Thoughts on the Temples

As we visited the different parts, I had  a lot of different thoughts go through my head.  So, I thought I would just share a few of them.

My favorite parts-

• Exploring the old temples in Angkor Thom and seeing the spot where Tomb Raider was filmed.  Whether or not this was the true story, I cannot tell you since everything in Siem Reap said, ” Welcome to Angelina Jolie’s favorite Restaurant, favorite souvenir shop, favorite bar, etc.”
• While at Angkor Thom- you felt like you were the one discovering the temple on your own since there were all the over grown trees that were taking over the temple.
• Climbing the towers to get a better view of the city.
• Great tour guide that knew the best places to see, take pictures, or even getting us away from the crowds since on average there were around 2000-3000 tourists daily.  We learned about his daily life before he became a tour guide- how he was trained as a young kid to fight in the military when there was the civil war happening.  

It was quite interesting to see certain things while we were there.  Some of the kings that had built the different parts of the temples were Hindu and then other kings actual converted the temples into Buddhism.  For me, it was sad for me to listen to the guide explain the religions to us.  I have studied about Hinduism and Buddhism in High school and I still come back to them with my Christian glasses on.  I find it sad because I started thinking- What’s the point of living this life if you really don’t know in the end when you be judge (whether good or bad) or what if all the “good” you do is not good enough?  2 Corinthians 5:10- For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

I have comfort in these verses-  1 John 2:1-6  NLT

1My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. 2He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.

3And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. 4If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. 5But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. 6Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.

It’s just something to think about with any religion.  Why are you following it?  And with Christianity I know the truth-  Jesus is the only answer.  Acts 4:1

0,12- ¹⁰ Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene,^[a] the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead.¹² There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”