Hum final Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Hum final - Essay Example As such, let us look into one of the more intriguing argument pertinent to the existence of God. St. Anselm is one of the leading theologian-philosopher during the medieval period. He provided us with one of the many versions of the ontological argument for the existence of God. According to Anselm, ‘God is the greatest conceivable being.’ And since God is the greatest conceivable being, therefore God exists. Now, one may not agree right away with him but let us try to clarify some point made by St. Anselm. Two things can be inferred from the argument. First, the human mind is capable of conceiving the greatest being. That to say, that it is only the human mind that has the capability and the capacity to recognize the greatest being. Second, the moment that the greatest being is conceived, it exists. At the onset it seems that St. Anselm seems to jump from mental conception of a being to its actual existence. But is he guilty of it? No! For St. Anselm, the actual existence is greater than mental existence so much so that â€Å"if the greatest conceivable is not ac tual, it is not the greatest conceivable being† (Grave 32) As such, at the core of his argument is the truism that existence is better and that understanding this is the greatest key to ‘defining’ God. What is existence then? If we are going to look at Realism, in its simplest form, it affirms the claim that X (a thing) exists at a given place Y in time Z. This is basically similar with axiom of location which purports the idea that a thing if it is real, exists at least on one location, and at most one location. It attests to the reality of matter, thus affirming materialism or the physical body of objects. As such, it is not surprising that naturalism basically supports this strand of interpretation in lieu of existence. On the other hand, another way of understanding existence is via apprehension of the universals or forms or ideas and this is termed as

Moral Permissibility of Deriving Stem Cells from Surplus Embryos Essay

Moral Permissibility of Deriving Stem Cells from Surplus Embryos - Essay Example One way to cure this disease is by transplantation of the pancreatic islet cell, the availability of the donated organs is very less for transplant. The stem cells if are induced to differentiate into functional islet cells in the lab, they may form a renewable source for transplantation, allowing this cell-based treatment to become available on a practical scale. (Mastroieni, n.d.) "Recent reports suggest that one of the most promising potential treatments may come from the use of stem cells, undifferentiated cells that can be coaxed into becoming insulin-producing islet-like cells that reduce diabetes symptoms in mice." (Mastroieni, n.d.) Spare embryos, the principal source of embryonic stem cells, are the unavoidably surplus unions of sperm and egg produced in fertility clinics. The embryos are often stored for years and ultimately discarded (Wade, 1999). Then it should not be a problem to use these spare embryos as they will ultimately be discarded anyways. One of the basic arguments for the moral permissibility of the use of these embryos are that the cost of destroying them is far less than the cost of the personal, social and economic costs of the diseases that these stem cells can cure. They can not be equaled to human life, even though they are living things. Some embryos do not even implant after conceived. In some countries it is legal to have an abortion; here the embryo is anyways going to waste. It would be better to utilize these embryos for research and cures rather than just throwing them. Embryonic stem cells can treat a larger number of diseases because they have greater plasticity, and divide more rapidly than adult stem cells. The embryo is taken before the primitive streak is formed. Until then it can be one individual which can separate into two and become twins, or it can be two embryos which can combine and form into one. Thus taking an embryo at this time does not account it as a human being. The number of people affected by diabetes alone is 190 million people around the world. This disease can lead to death and serious complications are common. These stem cells have the ability to cure many diseases not just diabetes. Another thing to keep in mind is that if it were so wrong, the government would never allow research to happen on such things in the first place. Women who give their surplus embryos are not forced into doing so. Rules can be introduced to control the process so that misuse of these embryos does not take place. One such law suggested by Louis M. Guenin is, "The government shall support biomedical research using human embryos that, before or after formation, have been donated to medicine under donor instructions forbidding intrauterine transfer." This way the donor has full control over what happens with the embryos even after it is implanted into another human being. The arguments against the moral permissibility of deriving stem cells from surplus embryos are that some of these embryos may be helpful during research but when used on actual human beings could be dangerous. Apart from this there may be genetic side effects because of manipulation. An example is the recent successes in reprogramming skin cells by fusing them with embryonic stem cells leave scientists wondering whether the genome of the original somatic cell might be 'contaminated' by the embryonic stem cel

Introduction to Sikhism

Introduction to Sikhism Among all the religion found in the world, Sikhism is the youngest religion and is about 500 years old. This religion today has over 27 million people worldwide and is the worlds fifth largest religion. Sikhism was founded by the first Guru of the Sikhs, Siri GuruNanalDevJi. The following nine Gurus that succeeded the first Guru nurtured and developed his ideas and teachings. The tenth guru whom is also the last Guru of the Sikh, Sri Guru Granth SahibJi, brought to an end to the line of human Gurus and is installed as the permanent Guru of the Sikhs. The Holy Scriptures which included the writings of the Ten Gurus and their disciples only talks about one almighty god, WAHEGURU. The Sikhs do not believe in anything else, but their one and only god. However, the Sikhs have accepted that there are lots of names of God. Sikhs are taught to remain a free life and respect all religions. The homeland of Sikhs is Khalistan and it means land of pure people. Currently it is under the rule of the Indian government. The Sikhs rebelled in 1984 to get independence from the Indian government to get freedom and a separate country. To stop the freedom movement, the Indian government mobilizes the army to attack Darbar Sahib, the holiest shrine of Sikhs under an operation called Operation Blue Star. The freedom movement is still active and the Sikhs are struggling to get the free country Khalistan. 1.0 History In Sikhism history, Women are considered low in society and were treated as a servant and nothing more than an entertainer. There were also considered as seducers and distraction of spiritual path, treated badly among men and women. Besides that, in marriage, the man is allow to remarry to another women and the women was not allowed to remarry and if they do, they rather burn themselves on her husbands funeral (Sati) as low rankings do not deserve another man and only one. Also, child marriage is quite popular that time. Child marriage means children were force to marry their chosen fiancà ©e from the age of thirteen or so. Furthermore, women are not allowed to carry their family names and that causes the father of the family to throw baby girls into the streets. However, everything changed during 1469-1708, when one of the ten gurus, Guru Nanak came here to the rescue. This happens when he found out that, many women is worthy equally on man. Thus, Guru Nanak plans to declare women are equal to man. Of course men disagree with this and therefore, Guru Nanak spoke wise words to settle them down, one of this hymns are: From woman, man is born; within woman, man is conceived; to woman he is engaged and married. Woman becomes his friend; through woman, the future generations come. When his woman dies, he seeks another woman; to woman he is bound. So why call her bad? From her, kings are born. From woman, woman is born; without woman, there would be no one at all. O Nanak, only the True Lord is without a woman. That mouth which praises the Lord continually is blessed and beautiful. O Nanak, those faces shall be radiant in the Court of the True Lord. Although, Guru Nanak words are logical and fair, the society only realized this after the guru passed away. Although he sacrifices his life, his effort was not wasted and thanks to his effort, women nowadays stand equally to men and were given opportunity to do the impossible from the past. Nowadays, many women participate in work, education even at the battlefield. 2.0 The 10 Gurus Guru Nanak Dev Ji Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the first Sikh guru, was born in 1469 in Talwandi. Guru Ji was always ready to help the poor and he served food to them. In fact, Guru Ji often invited the needy and the poor into his house. Guru Nanak Dev Ji took four long journeys. On these journeys, Guru Ji got many followers and was able to relate his message to many people. When Guru Ji left this world at the age of 70, in 1539, he had laid down the foundations for a great religion. (Guru Nanak Dev Ji also taught us that there is one God and he is the Truth and Ultimate Reality. God has created the universe and he is everywhere.) Siri Guru Angad Dev Ji Guru Angad was born in 1504 A.D. at Sarai Matta in Ferozepur district of the Punjab (India). Before becoming the Guru, his name was Lehna. When guru Angad Dev ji left this world, His soul crane-like flew crying in the midair for his Beloved that had passed the limit of the sky.   Months elapsed, and no one knew where Guru Angad of the people was. (Like Guru Nanak, Guru Angad and the subsequent Gurus selected and appointed their successors by completely satisfying themselves about their mystic fitness and capacity to discharge the responsibilities of the mission.) Siri Guru Amardas Ji Guru Amar Das was born in 1479 at Basarke village in Amritsar District. He is the disciple of Guru Angad Dev Ji that who the second guru in Sikhism is. Guru Amar Das purchased some land in Goindwal and laid the foundation of a Bawli (a well with descending steps) in 1559. Guru Amar Das proclaimed, Gods summons had come.   Let there be no mourning when I have gone. Sing Gods praises, read Gurbani, hear Gurbani and obey Gods will.   In 1574, Guru Amar Das left for his heavenly abode and the spirit blended with the Master spirit. (Guru Amar Das to believe that all persons, high or low, rich or poor, Brahmans or Sudras, king or the commoner, and Hindus or Muslims, must sit in the same row as equals to dine in the Gurus langar.) Siri Guru Ramdas Ji Guru Ramdas was born in Lahore into a Sodhi Khatri family residing in Mohalla Chuna Mandi in 1534A.D. Guru Ram Das acquired land falling in tung, Gumlata and Sultan Wind villages in 1574 A.D. and started the digging of the tank. Guru Amar Das installed him as Guru in 1574 A.D. Guru Ram Das left his old headquarters at Goindwal.   After a few days He left this world in 1581.   (Guru Ram Das started the digging work near Dukh Bhanjni Beri and the digging of   the tank was taken up in 1586 A.D.) Siri Guru Arjan Dev Ji Guru Arjan was born in Goindwal, a small town in Amritsar district, in 1563. Guru Arjan Dev built another great temple some twelve miles away from Amritsar and called it Taran Taaran; otherwise Guru Arjan Dev was that interested people were passing compositions of their own as those of the Masters. But The Fifth and the Sixth Gurus had done nothing beyond the extension and development of the foundations laid and the organisation built by Guru Nanak. Guru Har Gobin(1595-1644) -Justice Guru Har Gobin, the son of Guru Arjan Dev ji, was the sixth of the ten Gurus of Sikhism. He was merely 11 years old when his father was matryed after being jailed, tortured while under arrest by Jehangirs orders. At the time of installation of Gurus, he asked Bapa Buddha ji to discard the tradition of donning with him with the Seli of Guru Nanak, instead, to be donned with 2 swords, explaining signified his Miri Piri(Temporal power Spiritual power). Without mixing religion with politic, his Purpose was to take up the cause of exploited and defend against the oppression of rules. He was the first of the Gurus who took up arms to defend the faith. He also introduced martial arts and weapon training and create a standing military force for the defense. Built the Akal Takhat(the first Takhat in the history) in 1608 , this Takhat seated with all the regal adornments of a Mugal or Hiddun Ruler. In here where he listened to the woes and complaints of people and issue edicts. Guru Har Rai(1644-1661)-Mercy Guru Har Rai was a man of peace, but he never disbanded sikh warriors (sainted soldier) but to continue the military traditions started by his grandfather Guru Har Gobind ji. He kept 2200 mounted soldiers at all times However, he never indulge himself in any political and armed controversy . Gurus son, Ram Rai, distorted Bani in front of Mughak Emperor Auzangzeb, he then decided to make his other son Guru at the age of only 5 age. Guru Har Kishran(1661-1664)- Purity Guru Har Krishan was the youngest Gurus because he was installed as a Guru at his age of 5 years, when his father Guru Har Rai nominated him instead of his elder son, Ram Rai. Auranzeb summoned him to Delphi after receive the complaint against him from Ram Rai. Guru Har Khrishan went Delphi even though He was instructed publicly by his father never meet Auranzeb personally. When reach Delphi, Har Khrishan and his party were the guest of Raja Jai Singh, lot of Sikh devotee flocked to see the Guru. A smallpox Epidemic was raging in Delphi. He devoted his life for serving and healing people who suffer smallpox epidemic which result in many deaths in Delphi. The young Guru also began to attend the sufferers irrespective of cast and creed. Particularly, the local Muslim was much impressed with purely humanitarian deeds of this Guru Sahib, stop disturbing him and nicknamed him Bala Pir(Child Prophet). However, coming contact with many people every day, he too infected and taken seriously ill. He died at only age of eight. Guru Tegh Bahadur(1665-1675)-Tranquility Guru Tegh Bahadur was the eighth of the ten Gurus. He was the fifth and the youngest son of Guru Har Gobin. He was famous for built the city called Anandpur Sahib. He traveled extensively throughout India. He sacrificed his own life, facing down the Emperor Aurangzeb on behalf of the Kashmiri Hindus, ending Aurangzeb s threat to them choosing to convert to islam or to be executed. He also contributed 115 hymns to the Sri Guru Grant Sahib. He was a firm believer in the right of people to the freedom of worship. This had caused that he faced martyrdom for the defense of the down-trodden Hindus. So pathetic was the torture of Guru Tegh Bahadur that his Body had to be cremated clandestinely at Delphi while his severed head was secretly taken four hundred kilometers away to Anandpur Sahib for cremation. This is just because he refuse to convert to Islam a threatened forced conversion of the Hindus of Kashmir was thwarted. Guru Gobin Singh (1675-1708)-Royal Courage Guru Gobin Singh was the tenth and the last of the ten human form of guru. He became guru after martyrdom of his father Guru Tegh Bahadur at the age of 9. His teachings are very scientific and most suitable for all times. Unlike other prophets, he called himself a slave or a servant of god, and, he called all the people the sons of God sharing His Kingdom equally. Guru Gobin Singh lived peacefully at Anandpur for his earlier life, practicing arms and exercises to complete his training as a soldier. He was good at Writing composition as well. He studied Persian and Sanskrit and engaged 52 poets to translate the Hindu Epics. He use what he had learned to translate stories of ancient heroes into Punjabi in order to create martial spirit among Sikh.He created the Khalsa in 1699, changing the Sikhs into a saint-soldier order with special symbols and sacraments for protecting themselves. He gave the Sikhs the name Singh (lion) or Kaur (princess). Guru lost his family(father, mother and four sons) during the battles with Mughal Tyranny.He then wrote a letter(the Zafarnama) to Aurangzeb, in which he indicted the Grand Mughal with his treachery and godliness after the attacking against the guru and Sikhs were called off.Aurangzeb died after read the letter. The rightful heir of Mughal Throne Sought the Gurus help in winning his kingdom. A sneak attack of the Pathan assasins of Wasir Khan who inflicted the wound which cause the Gurus death. 3.0 Symbol of Sikh The Khanda the Sikh symbol The Khanda is the main Sikh symbol. The  Khanda  has been interpreted symbolically in many ways. One is:The Sikh emblem, Khanda, contains a ring of steel representing the Unity of God, a two. It is composed of four items, all traditional Sikh weapons: A vertical double edged sword with a broad blade, also called a Khanda. Two curved swords, called kirpans. They are called miri and piri, after the names given to his personal kirpans by Guru Hargobind. A ring called a chakker (aka chakram). It is a very effective weapon, with a range of up to 50 meters (165 feet). This has been popularized in North America by the television series  Xena the Warrior Princess. Edged sword symbolizing Gods concern for truth and justice, and two crossed swords curved around the outside to signify Gods spiritual power.  4 Kesa (long hair, which is never cut). Baptised  Sikhs  are bound to wear the  Five Ks  (in Punjabi known as  paà ±j kakkÄâ€Å"  or  paà ±j kakÄ r), or articles of faith, at all times. The tenth guru, Gobind Singh, ordered these Five Ks to be worn so that a Sikh could actively use them to make a difference to their own and to others spirituality. The 5 items are:  kÄâ€Å"s  (uncut hair),  kaà ¡Ã‚ ¹Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ghÄ Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  (small comb),  kaà ¡Ã‚ ¹Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃƒâ€žÃ‚ Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  (circular iron bracelet),  kirpÄ n(dagger), and  kacchÄ Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  (special undergarment). The Five Ks have both practical and symbolic purposes.[45] Kacha (short pants) In  Sikhism,  Kesh  (sometimes  Kes) is the practice of allowing ones hair to grow naturally as a symbol of respect for the perfection of Gods creation. The practice is one of the  Five Ks, the outward symbols ordered byGuru Gobind Singh  in  1699  as a means to profess the  Sikh  faith. The hair is combed twice daily with a  Kanga, another of the Five Ks, and tied into a simple knot known as a  Joora, or  Rishi knot. This knot of hair is usually held in place with the Kanga and covered by a  turban. Kangah (comb) The  Sikhs  were commanded by  Guru Gobind Singh  at the  Baisakhi  Amrit Sanchar  in  1699  to wear asmall comb  called a Kanga at all times. Kanga must be worn by all baptised  Sikhs  (Khalsa), after a mandatory religious commandment given by  Guru Gobind Singh  (the tenth Guru of Sikhism)  in  AD 1699. This was one of five articles of faith, collectively called  Kakars  that form the external visible symbols to clearly and outwardly display ones commitment and dedication to the order (Hukam) of the tenth master and become a member of  Khalsa. The Khalsa is the Saint-Soldier of Guru Gobind Singh who stated the following:  He does not recognize anyone else except One Lord, not even the bestowal of charities, performance of merciful acts, austerities and restraint on pilgrim-stations; the perfect light of the Lord illuminates his heart, then cons ider him as the immaculate Khalsa.(Guru Gobind Singh in the Dasam Granth page 1350) Kara (metal bracelet) The kara is to constantly remind the Sikh disciple to do Gods work with the hands, keeping with the  advice given by the Guru. As the Sikhs  holy text  the  Guru Granth Sahib  says In the tenth month, you were made into a human being, O my merchant friend, and you were given your allotted time to perform good deeds.[2]  Similarly, Bhagat  Kabir  reminds the Sikh to always keep ones consciousness with  God: With your hands and feet, do all your work, but let your consciousness remain with the Immaculate Lord.[3] In India, warrior Sikhs are still seen wearing several karas of large sizes, designed to be used as a weapon in hand to hand combat. Kachchhera Kachchhera  (Punjabi:à  Ã‚ ¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃƒ  Ã‚ ©Ã‹â€ Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã‚ °Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã‚ ¾) or  Kachchha  (Punjabi:à  Ã‚ ¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã‚ ¾) are specially designed short,  shalwar  (pant-like), loose  undergarments  with a tie-knot (nara =  drawstring) worn by  baptized  Sikhs. It is one of the five  Sikh  articles of faith, called the  Five Ks (à  Ã‚ ¨Ã‚ ªÃƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã…“ à  Ã‚ ¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ãƒ  Ã‚ ©Ã‚ Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã‚ ¾Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã‚ °), and was given as a gift of love by  Guru Gobind Singh  at the  Baisakhi  Amrit Sanchar  in  1699. Kachaera have been worn by baptizedSikhs  (Khalsa) since a mandatory religious commandment given by  Guru Gobind Singh  (the tenth Guru of Sikhism)  in  AD 1699. Both male and female Sikhs wear similar undergarments. This is one of five articles of faith-collectively called Kakkars-that form the external, visible symbols clearly and outwardly displaying ones commitment and dedication to the order (Hukam) of the tenth master. Kirpan (a ceremonial dagger) The  Kirpan  (English pronunciation:  /kÉ ªÃƒâ€°Ã¢â€ž ¢rˈpÉ‘Ë n/;  Punjabi:  Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã‚ °Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã‚ ªÃƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã‚ ¾Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¨Ã‚ ¨Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  kirpÄ n) is a sword or dagger carried by many  Sikhs. According to a mandatory religious commandment given by  Guru Gobind Singh  (the tenth Guru of Sikhism)  at the  Baisakhi  Amrit Sanchar  (a holy religious ceremony that formally baptizes a Sikh) in  CE 1699, all baptised  Sikhs  (Khalsa) must wear a kirpan at all times. Prohibitions of Sikhism Cutting hair Cutting hair is strictly forbidden in Sikhism. Sikhs are required to keep unshorn hair. This is because Sikhs believe that long hair as a beautiful part of their bodies. Besides that, Sikhs must always wash their hair due to maintain cleanliness. Without wear turban For Sikhs people, they must wear the turban no matter is male or female. This is because this religion was founded over 500 years ago, only wealthy men wore turbans as a sign of status and many kings wore turbans. Since Sikhs have believed in the equality of all people since the creation of their religion, all Sikhs wear the turban as a sign of equality. Cannot consume intoxication Sikhs cannot consume alcohol, drugs, tobacco is not allowed due to alcohol can slow down nervous system that causes damaging their ability to respond appropriately. Adultery Sikhs must faithful and loves each other and try to reduce conflict among each other even though are different cultures or races. Eating meat Sikhs cannot eat meat because the meat is offered to God only. Therefore, Sikhs must consume vegetarian. Besides that, they strictly prohibited from eating meat killed in a ritualistic manner. Sikh Festivals Birthday of Guru Nanak Dev Ji Guru Nanak Dev Ji is the founder of Sikhism; celebrate on November 24 every year. Before his birthday, Akhand Path which is read Guru Granth Sahib in 48 hour non-stop that held in Gurdwara (Sikhs temple). On that day, the program or activity is begins early in the morning about 4 am. In this program, they would sing the Asa-di-Var (morning hymns) and hymns from the Sikh scriptures followed by Katha (expositon of scripture) and lectures and recitation of poems in the praise of Guru. Then, celebration will until about 1 to 2 pm. Lohri Lohri is Punjabi winter harvest festival acts as a Hindu winter celebration which is celebrates on January 13. In the morning on Lohri day, children will go from door to door singing and demanding Lohri loot such as seeds, peanuts, jiggery, or sweets and so on. Vaisakhi Vaisakhi known as Baisakhi is an ancient harvest festival in Punjab region which marks beginning of new solar year. Vaisakhi is celebrated on April 13. Baisakhi is a  Sikh  religious festival.  It falls on the first day of the  Baisakh  month in the solarNanakshahi calendar, which corresponds to April 13 in the  Gregorian calendar. Diwali Sikhs also celebrate Diwali popularly known as Festival of Lights. It is an important 5-day festival in Hinduism,  Sikhism  and  Jainism, celebrate between mid-October and mid-November. The name of Diwali which translate into row of lamps that involves the lighting of small clay lamps (diyas) filled with oil to signify the triumph of good over evil. The Skih Ceremonies All the Sikh Ceremonies like birth, baptism, marriage and death are held in simple, inexpensive and religious manner. The presence of holy Guru Granth Sahib is very important to every ceremony performance. And of course, singing of hymns, Ardas or a formal prayer cannot be excluded in the ceremonies. Other than that, Hukamnama, a random reading from the Guru Granth Sahib is also presented as the oder of the day. Every guest will be given Karah Parshad, some sacred pudding made from flour, butter, sugar and water as well as langar. Sikhs no longer seek blessing from god and renew the spirit of devotion and service. Besides that, some major Sikh Ceremonies must be held in certain time, Naam Karan (Naming Ceremony), Dastar Bandi, Marriage Ceremony, Amrit Sanchar (Baptism) and Funeral/Death Ceremony. Naam Karan (Naming Ceremony) Khanda Mool MantraNaming Ceremony, an important ceremony held after a child is born. This happens when the child and the mother are in good health, they will go to the Gurdwara with their family, relatives and friends for the naming ceremony. The Granthi or the senior member of the congregation stirs water and sugar crystals in a bowl with a Khanda placed in front of the Guru Granth Sahib while reading the Mool Mantra (the basic belief of the Sikhs and it begins the Sri Guru Granth Sahib) and the first five verses of the Japji Sahib. The holy water is mainly dedicated for the child, but just a few drops are given to the child, the remaining is given to the mother. Finally, hymns are recited to bless the child. Dastar Bandi This is a very important event when a Sikh boy is ready to start tying the turban. The Granthi will explain why the turban is needed to be tied on the head. Amrit Sanchar (Baptism) Baptism brings the best or worst to the Sikhs, it can help the Sikhs in life if the Baptism is done in a proper and complete manner. This is the initiation ceremony for the Sikhs to become a true Khalsa (purified or chosen one). It is something like Christian at confirmation acquires full membership of the Sikh brotherhood. As the ceremony culminates in the drinking of  Amrit (specially prepared sweet Holy water) so the term Amrit-dhari Sikh is often used. However, a Sikh should only take Amrit when he or she is mature enough to realize the nature of the obligations he or she has chosen to accept. Marriage Ceremony The Sikh marriage is also one of the most important ceremonies in Sikhs life. The Sikh marriage is also known as Anand Karaj which means the ceremony of joy. Normally the wedding is held in the morning in a Gurdwara. The groom will be dressed in fine clothes and accompanied by his family and friends. Then he will head to Gurdwara Sahib where the brides family and friends receive them. After certain ceremony called Milni ceremony where close relatives of the couple garland each other in a spirit of goodwill, some refreshments are said to be done. Then everyone enters the Gurdwara congregation hall where bride sits alongside the groom facing the Guru Granth Sahib Ji. A short prayer is meant to be done then the wedding ceremony begins and the Ragees sing the hymn of Palla which is grooms scarf. The brides father hands the Palla over the brides hands which is symbolizing of giving away the bride. After a long run, the ceremony is followed by Lavaan, the wedding ceremony. Itself consists of four verses. The first verse is recited by the Granthi while the couple sits next to each other. Then the Ragees sing the same verse and the couple walk gracefully clockwise around the Guru Granth Sahib the bride following the groom. Same way the other three verses are recited. The six verses of Anand Sahib (the hymns of joy) are then sung followed by the Ardas. Order of the day is read from Guru Granth Sahib Ji followed by the distribution of Karah Parshad. Usually, lunch is always provided by the brides family and there is also a reception held later in the evening in a hall. Funeral/Death Ceremony Sikhs are very easygoing and simple in this kind of funeral ceremonies. They do not tend to spending too much money or resources on this sort of ceremonies as this is their basic custom. When a Sikh passes away, firstly the body is taken to be washed and cleaned up and finally dressed with new clothes. Then the body is carried to the cremation ground in procession. Meanwhile, appropriate prayers are said before the funeral pyre to smoothen the Sikhs death path. Then the body will be lit by close relatives. There is a crematorium built in Britain for this purpose. Later, the cooled ashes will be collected and immersed into or presented to natural running water- a river. Until this stage, the ceremony is not complete yet. To complete to ceremony, either in the home or in the Gurdwara, the daily reading of the Holy Granth begins. This runs continuously in about ten days. When all the 1430 pages have been read, the final service is held. Relatives and friends gather to join in the final prayers. The  Kara Parshad  (holy food) is served and the people disperse. This marks the end of mourning. The Sikh Marriage For Sikhs, marriage is not merely a physical and legal contract but is a holy union between two souls where physically they appear as two individual bodies but in fact they are united as one. Like what has been mentioned earlier, the Sikh marriage ceremony is known as Anand Karaj meaning blissful union. According to Sikhism, when a girl attains certain maturity, her parents are obligatory to find a match for her. It is neither desirable nor proper to marry a girl at tender age. The daughter of a Sikh should marry a Sikh. If a man is a Sikh believer, is humble by nature, and earns his bread by honest means, with him matrimony may be contracted without a question and without consideration for wealth and riches. As Sikh marriages are usually arranged, so they have different views from the people from other cultures. They do not interpret arranged as forcing man or woman into wedlock of parents choice only. It is also about agreeing to marriage proposed by mutual discussion between the mans and the womans family. This is to select the right partner with the approval of all. Most importantly, the man and woman themselves must get to know each other to convey their agreement to their parents. Last but not least, no Sikh marriage is regarded as truly complete unless the bride and groom present themselves before the  Holy Granth  and are blessed by the Guru, as well as by the congregation or the families present. 8.0 Roles and status of Sikh women In fourteenth century, before Sikhism was founded by Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Indian women were looked down at by society. They were given no education, and they only function to give birth, do housework and serve men. Female infanticide, the act of killing a female baby, was common as the men of the family considered them useless and an embarrassment to the family. Sati, which is the act of burning a widow alive with her husbands body was encouraged and sometimes forced. Guru Nanak Dev Ji shocked the entire society by preaching that women were equal to men and should be treated in such way. Guru Nanak Dev Ji conveys this through his scripture as follows: Man is born from a woman; within woman, man is conceived; to a woman he is engaged and married. Man is friends with woman; through woman, the future generations exist. When his woman passes away, he seeks another woman; to a woman a man is bound. So why call her bad? From her, kings are born. From a woman, woman is born; without woman there would be no one at all (Guru Granth Sahib Ji, 473). Thus, in Sikhism, all men and women have equal status, all human beings are only judged by their deeds, not their race or gender. Women were encouraged and allowed to join in religious and social activities. They were given freedom of speech and were also allowed to read the Guru Granth Sahib (the holy scripture of Sikhism). Famous Women in Sikhism The first famous woman in Sikhism is the mother of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Mata Tripta Ji. It is said that she meditated while carrying the child Nanak. She brought him up with love, and also protected him from his father Mehta Kalu. The elder sister of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Bebe Nanaki Ji, is also another famous woman in Sikhism. She supported her brother throughout her life and gave him respect as she would a Guru. She was an intelligent and spiritual woman who recognised her brothers divine light before anyone else could. 9.0 Sikhs Sacred Places Harmandir Sahib The Harmandir Sahib, informally known as The Golden Temple because it is partly made from gold, is the most sacred shrine of the Sikhs. It is located in the city of Amritsar, India (Northern Punjabi). The name Harmanidir Sahib literally means temple of God. The Golden Temple in built in the centre of a large lake of water. The sacred pool of water around the Golden Temple is also known as Sarovar. It is a place where Sikhs perform Isnaan, which means to bathe, cleanse and purify. The Golden Temple has been constructed with four doors which is different from traditional Indian temples. This signifies that everyone is allowed in the temple regardless of race and gender. There are two forms of contribution all Sikhs had in the construction of the temple: Voluntary labour and a donation of ten percent of their income. These traditions are still kept alive till today as Sikhs contribute towards the improvement of their Gurdwara (Sikh temples). Anandpur Sahib The city of Anandpur Sahib, informally known as the holy city of Bliss, is the holy city of the Sikhs; it is an important and sacred place for the Sikhs. It is located on the lower spurs of the Himalayas. Guru Gobind Singh ji spent almost 25 years staying at Anandpur Sahib. It is famously known as the place where five Sikhs voluntarily gave their heads to Guru Gobind Singh ji, which shows the values of self-abnegating and bravery. The city mainly comes to life during Hola Mohalla, a Sikh festival celebrated to remember the courage of the Sikhs in fighting the enemies of Sikh. It is also a community festival that brings people together. 10.0 History Of The Golden Temple The Golden Temple of Amritsar is located in India. This temple is one of the most ancient and brilliant piece of engineering of all time. Amritsar is also under one of the main cities in India There is about five thousand sq. km and a total population of about 2.5 million. The main language that is spoken in this place is Hindi or English while the average temperature of this city is about 30 to 46 degree Celsius every day of the year. The temple was founded in the year 1574 by the fourth Guru of Sikhs, Guru Ramdas and completed by his successor Guru Arjan Dev. The land for the temple was bought by guru ramdas for only 700 rupees at that time from the owner of the village Tung. (Earlier Guru Ram Das Sahib had begun building Santokhsar Sarovar, near erstwhile village of Sultanwind in 1564 {according to one source in 1570}. The temple is also known as the Shri Darbar Shaib, it is in the center of the old part of Amritsar. The Golden Temple sits on a rectangular platform, surrounded by a pool of water called the Amrit Sarovar

Macbeths Mistakes in Shakespeares Macbeth Essays -- essays research

Macbeth’s Mistakes At times man is prone to call into states of disillusionment, whether it be their own fault, or that of others, and this may cause them to commit grievous errors. The character of Macbeth suffers from a delusional view of the world. The diluted ways in which he interprets many of the prophecies foretold by the witches brings forth a detrimental effect upon many of his peers and acquaintances and leads him to execute grave mistakes. It is Macbeth’s choice to interpret things in a more literal meaning, rather than a prophetic one, that becomes the downfall of many characters in the story. The meddlesome witches can not be left dry of blame, for it was their prophetic truths that led Macbeth to take such a literal stance on all of the forthcoming prophecies. â€Å"Men at times are masters of their own fates: the fault is not in the stars, but in ourselves.† It is however Macbeth at fault for pushing the prophecies further than fate would take them. At first encounter with the witches, Macbeth is foretold three prophecies. The witches call him Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor, and king hereafter. Macbeth at first dismisses the prophecies as fantastical. Then thoughts of the greater power seep into Macbeth’s mind. The â€Å"fiends that lie like truth† (Shakespeare) encourage Macbeth’s malice thinking by foretelling the truth that Macbeth does indeed become Thane of Cawdor without any extra effort on his part. Banquo, although at first charmed by the witch’s prophecy for him, tends to eventually dismiss it as a trick by the witches. â€Å"To win us to our harm, the instruments of darkness tell us truths, win us with honest trifles, to betrays in deepest consequence,† (Shakespeare) Once Macbeth has been named Th... ...y Macbeth, many of Macbeth’s mistakes led him into a delusional state of mind which in turn directed him to commit heinous murders against many characters, including his best friend and his cousin and king. It is evident that Macbeth’s main mistake was taking the witches’ prophecies to literal and listening too closely to his wife. Instead of letting fate run its course, he took it into his own hands, and lost sight of reality on the way. Lady Macbeth also played a big role in his mistakes, because he let him manipulate and persuade him to perform these atrocious tasks all in order to gain power. Works Cited Boyce, Charles. Shakespears A to Z. New York, NY: Roundtable Press, 1990. Foster, Edward e.. Masterplots. Englewood Cliffs: Salem Press Inc., 1949. Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. New York, NY: Washington Square Press, 1992.

Evil Inside

Answer each question in a complete sentence. Include textual evidence to support 6 answers. 1. Summarize the plot of the opera, â€Å"Madame Butterfly,† in your own words. Why would Moore include an Depigraph that quotes this opera? In Madame Butterfly the plot of the opera is that a birth mother loses her a child an adoptive mother who later on loses the baby. The whole time Suzuki, the servant, witnesses everything, but can do nothing to help. Moore quoted this opera in the epigraph because much in Madame Butterfly where Suzuki is very relied by Madame Butterfly to do basically everything for her.This is Just like how Sarah relies on Tassie to do everything for her, such as raising Emmie. 2. What do the three epigraphs fit together? Or contrast with each other? The first two epigraphs fit together because they both relate to the subject of servants and both are related to Madame Butterfly. The first two contrast to the third because if you're a servant then you don't see the world from the same point of view as someone that you're a servant for. 3. In addition to her sense of humor and intelligence, what are Tassie's strengths as a narrator? How does Owhat she describes as â€Å"an unseemly collection of Jostling former elves† (p. 3) affect the narrative and Ocontribute to the appeal of her tale? In addition to Tassie's sense of humor and intelligence, her other strengths as a narrator are that she describes everything in great detail such as â€Å"Though the interior of the casket was quilted white, like a beautiful suitcase, what I could see of my brother looked like garbage tossed inside† (Moore 298-299). When Tassie describes herself as â€Å"an unseemly collection of Jostling former selves†, it affects the narrative because she was playing a different role and had a different personality in Troy and Dellacrosse.When she is in Troy she is playing the role of a servant for the Thornwood-Brink family. While in Dellacrosse she's p laying the role of an average college girl, not ready to grow up. She's basically living a double life. 4. How does the initial meeting between Tassie and Sarah create a real, if hesitant, connection Obetween them? What aspects of their personalities come out in their conversation? Tassie and Sarah's first meeting created a hesitant connection between them because they didn't know each other at all and because of this, they did not understand each other's sense of humor and couldn't talk to each other ithout it being awkward.Sarah seemed to bring up everything they could ever talk about except for why they were adopting a child and any other aspects of it. Many aspects of their personalities came through in their conversation. One of the aspects was that they were both extremely talkative, but they both werent using they talkativeness in an appropriate manor for the situation. They couldn't stay on topic at all during their conversation. Another aspect that came out was that Sarah w as overall very proud of her wealth and what she has done.She didn't seem too modest or humble. This showed especially when Sarah randomly said in a conversation â€Å"‘l ou n'† (Moore 1) wltnout even Delng asked. DescrlDe tne aaoptlon process through Tassie's eyes. What aspects of her personality come out during Othis process? Tassie describes the adoption process as â€Å"†¦ Adoption seemed like both a cruel Joke and a lovely day-dream – a nice way of avoiding the blood and pain of giving birth, or, from a child's perspective, a realized fantasy of your parents not really being your parents. † (Moore 16).At the beginning of the novel Tassie didn't really know what to think about the adoption, but at the end Tassie really starts to ecome attached to Emmie and she realizes that it doesn't matter where Emmie came from. 6. Describe the evolution of Tassie's relationship with her brother, Robert, from the beginning of the novel Ountil the end. Tassie's r elationship with her brother Robert changed from the beginning to the end of the book because at the beginning they were really close, compared to other brother and sister relationships. They were both very unguided, while growing up, so Robert would always look up to Tassie.When Tassie went to Troy for college, Robert had a hard time getting through his last ear of high school because he had no one to look up to. When Tassie said â€Å"Robert, it had often seemed to me, failed to apply himself-musically or academically' (Moore 41). They basically grew more and more apart until Tassie received an email from him one day saying that he wants to Join the military. When she shows up in Dellacrosse for his graduation, she finds out that Robert is actually Joining the military. What she doesn't know is that this will be the last time she will ever see him. When Robert dies, Tassie felt more distant from him than ever. . What do you make of Edward? Does Edward's behavior at dinner and the â€Å"small conspiracy' he and 0 Tassie establish (pp. 112-114) offer a more sympathetic (or at least more understandable) view of him? I think Edward was really uninterested in being a father again. He didn't seem very into Emmie at all, adopting her or playing with her after they adopted her. I feel like he Just didn't seem too fond of having a biracial baby. He didn't even come to any of the adoption meetings until the middle of the one with Bonnie. It seemed like he was always missing in action in some sort of way, throughout the adoption process and at home.He seemed to be a big flirt towards Tassie. He would always look at her with a certain look and then all my thoughts were confirmed at the end of the book when he asked her to go to coffee with him. I dont think the â€Å"small conspiracy' offered a more sympathetic view of him. It was kind of weird because from the start of the book basically Tassie and Edward had a secret that they wouldn't tell Sarah. I think Tassie re alized the kind of person Edward was during this conspiracy and how he probably keeps a lot of secrets from Tassie, Sarah, and probably other people.This came up especially when he said â€Å"‘Let's not tell Sarah,' said Edward. ‘She's got a slightly obsessive side'† (Moore 113). Also I think Edward didn't want to get to know the child because I think it brought back bad memories from the first child. 8. Does A Gate at the Stairs accurately reflect the persistence of racism in America? What do the comments Dand encounters sprinkled throughout in the novel (80, 1 12, 151, 167, 229) show about the various forms Oracism takes in our society?A Gate at the Stairs accurately reflects the persistence of racism in America because of how all of the events in the book took place after 9/1 1 . Once 9/1 1 occurred, racism grew in America, yet it was still there before it occurred. When Tassie would take Emmie out for errands, she would be looked down upon for Instance wnen la ssle sala â€Å"l nls was all sala In looks, so tne trutn could not De uttered, but I saw again and again what it was simply to walk into a store for a doughnut and have a wordless racial experience (Moore 167-168).She especially got looks from white people such as when she said â€Å"To the white woman I was a whoring girl messing around with anyone (Moore 167). The comments and encounters in the ovel showed that there are many forms of racism in our society. The first way that I stated was more of a looking down upon way while â€Å"Instead, he glared right at little Mary-Emma and shouted, ‘Nigger! † (Moore 1 51) was more of a verbal way. 9.What is the importance of Tassie's description of Mary-Emma's affection for Reynaldo: â€Å"the colorblindness of Osmall children is a myth; she noticed difference and sameness, with almost equal interest; there was no O'Dilemma of Difference' as my alliteration- loving professors occasionally put it† (p. 169)? The importa nce of Tassie's description f Mary-Emma's affection for Reynaldo is that she didn't care about the color of Reynaldo's skin color or what he looked like and she only cared about his personality. 10.On page 296, Tassie offers a thoughtful explanation of the purpose of religion in people's lives. Are there Oother lessons about the meaning of religion or faith to be found in the novel? Yes, there are other lessons on religion on faith and an example would be when Bonnie Amber wanted to have Mary-Emma raised Catholic. This shows that many people are Judgmental about religion, and even though shes giving p her baby to another family of a possible other religion, they still want their baby to be Catholic no matter if the new parents arent Catholic. 1. Does the novel prepare you for Sarah's dreadful confession (232-242)? What particular incidents or conversations foreshadow the revelations? I think the novel does prepare us for Sarah's dreadful confession because you can tell that somethin g is missing throughout the book. You can tell that they're not telling Tassie something about their past because they never even told her why they were adopting and why they idn't Just have a child on her own.I think the whole hiding something makes Tassie feel on edge throughout the whole book which was probably why Tassie wasn't even that surprised and didn't really have a reaction when Sarah told her the story. I especially saw when Sarah said † † (Moore ) that she was hiding something. Also, Edward always being missing seemed kind of suspicious and it might have been cause of his guilt towards the first child, which we didn't know about then. 12. Was their decision to move and start anew the best solution under the circumstances? It epends on how you look at it.If you look at it like they were Just two parents that made a horrible parenting mistake and it was Just an accident and they deserve a second chance, then yes you could argue that that was probably their onl y chance of getting another chance. If you look at it Just from the fact that they killed their child, then no. They shouldn't have changed their names and moved on Just like that to try and forget their horrible past which was obviously bound to come back and bite them eventually. ** Thank you, Oprah, for many of these awesome questions

Jefferson Essay Essay

Thomas Jefferson played a very important role in the history of the United States. Jefferson is most famously known for writing the Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson talked many times about African-Americans in America. Where they equal to white people? How were whites and blacks different? What about slavery? Thomas Jefferson had an opinion on all of these subjects, but much of what Thomas Jefferson said was later contradicted with his own words. What did Thomas Jefferson mean when he said that all men were equal? Well, many people would agree with what it means today in modern times. Today the statement, all men are created equal means; all men and women whether black, white, tall, short, fat, or skinny were all created equal. That is not necessarily what it meant in the 1700s. Blacks were enslaved and worked hard while wealthy white men did nothing of the sort. Justice Thurgood Marshall said, â€Å"The blacks were so far inferior, that they had no rights which the white man was bound to respect†¦ and that the Negro might justly and lawfully be reduced to slavery for his benefit. This excerpt shows that in that time blacks were not treated the same as whites and clearly did not have the same rights. Conor Cruise O’Brien’s book confirms this belief as he takes a quote from Thomas Jefferson himself: â€Å"It is accepted that the words ‘all men are created equal’ do not, in their literal meaning, apply to women, and were not intended by the Founding Fathers to a pply to slaves. † This shows that when Thomas Jefferson talks about all men being created equally he means to say white men. The meaning of the word expatriation is as follows; to leave one’s native country to live elsewhere (Merriam-Webster). Jefferson wanted to send the blacks that were descendent of the original slaves back to Africa. The deal here was Africa was no longer their native country. This act was known as expatriation. The southern courts believed that slavery violated the natural rights of blacks and although slavery was allowed and legal it was immoral and unjust. Thomas Jefferson made it known that he supported the abolishment of slave trading. He said the following to Congress; â€Å"withdraw the citizens of the United States from all further participation in those violations of human rights which have been so long continued on the unoffending inhabitants of Africa. † By this Jefferson means that the people of the United States should stop the enslavement of blacks so that they no longer violate the human rights and stop offending the people of Africa. In this way Jefferson’s reasons for promoting expatriation and understanding for the natural rights of blacks were consistent. He wanted to send the blacks back because he wanted to stop offending the people of Africa. Jefferson believed that blacks and whites were very different. He said that he believed that blacks were originally their own race and became distinct by time and certain circumstances. According to Jefferson blacks came from their own species but were from the same general genus that is the human race. He said that blacks were inferior to whites in mind and body. This can be said to mean that whites were possibly better looking people or that they were more fit. It could have been said to mean that whites were smarter than blacks because they had an education that the blacks did not have. Jefferson did not believe blacks were men. â€Å"Men,† was said to be referred to as only white men. Samuel Eliot Morison says in his book; â€Å"In his views (Jefferson) blacks were not men. † The possession of individual rights was mainly determined by one’s race or skin color. Blacks had no rights early on in the 1700s but began to become free in the early 1800s. A wealthy white male had all rights; he was allowed to do what he wanted so long as it was just. A black man was free and eventually gained simple rights due to the belief that the United States was violating human rights. I do not believe that expatriation could have been a helpful solution to the problem of slavery in America. I believe this because if the slaves would have gone to Africa they would be gone, but there is no saying that the lazy southern farmers would not have brought in slaves from other places. They would have gotten so used to not having to work that they would not be able to start working again. I think that they would possibly keep indentured servants as permanent slaves or enslave poor people. I’m sure that expatriation would not solve the problem of slavery, at least not immediately. As I stated in the beginning, Jefferson’s view changed greatly throughout the course of his lifetime. Later in his life he began to appreciate black people more because of all their hard work. Also, he realized that blacks were the same as whites in that they were to be given human rights and that the people of the United States had been violating their rights from the very beginning. Jefferson also saw that blacks were men, and that really God created all men equal, black and white. Thomas Jefferson certainly lived an intriguing life. He lived during a time where slavery was legal. He lived during a time when slavery began to die out. Jefferson was part of the reason why blacks are free today. Although his beliefs shifted throughout the duration of his life he ended on the good side, the side that was just. He began to believe that all men are created equal with a literal meaning.