...Approaches to Psychology and Christianity Liberty University Summary David Entwistle’s (2010) book, Integrative approaches to psychology and Christianity: An introduction to worldview issues, philosophical foundations, and models of integration, opens the reader’s eyes to unexpected possibilities, beginning with the often combative regimes of faith and reason using Tertullian’s symbolism of Athens as the seat of reason and Jerusalem as the seat of faith; which is the basic ongoing battle between science and religion (Entwistle, 2010). What Entwistle addresses is his belief that integration of the disciple of psychology and Christianity is possible, each contributing to the whole allowing effective therapy, where the therapist becomes a type of shepherd that invites the client into the goodness of God and introduces Christ as his savior. Psychology attempts to understand, describe, and diagnose human behavior but Christian theology seeks to understand “what it means to be human” (Entwistle, 2010, p. 3). In the end Entwistle (2010) reoccurring theme throughout the book is that this integration is possible because “all truth is God’s truth” (p. 13). All the reasoning, precise measurements, and descriptives of psychology are possible because of God’s work in creation. Entwistle expands on the concept of worldviews and how each individual interprets everything around them. Each person will search for the truth but it will be biased according to the individual’s worldview. To understand...
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...SHERI ABRAHAM SEP 18, 2014 BUSINESS 561 C06 201440 Fall 2014 DISCUSSION BOARD #1 THE MORAL DILEMMA Benji Watson was a graduate student of a Christian college and was near the top of his class in his MBA program. He was fortunate enough to be recruited by several companies. He had the opportunity of a lifetime to not only be chased by companies right out of college but to be offered an all-expense paid weekend to get to know one of them. He accepted the invitation and while traveling to the location took advantage of the time and began doing some research on the company. New Gen Corporation at first was a great company and he saw a lot of positive thing about them. He did however read about some things that were questionable. He by the end of the trip had to make decision accept the offered position and $80,000 salary plus commission or not. We will discuss Benjis’ situation from both a spiritual and ethical perspective. Benji was presented with a lot from the beginning he was at the top of his class with people chasing him with job opportunities. He accepting a once in a life time chance to have an all-expenses paid trip while being wooed by a big corporation and was excited to learn about them. While he was on his journey to destination he decided to research the company that he would be connecting with over the weekend. He began seeing some great reports on Neu Gen Corporation the financial...
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...for Benji. If Benji were to funnel this decision through his Christian worldview he would see the inconsistencies throughout. The negative articles which Benji had read while in the airport should have been the first sign that New Gen was not the ideal company. While, admittedly, it would be easy for one to find a negative article on just about any widely known company, the information contained within these periodicals should have enlightened Benji to a level of concern. One can not speculate that just because the CEO has had a pattern of building up companies and selling them off at their financial height that he would do this again. It is the fact that New Gen is a “ big contributor” to Planned Parenthood that should have been alarming. Could Benji sleep well at night knowing that he was aiding the abortion of children? I would reason that his Christian morals would prevail, and that he would shutter at the thought that he would support such an organization. God declares, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness (Genesis 1:26, English Standard Version).” When God created mankind, He created beings that are His image-bearers. We are all individually valuable to God. We exhibit specific characteristics as humans that reflect God. As Christians we are commanded to not murder. Benji should be convicted to not support an organization that outwardly supports abortion. Benji had also read about tie-in agreements with distributors. These distributors are...
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...only money from her wages and nothing from her savings. While there, she lived in the cheapest housing and accepted work as a waitress, hotel maid, house cleaner, nursing-home aide, and Wal-Mart salesperson. She also found out that even the humblest livelihoods require strenuous mental and physical effort.. In a capitalistic society, where "unskilled workers" struggle to make ends meet, big companies continue to exploit their labor. The idea of reification also plays well into this story, where the amount of money received in wages is not an equal representation of the worth produced by the laborer, and the laborers act as if they can't change the system. Since reading Nickel and Dimed, it is evident that hard work, contrary to popular belief, doesn't always lead to success and advancement in today's society. The old motto of if you’re willing to work hard you can always find a job is not always true. Our society seems to have moved from an industrial society to one geared toward knowledge. Blue collar workers are...
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...New Left • The Movement • Hippies • Beliefs: anti-war, rights for everyone, university reforms • Often young radicals • Was not the majority of Americans • Loosely organized Student for a Democratic Society • was one of the most active anti-war groups. • They were also against racial discrimination and strict college rules. • Rich mans war but a poor mans fight Free Speech Movement • Berkeley students disputed over rights of students • students challenged campus police and striked in large mass • nearly decade of campus turmoil • moved along to Columbia and other colleges Weathermen • 1969 • small groups of militants that cultivated popular imgae of student radicalism= cahos + disorder • responsible for arson, bombing= destroy campus buildings + lives • tried to drive out training programs + bar military recruiters from college campuses Antiwar rallies • in protest of Vietnam war, many individuals gathered to advocate against the political minds and US presence in Vietnam • 1960s (late '60s) • organized some of the largest political demonstrations in American history Anti-draft movement • Protests against the military draft. • 1960s and 70s • only voluntary participation. Many left the country Counterculture • culture with values and beliefs different then the mainstream • 1970s Woodstock • A music festival held in New York in 1969 • the beatles, jimmy hendrix Termination • Reducing size of bureaucracy by cutting programs/agencies - reduce budget ...
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...work. Truslow states "life should be worse and poorer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement" regardless of social class or circumstances of birth. The idea of the American Dream is rooted in the United States Declaration of Independence which proclaims that "all men are created equal" and that they are "endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights" including "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." The American Dream is viewed by many Americans as not only an American pursuit, but also many Americans, most especially those citizens that identify themselves as Christians see this pursuit as a Christian right of passage. In the catechesis of Christian language the American dream has become synonymous with the being a Christian. In the minds of many Americans the American Dream is a Christian reward to faithfulness. The proliferation of the American dream through the vehicle of the “Prosperity Gospel” is a cause for the continuance of poverty in America. In this writing I plan to discuss the origins of the American, the canonizing of the American dream in scripture, and the growth of the Prosperity Gospel as an answer to the rising poverty rate in this country. ORIGINS OF THE AMERICAN DREAM In researching this project one of the reoccurring themes that I came across was the subject of “Recovering the American Dream.” Authors from all over the publication spectrum have sought to bring clarity to the subject...
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...Southwest Airlines: Organizational Culture and Communication Southwest Airlines: Organizational Culture and Communication Southwest Airlines is a successful multimillion dollar business that prides itself on its beliefs and values. Often people have wondered how Southwest Airlines remains successful in an constantly changing industry. Several airlines have either filed bankruptcy, or lost significant profits, but Southwest has remained a strong American company. The secret to Southwest success lies within the company’s one-of-a-kind organizational culture. Culture When Herb Kelleher co-founded the company, he reflected back on a conversation he had with his mother. “When he informed her that she paid $200 too much by purchasing her car from a particular dealer, she replied saying that when the car has a problem the dealer comes personally to make it right. The $200 was not for the care, it was for the care!” (Herb Keller: Building a People-Focused Culture, n.d.). This memory gave Herb a different outlook on how he should run the company. Southwest departed from the stoic tradition of putting the company first, instead the company decided to put people first, which includes customers, and employees. According to Southwest.com, the mission statement reflects this philosophy by stating, “The mission of Southwest Airlines is dedication to the highest quality of Customer Service delivered with a...
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...Enlist in the Salvation Army Many people want to help their community, but are unsure of how to get involved. Choosing an organization that shares one’s beliefs and morals will optimize the volunteering experience. The Salvation Army is an extremely well-known organization; it is known for the charitable deeds and events it hosts to help people in need. It is also widely known to be a Christianity-based charity, and it highly esteemed for the standards that it holds to. There are Salvation Army locations across the nation, and each one is always looking for new volunteers. Whether it is feeding the homeless, clothing giveaways, or raising money and awareness for an illness, the Salvation Army is an amazing thing to be a part of. This organization...
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...at the New Gen Health Services headquarters. We are told that Benji accepts this all inclusive invitation and decides the opportunity is worth the trip. While awaiting his flight to Seattle Benji takes the opportunity to learn a little about the company that is attempting to recruit him. Once he begins his search Benji learns of some of the good things that the company does. He finds that New Gen sends researchers around the world in an attempt to find new beneficial health services. This action seems to be reinforced with another article that interviews the CEO who professes his mission of creating a healthier America and touting the companies leading ethics code. Having found these articles as well as many supporting the financial wellness of company Benji seems to have found a great company to work for. As it is with many situations things that appear too good to be true usually are. With continued researched Benji begins to find articles that paint a different picture of the company he is being courted by. He finds that New Gen has been supporting organizations such as ACLU and Planned Parenthood. In conjunction with this support Benji also finds the company may have been using business tactics that drove other distributors to bankruptcy. Looking at this set of information we can begin to form a picture of the company known as New Gen Health Sciences....
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...in Enron Matti Rantanen This article studies the moral development at Enron from the perspective of its long-term CEO and chairman Ken Lay. I focus on some critical decisions in the early years of Enron and speculate why Lay chose in favour of non-systems intelligent solutions in leading morale. According to the outlook developed it is plausible to think that immoral behaviour at Enron stemmed not so much from Lay’s immoral character but from his Christian values. Neglecting opportunities to change his value structure Lay avoided tough decisions that marked loss for others. Consequently, unable to make decisions objectively based on systemic rather than individual motives, he lost his opportunity in creating coherent corporate values promoting moral integrity. If the suggested causality is true, it underlines the importance of conscious moral leadership as an everyday discipline. Introduction This article discusses the story of Enron, the infamous American energy company that December 2, 2001 filed the largest bankruptcy case in US history, totalling losses around 66 billion US dollars,1 forcing 4,000 unemployed,2 and bringing down Arthur Andersen, 3 its auditing company. For many of the “bad” and publicly convicted Enron executives it has been the worst nightmare come true, a personal travesty. Cliff Baxter, an Enron executive, has committed suicide and Ken Lay, after being found guilty of conspiracy and fraud, died of heart attack. We might ask, why did these people...
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...see in the following article. Many people erroneously think that no signs have to happen before the Rapture occurs. This is a myth that unfortunately, exists in many Christian circles and is taught in Seminary, but nothing could be further from the truth. Therefore, it is believed that, because the Apostle Paul and others from the New Testament/ First Century believed the Rapture was imminent and would happen in their lifetime, that our position as Evangelical Christians now should be that there are no signs to watch for in the End Times and therefore the Rapture could happen now or a thousand years from now. I believe this is an incorrect belief, because the signs we are to watch for (Mark 13:32-37) are prophecies still being fulfilled. Obviously, they were not all fulfilled in the First Century. A good twenty-five percent of the Bible is prophecy, and much of it concerns the end times. So it would make complete sense when Jesus commanded us to watch for Him, to be alert for His Trumpet Call as our Blessed Hope and not be discouraged because of the times we are living in. Jesus said to the Pharisees, "[Ye] hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?" (Luke 12:56) Meaning that the Pharisees should have been discerning about the times they were living in and watching those signs. And notice He called them "hypocrites" because they had their eyes and focus on the wrong things. Well, here...
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...A person's religious beliefs greatly influence his or her ethical behaviors. According to reports, religion is one of the strongest motivators for individuals to exhibit ethical behaviors in all areas of their lives. Modern thought tends to see religion as one sphere of society, alongside politics, economics, science, family, morality and so on. There is much written about business and organizational ethics but there is little written about the behaviors that people display to demonstrate they are ethical humans. It is almost as if an organization is perceived as an entity capable of doing behaviors without the human element. Decisions within the corporate world are shaped not merely by ethical ideals but also by economic, social, political and legal constraints. Christian ethics, for most people, becomes the art of discerning the morally "more or less," the less than perfect "better or worse," in the myriad of trade-offs among competing values and interests. Modern thought tends to see religion as one sphere of society, alongside politics, economics, science, family, morality and so on. There is much written about business and organizational ethics but there is little written about the behaviors that people display to demonstrate they are ethical humans. It is almost as if an organization is perceived as an entity capable of doing behaviors without the human element. This paper investigates the interrelation of religious principals and beliefs, and its influence on...
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...Business Ethics and Crisis Management: Circumstances for a Second Chance Dr. Stefan MAYR Researcher at the Institut für Controlling und Consulting, Johannes Kepler Universität Linz, Austria Johannes Kepler Universität Linz Institut für Controlling und Consulting Altenberger Straße 69 4040 Linz Austria Stefan.mayr@jku.at Keywords: Corporate responsibility, corporate restructuring, enterprise crisis, bankruptcy 1238 Abstract Discourse regarding ethics and corporate responsibility arose in the last years linked with an increasing number of accounting fraud scandals. The recent financial crisis has had a lasting negative influence on corporate profits. Companies have had to satisfy the interests of several stakeholders, such as its employees, banks, customers and the community, and at the same time successfully manage the consequences of the crisis. An empirical qualitative study which was conducted in Austria in 2008 is presented in this paper aimed at investigating business ethics and crisis management. The stakeholder theory will be used as a reference framework. This paper concludes with lessons that can be learned and political recommendations and policies put forth to grant failed businesses a second chance. 1. Introduction In the past few years, an increasing number of fraud cases and accounting scandals is linked to fierce discourse with respect to ethics and corporate accountability. Business ethics has likewise become a current research subject in...
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...Each case is considered individually. The basic elements in the scandal are outlined and the principal aspects of each organization’s corporate culture discussed, with special emphasis on the influence of leadership styles and leadership behavior/practices on organizational culture. The four cases are then compared and contrasted in the light of the existing evidence on the relation between corporate culture and ethical misbehavior. PRELUDE “We were doing something special. Magical. It wasn’t a job – it was a mission. We were changing the world. We were doing God’s work.” – Jeffrey Skilling, former Enron COO, President and CEO in the immediate aftermath of Enron’s bankruptcy filing* “I don’t want to just be rich. I want to be World Class rich!” – Kenneth Lay, former Chair & CEO, Enron Corporation** “I’ve thought about this a lot, and all that matters is money.” – Jeffrey Skilling, explaining his theory of motivation to another Enron manager***1 INTRODUCTION In the mid-1990s, when Chief Executive...
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...Psalmist admonished his readers with clear instruction regarding the type of counsel a well adjusted and successful person must avoid when he penned the words, “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked…” At first glance, and taking this verse at face value, one could assume the Psalmist is offering insight into the influence, authority, and inherent responsibility a counselor possesses. Naturally, as a student of the scriptures and the art of counseling, this leads to the question what is “the counsel of the wicked?” The obvious place to begin if there is to be an understanding with regard to the “counsel of the wicked” is to examine the word closely asking questions such as, who are the wicked? Is there anything unique about their counsel that qualifies it as wicked? Is the counsel wicked because of the counselor, or is the counselor wicked because of the counsel? Is the phrase used elsewhere in scripture? Can the phrase be taken at face value and truly understood BIBLICAL COUNSELING...
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