...Theories of Myths Paper Myths are so important when it comes to understanding people; Myth comes from the Greek word ‘mythos’ that simply means story or word. Before histories and books on fiction, fact or fantasy were ever written, man from the earliest days told stories to each other and for each other to communicate, reassure, share, and make sense of his or her realities. Myths enact and present a narrative of how a character lives out or goes through an event or a set of events. Myths have come to symbolize a particular genre of fiction along the lines of legends and folktales - important aspects of meaning-making and identity-creation in cultures all over the world. Mary Magoulick (2009) defines myths as such, "Myths are symbolic tales of the distant past (often primordial times) that concern cosmogony and cosmology (the origin and nature of the universe), may be connected to belief systems or rituals, and may serve to direct social action and values." In this paper I will discuss three theories, compare two creation myths, and finish with a summary and conclusion of my reflection towards the theories. Myths are important areas and source of sociological, psychological, and even historiographical discourse in our attempt at understanding and learning of the world of our ancestors and the people and civilizations that came before us. From these myths we learn their world views, how they made sense of their realities and how they reacted to and processed natural and social...
Words: 1512 - Pages: 7
...Biblical and Quranic narratives From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The Qur'an, the central religious text of Islam, contains references to over fifty people and events also found in the Bible. While the stories told in each book are generally comparable in most respects, important differences sometimes emerge. Anything in the Bible that agrees with the Qur'an is accepted by Muslims, and anything in the Bible that disagrees with the Qur'an is not accepted by Muslims. Many stories in the Bible are not mentioned at all in the Qur'an; with regard to such passages, Muslims are instructed to maintain neutral positions, but to read them and pass them on if they wish to do so. Often, stories related in the Qur'an tend to concentrate Islamic moral or spiritual significance of events rather than the details.[1] Western scholars tend to analyze similarities between Biblical and Quranic accounts of the same person or event as being evidence for the influence of pre-existing traditions on the composition of the Qur'an.[2] From a traditionalist Muslim perspective, such a discussion would make no sense; Muslims believe that the Qur'an was sent from God through the angel Gabriel to the prophet Muhammad in a series of revelations, and this divinely revealed text was then progressively dictated (word for word, and over and over again to make certain that there were no mistakes) by Muhammad to the followers of Islam. Moreover, Muslims believe that the Biblical tradition was corrupted over...
Words: 7740 - Pages: 31
...Running head: A Brief Look into Jainism and Judaism A Brief Look into Jainism and Judaism Tammy Chace Strayer University REL212 Dr. Travien L. Capers July 31, 2013 A Brief Look into Jainism and Judaism While studying different religions I became fascinated with Jainism and I have always been interested in Judaism. In this paper we will take a look at the basic origin of each religion and several of their foundational spiritual beliefs. We will then look at a few spiritual practices of each religion. We will look at an example of how each religion is practiced today. Jainism Jainism dates backs to the 6th century B.C.E. in India. The religion derives its name from the jinas, meaning conquerors, a title given to twenty-four great teachers , through whom their faith was revealed. Mahavira, the last of the tirthankaras, is considered the founder of Jainism. The ultimate goal of Jainism is the liberation of one’s self from rebirth, which is attained through the elimination of accumulated karma. This occurs through both the disciplined cultivation of knowledge and control of bodily passions. When the passions have been utterly conquered and all karma has been removed, one becomes a Jina, or “conqueror", and is no longer subject to rebirth. Jainism conceives of a multi-layered universe containing both heavens and hells. Movement through these levels of the universe requires adherence to the Jainism doctrines emphasizing a peaceful and disciplined life. These principles...
Words: 2528 - Pages: 11
...6Judaism | Judaism hasno single founder and no central leader or group making theological decisions, is the diverse tradition associated with the Jewish people, who may be defined either as a religious group on as an ethnic group. Judaism traces its history back to the creation of mankind. The Jewish sense of history begins with the stories recounted in the Hebrew Bible or Tanakh. Biblical history begins with the creation of the world by as supreme deity, or God. Jewish history does not end where the Tanakh end, about the second century BCE. After the holy center of Judaism, the Temple of Jerusalem, was captured and destroyed by the Romans in 70CE, Jewish history is that of a dispersed people, finding unity in their teachings and traditional practices which where codified in the great compendium of Jewish law and lore, the Talmud. Although knowledge of the early history of the Children of Israel is based largely on the narratives of the Tanakh, scholars are uncertain of the historical accuracy of the accounts, Jews hold the Pentateuch, the five books of Moses” that appear at the beginning of the Tanakh, as the most sacred part of the scriptures. (Pg.248) | Monotheism: the central theme is that there is one Creator God, the “cause of all existent things.” (Pg.278)In early monotheism Scholars disagree on whether pure monotheism- the worship of a single God of the universe, exclusive of any other divine beings was practiced by the early patriarchs. Many names for...
Words: 2012 - Pages: 9
...“Culture” The culture of India refers to the way of life of the people of India. India's languages, religions, dance, music, architecture, food, and customs differ from place to place within the country. The Indian culture, often labelled as an amalgamation of several cultures, spans across the Indian subcontinent and has been influenced by a history that is several millennia old.[1][2] Many elements of India's diverse cultures, such as Indian religions, yoga, and Indian cuisine, have had a profound impact across the world ‘Religions” Main article: Religion in India India is the birthplace of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, collectively known as Indian religions Indian religions, also known as Dharmic religions are a major form of world religions along with Abrahamic one. Today, Hinduism and Buddhism are the world's third and fourth-largest religions respectively, with over 2 billion followers altogether, and possibly as many as 2.5 or 2.6 billion followers India is one of the most religiously diverse nations in the world, with some of the most deeply religious societies and cultures. Religion still plays a central and definitive role in the life of many of its people. According to a 2001 census of India, the religion of...
Words: 4683 - Pages: 19
...The Sociopath Next Door Author: Martha Stout Book Review By: Nicole Hanks April 8, 2013 “1 in 25 ordinary Americans secretly has no conscience and can do anything at all without feeling guilty. Who is the devil you know?” “A chilling accurate portrayal of evil—the decent person’s guide to indecency.” Jonathan Kellerman If a sociopath lives next door, don't go over for coffee. In fact, don't admit to them that you drink coffee, don't talk to them, and for the love of all that's holy, don't ever ask if you can borrow a cup of sugar. Not even if you're baking a cake that is guaranteed to find you true love, a promotion, and give you the winning lotto numbers. Do not make nice with a sociopath. Or so you'll think after reading Martha Stout's book. The Sociopath Next Door is an intriguing look at these devious, tricky people who live a life without a conscience. She describes the sociopath as a person who doesn't have guilt or remorse, or a sense of conscience. Literally they have no conscience. Their minds are such that the sociopath is free to run among us in the world, doing what they like without feeling bad or upset. They don't lie awake at night, wishing they could take back a nasty remark. They don't bite back and keep from saying nasty things to the clerk at Blockbuster when asked to check their backpacks at the store. If they say something awful, they're not going to feel sorry for it. That really seems to be the gist of sociopath, the total lack of remorse or regard...
Words: 1551 - Pages: 7
...The Puritans wanted to build a society fixed on community and family, one that mirrored their ecclesiastical identity. One major difference in the Pilgrims and Puritans was that the Pilgrims were Puritans who had abandoned local parishes and formed small congregations of their own because the Church of England was not holy enough to meet their standards. They were labeled “Separatists.” Winthrop, author of “Model of Christian Charity” was governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, which was a colony of people who left England in search of trade opportunities in the New World. He was a Puritan, like many of the people among this colony. This group claimed that the Church of England was corrupted by selfish leaders and petty squabbles. In contrast, Puritans envisioned an idealized community in which all citizens would focus their lives on the word of God. The pilgrims on the other hand, they demanded the formation of new, separate church...
Words: 1240 - Pages: 5
...After the time of Zoroaster the Aryan, pagan people employed Mehr priests called Karapans. They dressed in robes and long caps that flipped over a bit at the top. Unlike their original Aryan counterparts these priests sacrificed animals and plants to fire, and they became intoxicated from haoma. The following account gives us a snapshot. “Some could afford a karapan who was paid a little fee or kine (a word for cows). The tribal chief, could employ a full team, a feast, and large fire, with flames flying and a smoke cloud climbing. There were tender twigs or grass (baresman/barhi) spread for the gods to grace. The rites appeared graceful. Animals, one or more as the ceremonial scale and occasion warranted, were slaughtered, and their blood,...
Words: 4128 - Pages: 17
...molestation of women in the novel. Communal hatred that engulfs the city of Delhi has been presented in all its ugliness through incidents described in the novel. The death and destruction that is perpetrated by both the communities on each other is a grotesque reminder of the folly of man who cannot feel the pain and misery of another. The writer, however, concludes the narrative on a subtle note of hope and promise. Creative writers, unless they chose like Raja Rao to completely ignore Partition, have been writing about it ever since 1947. The heat and dust raised by the catastrophe did not settle down for a long time. The unnaturalness of communal strife that gripped the country at that time is still beyond human understanding. Kumar has used the backdrop of Partition in his novel as “a gift of British diplomacy which thrived on the political ambition and the resultant myopia of the seekers of power who chose the trauma for glory.”1. What is different about the novel is that here the writer does not give the picture of different communities living peacefully. Partition has already drifted them apart as the narrative begins. For Kumar Partition is an experience that he lived and felt as he himself migrated from Lahore to Delhi in August 1947. Thus, in A River With Three Banks he looks back at the event after a gap of...
Words: 4533 - Pages: 19
...------------------------------------------------- Culture of India From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Part of a series on the | Culture of India | | History | People | Languages[show] | Mythology and folklore[show] | Cuisine | Religion | Art[show] | Literature[show] | Music and performing arts[show] | Media[show] | Sport | Monuments[show] | Symbols[show] | * India portal | * v * t * e | The culture of India is the way of living of the people of India. India's languages, religions, dance, music, architecture, food, and customs differ from place to place within the country. The Indian culture, often labeled as an amalgamation of several cultures, spans across the Indian subcontinent and has been influenced by a history that is several millennia old.[1][2] Many elements of India's diverse cultures, such as Indian religions, yoga and Indian cuisine, have had a profound impact across the world. Contents [hide] * 1 Religions * 2 Perceptions of Indian culture * 2.1 Arranged marriage * 2.2 Wedding rituals * 3 Greetings * 4 Festivals * 5 Animals * 6 Cuisine * 7 Clothing * 8 Languages and literature * 8.1 History * 8.2 Epics * 9 Performing arts * 9.1 Dance * 9.2 Drama and theatre * 9.3 Music * 10 Visual arts * 10.1 Painting * 10.2 Sculpture * 10.3 Architecture * 11 Sports and martial arts * 11.1 Sports ...
Words: 10182 - Pages: 41
...Culture of Malaysia From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Life in Malaysia Culture Cuisine Demographics Economy Education Ethnic groups Film Health Holidays Languages Literature Malaysian English Music Politics Religion Religious freedom Society Sport Transport Tourism Indian Chinese The culture of Malaysia draws on the varied cultures of the different people of Malaysia. The first people to live in the area were indigenous tribes that still remain; they were followed by the Malays, who moved there from mainland Asia in ancient times. Chinese and Indian cultural influences made their mark when trade began with those countries, and increased with immigration to Malaysia. Other cultures that heavily influenced that of Malaysia include Persian, Arabic, and British. The many different ethnicities that currently exist in Malaysia have their own unique and distinctive cultural identities, with some crossover. Arts and music have a long tradition in Malaysia, with Malay art dating back to the Malay sultanates. Traditional art was centred around fields such as carving, silversmithing, and weaving. Islamic taboos restricted artwork depicting humans until the mid-20th century. Performing arts and shadow puppet shows are popular, and often show Indian influences. Various influences can be seen in architecture, from individual cultures in Malaysia and from other countries. Large modern structures have been built, including the tallest twin buildings in the world...
Words: 5380 - Pages: 22
...r Divine-Human Synergism in Ministry Dennis Bratcher A paper presented to the Breckenridge Conference on Clergy Preparation I. Introduction II. Synergism: A Biblical and Theological Base III. The Church's Mission and Ministry: A Recovery of Balance IV. Divine-Human Synergism in Ministry Footnotes Bibliography I. Introduction The Issue In Context The Church In this series of conferences begun last year, we are in process of reflecting on the direction and focus of the ministry and ministerial training in the Church of the Nazarene as our community of faith moves into the twenty-first century. We have attempted to approach our task from two complimentary perspectives, caricatured last year as the "field" of hands-on work and the "realm" of reflective inquiry (although I think there are serious problems inherent in such an artificial dichotomy of responsibilities). -1- From our initial attempts, it has become obvious that we face a multiplicity of issues in such an endeavor. The range and diversity of these issues arise partly from the variety of theological, historical, and practical concerns operating with each of us as individuals and partly from the assumptions and perspectives imported from particular arenas of ministry. One common element that keeps reappearing in various forms is the issue of the nature and mission of the Church. This issue is not unique to our enterprise in these conferences, as the new eleventh Article of Faith on...
Words: 14067 - Pages: 57
...A short story by George Bernard Shaw | The Miraculous Revenge | I arrived in Dublin on the evening of the fifth of August, and drove to the residence of my uncle, the Cardinal Archbishop. He is like most of my family, deficient in feeling, and consequently averse to me personally. He lives in a dingy house, with a side-long view of the portico of his cathedral from the front windows, and of a monster national school from the back. My uncle maintains no retinue. The people believe that he is waited upon by angels. When I knocked at the door, an old woman, his only servant, opened it, and informed me that her master was then officiating at the cathedral, and that he had directed her to prepare dinner for me in his absence. An unpleasant smell of salt fish made me ask her what the dinner consisted of. She assured me that she had cooked all that could be permitted in his Holiness's house on Friday. On my asking her further why on Friday, she replied that Friday was a fast day. I bade her tell His Holiness that I had hoped to have the pleasure of calling on him shortly, and drove to the hotel in Sackville-street, where I engaged apartments and dined. After dinner I resumed my eternal search--I know not for what: it drives me to and fro like another Cain. I sought in the streets without success. I went to the theatre. The music was execrable, the scenery poor. I had seen the play a month before in London with the same beautiful artist in the chief part. Two years had passed since...
Words: 8258 - Pages: 34
...Tradition And Modernity In the instinctive mode of western scholars, I had once thought of Tradition and Modernity as individual chapters, each of them thinking about its topic as an entity to be understood in its respective essence and unity. But I have come to understand in perhaps an equally perennial move by western students of Indian culture that these two terms do not in themselves exist. But they do function, dialogically. They work in relation with each other. Modernity functions as an economic and social tool to achieve some wealth, flexibility, and innovation for individuals and groups; Tradition functions, partly and at times largely, as a mythological state which produces the sensation of larger connectedness and stability in the face of shockingly massive social change over the last half-century. One might also say that Modernity is an economic force with social, cultural, and political correlatives; Tradition is a cultural force with social, economic, and political correlatives. Satisfyingly asymmetrical in their relation, they require us, in talking of one, to talk also of the other, just as they induce us to move as nimbly as possible between theoretical abstraction and experiential reality. But their separation is itself part of the mythological drama in current Indian thought, just as their mutual implication is the import of the same ironic smile that brings to an effective close any conversation one hears here about them. And so we take them in turn only...
Words: 21056 - Pages: 85
...This Tournament Goes to Eleven 2007 This Packet Has Gone to the Dogs (theme packet) Written by: Delaware (Bill Tressler) Every question will mention a dog somewhere, but answers need not be specifically a dog's name or breed. Tossups 1. One character by this name was a son of Zeus and Niobe who succeeded Apis as king of Phoronea. Another had the labors of freeing Arcadia and killing Satyr, while a third is seen "lying neglected on the heaps of mule and cow dung" and could not get up to greet those entering. After one of those figures was slain his 100 most famous attributes were placed on the tails of peacocks, as Hera had previously entrusted him to watch Io with his many eyes. The brother of Cerberus and the dog of Odysseus share, For 10 points, what namesake with the builder of Jason's ship? ANSWER: Argos or Argus 2. The First Battle of Acentejo occurred here in 1494 and was a setback for Fernández de Lugo's attempts at colonization, which were begun when the 1474 Treaty of Alcáçova had ceded this place to Isabel of Castile. Antonio de Viana wrote an epic ode to the aboriginal natives of this place, and one of his works provides the name of Mount Teide, which is the highest point in its entire country. Secondary landmasses here include * Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Gomera, and La Palma, while its largest component is named Tenerife. Their name is in fact derived from a fierce breed of dogs known as the Presa, and not from their famous yellow avians. For...
Words: 4992 - Pages: 20
