Crown Heights Churches, Mosques Temples

As a member of a church (not in Crown Heights) that I consider to be “active” within its community, I want to applaud the “call to religious institutions”. However, before “requiring” that religious institutions state their social obligation, I would prefer a call for any institution to state the same thing. Any organization in the community should be committed to its surroundings; it is not only religious orgs that do or should have moral authority.

Also, regarding

"they have become socially insular, and as one walks by and hears them singing in praise, while pathos and vice thrive outside their doors."

please keep in mind that people inside a church are often just as or more in need than those outside of it. If a church focuses on its members (providing counseling, etc.) the church IS focusing on its community.

One can make oneself a Planner Geek fluent on the resources and needs found in every neighborhood by starting here:

http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/

Explore the "Find the Data" tab in the left column.

....churches, schools, get ye the honorary Community Organizing job.

MHA wrote: Thank you.

What is a 'food panty'? : )

Such topics are frequently discussed in The Lounge.
http://brooklynian.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=17

Subject: Re: Crown Heights Churches, Mosques & Temples

MHA, I applaud you for encouraging a dialogue here about possibilities for making our community a better place. It sounds like the prayer walks that are already ongoing may be a starting point for implementing your idea on a larger scale.

When you talked about your vision, I was confused between your jump from the idea of "organic intellectuals" to your own personal experience as a kid. Wouldn't such "organic intellectuals" be leaders of some kind, such as church ministers (in Cornell West's example)? They would be "home-grown" out of a community, but leaders none-the-less? I definitely think that many communities lack such figures, who are sorely needed. But I wonder about the ability of such people to reach the individuals who need it the most, given that these leaders are a limited group.

In the story you related, you came into contact with this high school principal because you were in an after school music program. You say that you were forced into this program. Knowing that the principal enrolled his kids in it as well, I think by "forced" you mean that your parents enrolled you, albeit against your will. But, by enrolling you, your parents made it so that you were more likely to come into contact with someone like a high school principal. who would be a leader in his community. Participating in such an extracurricular class meant that you would meet the kind of people who would care enough to enroll their kids there (and meet any associated expenses).

The kind of kids that most need this kind of moral guidance do not have parents who would enroll them in such programs. I think that's the biggest part of the problem. These kids have crappy parents, who had crappy parents themselves, who choose crappy friends, all of whom make crappy choices including perhaps littering and dealing drugs, as well as ignoring their kids' potential.

The reason why I bring this up is because I still think that our community's religious institutions can make a big difference in the lives of the kids who live here. But I think that the difference will be made by the individuals who make up their congregations. The leaders of these churches, mosques, and synagogues can inspire their members to act with moral leadership in their communities, but these individual members who interact with such kids everyday will be the ones who reach out to these kids.

Oh, heck, here's a personal story from me to support this:

I was not enrolled in the music program at my school, even though it was highly recommended for kids in my city's gifted program and was free to me for that reason. My parents would not buy me an instrument to participate, since that would have required effort and a small expenditure. Instead of practicing flute, my afternoons were spent (happily) running wild at the local playground, along with drug dealers and homeless men.

As a kid, I got up to all kinds of stuff that the readers of the Brooklynian would be appalled by (which retrospectively I'm appalled by too). But I always stopped my bad behavior whenever a certain old man came to the park to walk his dog. He was a stately, well-spoken (even with broken English) Hungarian refugee who, for some reason, always asked me how I was and especially like to talk to me about what I was learning in school. The opinion of this man, who I had decided was a good and decent human being, mattered to me, even though he had no especial moral authority. I didn't want this man who had treated me well to see me doing wrong.

In my opinion, it's ordinary people who need to be inspired to be moral barometers of their communities. Just like you, when you pick up the trash in front of your building. Spiritual leaders can inspire this kind of behavior, but the more people who choose it, the better.

and organizations like New York Cares can provide small battalions of volunteers to do short projects.

http://www.newyorkcares.org/

http://www.newyorkcares.org/volunteer/volunteer_opportunities/search_projects/

Paint a school yard, etc.

....basically Crow Hill, About Time, a religious insitution or some other organization needs to:

1. Have their act together enough to write up what they would like folks to do.

2. Meet with a rep from NY Cares.

3. Prepare for a bunch of people who want to paint.

4. Give them water, Oreo cookies, and access to a bathroom throughout the day.

This might be another interesting place to start. Although it is geared towards healthcare, you might find willing partners who are already participating in a similar program.

MHA says, "My interest is whther the institutions, which collect money from its pious patrons, do anything with that money that betters their community."

It seems that you have already made up your mind about whether or not religious institutions are socially engaged by calling them to action in this post. How do you know that churches, temples, and mosques aren't doing anything? Do you have functioning relationships with any of them?

The reason I ask this is because I know from experience that the churches I am familiar with are actively seeking the welfare of this neighborhood. Perhaps you don't recognize or see it but it is certainly there.

And whether you realize it or not (or care or don't care), we as Christians believe in the power of prayer to effectively change things. So do Buddhists, Jews, Muslims, and Hindus.

I suppose my point is this - why not build relationships with the clergy of this neighborhood if you are so concerned? Why not get more involved and find out exactly how they are working? Why not be that "organic intellectual" on your block and perhaps, get involved yourself to seek the welfare of Crown Heights in your own way? You don't have to be a "religious type" to have a moral code. Arguably, we all have moral standards by which we ATTEMPT to live. The hard part is the attempt and the harder part is not judging others, even though we fail miserably.

If nothing else, religion is able to provide excellent cover for political activity that would otherwise be impossible.

....yes, people do all sorts of things in God's name. (some of them good, some of them bad).

The trick is finding a religion that works for you. ...or, if none work for you, the trick is to somehow find other sources of support to sustain oneself in this crazy world.

Community building is hard work, and religious leaders are often at the forefront. Simply trying to destroy their hard work rarely earns much respect; It often just makes one very alone.

I refuse to read this thread to find out who typed that foolishness Clayfilms quoted. :roll:

DOUBLE POST

papertiger11225 wrote: MHA says, "My interest is whther the institutions, which collect money from its pious patrons, do anything with that money that betters their community."

It seems that you have already made up your mind about whether or not religious institutions are socially engaged by calling them to action in this post. How do you know that churches, temples, and mosques aren't doing anything? Do you have functioning relationships with any of them?

The reason I ask this is because I know from experience that the churches I am familiar with are actively seeking the welfare of this neighborhood. Perhaps you don't recognize or see it but it is certainly there.

And whether you realize it or not (or care or don't care), we as Christians believe in the power of prayer to effectively change things. So do Buddhists, Jews, Muslims, and Hindus.

I suppose my point is this - why not build relationships with the clergy of this neighborhood if you are so concerned? Why not get more involved and find out exactly how they are working? Why not be that "organic intellectual" on your block and perhaps, get involved yourself to seek the welfare of Crown Heights in your own way? You don't have to be a "religious type" to have a moral code. Arguably, we all have moral standards by which we ATTEMPT to live. The hard part is the attempt and the harder part is not judging others, even though we fail miserably.

All of this is why I encourage people to worship near their home. The money you put into the collection plate is more likely to have a direct impact on the community in which you live and you are more likely to see the results.