Saturday, August 2, 2008

Ki beyti beyt tefila yikarei lechol haamim

How might the third temple In Jerusalem look? It could have a kodesh kodashim - a holy of holies - which is empty and bare of all symbols, as a central circular space, rather like in a Bahai temple, but with no calligraphy or symbol of any sort (Hebrew, Persian, Arabic, Latin) that might identify it as belonging to any particular faith tradition. Leading off from this central circular chamber would be eight themed halls for contemplation and reflection - one with Bhuddist motifs (how much would each stream of Bhuddism be acknowledged??), a second with Hindu signs and symbols, a third with Islamic (Sunni, Shi'ite, Sufi?), a fourth with Hindu, a fifth with Christian (again, how to acknolwedge Greek Orthodox and Catholic and Lutheran and Presbytarian etc etc in the same space??), a sixth with pagan and animist symbols, a seventh with Jewish, and an eigth with Confucian and Shintoist elements.

ki beyti beyt tefila yikara lechol haamim - because My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations

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