“When we are praying we are talking to God and stuff like that.
My dad taught me how to pray”
“I’d say this for both of us is - the idea of worship as a type of prayer. Worship can be anything.
I was born Christian, that means I went through baptism, communion and all that ... I (now) practice Buddhism but I don’t want to say that I am Buddhist. I don’t belong to any group.
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This project set out to portray residents of the Goulburn Valley at their personal devotion or prayer, whatever shape or form this takes. The Goulburn Valley in Regional Victoria is an area where much settlement has taken place, in distinct waves from Europe and thereafter, from the Africas, the Middle East and South East Asia.In this region we have residents of different cultures, different faiths - such as - African, Syrian, Afghani, Iraqi, Sri Lankan, Punjabi, Macedonian and Chinese. Through the Shepparton Interfaith Network and Picnic 4 Peace, we have strong networking with peoples of different faith who have settled in the Goulburn Valley. These connections are strong through the monthly volunteer Picnic 4 Peace and similar interfaith events, and interfaith participation at the Ethnic Council of Shepparton and District. We seek to obtain confidence, trust and entrance to sacred activity to photograph and express prayer, faith and relationships with the Divine in different faith systems, and in the case of humanists and people of no faith, their values and reverence for life.
“Prayer is partly that personal statement of faith, it’s also identity which is very important for Jews ”
“I believe the connection to the God and the connection to the God is the purity – all the lust should go - that’s the value of the Human Being as a religious person ... Prayer keeps you focussed ...
"We always said the rosary, we always said our morning prayers, evening prayers and we were taught that anything you do through the day you do it with a purpose of thanking God."
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We plan to exhibit the photographic studies - local art galleries or community centres and have presentation events in order to raise awareness of prayer and faith in different religions. We will do this in locations where the dominant resident population may be of Anglo-Saxon or Anglo-Celtic origin. The outcomes we envisage will give evidence of shared values and shared experience of what it means to be human; to have a personal devotional practice which gives rise to a vibrant community participation and wholeness. This captures the Human Right to Freedom of Religion and Belief: we illustrate (and give words) about people who are free to be themselves, expressing freedom of speech and religion, and peaceful assembly. And our many participants tell - this is what makes them - and us - a better, stronger community.
“I’m not perfect person but I want to listen to the words of God because that’s what I’ve been seeking all my life.”
“Prayer for me is having reverence for the profound which kind of feels like your soul’s been hijacked in some kind of way by something bigger than itself..."
Prayer is one belief, our cultural belief – we have some personal connection with our God.
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God answers all prayers. However, a good father does not give you everything that you are asking for because fulfilment of your immediate requests could harm you. God gives good things. Love, support, relief in sufferings, freedom from attachments, happiness and joy, enthusiasm for following the spiritual way, motivation for meditation, good events and phenomena. All this God does bearing in mind the good of others, the opportunity of making next step towards Love and towards all good states and qualities.
“We were brought up to say the set prayers; but as I got older and matured in my faith, I really just talk to God all day and thank him.”
“I used to not believe in God because I used to blame God if something bad to happened to us. But now, I can understand that God can help us too. "
Not every time your prayer is going to be answered by the God, but still, prayer gives you that strength to go through those times.
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The size of our world is shrinking every day. All human beings are coming together. It is the technological inventions of our time that is binding us together in a dramatic way. Improved information technologically has facilitated the way we reach out to others. The faster facilities of travel mean that people are constantly moving from place to place. As they move, they carry with them the "invisible baggage" of cultures, languages, religions, prejudices, and so on. People of mixed religious disposition and political ideologies have come to live together. In this ancient Land of the Dreaming, we show we can live together with acceptance, trust, belonging and self-worth.
“In the Philippines the Masses are 24 hours 7 days – every hour there is a Mass. I like to go every day, but we have special days to go – Wednesdays and Fridays and Sundays.”
“It’s that constant connection with God everyday every single day, 5 times. That to me just makes that love relationship between the human and their Creator stronger. "
When we pray we remember who we are, we are human...
It’s a work in progress - a lifelong project - to try and better yourself; to try and make yourself a good human being.
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For directing their prayers to God, one person has, as his symbol, a stone; another has a piece of metal: a third uses wood but, all attach great importance to prayer and believe in its beneficent effects. One person turns to the East, while praying; another regards the West as really sacred. The prayer of both concerns the same wants and inadequacies. Each faith has its own Scriptures and doctrines. Also, it is the prime duty of everyone, who has had the chance of this human birth, to spare a part of his or her energies occasionally for prayer, repetition of the Lord's Name, meditation etc., and must devote themselves to Living with Truth, Rightfulness, Peacefulness and to good works which are of service to others.