Eve Kosofsky Sedgwicks Tendencies: Queerness and Oppression Essay

Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick's Tendencies: Queerness and Oppression Over the last two decades or so, the idea of queerness is one that has been utilized and considered by individuals and communities of marginalized sexualities and genders. The concept is one that has attempted to broaden and deconstruct traditional notions of gender and sexuality in order to include all of their incarnations as valid experiences and identities. Queerness endeavors to include all of those who feel they are a part of it yet, seemingly, not everyone can be queer without changing the very nature of queerness. Or can they? Queerness is a concept which resists borders and structure yet it seems as though there must be certain commonalities among all queer identities and behaviors. In her book, Tendencies, Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick constructs queerness as a seemingly all-inclusive and individually determined space, writing that: queer can refer to: the open mesh of possibilities, gaps, overlaps, dissonances, resonances, lapses and excesses of meaning when the constituent element's of anyone's gender, of anyone's sexuality aren't made (or can't be made) to signify monolithically. (8) She expands queer beyond the bounds of "same-sex sexual object choice" making queerness about performative behavior rather than sexual mechanics (Sedgwick 8). For example, Sedgwick's idea of queer includes "feminists... masturbators... lesbian-identified men...[and] people able to relish, learn from, or identify with such" among others(8). She posits that the fundamental precondition, "to make the description 'queer' a true one is the impulsion to use it in the first person" (Sedgwick 9). Yet is this self-determined queerness valid? Can actual queerness be claimed s... ...cepting one's status as incongruent allows one to claim a singular identity without inviting oppression because one's incongruence prohibits a singular identity claim to completely describe the self. The manner in which Foucault and Sedgwick construct queerness allows for oppression because they assume that the self is a singular cohesive body. Warner supposes that by realizing the fragmentation the self, one can claim an identity and escape oppression. Works Cited Foucault, Michel. The History of Sexuality Volume 1: An Introduction. Trans. Robert Hurley. New York: Vintage Books, 1980. Sedgwick, Eve Kosofsky. Tendencies. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 1993. Warner, Michael. "Tongues United: Memoirs of a Pentecostal Boyhood." The Material Queer: A LesBiGay Cultural Studies Reader. Ed. Donald Morton. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1996.

Free Speech Movement in the US :: essays research papers

Analyse the ideals and goals of the free speech movement in Berkeley. The first official protest was held in May 1960 in the San Francisco Hall. The protest was held whilst a meeting for the House of Un-American Committee (HUAC) was taking place. It was a stand against US oppression of political freedom, and with the work of HUAC hitting close to him – a Berkeley student had been subpoenaed, the students were ready to make their opposition heard.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is important not to take the activities of the early 1960’s as independent from the years preceding it. In another time and another context, the activities of HUAC may not have been met with the same opposition. However following the wave of the civil rights movements in the mid 1950’s and more importantly the era of McCarthyism, there existed a very real and strong resistance to anything that resembled what was seen as the â€Å"witch trials† of the fifties. Interestingly, it was not the protest itself that sparked the beginning of what became known as the free speech movement. Rather it was the reaction of the media and the government that encouraged the support of students throughout the country. What was intended to be a peaceful protest was portrayed to the country as evidence of a vast â€Å"communist plot.† Dubbed as â€Å"operation abolition,† a video of the protest was released, supposedly showing how the communist were now using students to achieve their means. The plan backfired; students were attracted to Berkeley by the droves, with a new sense of determination in tow. It is probable that the administration in taking away the student’s political frontline were only aiming to subdue the civil rights movement. However the effect of banning everyone from speaking their mind had an effect unforeseen by those in charge. Students from all backgrounds and schools of political thought were united; students that under any other circumstance never would have come together. This is what made the free-speech movement unique; it was a merger of forces across the political front, only possible because the matters at stake transcended political orientation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As outlined in the film, â€Å"Berkeley in the 60’s,† the direction of the free speech movement was not concretely defined right from the outset.

Is Liberal Autocracy the Optimum Form of Governance for Lesser Developed Countries?

Is Liberal Autocracy the optimum form of governance for Lesser Developed Countries? Andre Lim, Joshua Tjahjadi August 2011 1743 Words Hypothesis: Liberal autocracy is the optimal system of governance for lesser-developed countries (LDCs) Democracy at home, and abroad: In this essay, the authors aim to compare the systems of governance in Indonesia and Singapore, as well as how their differences have led to varied repercussions in both countries; those (repercussions) that will be closely examined here are the growth/development of stable governmental institutions, as well as the just rule of law.These are relatively newly-decolonized states existing side by side, in recent years taking different paths of governance. This resulted in wildly different outcomes. What was it about their different political paths that caused the difference? Is the fault with the democratic process, or with their implementation? Is there a certain developmental threshold within which democracy is just doom ed to failure? Many of these questions traverse along peripheries of political doctrine and liberal ethics. Certainly, democracy is an unpredictable, and often messy process.Only by answering hard questions like these can it be better understood, and refined. This is what the authors hope to achieve. To start off, however several key terms first have to be defined. Liberal autocracy refers to a non-democratically elected government founded on the principles of liberalism, that is a fundamental belief in the importance of liberty and basic fundamental rights. Notably successful examples include Singapore, and in the past Hong Kong, Taiwan as well as Japan. Lesser developed countries are nations exhibiting low levels of socio-economic development.Criterion include- low economic development (GNP of less than 905 USD, per capita) as well as human resource weakness (indicators include Adult literacy, nutrition and education). Liberty vs. Democracy- Rise of illiberal democracies? As Faree d Zakaria once brilliantly put it, ‘there today exists two strands of liberal democracy, both inextricably interwoven into Western political fabric- liberty and democracy. ’ The former is floundering even though the latter is flourishing. What is the significance of this co-relation?Democracy at its purest essentially means the rule of the people, whatever it may entail. Liberty recognizes that every man is born with certain unalienable rights- rights to religion, to life, to own property and be free from unfair prosecution. These are rights that cannot be infringed upon. Thus the crux behind constitutional liberty is the construction of institutions such as an independent Judiciary and Treasury to safeguard these rights. Only with a firmly-established Constitutional Liberty can democracy become a force for good.People frequently understand these concepts in reverse. Without the restrictive tenets of a strong Constitutional Liberty, the democratic process will end up ma nipulated and reinforcing corrupted/tyrannical/incompetent governance, elevating mediocrity and triggering stagnation. This is made apparent with Indonesia’s example. Without the checks and balances provided by libertarian governance, elections more often than not grant victory to illiberal forces. Contrast with Singapore’s single-party rule that gave rise to political stability and little corruption.A lack of liberty turn erodes the egalitarian and majoritarian principles casted by founders of modern constitutional-democracy doctrine- Madison, Locke, Rousseau, Montesquieu. After all, the democratic system obviously has many admirable qualities. It allows a peaceful transfer of power, and renders tyrannical rule impossible. In both Singapore and Indonesia, this conundrum has been made apparent, time and again. 1960s to 2000: Emerging from the upheavals of 1960s, both the LKY and Suharto regime placed utmost emphasis on stability and order.Thus a common tactic was to st ifle political opposition; co-opting whoever they could, and proscecuting the rest. For instance, in the 1980s a group of Indonesian intelligentsia composed of former military men, public intellectuals and officials signed the Petition of 50(Petisi 50), criticizing the regime’s authoritarian tactics and following a 1984 accusation that Suharto was building a one-party state, the group was cracked down upon and many of its leaders were jailed. In Singapore, many prominent opposition leaders such as Chee Soon Juan and Joshua Jeyaretnam were proscecuted and jailed for their political activities.In both nations, the government also played a major role in different sectors of society; be it religion, social or economic. The results were astounding. Between 1960 and 1990, GDP/capita increased four-fold. After the debacle made by the Sukarno regime of economic affairs, Indonesia slowly regained trust of investors, and foreign markets. Hyper inflation was brought under control, and a s slew of measures were implemented to make Indonesia competitive again. By early 1980s Indonesia had achieved self-sufficiency of rice production, as well as basic education for all and successful family planning measures.The Golden Age of Autocrats? In the 1960s-1980s, in midst of the Cold War, amidst the geopolitical turmoil engulfing South Asia then, strong leaders were required maintain unity, as well as stability. In a sense, the turbulence of those years gave legitimacy for autocratic rule. In developing countries where the populace was mostly uneducated and politically illiterate/susceptible to radicalism, the strong hand of an Autocrat was required to provide the stability vital to building the economy, creating strong instutions, pushing forth important reforms. These would in the future be key to building a working Democracy.If there was one thing men like Mahatir, Marcos, Chiang, Lee and Suharto agreed on, it was that in an LDC, the strong, unwavering hand of autocratic rule was necessary to temper populism and keep check radicalism. 2000 onwards: Since the fall of Suharto in 1998, Indonesia evolved into a full-fledged democracy. However, democracy has brought about a whole slew of problems. For instance, the judiciary’s impartiality and reliability have often been questioned. In June 2011, a judge was caught receiving bribes from a lawyer that amounted to Rp250 million in various currencies.In addition to this, the country also faces problems such as crumbling infrastructure, falling tax revenues, environmental degradation, corruption as well as religious tensions. Singapore on the other hand has been powering forward, be it in terms of education levels, or the economy. Its political elite, un-encumbered by electoral demands is able to make long-term decisions that otherwise would have been rendered impossible in a full-fledged democracy. For example, Singapore fiscally is exceptionally disciplined.Its population exists on little subsidies, and through measures like the CPF, whereby people pay for their own compulsory healthcare insurance, it has large surpluses and little deficit. This allows the MAS and GIC to invest in new technologies and facilities vital to Singapore’s long-term growth, such as the Petrochemical facilities on Jurong- Island, or Biopolis biomedical facilities. Contrast this to Indonesia, whereby the electorate is unwilling to give up on fuel and food subsidies they once enjoyed during the boom years, but are nowadays unsustainable and detrimental to Indonesia’s economic growth.What constitutes good Libertarian Governance? Having looked at the preceding case studies, several correlations can be made between democracy, governance and progress. Firstly, it is that democracy can only become a force for progress and stability were it to come hand in hand with strong governance. When left to itself, democracy by no means lead to consensus and effective decision making. Instead, it will end up getting manipulated and corrupted by infighting, vested interests and corruption. Take the Indonesian Parliament. It is an archetypal example of the democratic process getting hijacked by corruption and ideology.Given that Indonesia lacks strong governmental institutions and mature civil society, the democratic process frequently ends up as a medium for parties in power to battle out their vested interests and for racial, ethnic groups to push forward their own agendas. Some may ask, what is the value of strong institutions? The crux behind Constitutional Democracy lies in checks and balances. No single party should have all the power, instead; power and the decision making process should be diffused among the different branches of government.This way, it would render cronyism, patronage politics and in general bad governance less likely. Were this accomplished, decision making rests not so much on who is in power; but rather the institutions that formulate and implement them. T hus the underlying problem with immature democracies like Indonesia. Without a civil society and strong institutions to balance out the powers of the executive, there is nothing preventing irresponsible governance on the part of those who seek to use democratic institutions to push forward their undemocratic agendas.For instance, with the presence of a strong judiciary and treasury to formulate and implement a just tax code, it would be impossible for Indonesian conglomerates and their cronies in Parliament to push for tax breaks and other concessions. This is inherently undemocratic. What Democracy thenceforth would end up doing is aggravating conflicts and instability, as can be seen in places like Lebanon and Iraq, whereby the advent of democratic elections have given rise to an ethnically, politically polarized electorate. Secondly, a certain amount of economic growth has to be achieved before a stable democracy can be established.There exist several reasons for this. On one han d, a government capable of producing sustained economic growth is more likely to be stable and effective, possessing the strong institutions required for this. Their presence increases the chances of a Liberal Democratic regime surviving. Economic prosperity also means that a society is more stable, with an educated, empowered population likely to hold government account to their actions. Paradoxically, as inherently undemocratic the PAP regime may seem today, Singapore 45 years after independence is closer to becoming a successful Liberal democracy than ever before.Having a motivated, uncorrupt elite in more or less total control of public policy means that Singapore had been able to enjoy decades of sustained economic, political and social growth. This has created stability, as well as strong institutions and a flourishing civil society. With its vast ruling majority, the PAP regime has also been able to build legislative and judicial institutions that counterweigh the power of th e ruling body, since it has no need to cope with frequently detrimental populist sentiments or political infighting.The legislative body can then focus solely on advancing national interests. Therein lies the crux behind effective governance. Conclusion: In conclusion, it can be surmised that establishing the pre-requisites required for a strong Democracy is a complicated process. Developing countries lack these pre-requisites, and trying to develop Liberal institutions in these countries under democratic circumstances is arduously tough. When this process fails, as it often does, the Democratic process loses its value as a force for stability.Herein lies the value of a Liberal Autocracy; to build the foundations for a working democracy. Certainly, liberal autocratic rule has its disadvantages. With such a high concentration of power within the ruling government, things only work out if the government is able, uncorrupt and works to build the institutions required for future transit ion to democratic rule. This was the case in Singapore. In Indonesia, the establishment of growth, stability and Liberty came hand in hand with cronyism and patronage politics. This is undemocratic; a possible offshoot of autocratic rule.Like America’s founding fathers, Lee and Suharto were both elitists with a democratic cause; to improve the lot of as many people as possible. They had one consensus- Democracy has to be meticulously built, rigorously defended. Developing countries require autocracy first, were a strong democracy to be conceived. However, with the advent of internet and a new generation of young people eager for rights and freedoms, this formulae may not work in other developing countries today. After all, any system needs to be revised from time to time. No system last forever.This thus, is the dilemma developing countries face today. They face the problem of consolidation, of making a democratic regime successful, because self-government is never easy. Afte r all, democracy can be entrusted to any society, but not everyone can make it work. (1743 words) Bibliography Hard copy sources: 1. â€Å"Future of Freedom- Illiberal Democracy, At home and Abroad† by Fareed Zakaria, W. W. & Norton Company Inc. 2003, ISBN0393047644 2. â€Å"Conversations with Lee Kuan Yew: Citizen Singapore-how to build a nation† by Tom Plate.December 1 2010, Marshall Cavendish Corporation, ISBN-10 9812616764, ISBN-13 978-9812616760 3. â€Å"Lee Kuan Yew-Hard truths to keep Singapore going† by Ignatius Low, Chua Mui Hoong, Han Fook Kwang, Zuraidah Ibrahim, Lydia Lim, Rachel Lin and Robin Chan. February 2011, The Straits Times Press, ISBN 978-981-4266-72-7 Soft copy sources: 1. Is Media Helping or Hurting Push for Democracy Ismira Lutfia, May 9 2011 http://www. thejakartaglobe. com/arts/is-media-helping-or-hurting-push-for-democracy/440043 2. LeeKuanYew-istan Forever Parag Khanna, May 24 2011 3.Indonesian Democracy at Standtill John Macbeth, Str aits Times Indonesia May 10 2011 4. A Replacement for Suharto’s Iron Fist Mohamed Iqbal Ahnaf April 08, 2011 5. Liberalism and Democracy: Cant Have One Without The Other Marc Plattner, 1998 http://www. foreignaffairs. com/articles/53815/marc-f-plattner/liberalism-and-democracy-cant-have-one-without-the-other? page=show 6. The Thinker: Indonesia Unplugged? Mahpud Sujai, May 27 2011 http://www. thejakartaglobe. com/opinion/the-thinker-indonesia-unplugged/443379 ——————————————– 1 ]. Future of Freedom- Illiberal Democracy, At home and Abroad† by Fareed Zakaria, W. W. & Norton Company Inc. 2003, ISBN0393047644 [ 2 ]. http://www. indonesia-digest. net/3300suharto. htm [ 3 ]. ibid [ 4 ]. Jakarta Post, November 5 2009 [ 5 ]. Future of Freedom- Illiberal Democracy, At home and Abroad† by Fareed Zakaria, W. W. & Norton Company Inc. 2003, ISBN0393047644 [ 7 ]. 6 ibid [ 8 ]. 7 ibid [ 10 ]. Conversations With Lee Kuan Yew February 2011, The Straits Times Press, ISBN 978-981-4266-72-7 [ 11 ]. ibid [ 12 ]. ibid [ 13 ]. Foreign Policy, May 2007

Week One Ethics Development

The ethical system is built from many theories. Utilitarianism teaches to â€Å"do† the right things in life. Deontology follows dictations and commandments from the bible. The virtue theory contains the development of personal characteristics. It is interesting to know how a person develops morals and values and why everyone is different. Utilitarianism in ethics is the theory that the rightness or wrongness of an action is determined by its usefulness in bringing about the most happiness of all those affected by it. The word utilitarianism comes from the Greek word telos, which means â€Å"end†. Under this direction, acting ethically means making decisions and taking actions that benefit the people by maximizing â€Å"good† and minimizing â€Å"bad† (danielsfund. org). Englishmen Jerry Bentham and John Stuart Mill were too of the most influential developers of the utilitarian view point. Utilitarianism focuses on the pursuit of happiness. Another theory is the deontology moral theory. While utilitarianism revolves around the concept of â€Å"the end justifies the means†, and deontology works on a concept that â€Å"the ends does not justify the means†. Deontology is another moral theory that is dependent on the Scriptures, which may refer to rules, moral laws, and intuition. It is based on the Greek word â€Å"deon† and â€Å"logos† meaning, â€Å"the study of duty†. In other words deontology is based on the idea that we have a duty to do certain things and to not do certain things. For example, if a person refuses to shoot someone because they feel they have a duty to follow the commandment â€Å"Thou shalt not kill†. This sentence becomes a rule that the person lives by. Deontologist have strong feelings about the words â€Å"right† and â€Å"good†. Rights have to do with actions. Good has to do with outcomes. They feel that â€Å"right† is the only consideration. Deontologist are people who freely choose to accept certain constraints and who decide what is right by looking at the nature of the act itself. Some establish rules, such as keep your promises, do not kill, etc. and some follow God’s commandments. They do not look at the consequences as a rule and sometimes find themselves in difficult situations. Deontologists face more problems then conflicting duties. They are sometimes accused of being cold hearted moral machines that ignore the world around them. There are many disputes with this moral theory because people question if they are being ethical by doing what God says because they want to go to heaven. There is a difference between being obedient and being ethical. Another fascinating theory is the virtue theory. The virtue theory is different from utilitarianism and deontology. Many philosophers believe that morality consists of following precisely defined rules of conduct. Virtue theorists place less emphasis on learning rules, instead stress the importance of developing good habits of character. The virtue theory emphasizes moral education since virtuous character traits are developed in one’s youth. Adults are responsible for instilling virtues in the young. There are certain traits which are seen to be virtuous. For example, a few are wisdom, courage, justice and temperance. Virtue ethics can be seen as an ethics of personal development. People can develop virtues over time, and so in theory, grow into a better person. The virtue theory describes the position of my morality on a personal level. My parents taught me right from wrong and how to be a good person. They were my role models and I am the person that I am today because of them. They taught me that stealing is worng, and to respect others. These things are in the bible an my family believes in God but for me that was not the first that I react to when I make a decision. My decision making is guided by characteristics and the virtues that are installed in me. When I was younger I made many terrible decisions but now that I am older and wiser I make better decisions. For example, one day I was leaving Wal-Mart and I noticed that my daughter which is two years old had a toy in her stroller that was not paid for. I immediately went back inside to pay for the item. Because I have great parents that was raised with the good morals and values I will honor them by installing those traits into my children so they will become good people and grow up to be successful in life. Deontology moral theory works for individuals who are obedient and utilitarianism is great for someone who believes in taking action for the good of all. The virtue theory will work for someone who has strong and positive role models in their life. All three of these theories are great ways to incorporate good values and morals. Finding the one the best fits a person’s lifestyle is a challenge.

Eschatology: The Destiny of the Unsaved Essay

In answering Steve’s comment about the destiny of the unsaved certain definitions need to be dealt with along with reference made available to us and I have just what we need. Steve I understand what you have read and the comment was made from the standpoint of the author â€Å"Clark Pinnock. † However, if you will allow me to answer your questions in defining words such as; â€Å"Hades, Gehenna, Sheol, Eternal punishment, Annihilationism, Universalism, Hell and Apokatastasis. You also asked the difference between Hades and Sheol. Since we are dealing with Sotereology, Eschatology and Ecclesiology it is only fair that we reference the Word of God. Our definitions will come from Elwell Evangelical Dictionary of Theology and some citing from Towns, Theology for Today. In defining Sheol, Elwell (2001, 1099) notes,† A place where men experience rewards, or punishments that will come to them in final judgment and a place whose power cannot withstand the church. † Hades is noted as; â€Å"A grave or the place of bodily decay; a place of punishment for the wicked,† (p. 1099). Gehenna,† according to Elwell (2001, 480), is defined in this manner; â€Å"A place that shares some common ground with Hades/Sheol; however, both good and bad souls after death prior to judgment, while Gehenna is the final and everlasting place of punishment for the wicked following the last judgment. † In answering Steve’s question of the difference, if any, among Sheol, Hades, and Gehenna and the concepts that best corresponds to the traditional understanding of the eternal abode of the Wicked? Sheol and Hades best corresponds to the traditional understanding of the eternal abode of the wicked. Contrary to popular belief hell is explained in the Bible as a final place for the wicked, this will be brought out further in our discussion. As we continue on in our definitions, Elwell (2001, 395 Eternal punishment as; â€Å"One being cast into a lake of fire where the fire never goes out. † (Mark 9:43; cf. Luke 3:17). â€Å"He referred to ‘†hell,’† where the worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. ’† Elwell (2001, 64), further defines Annihilationism as â€Å"expressing the position of those that hold that some, if not all, human souls will cease to exist after death. Our next word is Universalism, Elwell (2001, 1232), defines the word as; â€Å"That doctrine which asserts that all men will eventually be reconciled to God. Universalist believes that the efficiency of the Atonement is not limited and therefore extends to all. † Furthermore, Elwell, (p. 548) states Universalist also believe that all will eventually go to heaven. † Elwell, (2001, 547) further defines Hell in a general sense, he notes; â€Å"Hell is used in Scripture to [describe] or refer to a place of future punishment for the wicked. As we have elaborated on the more detrimental states of eschatology there is another state that is quite attractive to the theologian and media evangelist. This state is better known as the Intermediate State, Elwell, (2001, 608 – 609), defines this as; â€Å"The period between death as an individual phenomenon and the final judgment and consummation. If Christian thought held to not final state of affairs for all creation, then perhaps ones final situation could be conceived as being settled at death. Elwell further include the theory of Purgatory; you will not be lost, yet God will be just. At the present time, with much awareness of life as a process or evolution, purgatory has also allowed for speculation about continued development of the soul. As such, it continues to be attractive for some in a greatly modified form. † Lastly, Elwell, (2001, 81), defines the Apokatastasis, he state that; â€Å"Jesus must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as He promised long ago through his holy prophets. Further, Elwell states that most evangelicals, while insisting on an eschatological restoration by Christ, deny the corollary assertion of the ultimate salvation of all humans. Now that we have defined the terms necessary, let me give you my understanding of the destiny of the unsaved from a biblical stand point as well. My understanding is that â€Å"Gehenna† or the â€Å"Lake of Fire† is prepared for the Devil and his angels, consequently the â€Å"Wicked,† or â€Å"Unsaved† after the â€Å"Great White Throne Judgment† will be cast into hell where they will spend â€Å"eternal punishment. † (Matthew 25:41, 46; Revelation 20:12-15). Towns (2008, 795) notes; â€Å"All those who are judged at the Great White Throne are consigned to hell because they have rejected God. Hence], The Great White Throne Judgment will determine the degree of punishment the rejecters will endure, based upon the nature of their evil work. † Furthermore, in my research the most common objection comes from many sources, however the objections used for an our example is that of the Universalist. Elwell (2001, 1232), notes; â€Å"Universalism is that doctrine which asserts that all men will eventually be reconciled to God. A Universalist believes that the efficiency of the Atoneme nt is not limited and therefore extends to all. † Furthermore, Elwell, (p. 548) notes, â€Å"Universalist also believe that all will eventually go to heaven. [The Scriptures biases for this belief are as follows]: (1 John 2:2; Philippians 2:10-13; 2 Peter 3:9; Romans 11:32; 2 Timothy 2:4). † Now Steve, there are many that may not share my point of view and that’s common in religious society. However, In responding to objections one has to point out that when Christ returns it will be for a â€Å"church without a spot or a wrinkle,† (Holy Bible, Ephesians 5:27). This does not mean that God does not love everyone, it simply means that He will save those who have answered his call to salvation (Holy Bible, John 3:16-21). All of this can be summed up in one word â€Å"Atonement. Elwell notes (2001, 114), â€Å"This truth is repeated, and enlarged upon in the NT, where it is made clear that all are sinners (Romans 3:23) and that hell awaits them (Mark 9:43; Luke 12:5). But it is just as clear that God wills to bring salvation and that He has brought it in the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of His Son. The love of God is the mainspring (John 3:16; Romans 5:8). We are not to think of a loving Son wringing salvation from a just but stern Father. It is the will of the Father that all be saved, and salvation is accomplished – not with a wave of the hand, so to speak – but by what God has done in Christ. In reconciling the idea of hell and eternal punishment one has to understand the offer that Christ made to all mankind, (Holy Bible, John 3:16; Romans 10:9-17; Ephesians 2:1-22). Not only did God make the offer, but he also gave the consequence if one did not except Christ. God does not make our decisions for us; however, He has made a way of escape from sin to eternal life through His Son Jesus Christ. What is the impact that my view of hell has on evangelism/missions? The impact that my view has on hell and getting the word out to all that will hear is to know that we all have a decision to make as for as our eternal destination. We can choose heaven or hell the choice is ours as individuals. The impact that I would like to make from this point on is to paint a picture such as explained in Towns, Theology for Today (2008, 802), â€Å"The Millennium will fulfill all the biblical desires that have been expressed towards it (Hebrew 11:10). That which brings joy and fulfillment to life will be included in the kingdom. Those things which produce sorrow or discomfort in life will be excluded from the kingdom of God. †

Halloween (1978) Movie analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Halloween (1978) Movie analysis - Assignment Example l prove that the director deliberately depersonalized the antagonist to make him for frightening as well as designed mise in scene in a way that the viewer would know that something is missing and anticipate the danger. To begin with, one might note that when Laurie entered the room, she wanted to close the window. There was no particular reason to do so, other than some subconscious fear of Michael whom she recently saw. However, after she noticed that he was standing in her backyard, she immediately closed the window for a particular reason which is not to let him in. If one carefully analyzes the way she performed the action in question, one will be able to see that she was quite desperate and vulnerable. Indeed, a woman with her constitution can hardly oppose a man who is taller and stronger than her. Later in the movie she is shown fighting him and Laurie is able to overcome only due to some lucky hits that she makes. By far, the part when she noticed a strange figure in the backyard should be seen as a rather frightening one: the mask that he is wearing contributes to demonalization of the character. There are several explanations for it. On the one hand, when one looks at the backyard, one does not expect to see something extraordinary. That is why a presence of an unknown man in the very middle of it seems to be a real shock to her. Indeed, Michael is positioned on the front frame and occupies the majority of the space. In addition to that mask makes him look like the villain of the movie and becomes a symbol of taking away his humanity. That is why this particular image make Michael so frightening. One of the first impressions that the scene in the bedroom has on the viewer is the emptiness of the room. In spite of the fact that it looks as an ordinary room, mise en scene is organized in such a way that the audience understanding that something is clearly missing. Keeping in mind that Laurie saw Michael several times before walking into the house, it is

The economy of a specific developing country Essay

The economy of a specific developing country - Essay Example Kenya is located in the eastern part of Africa that is strategic for water transport because of the availability of good harbors that are easily accessible to vessels from most parts of the world. This makes Kenya to be strategically advantaged considering the fact that sea transports constitutes significant percentage in promoting international business. In addition, the country has several natural resources including oil that was recently discovered and natural wildlife that contribute significantly to the national income. Further, Kenya has a good human resource base considering that 70% of the population age is below 35 years and most people are well educated (Embassy of United States 1). Of more significance, economic growth in Kenya has been positive in the recent past and is considered as the regional powerhouse. Most election years are characterized by decreased economic growth resulting from political uncertainties in the country. This is evidenced by decline in GDP growth from 7.1% in the year 2007 before elections to 1.6 % in the year 2008 after presidential elections characterized by ethnic violence (Embassy of United States 1). This was not the case in the recently concluded presidential election where the national GDP growth was maintained at around 5% (The World Bank Group 1). According to The Brookings Institution, Kenyan economy acts as an anchor to the regional development in east Africa (1). This is because the country operates on a mixed economy with advanced human capital base and also adoption of technological innovations in the communication sector. On the other hand, Kenya experiences several types of inequalities that affect economic development in one way or another. To start with, there is income inequality in Kenya where few rich citizens control much of the national income (Heifer International 1). This has consequently led to increased poverty levels in the country. In addition, there is unemployment in equity between

The Star Appeal of Farid al-Atrash and Yusuf Wahbi Assignment

The Star Appeal of Farid al-Atrash and Yusuf Wahbi - Assignment Example Farid’s mother had to work as a singer in private functions like parties and weddings as her children also did jobs as they went to school. Farid and his young sister Amal took an interest in their mother’s love for singing and thus she encouraged them to sing as she taught Farid how to play the oud. Early in their youth, Farid and Amal (who later became Ashmahane), began drawing the attention of composers and song-writers who were amazed by their musical talents and beautiful voices. Soon, they were singing in radio stations and in large gatherings. The cinema also opened a door for success for Farid and Ashmahane after they starred in two films. Unfortunately, tragedy struck and Ashmahane died after being involved in a grizzly car accident. It was rumoured that she was involved with the British intelligence (IMDB 1990). Farid’s quick success brought him into a life of night clubs, love affairs and gambling in which he got involved. Soon, he went into debt and w as abandoned by his mother. It is during this time that his sister died (IMDB 1990). According to Sis.gov, Farid studied the lute at the public service department of the Institute of music and at the same time worked as a driver to earn a living. This was a time of financial difficulty for him and his family. Some of his teachers were the renowned composers Safar Ali and Mohamed al-Qasabgi. Farid later worked in the night club called Badie'a Mosabni. During Farid’s time in 1952, there was a revolution known as the 23 July Revolution. It began on 23rd July with a military coup d’etat by the Free Officers Movement. This was a group of army officers led by Muhammad Naguib and Gamal Abdel Nasser. This revolution was initially aimed at overthrowing king Farouk I but later went on to abolish the constituional monarchy and aristocracy of Egypt and Sudan, establish a republic and finally secure Sudan’s independence that was governed as an Anglo-Egyptian condominium. Thi s revolutionary government established a republic and among its goals was to secure the independence of Sudan. This revolutionary government adopted a staunch, nationalist, anti-imperialist agenda that came to be expressed mainly through Arab nationalism and international non-alignment (Khan 2010). Farid was a mixture of the oriental music’s originality and modernity of Western music. He was the best lute player of his age and one of the first to introduce the show business to Egyptian movies. He died in the year 1974. Indeed, Fareed Al-Atrash was a legend that will always be remembered throughout in history (Sis.gov). Yusuf Wahbi Yusuf Wahbi was an Egyptian stage and film actor and director who was a leading star of the 1930s and 40s. He was one of the most prominent Arab stage actors ever. Born the son of a pasha in 1898, Yusuf was expected to become an engineer like his father but his passion for acting took him to an unexpected direction. He joined the circus and this bot h surprised and enraged his father. He became someone whose testimony was not acceptable in court and he was considered a disgrace to his family. He was expelled from home by his father who later enrollrd him in an agricultural school in order for him to be reformed (Kanema 2008). Wahbi ran away to Italy where he changed his name to Ramses and only

What If Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

What If - Essay Example If we are unable to establish some form of communication with others 'out there', there option of diplomatic advancement becomes extremely constrained. Hence, it is highly unlikely that we would be able to colonize any other planet. If we assume that the population of Eden2 can be communicated with, then it is in our best interest to take a diplomatic approach. By virtue of our assumption that they may be more technologically advanced then Earth, it would be illogical for us to choose invasion. The odds are we would be stopped, or eliminated from existence. Either way we do not leave a good impression of our species with the population of Eden2. Alternatively they may have evolved a society that is non-violent or even pacifist; however, it would be illogical to think that they would not have defences of some sort, especially given their advancement in technology. For example, they may have an impenetrable barrier around the planet or their places of dwelling; or firepower that is activated by too close an approach to their planet or dwelling; or they may be able to disarm their foe by way of being able to phase-shift (i.e. become invisible). Hence, we would need to approach in a friendly manner, take a slightly submissive role as guests in their part of the galaxy who looking for somewhere to live. We could assume that the population of Eden2 would want something in exchange for allowing us to colonize their planet, regardless of how friendly we are. As they may have more advanced technology it is unlikely that we would have much to offer in exchange. Alternatively, They may want something from us that we do not want to give, which leaves a lot to the imagination and calls into question many other assumptions that are better elucidated in my next sci-fi book (assuming my first gets published!). However, the idea that another species would engage in Earth behaviours such as reciprocity, 'scratch my back I'll scratch yours', or 'survival of the fittest', is purely a human concept. As we are currently unable to, and most of us not interested in, communication with the myriad of species we now co-habit with, we are unable to conceive of different ways of negotiating or problem-solving. We have only our human perspective as the frame of reference from which to draw on, and so likely we are projecting our human concepts onto another species.Given their probable higher levels of technology we could assume that they have advanced sociological systems as well, seeing as they have not used up all the natural resources on their planet, nor are nearing exte rmination of themselves through technology advancement. Although, from an Earth perspective, we have no evidence to support the assumption that advanced technology will ensures survival, given our present predicament. In the short-term, Earthlings can look forward to an extended life-span as compared to 100 years ago, thanks to technologic advancement. However, we also have decreased fertility rates and rising 'grey' populations in the West; overpopulation and appalling poverty in 'developing' nations; as well as mass species extinction and ecological breakdowns; pollution, depleted natural resources and global warming. The evidence suggests that advancements in our technology will not ensure our survival. Assuming that Eden2 has advanced socially, we could assume that they would be open to diplomatic negotiations regarding our colonization of their planet. Being socially advanced they would need to have ways of accommodating other

ILSC 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

ILSC 2 - Essay Example Involving and engaging employees in the decision-making process or working together with employees, as a team is another way of motivating employees.Many employees become contended with their work and also become active in the company when they are engaged in the decision-making process or work together as a team. Team building is crucial because it enables employees to improve their performance level because of accomplishing their task faster and effectively (Mayhem 2013, pr.6).For instance, Sony Company is one of the well-known corporations that have increased their revenues because of increased innovative products. This is because the company has a unique way of motivating their employees through involving and engaging them in the decision-making process, as well as, treating everyone equal (Smith 2013, pp. 16).James (2008, p. 433)offers some effective leadership strategies such as motivation and teamwork as valuable means for achieving competitive advantage in the company. Many l eaders have made significant efforts of incorporating varied leadership strategies in order to meet the organizational needs. Northouse (2010, p. 24) also argues that managers need to examine their own traits since this will enable them to recognize their weakness or strengths vital for understanding the way followers perceive them in the work environment. This is crucial because it can enable leaders to engage or create the good relationship with their employees; thus improving the industrial relations.