Reading Response 5

       It is really interesting! Before I read the chapter 8 to 10, I have no idea that Jerusalem was the guilt city for Christian at first, and there was a process that Jerusalem was changed from guilt city to holy city in Christian perspective.
       Therefore, I have a question "How is it become a holy city for Christian?" Even if the author discuss through the chapter 9 to 10, but for me, it is still hard to believe.
       Especially there is a very interesting relationship between Jews and Christian. For example, Jerusalem for Jews in that time is holy city. It is very important for Jews, but Jews couldn't go to the city . The reason is that Jerusalem is kind of Roman's colony in that time. In the contrast of Christian, most of Christians believe that Jerusalem is a guilt city for them, but they live in the guilty city, and this belief  didn't change until Christian becoming the holy religion among Roman empire. Then, their attitude was gradually changed. I think it is very interesting point in the book.
       Secondly, I want to talk about Hadrian. Did he made a good decision to Jerusalem, or not? I don't know, but I have to say that he really did something to change Christian attitude, so can I make a conclusion that it is a good decision for Christian?
        Using a quotate from the book, "'why do you take what is ours?,' asked a Jew during a debate with Christians, 'and make it your own?'"
       

Journal 2

         Through the book of “Jerusalem: One city and three religions”, I understand the birth of the holy city. It has been built with a great number of groups. They are Jews, Muslim, Christian and so on. However, it is history of Jerusalem. We couldn’t do anything about history. Therefore, why do we want to learn about it? There is an old saying in China, “When you use bronze as a mirror, you can straighten your clothes and hat. When you use antiquity a a mirror, you can see the waxing and waning.” This is to say that learning history can help us to solve today’s problem. What kind of problem we have today? It is conflict between Israel and Palestine. I have been shocked by the article “A Brief History of the Arab-Israeli Conflict“, I feel sympathy about Jews who have been forced to leave the place they came from. However, I can’t agree with the behavior that they occupy Palestinians’ territory, and then removing Palestinians from their territory. It is not a right thing from my perspective, and I want to say it is robbery. For example, if someone suddenly comes to your house, and kicks your out without saying a word, what is kind of a feeling you would have? I would absolutely feel angry and mad if it was me. However, if it is about house problem, I may still find a police office, and ask for help. How about Palestinian? They don’t have place to help them. Firstly, They lost their country. Secondly, United Nation supported to separate their territory to become two countries. It was their house, their place and their hometown, but now according to the resolution 181, they need to give away, and move to another place which they have no idea. How desperate they are? I would never know about the feeling, but I really feel sad about this. Moreover, in the following situation, they even couldn’t have a place to stay in their territory. They become refugees. What is mean to be a refugee? It means that they can’t have everything we have it right now, such as education or having fun. I can’t say anymore, because it is so emotional related.

         Nevertheless, this is not to say that I support every action that Palestinian do for their territory. These revenges are cruel and inhumanity, because people who now live on their territory are also people just like them. This is why I believe that to build a stable authority helping people living in a happy is the most important thing now. The stable authority could be Israel government or Palestine government, however, one basic rule for this government is forbidden removing different religion people out of its territory. They should learn to live in the same place happily, while sometimes I think my idea is too naive for people living in that environment. The reason is that I would not have a chance to suffer the pain as they do.

        In the end, I just want to say that happiness is never from revenge.

Reading réponse 4

      In the first four chapters, I have a good feeling about Jerusalem. It is about peoples' ideal and courage, and how it become a holy city for Jews.
      Then, in the chapter 5, it talked about that Jerusalem was no longer a holy city for Jews. It had been destroyed. However, people haven't forget their holy city. I am really interesting about their tradition that people will come back to their city to sing when the city has been destroyed. It provides me a sacred feeling about things in Near East. I feel they have a great courage about everything happening in their life. No matter how bad it is, they still can find a way to make it holy. I don't know how to describe it. It just makes things more powerful, such as Jerusalem. They know it is god's anger, but people keeps love what the faith is. This is to say that it become a obvious story that they have come back from the outside world. They rebuild the Temple, and it seems like the world have been recovered.
      But it is not what the reality is. Things get changed. The world is no longer the same world of "the king of David". First is Greek, and then it is Roman. Jerusalem is going to through much more changes  as it should have.
      From my perspective, it is a prediction. From the time of losing Jerusalem, Jerusalem is going to become a city with lots of sufferings.

Reading response 3

Before discussing the first four chapters I have read, I must say that I really enjoy reading the book. For most of us, reading a book about history is boring. It is filled with information, and a huge number of professional words. Thus, the book, Jerusalem: one city and three faiths, is not only filled with information but also make it much easier to read. Even if there are still some professional words, in fact it seems like the author always will give explanation in the following part of the word. This book also brings a perspective from author. It is objective but emotional. Using a quotation from the book, “Such sites are “sacred” to us because they are inextricably bound up with our conception of ourselves; they may be associated with a profound experience that transformed our lives, with memories of early childhood, or with a person who was important to us.” I could feel the emotion from author, and she is not talking about the feeling of us but also herself.

Finally, I want to talk about some idea when reading through the first four chapters. Firstly, the book implies a idea about the definition of Holy city. What is a holy city? It is a courage. A hope inspires people to live with courage. Because god stays with them, so they have been protected by god. God could make life much better than they have ever been through. This is to say that holy city is talking about a place with god, but the most important thing is a place with a much better life. In the chapter of “King of David”, I feel impressed by David’s policy for people living in Jerusalem. He respects about their tradition, and their god. It provides few of hints for me about today’s Jerusalem.

I don’t want to discuss right now, however, with more and more readings, I believe I can get a good viewpoint about Jerusalem, and then talk about my idea.

Journal 1

             Through the first week, I learned the basic information about Jerusalem. However, I know it is not all of the city. things about Jerusalem is much more than I have ever thought about.
     First of all, I want to talk about readings I have read in these days. The first week readings are about the festival held in the United States. It talks how people try to show people the real Jerusalem. Then, I am kind of learning a culture thing about the city. Especially, in Amiry’s article, “Searching East Jerusalem” mentions about author’s experience of the city. It provides me a new perspective of Jerusalem. I want to say that it is kind of like that I also have lived there when I was a child. This is to say that Jerusalem and I build a connection through the article I have mentioned.
Then, I am going to talk about readings in this week. Firstly, there is a thing I want to point out. I wouldn’t know there are three religions existing in Jerusalem without the readings I have read in this week, but it also leads me to a wrong direction. All of things I can relate with Jerusalem is about religion. Is religion really the whole part of the city? I would 100% confidently answer with a word. It is “Sure!” Actually, it is not. I am open-minded about Jerusalem after Tuesday’s class. 
Here is a idea I have came up. Religion, political party, or economy do not play an essential role in Jerusalem, so what is it? It is people. People live there for centuries. Why do I want to talk about them? For us, Jerusalem is only a holy city with a great number of wars. However, it is a home for people who live in Jerusalem. What is home’s definition for us? Taking an example of me, home is a comfortable place with my dad and mom, and it is filled with happiness. This wis what the origin of Jerusalem should be, but it is absolutely different now. People fight for religion, policy and so on. It seems like that no one ever think about people living there. I believe that they will do different actions if they think about people in the city. For instance, is it really necessary that have a city with bodies? It will be so ridiculous for me. 
I know I always have positive attitude about everything, but I have faith that “no matter how bad it is, future always will be promised.” 
The reason is “why not?”

The second reading reponese

         When I was a child, I always asked questions about the war Jerusalem to my mom. For me, war is bad, very bad. I can't see any neccessary about the war, just becuase of a city.  In this site, my mom would tell me with answer like that "it is extremely complicated relationship. You will know when you are grown up."
         However, I don't know the answer till  reading a part of history about Jerusalem.
         Jerusalem has been called as holy city for centuries. It is the holy city for three religions. They are Judaism, Christianity and Islam. How is it possible for a city has three religions? It is because of its history from very early time. When King David choosing Jerusalem as capital, and his son building temple and other constructions, Jerusalem becomes sacred to first religion. It is Judaism. Then, with Jesus sacrificed, Jerusalem now becomes sacred to Christianity. Then, Jerusalem comes to another holy city for Islam after occupied by Muslim. In this time, Jerusalem is really a holy city with three religion.After that, people from different religion fight for their holy city. This is why there are so many wars relating with Jerusalem. As one of articles said, Jerusalem has no adventage about economy or resources, and the only reason that people fight for it is its stand for political and religion.
          Then, I am beginning to understand wars in Arabic area. People is not only fight for the city, but also for their religion and political ideal.
        Despite of political ideal, why does religion is so important in the city? It is even important than anything's else. Thus, it does not allow different religion people living in the same city. Then, the countless war is for one religion in one city. I think it is not right. Religion is important, but religion is to bring happiness for people not for keeping one religion in dominant position. I know I am Buddhism, but I don't mind other religion existing. This is my idea, which is corporation.

First reading response

There are four articles for me to read, however, all of them is discussing about one topic. It is about Jerusalem and a festival about Jerusalem. They are all good readings for me, but above all, I like the first article written by Amiry Suad. It is called Researching East Jerusalem. Obviously, it is a short article, but this is not the only reason I like it. It is because I learned more about what is Jerusalem in this article.
Jerusalem in my mind is a city filled with violence, injure and sorrows. Whenever I mention about it, I always feel sad about this city. Firstly, Jerusalem as an old city is in a bad situation. Secondly, there is no peace in a old city like Jerusalem. You know, in chinese people opinion, settlement is the most important thing in the world, so I believe that only peace and good situation can bring settlement for Jerusalem, and settlement can provide happiness to Jerusalem.
Then, in the article, Researching East Jerusalem, the author tells us about her experience about Jerusalem. It said that Jerusalem has a great number of problems, but its culture, and society has an positive attitude about it.
This is why I am going to have positive attitude also. I am just a chinese, and don't know the situation in Jerusalem very well, however, people who live there still have positive attitude about it. Why don't I? It may be a slow pace for it, but Jerusalem should have a wonderful future.

Who am I?!

Hello, My name is Qing Dai. People always call me King or Queen, but actually it is "ching", so please call me "ching"!
I lived in China for 19 years, and then studying in U.S when I was 20. It is a good start, because I want to know the world. U.S becomes my first step for the world.
I travel to lots of places since studying in U.S. In the first year of summer break, I went to Brazil. It is also a study abroad program. I learned different culture when I was in Brazil. It provides me an new perspective about the world, so in this year, I choose to travel to Jerusalem as my second trip for the world.
What's more, I am liking travel, but reading books is also one of my favorite thing. I have read many books such as, King Lear, while many books I have read is in Chinese. It is frustrating, this is to say I want to learn English as good as possible, so I can read good English books.
I have three dreams about my life. First is to travel around the world, and the second one is to read books as many as possible. Then, the last one is to find the one.