Islam And Christianity Essays - Prophets Of Islam,

Islam And Christianity Although Islam is less known than Christianity, it is the fastest growing religion in the in our country today. Islam is actually derived form Christianity. History books indicate that one night in the year 610, the first of many revelations came to Muhammad from God by way of the angel Gabriel. The message Muhammad received told him that there was but one God, not many gods, as most Arabs believed. This God was creator of the world, and He would one-day judge mankind. The word Islam means surrender or submission, submission to the will of Allah, the one God. Muslims are those who have submitted themselves. The basic creed of Islam is brief: There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the Prophet of Allah. Islam teaches that there is one God, the creator and sustainer of the universe. This God, Allah, is compassionate and just. Because He is compassionate, He calls all people to believe in Him and worship Him. Because He is also just, on the Last Day He will judge every person according to his deeds. On the Last Day, all the dead will be resurrected and either rewarded with heaven or punished with hell. The life of each Muslim is always within the community of the faithful, all are declared to be brothers to each other, with he mission to enjoin good and forbid evil. Within the community, Muslims are expected to establish social and economic justice. They are also expected to carry their message out to the rest of the world. In the early Islamic com munity, this meant the use of force in the form of jihad, or holy war. The object of jihad was to gain political control over societies and run them in accordance with the principles of Islam. During the decades following the death of Muhammad certain essential principles were singled out from his teachings to serve as anchoring points for the Islamic community. These have come to be called the five pillars of Islam. After the sudden death of Mohammed in 632, Caliph Abu Bakr ordered one of the prophets' companions to collect, from oral and written sources, all of Mohammed's utterances. They were written in the Qur'an which is basically the ?Muslim Bible?. The Qur'an is the written version of the teachings that Mohammed preached while he was alive. A second source of guidance for most Muslims is al-Hadith (Tradition), a vast body of transmitted stories of what the Prophet said or did or what was said or done in his presence and therefore approved by him It was Muhammad's contention that Christianity had departed from belief in God's message as revealed in their Scriptures. God had sent many prophets, among them Abraham, who is considered the founder of the faith for Islam, as he is also for and Christianity. The Koran, using sources in the older Scriptures and later traditions, relates the stories of Abraham, Joseph, Moses and Aaron, David, Solomon, Jesus. After Muhammad's death in AD 632, it was feared that the content of the revelations might be lost, as those who had originally memorized it died. It was therefore decided to collect all the revelations, from what ever source, and make a compilation. Christianity and Islam are two of the most significant religions since their creation. Islam means ?submission? in Arabic, and a Muslim is one who submits to the will of God. Christians were called so because of Jesus' title Christos, which is Greek for Messiah. Both religions are very similar with only some of the beliefs and teaching s being different. They also give separate messages to outsiders as to what their religions stand for. Both religions are monotheistic with a holy text and they both strive to conquer evil. Islam has a set of rules (5 Pillars of Islam) set forth to reach enlightenment while Christians basically just sin, repent, and then are forgiven for their sins. Christianity is a much easier religion to belong to because it is a lot more lenient to what you can and cannot do as well as when and where you can do it. Islam is also more closed doors because the do not really send out missionaries looking

Political Campaigns essays

Political Campaigns essays In reviewing the last political debets (Bush vs Gore), in each meeting there would be over 5 questions concerning the economy in these political campaigns. How are these fundings used, how much money is actually spend on these "political issues" that not only wealthy indivuals doante but that tax payers pay for. One of the things that was at stake in this presidential election was whether the policies of different candidates will worsen economic inequality and further polarize our country along racial and class lines. (Collins) For one thing between the two major parties there were pretty clear differences in terms of tax policies. A Bush tax plan, including a repeal of the estate tax, would concentrate wealth in fewer hands. A Gore tax plan, including the establishment of Universal Savings Accounts, would put more money in the pockets of people who have been left out of the economic boom back when it happen. In other areas, such as global trade, there are not major differences. Another major issue was social security. Governor Bush has persisted in gross misstatements about a major issue of public policy Social Security that bespeak either ignorance or dishonesty. The key facts about Social Security was: The system is projected to run large surpluses over the next decade and add $2.4 trillion to its reserves. After 2024 expenditures are projected to exceed revenues. Accumulated reserves are projected to be exhausted in 2037. At that point, revenues will cover approximately 70 percent of benefits promised under current law. Neither candidate disputes these projections. (Aaron) ...

Chinese Culture and Political Police in China in the Movies Joy Luck Essay

Chinese Culture and Political Police in China in the Movies Joy Luck Club and Not One Less - Essay Example These films mainly about China, driven by means of the modernity’s blinding light, while, at the same time, no longer acknowledging its own children, in addition to its primitive past. In Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan, there are four mothers, four daughters and four families whose histories change with the four winds according to the person narrating the stories. During 1949, four Chinese women, who happened to be recent immigrants to San Francisco, started meeting while eating dim sum, playing mahjong, and talking. Joy Luck Club is the name this group united by shared unspeakable loss, as well as hope, they referred to themselves. Instead of allowing themselves to sink in tragedy, they opt to gather by raising not only their spirits, but also money. Forty years down the line, the stories, as well as history persist (Tan 56). Amy Tan explores the sometimes painful, in most cases tender while always deep link between mothers and daughters with wit, as well as sensitivity. As every w oman exposes her secrets, attempting to unravel the truth concerning her life, the strings end up getting extensively tangled, while, at the same time extremely entwined. Apparently, mothers boast or despair over daughters, while daughters roll their eyes although they feel the inextricable tapering of their matriarchal ties. Amy happens to be an astute storyteller, who entices her readers into immersing themselves to these lives of complexity, as well as mystery. In Not One Less, Wei Minzhi who is a representative of an agrarian society, with all her backwardness, together with naivete, exemplifies the humanity that gets rejected by modern man pursuing an industrial civilization. Wei Minzhi is the replacement teacher of 13-years who is bigger than life; although she seems to be primitive, uncouth, silly, as well as immature; she happens to be China’s self-depiction as a third-world country along with a tenacity to modernize when she begins going to the city by foot thereby f inding her student, an act that is foolish yet heroic (Ebert 21). She turns out to be an expediently dumping ground for the pessimistic human emotions of the perfectly educated, which lecture her on rules, as well as etiquettes; with her solid resolution of letting no one be absent from her class, she exemplifies a spirit of the people on a pursuit for equitable growth, along with a more democratic society. She turns out to be a representation of China's resolve of being strong while catching up with the other part of the world. She happens to be courageous since she has a group of children behind her; to the point she is in control, they are capable of accomplishing things like moving numerous bricks to coming up with some money for her to purchasing a bus ticket. This means that, in Shui Quan elementary, there happens to be socialism still at work whereby people tend to share things such as coke while doing things within a collective manner; Wei Minzhi's courage, together with per sonal dignity lie on the continuation of this community. Wei Minzhi encounters the urbanites in the vast metropolis are a symbol of the â€Å"adult† world whereby Minzhi, together with Huike have a lot to learn as â€Å"children†; yet these city folks have suspicious morals: informed but uncaring, urbane but indifferent, wealthy but miserable; the ticket conductor tosses Minzhi out of the bus for not purchasing a ticket with the policeman guarding the television station’

Developmental Biology Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Developmental Biology - Research Paper Example Epigenetic factors refer to changes other than the changes at the level of DNA that lead to changes in heredity. These include DNA methylation which is present in all known vertebrates. This paper aims to study recent literature and studies that have been produced in order to find out the factors that affect aging. For this purpose, literature dated after 2006 has been used in order to ensure that the information is as recent as possible. This study will be useful in developing a better understanding of a vital part of developmental biology that is aging. INTRODUCTION Human race has always been fascinated by the idea of eternal youthfulness and functionality. The physiological and psychological changes that occur with age have always haunted humans and as a result, a lot of time, money and effort have gone into discovering the reasons behind aging in order to avoid the effects of growing age. With the advent of newer technologies, scientists have come to see aging as a process that o ccurs at the molecular level that eventually shows its effect at the level of the organ and later the whole organism. Some of the physiological changes that occur with age include decreased activity of neurotransmitters, a fall in sensory acuity and perception and a reduction in circulatory capacity. These changes lead to the loss of functionality that is associated with aging at the level of an organism. At the level of the organ, these changes occur due to the inability of the existing cells to replace the dying or damaged cells in order to maintain function. Thus, we see several diseases that pertain to specific organs and are closely related to increasing age. The inability to replace the older cells with new ones is a loss of functionality at the cellular level. The biochemical machinery within a cell enables the cell to replicate adequately so that the number of functional cells is always enough to maintain the health of an organ. However, with age, changes within this machine ry shift the balance such that the process slows down gradually affecting the organ hence the organism (Morimoto and Cuervo). Therefore, the real key to unlocking the secret behind aging lies in the factors that affect the cellular machinery. Whether it is the change in DNA, a change in gene expression or a change in the environment of the organism which eventually penetrates his system that regulates aging and to what extent is a question that has been investigated extensively in recent past. This research paper takes a detailed look at such investigations in an attempt to understand how aging is affected by genetic, epigenetic or environmental factors. Aging: effect of genes, epigenetics and environment Genes and aging The field of biological aging has been exploring the effect of genes on aging with a view of not only attaining the capability to slow or stop the process of aging but also to stop the development of several disease that have very strong links with increasing age. H owever, most of these investigations have been carried out on worms, rodents and drosophila on the basis that not only are they easily accessible but also because certain studies suggest that worms, yeast and people have common genes for aging (Callaway). In 2008, scientists from Eovtos Lorand University, Hungary, conducted a research on nematodes, Caenorhabditis elegans, that were deficient

Pros and Cons on Death Penalty Essay Example for Free

Pros and Cons on Death Penalty Essay Ms. Pat Johnson ENG-099 Pros and Cons of Assisted Suicide: Argument Essay When death is knocking at your door, do you answer or ignore the call? Unfortunately, some people answer the call willingly. Euthanasia is painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or in an irreversible coma. All motives are compassionate for a patient, whether the killing is by a direct action, such as a lethal injection, or by failing to perform an action necessary to maintain life. The euthanasia movement started in l935 in Britain, in l938 in the U S A, and in l980 in Canada (catholicapologetics). Opinion polls show average support of 60 percent in the USA, 74 percent in Canada, and 80 percent in Britain (catholicapologetics). Many people disagree that death is a decision upon GOD but, why make a person suffer more pain being alive? Today, many people are against euthanasia because; they feel that it is murder. This is because there are certain cons of euthanasia that compel them to think this way. Firstly, medical science has made great advancements in the recent years. There is almost always a cure available for a disease. So euthanasia should not be kept as a viable option. One of the other cons of euthanasia is that sometimes there is pressure from family members who want to induce death for their own gains. The doctor may get influenced by the ideas that are put forward by them. In that case it becomes very difficult to decide whether euthanasia was completely necessary or was influenced by the family members. Sometimes even medical science cannot predict with certainty the fate of a patient. In such cases, euthanasia would mean snatching away the chances of a patient’s survival. There are many cases where mercy killing has often been misused. To prevent such manhandling euthanasia should be prohibited. Something that concerns the life of a person should not be left in the open for people to play around with.

Essay --

Mary Wollstonecraft was not only a figure during the Enlightenment, but one of the famous pioneers for the feminist cause. She would inspire women during the 18th century as well as women of the future with her novels such as The Vindication of the Rights of Women and The Vindication of the Rights of Man. She was a true believer that education for women would not only allow women to develop as humans but also to be independent from men. In a time where women were subordinate to men, Mary stood for her beliefs and preached for equality. Thus, Wollstonecraft's beliefs in equality for women would shape the future for women of the world. Mary Wollstonecraft was born on April 27th 1759 in London to an abusive, squandering father, Edward Wollstonecraft, and Elizabeth Dixon. The second of seven children, she and her family would frequently move. But in Yorkshire she meets clergyman Mr. Clare, which whom she starts to develop intellectually. She would go on to be a lady's maid, governess, teacher, translator, and writer throughout her life. She longed to live an independent life, but struggled to earn a living wage with the jobs she had and the fact she lived in a world where women were to become obedient wives. Mary's sister, Eliza, was supposedly deranged from her difficult birth to her daughter and the abuse of her husband. So, Mary convinced Eliza to leave her husband and baby. The sisters would then start a school with Mary's beloved friend, Fanny Blood. When Fanny dies in Mary's arms from complications during child birth, Mary returns to the school to find that it suffered during her absence with Fanny. Mary then closes the school and writes Thoughts on the Education of Daughters. She then goes on to become a... ...available to everyone. Mary Wollstonecraft achieved much in her life, but most importantly she inspired other women to be independent and to improve their lives. Mary lived a life a scandal during her time. Not only did she have children out of wedlock, but she was firm in her belief that she did not need to dedicate her life to another man just because it was the social norm. She was an advocate for education and equality because of the hardships she experienced in her life struggling to survive. Mary Wollstonecraft's achievements of inspiring women during her time and of the future as well as her support of education for women to grow not only intellectually but independently make her an inspiring figure during the Enlightenment. Thus, Mary Wollstonecraft's contribution to the Enlightenment was radical and inspiring to future generations of women.

What to Do with a Ba in History

The Value of a Liberal Arts Education When you see the word â€Å"college†, what comes to mind? For most of you, you probably immediately think of partying, drinking, and meeting new people. Those who choose to go to college will have the opportunity to experience the social life, but what you choose to study can control your future. In â€Å"How to Get a Real Education at College† by Scott Adams and â€Å"What Do You Do with a B. A. in History† by Ken Saxon, they agree that college is worth going to but they have different outlooks on what to do with that college education.Scott Adams believes in the concept of â€Å"B students†, which are just average students, and thinks they should study entrepreneurship because he has personal experience in this major. He is against the idea of â€Å"B students† studying liberal arts and finds this major to be useless for them in the real world. Ken Saxon has completely opposite views. Saxon believes that a lib eral arts education is very valuable because with this education, you can do anything you want. He also argues that the skills you learn in these classes will help you become a better person and will prepare you for whatever you decide to do.Although both Adams and Saxon relate to their audiences and form strong ethos through their personal examples, Adams fails to be as convincing as Saxon because Saxon uses more objective evidence, is open-minded, and uses a more inspiring tone which establishes strong pathos. In â€Å"How to Get a Real Education at College†, Scott Adams does a fair job of establishing ethos. He uses his business experience in college as the basis of his evidence. For example, he worked at the Coffee House as the minister of finance, designed a plan to become student manager of his dormitory, and even started a soccer club (Adams 528).His anecdotes give him credibility because he has experience in the field of entrepreneurship, but he lacked objective evide nce. If he included more statistics or expert testimonies, then it would make his argument more convincing and appealing to the readers. At the beginning of the article Adams stated, â€Å"I speak from experience because I majored in entrepreneurship†¦ † (527). This makes him seem like he knows what he is talking about, but this statement also worked against him and makes him seem one-sided.He is biased toward an education in entrepreneurship. This is evident when he wrote â€Å"some of my peers were taking courses in art history so they’d be prepared to remember what art looked like just in case anyone asked† (528). This shows he thinks other majors, especially liberal arts, are a joke. He doesn’t think people need to study liberal arts because what you learn in these classes is common sense. Although Adams lacked objective evidence and came across as bias, he made his article very appropriate for his audience.With his audience being college student s, it is easy to persuade them because some of those students don’t really know what to study and entrepreneurship could seem more appealing after reading this article. Adams related to his audience but his sarcastic tone and snide comments were a turn off. He wrote many things that discredited the majority of students, or as he calls them, the â€Å"B students† (527). For example, at the end of the essay he said, â€Å"Remember, children are our future, and the majority are B students. If that doesn’t scare you, it probably should† (529).Adams said this to be humorous but it can be easily misinterpreted as rude and snide. He also talked about how easy it is to become an entrepreneur and how it doesn’t even take real knowledge to be successful. When he was talking about selecting a new leader for the Coffee House he stated, â€Å"I pointed out that my friend-the soon-to-be fired bartender-was tall, good looking and so gifted at b. s. that heâ€⠄¢d be a perfect leader† (528). This statement makes it seem like to be successful in business it’s all about being sly and tricky, making Adams appear less sincere.Scott Adams was convincing in some ways but his sarcastic tone, lack of evidence, and bias hurt his overall appeal to his audience. Similar to Adams, in â€Å"What Do You Do with a B. A. in History? † Ken Saxon manages to appeal to his audience in his speech by using personal experiences. His speech is for freshman students at UCSB and the evidence he uses relates specifically to this audience. He gives lots of examples of liberal arts classes and how those classes helped him develop life skills.For example, Saxon says, â€Å"from studying philosophy, I learned that abstract theories were intellectually interesting to me, but not so satisfying. Turns out, I’m a doer, an entrepreneur† (525). Saxon also talks about qualities he looks for in people when hiring employees, these include, â₠¬Å"initiative and leadership, work ethic, communication skills, and emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills† (523). These are skills that you don’t necessarily learn in a certain major, but you learn by experience, and Saxon learned these qualities by taking liberal arts classes.Unlike Adams, Saxon used a variety of evidence. He uses many personal experiences and also uses objective evidence. One piece of effective objective evidence is the commencement speech by Steve Jobs. In this speech to Stanford, Jobs stated that a calligraphy class helped him create â€Å"the first computer with beautiful typography† (524). This helps make Saxon’s argument convincing because Steve Jobs was a very successful man and this example reemphasizes Saxon’s claim that we cannot predict our future, so we should take some liberal arts classes.If Steve Jobs never took this calligraphy class, who knows if Apple would be the same as it is today. He also uses the ex ample of his friend who went to med school to later find out he hated what he was doing so he studied business instead (522). This example shows that not giving liberal arts classes a chance, can lead to you wasting your time because you haven’t discovered what you truly want to do for your career yet. Another way that Ken Saxon is convincing in his article is by being open-minded and by using an encouraging tone that establishes strong pathos.He isn’t forceful with his claim even though he feels strongly about his argument. He is just saying that college is a time for experimentation so, what the heck, why not just take some liberal art classes? He even says, â€Å"there will likely be no other time in your life when it will be easier to try so many interesting things† (522). He is encouraging us to just take a few liberal art classes and give it a chance. Saxon also makes some good points when he discusses the expensive price of college and feeling the pressur e to choose a major in which we will get repaid in the future (522).Saxon’s argument to this is â€Å"how can you be sure you know where the better paying fields are going to be in five years? † (523). The point he is trying to make is if you spend all your time in college focusing in one specific major, what happens if that area in your career field goes down the drain in a couple years? In the closing paragraph Saxon says, â€Å"Think forward. In 15 or 20 years, many of you will be buried in responsibilities- work, family†¦this opportunity will be gone before you know it† (527). Saxon is stressing the point that college is only a few years of our lives so we might as well make the most of it.This â€Å"can do† attitude and inspiring tone made his article more convincing and more enjoyable to read then Adam’s. All in all, Ken Saxon’s argument that we should take liberal arts classes was more convincing than Scott Adams’ claim th at we should just study entrepreneurship. Both of them clearly understood their audience and use effective personal examples, but Saxon’s use of objective evidence and an inspiring tone led to his speech being more persuasive. If a group of students were to choose what to study after reading these two articles, a large portion of them would choose to take some liberal arts classes.