Islam And Buddhism Essay Example For Students

Islam And Buddhism Essay Islam and Buddhism are two distinct religious traditions that provide their ownmeaningful responses to the fundamental questions about life. Their views onissues relating to the possibility of a Supreme Being, the purpose of life andtheir understanding of the cycle of life and death are all quite distinct fromeach other, but at the same time, having minor similarities. These can be seenin the following comparative study between the teachings of these two worldreligions. Is there a Supreme Being? What is the nature of the divine? AllMuslims profess the existence of the One and Only God, God Almighty who is alsoreferred to as Allah. They firmly believe that Allah is the most high andhonored, the creator and the sustainer of all that exists and he has no physicalconnections between any thing he has created whether it be the creatures orhuman beings on this earth. He has no beginning and no end. Allah has nophysical dimensions like hunger, sleep or rest for he is the one who gives suchattributes to his creatures. Buddhism on the other hand, recognises no creatorgod who initially brought the universe into existence and continues to controlit in the way that Allah controls everything that is or happens in the universefrom the smallest to the greatest events. The founder of Buddhism, who is knownas Buddha, did not want to be worshipped as a god. He taught that people wouldbe happier if they took responsibility for their own thoughts and actions. Histeachings were simply a guide for living. Muslims can some what relate to thisin the way they are taught to be responsible for their own actions and sins. Thetwo religions are also similar in the way they both believe in the concept ofgod/s existing in the afterlife. Muslims firmly believe in the existence ofAllah in heaven while Buddhists consider the possibility of gods existing in theheavens that their karma has created. What is the purpose of life? Islam teachesthat God created human beings and endowed them with immortal souls. Eachindividual possesses the quality of uniqueness and the duty of each person is towork out his or her own destiny and each is responsible for his or her ownaction. Buddhists would say that rather than being created by a Supreme Being,humans actually got themselves born due to karma made in past lives. This wasmade with a particular father and mother with whom we have karmic connections.Islam also teaches that the task of a human being is to make a sincere effortand strive to do his/her best. Islam discourages its followers to sit inresignation. However, whatever results from effort is to come from Godsdecision and should be accepted with patience. At the same time, giving thanksand praise to God is also part of the central purpose in life. In contrast toBuddhism teachings, Buddha did not want to be worshipped as a god, but instead,taught people that the central idea of life was to reach as sense ofincomprehensible peace in their minds. In Islam, life is essentially preparationfor the Day of Judgement when Allah will call all people to hear an account ofhow they have lived. This will determine their destiny after life. On the otherhand, Buddhists believe that humans are on this earth because of the evil thingsthat they have committed in past lives and the main purpose of life is to reachthe state of enlightenment. To escape the cycle of rebirth is to enter thesupreme reality of Nirvana where there is freedom and bliss. .u832b956bcb9a0a3b79f2952819ed07e3 , .u832b956bcb9a0a3b79f2952819ed07e3 .postImageUrl , .u832b956bcb9a0a3b79f2952819ed07e3 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u832b956bcb9a0a3b79f2952819ed07e3 , .u832b956bcb9a0a3b79f2952819ed07e3:hover , .u832b956bcb9a0a3b79f2952819ed07e3:visited , .u832b956bcb9a0a3b79f2952819ed07e3:active { border:0!important; } .u832b956bcb9a0a3b79f2952819ed07e3 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u832b956bcb9a0a3b79f2952819ed07e3 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u832b956bcb9a0a3b79f2952819ed07e3:active , .u832b956bcb9a0a3b79f2952819ed07e3:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u832b956bcb9a0a3b79f2952819ed07e3 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u832b956bcb9a0a3b79f2952819ed07e3 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u832b956bcb9a0a3b79f2952819ed07e3 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u832b956bcb9a0a3b79f2952819ed07e3 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u832b956bcb9a0a3b79f2952819ed07e3:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u832b956bcb9a0a3b79f2952819ed07e3 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u832b956bcb9a0a3b79f2952819ed07e3 .u832b956bcb9a0a3b79f2952819ed07e3-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u832b956bcb9a0a3b79f2952819ed07e3:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Bacteria Reproduction Essay To attain nirvanais simply to be out of existence. The way in which Buddhists are taught to goabout this is to devote their life to compassion, charity, and non-violence andto clear their mind of all content and learn to drift away from theconsciousness of this world. How do we understand the cycle of life and death?Is there life after death? In Islam, life on earth is considered to be a minutepart of the totality of existence. The life in the hereafter is of eternalduration. Every individual is accountable for his performance in the worldlylife and is answerable in front of God on the Day of Judgement. On this day, Godwill raise every one from the dead and he will allow those who have lived a goodlife to enter the paradise of heaven and those who have done evil will bepunished by suffering in the torment of hell. People will be judged not only ontheir deeds but also on their faith. Believers may have their sins forgiven orundergo a period of punishment and will go to heaven, but disbeliveers will goto hell. They had their chance to turn to Allah and now it is too late. Onlywhen they have complete submission to God may they be salvaged. In contrast toBuddhist teachings, our future lives may or may not be in a human form butwhile we are on this earth we may continue to be reborn due to the evil thingsthat we have committed in our past lives. Buddhists consider rebirth as anotherchance to work toward realisation, while Allah considers life to be the onlychance of proving your worthiness to God so that you may enter Heaven. The waysin which both religions encourage people to go about reaching Supreme Reality(whether it be reaching Heaven or Nirvana), are also different to each other. InBuddhism, the only way to escape the cycle of rebirth is by following theNoble Eight-fold Path, a strict ethical system and by committingourselves to meditation so that we are no longer conscious of this world. Asstated before, Muslims are worthy of entering Heaven if they have completelysubmitted to God and if they have performed good deeds, while Buddhists mainlyfocus on the importance of attaining peace in ones mind so they can reachNirvana. An average Muslim believes that God gives life and death and that deathmay come at any time, thus, every one should try to send on ahead for good deedsthat will earn the pleasure of God. With this perception, a Muslim has to live avirtuous life all the time. Buddhists also believe in living a virtuous life allthe time, but rather than it being for the purpose of pleasing a god, it ismainly for reaching enlightenment. Conclusion In summary, the two worldreligions share both similar and distinguishing beliefs on their variousteachings of life and the existence of Supreme Beings. Their major differencesare mainly that Buddhism ignores the issue of a Supreme Being, while Muslimsconsider Allah as the One and Only God who created this earth. Buddhism alsoteaches that humans can be reincarnated when they die, while in Muslims believethat after death, there is a life of eternal duration. Although their mainsimilarities are minor, the two religions can relate to the existence of asupreme reality after life on earth, with Buddhists believing in Nirvana andMuslims believing in Heaven. The religions also believe in committing good deedsin order to enter these supreme realities.

Spiritual Healing Essay Example For Students

Spiritual Healing Essay An Exploration of Spiritual HealingThroughout time, mankind has constantly been seeking ways to maintain their health and to cure those that had not been so fortunate in that task. Just about everything has been experimented with as a cure for some type of illness; whether physical or mental. There is also a third type of illness that can and is addressed, which is healing on the spiritual plan. According to research, most of the spiritual healers are concentrated in primitive societies and undeveloped areas of the world. However, there are still undertones of reliance on spiritual healing in modern medicine today and there are some in civilized, well developed parts of the world that have rejected modern medicine all together and adopted alternative healing methods.Even a person who does not believe in a higher being actually takes part in this type cure simply by allowing the chemical medicines in his/her body to mend what is wrong. No matter what class of society a person is in, n o matter how advanced that particular country is, there will always be traces of spiritual healing if not all-out practicing of it; and it is and will continue to be a significant part of any healing process, large or small. We will write a custom essay on Spiritual Healing specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now There are numerous names for spiritual healers, but for simplicitys sake and the fact that the concentration is on American Indian Medicine, all spiritual healers will be lumped together as Shaman unless otherwise specified. This does not mean that all healers will hold the same beliefs, or that a particular belief is not even held by a group known as Shamans, but rather a different type of healer. The grouping is just so that a detailed and confusing explaination of all the subsections of healers. If necessary, there will be specifications. Again , for clarification, definitions are provided to clear up any confusion. A Shaman is a person anchored securely in both the physical world and the spiritual realm a mediator if you will(Shamanism 1). Therefore, Shamanism is a way of life revolving around interaction of the spiritual and physical worlds(Shamanism).The Shaman does not solely exist as other humans do; they lead a totally different life in conjunction with their earthly duties within their tribe. The two are not separate by any means; one has direct impact on the other, or so it is believed by those who study this form of healing. Mr. Mircea Eliade voiced the idea of one (wo)man wearing so many hats at one time: For, of course, the shaman is also a magician and a medicine man; he is believed to cure, like all doctors, and to perform miracles of the fakir type, like all magicians, whether primitive or modern. But beyond this, he is a psychopomp, and he may also be a priest, mystic, and poet(Shamanism). Illness, according to shamans, all begins on the spiritual plane(Griffin). If left unchecked, then the spiritual disturbance manifests itself as a physical malady. A large part of the healing process is to remove barriers within the body to allow the impurities to leave the body, and to incourage the body to heal itself. The energy is channeled through the healer from a higher source like a conductor into the patient and in turn the malevolent entity/ distur bance is pulled into the healer to get rid of, as described by a certified healer in witchcraft(Griffin). To remove the disturbance, different shamans have different techniques. However, the purpose is identical and the end result usually come out about the same frequency of success to failures. There are countless documentations of a shaman sucking an evil spirit from the body of the affected person. Depending on the shamans particular style, the spirit may be spat out in the form of saliva or a small mass, sometimes with blood on it(Vogel 16). Along those same lines, bitter medicines are administered to the patient in order to make the body an unpleasant living environment for the evil being and so it will leave(16). Other times, the ill-stricken person is not possessed by an evil spirit, but rather, has a disturbance on the spiritual plane. This usually is the result of an emotional imbalance within the body and can be mended fairly easily. Rattles, drums, and singing are thought to help restabilize the imbalance by first disrupting the harmony of the imbalance, removing it, and refilling the empty space with compatible vibrations(16). The energy used to refill the area cleaned of the imbalance acts as a spiritual scar tissue and mends the fragmented ends together. .u49a809269048a820a59c12e3e317f7ad , .u49a809269048a820a59c12e3e317f7ad .postImageUrl , .u49a809269048a820a59c12e3e317f7ad .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u49a809269048a820a59c12e3e317f7ad , .u49a809269048a820a59c12e3e317f7ad:hover , .u49a809269048a820a59c12e3e317f7ad:visited , .u49a809269048a820a59c12e3e317f7ad:active { border:0!important; } .u49a809269048a820a59c12e3e317f7ad .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u49a809269048a820a59c12e3e317f7ad { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u49a809269048a820a59c12e3e317f7ad:active , .u49a809269048a820a59c12e3e317f7ad:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u49a809269048a820a59c12e3e317f7ad .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u49a809269048a820a59c12e3e317f7ad .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u49a809269048a820a59c12e3e317f7ad .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u49a809269048a820a59c12e3e317f7ad .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u49a809269048a820a59c12e3e317f7ad:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u49a809269048a820a59c12e3e317f7ad .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u49a809269048a820a59c12e3e317f7ad .u49a809269048a820a59c12e3e317f7ad-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u49a809269048a820a59c12e3e317f7ad:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Light: A Fundamental Force In Our World EssayThere are many other forms of spiritual healing designed to help regain the balance of someone who is ill. During an interview with a spiritual healer from the Witchcraft religion, other types of procedures were described: Auric therapy, dealing with the flow of the aura; aromatic therapy that uses different scents to invoke healing; chromatic and hydro-chromatic, which is the use of colors and water colors, respectively as therapy, and medicinal herbalism. There is also a therapy style called raki-healing, which is the actions most think of when they mentally picture a spiritual healer. It is a combination of channeling energy and massage. There was an opportunity to experience this particular type of healing during the interview. In order to do what they do, shaman must not confine themselves to the physical world. Sometimes, mostly, the soul leaves the body to ascend into the sky to visit the heavens or down into the earth to the underworld. This is called a Shamanistic Flight one when the shaman travels beyond the limitations of the physical body(Global 1). In addition to traveling to other worlds, Shamans also enlist the help of different fetishes. These fetishes are believed in some circles to provide the Shaman with his/ her healing power. The fetishes are representations of the animal spirit medicine men( Magic 267). Combining the two, there is an act called a parashamanistic technique.There are actually four of them; all involve direct intercourse with the supernatural world. However, only one is characterized by the spirit-possession trance. In this trance, the healing spirit takes over the shama ns body(194). There are innumerable ways to be chosen to be a shaman: near-death experience, a mental calling, have a tendency, etc. Those are just some of the most common. The common thread throughout is that once (s)he has been chosen, they must be trained. There are special taboos that must be learned in order to become a shaman, but not all of these teachings hold constant through the different tribes.For instance, there are several taboos concerning eating; forbidden to eat outside and cannot eat head, heart, intestines, or liver of an animal(Magic 194). Some tribes have their young shaman refrain from sexual relations, although other cultures allow marriages. It is even accepted in other tribes that the shaman be a transvestite, marry a man that has a wife, do wife jobs as well as be a shaman, and have homosexual relations. There is also a secret vocabulary of the shaman that must be learned and special techniques concerning their function within society(194). Once they have been trained in all the ways of the Shaman, then it is then time for the novice shaman to receive the paraphinalia of the trade. There is precious little the shaman actually needs to perform his task. From his parents, he receives a headdress and a belt( Magic 194). From the instructor, the young Shaman receives his first tunraq (this is an Eskimo custom). A tunraq is a protective spirit to watch over the shaman and to help him with his needs. Additional tunraqs can be given by other shaman for some service done for another, or by following the spirits on volition(194). This young shaman, though his training, went through several levels of mental suffering and trance in order to arrive at a new normality and reintegration into the society he was isolated from for years(Gelfund 132). this pain authenticates the young shamans contact with the spirit world(132). There is so much talk of the shaman going away to learn, going away to heal, that one might forget that the shaman are an integral part of the community. They concentrate mainly on curing the ill and rainmaking rather than getting involved in the government of the tribe. They are, however, looked to for advice for the leadership of the community. This is because one of the role of a shaman is to be a guardian of the well-being of the tribe, ensuring continuing fertility and health(Magic 264). Then again, shaman do not rely totally on the spiritual realm for healing. They learn considerable knowledge in first aid and herbal cures for natural diseases. This means that they do not lack empirical knowledge (knowledge gathered from trial and error) and experimental technique(264). Shaman use both learned knowledge and spiritual knowledge to cure those that they come in contact with. Even the interaction between three components of a healing patient, shaman, and public made a considerable difference in the healing. This is called the Shamanistic Complex(Magic 35). The Shaman undergoes specific states of a psychosomatic nature, the sick person who may or may not experience improvement in their condition, and the public, which is experiencing an enthusiasm and intellectual and emotional satisfaction, which provides collective support(35). This support perpetuates shamanistic healings, and starts the cycle all over again. .uddf1389c84c83f14bf0b50368135d0b7 , .uddf1389c84c83f14bf0b50368135d0b7 .postImageUrl , .uddf1389c84c83f14bf0b50368135d0b7 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uddf1389c84c83f14bf0b50368135d0b7 , .uddf1389c84c83f14bf0b50368135d0b7:hover , .uddf1389c84c83f14bf0b50368135d0b7:visited , .uddf1389c84c83f14bf0b50368135d0b7:active { border:0!important; } .uddf1389c84c83f14bf0b50368135d0b7 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uddf1389c84c83f14bf0b50368135d0b7 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uddf1389c84c83f14bf0b50368135d0b7:active , .uddf1389c84c83f14bf0b50368135d0b7:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uddf1389c84c83f14bf0b50368135d0b7 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uddf1389c84c83f14bf0b50368135d0b7 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uddf1389c84c83f14bf0b50368135d0b7 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uddf1389c84c83f14bf0b50368135d0b7 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uddf1389c84c83f14bf0b50368135d0b7:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uddf1389c84c83f14bf0b50368135d0b7 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uddf1389c84c83f14bf0b50368135d0b7 .uddf1389c84c83f14bf0b50368135d0b7-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uddf1389c84c83f14bf0b50368135d0b7:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Gilded Age EssayThe whole process of healing, whether modern medicine or alternative, comes out as being at least in part spiritual healing. The theme of having healers come and remove beings from an ill body, or smooth out an imbalance is a constantly reoccurring theme in the medicinal practices of every primitive religion and society. Still, there are distinct traces left in modern culture that suggest there is something more than primitive, uncivilized superstition. Works CitedGelfund, Michael. Witch Doctor. New York: Fredrick A. Praeger, Inc., Publishers, 1964. 132-33. Griffin, Michelle. Personal Interview. 18 November 1997. Magic, Witchcraft, and Curing. Ed. John Middleton. Garden City, New York: The Natural History Press, 1967. Vogel, Virgil J. American Indian Medicine. Oklahoma University: Oklahoma University Press, 1973. Shamanism: a definition of sorts. Earth Dance Society. n. pag. Online. Internet. 17 Nov. 1997. What is Shamanism?. Global Spirituality. 1.1 Online. Internet. 17 Nov. 1997Miscellaneous

Afghan essays

Afghan essays Monika Foster Political Science 1:50-3:05 Gender Apartheid in Afghanistan Beginning on September 27, 1996, an extremist militia group known as the Taliban seized control of Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. Upon seizing control, the Taliban has instituted a system of gender apartheid, which has placed women into a state of virtual house arrest. Since that time the women and girls of Afghanistan have been stripped of all human rights including their voice, visibility and their mobility. The Campaign to stop Gender Apartheid, led by the Feminist Majority Foundation, has brought together numerous human right and womens organizations around the world to demand an end to the abuses of the women in Afghanistan. In the 1980s when the Soviet Union occupied Afghanistan, the United States gave billions of dollars, through a secret CIA operation, to revolutionary militia forces called the mujahideen (soldiers of God). Unfortunately, in 1989 when the Soviet Union pulled out, groups of the mujah ideen entered into a civil war and in 1996 the Taliban emerged as the controlling force. The Taliban is actually made up of young men and boys who were raised in refugee camps and trained in ultraconservative religious schools in Pakistan. The primary support system of the Taliban is from Pakistan, they provide military aid and personnel, Saudi Arabia provides the financial support. In addition, Afghanistan is one of the worlds two largest producers of opium, which in turn makes it a huge drug-processing center. Finally, the biggest potential for financial support comes from the wealth of the petroleum industry. The Taliban claim to follow a pure, fundamental Islamic ideology, except the oppression they place upon women has no foundation in Islam. Within Islam, women can earn, control and spend their own money; they can also participate in public life. Both the Organizations of the Islamic Conference and the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt hav...

Birthday Customs and Traditions in Germany

Birthday Customs and Traditions in Germany Many people, both young and old, love celebrating their birthday. In Germany, like in most countries around the world, cake, presents, family, and friends bring in the fun for such a special day. In general, birthday customs in Germany are similar to American birthday celebrations, with a few peculiar exceptions sprinkled here and there throughout German-speaking countries. German Birthday Customs and Traditions(Deutsche Geburtstagsbruche und Traditionen) Never wish a German a happy birthday before their birthday. It is considered bad luck to do so. There are no well-wishes, cards or presents given before a German’s birthday. Period. On the other hand, if you live in certain parts of Austria, it is customary to celebrate your birthday on the eve of. If somebody in Germany invites you out for their birthday, the tab is on them. And don’t try insisting on paying for yourself - it won’t work. If you live in northern Germany and happen to be single going on thirty, a few chores may be expected from you. If you’re female, your friends will want you to clean a few doorknobs for them with a toothbrush! If you’re male, then you’ll most likely be sweeping the stairs of town hall or some other busy public place.There is a way to be freed from such menial tasks, however - by a kiss from someone of the opposite sex. Of course, if you dont want to be so mean to your friend, there are alternatives. For instance, the doorknob chore is sometimes executed by having the birthday girl clean a series of doorknobs attached to a wooden board instead, right at her party and not in public. But you cant let them off so easy; it is also tradition to comically dress the birthday girl and boy as they perform their tasks. Other birthday customs include: 16th Birthday: This birthday child should run for cover as his or her friends will undoubtedly pour flour on top of his or her head. Common in northern Germany.18th Birthday: Cracking eggs over the head of someone turning 18.25th Birthday: Once again, if you are an unmarried man, the whole town will know! A Sockenkranz, a type of garland of socks is strung outside the home and around the birthday boy’s property leading to his party. As he follows the garland of socks, he’ll down an alcoholic drink every few meters. Why socks? In German, you have the expression alte Socke (an old sock), more of a derogatory way of saying confirmed bachelor.† A similar experience awaits unmarried women turning this age. They follow a garland of cigarette cartons instead (or other similar-sized cartons if they are non-smokers). These single women are nicknamed eine alte Schachtel (an old box), similar in meaning to old maid. Geburtstagskranz These are beautifully decorated wooden rings that usually contain ten to twelve holes, one for each year of life as a child. Some families opt to light candles in such Geburtstagskrnze instead of on the cake, though blowing out candles on a birthday cake is frequently observed in Germany as well. A bigger Lebenskerze (life candle) is put in the center of these rings. In religious families, these Lebenskerzen are given at the time of the child’s christening.

Cases Summary Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cases Summary - Case Study Example The company is facing the bankruptcy threat as a result of the poor management of the company’s funds as well as running of the other indirect monetary activities. The best strategic analysis tool that I recommend this case is PEST Analysis. This tool entails looking at the factors that may influence the company’s performance, and they include political, economic, social and technological factors (Karadag, 2015). For the case of political factors, the company has to look at the tax policies, labor law, tariffs and political stability among others. For the case of economic factors, the company has to consider the economic growth, interest rates, exchange rates and the inflation rate since they impact on how business operate and reach on to their decisions. Social factors entail the cultural dimensions, consisting of population growth rate, career attitudes and emphasis on safety. Finally, technological factors involve environmental aspects such as automation, technology incentives and dynamism in technology. The best solution is for the company to study the prevailing taxation policies in the country so that it can identify whether it’s spending a lot in paying the taxes (Karadag, 2015). Another solution is for the company to determine the trade restrictions that are in place and find out if there are some that tend to favor its operations. I recommend that the company, try as much as possible to fix itself in the regional market, if there exist some trade restrictions favoring its activities. Finally, the company should study the prevailing market and come up with implementation, control and evaluation plan to meet the demand of the identified market. The second case is where Pixar, the studio company owned by Walt Disney Company, had failed to obtain a single nomination from the previously given out awards. The company has undergone a lot of setbacks from this case since Pixar had won five trophies from the previous year. For this case too, I

How have they changed us socially Annotated Bibliography

How have they changed us socially - Annotated Bibliography Example The use of the cell phone enables individuals to manage time properly and more efficiently (Cimino 54). This is done through the use of the phones to arrange and cancel previously arranged meetings. The cell phone also promotes confidentiality on the issues an individual is involved in. For example, the cell phone is currently being used to make monetary transfers between individuals. This is done between individuals living in faraway places without any information being divulged to any third parties. An individual’s safety is also guaranteed when he uses a cell phone to carry out these financial transactions (Matthews 58). Mobile funds have enabled many individuals in planning their activities better. This is because they enable the fast flow of information between communicating parties. This is done without divulging information to individuals outside their conversation. This further enhances the security of the individuals in the communication (Knox and Schacht 179). The us e of the cell phones also enables an individual to be freed from the slavery of having to wait for his turn to use make phone calls. This was the case in the past when individuals had to queue outside public booths each waiting for his turn to communicate. This in turn helps in time saving and creating competence in the communications sector (Forma 73). The use of the cell phones has also enabled individuals to respond quickly to emergencies. This is because this type of communication is fast. Mobile phones assist an individual in exhibiting confidence, individuality and status in his character. This is because some cell phones sell at very high prices and are associated with a certain class of people in society. Cell phones have lastly, but not limited to the above, enabled many individuals to get jobs through the advertisements posted by the phone companies (Wyllie 141). However, the use of the cell phone has brought many other

The Role of God in the Lives of Bradford and the Puritans Essay Example for Free

The Role of God in the Lives of Bradford and the Puritans Essay A critical review of the history of Plymouth Plantation by William Bradford will quickly reveal the main idea which the author intends for the readers. The idea is basically centered within the struggles of the puritans as well as their achievements, all of which were deeply propagated in their utmost belief in God as a sole provider. Thus, Bradford narrates these events with the aim of compelling future generations to align their values with those of the puritans. Consequently, the author believes that through his narrations the readers will come to terms with the supreme nature of God when it comes to helping anybody who is helplessly constrained by huge obstacles as long as the victim maintains his or her faith in God. In more expressive terms, the author points at the totality in which the puritans owed their life events to God as he writes. Being thus arrived in a good harbor and brought safe to land, they fell upon their knees and blessed the God of heaven, who had brought them over the vast and furious ocean, and delivered them from all the perils and miseries thereof, againe to set their feete on the firme and stable earth, their proper element. (30-31) In these words the author portrays the Puritans belief that it was God’s deed that brought about their safe arrival to Cape Harbor after a terrible storm and other stream of obstacles. To their belief, all the constraints they encountered were the will of God and the reason for these occurrences were best known to Him. Thus, God is the sole reason for several occurrences that effect people lives in different ways. The Puritans, as Bradford narrated, were always weary of the belief that not having total faith in God as well not being selfless can lead to God’s wrath and consequent punishment. It is with this regard that lead to the Puritans belief that God’s goodwill in sparing their lives was as a result of there selfless service to the ill while in the boat. Hence, those who cared for the ill were protected by God and their lives were spared. On the other hand, the sailors who played nonchalant attitude and thus did not care for the ill became ill themselves and consequently died of the ailment. These, according to the Puritans were all accountable to God’s will. In conclusion, the role of God in the life of the Puritans was that of total guardians in returns for an unquestionable faith in his will. Thus they were able to overcome many tough challenges on both land and sea. The author himself seems to be inclined to these views as he wrote. Let them therefore praise the Lord, because he is good, and his mercies endure for ever. Yea, let them which have been redeemed of the Lord, show how he hath delivered them from the hand of the oppressor. When they wandered in the deserte [and] willdernes out of the way, and found no citie to dwell in, both hungrie, and thirstie, their soul was overwhelmed in them (31). Cited Works Bradfords History Of Plimoth Plantation. Boston: Secretary of the Commonwealth. 1900