...Silence is a brings forth a controversial topic discussing whether it is a mechanism for control or a vehicle for liberation. Throughout the novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston, supports both arguments with a myriad of examples. An unknown voice narrates Janie's story, which has many dominating influences that are able to use the power of speech to take control. Consequently, Janie remains reserved for most of the novel, and she pays the price for her silent consent. When Janie was vocal with her opinions, she was able to determine her own future. Speech is the most influential tool to determine power, and Janie was able to liberate herself of her misery when she was vocal, yet her silence was taken advantage of, so she was a pawn in her own life. Upon being given orders to move a manure pile, Janie had come to the end of her patience with her marriage to Logan Killicks....
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...Liberation and Empowered through a song If one could picture life as a species, most likely the masses would label life as being human. Furthermore, they would have said it's an individual with multiple personality, schizophrenia. In my own views and thoughts I forge the word “multipolar” to describe life. Sense that's the case, then most of the times I feel like one should never fought life alone, but instead used certain things to help empower their self against life obstacle. Me, as one of those people, the weapon I used for my empowerment and liberation against this sometimes foe of humankind called life is the song Beggin by Madcon. To start it off, let me explain in a little this empowering and liberating song called 'Beggin”. Beggin sound like a mixer of jazz, r&b and hip-hop in my listening view in instrumental guessing. The song originally was produce by Peggy Farina and Bod Gaudio. In 2007 the same year as the French DJ Pilooski remix of the song was out, an hip-hop Norwegian group called Madcon came out with there own version. Their version of the song feature two gentlemen; one is providing an R&B rhythm sound to the song, while the other gentleman is doing his part in a raping style interpretation. Although the duet sounded different then the original version. In my view, the Madcon version was and is the better version of tall of the versions of that song. As the reader, you're probably asking how does this empowered and liberate Louis. Well...
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...Sarah Montalvo Latin American Liberation Theology 10/8/13 Initially when I read both parables The Camel-saying and The Last Will Be First I interpreted the text (out of context ) thinking to myself that the Bible was speaking of social reversals once in heaven. The verse goes "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God" (Mk. 10-25). Before analyzing the euphemism behind the "eye of a needle", I misinterpreted the symbolism and understood the verse as if it was intentionally saying the rich are not allowed into the kingdom of heaven. Important facts about the verse that are not mentioned straight in the Bible are that the "eye of the needle" is a gate way in Jerusalem where travelers would have to walk through. In order for people to go through the "eye of the needle" with all their baggage, they would have to get rid of or take off their baggage to be able to walk through. Even now that the verse makes more sense, it is confusing to some why God would ask us to get rid of our wealth/belongings. The verse as a whole was originally not intended directly to the rich (as I later found out), but rather everyone who is too concerned with power. That could be anything from their ego, their wealth, or anything holding them back from living a life for Christ and not for this world. So the parable is showing that in order to be set apart from this world it is necessary for Christians (people who want to follow...
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...Assess the view that religion was once mainly a conservative influence but today is more a force for social change (30 marks) In the past religions role as a conservative force was portrayed by the monarchy, ruling the divine rights in medieval Europe, and the Egyptian pharaohs were considered as almost God-like figures and so no one questioned their authority. Feminists and Marxists both agree that religion is a conditioning device that oppresses people, diluting the demand for social change to protect the interests of the men and the ruling class. This is partially supported by the Functionalist approach, Durkheim expressed the belief that religion provides social cement, reinforcing traditional beliefs chosen by religious moral code; such as the 10 commandments for Christianity, for the good of society. However there are numerous examples of ways where religion has acted as a force of change, such as the war in Palestine, the wars in former Yugoslavia and in a positive way, the actions of religious leaders, such as Ghandi and Martin Luther King. In today’s society religion has acted as both a conservative force and a force of social change, as shown by ‘Islamic Fundamentalists’ in Iran and Afghanistan, and Christian fundamentalism reintroducing the teachings of creationism in the US. Religion is also seen to be a conservative force because it functions to preserve things as they are, it stabilises society and maintains status quo. Most religions have conservative moral...
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...Why did the Women’s Liberation Movement Emerge in the late 1960’s? Discuss with reference to Britain and the United States of America. In a decade where the whole world was experiencing revolutions due to social discontent, this increased the desire, of women, in the late 1960’s to ‘confront existing structures of oppression,’ giving the impetus for the emergence of the Women’s Liberation Movement. Caine argues the emergence of the movement bought a ‘new tone,’ when discussing women’s oppression. Rather than focusing directly on women’s suffrage, this was a political movement demanding ‘rapid and radical change,’ in an ever increasing ambience of liberalisation. Upon inception, it is vital to highlight one can account different reasons for the emergence of the movement in Britain and America, as different domestic situations led to different reasons for the emergence of a more radical form of feminism. This essay, together with a multiplicity of historians, will consider the importance of World War II and the Civil Rights Movement, and the impact they had on the emergence of the Women’s Liberation Movement. Linked to this is the ever apparent discrimination women faced and increasing desires to change this, coupled with developments of new opportunities, demonstrated by the aforementioned world events. Additionally, the impact of literature such as Betty Friedan’s, The Feminine Mystique, needs to be considered. Whilst all the factors play an important role in contributing...
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...The Social Events of the 1950's, 60's, 70's, 80's, and 90s Introduction Over the past 50 years, there have been many changes within the social movement in the United States. Some of these changes have been for the better and some not so great. These changes were made with the hopes and dreams of making life better for all cultures, species, families, and environment. Now the question is, how did these change come about, and what were these changes about? Social Life of the 1950's In the early 1950's was a new beginning for the United States. With the end of the Great Depression and World War II, people felt that they could start living, and have things they thought they would never have, like a home, cars, a wife or husband, and children. With the new beginning, families started moving from large city life to the suburbs, for the reason that life in the suburbs was considerable less hectic and peaceful than what city life was like. Due to the Great Depression, many men and women put off getting married or starting families for the reason of lack of money or homes, and with the War, many were afraid they might not come home. However, with the new feeling of security and peace couples were able start the family they always wanted and so began the Baby Boom years. People moving to the suburbs triggered...
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...Frank Van Der Veken Midterm Exam On this popular television show, the host announces comments that are very arguable. He states that bishops, priests, and nuns have no business talking about justice and that the, along with activists and theologians are turning the church into something like the Communist Party. The host does not agree with any relationship between faith and justice. He contends that faith is about trusting in God and God’s mercy and does not require promoting justice. Also, he insists that justice is a socialist idea, not a Christian one. Overall, making a bold observation that faith has nothing to do with justice. Although, this host has strong opinions, he needs consider more factors before making such bold points. Everyone has their own opinion and not all Christians understand faith in the same manner. According to one of Avery Dulles’s writings, The Assurance of Things Hoped For, faith has multiple understandings throughout both Testaments of the Bible. Faith can be defined as an acceptance of God’s promises and demands. “In the Old Testament faith is depicted as the appropriate response to God’s faithfulness to his covenant promises” (Dulles 17). Overall, faith is tested by obedience and fidelity. In the New Testament, it refers to faith as Pistic which is a Greek word that means faith and further, a truth in God. Moreover, faith means personal trust in Jesus as the bearer of the kingdom (Dulles 17). According to Dulles, faith can...
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...Aurélien de Villiers de La Noue The Negotiation between Dietrich von Choltitz and Raoul Nordling: Can One Man really change the course of History? The negotiation between the German general Dietrich von Choltitz and the Swedish consul Raoul Nordling concerning the destruction of Paris is highly controversial and no Historian come to a consensus. Movies Paris brûle-t-il? by René Clément and Diplomacy by Volker Schlöndorff rekindled discussion about this quite mysterious negotiation between these two men. How did they manage to reach an agreement? What were the terms of the deal? Was there even a negotiation? This topic caught my attention for it changed the course of History. Had the German burnt Paris, the French would never have forgotten it and the European Union would not have emerged six years after those events (the CECA was created in 1951). I am deeply pro-European and found of History. As a result it amuses me to the how fragile basis of the Union were. I also like to think that one man, no matter the context and the lack of leverage –we are talking of one man trying to talk a German general out of following Hitler’s orders- can have so much impact on thanks to his words only. To me, one of the key factors in the negotiation is time. Here, it is said that Nordling had but one night to settle this issue. Past, present and future are indeed vital with one another as the past experiences, the standards of legitimacy, the previous relationships determine the ...
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...It is widely agreed among historians that the Gay Liberation Movement was only slightly successfully in obtaining social equality, and almost entirely unsuccessful in obtaining political equality for the 1970’s and 1980’s. These advancements came almost entirely from the style of protest that was adopted during the time period by gay activist, and it's resonation with the American people. Following the Stonewall Riots of 1969, the Gay Liberation Movement adopted the style of protesting that had become popular during towards the end of World War II in GermanyThese ideas were popularized by Oscar Wilde, who had discovered them from a pamphlet titled The Early Homosexual Rights Movements. These new forms of revolution were based around peaceful...
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...Introduction According to Enns (2008), liberation theology attempts to infer the holy writ through the plight of the poor. This movement originated from South America in the early 1950s when Marxism was the most popular theory among the poor. It was a response to the ill-treatment and poverty facing the ordinary people. It dealt with the issue of distribution of wealth among people in order to upgrade the economic status in life. This movement had strong Romanian Catholic roots bolstered in Colombia in 1968 at a conference where, the bishops proposed a merger between the Karl Marx teachings with those of Jesus Christ. Liberation theology support was immense but various critiques across the religious framework (Novak, 1991). This movement arose in catholic and protestant churches and it has three main expressions as discussed herein. Black Liberation Theology Black liberation theology strongly focuses on the African American community. This theory got formulated in 1969 by the Nation Committee of Black Church men as a civil rights movement. The key goal is to make Christianity real for the black people. The offshoot of this movement was in South America during the liberation of African American people from all kinds of injustices and bondage especially in the social, political and economical focus. Coined by James Cone in 1970, the movement focused on promoting communism and Marxism by incorporating religious interpretation. This theory focused on issues relating to deliverance...
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...the crowns of Portugal and Spain, because of their maltreatment to the indigenous people of the New World. In this day and age, the poor still go through a systemic way of oppression; in which the poor stay being the poor and they receive no help from the government and the concept of imperialism is continuously suffocating the poor. Until the archbishops of Latin America got together to discuss what should be their primary focus; out of that meeting the idea that the archbishops of Latin America should direct their energy to the poor was formed. That idea soon evolved into an ideology that came to be called, Liberation Theology. Gustavo Gutiérrez, whom admired the work that Bartolome De Las Casas had done with the Indigenous people of the New World, first composed this ideology; this ideology will become a pivotal tool for mobilizing the poor. The concept of Liberation Theology is meant to socially mobilize the poor, becoming that hope that the people need in order to fight and regain their sovereignty. Using the Latin American Countries, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Panama, one can see how...
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...There have been numerous social movements that affected specific gender groups in society and transformed the world they live in. Well-known women’s movements have existed throughout the century, one of the best known movements of current times was the movement led by a feminist group called the suffragettes; the Suffragettes fought for equal rights for women they fought for their right to vote and an equal right to work, the basic equal right that many young women in society take for granted. During the civil rights movements in the 1960s and 1970s women’s right movements rose once again when women entered the workplace in masses and the controversial introduction of abortion and the pill changed the face of the world women lived in. Women are not alone in their battles for equality, the gay rights movement that started in California in the 1950s and finally made large ground in the late 1960s with the riots at the iconic stonewall inn changed the way minority gender groups lived in society. The Suffragettes was a was a women’s movement group in search of equal right for women, in particular women’s rights to work, much like their male counterparts and be able to cast their vote. It took over 70 years for the movement to gain the right for the ability for women to vote, it was in 1928 that all women could legally vote. During the time of war from the 1940s to 1950s the suffragettes fought for women’s rights to work and during this time when labor was needed in the masses to...
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...prominent activists have made immense strides in making those words a reality. Such individuals like James H. Cone and the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. James H. Cone, an advocate affectionately known for black liberation theology, a theology grounded in the experience of African Americans, and related to other Christian liberation theologies. James H. Cone approach provided a realistic snap shot of a new way to articulate the distinctiveness of theology in the Black Church. Frustrated and outraged at the White Church of playing a significant role in the oppression and racism of black people. Cone believed that the Black Church is a powerful force [in his life] and did not do enough in regard to racism among African Americans. Cone exploited scriptures, slave spirituals, blues, and other prominent African American thinkers such as David Walker, Henry McNeal Turner, and W.E.B. DuBois to help shape his theology. Malcolm X and the Black Power Movement and Dr. Martin Luther King also influenced his theology. Cone formulates a theology of liberation from within the context of the Black experience of oppression, interpreting the central kernel of the Gospels as Jesus' identification with the poor, oppressed, and the resurrection as the ultimate act of liberation. This theology cited as attempts to understand the meaning of faith, the meaning of God, in a world that is broken. Cone devoted his professional life to the study of religion from an African perspective. This groundbreaking...
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...I stand in defense of Gustavo Gutierrez who has been judged against the orthodoxy of his theology in light of the documents “Instruction on Certain Aspects of the ‘Theology of Liberation’” and “Libertatis Conscientia.” It is important to understand that although these documents by cardinal Ratzinger raise various eyebrows towards some of the practices of modern liberation theology, these are in no way a condemnation of liberation theology, or of Gutierrez’ theology for that matter. The issues however that each of these documents discuss are the following; the tendency to act towards Marxist actions, the lack of prioritization of the ultimate purpose of liberation, the tendency to call about violence for change, and the failure to address the new forms of oppression that are created. Throughout his various books, Gustavo Gutierrez addresses these issues and leaves no way for misinterpretation against the orthodoxy of his theology; in reality, his teachings are deeply rooted in Christian doctrine, however they are misinterpreted if not analyzed thoroughly. One of the biggest issues that is compared to Gutierrez’s teachings is the idea that he promotes a Marxist and communist approach/analysis to life. What this implies is that we get rid of the class struggles that exist and that everyone work together through a single class (the working class). Specifically, the idea that we must act (praxis) in order to liberate others around us is one that stems from a similar idea of action...
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...The creative and critical thinking involves the contributions of both the known and unknown thinkers. There are numerous contributors in various fields such as technology, philosophy, theology, mythology, science and art. The focus of this paper is on two creative thinkers in the fields of theology and art, James Hal Cane and Ai Weiwei. Both of them have made tremendous contributions to their specialized fields and have sort solutions to various problems in they identified. This paper covers their ideas/contributions, journey of creativity and how they impacted their fields of specialization. James Hal Cone is a theologian famously known for advocating for Black liberation theology. This kind of theology relates to the experience of African Americans, Black culture and history. It was to put Christianity in a context that would help African American people overcome oppression. He sought to deal with questions raised by African Americans in relation to the bible. He has also written a number of books including; Black Theology and Black Power (1969), and For My People: Black Theology and The Black Church. Currently, Hal is the Charter Augustus Briggs Distinguished Professor of Systematic Theology at Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York. Ai Weiwei is a Chinese activist and contemporary artist. He is famous for his architectural projects, sculptural installations and his open criticism of the Chinese government. Ai also uses videos and photographs to express his art...
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