Nobody knows you when youre down and out Essay Example For Students

No one knows you when youre out for the count Essay No Shakespeare play has been exposed to so incensed, strongly partitioned and supported discussion over its fundamental legitimacy as Timon of Athens. The play is only sometimes created, to some degree since it appears to be incomplete. It needs Shakespeares normal consistency of graceful virtuoso, the subsequent half is indiscriminately organized and a few speakers are even left without names. The military subplot is absurd or inadequate, and the title character, with his unmitigated limits, is regularly thought a token or an image, not a genuine person. Scarcely any individuals know the play, and those whove knew about it frequently acquire more encompassing debate than dramatic substance. Regardless, given that most contemporary Shakespeare is executives theater, Timons nonattendance from the stage appears to be odd: Texts are slashed and revamped and reset so completely that the group is always new. Ensured defects may really appear gaps of chance for getting into the play and reconfiguring it freely. Incomplete turns into a unique greeting. Chief Michael Langham, whose creation of Timon goes through Jan. 5 at New Yorks National Actors Theater, was captivated by the test of completing Shakespeares workreordering scenes, coordinating names to addresses, intensely removed inert textbut he was pulled in to the play for principally passionate reasons. Ive been fortunate enough to do a ton of Shakespeare in my life, he says. Working with a dead creator youre continually scanning for what or who is the genuine individual; where do you hear the heartbeat, where do you hear the agony or the delight? I believed I was nearer to the genuine voice, a truly helpless voice of absolute despondency, closer to Shakespeare in this play than I have felt with some other. Outline1 Story of stupendous loss2 The exertion it takes to hateâ 3 Duke Ellington scoreâ Story of stupendous misfortune The story is one of stupendous misfortune and thwarted expectation. Timon, a rich Athenian master, uninhibitedly parts with his fortune to those he accepts are his companions. At the point when his wealth vanish and he requests to those equivalent companions for help, they deny him out and out. In his torment, awfulness and rage, Timon scorns Athens to live in a remote woods cavern, where he reviles the species that has so brutalized him. While delving in the earth for root vegetables to support him, he reveals a reserve of covered gold. Very quickly a procession of entrepreneurs drops upon him, declaring companionship while asking pay. Timon reproaches them all, giving gold just to his trooper companion Alcibiades, who is driving an assault on Athens. Having depleted his flexibly of nastiness, Timon forms his own tribute and kicks the bucket in his picked grave by the ocean. In the event that specialists and pundits the same have been flummoxed by the extreme complexity between the first halfs friendly whirl and the seconds ruined, cold parade, maybe this is on the grounds that the play travels excessively far away from home from forms of reality endorsed by sensible show, where consistency and smooth advancement or continuous revealing are portrayals temperances. Truth be told, abrupt, extraordinary inversions as often as possible are the musicality of life; human conduct is the moment, obvious gap. Be that as it may, the all out fruitlessness of Timons enthusiastic goal, his careless surge from society to isolation, can demonstrate unreasonably awkward for crowds when there arent any enhancements or deferrals, only a dive from light parody into awfulness. This change works, as Langham and entertainer Brian Bedford illustrate, on the off chance that you comprehend its source. Timons unnecessarily energetic commitment to a basic philosophy, Give without getting, appears in Bedfords depiction to be created by an absence of self esteem and a key question of companionship and humankind itself. Bedfords Timon needs to cause a reality where he to can trust and accept and love, since his internal motivation is to scrutinize the estimation of those sentiments. All His motions conveys edgy, confident exertion and its specialist helplessness. At the point when reality bursts this uncommon circle of Timons own plan, says Langham, The bile is prepared to come out. Timons opposite side has been holding up there from the start, kept under tight restraints by cautious, stiff-necked dream. .u74084b95235f08792cca04d2443becd9 , .u74084b95235f08792cca04d2443becd9 .postImageUrl , .u74084b95235f08792cca04d2443becd9 .focused content territory { min-tallness: 80px; position: relative; } .u74084b95235f08792cca04d2443becd9 , .u74084b95235f08792cca04d2443becd9:hover , .u74084b95235f08792cca04d2443becd9:visited , .u74084b95235f08792cca04d2443becd9:active { border:0!important; } .u74084b95235f08792cca04d2443becd9 .clearfix:after { content: ; show: table; clear: both; } .u74084b95235f08792cca04d2443becd9 { show: square; change: foundation shading 250ms; webkit-progress: foundation shading 250ms; width: 100%; murkiness: 1; progress: mistiness 250ms; webkit-change: haziness 250ms; foundation shading: #95A5A6; } .u74084b95235f08792cca04d2443becd9:active , .u74084b95235f08792cca04d2443becd9:hover { obscurity: 1; change: darkness 250ms; webkit-change: obscurity 250ms; foundation shading: #2C3E50; } .u74084b95235f08792cca04d2443becd9 .focused content zone { width: 100%; position: relativ e; } .u74084b95235f08792cca04d2443becd9 .ctaText { fringe base: 0 strong #fff; shading: #2980B9; text dimension: 16px; textual style weight: intense; edge: 0; cushioning: 0; content enrichment: underline; } .u74084b95235f08792cca04d2443becd9 .postTitle { shading: #FFFFFF; text dimension: 16px; text style weight: 600; edge: 0; cushioning: 0; width: 100%; } .u74084b95235f08792cca04d2443becd9 .ctaButton { foundation shading: #7F8C8D!important; shading: #2980B9; outskirt: none; outskirt sweep: 3px; box-shadow: none; text dimension: 14px; text style weight: striking; line-stature: 26px; moz-outskirt span: 3px; content adjust: focus; content beautification: none; content shadow: none; width: 80px; min-tallness: 80px; foundation: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/modules/intelly-related-posts/resources/pictures/straightforward arrow.png)no-rehash; position: supreme; right: 0; top: 0; } .u74084b95235f08792cca04d2443becd9:hover .ctaButton { foundation shading: #34495E!important; } .u74 084b95235f08792cca04d2443becd9 .focused content { show: table; stature: 80px; cushioning left: 18px; top: 0; } .u74084b95235f08792cca04d2443becd9-content { show: table-cell; edge: 0; cushioning: 0; cushioning right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-adjust: center; width: 100%; } .u74084b95235f08792cca04d2443becd9:after { content: ; show: square; clear: both; } READ: Murmuring Judges EssayTimons been called everything from Christ-like to irredeemably silly, yet whats more convincing than these appellations is the way that he endures the torment of injured conviction. Timons steadfast steward sees how unusual it is when keeps an eye on most noticeably terrible sin would he say he is does an excess of good, and solicits, given the case of his rulers ruin, Who at that point sets out to be half so kind once more? In spite of the fact that, as Bedford plays him, Timon is juvenile, imprudent, reluctant to tune in, see or learn, his tremendous passionate limit is a great, important thing . Were somewhat shy of optimists, says Langham. Were shy of standards to follow. Here was a pennant to follow, however it was so guileless, so oversimplified, that it will undoubtedly be manhandled. Hes misinformed, however at any rate theres an energy toward something. The exertion it takes to hateâ In the event that we long for such conviction in spite of its wild difficulty, in what capacity can we endure its inverse in the second 50% of the play? Bedford helps by never letting us overlook the exertion it takes really to despise. He underscores Timons qualms about this burdensome interest, thus backs from the conspicuous abundant gracefully of dislike and bile and anger toward a better distress, rewarding the plays second half like a blues number and letting the music of the words comfort its extraordinary large broken heart. Duke Ellington scoreâ When Langham first coordinated the play at Stratford, Ontario in 1963, he appointed a score from Duke Ellington. That score has been adjusted by arranger Stanley Silverman for the present recovery, which is set in the absent quality of 1920s Europe. The instrumental jazz music drifts effectively all through the activity, charming us with its smooth, upscale festival of Timons extravagant gathering, at that point grieving his demolition, and eventually deriding his arrival to riches with lively, thrilled rhythms. The music brings alive a vital soul of incongruity, not in the feeling of trenchant mockery or the most recent distrustful posture, yet a sympathetic, enormous attention to the terrible separation among goal and actuality. The extraordinary confidence of 1963 has been lost, and Langham comes back to the play at a second when society needs to discover in its demolished confidence a reestablished probability, however feels excessively newly double-crossed to trust. He arranges Alcibiades last raging of Athens as an uproarious, pyrotechnic attack on all the faculties, a decision that completely impacts away the vile adornments of unpredictable discourse with unadorned ballistics. The befuddling military subplot finally bodes well as passionate if not carefully consistent silent retribution for all the persecution and alienation fashioned by liars on adherents. Ensuing updates on Timons passing empowers a progressively advanced, calm call for equalization and bargain in human undertakings, yet its the essential hurt that perseveres. Do we censure the adherent for his powerlessness? No more so than we remind the blues artist its his own damn shortcoming for having begun to look all starry eyed at. Theres something radically delightful, in any event, encouraging, in the basic boundaries of a genuine melody of hardship. Timons is the tragic old tune of knowing no in the middle.

Looking for Alibrandi (Belonging) free essay sample

Adjustment is something that occurs and it can’t be halted. It can either deduce in a negative or positive manner. A few people can’t handle the modification and they can endure extreme results. Others can deal with the modification and they accomplish a self-awareness inside themselves. In the convincing novel ‘Looking for Alibrandi’ composed by Melina Marchetta, Josephine Alibrandi is an ordinary youthful young person, battling to manage the duties and social weights place upon her by her friends and family. Josephine Alibrandi the seventeen hero of Marchetta’s account, recounts to the tale of her last year of secondary school in a private and emotive manner, through Marchetta’s usage of first individual portrayal. She feels caught between two societies, that of the ‘old’ Italy and the ‘new’ Australia. â€Å"I’ll rush to one day†¦to be free and have an independent perspective. Not as an Australian and not as an Italian I’ll race to be liberated. We will compose a custom exposition test on Searching for Alibrandi (Belonging) or then again any comparable theme explicitly for you Don't WasteYour Time Recruit WRITER Just 13.90/page † She affirms the themes of running and oppression an intense picture of how Josie feels caught and that she should adjust to this life, in case she be destined to ‘run’ until the end of time. Tomato day is a customary Italian day when the entire family meets up to make ‘spaghetti sauce’ to eat. Josie alludes right up 'til the present time as ‘National Wog Day’ and is embarrassed/humiliated on this day as she cites utilizing exaggerations â€Å"Oh god, in the event that anybody at any point got some answers concerning this I’d pass on. † At the beginning of ‘tomato day’, Josie thinks the entire day is an exercise in futility and doesn’t perceive the day as a huge Italian convention. â€Å"I can’t comprehend why we can’t go†¦And purchase Leggo’s or Paul Newman’s exceptional sauce. In any case, before the day's over, in the wake of hearing what anguish her Nonnas (grandma) experienced, that it is a customary day were the entire family could be together to commend their way of life â€Å"†¦A convention that I most likely will never relinquish either, essentially on the grounds that like religion, culture is nailed into you so profound you can’t get away from it. Regardless of how far you run. † â€Å"†¦I had stood so near this man who I have gone through the entirety of my time on earth opening into the furthest piece of my psyche. † Metaphorical content that portrays her not contemplating her dad, Michael Andretti, and fundamentally constrained herself to overlook he even existed. So when she is stood up to with meeting him she is interested however irate and confounded as he alludes to her as a ‘situation’ and ‘Christina’s daughter’ meaning he doesn't recognize her as his own. Later through the novel they start to bond particularly the time they spend together on their approach to Michael’s house in Adelaide. She states â€Å"†¦embarrassed around one another yet there is an incredible regard there. I never truly figured I would regard my dad. † Josie needed to adjust (and still is) to the presentation of her dad. Josie once said â€Å"I detest the word ‘respect’. It causes me to feel debilitated to my stomach. † Now she utilizes it to depict what she feels about Michael, which implies she should think about him a great deal and he has affected on her. As the adjustment topic in this novel is for the most part depicted as the positive storyline of Josephine Alibrandi there is likewise the practically discouraging storyline of John Barton. He had to adjust to a circumstance, follow in his father’s strides to be a fruitful lawmaker, and he was unable to deal with the weights put upon him as he felt alone, caught and couldn't perceive some other route but to murder himself. Utilizing words like ‘meaningless’, ’nothingness’ and ‘I am still alone’ depicts how dicey he felt in his capably emotive sonnet and how genuinely caught he was. â€Å".. At the point when we talked about liberation. The frightfulness is that he needed to bite the dust to accomplish his. The magnificence is that I’m living to accomplish mine. † While he felt like there was just one way out Josie is achieving liberation by changing and tolerating adjustment not at all like John. Josephine and her Nonna have an affection loathe relationship and in spite of the fact that the two of them realize that where it counts they love each other without a doubt, they frequently cover this and question this during their ordinary contentions. â€Å"She looked worn out and I understood that I adored her as much as I disdained her. † Josephine frequently feels like she doesn’t comprehend a thing about her Nonna as they grew up during entirely unexpected occasions and Nonna doesn’t comprehend why her little girl and granddaughter don’t treat her with loads of regard in spite of the reality of the manner in which she treated her own girl and how the Italian people group treated them both. Before the finish of the novel Josephine begins to comprehend her Nonna more as she opens up her past and things like her move from Italy to Australia, the steady segregation, the maltreatment from Nonno and how simply like Josephine her Nonna likewise wished to be liberated. â€Å"He called me awful names and I figured he would murder me and I thought about how he might know† Nonno was fierce and didn’t treat Nonna appropriately yet she remained with him to keep her familys notoriety unblemished and to deal with her little girl. Adjustment is something you have to endure. It decides whether you’re going to be caught for ever or in the event that you could at long last brake free. Josephine Alibrandi was stuck between two societies, didn’t know who her dad was, inconsiderate, juvenile, narrow minded and felt caught. Her development through adjustment without a doubt makes an individual development inside herself as she at long last feels liberated and feels like a person who cannot be characterized by what culture she is, who her companions are or who her family is. â€Å"You know, a magnificent thing transpired when I considered back my year. ‘One day’ came. Since I at long last comprehended. †

An analysis of the behavioral consequences of helping others at work - Free Essay Example

Background/Research: This study attempts to determine how helping others at work daily can lead to behavioral changes and over time how helping others at work is a depleting experience that will eventually lead to a reduction in how much one helps others and instead engages in political behaviors aimed at helping oneself. The study starts with defining Organization Citizenship Behaviors (OCBs), which are discretionary acts that promote organization function by supporting the social and psychological environment in which task performance occurs. Research has shown that these OCBs not only benefit coworkers and broader organizational goals, but the individuals who engage in them also receive personal benefits such as more favorable performance reviews, better positive work attitudes, and increasedhelp from coworkers. However, despite all the well documented benefits of engaging in OCBs, researchers have recently started to note a dark side to such behaviors, including negative consequences to the actor. Particularly research has shown that it can have negative consequences for personal well-being, relationships at home, and overall career outcomes. OCB research at first was more directed toward interpersonal relationships but over time the research has shifted focus to intraindividual studies as there are substantial and systematic‚ uctuations in employees episodic, ormomentary, levels of OCB (Scott, Matta, Koopman, 2016, p. 2). Mostrecent studies consider how OCBs vary on a day to day basis. The averageamount of variance of OCB directed towards others at work (48.2%) was higher thanthe variance of OCB directed towards the organization as a whole (36.0%). Thedifference in variation can be accounted for because individuals usually havemore opportunities to help their coworkers every day at work then helping theorganization as a whole. Studies also consider how employee resource levelsaffect employees engaging in OCBs. For example, employees who felt recoveredand refreshed in the morning were more likely to engage in OCBs for the day. Thisis directly related to the sleep quality of the employees. On the flipsideemployees who felt depleted or tired were less likely to help their fellowemployees at work that day. Research has also showed that OCBs have both a bright anddark side. Engaging in altruistic behaviors served as a means of positivelyenhancing ones mood by increasing positive emotions. On the other sidenegative side effects associated with OCBs include consuming personalresources and reduced wellbeing in terms of job satisfaction and commitment.Helping others at work produced feelings of depletion, suggesting that helpingacts represent an activity that consumes resources at an ever increasing rate( Lanaj et al. 2016). Now this study defines a self-regulatoryframework for daily helping behaviors and how they translate directly intobehavioral outcomes. Ego Depletion Theory states that individuals have alimited pool of resources that are consumed when engaging in acts that require self-control.These resources are used to control thoughts, emotions and behaviors. Whenindividuals deplete all their resources it becomes more difficult to resistengaging in behaviors that do not serve their interests or goals. Beingdepleted and tired can even lead to counterproductive and deleterious workbehaviors. Hypothesis: This study therefore raises 7 key hypothesesrelated to OCB and work related behavior. They are: Daily helping acts atwork will be related to an increase in depletion The daily positiverelation of helping acts with depletion will be stronger when chronicprevention focus is higher Daily Depletion willbe related to a decrease in subsequent helping acts Daily Depletion willbe related to an increase in subsequent political acts A) The daily negativerelation of depletion with subsequent helping acts will be weaker whenpolitical skill is higher (vs.lower). B) The daily positive relation of depletion with subsequentpolitical acts will be weaker when political skill is higher (vs.lower). The indirect negativeeffect of helping acts on subsequent helping acts via depletion will bestronger when(a)prevention focus is higher(vs.lower)and(b)political skills islower(vs.higher). The indirect positiveeffect of helping acts on subsequent political acts via depletion will bestronger when(a)prevention focus is higher(vs.lower) and (b)political skill is lower(vs.higher). Method: Researchers for this study recruited participants fromnonacademic staff at a large university in Northeastern United States. Theadvertisement was sent out via email and asked them to participate in a dailystudy about their workspace experiences with a promise of $75 on completion ofthe study. The email was sent out to 189 employee who were also encouraged toforward the email to fellow coworkers and friends. Participants were requiredto work full time and have regular access to their email via computer orsmartphone at the workplace. Those who consented to the study and were eligiblewere then directed to a survey about measures of the between person moderators(i.e prevention focus, political skill). A total of 107 individuals wereselected for the study from the sample size. In the second phase, individuals were given two surveys a dayfor 10 consecutive workdays. The first assessed helping acts (the focalpredictor) and baseline levels of depletion and political acts. The secondsurvey assessed depletion (the mediator) and helping and political acts. Thereason for separating the focal measures across the two surveys was to addressissues associated with common method variance. Out of the 107 candidatesaccepted, only 91 employees completed all the requirements for both the surveysfor at least 3 days which lead to the collection of a total of 684 data points. The participants job titles ranged included, administrative assistants, caseworkers and systems analysts. The average age of the participants was 45.4years with 82.4% of the sample being females. Employees averaged 41-hour workweeks and reported regular interaction with their coworkers. Between Person Measures: Two different between person measures were analyzed in thisstudy. Regulatory Focus- An example ofregulatory focus is I am anxious I will fall short of my responsibilities atwork. This was measured using 9 items on the survey (a=.83)Political Skill- An example ofpolitical skill is I have good intuition about how to present myself toothers This was measured using 18 items on the survey (a= .89) Daily Within Person Measures: Three different within person measures were recorded which askedparticipants to reflect on their daily working hours. A)Helping Acts â€Å" werefound to vary considerably during the day. These were measured with 4 items onthe survey including items such as volunteered to help others, cooperativelyworked with others, etc. (a= .84) B)Depletion- wasmeasured using 3 items to assess depletion over the day. Items included I feltused up, I felt burnt out, etc. (a= .93) C)Political Acts- thiswas measured using 4 items and attempted to measures individual perceptions ofpolitics at various levels of the work environment. Items included engaged inself-serving behavior, gained approval of those who can help me, etc.(a=.83) Control variables and Analysis: This study included several control variables. To account forsleep quality which has been shown to be related to depletion, the first surveyof each day asked about the participants sleep the previous night. To account for the variability and changewithin people during the day, there were two surveys given per day. Since the data had a multilevel structure, researchers used amulti path analysis to test the hypothesis. The amount of within personvariance in political acts ranged from 32% to 43% which supported the idea thatpolitical acts operate as a dynamic intraindividual phenomenon. For hypothesistesting, the researchers modeled the within-individual predictors using randomslopes and group-mean centering, and grand-mean centered the between-individualmoderators. The purpose behind group mean centering the within-person variablesis to remove variance attributable to the person-level of analysis, meaningthat relations estimated amongst within-person constructs should not being‚ uenced by between-person factors such as individual differences, responsestyles, or social desirability. Results: First the relation of helping acts to depletion as well as theinteractive effect of helping acts and prevention focus. Hypothesis 1 was notsupported (y=.06) but the researchers did observe significant cross-levelinteraction between helping acts and prevention focus(y=.15). The data wasconsistent with hypothesis 2 however, helping acts were positively associatedwith increased depletion at higher prevention focus (y=.16). While there wasnot a direct effect of helping acts on depletion, the relation was significantfor higher prevention focus employees. Hypothesis 3 was supported as well withdepletion relating to a decrease in subsequent helping acts (y= -.14). Hypothesis 4 was also supported with helping acts leading to an increase ofsubsequent political acts (y=.06). The researchers also examined if politicalskill interacted with depletion to predict subsequent helping acts (hypothesis5 A and B) but neither hypothesis was supported (y= -.04 and -.12). To testmoderated mediation, the researchers calculated conditional indirect effectsfor the mediated relationship of helping acts with subsequent helping acts as wellas subsequent political acts (Hypothesis 6 and 7). Hypothesis 6b and 7b werenot tested as political skill was not a significant moderator. Hypothesis 6aand 7a were supported however as the the indirect effect of helping acts withsubsequent helping via depletion was â‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬â„¢.022 and sign cant at higher levels ofprevention focus whereas the indirect effect was.005 and not sign cant at lowerlevels. The indirect effect of helping acts with subsequent political acts viadepletion was .009 and sign cant at higher levels of preven tion focus, where asit was?â‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬â„¢.002 and not sign cant at lower levels. Discussion: The results of the study mostly converge with other recentfindings about OCBs, showing that helping is a depleting experience,especially for employees who have a higher level of prevention focus. Thisdepletion further leads to people being more likely to help themselves at workby engaging in political acts rather than engage in more helping acts in thefuture. Employees with higher prevention focus find that the drain in resourcesfrom helping acts leads them to engage in more self-serving acts. The resultsshow that these self-serving acts occur daily and show that political acts varyfrom day to day. The findings also showed another dark-side to engaging inOCBs daily. Helping others not only has potential negative implications foremployees in terms of reduced well-being but also potentially leading tonegative consequences in the workplace as individuals engage in self-servingand destructive acts. The results did not show any evidence that politicalskill was not a moderator for the rela tion between depletion and helping andpolitical acts. Practical Implications: The findings of this study have severalpractical applications in the workplace. Employees can weigh the costs versusthe benefits of their employees helping others at work. On days employees arenot feeling recovered and are feeling depleted it may be wiser to not ask asmuch of them and allow those individuals to focus on their own work. Furthermore,to reduce the risk of employees engaging in political behaviors that could potentiallyhave detrimental consequences in the workspace, employers should be mindful ofthe daily enactment of political behavior. Organizations should remove aspectsof the work environment that could encourage acting politically. Research hasshown that providing clear, consistent feedback can mitigate these politicalperceptions and improve morale in the workplace. Limitations and Conclusion: Aswith any study, there were some limitations that could account for variabilityin the data. First reporting daily work activity is a self-regulated responseand with employees daily lives being unpredictable there were those who couldnot complete the survey or a particular day could have affected certainresponses. Also, the surveys did not attempt to specify the target or the typeof help they were receiving which may also be variable depending on what thetask is or how much effort it requires on the part of the one helping. Overallthis study represents an empirical investigation of how helping acts relate tosubsequent work-related behaviors on a day-to-day basis. When employees engagein helping behaviors it leads to depletion that leads to a reduction inengaging in subsequent helping behaviors. Instead it increases the chance of engagingin self-serving and political acts. These relations are exacerbated byemployees with a higher level of prevention focus. As a whole, the resultsindicate that helping others at work comes with a potential cost to oneswell-being as well as subsequent acts towards others at work.

Essay about Human Genetic Engineering - 1609 Words

Human Genetic Engineering Human Genetic Engineering is the alteration of genetic material. As science is improving as so does our need to make the world a â€Å"better† place. Technological advancements have let us cloned many animals but the next step you say? The next step is human engineering, as humans of perfection; we are always trying to find ways to make things better than others. They are able to manipulate the human genome and to cure the world of diseases. Scientists are able to make the perfect humans, stronger, faster, smarter, and no deformity. As humans should react, many problems rise up about â€Å"what being human really means?† Science is moving faster than moral understanding. Values, morals, and our humanity are thrown at†¦show more content†¦According to Caplan, humans will possibly want to take this human engineering to another whole new level, â€Å"breeding superbabies† (Caplan, para.5). A maniac in some sort of deserted place will have babies in a test tube, growing them to make an army to take over the world. Evil people exist in the world with many intentions to harm others or to benefit themselves but either way; this will go way beyond how we view human engineering as a good thing. Caplan knows that there are people who want to make human engineering into their own little money maker and possibly want to rule the world, with incredibly strong, smart, and perfect humans that are willing to do anything. This could possibly mean the end of all mankind and the start of a new genocide, destroying everyone who is not perfect. Perfection is what every human being strides to become. But then it comes down to, why do we want to become perfect? Will it be because social media has had such a big influence on humans, that it will drive them to become just like those models on T.V. or because humans just want to be able to fit in with the ones who are going to be perfect. â€Å"Genetic enhancement† is the goal to be able to give a person some kind of trait, ability, or enhance their bodies in a way that will make them ultimate human. These people with perfect traits and bodies, physically and mentally, will have an advantage over others. There wouldn’t be any kind of competition because no oneShow MoreRelatedGenetic Engineering And Human Engineering3020 Words   |  13 PagesGenetic engineering is a highly debated topic across the world right now as countries are split for and against genetically altering crops and livestock. The simple definition for genetic engineering according to CSIRO is â€Å"The use of modern biotechnology techniques to change genes of an organism, such as plant or animal.†(CSIRO, 2007) The techniques or steps to genetic engineering are quite technical. The first stage of genetic engineering is to isolate the DNA from the organism. Once the DNA strandRead MoreGenetic Engineering in Humans1282 Words   |  5 PagesGenetic Engineering in Humans Theist and Atheist Perspectives On the most surface level, human genetic engineering and human genetic modification are a new and rapidly developing field of science that deals with directly altering the DNA (genetic makeup) of a living human cell. From early science fiction to the present day, taking control of humans’ gen es and directing the flow of evolution has been a subject of debate for many people. 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The Personality Of Personality Psychology Essay - 1051 Words

People are constantly growing and changing from the moment they’re born until the moment they die. Yet, some researchers believe that the personality is the one thing about a person that does not change over time. Genetics and environment equally contribute to the development of the personality. This is shown through the nature/nurture principle. The way a person behaves towards others, and reacts towards the world around them is determined by that person’s individual personality. No two personalities are alike. This is because a person’s individual personality is made up of a unique variety of characteristics called traits. Raymond Cattell, a researcher in the field of personality psychology, found that there were at least 171 traits identified and labeled by researchers. Many of these traits were closely related to each other, and carried the same meaning. Cattell realized this and â€Å"took a set of traits, collected ratings on them, and factor analyzed the ratings. 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Modern Witchcraft Essay Example For Students

Modern Witchcraft Essay In Part One of this series we briefly examined modern and contemporary witchcraft, discussing some of the major beliefs of this syncretistic movement. The present article will further expound on witchcraft, and also critique it from a biblical, metaphysical, epistemological, and ethical basis. It is essential to keep in mind that this movement encompasses a wide range of practices and beliefs. Consequently some of the critiques presented in this article may require some adaptation or modification in order to be applicable to certain variations of belief within the broader system of witchcraft and neopaganism. Nonetheless, the body of critiques presented here apply substantially to most witches and neopagans. Magical ManipulationMany witches do not believe in spirits, and most if not all reject belief in a literal Devil or demons. Naturally, therefore, they reject the idea that sorcery and divination are accomplished by the agency of evil spirits. Many offer naturalistic explanations for the working of magic and divination and other psychic technologies. On the whole, the occult community today has expanded its definition of the natural to incorporate elements that were earlier considered supernatural, placing them in the category of the super- or paranormal instead. Yet, they are still involved in the old ways that is, the occult. Now You See it, Now You Dont What has happened in the occult world in the past two or more decades is just what C. S. Lewis described in his classic work, The Screwtape Letters which portrays an experienced demon (Screwtape) writing letters of advice to a novice demon (Wormwood): I have great hopes that we shall learn in due time how to emotionalize and mythologize their science to such an extent that what is, in effect, a belief in us, (though not under that name) will creep in while the human mind remains closed to belief in the Enemy i.e., God. The Life Force, the worship of sex, and some aspects of Psychoanalysis, may here prove useful. If once we can produce our perfect work the Materialist Magician, the man, not using, but veritably worshipping, what he vaguely calls Forces while denying the existence of spirits then the end of the war will be in sight. (1) Lewiss insights on the insidious strategy of Satan the archenemy of our souls appear to have been right on target in regard to modern occultism. (2) When observations like Lewiss are made, however, it is not uncommon to hear remarks to the effect that Christians attribute to the supernatural everything they cannot comprehend if it cannot be understood, it must be the Devil. However, this charge is unwarranted. While it is unfortunately true that some Christians tend to hyperspiritualize events and exclaim the Devil did it, or the Devil made me do it, this is certainly not the case with all. Many Christians have pointed out alleged demonic (or divine) occurrences which were in fact instances of fraud, anomalies, psychosomatic phenomena, auto- or heterosuggestion, and so forth. (3) Such Christians have demystified baffling occurrences and accounted for them by their natural causes. Black, White, or Neutral? The critical question is, What is the actual source or causal agent(s) of the occult (i.e., of divination, sorcery, and spiritism)? Some witches like to make a distinction between black and white magic/sorcery and divination. They claim that sorcery or divination performed for unselfish and/or benevolent purposes (to help others) is good. Thus, magic done with good intentions and desired results is classified as white magic. Conversely, sorcery performed with selfish and/or malevolent motives and means (to harm others) is classified as black magic. Other witches deny the validity of this distinction or find it useless. Since they regard magic as a natural force they view it as morally neutral (i.e., not intrinsically good or evil). Like electricity, some say, magic can be used for good or evil but just as one would not speak of black or white electricity, one should not do so with magic either. Christians too deny the validity of a distinction between black and white magic or divination, albeit for entirely different reasons. Whether called black, white, negative, or positive any such distinction is illegitimate. Where the Christian and all witches disagree is on the ultimate source, the actual identity, the who or what behind the scenes of the occult. It is the Christians conviction that despite all their magical theories, witches (and all other occultists) have failed to grasp the true source of the occult. I therefore offer the following biblical perspective on their beliefs and practices. What Says The Word?Since witches do not generally accept the teachings of the Bible, we will not spend much time on a biblical critique. (4) However, even a cursory review of Scripture is enough to demonstrate that the beliefs and practices of witches are utterly incompatible with the Bible. Witches who hone stly examine the Scriptural testimony will have no choice but to admit that the Bible condemns their beliefs and practices. In fact, Scripture gives a blanket condemnation of all forms of the occult divination, sorcery, and spiritism in diverse passages throughout the Old and New Testaments. For instance, in Deuteronomy 18:10-12 Gods view of occultism is expressed in the following warning: Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD If this were the only biblical passage dealing with this issue, it would be clear that all forms of the occult are denounced by God. Yet, this is only one of many condemnatory references (see, e.g., Lev. 19:26, 31; 20:6; 2 Kings 17:10-17; 21:1-6; 23:4-7, 24-25; 2 Chron. 33:6; Acts 13:6-12; 16:18; Gal. 5:20; Rev. 9: 21). Moreover, numerous forms of god and goddess worship are explicitly condemned in Scripture. There are, for example, a multitude of denunciatory references to worshipping or invoking the various gods and goddesses of the Near Eastern religions: the Assyrian and Babylonian Ishtar, the Ashtoreths of the Canaanites (e.g., the Sidonians and Phoenicians), and so forth (e.g., Deut. 16:21; Judg. 2:10-14; 10:6-16; 1 Sam. 7:3-4; 12:10; 1 Kings 11:33; 2 Kings 23:13-15). Ashtoreth is described in 2 Kings 23:13 as the vile goddess of the Sidonians (NIV), or as the KJV and NASB translate it the abomination of the Sidonians. The Bible speaks out not only against worshipping, invoking, and consulting pagan gods, but also against the idea that human beings individually or collectively are divine. In one sense, witches are right about the antiquity of some of their beliefs and practices. The belief that human beings are or can become divine is a good example. In the first book of the Bible (G en. 3:5) we find the original proposal made by the serpent of the idea that we could become like God. But Scripture emphatically states that there is only one being who is God (Deut. 6:4; 32:39; Isa. 43:10-11; 44:6-8; 45:5-6, 14, 22; 46:9; Jer. 10:10-11; Mark 12:29-31; 1 Tim. 2:5; James 2:19). Though there are many so-called gods or goddesses in the sense that people worship entities conceived by their imaginations there is only one God by nature (1 Cor. 8:4-5; 10:20; Gal. 4:8). As one astute observer remarked: There are two foundational facts of human enlightenment: (1) There is a God; and (2) You are not He. Humankind has not only demonstrated a great proclivity towards self-deification, it has also been strongly inclined to confuse Gods creation (or His creative process) for the Creator Himself (Rom. 1:21-25). This is certainly the case with those entangled in the teachings of modern witchcraft. Some witches have actually tried to reconcile the above passages and others with their own practices. Nonetheless, the Bible particularly in the original languages renders any such maneuvering futile. (5) We therefore ask that witches at least acknowledge that the Bible in no sense condones their practices, but rather expressly condemns them. The Source of the Force Like a drunkard who continually returns to the bottle, so mankinds bent toward self-deification and creation worship has been irrepressible, as has been its blindness towards its own deplorable predicament due to the ravaging effects of sin. To wit, witches are deceived not only about the inherent falsity of their often sincerely held beliefs (see Prov. 14:12), but as well about the source of their misguided belief system. Despite what witches claim, witchcraft originates from Satan the father of lies and the god of this world, and from mans corrupt nature. Thus, though witches do not acknowledge the Devils existence, they are nonetheless (all the more so) trapped in the talons of his tyrannical g rip (2 Tim. 2:25-26). To witches who believe that magic is a natural, neutral force or power, Christians reply that it is rather empowered by the prince of the power of the air that now works in the children of disobedience (Eph. 2:2). As such, whether witches acknowledge it or not, all occultism involves interaction and trafficking with demonic spirits (see Lev. 17:7; 20:6; Deut. 32:17; Ps. 106:36-39; 1 Cor. 10:20-21; Rev. 9:20-21). (6) As W. Foerster comments, For Paul witchcraft is meddling with demons.But there can also be intercourse with demons in the normal heathen cultus (1 C. 10:20f.).While idols are nothingdemons stand behind paganism. (7) Or, as Bietenhard informs us, Since dealing with demons lies behind sorceryit is rejected (Gal. 5:20).Heathen worship brings men into contact with demons (1 Cor. 10:20f.), for demons stand behind paganism in general (Rev. 9:20). (8) This is why occultism in all its forms is condemned in the Bible. Occultists therefore fall under the judg ment of God for participating in such inexcusable activities (Rom. 1:18-25; Eph. 4:18-19; Rev. 21:8; 22:15). Since witches generally do not accept the Bible, and because there are other inherent weaknesses and failings in their world view metaphysical, epistemological, and ethical we can and should critique witchcraft in these areas as well. This I shall do in the remainder of this article. Metaphysical MaladiesIn Part One I discussed the importance of polytheism as understood by witches and the related concept of an open metaphysic that is, the position that there are multiple levels of and meanings to reality. This is expressed in the belief that there is no one way or right religion for all, and no one truth. (9) We are told by witches that all religions lead in the same direction; they simply take different paths to get there. Existential Essence Witches further believe that everything one experiences is in some sense real and therefore true. Since reality is multiple and div erse, and since the possible levels or planes of meaning are infinite, there is always more to experience. We should therefore remain open-minded and tolerant of differing views. (10) Witches who think along these lines hold that everyone has a part of the truth, for every person operates from a limited subjective perspective of the world. (11) And since no one has an absolute knowledge or perspective of reality (ultimate reality is inaccessible to us), all views and experiences must be seen as equally valid. One view is as good or true as another (minimally, it is true for that individual). Reality, then, is a matter of perspective and everyone has a different one. Romantic Rationalizations Christians certainly grant that witches have the right to believe whatever they choose, as much as we might disagree with their views. However, we reject that logic and reason should be ignored when we encounter two different views that are obviously incompatible. We also grant that life is com plicated and diverse, and that people can and do have an incalculable number of experiences. However, this does not prevent us from knowing many significant truths and facts about ultimate reality. We need to distinguish between knowing all about life or ultimate reality, which no human being is capable of, and knowing some true things about it. These are two different issues. Without this distinction, we could not make any meaningful statements about reality. Experience and Truth Many witches fail to recognize a key distinction regarding the validity of experiences. Over and over again, one finds a failure on the witches part to distinguish between real experiences that people actually have versus experiences that are true. For instance, a man could have an experience or sensation of falling. The feeling might be quite intense. Upon awakening from his sleep, however, he realizes that he was not falling at all but lying on his bed. Did he have the experience of feeling like he was f alling? Yes. Was he really falling? No! The latter question is not Did he have this experience? but was he really falling? These are two entirely different issues. To confuse the two is to commit the fallacy of equivocation. We do not dispute that witches have many experiences that may appear to support their religion, but we must ask: Do these experiences really prove their assertions or only prove that they had some type of experience? Appealing to experience only establishes that one might have had one, not that ones world view is true. The idea that each world view is like one more flower in the garden of life is a nice sentiment, but it does not fit the real world. In fact, it is nothing short of metaphysical madness. To paraphrase and adapt a quip by Edgar Sheffield Brightman, In a world where Christianity and witchcraft are both true, we do not have a universe, but a cosmic nut house! As we shall see presently, the metaphysical framework of the witches world has important imp lications in the realm of testing truth claims. EpistemologyWith their emphasis on experience and their belief in the intuitive and existential nature of truth, witches fall into diverse epistemological sinkholes on the road to truth. One finds a consistent appeal to knowing not by the intellect but by experience and intuition. One also finds an implicit or explicit depreciation or denial of the principles or laws of thought. For example, Starhawk a popularizer of the witchcraft/neopagan world view disdains what she terms any beliefs which woulddeny the authority of experience, thus reinforcing what she calls the lie that there is only one truth. (12) In the same way, Margot Adler another popular neopagan writer argues for the superiority of experience over dogma, and metaphor and myth over theology, doctrine, and creed. (13) Although one often hears witches downplay or outright deny doctrines, dogma, and beliefs still, they too vehemently champion their beliefs. (14) To say th at experience and ritual are more important than doctrine is itself a doctrine. Besides, how is it possible to have rituals in the first place if there are no beliefs to give them meaning? In short: no beliefs, then no rituals. Additionally, one must assert doctrines or beliefs and use logic to even refute the idea of doctrine. Is Logic Necessary? Many people berate the use of logic and talk as if they could think and do without it. The fact is, however, that it is impossible not to use logic. Should a person attempt to refute logic, he or she must use logic in the very process of refuting it thereby refuting his or her own argument. Let us be clear on this: one must use logic to disprove logic. For instance, suppose someone asserts that magic and experience are beyond logic and reason (i.e., logic does not apply to these realms). The person making this assertion has failed to note that this statement is itself predicated upon the use of logic that is, logic had to be utilized to even formulate it. Logic therefore does apply. Due to limited space, we will consider just one of the primary laws of thought the law of non-contradiction. (15) This principle affirms that a statement cannot both be true and false (A cannot be non-A) at the same time and in the same sense. For example, it cannot be the case that one both can and cannot (at the same time and in the same manner) safely cross a busy street. It is one or the other, but not both. If one says it is both and attempts to keep his (or her) actions consistent with his words, he will end up being run over. When people fail to yield to logic, they will also end up being run over by their own arguments (i.e., they assert false, self-defeating, and/or meaningless statements). Some (many?) witches try to avoid the anvil of logic, but to no avail. (16) A case in point is Stewart Farrar, who approvingly quoted C. G. Jungs assertion that everything human is relative. (17) To which we respond: Is this statement relat ive too, since it was uttered by a human? If it is not relative, then the statement is not true. But if the statement itself is relative, that would mean there are times when it is not true when some things human are not relative, and are hence absolute. But this would contradict Jungs original statement. Thus, it is both false and self-defeating. Clearly, the sword of logic cuts both ways. Magical Immunity Witches often attempt to defend their magic castle from the battering rams of logic by erecting supposedly impenetrable walls. (18) Different explanations and rationalizations are offered to protect their views. These include the aforementioned depreciation, denial, or alleged inapplicability of logic and objective standards for discerning truth; postulating diverse planes or levels of reality and meaning; dichotomizing between emotions and the intellect, or between normal versus altered states of consciousness; and a number of other distinctions. To be fair, many of these attem pts are simply sincere efforts to understand the mysterious world of the occult. Nonetheless, such attempts appear to be cases of special pleading and of employing double standards resulting in an assumed immunity from the normal criteria of truth-testing used to verify or refute a world view. (19) No matter what explanations and defenses are used, however, experience and intuitive feelings are often an essential element of the witches world view validation It feels right; I have truly experienced it. Witches know via powerful spiritual and emotional experiences that their views are true. Therefore, they can at times affirm apparently contradictory assertions. Again, regardless of which of the above distinctions are used to advance or protect the witches world view, the distinctions themselves are based upon the validity of logic. Try as they may, witches simply cannot not use logic. Our pagan friends are, so to speak, up the metaphysical creek, without a trustworthy epistemologic al paddle and are caught in a whirlpool of subjective circularity that makes ones head spin. Witches cannot appeal to logic when it suits them and ignore it when it refutes them and still expect to be taken seriously. As we shall now see, the use of logic in the categories of both/and as opposed to either/or have implications not just for thinking but for ethics as well. EthicsWitches do not believe in the concept of sin as defined by orthodox Christianity. Sin is viewed as an outdated concept that is only a tool used to shackle the minds and actions of people. The only sin or evil is that of being unbalanced and out of harmony or estranged from oneself, others, the varied life forms, and Mother Earth. As there is no sin or divine retribution to be saved from, salvation has only to do with attaining and maintaining harmony with the above. (20) To their credit, many witches consistently appeal to their ethical code the Wiccan Rede: an it harm none, do what ye will. (21) They furthe r claim not to use their occultic abilities for malevolent purposes since they believe (1) that any evil done to another will come back upon the perpetrator threefold or more, and (2) in some form of reincarnation (and the moral law of karma which governs it). Some, such as Donald Frew, incorporate other guidelines to determine the rightness of an action, such as the general consensus of the witchcraft community, common sense, the laws of the state, science, and pragmatic considerations. (22) While the aforementioned is true, the Wiccan Rede is not consistent with nor does it logically or ontologically follow from the world views most commonly held by witches: pantheism and panentheism. (23) It must derive, then, from someone or something external to or independent of the universe or Goddess/God or Life Force itself. But how can this be? In both pantheism and panentheism, nothing is outside or independent of the One, and even death and evil are an intrical and necessary part of re ality. (24) The witches ethical code is therefore inconsistent with their metaphysical world view. This dilemma is reflected in the teachings of Starhawk. For example, though she does not think destruction is necessarily evil, she states: The nature of the Goddess is never singleShe is light and the darkness, the patroness of love and death, who makes all possibilities. She brings both comfort and pain. (25) Elsewhere she says, As Crone, She is the dark face of life, which demands death and sacrificeIn Witchcraft, the dark, waning aspect of the God is not evil it is a vital part of the natural cycle. (26) This aspect of the divine manifesting itself in polarities is echoed by almost all (if not all) witches. Erica Jong tells us that Satanistsaccept the Christian duality between good and evil; pagans do notPagans see good and evil as intimately allied, in fact, indivisible. They conceive of deities as having several aspects creation, destruction, sustenance rather than externalizi ng all destruction and destructiveness (evil) in the form of devils. (27) The Problems of Life Whether witches realize it or not, these views raise some very problematic ethical issues: (1) Where does the Wiccan Rede derive from? (2) If there is no one right religion, way, or truth for all, then why is this rule (the Wiccan Rede) universal? How do we know that witches are not just trying to impose their rule on us to shackle our minds and actions? (3) How do witches account for the origin and existence of evil and suffering? Space forbids us from addressing each of these questions, but the third should indeed must be addressed. Evil In Dreaming the Dark, Starhawk attempts to grapple with ethical issues and the problem of evil: Evil is a concept that cannot be separated from the stories of duality. Power-over, violence, coercionare not evil in the sense of being part of a force in direct opposition to good. Instead, we can see them as mistakes, processes born of chance that spread because they have served their purposes.The problem of evil is really a problem of randomness. (28) Other witches appeal to reincarnation and the law of Karma to explain the existence of some evil and suffering. Raymond Buckland asserts, For its own evolution, it is necessary that the soul experience all things in life. It seems the most sensible, most logical, sic explanation of much that is found in lifeWhy should one be born crippled, another fit and strong?if not because we must eventually experience all things (29) (elipses in original). Sybil Leek offers similar reasons for the existence and necessity of evil in the world. (30) Naturalistic Fallacies The above two explanations create more problems than they solve. For instance, if one must experience all in life (as Buckland suggests), does this include being abused, tortured, and so forth? (31) It logically follows from such a view that whatever is, ought to be. This is known in ethics as the naturalistic fallacy, as it confu ses the way things are with how they morally should be. Hence, what about the child born with crippling birth defects who dies an agonizing death within two years? Should we respond, Oh well, whatever is, ought to be and thus just accept it as the way things are? No, even a witch could not consistently live by this approach. The witches world view logically and ontologically justifies any condition or conduct. This results in an inability to morally distinguish between good and evil, right and wrong. With such a naturalistic approach one can only describe the way things are (e.g., the drink is hot or cold). One cannot make a moral evaluation. If life and death, comfort and pain, joy and sorrow, are inherent to the very nature of the world, then how can one call any action morally wrong, including burning witches? It cant be done. But witches do say some actions are wrong. Or are they simply saying that they do not prefer certain actions? Hardly! Intuitively, they/we know certain thi ngs are wrong such as torturing witches, confiscating their property, abusing children, and so forth. They do not say these things are merely unpleasant or inconvenient; they insist that they are wrong. Christians, then, have every reason to ask how witches answer the problem of the existence of evil. This is a perplexing problem, and merely dismissing it will not solve it. The Problem of Evil There are conspicuously few in-depth discussions of the problem of evil in neopagan literature. Many witches seem ignorant of this issue, or for a number of reasons do not believe it applies to their particular world view. For these, the existence of evil is not a problem, because they do not conceive of the Goddess/God or Life Force as being omniscient, omnipotent, and omnibenevolent. These witches explain the problem of evil in one of three ways: (1) they deny that evil exists; (2) they appeal to finite godism (or goddessism); or (3) they appeal to humankinds free will. Let us briefly con sider each of these. Does evil exist? Is evil only an illusion? Or is evil not really evil but just unfortunate circumstances? These views are delusions. (32) To say evil does not exist is to be blind to reality, for evil not only exists it is all around us. From cruelty, corruption, calamity, flood and famine, disease and drought, hatred, war, suffering, misery, pain, injustices, rape, murder, and on and on evil exists. Evil is a fact of life. And it is not just a case of unfortunate circumstances or the breaks of life. It is unfortunate when one gets a flat tire at night on a country road in a rain storm. It is rank evil to kill six million Jews as Hitler did. The death of human beings is the epitome of evil and is not natural but is the greatest nemesis we face. The existence of evil delivers a debilitating blow to the witches world view. But, some witches counter, the Goddess/God and/or Life Force is/are finite that is, not omnibenevolent, omniscient, or omnipotent. Thus, the y/it cannot be held responsible for evil. The defense of finite godism, however, is wishful thinking. (33) Even finite godism/goddessism must grapple with the existence of evil. If the Goddess and/or God are finite, this does not excuse the evil it/they have birthed. Do we hold a finite inflictor of suffering upon humanity like a Hitler, Stalin, or Mao any less culpable simply because they were not infinite in their abilities? Clearly, the finite godism appeal will not exonerate the Goddess and God. At this point, some will answer that evil derives from humanitys failure to live in harmony with nature and/or from exercising free will. But this cannot be the answer either. Since the Goddess/God or Life Force itself contains or causes both life and death, good and evil, how can it be said that one is not in harmony with them/it if one commits or causes suffering or death? We acknowledge that free will might account for some of the evil in the world. At best, it might explain evil th at derives from one human being forcing his or her will upon another. But it certainly cannot account for physical or natural evil. Where, then, does evil come from? What is its origin? According to the witchs world view, it can derive logically and ontologically only from the Goddess/God or primal Life Force. Are not they (or it) the ultimate source of all? If they (or it) created everything, and everything is a part or manifestation of them, then they are the source and origin of evil. If one says that the Goddess/God are not ultimate, then where did they come from? Who created them or gave them their free will or nature? Depending on whether a witch is a pantheist, panentheist, and/or polytheist, there are only so many possible explanations for the origin and existence of evil. The problems inherent in a polytheistic, pantheistic, or panentheistic perspective on the problem of evil are too numerous to list. (34) However, we will address some of the more significant ones. In a pan theistic or panentheistic universe, witches must realize that, ontologically, evil emanates or flows naturally and necessarily from the very nature of the ultimate Life Force. Creation and the existence of evil are synonymous and simultaneous. (35) This entails that suffering, death, evil, and so forth are part of the Goddess/Gods very essence or nature. Good and evil are both aspects of the One. All is contained in, arises out of, or is a manifestation of the absolute universal Life Force or principle. Evil is ultimately and necessarily part of the One which is all. Therefore, in one sense or another, the universal Life Force is responsible for all the pain, suffering, and evil that has, does, or ever will exist. In a polytheistic framework, the Goddess(es) and God(s) are no more praiseworthy. From a brief survey of history and the evidence around us, we would have to conclude that these divine beings are blithering, bungling idiots sort of the Inspector Clouseaus of the cosmos. T hey are either unwilling or unable because of their limitations to eliminate evil. They should be held in contempt inasmuch as they are responsible for much of the evil of our world which they supposedly created. Whether in a polytheistic, pantheistic, or panentheistic universe, we can have no assurance that the Goddess/God or Life Force can or wants to defeat evil. Nor can we be sure that this is even an appropriate question, since in the latter two worlds evil is part of the Ones very nature. Therefore, evil will no more cease to exist than these entities or the Life Force itself. In other words, evil is eternal it will always be with us. (36) It is eternal because it is either an aspect of the very nature of the divinity which creates and composes all (pantheism, panentheism), or these deities are too limited to permanently accomplish the task (polytheism). Only an infinite and benevolent personal God could and will banish evil from the universe. (37) This alleged Goddess/God or Life Force is not worthy of reverence but of our rage. It is responsible for all or nearly all the pain, suffering, and sorrow that has existed or ever will exist. Who would want to worship or admire such a Goddess/God? This is an affront to our moral sensibilities. The optimism of witches and neopagans is not justified; despair ought to be their response, and a longing for the death of this alleged Goddess and her tyrannical rule. The problem of evil is an acute dilemma indeed, an Achilles heel for witches and neopagans. In light of this issue and the witches emphasis on the joyful celebration of life we must ask: Do they simply ignore evil because it is not joyous? Remember, the goddess is not only mother and maiden, but crone as well. Postscrip For PagansThe world is full of wonder, beauty, and joy. This same world, however, contains paralyzing heartache, agonizing pain, misery, and the stench of death. Let us experience and appreciate the joys of life. But let us view the wh ole panorama of life and not just a postcard picture, nor turn a deaf ear or blind eye to the suffering of humanity and creation which is bleeding to death from a fatal wound unless a divine physician can administer a healing touch and save us. The witches world is fraught with problems, and we have attempted to point out just a few of the pitfalls in the interest of their finding life and that more abundantly Growth And Development In Babies Essay

Popular Culture free essay sample

During and after the Great Depression in Canada, the majority of people listened to Jazz or swing music. Upbeat fast paced music, that uplifted moods, despite the rough situation at the time. Among the famous Jazz musicians, Guy Lombard was the most renowned, along with his bad The Royal Canadian. The band consisted of Guys brothers, Carmen, Leerier and Victor, as well as some friends from his hometown of London, Ontario. The band was quickly Internationally recognized selling approximately 250 million photograph records.They were the first Canadians to have a #1 single on Billboards top 100. As Guys fame began to die, a 10 year old Montreal pianist by the name of Oscar Peterson was on the rise. With Guy and The Royal Canadians, its no surprise that 1930-1945 is known as the Swing Era. During this era, fashion took an interesting turn, zippers became ignored and the new craze was rayon and viscose, synthetic material. We will write a custom essay sample on Popular Culture or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Canadian fashion remained dependent on American fashion, adopting any trends and fads.The concept of flappers died down, women began to show less skin, wear longer skirts and fashion became more conservative. Gloves and nylon socks became the mall fashion craze for women in this period. For men, the most noticeable affect on fashion due to the Great Depression was the translator from bright colors to dull, black and white apparel. Suits became popular, Including the drape cut or London Drape suit, a softer, more flexible suit that was meant to enhance a mans figure.This suit was designed by Frederick Schools, the tailor of the Prince of Wales at the time. For sportswear, knickerbockers and plus-fours were dominant as opposed to the previous craze of trousers. Knickerbockers were a cross between modern day shorts and sweatpants. They were baggy, soft trousers that went to a mans knees and were considered ideal for physical activity. Plus fours were similar to knickerbockers, however, they extended four inches below the knees, hence the name.