...Brian Richards X00007972 Reflection on Chapter 2 Indigenous Sacred Ways I chose to write my reflection on Chapter 2 because it was a very interesting Chapter. I was quite familiar with the basics in Chapter 1 and found this Chapter enlightening. From the very beginning of the chapter I was glued to the material. The part about the Sacred African drum was particularly gripping. To get what we in Western Society would call ‘Religion’ or a way of living an enlightened life from the beat of a drum is amazing. I also found the story of ‘The Theft of the Light’ very interesting. I was familiar with the idea of more than one religion having touched on the subject of a Virgin birth, as Christianity. There are many groups of religious followers who believe in the concept of the very same idea, but have a different name for the child. Many pre-date Christianity by thousands of years. The things that many religions take as sacred, we in the west view as strange. I respect everyone’s beliefs and also am along the group of people who believe that there are many paths to get to Heaven or a spiritual bliss similar to that. I believe there are many ways and that no particular belief is right or wrong. Different beliefs, may define what we call ourselves in a religious aspect, but in reality most people who claim to be a follower of a certain religion or group are much different. Most of the major monotheistic religions believe in the same prophets and ways of life, but differ on the divinity...
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...Practices in Religion Freddie Snell REL/133 November 10, 2014 Matthew Morrison Common Practices in Religion Many people across the world have various beliefs and practices that are important to them from a religious standpoint. Some people may identify with believing in only one god, which makes them monotheistic, while other individuals may believe in multiple gods, which makes them polytheistic. The concept of the history religion refers to the written record of human experiences and ideas, which spans back since the invention of writing (Insert citation). This paper will discuss the definition of religion, common practices and experiences across various world religions, as well as identify some critical issues to the academic study of religion. Definition of Religion According to Molloy (2013), religion is a way of life founded upon the apprehension of sacredness in existence. Over the years, people have consistently tried to define the word religion with notable tries. The problem that many scholars and individuals face with defining the word religion is that a certain definition may apply to religions of the past, and not be completely suitable for religion in the present or future. It appears that far too many definitions focus only on a few aspects of religion, and tend to exclude those religions that may not fit well. Because of this, defining the word religion can be fraught with great difficulty. Common Practices and Experiences across World Religions Indigenous...
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...The Reflections on Christianity in China article by Fried provides us with information about various religions in China and how they came to be as well as the conflicts that arose due to the success and failures of certain religions. Although the article mentions the history of religions in china, it also discussed how religion has always been a controversial topic in China due to government control. Fried points out how Christianity has been prevalent in China for many years, however, it faced many issues and has not exactly been successful due to the lack of Chinese custom and traditions. The article also covers Christian Persecution in China and how poorly Christians were treated due to the negative beliefs that superiors held on Christianity....
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...people permeates the Constitution. This idea was formed so that decisions would be made by the most qualified individuals, who would make the decision based on facts and principles rather than emotion (Constitution). This runs contrary to the idea of the Transcendentalists about decision making. The Transcendentalists placed more emphasis on the abstract of ideas and emotions when making decisions (Brodrick). Theses two ideas within the constitution, although not blatantly anti-transcendentalist, do serve as a...
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...standards as well as how it measures up against other standardized arguments” (Mosser, K., 2011.) Argument: Should prayer be allowed in school? For prayer in schools – * “As the First Amendment states, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." To prohibit school prayer is to prohibit the free exercise of one's religion. Thus, not only is eliminating prayer from public schools wrong, it is also unconstitutional. Moral and legal reasons demonstrate that prayer in public school should, therefore, be allowed” (Mosser, K.,2010). * There has never been any report that allowing prayer in school is physically or spiritually harmful to a child in any way. * Prayer teaches reflection and patience. * Therefore, it is our constitutional right to pray in schools and with prayer not being harmful it can actually teach a child reflection and patience which can help control behavior issues. Against prayer in schools – * People can tend to feel that with prayer religion is pushed upon them against their own beliefs and goes against their constitutional right. * There are too many different religions to have a specific religion class. * There are people who do not believe in a God at all. * Therefore, to place prayer in school would push religious prayer on someone who does not believe in the same thing or does not believe in a God at all is against their constitutional right as well...
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...Social doctrine of the church as a social instrument of the new evangelization Three terms are present in the title of this issue: two explicit (social doctrine of the church and new evangelization) and an implicit (evangelization). We can’t talk about the new evangelization without connecting it with the evangelization itself; the relationship between the church’s social doctrine and the new evangelization comes through the evangelization. The first thing it’s the evangelization, the most original, and that goes back to the origins of the church. The church’s social doctrine, born in the 19th century as an attempt to answer of faith to the great problems which occurred with modernity, as new ideologies that give the body and the political and socioeconomic systems derived from these. The new evangelization is a most recent proposal, from Juan Pablo II, that is intended to realize the meaning and scope of evangelization in the circumstances of our historical moment. Evangelization and mission as a framework The four evangelisms present us a resurrected Jesus who appeared to theirs and charges them a mission: to be witnesses in the villages. The conscience of this mission has been realized in a different way for each historical era. To illustrate the variety and to best understand what the evangelization today is, it will be useful to distinguish the four models of the evangelization. The evangelization of the first Christian times The Christians from the origins...
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...Reflection. The conversion of the sinner THEO 104-B04 Troy Temple September 16, 2013 Introduction Who is Jesus Christ and how does believing in him affect so many people. Many people will tell you that you must believe in God to save your soul for eternity. How do people truly know that God is real, and how was the Bible written over hundreds of years, how can people be so trusting in something he or she has never seen. So how is Christianity so different from the Wiccan religion? These are questions that I started to ask myself once I start this class. Both religions started out the same, giving people something to believe in. Doctrine of Christianity The book of Genesis states that in the beginning God created the heavens and earth. Then God said let there be light: and light was good (Genesis 1:3). It was the old testament of the Bible prophecies that causes mankind to believe in God and the Bible. Versus Prophesied all nations would be blessed through one special descendant or seed of Abraham. Jews and Gentiles alike are blessed when they accept Jesus a descendant of Abraham as their Savior (Matthew 1:1). The holy Bible contains 66 books and was written over a period of 1,600 years (Towns, 2007). Whereas the Bible is spread out all over the world, and in many different languages, but still holds true to the message. However, the Bible was written by mortal men that contained sin inherited from Adam just like everyone else. Therefore when...
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...Running Head: NOTES 1 LIBERTY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF EDUCATION FAITH, FREEDOM, AND PUBLIC SCHOOL NOTES Session 1 Notes Legally Supported Abington School District v. Schempp Many people think this is the case that the Bible had been thrown out of public schools, but it was really the type of Bible reading that had been thrown out of Schools. There was a PA law that said, “At least ten verses from the Holy Bible shall be read, without comment, at the opening of each public school on each school day. Any child shall be excused from such Bible reading, or attending such Bible reading, upon the written request of his parent or guardian.” Edward Schempp challenged this law saying that the state should not be making Bible reading mandatory. The Supreme Court favored Schempp and declared “this type” of Bible reading in the public schools to be unconstitutional. They did however say, “It certainly may be said that the Bible is worthy of study for its literary and historic qualities.” Florey v. Sioux Falls School District This federal case dealt with Religious Holidays. The Sioux Falls school policy read, “Music, art, literature, and drama having religious themes or basis are permitted as part of the curriculum for school sponsored activities and programs if presented in a prudent and objective manner and as a traditional part of the cultural and religious heritage of the particular holiday.” ...
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...contemporary Catholicism: review and reflection The University of the Incarnate Word April 11, 2014 Three strengths of contemporary Catholicism: review and reflection The Catholic religion, like with others, faces criticism and negative news to combat. As with many concepts, ideologies and theories, these often get the lashings first, before any good ideas are mentioned. The article written by Nussbaum reviews three strengths which the Catholic church has. These strengths are, more on levels of today’s world, which is a plus. Today's world seems to be changing more than ever before. Most of it falls within human rights, politics, and moral and ethic behavior, but the Church remains constant in their faith. The items discussed in the article have less to do with faith, and more to do with community. The first strength according to Nussbaum is their “openness to other religions”. The Catholic church does not criticize others for their views or beliefs. There are no notions of hatred or disrespect. The Catholic church, rather, is not there to convert others, but is now a presence to work with other religions. The second strength is the church's new openness to scientific research. Rather than dismissing ideas and science on our creation and evolution, the Catholic church has come to accept this. Items the church accepts according to Nussbaum are things like evolution, the creation of the universe and people, and new discoveries about our past. The final strength...
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...Reflection Essay DeVry Comparative Religion 448 Reflection Essay Religion has been viewed as one of the most controversial topics in society. There are many different religious groups worldwide with even more subcategories within each religion. I would consider myself to be a part of the Jewish faith, but I do not practice my religion. Therefore I interviewed my girlfriend who is a part of the Christian belief system. Although she doesn’t claim to be a devout Catholic who attends mass every Sunday, she respects and acknowledges the traditions of her religion and observes the many holidays. When belonging to a specific parish, it involves being an active member of the Catholic community. This entails attending mass on Sundays, as well as the holidays throughout the year. It also means partaking in activities, and donating money and services to a specific church. Often, a parish will have a school for children to grow academically as well as spiritually. My girlfriend growing up attended a private Catholic school from the age of 4-18. Throughout her fourteen years, she was actively involved in her parish, including receiving all of her sacraments. My girlfriend considered receiving the sacraments to be an emotional experience as well as a ritual. There are seven sacraments in the Catholic Church that are not mandatory, but considered to be necessary for salvation. Many Catholics do not receive all seven. This could directly be an example of some...
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...Reflection on Media Charles J Hutchins Rockies University: ORG 6499 Cultural Diversity & Individual Differences Dr. Susan Spero Monday September 3rd, 2012 Abstract Stereotyping is seen every day in America from the mother with eight children and no husband to the Jewish person who is a rapper. These stereotypes are a perception as to what people think of you and not what you think of yourself. Someone may never understand or even know the mother of eight stories but assume it deals with a bad ending. With the Jewish rapper no one will ever hear his lyrics because they will never get over his “Yamaka” he wears for religious belief (Bucher, 2010). Reflection on Media The perception to the way in which we receive and interpret information from any of our senses is the way we view others within society. The ability to perceive someone just because of their religion, lifestyle and or color is something many people try to cover up but sometimes the reality shows. Looking over the collage made about the Muslim religion there are some perceptions that could be used in a positive but also a negative way. The positive outcome of the collage consists of: The ability to have the courage to not only get an education in the United States but decide to get your education in a Catholic College. In the article “Muslims From Abroad Are Thriving in Catholic College” This young lady could have applied and attend any university she desired to enrolled at the University of Dayton...
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...Read chapter. 1 of Philosophy of Religion: Thinking About Faith, “What is Philosophy of Religion?” As you read, make sure you understand the following points and questions: Explain the distinctions between philosophy of religion and sociology, history, theology, and religious philosophy. philosophy of religion focus on the truth and reasonableness of religious beliefs. While the historian or sociologist may study religious beliefs, but his focus is not specifically on the truth or reasonableness of such belief theologian looks at religous beliefs from within, as an adherent or representative of a religous tradition. philosophy of religon may be engaged in by thinkers who are not religous at all, as well as by committed religous thinkers philosophy of religion not so much religious thinking as it is thinking about religion. Religious Philosophy is Religious thinking Explain the arguments for and problems with fideism. Fideism: human beings are never religously neutral; they are always either in faithful service to or in rebellion against God. Claims that faith is the precondition for any correct thinking about religion Problem: fideist cannot attempt to win over his critics by rational argument as the presupposition of such dialouge means the possibility of common ground (fideists deny common ground) eliminates the possibility of showing the nonbeliever the superiority of a religous worldview where should one place one's faith? What 2 factors do Evans and Manis...
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...Team A - Weekly Reflection Weekly Reflection This week in our class discussions, one topic in particular that is important is discrimination and how it is used in hiring practices. Because of legislation that has been passed, companies are now required to follow hiring practices that are supposed to eliminate most discrimination. However, even though companies are required to not discriminate it still does take place. When posting a new job announcement, some companies will manipulate the wording in the announcement so that only a specific individual can qualify for that job. As long as there is no mention of specific discrimination in the announcement, this is one way around the discrimination laws for hiring. Another topic in the discrimination field of employment is how technology allows for more discrimination than ever before. Because of the internet and information being solicited employers can find out any information about a potential candidate without even speaking to him or her. Employers can find out about race, gender, religion, national origin, and color by clicking a button on a computer. This new technology takes away the one on one interaction between an employer and a potential employee. The reverse side to the equation is the internet has allowed potential employees to flood employers with resumes. If an employer posts a job on www.monster.com, the company will receive thousands of resumes. It is impossible for the employers to meet with everyone that...
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...practice any religion, the right to have weapons, the right of trial with a lawyer, and many more. These rights were opposed due to the fact that the Americans did not want to be controlled by England king any more. They wanted a country that would not be controlled by the country like many other countries around the world they wanted to be different and have the freedom to develop their own right and regulations. The Bill of Rights was written to provide all the people equal rights and freedoms to do as they please, yet they must obey the laws given to them in the United States Constitution, and “the peoples constitutional rights cannot lawfully be denied by government officials” (Patterson, 2011, p. 43). The freedom that was guaranteed to me in the first amendment that is relevant to my personal self is freedom of religion. As states by Thomas E. Patterson, Freedom of “religion: you are protected from having the religious beliefs of others imposed on you, and you are free to believe what you like” (Patterson, 2011, table 4-1). I personally can relate to this specific freedom, since I came of a country that has been in conflicts about who the land of Palestine (Israel) belongs to and which religion should take over. The way I see is that in Palestine (Israel) the Jewish people and the Arab people are not to befriend or talk to each other since that would not add to the never ending comfits of both sides, yet here in the United States you will have some religions that would not...
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...philosophy is, inspite of the seeming unending polemics in the sphere and practice of African philosophy. In doing this, we shall start by attempting to describe and possibly define what philosophy is. Subsequently we shall be in a position to define African philosophy by looking at the origin of the debate on African philosophy which was as a result of the charge of irrationality leveled against the Africans. Let us recall that many European scholars mostly anthropologists and sociologists in the like of E. Durkheim, Auguste Comte, James Frazer, Sigmund Freud, Malinowski, Max Muller, Herbert Spencer, Edward Tylor and even Levy Bruhl, have attempted to give an answer to what the African traditional world views were through their theories on religions of the primitive people. For instance, Levy Bruhl rejected the rationality of the primitive people and claimed that they were largely pre-logical and that what their practices point to is a kind of...
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