Abstract This paper critically analyzes hip-hop culture as a form of religion, focusing on the role religion plays in a rapper's life and its expression through the music, with special emphasis on Islam and the answer to the question of whether music is a religion or a tool to teach religion.
From the Paper "In pop culture, Muslim rappers' faith can be misrepresented. For example, it has become a fashion statement for men to wear kufis, the Islamic prayer caps. On the cover of Russell Simmons' One World magazine, Lil' Kim wore lingerie beneath a burq'a. The cover features Lil Kim wearing Afghani like garment while exposing the bottom half of her body and breast. This offended Muslims all over the world and the Muslim community was furious because It looked like Lil' Kim was mocking women of Islam when she put on clothes attributed to Muslims. The magazine and Lil Kim were asked to apologize to the whole Muslim world."
Abstract This paper examines how arranged marriages have been greatly successful and continue to be the gateway to wedlock for almost all the communities in India. It attempts to understand why arranged marriages have been more stable in India and other Asian countries than love marriages in the Western world, together with the advantages and disadvantages of this approach to marriage. It shows how there is a cultural influence that is closely linked with the practice of arranged marriages and discusses this traditional approach.
Outline
Introduction
Arranged Marriage (What It Is)
Indian Marriage
The Engagement
The Bridal Makeup
Henna the Traditional Decoration
Arranged Marriages in Japan
Marriages Statistics and Misconceptions
Conclusion
From the Paper "Indian tradition is amongst the oldest and still vibrant systems in the world. In spite of the impact of foreign rule and the consequent culture influx it still stands out as a strong nation resonating with a unique cultural heritage. Arranged marriages have been a part of Indian system for a very long time and it is dated to be there since the very birth of the institute of marriage. The first step in the marriage process is the Horoscope. Indians pay much attention to horoscopes. After preparing a detailed horoscope the parents exchange it with prospective boys and girls. The services of the horoscope matching centers are also utilized. Once the horoscopes are compared for their compatibility the parents initiate the next step, that is they arrange a meeting to see the girl."
Abstract This paper discusses how, like most religions, gender roles are an important part of both Christianity and Judaism. It shows how both of these religions have very specific roles for men and women, which constitute key theological areas of both faiths and how, because Christianity arose out of Judaism, some of the gender roles are similar. It also looks at how Christianity has some unique gender roles of its own. Further, how the gender roles in both Judaism and Christianity have changed and evolved over the centuries.
From the Paper "Women, as keepers of the house and home, had special tasks to perform when preparing for the Sabbath. On Fridays before sunset, they had to work hard to finish the cooking and clean the house ("Women's Role in the Rituals"). They set the table for the first Sabbath meal and put all things that remind people of work out of view, as no work is permitted on the Sabbath. The woman of the house lights two candles on a table and says a prayer of blessing for the family; when this is completed, the Sabbath has officially begun ("Women's Role in the Rituals"). This is one of three ritual acts specifically given to women to perform in the traditional Jewish religion. Afterward, the man of the house blesses his children"first sons, then daughters"and then blesses his wife. The family then begins the first meal of the Sabbath. The last meal of the Sabbath is concluded with another prayer from the woman of the house."
Abstract This paper critiques and analyzes Mary Douglas's major work, "Natural Symbols: Explorations in Cosmology", and looks at the main thesis of the book, which revolves around the idea that rules of physical body turn into natural symbols for decoding the norms of the society.
From the Paper "Douglas believes natural symbols play an important role in determining the nature of various social and religious rituals and practices. How we perceive a norm is connected with how we view bodily functions and vice versa. In this book, the author gives us an explanation of how our perception of human bodily functions is an extension of different social experiences."
Abstract This paper explains what Buddhism is and how it is practiced in today's world. The writer shows how Buddhism focuses on how life occurs and how one can learn to understand each and every moment armed with the best possible knowledge. The paper looks at the beginnings of the religion and the fundamental teachings of Buddha.
From the Paper "The key to the success of Buddhism is its emphasis on scientific rationale as the basis of its teachings. It makes one understand clearly how life occurs and how one can learn to understand each and every moment armed with the best possible knowledge. That is the main reason why in today's scientific and rational world it is so easily acceptable by the people. Buddha, in his own words said, just because you respect me should not be reason enough for you to accept anything, but it is your duty to explore and evaluate it as if you were buying a precious metal. He also said that all our misfortunes dawn on us because of our inability to comprehend the truth and being bemused with it."
Abstract All of faiths have a belief about what happens to your body and soul after death. This paper explores the seven different levels of heaven and the seven different levels of hell that Muslims believe in, as well as the heaven and hell that Catholic-Christians believe in. Similarities and differences in the different beliefs are brought out, and all facts are supported by the Bible, Qur'an, and/or primary sources from the religions.
From the Paper "One of the most central things in any religion is what happens to somebody when they die. Some religions believe that nothing happens, others that the dead person's soul is reincarnated, but most, including Islam, believe that dead souls are sent to Heaven or to Hell. Muslims believe in a physical Heaven which Allah created, as well as a physical Hell, also the creation of Allah. Heaven is located in the skies above the earth, and Hell is located underneath this earth. To better understand where one goes after their death, it is important to understand the Islamic teachings of Heaven and Hell and compare them to the Catholic teachings of Heaven and Hell found in the Bible."
Abstract This paper explains that, although these religious undertones may not be seen during the first reading, Flannery O?Connor writes stories that reflect her strong Roman Catholic faith. The author points out that in her encounter with The Misfit, the Grandmother increasingly calls on her religion to restore The Misfit's faith, thus hoping to save her own life. The paper relates that, after being shot, the Grandmother and God finally have come to peace; her legs are crossed in a position similar to that of Jesus on the cross upon which he is said to have been crucified.
From the Paper "After all of the other attempts to get through to The Misfit, the Grandmother starts to see The Misfit from a Jesus-like perception. It is at that same moment, while looking into The Misfit's face, that the grandmother's head clears and states to him, "Why you"re one of my babies?. The church teaches us that we are all God's children no matter what we do or say. It is from these teachings that The Grandmother comes to realize this life altering realization. Simultaneously, the grandmother "recognizes briefly and dimly that she and The Misfit are bound together by the mystery of life and death" which is something up until now "she has able to ignore". The Misfit and grandmother are spiritually connected to each other by the blood and body of Christ that are said to be given in order to free one of sin. When the grandmother reaches out to touch The Misfit and become one with him that he "spring back as if a snake had bitten him and shot her three times through the chest". ?
This paper gives a detailed account of the ritual of baptism within in the New Testament of the Bible. It covers the history of baptism, as well as the reasons for it.
Abstract The paper explains why the ritual of baptism is such an important experience in the Christian community, as well as the background of the ritual itself. With baptism, a person is following the instructions of Jesus. Also, the person is immersed in the death and resurrection of Christ. Baptism is the most clear and explicit act that Jesus instructed for his disciples in order for them to follow him.
From the Paper "Baptism is a pivotal part of the Christian faith and is performed in Christian communities in accordance with Jesus' directions in the New Testament. Being baptized not only means becoming a part of the Christian community, but also being thrust into the death and resurrection of Christ and receiving eternal life in Jesus. While one of the functions of baptism is to absolve a person of his or her sins, Jesus insisted that he be baptized in order to, "Fulfill all righteousness."1 In the New Testament baptism is done in order to immerse a person into the Paschal Mystery, to become a member of the Body of Christ and join the Christian community, and to publicly proclaim a person's repentance."
Abstract This paper attempts to shed light on the "newest" platform on which creationists stand: intelligent design. The paper does this by first delineating the concept of creation and the new "scientific" explanation for creationism. The paper then goes on to point out the shortcomings of this new platform and concludes that, in reality, it is just a deliberate effort made by the creationists to veil their goals with a cloak of superficially scientific support.
From the Paper "The search for knowledge regarding the origin of humanity is about as old as its inhabitants. Since the early 1800's mankind has continually narrowed the debate down to two opposing ideologies: one of creation and one of evolution. Ever since this partition of ideas, science has been at odds with religion. Yet just as ironic as the debate itself, it appears as if these two conflicting views have attempted to settle their differences with the current prevailing argument. But a closer look into the recent creation/evolution debate reveals that indeed claims being made by present day creationists are still, at best, erroneous. Thus the purpose of this paper is to shed light on the "newest" platform on which creationist stand: Intelligent Design. In order to fully understand the claim that they make, we first must clearly delineate the often misrepresented concept of evolution. In doing so, one can unmask the falseness in which creationists seem to aimlessly wander."
Abstract This paper uses both the original Latin and English translation to examine the text of Thomas Aquinas' "Summa Theologica" and how it deals with questions about the existence of God.
From the Paper "The problematic word in this phrase is omnes ("everyone") because it is never defined. What exactly does Aquinas mean by "everyone"? One possible answer to the question, seen for example in Velecky, is that he means "everyone who was anyone" - all well-known, respectable people. However, an alternative take on this word would be to say that Aquinas meant Deum ("God") to be a standard language device, used to refer to the Christian theistic metaphysical being, even if one did not believe. If a non-believer was to talk about Christian belief, they would have to use the word Deus (or its cognates) to refer to their supreme being."
Examines the issue of inspiration/inerrancy as it is related to the Bible, what history has to say about it and how inspiration/inerrancy affects our modern lives.
Abstract The paper first defines inspiration and inerrancy and how they relate together, then gives a brief history of what the church and church fathers believed about the inspiration/ inerrancy of the Bible. Next, it presents several examples from the Bible on how it attests to its own inspiration/ inerrancy and gives some practical ways that belief in the inspired/ inerrant Word of God affects our daily lives. The paper argues that attacks on the Bible by some in the Christian community will certainly continue, only to get worse. It argues that because we live in a postmodern society where truth is said to be found within ourselves, people will no longer see a need for the Bible. The paper is written from a pro-Christian perspective.
Paper Outline:
Introduction
The Etymology of Inspiration/Inerrancy
The History of Inspiration/Inerrancy
The Theology of Inspiration/Inerrancy
The Practicality of Inspiration/Inerrancy
A. Practicality In Our Personal Life
B. Practicality In Our Church Life
Conclusion
Bibliography
From the Paper "The practicality of the inspiration/ inerrancy of scripture means that the Bible is absolutely trustworthy and is applicable for our lives today. In other words, if it is indeed true that the Bible is inspired and inerrant, which it is, then it has the right or authority to tell us what to do. Millard Erickson says it this way, "By authority we mean the right to command belief and/or action." As Christians, God is the authority in all matters of life because of who He is. He is the One from whom absolute truth comes from because He is truth. We live in a postmodern society that cries out the message that truth is found within oneself and as a result, many people wander around without any purpose in their lives. God's word is true and it reveals truth in matters of our personal lives and the church's life."
Abstract This paper looks at the differences and similarities between the prophets Jesus and Mohammed and their contexts in their particular religions. The paper compares and contrasts their lives, the impact of their deaths on their religions, how they are worshiped, and how their messages are being carried out into the world. The paper mostly focuses on the similarities between Islam and Christianity.
From the Paper "With the many recent global controversies about politics and religion, it is important to understand some of the history and background of two of the most popular and powerful religions in the world today. Christianity and Islam are often considered to be two totally different faiths with irreconcilable differences; however, this paper will show their many similarities between them, demonstrating that they are not that different after all. The lives of these two men were fairly different, although they did have a number of elements in common. Both were born in relative poverty in parts of the world with geographical and political similarities. Although Mohammed was born almost 600 years after Jesus, they were both born in highly populated areas of the Middle East where Judaism was a popular religion, practiced along with the polytheism of the ruling group ("Mohammad," 2005, para. 1). "
This essay seeks to shed light on the difficulties of women in a different country by focusing on the specialized obstacles and hurdles faced by the women of India.
2,656 words (approx. 10.6 pages), 9 sources, 2001, $ 79.95
From the Paper "Culture in India has a peculiar association with the religious traditions of India. The dominant and archaic "faith", Hinduism, acts upon the national culture, which in turn influences the various religions, including Hinduism itself. The Bactrian Greeks, the Moghuls, and the English have all come and gone, but none have been able to fundamentally alter the relationship and influence Hinduism has on Indian culture. The values and beliefs of ancient Hindus have existed in the subcontinent since the beginning of prehistory and have tempered all religions that have been borne in or transported to India. We find almost perfect equality of women in Buddhist philosophy....Why is there such hypocrisy within these religions? Why do they advocate one thing and exercise another? "
A look at the Mayan myths, symbols, and rituals that offer a definition for the nature of the known and unknown world, the origin of humanity, and the purpose of human life on earth.
2,780 words (approx. 11.1 pages), 6 sources, 1999, $ 82.95
From the Paper "The world of myth, symbolism, and ritual is a world of metaphor that explains the human story. It is a story of the relationship between the known aspects of the natural world and the unknown dimensions of that same natural world. The known aspects of the natural world are the ones that humans have immediate contact with. These known aspects encompass the sense-related and material realities of the surrounding environment. Included in this known world is the landscape, the vegetation, the animals, and the human inhabitants of the region. The unknown aspects of the natural world are the ones that lie within the scope of the human senses but do not originate in the immediate and material world. ...."
From the Paper "There are very many reasons and explanations as to where and why Christianity has changed so drastically from the time of its creation to the present day; world wars, epidemics, philosophy- those are just some of the explanations offered to explain the situation. Christianity has become most diffused in Canada, the United States, and in Rome. However, it is also still easy to see how it is still present within societies; churches are still recognized as sacred institutions and some laws are still based upon church law. As to why Christianity has changed so drastically, there are many reasons but perhaps the strongest one is philosophy and the Age of Individualism."
