The Ramparts

Today was free day! We went back out to the Old City but this time we walked the ramparts (on top of the outer walls) which gave us a really cool view of Jerusalem, both inside and outside of the walls. Here are some pics: 

Right at the beginning of our walk, near Jaffa Gate. 

Cool view of South Jerusalem!

Epic selfie with Christeen, Mackenzie, Emily, Megan, Danielle, Vicki, and Thomas. (Ben wasn't paying attention...)

Another group shot with an excavation site from the time of Christ on the right and the Dome of the Rock behind us. 

Jews worshiping at the Western Wall, the only remaining wall from King Solomon's Temple. This is considered the most holy place in Jerusalem for the Jews.

View of the Old City from the north side. 

View of a bustling street in the Muslim Quarter of the Old City. 

We tried to get a picture of all of us with the Dome of the Rock - it's just a tiny bit crooked...

We also went back to visit the Church of the Holy Selpulchre. I learned from that experience the value of going to some of these sites multiple times. The first time you take things at face value. It's the second and third times when you experience something deeper and can gain more. Here are some pics:

A shrine with exquisitely detailed decor, all coated in gold.

A mural of the Christ's crucifixion. 

A huge crowd of people waiting to get inside to see the Holy Sepulchre. 

This time I took in the majesty of the structure and the exquisite detail of the decor and I couldn't help but wonder how any person or group of people became so devoted to anyone enough to build and decorate so ornately a house of worship in their honor. What experiences did they have or what did they have to feel to be willing to sacrifice so much? Or what were they needing to prove and why? This goes for any religion. Where did the need for religion start and why has it become such a source of contention but also devotion? 

As I've been thinking about why I'm here at the Jerusalem Center I've realized it's to answer questions like these. I'm here to remove my Provo distractions and find answers to questions that will shape the rest of my life. Without realizing it the reason I'm here is in the title of my blog. It's to find out where I stand. I want to know how I feel about my faith as well as other faiths, and then feel confident in how I decide to move forward.