Abstract
This paper discusses the natural tendency of human beings to lean towards God or some other force or presence in the world. The paper describes the infinite nature of God. It discusses this concept as it relates to the concepts expressed in quantum physics and then discusses it from the point of view of Christianity and spirituality.

From the Paper
"If God is Mind and infinite, there can be only one Mind. Human beings are turning to it all the time for good ideas. It is logical that human beings would sense and want to know intimately the source of their existence. Religions and rituals have sprung from this natural desire. I believe that all human beings wonder at one time or another about the nature of existence. Some have more confidence that they can eventually understand it than others do, and that accounts for those who seem disinterested. They may have given up, or they think and wonder about God rarely. Or they have come upon an explanation for existence that satisfies them, at least, superficially, but doesn't include a concept of Creator. Even so, these same disinterested people are sometimes "converted" as a result of experiencing God's presence, and they end up turning to a whole new way of life."

Tags:religion, spirituality, consciousness

Abstract
The paper discusses how the characters Beowulf and King Arthur who appear through literary history in various tales, both possess many of the same characteristics, characteristics found in great heroes. It shows that both of them had quests to protect innocent people from evil; both were blessed by God; both fought with great courage and pride. Although King Arthur had no supernatural powers as Beowulf did, he did possess several comparable traits-- they were both physically strong, morally right, and both shared a passion for what they did. The paper shows that using these qualities, they both protected mankind from evil, both rescued family and friends from evil circumstances, and both gained immortality.

From the Paper
"Every hero, as a general rule, desires to be remembered for more than one heroic tendency. Every hero in World Literature class has at least three common tendencies: to protect mankind from evil, to use his powers to rescue his family and friends from evil circumstances, and to earn immortality via his heroic tendencies. Beowulf, an Anglo-Saxon hero, has all three characteristics. His quest is to restore Herot, due to the mass destruction caused by the monster Grendel, the evilest of all evils. Grendel had been terrorizing the city, killing thousands of men in their sleep, depriving them the ability to fight back. King Hrothgar hired the brave knight Beowulf to defeat the creature of darkness. The knight boldly hunted Grendel and fought him with great might. At the end of that particular battle, Beowulf left with Grendel's arm, his sign of triumph. Nevertheless, Grendel's mother became furious over the death of her son, and decided that she needed to prolong her son's rampage. She began the slaughter of innocent people in Herot. Beowulf commenced a brawl with her and soon had her head."

Tags:Herot, Grendel, Mordred, Sir, Bedivere, the, Bold

Abstract
Despite the fact that Homer's gods and goddesses often behave like petty, vindictive, and spoiled men and women, Homer's Olympian deities remain powerful beings who play a critical role in shaping human destiny. The paper shows that Homer's Olympians are not more moral than their human counterparts in terms of their actions and various types of involvement over the course of the story line of the epic poem "The Odyssey." It shows, however, in the face of the gods' tendencies to play favorites amongst humans and to manipulate the fate of mortals, human hubris is powerless. Fate, or the will of the gods may be cruel and unfair, but it is inexorable.

From the Paper
"The tale's stated reason for Odysseus' extensive wanderings lie in the fact that the hero has offended the god of the seas, whose favor he requires so he can return home via boat. Odysseus was trapped in the lair of the man-eating Cyclops, and cleverly blinded the beast so he could escape. One might say that it was fair that Odysseus committed such an action. If he had not, he would have sacrificed not only his own life, but also the life of the other sailors in his care. "Eater of guests/under your roof! Zeus and the gods have paid you!'" cries Odysseus. (9:522-523)"

Tags:Odysseus, Athena, Penelope, Cyclops, Agamemnon

Abstract
This paper discusses how poetic justice in the cases of both "Inferno" and "Metamorphoses" is mostly ironic. It examines how the punishments given are greater in magnitude than the sins done and correspond to the cruelties done by those involved. The paper also discusses how although written in different times, these two literary works have common ground and how although different in the depiction of the gods, they meet up with the use of poetic justice. Both texts show that those who did good in their lives are awarded with honor and those who have done bad must be punished. It shows that even in the earlier times, there are laws to follow and men have had the tendency to find order.

From the Paper
"The Inferno exposes human kind to the repulsive state of hell. It directs mankind to live a life that is directed towards God. Non-violation of God's laws leads to happiness for it equates to God's love. But of course, in real life, some men are still blinded by material wealth, power and the acts of the flesh. These kinds of men have places in hell waiting for them. Once, on earth, they lived a life of abundance but as they spend the rest of eternity in hell they suffer the consequences of their actions. The Christian life depicted in the Inferno is very rigid and any sin committed has a corresponding punishment in hell. The idea of poetic justice comes in as one reads through Dante and Virgil's journey through that forsaken place. Dante exhibits poetic justice through the ironic placements for those who need to be punished. "

Tags:gods, hell, punishment

Abstract
In this paper the author makes a psychological analysis of a 16 year old youth who is demonstrating various recognized symptoms for negative affectivity. The author looks at all of the symptoms and attempts to asses what has led both to the symptoms and behavior of the youth. The author considers the youth's relationship with his parents and siblings and also the effect on the youth of his brother's death.

From the paper:

"Vacillations such as declaring himself an atheist one minute and praying to God the next Caulfield is in a flux of coming to terms with his own identity, not an uncommon trait among teens. The difference in Caulfield's behavior and normal "growing pains" are the extreme inter personal negativity, paranoia (e.g. knowing he is going to die from cancer because of a canker sore), and the descent into delusional behavior (e.g. speaking with his dead brother)."

Tags:mood, swings, worry, social, discomfort, extreme, introspect, tendencies, to, dwell, negative, aspects, of, self, delusions, derailment, paranoia, signal, onset, schizophrenic, condition, deficiencies, paranoia, extreme, demonstrate, behavior

Abstract
This paper deals with the History of Islam, whose principles are rooted in the following: That religion and worshipping a Divine authority, that is God, is a deprivation of man's freedom. The author finds that one has to ponder over the fact that man is a creation of God, and has been so created that without love and affection, devotion, mutual cooperation and hoping for the best, he cannot continue his life. The feeling or urge of love and devotion is inherent in his nature. That same creator through the intermediary of the Prophets, in form of religion, catered to this tendency of man, and has provided him with a manual or a code of life, to program his life accordingly, which would help to bridle the inherent instincts. This confirms the fact, that, religion is a means of satiating man's devotion to God and at the same time equips and prepares him to prevent obliteration. .

Abstract
In this paper, Ralph offers a rational approach to leadership but is unable to devoid himself of the original sin that Augustine reveals in mankind's tendency toward evil acts. The paper explains that in this manner the barbarity of Jack overwhelms the island and destroys any kind of civil government for the boys. The paper demonstrates how furthermore, the mirror image of the use of force to govern the other boys is one that can only be imparted to God as men are doomed to strive and kill for primitive powers in Augustine's view.

From the Paper
"The aim of this literary study will be to compare the facets of religious ethics in the works of Saint Augustine and the novel "The Lord of the Flies" by William Golding. In this respect, the nature of original sin is within the characters of Golding's novel, which reflect the evil nature of government, leadership and savage outcome of this tale. Through the lessons of Augustine in the "City of God," one can easily learn the comparable reasoning of evil, which resides in the explanations given by both authors in relations to civilization and the barbarity of mankind. In the beginning of "The Lord of the Flies," a group of boys is stranded on a remote island after a fiery plane crash."

Tags:golding, augustine, war

Abstract
This paper explains that of all of the famous central characters of the Old Testament, King David is, without a doubt, both one of the most interesting as well as the most relevant with regard to the life of Jesus Christ. The author points out that King David is not free from controversy; many scholars have put forward theories concerning everything from his supposed homosexual tendencies to the possibility that he may not have existed at all. The paper relates that King David is chosen, not to reveal commandments concerning moral or right conduct as in Moses' case nor to "sacrifice" in order to prove his devotion and faith such as Abraham, but to be almost "installed" by God to fulfill the very temporal and practical purpose of ruling the nation of Israel, the chosen people of God, both, within his lifetime and as a function of his descendant, who will be the messiah.

From the Paper
"Although one might imagine that in the face of such goodness and upright behavior, David might regain his senses, perhaps dulled now by power and privilege, and show his repentance by following Uriah's example, he, instead continues in his sin--by now approaching murder for is own selfish gains. Here, after trying once again to sway Uriah by getting him drunk, he notes with dismay that Uriah, even in his drunken state, will not betray his principles, and again sleeps at the king's door. Thus, in frustration (and, perhaps envy), David writes a letter to Joab and sends it with Uriah, himself, ordering Joab to put him in the front lines of battle and thereafter abandon him, "...that he may be smitten (11:15).""

Tags:jesus, messiah, jerusalem, uriah, punishment

Abstract
Prima facie, human destiny, as ordained by the Gods and fate, is a strong theme that runs right through Sophocles?s "Oedipus Trilogy". This paper explains, however, that on closer examination, there could be grounds to build a case that Sophocles was possibly questioning the human tendency towards blind faith, which leads human beings to fulfill prophecies rather than following the dictates of their own individual will.

From the Paper
"Right through the three plays of Oedipus The King, Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone, it is evident that the people of ancient Greece consulted the oracles on all their problems and hopes. The very opening scene of the first of the three plays, Oedipus The King, sees Oedipus relying on a message from divine forces to save his kingdom and its people from the ravages of plague: "I have sent Menoeceus" son,/ Creon, my consort's brother, to inquire/ Of Pythian Phoebus at his Delphi shrine,/ How I might save the State by act or word.? (Para 3: 12-14) This first consultation, then, sets the note for the tragic events to follow as Creon returns from the oracles with the message that Thebes could only be saved when Laius? killer is found and slain: ?Banishment, or the shedding blood for blood./This stain of blood makes shipwreck of our state.? (Oedipus The King, Para 14) Thus begins the tragedy and travails of Oedipus and his offspring since the message from the oracles compels Oedipus to embark on a determined quest to find Laius? killer, not realizing that Laius had died by his own hands."

Tags:will, faith, king

Abstract
This paper examines the myth, "The Bull from the Sea," by Mary Renault. Specifically, it discusses how Theseus and his Moira, his god gift, become entangled and ultimately destroyed in his relationships with Hippolyta, his great love, and Hyppolytus, his son, and explains the irony of these situations. It also looks at how Theseus is a heroic leader who suffers from forgetfulness and latent selfish tendencies that allow him to sacrifice the good of his people for his own needs.

From the Paper
"Theseus' son, Hippolytus, is also a source of great irony in the book, because he sprang from his father, but he is a much better man than his father is. He is a healer, and while he does not have Theseus' psychic abilities, he is gentle and kind, a virgin at the age of seventeen, and taller than his father, and his father is envious of all these things. Envy and moira do not go together, and if there was a shred of his moira left after all this time, it is destroyed by his loving envy of his son, and in the ultimate ironic act, Theseus destroys his own son partly as a result of his envy, and partly because of Phaedra's accusation of rape. The son has usurped the father's role, and the irony of the situation is that of course, he did not, but he will not speak out, and Theseus is not wise enough to see the situation is a set-up."

Tags:hippolyta, hippolytus, theseus, moira