Sunday, September 15, 2019
On Free Choice of the Will Essay
Questions to be addressed: Would a good God let bad things happen? Why does man choose to do evil? For many people, nothing drives them away from Religion like pushy, preachy people. I donââ¬â¢t feel that I am knowledgeable enough to argue many points when it comes to religion. Iââ¬â¢m actually not a huge fan of organized religion myself. Like most things, it has its good and bad points, but overall, anything that brings people to God is great. However, you wonââ¬â¢t find a better example of hypocrisy than the church. Throughout history, no cause has driven people to war like religion. On the other hand, if one does not agree with what people have done to the church, does that mean we have to turn away from its very foundation? When one analyzes the core of Religion, they discover that its most basic principles are, in fact, good. God IS good, right? Does God allow bad things to happen? Yes. But why? Because He has to in order to keep His promise of free will. God doesnââ¬â¢t make bad things happen, people do. God doesnââ¬â¢t snap his fingers and *poof*, somewhere in the world another person is murdered. That murderer chose to put himself in that situation. So does God let this happen? In the sense that He allowed the murderer to exercise free will ââ¬â Yes, He did. Does this mean that we should blame God? No, I donââ¬â¢t think so. There is nothing I am more grateful for than my free will. There would not be much of a life without it. In Saint Augustineââ¬â¢s On Free Choice of the Will, the idea that God allows bad things to happen is presented in a conversation between himself and Evodius. On page 5 line 19 of the text, Augustine states ââ¬Å"Yet it perplexes the mind how God should not be indirectly responsible for these sins, if they come from those very souls that God created and if, moreover, these souls are from God. â⬠The entire concept of blaming God for bad things has always been hard for me to understand, but the book does clarify many points. I intend on presenting those points by defining several terms and applying them to the argument that Saint Augustine uses in order to obtain a sufficient answer to the question. In order to do this, we must assume that God does exist. People often say, ââ¬Å"I know thereââ¬â¢s a God, but I want to understand: Is this God good? And if he is good, then why do bad things happen? â⬠By asking this question, one might really be asking ââ¬Å"Does God even exist? â⬠which is completely different. The question of whether or not God exists has nothing to do with peopleââ¬â¢s suffering, but instead, with creation, revelation, world history, etc. Therefore, for simplicity, we will not venture to answer that question and will assume that God does exist. The question we are addressing is, in essence, requiring us to ââ¬Å"judge God. â⬠In discussing this issue, I have chosen not to address the question of why particular things happen. Take a physicist, for example. He may be able to tell you why a leaf will fall in a certain place- it has to do with the aerodynamics of the leaf, the force of gravity, and the direction of the velocity; however, if you ask him where the leaf will fall, he cannot because it is impossible to quantify the different forces that a make a leaf fall in a particular place. Of course, he can propose several general principles, but calculating exactly where it will land is beyond the realm of his analysis. Itââ¬â¢s the same idea here. We wonââ¬â¢t be able to say why specific things are happening in a specific situation, but we will be able to speak about general principles that can lead us to understand the workings of a good God who lets bad things happen. The Bible tells us: ââ¬Å"God created man in His image, in the image of God He created himâ⬠(Genesis 1:27). What does it mean that man was created in Godââ¬â¢s image? It means that human beings are finite and corporal. So how are we created in Godââ¬â¢s image? Obviously, the ââ¬Å"image of Godâ⬠is dealing with the non-physical part of us ââ¬â the soul. We get our drive for morality and meaning from the soul which is in the ââ¬Å"image of God. â⬠Just as God has independent choice, so too does each human being have independent moral choice. The image of God means that we have the ability to choose. The ability to choose is what makes us special as a race. Life only becomes meaningful because of our ability to choose. Take love for example. The difference in being programmed to love and the choice to love, is exactly what makes love special. Similarly, if I donââ¬â¢t have the choice to do good, but am programmed to do good, then thereââ¬â¢s nothing meaningful about it. On the same accord, if I have the ability to do good or evil, then good becomes significant. For a choice to be truly genuine, there must also be consequences. If every time I get in trouble, mom comes to bail me out, thatââ¬â¢s not really a choice. Choice means consequences. Our history-personal or global- is based on decisions made by human beings including the consequences that come from that. Now we understand that ââ¬Å"image of Godâ⬠means that God created beings who have the ability to make decisions, and those decisions will create consequences that will make this being a co-partner in the development of the world. This has many ramifications as far as why God allows bad things to happen. For free choice to operate, itââ¬â¢s obvious that evil has to have the possibility of existing. If every time someone chooses to do evil, God is going to interfere, then thereââ¬â¢s no moral choice. If every time the gun is pointed, the turret points backwards, after a few times you get the message. It simply becomes pragmatic not to do evil. If the lives of the righteous were obviously perfect, that too would destroy the possibility of choice. Pragmatically, weââ¬â¢d figure it pays more to be righteous because look at all the good things that come my way! Thatââ¬â¢s not choice. Thatââ¬â¢s not becoming God-like. A world where a human being can create himself into a Moses, also carries the possibility of a person creating himself into a Hitler. We have to understand and appreciate that in the Holocaust, it was not God who built the crematoriums, it was the Nazis. It is not God who was massacring Muslims in Bosnia, it was the Serbs. Augustineââ¬â¢s approach to the ââ¬Å"free choice of the willâ⬠assumes that ââ¬Å"there can be no denying that we have a will. â⬠Instead, Augustine defines ââ¬Å"good willâ⬠as ââ¬Å"a will by which we seek to live a good and upright life and to attain unto perfect wisdomâ⬠which, of course, assumes that it is free. Those who choose evil are ruled by their passion and desire for things of this world. This is futile because they only have, as Augustine says, ââ¬Å"the love of things which each one can lose against his will. â⬠One who chooses to do good ultimately gains everything because there is no fear of losing ââ¬Å"thingsâ⬠due to lack of attachment to them. Those who become perfect could lose every material thing and still gain all precisely because they are trying to attain the perfect, which is wisdom. Wisdom cannot be lost as long as someone has good will. This leads us to the question: Why would we choose evil? It is my belief that humans always choose to do good, itââ¬â¢s just a matter of whether one chooses a lesser ââ¬Å"good. â⬠This occurs when one chooses to allow passions and desires to rule the soul, which tend toward things of this world. While Augustineââ¬â¢s friend Evodius can claim ââ¬Å"there is a great difference betweenâ⬠passion-desire and fear, fear is a part of passion. We fear because we hate something, which may or may not equate itself to reason. Therefore someone of good will necessarily seeks to order oneself perfectly with Godââ¬â¢s lines of the Gloria: ââ¬Å"Glory to God in the highest, and peace to men of good willâ⬠(Luke 2:14). Augustine begins to answer the question why man chooses to do evil by declaring what makes humans distinct from animals. It is the fact that humans have the capability of reasoning and animals do not. He points out that some things that men possess uniquely as opposed to animals, such as the ââ¬Å"power to jest and laughâ⬠and ââ¬Å"the love of praise and glory,â⬠are ââ¬Å"of a lower order. â⬠As a result, when reason rules the soul, ââ¬Å"the more perfect [reason] is made subject to the less perfect [desire and passion]. â⬠In our day, most people do not even realize they should work toward having reason rule their lives. It has been ââ¬Å"in styleâ⬠for more than one hundred years that humans must have their desires and passions rule their lives. Those who have reason rule their lives are thought to be ââ¬Å"rigidâ⬠because reason assumes that someone can find truth, which many now claim is impossible. One can view this outlook first hand. It is manifested by people who think they can determine their own morality and even reality. On the flipside, people tend to think theyââ¬â¢re at the mercy of the bad things that happens to them to explain away their need to eliminate their faults. If we have a free will, then we also have the duty to make decisions based on a well-formed conscience and what is good and evil. What determines whether a particular action is good does not depend on oneââ¬â¢s own judgment on whether ââ¬Å"it feels goodâ⬠or ââ¬Å"does not hurt anyone. â⬠Instead, we have a duty to determine good and evil based on truth and to have it rule oneââ¬â¢s life, with passion and desire subject to it. When people are ruled by feelings, it necessarily diminishes the dignity of a person. When a soul is not well-ordered, the ability to use oneââ¬â¢s will freely is diminished, but not completely destroyed. Rather, we have the duty to work to order our souls correctly, no matter how low weââ¬â¢ve gotten. An interesting fact about Augustine exemplifies manââ¬â¢s imperfections and low points. According to an online encyclopedia reference site (Wikipedia. com), Augustine had a mistress for several years before turning from evil to do good. Not much more was written about this incident, but it did mention that Augustine attributed his rise from a life of sin to a great doctor of the Church by means of Godââ¬â¢s grace. He believed that through Godââ¬â¢s grace, we can choose to become men of good will and live good lives. For me, a ââ¬Å"good lifeâ⬠means that I make a comfortable living as a doctor, I and my family enjoy good health, and then I die peacefully at age 80. Thatââ¬â¢s a good life. Anything else is ââ¬Å"bad. â⬠In a limited sense, thatââ¬â¢s true. But if we have a soul and there is such a thing as eternity, then that changes the picture entirely. Eighty years in the face of eternity is not such a big deal. Relating this to a major historical event, after being responsible for the torture and deaths of millions of people, could Hitler could really ââ¬Å"end it allâ⬠by just swallowing some poison? No. Ultimate justice is found in another dimension. I will stop myself there since the concept of ââ¬Å"another dimensionâ⬠is a whole other argument. That it is very difficult for us to ââ¬Å"judgeâ⬠God because we are stuck in time and space. And because our view is so limited, when ââ¬Å"badâ⬠things happen, there are so many possibilities of why itââ¬â¢s happening that we are incapable of considering them all: Is this a challenge in life that was given to me so I could become an example to inspire others? Or is this to get me to fix a wrong Iââ¬â¢ve done? Or is this due to historical/national forces that are affecting me as an individual? Or is whatââ¬â¢s happening to me now through a choice that Iââ¬â¢ve made? Or that Iââ¬â¢m on my own because Iââ¬â¢ve distanced myself? â⬠The fact that there are so many possibilities makes it easier to come to terms with the question and to be more comfortable realizing that if I had Godââ¬â¢s infinite view I would understand. Until that day comes, these theories of mine will have to do. On Free Choice of the Will by Saint Augustine An essay providing insight as to why a good God lets bad things happen as well as why men choose to do evil. Roya Mohebpour.
Saturday, September 14, 2019
Zoe’s Tale PART I Chapter Three
ââ¬Å"How do you like it here?â⬠Jane asked me, as we were washing the dishes after dinner. ââ¬Å"On Huckleberry, I mean.â⬠ââ¬Å"This is not the first time I've been asked that today,â⬠I said, taking the plate she handed me and drying it. This got a slightly raised eyebrow from Mom. ââ¬Å"General Rybicki asked you the question,â⬠she said. ââ¬Å"Yup,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"And what did you tell him?â⬠Jane asked. ââ¬Å"I told him I liked it just fine,â⬠I said. I put the dried plate into the cupboard and waited for the next one. Jane was holding on to it. ââ¬Å"But do you?â⬠she asked. I sighed, only slightly dramatically. ââ¬Å"Okay, I give up,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"What's going on? Both you and Dad were like zombies at dinner tonight. I know you missed it, because you were wrapped up in your own heads, but I spent most of dinner trying to get either of you to talk more than a grunt. Babar was a better conversationalist than either of you.â⬠ââ¬Å"I'm sorry, Zoe,â⬠Jane said. ââ¬Å"You're forgiven,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"But I still want to know what's going on.â⬠I motioned to Jane's hand, to remind her I was still waiting on that plate. She handed it over. ââ¬Å"General Rybicki has asked your father and me to be the leaders of a new colony.â⬠It was my turn to hold on to the plate. ââ¬Å"A new colony.â⬠ââ¬Å"Yes,â⬠Jane said. ââ¬Å"As in, ââ¬Ëon another planet' new colony,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"Yes,â⬠said Jane. ââ¬Å"Wow,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"Yes,â⬠Jane said. She knew how to get mileage out of a single word. ââ¬Å"Why did he ask you?â⬠I asked, and resumed drying. ââ¬Å"No offense, Mom. But you're a constable in a tiny little village. And Dad's an ombudsman. It's kind of a leap.â⬠ââ¬Å"None taken,â⬠Jane said. ââ¬Å"We had the same question. General Rybicki said that the military experience we had would cross over. John was a major and I was a lieutenant. And whatever other experience we need Rybicki believes we can pick up quickly, before we set foot on the new colony. As for why us, it's because this isn't a normal colony. The colonists aren't from Earth, they're from ten of the oldest planets in the Colonial Union. A colony of colonists. The first of its kind.â⬠ââ¬Å"And none of the planets contributing colonists want another planet to have a leadership role,â⬠I ventured. Jane smiled. ââ¬Å"That's right,â⬠she said. ââ¬Å"We're the compromise candidates. The least objectionable solution.â⬠ââ¬Å"Got it,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"It's nice to be sort of wanted.â⬠We continued washing dishes in silence for a few minutes. ââ¬Å"You didn't answer my question,â⬠Jane said, eventually. ââ¬Å"Do you like it here? Do you want to stay on Huckleberry?â⬠ââ¬Å"I get a vote?â⬠I asked. ââ¬Å"Of course you do,â⬠Jane said. ââ¬Å"If we take this, it would mean leaving Huckleberry for at least a few standard years while we got the colony up and running. But realistically it would mean leaving here for good. It would mean all of us leaving here for good.â⬠ââ¬Å"If,â⬠I said, a little surprised. ââ¬Å"You didn't say yes.â⬠ââ¬Å"It's not the sort of decision you make in the middle of a sorghum field,â⬠Jane said, and looked at me directly. ââ¬Å"It's not something we can just say yes to. It's a complicated decision. We've been looking over the information all afternoon, seeing what the Colonial Union's plans are for the colony. And then we have to think about our lives here. Mine, John's and yours.â⬠I grinned. ââ¬Å"I have a life here?â⬠I asked. This was meant as a joke. Jane squashed it. ââ¬Å"Be serious, Zoe,â⬠she said. The grin left my face. ââ¬Å"We've been here for half of your life now. You have friends. You know this place. You have a future here, if you want it. You can have a life here. It's not something to be lightly tossed aside.â⬠She plunged her hands into the sink, searching under the soap suds for another dish. I looked at Jane; there was something in her voice. This wasn't just about me. ââ¬Å"You have a life here,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"I do,â⬠Jane said. ââ¬Å"I like it here. I like our neighbors and our friends. I like being the constable. Our life here suits me.â⬠She handed me the casserole dish she'd just cleaned. ââ¬Å"Before we came here I spent all my life in the Special Forces. On ships. This is the first world I've actually lived on. It's important to me.â⬠ââ¬Å"Then why is this a question?â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"If you don't want to go, then we shouldn't do it.â⬠ââ¬Å"I didn't say I wouldn't go,â⬠Jane said. ââ¬Å"I said I have a life here. It's not the same thing. There are good reasons to do it. And it's not just my decision to make.â⬠I dried and put away the casserole dish. ââ¬Å"What does Dad want?â⬠I asked. ââ¬Å"He hasn't told me yet,â⬠Mom said. ââ¬Å"You know what that means,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"Dad's not subtle when there's something he doesn't want to do. If he's taking his time to think about it, he probably wants to do it.â⬠ââ¬Å"I know,â⬠Mom said. She was rinsing off the flatware. ââ¬Å"He's trying to find a way to tell me what he wants. It might help him if he knew what we wanted first.â⬠ââ¬Å"Okay,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"This is why I asked you if you liked it here,â⬠Jane said, again. I thought about it as I dried the kitchen counter. ââ¬Å"I like it here,â⬠I said, finally. ââ¬Å"But I don't know if I want to have a life here.â⬠ââ¬Å"Why not?â⬠Jane asked. ââ¬Å"There's not much here here, is there?â⬠I said. I waved toward the general direction of New Goa. ââ¬Å"The selection of life choices here is limited. There's farmer, farmer, store owner, and farmer. Maybe a government position like you and Dad.â⬠ââ¬Å"If we go to this new colony your choices are going to be the same,â⬠Jane said. ââ¬Å"First wave colonist life isn't very romantic, Zoe. The focus is on survival, and preparing the new colony for the second wave of colonists. That means farmers and laborers. Outside of a few specialized roles that will already be filled, there's not much call for anything else.â⬠ââ¬Å"Yes, but at least it would be somewhere new,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"There we'd be building a new world. Here we're just maintaining an old one. Be honest, Mom. It's kind of slow around these parts. A big day for you is when someone gets into a fistfight. The highlight of Dad's day is settling a dispute over a goat.â⬠ââ¬Å"There are worse things,â⬠Jane said. ââ¬Å"I'm not asking for open warfare,â⬠I said. Another joke. And once again, another stomping from Mom. ââ¬Å"It'll be a brand-new colony world,â⬠she said. ââ¬Å"They're the ones most at risk for attack, because they have the fewest people and the least amount of defense from the CDF. You know that as well as anyone.â⬠I blinked, actually surprised. I did know it as well as anyone. When I was very young ââ¬â before I was adopted by Jane and John ââ¬â the planet I lived on (or above, since I was on a space station) was attacked. Omagh. Jane almost never brought it up, because she knew what it did to me to think about it. ââ¬Å"You think that's what's going to happen here?â⬠I asked. Jane must have sensed what was going on in my head. ââ¬Å"No, I don't,â⬠she said. ââ¬Å"This is an unusual colony. It's a test colony in some ways. There will be political pressure for this colony to succeed. That means more and better defenses, among other things. I think we'll be better defended than most colonies starting out.â⬠ââ¬Å"That's good to know,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"But an attack could still happen,â⬠Jane said. ââ¬Å"John and I fought together at Coral. It was one of the first planets humans settled, and it was still attacked. No colony is totally safe. There are other dangers, too. Colonies can get wiped out by local viruses or predators. Bad weather can kill crops. The colonists themselves could be unprepared. Colonizing ââ¬â real colonizing, not what we're doing here on Huckleberry ââ¬â is hard, constant work. Some of the colonists could fail at it and take the rest of the colony with them. There could be bad leaders making bad decisions.â⬠ââ¬Å"I don't think we'd have to worry about that last one,â⬠I said. I was trying to lighten the mood. Jane didn't take the bait. ââ¬Å"I'm telling you this isn't without risk,â⬠she said. ââ¬Å"It's there. A lot of it. And if we do this, we go in with our eyes open to that risk.â⬠This was Mom all over. Her sense of humor wasn't as deprived as Hickory's and Dickory's ââ¬â I can actually make her laugh. But it doesn't stop her from being one of the most serious people I've ever met in my life. When she wants to get your attention about something she thinks is important, she's going to get it. It's a good quality to have, but right at the moment it was making me seriously uncomfortable. That was her plan, no doubt. ââ¬Å"Mom, I know,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"I know it has risks. I know that a lot of things could go wrong. I know it wouldn't be easy.â⬠I waited. ââ¬Å"But,â⬠Jane said, giving me the prompt she knew I was waiting for. ââ¬Å"But if you and Dad were leading it, I think it'd be worth the risk,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"Because I trust you. You wouldn't take the job if you didn't think you could handle it. And I know you wouldn't put me at risk unnecessarily. If you two decided to do it, I would want to go. I would definitely want to go.â⬠I was suddenly aware that while I was speaking, my hand had drifted to my chest, and was lightly touching the small pendant there: a jade elephant, given to me by Jane. I moved my hand from it, a little embarrassed. ââ¬Å"And no matter what, starting a new colony wouldn't be boring,â⬠I said, to finish up, a little lamely. Mom smiled, unplugged the sink and dried her hands. Then she took a step over to me and kissed the top of my head; I was short enough, and she was tall enough, that it was a natural thing for her. ââ¬Å"I'll let your dad stew on it for a few more hours,â⬠she said. ââ¬Å"And then I'll let him know where we stand.â⬠ââ¬Å"Thanks, Mom,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"And sorry about dinner,â⬠she said. ââ¬Å"Your dad gets wrapped up in himself sometimes, and I get wrapped up in noticing he's wrapped up in himself.â⬠ââ¬Å"I know,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"You should just smack him and tell him to snap out of it.â⬠ââ¬Å"I'll put that on the list for future reference,â⬠Jane said. She gave me another quick peck and then stepped away. ââ¬Å"Now go do your homework. We haven't left the planet yet.â⬠She walked out of the kitchen.
Friday, September 13, 2019
A need for offender Programs and Treatments before Release Research Proposal
A need for offender Programs and Treatments before Release - Research Proposal Example In fact, it is apparent that one of the major fueling factors to such incidences is the lack of self esteem, which is worsened by continued psychological torture. Studies have documented that such people can be helped by a way of instilling some appropriate programs that can mentor them. If this is done, Alabama Department of Corrections would benefit from advantages accrued to the use of these programs in terms of helping the offenders correct their behaviors. This has the end results of reducing prison overcrowding. In essence, this is true because once an offender is subjected into these programs; he/she is able to start a new life free from crimes. Although the criminal justice system helps the community by arresting and incarcerating criminals, it is apparent that there are many criminals walking freely in the streets. Some of these criminals are associates of incarcerated persons (May, 2008). In this regard, if the incarcerated persons are reformed through offender programs and prelease programs, they can influence their uncaught counterparts in changing their behaviors. Therefore, this goes a long way in enhancing security and sanity in the community. It is also apparent that once these measures have been taken by Alabama Department of Corrections, other correctional centers will emulate steps taken by Alabama Department of Corrections in order to advance their services too. In fact, this translates to savings by government. For example, it is evident that correctional facilities consume a lot of Dollars annually in the bid to reform offenders. In light with this, the government can save the money used to reform offenders since the number of cases of recidivism will be reduced by the introduction of offender programs and preleases treatment. Furthermore, studies have also suggested that states with high levels of crimes experience low economic growth. Therefore, the findings of this research will help to develop a framework that can elucidate the use of offender programs and prelease treatment, which in turn will be of great help to the economic development of Alabama State. The budget With these facts tabled, it is apparent that this research is indispensable. However, there are some requirements for the research to take place. One of them is the ability by the researcher o gather comprehensive data both from literatures and fast hand information, which is intended to be obtained from offenders, former incarcerated persons, and officers from Alabama Department of Corrections. For this to happen, the research would require enough time and resources to carryout the research. The first ingredient of the budget involves project/research planning. It is vital to carefully plan on such an important project. This will involve outlining the project and making all necessary consultations from relevant authorities. The first group of people to consult/confirm their participation in the study is the offenders and ex-offenders. In order to ac hieve this, phone call, and several visits will be required. This translates to spending money in terms of fares and airtime to use on calls and other resources. It is also important to visit several libraries in order to gather some information on theories that articulate on crime and behavior. This means that the research will
Thursday, September 12, 2019
Argument on Gay Marriage Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Argument on Gay Marriage - Research Paper Example Same ââ¬â sex marriages have good aspects and bad aspects depending on which paradigm it is being assessed in to. The way I shall approach this paradigms are dependent on the current political discourse and on the social order of things. In the current political discourse, the Republicans are the ones who are strongly in opposition with the legalization of same ââ¬â sex marriages; with the exception of Fred Karger. Fred Karger is an openly gay person who is vying for the presidential seat (Harris). He is the only in the whole nomination list of the Republicans who is in support of same ââ¬â sex marriages, which is totally in contrast with his fellow Republican who are aspirants for the candidacy (2012 Republican Candidates). What makes him apart from the other nominees aside from being a supporter and part of the LGBT community? The answer is plain and simple. Each of them has separate standards. In most cases, the paradigms of the other potential bearers are mostly guide d by religious conventions. Assessing the paradigms, there are several contentions that must be engaged carefully. Political activity is considered to be free of any detrimental conditions. If there is a principle of separation of church and state in a democratic society like the United States, then there is a need to fully implement this matter. In a civil society, there is a need to secure the rights of the people because choices are part of it. Should anyone be deprived of their choice because of sexual orientation? Definitely, it should not be. Discrimination is seriously dealt with by constitutions where people should not be discriminated because of the choices made (Johnson and Kuttner 183). In this case, it can be considered that sexual orientation is also a preference that should be discriminated. Individuals have the freedom to decide what they want to do with their lives and the government must secure all the possible means to ensure that these liberties are protected. Rel igion, in most instances, has provided a fundamentalist approach when it comes sexuality due to institutionalized ethics it propagated (Johnson and Kuttner 180). This is where most of the contentions about sexuality and gender comes in. Does the religion have the right to forbade people who want to pursue their ideal as part of LGBT community? No. In order to fully understand this matter, there is a need to point out that marriages have certain types: the religious and the civil marriage. In religious marriage, sex and sexuality are means for procreation. In civil marriages, there is a need to include the freedom to choose partners. Marriage, in a strict sense, is a basic civil right (Johnson and Kuttner 186). People who are religious may opt to have a civil marriage, a religious marriage or both. All of them still boil down to the choice of those who wants to get married. Now, do LGBT couples would opt to have a religious marriage? Most likely, they would not. They would prefer to have a civil marriage where there is no religious intervention. The very act of the conservative and religious orders in preventing same ââ¬â sex marriage is already an imposition. The predicament is plain and simple. LGBT marriages face double standards which can be quite problematic due to interference. In my opinion, I would even be sensitive to the LGBT couples attitudes and
Wednesday, September 11, 2019
How Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs (1992) influenced by the French Essay
How Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs (1992) influenced by the French New Wave - Essay Example In the film, Tarantino cuts some scenes and moves to other scenes in a manner that the audience is able to note that some scenes are not there. The Reservoir Dogs has a non-linear narration just like the French New Wave films. This is evident where Tarantino introduces the past life of some characters and then comes back to the present. The Reservoir Dogs film also makes references to films produced earlier including Get Christie Love and The Lost Boys films. The referencing of films produced earlier, in a film was a common characteristic of the French New Wave films (Conard, 2008, p.108). In terms of the formal elements of the film, the film employed the on-location shooting concept. Tarantino shoots about a quarter of an hour in one particular location and entry of new character in the scene happens without cutting of the shot. According to Neupert (2007, p.39) the French New Wave films were produced on a low-budget and location of shooting was not costly. The use of handheld cameras which was also a popular concept during the French New Wave can also be seen in the Tarantinoââ¬â¢s
Tuesday, September 10, 2019
What is Technology, Green Architecture and Green Electricity Essay - 1
What is Technology, Green Architecture and Green Electricity - Essay Example The whole is undoubtedly a vital components for organization as it upholds security, embeds flexibility and allows corporations to implement a modern IT system. The problem that majority companies faced with the traditional IT infrastructure consists of several problems. One of the critical problems is the fact that it takes high energy costs. In addition, the traditional mainframe networks take too much space. Furthermore, the heat that is generated through these servers must be cooled. In fact, recent studies have found that organizations achieved on average an 18% reduction in their budget from green computing and a 16% reduction in data costs. Hence, green technology should be embraced by organizations because it is cost-effective, flexible, and provides safe process of security protocols. As society progressed to 21st century, the criteria of defining and creating a feasible IT infrastructure continue to be a huge focal point for many companies. As mentioned above, many servers tend to create a huge problem with the traditional IT infrastructure. The problem with this idea is the fact that 90% of the time servers are not fully utilized. In order to combat this huge problem, the IT department attempts to install more applications. However, that is only a ââ¬Å"band-aidâ⬠approach to a long-term problem. The result often times is the fact that that this solution is ineffective and unreliable. As the accumulation of factors such as: high energy costs, space issues, and generating heat become a huge issue, companies must seek a new and better solution that is available. Hence, Green technology is a cost-effective solution because it is a revolutionary. Green architecture is highly crucial in 21st century because it allows architectures to create solid foundation of building at a micro level. The concept of nanotechnology has became a crucial aspect for creating architecture since it is a
Women's Liberation Movement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words
Women's Liberation Movement - Essay Example The women were forced; especially the American women used all the possible means to liberate themselves during the time. They needed to stand on the political throne, vote and receive votes just as the men and that Collins compared with the 2008 parliament. American women also got tired with the house slavery, as their chore was to rear children and keep houses while men get to work. The women also had the urge to work and earn income just like the men. In addition, economic situation in the 1960s offered them a lot for them in the job market. Life was not easy for women as men censored most of the things they did while no one, not even the legal system was on their side to defend their plights. The women had no option, but to receive a just amicable way of pleading for their rights. However; the government was adamant, Washington never took the time to address their plight thus they were forced to come up with more aggressive moves. At this time, the American women find it hard to l ive without controlling their dressing mode as this was governed and evaluated by the society. The women could not make their independent choices on their leisure activities, as travels, as well as they were not accepted in some modest places due to gender imbalances. They felt closed and enslaved that they opted for liberation measure. As Collins takes the comparison to todayââ¬â¢s American woman has made a number of great steps, although all their expectation as equity is concerned have not been achieved. Thesis Statement Though, women are often despised, they have made a lot of progress and constantly struggled to liberate themselves from economic, political and social discrimination. Introduction Women liberation movements have immensely succeeded in many spheres of women life. Collins has produced a book, which significantly describes the effect of gender and societal perception on it. She gives a detailed account after account of women from 1950s to 2008 to draw the distinc tion of the position of a woman in the different societies over the time. She writes this based on researches and data from different times. She uses real people to show the reality of women situation across the times. Collins puts side-by-side comparison of the American woman before and after her fights for liberation. He depicts an enslaved 1950s woman and measures their achievement against those like Hilary Clinton. The books shows that woman liberation, although has been tough, has seen woman freer and more protected by her rights and economically. Social Organizations When women started to realize that they could preform equally like men, they started voicing their grievances, but Washington was so reluctant to help them, thus the women sought alternative measures. Although, the women got some support from some men, most of their queries were addressed by themselves. The period of history that Collins writes about is regarded as the time when life was much less enjoyable to the women, also referred what the women on ââ¬ËMad Menââ¬â¢ know1. The book gives accounts of women from politicians to homemakers, underwent suffering due to their feminine nature. The societal values and cultural system gave the women the lowest state in the society. Collins accounts for the effects of the battles these women fought to achieve acceptability in the society. The book gives early lives of women like Phyllis Schlafly, who worked hard trying to convince her sisters about their
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