Date Day in the Old City and some religious musings

A couple weeks back, Geoff and I got a baby sitter so we could experience the Old City sans kids.  We attempted the Old City (which really isn't as old as you think, walls were built by the Ottomans in late 16th century) with kids once.  I doubt we'll do that again.  Not only are the "streets" cobbled, narrow, and hilly (therefore no good for strollers), they are filled with shops of trinkets, just begging to be messed with by young hands.

After a kosher sushi lunch (where I learned the hard way that Kosher shrimp is the equivalent of imitation crab), Geoff and I explored.  We walked through some of the Christian quarter and through the Jewish quarter to reach the ruins of the Cardo.  Once there, we were a bit underwhelmed, after having seen Jerash, Jordan.  They have a mural at the back of the 5-6 columns left, attempting to show what life would have looked like when the Cardo was at its height, and that was cute, but still.  This Roman ruin in no way rivals what we've seen in Jordan.

After the Cardo, we headed to the Western Wall, in hopes of accessing the Temple Mount (which was closed to visitors.  Boo!).  We have seen the Wall before, and it is also a bit underwhelming, if I am honest.  It is much smaller than you think, and the barrier separating women from men and all the plastic chairs detract from the holiness of the place.  (Don't get me started on Jewish women being unable to read from the Torah at their tiny postage stamp section of the Wall!) The giant ramp that provides access to the Temple Mount is also an eyesore.  But it is pretty cool to think, "This is where Jesus threw out the tax collectors" while standing there.

Above the Wall, is the Temple Mount, where Al-Aqsa Mosque and the golden Dome of the Rock now stand.  The Temple Mount is the holiest site in Judaism.  They believe that this is the site where God's divine presence on earth is manifest, and it is toward this direction that they pray.   It also happens to be the third holiest site in Islam, as this is the site where Muhammad transcended into heaven.  You can see why tensions arise.  (But in fairness to the Muslims here, the Romans destroyed the Temple in 70 AD.  It was centuries later, in the late 600s, that construction began after the site remained undeveloped since the Jewish uprisings against the Romans in the 4th century.  So it's not their fault there is no temple.)

While taking this picture, the call to prayer was sounding.  It reverberated across the concrete and was so beautiful.  I had to stop and listen.  But it made me sad.  This place is supposed to be special and sacred, and instead, people let petty differences of opinion and religion and entitlement ruin it.

I know I am an outsider.  But to me, the Jewish people and the Islamic people have so much in common.  Their religions have many similar rules and guidelines, and if they could just focus on their similarities and view each other as fellow human beings who worship this holy place, perhaps tensions could cease.  I read a blog entry the other day (please read it if you have time: "The Evil and the Good"),  about the Jordanian pilot's death and viewing Islam only as the twisted "religion" of ISIS.  One sentence struck me, "God is in the sharing."  If the truly religious people of the world could share this one place in peace, think of all we could accomplish in the world.

God loves all of us.  Not some of us.  We should follow His example, don't you think?  Share.  Be kind.  Love all.  If we can't do that, can we call ourselves spiritual?  Read Matthew 22: 36-40, and think of all your neighbors on the planet, and then pray for them.  ALL of them.

On second thought, maybe the Wall and the Temple Mount are not so underwhelming if they inspired all this from a lady who generally keeps spiritual thoughts to herself.