J.B. Religion Essay -- essays papers

J.B. Religion At the end of Baldwin's 1952 novel Go Tell It on the Mountain, John Grimes, the young protagonist, has an epiphany or what is more commonly referred to as a visionary conversion experience, a staple of American religious life. He embraces Jesus and endures a state of ecstatic mysticism in which he experiences "his drifting soul ... anchored in the love of God" (204). John's rebirth in Christ, his being "saved," is an affirmation of one of the strongest bulwarks in the African American community during slavery, and especially since its abolition: the black church. (2) Baldwin has said that "everything in Black history comes out of the church." It is "not a redemptive force but a `bridge across troubled water,'" Kalamu ya Salaam interviewing Baldwin responded. "It is how we forged our identity" (Pratt and Stanley 182). The church is the African American's inheritance. Black writers and the characters they create are not so easily divested of it, nor should they be. Though John Gri mes's commitment to Christ is representative of black assimilation into American (white) culture, this adoption of Christian beliefs not only helped the community forge a stronger connection to their country and society, but it also enabled slaves and then emancipated Africans to shore up their sense of self-worth and value. African American literature, according to Abena P. A. Busia, "has therefore become a drive for self-definition and redefinition, and any discussion of this drive must recognize this, its proper context: We are speaking from a state of siege" (2). John Grimes's journey over the course of Go Tell It on the Mountain mirrors this movement from imprisonment to freedom, from a vague sense of self to a greater consciousn... ... dilemma of his protagonist, but also exposing the moral foundations of the institutional pillars in the black community" (Bell 224). While criticism of the church's role in supporting subtle racism is justified, it is also true that John cleverly utilizes the rich resources of the church that were available to him. Would he be better off following Roy into the streets? Or Royal, Gabriel's first son, who also found his way into the streets and the reendured a violent death? John "wanted to be with these boys in the street, heedless and thoughtless, wearing out his treacherous and bewildering body" (30). He recognizes, however, even in the semi-transparent consciousness of a man-child, that he is being forced to make "so cruel a choice" (40) between the ways of the world, which in his community can too often lead to violence and self-destruction, and the ways of God.

Religion Terms Chapter 3 (Social Justice)

1. Praxis: Living according to one’s belief, not just in private, but also in a way that affects the world. a. Through this critical appropriation critical praxis becomes a possibility.2. Circle of faith in action: The approach to doing justice that we will examine, which borrows the aspects of the circle of praxis and A Call to Action. b. People all around are called to follow the circle of faith in action to help make the world a better place.3. Awareness: Seeing, hearing, and knowing the world in a spirit of friendship, as God does. c. We are called to spread awareness of the problems people are facing in the world, so we can help them.4. Worldview: The beliefs that guide the way someone relates to the world. d. People around the world have different worldviews on how things may affect them, good or bad.5. Culture: All of the shared values, beliefs, and ways of relating and living together that characterizes a particular group of people. e. Understanding another’s cu lture is one way to bring people closer.6. Respect: To look beyond the outer appearances and first impressions to see the goodness that is the foundation of all God’s creation f. If we want to be respected, we must first respects ourselves.7. Analysis: The process of understanding how people’s lives are affected by the relationships that shape the society in which they live. g. Before we try to approach the problem, we must first go through the process of analysis.8. Interdependent: Depending on one another for our existence. h. We live in an interdependent world where everyone need one another.9. Relationship map: Shows the connection between people that shape our society. i. Everyone’s relationship can be seen in the link of the relationship map. 10. Social structure: The patterns that shape any society. j. Many people say that the social structure of out society are somewhat corrupted.11. Structure of sin: The individuals’ decisions that contribute to the social structure that block justice. k. Our bad decisions are the structures of sin.12. Power: God-given ability everyone has to affect their own lives; lives of others, and the world around them in either positive or negative ways. l. Everyone thirsts for power over others, but little do they know that sometimes is brings pain to them.13. Power-over: The belief that human beings are the source of their own power recalls the Original Sin of the first humans, who believe that they could become their own God. (If power is given, it can also be taken) m. Many corporations long for power-over, because they are always fighting to become the top company in the world.14. Power-with: Everyone has God-given power, because we live in an interdependent world, that power is mean t to be shared in relationships with others. n. God wants his creations to have power-with instead of longing to have all the power to their selves because power-with can help bring the relationship between everyone stronger.15. Boycott: Withdrawal from commercial or social relations with (a country, organization, or person) as a punishment or protest. o. Throughout history, there have been many boycotts regarding because people have been treated unfairly.16. Strike: Refusal to work as a form of organized protest, typically in an attempt to obtain a particular concession or concessions from their employer. p. Many strikes have taken place because employees are not happy with the way they are treated by their employers,17. Action: To change the situation in a way that allows all the people who are involved to experience the good life that the Creator planned for them. q. People should take the action of helping to increase peace and health in the world.18. Direct action: Action that occurs on the level of individual relationships and is aimed at meeting an immediate need. r. When we do direct action, we can immediately help those in need.19. Social action: Action that occurs on a level of social structure. s. When social action is taking place, we can spread the awareness of the problem to people who pay no attention to such horrors in the world.20. Basic ecclesial communities: Small groups of Christians who gather to celebrate the liturgy, hear the Scripture, discuss problems they face in society, and find solutions through inspiration of the Gospel. t. Basic ecclesial communities gather together to help those in need through ideas from the Gospel.21. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi: Took seriously Jesus’ instructions to love the enemy; developed own ideas about how to act on Jesus’ teachings. u. M.K. Gandhi was a very influential man from India.22. Non-violent non-cooperation: Gandhi’s approach of protesting, striking, and boycotting. v. Gandh i’s non-violent non-cooperation was a way of protesting without aggression of the protestors that may start violence.23. Civil disobedience: intentionally breaking laws that are unjust. w. Civil disobedience can be seen as breaking a law but not actually breaking a law because it was already broken in the first place.

Did the Arabs Injustice Huntington?

Samuel Huntington is the author of the article entitled â€Å"The Clash of Civilizations? † which discusses or narrates concepts that explicates world politics. According to Huntington, international conflicts that concerns politics may be justified by rational arguments or issues that are left unresolved. However, Huntington reiterates that these particular conflicts are founded on underlying issues or matters that naturally lead to political conflicts – that is culture.According to Huntington, culture is threatening to divide nations instead of leading the way to support unity and oneness in handling international problems or issues, since culture is the primary source of irreconcilable differences and conflicts that do not provide opportunities for nations to meet in middle ground. As a means of representing concrete structures of culture, Huntingon has labeled seven civilizations being the Confucian, Hindu, Islamic, Japanese, Latin American, Slavic-Orthodox, and Wes tern. One may notice that Huntington left out the African populace as one of the identified civilizations.This is because Huntington was unsure about the state of the African nation, that is, whether it meets the standards and guidelines of development that is attributed to a mindful and responsive civilization. The classification of Huntington of the world population into civilizations was primary influenced by prominent religious affiliations that are a major identifier of culture. Personally, I would have to agree with Huntington on this matter, since I sincerely believe that cultural affiliations among individuals are largely influenced by the religious beliefs that they share.Huntington believes that the strong ties of individuals to their culture and religion which grants them a sense of self or identity as an individual and as a nation, is difficult to break apart when it comes to promoting rational politics and relations that necessitates the disregard of personal worldviews as directed by a civilization’s culture. However, Huntington’s establishment of seven civilizations has also been a source of contradicting information that he has presented in his article since the classification of civilizations is complicated and inconsistent.Moreover, Huntington mentioned that differences between people, as supported by his theory of the seven civilizations in the world, do not necessarily mean that there will be conflict, and conflict does not necessarily mean that it will lead to violence. However, the gist of Huntington’s article clearly displays how differences, particularly in culture and religion, is the primary cause of conflict and violence around the world as he studied the Cold War and the succeeding world events after it.These contradicting thoughts that Huntington shared in his work, he also contradicted by stating how culture and religion are two important factors in promoting unity. In this case, Huntington mentioned how non-A rab Muslims were able to unite as one despite differences of culture and religion and through shared culture and religion. Upon the establishment of the seven civilizations, Huntington continued to discuss various historical evidences that support his claim. This particular issue led to the discussion of the politics between the Arabs and the West which raised violent reactions from the former.Huntington wrote that at present time, the major players in world politics are the West and the Arab nation. Despite internal clashes between different factions or minority groups within the Arab nations, Huntington believes that in the end, it will still find a way to reconcile differences among them and be counter-reactive to the West. Although the statements of Huntington caused a stir within the Arab nation, I believe that Huntington was not pressing violent, hateful, derogatory, or discriminatory issues against the Arab nation.Huntington magnified his discussion on the issue between the A rabs and the West since it is the current international issue or problem – the power struggle between the two civilizations which people often hear in the news. Although majority of Huntington’s arguments were based on theories, I believe that everything he said were reflective of the current situations, straying away from the assumption that he wrote the article to present his prejudiced or biased sentiments against the Arab nation.His article was based on decades of historical evidences that created an obvious pattern relaying motivations of war in the past, which was further supported by the 9/11 incident that led to the destruction of the Twin Towers in New York. Huntington was simply observant and articulates enough to present a logical explanation of countless conflicts between nations, which may or may not have some truth to it. Frankly, I believe that major truths are embedded within theories, especially those that lend themselves to conspiratorial issues.Setti ng my personal opinions aside, Huntington’s criticisms of other civilization validates the fact that he was not anti-Arab, but simple a man who wanted to illustrate world politics under a cultural context. Huntington criticized the immorality and hypocrisy of the West, stating how the Western civilization has achieved its superiority over other civilizations due to its mindful submission to organized violence in order to achieve its goals and objectives. Moreover, Huntington reiterates that the West does not promote universalism but rather act for world domination.Moreover, Huntington believes that Christian views which originated from the West could not have influenced numerous people around the world if Christians had not come into contact with individuals from the East. Huntington then criticized Western Christianity; and then continued to criticize Western Europe. According to Huntington, some of the concepts of politics and economics claimed by the Western Civilization, particularly Western Europe, did not actually originate from it but from non-Western civilizations in other parts of the world.In general, Huntington’s article was a seemingly balanced representation of his theories on how international conflicts, then and now, were products of cultural and religious differences. The criticisms he posed were not one-sided, attacking the Middle East or the West, or any other civilization for that matter, solely. In fact, Huntington’s theories were open discussions and arguments about the Arab and Western perspectives. Huntington acknowledged how the West is trying to portray a super power estate that works to promote unity, solidarity, democracy, diplomacy, peace, and such.This, he identified as the Western perspective. However, Huntington argued that the West’s interests are politically motivated, geared toward staying in power and obtaining control of the majority populations. On one hand, Huntington discussed how the Arab popu lations are trying to overthrow the influence of the West in their land, moving them to resort to threats and violence toward non-Arab and Western nations. For Huntington, the Arab perspective is just patterned after the â€Å"us-versus-them† mentality.

Individual Behavior and Processes Essay Example

Individual Behavior and Processes Essay Example Individual Behavior and Processes Essay Individual Behavior and Processes Essay Introduction Mgt provided us with a good basis for understanding organizational behavior by exploring the most essential elements of organizations and how they function. In Week Two our exploration of organizations will become more specific by examining the most basic working elements of the workplace: people. This course will eventually ask us to contemplate the complexities of people working together in groups and teams but, in order to get our studies off to the best start we will begin by considering how individuals function within the workplace. Most students can easily describe themselves however their descriptions are often based upon their internal view of how they see themselves or how they hope others view them. In order for a person to improve their relationships they must gain an accurate understanding of how others see them. Week Two will examine the diversity among individuals and how our differences affect the way we interact with others in the workplace. Most of todays employees want to be involved and expect to have some level of responsibility in helping to meet organizational goals. They want more autonomy to make their own decisions and to accomplish their own goals. Still, employees want to have a personal life and place a very high value on their personal freedoms. More and more employers report that today’s workers often turn down overtime wages in order to spend more time doing what they enjoy! This fact demonstrates how important individual freedoms are. Each worker is different in the way they view the workplace and each has a unique set of expectations for what makes them feel happy and successful in their work. Success in the new workplace requires a set of skills for working successfully with a broad mix of people from different racial and ethnic backgrounds, different ages and genders, and different domestic and national cultures. When people think of diversity they primarily think of differences in age, race, ethnicity, gender, physical ability, and sexual orientation – but diversity is much broader than that. Diversity also includes things like religious beliefs, education, experience, socio-economic class, family values, and more. Consider your own workplace: think about where people grew up, where they went to school, and how many other ways they are different. How many differences can you count among the five people with whom you work most closely? How well do you know these people and how many unknown differences might there be? These differences make people act and think in very different ways. Diversity is everywhere and organizations have two clear choices: to manage and utilize diversity or to suffer from it. Valuing diversity is extremely important for today’s organizations. Truly valuing diversity is characterized by managing and working with others while fully respecting their individual differences. Many organizations are providing training designed to help people understand and respect differences. Heres the key: instead of fearing or dreading the differences in our workforces, lets try to take advantage of them. A diverse workforce offers a rich pool of talents, ideas, and viewpoints for solving complex problems. Diversity, if managed properly, can provide a competitive advantage for an organization. Good managers understand that diversity, like conflict, can be looked upon as a barrier to success or as an opportunity for success. If an employer lets differences interfere with hiring and developing someones ability, it becomes some other companys gain. Leading employers and managers are aware that this can be used to their gain. They make an effort to understand and tap into those differences and prevent erroneous perceptions or stereotyping. In the end, their ability to understand and motivate a diverse workforce results in increased organization success. Respecting diversity is really quite simple. If an individual feels respected and understood then they are most likely to be happy in their work. Similarly, if they feel that they can effectively communicate with others then they feel important. By respecting the differences among people and enabling a positive environment for communication, effectiveness in the workplace may be significantly increased. Effective communication begins with a willingness to listen and think critically about what another person has said. People often misinterpret the messages sent by others and respond in ways that are inappropriate – we’ve all seen examples of misunderstandings in our lives. Effective communication depends on the ability of two people to send and receive messages in a way that allows their intentions to be accurately interpreted. Communication is a very dynamic process that is continually challenged by factors called â€Å"noise. † Noise is defined as anything that can interfere with effective communication (Schermerhorn, Hunt, Osborn, 2005, p. 295). Communicative noise is not necessarily audible; for example, noise can include a person’s mood or attitude. A lack of contextual basis can also act as a barrier to effective communication. This type of noise commonly occurs in the workplace when workers communicate via email. The mode we choose to send a message is called a channel. Email is a relatively new channel to people, so miscommunication frequently occurs because the people receiving our messages are not able to judge our intended meaning as clearly as they can in person. Practical Application and Questions for Thought How many times have you hit the â€Å"send† button on your email only to have someone call you to ask why your response was so negative? Consider what your boss would think if you sent the following email message on a payday: â€Å"Gee boss, I’m so happy with my paycheck that I feel like I’m cheating the company! † If you gave me a raise, I don’t know what I would do! † Would the response from your boss be positive or negative? What future implications might this message have for you? The answers to those questions depend on several factors like how well the boss knows you, what type of mood the boss is in, and how much money you earn compared to others in the company. That is exactly the point – you cannot know how the message will be perceived because you are not able to convey it in a way that lets the boss know you are joking. If you were to see your boss in the hallway and if you knew that he/she was in a good mood, you might smile and whisper the statement. Under those conditions, the boss is much more likely to understand that you are kidding. Youll recall that in Week One we discussed a workplace scenario in which a new director was faced with the task of fixing a supply department that was riddled with problems. Of course the director’s tasks include researching, identifying, and planning solutions for a number of procedural problems. Because the central problem was defined as a cultural deficiency, it is certain that one of the director’s first actions was to gather the middle managers and institute a culture change. This has a profound effect on the workplace, beginning with the way the employees viewed their place in the organization. Instead of being afraid of taking action for fear of making things worse or being reprimanded, they will soon take an active part in process improvement. They will also realize that they are the keys to success and that they are expected to be proactive in all areas of their jobs. Because management is openly communicating with them they understand what the standards are and how departmental success will be defined. The employees are active participants in discussions about where we need to go and how were going to get there. Most importantly they are told that above all else they are all in this situation together and that they will all succeed or fail together. The increase in motivation caused by this new culture will be instantly noticeable. When dramatic cultural change like this occurs you see the positive changes in the employees’ expressions and you can actually feel it as you walk through the department.

Free Essays on Adaptation Of Historic Costuming

Mesopotamia The Mesopotamians wore the use of tassels, fringe and wrapped garments. Today Harpers Bazaar shows the same style garments, which are now considered the â€Å"Winter Wonders† of the Fall/Winter collection in the 21st century. History of Costume, pg.19 Bazaar Magazine, Oct `02 pg.228 Pg.119 Egyptian Egyptians used a plain, basic yet classical style of sheer draping linen for their garments. In today’s fashion world we wear the same garments to awards ceremonies that are designed by the top designers of this today’s fashion industry. History of Costume, pg.40 In Style, Aug `02 pg.101 Cretan The Cretans were known for their open bodices and tiered skirts, the pictures that are shown above are the same type of garments designed for the 21st century, I think that the open bodices are becoming extremely popular along with the short skirts in today’s world of appeal. History of Costume, pg.63 Bazaar, Sept `02 pg.17 IN Style, Aug `02 pg.264 Grecian â€Å" It’s not about what you wear; it’s about how you wear it and interpret it,† Greek garments were made of fine linen that was very clingy to the body without being too revealing. Belting and blousing can shorten the Chilton; Christian Dior portrays this classic draping fashion. History of Costume, pg.83 Bazaar, Jul `02 pg.311 Oct `02 pg.253 Roman â€Å"This artfully draped dress is nothing short of a Greek myth.† That was a quote by a designer on this particular garment above. The roman toga is a about six to eight feet long, the garment often has many layers, a fine look that was adapted so long ago in the Romans era. History of Costume, pg.102 Elle, Jun `02 pg.111 Jun `02 cover Byzantine Britney Spears is wearing beautiful garments that are covered with jewels, embroidery and brocades, just as the Byzantines wore, although it was a sign a luxury then, in some ways I guess it still... Free Essays on Adaptation Of Historic Costuming Free Essays on Adaptation Of Historic Costuming Mesopotamia The Mesopotamians wore the use of tassels, fringe and wrapped garments. Today Harpers Bazaar shows the same style garments, which are now considered the â€Å"Winter Wonders† of the Fall/Winter collection in the 21st century. History of Costume, pg.19 Bazaar Magazine, Oct `02 pg.228 Pg.119 Egyptian Egyptians used a plain, basic yet classical style of sheer draping linen for their garments. In today’s fashion world we wear the same garments to awards ceremonies that are designed by the top designers of this today’s fashion industry. History of Costume, pg.40 In Style, Aug `02 pg.101 Cretan The Cretans were known for their open bodices and tiered skirts, the pictures that are shown above are the same type of garments designed for the 21st century, I think that the open bodices are becoming extremely popular along with the short skirts in today’s world of appeal. History of Costume, pg.63 Bazaar, Sept `02 pg.17 IN Style, Aug `02 pg.264 Grecian â€Å" It’s not about what you wear; it’s about how you wear it and interpret it,† Greek garments were made of fine linen that was very clingy to the body without being too revealing. Belting and blousing can shorten the Chilton; Christian Dior portrays this classic draping fashion. History of Costume, pg.83 Bazaar, Jul `02 pg.311 Oct `02 pg.253 Roman â€Å"This artfully draped dress is nothing short of a Greek myth.† That was a quote by a designer on this particular garment above. The roman toga is a about six to eight feet long, the garment often has many layers, a fine look that was adapted so long ago in the Romans era. History of Costume, pg.102 Elle, Jun `02 pg.111 Jun `02 cover Byzantine Britney Spears is wearing beautiful garments that are covered with jewels, embroidery and brocades, just as the Byzantines wore, although it was a sign a luxury then, in some ways I guess it still...

Minimalism or Minimal Art Mid-1960s to the Present

Minimalism or Minimal Art Mid-1960s to the Present Minimalism or Minimal Art is a form of  abstraction. It focuses on the most essential and elemental aspects of an object. The art critic Barbara Rose explained in her groundbreaking article ABC Art, Art in America (October-November 1965), that this empty, repetitious, uninflected aesthetic could be found in the visual arts, dance, and music. (Merce Cunningham and   John Cage  would be examples in dance and music.) Minimal art aims to reduce its content to rigorous clarity. It may try to rid itself of evocative effect, but it does not always succeed. Agnes Martins faint graphite lines drawn on pale flat surfaces seem to radiate with human delicacy and humility. In a small room with low light, they can be exceptionally moving. How Long Minimalism Has Been a Movement Minimalism reached its peak during the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s, but many of its practitioners are still alive and well today. Dia Beacon, a museum of mainly Minimalist pieces, exhibits a permanent collection of the best-known artists in the movement. For example, Michael Heizers North, East, South, West (1967/2002) is permanently installed on the premises. Some artists, such as Richard Tuttle and Richard Serra, are now considered Post-Minimalists. What Are the Key Characteristics of Minimalism? Clarity and simplicity of form.No narrative.No anecdotal content or references.Emphasis on pure shapes.Often monochromatic surfaces. Best Known Minimalists: Agnes MartinDonald JuddMichael HeizerRobert MorrisRobert SerraRichard TuttleTony SmithAnn TruitRonald BladenDan FlavinSol LeWittRobert MangoldDorothea Rockburne Suggested Reading Battcock, Gregory (ed.). Minimal Art: A Critical Anthology.New York: Dutton, 1968.

Describe and Evaluate the main Macro Economic Policies used by the Essay

Describe and Evaluate the main Macro Economic Policies used by the Australian Government and Reserve Bank over the last two year - Essay Example In the last two years, the government’s goal has achieved economic growth, internal and external balance within an economy thereby maintaining economic growth and low inflation as well as ensuring low foreign debt and liabilities. Although economic growth has not been constant for the last two years due to international business cycles, the government has reduced the fluctuations via influencing demand. In as much as the economy has had several ups and downs, her improved international demands and rich natural resources such as iron ore and coal. According to â€Å"International Monetary Fund,† Reserve Bank of Australia has strengthened financial system in such a way that the macroeconomic policy is devised to curb recession instead of controlling inflation (Web). Macroeconomic aggregates which include rate of inflation, GDP growth and unemployment rate can possibly reflect the performance of a country’s economy. ... even as other countries such as U.S are struggling to recover from recession, the Australian government has boosted the economy by encouraging export to Asia (125-128). The government’s move to incorporate interest rate is aimed at promoting non-mining and housing investments which play integral role in spurring economic growth. Reserve Bank of Australia further made some great efforts in controlling money supply through the open market operations which involves purchasing or selling of financial instruments (Web). This has stabilized the Australian economy for the last two years because of their eventual effect on consumption and investment. According to Soliman RBA’s monetary policy for the last two years has been directed to achieve 2-3% inflation rate on the average over the cycle and this has really stimulated economic activities without interfering with economic decisions in the economy (98-100). It is apparent that both the government and the RBA have instituted strong fiscal and monetary policies that have successfully countered the economic recession. Theoretically, reduction of interest rate would enhance aggregate demand by influencing the aggregate components such as stimulation of investments projects as borrowing would be less expensive. The attraction or creation of a good investment environment has been one of the core activities that the government has dealt with in the previous years as this will deal with unemployment issues. Soliman explains that low interest rate has enabled Australia to increase her export while reducing their imports thus enhancing net export (101-102). The monetary policy decision process in Australia which includes the RBA board has been frequently meeting to discuss new developments in both Australia and international