Shifting Genres Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Shifting Genres - Essay Example Peter answered the man by telling him they were going to Fargo in U.S.A. shockingly the man told them that they must be joking because they can not survive in that place since it is too cold. The man laughed, but Peter Dut did not know the reason beyond the laughter. Having lived at Kakuma refugee camp the boys had not experienced cold climate since Kakuma is 1000C. By that time, the temperature in Fargo had dropped below 150C. The boys had only experienced cold from a frozen bottle of water given to them by aid worker in the refuge camp. Peter and his brothers belong to a number of 10,000 boys in Kakuma refugee camp from Sudan, who went to seek refuge in 1992 during the civil war in the southern part. The lost boys were given names after Peter Pan’s orphan’s posse. A report from America showed that over 17,000 boys left Sudan and separated from their families in 1987 during the war. They fled to Ethiopia and then back to Sudan then finally to Kenya. They arrived in Kenya parentless, homeless and throng having walked over 1,000 miles. The boys were between the age 8 and 18 from the Dinka tribe. Many of the boys did not know their age and the aid workers gave them ages depending on their sizes. On the way to the camp, the number of boys reduced by half. Most of the boys died on the way because they were attacked by bandits, lions, swept away by river water and others attacked by crocodile. After living in a camp for 9 years without being governed the three brothers’ decided to move to America. The boys in the refugee camps were sponsored by the UN to study in America while others were to be released to start their own live because after five years they were 21 years. The time when the three brothers were to land in Fargo, snow was flowing in the streets and roads. Later, Peter with his brothers, Riak, 15 and Maduk 17, arrived at their home apartment which was fully furnished by the

What’s in a Name? :: Research Papers

What’s in a Name? Throughout his book Virtually Normal, Andrew Sullivan explains how people of all different kinds of beliefs think about and treat homosexuals and homosexual behavior in society. He labels the four most commonly held viewpoints on homosexuality (liberationist, conservative, liberal, and prohibitionist) and poses his own politics of homosexuality. According to Sullivan's labels, gay and lesbian activist Urvashi Vaid would be considered a liberal. Vaid is a liberal because even though she may support some aspects of the other four viewpoints, the main points that the other four entail clash considerably with her own beliefs. Vaid is not a prohibitionist, a conservative, a liberationist, or a believer in Sullivan's own politics; she is a liberal under Sullivan's classification. Prohibitionists, according to Sullivan, are those who â€Å"wish to cure or punish people who prac ­tice homosexual acts, and to deter all the others who might be tempted to stray into the homosexual milieu† (Sullivan 22). These people believe that homosexuality is a choice, and that homosexuality violates a natural law. This natural law is the prohibitionist view that heterosexuality is the normal, natural form of human sexuality and that all other deviance, inducing homosexuality, is not normal and not natural. Scripture, and this natural law philosophy, are some of the intellectual ammunition prohi ­bitionists use. They want to stop tolerance of homosexuality at all costs. Urvashi Vaid, on the other hand, wants complete tolerance for homosexuals. She argues against these â€Å"evils† for equal rights for gays. She desires liberation of gay people, so they do not have to live in closets or in gay ghettos, and she wants the end of discrimination against gay and les bian people. She will not settle for virtual equal ­ity, and her goal of complete equality is against all a prohibitionist stands for. Andrew Sullivan describes his conservatives as people who are inconsistent, people who have a hypocritical stance on the issue of homosexuality. These people â€Å"combine a private tolerance of homosexuals with a public disapproval of homosexuality. While they do not want to see legal persecution of homosexuals, they see no problem with the discouragement and disparagement of homosexual sexual behavior† (Sullivan 97). They believe that people's private lives are their own, but in public the heterosexual form is the right form, and anything publicly against that norm will hurt society. So if homosexual people keep quiet about their homosexuality and let heterosexual dominance continue, then all will be well.

How Religion Positively Influence The World Essay

Religion has played a very significant role in human life right from the moment the individual could realize the fact of his existence and made an effort to understand it in relation to the vast, outer nature. Whether we like it or not, religion has wielded immense influence on the individual life and the society constituted by him. August Comte has stated that the evolution of mankind took place through three stages, which he has described as theological, metaphysical, and positive states. Scholars have made efforts to understand the origin of religion in their own ways. For example, Hegel and James Frazer thought that religion is born out of magic; E. B. Taylor on the other hand saw the origin of religion in animism; Herbert Spencer expressed the opinion that religion came into being because of cult of ancestor worship; Max Muller propounded the view that a feeling of awe towards nature was responsible for the birth of religion; Emile Durkheim came out with a view according to which religion is a product of rights and rituals characterizing a society. Religion is the phenomena, which is accepted by the people of the whole world. Weather directly or indirectly. Each and every person of the world have accepted religion because it only the religion by which whole world is controlled. If the religion is not there no body would control him/herself by the evil deeds. Only the mane of God controls the human being by doing evil deeds. Before doing the wrong deed every person feels that God is looking at him/her. Religion influences society but happily the street is many bible-quoting Christians vehemently opposed two ways the abolitionist movement of mid nineteenth century . And we cannot say that these sincere believers were merely citing passages out of context. It must be admitted that the whole biblical era and the writers of holy writ condoned gross inequality included slavery Similarly Christianity and the other world religions were obviously founded in and influenced by a common sexist past, one which unfortunately continues in varying degrees to live in and through them. So society has and can positively influenced religion. This is necessary unless religion is to retreat to pre rational forms of argument and support absolutism that today claims limited respect. John Cobb jr. shows insight in his modest contention that â€Å" in addition to grounding and motivating the ethical concern it shares with secular humanism, religious faith provide an ethos and a world view and it affects the people and communities involved. † Americans Struggle with Religion’s role at Home and Abroad: As a religious people, Americans are unsure about how to judge a world that seems increasingly in conflict along religious lines. The public overwhelmingly sees religion’s influence in the world and the nation as a good thing. And by 51%- 28%, Americans think the lesson of September 11 is that there is too little, not too much religion in the world. But the public does not see all of religion’s effects as positive. A 65% majority believes that religion plays a significant role in most wars and conflicts in the world. Further, while most say that Islam is no more likely to encourage violence than Other religions, a plurality of Americans believes that, in general. â€Å" Some religions† are more likely than others to encourage violence. Those who think that some religions are more violent than others are more likely to see widespread anti America n sentiments among Muslims. The Christian writer Paul wrote, â€Å" God will give to each person according to what he has done. To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism. All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and the law will judge all who sin under the law. For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them). Young People More Influenced Positively: A majority of those under age 30 express a favorable view of Muslim- Americans, Muslims, and Islam alike (57%, 57% and 51% respectively). Other Americans generally have a favorable opinion of Muslim-Americans; however, they express more skepticism toward Muslims and Islam. Americans age 65 and older in particular express mixed views when it comes to Muslims and Islam. By 43%- 25%, members of this group say they feel favorably towards Muslim Americans, but seniors who were asked about Muslims rated them less positively (30% favorable 30% unfavorable). Just one- in- four has a favorable opinion of Islam, while 37% express an unfavorable opinion. College- educated Americans also express more favorable views of Muslims and Islam than those who did not attend college. Education has particularly strong effect on perceptions of the Islamic religion. While about half (52%) of college graduates have a favorable view of Islam, just 29% of those who never attended colleges agree. Among religious groups, white evangelical Protestants have the least favorable view of Islam. Fully 45% of white evangelical say they have an unfavorable opinion of Islam, compared with just 29% who rate religion favorable. White evangelicals also are most likely to say they have an unfavorably view of Muslim-Americans. As many as three- in ten feel unfavorably toward Muslim-Americans, compared, with about two-in ten among other major religious groups. Still, this is less than the 38% of white evangelicals who rated Muslim-Americans unfavorably a year ago. Modern Reasons for Adherence To Religion: 1. Authority: Most religions are authoritarian in nature, and thus provide their adherents with spiritual and moral role models, who they believe can bring highly positive influences both to adherents and influences both to adherents and society in general. 2. Supernatural connection: Most religions postulate a reality which includes both the natural and the saupernatural. Most adherents of religion consider this to be of critical importance, since it permits belief in unseen and otherwise potentially unknowable aspects of life, includeing hope of eternal life. 3. Moderation: Many religions have approaches that produce practices that place limitations on the behaviour of their adherents. This is seen by many as a positive influence, potentially protecting adherents from the destructive or even fatal excesses to which they might otherwise be susceptible. Many people from many faiths contend that their faith brings them fulfillment, peace, and joy, apart from worldly interests. 4. Fulfillment: Most traditional religions require sacrifice of their followers, but, in turn, the followers may gain much from their membership therein. Thus, they come away from experiences with these religions with the feeling that their needs have been filled. In fact, studies have shown that religious adherents tend to be happier and less prone to stree than non-religious people. 5. community ans culture: Organized religions promote a sense of community among their followers, and the moral and cultural common ground of these communities makes them attractive to people with the same value. Indeed, while religious belief and practices are usually connected, some individual with substantially secular belief still participates in religious practices for cultural reasons. Conclusion: Religious belief refers to a faith or creed concerning the supernatural, sacred, or divine. It may concern the existence, nature and worship of a diety or deities and divine involvement in the universe and human life. It may also relate to the values and practices based on the teaching of a supernatural leader. Unlike other belief syatems, religious belief tends to be codified. While often used synonomously with religion, according to this religious belief wikk be assumed to refer to ideas rather than practices. Religion cannot add or subtract any thing from the plausibility of any scientific theory. But this does not mean that religion has no connection with science. Our proposal, perhaps appearing a bit audacious in tone but actually quiet modest in motivation, is that religion, properly understood, confirms the entire scientific enterprise. It does so by justifying g the fundamental trust that nourishes all scientific in query. Our conviction is that we can go beyond conflict, contrast, and even contact in formulating religions relationship to science. Here we are claiming specifically that faith in a personal god has a unique capacity to confirm our trust in reality’s endless intelligibility, a trust without which scientific in query is hopelessly crippled Religion is a phenomenon, which is propagated in the whole world. Each and every person has adopted and positively influenced with it. Whether a person is male or a female they make prayers and always feel his appearance they have accepted the existence of God, who always looked after them. Most of the people spiritually and psychologically come into contact with God, truth and spiritual power. They feel that the religion frees them from deception, sin and spiritual death. Religion has its own significance in the life of human being. References: 1- The Divine Religion; Bhagawat Dharma and Culture; R. N. Vyas; Cosmo Publication New Delhi;1984. 2- What is a Person? An Ethical Exploration; By James William Walters; Published by university of Illinois . Press;1989. 3- http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Religious_belief 4- science and religion from conflict to conversation; John F. Haught; Paulist Press;1987. 5- http://p eople-press. org/reports/display. php3

Civil War In The Movie Cold Mountain - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 942 Downloads: 10 Date added: 2019/05/18 Category History Essay Level High school Tags: Civil War Essay War Essay Did you like this example? For this assignment, I chose to review the movie Cold Mountain (2004), which is based on the bestselling novel (1997). Set during the Civil War in Cold Mountain, North Carolina, this historical drama/romance follows the love story of a Confederate soldier, W.P. Inman (Jude Law), and a Southern belle, Ada Monroe (Nicole Kidman). Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Civil War In The Movie Cold Mountain" essay for you Create order Just as the two fall in love, Inman is drafted and must leave Ada to tend her familys farm with her ill father. On the battlefield, Inman carries his letters and picture of Ada everywhere he goes; she is his only source of hope in all the horror. During the Battle of the Crater, Inman is injured and decides to desert the war in an attempt to make it home to Ada. On the home front, Adas father passes away, leaving her to take care of the farm. Much like many of the poised and sophisticated wealthy young women during the time, Ada soon learns that she knows nothing about survival; she can speak Latin and play piano, yet she cannot grow her own food or take care of herself. Fortunately, a kind neighbor sends her Ruby, a poor farming woman who is well-versed in taking care of herself. With Rubys help, Ada not only learns how to survive and tend the farm, but she gains confidence in herself and her ability to be useful. Though Ada learns to do it on her own, she does not want to; she still longs for Inmans return home. After a long, arduous trek and many brushes with death, Inman finally makes it back to Cold Mountain. The couple are overjoyed to see one another and a passionate night together, but it is short lived. Inman is shot and killed the next day by a Union guard on their journey back to the farm. He dies in Adas arms and she is devastated. The ending scene reveals that Ada has given birth to Inmans child, who lives with her, Ruby, Rubys husband, and their daughter on the farm. I would consider Cold Mountain to be historically accurate. It depicts the Civil War in the way I picture it in my head: violent, devastating, and depressing. Both the scenes from the film and the lines that are said are filled with insight into the war. One quote from Ada particularly sums up the devastation caused by the fighting, What we have lost will never be returned to us. The land will not heal too much blood. All we can do is learn from the past and make peace with it (Minghella, 2004). Adas description of ?too much blood seems fitting to when you consider all the fatalities of the war. According to American Battlefield Trust, These achievements came at the cost of 625,000 livesnearly as many American soldiers died in all the other wars in which this country has fought combined. The American Civil War was the largest and most destructive conflict in the Western world between the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815 and the onset of World War I in 1914 (McPherson, 2018, paragra ph 2). Something that stuck out to me was the lack of slavery in the film. It is well known that one of the major causes of the American Civil War was the issue of slavery. History explains, The Civil War in the United States began in 1861, after decades of simmering tensions between northern and southern states over slavery, states rights and westward expansion (2018, paragraph 1). However, there is little mention of the issue in the movie. Before he passed, Adas father had had some slaves tending the farm, but she had to send them away during the war when she ran out of money. If one thinks about it, though, it does make sense that slavery did not play a key role in Cold Mountain due to the geography. Yes, North Carolina is part of the South, but the film was set in a mountainous region where plantations likely would not have been successful. There are no plantations shown in the movie, only small family farms. I think the movie is more so a depiction of life for the characters in the tow n of Cold Mountain, rather than a depiction of life in the American South in general. I am not quite sure whether I would recommend this film or not. I know that I personally cannot see myself sitting down to watch it again anytime soon. The only reason I might watch it again is to see my favorite character, Ruby, who is played by Renee Zellweger. She gives a truly one-of-a-kind performance, for which she won an Oscar for best supporting actress. While this movie does have wonderful performances by award-winning actors, I found it left me feeling disappointed. As I was watching the film, I found myself on an emotional rollercoaster. It was both gruesome and depressing, tender and intriguing. The film was slow-moving, and I am not really into historical movies, so I probably would have turned it off had I not been writing a review. Though Cold Mountain may not have been my favorite movie, I appreciate its historical accuracy and the attention to detail that went into making it. I know of a few history buffs would love this movie, but Im too used to always getting a happy ending at the end of a movie. References History.com Editors. (2018, September 13). Civil War. Retrieved from https://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/american-civil-war-history McPherson, J., Dr. (2018, October 16). A Brief Overview of the American Civil War. Retrieved from https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/brief-overview-american-civil-war Minghella, A. (Director). (2004). Cold Mountain [Motion picture on DVD]. USA: Buena Vista Home Entertainment.