...Some would say freemasonry is a religion, some would say it is a cult; other would say it is a secret society and it is they worship the devil. Strange isn’t it, I would say so that one organization would cause so much confusion and all the attention and especially with the church. The church is more of a religious thing, it is a place where you go to worship and give praise in what you believe your religion is a way of life and what you believe in and live by that belief by putting forth good actions or the deeds that you are required to do. For example in Christianity in order to be saved you first have to confess your sins, ask for forgiveness, and believe that Jesus died for your sins. Then you are saved so there is a criteria to become a Christian and get saved, so why is it when it is a criteria to become a freemason then all of a sudden the “church” has an issue; I think it is more of fear of the unknown and speculation. Hopefully this paper can give a little more understanding on what is going on between the church and freemasonry. I would also like for people to understand what freemasonry truly is. Freemasonry is not a cult of or a religion but a fraternal organization that requires you to believe in a higher being. So I will prove my point that freemasonry is not a religion, what is church main issue with freemasonry, and that freemasonry is just simply a fraternal organization. Freemasonry is a fraternal organization History of freemasonry The history of freemasonry...
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...The Rise and Spread of Islam •The Post Classical Period: Faith and Commerce - Spread of major world religions o Budhism o Christianity o Islam 1. Spread through preaching, trade routes - Development of Systematic o Boat trade 2. Indian Trade spread disease, religion, ideas - Three Big Ideas o Trans-regional communication and exchange networks o Forms of state organize. Diversify o All societies increased productive capacity • Pre-Islamic Arabia - Bedoin culture based on Kin/clan/tribal networks o Survival dependent on loyalty to clan o Magnified by harsh environment - Shayks- clan/tribal leaders o Conflict was frequent o Society was fragmented - Fierce inter clan rivalries and struggles for resources o Emphasis on revenge, “male honor” - Towns and long distance trade----Mecca and Medina o Medina (Yathrib) (established on oasis) o Mecca more important – Umayyad (ruling clan) – Quraysh; (Ka’ba) - Status of women varied by clan o More respect vs. less respect - Little art/architechture (no big civs) o Focus on poetry 1. Gives glimpse into daily life - Bedovin religions- blend of animism and polytheism o Animism- nature worship - The life of Myhammad and Genesis of Islam o Born around 570 CE – Merchant, married Khadijah ...
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...Reserve. So far, our armies have had a couple loses but for the greater part, they have been victorious. Entertainment in Rome was focused on plays in the theaters, horse and chariot racing in the Circus Maximus and gladiator shows in the coliseum. Entertainment in the U.S. varies from state to state. Some of the entertainment the U.S. adopted was theater plays and shows. Modern day entertainment revolves around television and the Internet. Ancient Rome’s downfall was because of the political uprisings, economic problems and military problems. After Constantine, the first Christian emperor, Rome was divided into two parts; the Western Roman Empire and the Eastern Roman Empire. Soon Germanic began invading the Western Roman Empire territory in 410, 455 and 475 BCE. The last Roman Empire was disposed. On the other hand, the Eastern Roman Empire lasted another 1,000...
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...Practices of Judaism and Christian 2 Similarities between Judaism and Christianity 4 Differences between Judaism and Christianity 4 Conclusion 5 References 6 Introduction Religion is a sacred entity in many cultures. Throughout the history and even today we see the practice of religion in all the places of the world. Religion is defined as an organized system of belief, ceremonies, practices and worship that centers on one or more gods. Religion continues to be a dominant force around the world, affecting everything from what people wear to how they behave. There are thousands of religions in the world and from that Judaism is the religion of more than fourteen million Jews throughout the world and it was first major religion to teach the existence of only one god. The basic laws and teachings of Judaism come from Torah, the first five books of Hebrew Bible. Christianity is the largest religion in the world with about two billion followers. It is based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Most of the Christians are member of one of the three groups: Roman Catholic, Protestant or Eastern Orthodox. The following pages concentrate on Judaism and Christianity and their history, practices, similarities and differences. History Judaism began about 4,000 years as the religion of small Middle Eastern group of people called Hebrews or Jews. Hebrew or Jews belief they were protected and kept strong by powerful gods. In time they started developing and revolutionized the idea...
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...“Things Fall Apart,” by Chinua Achebe SUICIDE: Honor vs. Abomination Alecia Williams Critical Reading, Semester 2, Class RE 260 G Professor E. Singleton May 10th, 2012 Abstract Is it an abomination to God or is it an honorable sacrificial offering unto the Lord to commit suicide is any form or for any reason? Suicide has been a contradicting issue since the dawn of times. In many countries suicide can be viewed as an offering unto God. Many Middle Eastern countries view suicide as an honor. To them such an act requires bravery and courage, and in return they shall be rewarded with eternal life dispersed by the God that they serve. This research paper will access and outline whether or not suicide can be viewed an a honor or an abomination base on the famous novel “Things Fall Apart,” by Chinua Achebe, in relation to the protagonist of the story Oknonkwo. The Qur’an and the Bible But does suicide deem honor and compensation in any country or any religion; factually? Actually suicide is looked down upon in both the Christian and the Islamic/Muslim religions. The Qur’an clearly states that “O ye who believe! Do not kill yourselves, for truly Allah has been to you Most Merciful. If any do that in rancor and injustice, soon shall we cast him into the fire.” (Qur'an 4:29-30) The Bible also states that “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought...
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...Assignment notes Christianity vs. Judaism: The major differencesHere, in great brevity, is a summary of some of the major differences between Judaism and Christianity. | Principle | | Christianity | | Judaism | Nature of God | | Trinity | | Unity | Nature of Messiah | | Divine, Sin Sacrifice | | Only human, Righteous King | Atonement | | Blood Required | | Prayer and Repentance | Sin | | Everyone stained by Adam and Eve ("original sin") | | All begin with clean slate | Righteousness | | No one | | Within our power to choose | Satan | | Fallen angel | | Agent of God | Torah | | Written only | | Written and Oral | Commandments | | Not eternal or valuable | | Eternal and of ultimate value | Exclusivity | | Only Christians go to heaven | | All righteous have a place in the world to come. | Land of Israel | | Irrelevant | | Crucial | Jews | | Replaced by the church; or irrelevant | | God’s chosen people | Judaism is one of the world’s oldest religions, dating back up to 2000 years BC from the time when God first called Abraham to leave his home and follow Him. At that time, God made a covenant (or agreement) with Abraham in which He promised to make Abraham the father of a great nation and that one day his descendants would inherit the land of Canaan if Abraham followed him. God’s plan was gradually revealed through the Old Testament and built on with further promises to Moses, David and the prophets...
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...Journal of World Business 37 (2002) 69±80 Eastern European cluster: tradition and transition     Gyula Bakacsi, Takacs Sandor, Karacsonyi Andras, Imrek Viktor1 Budapest University of Economic Sciences and Public Administration, 1093 Budapest, Hungary Abstract The eastern European cluster consists of Albania, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Poland, Russia, and Slovenia. It has a population of 232 million and a gross domestic product (GDP) of U.S.$772 billion. The cluster's distinctive cultural practices are high power distance and high family and group collectivism. The region is facing signi®cant challenges during its period of transition from communist philosophy to market-based economies. The participating managers value a much greater degree of future and performance orientation, but are strongly attached to their cultural heritage of deep family and group cohesion. They are also highly value charismatic and team-oriented leadership. The challenges and complexities facing the region are explored in the paper. # 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Inc. 1. Introduction This article provides an in-depth look at the eastern European culture. This region is understudied due to its socialist past and was not (with the exception of Greece and Yugoslavia), included in Hofstede's seminal work (1980) or basic reviewing and synthesizing study of Ronen & Shenkar, 1985 comparative study of 25 countries. Over the past few years, a few writers have examined cultural and...
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...Running Head: COMPARISON- CONTRAST ESSAY Apple vs Banana Elizabeth Anderson June 8 2012 ENG 101 What’s your favorite fruit? Do you think that your favorite fruit gives you more advantage? Two of the most common favorite fruits are apple and banana. Apple. Apple originated in Central Asia but has wild relatives in the New World. The apple is one of the most popular and widely grown fruits. It is easy to ship, resistant to disease, and popular for its flavor which can be sweet or tart, depending on the varietal. Roughly 60 million tons of apples are produced each year. They are predominately a fruit of northern or temperate climates. According to mahalo.com, apple is the most accessible fruit in the United States. Apple trees were initially from Asia, but there are over 7,500 types of apple trees in existence today. China is the leading producer of apples, with the United States coming in second. Eastern Turkey is the origin of the apple tree and is perhaps the first type of tree ever to be cultivated. Apples are fruit produced by apple trees and are the most commonly grown tree fruits. Symbols of sin in the Christian religion, apples have also been a part of Norse and Greek mythology as well as German paganism. Apples are roundish in shape and come in a wide variety of colors and textures, from red and soft to green and firm. Apples are eaten as snacks, and can be made into pies, breads, muffins and more. Apple juice and wine is made...
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...Latin draconem (nominative draco) meaning "huge serpent, dragon", from the Greek word δράκων, drakon (genitive drakontos, δράκοντος) "serpent, giant seafish". The Greek and Latin term referred to any great serpent, not necessarily mythological, and this usage was also current in English up to the 18th century. Morphology A dragon is a mythological representation of a reptile. In antiquity, dragons were mostly envisaged as serpents, but since the Middle Ages, it has become common to depict them with legs, resembling a lizard. Dragons are usually shown in modern times with a body like a huge lizard, or a snake with two pairs of lizard-type legs, and able to emit fire from their mouths. The European dragon has bat-like wings growing from its back. A dragon-like creature with wings but only a single pair of legs is known as a wyvern. Comparative mythology Further information: Chaoskampf, Sea serpent, Proto-Indo-European religion § Dragon or Serpent and Serpent (Bible) The association of the serpent with a monstrous opponent overcome by a heroic deity has its roots in the mythology of the Ancient Near East, including Canaanite (Hebrew, Ugaritic), Hittite and Mesopotamian. Humbaba, the fire-breathing dragon-fanged beast first described in the Epic of Gilgamesh is sometimes described as a dragon with Gilgamesh playing the part of dragon-slayer. The legless serpent (Chaoskampf) motif entered Greek mythology and ultimately Christian mythology, although the serpent motif may...
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...Foundations: c. 8000 B.C.E.–600 C.E. Major Developments 1. Locating world history in the environment and time 1. Environment 1. Geography and climate: Interaction of geography and climate with the development of human society a. Five Themes of Geography – consider these 1. Relative location – location compared to others 2. Physical characteristics – climate, vegetation and human characteristics 3. Human/environment interaction – how do humans interact/alter environ a. Leads to change 4. Movement – peoples, goods, ideas among/between groups 5. Regions – cultural/physical characteristics in common with surrounding areas b. E. Africa first people – 750,000 years ago started to move 1. moving in search of food c. Role of Climate – End of Ice Age 12000 BCE – large areas of N. America, Europe, Asia became habitable – big game hunters already migrated 1. Geographical changes - 3000 BCE Green Sahara began to dry up, seeds to forests – N. America 2. Effect on humans – nomadic hunters didn’t move so much a. Settle near abundant plant life – beginning of civilization b. Sedentary life w/ dependable food supply 3. milder conditions, warmer temperatures, higher ocean...
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...on What is the Relation between Science and Religion William Lane Craig Examines several ways in which science and theology relate to each other. Back in 1896 the president of Cornell University Andrew Dickson White published a book entitled A History of the Warfare of Science with Theology in Christendom. Under White’s influence, the metaphor of “warfare” to describe the relations between science and the Christian faith became very widespread during the first half of the 20th century. The culturally dominant view in the West—even among Christians—came to be that science and Christianity are not allies in the search for truth, but adversaries. To illustrate, several years ago I had a debate with a philosopher of science at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver , Canada, on the question “Are Science and Religion Mutually Irrelevant?” When I walked onto the campus, I saw that the Christian students sponsoring the debate had advertised it with large banners and posters proclaiming “Science vs. Christianity.” The students were perpetuating the same sort of warfare mentality that Andrew Dickson White proclaimed over a hundred years ago. What has happened, however, in the second half of this century is that historians and philosophers of science have come to realize that this supposed history of warfare is a myth. As Thaxton and Pearcey point out in their recent book The Soul of Science, for over 300 years between the rise of modern science in the 1500’s and the late 1800s the relationship...
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...Culture Essay Culture is pervasive in all marketing activities”, (Albaum et al, 2005) Hall distinguishes culture according to the degree of context in their communication systems (De Mooij, 2010). High context cultures (Japanese, Chinese) contrast greatly with low context cultures (USA), who require a more explicit conveyance of messages. As Hall (1984) says, “Many Americans don’t seem able to evaluate anything unless they can attach a number to it”. Introduction One of the early scholars of culture, Linton (1945), defines it as: ‘‘The configuration of learned behavior and results of learned behavior whose component elements are shared and transmitted by the members of a particular society.’’ Other early scholars like Kluckhorn (1954) conceptualized that the cultural influences transcend in terms of the beliefs, norms, traditions, and values of society and this view still prevails among the scholars of culture. Why is culture important? Global Marketing in the simplest description attempts to understand customers in terms of what they buy, when they buy, why they buy, how much they buy, where they buy it, and with what they buy. Internationally, this means understanding culture. How marketing efforts interact with culture determines the success or failure of a product. "There are many examples of cultural differences that have affected marketing success or failure." (Buzzell) The relationship with culture comes into play with the realization that each of the consumer...
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... d. Sicily iii. Both are major centers of colonization (magna graecia) Trade and commerce would produce tremendous wealth. Phoenicians They see themselves as monopolizing. Rivalry between Phoenicians and these new Greeks. 2. Alphabetic Writing Writing will return to the Greek world during this period. When it does it won’t be like Linear A or B. It will be based on an alphabet that the Greeks borrowed and modified the Phoenicians alphabet. Homer- iconic poet of Greek literature. He came from the region of Ionia. Produced famous epics of the Trojan War. Legends of the great Mycenaean heroes. Different traditions focused on different heroes. Responsible for two of the great monuments. The Iliad and the Odyssey. Achilles Agamemnon Odysseus Hector Ajax Paris Helen of Troy Penelope Important element- arête means excellence. Surpassing Excellence. Achievement, accomplishment. Exceed potential. Also mental. Ex. Odysseus is smarter than anyone else. He outwits Gods. Virtue of this society. Also is very competitive. Forever contending against one another. Individualistic quality. Have to be the best. Character trait that is the center of Greece. 3. Polis e. Polis literally means city. f. Greeks meant g. Oligarchic rule of Basileis Greece is made up of city-states. Each city will undergo its own political history. At the beginning of the archaic period almost all were Oligarchic. Oligarchic is rule by the few,...
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...in central and eastern Europe Does Europe exist? Where should be the borders? Russia and Turkey had a big influence on Europe as well. They dispatched parts of Europe for a long time. Of course the path dependency is present in these regions. The process of European integration started later there. European identity is difficult to describe. Distinction between east and west means post-communism (eastern). Central Europe: Czechs feel like being central Europeans (since they don’t want to be part of eastern Europe.) idea of central Europe is based on Austrian-Hungarian-Empire + parts of Germany eg Bavaria. The link is also the way of making decisions, working, doing things, tradition, waking up early (Franz Josef) many similarities. Lot of conflicts in Europe are still connected to events that happened hundreds of years ago. Poland (republic) Linguistic Group: Western Slavic Religion: Catholic (important part of national identity) Ethnical Minorities: German, Ukraine, Belorussian (small and not important) Often divided (Russia, Germany, Austria-Hungary) Is called state of wheels always moving We are Poles because we are not Russian, not German religion became very important for their identification. Day 2 Post-Yugoslavia states Tito managed to unify Yugoslavia after WWII and to keep it independent from Russia. self-managed socialism (market orientation). More contact to the west. Authoritarian system but not as closed as the other eastern states. Before...
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...read it – you would know everything. 1000 year old system of written law. His most enduring contribution, Justinian. One of the three most important books beside the bible and quaran. Lenord the 3rd wrote the Ekolga. Justinian had reconquered the west. 1079 – one or two copies of the digest are found. Digest is not law in England, Germany. England were developing their own system, Germany wouldn’t develop until the 19th century. Every other latin speaking areas used it. Islam Decade seperates death of Justinian and birth of Mohammed. Justinian died in 565. Suceeded by several emperors in the next 45 years. Couple decent, one loser, one tyrant. Tyrant was overthrown in 610 – phocus. Heraclius would found the dynasty that would govern the eastern empire. By 600 there were few people that understood latin. Heraclius would be troubled by the byzantian-persian war – during his first 20 years. He would emerge victorious in the long run. He beat the Persians into submission but the prosperity and enthusiasm had largely...
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