...indigenous to Jamaica.[1] It is a religion, music and dance practiced by, in large part, Jamaicans who reside in the eastern parish on St. Thomas on the island. These people have retained the drumming and dancing of the Akan people. Like the Kongo practitioners from Cuba, who have kept a large amount of the Kongo language alive. Bantu-speaking peoples of the Congo. In the Americas there are many Kongo-derived religions still being practiced today. There are two main aspects of Kongo religion that are quite distinctive. One is the practice of bringing down spirits of the dead to briefly inhabit the bodies of the faithful. The purpose of this is so that the ancestors may share their wisdom, providing spiritual assistance and advice to those here on Earth. Without exception, all such faiths in the Americas retain this central feature of Kongo faith. The other feature is the extensive work with Inquices (Enkises, Nkisi). The Inquices are very like the Orishas of Yoruba tradition, but also different. In Cuba and Brazil, where Yoruba influence was strongest in the Americas, they are often syncretized with the Orishas. They may best be described as being both the most ancient of ancestors as well as being associated with specific powers in nature. The Inquices do not tend to possess as detailed a mythology as the Yoruba gods. Kumina is an Afro-Jamaican religion influenced mainly by the Bantu peoples from the Congo-Angola area. Kumina refers to both a religion and dance. Dances include the...
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...Masks have been used for centuries in many religions, whether they are still practiced today or have died out. These artifacts are used as a way to worship a certain god during particular ceremonies, to entertain, and during festivals. Every religion is different and has separate rules, god(s), beliefs, practices, etc. but just like how Christianity and Judaism believe in the Old Testament, Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece both used masks as a religious way to worship a particular god. Ancient Egyptian masks were very different than the Ancient Greek masks. There are many similarities and differences between how the masks were made, what they were made from, how they were used, who could wear them, where they were worn, how they were stored and what they looked like....
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...but rather to reach one's potential as a human and to contribute to society as much as possible. The negative aspects of this, however, appear in our choosing of love relationships, where we pick mates whom we know we can dominate. These "disturbed relationships", as Adler terms them, where we seek to hold power over a partner, or to choose a partner on the basis of the knowledge of their subordinate tendencies. I have witnessed several of my close friends in such relationships, where they believe that, although their partner is an alcoholic or is abusive, they can change them. Adler also speaks of unrequited love, or that which is unattainable, as a form of marriage avoidance, which, in typical Freudian thinking, may be masking a problem much deeper. Adler's theories, which, while probably more inciting to popular audiences, as their relevance and applicability are quite clear, seem only to focus on a minor part of the collective personality, as termed by Jung, and stem from the all-encompassing pieces of one's personality as described by Freud. So, while Adler's theories are of some importance to the study of personality, I find the latter two psychologists points to be effective. Karen Horney, deemed the feminist psychoanalyst by Funder and Ozer, offer a somewhat different perspective in "The Distrust Between the Sexes", as she explains that, although men and women may not get along because of their envy of each other, this is actually a positive...
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...invincible firearms. Thus leading to a myriad of intergroup warfare which shed copious crimson blood as a paltry price for excruciating slavery. Additionally, in the twain eras, slavery provoked a loss of vibrant cultures, for African slaves, unable to inculcate their religion into their forced home, witnessed their religion float into oblivion with the passing seas of the Atlantic as they were strenuously seized and swept to their new “home.” As Africans periled the ominous journey across the Atlantic, each encountered a slew of cultures ricocheting through the dark and dank carriage of the cargo ships, and, as it became difficult to understand each other, African slaves began to meld European languages with their native tongue. With a forced assimilation, African slaves also struggled with the loss of religion, in the parallel time periods of the Post-Classical Era and the Early Colonial Era, as the European slave traders’ religion imposed upon their native beliefs. Yet with this abrupt abdication of faith, Africans fused their native beliefs with the predominantly European Christianity to create new religions and practices which are still utilized today such as, Vodun, Candomblé and Santeria. Masking slavery with a cloak of “advantageous” calligraphy, the Post-Classical Era and the Early Colonial Era embodied each other’s heinous crimes and reflected the grotesque scars that slavery has left upon human nature. With slavery braided through the society of the Post-Classical...
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...Being American The article being American explaining the culture and the author express feeling how being American is not easy. Being American is melting pot because everyone you meet have different personality, culture, language, religion. For example this explains Spanish teacher explained teen was opposed to pupils the objection was perfectly sensible (king pp 593). Some people from around the world identity America as the most popular place in the world. I believe other countries in the world never say USA because they feel comfortable saying America. When I went to Africa, Mexico, or Holland they could not say the word the United States of America. It consists of many different...
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...is no higher power. Although existentialism contradicts my beliefs, I have grown to respect Grenouille, as his unfaltering dedication to his doctrine initially inhibits yet eventually leads to fulfillment. As Süskind also satirizes Christianity, the text led me to evaluate my religious beliefs. At the end of the novel, for example, Grenouille, a wretched murderer, douses himself in the distilled essence of innocent virgins. Grenouille then becomes so attractive that the social pariahs inhabiting the Cimetière des Innocents devour him. Through this image, Süskind draws direct parallels to the Eucharist - the Christian ceremony of eating the “body” and drinking the “blood” of Christ - causing me to question the nature of who or what my religion worships. Finally, during the discussion about eighteenth century Paris, I examined my own situation as an expatriate living in Nairobi. I was able to parallel the irony Süskind highlights concerning the fragility of Parisian aristocratic society with the privileged existence I lead. Süskind implies such stark social disparity in a society is immoral, that the circumstance of which I am a part is full of blatant hypocrisies. Because Süskind focuses the novel on the underbelly of society instead of the aristocracy and uses literary realism to reject...
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...is no higher power. Although existentialism contradicts my beliefs, I have grown to respect Grenouille, as his unfaltering dedication to his doctrine initially inhibits yet eventually leads to fulfillment. As Süskind also satirizes Christianity, the text led me to evaluate my religious beliefs. At the end of the novel, for example, Grenouille, a wretched murderer, douses himself in the distilled essence of innocent virgins. Grenouille then becomes so attractive that the social pariahs inhabiting the Cimetière des Innocents devour him. Through this image, Süskind draws direct parallels to the Eucharist - the Christian ceremony of eating the “body” and drinking the “blood” of Christ - causing me to question the nature of who or what my religion worships. Finally, during the discussion about eighteenth century Paris, I examined my own situation as an expatriate living in Nairobi. I was able to parallel the irony Süskind highlights concerning the fragility of Parisian aristocratic society with the privileged existence I lead. Süskind implies such stark social disparity in a society is immoral, that the circumstance of which I am a part is full of blatant...
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...and used in the world of sport, athletics especially. These drugs are generally used by professional athletes for means of achieving medal positions and/or personal bests in their various races and competitions. There is, however, controversy when it comes to the use of performance-enhancing drugs. There are some who believe that performance-enhancing drugs should be available and allowed to be used in competitions. Sport regulations ban performance-drug use and ensure that athletes are tested to determine that they are not using them. Many religious believers value sport only if it does not involve cheating. All religions...
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...relations proved to be beneficial and allowed the communities to prosper. For other communities, power ultimately led to war and major changes. The main factor that differentiates the two above scenarios is the group which had the most power. For this reason, identifying which group has the most power is extremely important. In this essay, I will examine a ceremony that was performed at the Buddhist temple “Fo Guang Shan” in an attempt to determine which group is the most powerful. By examining the order in which members of the temple performed rituals using Louis Althusser theory of the ideological state apparatus, the monks who sit on a higher platform can be seen to have the most power. Alternatively, by applying Karl Marx’s theory of religion as a form of comfort to the bright colors used throughout the building and ceremony, the monks with the colored robes can be seen as the most powerful. One interesting aspect of my visit to “Fo Guang Shan” was the order in which members of the temple performed the rituals. For most actions, the monks who were the highest off of the ground would perform the action and then everyone else would repeat the action. For example, all verbal prayers were first said by the monk that was highest off of the ground, after which the rest of the monks would repeat what he had said. Also, the highest monks would be the first to bow before and after each prayer. After the monks were done bowing the rest of the monks would follow them. During both the...
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...Supernaturality, love, as well as hypocrisy as a sub unit of religion,are dominant themes combined in the retrospective novel 'Jane Eyre'. The novel depicts characters, such as Mr Brocklehurst and St.John Rivers that are challenges to the ideal christian way and faith throughout the novel. The eccentric romantic gothic genre and the surrounding supernatural presence lurks around crowds of chapters. The contrastive saint Helen Burns used as a reverence to the good aspect and purity of christianity. Banned after it was originally published.Questioning christianity was highly seen as blasphemous.This novel was considered controversial at the time of it's original production, as the victorian England were engulfed in religion and thus lifestyles was dominantly influenced by christianity. Implications that Mr Brocklehurst and Mrs Reed might be participating in a false religion, through the course of their actions and descriptions. The metaphor ‘black pillar’ is used to describe Brocklehurst and others inability to religion and matters of spirituality from any other perspective apart from their own, such austere characters mirror evangelical Christians sense of imperative regulations. Such distasteful representive’s being compared to that of evangelical Christians, may seem anti-Christian. Hypocritisy is thoroughly appreciated as one of the constructions of many living in a false religion. Bronte exposes Mr Brocklehurst desire’s to uphold his...
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...Masking Poor Communication COM 200 Interpersonal December 2, 2013 After reading the article Close Relationships Sometime Mask Poor Communication, I would have to agree and can understand the content of poor communication within a relationship, along with communicating with strangers. Over time in relationships couples begin to get closer and more comfortable with each other, and in some situations the communication is misunderstood. By taking a deeper look into the elements of the article, I have experienced several miscommunications within close relationships. “Communication can appear within close relationships as an illusion in a meaning of understanding or not” (Health Day News, 2011). Misunderstanding is a part of everyday daily life and within relationships this can become an issue. Being in a relationship with someone married or not, we would all like to think that the person we are investing our time in will and can understand everything we say. “Communication can be traced back to the Latin word communico, which is translated to mean “to join or unite,” “to connect,” “to participate in,” or “to share with all” (Sole, K. 2011). Dailey; we encounter relationships that are not as close of a relationship as they should be considering the time invested in it, but this is because of a lack of or a misunderstanding of communication. Communication can also be misunderstood while working on a job, or placing an order over the phone. When we...
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...Oppression on Women in Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale and Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi, is memoir of a little girl growing in Iran. She refers to a secular pre revolutionary time through contrast, the oppressive characteristics of the fundamentalist government upon women in particular. Her work is a lot similar to Margaret Atwood's, A Handmaid’s Tale, in which the protagonist Offred reflects upon her former life’s freedom, cherishing her former name and in doing so emphasizes the cloistered and enslaved life that she must now endure. Although both Margaret Atwood and Satrapi show how a totalitarian state oppresses women in different ways by taking away the freedom to think and decide for oneself, both accentuating on the ways a woman should dress, which stratified society in Handmaid’s tale and enforced religious modesty in Persepolis. Growing up in the western society, we often think clothing as a means of expressing our individuality, our style, defining who we are. Offred grew up in a similar environment but it was taken away once she became a Handmaid. That was the precise reason why she felt “ fascinated but also repelled” (28) at the same time when she saw the Japanese tourist. She says she “used to dress like that. That was freedom. Westernized they used to call it”(28). She says this because she no longer gets to dress like the tourists any more. In a very little amount of time, the society has forced every individual to change...
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...Study of Emotions Emotions are an essential aspect of communication, therefore it is impossible to not analyze how we think and behave. In every conversation or interaction with another individual, our mind continues to interpret the message the person is projecting. Studying emotions is necessary when it comes to understanding each other; every culture has expressions that can speak louder than words. For instance, Hispanics tend to engage in deep eye contact to show respect, and sometimes they nod their heads to convey approval. On the other hand, the Chinese population considers the act staring disrespectful. If emotions are studied professionals are able to understand and become familiarized with the person’s feelings. I believe that doctors and nurses benefit the most from learning emotions. By doing so they are able to make better assessments, and at the same time respect the individual’s beliefs. Studying emotions is a positive step towards relationship development and understanding. In the end, it is inevitable to ignore a certain gesture or action throughout our day. Universal Emotional Expressions I agree with the conclusion that emotional expressions are universal; they will always influence each role of our lives. For the most part, without regards to an individual’s nationality we are able to determine if someone is feeling happy or depressed. In other words, it is easy to distinguish happiness from sadness. There are characteristics in facial expressions that...
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...Rather than having gender roles as the typical social norm, writers would write in Brechtian styles, creating characters and themes that questioned societies normal gender roles. Brecht influenced and impacted gender roles in Western writing, making a shift in the way that society saw traditional gender roles. Brecht shocked audiences with his theme of gender roles and gender identities in his play The Good Person of Szechuan, by showing people that women can be successful in the business world as good as a man can. The idea of portraying a prostitute woman as the best person in to represent good faith of religion, which happens to dress as her male cousin to make business deals, shows the idea that men are not superior to...
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...in human nature cannot be completely vain and useless. One does not ask question about something one knows absolutely nothing about scientists who try to explain something will not give up until they find an answer. The same is true for ultimate questions; “the thirst for truthful answers to them is so deeply rooted in the human heart that ignoring them would cast our existence in leopard.” There are different kinds of truths “most depend on immediate evidence confirmed by experimentation, philosophical truth obtained by the speculative power of the human intellectual finally the religious truths of the different religions traditions to some degree grounded in philosophy.” Philosophical truths are not the domain women direct their lives according to their own philosophies. At this point the question about the link between faith and reason (philosophy and religion, philosophy and Jesus Christ) is asked. WHAT OTHER PEOPLE COMMENT ABOUT THE LINK BETWEEN FAITH AND REASON. Before venturing into this one thing has to be noted about philosophy “human beings do not live alone: born into a family they enter a...
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