...World Religions Report HUM/130 Vickie Burns-Sikora July 29, 2012 The religious organization we know today as Jehovah’s Witness was formed around the end of the 19th century by a group of Bible students in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. However, it was a little over sixty years before they adopted the name Jehovah’s Witness in order to separate themselves from other Christian denominations (Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, 2006). Jehovah’s Witness is a Christian religion but differs from traditional Christianity because of their non-trinitarian beliefs. It is a monotheistic religion because they believe in and worship only one God. From their small numbers when founded, their following has constantly increased throughout the years and today they have a worldwide membership of around seven and a half million people. They teach followers to live a good moral life and to help others, no matter what the religious beliefs or racial and ethnical background of that person may be. They spread their message through their publication of the Bible journal The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom, which is published in over 190 languages and is the world’s most widely circulated religious magazine. Jehovah’s Witnesses are probably best known for going door to door to spread their message and are seen by some people as an aggravation. They are very friendly to others and anyone can attend service to see if the religion would be a good fit for their personal lifestyle...
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...Aspens BY EDWARD THOMAS All day and night, save winter, every weather , Above the inn, the smithy, and the shop, The aspens at the cross-roads talk together Of rain, until their last leaves fall from the top. Out of the blacksmith's cavern comes the ringing Of hammer, shoe, and anvil; out of the inn The clink, the hum, the roar, the random singing— The sounds that for these fifty years have been. The whisper of the aspens is not drowned, And over lightless pane and footless road, Empty as sky, with every other sound Not ceasing, calls their ghosts from their abode, A silent smithy, a silent inn, nor fails In the bare moonlight or the thick-furred gloom, In tempest or the night of nightingales, To turn the cross-roads to a ghostly room. And it would be the same were no house near. Over all sorts of weather, men, and times, Aspens must shake their leaves and men may hear But need not listen, more than to my rhymes. Whatever wind blows, while they and I have leaves We cannot other than an aspen be That ceaselessly, unreasonably grieves, Or so men think who like a different tree. Stairway to the Stars BY RON PADGETT "And then there were three whereas before there had been four or two And then there were four or two." Thus spake the King. No one dared ask what it meant. He seemed satisfied by the beauty of the logic that had arrived, the royal hall now lightly radiant as he arose from his throne and the world fell away...
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...The Distance to Andromeda by Gregorio C. Brillantes The Boy Ben, thirteen years old, sits there and wide-eyed before the screen of the theater, in the town of Tarlac, his heart thumps in awe and excitement, and his hands are balled into unconscious fists, as the spaceship burns its blue-flamed journey through the night of the universe that is forever silent with a high metallic hum. Enclosed in time within the rocket, the ship itself surrounded by timelessness, which is in turn framed by the boundaries of the cinema screen, the last men and women and children of Earth watch the asteroids, the stream of cosmic dust, the barren planets drift past the portholes like luminous flowers at once beautiful and monstrous, floating in the ocean of space. The traveler search the night for another world of air and greenness, remembering the end of the Earth, the Final War, the flickering radioactive fires upon the lifeless continents. Beyond the dead seas of Mars, and beyond the ice-bound tomb of Neptune, past the orbit of Pluto and out into the black immeasurable depths, the rocket flashes onward, through years of space and time: a moving speck among the twinkling stars, propelled by the flame of its engine and a certain destiny. A sun looms up from the blackness, more golden and more gentle than the star they have always known; and as a globe of shining water and green-shadowed land appears through the viewports; they break out into jubilant cries and dazed whispers of thanks to God. Cradled...
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...white button-down shirt was neatly pressed with military creases. His black pointy toe shoes slid as he walked. Though he never said a word to anyone, he would hum in a deep voice the National anthem. As he walked and passed anyone, he would just put his head down and keep humming. Never did he mess with anyone, but the neighborhood kids were so cruel to him. They would scream No face is coming, No face is coming, and gathers behind him imitating his walk. Most of the time he would ignore them, but every now and then he would stop, turnaround, lift up his hairy face and growl at the kids, rrrrrrrrrrr. And they would all start running. And if you were brave enough to look back, you could see him smile for a brief second. One day while Mr. No face was sitting on the park bench a little freckle face boy walk up to him as he sat humming the national Anthem. Mr., what is your name, the little boy said. But Mr. No face did not answer he just started humming louder. The little boy, out of curiosity, then said, why do you keep humming the same old Nation Anthem. But Mr. No face just got just louder and louder. But to Mr. No faces surprise, the little boy did not leave; he actually started singing the National Anthem as Mr. No Face hummed. The two were so loud that people started gathering to here them hum and sing. The little freckly face boy had a...
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...World Religions Report HUM/130 November 30, 2012 The religion Buddhism is a religion with approximately 300 million adherents worldwide. Buddhism comes from 'budhi', meaning 'to awaken'. It is one of the largest religions in the world, just behind Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. For this study, I conducted an interview and researched the religion to gain a better understanding of their practices and beliefs. I also included a comparative section to help understand the differences and similarities between this religion and Christianity, one of the largest known religions. Buddhism is different from many religions because they there is no belief in a supernatural deity, known as nontheistic (Fisher, 2005, pg. 134). Buddha is not a God and is not worshipped as one. Buddha was the man that founded the religion based on his desires to end human suffering. Instead of worshipping a God, Buddhists follow beliefs that will eventually lead them to an enlightened life and Nirvana in the afterlife. The beliefs that they follow are known as the Eight Fold Path. This path is used to help humans end the suffering in their life and achieve liberation. It is based on The Four Noble Truths that Buddha set forth in his first Sermon (Fisher, 2005, pg. 135). The Four Noble Truths speak of suffering as an inevitable part of life. It states that suffering can be ceased through the ending of wants and desires, because these things cause our suffering in life. By understanding...
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...The Christian church that has been an influential spiritual vigor in Western civilization’s history and alongside with Protestantism and Eastern Orthodoxy, one of the three main aspects of Christianity, the Roman Catholic Church follows its past to Jesus Christ and his Apostles. In excess of centuries, Catholicism has built up an extremely refined theology and an intricate clerical composition regulated by the papacy, which is the oldest enduring definitive dominion in the world. In retrospect, the explanation of Roman Catholicism is directly linked as a relation of Christianity. In its individual analysis of history, Roman Catholicism was created in the actual rise of Christianity (Fairchild, 2011). An indispensable element of the characterization of any of the other domains of the Christian countries and groups in addition to its association to Roman Catholicism, how did Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy happen to divide? Was the split among Rome and the Church of England predestined? On the contrary, these questions could be vital to the explanation of Roman Catholicism itself. Such a description that remains rigorously to the authoritative Roman Catholic examination a general consensus in which the Roman Catholic Church has preserved a steady continuity from the time of the Apostles, all the while other religious groups, from the earliest Coptic to the modern church are a divergence from it. Now, the belief of faith that is shared by Christian churches is embedded...
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...------------------------------------------------- Ensō Zen art exemplifies the Zen ideals of simplicity and spontaneity, and most often takes the form of calligraphy and simple ink drawings. The Zen circle, a popular motif in Zen art, represents the entire universe in a single, perfect stroke. Although simple, images like this are difficult to paint successfully and thus must be done with a clear mind focused on the task. Abhaya Mudra (Gesture of Fearlessness) Abhaya in Sanskrit means fearlessness, and the abhaya mudra symbolizes protection, peace, and the dispelling of fear. The gesture is made with the right hand raised to shoulder height, arm bent, and palm facing outward. The gesture is an ancient one, demonstrating that the hand is empty of weapons and thus indicating friendship and peace. To western eyes, it looks like the gesture meaning "stop." In both cases, the gesture implies fearlessness before a potential enemy. In Buddhism, the gesture is a symbol of the fearlessness—and thus the spiritual power—of the Buddha or bodhisattva who makes it. According to Buddhist tradition, the historical Buddha made this gesture immediately after gaining enlightenment. And later, when the historical Buddha was about to be attacked by an angry elephant, he held up his hand in the fearlessness gesture and immediately calmed it. The gesture of fearlessness is is only seen on Buddhas or boddhisatvas and appears most commonly in standing images. In Thailand and Laos, the abhaya...
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...Hum 130 Appendix A Axia College Material Appendix A Final Project Overview and Timeline Final Project Overview The final project for HUM 130 is a World Religions Report. For your project, you will choose a religion that is not your own and then visit a place of worship and interview a person of that faith. You will report your findings in an informative paper. Compare and contrast this religion with another one you are familiar with through this class. Your World Religions Report should be 2000-2,500 words in length, formatted according to APA guidelines, and contain the following elements: 1. Introduction of the religion 2. Name, location review of the site 3. Interview summary 4. Comparing and contrasting with another religion 5. Conclusion 6. References Final Project Timeline You should budget your time wisely and work on your project throughout the course. As outlined below, some CheckPoints and assignments in the course are designed to assist you o Suggested in Week One: Select a religion that you are not familiar with, and start the 7 Question Final Project Plan, Appendix B, which is due in Week Four. o Suggested in Week Two: Select the location of religious site, and schedule a visit. Locate 3 sources that you can use for your project on this religion. Work on Appendix B, due in Week Four. o Suggested in Week Three: Locate an individual of the faith you chose, and initiate contact. Ask if you can interview him or her, or if he or...
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...Religion 1 Religions of the World: Commonalities and Differences NAME HUM 400: Religion and Philosophy PROF December 5, 2010 Religion 2 Religions of the World: Commonalities and Differences Religion is a focal point across the world for discussion and even arguments as there are multiple crossroads and established beliefs that are practiced actively. The three primary religions that are widely renowned would be Christianity, Judaism and Islam simply because of the publicity and attention brought forward in religions’ behalf. The comparison and contrast of these three religions will be broke down in a manner that discusses the fundamental beliefs, prevalent practices within and the regions of which the religions are the most practiced. The religion of Christianity is known as a trinitarian monotheism where there is only one God and the practices take place within a church, chapel or even cathedral. Christianity is deemed to be revealed through various Prophets and even Jesus as it was shown to be recorded through in the Bible. The Bible is the holy testament of the trials and tribulations of Jesus, who was established to be the identified ideal for all mankind. The presentation of Christianity is that all of the population were to be treated as equals and in addition were to treat those surrounding them in a respectful and conscientious manner to honor the Bible. The regions of which Christianity is primarily the focused would include both South and North...
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...Shelby Hooper HUM/130 Matthew Franks May 25, 2014 Effects of Religion Religion has affected society both good and bad throughout life. Most religions help and improve individual in social virtues; how to choose right over wrong regardless of personal desire. Some occurrences affect society easily while others leave a bad effect. For instance, one way religion has had an unfavorable effect on society is the way Muslims have been handled since the outbreak on September 11, 2001. Since these outbreaks, Muslims have had a hard time trying to fit into a society. Many of the population are arbitrary and scared of people of the Muslim religion. Some people tend to categorize all people of the alike faith as one, consider them all the same when they aren’t. The people of the Muslim faith have had to face overwhelming discrimination. Their religion has had an unfavorable effect on their lives because of a group of individuals that were misguided by society. Following the faith of the terrorist has made many people feel that all Muslims are terrorist making normal life difficult for many. This world happening has made religion negative in society. Another returning event that effects society is religion hampering a woman’s right to eliminate a pregnancy. Society has different emotions and thoughts about women and eliminate of pregnancies. While most religions feel that women should not end a pregnancy, many people in society feel it should be a woman’s choice. Some people are...
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...Effects of Religion Chris McCleary HUM/130 David Latoundji 9/9/11 There are many effects organized religion has had on society. Religion is like a tennis match where each side hits the ball back and forth, where the ball is the conflicts or disagreements religions may have on society. The conflicts or disagreements go back and forth between religions and society depending on the events happening within the religions and how these events affect society. For an example, the Muslim people and their religion has had a huge negative effect on society because of the World Trade Centers that was destroyed by serious attacks on September 11, 2001. The Muslim people were treated very unpleasant and hated among most of society since these attacks. Muslim people truly had a difficult time trying to fit into our society because of this, Muslim people and their faith have been stereotyped by many people in society as the same as those who were terrorists. Discrimination tendencies became a problem among our society, tagging all Muslim people terrorists and well hated. Furthermore, not truly understanding what Muslim people and their faith is all about and what they stand for, but the people in society would blame all Muslim people, causing such a negative effect on their lives just because a group of people proclaiming to be Muslim attacked our country. Another argumentative example would be how religion has had negative effect on society preventing women’s right...
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...Effects of Religion Hum/130 1/24/2015 Samantha Posey William Lehhman . Effects of Religion There are many ways in not only today’s society but in the past where different types of religion all around the world has affected our society in one way or another, and not all of them are positive ways in fact I don’t think many are at all. I chose to use the September 11th, in 2001, attacks from the Muslims and how during the society today those of that religion are not trusted from most of the Americans today. Most people feel that they are a threat to us, so they get judged and have a hard time living the American dream that they have wanted. Muslims are not all a threat, yes, what happened on 9/11 was horrifying and very sad, but why do all those of the Muslim religion have to be treated like terrorists? They shouldn’t but because the United States is scared of something like that happening they won’t turn their head and they will continue to look at them all the same. The Muslims people have had to feel a great amount of discrimination, the most negative effect this religion has on them is from what those who were in a part in doing wrong buy our society. There are many things that religion has impacted our society in. Terminating a pregnancy is a women’s right, and because of religion some women do not get to terminate if that is what they desire. Many people have mixed emotions of if this is right or wrong. What may be right for one...
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...Effects of Religion HUM/130 July 17, 2014 Cynthia Stewart Effects of Religion Organized religion affects people and society in many different ways. The functional perspective of religion states that religions are found everywhere because they are useful for both people and society; meaning that they are helpful in defining who people are and making the world around them logical and understandable (Fisher, 2014, p. 4). People find solace in their religious practices believing that there is a divine being or entity much higher than they are guiding them along their life journey. People have a need for stability and for some people; religion brings them that stability through peace, hope, strength and guidance during good times and bad. Some believe that their religious beliefs have helped them become a better person, stopped them from smoking or drinking, and that the power of prayer has helped them to heal from illness. Religious ideals can radically transform people for the better; like that of Mahatma Gandhi, who used meditation and Hindu scripture to change from a shy, fearful child to “one of the greatest political figures of the twentieth century” (Fisher, 2014, p. 6). Religion can also have negative effects. Some religions practice the belief that their religion is right and true which does not create hate but does create negative views of other people of different religions. There is also a scientific materialistic belief...
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...- Sharicka Holliday 02/22/2012 HUM 130 Week Nine: Capstone In what ways has learning about World Religions influenced the way you think about religion? I have gained a sense of understanding of why some religions have rituals and practices. I have never thought to look into what other religions consist of and who helped to create them. Christianity has been a very important role in my life, but some ideas of Buddhism have made me want to learn more about it. I thought some religions were extreme and promoted violence and sexism. Many of the sacred texts have been interpreted different ways and this has led to some extreme religion practices, but most religions hold similar values. Why is it important to learn about other peoples' beliefs and attitudes? Learning about other people's religions can help you to understand their actions. When people fast, it is not to gain recognition or glory, it is to show dedication to their religion or faith. Also, religion can help to build a person's character. Whether it is by giving to the needy or being kind to others, it helps to build a positive attitude and atmosphere around a person. I think if a person considered themselves one religion, it can be difficult to understand why other religions do what they do. For example, fasting includes more than food. It can be giving up some type of luxury or thing you use or do everyday. I would love to try to dedicate forty days to this ritual. How will you utilize this...
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...Hinduism Paper HUM/130 June 8, 2012 Hinduism Paper The Hindu concept of god is confusing to most Westerners. The religion is generational and its beliefs and traditions are hard for those not brought up in the belief to comprehend. God to those of the Hindu faith is an omnipresent deity. Most Western religions see the supreme being, or god, as an individual and give the deity an individual identity. Hinduism does this to some degree, but recognizes thousands of god and goddesses Hinduism has a polytheistic concept of god at first glance. (McDowell & Brown, 2009). There are thousands of gods and goddesses that worshipped by its adherents. Three of the major deities in Hinduism are Vishnu, Rama, and Shiva. Vishnu is steadfast in the principles of order, righteousness, and truth. Rama is the deity of chivalry and virtue. Shiva is the deity of death and dissention. The text and my conversation with a follower of Hinduism seemed contradictory. I assume that my conversation with the follower was confusing due to the language barrier. Her words and descriptions were different than those in the text used in this class and the books that I use for research. Though there is a polytheistic view of a god in Hinduism, there is a monotheistic concept of a singular entity. Trimurti is the absolute entity that consists of the deities of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2014). This entity could seen as the Holy Trinity recognized in Christianity. Hinduism...
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