Friday, November 29, 2019

The Narrative Of Arthur Gordon Essays - Literature, Fiction

The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket Narrarator : The setting is in the Pacific Ocean somewhere along Costa Rica. Where Pym, Augustus, Parker, and Dirk Peters are on a ship called the "Grampus." The ship has lost all of its sails due to the high winds and thunder storms and is basically floating wherever the wind and the waves take it. The rest of the crew has killed each other off when they attempted to mutany the ship. They have been without food for about 5 days and have been living off rainwater they catch in their clothes. The ship is filled with water so they cant travel below deck to get any food from the store room and they are all very weak and are despretely looking for a new source of food to keep them alive until a ship should stumble across them and pick them up. Peters : Maybe one of us could swim below the deck and get to the store room and find some fresh water and some food. Pym : But you would have to feel your way to the store room because you couldn't see in this salty water. Hey Augustus don't you know your way to the store room well? Augustus : Yea. Tie this rope around my waist so i can have something to follow back if I cant find my way. Parker : Ok. If you need help just pull on the rope and we will pull you up. Augustus : Ok here I go...................................I think I found it but the door was locked, hand me that axe over there and I will take that down with me and maybe I could break down the door.....................................well I got into the room but all I could find was broken glass. I think everything was broken when the ship was rocking back and forth during the storm. Parker : Oh great so what do we do now sit here and wait to die. WAIT!!! I have an idea maybe one of us should die in order to keep the others alive. Pym : You mean cannabilism? Parker : Yea Pym : NO WAY!!! Peters : Acually I dont think we really have a choice. Either we do that or we die. Augustus : Yea I agree with Peters and Parker I dont think we have a choice. Pym : Ok, fine but who is going to be the one to sacrifice there self and to get eaten by the others? Parker : Well I say we draw straws. I am going to take these splinters of wood and have three long pieces and one short piece. Is that fair with everyone? Pym : Yea i guess Peters : Yea Augustus : Yea Parker : Ok, Peters you draw first. Peters : Ok, here I go................YES!!! A LONG PIECE!!! Parker : Ok, Augustus your turn. Augustus : Ok, ......................A LONG PIECE!!! Parker : Well it looks like its down to me and you Pym do you want to draw or do you want me to draw? Pym : I guess I'll draw. I cant look............................... Narrarator : To find out if Pym gets the short straw and gets eaten by the others or if he gets the long straw and manages to survive one more day read The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Free Essays on Educational Reform in America

of Paulo Freire, the information given or taught by the teachers. According to Paulo Freire we take information given to us by teachers and categorize the information away for later use. Freire contends that when knowledge is passed vertically from teacher to student in the banking concept the knowledge is stored in the brains and cataloged away. An inefficient way to learn that holds us back from reaching our full potential. We, the students, never question the validity of the information. We simply understand that the teacher is right and we take for granted what the teacher gives us. Who says that all information is actually valid, how do we know until we, the students, actually do it. If a student reads in a text that a certain plant when eaten tastes sweet and another tastes bitter the students are then supposed to take for granted that what the text says and what the teacher says are correct. So how do we genuinely recognize two different tastes? Test it out for ourselves in a group session. Researchers ... Free Essays on Educational Reform in America Free Essays on Educational Reform in America The United States has been teaching its students for countless years now. Today's education process in the United States is that of the banking process. Paulo Freire gives light to a new and advanced process by which America should learn by, one that will prove to be an investment for the nations society, and soon will. For years now we have been learning in Americas institutions for the first eighteen to twenty-five years of our lives. Always being taught by our teachers and professors, hoping that what they say will give us light to a hopeful future. Students generally sit in a classroom and absorb or bank, to put it in words of Paulo Freire, the information given or taught by the teachers. According to Paulo Freire we take information given to us by teachers and categorize the information away for later use. Freire contends that when knowledge is passed vertically from teacher to student in the banking concept the knowledge is stored in the brains and cataloged away. An inefficient way to learn that holds us back from reaching our full potential. We, the students, never question the validity of the information. We simply understand that the teacher is right and we take for granted what the teacher gives us. Who says that all information is actually valid, how do we know until we, the students, actually do it. If a student reads in a text that a certain plant when eaten tastes sweet and another tastes bitter the students are then supposed to take for granted that what the text says and what the teacher says are correct. So how do we genuinely recognize two different tastes? Test it out for ourselves in a group session. Researchers ...

Friday, November 22, 2019

Public Health and Access to Quality Health Services Assignment - 1

Public Health and Access to Quality Health Services - Assignment Example Most noteworthy public health achievements in the 20th century have been the eradication of smallpox and poliomyelitis and significant control over diphtheria, rubella, measles, influenza type b and several other infectious diseases in the US, the vaccination program continues beyond 2010 for several deadly diseases. Tobacco was a health hazard all through the 20th century and it is still considered hazardous in the new millennium along with substance abuse. Immunization and infectious disease control have been continuing a major health concern in the new millennium. Diabetes, obesity (overweight), oral health, fitness and physical activity, sexually transmitted diseases are posing a big health hazard. Heart disease and stroke prevention and treatment have been a new thrust area in the goals of healthy people 2010. The health practices have evolved since last several decades. The healthy people goals of 2010 are the bit different than the goals of healthy people in 20th century. In the current times, living long and healthy is a health mantra hence identifying health improvement priorities is an important task. The emphasis is on increasing public awareness towards the chief components of health with respect to disease and disability and access to health services for everyone is a must. Air quality index (less than 50) as a measurement of environmental quality is a new introduction to live healthily and breathe healthily. Physical activity and proper nutrition for children and adults will be crucial in achieving health goals. The plan needs to be patient-centered, faster and affordable that supports people to become healthier. The plan aims at providing longer lives free of preventable disease, healthy life free of disability, disease, injury and premature death. It also aims at creating social and physical environments to create improved health for all. Promoting healthy behaviors to attain the quality of life is also a focus of health plan.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Choose any topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Choose any topic - Essay Example For two past consequetive weekends he had been held up and had not been able to travel and see his family. He missed his daughter Lynn who was turning twelve the next day . John had every reason to be home with his family. His wife at home had left work earlier and arrived at home, instructed the househelp on the chores she needed done. When Lynn’s father called to inform her of his inability to be with them over the weekend, she had been jovial taking it as an opportunity to mingle with her friends at a Friday party. She had hurriedly rushed to the shower and dressed her best. Her friend Nadia had come pick her up. She had departed telling her maid she had was going back to work to finish some pending tasks. Jane had preferred working from her office given the ample atmosphere it gave her than at her home office in which Lynn could come nugging her for little odds and ends. Had Jane known what was laying ahead for her, she would not have made such a blunder. Jane and Nadia st omped into the red saloon car and driven off to a club where Nadia had planned to introduce her to this tall handsome guy. Around 10.00 p.m., John had hastily arrived at the bus station, managed to get the last bus headed to his home town. His attempts to call Jane had been futile since she had switched off her cell phone. John mysteriously found himself on sit number thirteen. An odd number indeed. He had thought superstitiously to himself. The bus went at breakneck speed, but still John found it too slow. He knew he would reach his home town around midnight and he dreaded robbery that was frequent due to insecurity of the town. He wondered how he still felt so bad about his seat number. He could have changed the seat, but had brushed off the idea as baseless mere superstitious thoughts that would reflect awkwardly off him. John slept intermittently along the way. He had reveries of sweet dreams that alternated with nightmares. At a point he had woken up with a jolt, shaking and

Monday, November 18, 2019

Marketing Analysis Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Marketing Analysis Report - Essay Example The company offers a range of products, in the form of flight transport services to passengers worldwide, both from Canada to different parts of the world, and vice-versa. The company products solve a range of individual, organizational and societal problems, through offering schedule flights to individuals who are seeking to travel to different destinations of the world, thus solving a societal problem. It also offers other individualized services such as cargo services to individuals and organizations dealing in the cargo business (Mills, 2006). The company also offers specialized Air Canada Jazz and Air Canada Jetz specifically for organizations and some individuals who would want to experience flexible departure and arrival time, and who cannot fit into the normal scheduled flight timetable. The individuals or organizations using this service are granted privacy, security and convenience, while also being granted customized services (Yerema & Leung, 2013). It also offers vacation services courtesy of Air Canada rouge, specifically for leisure purposes, through chartered flights to over 200 different leisure destinations worldwide. Another product offered by the company is the Air Canada Express, connecting over 90 Canadian cities (Milton, 2004). Pricing for the different products offered by the company is on a product-to-product basis, while promotions are done through mainstream media; both print and broadcast, social media, as well as promotional campaigns and special-offers advertising. Environmental Scan Regulatory environmental factors had been favorable for Air Canada in the early years up to the 1970s, where the government applied regulations to ensure that the company had an upper hand over the other privately-owned airlines. The government restricted short haul carriers to only one destination for other airlines, while allowing Air Canada to serve several destinations (Milton, 2004). Its main competitor, CP Air was restricted in terms of the interc ontinental capacity, while also being restricted from operating domestic flights. However, in 1987 deregulation of the Canada air market was introduced, and subsequently stiff competition set in, between Air Canada and other regional operators (Mills, 2006). Stiff competition for the company is mainly from Pacific Western Airline. The economic environment for the company was tough especially in the early 2000s, when the company pursued a merger with its major rival, Canadian Airlines, but realized that its economic situation was worse, an occurrence that led to financial problems and cargo and flight delays. This eventually led to a declaration of bankruptcy in early 2003, but the company recovered in the following year, and managed to strategize and resolved the financial problems (Milton, 2004). Nevertheless, the technological environment has impacted positively on the company’s business, through increasing business and repeat customer purchases. The company’s utiliz ation of its technology is impressive, with the company offering a range of technological services to its customers, such as

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Dance And Ethics In The Traditional African Philosophy Essay

Dance And Ethics In The Traditional African Philosophy Essay Chapter 2 LITERATURE REVIEW This section looks at various functions of dance in the Traditional African Society, especially its use for interpreting ideas such as ethics of (Twene KÃŽÂ µse) festival. 2.1 Dance and Ethics in the Traditional African Context Dance as a tool for perpetuating some simple ethics of the social values within the Ghanaian society has received some attention over the years. For example, an adowa  [1]  dancer begs his or her drummers to play a good rhythm for him or her to dance and thus seeks permission from the gods, elders and drummers before dancing.  [2]  By this, I am referring to simple gestures that portray a sense of respect and acknowledgement in the society. Dance is one of the effective tools for communication and nation building. These help in ensuring good behavioral change in the community.  [3]  According to Abà ­ÃƒÆ' °bà ¶là ¡ (2001), the term ethics as stated in the introductory section of this thesis are grouped into four areas; Normative ethics the basis and justification of moral rules and principles Meta ethics the meaning of moral terms Applied ethics the nature, content and application of specific moral guidelines Descriptive ethics accounts of how people actually behave in situations requiring moral action Abà ­ÃƒÆ' °bà ¶là ¡ points out that, contemporary thinking on ethics in African philosophy is concerned with normative and descriptive ethics. In justification to this, he argues that many African philosophers on the topic of ethics raise the question of the position of African ethics. The question is, do these ethics come out of religious doctrines (normative ethics), or are they results of reason (descriptive ethics). Ethics, as defined in the introduction of this thesis connote good human behavior in relation to other humans in a society. This is without the inclusion of a supernatural being or religion. It is humane, for every individual in a society to adopt positive characters to live peacefully in and out of the community without any religious intuition. On the other hand, the traditional African, by nature, is a religious being whose daily affairs are based on his or her relationship with divinities (God, gods, and or ancestral spirits, etc.). Therefore, the understandin g of ethics (which are found in the traditional beliefs and customs) will not depart from religion. The faith, trust, and fear for the divinity by the traditional African makes him or her submissive to the laid down rules and regulations of the community. In this contemporary era, many will perhaps appreciate the relevance of ethics, which is communicated through dance. Though, dance as a traditional activity, has suffered adulteration through the passing on from generation to generation, its usage in modern choreography with all the theatrical elements like sound, light, projections, costumes and make-ups, props and other technicalities makes it more educational and applicable to formal education. Realistically, some ethics in the traditional African context may not be applicable to the modern or contemporary society due to technological advancement, modernization, religious beliefs and disbeliefs and formal education. However, the attempt to use Ghanaian traditional dances creatively will shed light on old but yet beneficial traditional values. For example, the original benefit derived from the Dipo ceremony, may have lost its relevance to the Dangme girl today, because formal education has taken up some responsibility of the dipo rite. This is where choreography as a tool, can be used to promote some ethical values of the dipo rite and also serve as a preservative measure for the dipo dance as well. Some ceremonial dances positively affect the moral lives of people within the society when their themes are geared towards the endorsement of good conduct. The bragoro and dipo ceremonies and dance of the Dangme of Ghana is a typical example. Adinku (1994) notes that, dance for social ceremonies such as the dipo is restricted to girls in their puberty stage because the norms demand that, they must undergo initiation to inculcate in them the values of womanhood, and prepare them physically and emotionally to face their feminine responsibilities with confidence.  [4]  The performance of dipo and bragoro  [5]  help to simplify some of the ethical and moral lessons acquired in the entire ceremonies. The adowa dance of the Akan portrays some ethics. For example, a dancer may humbly plead with his or her drummers to play a good music as he or she dances by bowing and putting the right hand in the left hand, showing respect. The dancer bows to reverence a king in state and waves his right hand to greet and welcome spectators. These examples suggest that some dances are indicators and tools for bringing about ethical behaviors in the society. Dance as a non-verbal form of communication transcends ethnic and racial boundaries with fewer limitations.  [6]   Dance is fun, healing, joy, freedom, love, meditation, dynamic, an expression, emotional, magic and real and because of these qualities, it draws peoples attention when it is performed to an audience. These audiences are then exposed to and affected by the above irresistible qualities, thus, influenced by the symbolic movements carefully selected and used by the dancer or performer to express an emotional state.  [7]  This thesis uses the power of dance to address the findings of my research, which is the influence of the Twene KÃŽÂ µse festival on the practice of ethics. 2.2 The Relationship between Dance and Ethics Like ethical practices of the traditional African society, dance is one of the oldest traditions of man performed in all social gatherings such as festivals, naming ceremonies, funerals, puberty rites, and enstoolment and disstoolement of traditional leaders, because it graces every occasion in the life-circle of people. Within the life cycle of these people are their ethics and according to Nii-Yartey, a renowned Ghanaian choreographer, in Africa, dance serves as an index to the value systems that enable the community to interpret and express the various events of life.  [8]  Some of these events of life manifest the communitys reaction to areas such as work, to food and shelter, social and economic conditions, religious beliefs and disbeliefs, moments of joy and sadness. All these are captured in the dances of communities, thus, the Africans way of life in totality is reflected in his or her dance. To most Africans, dance is a habit formation, thus, one develops the interest and ability to dance as one participates in events associated with dance. He or she becomes familiar with the requirements and values of the dance, because the dos and donts of each dances learnt are also congruent to societal norms. For example, a fontonfrom,  [9]  nagila and adowa dancer, during state functions, will pay homage by bowing to the king, requesting for permission to dance. In the same way in our society, an Ashanti man will remove one of his footwear, lower the cloth on his left shoulder and bow to greet or shake hands with an Ashanti King. Furthermore, an $kyer1me will lower his cloth to the waist level, slightly place his right foot forward while stepping on the tail-end of his sandals before pouring libation. One is introduced to the societal moral requirements which form the ethical practices and principles of society as he or she studies through participation. Therefore, it is assume d that one becomes morally upright based on ones level of participation in dance, and his or her responds to its requirements. Morality is not ours originally, but learnt through socialization in the community. Hence, as the African grows, he or she learns through this habit formation to choose to do what is right from wrong. This is so because, to be morally right is not an in-born trait, but acquired with the choices one makes. One, consequently, bears the cost of the good or bad he or she purchases. One of the most important principles of the African is the family system the interdependency of the African. Thus, the challenge of one person is the challenge of all. This is not different in their dance performances. One does not perform in isolation because there will be no one to drum, sing, or hail the dancer and these are predominant in the African dance performance. Dancers mostly perform in groups at social functions, and admirers may hail them by clapping or walking into the dancing ring and fixing a coin on the forehead of the dancer. Gyekye (1996) opines that, the African is by nature a social being oriented towards others in a community of persons. Community life directly involves a person in social and moral roles, responsibilities, obligations and commitments that must be fulfilled. The Ghanaian is identified as a community member and therefore, seeks to uphold the values inherent in these obligations. These social obligations are the moral standards which sum up the e thics of the community. What Gyekye says is not different from the direction of this study because, the concern of the social being to live in an environment of peace, prepares him or her to adhere to ethical practices and principles of the community for posterity. Some of these ethical practices and principles can be found in the traditional dances and the festival activities of the African, while others are found in the day-to-day activities of people in the community, exist in isolation and therefore, are getting diminished. With changes that have occurred in our ethical life due to modernization, perhaps dance, through the medium of choreography can capture the essence of some of these values and bring them to attention of this contemporary community. The African lives for his community and Anthony Egan confirms this by his statement that If the foundation of African ethics is in the notion of humanness, what is to be a person, ubuntu sees this humanness as personhood in the community: a person is a person through other people. This confirms the earlier point raised that no one lives in isolation in the African system: a person life because others live; therefore, his or her activities affect the progress of the society. In light of the above, therefore, there is no doubt that the distinctive features which help recognize the African people are their cultural practices, social activities and values, religious and traditional beliefs, and principally their dance and musical traditions. 2.3 The Meaning of Ethics and Its Relevance to this Study In other to situate this research work within the context of ethics, some assertions by philosophical scholars such as Gyekye, Mbiti, Kant and others will be considered. According to Gyekye (1987), the Ghanaian equivalent word for ethics is suban. He explains that, ethics may be translated as suban ho nimdee or suban ho adwendwen, studies or reflections on character, a rendition which, in stressing the notion of character, agrees with the Akan conception of morality and hence can correctly be used, sometimes with an additional word or words to reflect modern usage, as the Akan equivalent for the word ethics.  [10]   In his contention, suban is so vital and for this reason, it is given a central place in the Ghanaian moral language and thought that it may be considered as summing up the whole idea of morality. For example, an Akan will say, He has no character (onni suban) instead of, He has no morals. That is, onni suban is mostly used if a person is describing the negative moral status of another person. The word pa or papa, meaning good is sometimes added to the sentence to make the meaning clearer in a moral sense. For instance, onni suban pa (he has no good character, or his conduct is unethical). The opposite of this statement is, owo suban pa (he has moral, or he is ethical, moral). That is a person with a praiseworthy character. This takes our discussion to the meaning of character and its relationship to ethics. Gyekye again defines character as a state or condition of a soul which causes it to perform its actions spontaneously and easily.  [11]  This presupposes that, the moral habit of an individual is innate and as he or she grows, the society teaches him or her to adopt good character to act positively at all times and in spontaneous situations. In support of this, Kant (1724-1804), states that, act as if the principle on which your action is based were to became, by your will, a universal law of nature.  [12]  Kants statement has bearing in the Akan proverb that says abaa a yÃŽÂ µde b4 Tekyi no, yÃŽÂ µde b4 Baah. This is literally translated as, do what you want others to do unto you or and therefore one should be mindful of his actions so as not to negatively affect other people. According to Kant, one must be fully aware of actions, whether good or bad, so that he or she will be fully responsible for the outcome thereafter. Bad people are not welcomed in social gathering such as festivals and therefore do not add up to the decision makers of the community. On the other hand, a person is believed to have the capability of changing from unacceptable behaviors to acceptable behaviors through the teaching of moral values embedded in proverbs, traditional dances and folktales. Such people become part of the society because, it is in living virtuously that human beings can give meaning to their social life and existence.  [13]   Johnsons (2004) article on Kants Moral Philosophy indicates his (Kants) substitution of ethics with morals and proposes that Once we seek out and establish the fundamental principle of morality a priori, then we may consult facts drawn from experience in order to determine how best to apply this principle to human beings and generate particular conclusions about how we ought to act.  [14]  Kant has observed that, to understand what ethics really is, an in-depth analysis of our moral concept must be sought. For example, Saint Augustine (354-430), as he sought to reinterpret the virtues of classical Greece says, Temperance, courage, justice and wisdom are expressions of Christian virtue.  [15]  In this direction, an action is regarded as right if it is in agreement with a moral rule or principle.  [16]  The understanding of the concept of good will, obligation, duty, and so on as well as their logical relationship to one another, is inevitably linked with the African concep t of ethics; thus, we can determine the rationality of ones actions; whether he does what is right or what is wrong. To buttress this point, Bantham Jeremy (1748-1832) positions that, correct actions are those that result in the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people.  [17]  To live in a harmonious ON environment with one another, ones deeds must bring about the greatest degree of joy and happiness to him or herself as well as people around him. To Jeremy, ones happiness is quantifiable to units of pleasure, therefore less units of pain. However, Socrates (469-399bc) concepts of ethics that every person has full knowledge of ultimate truth contained within the soul and needs only to be spurred to conscious reflection in order to become aware of it.  [18]  The ultimate truth found within the soul of the African, as confirmed by Gyekye, is interpreted in the Akan proverb that says, no one shows the child where God is.  [19]  In other words, even a child knows what is right from wrong and this is because of the ultimate truth, which is an in-born-trait and is contained in the soul of the individual. While some African thinkers hold the view that, the punishment given to a person who has gone against an ethical rule may spur on others from committing the same crime, others hold a different view on the matter. For example, when a parent or guardian disciplines a child for insubordination, it spurs on other children from doing same. On the other hand, the idea of motivating people to do the right thing does not sit well with others. Since the ultimate truth is embedded in everyone, it presupposes that one does not need to be motivated to do what is right. Socrates ideology concerning ethics is to incite people to do the right thing and thus, without incentives people may not consciously reflect on the knowledge of ultimate truths. I agree with the two assertions because, from childhood one experiences moral virtues through habit-forming activities such as traditional dances, folk tales and others that include singing traditional songs and proverbs for socialization.  [20]  Furthermore, the society bears the responsibility of helping to discipline a child when he or she goes wrong, because of the collective perspective of society for the upbringing of its members. When a child goes wrong, the onus falls on the members of the community to discipline that child. One significant example observed during my research trip is my experience of the sacred atmosphere the Adjumako-Kokoben town experiences a month before the celebration of Twene KÃŽÂ µse festivities. People are required to eschew antisocial behaviors most especially during the festival season. Unethical behaviors such as stealing, gossiping, fighting and desecrating of sacred centers like the Twene KÃŽÂ µse shrines and mpusuban  [21]  are highly prohibited. This is because the period of the festival is considered holy, where spirits of departed ancestors come back home to prepare the grounds for the up-and-coming events. The community frowns on people who go contrary to this ethical rule and culprits are summoned and fined by their traditional council. During the festival, such persons are ridiculed with insulting songs to spur on others during the celebration of the Abangye which leads to the climax of the Twene KÃŽÂ µse festival. It is also a belief that, the spiritual entity that protects the community with it source from the deity, Twene KÃŽÂ µse, does not condone unethical people in the society.  [22]  This raises the question of whether or not the ethical rules or principles have a link with the supernatural or their traditional religion. However, John Mbiti (1969) agrees that ethical rule practiced worldwide may promote peace and tranquility among people. He points out that; As in all societies of the world, social order and peace are recognized by African people as essential and sacred. Where the sense of corporate life is so deep, it is inevitable that the solidarity of the community must be mentioned, otherwise there are disintegration and destruction.  [23]   He believes that, the African community is bound together with kinship relationship and therefore the unethical deeds of one person affect the entire community. This becomes sacrilegious during the holy periods of traditional festivals. For the purpose of this dissertation, the word suban will be adopted, thus, the required suban proposed by either the community or the gods (supernatural entities) to be practiced in socio-cultural and political activities. Theories of philosophers concerning the source of ethics in the traditional African society in relation to my research findings will be pursued in the next section. 2.4 Theoretical Framework 2.4.1 Ethical Concerns in African Cultural Standpoint Many scholars have written extensively on the ethical concerns in the traditional African societies. Some have attributed the Africans practice of ethics to their religious beliefs while others have disputed the fact and said that, ethics have less to do with religion. One of such philosophers who have suggested a relationship between the Africans way of life and religion is Kofi A. Opoku (1974). He notes; The phenomenon of religion is so pervasive in the life of the Akan, and so inextricably bound up with their culture, that it is not easy to isolate what is purely religious from other aspects of life. It may be said without fear or exaggeration that life in the Akan world is religion, and religion is life.  [24]   According to Opoku, the African cannot segregate himself from religion and hence religion affects his moral obligations, and therefore the Akan morality is based on religion. In other words, a persons moral standards are to a large extent dependent on his religion. Furthermore, Opoku (1978) writes on Akan morality and states that, Generally, morality evolves from religious considerations, and so pervasive is religion in African culture that ethics and religion cannot be separated from each other.  [25]  The traditional African is seen as a religious being through his daily reverence to divinities in his or her life circle; birth, puberty or initiation and death. When a child is born, libation is poured to ask for blessing for it and thank the gods for its save entrance from the supernatural to the natural world. In some cases, names of ancestors who led moral lives are given to the child to honor them. Puberty (a period that marks the beginning of adulthood in both men and women) , farming, fishing, hunting, enstoolment and distoolment of chiefs are not performed without the consent of a deity, so as the death rite of individuals. These activities are the customs and belief systems of the traditional people. Some of the customs and belief systems of the African community contain some ethics. The ideas behind their practices are beneficial and connote morality in the community. For example, it is unethical for one to whistle and sweep at night in the most Akan societies. Whistling may attract snakes, which can bite one to death. In the same way, precious tiny objects may be swept away at night. These are beliefs which when practiced becomes beneficial to the people. Can it also be said that the gods propounded these beliefs? Bishop Sarpong, in support of the above discussion states, Ethics here merges with religious practices, and assumes communal proportions. Among the Ghanaian, every ethical conduct may be said to be religiously orientated.  [26]  Busia (1969) a notable scholar of Ghanaian culture also declares that religion determines the moral duties for the members of a group or tribe.  [27]  Finally, Mbiti reinforces that, there exist, therefore, many laws, customs, set forms of behaviors, regulations, rules (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦), constituting the moral code and ethics of a given community or society. Some of these are held sacred, and are believed to have been instituted by Godà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.  [28]  All these assertions agree that ethics is hardly segregated from religion, and religion  [29]  has it source from Supreme Being (God or gods), not man. However, Kwame Gyekye, Segun Gbadegesin, Kwasi Wiredu and Polycarp Ikuenobe disagree with all the above claims. To them, moralities have less to do with religion where the source of this religion is God. Gyekye explains that, through his research in the Akan community, no one attributed rules of moral behavior to instructions from God. Nonetheless, Gyekye clarifies the relationship of Akan moralitys dependence on religion, and he provides two distinctions. He categorically states; It must mean or imply: (1) that moral concept such as good, bad, right, wrong, and ought are (to be) to be defined in terms of religious prescriptions or the commands of some supernatural being; (2) that moral beliefs, principles and ideas derive logically from those of religion and hence, (3) that religious prescriptions provide the necessary justification for moral beliefs, principles and judgments. Finally, (4) the moral conduct of individuals is determined or greatly influenced by their religious beliefs.  [30]   He distinguishes the above assertion of religion merging with morality and explains morality as referring, Either to a set of social rules and norms for guiding and regulating the conduct of people in a society, or behavior pattern, that is, responses or attitudes to such rules and norms. Thus, we speak not only of moral rules, beliefs, and prescription, but also of moral behavior, meaning behavior in conformity with accepted moral beliefs and rules: the moral person in one whose attitude or response to moral rule is satisfactory and commendable. So that the idea of the religious dependence on morality involves not only the sources of moral rules and principles, but also the influences that affect patterns of behavior.  [31]   Gyekye proves that there are visible distinctions with these two implications and for that matter, vivid analysis must be done in this aspect to avoid people from the mistake of given false conclusion on the issue of religion and morality in the African culture. According to Tufuhene Akorful IV and $kyer1ma Kwaku Aky1 from the Adjumako-Kokoben traditional Area, ethics are the morals values within the belief systems of the community that promote acceptable behaviors and were passed on from their forefathers unto them. Here, forefathers refer to the ancestors and traditional priests of the town. They believe that individuals do not accept acknowledgement for contributing to the welfare of the community, rather, wisdom is ascribed to people of old or ancestors, priest and gods. They therefore admit that, through the wisdom of the ancestor and the gods, ethical principles for moral behavior in the town, are propounded and communicated through their traditional priest unto the people. In this instance, one see two underlining features over here; the ancestors who were once human and the gods. Could it be that the provider of ethics is a shared responsibility of humans and the supernatural? Yes, because the traditional religion is a relationship b etween man and the supernatural, and though one is supreme over the other and may be the provider of ethics, the less supreme also has equal responsibility to make moral rules to protect his or her community. Yet, he or she does not take glory for his achievement, but ascribes it to the gods or ancestors. The Adjumako-Kokoben people believe that the traditional priest to the Twene KÃŽÂ µse god is the greatest priest of all times. He (the Twene Kese priest) protects his people by providing ethical rules. These are found within their belief systems. Table 1. The ethics found in some belief systems of the Adjumako-Kokoben people Examples Of Some Belief Systems In Adjumako-Kokoben The Ethics In Such Belief Systems Do not bring a whole bunch of Plantain called apim  [32]  to the house. Cut some fingers off first. By cutting some fingers off, it encourages sharing with others in the society. Do not bring a whole palm fruit to the house. Cut off some fruits first. Share some of the palm fruits with a neighbor. Do not pound fufu  [33]  at night. Eating heavy food at night may cause stomach upset. Insects or objects may fall in the fufu during pounding and cause harm to those who eat it. Do not go to the streams when menstruating or have a cut on your body. Diseases may be transmitted to other people. Do not bring dog to town. They are believed to carry bad spirit, which can affect the blessings of men. They can also bit and transmit diseases as well. Cut very long firewood into shorter pieces before bringing them home. They occupy lots of space. The carrier may hurt someone with it due to the length of the log. Unbalance may break the neck of the carrier. 2.5 Ethical Theories The fundamental principle of morality binds every individual in a community because ethics are about how to live a good life wherever one finds him or herself.  [34]  Meaning, harmonious life in a community depends on obeying the ethical principles therein. Richard T. Hull (1979), in his paper, The Varieties of Ethical Theories, explains various ethical theories and states the two fundamental types of ethical theory: those based on the notion of choosing ones actions so as to maximize the value or values to be expected as consequences of those actions (called consequentialist or teleological theories [from the Greek telos, meaning aim or purpose]; and those based on the notion of choosi

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Religious Persecution of Christian Beliefs :: essays research papers

Religious Persecution of Christian Beliefs What is religious persecution? At the beginning of this project, I thought religious persecution was a black and white topic with a clear definition. I thought that religious persecution was simply the persecution of a group because of their religious faith. However, I discovered that there are no simple explanations of religious persecution, and it is a much more complex and controversial issue than I had imagined. In fact, some events categorized as religious persecution reveal only shades of grey and ambiguities and do not neatly fit this simple definition. I wanted others to come to this same understanding. Therefore, I have formulated my own definition of religious persecution. It is the persecution of individuals within a group in the struggle to maintain their religious identity, or the abuse of power by an individual or organization that causes members of a religious group to suffer. In the case of the Holocaust, there is little argument about who created the extermination camps or what caused the death of approximately 6 million Jews. The Holocaust is probably the most well-known case of religious persecution. But my research shows that the persecution of the Jews extended well beyond simply targeting all the members of a particular faith. Instead, Hitler labeled the Jews as a race, and used his political power to exterminate the entire race. While violence against Christians has been increasing worldwide, and while Christians in the East are becoming "an endangered species," according to author William Dalrymple, attention to the crisis in the broadsheets and broadcasts of the West is "occasional and momentary" at best. No doubt this reticence must in part have to do with the West's tendency to quarantine religion out of public discourse and concern. The persecution of Christians lays a special injunction on the church in the West to examine modern paradigms and strategies for evangelism. Often Christian missionary approaches are founded on racial and religious assumptions that assign native populations and traditional cultures to an inferior status. The general premise is that prior to the arrival of Christian missionaries, people lived in a morass of darkness and depravity. This traditionally has been the basis for the almost-militant missionary scramble for native souls. Some U.S.-based Web sites include references to India as a "a land of 333 million gods" that is a virtual "Babel" linguistically and the self-identification of missionaries as "warriors of Christ," "crusading" for the "lost" and "unreached. Religious Persecution of Christian Beliefs :: essays research papers Religious Persecution of Christian Beliefs What is religious persecution? At the beginning of this project, I thought religious persecution was a black and white topic with a clear definition. I thought that religious persecution was simply the persecution of a group because of their religious faith. However, I discovered that there are no simple explanations of religious persecution, and it is a much more complex and controversial issue than I had imagined. In fact, some events categorized as religious persecution reveal only shades of grey and ambiguities and do not neatly fit this simple definition. I wanted others to come to this same understanding. Therefore, I have formulated my own definition of religious persecution. It is the persecution of individuals within a group in the struggle to maintain their religious identity, or the abuse of power by an individual or organization that causes members of a religious group to suffer. In the case of the Holocaust, there is little argument about who created the extermination camps or what caused the death of approximately 6 million Jews. The Holocaust is probably the most well-known case of religious persecution. But my research shows that the persecution of the Jews extended well beyond simply targeting all the members of a particular faith. Instead, Hitler labeled the Jews as a race, and used his political power to exterminate the entire race. While violence against Christians has been increasing worldwide, and while Christians in the East are becoming "an endangered species," according to author William Dalrymple, attention to the crisis in the broadsheets and broadcasts of the West is "occasional and momentary" at best. No doubt this reticence must in part have to do with the West's tendency to quarantine religion out of public discourse and concern. The persecution of Christians lays a special injunction on the church in the West to examine modern paradigms and strategies for evangelism. Often Christian missionary approaches are founded on racial and religious assumptions that assign native populations and traditional cultures to an inferior status. The general premise is that prior to the arrival of Christian missionaries, people lived in a morass of darkness and depravity. This traditionally has been the basis for the almost-militant missionary scramble for native souls. Some U.S.-based Web sites include references to India as a "a land of 333 million gods" that is a virtual "Babel" linguistically and the self-identification of missionaries as "warriors of Christ," "crusading" for the "lost" and "unreached.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Christian and Jewish holy days Essay

The holy day of the Christian church is Sunday. Sunday replaces the Jewish â€Å"Sabbath† which takes place on Saturday. Jews chose Saturday as their day of rest because of the creation, God rested on the Seventh day (Saturday). God said that you must keep one day special for him and since he rested on this day, it would be logical for his people to also. Resting in its self reminded them that they were a free people. Christians chose Sunday to be their day of rest instead of Saturday because Jesus rose from the dead on a Sunday. Easter Sunday is the Christians biggest feast of the year because Jesus is believed to have risen on this day. Christians also chose Sunday to sever the last tie with the Jewish religion. The Christian Mass takes place in two parts, these are: * The Liturgy of The Word * The Liturgy of The Eucharist The Liturgy of The Word includes readings from the bible, the priest may give a sermon, and ordinary Christians say the bidding prayers. During the Liturgy of The Eucharist the Holy Communion takes place. The mass is a sacrifice as Jesus is Sacrificed on the Altar at every mass, it is a meal because we are being fed with the Holy Spirit The Salvation Army is a group of Protestant Christians who do not have a Eucharist. William Booth, a Methodist minister, founded the army in 1878. They decided to make their mass informal to make new people feel at ease. They only do the Liturgy of The Word and they take part in singing and music. Christians believe that worshiping together as a community is very important, they feel that meeting as the family or people of God is a Key part of worship. They believe that God wants them to be with others and to celebrate their common beliefs. They also worship together because they sometimes need the support of the rest of the community. The word â€Å"communion† means to be one with others and to be one with God. They share special moments and celebrate feasts as God’s family Some Christians think that worshiping alone can take place of Sunday worship. When they are alone they can, read the bible, pray, they can sing or they can just be quiet and spend time with God. Some people think that this is not as good as worshipping with others because you don’t get the support of others, and you can’t celebrate with the rest of God’s family. A02 The next thing I am going to look at is the relationship of Christian belief and worship to the attitude, behaviour and actions of a lay Christian or a Christian community. At the end of a mass the priest tells the people to â€Å"go in peace to love and serve the lord†, they can achieve this in many ways. They can help their fellow man by donating to charity. This money will go to house the homeless and feed the hungry or to help the sick. Lay Christians challenge themselves to help others help others through their parishes and youth groups they can try to live by the gospel and attempt to love and serve the lord. Catholic parish’s communities contribute to the lives of others in many ways, for example: parent and toddler groups are set up to support young or single parents. It is not a crà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½che but a group for mothers so that they can meet up and get advice from each other. There are groups set up to help the homeless, the unemployed and the disabled. Groups like St Vincent de Paul try to help those in need locally in a very private way. People can donate old items that they no longer need and the group will take them away and deliver them to those who need it. Lay Christians run all of these groups on a voluntary basis. They depend on financial support from parishes and donations from people. A03 Some people think that Non-essential activities should not take place on a Sunday. A small majority of the British population are Christians who actively worship on a regular basis and it would not be logical to let this minority dictate Sunday. For many people Saturday and Sunday are their only time off work and it would be unfair to make them work on these days. If companies were forced to stop working on a Sunday then they would lose lots of money and jobs would be lost however if everyone would be forced to work on this day then many people would not see their families. Sunday has been the day of rest of the Christian faith for 2000 years and is therefore a very important day.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Patagonia Another Way of Doing Business Essay

1Introduction Patagonia was founded in 1957 by Yvon Chouinard who defines himself as a reluctant business man. He started his business as a way to climb and surf year long, seeking to build the best product to satisfy his passion. â€Å"Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis. † –Patagonia’s Mission Statement Patagonia grew out of a small company that made tools for climbers. Alpinism remains at the heart of a worldwide business that still makes clothes for climbing as well as for skiing, snowboarding, surfing, fly fishing, paddling and trail running. Customers are willing to pay a premium for the Patagonia brand and environmental ethic. The company’s goal is as simple as it is challenging: to produce the highest-quality products while doing the least possible harm to the environment. Yvon Chouinard founder and owner of Patagonia has done business differently since the beginning of the company, placing environmental sustainability and social welfare of his employee before profit. Three examples of the company practice will show how marketing and business can meet ethical behavior. Patagonia: a different workplace environment Patagonia is hiring only passionate people (friends, family†¦) who are also product user so they don’t have to understand the customer because they are the customer. Patagonia has developed the Let My People Go surfing flextime policy to cope with the employee passion (surfing, backcountry skiing†¦). There are no private offices and the architectural layout keep communication opens. The cafeteria where employees can gather throughout the day serves healthy, mostly vegetarian food. The company has also an on-site child care center, the presence of children playing in the yard, or having lunch with their parents in the cafeteria helps keep the company atmosphere more familial than corporate. Patagonia has a program that allows employees to take off up to two months at full pay to work for environmental groups. Patagonia fosters creativity and authenticity through its work environment and hiring process enabling the development of original products. 3Patagonia: The 1% for the Planet Initiative Since 1985, Patagonia has devoted 1% of its sales to the preservation and restoration of the natural environment. The company has awarded over $46 million in cash and in-kind donations to domestic and international grassroots environmental. In 2002, founder of Patagonia, Yvon Chouinard, and Craig Mathews, owner of Blue Ribbon Flies, created a non-profit corporation to encourage other businesses to do the same. 1% For The Planet is an alliance of businesses that understand the necessity of protecting the natural environment. As of today 1401 companies are members of the 1% for the Planet Initiative and donate 1% of their sales to a network of 2,735 environmental organizations worldwide. More than a marketing campaign, The 1% for the Planet Initiative is a really strong statement from Patagonia (no matter what are the financial results 1% of its sales will serve the environmental cause every year), it has reinforced the company corporate social responsibility and ethical image, hence the loyalty of its core customers. 4Patagonia: The Common Threads Initiative This marketing program first asks customers to not buy something if they don’t need it, then if they do need it, Patagonia ask that they buy what will last a long time and to repair what breaks, reuse or resell whatever they don’t wear any more. And, finally, recycle whatever’s truly worn out. Patagonia with The Common Threads Initiative is the first private company launching a marketing campaign telling its customers to buy less or to buy used gear. In September 2011 Patagonia launched an online marketplace in collaboration with eBay for customers to sell and buy their used Patagonia products. This feature is displayed on the homepage of patagonia. com. Recycling is what we do when we’re out of options to avoid, repair, or reuse the product first. That’s why I am so impressed with Patagonia for starting its Common Threads Initiative with the real solution: Reduce. Don’t buy what we don’t need. Repair: Fix stuff that still has life in it. Reuse: Share. Then, only when you’ve exhausted those options, recycle (Leonard, 2011). This new marketing campaign was unveiled at the New York fashion week as an experiment. Only a private company without public shareholder and a charismatic leader with strong belief can promote such a different business attitude. 5Conclusion Patagonia has always done business and marketing differently. In the seventies Chouinard Equipment had become the largest supplier of climbing hardware in the U. S. It had also become an environmental threat because its gear was damaging the rock. Yvon Chouinard and his partner decided to phase out of this business even it if was the main source of revenue for the company, it was the first environmental step for Patagonia. Instead of focusing on profit the company took a big risk by discontinuing a successful line of products to promote an alternative solution (aluminum chocks) for climbers. It became a success because Patagonia crafted the right product with the right message and stayed true to its core values. Today with the Common Threads Initiative they are pursuing the exact same philosophy and trying to push the industry to adopt more ethical business behaviors. Patagonia’s highly public search for a new way of doing business implies a new kind of relationship with customers, reinforced by unconditional guarantees, extremely high product quality and an explicit commitment to ethical codes of behavior (Reinhardt, 2000).

Thursday, November 7, 2019

F-8 Crusader in the Vietnam War

F-8 Crusader in the Vietnam War The F-8 Crusader was the last fighter designed for the US Navy that utilized guns as its primary weapon. Entering service in 1957, it saw combat during the Vietnam War both as a fighter and ground attack aircraft. Variants of the F-8 remained in use with the worlds air forces and navies into the 1990s. Background In 1952, the US Navy issued a call for a new fighter to replace its existing aircraft such as the Grumman F-9 Cougar. Requiring a top speed of Mach 1.2 and landing speed of 100 mph or lower, the new fighter was to utilize 20 mm cannons in lieu of the traditional .50 cal. machine guns. This change was made as studies during the Korean War found that .50 cal. machine guns caused insufficient damage. Among the companies to take up the US Navys challenge was Vought. Design Development Led by John Russell Clark, the Vought team created a new design which was designated the V-383. The aircraft incorporated a variable-incidence wing which rotated 7 degrees during take-off and landing. This allowed the aircraft to achieve a higher angle of attack without affecting the pilots visibility. For this innovation, the design team won the 1956 Collier Trophy for achievement in aeronautics. Clarks variable-incidence wing was mounted high on the aircraft which required the use of light, short landing gear that were housed in the V-383s fuselage.   The V-383 was powered by a single Pratt Whitney J57 afterburning turbojet capable of 18,000 lbs. of thrust at full power. This gave the aircraft a top speed in excess of 1,000 mph and the type would become the first American fighter to achieve such speeds. Unlike future fighters, the V-383s afterburner lacked zones and could only be employed at full power. Responding to the Navys armament requirements, Clark armed the new fighter with four 20 mm cannons. To supplement the guns, he added cheek pylons for two AIM-9 Sidewinder missile  and a retractable tray for 32 Mighty Mouse FFARs (unguided folding fin aerial rockets). This initial emphasis on guns made the F-8 the last American fighter to have guns as its principal weapons system. Competition Entering the Navys competition, Vought faced challenges from the Grumman F-11 Tiger, the McDonnell F3H Demon (a precursor of the F-4 Phantom II), and the North American Super Fury (a carrier version of the F-100 Super Sabre).  Through the spring of 1953, the Vought design proved its superiority and the V-383 was named the winner in May. The F-11 Tiger also moved ahead to production though its career proved short due to issues with its J56 engines and the Vought aircrafts superior performance. The following month, the Navy placed a contract for three prototypes under the designation XF8U-1 Crusader. First taking to the skies on March 25, 1955, with John Konrad at the controls, the XF8U-1, the new type performed flawlessly and development progressed rapidly.  As a result the second prototype and the first production model had their inaugural flights on the same day in September 1955. Continuing the accelerated development process, the XF8U-1 began carrier testing on April 4, 1956. Later that year, the aircraft underwent weapons testing and became the first American fighter to break 1,000 mph.   This was the first of several speed records set by the aircraft during its final evaluations. F-8 Crusader - Specifications (F-8E): General Length: 54 ft. 3 in.Wingspan: 35 ft. 8 in.Height: 15 ft. 9 in.Wing Area: 375 sq. ft.Empty Weight: 17,541 lbs.Loaded Weight: 29,000 lbs.Crew: 1 Performance Power Plant: 1 Ãâ€" Pratt Whitney J57-P-20A afterburning turbojetCombat Radius: 450 milesMax Speed: Mach 1.86 (1,225 mph)Ceiling: 58,000 ft. Armament Guns: 4 Ãâ€" 20 mm (0.787 in) Colt Mk 12 cannonsRockets: 8 Ãâ€" Zuni rockets in four twin podsMissiles: 4 Ãâ€" AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, 2 x AGM-12 Bullpup air-to-ground guided missilesBombs: 12 Ãâ€" 250 lb bombs or 4 Ãâ€" 1,000 lb (450 kg) bombs or 2Ãâ€" 2,000 lb bombs Operational History In 1957, the F8U entered fleet service with VF-32 at NAS Cecil Field (Florida) and served with the squadron when it deployed to the Mediterranean aboard USS  Saratoga  later that year. Quickly becoming the US Navys top daytime fighter, the F8U proved a difficult aircraft for pilots to master as it suffered from some instability and was unforgiving during landing. Regardless, in a time of rapidly advancing technology, the F8U enjoyed a long career by fighter standards. In September 1962, following the adoption of a unified designation system, the Crusader was re-designated the F-8. The next month, photo reconnaissance variants of the Crusader (RF-8s) flew several dangerous missions during the Cuban Missile Crisis. These began on October 23, 1962 and saw RF-8s fly from Key West to Cuba and then back to Jacksonville. The intelligence collected during these flights confirmed the presence of Soviet missiles on the island.   Flights continued for six weeks and recorded over 160,000 photographs.  On September 3, 1964, the final F-8 fighter was delivered to VF-124 and the Crusaders production run ended. All told, 1,219 F-8s of all variants were built. Vietnam War With the US entry into the Vietnam War, the F-8 became the first US Navy aircraft to routinely battle North Vietnamese MiGs.  Entering combat in April 1965, the F-8s from USS Hancock  (CV-19)  quickly established the aircraft as an agile dogfighter, though despite its last gunfighter moniker, most of its kills came through the use of air-to-air missiles.  This was partly due to the high jam rate of the F-8s Colt Mark 12 cannons. During the conflict, the F-8 achieved a kill ratio of 19:3, as the type downed 16 MiG-17s and 3 MiG-21s. Flying from smaller Essex-class carriers, the F-8 was used in fewer numbers than the larger F-4 Phantom II. The US Marine Corps also operated the Crusader, flying from airfields in South Vietnam.   Though primarily a fighter, F-8s also saw duty in ground attack roles during the conflict. Later Service With the end of the US involvement in Southeast Asia, the F-8 was retained in frontline use by the Navy. In 1976, the last active duty F-8s fighters were retired from VF-191 and VF-194 after nearly two decades of service. The RF-8 photo reconnaissance variant remained in use until 1982, and flew with the Naval Reserve until 1987. In addition to the United States, the F-8 was operated by the French Navy which flew the type from 1964 to 2000, and by the Philippine Air Force from 1977 until 1991.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Arts and Human Spirit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Arts and Human Spirit - Essay Example This essay contains many refernces to aboriginal Australian arts, it's connections with the human soul, dreams, the Dreaming world, that was the old time of the Ancestor Beings and everyday lifestyle. The colonization and the new multicultural policy of Australia, named in this essay affected the art and the culture of the aboriginals very much. This policy had a long history of discrimination, so that Aboriginal people were forced by the legal system to claim rights in order to be allowed to exercise their responsibilities. As stated in the essay, that policy affected their art and their culture and only through the indigenous art they could describe their culture from generation to generation. In this essay such interesting important parts were described and researched: the art and culture of the aboriginals: the background; the relation between the aboriginal art and culture of the Australians; the impact of European colonization; dreaming, that was the beginning of knowledge: how it relates arts and human spirit. This essay also demonstrates in details that many contemporary Indigenous artists make artworks which comment on the impact of European colonization and also the loss of country that has been so central to their 'being' and 'belonging'. In conclusion, the most important understanding of art is that the loss of culture is linked to loss of country and displacement from tribal lands of Australian aborigines, caused the aboriginal art to prosper and improve it's storytelling manner.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Discuss the definition and the sources of christian theology and how Essay

Discuss the definition and the sources of christian theology and how is Systematic theology related to Biblical theology and Christian ethics - Essay Example ers to the knowledge of man about the supernatural, who is the creator, and this belief is fundamentally integrated into man’s constitution that, he is religious in every aspect (McGrath, 2011, pp. 21). Theology refers to the intellectual circle of religious constructs and observance. Religion refers to the spiritual experience of man and theology is the explanation or the rationale behind the experience (Gonzalez and Perez, 2002, pp. 89). Religion and theology are related in the same ways that astronomy is related to heavenly bodies, the human body and physiology and the earth and geology. In a similar manner, to the way the earth and the stars existed before humans had formulated knowledge and study about them, so were men intrinsically religious, prior to their formulation of theology (McGrath, 2001, pp. 12). Humans are instinctively religious, even without the need for reasoning religious issues out. It is not Christianity alone, but all other religions have their own theo logy. In the case of traditional religious systems, theology refers to the reasons underlying the religious actions of the fetish worshiper, irrespective of the fact that the actions may be crude (Gonzalez and Perez, 2002, pp. 90). This line of though demonstrates the intellectual aspect of the religious inclination of humans, irrespective of whether their theological practices are traditional or modern in nature. The major divisions of theological science include the exegetical, historical, the systematic and the practical divisions. Christian theology refers to the study that seeks to develop a coherent framework of Christian faith and practice. The constructs of Christian theology are primarily grounded on the writings of the bible teachings contained in the new and the Old Testament, together with traditional beliefs and the practices of the Old Testament (Gonzalez and Perez, 2002, pp. 18-19). Christian theologians use the rational analysis of bible teachings, biblical exogenesis, and