Hey, I could have just used Wikipedia!

I had a friend of mine point out that someone linked to this project. Naturally, being the egotistical bastard that I am, I thought I'd check out what people were saying.

I was going through the comments, recognizing some valid complaints (some entries too short, who was I to investigate religions compared to someone famous, etc).

Then I ran across this comment:

"Doesn't this fedora wearing idiot realize he could just use Wikipedia or read a book?"

Gee. Why didn't I think of that.

That's right - I did.

I probably could have just sat in my comfy chair at home, and read about Hindus or ordered the tracks from Jehovah's Witnesses. Maybe in bed next to my lovely wife I could have read "Dianetics", or propped up my laptop and Googled and Wikipedia'ed my heart out.

But if information alone is what I was after, that would have been good enough. I wanted more than that. I wanted to hear the voices of people who had spent years understanding their religion and now lead their congregations to explain what they felt their religion meant to them. I desired the songs and music and how they responded. Were they mostly solemn or exuberant? Did they chant or sing just sit quietly? What words did they emphasize while discussing their faith?

Sure, I'm obviously only scratching the surface of what each faith is about. Yes, I am an idiot who could have just tapped something into any given Internet search engine, or checked out a book on comparative religions at the library. I could have gained knowledge about all sorts of different religions in that manner.

And I'd have missed out on the spirit, the soul of what religion is about: the people. That's why I'm doing it this way - visiting each faith to attend services if allowed. Interviewing the local leadership - not just "Jane or Joe Member", but people who have dedicated their lives and their fortunes to this work.

Maybe my knowledge is but a mere thimbleful - but my experiences have been fulfilling.