...Paul Bohan Section 30 Essay 3 First Draft 3/18/2011 Free Nation Since the first amendment of the United States Constitution was written there has been controversy over the meaning of “ congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercises thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” Many people believe that the first amendment clearly states that there is a separation between the church and state, however that language is not included in the first amendment; rather Thomas Jefferson described the separation in a personal letter to church leaders in Connecticut where he states that the first amendment erects “ a wall of separation between church and state.” The main point of contention for people interpreting the portion of the first amendment dealing with religion is the difference between the conservative and liberal points of view. The conservative view point of the first amendment, as spoken by Ronald Reagan, is that “ to those who cite the first amendment for the reason for excluding god from more and more of our institutions and everyday life, may I just say; The first amendment of the constitution was not meant to protect people of this country from religious values; it was written to protect religious values from government tyranny.” The liberal perspective more closely mirrors...
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...Garrett Kelly Dr. Tushup 7/17/13 Nancy C. Andreasen is an expert on psychiatric disorders and most importantly an expert on schizophrenia. In earlier years the symptoms of schizophrenia were thought to be in a single brain region. However, with more experts and more studies taking place on schizophrenia we are finding out that there are many areas in the brain that are affected by schizophrenia. Based on empirical data derived from both magnetic resonance and positron emission tomography, we have developed a model that implicates connectivity among nodes located in prefrontal regions, the thalamic nuclei, and the cerebellum(Andreasen, 1998). If there is a disruption in this circuitry it will produce cognitive dysmetria, which will lead to difficulty in prioritizing, processing, coordinating and responding to information. The study of neural mechanisms of schizophrenia has passed through three phases during the past several decades. The first phase was used to demonstrate that schizophrenia was a brain disease. This phase was supported primarily through the use of neuro-imaging techniques such as computerized tomography, which consistently showed that patients had diffuse nonspecific abnormalities such as prominent sulci or ventricular enlargement(Andreasen 1982,1990). The second phase drew on traditions of neurology and neuropsychology, it attempted to localize the anatomic abnormalities and relate specific manifestations of the illness to specific brain regions (Andreasen...
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...Sojourners Newsletter] The Christian Paradox How a faithful nation gets Jesus wrong by Bill McKibben, Updated August 3, 2005 Posted on Wednesday, July 27, 2005. What it means to be Christian in America. An excerpt. Originally from August 2005 Harpers. Only 40 percent of Americans can name more than four of the Ten Commandments, and a scant half can cite any of the four authors of the Gospels. Twelve percent believe Joan of Arc was Noah's wife. This failure to recall the specifics of our Christian heritage may be further evidence of our nation's educational decline, but it probably doesn't matter all that much in spiritual or political terms. Here is a statistic that does matter: Three quarters of Americans believe the Bible teaches that "God helps those who help themselves." That is, three out of four Americans believe that this uber-American idea, a notion at the core of our current individualist politics and culture, which was in fact uttered by Ben Franklin, actually appears in Holy Scripture. The thing is, not only is Franklin's wisdom not biblical; it's counter-biblical. Few ideas could be further from the gospel message, with its radical summons to love of neighbor. On this essential matter, most Americans - most American Christians - are simply wrong, as if 75 percent of American scientists believed that Newton proved gravity causes apples to fly up. Asking Christians what Christ taught isn't a trick. When we say we are a Christian nation - and, overwhelmingly...
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..."The purpose of developing a Christian view of the world is not merely to evaluate and judge the world, but to change it," (Boa, 2004). Having a Christian worldview is hard enough in American but add in the entire world and it can be a little trickier. Thinking Christianly has a major impact on how someone would do business overseas, in a global economy. When it comes to a Christian worldview in a global economy there are numerous issues that can come up. Different countries and cultures have different things that they deem acceptable; however, when you are looking at it from a Christian standpoint you may have to handle things in a different manner. Just because something is acceptable or legal in the world does not make it acceptable to someone with a Christian worldview. John 17:17 says that, "The word is truth," so when one is looking for direction and guidance in any aspect of business he will always know that the word of God is truth that he can turn to. Although the field of business has many negative connotations with Christianity there are also positive ones. There are two main issues that this paper will address. The first issue, pollution, can be view negatively. The second issue, job opportunities, can be view positively. The first issue, Environmental issues play a key role in why some companies do business overseas. A lot of American based companies like to establish their productions in Mexico because of the lower environmental rules. Many third world countries...
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...ROOTS: Did you know that 52 of the 55 signers of The Declaration of Independence wereorthodox, deeply committed Christians? The other three all believed in the Bible as the divine truth, the God of scripture, and His personal intervention. It is the same congress that formed the American Bible Society. Immediately after creating the Declaration of Independence , the Continental Congress voted to purchase and import 20,000 copies of scripture for the people of this nation. Patrick Henry, who is called the firebrand of the American Revolution, is still remembered for his words, 'Give me liberty or give me death. But in current textbooks the context of these words is deleted. Here is what he said: “An appeal to arms and the God of hosts is all that is left us. But we shall not fight our battle alone. There is a just God that presides over the destinies of nations. The battle sir, is not of the strong alone. Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it almighty God. I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death.” These sentences have been erased from our textbooks. Was Patrick Henry a Christian? The following year, 1776, he wrote this 'It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religion, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For that reason alone, people of other faiths have been afforded...
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...contributions that we associate with Ancient Israel and New Testament Christianity that are present and “at work” in my experience and how these aspects of cultural tradition seem to have waned, dissipated, or even been intentionally forgotten. As this course played out, it made my mind go in an array of different directions in thinking. One thing that I noticed is just how much my culture is embedded in Christian culture. It goes from how Christian holidays dominate the American calendar. Our national motto, "In God We Trust," is inscribed on all our currency. Our president takes his oath of office with this hand on a Bible. And our Pledge of Allegiance declares that we are "one nation under God." And how our laws are based where you can’t steal, and can’t murder. These facts, and many more, contribute mightily to American culture. Around 78% of Americans are Christian however the remaining 22% of non Christians are still influenced by a Christian culture. Lets talk about the Justice System that America has. The criminal and justice system of America employs a Judeo-Christian requirement of having witnesses testify and in British and American jurisprudence; witnesses are part of “due process of law. The Bible stays, “One witness is not enough to convict a man accused of any crime or offense he may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.” (Deuteronomy 19:15) When witnesses go up to the stand to testify, what do the plaintiffs ask...
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...read and study the bible and its ways, and the bible is considered to be the Christian scriptures. Since Jefferson devoted so much of his time and spent most of it reading and learning the bible many people believed he was a Christian by how serious he started to connect and believe that the bible was one of the greatest writings he had ever read. But once he became familiar he realized that the people who were teaching the words of god from the bible to other people...
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...Likewise, William of Tyre described Muslims from his own point of view. Comparing both source helped in understanding the relationship between Muslims and Christians during the holy wars. However, each source was not sufficient to understand the Muslims’ and the Christians’ identities because each author deliberately omitted information. Ibn Munqidh’s goal was to offer a Christian stereotype to his Muslim readers. Similarly, William of Tyre created a Muslim stereotype in the minds of his Christian readers. William of Tyre and Ibn Munqidh are among hundreds of scholars who were judging nations based on religion during the holy wars. These scholars claimed that they were defending their faith. However, they should have defended their religions by explaining the religion’s ideologies and teachings not by criticizing other religions. During the holy wars, Muslims and Christians claimed to protect their own religions by condemning each other. However, each party was destroying the peace among the people, which is prohibited by both religions. It is important to realize that the memory of the crusaders continued to influence the relationship between Muslims and Christians. The stereotypes created for Muslims and Christians during the crusaders continued to exist today in the minds of many people and nations. Today, Many Muslims still see themselves as superiors thinking of...
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...7. In your opinion can a practising Christian/theist support war as being just? Explain your answer. The just war theory is a essentially a Christian philosophy which attempts to get Christians to accept roughly three main concepts firstly that any death of any person is completely wrong, secondly states have a duty to defend their citizens, and thirdly to defend justice by protecting innocent human life and defending important moral values which sometimes requires the will to use force and violence to stop any breach of the above. Normally states use the theory of a ‘just war’ before entering a conflict however individual Christians use it to decide whether it is morally right or wrong to get involved or support such a conflict. The Bible states that if violence is used as an act of defence from an attacker then war can sometimes be justified Numbers 31:1-3 ‘The LORD said to Moses, "Take vengeance on the Midianites for the Israelites. After that, you will be gathered to your people." So Moses said to the people, "Arm some of your men to go to war against the Midianites and to carry out the LORD's vengeance on them.’ In addition there is no actual commandment against killing, against murder yes Commandment 6 so one could argue there is perhaps more evidence supporting war as being just. In the old days of knights and Holy wars the pope would order a Holy crusade in order to retake religious places Nations such as France, England, Germany and Spain would put aside their differences...
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...requirements for the completion of the course GLST 500-B10 LUO Global Studies Survey by José C. Caballero March 6, 2015 Abstract God has a plan to reconcile His relationship with man after sin entered the world. This plan revolves around making His name known throughout all tribes and nations. From the Old Testament to the New Testament, the Bible presents God’s missionary purpose for humanity. For this reason, Christians involved in missions will travel to dangerous places to proclaim God’s name and saving power. According to the People Groups website, since the year 2014, there are a total of 11,168 people groups in the world and 6,544 are unreached people groups. All unreached people groups are in dire need of the Gospel and it is God’s intention to have His people reach them. One unreached people group who are in desperate need for God is the Koreans in North Korea. With a population of 25,360,100 and a communist government that regulates all aspects of freedom, including religion, for its people, explains why North Koreans are approximately one percent evangelized. North Korea is ranked as the number one country where Christians are most persecuted for their belief. God remains faithful to His intent on reaching all peoples and Koreans are not the exception. In order to bring the Gospel to them, much planning, preparation, and training must take place before taking such a dangerous journey. It is the intention of this paper to devise...
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...The Massachusetts Bay Company set sail to the New World in hope of reforming the Church of European nation. whereas crossing the Atlantic, John Winthrop, the puritan leader of the good migration, delivered maybe the foremost renowned sermon aboard the Arbela, entitled “A Model of Christian Charity.” The Puritan’s goal to urge eliminate the offensive options that Catholicism left behind once the Protestant Reformation came about. below Puritanism, there was a relentless strain to devote your life to God and your neighbors. not like the recent European nation, they needed to prove that geographical area was a community of affection and individual worship to God. There they created a covenant with God and would live their lives up to the covenant....
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...distinct groups: the Functioning Core and the Non-Integrating Gap. The Functioning Core is composed of those nation-states that are connected through communication networks, agreements and associations, financial transactions, and security. He states that these nations are successful and stable because they are actively participating in an international environment with common rules and regulations that are convenient to the group and have common interests related to their economics and political goals The other point of view that the author describes is another group known as the Non-Integrating Gap (“Gap”) nations. The author finds that those nations that are not participating in globalization or participating in the international environment and are disconnected from the global community appeared to deal with oppressive political regimes, never-ending poverty and diseases, corruption, and are more susceptive to sponsor terrorism. Another point that the author discusses is the fact that the United States must address the security hazard and small conflicts of those “Gap” nations currently posse to our nation and the members of the Functioning Core Nations. In other word the nations that belong to “the core” must promote those rogue nations “the Gap” to participate in the international arena in an effort to minimize the differences between the groups of nations and become active participants of international accords and security. second part of Barnett’s thesis is that...
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...Introduction The Christian walk is fairly new to me. A series of events have led to my conviction in Christ and conversion in believing that God is absolutely graceful and loving in his promised to His People. Where I find myself today, in the midst of bible believing Christians, is the direct result of the church’s ability to influence society socially. Because of the evangelical works of the Evangelist, the love and knowledge of God were brought to my attention on several occasions, in various places at various times. It was those moments of evangelism by preachers and pastors and member of the church society that influenced me to seek God’s face and His purpose for my life. Many people are on the verge of rendering their souls to the devil, if their souls have not already been surrendered to the evil one. For this reason mainly, I think the lack of understanding of how manipulative the devil and his children actually are should encouraged God’s people at all cost , even to death, to continue to evangelize and bring society in direct contact with God. The church and evangelism The great commission commended by Jesus instructs us to go into the world and make disciples of all nations and baptize those nations in the name of the spirit, the father and the son (Matthew 28:19-20). I always wonder about the practical aspect of those commands. How can a Christian go into many nations? Not every persons desire to be converted, nor are every person a Christian. All nations will certainly...
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...When your nation calls upon you will you answer? Patriotism: the devotion to one’s nation and concern for its well-being. This trait is often not recognized or is completely forgotten about. In the article, “Veterans Day: Never Forget Their Duty” by John Sidney McCain (III), he depicts the emotional story of brave men who, when even in the “belly of the beast” maintain their composure and their patriotism. We must recapture this characteristic and sustain it for it is a meaningful aspect to a nation. John McCain takes us through his experiences while in the military and his feelings towards the thought of patriotism. Senator McCain himself is an American patriot for his service to our nation humorously illustrated by, “I spent five years...
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...Throughout history, this topic has generated much of controversy. Ancient history is full of examples of the state or governing authorities interfering with religion. There were rulers or kings that assumed various “priestly” titles, like the “temporal” titles that their offices command. An example of such state-church mixing and melding, led to the execution of Socrates, for his disrespect for the gods( in Biblical times, like kings of Israel were anointed by Priests, as a sign of God’s approval. This is why separation of church and state is bad for America. For centuries, Monarchs ruled by the idea of divine right. This later metamorphosed into monarchs ruling over church’s administration in a way. There was this catholic doctrine that the Pope, as Vicar of Christ on earth, should have authority over the church on earth and indirectly over the state. This led to claims in the middle ages that the pope has authority to depose Catholic kings and they did try to exercise this authority. Thus in the medieval times in western world, monarch who ruled in secular world tend to encroach on the church’s rule of the spiritual sphere. This led to power struggles and crises. In the 1530s, Henry VIII, rejected the annulment of his marriage with Catherine of Aragon by the Pope. He consequently, formed the Church of England (Anglican Church) and set himself as the ruler of the new church, thus ending the separation that had existed between the church and the state...
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