November 21, 2009
UTNE READER

Shopping at the Museum of World Religions

November-December 2009
by Judith Fein, from Spirituality & Health 
Museum of Religions
Image Gallery
image courtesy of Museum of World Religions / www.mwr.org.tw
Article Tools
Print
Comments
RSS
Bookmark and Share

On the sixth and seventh floors of the Pacific Department Store in Yungho City, Taiwan, about nine miles from Taipei City, is a decidedly unique shopping experience.

RELATED CONTENT

The Museum of World Religions, which opened in 2001, is the brainchild of Master Hsin Tao, a Buddhist monk who renounced the world for over a decade. When he emerged, Tao was intent on relieving suffering by building a sort of spiritual supermarket, where people can shop for a religion they want to follow.

In a room equipped with a large video screen, religious leaders, from the Grand Mufti of Bosnia to a Vipassana Buddhist, describe their spiritual awakenings. “I had ego, short-temperedness, and psycho­somatic illness,” the Buddhist says. “I took a 10-day Vipassana course, and I felt love—pure love—and compassion.”

Down the hall is an area devoted to funerals and the afterlife. One can sit quietly and watch intimate footage of pudu—a Chinese ceremony to release souls from purgatory—or be a fly on the wall at funerals in India or Israel. The museum is acoustically alive with rhythmic music that helps the mind and spirit soar.

There are also large models of Chartres Cathedral, the Jewish Altneuschul in Prague, the Shinto temple Ise Jingu, and the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. Visitors can walk around them and, by pressing a button, illuminate the interior spaces so they “feel” the sacred architecture and what it’s like to worship there.

As explained on the museum’s website (www.mwr.org.tw), Tao believes that today’s tech-savvy generations aren’t automatically interested in “antiquated cultural artifacts.” But technologically sophisticated displays allow modern people to experience all the religions of the world—and feel the universal love.

 

Excerpted from Spirituality & Health (July-Aug. 2009), a bimonthly that offers resources for the spiritual journey.

www.spirituality-health.com 

Bookmark and Share
RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print

Comments

  • Jeff Courter 10/19/2009 1:48:01 PM

    Thanks for bringing this museum to our attention!

    At first blush, it may seem strange (or even heretical) to think of "picking" a religion in the same way we might "pick" a chair at Ikea. But on second thought, perhaps it would be more helpful if MORE of us could explore, compare and contrast the spiritual realm through a central source!

    So often, religion is thrust upon us as a legacy from whatever our family heritage may be. But however we come to our personal faith, access to a museum like this can only provide opportunities for the bonds of tolerance to develop among diverse cultures.

    As a Christian who served as a US soldier in Afghanistan, and who has studied Eastern religions, I've learned that exposure to other faiths is a beautiful thing! The more interaction we have with others unlike ourselves, the richer our own spiritual experience becomes, and the more common ground we discover with others on our planet.

    Too bad this museum is based in Taiwan - perhaps a traveling exhibit will hit the road in the future...?

    Jeff
    www.LifeLoveandTruth.com

Add Your Comment

We’d like to know what you think. To comment, please use this form. E-mail addresses are never displayed on comments, but they are required to confirm your comments. First time registrants: You will receive an email confirming your email address. Once you confirm, your comment will be posted. Questions about our comments policy? Click here.

Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br> tags.

New to Utne Reader?
Sign up to share comments.
Asterisks(*) indicate required fields.
Name*
Your name appears next to your comment.

E-mail Address*
This will be your login ID.

City State Zip Code

Password*


Confirm Password*

Comments
1500 character limit (Offensive materials and/or spam will be removed, no HTML allowed)
Please Note: Your sign-up must be verified via e-mail before your comment is published.
FEATURED ARTICLES
MOST POPULAR


Pay Now & Save $6!
First Name: *
 Last Name: *
Address: *
 City: *
State/Province: *
 Zip/Postal Code:*
Country:
 Email:*
(* indicates a required item)
Canadian subs: 1 year, (includes postage & GST). Foreign subs: 1 year, . U.S. funds.
Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Non US and Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Want to gain a fresh perspective? Read stories that matter? Feel optimistic about the future? It's all here! Utne Reader offers provocative writing from diverse perspectives, insightful analysis of art and media, down-to-earth news and in-depth coverage of eye-opening issues that affect your life.

Save Even More Money By Paying NOW!

Pay now with a credit card and take advantage of our Earth-Friendly automatic renewal savings plan. You save an additional $6 and get 6 issues of Utne Reader for only $29.95 (USA only).

Or Bill Me Later and pay just $36 for 6 issues of Utne Reader!