Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 23, Number 2, 1 February 2006 — Religious beliefs [ARTICLE]

Religious beliefs

This is in response to a letter printed last month entitled Pagan Hawaiian religion, in whieh the writer expressed their vexation with the resurgence of Hawaiian religion. Religion for far too many people is a catalyst to impose a continually strange ideal: that there is only one way to live and only one thing to believe in. In our world, you need only turn on the television to see where this type of religious narcissism

takes us. The Middle East is rife with war, and our world has a history of religious warring that brings us back to nearly the dawn of our species. Our own country, the United States, is split down the middle and has somehow become a chasm between Christian evangelicals and supposed non-believing liberals. And yet, we still see people - heek, entire countries - with a belief that their god, their way, their direction in life is absolute. Life would seemingly be better lived with less assumption and ignorance, and mueh more acceptance of different religious ideals, ways of life and beliefs. Whether Christian, Muslim, Jewish or Buddhist, I think it is wonderful that people are reconnecting with the Hawaiian religion. It may not be one I believe in - but I certainly don't pretend that I know whieh way you should live your life. Mālama pono. Maika'i Nash Via the lnternet