We live in a world of armed conflict. Explain what differing Christian attitudes to armed conflict might be Essay Example

We live in a world of armed conflict. Explain what differing Christian attitudes to armed conflict might be Essay There have been more than 127 wars since 1945. In some areas of todays world, there is nothing but violence. The majority of the news on television is based on the events in Afghanistan and we will never forget the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington D.C. on the 11th of September 2001. Justice has to be sought and then peace and respect will come about. Every Christian should want peace and justice but many of these have different opinions and methods in how to achieve this.Christianity was founded on peace, emerging from its ethic of love. Jesus said to his apostles Peace be with you and we must put his words into action. This peace must guide the destiny of humanity, if we do not find peace; destruction and evil will continue to spread. Pope Paul VI said, Never again war! Peace must guide the destiny of the peoples and of all humanity. The Gaudium et Spes issued by the Second Vatican Council in 1965 states, There will never be a truly human world for everyone until all dev ote themselves to peace. The Catholic Church also teaches that because war is a matter of human freedom, it is a moral question; there are circumstances in which war can be justified, just as there are circumstances in which war cannot be justified. The decision about the justification of war is based on the basic principles of human dignity and respect for human life.These, taken together, offer the basis for what is known as the Just War teaching. Traditional Christian teaching presents these criteria for determining that entering a war is moral. Other criteria must be observed if carrying on the war is moral. What we do in the course of the war must be proportionate to the rights we are trying to defend. This is the Just War Theory. This was an attempt developed by St. Augustine to articulate the right to self-defence and its aim was to limit the occasions of war and the effects of war once it started. Augustine distinguished between private morality, turning the other cheek, and social morality, protecting the common good. There are a number of principles effecting the decision to go to war; the Jus Ad Bellum. This is for the war to be a just cause and to confront a real and certain danger and not for gain or revenge. This means that the war must be for a just cause, not for greed, revenge or power. Our motivation at all times must be love. Those with responsibility for the public and authority must also declare the war.The war cannot be declared by private groups or individuals and the proper authorities must affirm it. During the conflict, the right intention must be acknowledged and this is the pursuit of peace and reconciliation, including avoiding unnecessarily destructive acts or imposing unconditional surrender. For war to be justified, all peaceful alternatives must have been exhausted these include politics and sanctions. The probability of success must also be considered and this should prevent any irrational resort to force. However, even when y ou consider the doctrine of The Just War we have to consider the consequences of war, some may be good, other will be bad. The good would be that the just cause will occur but the bad would more destruction, increased insecurity and a great death toll. St. Augustine said All war, even a just war, is the result of sin, so even if the is some good achieved, there will always be sin. Augustine highlights the seriousness of war and even taking one life is serious.In 1992, the United Kingdom spent à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½23.5 billion on defence compared to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½7.9 billion on education. Many Christians question the basis for these decisions when our aim is ultimately to achieve peace and justice. More money is spent on military weapons than on educating the future leaders of the world. According to Trà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½caire in their report on November 2001, $800 billion was spent in the year 2000 on the arms industry, while $9 billion could eliminate starvation and malnutrition. Many Christians fin d this shocking as the amount of money that could eliminate starvation and malnutrition was spent 90 times over on the arms industry. In the creation stories, we are told that all life is good and sacred; man is made in the image of God.So, if we kill others, we will be punished. It is written in Genesis 9:5-6 If anyone takes human life he will be punished. Man was made like God he will be punished. Man was made like God, so whoever murders a man will himself be killed by his fellow man. This is like Jesus teaching, is attitude is one of non-violence, he does not advocate violent protests against injustice, at Jesus arrest he says, Put your sword back. Those who take up the sword will die by the sword. So, if you wage war and become a murderer, you will in turn experience what you are doing and you will be killed. True justice cannot be achieved in this way. Not everything that is done in the pursuit of justice is automatically moral. To inflict injustice in order to defend justice is irrational.This is the view of pacifists. Pacifists today say violence is never acceptable, they say it breaks the fifth commandment, Thou shall not kill. It is totally against the Christian idea of love. Love thy neighbour as thy self, and also love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. (Luke 6:27-36, Matt 5:43-48). The Quakers are people who take the biblical ethic of love literally and, they do not take up arms against anyone. In 1660, a declaration given by the Quakers to King Charles II read, We utterly deny all outward wars and strife, and fightings with outward weapons, for any end, or under any pretence whatever; this is our testimony to the whole world. This is what the pacifists believe and this is their declaration to what they consider to be right. Pacifists follow Jesus example and they believe that violence cannot be solved by violence. He says, if someone slaps you on the right cheek, let him slap you on the left cheek as well, dont make sin worse by r epeating the offence and do not retaliate. These Christians think that war in itself is a wrong action, it is unchristian and we should never resort to violence. Martin Luther King was a pacifist and his attitude to achieving justice was that you do not need to use violent means to achieve justice. He said, I now believe that the destructiveness of modern weapons totally rules out the possibility of war ever again achieving a negative good.War has always been a feature in religious history and many Christians have justified wars by claiming it is the will of God. A crusade is a Holy War. The crusades were a series of wars undertaken by Christians in the eleventh, twelfth and thirteenth centuries. They mainly centred on the Holy Land of Palestine. Most Christians today deeply regret these wars in the name of Christ as they regret their treatment of the Jews and Muslims at this time. There are four beliefs behind these crusades, the reason for the war is a holy one, God will guide and lead the armies, the crusades are on Gods side: the enemies are against God, and finally, the war must be carried on to the bitter end. All the crusades think that God was on their side and the Jews were expecting a Holy War when they were expecting a Military Messiah. However, they did not get this fighting leader; instead they got a peaceful and loving leader who did not resort to violence. Jesus rejected violence and he taught that we should love our neighbour. He said that God loves everyone, he does not hate the enemies and he taught us to love our enemies.Some Christians think that war is acceptable because it is our duty to defend the innocent and the most vulnerable. On many occasions Jesus defends the vulnerable because of their faith in God. He cured the woman with a haemorrhage, Jairus daughter, the man with the withered hand and the epileptic boy because of their faith. Jesus also healed these because they were all innocent and Jesus felt compassion and sympathy for the m. These Christians who think that it is our duty to defend the innocent believe that if the innocent and vulnerable are killed or hurt in war that justice should be sought and sometimes these Christians think that the only way that justice can come about is to go into war. They choose this as the lesser of two evils. They believe that every person has a right to self-defence. These Christians also think that leaders like Hitler should be brought to justice and they feel that they should intervene when there are acts of injustice. Bonhoeffer was one of these Christians.Many Christians think that the aftermath of war is never justified, the peace obtained after war is not true peace. People will be weary of one another; there will not be any trust, as the old enemies will be living together. Fear and hatred will rule and evil will continue to spread. There is mass devastation and destruction and it is not necessarily a real victory. The environment is ruined and peoples culture and b ackgrounds are destroyed. War can do much more harm than good; in fact it may bring more evil than it does good. However good can be achieved through war. Evil dictators like Hitler can be overpowered and defeated through war, not through killing him but by making him concede the war. So, the aftermath of war has its good and bad points.Saint James says that there should never be a war, and we can avoid armed conflict by looking at the causes of war. He thinks that if the causes are rooted out then there will never be any wars. This is an extremely valuable teaching for all. The causes of war must be rooted out. These include injustice (especially when the poor are exploited by the rich and the powerful), the desire for power, contempt for others, envy, distrust, pride and selfishness.Taking all of these Christian perspectives into consideration I believe that they all have their Christian morals but they have different attitudes to war and different ways of achieving justice. Oscar Romero believed that the innocent should be defended and he wanted peace. He said, Peace is not the product of terror or fear. Peace is not the silence of cemeteries. Peace is not the silent result of violent repression. Peace is the generous, tranquil contribution of all to the good of all. Peace is dynamism. Peace is generosity. It is right and it is duty. Everyone wants peace and justice, but can this be achieved through violence and war?Can nuclear war ever be justified for a Christian?Many Christians also have differing opinions on this controversial issue. Everyone knows of the tragic Hiroshima bombing and if another atomic or nuclear bomb is dropped there would be severe and extreme consequences. We have to ask ourselves, can a nuclear war ever be justified for a Christian?Some Christians think that nuclear war cannot be justified. If a nuclear war broke out, millions of people and perhaps the whole population of the planet would die. Any war in which nuclear weapons are use d could easily become an all-out war. Many Christians think that this would be undoing Gods work as he created the world and us. The effects are disturbing and devastating, thousands of innocent people are killed, lives are ruined, the environment is ruined and future generations would be at risk from the lethal gamma rays and future attacks. These Christians also think that nuclear weapons are so evil that we must disarm them and it is evil even to possess them. The Church condemns total warfare by the use of weapons of mass destruction, such as nuclear weapons. Destroying whole cities or vast areas of land is a crime against God and against humanity, which deserves absolute condemnation. The Catholic Church is against all nuclear war. A report from The Church and the Bomb in 1982 said, The evils caused by this method of making war are greater than any conceivable evil which the war is intended to prevent. This supports the argument that that you cannot achieve good by evil means.F urthermore, if we have nuclear weapons, we would be a target in a nuclear war. The enemies would want to strike first to destroy our nuclear weapons. Then, we would no longer be a threat to them. Nuclear weapons do not defend you against a nuclear attack. There was no defence against that. In Hiroshima, the Americans wanted unconditional surrender through the nuclear warheads and this is also against the Just War theory. However, before the B-29s took off, William Downey, a recognised Chaplain said, Killing is the name of the game; those who dont accept that have to be prepared to accept the alternative Defeat. This can be taken as a reason which justifies war, but it is not a view of all Christians.Even in warfare there has to be Christian morals and limitations. Many Christians think that the excessiveness is not necessary; bombs should be aimed at military camps, not at civilian areas. A survivor of Hiroshima said, All the skin came off my face and then all the skin on my arms a nd hands fell off. The sky was black as night. Many people were blinded and houses were demolished. No one will ever know exactly how many people were killed in Hiroshima. It is said that about 80,000 people died; either of the immediate effects or of exposure to gamma radiation, which killed victims in 20 to 30 days. The Hiroshima city government said that the true death toll was 140,000 by the end of 1945. The Official US Strategic Bombing survey believed that probably more people lost their lives by fire at Tokyo in a 6 hour period than at any time in the history of man. This is shocking and it shows the dramatic and horrendous effects of a nuclear bomb. There are enough nuclear weapons to wipe out all life on earth. If there was 7/8 of a reduction in the worlds nuclear weapons, there would still be enough to obliterate humanity. This illustrates how much nuclear weapons the world has and how much destruction a percentage of it can cause.However, there are some Christians who thi nk that nuclear war can be justified. There are also many arguments in favour of nuclear war. Firstly, many Christians think that the ends justify the means, peace can be achieved by nuclear war but we must make sure that this is genuine peace, not peace of a threatening nature. By using nuclear weapons in war, lives can be saved. After the Hiroshima bombing Stimson said that there would have been more lives lost if there was a long war and what they did saved lives. Nuclear war is quick and effective.Also, there have been no world wars since nuclear bombs were invented, this could be because they are scared to fire at each other in case they miss or because some peace has been found. If there is a war and you break the enemies will to fight, the war would be over and fewer lives would be lost.Taking all of these Christian views into consideration, I think that there are more valid arguments against nuclear war than there are for nuclear war. Even taking one life is serious, so, if a nuclear weapon can kill thousands and thousands of people this is horrific. War is never good; even if it is made shorter it is just as bad as you are doing an act of evil. However, the world will continue to hold nuclear weapons and the supply will continue to build up. We just have to hope that none need to be fired.

The United States and Manifest Destiny essays

The United States and Manifest Destiny essays During the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, the United States saw many problems come and go. Some problems were more important than others. However, all led to the further division of American politics. The most divisive issue in American politics during this time frame was the idea of Manifest Destiny or territorial expansion. Manifest Destiny was the idea that it was the United States' destiny to take over all of North America from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Most of the public was in favor of territorial expansion, though some politicians felt it contradicted the constitution. Strict constructionists were against territorial expansion, while loose constructionists felt expansion was the United States' destiny. Strict constructionists centered their platform around the fact that the constitution never directly states that the federal government has the right to acquire land. Those that view the constitution liberally, or loose constructionists, counter that stand by claiming the right of expansion falls under the government's implied powers. Loose constructionists and strict constructionists are the main divisive factor for the United States political parties: the Democrats and the Whigs. One of the supporters of Manifest Destiny was Democrat, James Polk who served as president from 1844 to 1848. Polk was strongly in favor of expanding the United States to the Pacific. This opinion won him the election of 1844. That year Henry Clay, a well known and loved figure in American politics, ran and was expected to blow, little known, Polk of the charts. The only problem was Clay was nervous about territorial expansion. He did not want with Mexico and was unsure of the constitutionality of expanding. Polk won because the majority of the public believed in Manifest Destiny. Along with influencing presidential elections, Manifest Destiny played a role in the slavery issue. Entering the mid eighteen hundred slavery was a ...

How to Apply for a Research Grant

How to Apply for a Research Grant How to Apply for a Research Grant There are several things you need to do when preparing a research grant application. These include the following: Plan the application process from the very beginning. This means setting aside time to research funding sources, as well   as working out the basic details of your project (e.g., proposed budget and timeframe). Read your funding organization’s submission guidelines and use these to write up your application. Try to use clear, concise language throughout. Justify each aspect of your application, including your methods, costs, timescale, what your research will achieve, and why you have applied for a grant to fund your work. Proofread your application carefully before submitting it. And to help you through this process, we’ll now look at each of these points in more detail. Read on to find out more. 1. Researching a Research Grant To maximize your chances of success when planning a grant application, you need to find a funder that suits your situation and research interests. To do this, you should: Set a schedule for the application process that you can work towards. Work out your basic proposal, such as the budget and research aims. Look for funding opportunities in your subject area. Make sure to check eligibility guidelines and the funding organization’s objectives. Speak to colleagues about your grant proposal, especially if you know anyone who has received funding for a similar project in the past. The idea is to find the best funder for your project. Once you have done this, try to get as much relevant information as possible together before you begin writing up your application. 2. Writing Up Your Application Before you write up your application, read the funding organization’s submission guidelines carefully. These will set out how your application should be written, formatted, and structured. The format here may vary slightly, but most research grant applications should include: A title page featuring your name(s) and contact information. An abstract or summary of the proposal. An introduction with background information and research aims. A short literature review of the research you are building upon. Proposed methods and expected results of your research. A budget outline for how the grant will be spent. A timeframe for conducting the research. In terms of style, a research grant application should be clear, concise, and formal. If possible, though, try to keep the language simple and avoid jargon unless it is strictly necessary. 3. Justifying Your Choices While writing up your application, make sure to explain your thinking. This is vital because you may be competing for the same grant as many other academics. As such, you need to show that you have considered each aspect of your proposal in detail, including: How your research fits with the funding organization’s interests. Why you need a grant for your research and how it will be spent. Why the methods and timescale you have proposed are appropriate. How the research will contribute to knowledge in your subject area and/or how it could be applicable in â€Å"real life† situations outside academia. 4. Editing and Proofreading Finally, always leave time for editing and proofreading before you submit your application. This will allow you to seek feedback from colleagues and make revisions accordingly. In addition, once you have made any final revisions, you may want to ask someone to give your application one final check (perhaps even a professional proofreader). This will ensure the final document is 100% typo free, demonstrating valuable attention to detail in the process.

Great depression in USA Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Great depression in USA - Coursework Example The other great expansion was amount of buyers. All this factors that experienced great expansion led to the increase in buying public utility stocks contributing to a rise in their prices. In October 1929, America experienced a dramatic fall in utility price. The decline in utility price caused panic among the margin buyers and they had to sell all the stocks (Divine et al., 751). 2. What was the legacy of the New Deal? The legacy of the New Deal is that it played a crucial role toward alleviating the worst suffering of the depression. For example, the early New Deal contributed in assisting bankers and industrialists (Divine et al., 762). Moreover, the early New Deal tried to assist large farmers and members of the labor union (Divine et al., 762). However, the New deal was still being held captive of the conventional thinking of the day. It is not possible to say that the New Deal would have ended the depression basing in the historical facts. For example, development of the World War II interrupted the process. 3.  How did Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s political philosophy affect his New Deal? Roosevelt political philosophy contributed to a decline in his New Deal (Divine et al., 751). He played a crucial role in defeating a number of conservative Democratic congress representatives and senators. Roosevelt’s target gleefully changed the interference with local politics. Divine et al., (774) indicates that only one of the men that Roosevelt sought to defeat lost in primaries. The worst blow of Roosevelt’s New Deal came in the economic sector. Most of the business executives claimed that Roosevelt recession reflected a lack of confidence in FDR’s leadership hence leading the New Deal to become ineffective (Divine et al., 751). 4. How did Herbert Hoover deal with the depression? Hoover blamed the depression on foreign policies. He rejected various proposals for bold government and relied instead on voluntary cooperation within the b usiness of which he used to halt the slide (Divine et al., 754). Moreover, he called various leaders associated with industries to the White house and secured agreement to maintain prices and wages at a high level. Hoover also believed in voluntary efforts that played a significant role in relieving the human suffering brought about by the depression. On this case, he called private charities and local governments to help in offering clothes and food to the needy ones. With the request of Hoover, Congress managed to cut taxes in an attempt to restore public confidence. He also managed to adopt a few federal works projects such as boulder dam in order to provide jobs for the young people (Divine et al., 754). 5. What were the weaknesses of the New Deal? Through the New Deal, Roosevelt managed to develop the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Through this organization, the burden of unemployment eased but it failed to overcome depression (Divine et al., 760). This means that one of the weaknesses of the New Deal is failure to overcome depression. Through the New Deal, the WPA filed to prime the American economy by increasing consumer purchasing power. The other weakness associated with the New Deal is that it led to a growing frustration and the appearance of more radical alternatives. These alternatives challenged the conservative nature of the New Deal that made the FDR to shift to the left (Divine et al., 760). Part 1 (B) What were the forces that caused the stock market to crash? According to the article, one of the causes that led to the

The theory to the Study of International Relations Essay

The theory to the Study of International Relations - Essay Example It is worthwhile to take a look at the above definitions and examine whether International Relations truly reflect the emotions and desires of the people of the erstwhile Soviet-bloc. It could help to understand the principles of Realism, Marxism, Liberalism, and Constructivism, the major international relations theories to substantiate this study. Equality was what it preached. No doubt, the business class had to share its spoils with the working class, but on the whole, Marxism sought to suppress the feudal system of class discrimination. Realism was more State oriented. It chose to look at national interests more than others. Security and power is their aim. Despite the fall of the cold war, America is seen as the global policeman. Despite rising poverty and unemployment at home, America is more preoccupied with interests elsewhere. Liberalism is what the younger generation craves for. Independence and basic needs and wants are their vision. In the light of the revelation, it has become clear that the critical theory of International Relations is a jig-saw puzzle indeed. In the words of the Mahatma: â€Å"Interdependence is and ought to be as much the ideal of man as self-sufficiency. Man is a social being. Without interrelation with society, he cannot realize his oneness with the universe or suppress his egotism. His social interdependence enables him to test his faith and to prove himself on the touchstone of reality† Mahatma Gandhi, 1929, sums up the real thoughts of our young couple at Trafalgar Square.... There are two schools of thought, one looks to strengthened international law and international organizations to preserve peace; the other emphasizes that nations will always use their power to achieve goals and sees the key to peace in a balance of power among competing states. (R. Aron, H. J. Morgenthau, F. S. Northedge, and M. J. Grieve, www.answers.com/topic/international-relations) In other words, International Relations are the relationship between people of different races and divide. The world order is changing. Technology has brought people much closer. There is a general consensus that mankind is one and that this world is for all to share it equally. So what was it that attracted the majority of communist nations turn to the Liberals and Realists Critical Analysis In the context, it is worthwhile to take a look at the above definitions and examine whether International Relations truly reflect the emotions and desires of the people of the erstwhile Soviet-bloc. It could help to understand the principles of Realism, Marxism, Liberalism, and Constructivism, the major international relations theories to substantiate this study. Realism is commonly defined as a concern for fact or reality and rejection of the impractical and visionary. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Realism#Realism_in_international_relations) Realists believe that hard power, a concept used in realism, refers to national power through military and economic means. This holds true with the foreign policy advocated by the United States. Realism focused on States and national interest. In a speech before his nation launched an offensive against Afghanistan, President Bush said, "We are supported by the collective will of the

The poem English Book by Jane Weir Essay Example for Free

The poem English Book by Jane Weir Essay What do you think the poet is saying about some teachers of English and the way they mark a students book in the poem English Book by Jane Weir? How does the poet present her opinions? (18 marks) Jane Weir seems very unimpressed by the way her sons English teacher marks his book. She is describing her visit to a Parents Evening and starts by plunging straight in with the pronoun they to begin the poem in the middle of the consultation. The first two lines express her surprise that they seem unaffected by their years in a classroom, all sitting upright and correctly to meet the mother. She lists the procedures that teachers have to go through and the words or so they say suggest she has little respect for the latest thinking or belief in the criminal checks that are made to protect children. One particular teacher, probably the boys English teacher, shows the mother his English book, her eyes showing a length of pity that the boys spelling, punctuation and general presentation are so weak. The mother is appalled that his writing has been butchered by the teachers red pen. The teacher has very little understanding that (according to the mother) she is killing the childs creativity by concentrating so much on his technical mistakes. The poet, probably writing from real experience, cannot get the teachers to understand that her son has ability with words and that they are not appreciating or encouraging his ideas. The whole poem is full of imagery. The teachers are compared to books: they bear no tide mark and have perfect spines probably unlike the condition of the exercise book that the mother is about to be shown. Later metaphors (lines 13 to 15) seem to describe textiles, in the same way that Jane Weir weaves fabric imagery into her poem Poppies selvedge, rolls out flecked with heartfelt perhaps to express the situation from a womans point of view. The mother is obviously very angry at the way her sons written work has been treated and an extended metaphor compares the teachers marking to the violent acts of a butcher reducing a carcass to lumps of bloody meat. Red punctuation marks have chopped up his words; circles around his misspelt words are nooses to hang his confidence; her pen is an axe to destroy his sentence structures. The resulting page is piled with offal. After the butchering, only the inedible (unreadable) parts are left, nevertheless the mother believes her son is very intelligent. She sees the oracle in his entrails and the jazz /of his sequencing would seem to describe a lively imagination at work. From the mothers point of view the excessive emphasis on the importance of technical accuracy is harming the boy and the teacher makes little effort to listen to the mothers concerns or to see anything worth praising in the boys writing. Described metaphorically as a starved lion-cub waiting for a word kill, this final image presents a child, waiting hungrily to experience and enjoy language, but being starved by a teacher who cannot see what beats at (the) centre of his writing.

Essay examples --

Living in today’s American society is a blessing and a curse. Never has information been so easily attainable, knowledge is literally at our fingertips, that being the blessing. However, so are advertisements, movies, songs and general media that are coming at us so fast that we have no idea how to handle it. The average American is subjected to about 3000 ads per day (Kilbourne, 2006). The curse is what it does to our generation’s ideal perception of the perfect body, advertisement being the biggest culprit of them all. Hyper sexualized women and men in the media are the reason that 80% of children by the age of ten years old are afraid of being fat. According to a recent study in Spain found that adolescents consume an average of 3 hours to 3.2 hours a day of television on weekdays and weekends, respectively (Bercedo Sanz et al., 2005). Children are still in their developmental stage, their brain and ideas are still forming which is why they are so easily targeted. Television, magazines, films, billboards, and the like frequently offer a distorted vision of the world (Bercedo Sanz et al., 2005; Shrum, 2009), and it may be difficult for children and adolescents to distinguish whether what they see is real or not, so that they are more vulnerable to the messages transmitted (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2001). Men and women are each targeted very differently in media. Although sex sells, it is the image in the advertisement itself that is what is engrained in our minds. Media tells us that wome n are supposed to be skinny, dainty and delicate. Whereas men they are supposed to be big and strong so that women will faun all over them and their muscles. These images are making young children’s self-esteem plummet way faster in th... ...ian body builder Aziz Sergeyevich Shavershian is considered a god amongst men in the body building community. He died of a heart attack in a sauna due to steroid abuse while on vacation in Thailand. Why people consider him a hero is still a mystery. In the media the seemingly over weight men never get the posy and are never taken seriously. Men must be stern chiseled and highly sophisticated. Not only that but they must also take charge and be animalistic, women in the media are often portrayed as objects for the men’s pleasure. Media is a vessel in which women and men a like use in order to try to better themselves. In trying to duplicate what they see they really are only causing themselves heart ache and emotional and psychological damage. Until we can passively look at media and still be happy with whom we are; we as a society can never be happy and healthy.

Drug abuse Essay

The policy in Switzerland seems to be a success because in the last 10 years there has been an astounding reduction in new users, 82% in fact. Addicts are offered heroin on prescription, access to â€Å"shooting galleries†, needle exchanges and oral methadone. This medicalised drug use has removes its glamour, making it trivial and less appealing. The British government however takes the view that allowing drug consumption rooms risks increasing levels of dealing and anti-social crime. This is the disadvantage currently obstructing the government following suit. The doctor thinks that some users have turned round their lives as a result of this treatment. They come off heroin because of the boredom of routine and drudgery. In addition to the professional opinion, a more personal outlook given by a former addict stated that it should be done in very controlled conditions and only used as a last resort. As I saw on the video, drug abuse has been a problem for centuries and I personally do not see a situation where the world will be free of drug abuse. This is because, when the word drug is defined we mean a medication and there are many legal drugs that are medically prescribed for the treatment of the ill. Drugs such as morphine and paracetamol can also be misused, and the abuse can lead to deaths. In this sense the problem of drug abuse can never be completely eliminated because people will just find another drug to abuse. However, one must be cautious when reading the newspapers as it is likely to be biased. Not everything must be taken into account as it is not likely to be authentic or reliable. To a certain extent not all drugs are as bad as each other; some drugs bring about more harm than others. In other ways, if particular drugs are abused constantly and in heavy quantities they can cause severe consequences, such as tobacco for example. Particular notice needs to be taken of Danger Ratings and the seriousness of heroin addiction. More should be done to prevent this, by tightening rules and regulations and giving harsher punishments to put off new users and give help to existing addicts. Both sources offer contrasting methods for dealing with the problem. The first method, calling upon the government to update the system may not be taken into consideration by some politicians as they do not want to lose votes. However, if it is considered and action is taken, it is a worthwhile action. The second method calling upon softer laws can be seen as helping in some ways, but mainly making it easier for drugs to be abused. In my opinion, the government should tighten rules and regulations for drug abuse and crackdown on Drug related crime, reducing the usage of drugs, and also supply help for the addicts to stabilise their lives. Politics and the law are barriers to both approaches because each method has to gain the Governments approval prior to the action taken, this may prove difficult. This is due to the fact that political parties view their own positions in government more precious than the welfare of the public. As a result of this, they are more concerned with losing votes rather than losing lives. As a whole, drug abuse and addiction is a problem that cannot ever be eradicated completely but it can be controlled and reduced, particularly with certain drugs. As mentioned previously, there are options available to control the issue, and measures can be put in place to reduce drug abuse. The best method would be to take a combination of both options as stated previously. Maybe, in the distant future, drug abuse may not be such a huge pandemic as it is today.

Pre1914 prose study Essay

A single eye opens. On the dark, damp night of November, Frankenstein’s creation at last exists. Chapter 5 shows the awaking of his creation, literally his child. For so long he toiled, working towards this moment. But for what? For when the time came, only negative attitude was expressed. And so Victor deserts his â€Å"monster†, plunging the creation into complete darkness, lost, lonely and unaware. Frankenstein wants nothing to do with it, but to his creation, Victor is his everything. He made him; he is his mother, his father, and ultimately his God. Although, to say that Victor is a parent is rather ironic; it’s such an inhumane way of creating a living human being, such a ‘masculine’ form of science cannot work, it’s not naturally correct to deny the feminine act of child birth. Also, Frankenstein never once considered what he would do with the creation once he is alive; therefore, Victor fails as a parent. Frankenstein never educated the creation, and denies loving it. In the absence of love, Frankenstein’s Monster is forced to learn the hard way. The reactions he received drives the creature to realize that appearance and physicality is an important part of the public’s vain judgments. Rejected, uneducated and even nameless, it’s distanced from humanity and branded with such names as ‘wretch’, ‘daemon’, and ‘monster’ in which most of the names are from his creator’s own mouth. Such a gentle soul never had any physical contact with the human race and therefore attaches itself to the De Lacy family. Soon developing new emotions and sensations, he gains pleasure from help the family suffering from poverty. In return, he gains a steady education, Just like a child, and with a child, his knowledge builds off the teaching of Felix De Lacey. An important factor in this is the books he reads; Plutarch’s Lives, Volney’s Ruins of Empire, Goethe’s The Sorrows of Werther and most importantly Milton’s Paradise Lost. All of them represent the idea of romantic thinking in which Mary Shelley was associated. When presenting his arguments, he quotes from one such book: â€Å"I ought to be thy Adam; but I am rather the fallen angel, whom thou drivest from joy for no misdeed† (p. 77-8) He quotes Paradise Lost and relates himself to one character. Satan. Judged by his appearance, the public see him as evil and yet he is a tragic character, isolated from the world. He sees this mirrored in Milton’s Satan. Believing that perhaps the De Lacey family may accept him as a normal person and with that only to fail, was the stimulus to the beginning of his transportation from love to hate. Demonstrated in this novel is that creation isn’t just finished at the beginning of life. Frankenstein gives birth to this child of science, but makes him what he is branded, and ultimately what he is. A monster. By deserting him, he created an isolated and suffering being. With addition to being rejected by any other living person, this makes him a tragic figure. Victor was deeply self-absorbed, never once thinking of the welfare of his creation, but rather how to distance himself further from it. But, when moved by the monster’s happenings, he agrees to make a female partner. But again, he abandons him for his own welfare, and will not complete his companion. After making his creation, he fears making another double of his regret. The creature denies this though, he only wishes for a companion for the rest of his days on earth. Yet roles are reversed in the heart of the novel. In the beginning, power is mostly in Victor’s possession but by the time of meeting, the creature dominates, leading Victor into the wilderness of the mountains.

Free Essays on Ritual

When ritual is spoken of in Western society, images of cute, charming and sometimes dangerous activities of ‘native’ societies tend to be conjured up into the mind. Television seems to be full of ceremonies which, at best, tend to be thought of as quaint, at worst, acted out for the tourist industry. Religious belief is on the decline in Western society and this also contributes to the general outlook on rituals and rites. Western industrial society has idolised ideals, rationality and a limited type of practicality and all too often regards the conscious ritual of other cultures as a frivolous curiosity (LaChapelle, 1984:1-6). We have forgotten much in the last 300 hundred years that we should remember the fact that Western society not only had, but still has, rituals and rites of passage. In this essay I will point out that whether we accept it or not, ritual is an essential part of the life course, even though the act of performing and perceiving ritual may be unconscious. Ritual can often be viewed as habit or regularities (Cohen & Taylor, 1998:46-65). The daily process of getting out of bed, washing, brushing teeth and going to work or school is an unconscious ritual that millions of humankind goes through. These microsocial rituals, or regularities, may well appear never ending and spread their way throughout life’s course. Members of any given society may well try to break away from these rituals, but more often than not the ‘escape’ is only temporary. To ‘get away from it all’ may well lead to other types of unconscious ritual. Victor Turner (1974:298) has argued that the dialectical relationship of ritual and social structure facilitates creative responses to the negative aspects of daily social structure, and that these responses include alienation, divisiveness and exploitation. Ritual can undermine social structure in that humankind can find instructions in it as to fundamental organising principles an... Free Essays on Ritual Free Essays on Ritual When ritual is spoken of in Western society, images of cute, charming and sometimes dangerous activities of ‘native’ societies tend to be conjured up into the mind. Television seems to be full of ceremonies which, at best, tend to be thought of as quaint, at worst, acted out for the tourist industry. Religious belief is on the decline in Western society and this also contributes to the general outlook on rituals and rites. Western industrial society has idolised ideals, rationality and a limited type of practicality and all too often regards the conscious ritual of other cultures as a frivolous curiosity (LaChapelle, 1984:1-6). We have forgotten much in the last 300 hundred years that we should remember the fact that Western society not only had, but still has, rituals and rites of passage. In this essay I will point out that whether we accept it or not, ritual is an essential part of the life course, even though the act of performing and perceiving ritual may be unconscious. Ritual can often be viewed as habit or regularities (Cohen & Taylor, 1998:46-65). The daily process of getting out of bed, washing, brushing teeth and going to work or school is an unconscious ritual that millions of humankind goes through. These microsocial rituals, or regularities, may well appear never ending and spread their way throughout life’s course. Members of any given society may well try to break away from these rituals, but more often than not the ‘escape’ is only temporary. To ‘get away from it all’ may well lead to other types of unconscious ritual. Victor Turner (1974:298) has argued that the dialectical relationship of ritual and social structure facilitates creative responses to the negative aspects of daily social structure, and that these responses include alienation, divisiveness and exploitation. Ritual can undermine social structure in that humankind can find instructions in it as to fundamental organising principles an...

Mathematical Properties of Waves

Mathematical Properties of Waves Physical waves, or mechanical waves, form through the vibration of a medium, be it a string, the Earths crust, or particles of gases and fluids. Waves have mathematical properties that can be analyzed to understand the motion of the wave. This article introduces these general wave properties, rather than how to apply them in specific situations in physics. Transverse Longitudinal Waves There are two types of mechanical waves. A is such that the displacements of the medium are perpendicular (transverse) to the direction of travel of the wave along the medium. Vibrating a string in periodic motion, so the waves move along it, is a transverse wave, as are waves in the ocean. A longitudinal wave is such that the displacements of the medium are back and forth along the same direction as the wave itself. Sound waves, where the air particles are pushed along in the direction of travel, is an example of a longitudinal wave. Even though the waves discussed in this article will refer to travel in a medium, the mathematics introduced here can be used to analyze properties of non-mechanical waves. Electromagnetic radiation, for example, is able to travel through empty space, but still, has the same mathematical properties as other waves. For example, the Doppler effect for sound waves is well known, but there exists a similar Doppler effect for light waves, and they are based around the same mathematical principles. What Causes Waves? Waves can be viewed as a disturbance in the medium around an equilibrium state, which is generally at rest. The energy of this disturbance is what causes the wave motion. A pool of water is at equilibrium when there are no waves, but as soon as a stone is thrown in it, the equilibrium of the particles is disturbed and the wave motion begins.The disturbance of the wave travels, or propogates, with a definite speed, called the wave speed (v).Waves transport energy, but not matter. The medium itself doesnt travel; the individual particles undergo back-and-forth or up-and-down motion around the equilibrium position. The Wave Function To mathematically describe wave motion, we refer to the concept of a wave function, which describes the position of a particle in the medium at any time. The most basic of wave functions is the sine wave, or sinusoidal wave, which is a periodic wave (i.e. a wave with repetitive motion). It is important to note that the wave function doesnt depict the physical wave, but rather its a graph of the displacement about the equilibrium position. This can be a confusing concept, but the useful thing is that we can use a sinusoidal wave to depict most periodic motions, such as moving in a circle or swinging a pendulum, which dont necessarily look wave-like when you view the actual motion. Properties of the Wave Function wave speed (v) - the speed of the waves propagationamplitude (A) - the maximum magnitude of the displacement from equilibrium, in SI units of meters. In general, it is the distance from the equilibrium midpoint of the wave to its maximum displacement, or it is half the total displacement of the wave.period (T) - is the time for one wave cycle (two pulses, or from crest to crest or trough to trough), in SI units of seconds (though it may be referred to as seconds per cycle).frequency (f) - the number of cycles in a unit of time. The SI unit of frequency is the hertz (Hz) and1 Hz 1 cycle/s 1 s-1angular frequency (ω) - is 2Ï€ times the frequency, in SI units of radians per second.wavelength (ÃŽ ») - the distance between any two points at corresponding positions on successive repetitions in the wave, so (for example) from one crest or trough to the next, in SI units  of meters.  wave number (k) - also called the propagation constant, this useful quantity is defined as 2 Ï₠¬ divided by the wavelength, so the SI units are radians per meter. pulse - one half-wavelength, from equilibrium back Some useful equations in defining the above quantities are: v ÃŽ » / T ÃŽ » fω 2 Ï€ f 2 Ï€/TT 1 / f 2 Ï€/ωk 2Ï€/ωω vk The vertical position of a point on the wave, y, can be found as a function of the horizontal position, x, and the time, t, when we look at it. We thank the kind mathematicians for doing this work for us, and obtain the following useful equations to describe the wave motion: y(x, t) A sin ω(t - x/v) A sin 2Ï€ f(t - x/v)y(x, t) A sin 2Ï€(t/T - x/v)y(x, t) A sin (ω t - kx) The Wave Equation One final feature of the wave function is that applying calculus to take the second derivative yields the wave equation, which is an intriguing and sometimes useful product (which, once again, we will thank the mathematicians for and accept without proving it): d2y / dx2 (1 / v2) d2y / dt2 The second derivative of y with respect to x is equivalent to the second derivative of y with respect to t divided by the wave speed squared. The key usefulness of this equation is that whenever it occurs, we know that the function y acts as a wave with wave speed v and, therefore, the situation can be described using the wave function.

Forgiveness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Forgiveness - Essay Example The research being accessible to everyone on internet has changed the general perspective to a realistic one also introducing the benefits of improving intrapersonal health and thoughts. When it comes to utilizing the benefits of forgiveness, it can be seen in two different ways, religious and psychological; even though both overlap. Forgiveness ensures that intrapersonal and interpersonal troubles of a person are resolved, which is the reason forgiveness cannot be taken as a responsibility or duty. Forgiving by force might shortly suppress the issues but does not resolve them, as per Baker (2012). To truly forgive, one needs to let go from the heart and release the resentment; religiously explained by McMinn et. al (1999), it might be an altruistic gift to the receiving individual; while from a psychological point of view it is seen as means of regaining personal health. This contrast of approaches of forgiveness shows two different perceptions of forgiveness with respect to intrape rsonal characteristics and interpersonal relations. Where religion finds forgiveness to be a trait of God and a way to thank God for His forgiveness, psychologists find it as a therapeutic tool that helps an individual get relieved of his anguish. Reconciliation after forgiveness involves parties to re-establish the relationship but is unlikely to be always synonymous to forgiveness. As alluded by Baker (2012), forgiveness and reconciliation together might be a good combination in case of loved ones but they don’t always go together. This can be due to a number of reasons. For example, the forgiving individual might want to forgive the perpetrator but not have anything to do with them anymore, on the other hand the perpetrator might not even have any remorse in the first place or even being repeatedly injurious making reconciliation impossible whereas the victim might still want to forgive the person. Such situations define the differences between forgiveness and reconciliati on. It might also be a point to note that acknowledgement of offense is also not equal to remorse while on the other hand, forgiveness being a choice still enables the victim to want to forgive an unrepenting perpetrator. The Gale Encyclopedia (2009) article on reconciliation also refers to forgiveness being both a psychological and a religious approach to emotional healing; both being in contrast, still aim the same thing - improvement of interpersonal relations and intrapersonal health. From another point of view, forgiveness might be seen as a unilateral act while reconciliation takes both (or all) parties involved. Forgiveness might also involve foregoing indebtedness so that the victim does not have to go through the ordeal of reconciling with the perpetrator. The senior citizens are also alluded to have found forgiveness and reconciliation an important part in the last phase of their life. The Gale Encyclopedia (2009) terms it as an ‘end of life concern’ for those in the last phase of their life. It is also sometimes the case that tolerance is confused with reconciliation. Tolerance and forgiveness might both be helpful in reconciliation but are not equal to it. Reconciliation involves people on two sides of a divide to uncover the ordeal they’ve been put through and sacrifice in order to re-establish a relationship. Tolerance also does not require the same level of honesty as for forgiveness while reconciliation requires both. This differentiates forgiveness to be unique in the way that it is not