Monday, January 27, 2020
Religion The Sacred And Rituals Theology Religion Essay
Religion The Sacred And Rituals Theology Religion Essay This paper will discuss the challenges of both the Islamic and Catholic religion in terms of defining the rituals, how members practice their religion and the overall terms of their devotion. Comparing is not an easy task as Islam and Catholicism are complete ends of the spectrum. For both religions claiming to be peace loving people, who share some of the same religious texts, and have many common beliefs they often cannot get along. Neither religion will tolerate or begin to accept the other religions if strictly and literally practiced by either Islam or Catholicism. Religion is a personal choice and as much as it is a choice, it should be respected by other religions as well. It does not matter what your beliefs are, if you are truly devoted to your faith, you will understand the need for religious tolerance. Religious tolerance is something that is borne out of a complete devotion to your faith. You will honor and accept your religion as something personal; however, in the same regard, you will accept the teachings, practices and traditions of other religions as well In some ways, Islam and Catholicism parallel each other. Although the rituals, prayers and history are different, they basically mirror each other in the basic aspects. The word Islam means submission or surrender in Arabic. To be submissive, means to be submissive to the will of Allah. Catholics hold a Trinitarianism belief that God is three persons in one, the Father, the Son and The Holy Spirit. Muslims, or followers of Islam, maintain that Allah is one God and has no equal and no partner. (Dolphin, undated). Islamic doctrine is based on four separate principles or sources: the Quran, ijtihad (individual thought), the Sunnah (traditions) and ijma or community consensus. The Quran is to the Muslims, the Word of God, as the Bible is to Catholics. Unlike the Bible, the Quran was believed to be delivered from Allah, to the Angel Gabriel. The Quran is divided in to 144 surahs or chapters. Each of the early readings revealed in Mecca, are ethical and spiritual. The early readings also include the Day of Judgment. The surahs in later chapters, teach social, political and moral teaching for the communities. (Dolphin, undated). Muslims are uncertain as to whether they will go to heaven or not. However, like the Catholic religion, there are certain steps that must be taken to ensure eternal life. The 5 Pillars of the Islam faith are: Confession of Faith (Shahada), Salat (prayer), Sawm (fasting during the month of Ramadan), Zakat (contributing tithings) and Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca. Muslims recite the Shahada or, Confession of Faith: La ilaha illaLlah; wa Muhammadun rasuluLlah. There is no God but Allah; and Muhammad is Allahs prophet. The Quran has six main teachings and like the Catholic faith, each must be adhered to in order to receive a final reward. The first teaching is that you must believe in Allah. To believe in Allah is to believe in the teachings of the Quran and no other. The word of Allah comes directly from the Quran and there is no room for interpretation by man. Muslims believe the message delivered to the Angel Gabriel is unadulterated and therefore implicit. The second teaching is belief in the Angels who are the messengers of Allah. Although Muslims do not submit to Allah, they submit to the teachings of Allah. Allah is not to be questioned. To question Allah or his existence is to deny the existence of his will. The third teaching is belief in the Books, you must believe in the Messengers, you must believe in the Day of Judgment. Although there is judgment at the time of death, the final judgment comes at the end of time. The final belief is that Muslims have to believe implicitly in fate. The Quran teaches that God has determined both good and evil. By acknowledging the teachings of the Quran, one acknowledges there is no other religion. To consider worship in another religion is to blaspheme Allah. The Quran does not recognize Jesus as the Son of God. Muslims do not acknowledge Jesus death or Resurrection. Fundamental Islam teaches that Jesus was nothing more than a mere prophet and denies the existence of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit as a Trinity. Allah and his will are the final word. In essence, Allah is the Master (abd) and Muslims are his slaves (abd). To submit totally to the Master is to have complete faith in Allah. (Robinson, 2012) The Catholic faith can be just as confusing and just as intricate as the Islamic faith. The Catholic Church is full of rituals and traditions that are questioned by many. The Catholic Church recognizes that Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary, suffered and died on the Cross for our sins. To many, the existence of a virgin birth is inconceivable. Catholics recognize God as Our Father. However, that does not mean that God and the Virgin Mary conceived Jesus. The Catholic religion teaches that Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary and became man. The conception of Jesus was Immaculate and therefore, The Virgin Mary is recognized as our Mother. (The Holy See, 2012). Mary is not worshiped on the same level as Our Father. Mary is revered as the Mother of Jesus and although Catholics do not specifically pray to Mary, they ask for her intercession through Jesus Christ, her Son. The Hail Mary is the prayer most often associated with reverence for the Virgin Mother. The word Hail is used not as a title to acknowledge Mary as being on the same level with Jesus or the Father. It is merely used as a greeting. The word, Hail was used in biblical times much as we usethe greeting, Hello today. Catholics also recite the Rosary, which is another form of ritualistic prayer. The Rosary is not mentioned in the Bible, it is not a mandatory teaching or tradition. It is a man-made prayer which when said properly, allows Catholics to reflect and meditate on the teachings and life of Jesus Christ. From the Annunciation by Marys cousin Elizabeth that she was going to be the Mother of the Most Holy One to the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Rosary is used as a teaching tool. The Catholic Church was founded over 2000 years ago on the Pentecost. This was the day the Holy Spirit appeared to the Apostles. As Muslims recite the Shahada, Catholics recite the Apostles Creed: I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified; died and was buried. He descended into Hell; the third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen. The Apostles Creed once again, is a historical account of the life of Jesus. It is the basic belief that Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary, became man and ultimately died for our sins. One interesting concept that differs between the Catholic, and Islamic faith is tolerance for killing. It specifically states in the Ten Commandments, Thou shalt not kill. The Ten Commandments were given to Moses on Mount Sinai and are the framework of a Christian life. The Ten Commandments are basic rules for every Christian and/or Catholic to pattern their lives after. There is no room for interpretation of the Ten Commandments. Although the Commandments are depicted in a particular order, there does not seem to be a Commandment which, when broken, is more severe than the others. Islam has tolerance for killing non-combatants. The Quran calls for the elimination of all and any non-Muslim invaders. If the result is death of the invader(s), the Quran considers it to be collateral damage. In order to keep the Muslim faith pure, it is considered perfectly acceptable to extinguish the lives of any person who does not accept the Quran and the Muslim way of life as their own. The teaching of some radical Imams additionally allows for the killing of Israelis who could as adults join the Israeli army, once again based on the belief that the Quran allows for the elimination of anyone who may interfere with the teachings of Islam. Teachings from the Quran that incite the radical Muslims result in the acceptance of suicide bombings, suicide missions such as the September 11th attacks on the United States and every other form of terrorism that radical Muslims have engaged in over the years. In the Catholic religion, there is zero tolerance for the murder of anyone opposed to the teachings and beliefs of the Church. At this juncture, the Catholic religion deems abortion as murder and will excommunicate any woman who, for whatever reason, opts to terminate a pregnancy. There is no exception for a pregnancy that is a result of rape, incest or any other act that results in the fertilization of the egg by the sperm. In the Catholic view, human life begins at conception. In this sense, it could be viewed as a radical opposition to the choice of a woman to choose whether or not to carry a fetus to term even in the mother is incapable of performing her duties as a nurturer. One example of this type of pregnancy would be for a severely mentally disabled woman to become impregnated. In the eyes of the Catholic Church, it does not matter that the quality of life for the child may be severely diminished. It is not a concern if the life of the mother is endangered either. Like the T en Commandments, there is no room for interpretation. Human life begins at conception. For Muslims and Catholics to coexist, there has to be some form of religious tolerance. Although the basic teachings are similar, when the beliefs and traditions are altered from their original state, that leaves room for views that become tainted by man to conform to his personal, political and self-righteous beliefs.
Sunday, January 19, 2020
The Iliad and the Fate Of Patroclus :: Iliad essays
The Iliad and the Fate Of Patroclus    Throughout The Iliad Of Homer, the constant theme of death is inherently apparent. Each main character, either by a spear or merely a scratch from an arrow, was wounded or killed during the progression of the story. For Zeus' son, Sarpedon, it was a spear through the heart, and for Hector, it was the bronze of the mighty Achilles through his neck which caused his early demise. It seems that no one could escape an agonizing fate. Of these deaths, the most interesting and intriguing death of all is that of Achilles' dear friend Patroclus. Although his life was taken by the mighty Hector's spear, who was truly liable for his death? The intricate story line of The Iliad makes many possible answers available, but only one possibility accurately explains the actions and events that led to this gruesome episode. Patrocles was responsible for his own death.      First of all, Patrocles was responsible for his own death because he requested his insertion into the battle, fully knowing that the Achaeans were being unmercifully defeated. In Book XVI , Patroclus said,                " Send me forth now at the head of the Myrmidon host                  That I may be a light of hope to the Danaans.                  And let me strap on my shoulders that armor of yours                  That the zealous Trojans take me for you and quickly                  Withdraw from the fighting."      Because Achilles refused to help the Achaeans battle the Trojans, a discontented Patroclus took the matter into his own hands by requesting activation into battle disguised as Achilles in the hope of sending the Trojans into a full retreat from the sight of him. It is apparent that Patroclus was willing to fight although the odds were greatly against him. His vehemence towards the Trojans coupled with his disappointment of Achilles gave him the drive to conquer the Trojan army with or without the aid of Achilles. In doing so, Patroclus took an enormous risk that the Trojans would fall for his trick, a risk with his life as the stakes. Essentially, while pleading to Achilles for battle, it was his own dark death for which he plead.
Saturday, January 11, 2020
Deception Point Page 84
â€Å"Jesus,†the pilot said. â€Å"Eighteen-knot current? Don't fall overboard!†He laughed. Rachel did not laugh. â€Å"Mike, you didn't mention this megaplume, magma dome, hot-current situation.†He put a reassuring hand on her knee. â€Å"It's perfectly safe, trust me.†Rachel frowned. â€Å"So this documentary you were making out here was about this magma dome phenomenon?†â€Å"Megaplumes and Sphyrna mokarran.†â€Å"That's right. You mentioned that earlier.†Tolland gave a coy smile. â€Å"Sphyrna mokarran love warm water, and right now, every last one for a hundred miles is congregating in this mile-wide circle of heated ocean.†â€Å"Neat.†Rachel gave an uneasy nod. â€Å"And what, pray tell, are Sphyrna mokarran?†â€Å"Ugliest fish in the sea.†â€Å"Flounder?†Tolland laughed. â€Å"Great hammerhead shark.†Rachel stiffened beside him. â€Å"You've got hammerhead sharks around your boat?†Tolland winked. â€Å"Relax, they're not dangerous.†â€Å"You wouldn't say that unless they were dangerous.†Tolland chuckled. â€Å"I guess you're right.†He called playfully up to the pilot. â€Å"Hey, how long has it been since you guys saved anyone from an attack by a hammerhead?†The pilot shrugged. â€Å"Gosh. We haven't saved anyone from a hammerhead in decades.†Tolland turned to Rachel. â€Å"See. Decades. No worries.†â€Å"Just last month,†the pilot added, â€Å"we had an attack where some idiot skin diver was chumming-â€Å" â€Å"Hold on!†Rachel said. â€Å"You said you hadn't saved anyone in decades!†â€Å"Yeah,†the pilot replied. â€Å"Saved anyone. Usually, we're too late. Those bastards kill in a hurry.†101 From the air, the flickering outline of the Goya loomed on the horizon. At half a mile, Tolland could make out the brilliant deck lights that his crewmember Xavia had wisely left glowing. When he saw the lights, he felt like a weary traveler pulling into his driveway. â€Å"I thought you said only one person was onboard,†Rachel said, looking surprised to see all the lights. â€Å"Don't you leave a light on when you're home alone?†â€Å"One light. Not the entire house.†Tolland smiled. Despite Rachel's attempts to be lighthearted, he could tell she was extremely apprehensive about being out here. He wanted to put an arm around her and reassure her, but he knew there was nothing he could say. â€Å"The lights are on for security. Makes the ship look active.†Corky chuckled. â€Å"Afraid of pirates, Mike?†â€Å"Nope. Biggest danger out here is the idiots who don't know how to read radar. Best defense against getting rammed is to make sure everyone can see you.†Corky squinted down at the glowing vessel. â€Å"See you? It looks like a Carnival Cruise line on New Year's Eve. Obviously, NBC pays your electric.†The Coast Guard chopper slowed and banked around the huge illuminated ship, and the pilot began maneuvering toward the helipad on the stern deck. Even from the air, Tolland could make out the raging current pulling at the ship's hull struts. Anchored from its bow, the Goya was aimed into the current, straining at its massive anchor line like a chained beast. â€Å"She really is a beauty,†the pilot said, laughing. Tolland knew the comment was sarcastic. The Goya was ugly. â€Å"Butt-ugly†according to one television reviewer. One of only seventeen SWATH ships ever built, the Goya's Small-Waterplane-Area Twin-Hull was anything but attractive. The vessel was essentially a massive horizontal platform floating thirty feet above the ocean on four huge struts affixed to pontoons. From a distance, the ship looked like a low-slung drilling platform. Up close, it resembled a deck barge on stilts. The crew quarters, research labs, and navigation bridge were housed in a series of tiered structures on top, giving one the rough impression of a giant floating coffee table supporting a hodgepodge of multistaged buildings. Despite its less than streamlined appearance, the Goya's design enjoyed significantly less water-plane area, resulting in increased stability. The suspended platform enabled better filming, easier lab work, and fewer seasick scientists. Although NBC was pressuring Tolland to let them buy him something newer, Tolland had refused. Granted, there were better ships out there now, even more stable ones, but the Goya had been his home for almost a decade now-the ship on which he had fought his way back after Celia's death. Some nights he still heard her voice in the wind out on deck. If and when the ghosts ever disappeared, Tolland would consider another ship. Not yet. When the chopper finally set down on the Goya's stern deck, Rachel Sexton felt only half-relieved. The good news was that she was no longer flying over the ocean. The bad news was that she was now standing on it. She fought off the shaky sensation in her legs as she climbed onto the deck and looked around. The deck was surprisingly cramped, particularly with the helicopter on its pad. Moving her eyes toward the bow, Rachel gazed at the ungainly, stacked edifice that made up the bulk of the ship. Tolland stood close beside her. â€Å"I know,†he said, talking loudly over the sound of the raging current. â€Å"It looks bigger on television.†Rachel nodded. â€Å"And more stable.†â€Å"This is one of the safest ships on the sea. I promise.†Tolland put a hand on her shoulder and guided her across the deck. The warmth of his hand did more to calm Rachel's nerves than anything he could have said. Nonetheless, as she looked toward the rear of the ship, she saw the roiling current streaming out behind them as though the ship was at full throttle. We're sitting on a megaplume, she thought. Centered on the foremost section of rear deck, Rachel spied a familiar, one-man Triton submersible hanging on a giant winch. The Triton-named for the Greek god of the sea-looked nothing like its predecessor, the steel-encased Alvin. The Triton had a hemispherical acrylic dome in front, making it look more like a giant fishbowl than a sub. Rachel could think of few things more terrifying than submerging hundreds of feet into the ocean with nothing between her face and the ocean but a sheet of clear acrylic. Of course, according to Tolland, the only unpleasant part of riding in the Triton was the initial deployment-being slowly winched down through the trap door in the Goya's deck, hanging like a pendulum thirty feet above the sea. â€Å"Xavia is probably in the hydrolab,†Tolland said, moving across the deck. â€Å"This way.†Rachel and Corky followed Tolland across the stern deck. The Coast Guard pilot remained in his chopper with strict instructions not to use the radio. â€Å"Have a look at this,†Tolland said, pausing at the stern railing of the ship. Hesitantly, Rachel neared the railing. They were very high up. The water was a good thirty feet below them, and yet Rachel could still feel the heat rising off the water. â€Å"It's about the temperature of a warm bath,†Tolland said over the sound of the current. He reached toward a switch-box on the railing. â€Å"Watch this.†He flipped a switch. A wide arc of light spread through the water behind the ship, illuminating it from within like a lit swimming pool. Rachel and Corky gasped in unison. The water around the ship was filled with dozens of ghostly shadows. Hovering only feet below the illuminated surface, armies of sleek, dark forms swam in parallel against the current, their unmistakable hammer-shaped skulls wagging back and forth as if to the beat of some prehistoric rhythm. â€Å"Christ, Mike,†Corky stammered. â€Å"So glad you shared this with us.â€
Friday, January 3, 2020
What Is Keratin and What Is Its Purpose
Keratin is a fibrous structural protein found in animal cells and used to form specialized tissues. Specifically, the proteins are only produced by chordates (vertebrates, Amphioxus, and urochordates), which includes mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians. The tough protein protects epithelial cells and strengthens certain organs. The only other biological material possessing similar toughness is the protein chitin, found in invertebrates (e.g., crabs, cockroaches). There are different forms of keratin, such as ÃŽ ±-keratins and harder ÃŽ ²-keratins. Keratins are considered examples of scleroproteins or albuminoids. The protein is rich in sulfur and insoluble in water. The high sulfur content is attributed to the richness of the amino acid cysteine. Disulfide bridges add strength to the protein and contribute to insolubility. Keratin is not typically digested in the gastrointestinal tract. Keratin Word Origin The word keratin comes from the Greek word keras which means horn. Examples of Keratin Bundles of keratin monomers form what are called intermediate filaments. Keratin filaments may be found in the cornified layer of the skins epidermis in cells called keratinocytes. The Î ±-keratins include: hairwoolnailshoovesclawshorns Examples of Î ²-keratins include: scales of reptilesreptile nailsbird clawstortoise shellsfeathersporcupine quillsbird beaks The baleen plates of whales also consist of keratin. Silk and Keratin Some scientists classify the silk fibroins that are produced by spiders and insects as keratins, although there are differences between the phylogeny of the materials, even if their molecular structure is comparable. Keratin and Disease While animal digestive systems arent equipped to deal with keratin, certain infectious fungi feed on the protein. Examples include the ringworm and athletes foot fungus. Mutations in the keratin gene can produce diseases, including epidermolytic hyperkeratosis and keratosis pharyngis. Because keratin is not dissolved by digestive acids, ingesting it causes problems in people who eat hair (tricophagia) and results in vomiting of hairballs in cats, once enough hair has accumulated from grooming. Unlike felines, humans dont vomit hairballs, so a large accumulation of hair in the human digestive tract can cause the rare but fatal intestinal blockage called Rapunzel syndrome.
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