From the Paper "It is estimated that about 1 billion people worldwide follow Islam, with Indonesia claiming the largest Islamic population, 88 percent of its 206,491,000 people (Yost, 1998, 11).
"The term "Islam" is derived from an Arabic word "salaama" (submission) and is generally agreed to mean submission to Allah's will and obedience to Allah's law. The Muslim (adherent of Islam) believes that everything in the world (with the exception of man) is ruled by Allah-made laws. The writings of Islamic teaching discuss Five Pillars of Islam, each of which is described below. The Five Pillars are:
"1. The act of "witnessing" that there is only one God and his name is Allah, and Mohammad is His messenger.
"2. The establishment of prayers"
Abstract This paper outlines the approach taken by Weber and Durkheim, and compares and contrasts them. The argument that is presented through this paper is that Durkheim chooses to approach the subject of religion in terms of its greater role in the overall society, while Weber seeks to understand the role that religion plays in determining individual action. The paper illustrates the difference in perspective between Weber and Durkheim, as is evident in terms of their approaches, but emphasizes that each view is valid, and together they provide a very complete understanding of the social significance of religion.
From the Paper "To set the stage, Weber and Durheim are among the most important thinkers to have addressed the subject of religion from a sociological perspective. Each concentrated a great deal of their thinking on the topic, and as such a discussion of the thinking and approaches of each provides an effective demonstration of the overall methodology constructed by each. Although they differ in their approaches, together they provide an accurate understanding of both the individual religious experience (Weber) and the role religion plays as an institution in constructing and maintaining society as a whole (Durkheim)."
Abstract This paper shows how, in his book, Geertz offers a general context for the comparative analysis of religion and applies it to the study of the development of Islam in two very different countries: Indonesia and Morocco. The paper looks at Geertz's sentiments regarding religion, ideology and culture, and how he addresses these considerations in his book.
From the Paper "In comparing religious practices in two communities, Geertz is trying to ?determine just how and in what way particular ideas, acts, and institutions sustain, fail to sustain, or even inhibit religious faiths." (2). Geertz wonders how the common man's "religious sensibility reacts when the machinery of faith begins to wear out" What do they do when tradition falters?" (3) Moreover, the author wonders particularly what cultural and circumstantial processes influence those reactions."
Abstract This paper examines St. Augustine's doctrine on evil. St. Augustine believed that God made a perfect world, but that God's creatures turned away from God of their own free will, through different types of falls, and that is how evil originated in the world. It shows how Augustine's approach to a solution to the problem of evil has three main parts: The author explains how Augustine assumes that evil is a privation and cannot be properly said to exist at all, he argues that the apparent imperfection of any part of creation disappears in light of the perfection of the whole and he argues that moral evil, together with that suffering which is created as punishment for sin, originates in the free nature of the will of all creatures. According to Augustine, God has allowed evil to exist in the world because it does not conflict with His goodness. He did not create evil but is also not a victim of it. He simply allows it to exist.
From the Paper "In Augustine's study of the problem of evil, he argues that there are a variety of things that are good. Without this variety, he says, there can be a greater good ness of things as a whole than there would be if this variety did not exist. Augustine also argues that evil is not completely real in itself. Instead, it is dependent on something more real, like disease, which is a form of evil. He points out that disease can only exist in a body, which is a form of good. Therefore, Augustine says, God, who is the source of everything that exists, is not in contest with a positive being or a counterpart that is evil."
Abstract Examines the religious ideas of the two leaders of the Protestant Reformation. Social changes of the 16th Century. Luther's challenge to the Church. His concepts of Revelation, faith and the relationship between humanity and God. Calvin's amplification of Luther's ideas. Doctrinal differences between Lutheranism and Calvinism. Calvin's belief in predestination.
From the Paper "Martin Luther (1483-1546) and John Calvin (1509-1564) were two of the principal leaders of the Protestant Reformation that transformed Western Europe in the sixteenth century. In the German states of the early sixteenth century there was "a combination of circumstances favourable to rebellion," the agricultural peasantry was oppressed and impoverished and the rest of the society strained against the domination of the Church and the excesses of ecclesiastical-temporal rulers of many bishoprics and monasteries (Sykes 28). Yet the form of the vast social change that eventually occurred was very different from outright armed rebellion against the civil or even the ecclesiastical authorities. There were minor peasants' revolts, it is true, but in general social change began in the arena of spiritual matters and this is due almost entirely to Luther's ..."
Abstract This paper is a comparative analysis of the rule of Saudi Arabia with the more secular rule in Jordan. It attempts to determine what impact, if any, the practice of Islam, the predominant religion in the Middle East, has on the productivity, culture and international relations of the two nations. It provides a brief overview of Islam and discusses how religion affects the politics and culture of Saudi Arabia and of Jordan.
From the Paper "Islam is one of the most powerful and pervasive religions in the world today. The entire religion is based on "5 Pillars" (or tenets) that all Muslims must adhere to. The pillars of Islam play an important role in intellectual and social dimensions of Islamic life. The word "Islam" itself comes from the Arabic root salaama peace, purity, submission, and obedience. In the religious sense, Islam means complete submission to the will of God and complete obedience to His law (CIA, 1999). The interesting effect that this has on governments is that everything in the world must be governed by God-made laws, rather than man-made laws. Man possesses the quality of intelligence and choice, thus he is invited to submit to the good will of God and obey His law, i.e. become a Muslim."
Abstract This paper first outlines Baruch Spinoza's argument in Part 1 of the "Ethics" for "substance monism" - the position that there exists only one substance. It then explains how Spinoza's position differs from that of Gottfried Leibniz in the "Discourse on Metaphysics". The paper concludes with the assertion that Leibniz's account for the nature and number of substances is superior since accepting Spinoza's conclusions leads to a number of logically troublesome consequences.
From the Paper "Leibniz's account for the nature and number of substances differs significantly from Spinoza's. For Spinoza, there is only one substance in the world: God. Leibniz essentially agrees that there is only one true substance. However, to Leibniz this substance is the monad, comparable to a soul or spirit, which "is nothing but a simple substance that enters into composites" (Monadology, p. 484). For Leibniz, God exists external to the world of monads, and might be best thought of as a type of "supersubstance" or "supermonad." It was God who set the world in motion; therefore, substances depend on God for their existence. Since Leibniz's God possesses the will to create or destroy substances "in accordance with the principle of the best" (M., p. 487), God is the only necessary being. All other monads, then, depend on Him for their existence, and as such, are non-eternal contingent beings. Spinoza's pantheism forces the conclusion that all substance is eternal; if it were not eternal, then it would have to be created, which would then violate his definition of substance as something "that the conception of which does not require the conception of another thing from which it has to be formed" (E., p. 416)."
Abstract In the first millennium after the decline and fall of the Roman empire, Western Europe developed new kingdoms under the rule of various leaders, developed agriculture and commerce beyond the rudimentary beginnings of the Roman era and became more Christianized with the spread of that religion as the guiding power in Europa culture. This paper looks at the growing popularity of Christianity and the founding of the first Christian Empire by Constantine in 306 A.D. It shows the influence of Christian leaders and statesmen on Europe. The paper also looks at the development of the feudal system and changes in migration patterns.
From the Paper "The end of the Roman Empire coincided with the movement of people through massive migrations often termed invasions, and historians still argue over whether these migrations began during the Roman era or only after it ended. Large areas of the north-western Roman Empire became Germanic through these migrations, notably England but also modern Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria (Holmes 60). Urban regions grew during this era, though not as they would in the second millennium. Europe therefore remained largely rural, and agriculture remained the primary economic power throughout this era. Lords established their control over regions and people and over the agriculture that was produced in these regions. They reduced free peasants to servitude with the offer of protection and the levying of taxation. The peasants were then hereditarily bound to their tenements and liable to arbitrary levies and labor services (Holmes 120-121)."
Abstract Thispaper examines and analyzes American and Islamic culture. Social structures, symbols, norms, values, and rituals are compared and contrasted, and respective strengths and weaknesses are discussed.
From the Paper "At the risk or resorting to clich"s, it is generally accepted that beauty means different things to different people. How did Socrates know that the attendees of the banquet would judge him based primarily on physical appearance" Perhaps he believed similar people with similar beliefs, such as pederasty, share similar views of beauty and love. Socrates is acknowledging the fact that the pederasts judge and value physical beauty above other forms. Apollodorus is not unprepared to tell us this story, if it is what he must do; but why is he prepared to tell it? What have we to learn from this? Each is free to take from The Symposium what they choose, to filter out the verbose eulogies and determine the true nature of eros for ones self. However, Socrates and Diotima's fascinating interpretation on the evolution of the perception of beauty is arguably the most compelling and revealing concept that should be extracted from this reading."
Abstract This paper examines the psychological aspect of religion, concentrating on the works and experiments done by several well known psychologists such as Carl Jung. Experiments include the theory of the subconscious or the human psyche and their role in religion.
From the Paper "What is religion? This is a question that begs to be answered. Is it possible that the religions of the world all stem from the fact that humans do not fully understand their situation? Is it, quite simply that we are not sure why we exist, where we came from, what we should live for, or what will happen to us when we die? Could it be that the question, "What is religion" is synonymous with the question, "What is the meaning of life. The answer to both these questions always seems to be just out of our reach, but we continue to search, journey, and quest to find the answers because we seem to intuitively know that there is more to life than meets the eye. It is a mystery that surrounds us and envelops us. At times it seems to be outside of ourselves, something surreal or otherworldly, but when closely examined the mystery can also be found within ourselves. In fact, there are frameworks of belief that point to the inner workings of the human mind as the origin of these mysteries of religion and meaning...."
Abstract This paper is written in favor of the Christian view on abortion. It includes examples from the Bible. The overall argument is that it isn't up to us to decide whether a child dies or lives. We are to obey God and let Him be the giver and taker of life.
From the Paper "In 1984, the highest year for abortion, the US reported 36.4 abortions for every 100 live births. With this and many more outrageous facts, one is forced to ponder the issue of abortion. This subject has taken a hold of America and has squeezed every last opinion out of it. There are those whose beliefs stand on the word of God, which says that all life is precious to Him. On the other hand, pro choice says that each person is entitled to their personal freedom, which grants them the option to abort the fetus if they want. Overall, it is not our freedom to decide when someone is going to die, even if we are deciding for a human who has yet to see the world; it is up to God."
Abstract This paper discusses the concepts and tenets of the Islam religion. The author gives a detailed analysis of the faith, prayers, holidays, holy sites and fundamental beliefs of the Islamic people.
From the Paper "Islam is a religion based upon the surrender to God who is One. The name of the religion, Islam, in Arabic, means submission and peace. The message of Islam concerns God, who in Arabic is called Allah, and it addresses itself to humanity's nature. It concerns men and women as they were created by God?not as fallen beings. Islam considers itself to be not an innovation but a reassertion of the universal truth of all revelation, which is God's oneness."
Abstract A detailed discussion of the theories of evolution (naturalistic, theistic and creation science), and a comparison to the Christian belief of the world as G-d 's creation. The author analyzes whether a Christian can truly believe in the theories of evolution.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. Evolution
A. Charles Darwin ? "Origin of Species"
B. Supporting Evidence
II. Creationism
A. Definition
B. Bible
C. Supporting Evidence
III. Conclusion
A. Survey
Summary
From the Paper From the paper:
There are three main views of how the universe came to be. Naturalistic evolution proclaims that the universe was driven by purely natural forces, without input from God. Theistic evolution states that evolution was a tool used by God. Creation Science states that everything was created by God in six days and six nights less than 10,000 years ago. What do people believe? Can a Christian, believing in God's miraculous creation, also believe in evolution?
Persuasive essay debating the issue of federal funding of religiously based organizations. This paper discusses the controversy of the separation of church and state. This is a persuasive essay, comprised of with an introduction of unbiased information.
1,700 words (approx. 6.8 pages), 4 sources, 2001, $ 55.95
Abstract This paper discusses the controversy of the separation of church and state. This is a persuasive essay, comprised of with an introduction of unbiased information. In addition, two essays follow, one pro-religious/government affiliation and the second sides with the need for increased separation of church and state.
From the Paper "The concept of the United States Federal Government funding religiously based organizations seems to be a very implausible idea. Assuming that something of this nature was put into effect, Congress would have to guarantee that no person(s) would be discriminated against regardless of religious and/or faith practices in order to receive federal funding for their religious organization. During his campaign for the Presidency in 1999, while in Indianapolis, Indiana, Presidential hopeful George W. Bush was quoted in saying,[1]?We will keep a commitment to pluralism [and] not discriminate for or against Methodist or Mormon or Muslims or good people with no faith at all.?
