Moral Living Synoptic Question Essay Example for Free

Moral Living Synoptic Question Essay In this essay it is my intention to examine the theme of moral living within the Old Testament and the Celtic Church. Morality refers to ethical issues. It is the quality of being in accord with standards of right or good conduct. It is a system of ideas of right and wrong conduct. There are two interlinked themes of religious morality and social morality under moral living. The foundation of moral living within the Old Testament is the Sinai Covenant. Whereas, the basis of morality in Celtic Church is Saint Patrick; his moral base was always routed in his scriptural beliefs. Moses, for example, made a covenant with Yahweh on Mount Sinai, the principles from which are the foundation for the Judah Christian faith today, where he received the Ethical Decalogue (10 Commandments). As Drane states, â€Å"the commands were essentially moral requirements. Honesty, truth and justice were more important to Yahweh than the performance of religious rites.† Love of God and Love of Neighbour were the two commandments at the core of the Ethical Decalogue. The first three commandments central religious morality however, the last seven focus on Love of Neighbour and Social Morality. Winward states, â€Å"no man could be in a right relationship with God who was not in a right relationship with his fellow men.† The people of Israel had an obligation as the chosen people to obey the Ethical Decalogue. Abraham was called by God to give up his polytheistic ways. God promised Abraham that he would never give up on him. As Heinsch states, â€Å"he had to journey to a foreign land alone trusting in God’s guidance.† If Abraham fulfilled this request God promised him three things, Great Nation, Land (which was Canaan) and Protection. At this time, Abraham worshipped the popular moon god, â€Å"sin† and was to break with idolatry and become monotheistic. Epstein stated that, â€Å"Abraham turned to the service of the one and only God whom he recognised as the creator of heaven and earth.† Abraham’s love of the one true God and his change from idolatry reflects similarities with Saint Patrick. Patrick arrived in Ireland to a pagan country. The people of Ireland were idolaters in that they worshipped as many as 400 gods, with the main god being the Dagda (the father). The Celts held such things as the sun, trees, groves, water and birds to be sacred. Joyce states that they had the tendency to â€Å"find the divine in all of created nature.† Patrick brought Christianity to Ireland to transform the pagan people to monotheism. He wanted them to worship and love the one true God. Patrick adopted pagan practice to Christian tradition, for example, he changed the worship of the â€Å"sun† to the â€Å"son.† Patrick wanted the people to become monks and virgins for Christ. He advocated that true worship of God required to be newly baptised (converted from paganism to Christianity.) Patrick wanted the people to convert freely; they were never forced as the decision to become a Christian had to come from the heart. When Patrick left a place he made sure he left a building (church) to be used for communal worship. Like the Old Testament prophets, Patrick expected his ordained to be good role models to the people. Unfortunately in the Old Testament the religious leaders did not always do this. Ezekiel, for example, was to inform the people that God was going to hold the religious leaders responsible as they had led the people astray instead of encouraging them to worship only Yahweh. God told Ezekiel to prophesy to the leaders, â€Å"shepherds have been feeding themselves, should not, you the shepherds feed the sheep.† In tandem with this, the prophet Elijah also had to deal with the people of Israel’s idolatry. He was aware that there was a lack of steadfast love due to the people worshipping both Yahweh and Baal (god of fertility.) Elijah challenged the people about this saying, â€Å"how long will you go limping with two different opinions?† The people needed to stop worshipping both Yahweh and Baal and were to only worship the one true God, Yahweh. Elijah had little sympathy for the people worshipping both Gods. He challenged King Ahab to a contest on Mount Carmel between Yahweh and Baal to determine who the true God is. Elijah had a great victory as Yahweh won, usually this would be celebrated but instead, Elijah went to Mount Horeb as he knew the people’s change of heart of Yahweh as the one true God was temporary and this was not good enough. True love of God was required. In line with this, Patrick also challenged the pagan people’s ways through their worship of Dagda and Lugh. It took a long time for the pagan people to convert to truly worshipping one God. Paganism continued to exist alongside early Christianity 100 years after Patrick. Amos spoke out about social injustices, he stated, â€Å"let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.† Amos spoke about respect for marriage, something which King David lacked. He had an affair with Bathsheba and committed the sins of lust, adultery and murder. He was punished for this as Yahweh was to â€Å"raise up evil against you out of your own house.† David’s son died as a result of his sins. Similarly, Patrick also showed a respect for life. He spoke out about injustices such as slavery and condemnation of wealth in his letter to Coroticus. Patrick respected women and this was reflected in the Letter to Coroticus. In L19 Patrick expresses his concern for women. The women were taken as captives, to be distributed â€Å"as prizes.† Patrick makes it clear that the fate of Coroticus and his men is to be â€Å"lorded over† for all eternity by those whom they regarded to be â€Å"barbarian Irish.† In L4, Patrick also speaks up against murder and slavery – he grieves for those captured and killed and calls the perpetrators themselves â€Å"captives of Satan† the punishment met out to them will be â€Å"external life in hell.† To conclude, Christianity is now one of the leading world religions and therefore the mission of both the prophets and Patrick was successful. There will always be a call for people to repent and convert to Christianity with a return to a moral life.

The White Scourge: Mexicans, Blacks, and Poor Whites in Texas Cotton Culture :: United States History Johnny Cash Essays

The White Scourge: Mexicans, Blacks, and Poor Whites in Texas Cotton Culture On his 2000 studio album, "American III," Johnny Cash sang in a resigned voice, "I got a crib full of corn, and a turnin' plow/ But the ground's to wet for the hopper now/ Got a cultivator and a double tree/ A leather line for the hull and gee/ Let the thunder roll and the lighting flash/ I'm doing alright for Country Trash."* Raised on a cotton farm in Dyess, Arkansas, Cash articulated a racialized class divide not simply among whites and African Americans, but among whites, themselves. Cash belonged to a growing class of impoverished white farmers increasingly referred to by his contemporaries as "white trash," and recast by historian Neil Foley as "The White Scourge." In his book of the same title, Foley analyzes the impact of class and race consciousness on white tenants and sharecroppers in central Texas as they competed for farm labor with both African Americans and Mexicans from 1820 to 1940. Foley asserts, "The emergence of a rural class of 'white trash' made whites consci ous of themselves as a racial group and fearful that if they fell to the bottom, they would lose the racial privileges that came with being accepted for what they were not-black, Mexican, or foreign born."(7)** "The white scourge", the masses of impoverished whites held in limbo between privilege and denial, Foley asserts, is what informs race relations today. The heart of Foley's argument rests on an analysis of the intersection of race and economics or class. Indeed the two are joined at the hip, race being created and sustained out of competition for labor. On June 23, 1845, the Republic of Texas was annexed to the U.S. as a slave state. Foley notes "the annexation of Texas as a slave state†¦became the great white hope of northern expansionists anxious to emancipate the nation from blacks, who, it was hoped, would find a home among the kindred population of 'colored races' in Mexico."(20) But rather than uniting as kindred races, discord between poor whites, African Americans and Mexicans resulted from competition for farmland as either tenant farmers or sharecroppers. Foley argues that prior to the Civil War, there was a sharp line delineating tenant farmers and sharecroppers. Tenant farmers were almost always white, owned their own tools and rented land for a third of the cotton and a fourth of the grain harvested.

Mid-Term Test: American Literature Essay

1) According to the U. S. Declaration of Independence (1776), what are the fundamental rights that all men are born with and cannot be deprived from? a) Freedom, Equality and Democracy b) Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness c) Life, Freedom and Equality d) Freedom, Equality and the Pursuit of Happiness . 2) Which of the followings is NOT true about American culture? a) It is racially and ethnically diverse b) It is influenced by Native American, Asian and Polynesian cultures among others. c) Cultural patterns are exactly the same throughout the whole country. d)  British culture contributes greatly to its formation. . 3) Which of the following authors doesn’t belong to the ‘Lost Generation’? a) Ernest Hemingway B) HARPER LEE C) F. SCOTT FITZGERALD d) Gertrude Stein . 4) In your own words, briefly explain what you understand about the Iceberg Theory and The THEORY OF OMISSION IN E. HEMINGWAY’S WRITING STYLE? HOW DID HEMINGWAY’S EXPERIENCE IN WORLD War I influence his works? Correct answer not provided. 5) In the short story Soldier’s Home by Ernest Hemingway, Krebs has to face the following problems EXCEPT: a) He doesn’t have enough money to start a new life. B) HE CANNOT INNITIATE A RELATIONSHIP WITH ANY GIRLS. C) HIS FAMILY MAKES HIM DO THINGS HE DOESN’T WANT TO. d) He cannot reconnect with his old life before the war. . 6) In the short story University Days, what issue in the college education system did James Thurber want to point out when he mentioned the story that happened to the football player during Economics Class? a) The lack of fairness in the system. b) The lack of consideration for students’ individual abilities and differences. c) The lack of practicality in some lessons. d) The lack of proper management in the classroom. 7)IN THE NOVEL THE COLOR PURPLE BY ALICE WALKER, ALL OF THE FOLLOWINGS ISSUES ARE MENTIONED EXCEPT a) The inequality between black people and white people b) Sexist views on gender roles in the family and society c) The abuse of power by authoritative figures d) Competitive relationships among siblings . 8) BRIEFLY ANALYZE THE REASONS WHY CELIE ENDURES THE ABUSE BY HER STEP-FATHER AND HUSBAND without defending herself or fighting back. How does she overcome these hindrances to become an independent woman in the end? Correct answer not provided. 9) THE PULITZER PRIZE IS AN AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENTS IN: a) Literature, musical composition and drama B) POETRY, ONLINE JOURNALISM AND MUSICAL PERFORMANCE c) Fiction, journalism and social activities d) Online journalism, musical composition and literature . 10) In the short story ‘A good man is hard to find’ by Flannery O’Connor, what does The Misfit mean WHEN HE SAYS ‘†SHE WOULD OF BEEN A GOOD WOMAN IF IT HAD BEEN SOMEBODY THERE TO SHOOT HER every minute of her life. † ? a) The Grandmother should have been taught to behave like a lady. b) The Grandmother only became a decent human when she is threatened with death. c) The Grandmother needed someone to control her throughout her life d) The Grandmother didn’t deserve to live. . 11) In ‘Brokeback Mountain’, why didn’t Ennis agree to leave and start a new life with Jack? You can choose more than one answer (however, wrong choices will cost you marks). a) He is concerned about financial issues. B) HE IS AFRAID THAT JACK’S MARRIAGE WOULD BE DAMAGED C) HE IS OBSESSED WITH AN INCIDENT FROM HIS CHILDHOOD. d) He doesn’t like living on a ranch. e) He is worried about the judgement of other people. f) He fears for his safety. g) He is still responsible for his daughters. . 12) WHAT DOES BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN MEAN TO THE MAIN CHARACTERS IN THE STORY WITH THE SAME NAME by Annie Proulx? a) The freedom to live as their true selves b) A reminder of their youthful days c) A place where they have no responsibilities and obligations d) The place where they go every year for their trips . 13) IN THE NOVEL LOVE STORY BY ERICH SEGAL, WHAT IS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CHARACTERISTIC OF THE relationship between Oliver Barrett IV and his father? a) Oliver is always jealous of his father for his achievements in sports b) Oliver hates the pressure and expectation that his father put on him c) Oliver wishes that his father would spend more time talking to him d) Oliver wishes that his father would provide him with more money. . MATCH THE AUTHORS WITH THEIR WORKS (BY WRITING DOWN THE LETTERS OF YOUR CHOICES) 14) B ERNEST HEMINGWAY 15) e J. D. Salinger 16) c Mark Twain 17) a F. Scott Fitzgerald 18) d Harper Lee . A) THE GREAT GATSBY b) A Farewell to Arms c) The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn d) To Kill a Mocking Bird e) Catcher in the Rye . —————————————— THIS IS THE END OF THE TEST. GOOD LUCK!

Is Texas Best Known For Its Individualistic Subculture

Texas is best known for its individualistic subculture, but that individualism has led to a downfall in the educational system affecting all students in Texas. There are many reasons as to why this problem is currently still being seen, and one of the biggest reasons is inadequate funding. Although inadequate funding is one of the biggest problems, the gaps in the educational system will not be solved simply by providing more funding. Instead, a new system must be created. This new system should reach out to all groups and be more equitable, not just focused on certain groups, such as the Hispanic community. Most importantly, effective teachers with less overcrowded rooms should take place in the new system. With that in mind, the new†¦show more content†¦In 2011 while Texas was still under the leadership of Governor Perry, 5.4 billion dollars were cut from educational spending, leading to overcrowded rooms and leaving out students from attending Pre-K (Michels). A study fro m the Texas Education Agency showed that students who attended Pre-K outperformed students on their math and reading tests versus those who did not attend regardless of socioeconomic status. The aftermath of policies cutting down on educational funding are slowly showing their aftermath, and if something is not done to solve those problems, then it can be assured that a great downfall to the state of Texas will be seen. Texas faces many problems with the current educational system and many of them continue to go unresolved due to the way Texas has established certain laws. A decline in education has been seen since 2006 when legislators decided to cut property tax which pays for education (Maule). Those policies only further hinder the progress of education improving, which is why policies like those do not need to be further implemented. More involvement with students is needed and that will be acquired by having more effective teachers. Many studies have shown that students with effective teachers do better in class than those with ineffective teachers. Not only do students do poorly with ineffective teachers, but â€Å"[s]tudies show that most students drop out due to poor academic performance. And studies have proven that the teacher in theShow MoreRelatedBeyond Sophisticated Stereotyping10228 Words   |  41 Pagesthink particular cultures are like. Constrained, stereotypical thinking is not the only problem, however. The more exposure and understanding one gains about any culture, the more paradoxical it often becomes. For example, U.S. Americans are individualistic in some situations (e.g., the most comprehensive of rights and the right most valued is the right to be left alone4) and in others (e.g., school fundraising collectivist events). 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