gulped down the entire bucket of water.

"Oh no, now what am I going to do? I have no more water to water the tree. I won't be able to fulfill my task. I'll be stuck in prison forever."

 The police escort demanded they return to the prison at once since they were out of water. As they approached the prison, Lot was hesitant to hear the judge's reaction to his inability to perform such a simple task, but to his surprise, the judge had a very different response to his willingness to share his water with the little boy.

"Because of your selflessness, you are forgiven. You may go. You are a free man!"


Author's Note: The story I used for this week was Lot and the Tree of the Cross . It is a story about a man who is told by God that if he water's the tree at the head of Adam's grave, he will be forgiven of his sins. He attempts three times, but is tricked by the Devil disguised as a fake pilgrims to allow him to drink the water. Because of his willingness to help the pilgrims, Lot is forgiven of his sins. I used the same character name and the same theme, but I used a prison setting to relate to the bondage of sin.

Week 4 Reading Diary: Folklore of the Holy Land

Folklore of the Holy Land

One of the stories I like from this unit is called Lot and the Tree of the Cross . This story tells of Lot, a patriarch, who was told he would be forgiven of his sins if he watered the tree at the head of Adam's grave. On three attempts to carry a bucket of water to the tree, the Devil disguised as thirsty pilgrims tricks Lot into allowing the pilgrims to drink the water. He proves his selflessness by giving water to these fake pilgrims, and his sins are forgiven.

Another story that I found interesting was Legends of El Khudr because of the opening paragraph. It explains the Greeks taking communion by crumbling the bread up into the wine and taking both parts of the communion at the same time. Also, it tells of a time when a priest accidentally spilled the contents of the communion on his foot and it caused a hole to appear and even marked the floor. That's some powerful bread and wine! Afterwards, this stone that was marked from the spilled contents was believed to have miraculous healed many people.

I really enjoyed reading about St. George in Elijah and Saint George because I remember studying the famous Crusader icon St. George in my Byzantine Icon class. We did not really learn much about the story behind the artwork, so it was nice to know why the icon was created.