Abstract The landmark cases associated with Evolution and Creationism are discussed in this paper, as well as the stance taken by highly recognized scientific bodies of educators. The paper presents a summary of several state and national curriculum standards concerning this topic.
From the Paper "Controversy concerning Evolution began several centuries before the well known theories of Natural Selection and Survival of the Fittest was published. These theories were presented in 1859, by Charles Darwin, through his book The Origin of Species. Darwin did not propose the concept of evolution, he merely presented his theories of Natural Selection and Survival of the Fittest to gain support as evidences for evolution. Darwin is often thought of in many scientific communities as the father of evolution. This may be because his book, The Origin of Species, was the first published book that was used to support the theory of evolution through Natural Selection. However, Darwin was not the first evolutionary theorist. But his publication did lead to many misconceptions among the uneducated and religious organizations."
Tags: controversial, darwin, education, law, legal, Darwin, Origin, species
Abstract A discussion that focuses on how salvation through Jesus Christ came about, how one can gain salvation, what it means to be saved and to be saved from what, and how one knows that they are saved.
From the Paper "Salvation according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ means the spiritual and eternal deliverance from one's sins and from the penalty of one's sins. It entails God's gift of eternal life and the fact of the presence of God in the believer's heart and life. The word salvation from the Greek and English translation "yasha" literally means deliverance, prosperity and victory. Salvation basically explains everything that God has provided for those who believe in Christ Jesus. This essay will focus on how salvation through Jesus Christ came about, how one can gain salvation, what it means to be saved and to be saved from what, and how one knows that they are saved."
Abstract Discusses the choices an individual makes and the opinions one forms about sex and sexuality which are based on the teachings and traditions of one's religion. Details the issue of having sex before marriage and the way it is regarded by several religions. Discusses Buddhism and its promotion of the spiritual view. Muslims do not believe that sexual relations are just for procreation, but they are absolutely confined to marriage between a wife and husband. Catholic teachings state that God intends for sex to involve the whole person, body and soul, in the context of a loving, committed relationship, for the sake of both bearing children and the mutual benefit of the spouses.
From the Paper "Few things in life are as personal as the nature of one's sexuality. Whether we choose to abstain from sexual relations until marriage or "get as much as we can" regardless of a committed relationship; whether we feel abortion is evil or a woman's personal choice; whether we think marriage is for life or simply one stop on the long road to the perfect relationship ? these are all questions that only the individual can answer. But we are not alone in forming our opinions. We may be guided by parents or peers, but often, one's religious beliefs are the basis for opinions on sexuality. Religious doctrine may allow for individual freedom where sexuality is concerned, but each denomination has its own standard by which its followers are guided. Ultimately, the impact of religious belief cannot be denied. The choices an individual makes and the opinions one forms about sex and sexuality are based in the teachings and traditions of one's religion."
Abstract The author reviews Flannery O?Connor's short story "A Good Man is Hard to Find". She states that O"Connor's writing reflects her southern and Catholic traditions. Although she cannot be read as part of the feminist literary tradition, O"Connor is important to contemporary American fiction.
From the Paper "The words of the grandmother might seem sentimental, were she not speaking to a man who is a homicidal killer, about to blow her away to ?kingdom come.? "A Good Man is Hard to Find" depicts a rather repulsive young family, including June Star who "wouldn"t live in a broken-down place? for a "million bucks" and the rather irritating grandmother. (7) But because the grandmother is able to see some brief snatch of humanity in the "Misfit" who eventually kills her, O?Connor bestows her with a kind of grace in terms of the narrative's judgment."
Abstract This paper examines several different interpretations of Nirvana. The author begins with a concise definition of Nirvana, from Sanskrit. It examines different forms of Buddhism and details their individual definitions of Nirvana and what is means to attain this state. The paper then delves into the writings on the subject and analyzes Nirvana and how they relate to the teachings of Buddha. The author tries to determine whether or not Nirvana actually exists in a common form that people can understand and define.
From the Paper "The teaching of the Buddha was a way of liberation. There was no other object than the experience of Nirvana. The Buddha did not try to set forth a consistent philosophical system, attempting to satisfy the intellectual curiosity about ultimate things which expects answers in words. When the Buddha was questioned about the nature of Nirvana, the origin of the world, and the reality of the Self, the Buddha maintained a "noble silence" and stated that such questions were irrelevant and did not lead to the actual experience of liberation. It has been said that it was the inability of the Indian mind to rest content with that silence and the overwhelming urge for abstract metaphysical speculations regarding the nature of reality that led to the later developments of Buddhism, such a Mahayana Buddhism."
This paper discusses the rise and fall of the early church in Western Civilization and asks the question: "Could the break up of the church have been prevented"?
Abstract This paper points out that the same factors that brought people to the early church also brought about the Reformation . The author states that as science developed, the church began to fall apart. The author concludes that it is unlikely that the breakup of the church could have been prevented.
Table of Contents
Key Points to the Church
Combination of Church and State
The Fall of the Church
More Technology, More Choices
The Church Would have Fallen Sometime
From the Paper "Early Christianity taught that history was important because there were spiritual value placed on the past. Classical humanism did not believe this way, it placed value on being able to reason and put one's talents to use. However, individuals did start churches and worked in these churches by using the talents they had. "
This paper analyzes critically the role and position of women in the ancient Israel with reference to Hebrew Bible/Old Testament and contemporary scholarly journals and books.
Abstract The paper discusses the place of Israelite women in ancient days, her status and economic roles. The author states that the Israelite women could have been better, more productive citizens had their status and their environment been more favorable towards them. The author continues that understanding the role of Israelite women in ancient times has a significance place in understanding women in the modern world. She illustrates this by discussing the lives of Jewish women in the coal field economy and in the modern practices in Judaism.
From the Paper "In the masterpiece by Adler, "Engendering Judaism", the author skillfully explains the hardships faced by Israelite women and the obstacles that the Jewish feminists have had to overcome: "Jewish law needed to be reconstructed to eliminate the ancient premise that women are subordinate to men, yet at the same time maintain the law. For without law there is no means to translate the stories and values of Judaism into action" (Jones et al, 58) . Hence taking into account the author's opinion as well as what the biblical law stated above, it is evident that Israeli women were considered not only subordinate to Israeli men due to lack of women rights awareness and inaccurate interpretation of the Hebrew biblical context, it was strict adherence to the rituals, the olden day's traditional laws and socio-economic rules that led to Israelite women's submissive attitude towards their male counterparts for rituals play a pivotal role in shaping our concepts, attitudes, emotions, behavior and social status. For "a ritual is a spiritual ballet", it captures in symbols the emotions that go with an important life transition. "
Abstract The paper discusses the pros and cons of sports gambling, the problems with the betting - such as players receiving gifts from betting agents and the demoralization of the players and the game. The paper also studies the effect of sports betting on the economy.
From the Paper "Gambling and betting on sports can be traced back to the Greeks and Roman days, if not before. Risk is the essence of sports, and so is gambling. So it isn?t surprising to find the two hand in hand. But there are loud cries from politicians to pass bills against sport betting. The motivation for the bill can be traced to the Conservative Right and you can trace their thinking all the way back to the colonial period and the Puritans who tried to forbid gambling in New England. "The arguments we"re hearing in 2001 are exactly what moral leaders argued about in 1700? "
This paper reviews the book "Training the Body for China" by Brownell, which presents the practices, objects and activities of Chinese sports and material arts.
Abstract This paper discusses that, unlike Western sports, Chinese sports and martial art are developed based on religious beliefs; in China, sports are based on two native religions, Taoism and Confucianism. The author reviews Susan Brownell's "Training the Body for China" in which she shares her studies of Chinese Olympic sports and martial arts. For example, the author point out that, in sport, Chinese culture employs self-disciplinary actions to deal with misbehavior to sustain order, a value of Confucianism.
From the Paper "One of the beliefs Confucianism values is the importance of family; this notion is also the linkage between Confucianism and the practices Chinese sports. One of ethical lessons Confucianism teaches is Hsiao, which signifies love within family; this notion is also apparent in Chinese sports. According to Brownell, there has been a phenomenon of developing family-funded sports clubs and village-based associations among Chinese. Having family-funded sport clubs consisting family members as players clearly indicates how Confucianism value has become a part of Chinese life and sports."
An analysis of the article "A Passover Way to Teach" by R. Rothstein in which the author argues that the Jewish Haggadah offers an approach to learning that solves current learning problems.
Abstract The paper examines the idea presented in "A Passover Way to Teach" that the Jewish Haggadah presents teaching methods that are more effective than the methods used in a modern education system. The paper discusses the validity of the claim by presenting the flaws and problems in the argument. The paper explains the difficulty of adopting this teaching approach to a modern education system.
From the Paper "The major flaw is that the Haggadah refers to teaching spiritual values in the context of an ancient culture. It is not easy to apply this to modern society and to the modern classroom. Despite the claim that the Haggadah solves the problems of modern education, few real answers are provided. The major point that children should be taught according to their own needs has some benefit if the focus remains on the how of learning, but instead the author focuses on the what of learning."
Abstract This paper examines the political, economical, and religious differences that led to this great divide in the Roman Catholic Church. Problems including dishonest and negligent management of the church, struggles for power and wealth, the Renaissance, the rise of humanism, and the discovery of the New World are among those addressed. The process and consequences of the Reformation are outlined.
From the Paper "One of the most important religious revolutions in history was the sixteenth century religious revolt known as the Protestant Reformation. This conflict divided the Christians of Western Europe into two religious sects: the Protestants and Catholics. The reasons behind the Reformation movement included political, economical, and religious differences. The results were so extensive that the Reformation has been called a major historical turning point for religion, as well as for the world in general.
In the beginning of the sixteenth century, Western Europe had one major religion, that of Roman Catholicism. The Catholic Church was wealthy, powerful, and had maintained a tight reign on Europe's traditional society. Gradually, however, there developed political and social problems within the Church. These new problems favored the dishonest clergy, who seized the opportunity to further their own lives and pocketbooks. Despite the General Council's calls to impose reforms, disputes and negligent practices had become rampant within the church. The common people criticized the management of the church and began to doubt some of its teachings (Knight, 1999)."
Abstract This paper presents a detailed examination of the Martin Luther Reformation. Using the book by Roland H. Bainton called "Here I Stand" the writer explores several aspects of the reformation including Luther's personal contribution.
From the Paper "The religious reformation has been a topic of debate for several centuries. The involvement of Martin Luther in the reformation is arguably the most important aspect of the entire era. With Martin Luther's guidance and beliefs the foundational basics for the Lutheran Church came about. Roland Bainton wrote a biography of Luther's life that details the events leading up to and then leading to the Reformation itself. Luther's contribution to the Reformation will be etched in stone forever as the strongest influence there was on the era. In addition Luther's beliefs and actions in the Reformation still have a direct impact on churches today.
Historians today credit a particular summer in Luther's life for the turn Reformation took. Before that summer Luther was an avowed Catholic. He felt he had been called to become a Monk and was very involved in studying the literal sense of the Catholic Faith and all that it represented. It was only after he had what some might call an epiphany during that summer that he restructured his life and his beliefs and went to the extreme in his understanding of what that meant. Once Luther felt he had the truth he completely disavowed the Catholic teaching and all of the things that went with it. Until this point in Luther's life he had been teaching the Catholic faith. He was adamant in his understanding of the faith and he drilled home to his followers all of the details and tenets that he held in his heart to be true(Bainton, 1983). Needless to say when the transformation occurred many felt disbelief as well as some anger that everything he had been demanding they believe and follow was now being discounted as a false belief and wrong. Luther spent time explaining that he had simply seen the truth and his spiritual obligation not only to himself , but to those he had been leading mandated that he tell them the "truth" as he now understood it(Bainton, 1983). Throughout time there have been some who argued that the foundation of the Reformation was nothing more than the result of a good professor or teacher making sure when he prepared his lectures that he did a good job and prepared lectures that would provoke thought and debate.
Luther found his turning point when he began to focus on the agony and suffering of Jesus Christ. He was consumed with the belief that Christ was forsaken and was made to suffer because of the sins of man and for Luther all other things were inconsequential outside of this basic fact(Bainton, 1983). Luther focused on this and then made the connection in his mind that if this was allowed to happen then God was a loving, caring and merciful father. Until this point Luther, along with those he influenced believed that God was an angry and jealous God who perpetrated that anger on mankind. According to the sudden revelation that Luther experienced during that fateful summer, God was none of those things. He had allowed mankind to mistreat, abuse and then forsake his only son. Instead of destroying the world for what had happened to his son he forgave mankind and allowed his son to die on a cross for mankind(Bainton, 1983). Luther believed that this single act proved without a doubt that mankind is guided by a loving God. This started him on his journey, which impacted Reformation in a big enough way that an entire faith was started."
Abstract The following paper is a brief discussion describing the importance of the Torah and the Mishnah in Judaism, cherished rites, the debate over the Messiah with Christians, and the development of the State of Israel after the Holocaust.
From the Paper "In the Jewish faith, the covenant is comprised of three sections: Torah, Israel, and land. The word Judaism means Israel and is used to define all Jews descended from Abraham and Sara. Jews believe that they are the ones that God loved first and are the "chosen ones". They lived their lives around the temple and when it was destroyed, their religion became utopian and began to spread across the lands."
A review of the book ?A New Religious America: How a "Christian Country" has now become the World's most Religiously Diverse Nation? by Diana Eck about the growing diversity in religious affiliations in America especially among its immigrants and native
Abstract This paper gives a brief history of immigration to the U.S. and discusses whether "religious pluralism", a term used by Diana Eck in her book to describe America's "melting pot" of various Western and Eastern religions, serves as a unifying factor to the Americans (native peoples or immigrants) or not, especially in the light of the events of September 11, 2001.
From the Paper "In the first chapter of her book, Eck provides a brief summary of the historical background of the new surge of immigrants, and thus, the new surge of different Western and Eastern religions in the US. She further tells her readers that this surge of new immigrants, and the increased diversity of the religious and cultural traditions of America, started when the US government encouraged immigration of people from all over the world into the United States, as mandated by the new 1965 Immigration Act. This act paved the way for Asian, Arabs, and other nationalities in Eastern and Pacific Island nations to take part into the country's opportunities as the ?land of the free.? "
Tags: 911 culture tradition democratic state christianity islam judaism, buddhism hinduism
Abstract This research paper explores the claim that celibacy within the clergy results in sexual deviation. The paper begins with an elucidation of the problem within the Catholic Church and an explanation for the propagation of celibacy in Catholic theory. It then goes on to list the three main myths associated with celibacy; namely, that Catholic priests are more likely to become pedophiles than any other group of men, that the celibate state of the priesthood leads to pedophilia and that married clergy would make pedophilia and other forms of sexual misconduct cease to exist. The paper then proceeds to explore both sides of the argument of whether a relationship between celibacy and sexual deviance exists, and in doing so, the writer brings in the opinions of various experts. The paper continues by looking at the treatment of sexual deviance by the Catholic Church and concludes by deducing that there is no connection between celibacy and sexual deviance.
From the Paper "In today's society, the Catholic Church is confronted with two important issues regarding sexuality. The first is the scandal of sexual abuse of children by priests, which is a highly publicized issue that it damaging the reputation of the Catholic Church in the United States. The second is the question of whether priest should take a vow of celibacy and remain unmarried."
