Theology and arts reflection paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Theology and arts reflection paper - Essay Example This is due to their perceived insubordination to the government, which is attributed to their subscription to an alien Westernized culture. Apparently this culture is synonymously equated with the Christian faith (EndÃ…  and Johnston 31). The persecution of the foreign missionaries alongside their Japanese Christian faithful is thus traced back to the Japanese emperor’s concern about the Christianized Japanese inequality loyalty. This is in favor of the foreign Christian emissaries and to the defiance of the government’s directives. In addition, Japanese cultural ethnicity had a cognitively entrenched religious identity in form of Buddhism, which formed part of the Japanese ethnic identity (EndÃ…  and Johnston 18). Contrarily, Christianity challenged some of the religious ordinances of the Japanese tradition such as Buddhism due to their contravention with Christianity dogma teaching against idolatry. This was subsequently viewed as an attempt by the Japanese ethnic conservatism to obliterate and substitute Japanese ethnicity with Western European identity. On the other hand, the film â€Å"Mission† posits a purely evangelization missionary approach aimed at spreading Christianity as an integral part of the South American Gulani community cultural identity. The evangelism aspect of the missionary work amongst the Gulani community is exhibited by the mutual and harmonious coexistence between Christians and non-Christians groups. In addition, challenges to the Christian faith within the Gulani community exclusively come from forces outside the Gulani’s geopolitical locality such as the Portuguese. This is accompanied with minimum or no resistance experienced within the community’s multiethnic groups (Morricone). Evangelism missionary approach amongst the Gulani community is thus directed towards the exclusive substitution of the pagan religious dogma of the

Argument analize 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Argument analize 3 - Essay Example However, it is a fact that pain and suffering do exist in the world, and its occurrence is beyond our control, for the very concept of God is pre-established in our ontology, for, by definition, we understand God as a benevolent and omnipotent creator. Thus, if God were not benevolent, then there would be no problem of pain and suffering. Therefore, either God is not benevolent or he is not omnipotent, or he is not benevolent and omnipotent. 2. Reconstructing the Argument of Pain The argument can be logically reconstructed as follows: 1. God is the benevolent and omnipotent creator of the natural world 2. If God were benevolent, then pain and suffering would not exist in his creations 3. If God were omnipotent, then he would everything in his power to eradicate pain and suffering. 4. Pain and suffering nevertheless exist as experienced by God’s creations 5. God could not have created pain and suffering, for that would contradict his benevolent and omnipotent nature 6. Therefor e, given that pain and suffering exists, either God is not benevolent or is not omnipotent, or is neither benevolent nor omnipotent. 3. ... Likewise, third premise follows from the first and the second, for if God were omnipotent, then he would use his powers to eradicate pain and suffering, since by nature, God is benevolent. Thus, the third premise is also true. However, things get a bit more complicated come the fourth premise, which states that pain and suffering exist as experienced in God’s creations. As C.S. Lewis explains, this is problematic for the main reason that what we experience as ‘pain and suffering’ in the natural world may not be ‘pain and suffering’ for God. Likewise, what we understand as ‘benevolent and omnipotent’ may not be the same as God’s understanding of ‘benevolent and omnipotent.’ This complexity is exemplified due to structure of our language. We understand good and evil to be two conflicting terms for instance. So the problem of reconciling good and evil becomes a problem only because we understand these concepts to conflict with each other. Based on the problem of pain, it was proposed that it is due to God’s benevolent nature that the problem of pain becomes a problem; that if God were something other than benevolent, then the problem is solved. This is evident in premise five, wherein it was shown that God, who is good, could not have created something that was not good, that is, pain and suffering. It is in this regard that the author concludes that either God’s omnipotence or benevolence, or both, is thus questionable. However, I do not think that this conclusion will suffice, for the transition from premise five to its conclusion misses an important point. This is as follows: Following premise four, premise five states that â€Å"God could not have created pain and suffering, for that would contradict his

Spanish Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Spanish - Essay Example En la otra mano, la migraccion es como un descanso durante el dia. Esta musica combiinada con la magnifica fotografia de Vittorio Storaro crea una gran escena de cuando los immigrantes entran por la luz. Lo mismo occurre para la danza illustrada en la pelicula. Una gran escena para explicar como la musica y el baile crean semtimientos en los caracteres cuando Laura y Elena bailan con el mismo hombre durante una cancion. Para mi esta escena es la sumatoria de toda la pelicula. El hombre esta supuesto a representar los sentimientos de Mario y como su corazon miente com ambas mujeres, La musica cambia un poco cuando las mujeras bailan con el hombre. El uso de colores en la pelicula tambien esta represntado en las sentimientos de los caracteres. El trasfondo durante los diferentes bailes illustran el sentir de la escena. Un punto de vista interesante cuando examine la pelicula por segunda vez, es que Elena siempre se viste de rojo. El color rojo puede significar muchas cosas. Y pienso que significa el amor mutuo entre Mario y Elena y tambien pienso que su amor era

Policy issues affecting the police Essay Example for Free

Policy issues affecting the police Essay Just like any other department in the government, the police force is largely influenced by the policy issues that the government adopts. Be it new laws or strategies, they have to adjust their operations so as to fit what the policies dictate. The duty of the police is to maintain law and order and in doing this they have to incorporate policies set by the government. As it will be shown in this paper, these policy issues may affect the activities of the police force such that they may have to completely change their modes of operations to fit the governments requirements. Many policies concerning police conduct, human rights and police duties are have been put forward in many forums and conferences addressing national security. Analysis Unlike in the past where the police had an absolute power, a police officer nowadays may find himself or herself being sued for violation of human rights such as police manhandling or assault (Freund, 2006; Meadows, 2000). There are several policies that have been put forward following revision of several laws which affect the police directly. Policy issues on human rights requiring specific procedures of arrest and handling of suspects have been made. The fourth amendment has limited police power especially with the private law that protects citizens from unwarranted searches and seizures. This means that before a police officer can search or seize private property, there must be a warrant which is given when the need to search premises is of great importance to protect security. Individual liberty and human rights protects citizens from false detention. The fourth amendment comes as a civil liability to the police officers which limits their activities since they have to pay attention to avoid breaking the law (Freund, 2006). This has affected the police in that it has limited their ability to obtain as much information as possible concerning a crime. Some officers have also found themselves in court over what can be referred to as assault during arrest. Perhaps one of the most current policy issues that has affected the police is the governments anti-terrorism policy. A strong policy especially after the 9-11 attacks on the U. S brought out the importance of the need to heighten security to prevent such attacks from happening in future. The government aims at keeping the possibility of any terrorist attack which must involve the police (Pleck, 2004). The involvement of the police force in the war against terrorism has led to the need for more training on the police officers on incident management and terrorism intelligence. As the government noted, the police force was not well equipped to handle such severe incidents hence the need for training on incident management. Again, there the need to develop intelligence skills to counter any form of threats calls for proper training of the police. In order to ensure that the needs of this policy are met, the government has introduced special training schedules for the police which they have to attend to keep updating them on better skills and intelligence on avoiding terrorism attacks as well as how on how to deal with terrorism incidents if by any chance they occur (Pleck, 2004). Community policing is a policy issue that has come up as a result of the need for the community to take part in their own security through reporting any suspicious act to the police. This is because the community is at the best position to identify those that live among them (Palmiotto, 2000). The government requires that the police officers work hand in hand with the community so as to curb crime activities in the society. The effect of this on the police is that there has been need for training to help them be able to deal with the community and aid in identifying between potential danger and normal happenings (Palmiotto, 2000). The police have also been given the extra duty of training and educating members of the public on how to identify potential threats within the community and how they can deal with them in conjunction with the police. The community policing mostly focuses on vulnerable groups such as children and women who are likely to be victims of violence. Policy issues concerning rape have been put forward which has necessitated for trained specialists to handle rape calls as well as interaction between the police and medical practitioners to help in solving such cases (Palmiotto, 2000). The government advocates for advancement in technology for sustainable developments. As a matter of national security, there has been the rising need for the police to upgrade their technology so as to meet the ever increasing crime rates. Technology has been used by criminals to steal from numerous citizens and this has raised an issue of concern. Cyber crimes, phishing and identity theft have been on the rise. The problem with these kinds of crimes is that catching the perpetrators can be quite hard due to the advancement in technology that is used to conduct the crimes. Keeping up with these developments poses a challenge to the police who have to come up with more advanced methods to locate cyber thieves, hackers and identity thieves. More often than not, the police are subject to the laws of prosecution and provision for justice. Policies on the procedures of prosecution highly affect the police. For example, the police are bound by law to only file a prosecution when there is substantial evidence for the occurrence of the crime. Different policies exist for different kind of prosecutions. The juvenile justice for example has undergone many changes and new policies have come up following proceedings from various cases. Juveniles have a wide range of rights and detention of a juvenile can only be under serious suspicions of delinquency. Proof that is beyond reasonable doubt must also be established to ensure that the juvenile offender poses a threat to the community (Rick, 2003). Policies on juveniles also require that they be put under preventive detention according to the standards set by the law (Rick, 2003). This differentiates juvenile offenders from adult ones. The police therefore should pay attention to such details so as to be on the safe side of the law. It is also part of their duties to act according to the laws. Conclusion It is evident that the polices activities are highly influenced by policy issues. The government which also determines the rules of a country constantly comes up with policies for national development. These policies may alter a departments activities or increase its responsibilities depending on how the policy issue is to be tackled. It must also be noted that apart from government policies, each police department has its own policies which guide the officers (Miller, 1997). These include the code of ethics that must be followed by the respective officers. Rules on duties rosters, dress code and punishment for police misconduct within the department are strictly followed. Breaking of these laws may result in serious circumstances and hence the police officers must follow them to the letter. Word Count: 1179 References Freund, E. (2006). The Police Power, Public Policy and Constitutional Rights. New York: Callaghan Company. Meadows, R. J. (2000). A Study of Police Misconduct and Litigation: Findings and Implications. Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice. 41(2), 77-92. Miller, S. et al. (1997). Police ethics. London: Allen Unwin, 1997. Palmiotto, M. (2000). Community policing: a policing strategy for the 21st century. New York: Jones Bartlett Publishers. Pleck, E. (2004). Police in the fight against terrorism. American Journal of Police, 25(1), 38- 45. Rick, A. (2003). Juvenile Justice. New York: Odhams Press.

Risk Assessments Within The Criminal Justice System Essay -- Criminal

Risk assessments are an essential component to the criminal justice system because without them jails and prisons could not perform their duties and would not be as efficient. Risk in principle is a fact, yet danger is an issue of perception, how much will society tolerate. People tolerate a lot of risks without noticing the dangers. Risk assessments let us know what is not easily noticed though they still have some blind spots where studies need to be done. The ways that community correction agencies use risk assessments, the elements that are risk assessed, and strengths and weaknesses of most risk assessments will be discussed. Uses of risk assessments There are various risk assessments that exist. For example, there are different ones for pre-sentencing, parole, and in-between that time with prison and jail time served for appropriate measures to be determined. These will help the offender get what is needed based on the severity of their needs. For instance, the specific treatments and/or programs for rehabilitation to occur the offender will need to notify the right authorities and the way to do that is filling out an assessment of risk. The first issue to be tackled for an offender is a drug referral if needed since other interventions and programs will not have much effect if the offender will not retain them due to drug use. These treatment facilities communicate with the probation officers. They keep them informed on the offender’s progress and/or issues the offender has. The lower risk offenders are eligible for treatment programs. (Loftus, lecture) There are more opportunities that apply to lower risk offenders, not just treatments and programs. Only lower risk offenders in jail have a chance to volunteer for... ...ing education. The weaknesses that were touched upon were social groups, gender gap, and racial influences. Works Cited Gould A. Laurie, Southwest Journal of Criminal Justice, Vol. 6(3) (2010), P. 267–285, Perceptions of Risk, Need, and Supervision Difficulty in the Community Corrections Setting, University of Texas at Arlington, http://www.jstor.org/. Accessed: 9/10/11 Loftus Rebecca PH.D., Lecture on risk assessments, Fall 2011, Probation and Community Probations. Noted: 9/6/11 & 9/8/11 MILLS F. JEREMY AND KRONER G. DARYL, Criminal Behavior and Mental Health Vol. 16 (2006), P. 155–166, The effect of discordance among violence and general recidivism risk estimates on predictive accuracy, 1Bath Institution, Bath, Canada and Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada; 2Pittsburgh Institution, Pittsburgh, Ontario, Canada, http://www.jstor.org/. Accessed: 9/10/11

The Dehumanization Process in the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Do

The Dehumanization Process in the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave Throughout American history, minority groups were victims of American governmental policies, and these policies made them vulnerable to barbaric and inhumane treatment at the hands of white Americans. American slavery is a telling example of a government sanctioned institution that victimized and oppressed a race of people by indoctrinating and encouraging enslavement, racism and abuse. This institution is injurious to slaves and slave holders alike because American society, especially in the south, underwent a dehumanization process in order to implement the harsh and inhumane doctrine. In the episodic autobiography Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave, Frederick Douglass illustrates, through personal experience, the brutality and violence of slave life. As a young boy, Douglass is sent to Baltimore, an event that gives him temporary relief from the harsh conditions on the plantation. In Baltimore, he teaches himself to read and write and begins a jou rney to mental freedom that eventually paves the way to his successful escape to the North. Despite the hardships he endures, â€Å"most amazing is the indestructible total humanity of [Douglass] whom society called a thing, a chattel to be bought and sold† (Rexroth 134). Amazingly, Douglass realizes at a young age that the institution of slavery poisons people who might otherwise act in good and decent ways. His autobiography focuses primarily on the ill effects slavery has on slaves; however, he also acknowledges the damage that enforcing the laws of slavery has on slave holders. Through the use of imagery, Douglass masterfully illustrates the dehuman... ...oppression due to the lack of liberty, education, humanity, or justice. Works Cited Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave. The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Paul Lauter. Vol 1. 4th ed. Houghton Mifflin Company: New York, 2002. 1817-1880. Franklin, Bruce. â€Å"Animal Farm Unbound.† Frederick Douglass’s Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House, 1988. 29-43. Houston PBS Online. Resource Book: People and Events Frederick Douglass 1818-1895. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p1539.html Rexroth, Kenneth. â€Å"Frederick Douglass.† The Elastic Retort: Essays in Literature and Ideas. The Continuum, 1973: 108-11. Rpt. in Nineteenth Century Literature Criticism. Eds. Laura Lanzen Harris and Sheila Fitzgerald. Vol. 7. Detroit: Gale, 1984. 133-34.

Indigenous Peoples of the Americas and Guatemalan Culture Essay

Guatemala’s culture is a unique product of Native American ways and a strong Spanish colonial heritage. About half of Guatemala’s population is mestizo (known in Guatemala as ladino), people of mixed European and indigenous ancestry. Ladino culture is dominant in urban areas, and is heavily influenced by European and North American trends. Unlike many Latin American countries, Guatemala still has a large indigenous population, the Maya, which has retained a distinct identity. Deeply rooted in the rural highlands of Guatemala, many indigenous people speak a Mayan language, follow traditional religious and village customs, and continue a rich tradition in textiles and other crafts. The two cultures have made Guatemala a complex society that is deeply divided between rich and poor. This division has produced much of the tension and violence that have marked Guatemala’s history (Guatemalan Culture and History). Much of Guatemalan life revolves around families. Guatemalans say that parents are espejos (mirrors): through them, you learn who you are and what you can become. Children are able to depend on their parents for advice and guidance throughout their lives. Family members tend to live near each other, and Guatemalans rarely live or spend much time alone. Families also care for elderly relatives, and godparents (padrinos) are considered an important part of the family. Guatemalan women tend to marry young and have many children. Women give birth at home, though in cities they may go to a hospital (family life). The typical rural family is industrious; men usually work the fields, while women care for the children and weave beautiful textiles with motifs that are unique to each community. A diet of corn, beans, and a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables is standard. Chicken and rice dishes are also common. Beef or pork is less common among the poorer classes, but popular among middle and upper sectors in both town and country. Among a variety of native dishes, on festive occasions Guatemalans of all classes serve tamales made of cornmeal with a variety of vegetable and meat fillings wrapped in a banana leaf (Guatemalan Culture and History). Guatemala is home to a centuries-old weaving tradition through which indigenous women assert a sense of â€Å"belongingness† to family and community. The women and their families are descendants of the ancient Maya Indians, and the tools of their trade are cotton yarn, the backstrap loom, and time-proven patterns and techniques. Each village and region is identifiable for its own weaving design and colors. Techniques and designs are passed from mother to daughter and traditional clothes are still preferred by most. Some believe that the different patterns existed before the Spaniards arrived. Others believe they were brought from Europe. It is known that the conquistadors used the clothing to label people and control the populations. The traditional technique was to wrap the threads on a warping board, and then mount them on back-strap loom where a panel was woven. Panels were decorated with brocade designs depending on the textile tradition of the weaver’s community as well as her personal taste and skills. Finally, the woven panels were sewn together to make a garment (Guatemalan Culture). Poverty affects both urban and rural Guatemalans, but rural residents, including most of the Maya population, generally live under harsher conditions. Wiggins 4 More than 70% of rural residents are classified as living in extreme poverty, compared to 36% of urban inhabitants. 83% of Guatemalans have access to sanitation. About 54% of the population has access to health care, but the majority of doctors are around Guatemala City. Rates of sexually transmitted diseases and reproductive tract infections (RTIs) among Guatemalan women are high and are on the rise. Malnutrition affects about 60% of the young children (Guatemalan Culture and History). Guatemala has a young population, with 16% under age 5 and 27% age 5-15. The birth rate of 36 per 1000 population is five times the death rate. Guatemala’s people suffer from one of the highest infant mortality rates in Central America, 49 deaths per 1000 live births. Life expectancy at birth is 66 years (63 years for males and 68 for females), among the lowest in the region (Guatemalan Culture and History). The literacy rate for Guatemalans over the age of 15 stood at 56% of the population in 1995, among the lowest rates in Central America. Elementary education is free and compulsory, and 84% of the school-age children attend primary school. The enrollment ratio dropped to 25% for secondary schools. Wiggins 5 Enrollment figures are lower in rural areas than in urban areas. Many rural schools only go to third grade, and much of the nation’s education budget is spent in Guatemala City (Guatemalan Culture and History). Religion is important to Guatemalan life. Each village has a Catholic church; at home, people light candles to honor saints. While the majority of Guatemalans identify themselves as Roman Catholic, the form of Catholicism found in Guatemala, particularly in Mayan areas, differs from that of many other countries. Some people turn to traditional prayer men called brujos, ajkunes and chuchkujawes. These men are believed to have special powers for planting and removing curses, foretelling the future, and asking God to heal sick and bring back love or lost objects. Brujos hold their rituals in houses or caves, using offerings of incense and liquor (spirituality). A typical Sunday is spent for going to church, visiting others or being with family. Relatives stop by and families promenade in the streets, dressed in their best clothes. After a family meal, the afternoon might be devoted to a basketball game between cousins, or a visit to a local park or riverbank (Sports and Recreation). Men and women tend to socialize with their own sex. Male companionship is very important to men. Several times a week, men meet over coffee or beer with friends they have known since childhood to talk, play cards or watch soccer. Many men confide in their male friends more than their wives. Women are less likely to leave home in the evenings, although female co-workers sometimes get together for coffee after work. If woman do not work outside the home, daily chores and shopping are opportunities to socialize with other women during the day (Sports and Recreation). Guatemala’s climate is mild which allows people to relax and socialize outdoors much of the year. Children run around outside playing games such as â€Å"thieves and police,† hide and seek, tenta (tag) and electisado (statues). Children also play with simple materials such as shells and stones, and girls make dolls out of dough. Some school grounds have soccer fields, and the game is popular with both sexes. Boys also enjoy baseball, while girls prefer basketball or volleyball. A favorite evening activity is clustering on street corners to listen to ghost stories, including the one about the fearsome â€Å"man with the big sombrero. † Playtime is more limited for poorer children, who must help their parents on farms or with crafts (Sport and Recreation). Spanish is the official language of Guatemala, but the indigenous people of Guatemala have maintained a distinct identity, centered on lands and villages in the western highlands. Many speak a Mayan language rather than Spanish. Although most are poor by material standards, their lifestyle is ecologically and spiritually satisfying to them, and they have largely chosen to remain isolated from national life. The Guatemalan government at times has tried to suppress indigenous culture, make Spanish the universal language, and promote European ways (Guatemalan Culture and History).