buy custom The Prophetic Call of the Prophets essay

buy custom The Prophetic Call of the Prophets essay There are several definitions of a prophet. Several people have applied the term in various occasions to refer to an individual who has the ability to foresee the future. It should be noted that a prophet means more than just an individual, who can foresee future happenings. A prophet is defined as someone who talks for God. It is an individual who has divine inspiration and relays messages of God to people. It is an individual who has the ability to stand in place of God and report the message from God. They are an example of holiness, scholarship and nearness to the Divine Being. They set principles for the entire community to base their acts upon. Various communities worldwide have various terms that they use to refer to a prophet. In Hebrew, for example, the term navi stands in for prophet. It is a term derived from the word niv, which means the fruit of the lips. This term is used to place the emphasis on the role of a prophet as a speaker who has a role of communicating message s from God to people. According to the Talmud teachings, there were thousands of prophets in the Old Testament. These prophets reported messages that were meant for their generations and that is the reason why they were not put in the Scriptures. Prophets of God came from different generations. It was a field where any individual with a calling would take up the task. It was neither reserved for males or females, Jews or gentiles, but it was for all. It is evident that prophetic ministry was reserved for people who have attained a certain spiritual level where the divine spirit comes upon an individual. After when Adam and Eve who were created by God and placed in the Garden of Eden went against the Lords commands, they were thrown out of the Garden of Eden. God saw that it was necessary to establish a plan of salvation of mankind. He saw that since the contact between Him and Adam was broken, He considered having prophets to speak to the people on his behalf about repentance. Prophets are called by God; they are called in different ways to prepare them for a ministry ahead. Calling of Prophets Long Ago and Today Leading Gods people is not an act to be considered a vacation, and it cannot be completed through the strength and expertise of an individual. The great prophets that existed in history did not campaign to be chosen as prophets. They got the position either from God, the community or through the situations that they underwent, which made them to seek for Gods intervention. Among the renowned figures of the Old Testament like David, Solomon and Joseph among others, together with the New Testament figures like Peter or Paul, there is none of them who had or who showed the capability of becoming a great leader. The Bible attributes the success of these great personalities to their ability to honour Gods word, Gods presence in their lives, and their firm belief in God. It does not mention the role of their personal charisma in attaining these great heights. In examining various narratives, it is extraordinary how God chooses those whom He wants to use in His service to the world. He goes beyond the accepted situations to pick his prophets. He called David, the youngest child, Deborah, a woman, Abraham, rootless Aramean who lived among polytheists, Jacob, a scheming con artist, Gideon, a stupid man, Peter, a down to earth fisherman whose task was to transform a be a fisher of men, Mary, a village girl who lived in a remote country. These extra ordinary situations reflect the extraordinary situations when Jesus was born. He is the king of the whole world, but he was born to poor parents in a manger. In the book of Zechariah, Chapter 4, a prophet confirms to Zerubbabel about how God works. He points out that it is not an individuals power, or strength, but only by the spirit of God that a chosen leader is able to carry out Gods mission. This utterance confirms the fact that most of Gods prophets are not powerful in the society. They are en dowed with the spirit of God that will give them strength to do Gods will. Most prophets when called by God, first object the calling citing their inabilities. They view the task as powerful for them and hence humble themselves before the occupation. The call to be Gods spokesperson is very hard to accept. It is hard to accept to be anointed by God so as to communicate to the people what the Lord has said. God may show this calling through various signs ahead of time but very few people realize it. Most of the prophets of God in the Bible are ostracized. After accepting a call to speak they struggle to fulfil this calling. The need to speak burns within them, but the hard task lies in the act of speaking it to people who do not recognize you or the word that you are trying to bring forth. Gods call for people to be prophets has been continuous. It started in the Old Testament after the creation of the world until today. Isaiah was called to be a prophet in a dramatic way. His call came in the form of various visions, which can be grouped into four. First, there is a vision of holiness recorded in the Book of Isaiah, Chapter 6. It was in the year when Uzziah died, when he saw a vision of the Lord seated on the throne, praised and exalted and his attire filled the temple. There were a group of seraphs above him who were calling each other holy, holy. The sound of their voices made the doors to shake and the temple of the Lord was filled with smoke. The second vision that Isaiah saw, was one of his own sinfulness. He cried that he was ruined as he was a man of unclean lips who is living among the sinners yet his eyes saw the Lord. The third vision that he saw was that of grace. He foresaw one of the seraphs flow to him with coal, which he was holding with tongs from the altar of the Lord. He touched his mouth with it and mentioned that with this act the guilt has been taken away. Here his sin was taken away. The last vision that he witnessed was that of being sent. He saw the Lord asking for whom he would send to communicate his point to the nation, and he replied that he was ready to be used by God. Jeremiahs call came as a specific word from God when he was still very young. The Lord spoke to Jeremiah saying that even before he was formed in the womb God knew him; he was already set aside for the purpose of Gods will. He was appointed as a prophet for the nations. He gave excuses citing his childhood and his inability to speak. The Lord told him that despite his childhood nature he was to take up Gods calling and take Gods message to any person that the Lord sends him to. He was assured that he should not be afraid since God is with him and will always rescue him. The Lord reached his mouth with his hand confirming that he has placed a message in his mouth. His mission was over the kingdoms and nations to uproot and bring down, to destroy and overthrow, together with to construct and plant. Amos on the other hand was called while he was undertaking his daily business. He does not hail from a prophetic family and did not have an ambition of taking up prophetic ministry. He knew that being a prophet can be dangerous. He was ordered by Amaziah to go back to the land of Judah to work and get his daily bread there. He was ordered not to prophesy in the kings temple anymore. Amos answered that he was neither a prophet nor a prophets son. His main task in the kings palace was that of a shepherd and tender of sycamore trees. The Lord took him from tending the sheep and commanded him to go and speak Gods word to the people of Israel. Hoseas call to speak for God came through his own personal experience. God ordered him to go and marry a prostitute. This act was evil according to the Christians in the Old Testament. The prostitute abandons him after some time, but when she came back to him, he welcomed her back. The prophetic message of Hosea was that of forgiveness and repentance. It was a sign that the nation of Israel was sinful. It was signified by the prostitute, but Hosea who signified the Lord, was ready to welcome her back if only she repents. The message of Hosea was then that of repentance. Ezekiel was called to prophecies to the exiles in Babylon. He sees various strange occurrences taking place. First, he is taken to Jerusalem through a touch of his hair, and he is hown the level of sinfulness of the nation of Israel, here, the Lord had no mercy on the house of Israel, and they were all destroyed. He is also shown a valley of dead bones, which are then ordered back to life. These messages from Ezekiel were relevant to the group of people that he prophesised to. They were in exile and were hoping that the Lord will come and deliver them. The message that Ezekiel delivered to the house of Israel in exile was that of suffering and hope. Jeremiah was appointed to be a spiritualist long before he was born. The Lord says that He formed Jeremiah and set him apart for his task. He was Gods choice having been appointed the prophet of nations. Jeremiah objected this call citing his weaknesses. He mentions timidity and his youthful nature as his weaknesses. The Lord assured Jeremiah that He has appointed him and will use him for his task. Jeremiah was then made a prophet over all nations. He was a prophet at the time of the fall of Jerusalem and its period of exile. He prophesied about Gods covenant that it was not going to be carried around in the ark, but rather it will be written in peoples hearts. He also chooses both the young and the old. There are some prophets who were chosen long before they were born, for example, Jeremiah, while others were picked when they were already mature, for example, Moses. He was called when he was looking after the sheep of his father-in-law. A call to be a prophet is from God. It is God who makes a choice of whom He wants to use to speak for Him. He can call any individual. There is no time that a chosen person is given to prepare to take up Gods call. He picks His prophets from various places - it can be in the city or in the village, He chooses either the rich or the poor, evident in the fact when He chose Ezekiel who was from a priestly family, and He also chose Amos who was a shepherd and a tender of sycamore trees in a kings palace. There are various structures that are followed when one is called to be Gods prophet. First, there is a situation of distress or calamity where God meets an individual. Secondly, the individual is commissioned for a task to resolve the calamity. He or she is given a message to act on accordingly. Thirdly, individuals object Gods call citing their inadequacies for the task ahead or how unprepared and unreliable they are to face the task. Fourthly, God gives him or her assurance that He is with the individual when handing the task. It is an assurance that the task ahead is not the battle for the individual, but it is for God through him or her and, therefore, it is crucial to wait for Gods message in every circumstance. Lastly, there is a sign to confirm that the message is from the almighty. Various individuals are called through similar circumstances today. Prophetic Messages The prophets were speaking for God. They communicated the message from God to people. There are various prophetic messages that were communicated and are still communicated by Gods prophets. First, a prophetic message may be meant to warn people against the impending danger. When God foresees the danger that is awaiting the children of God, he sends his prophets to warn people and tell the necessary precautions. The main task of Joel as a prophet was to warn people on the damage that would befall the earth. In the book of Joel, there are various versions of how the earth would be destroyed. There is an image that shows God sending a very strong army to fight the earth and people are not able to counter this attack. Joel tells the people what that day will be like. Joel interrupts this prediction by prophesying that, before this time comes, God will bring His salvation for the people. He then warns that whoever will not be saved, when this time comes, will face the full wrath. Some prophets deliver the messages on the process of salvation. Isaiah in his prophecy seeks to tell the people what they can do to be saved. The content of Isaiahs prophecy shows this process of saving the mankind. First, he says that God is there and that people should give him praise because of his righteousness. He tells people that they should repent and come back to God. He prophesies coming of the messiah whose main task is to save the entire nation. He prophesies that Israel, which is a chosen people of God, will go against the will of God. They will be punished and taken captives because of their sins. He then points out the sins of the nation of Israel as the Lord views. He also points out that the Lord will bring judgement on the whole world when the Day of the Lord comes. He also says that in the midst of judgement, God who is gracious will extend the hand of mercy, which implies that there will be a second exodus where people will be freed from captivity. He proclaims to the people that the good news that comes out of this prophecy is that there will be the salvation. Some prophetic messages are meant for repentance. They are meant to teach the entire nation of the importance of forgiveness and repentance. Jonahs prophecy over the nation is that of repentance. It is evident from his call that he was afraid of God because of his own sinful nature. On hearing Gods call, he decided to run away, but was swallowed by a whale because of his disobedience. Jonah then goes to Nineveh where he warns people against disobeying Gods commands and repenting. He was amazed by the way the people heed his message and repented. The main message of Jonah here is that of repentance at the first instant. Another prophet that communicated a message of repentance to the nation was prophet Hosea. His prophecy came through his act of getting married to a prostitute who flees from him and later comes back to him. The prostitute was used to stand for the chosen people of God who have abandoned him. If they return, God is ready to take them back. Characteristics of Called Prophets In the society today, there are various categories of prophets who do not necessarily speak for God. This group of prophets are self proclaimed and use the word of knowledge and consider it as prophetic. Many people can receive a word of knowledge from God, but the call to speak for God is mostly for making people ready for success in the spiritual world revealing the level that we have reached in the spirit. All people have the ability to prophesy over their lives. In 1st Corinthians, a person can prophesy by faith. Ephesians, Chapter 4, reveals the fact that we all have the Holy Spirit from God and therefore, we are able to make a prophecy over our lives. There are, therefore, various characteristics that are used to separate a prophet who has been send to the people by God. Gods prophets are obedient to Gods call. When Moses was called, he was obedient to the call. He was ordered to take off his shoes as he was standing on a holy ground - a call that he obeyed. Almost all prophets of God are rejected by the people whom God sends him or her to speak. Jesus himself being the son of God was rejected by the people that he came to serve. Moses was also rejected by the people of Israel. The main reason for the rejection of prophets is that before they are called to the service of God, they are found in situations where they do not deserve any respect. Moses before his call to prophet-hood was a shepherd. When God chooses him for his service, many asked him if he thought he was to be a ruler over them according to Acts, Chapter 7. He used the signs that the Lord gave him to prove that he had really been sent by God to the people. Jesus at the same time had to perform various miracles to confirm that he was the son of God. All prophets were sent to the people by God. This is shown by the facts that assert that they have been sent from God. Their messages also show this. They often use such terms as it was said the Lord and lay a stress on the source of their teachings. When you read their messages or their scriptures, there is an evident aspect of inspiration from God. The messages from True Prophets are linked to historical events. It emerges from a certain historical occurrence that happened in their lifetime. The prophets are messengers that are meant to address the events happening during their period. Messages of true prophets are not always predictive. It is not accurate to believe that thhe Old Testament prophecies always foretell the future. There are times in the Old Testament when a prophet communicated Gods message only to his generation without necessarily referring to the future. The prophets task is to call the people of his generation to repent or to transform socially or politically. They gave warnings to the people or to their leaders of the acts of disobedience or other acts of sinful nature, which needed to be corrected. They are acting as Gods spokesmen, whether they talk of what is happening today, what happened in the past or what will come in the future. Examples of Prophets Called by God Moses is the greatest of all the prophets that are mentioned in the Old Testament. He foresaw the Torah, which means that he predicted the writings and the prophecies contained in the Old Testament prophetic books. What is told in the prophetic books is what Moses knew through Torah. Moses was selected by the Deity to lead the children of Israel from Egypt where they were undergoing suffering. The situation when Moses was called to speak for God was that of suffering of the children of Israel. God had heard the cry of the Israelites in slavery and was looking for a prophet to confront this situation. The Bible tells that Moses fulfilled the role that the Lord called him for, and there has never been a prophet that can be compared to him. He is the only prophet who was able to be in touch with God face to face, according to Deuteronomy, Chapter 34. He received Gods call while taking care of the sheep. The act of herding the sheep shows his unpreparedness for the task. Moses tried to g ive excuses for his inability to carry out the task, but he was not able to go out of Gods will. It is evident from the call of Moses that God commands respect from those that He calls upon to carry on the task of Gods spokesman. He first commands Moses to remove his shoes before going to the holy place where God dwells. Moses obeyed this command, and God was pleased with the act of obedience that Moses showed before God. God appeared to Moses in an unfamiliar situation that attracted him. He saw a burning bush that was not consumed. As a herdsman, he decided to move closer to get a lucid outlook of what was happening within the bush. As he got closer to the bush, he heard the voice of God calling him. The prophets of the Old Testament are categorized into two groups, the early and latter prophets. The books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings are referred to as early prophets. This is because they contain many prophets that lived there in ancient Israel. These prophets testified Gods messages during the early days. The other category of prophets is the latter prophets. They fell in Israel at the time that is very crucial in human history, when the Israelites had strayed from the teachings given by the Law of Moses. There were high levels of corruption in the society and other wicked ways that distorted the social life of Israel. The faithful people of Israel feared the anger of the Lord that might be thrust upon them. The call of the righteous to the society was ignored. There prophets emerged at this time who were speaking against the acts of wickedness in the nation of Israel. Some of the latter prophets include Joel, Micah, Isaiah, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah among other prophets. Their messages were directed to the nation of Israel, equally in the North and South. The latter prophets are grouped into the Major and Minor Prophets. Some of the Major Prophets include Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. The group, which formed the Minor Prophets, include Amos, Micah, Hosea, Zephaniah, and Habakkuk among others. While all other prophets are found in the Old Testament, Revelation is found in the New Testament. It prophesies about the coming of a day that will purify the priesthood and destroy the wicked while securing the victory for the righteous. Then there are modern prophets as well, who claim to have been called by God for a mission. Do We Need Prophets Today? There are people who speak for God in the society today. These people refer their work to the verse in the Book of Acts that states that on the last days God will pour out his spirit that will give all people whether young or old the power to prophesy and speak in different languages. However, these people do not function like the prophets of the Old Testament. It is in this instance that many people have emerged to be prophets. They prophesy not in the name of God. The emergence of false prophets is in accordance to the teachings in the Bible where in the book of Mathew people are warned against false prophets. According to the Gospel of Mathew, these prophets come to you while dressed in sheeps robes but the fact is that they are wolves. According to Mathew 24, it is recorded that there will be many false prophets. There are few churches that have an office of prophets and apostles. Other groups like evangelists, pastors and teachers are found in almost all churches in the society today. In the church today the fivefold ministry has been regarded as significant in carrying out the churchs ministry. In Ephesians, it is stated that the church requires the fivefold gift, which was given to the church by Jesus Christ to perfect its ministry. Getting into the ministry of prophet-hood means a lot to an individual. It involves so many sacrifices on the part of an individual. One may be putting his or her life at stake by taking up prophet-hood. Prophets do not take into thoughtfulness the rank of education, the place they are in or how people will feel when a certain message is given. They utter the Lords message without putting into consideration any individual or a system in operation such as the government. Various people claim to be God sent in the society today. Some of these people proclaim that they are prophets and they at times strengthen this claim through the use of signs, wonders and miracles. These wonders and signs are used in an effort to show the fivefold ministry in the New Testament. The availability of prophets today is attributed to the power that the church today needs to carry on its task. Those who claim to be prophets today try to copy what the well known prophets in the Bible did. It is the essential for the church today to be aware of how the institution of prophet-hood was passed over from God to the early prophets so that they can be capable to make a distinction between true prophets and false prophets. The office of prophet-hood in the church today is questionable. According to Ephesians, Chapter 2, the prophets were tasked on laying the foundation of the church. If this then is the major task of the prophets, then the question is whether people in the society today are still laying the foundation for the church? The prophet also was a linkage between God and the people in the early church. Moses for example, was a link between the Israelites and God. He took the pleas of the Israelites to God. Today, people take their requests to God in person. When Jesus Christ was ascending to Heaven, he told the disciples that he had left the Holy Spirit, which will act as a guide to the people. There was no mention of a prophet left to act as a link between himself and the people. This fact also questions the nature of the prophets who claim that they are from God today. Some of the prophetic messages were foretelling the future. During these times, the Bible was not complete. Some Christians were not able to access the Bible. Conclusion The call to be a spiritualist hails from God. It is crucial to heed the call and act according to Gods commands. God who has power over nature has an ability to use extraordinary events to call people for His task. He used a burning bush to call Moses. Whereby the bush was burning but it was not consumed. He also showed extraordinary visions to the prophets in order to confirm His authority and His command to speak on His behalf. The call of prophets in the Old Testament showed the compassionate nature of God. He was ready and willing to forgive and take back the sinful population. He gave people a second chance to repent. The use of prophets shows us that God is concerned with the human race. He wants to establish a link between Himself and the people. This is so that He may be able to converse with mankind and express His concerns. Buy custom The Prophetic Call of the Prophets essay

Reading response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 39

Reading response - Essay Example Nevertheless, a writer should have the capacity to overcome the counterclaims on his argument. Olsson argues that Wal-Mart is one of the multinational companies that underpays, mistreats, and overworks its employees. She also argues that Wal-Mart has been fighting off unions that advocate for workers’ rights. Olsson argues that Wal-Mart employees must have a second job to survive unless an employee is a manager or has been working at the company for more than 20 years. According to Olsson, the company has been pushing employees to maximize all their potential to reap maximum benefits and cut costs without hiring more employees. The author supports the former and current Wal-Mart employees’ right to fight the company for violating wage-and-hour laws. Olsson accommodates counterclaims by recognizing Wal-Mart’s policies and views on employees’ treatment, compensation, and right to join unions. She also accommodates the company’s response to complaints of unpaid overtime. She stated, â€Å"Wal-Mart blames unpaid overtime on individual departmen t managers, insisting that such practices violate company policy† (Olsson, 2003). Olsson also considers the dominant complaints about understaffing and low pay as well as the company’s response on training and promoting female managers. However, Olsson addresses all the counterclaims by treating Wal-Mart as a unique case by considering its size and potential as well as the employees’ right to fair pay and treatment. She also refutes the counterclaims by quoting the wage-and-hour laws. In the reading â€Å"Progressive Wal-Mart. Really,† Mallaby argues that the anti-Wal-Mart campaign brewing in Maryland and across America is trivial, ironic, and comic. He argues that preventing the company from opening new branches will bring suffering to poor Americans since it will limit ordinary families from sharing the health benefits and food relief offered by the company. Mallaby argues that Wal-Mart

Future scope on China and the Gulf Cooperation Council relationship Essay

Future scope on China and the Gulf Cooperation Council relationship (GCC) - Essay Example USSR is a socialist Republic and has similar internal state policies as that of China, the policies of China closely follow that of Moscow which is then the seat of powers of the former USSR. However, in the effort to forge stronger alliances, China strived to reach out to countries like the United States and those countries surrounding the Persian Gulf. Unfortunately, talks of alliance during the meetings held in Bandung, China failed to create a strong alliance between these nations. Throughout the 1990s, there were many important changes that occur in the foreign policy of China. These changes in the Chinese foreign policies were triggered by global political changes following the collapse of Soviet Union. The collapse of the USSR heralded the end of the cold war and triggered global political changes. As the USSR ceased to be one of the world’s superpowers, the United States took on the role as â€Å"big brother† of smaller nations and took upon itself to serve and the â€Å"police and watchdog† of democracy and power. The shift in the balance of world powers ushered the changes in China’s foreign policies especially towards the countries around the Persian Gulf. Believing that the shift in world powers may eventually affect the stability of oil supply and production around the oil rich nations of the Persian Gulf, and that the slowdown in the production of oil may affect the economic activities in China, the Chinese government emba rked into the task of fostering stability in the area by advocating the resolution of conflicts in the area internally and without any foreign interventions. As the largest country around this part of the world, China has the power to influence the economic activities in this region. In the 1990s, the value of Chinese investments around this area amounted to more than 2.2 billion US dollars. This is twice the value of its investments in the region in the 1980s. Chinese importation for oil reached about $9.5 billion dollars in

Towards Equality Of Women Essay Example for Free

Towards Equality Of Women Essay Nowadays, gender became a very sensitive issue. The word gender is not only limited to feminist and masculinity. Other than that, feminist movements are very active. They claim that man and women should be equally treated. Certain jobs and career should not be limited to a specific gender. There is also a kind of feminist movement that claims that women can do masculine work and engage in masculine sports. Examples are women who are working as cab drivers, police, and soldiers and joining sports such as weight lifting, wrestling, and boxing. Sapphireblue.com defines amazon feminism as follows: â€Å"Amazon feminism is dedicated to the image of the female hero in fiction and in fact, as it is expressed in art and literature, in the physiques and feats of female athletes, and in sexual values and practices. Amazon feminism is concerned about physical equality and is opposed to gender role stereotypes and discrimination against women based on assumptions that women are supposed to be, look or behave as if they are passive, weak and physically helpless. Amazon feminism rejects the idea that certain characteristics or interests are inherently masculine (or feminine), and upholds and explores a vision of heroic womanhood. Thus Amazon feminism advocates e.g., female strength athletes, martial artists, soldiers, etc. [TG]†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In my own opinion, feminism and masculinity are only defined by the society. Masculinity just varies and it depends on how it is viewed in a culture. For example, there was a time in Japan when crying and being soft was their idea of masculinity. This view of masculinity might shock us because of our modern view but there was a time when it really existed in Japan. It is very interesting to know that there was also a time in Japan when masculinity means being a warrior or a samurai. It only means that an era or culture sets the standard of masculinity and there is no such thing as absolute masculinity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On the other hand, there are people who think that there is such word as â€Å"too masculine†. It only means that an image or nature of work display too much quality that only man can satisfy. This word disqualifies any woman from doing or fulfilling that â€Å"too masculine responsibility. Now that we are living in a modern society, I think that the word â€Å"too masculine† is no longer applicable. Thanks to some feminist movements, career or any other responsibility are no longer limited to a specific gender. Any person, man or woman, is entitled to a career or responsibility as long as he or she is qualified. Actually, there are a lot of woman who are excelling in those fields which are traditionally for men. Examples are successful political leaders such as Gloria Macapagal Arroyo of the Philippines, Benazir Bhuto of Pakistan, and Margaret Thatcher of Great Britain. They have proven that women can lead a nation as long as effective as men. Here, we can see that leadership position in the field of politics is no longer too masculine for a woman. Personally, I don’t believe in the word â€Å"too masculine† anymore. When I was a young student, I used to believe that each gender has a specific responsibility assignment. For example, taking care of children is for women only because of their gentle nature. But now, my mind was opened by feminist movements. Women can do tough work because they can also display strong character. On the other hand, men can also take the responsibility of women because they also have a gentle side.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Although feminist movements promote gender equality, it also has a negative impact in our society. Based on what I observe in our society, manhood is no longer respectable. Sometimes, I feel that women are abusing gender equality. As a matter of fact, there is a kind of feminist movement which claims that men are no longer needed in the society. It is called radical feminism. About.com defines radical feminism as follows: â€Å"Radical feminism is a philosophy emphasizing the patriarchal roots of inequality between men and women, or, more specifically, social dominance of women by men. Radical feminism views patriarchy as dividing rights, privileges and power primarily by gender, and as a result oppressing women and privileging men. Radical feminists tend to be more militant in their approach (radical as getting to the root). Radical feminism opposes existing political and social organization in general because it is inherently tied to patriarchy. Thus, radical feminists tend to be skeptical of political action within the current system, and instead support cultural change that undermines patriarchy and associated hierarchical structures. â€Å"   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Even media promotes an image of a man that is submissive to women. Example is the Ax deo spray commercial where men act like sex slaves of women. Also, media nowadays suggest that women can use sex and their physical beauty to manipulate men.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   During our pre-agricultural past, when men and women are still hunters and gatherers, gender equality already exists. We can say that gender equality already exists because men and women are living in a egalitarian society. They had what we call values of belonging which is characterized by self restraint, generosity and mutuality. As explained by Carol Finders in tworock.com: â€Å"Throughout the eons that preceded the agricultural revolution, Flinders notes, our ancestors were hunter-gatherers. Certain values are intrinsic to that way of life wherever it is lived.   Self-restraint, generosity, mutuality, balance, and a warmly reverent connection to the earth and other creatures are all adaptive to a nomadic, foraging existence.   They are the values of Belonging, and they defined the human condition for so long they exist still – in longing, in faint memory as an indestructible stratum in consciousness itself.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On the other hand, the culture of enterprise started to emerge during agricultural development. Men and women started to acquire their own property. In the culture of enterprise, aggression and competition are prevalent. As stated by Finders: â€Å"With the rise of agriculture and city-states, beginning just ten thousand years ago, a new set of values became adaptive: irreverence, willingness to exploit the natural world for profit; acquisitiveness, aggression, and competitiveness. The values of Enterprise.† I think that it is not necessary to take more of values of belonging because it is no longer applicable to our society. Culture of enterprise is well stabilized in our society and changing it may cause instability. Although aggression and inequality is inevitable in the culture of enterprise, I believe that we can regulate it by promoting positive values such as justice and respect.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I chose education as a subject area to discuss the contrast between values of belonging and culture of enterprise. It is obvious that the culture of enterprise is very dominant in field of education. Nowadays, education is used to promote a person from his or her current social status. We can notice that mostly, education is only exclusives to the rich and middle class people. It is because educating the poor will surely uplift the status of poor people. If everyone can have an equal opportunity for education, poverty will be lessen. Here, the characteristic of the culture of enterprise is very evident and these are competition and acquisitiveness. We can’t deny the fact that educated people acquire the most number of properties and wealth. Meanwhile, if our society is still living in the values of belonging, definitely education will be free for all. Because in the values of belonging, everyone is equal and there is no competition.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   We can apply the culture of enterprise to those societies where there is gender inequality. In those cultures where women are treated as second class citizen, women are deprived of the rights to education. It is because education can uplift the status of women in the society. Educated women will threaten the status of men in the society. Educated women can acquire more property than educated women. Here we can see that there is aggression and competition which are qualities of culture of enterprise. I believe that moving the values of belonging can be a solution to this gender inequality in education because the said values promote equality. When we move to the values of belonging, there will be an absence of competition between men and women in the society. Men will not be threatened by educated women. Equal opportunity for education will be easy to achieve. http://www.tworock.org/Values%20of%20Belonging.htm http://www.sapphireblue.com/dissident_feminist/factions.shtml#amazon

My Philosophy of Teaching Essay -- Philosophy of Education

Philosophy of Education The purpose of education is to provide students with a knowledge base that will enable them to achieve their goals. These goals will vary from student to student, but an education will enable students to reach their highest potential. Education is a gift and a privilege that all students, no matter their social status, race, or ethnic background, should receive. Education should better society as a whole, and this can only be accomplished through the hard work and dedication of teachers. Teachers play an imperative role in the educational process because the entire development of the student’s education would not be possible without them. This world would have no doctors, lawyers, or engineers if teachers did not help them to reach those professional goals. I believe teachers are handed an opportunity to impact the lives of students, and it is my responsibility as a future teacher to embrace that opportunity with a positive attitude. As I strive to fulfill my role as a teacher, I plan to adhere to the following guidelines: ...

Religious Holidays

Religious Holidays Paper There are various religious holidays that are celebrated worldwide by the many differing religions. Each holiday celebrates a certain prophet, event, or date that is important to their specific belief. Two such religious holidays are the Muslim Eid al-Fitr and the Christian Christmas. Eid-al Fitr is an important Muslim holiday that signifies the end of the month of Ramadan. It is also called The Feast of Breaking Fast, The Sugar Feast and The Sweet Festival. The month of Ramadan is meant to be spent fasting so on Eid al Fitr, Muslims are meant to break this fast.This day also marks the start of the month of Shawwal, which is the time where â€Å"Muslims around the world try to show a common goal of unity† (Eid). This holiday has a specific Islamic prayer called salat that is given in two pieces. Muslims congregate to hear this prayer in a large mosque or gathering hall. They prayer is different depending on which juristic opinion is followed whether it be fard, mustahabb or mandoob. Muslims believe that they are commanded by god to fast until Eid al-Fitr where they give zakat, or a portion of ones wealth as a tax, and fitra, their constitution of being.The holiday of Eid was first started in â€Å"Madinah after the migration of Muhammed from Mecca† (SOS). Muhammed came to the people of Madinah and told them of the two holidays that God has made for them to celebrate. They are an occasion to show gratitude to God and remember him as well as a day of entertainment for Muslims. Some typical food eaten on Eid is Badami Gosht, Badam Phirni, and Nawabi Biryani. These dishes are spicy, and some contain meat while others are all vegetarian. A common saying during Eid is â€Å"Eid Muburak† which means happy Eid.The day starts off with keeping the traditions of the prophet Muhammed. Muslims wake up early, say a pre-sunrise prayer, brush their teeth with a toothbrush, wear their finest clothes, and put on perfume. It is forbid den to fast on Eid so â€Å"Muslims have a feast on this day as well as listen to the Eid prayer in a large group† (SOS). Eid gifts known as Eidi are given on this day to children and relatives. Christmas is an important Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Both Christians and non-Christians all around the world celebrate Christmas on December 25.This day â€Å"marks the beginning of Christmastide, which ends on the 12th day† (Christmas). Christmastide is one of the seasons of the liturgical year of most Christian churches. Christians celebrate Christmas day as the fulfillment of the Messaic Prophecy in the Old Testament. It goes that Jesus was born to the Virgin Mary on December 25 in a manger. The Three Kings that brought â€Å"gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh† visited baby Jesus (Origin). Christians put up special decorations in and around their house.They put up Christmas lights around the borders of their homes as well as various props that light up. Some include snowmen, Santa Clause, or Jesus in the manger. The colors that signify Christmas are red and green. Red represents the blood of Jesus while green represents eternal life. The Christmas tree comes from pagan rituals surrounding the winter solstice involving evergreens. It is now incorporated in the holiday of Christmas. The idea of Santa Clause comes from the man Saint Nicholas. He would check the behavior of children and decide whether they deserved gifts or not.Nicholas would secretly put gifts such as coins in people’s shoes. This began the idea of gift giving on Christmas day. A traditional Christmas meal is had on this day with various dishes including ones specific to Christmas. These include mince pies, fruitcakes, and Christmas pudding. Both Christmas and Eid al-Fitr share some similar qualities. Both can be called many different names. For example Christmas can be called Xmas and Eid can be called The Sugar Feast. T hey both are religious holidays that have been started because of a great prophet or messiah.Both holidays have â€Å"historical significance that relates back to either Muhammed or Jesus† (What). These holidays share the basic principle of happiness and cheer, as well as giving. Feasts along with foods that are specific to the holiday are important parts of both Christmas and Eid al-Fitr. Gifts are given in Christmas and Eid as a sign of good fortune a care. While there are similarities between the two holidays, there are also many differences. Eid marks the end of one month and the start of another in contrast with Christmas, which is only significant to one day.Christmas involves decorating your house while Eid does not. Eid also does not have a figure that is tied to gift giving like Christmas does. A major difference between Christmas and Eid is that â€Å"many non-Christians celebrate the holiday of Christmas† (What). Only Muslims celebrate Eid however and it is not as widely accepted by non-Muslims. The religious holidays of Eid al-Fitr and Christmas are both important days to two different religions. These days share some of the same characteristics while also differing in various aspects that make them unique and important to those that celebrate them.

All About the Genre of Character Writing

A brief descriptive sketch of a class or type of person (such as a city slicker, a country bumpkin, or a grumpy old man) rather than of an individual personality. Character-writing became a popular literary form in England following the publication in 1592 of a Latin translation of Theophrastus, an ancient Greek writer of similar sketches. Characters eventually became more individualized and were integrated with the essay and the novel. Also Known As: character sketch Examples of Character Writing The Character of the Man in Black, by Oliver GoldsmithA Definition of a Gentleman, by John Henry NewmanGood Souls, by Dorothy ParkerThe Landlord, by Henry David ThoreauMr. Barlow, by Charles DickensThe Plumber, by Anthony TrollopeThe Satirist, by Robert Louis StevensonStatus Details in Tom Wolfes DescriptionsThree Characters by John EarleThe True Friend, by Joseph Hall Etymology From the Latin (mark, distinctive quality) from the Greek (scratch, engrave) Observations and Examples: The 17th-century character writings reflected the assumptions of the period about the nature of human beings, but they also conditioned the ways in which subsequent authors would for a time treat character...The great strength of the character sketch as a genre was its ability to create a single unified impression of a person, whether as an individual or a type. The succinctness essential for producing this effect carried inherent limitations. Character sketches tended to be reductive. Each of the early forms, for differing reasons, oversimplified the human beings they depicted.(James Engell, Johnson and His Age. Harvard University Press, 1984)Modern Example of a Character: The AnchormanHe graduated from drama school and looked for parts in television. Because he had prognathous jaws like a cowboys and every cilium of his light-brown hair seemed to be nailed into his skull for keeps, he was steered into the news department. At first, like all beginning newscasters, he had to leave th e building...He would stand in front of the building and hold a microphone covered in black styrofoam and recite AP or UPI copy about [an] event. He could do this without skipping a beat, and he maintained his head of hair nearly intact, and soon he did not have to leave the building anymore. He was promoted to the anchor desk of the stations six oclock news broadcast, where he reads the AP and UPI copy from the Teleprompter. Only two things stand in the way of his goal of reaching the network news desk. One is the Anchorwoman, a fireproof blonde who is so aggressive, such a nutcracker, that she terrifies him. His on-air Happy Hour Chitchat with her sounds as if it is being extracted by water torture. The other is the ever-so-imperceptibly widening part in his hair.(Tom Wolfe, Success Stories: The Anchorman. In Our Time, Farrar, 1980)The Theophrastian CharacterTheophrastus (c. 371-287 BC) was a Greek rhetorician and philosopher. Today he is best remembered for what he considered a m inor work, his Characters, a series of sketches originally intended as models for students of rhetoric. The Characters (the word in Greek meant distinctive marks) consists of satires of comic, foolish, or cloddish types. The sketches follow a formula: first a definition of the trait to be illustrated, then a number of situations and responses that dramatically reveal the trait in terms of behavior. For example, After dinner, the waiter brings the check; the stingy man drops his napkin and hides beneath the table until someone else has paid.(Thomas S. Kane and Leonard J. Peters, Writing Prose: Techniques and Purposes, 6th ed. Oxford University Press, 1986)Classic Example of a Character: The Penurious ManThe Penurious man is one who, while the month is current, will come to ones house and ask for a half-obol [a silver coin]. When he is at the table with others he will count how many cups each of them has drunk; and will pour a smaller libation to Artemis than any of the company. Whene ver a person has made a good bargain for him and charges him with it, he will say that it is too dear. When a servant has broken a jug or a plate he will take the value out of his rations; or, if his wife has dropped a three-farthing piece, he is capable of moving the furniture and the sofas and the wardrobes, and of rummaging in the curtains. If he has anything to sell he will dispose of it at such a price that the buyer shall have no profit. He is not likely to let one eat a fig from his garden, or walk through his land, or pick up one of the olives or dates that lie on the ground, and he will inspect his boundaries day by day to see if they remain the same. He is apt, also, to enforce the right of distraining, and to exact compound interest. When he feasts the men of his parish, the cutlets set before them will be small: when he markets, he will come in having bought nothing. And he will forbid his wife to lend salt, or a lamp-wick, or cummin, or verjuice, or meal for sacrifice, or garlands, or cakes; saying that these trifles come to much in the year. Then, in general, it may be noticed that the moneyboxes of the penurious are mouldy, and the keys rusty; that they themselves wear their cloaks scarcely reaching to the thigh; that they anoint themselves from very small oil-flasks; that they have their hair cut close; that they take off their shoes in the middle of the day; and that they are urgent with the fuller to let their cloak have plenty of earth, in order that it may not soon be soiled.(The Characters of Theophrastus, edited and translated by R.C. Jebb. Macmillan, 1870)