Self-Discovery - 2530 Words

Self-discovery Throughout one’s lifetime changes in a person’s views toward life are inevitable. Those changes can be seen as either positive or negative based on the experiences a person goes through. Some changes are seen as internal while others are seen as external. For instance, in Monkey by Wu Cheng-en and Candide by Francois-Marie Arouet De Voltaire, both authors are using their characters to portray self-discovery by having them go through a series of obstacles. As a result the characters changed their attitude toward life through the many obstacles that they had to undergo. Self-discovery is an essential part of a person’s life which can be seen internally or externally through a person’s characteristics and†¦show more content†¦In the end when he finds out that Cunegonde is ugly, he still goes to search for her â€Å"†¦go search out Cunegonde on the shores of Propontis, however ugly she might be† (Voltaire, 574). This shows ext ernal changes in Candide’s character, and it shows that he still wants to fulfill his promise to marry Cunegonde. By the end of the story we can see that Candide has learned the true meaning of life through his experiences on this journey and he now has his own views and opinions towards the world. However, after all of his experiences on this journey, â€Å"Candide still doesn’t understand the key to happiness† (www.associatedcontent.com). At the beginning he followed the beliefs of Pangloss, even after he realized that the world doesn’t work like the philosopher once said it did and he lets go of those beliefs, he ignorantly throws his trust into the beliefs of another person. Candide discovers the Turks truth to life, â€Å"†¦and the work keeps us from three great evils, boredom, vice and poverty†¦I know†¦that we must cultivate our garden† (Voltaire, 580). Even though he now knows what to do now in order to reach a state of happin ess, which is people working together, he isn’t willing to change internally because he’s still holding on to the same essence of life and doesn’t show any beliefs of his own. Changing his philosophical belief from following Pangloss to following the TurkShow MoreRelatedThe Journey Of Self Discovery1932 Words   |  8 Pagesthe path of self discovery? The journey of self discovery is a journey that most people take at some point during their life, whether it is very early in life or rather late in life. In the novels, Billy Lynn s Long Halftime Walk by Ben Fountain, Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald the three protagonists have all undergone a journey on the path of self discovery. These journey range in length, depth, and significance just as these self discovery journeys varyRead MoreThe Pursuit Of Self Discovery1012 Words   |  5 Pagesof my own ordinary situations to be seized momentarily whilst I let mind be fre e and my own imagination wander. The pursuit of self-discovery is present within many forms of literature and can be told through plots and central characters. I often discover new societal universal longings that arise from the novels pages which encourages me to reflect on my own sense of self. The unique interpretations and individual thoughts made by readers allows for a diverse range of reactions to literature. ItRead MoreSelf Discovery In Anita Nairs Ladiesbor1330 Words   |  6 PagesThe paper intends to explore the theme of self discovery through the act of journey in Anita Nair’s Ladies Coupe. Travel narratives are broad genres which illuminate mainly on people, place and culture. Journeys form the focal point of every travel narrative. In literature, the motif of journey is used as a distinctive idea or theme and is used to represent a character’s epiphany or self realization. It provides a personal assertion outside the compressed state of one’s li fe. Journey is seen as aRead MoreSelf-Discovery: Who Am I? Essay4271 Words   |  18 Pagesquestion is the heart of the quest for the Self. This is a quest which may take a lifetime, sometimes longer, to fulfill. One path, of self-discovery, is when people turn to their surroundings in their search. In turning to their surroundings, people are able to see their Selves by the things around them. In observing the surroundings, people may, not only, find their Selves, but establish their Selves. This path, however, is not the only way people search for the Self. Another path is when people turn toRead MoreSelf discovery787 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿Ã¢â‚¬Å"I Need To Be Myself, I Can’t Be Anyone Else.† â€Å"I was born to be true and not to be perfect,† Epey said in his speech. Epey is the winner of the trending segment in It’s Showtime – That’s My Tomboy. In this segment, they (lesbians) let me, the madlang people and the world to see their worth as a lesbian and as a human. They also made me believe that all of us can be accepted in the society beyond our imperfections, because no matter how imperfect we are, there are still things that we must be proudRead MoreKnowing Self and Self Discovery1011 Words   |  5 PagesKnowing Self This semester, I had the privilege to experience unrestricted creativity in a structured writing class. Now, as I reflect upon the semester I come to realize how closed minded I really am. This semester, I was challenged as a student writer to draw upon something or find inspiration from within to constructively create a masterpiece with words. Often times, finding or even tapping into my creative nerve was very difficult. Then I came to realize, as a student writer, I am paralyzed byRead MoreEssay on Self-Actualization and Self-Discovery752 Words   |  4 Pagescreation, but the very second we are born it is our job to find out who we are. Life is described by some to be an epic journey of self-discovery and actualization, and that’s exactly what it is. Self-actualization is the term used to describe how individuals go their whole lives trying to reach their full potential. Now, what does this mean to an individual? Being self-actualized means that an individual knows who th ey are and what they want and what they were made for, and generally this notion isRead MoreThe Pursuit Of Self Discovery2522 Words   |  11 Pagesmez Dr. McCollister ENGL 3314 April 4, 2015 The Pursuit of Self-Discovery: A Psychoanalytic look at The Picture of Dorian Gray When one hears the title The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde a flash of Faustian images such as villains, tragedy, and worldly pleasures might come to mind. The reader might recall Lord Henry Wotton as the Mephistophelian presence of the novel, and his epigram that â€Å"All influence is immoral†¦because to influence a person is to give him one s own soul† (Wilde 19-20)Read MoreJanies Self-Discovery Essay1481 Words   |  6 Pagesblack communities and families. It also examines different issues such as, gender and class and these issues bring forth the theme of voice. In Janie’s attempt to find herself, she grows into a stronger woman through three marriages. Janie’s first discovery about herself comes when she is a child. She is around the age of six when she realizes that she is colored. Janie’s confusion about her race is based on the reasoning that all her peers and the kids she grows up with are white. Janie and her NannyRead MoreMy Journey Into Self Discovery1035 Words   |  5 Pageshopes of finding some powerful words of wisdom, you took a wrong turn. After 41 years, I find myself with even more questions and all the wrong answers. I am not here to enlighten or educate anyone. I m here to talk, to share my journey into self-discovery. So here s an overview of my life up to now. I was born in Barstow, California to a free-spirited, free-thinking, multi-talented artist father and a breath-taking, tragic beauty of a mother. Neither one should have ever had a child, but both

Should College Degree Be A High School - 1841 Words

College Degrees Just a few decades ago, having a high school education was considered a luxury and sometimes an unnecessary amount of education for some individuals. Once the amount of students attending high school rose, college seemed to be the next best course of action, however it still was not something that became absolutely necessary in our economy up until this decade. The amount of college graduates has risen, yet the number of students either dropping out of college or not even considering it at all is still high. However, with the recent recession, wages falling, and the number of adults being fired from their jobs, graduating from college and getting a degree has become almost necessary in order for any adult to not have†¦show more content†¦With our economy it seems as if no one wins in the end as the wages for everyone fall and the expenses of college rise, but the reason that degree owners have a more stable future is because â€Å"the fate of workers with le ss than a college education is deteriorating even more rapidly than the fate of their college educated peers† (Kurtz). Still, even if the wages for workers of all kinds are dropping, they are dropping at a higher rate for adults who have jobs without a college degree and workers who do have college degree s, whether it be doctorate s, master s, bachelor s, or even associate s, still earn around 75 percent more than highs school graduates (Kurtz). Within the next few years the demand for workers with college degrees is expected to only increase which will make it much harder for individuals with a high school diploma to find and maintain jobs that will pay enough to support their expenses (Azziz). Along with that, â€Å"over the next decade, jobs requiring at least an [associate s] degree are projected to grow twice as fast as jobs requiring no college experience† (Cauthen). A college education has now become almost necessary in order to get at least a decent job (Cauthe n) which means â€Å"a college degree has become the new high school diploma – the bare minimal credential for entry into the workforce† (Snyder 31). Despite the recession affecting most adults with jobs,

International Business Foreign Direct Investment

Question: Discuss about the International Business for Foreign Direct Investment. Answer: Introduction: Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) plays a crucial role in the global or international world. It is a category of investment that reflects the objective of establishing a greater interest by a direct investor in a countrys economy (Singstat.gov.sg 2014). Singapore is making constant forward efforts to achieve FDI for greater support of the economic approach and develop a basis for multinational corporations. The stock of foreign direct investment in the corporate sector was $1235.4 billion in 2015 (Singstat.gov.sg 2016). The FDI in Singapore increased by 24911.40 SGD Million in the second quarter of 2016 (Tradingeconomics.com 2016). The investment sponsorship agency of Singapore, the Economic Development Board lays emphasis on significant investments, manufacturing activities and services. As Singapore is a small nation with no natural possessions, it is dependent on the leading multinationals not only to expand the economic base, but also in improvement of the skills and technological content of the industries. It is argued that FDI is the only way using which Singapore can strike the foreign technology for which substantial assets are necessary to help generate GDP. Further, the exchange rate plays a crucial role in shaping GDP. An increase in value of the Singapore dollar shall increase the confidence of the investors and therefore more investment can be generated. The imported inflation can also be curbed with an appreciation in the Singapore dollar (Chellaraj, Maskus and Mattoo 2013). The FDI in Singapore reflects the stock to GDP at 72% which is regarded as the highest ratio in the world (Singstat.gov.sg 2016). 90% value is added in the electronics industry of Singapore (Singstat.gov.sg 2016). FDI also account for two-thirds of the equity wealth in the manufacturing division (Singstat.gov.sg 2016). The productivity in Singapore has increased where FDI was concentrated. Singapore has a favorable investment climate and strategic geographical location that attracts FDI. Another reason is the small domestic market with low corporate taxes and no tariff on imports. Therefore, these factors make Singapore a low-risk high return destination for FDI. Overall, Singapore has a simple regulatory system with less corruption, high-quality industrial estate and tax incentives making it an attractive investment destination (Chellaraj, Maskus and Mattoo 2013). An extensive variety of incentives have been newly added for promoting the FDI inflows in Singapore. The policy and performance necessities for FDI can generate a handsome parcel of tax incentives. However, in Singapore, the regulations and restrictions govern the entry and operations of labor as well as foreign enterprises. Both the local and foreign investors experience a high level of freedom to attain maximum profitability. Singapore also has a large number of prevention of double taxation agreements that protect nations reciprocally against non-commercial risks of nationalization and expropriation (Chellaraj, Maskus and Mattoo 2013). There are four areas where the Singapore government regulations are applicable to overseas investors. Firstly, the foreign exchange administration allows remittance of dividends, profits, royalty payments, interests and technical licensing fees. The liberal regime also allows free importation of goods and services for production, investment and consumption purposes. Secondly, foreign involvement is permissible in almost every sector of the Singaporean economy. Full foreign equity ownership is also permissible. Thirdly, there is no performance requirement such as local sourcing of inputs, domestic value-added content and no restrictions on borrowing or transfer of technology. Lastly, there are very less restrictions on recruiting foreign employees. However, employment passes are required but they are issues by the government quite easily. Arguably, the Singapore government does not persuade foreign companies to lease local technical and managerial employees (Chellaraj, Maskus and Matt oo 2013). The strategic location of Singapore astride major air routes and sea routes make it rich in natural resources. It is an undisputed trade hub that facilitates import and export activities located in Singapore. Moreover, the time zone advantage straddling Western Europe and East Asia enhances the financial market while performing transactions with US, Europe and Japan in the working hours. The country makes significant investment in physical infrastructure. The land transportation is strong that connects several financial districts. The wide-ranging sea and air transport link the place with the world. Another major advantage of Singapore for its foreign investors is the socio-political stability and good governance. Singapore is one of the least corrupt countries in the world which makes the business environment favorable. However, high excise taxes are levied on gasoline, alcohol and motor vehicles (En.portal.santandertrade.com 2016). Conclusively, the strategies adopted by Singapore highly attract inward FDI. Overall, Singapore is an attractive destination for FDI. However, certain areas can be improved for maximizing economic growth, profitability and strategic development. Both the local and foreign investors experience a high level of freedom to attain maximum profitability. FDI is the only way using which Singapore can strike the foreign technology for which significant investment is necessary to help create GDP. Sectors such as legal, telecommunications, broadcasting, and manufacturing have fewer investment opportunities. References Chellaraj, G., Maskus, K. and Mattoo, A., 2013. Labor Skills and Foreign Investment in a Dynamic Economy: Estimating the Knowledge-capital Model for Singapore.Review of Development Economics, 17(4), pp.627-643. En.portal.santandertrade.com, 2016.Foreign investment in Singapore - Santandertrade.com. [online] En.portal.santandertrade.com. Available at: https://en.portal.santandertrade.com/establish-overseas/singapore/foreign-investment [Accessed 17 Dec. 2016]. Singstat.gov.sg, 2014.Foreign Direct Investment in Singapore. [online] Available at: https://www.singstat.gov.sg/docs/default-source/default-document-library/publications/publications_and_papers/investment/fdi2014.pdf [Accessed 17 Dec. 2016]. Singstat.gov.sg, 2016.Statistics Singapore - Foreign Direct Investment. [online] Singstat.gov.sg. Available at: https://www.singstat.gov.sg/statistics/visualising-data/charts/foreign-direct-investment [Accessed 17 Dec. 2016]. Singstat.gov.sg, 2016.Statistics Singapore - Latest Data. [online] Singstat.gov.sg. Available at: https://www.singstat.gov.sg/statistics/latest-data#15 [Accessed 17 Dec. 2016]. Tradingeconomics.com, 2016.Singapore Foreign Direct Investment - Net Inflows | 1995-2016 | Data. [online] Tradingeconomics.com. Available at: https://www.tradingeconomics.com/singapore/foreign-direct-investment [Accessed 17 Dec. 2016].

Christianity and Rastafarianism-a Discussion of Six Similarities free essay sample

Christianity and Rastafarianism A Discussion of Six Similarities Christianity and Rastafarianism are both rooted in Judaism and draw from the Hebrew sacred scriptures. Rastafarianism evolved as a reaction to the Christianity that was imposed upon African-American slaves and their descendents. There are several other aspects in which these two religions are similar, the purpose of this paper is to explore some of those similarities. The Christian religion began around 2000 years ago in Judea, which is now Israel. Christianity began with Jesus of Nazareth and his disciples. Jesus traveled from village to village, teaching in the synagogues, and healing those who were sick and suffering. He challenged the authorities to repent from their sin. Jesus teachings created instability, which the Jewish religious authorities feared. Soon, a faithful group of men began to follow Jesus and call him teacher. These men became His disciples. Jesus taught His disciples about the will of God and about the new covenant God will bring to humanity through Him. Jesus helped them to see that mankind is bound to the pain and futility of life as a result of sin. Because of sin, mankind lost his relationship with God. The purpose of the new covenant was to bring his followers a renewed fellowship of forgiveness and love with God. Jesus was crucified and three days later rose again. After which, the disciples continued to proclaim the gospel. And share the message of hope throughout the territories (The History of Christianity). The Rastafari movement began in the Jamaican slums in the 1920s and 30s. Marcus Garvey founded Rastafarianism, a black Jamaican who taught in the 1920s and whom some believed to be the second John the Baptist. He taught that Africans are the true Israelites and have been exiled to Jamaica and other parts of the world as divine punishment. Garvey encouraged pride in being black and worked to reverse the mindset of inferiority that centuries of enslavement had ingrained on the minds of blacks. The reggae music of Bob Marley, brought international recognition to the Jamaican movement. Bob Marley is likely the most famous Rastafarian. The Rastafarian movement is named for Ras Tafari Makonnen, who was crowned Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia in 1930. Followers of the movement are known as Rastafarians, Rastafaris, Rastas, or Ras Tafarians. Rastafaris dislike the term Rastafarianism because they reject the isms and schisms that characterize oppressive and corrupt white society (Rastafari). The Rastafari movement has a lot of variation and little formal organization. Most consider Rasta to be more a way of life than a religion. The belief in the divinity of Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie I, the influence of Jamaican culture, resistance of oppression, and the great pride in their African heritage are the uniting factors of the Rastas. Rastafaris ritually use marijuana, they avoid alcohol, wear their hair in dreadlocks, and are usually either vegetarian or Vegan. In an environment of great poverty, depression, racism and class discrimination, the Rasta message of black pride, freedom from oppression, and the hope of return to the African homeland was gratefully received. (Rastafari) Even though these two religions are different in many aspects there are also several similarities. Six examples are provided below. First Similarity-The Divine Reality: Christians and Rastafarians both view their divine reality similarly, through the incarnation of God. Christians believe that Jesus is the Son of God, part of the Trinity. What this means to them is that God came to this earth in the form of a man, in order to die on a cross for all humanity. Jesus is often referred to as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world because of His death on the cross. (History of Christianity) The Rasta movement accepts Haile Selassie I, the former Emperor of Ethiopia, as Jah. This is the Rastafarian name for God incarnate, taken from a shortened form of Jehovah. Jah is part of the Holy Trinity, the messiah promised to return in the Bible. Rastafari’s believe Tafari Makonnen, who was crowned Haile Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia on November 2nd, 1930 is the living God incarnate, called Jah. He is the black Messiah that will lead the worlds people of African origin into the Promised Land of full emancipation and divine justice. This is partly because of his titles King of Kings, Lord of Lords and Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah. These titles match those of the Messiah mentioned in the book of Revelation, in the Christian New Testament (Rastafari). Second Similarity-The Creation of the World: Just as the Christian Bible begins with, â€Å"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth†, (Holy Bible) The Holy Piby, the Rastafarian Bible, begins with, â€Å"From the beginning there was God and he spake and all things were made that are made†. Both of these sacred texts go on to state that God made man for his glory and then made woman for man, God called the man Adam and the woman Eve. (Holy Piby) Both of the sacred texts also agree that God rested on the seventh day and said that men should also use the seventh day as a day of rest. Third Similarity-Worship Practices: Christian worship centers on meetings or services held on Sunday. These services consist of Biblical readings, communion, and music either with or without instrumental accompaniment, prayer, a teaching from the Bible in the form of a sermon and a collection of tithes. Other forms of worship, such as individual meditation, prayer and study or small group prayer complement regular public worship (History of Christianity). Rastafarian ritual observances are largely based on the Old Testament. In their worship services Rastafarians, similar to Christian’s sermons, recite biblical passages and discuss their â€Å"reasonings† or understandings of them. The smoking of marijuana is essential to these sessions. Marijuana is described by Rastafarians as the mystical body and blood of â€Å"Jesus. † It enhances enlightenment and serves to bring him closer to God. In part Rastafarian religious services do not conform to the scheduled nature of religious services most Americans are used to. However Rasta religious services, including the use of ganja, (marijuana), do conform to specific rules and doctrines. The ganja pipes, for example, are considered to be holy objects (Norgren, Nanda, 142). Fourth Similarity-Rituals: Beginning in the 4th century Christians’ had their babies baptized as soon as possible after birth. This ritual began when many believed that infants who died before being baptized would not enter heaven. For most Christians baptism has become the means by which a baby becomes a member of the church. After the baptism, the priest holds the child up and says: -‘The servant of God (giving the child its name) is baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen (Keene, 90). Similar to the Christian baptism, when a child is born into the Rastafari tradition he or she is blessed by the elders in the community. This ritual usually includes a session of drumming, chanting and prayer, at which time hild is named and given over to God (Rastafari). Another similar ritual in these religions is the observance of the birthdays of each religion’s Messiah. Christian’s celebration of Christmas for Jesus’ birthday, Rastafaris’ celebrate Selassie’s birthday on July 23rd of each year. Fifth Similarity-Belief about Human Soul: Ras tafarians and Christians both believe that humans have a soul that does not die but either goes to or awaits final judgement. Rastafarians believe that the human soul does not die but at the time of death the soul goes to judgement and is sent to heaven or hell (Chevannes, 28). Christians believe that although the body dies, the soul of both the believer and the unbeliever continues to live. Believers await the consummation of their redemption with the resurrection and glorification of their bodies, while the unbelievers await the eternal judgement of God (Sproul, 134). Sixth Similarity-Leadership Structure: Rastafarian meetings, called ‘groundations’ (a compound of ‘ground’ and ‘foundations’), almost always entail the use of ganja, (marijuana), which is held to be calming and conducive to cool reasoning. Such meetings are democratic, free debate is encouraged, and one may agree or disagree with the outcome. These meetings are one of the few times that leadership is seen in the Rastafarian movement. A ‘leading brother’-sometimes known as a ‘brother priest’-presides over them and he is assisted by a chaplain. Below the priest and chaplain are the ‘recording secretary’ and the treasurer. Sergeants at arms guard the meeting. The meetings tend to be male dominated, with little – if any – place for women, who may at most be assigned the role of ‘leader of songs’ (Chryssides, 276-77). In Christianity we also see the same type of leadership structure with the priest, deacon, and elders who all have different parts in leading the church services. Although these two religions appear to be very different at first glance, taking a closer look, we see they are similar in several aspects including: perception of the divine reality, the creation of the world, rituals, belief about the human soul, as well as their leadership structure. Works Cited Chevannes, Barry. Rastafari: roots and ideology. New York: Syracuse UP,1994. Chryssides, George D. Exploring New Religions. New York: Continuum, 1999. History of Christianity: fact based faith. All about religion. 02 Nov 2010. http://www. allaboutreligion. org/history-of-christianity. htm Holy Bible. Colorado Springs: International Bible Society, 1994. Holy Piby. 2006. Keene, Michael. The Christian Experience. Cheltenham: Thornes, 1995. Norgren, Jill and Serina, Nanda. American Cultural: Pluralism and Law. Ed. 3 Westport: Praeger, 2006. Rastafari. Religion Facts: just the facts on religion. Ed. 02 Aug 2010. http://www. religionfacts. com/a-z-religion-index/rastafarianism. htm Sproul, R. C. Essential Truths of the Christian Faith. New York: Nelson Inc, 1992.

The Free Exercise Thereof Freedom of Religion in the First Amendment

The Freedom of Religion clause in the First Amendment ensures that all U.S. citizens enjoy the right to worship the faith of their choosing; more importantly, it also gives them right not to worship any faith. The Freedom of Religion clause in the First Amendment represents one of the few official documents on the planet that corroborates free will, specifically, the right to choose, in the arena of religion.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Free Exercise Thereof: Freedom of Religion in the First Amendment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The choice inferred by the words â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof† †¦presupposes free will; this is why it is such a vital and valuable document, to the American people and to the world at large (â€Å"The Bill of Rights†). The right to choose religion does not simply mean tha t religion is not imposed. Credit the founding fathers with their comprehension that the individual choice upheld in the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights extends its roots much deeper than legislated safeguard against religious tyranny. It means that religion itself can be chosen, or not chosen; Freedom of Religion means we can be free to not choose a faith at all. The 9/11 bombers were not U.S. citizens, for example. For them, â€Å"choice† in religion appeared enough of an affront to the supreme rule of Allah that they felt justified in sacrificing their own lives, and murdering thousands of innocent souls. Infidels, after all, in the most painfully crude sense, are simply people who do not choose Allah. Americans have been sorely punished in recent years as a result of this amendment. So, is it time to retire it? Can the U.S. finally accept that the experiment has failed? Absolutely not. If anything, now marks the time the First Amendment to the U.S. Bill of Rightsâ⠂¬â„¢ religious freedom clause demands full and resolute support. Right now signifies the precise epoch wherein the U.S. must â€Å"be especially careful to give no ground on First Amendment issues† (Abrams 30). For the purposes of this essay, let us focus on Islam, and the Ground Zero mosque. Given that practicing Islam in the U.S. persists as a hot button issue, let one thing be clear from the outset: this is not a polemic indicting the Muslim faith. In this paper, Islam will function metaphorically and contextually to demonstrate religious freedom in some cases, and lack thereof in others. Islam contains one tenet, the moral law, which bears scrutiny in regards to a discussion of choice and free will, and provides a clear example of the relevance and importance of the Freedom of Clause in the Constitution. Islamic scholar Fazlur Rahman clarified that:Advertising Looking for essay on constitutional law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More â€Å"the basic à ©lan of the Qur’an is moral, whence flows its emphasis on monotheism as well as on social justice. The moral law is immutable: it is God’s â€Å"Command.† Man cannot make or unmake the Moral Law: he must submit himself to it, this submission to it being called islà  m and its implementation in life being called ibà  da or service to God† (Rahman 260). For Muslims, the faith exists as a constant, stable force, one which the faithful respond to, less as an act of belief, but more so as a physical action. â€Å"The proper response†¦is not so much believing in the faith but responding to the faith. Islam, in this sense, is not so much a noun but a verb, an action† (Ball and Haque 316). Borne on the label â€Å"God’s law,† Islam’s moral law then becomes ubiquitous and unassailable, an element that existed before humans, and one that, presumably, will outlive them; ultimately, Muslims have no say in the moral law’s ordinance. Muslims can quibble, argue, defy, or ignore the moral law, but by virtue of being alive on the planet, â€Å"God’s law† applies to them. Herein lies the import of the Freedom of Religion clause in the First Amendment to the Bill of Rights: choice. The difficulty of â€Å"God’s law†, and this is true of all religions, not simply Islam, is the stubborn absence of the gods themselves. The business of interpretation, understanding, enforcing, and acting upon â€Å"God’s law† invariably falls to humans. Therefore, the moral law is always the human law, because humans alone decode it. Until the gods themselves beam down and say, â€Å"No. I meant this,† it cannot be otherwise. Thus, one of the important values of the Freedom of Religion clause in the First Amendment of the Constitution, is the protection it offers to victims of the moral law’s interpretation, as in the case of honor killing s (Hemmer 1). The First Amendment stands as a document that offers hope to those who suffer at the hands of any rigidly imposed faith, and provides a means to go beyond faith altogether, if that is an individual’s choice. The U.S. holds a golden opportunity to unequivocally solidify the value of the First Amendment’s Freedom of Religion clause in the Ground Zero mosque debate. Vehement protest accompanies the idea to erect an Islamic cultural center near Ground Zero in Manhattan. The offensiveness looks like this: Regardless of how it is intended, it will be perceived by radical Muslims around the world as a giant monument, in the heart of the beast itself, to their success in attacking America. Indeed, it will be perceived by many Americans that way. The funereal and memorial emotion that embraces one on a visit to the Ground Zero site will be weakened – poisoned, just a little – by the presence of this new, grand construction (Bottum 4).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Free Exercise Thereof: Freedom of Religion in the First Amendment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, a mosque at the Ground Zero location actually stands for the value of the Freedom of Religious clause in the First Amendment, because it embodies not a monument to 9/11 violence, but rather the enduring tolerance of the United States in the area of faith, as the founding fathers intended with the clause, â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof† (â€Å"The Bill of Rights†). All faiths, including Islam, must remain free to practice their faith in the United States and this freedom must be visibly implemented, otherwise it makes a mockery of the Freedom of Religion clause. President Obama echoed the importance of the Freedom of Religion clause in the First Amendment at a White House dinner: â€Å"Thi s is America, and our commitment to religious freedom must be unshakable. The principle that people of all faiths are welcome in this country, and will not be treated differently by their government, is essential to who we are.† (Stolberg A1). During the aftermath of 9/11, â€Å"worries about restrictions of religious expression by Muslims† existed, as well as â€Å"fears of governmental religious coercion, where patriotic sentiment could become conflated with religious symbols and expression† (Gellman 87). The value of the Freedom of Religion clause in the First Amendment, â€Å"protection of the one who disagrees with the majority, or who is different in some matter of ideology or belief,† becomes more significant in the Ground Zero mosque debate (Gellman 88). Opponents of the mosque at Ground Zero may have forgotten, or lost sight of the larger picture. To block the erection of the Islamic cultural center there is tantamount not only to suppression of t he rights of Muslims to worship their faith of choice in their region of choice, but also sets a dangerous precedent: that emotion trumps law. Under no circumstances can the U.S. allow its Freedom of Religion clause in the First Amendment to fall prey to fear, paranoia, or wars of faith. In Obama’s words, â€Å"Al Qaeda’s cause is not Islam — it is a gross distortion of Islam†¦in fact, Al Qaeda has killed more Muslims than people of any other religion, and that list includes innocent Muslims who were killed on 9/11† (Stolberg A1). The Ground Zero mosque must stand as a monument to all New Yorkers, indeed all Americans, be they Muslin, Christian, Zoroastrian, Buddhist, Taoist, Catholic, Mormon, agnostic, or atheist. The Ground Zero mosque represents all faiths, all colors of people, believers and non-believers, because they all live there. It has nothing to do with tolerance. It is a simple recognition of the reality of U.S. life: many souls, one nati onality.Advertising Looking for essay on constitutional law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Freedom of Religion clause in the First Amendment to the Bill of Rights will never be an easy clause to sustain. It is a clause which guarantees the rights of humans to choose to live either with or without â€Å"God’s Law,† and for some, particularly the terrorists behind 9/11 bombings, freedom to not choose a faith disturbs beyond rationality, and must be suppressed. However, the U.S. must always suppress suppression, in any form, even that which derives from its own citizens. Emotions are necessarily unstable entities, and the vision of the founding fathers, â€Å"no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof† must never be subsumed or interpreted by fear (â€Å"The Bill of Rights†). It is incumbent upon all Americans to do everything they can to uphold the Freedom of Religion clause in the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights. Their neighbors, and the rest of the world, count on it. Works Cited Abrams, F loyd. â€Å"Balancing Act: Holding the Line on the First Amendment.† Columbia Journalism Review 40.4 (2001): 30. Web. Ball, Carolyn, and Akhlaque Haque. â€Å"Diversity in Religious Practice: Implications of Islamic Values in the Public Workplace.† Public Personnel Management 32.3 (2003): 315-331. Web. Bottum, Joseph. â€Å"Holy War Over Ground Zero.† First Things: A Monthly Journal of Religion and Public Life 206 (2010): 3-4. Web. â€Å"Constitution of the United States: The Bill of Rights† Archives.gov. Archives.gov, n.d. Web.. Gellman, Susan. â€Å"The First Amendment in a Time that Tries Men’s Souls.† Law and Contemporary Problems 65.2 (2002): 87-101. Web. Hemmer, Bill. â€Å"Fox News Reporting: Honor Killing in America.† Fox News. 13 August 2010. n.p. Web. Rahman, Fazlur. â€Å"The Qur’an.† The World Treasury of Modern Religious Thought. Jaroslav Pelikan, ed. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1990. Print. Stolberg, Sheryl Gay. â€Å"Obama Strongly Backs Islam Center Near 9/11 Site.† New York Times. 13 August 2010. A1. Web. This essay on The Free Exercise Thereof: Freedom of Religion in the First Amendment was written and submitted by user Molly O. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Did the USA need to drop the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Did the USA need to drop the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki Introduction Historically, the United States is a democratic state and it has strived to promote democracy by ending dictatorial leaderships, which abuse human rights and peace in different states across the world. The US and Japan had a tedious relationship before and during the Second World War.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Did the USA need to drop the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Both nations believed to have more powers than the other did and as a result, each was trying to prove to the other the ability to reign over the world (Brooks Stanley 2007). Japan with the support of the Communist Hitler, who led Germany, had managed to take control of over hundreds of islands in the Indian Ocean, and by 1945, it was determined to take over the Pacific Islands as well. On the other hand, the US government under the leadership of President Harry Truman was up against the Japanese b ehaviour of trying to rule over the Pacific Islands (Cook Cook 1992). The decision by the US government to drop the atomic bombs over Japan was facilitated by the desire to be the world’s superpower as the main reason and other small reasons attached to it (Waley 2003). The US felt that dropping a powerful atomic bomb over Japan would force its emperor to surrender and furthermore create tension to Germany thus forcing it also to end the war (Toland 2003). In addition, the US government also felt that atomic bomb would force the Soviet Union to end the Second World War, and assume a leading position over the world nations for its possession of the world’s deadliest weapons (Pellegrino 2010).Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Hence, the objective was to become the superpower of the world by showing other nations of its power to destroy resisting nations, thus forci ng them to abide by the will of the US. The Motive behind the Dropping of the Bombs The dropping of the atomic bombs by the US on Japan occurred at the height of ending the Second World War in 1945. The Nazi Germany was a leading war perpetrator in Europe and its signing of the instrument of surrender on 8 May 1945. However, the war continued along the Pacific Ocean due to the resistance of the Japanese Emperor to sign the instrument of surrender. The United Kingdom, the United States, and the Republic of China made a Potsdam Declaration in July 1945 in which they required Japan to surrender in an effort to end the war (Gordin 2007). Unfortunately, the Japanese emperor was reluctant to surrender due to influence of Germany and desire to prove the powerfulness of Japan over the world. The United States did not invade any nation in either of the first or Second World War. Instead, it was defending the innocent nations against the attacks of greedy nations like Japan and the Nazi Germa ny that invaded some countries and oceanic islands for economic and political reasons (Ward 2007). However, critics argue that the United States was taking advantage of the situations to gain advantage over the attackers in effort to create good relationships for economic reasons. Judging from the moral authority perspective, the United States was on the right side of action where greed did not supersede charity (Dower 2010). In addition, the United States viewed the events of war as both political and economical challenges and hence worked hard in efforts aimed at stopping the war. Its efforts had adverse effects as communist soviet nations were against its ideologies (Christman 1998).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Did the USA need to drop the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Worst still, Japan viewed herself as a strong nation and capable of raising attacks over the United States , which tried to stop it from invading and possessing the oceanic islands that were resourceful and good for the interested economies. Among the various reasons that justify the need for the United States to drop the atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki cities in Japan, was the efforts to protect its citizens from Japanese attacks (Cook Cook 1992). Japan had proved itself as a major threat to the security of the United States and its citizens. The emperor of Japan had raided the Pearl Harbour where hundreds of military men and civilians lost their lives. In addition, despite the refusal to surrender, the emperor had planned for a raid on 1 November 1945 in the US where it was anticipated that many Americans would lose their lives (McNelly 2000). Another major reason for the justification of the dropping of the bomb was its ability to cause destruction on the enemies’ land. Japanese troops were tough and hence posed a major threat to the American soldiers. The Japanese empe ror had ordered the Japanese army men to offer military training to the civilians. The move was just but an effort to strengthen their ability to fight the American troops whenever they found their way to the Japanese land (Sherwin 2003). Unfortunately, American soldiers were well aware of the negative attitudes of Japanese citizens towards the American affairs that their emperor had implanted into their minds. Hence, Americans considered Japanese as their enemies with the ability to destroy the peace of their country, and any efforts to destroy them before they eliminated Americans was totally justified.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More After the bombing, the majority of Americans wished that more atomic bombs could be dropped into the remaining Japanese cities in order to eliminate them entirely (Toland 2003). Looking into the war situations, the dropping of the atomic bombs into Japan by the United States was justified. In the event of war and crashes, an enemy fights back harder in an effort to eliminate an adversary for elimination is the ultimate goal and only the surrendering can deter it from realisation (Waley 2003). Therefore, both Japan and the United States were against each other and the war situation allowed each to try to push the other into a state of surrendering or elimination to the extreme. Fortunately, the United States had then made a breakthrough in the making of an atomic bomb. For four years, American soldiers were out fighting against the resistant enemies, which included the Nazi Germany and Japan, and they were weary of fighting for a long time against tough enemies. That was a difficult situation for the Americans as they nearly lost hope of winning the battle and felt that losing the fight against the enemies would not only make them slaves to other countries, but also face massive destruction. That great tension created unfavourable atmosphere in the United States and hence Americans were in full support of the development of a weapon that would destroy the land of an enemy. Learning about the breakthrough of the Manhattan project, President Harry Truman felt that he had the ability to end the Second World War by choosing to use the powerful weapon against a defiant enemy. The initial objective of developing a weapon of mass destruction was to fight the Nazi German as it posed a major security threat to the world fro it was perceived to be the main perpetrator of the Second World War (Rotter 2008). Fortunately, the Nazi Germany had surrendered slightly before the breakthrough of the Manhattan Project and Japan was left on its own resisting the signing of the surr ender declaration document. Therefore, President Harry Truman had no choice, but to end the Second World War by destroying Japan. By then, the American forces had made some efforts to push Japanese emperor into surrendering, but their efforts did not materialise. They had had carried out numerous fire bombings on various Japanese cities while occupying the Okinawa and Iwo Jiwa islands (Bodden 2007). The Japanese Emperor had more than â€Å"two million strong army men deployed on the main land in an effort to guard against the American invasions† (McNelly 2000, p.96). The majority of Japanese cities had been destroyed expect Nagasaki and Hiroshima, which were left deliberately for they were key points of Japanese military operations and transport colliders. President Harry Truman was facing a very difficult psychological situation soon after the breakthrough of the Manhattan project and before the dropping of the bombs on Japan. He was fully aware that those weapons could flat ten the Japanese cities and consequently kill millions of innocent Japanese. Hence, there had to be moral justifications for the dropping of the bombs before the mission was carried out. He opted to give the last chance to the Japanese Emperor by demanding for unconditional surrendering failure to which he promised dangerous consequences on the refusal to honour the demands. He failed to mention the possibility of him using a weapon with the ability to cause mass destruction, and hence the demand was rejected (Dower 2010). To Truman, there was a justified reason for giving a go-ahead signal to his military men, which he did and the bombings were secretly planned to take place on 6 August 1945. However, critiques argue that there was a high possibility of surrender by the Japanese leaders if President Harry Truman had clearly told them of what he had planned to do to them after failing to surrender (Pellegrino 2010). On 6 August 1945, just as it was the plan, an atomic bomb, loaded o n a military plane called Enola Gay, was dropped on Hiroshima killing more than 70,000 Japanese instantly and more than 100,000 killed by the aftermath consequences of nuclear radicals. The Japanese leaders led by their emperor were resistant of surrendering, which forced the Soviet Union to declare war against Japan, two days after the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Still after the war declaration by the Soviet Union, Japanese leaders seemed more resistant and as a result, the United States dropped the second atomic bomb on Nagasaki and killed more than 80,000 Japanese instantly (Gordin 2007). That attack seemed to push the Japanese leaders to the extreme limits and on 14 August, they surrendered, thus marking the end of the Second World War (Ward 2007). By the time of surrendering, the Japanese military had made over 3500 attacks on the Americans. The Japanese cronies seemed not ready for neither of the peaceful negotiations to end the war nor surrender. They believed t hat surrendering would have made them to appear inferior in the eyes of their enemies and thus they were not ready to give such a chance to an enemy. Hence, the Japanese were ready to prolong the war, hence leading to more deaths of innocent civilians. Therefore, according to President Harry Truman, the droppings of the bombs saved more Japanese lives than those who would die due to the prolonged war. However, according to Truman, the resistance of the Japanese leaders could not have ended due to series of serious attacks and hence atomic bombing was the best solution to end the unyielding resistance (Allen 1969). The Second World War was the deadliest and the most destructive war in the history. Efforts were made to end this war to no avail. Many countries lost the lives of their citizens in the hands of their enemies and hence they were desperate of surrendering to their enemies in order to gain peace and save more lives from perishing. The United States is one the countries that lost the greatest number of military men and civilians to the hands of the enemies during the war. Hence, the citizens were bitter for the suffering and ready to support any effort that could result to the end of the war. Therefore, the dropping of the atomic bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima was a great victory to the American citizens, which explains the justification of the dropping of the atomic bombs by the United States on the Japanese cities (Frank 1999). However, judging by the moral authority, the dropping of the atomic bombs on the Japanese cities was not justified as weapons of mass destruction not only could have destroyed the country, but also the livelihood of its future generations. In addition, President Harry Truman wanted to see how his weapons could destroy a country and hence he opted not to describe the nature of the attacks that he had planned to use against the Japanese in his surrender command to the Japanese Emperor. However, this scenario was a war situation and the goal was to incapacitate an enemy rather than give a chance for future attacks, as it could have been the case of a peaceful surrender. Reference List Allen, L 1969, The Nuclear Raids Article†, in Hart Basil (ed), History of the Second World War, Purnell, London, pp. 2566-76. Bodden, V 2007, The Bombing of Hiroshima Nagasaki, The Creative Company, New Jersey. Brooks, L Stanley, E 2007, Creating military power: the sources of military effectiveness, Stanford University Press, Stanford. Cook, H Cook, T 1992, Japan at War: An Oral History, The New Press, New York. Christman, A 1998, Target Hiroshima: Deak Parsons and the Creation of the Atomic Bomb, Naval Institute Press, Annapolis. Dower, J 2010, Cultures of War: Pearl Harbour / Hiroshima / 9-11 / Iraq, W. W. Norton, London. Frank, R 1999, Downfall: The End of the Imperial Japanese Empire, Random House, New York. Gordin, M 2007, Five days in August: how World War II became a nuclear war, Princeton University Press, Ne w York. McNelly, T 2000, â€Å"The Decision to Drop the Atomic Bomb, in Jacob Neufeld (ed), Pearl Harbour to V-J Day: World War II in the Pacific, Diane Publishing Co. Washington D.C, pp. 86-99. Pellegrino, C 2010, The Last Train from Hiroshima: The Survivors Look Back, Henry Holt and Co., Washington D.C. Rotter, A 2008, Hiroshima: The Worlds Bomb, Oxford University Press, London. Sherwin, M 2003, A World Destroyed: Hiroshima and its Legacies, Stanford University Press, Stanford. Toland, J 2003, The Rising Sun: The Decline and Fall of the Japanese Empire, 1936–1945, Modern Library, London Waley, P 2003, Japanese Capitals in Historical Perspective: Place, Power, and Memory in Kyoto, Edo and Tokyo, Psychology Press, Oxford. Ward, W 2007, ‘The Winning Weapon? Rethinking Nuclear Weapons in Light of Hiroshima’, International Security, vol.31 no.4, pp. 162-179.

CASE STUDY Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Case Study Example Conversely, the Seven-S Model was chosen as it considers broader external measures of company efficiency. While a variety of diagnostic models could be applied to the Boeing situation, these specific models provide a strong contrast in that one focuses more heavily on human resource elements and the other focuses on external and structural aspects. In examining the Boeing situation, it’s clear that both situations must be considered in considering the organizational framework. 2. When examining the Boeing situation the Six-Box model encapsulates a number of important elements in the company’s structural framework. In these regards, it’s noted that the six elements of the model includes, â€Å"the organization’s strategy, structure, rewards, internal relationships, helpful mechanisms, and leadership (‘Organizational Diagnostic Models’ 2009).† While the majority of the challenges within the Boeing structural framework are larger organizational issues, it’s clear the human resource issues reflected in this diagnostic model are also essential elements. One of the major cultural issues at Boeing was identified as the merger with McDonnell Douglas. The aspect of the six-box models concerned with internal relationships, helpful mechanisms, and leadership are all diagnostic means of considering the cultural challenges that were presented by this merger. In these regards, the internal aspects of the six-box model con sider both the cultural changes brought on by the merger of these companies with previously disparate visions, but also considers the leadership challenges that emerged as company president Harry Stonecipher assumed the CEO position at Boeing. While the six-box model largely diagnoses the internal aspects of the Boeing corporation, it’s clear that the primary areas of concern are larger structural elements. In these regards, it’s necessary to consider the Seven-S Model. This model indicates that the major areas of concern are,