Mullah Nasruddin and the Lost Keys

Mullah Nasruddin and the Lost Keys

 

The great Sufi master Mullah Nasruddin was on his hands and knees searching for something under a streetlamp. A man saw him and asked, "What are you looking for?" "My house key," Nasruddin replied. "I lost it." The man joined him in looking for the key, and after a period of fruitless searching, the man asked, "Are you sure you lost it around here?" Nasruddin replied, "Oh, I didn't lose it around here. I lost it over there, by my house." "Then why," the man asked, "are you looking for it over here?" "Because," Nasruddin said, "The light is so much better over here."

There are many ways to interpret this story, but one way might serve as a helpful reminder as we embark on our study of religion. As we search for this phenomenon called "religion" abd study a variety of religious traditions, we might find ourselves using the light of familiar categories to help us understand what we're studying. This story can serve as a cautionary tale about the problems of using what we know from our upbringing or our own religion to illuminate the concepts, symbols and practices of other traditions. It is important that we move outside the familiar, well-lit areas of our life and expand the region in which we search. We will find that the other traditions we study will provide their own sources of illumination, and that rather than try to understand other traditions through our pre-existing categories, we might acquire new categories for understanding, Not only might we find surprising, thought-provoking answers to the questions we bring to the study of religion, we might find that even our questions themselves need to be re-examined.

Berkson could be cautioning his readers, and providing a preview to religion. First, we must be cautious in talking about religion so that we do not offend who/what we are talking about and the history that comes with it. Also, we may take for granted what we do know about religion and be hesitant on learning new religions and what they have to offer.

I think for the most part, Berkson wants people to be open to new ideas/new religions. By being open with different kinds of religion then we can also be open with different kind of people as a whole and be more accepting. Also, by learning religion, people can learn a little more about themselves as well.