Diabetic Retinopathy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Diabetic Retinopathy - Essay Example Results from numerous clinical trials of laser photocoagulation and various other treatments and a good understanding of the pathogenesis would have a huge impact on blindness in the diabetic population. [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] The prevalence of retinopathy is strongly linked to the duration of diabetes. A stringent control of blood sugar levels delays the onset of diabetes. Vision loss with diabetic retinopathy may occur from several different mechanisms such as Macular oedema or ischemia which may impair central vision. Extensive studies have reported the cost effectiveness of screening for diabetic retinopathy as it saves vision at reduced costs. The cost of screening modalities depends largely on various factors such as trained professionals and accessibility of screening equipment. Current management of diabetic retinopathy includes systematic control of blood pressure and glucose levels, surgery including laser photocoagulation or pars plana vitrectomy; and currently developed pharmacologic interventions. Vitrectomy is capable of restoring useful vision to patients suffering from severe diabetic retinopathy and vitreous hemorrhage either with or without an accompanying traction retinal detachment. [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] Systemic Control: Development and progression of diabetic retinopathyis delayed by glycemic control. Laser photocoagulation, which represents the only treatment modality in large, controlled, prospective randomized, clinical trials, shows limited efficacy. Currently, new pharmacologic modalities now being evaluated show promise, but should undergo rigorous prospective randomized clinical trial in order to gain widespread acceptance. Intensive therapy brought down the risk of developing diabetic retinopathy by 76% and reduced the risk of progression of already existing retinopathy by 54%. Maintaining a strict and systematic control of blood pressure and glucose has proven to be difficult for many patients with diabetes. A good number of them will still develop progressive retinopathy and would require either vitrectomy or laser photocoagulation [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] Surgery: The latest in surgical techniques is the use of the "Pulse Electron Avalanche Knife" (PEAK-fc, Carl Zeiss Meditec, Jena, Germany) (British Journal of Ophthalmology 2007;91:949-954) which is a new pulsed electrosurgical device that helps in the precise "cold" traction- free tissue dissection. It is very useful in all complicated eye surgeries. For late stages of retinopathy, current laser or surgical treatments are applicable. It also includes proliferative diabetic retinopathy or sight-threatening ME. The study that was conducted proved that photocoagulation can reduce the risk of severe visual loss by about 50%. [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]In this process, laser photocoagulation leads to decreased oxygen levels by the retina due to the destruction of the photoreceptor. Anakinra, which is a drug used in arthritis has tested favorably for reducing blood sugar levels. Benfotiamine is a fat-soluble form of vitamin B1 has proved effective by reversing the damage done to the retina due to high blood sugar in the cells. Another surgical research is the

Rational Choice Theory Human Essay Example for Free

Rational Choice Theory Human Essay Kidnapping John was an ordinary struggling employee of a newspaper firm. One cannot tell by appearances what the mind is capable of, or is it situations that can arouse criminal intelligence in any one of us. However, it is when thoughts transform into actions that crime is committed and what is it that causes this transformation: opportunity. Crime Script John sat thinking of possible options. It has been a mistake to switch two jobs in three years. Not only did he not have a decent designation, he barely made enough to sustain himself, let alone repay the 00 loan installments. Mr. Woolmar, the Boss, did not even know his full name properly in the six months that he had worked, let alone give him any financial help. He would have to do something drastic, something quick and maybe even something illegal. And it would have to be alone. Nothing in office, there were too many cameras. The next-door neighbours just had a baby kidnapping? Yes, but not a baby. Rob someone, take their cash, ATM, and car. Parking lots are good for that, no police, and hardly any public to get alerted and call 911. Yes, parking lots, that is where most crimes are committed, at least in the movies. Resources and setting up John required first of all, a gun. The only person whom he knew had a gun was his colleague, Sarah, who after attempted burglary at her residence had obtained an official permit to keep a gun for self-defense. He mentioned having to write an article on gun engineering and asked if he could borrow it for a few hours†¦office time only. He would take it at twelve ‘o clock, study the components, and return it at five before she leaves for home. Sarah, as her permit allowed her to carry the gun on her person, bought it to office the next day. All he cared about was that it was small in size, not too visible in his coat. Could have been a toy gun, some do look scarier than the real thing. The mask was cut out of a ladies polo neck shirt that he had bought at Labels yesterday, two holes for the eyes, a little slit for breathing and one for talking. Black, and cotton, he did not want the stifling nervous feeling to make him faint. A sports bag, to carry everything and sports gear, to look like: ‘I have just left gym and an going home. ’ This disguise also allowed him to wear joggers, which made less noise as he approached. Another factor that made him soundless was the linoleum floor of the parking lot. Linoleum is especially designed to absorb noise and shock from car tyres so that parking lots are serene. Little did floor manufacturers know how this ‘benefit’ would transform into a security hazard. He had also chosen a parking area that is mostly vacant during office lunch hours. A block away from his office was Hallman’s Securities: home to few of the richest brokers in the city. These were people who had it all and more. For them, a few thousand dollars amiss would not matter. All this was information gained from his very own newspaper articles. Actors and doing it As soon as it was One, John changed into his sports gear in the restroom, signed out ‘Gone for lunch’ walked two blocks down and started jogging as he approached the parking lot. A few stretches and he even smiled at a few lady lawyers walking out with their coffee flasks who waved back distracted. Most cars he had noticed parked in the morning, as he had stopped on his way to office, were not there. The red BMW was missing, it had particularly caught his attention because of its shine. The guard on duty was nowhere to be seen, lunch hours for everyone, hopefully. He continued with his stretches and hoped for the gentleman who had parked his Vitz at exactly 8:45, at the other end, to come out after a few more minutes when the movement died down. And there he was, navy blue shirt, maroon tie, grey trousers and the salt and pepper hair. Not really elderly enough to make John feel guilty, more of a younger wealthy CEO variety. John could now understand ‘rob the rich, give to the poor. ’ Ducking under the fichus undergrowth, John quickly put on his mask and sprinted to the other end. The gentleman nonchalantly put the keys in the lock, the rustling of leaves in the wind providing further cover to Johns hurried arrival. It was only â€Å"I have a gun, do as I say! ’ that made him stop, stiffen and put his hands up. â€Å"Get into the car, fast, don’t look back! † and John crouched low in the back seat. Once in the car, he could talk more, explain his situation, now that the gun was out of the view. â€Å"Give me your wallet, watch, and anything else that you are carrying! And you had better not hold anything back or else † said John as he poked the nozzle into his ribs. But the white-faced man was too shocked to comply. â€Å"Can’t you hear me?!! † and the second jolt startled his poor victim into action. John felt like an actor in a play. He had to force the ruthlessness into his voice; it was not coming naturally. Maybe that is how all criminals feel the first time. He wished he had not started this, but it was too late now, he had started committing the offence, might as well go all the way and reap the reward. At least he could thank his oratory skills for not fumbling with the words or faltering in volume to give away his own apprehensions. â€Å"Now you have to drive to the nearest ATM, NORMALLY, smile at people as they pass, NO ONE MUST SUSPECT, YOU UNDERSTAND! † said John, and the car started. Both the villain and the victim were on auto-pilot, like a robot drove the grey-haired man, knowing exactly where to turn, to stop at red lights, stare straight ahead, not looking here or there. John kept his gaze and nozzle fixated at his victim, ignoring the need to look around lest he give away the game. It was a slow mechanical drive. The car stopped at the ATM. It was one of those booth varieties. â€Å"I will wait outside† said John. â€Å"Take out your maximum and be out in two minutes, or I will come and shoot you inside. † Those two minutes seemed like eternity. John kept looking at his watch. What if the man had two cell phones, and had given John only one. What if he will look up the window and see a blue uniform holding a gun at him? A girl passed by the pavement, oblivious of everything except the tune in her I-pod. Then he heard the thud of the booth and saw a flash of Navy blue. Alerted to his teeth, he only breathed as he realized it was his fellow, not the cops. The man turned around and handed the cash. â€Å"That was all the limit allowed. † Silence as John counted the nine hundred and fifty dollars. Add that to the six hundred in the wallet, the five hundred the Tissot would go for, John realized that he would have to execute Part B of the plan, steal the car. Anyway it would be better to have the car to drive off in than to have to disappear from the crime on foot. â€Å"Drive and stop where I tell you! † China town was what John had in mind, there were less phone booths and more Chinese than American in that area. It would take longer for an American to get help there than anywhere else in New York. Jumping onto the passenger seat, John shouted’ â€Å"Get Out! † at the back alley. Yanking the mask off and driving at full speed John neither looked left or right as he speeded to the little repair shop run by the Mexican who had repaired the almost falling-apart foxy belonging to his Indian friend, Ranjeet. That was the only place he had ever seen a shady deal done, when suddenly a brand new Volvo was deposited by two high schoolers who walked away with cash in their pockets and smiles on their faces. The economic and emotional decadence that had disgusted him then, seemed so all right and understandable now. A crime does not feel like a crime if your needs are greater than the needs of your victim. Here too, the actions seemed rehearsed. Stop the car near the garage, walk inside, but a cigarette and open the packet to find the 4 smokes and the amount the Mexican feels is appropriate for the new arrival. Which was appropriate for John as well: A full two thousand and five hundred dollars. He may even give four hundred to charity to wash away his sin. He was just waiting for a taxi as he saw the Vitz being slowly pushed into the repair shop and the gate being closed. A few directions to the Indian cab driver, a speedy drive to office, a rush to the restroom where John changed back into his office attire, leaving the clothes and joggers in the huge trash bin, John was back at his desk at 2:15. â€Å"Rather early lunch? Was it a date? † asked Bob, his colleague â€Å"Yeah, sort of† said John as he finished formatting the article on why it is dangerous to polish guns on your own inside the house. â€Å"Here Sarah, thanks a lot, how do u use this thing? † Rational Choice Theory Human beings are rational creatures. That is why God created heaven and hell. We make the right choices there, because God is always watching. But cops are not always watching, so it is possible for would-be criminals to get away with a lot of things since â€Å"where there is a will, there is a way. † Crime arises when motivation meets opportunity. One may have the mind but not the means. If crimes such as Johns are to be prevented, either one or both of these factors would have to be reduced/removed from society. Motivation for crimes of financial nature, such as Johns, arises from need. It is not a case of a rich man trying to get richer by swindling the shareholders of his company. It is performing the big crime of kidnapping for a few thousand dollars. As said ‘Rationality involves an end/means calculation† (Sutton). Kidnappers may face lengthy terms in prison. The harsh sentences imposed and the poor risk-to-benefit ratio compared with other crimes have caused kidnapping for ransom virtually to die out in the United States. It may be that John was not aware of the consequences of getting caught. Here the question arises as to what were the violent actions the loan shark had threatened to take, that provoked John to risk something greater. A loan shark, is someone who illegally charges interest over the states legal limit, which could range up to, or even over 100% and threatens violence or damage to a persons reputation. John could have come clean to the local police and requested for security. However, if the motivating factor was damage to reputation, it would have been disastrous for John as his career as a writer in a newspaper. A more comprehensive approach is needed to reduce the incidence of such crimes. The government may need to create public awareness about the seriousness and penalties of committing various crimes so that the law is not taken lightly in times of stress. The underlying problem, however, is economical. â€Å"With the new decade of 2010 upon us, little has changed and further victimizing seems inevitable as financial desperation increases globally in more households† (Sifakis, 1999). The government must crack down on the loan shark system and introduce schemes of credit borrowing from the State itself depending on merit and below market interest rates. In fact, why not without interest at all? Interest has been looked down upon in a few religions of the world because it makes the poor, poorer and the rich, richer. Had John had access to such a borrowing system, he may not have fallen prey to a local loan shark. John’s situation mentions that he has no family or friends. A very often and sad situation in the new American society is the loneliness of the individual. In other cultures, expenses and liabilities are shared by family members especially those living in a joint family system. Such a system also automatically keeps an emotional check and an eye on every member where deviance in behaviour or mood is immediately noticed. Problems are discussed and sorted out. When society becomes individualistic and there is less and less of a support structure, financial and psychological factors combine to breed crime Motivation is all in the mind. But the body acts only if there is an opportunity. If there is a situation in which the crime can be performed. John chose not to rob a bank because he did not have access to professional assistants. John chose not to defraud his employer because he lacked the IT expertise and there were surveillance cameras in office. He had the motivation for both of these, but did not have the opportunity so the crimes were not committed. Therefore the government needs to focus on situational crime prevention. This includes making public areas safer for people. Parking lots and parks often get deserted. More surveillance cameras must be installed. Security guards must be employed in shifts. Criminals commit crime mostly because they think they will not get caught. A general awareness of crime prevention must be installed in society. Situational crime prevention does not mean obtaining permits for guns. The more guns there are out there, the more the chances of anyone getting hurt. Obviously a gun is made to kill. One in ten will. The danger of it falling into the wrong hands is too great. Guns get jammed and fire at the wrong times. There have been numerous deaths around the world because of guns kept at home. Another factor in urban crime prevention is to assimilate the various ethnicities of a metropolitan into the community whole-heartedly. â€Å"Immediate steps can be taken to reclaim the urban environment and recreate a sense of community. Migrants in multicultural cities, who have internalized the culture conflict between two worlds, can be assisted in gaining new identities and allegiances† (United Nations Team, 1995). Poverty-stricken, derelict areas on the outskirts of metropolitans are like breeding areas or crime ports, where goods can be deposited, sold, purchased out of need but always with a racial revenge in the subconscious. In John’s case the Mexican was a character, which symbolized this mafia. If at the end of his crime, John did not have a place to sell the Vitz, the crime may not have arisen at all, since no one would be carrying four thousand dollars cash anyway. The crime had not been completed until John sold the car. The victim had time to contact the authorities. However, in such situations a victim’s reactions are often late especially if the aggressor is strong or loud. While the victim was inside the ATM booth he could have looked into the CCTV camera and made signs to indicate his situation. A compulsory self-defense course must be introduced at all private and public schools so that victims are at least able to respond for help at the right time and place. This would ensure a lot of criminals being taken off guard. After a crime is committed, it is the States responsibility to punish. â€Å"The Swiftness, Severity, and Certainty of punishment are the key elements in understanding a laws ability to control human behavior† (Keel, 1997). The rational choice theory states that the benefit of the crime is greater than the pain: ‘Choice can be controlled through the perception and understanding of the potential pain or punishment that will follow an act judged to be in violation of the social good, the social contract,† (Lilly, Cullen and Ball, 1995). Whenever a crime attempt is aborted, a criminal punished, the story must flash on the media and be registered into the minds of the public, for human beings learn readily by example. Some societies go to the extent of public floggings and executions, so that all ye may learn. Utilizing the media for the good of the community is a governmental responsibility. The State may do much but it is the power of the people that can also be quite a deterrent to crime. † Self-help schemes have proven highly effective in well-organized communities. Specific crime prevention measures, such as neighbourhood block watches and neighbourhood courts, work best in partnership with local authorities, scrupulously avoiding vigilantism. † (United Nations Team, 1995. ) In many metropolitans, for example in Karachi, citizens have joined hands with the local area police to make their localities / cities safer places to live in; an organization named CPLC (Citizens Police Liaison Committee) with the slogan ‘Lets beat crime together’ has distributed car stickers with phone numbers easily displayed so that anyone who notices anything suspicious may inform it. Conclusion All efforts of the State and citizens alike must be more focused on eradicating ‘the way’ (that is, opportunity) because it is easier to eradicate than ‘the will’ (that is, motivation), which requires a long-term strategy. ‘To err is human† and the devil may open his workshop anywhere but as long as there is no opportunity, crime commission does not occur. The rational choice theory states that motivation and opportunity combine for crime commission. However sometimes motivation is not a factor at all. Even if the State and community are ideal, there are serial killers and psychopaths who commit crimes only because there are opportunities. John had the opportunity to kidnap and commit theft and he would have done it even if he were a serial killer who had a fetish for killing grey-haired men, instead of having been driven to it because of financial problems. Sometimes it is just temptation or the thrill of doing something daring and forbidden, that replaces motivational factors such as poverty or racism. So we may conclude that opportunity of crime can be equal to possibility of crime and though economic and sociological environments must be such that they deter crime, it is more relevant for the authorities to focus on situational crime prevention. References Kopel, D. B. (1995). Guns: who should have them?.. New York: Prometheus books. Keel, R. O. (1997). Rational Choice and Deterrence Theory. Lilly, J. Robert, Cullen, Francis T. and Ball, Richard A. (1995). Criminological Theory: Context and Consequences (2nd ed. ). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, Inc. Sifakis, C. (1999). The Mafia Encyclopedia Checkmark Books Sutton, D, Ronald V. Clarke. Retrieved May 17th, 2010 from http://www. criminology. fsu. edu/crimtheory/clarke. htm United Nations. (1995, April). Stop Crime. Retrieved May 17th, 2010, from http://www. un. org/ecosocdev/geninfo/crime/dpi1646e. htm

Effect of the Roman Invasion on Religion

Effect of the Roman Invasion on Religion The Celtic Christianity. Christianity probably came to Britain with the Roman legions, the spread of the faith being certainly helped by the infrastructure of the Roman Empire, resulting in the gradual conversion of the various Celtic people to the Christian faith. Thus a strong and lively Celtic church existed in Britain and Ireland before the Germanic invasions took place. We know that there were British bishops at church councils at Arles, 314 AD, and Rimini, 359 AD. There are records of the martyrdoms of Alban, Julius and Aaron. Such great numbers of Celts were converted that to be British and Celtic meant to be Christian. After the legions left there appear to have been some 150 years of warfare in Britain between the invading Anglo-Saxons and the original Celtic inhabitants. So when Augustine came from Rome in 596 he came into the conflict between the Anglo-Saxon conquerors and an indigenous church among a persecuted people. [literally from the site!] The Celtic Christianity is the first form of Christianity that has been practiced in England and Ireland. (around 400 AD) In the 4th century, it really established itself by mixing the characteristic Celtic features with the religion. Once the Romans withdrew themselves, the Roman and Celtic Christianity started to evolve differently. In the 5th and 6th century a lot of Celts were converted because of missionaries. In Ireland, the Celtic Christianity is characterized by its cloisters. Celtic Christianity is the earliest form of Christianity in Great Britain and Ireland. Christianity reached Britain in the 2nd century, during the Roman occupation. It was not until the second half of the 4th century that the characteristic Celtic elements were mixed properly with the rest of the church. After the Romans had withdrawn from Britain, the Roman and Celtic Christianity had been apart for almost 200 years and had the opportunity to develop separately. The 5th and 6th century were marked by widespread conversions by the arrival of many missionaries. Ireland developed a church structure which was entirely based on monasteries. Because there existed no central authority of the Celtic church, there were many variations occurring in monastic rules and the rules of the liturgy. The Roman and the Celtic church met again in 597, when Augustine of Canterbury led a delegation of clergies to Britain. This meeting showed that there were many differences between the views of the two movements. The big difference between the Roman Catholic and Celtic Christianity led to the Synod of Whitby in 664. The decisions that were taken, were detrimental to the Celts. The Irish monastic rules were replaced with the rules of the Benedictines and strict adherence to Catholic doctrine was enforced. The decree of Whitby had no immediate effect. Especially Devon, Cornwall and Scotland continued to protest against the new form of Christianity. This resulted in the presence of a Celtic monastery on Iona (Scotland) until the 13th century, which then was replaced by a Benedictine abbey. However, Christianity in Britain began to adapt increasingly to the Roman Catholicism. Despite this, Celtic Christianity was passed on orally and there have always remained elements of the former belief in British and Irish churches. After the Reformation of the 16th century the Celtic tradition got offered more and more resistance. Reading the prayers out loud was discouraged and even forbidden, because it was thought that this was a pagan and polytheistic origin. In Scotland a combination of religious persecution and the highland clearances led to the weakening of the Celtic culture. But even this did not lead to the end of the Celtic Christianity. In the early 20th century Celtic prayers were collected in Gaelic and written down due to a resurgence of interest in Celtic literature. Partly because of this there was a growing interest in Celtic Christianity. People protested less against the tradition of pagan elements and more people began to appreciate the religion. Instead of eliminating the ancient Celtic symbols from the religious life, the Christian missionaries took over many customs of the pagan faith. Some of these traditions are still clearly seen in the Christian faith, and not just in Great Britain and Ireland. The old gods were largely held in honour, only now they were depicted as saints. The most famous example is Brighid, who became a saint with the same name after the arrival of Christianity. Jesus, the son of God, took the place of the sun god Lugh. His symbol, the cross, was added to the solar disk and so was the symbol that we know today as the Celtic cross Iona. Many sacred sites were converted to Christian places of significance. Lindisfarne, for example, was a place where the Celts worshiped their gods in the open air. On the island a church was built which became important later. The belief in the Otherworld, ensured that in almost the whole Christian world, the contact between people did not stop after death, but continued in the form of prayers and thoughts. But of course there also are differences between the Celtic Christianity and Roman Catholicism. The Celtic Christian religion is based on smaller groups of believers than the Roman Catholics, who interpret their own religion. This is partly because of the division of Celtic society: the importance of a family or clan was much larger than the importance of a country or a king. Another reason is that they dont care that much about exact rules but want to confess their faith in their own way. The fact that Celtic Christianity is different to Roman Catholicism in several ways, is largely due to the language barrier and the remoteness of the area. One of the most known differences with the Roman Catholicism is the determination of the date of Easter. There are several ways to do this, and those ways have changed and refined through the centuries. After the establishment of the Celtic Church, there was a time where there was relatively little contact with the rest of Europe and when that contact was renewed, it appeared that the Roman Catholic Church had adopted a different system. Several Celtic parishes practiced this system, while others maintained the old system. There is a striking difference in the conception of the original sin. The Catholic saint Augustine argued that the original sin was caused by Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit in Paradise, and that this sin was transmitted to their offspring and therefore all people. To get rid of the original sin, people had to live by the Bible and fulfil Gods will. The Celtic monk Pelagius, however, claimed that this original sin did not exist and that a good and sinless life would be enough to go to heaven. A final difference is the experience of God by the Celtic Christians. According to them, God is not separated from his creation and the major example of this is Jesus. Believers see the universe as a body, from which God is the head, and the cosmos the body. The cosmos can perform Gods will, just like the brain tells the fingers what to do. The head joins in the sorrow and the joy of the body. God is also seen as hermaphrodite: both male and female, while Roman Catholicism portrays God as male. That the Catholic doctrine does this, can be explained by the concept of the original sin. Eve, Adams wife, was the first who tasted of the apple and she was the one who encouraged him to eat of the fruit. As Adam didnt pluck the apple himself, but this was encouraged by Eve, she was more sinful than her husband. Partly because of this idea, the role of the woman in the church was kept small. She couldnt fulfil sacred tasks like priests and bishops did. The attitude of the Celtic Christianity was much milder towards women, such as that Irish women could be priests and there was no celibacy. Shortly after the ingestion of Ireland in 1172 the Irish Celtic church was placed under the Roman church and from then there were only men who performed the sacred tasks. The celibacy was introduced shortly after. Constantine I (the Great). Constantine the Great was the son of Constantius Chlorus and Helena, and was a Roman emperor from 306 until his death in 337 AD. He is best known for being the first Christian Roman emperor. He issued the Edict of Milan (313), which proclaimed religious toleration throughout the empire. As the heir when his father died, he soon took possession of Gaul, Spain and Britain. After some victories over Maxentius he also became the master of Italy. In 323 he killed his opponent Linius in battle, and became sole lord of the whole Roman World. A lot of books have been written about the subject. An example of one of those is Constantine, the Miracle of the Flaming Cross by Frank G. Slaughter. According to the stories, Constantine saw a cross in the sky the night before his battle with Maxentius. Accompanied with it were the lines By this thou shalt conquer. Along with the supports of his mother Helena, this should have inspired Constantine to be converted to the Christian belief. The miracle has been defended by several Roman-Catholic historians, but it cannot stand the test of critical examination. It is possible that Constantine has seen something in the skies Constantine was convinced Christianity was on the rise but his conversion was more a change of policy than of character. He retained the office and title of Pontifex Maximus until the very last, a title which nowadays is reserved for the pope as it is represents the highest position in the Church. Furthermore, he wasnt baptised until he felt he was about to die. T his of course so that if there were a Heaven, he would go there, but he didnt have to live a purely Christian life before that. Constantine kept Pagans in the highest positions in his surroundings, and forbade everything which might appear to be an attack of Christianity against Paganism. This is an example of the religious toleration in the Roman empire. Constantine III (usurper) and the end of the Roman reign in Britain. Flavius Claudius Constantinus (Constantine the third), is in Britain also known as Constantine II. He declared himself emperor of the Western Roman Empire in 407 AD and abdicated in 411. On the 31st of December 406 AD, Barbarian invaders attacked the Western Roman Empire near the Rhine. Along with the disunity of the Roman Empire and the tensions around Gaul, this was one of the factors that caused the Roman Western Empire to waver. At the same moment, the provinces in Britain were in revolt, which resulted in the rise of Constantine. Constantine crossed the English Channel, and assumingly took with him all of the British mobile troops. After several battles with Sarus, he secured the Rhine Frontier and positioned his troops on the passes that led from Gaul into Italy. Constantines movement to Gaul in 407 AD is often referred to as the Roman evacuation of Britain. The current Emperor Honorius in Ravenna (Italy) was having great difficulties maintaining his position. Mutinies from the Roman Army and the abandonment of the western army left Honorius with no significant military power. So when Constantine arrived in Ravenna to negotiate in 409 AD, Honorius eagerly accepted Constantine as his co-emperor. However, Constantines success didnt last long. Later that year, the Barbarian invaders that had attacked before near the Rhine, reached Constantines garrisons near Gaul, broke through them and reached the Pyrenees. Meanwhile, general Gerontius rebelled and arrived in Hispania. Constantine was so occupied by these invasions, that he could not defend Britain against the Saxon pirates since he didnt have any troops to spare. The Roman inhabitants of Britain, upset that Constantine could no longer defend them, rebelled and expelled his officers. This is the definite end of the Roman rule over Britain. Roman Britain split into separate kingdoms but the Romano-Celts continued to fight the Saxon raiders. Roman civilisation slowly broke down: Roman towns continued to be inhabited until the mid-5th century, but then most were abandoned. In the 5th century Roman civilisation in the countryside faded away. Julian the Apostate. Flavius Claudius Julianus, also known as Julian the Apostate, was the last ruler of the Constantinian Dynasty, as well as the last non-Christian Roman Emperor. His goal was to bring back the ancient Roman values in the Empire. Julian was the half-brother of Constantine I. He was a successful army leader, even though he had received no military education whatsoever. With the deaths of Constantine I, Constantine II and Constans, Constantius II was left the sole remaining emperor of the Roman Empire. InÂÂ   355 AD, Julian was made Caesar of the west, as Constantius II felt he needed a permanent representative in Gaul. However, Julian did not agree with the role Constantius had in mind for him. Constantius had thought of Julian more as a figurehead rather than an active ruler, but Julian took every opportunity to participate in the events in Gaul. Constantius attempted to keep some control over Julian, by removing one of Julians important advisors Salutius. This was the beginning of a series of struggles between Constantius and Julian. It almost resulted in a civil war, which was only avoided by the death of Constantius in 361. Constantius II recognized Julian as his rightful successor in his last will. Julians last Christian deed was the burial of Constantius in the Church of Apostles, next to Constantine I. JulianÂÂ ´s personal belief was both pagan and philosophical. Though he received a Christian upbringing, Julian preferred the ancient gods with their leader Zeus above the Christian monotheistic view. Once he became the sole emperor, Julian started a religious reformation. He approved the restoration of Hellenic paganism above Christianity as the state religion. His laws were targeted at the wealthy and educated Christians. He did not aim on destroying Christianity as a whole, but tried to drive it out of the classes that came into contact with governing the empire. He restored pagan temples, removed some of the privileges Christian bishops had received from Constantine and reversed many more favors. On the 4th of February 362 AD, Julian declared another edict. This edict was supposed to guarantee freedom of religion. All religions were equal before the law, and the Roman StateÂÂ   was not allowed to constrain a particular religion. This might not seem to be a direct attack against Christianity, but itÂÂ ´s purpose was to restore and increase the toleration of paganism. Since the past had learned that the persecution of Christians only led to a strengthening Christianity, most of JulianÂÂ ´s actions were intended to unable Christians to organize any resistance against the re-establishment of paganism. In the School Edict, Julian demanded that all public teachers were to be approved by the emperor. This would enable Julian to prevent that Christian teachers could use pagan texts for reading purposes rather than studying the religion. In the Tolerance edict (362) Julian ordered the reopening of some pagan temples, the redeeming of temple properties and so on. Remarkably, Julian also ordered a Jewish temple to be rebuild, probably as an attempt to foster any religion but Christianity. However, the rebuilding failed. This has been prescribed to the Galilee Earthquake of 363, but some Christians say it was divine intervention. Julian wanted to make sure that he could count on the support of the entire Roman Empire. To gain this support, he felt that he had to prove himself, and he thought the Persian Campaign was the perfect occasion to do this. However, things did not go as he pictured it, and he had to withdraw his forces. During the withdrawal, Julians forces were attacked several times by Sassanid forces. In one of these attacks on the 26th of June 363, Julian was wounded. He was treated by his personal physician, but on the third day he died as a result of his injuries. Some historians claimed Julian was killed by a Christian saint, while others reported that one of his own men, a Christian soldier, had thrown the spear that ultimately resulted in Julians death. It is said that JulianÂÂ ´s last words were Vicisti, Galilaee (You have won, Galilean), supposedly expressing his recognition that, with his death, Christianity would become the Empires state religion. Was Julian right with his prediction? We can say Julian was right. As from Jovian, Christianity remained the dominant religion in the empire. Jovian was Julians successor. He was one of Julians guard, and though his election was surprising, he had a great influence on the re-establishment of Christianity. Although his reign only lasted 8 months, he revoked all the edicts Julian had issued against Christianity. However, he did not stop there. By September 363, the situation in the empire had totally changed: One could receive the death penalty for worshipping the ancestral gods, and later for participating in either public or private pagan ceremonies. Jovians successor Valentinian is often considered to be the last great emperor. He was the last emperor to have total control over the empire, and according to historians there has been a visible period of improvement under his reign. Valentinian was only slightly more tolerant against other religions, allowing just a few types of rituals, but prohibiting the practicing of m agic. Importance of Roman Emperors and division within Christianity Though Britain was one of the farthest provinces of the Roman Empire, the Roman rule had a great influence on life in Britain. All the Edicts issued by the emperors were of course to be applied in Britain. Great Britain originally can be seen as a mainly pagan country, but in time this changed. Not only did this happen because of the Irish missionaries, but as well because of the attitude of the emperor. If the emperor was a strict Christian, there was a big chance that people converted themselves to Christianity. This was especially the case under the rule of Jovian and Valentinian, who were strong opponents of Paganism. Because Britain was so far away from the rest of the Roman Empire, Christianity had the possibility to develop itself differently here than in the rest of Europe. This resulted in the Celtic Christianity. This differed from the Roman Christianity in a few ways, such as the calculation of Eastern and the penitentials. There were more forms of Christianity that have b een practiced over time. It was not anything extraordinary if the two sons of an emperor had a different belief. This was the case with the sons of Constantine the Great (see figure 1) and in a intensified way with Julian who was a pagan, and his brothers who were Christians. This made it possible that though both emperors or groups of people were Christian, they fought each other and tried to convert other to their particular form of Christianity. Some examples of oppositions were Catholicism vs. The Orthodox Church, (Semi-)Arianism vs Nicene Creed and so on.

What Purpose does Section one serve in a Reading of To Kill a Mockingbird? :: English Literature

What Purpose does Section one serve in a Reading of To Kill a Mockingbird? Section 1 of the novel 'To Kill a Mockingbird', by Harper Lee establishes the main style and themes of the narrative. It begins by giving a brief summary of the history of the Finch family before setting the scene for the main action of the novel. It introduces the reader to the main characters who will, Scout, Jem, Atticus and Miss Maudie and some of the families who are relevant to the story, the Radleys and the Ewells. Some of the themes of the book become apparent in the first section and are then continued and elaborated on in the second half. Questions are also raised that arouse the reader's interest and encourage them to read on. From the first page it becomes apparent to the reader the book is written in first person tense, but it is several pages before the reader is informed that the story is to be related by a six year-old girl. The protagonist of the novel is Scout, a proud, headstrong girl who claims that she 'Never loved to read. One does not love breathing'. The story begins by her commenting on events that do not become clear until the end of the novel. She says 'I maintain that the Ewells started it all' but she does not explain what they started and the reader only discovers what she means as more of the story is revealed. This catches the attention of the reader, as their curiosity is aroused and they want to know what she is talking about. The writer then goes on to write a short history of the Finch family and a description of each of the characters immediately involved in the story; Atticus, Calpurnia and Dill. This provides a background to the events that are yet to happen and gets the reader to wish to know more about these people. The reader then becomes acquainted with their characters, attitudes and opinions and this provides the reader with some knowledge of how they will react to the events that happen in the second part of the novel. The first chapter also describes the events relating to the Radley family. It is a bit of a myth made from rumours that have been passed on from person to person until it the stories become completely unbelievable. This is humorous because the reader can see through Scout's eyes and although these things are completely ridiculous they can see that believes them. These events are not concluded and the reader can see that there will be more about this family in the second

Money and Morality Essay

MONEY AND MORALITY: Gifts of eternal truth in moments of the mundane By Cheryl Leis, PhD, Management Consultant/Practical Philosopher As inhabitants of this 21st century Western world, we all have to deal with money. We participate in the world of commerce as a means to obtain those things considered necessities of life. Money plays the role of the most commonly accepted means in this giving and getting from others. And the more money one has, the greater one’s power to regulate the particulars of survival – one’s own and that of others. We use money to participate in the exchange of products or services, individually and corporately – whether employed by or leading an organization. In some cases these organizations are publicly funded non-profits, and in other cases they are private, for-profit ventures. Money and morality is a topic that has surfaced on many occasions in my line of work. One such instance was during a contract with CBC TV to work on the development of a six-part national series titled: â€Å"Beautiful, Filthy Money and the Search for Soul. † The title itself speaks to the ambivalent nature of our responses to money and its presence in our lives. As part of the contract, I appeared as a guest on the panel, where I was asked to complete the following sentence: â€Å"Money is†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Yes, what is money? My response was: Money is a tool for finding out who we really are. What you do with money, and how you live with money’s presence in your life, tells a lot about your values. Or, as Ralph Waldo Emerson puts it: â€Å"A dollar is not value, but representative of value, and, at last, of moral values. † This is apparently pretty close to what Buddhists believe about money. There are times when many of us are faced with an imbalance between money and morality and find ourselves asking in some form or another: How we can put â€Å"Money† and â€Å"Morality† in the same sentence and not end up with an ethical contradiction? The incompatibility of these Mwords is an inherent, yet complex part of being human. And it is only when we face the truth of their incompatibility that we can come to understand the utter necessity of their coexistence. The challenge stems from the fact that there is both a spiritual side and a material side to our situation. When we don’t bring the spiritual side into dialogue with the material side, problems result. This is true for individuals as well as organizations. Think about Enron – what do you think their way of dealing with money says about the moral values that guided senior management there? Each of us could turn the question on our own lives. Money, in and of itself, is neutral. It has no intrinsic value, but is a mere yardstick of value, a means of measuring or comparing in the exchange of one thing for another. Money â€Å"belongs to the class of great mental inventions, known as 1 measures†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Measures of distance – the meter or mile – span the gulf between two things or places yet are not themselves things or places. Similarly, money brings things of different value together without becoming one or the other. † Because money is merely a way of measuring, it is in itself, therefore, not real. Thus, money is both neutral and unreal. Nevertheless, we often seem oblivious to this unreal nature of money and equate it with things that are very real, like our own values. But if, as Aristotle says, â€Å"[a]ll things that are exchanged 2 must be somehow comparable,† what are we saying about our perception of reality when we measure our sense of self-worth by our net-worth? While money is a measure of value, that value can change depending on what the market is willing to bear. It’s rather similar to the story of the emperor’s new clothes. As soon as we agree something no longer has value, our whole perception of it changes. This change in the perception of the value of something affects humans psychologically and emotionally. So when the value of stocks falls through the floor, people react in fear or paranoia. Conversely, when stocks rise like crazy, there is frenzy fuelled by hope and even greed. What then, motivates our relationship with money? With what intention do we strive to accumulate wealth? Do we recognize what our relationship with money says about our values? Money Obsessing For some the question of ethics and money leads down another path. In â€Å"Is Lucre Really 3 that Filthy? † Craig Cox, executive editor of Utne magazine, reflects on his own journey from disdain for the almighty dollar as a child of the 60s to becoming – of all things – â€Å"bourgeios,† earning money and learning to manage it. There was the example by a leading voice of the counter-culture of the day, Allen Ginsberg, who wrote in Howl! of burning all his money in a wastebasket. Times have changed – even for Ginsberg, 1. David Appelbaum, â€Å"Money and the City,† Parabola, Volume XVI, No. 1 (Spring 1991), 40. 2. Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics 1133a 18. 3. Craig Cox, â€Å"Is Lucre Really That Filthy,† Utne Reader (July-August, 2003), 63. who â€Å"†¦of course, sold his papers to Stanford University for 4 nearly a million bucks. † The irony, points out Cox, is that social justice activists who want to eschew wealth in order to bring about social justice and help the poor are in fact helping people to attain the very thing they, the activists, abhor: a comfortable life. He sets up an interesting dilemma when he insists that â€Å"If you insist on embracing poverty in your own life, how do you become a credible advocate for folks who would do almost anything to 5 escape it? † True enough, there are those who become enslaved to money in their attachment to mere accumulation of more and more capital. However, there are also those who are enslaved to money in their ascetic avoidance of it. Both are obsessive behaviours: obsessed with having money or obsessed with avoiding it – like the alcoholic’s family that is obsessed with avoiding alcohol. In neither case is money at the service of the individual as a means of providing for the necessities of life; rather, the individual is at the service of money. Our emotional responses to this neutral thing called money often lead to an automatic attachment of value-statements. We grab on to labels such as â€Å"evil,† â€Å"bewitching,† â€Å"aweinspiring,† or â€Å"filthy lucre. † Respect for money is replaced with either worship or condemnation of it. Emotional and value-laden responses are also evident when conversation turns towards money and self-righteous posturing rises very quickly to the surface with comments like: â€Å"Well, I don’t soil my hands with money. † Or: â€Å"I certainly don’t 4. Ibid 5. Ibid work for money. † A lot of judging of others happens: â€Å"He’s just in it for the money. † Or: â€Å"She’d do anything for money. † This judgmental posturing also leads to ideological positioning. Anyone who focuses on making money is immediately dubbed a capitalist and conversely, anyone who speaks of communal sharing is dubbed a socialist. Subtleties are lost and conversation ends right there. No dialogue is possible. We move from love of money to love of ideology, where anyone who thinks differently than I do about money is immediately evil. Spiritual Moments of Mundane Existence To judge from one side or the other is to forget that we inherently have one foot in heaven and one foot in the mud of the earth below. The challenge is to live in both simultaneously. Living as a human being means learning to deal with money – whether one has a lot or a little matters not. It will do us no good to merely pursue a spiritual life unless we are living equally and simultaneously in the material world. Christians are exhorted to remember that even Bishops, or spiritual leaders, are told to balance both. â€Å"For if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church? † (1 Timothy 3:5) A life of wholeness, or one in which the spiritual and the material are in balance, guarantees freedom from distortion. Yet the need for wholeness is also at the heart of the contradiction. The spiritual and the material are of entirely different natures. Not only must they live in the same world, both the spiritual and the human sides of our existence must also have 2 their own identity and remain in full relationship with each other. We have to work at accepting this incompatibility for what it is. These are separate parts of who we are and of our daily existence. These separate parts are in a dynamic relationship one to the other, like notes in a beautiful song: you might have harmony, but you still have separate notes. If they are all the same note, there is not harmony, there is unison. Harmony has tension. It is beautiful because of the tension. Unison is nice, but harmony is richer. Morality And Business Just as it will not help us on an individual level to focus only on the one side of our nature at the expense of the other, likewise it will not help to divide our culture into the spirit-lead and others. It reminds me of a story I recently heard: Two men met for the first time, in of all places, a church on a Sunday morning. The one asked the other: â€Å"So what do you do? † To which the second responded: â€Å"I work as a director of XYZ division of a business. † â€Å"You’re in business? † quipped the first, who was a teacher, â€Å"Oh that’s too bad. † The work of the businessman was seen as inherently less worthy. How far could the conversation go after that? It is a difficult chasm. One finds a classic case of a religious-affiliated venture that refused to acknowledge that it must run itself like a business. After decades of mismanagement, the publishing house cried out to its constituency to get it out of a multi-million debt. One former board member was even quoted in a church publication as saying that this was seen as â€Å"a church venture, not a business venture. † The mistake lay in this eitheror posture. There was no acknowledgment that gifts and talents and skills of different sorts were needed. The disdain goes the other way too. One has only to think of the now infamous corporations like Enron or Livenet, where the situation is merely the reverse: a business enterprise that lacks spiritual sense, and results in moral bankruptcy. If our moral principles give us the framework within which we operate and the ability to continue operating depends upon financial viability, then integrity is automatically lost for any organization when either half of the morality and money equation is lost. Balancing the Equation Only when we pay attention and only when we come to recognize the true place and role we have allowed money in our lives, only then can we possibly hope to reach a deeper understanding of how important a balance between the material and the spiritual is. This deeper understanding may only come in flashes, only fleetingly. Yet the truth that is understood in an instant opens us up to the truth of our everyday actions and existence. In other words, we must become conscious, we must become aware of our human condition – this life lived in a dynamic balance between the spiritual and the material – and be attentive to both. But instead of giving the right amount of attention to those mundane and material aspects of life like taxes and monetary demands put upon us, we often get caught in a bias against money. We would rather point fingers and condemn in broad strokes than engage in dialogue of particular money matters. We would rather alienate than seek to understand. Instead of casting judgment or pretending we, personally, are above being affected by money, we need to face our human situation and recognize we live in two worlds simultaneously. Maybe then we would do a better job of living in both. â€Å"If great truth does not enter into our relation to money, it cannot 6 enter our lives. † And if we do not allow ourselves to face that truth, the negative aspects of our relationship to money will sneak up on us unawares. Bad debts, overdue bills, or an empty fridge will suddenly demand so much of our human attention that we will have no energy left to focus on matters of the spirit. Undeniably, it can be a challenge to live out our moral principles in the marketplace; it is inherent in the challenge of being spiritual and human at the same time. Not giving enough attention to either the spiritual or the material, on an individual or an organizational level, leads to bankruptcy, whether moral or financial. In his book, Business and the Buddha, Dr. Lloyd Field states, â€Å"greed is a choice. † We can choose to allow our insatiable desires to form our intentions or we can choose to recognize where our intentions are ultimately leading us. It is not money or wealth or even the capitalist system that is the problem, he argues. Buddhists regard wealth as neither bad nor negative. Rather, the problem sits plainly with us, human beings, and the intentions which we allow to motivate our thoughts, our emotions and our actions. It cannot be stated any clearer than said in this book: we are exhorted to â€Å"continually make the connection between money and human values. † And then the question that really gets to the heart of the matter: â€Å"What price do we put on our ethics? † We will need to move past our biases and disdain for those whom we consider to be on the other side of the money and morality equation and allow moments of eternal truth and even grace to infiltrate our discussions and our questions. When all gifts and skills are welcome and when integrity is our priority, then there will be the possibility of a true and dynamic relationship between money matters and morality. 6. Needleman, 265.

Filipino Psychology Essay

Sikolohiyang Pilipino – The History of Philippine Psychology The psychology of, about, and for the Filipinos was born out of the need to establish a discipline which is responsive to the needs of the Filipino people. [pic] Generally, to some extent, it had been considered a given until a few years ago that when one talked about psychology, one meant the psychology of Americans. Asian psychology had been unrecognized, or at least, unacknowledged worldwide. The Zeitgeist in Asian Psychology. Through the years, however, there was an awakening, a realization, by Asian psychologists that western concepts and theories were irrelevant and inapplicable when applied in the Asian context. They began to question the appropriateness of letting western social scientists describe and predict Asian behavior, without consideration for the differences between the Asian and Western cultures. Thus was born the need for an Asian psychology, a psychology arising from one’s own experiences. With it, there was a movement as well by Filipino psychologists of the need to have their own identity. History of Sikolohiyang Pilipino, or the â€Å"Psychology of, about, and for the Filipinos† Psychology as an academic discipline in the Philippines started in the early 1900s when the U. S. colonized the country. Scientifically, it was generally viewed as a continuation of the development of psychology in the West. In the early 1970s, however, there came a turning point in the lives of Filipinos. It was a period marked by a high degree of nationalism, brought about by the declaration of the Martial Law. It was ironic that the father of Philippine Psychology was, at that time, a recent Ph. D. graduate of Northwestern University in the U. S. It was precisely his Western education that made Sikolohiyang Pilipino founder Virgilio Enriquez realize the need to have a psychology based on the experience, ideas, and orientation of the Filipinos. Together with three other colleagues—Prospero Covar (anthropologist), and Zeus Salazar (historian), and Alfredo Lagmay (psychologist)—they helped establish the foundation for a psychology of and for the Filipinos. Enriquez had been a professor of Psychology in the University of the Philippines in Diliman in 1963, but left in 1966 for the U. S. to pursue a Ph. D. in Social Psychology. From there, he watched the disenchantment of young student activists in the Philippines over the deteriorating political and social conditions of the country. When Enriquez returned to the Philippines in 1971, he embarked on a research study with Lagmay into the historical and cultural roots of Philippine Psychology, which included identifying indigenous concepts and approaches. Four years later, he chaired the first national conference on Filipino Psychology. In this conference, the ideas, concepts, and formulations of Sikolohiyang Pilipino were formally articulated. Sikolohiyang Pilipino in the University of the Philippines. When Enriquez returned from the States, he and a few other colleagues translated foreign articles to Filipino. The students were also strongly encouraged to write their papers in this language instead of in English, which had been (and still is) the medium of instruction in the University. Gradually, more and more members of the faculty were convinced to use the Filipino language in teaching Introductory Psychology. The main problems they encountered in the use of Filipino in teaching psychology, especially in its initial years, included the lack of materials written in Filipino and the lack of a technical vocabulary. These challenges were solved by translations, compilations of local materials, and choosing the appropriate words from the local dialect. There were times when the technical term was retained when there was no equivalent in Filipino. This did not work out because Enriquez realized that the translation failed to express a truly Filipino psychology. Other factors were the difficulty of expressing or explaining some Western concepts and theories in Filipino, the negative reactions of students who sometimes felt that their skill in speaking and writing in Filipino was inadequate, and the students’ lack of fluency in the language. However, there were observable benefits as well brought about by the use of Filipino in teaching psychology. Among other things: †¢ It created better rapport between teacher and students †¢ There was a more relaxed atmosphere in the classroom †¢ The students’ confidence grew in expressing their opinions, thoughts, and actual experiences †¢ A different perspective, which was more Filipino, was introduced into the course †¢ Indigenous concepts were discovered; and. †¢ The scope of topics discussed became broader with the addition of information from local materials and experiences. Class discussions also became more concrete in relation to Philippine reality. Psychology became related intimately and significantly to the everyday life of the people. Most importantly, with the birth of Sikolohiyang Pilipino, a psychology with a Filipino orientation was developed. The Status of Sikolohiyang Pilipino Now. Sikolohiyang Pilipino continues to thrive, despite the death of Enriquez in the early 90s. Its proponents continue to advocate for a psychology that is truly responsive and reflective to the needs and the unique situation of the Filipino people. For more information about Sikolohiyang Pilipino, read an SP proponent’s paper on Indigenous Filipino Values. Reference: Enriquez, V. (Ed. ). (1990). Indigenous psychology: A book of readings. Quezon City: Akademya ng Sikolohiyang Pilipino. Copyright Ma. Aleah Taboclaon.

Healthy Food and Junk Food Essays

Healthy Food and Junk Food Essays Healthy Food and Junk Food Paper Healthy Food and Junk Food Paper Healthy Food and Junk Food: An Annotated Bibliography This article discusses the effects of eating junk food on children’s development, health, and behavior. It provides the physiological and psychological effects of junk food eating. The article points out the demise of the traditional value of dining because of the preference for junk food. It cites the common diseases that children may experience later on in their lives out of their habit of eating junk food. Food to Have Sometimes.   March 2007. Better Health Channel. 13 November 2007 betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Food_to_have_sometimes?open. This fact sheet provides information regarding the common ingredients in junk food. It also discusses how these ingredients harm the body when consumed regularly. However, the fact sheet also states that eating junk food occasionally is still healthy. It suggests that the important thing is to eat healthy and natural food regularly and to moderate the intake of junk foods. Bauer, Joy. Can Junk Foods be Good for you? March 8, 2007.   Today Show, MSNBC. 13 November 2007 http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/17515303/. This article attempts to show that junk foods will never be good for an individual if taken excessively. With the emergence of healthy junk food, such as whole-grain, low-fat, or low-salt versions of the common types of junk food, Bauer answers the question, â€Å"Are these really healthy?† Bauer’s answer is no. In using the Krispy Kreme Whole Wheat Doughnut as an example, Bauer points out that despite the use of whole wheat, the doughnut has still a large amount of trans fat and still has a high calorie count.   Basically, Bauer points out that there are no substitutes for the natural and more nutritious snacks like fruits and vegetables. More importantly, some treats are just meant to be taken occasionally, whatever vitamins, mineral or grains are added to them. Larsen, Joanne. Junk Foods. Ask the Dietitian. 13 November 2007 dietitian.com/junkfood.html. This article provides a definition of what junk food really is. Larsen describes junk foods as those that are high in sugar, salt, fat, or calories and have low nutrient content. Larsen states that junk foods usually have empty calories. Some of the common junk food are salted snack foods, candy, most sweet desserts, fried fast food, and carbonated beverages. The article then characterizes each of these. Also, the article lists down ways of how to identify junk food. It emphasizes the need to consult the nutritional label of each food item. It provides suggestions of how to classify foods as junk or not. Koh, Vivienne. The Battle Between Junk Food and Health Food. Ezine Articles. 13 November 2007 http://ezinearticles.com/?id=708154. This article describes junk foods. It provides a definition of what junk food really is. It lists down some reasons why junk foods are so popular. It cites the taste, price, and availability as common reasons for its popularity. Koh also identifies the reasons why junk foods should be avoided as much as possible. She points out the health hazards that can result out of eating too much junk food. She cites the common diseases and attributes these health hazards to the ingredients of these food items. The article ends with a call to consumers to be more wary of what they buy. It calls consumers to consult nutrition labels for medical bills are far more costly than junk food.

Disadvantage of High Out-of-State Tuition Essays

Disadvantage of High Out-of-State Tuition Essays Disadvantage of High Out-of-State Tuition Essay Disadvantage of High Out-of-State Tuition Essay Disadvantage of High Out-of-State Tuition Sometimes universities and state colleges will attract high school graduates across state lines because certain schools better fit their personal academic plan, but the fearsome out-of-state tuition often repels a large chunk of student population who cannot afford the raised tuition price. Out of state tuition is more expensive because in-state residents fund state colleges through annual taxes, while non-residents do not. Out-of-state tuition should be lowered to help give all students more equal opportunities to attend a certain college of their choice, regardless of being a resident or not. Elevated tuition rates for non-residents could negatively affect both the school and its potential student opportunities High out-of-state tuition often can greatly hinder opportunities of graduating students that are seeking higher education. When a student considers universities they would like to attend, affordability of tuition rates becomes a huge factor in which schools they can go to. Often students have difficulty paying for residential tuition ND are forced to rely on student loans, financial aid, and scholarships. Occasionally, scholarships are the only components keeping some students on the track to higher education. Sometimes graduating high school students seek education out of their home state based on different factors; to find a better school elsewhere that better fits their needs, weather, population of city or town, crime rate, availability of public transportation, plans of where to live after graduation, and sometimes simply Just to get out of their home town. In a chart constructed by the U. S. Department of Education, the average differences of total residential and non-residential tuition costs between 2008 2010 are roughly a colossal $12,000, strictly from crossing over state lines (ONCE). With the exception of scholarships, being able to afford this much of a difference can be quite difficult for students and parents. Unfortunately, high prices like this could prevent a severe amount of people from attending a university out of their home state, possibly being detrimental to the future of graduating high school students. Sadly, tuition cost loud even prevent students from continuing education after high school. High out-of-state tuition costs could also leave students immersed in debt with loans and financial aid. Graduates of a university dont always immediately find a well-supporting Job, so debt can be become very difficult to pay off over time. With other expenses such as food, rental payments, car repairs and/or transportation, and other necessities, debt can leave a graduate broke and in desperate need of income to pay off what they owe. Not only does increased out-of-state tuition negatively affect students, but universities, private colleges, and even the state itself, too. Because high tuition could prevent non-residential students from attending a certain college, that school will have less students. This nears that there will be empty seats in the classroom and empty beds in dorms. When there are empty spaces anywhere at a college, the school is losing a significant volume of revenue for every student that does not attend their classes. Ultimately, this can cause a ripple effect where the school either needs to raise In-state talons, or rely even more on tax revenue Trot ten state, or else teen ill lose money, need to lower income of teachers, and reduce the quality of the school. In some cases across the U. S. The state has more public colleges and universities than its population can support. This also happens within declining college towns. When a state or town cannot support the colleges that reside within it, the college can do two things to stay afloat; increase tuition, or receive more taxes from the state, which is hard to achieve with recent educational budget cuts that are spreading across the country. This is another case of a ripple effect, where the population of th e own and surrounding areas will suffer because there are fewer students to move into town during school and after graduating. As a nation, we need more college graduates in order to stay competitive in the global economy, but if the costs keep on rising, especially at a time when family incomes are hurting, college will become increasingly unaffordable for the middle class. Education secretary Earn Duncan (Armor). As Duncan explains, high tuition prices can become prohibitively expensive for families and it will affect the economy dearly. Though lowering tuition seems like a great idea, raising state tuition is beneficial to the state and some say students are willing to pay what they believe their education is worth. Tuition elevated to a reasonable value could generate millions of dollars for the school; money that could be used to offset maintenance costs, raise employee income, and expand the university. At Kansas universities, tuition is $2,000 less for undergraduate students, as opposed to similar colleges around the country. If the out-of-state tuition was raised to the national average cost, the state could reduce up to $33 million more than usual (Carlson). Analyzing data is tricky to calculate when deciding appropriate tuition rates. Sometimes a raised tuition is necessary for certain colleges, but not most. Raised tuition for a college that does not necessarily prove to be worth it could cause even more students to be unable to attend that college, forcing the school to rely heavily on the students that do pay the higher price. Some will argue that out-of-state tuition should not be lowered because non- residents do not pay state taxes that support that school. Out-of-state tuition is meant to make up for all the lost tax revenue from non-residents that can greatly help fund the school. Families contribute state taxes to provide for surrounding colleges within state lines, so state colleges always have a way to receive funding, whether from out-of- state tuition or state resident taxes. Though there is a way for non-residential students to reduce their tuition based on several factors. It is possible to apply for qualifications to pay in-state tuition depending on location, whether the student lives in a border county, by receiving an athletic waiver, being a senior citizen, having capabilities, or acquiring an apprenticeship.

A Personal Opinion on Barack Obama Being the Best President in American History

A Personal Opinion on Barack Obama Being the Best President in American History When I was in first grade, Barack Obama was elected as the 44th President of the United States. The week leading up to his Inauguration, my parents were unusually excited. As my mom was brushing my hair, I remember asking â€Å"What’s the big deal?†. My mother’s response was â€Å"We are witnessing history†. Not only was he an inspiration, but to me, he was the greatest President in American History. To start with the obvious, President Obama was the first black president in American History. At the time my fellow classmates didn’t realize the scale of this movement, but looking back at our countrys history, this was a big move. Even though it seems like a long time ago, the Civil Rights Movement was less than 50 years ago. This country was built on slave labor. Flash Forward to his presidency, and out of 80 policy positions requiring Senate confirmation, President Obama appointed more than women and minorities in 53.5%, compared with 25.6 percent during George W. Bush’s presidency. (Eilperin 5) Frankly, I’m surprised most people forget that it was during President Obama’s Presidency that the mastermind behind 9/11, Osama Bin Laden, was captured and killed. That reason alone should move him to the top of our greatest presidents list. 9/11 was the single worst terrorist attack in American history, and changed the politics and policies of our nation for years to come. On June 27th, 2015, America woke up to the news that same-sex marriage was legalized. This stopped 14 states where it was illegal to marry the same sex from enforcing their discriminatory laws on the LGBT+ community. In a press conference, President Obama’s response to the ruling was something that stuck with me for the next two years. â€Å"When all Americans are treated as equal, we are all more free† (BBC 6). These words should apply everywhere in our country, because our diversity is what truly makes America great. Though it was controversial, President Obama attempted to create nationwide healthcare for America, under the Affordable Care Act. It was opposed because it created too many costs on business, with many describing it as a job killer. However, studies show jobs in the healthcare sector rose by 9%. (BBC 8) No matter the cost, people deserve healthcare. Even though it was a flawed system, the fact that he attempted to create nationwide healthcare was a big step in the right direction. No person is perfect, including our president. You can have the best intentions and still making the wrong decision, but the real test is what you do to correct yourself. Admitting you’ve made a mistake is something to respect in any person, especially a president. Future Presidents should admire President Obama not only for this, but for keeping a calm and level head when faced with discrimination. When President Obama was elected, he was threatened to be hung, people burned effigies of him, and tried to convince the country he wasn’t a true legal citizen. (Dionne 1) It may be the President’s job to act calm and serious, but as a human being, keeping patience during this is extremely difficult. President Barack Obama, the first black president, led the way for progressive ideas. He took down the mastermind behind 9/11, and created nationwide healthcare. Not only this, but President Obama led the way for other minorities to take places in office. Soon, maybe we’ll have our first Hispanic, or even Muslim President! But for now I, along with the rest of America, will look back fondly and with respect to his presidency.

Bioengineering of the Human Race Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Bioengineering of the Human Race - Case Study Example There are two viewpoints regarding the subject of bioengineering, one of then is that bioengineering is bad and will have negative consequences, the viewpoint shared by Francis Fukuyama. The second viewpoint is that bioengineering will bring good results to all humans and will have positive consequences, the viewpoint shared by Gregory Stock.  Francis Fukuyama does not support the bioengineering of humans because he thinks that we should respect natural selection. Natural selection is so perfect that have created connections between our genes that we can't even start to realize. This connection reflects also in our functioning within the ecosystems. How can we start bioengineering humans if we still not fully understand the functioning of mother nature?  Though we are cultural individuals, bioengineering would alter one way or another who we are. This would create strong social, and governmental changes. The risks are unpredictable. For Fukuyama bioengineering can even be co-rela ted to the Germans Nazi activity.  For Gregory Stock, bioengineering cant is stopped because people will demand to have the advantages of such technology. For Stocks, it can not be banned because someone somewhere will develop it, so it should be done in the U.S. because it is a country with good ethics.  For Stocks, the development of this technology will reduce the incidence of diseases, retard the aging effect, bring the possibility for the parents to â€Å"design† their child's physical and mental characteristics like the color of the eyes or the degree of intelligence of the child for example. The works of nature by trial and error can be very cruel, so, of course, everyone will see bioengineering of humans as a beneficial technology that everyone will what to have access to.

Executive Pay Compensation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Executive Pay Compensation - Research Paper Example So far, research has indicated that people are the most important resources that businesses require in creating their competitive strategies. This stems from the fact that people have the capability to understand the business environment and ways of creating their success. In having a competent staff, one of the approaches used is ensuring that people get the best pay for their work they do in the business. Some business owners believe that having a competent staff is the key to having effective and efficient work. While it may be true, the approaches used in achieving an effective and competent staff are what differ from one business to another. One of the questions that have kept appearing among most of the researchers concerns the real worth that can be attached to business executives. Are the top managers and other CEOs justified by receiving millions of dollars at the end of their month on their paycheck? If that can be case, can their salaries be justified from the work that th ey do? These among other questions have formed the centres of discussion whenever employee compensation is mentioned. While some businesses often use money as a means of motivating their staff towards better performance, others often prefer using other non-monetary forms of incentives to achieve same; this has led to a huge controversy concerning executive compensation pay.Inasmuch as business executives have continued to be the beneficiaries of huge pays from their companies, some people have been outraged by this observation.

The Statements by the ARCIC and BEM on Eucharist Essay

The Statements by the ARCIC and BEM on Eucharist - Essay Example Such changes can be indentified in the subsequent revisions of the order of masses, the change in common catholic and Anglican traditional and custom practices as well as the liberty and freedom of religion and worship that has changed over time (Miller, 2002). It is through such changes that the common doctrines have changed and so the connection and relationship of the conventional catholic and Anglican Church to the original church that was left when Christ ascended have changed too (Jeanes, 2008). Following the consecration of one Robison, a homosexual by the Anglican Church as a bishop, and the ordination of women as to participate in Anglican Communion, the sexuality issue became a significant point of contention between the two churches (Miller, 2002 p302). Whether the sacrifice of Eucharist should be administered to the dead was another point of disagreement (WCC, 1982). While according to the historical traditions of the Catholic Church, it can be administered while the Angl ican Church held a different viewpoint. Adoration of the Eucharist by Christians as a custom of the Catholic Church seemed unpopular with the Anglican Church (Dennis, 1998). ... The statements served to clear and iron out these differences and create a commonality on the religious ground of the two churches. The doctrines and practices observed by the two churches have ever since the provision of these statements changed. The doctrines and practices that were harmonised include the art of baptism, the relevance of Holy Mary in the lives of individual Christians and the art of administration of the Eucharist and the Holy Communion (Miller, 2002 p121). This has seen many changes being effected to accommodate the practices of the Anglican Church in Catholicism. A good illustration being the proposal that the Anglican church can rejoin and get united with the Catholic church, while preserving their structures (Bradshaw, 2004). The Anglican Church priests were allowed to join the Catholic Church and still maintain their marriage status, very contrary to the Catholic doctrines that requires that priests should observe the fundamental principle of celibacy. Another way in which the provision of these statements transformed the history of theology is the observance of the conversion of bread and wine as a symbolic representation of the body of Jesus Christ (Jeanes, 2008 p32). This is because, the Anglican Church used to administer the Eucharist but not observe the bread and wine as the body and blood of Jesus. While the Anglican doctrines did not recognize the role of the pope, the provision of the statements through agreements by both churches, causing the call for a reunion of the churches means that that the Anglican Church has to recognize the pope as the head of the Church. The Anglicans theological history was changed to accommodate the role of mother Mary in the prayer life of the Christians (Miller, 2002 p315). On the side of the Catholic

Employment Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 6

Employment Law - Essay Example Theopopolous. In addition the respondent has failed to abide by the statutory requirements pertinent to employment conduct and employment termination procedures. Originally, discrimination under the RRA 1976 can be committed in three ways: direct discrimination, indirect discrimination and victimisation. The primary distinction among the three is that in direct discrimination it is the respondent which treats the complainant comparatively less than the others by reason of the latter’s racial or ethnic origin, in indirect discrimination, it is the condition or requirement which becomes the tool of discrimination because such condition cannot be complied with by the complainant by reason of his racial or ethnical custom and beliefs, and in victimisation, the discrimination occurs after the complainant has filed a case of discrimination or done any other previous act testifying or informing others of such discriminatory practices by the employer (Race Relations Act 19976). In 2003 however, the RRA 1976 was amended to include another category – harassment – now integrated into the law as Section 3A. The said section states: The case of Gravell v London Borough of Bexley, [2007] UKEAT 0587_06_0203 which treats of racial discrimination in employment through harassment finds parallelism in the present case. The case was an appeal for a review of a part of a decision of the lower employment tribunal which struck out two specific allegations of the complainant: first, the policy of the respondent employer not to challenge racist comments, and; second, the failure of the respondent employer to correct the racial harassments made by her co-employer through test messages even though she specifically brought them to its attention. The lower tribunal’s rationale for its decision was that the allegations did not have much chance of success in the light of the obiter dictum made by the House of Lords in the case of Pearce v The Governing Body

Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 102

Essay Example The geographical location of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine is Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. Johns Hopkins School of Medicine is an arm of Johns Hopkins University and is mainly popular for giving medical related educational programs and its involvement in medical researches. It is one of the highest rated medical graduate schools in the United States of America. Johns Hopkins School of Medicine was founded by famous medical professionals including William Henry Welch who was a pathologist, William Osler who was an internist, William Stewart Halsted who was a surgeon, and Howard Atwood Kelly who was a gynecologist (Grauer 165). Johns Hopkins School of Medicine is one of the highest rated medical higher learning institutions in terms of their performance in medical researches. Ithas been impressive in medical studies in the past four years. It has in a very long period been ranked amongst the best three research oriented medical higher learning institutes in the United States of America. This is something that can attract any nurse that is willing to further their education. One thing about medical related professions is that they highly rely on findings from researches and studies (Flynn and Longmore 211). As a nurse getting a chance to further your education at an institution whose prowess in medical researches has been proved is something that does not require any second thoughts. Another thing that is notable about the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine is that it has a team of highly capable teaching staff. In medical professions the skills and experience of instructors usually matters allot. This does not only matter in nursing, but also in other profession. At Johns Hopkins School of Medicine hiring of instructors and lecturers is always done on the virtue of the merits. Most of the lecturers who have been accorded contracts are people who have proved their ability in developing highly

The Statements by the ARCIC and BEM on Eucharist Essay

The Statements by the ARCIC and BEM on Eucharist - Essay Example Such changes can be indentified in the subsequent revisions of the order of masses, the change in common catholic and Anglican traditional and custom practices as well as the liberty and freedom of religion and worship that has changed over time (Miller, 2002). It is through such changes that the common doctrines have changed and so the connection and relationship of the conventional catholic and Anglican Church to the original church that was left when Christ ascended have changed too (Jeanes, 2008). Following the consecration of one Robison, a homosexual by the Anglican Church as a bishop, and the ordination of women as to participate in Anglican Communion, the sexuality issue became a significant point of contention between the two churches (Miller, 2002 p302). Whether the sacrifice of Eucharist should be administered to the dead was another point of disagreement (WCC, 1982). While according to the historical traditions of the Catholic Church, it can be administered while the Angl ican Church held a different viewpoint. Adoration of the Eucharist by Christians as a custom of the Catholic Church seemed unpopular with the Anglican Church (Dennis, 1998). ... The statements served to clear and iron out these differences and create a commonality on the religious ground of the two churches. The doctrines and practices observed by the two churches have ever since the provision of these statements changed. The doctrines and practices that were harmonised include the art of baptism, the relevance of Holy Mary in the lives of individual Christians and the art of administration of the Eucharist and the Holy Communion (Miller, 2002 p121). This has seen many changes being effected to accommodate the practices of the Anglican Church in Catholicism. A good illustration being the proposal that the Anglican church can rejoin and get united with the Catholic church, while preserving their structures (Bradshaw, 2004). The Anglican Church priests were allowed to join the Catholic Church and still maintain their marriage status, very contrary to the Catholic doctrines that requires that priests should observe the fundamental principle of celibacy. Another way in which the provision of these statements transformed the history of theology is the observance of the conversion of bread and wine as a symbolic representation of the body of Jesus Christ (Jeanes, 2008 p32). This is because, the Anglican Church used to administer the Eucharist but not observe the bread and wine as the body and blood of Jesus. While the Anglican doctrines did not recognize the role of the pope, the provision of the statements through agreements by both churches, causing the call for a reunion of the churches means that that the Anglican Church has to recognize the pope as the head of the Church. The Anglicans theological history was changed to accommodate the role of mother Mary in the prayer life of the Christians (Miller, 2002 p315). On the side of the Catholic

Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 102

Essay Example The geographical location of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine is Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. Johns Hopkins School of Medicine is an arm of Johns Hopkins University and is mainly popular for giving medical related educational programs and its involvement in medical researches. It is one of the highest rated medical graduate schools in the United States of America. Johns Hopkins School of Medicine was founded by famous medical professionals including William Henry Welch who was a pathologist, William Osler who was an internist, William Stewart Halsted who was a surgeon, and Howard Atwood Kelly who was a gynecologist (Grauer 165). Johns Hopkins School of Medicine is one of the highest rated medical higher learning institutions in terms of their performance in medical researches. Ithas been impressive in medical studies in the past four years. It has in a very long period been ranked amongst the best three research oriented medical higher learning institutes in the United States of America. This is something that can attract any nurse that is willing to further their education. One thing about medical related professions is that they highly rely on findings from researches and studies (Flynn and Longmore 211). As a nurse getting a chance to further your education at an institution whose prowess in medical researches has been proved is something that does not require any second thoughts. Another thing that is notable about the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine is that it has a team of highly capable teaching staff. In medical professions the skills and experience of instructors usually matters allot. This does not only matter in nursing, but also in other profession. At Johns Hopkins School of Medicine hiring of instructors and lecturers is always done on the virtue of the merits. Most of the lecturers who have been accorded contracts are people who have proved their ability in developing highly

The Spread of Religions Essay Example for Free

The Spread of Religions Essay Religion has played a fundamental role in shaping today’s history. Much of recent history in the Western hemisphere has been heavily influenced by Christianity and all that religion offers. Whilst in the Eastern hemisphere, Buddhism is one of the dominating religions. The spread of these religions have impacted many regions socially, economically, and/or politically. When the word Christianity is said, the things that come to mind for several people are church and God. Many people have heavily influenced the awakening of this religion and the way it was spread. Cortes played a pivotal role in the spread of Christianity in Mexico. The emperor of the Aztecs at that time allowed Cortes to speak to the people about Jesus Christ and his ways. Cortes instructed the people in the law of Christ. This region was heavily impacted socially because they were introduced to something new that they had never heard about and now they were asked to follow what was said. In 1519, Cortes and his men easily conquered the Aztecs helping them in the spread of Christianity (Document 3). Document 5 talks about a huge part of what the Christian religion is about, Church. The Church at that time played an important economic role as a circulator of money. The Church was a supplier of social services and helped as many people as they could in all ways. The Church was a provider of education, health care and poor relief to the general population. Christianity traveled across great distances bringing different ideas between regions. The spread of Buddhism was aided by trade, but it was the Buddhist Monks who truly spread this religion to many different regions. The Monks spread Buddhism using a very smart strategy. They traveled around for the welfare of the people. Buddhist missions were not large and well organized, and instead they took the form of Monks traveling the land spreading the religion. These Monks spread their ideas along with the traders and royal emissaries. â€Å"According to traditional accounts, the first foreign mission was to the island of Sri Lanka† (Document 7). Document 8 talks about the high period of Chinese influence in Japan which was heavily marked by Buddhism itself. Japan was divided into two parts due to the heavy impact Buddhism caused in Japan. The impact of Buddhism in Japan came to play three ajor roles, it brought a new system of beliefs, brought Chinese civilization, and it became a strong force in Japan’s political affairs. The Japanese people rapidly accommodated Buddhism along with their indigenous Shinto beliefs. Buddhism helped to foster harmony within the country. Many of the world religions today that have been introduced to other cultures have flourished, gaining the â€Å"vote† of several different people. So based on this essay, you can concluded that Christianity and Buddhism have truly changed the social, political, and economical aspects of several different regions.

Crisis Intervention From A Biblical Perspective

Crisis Intervention From A Biblical Perspective A crisis is a situation which is unstable and of extreme difficulty or danger. According to mental health, a crisis is the reaction of a person towards an event. Different people react differently to events. One person can be affected deeply by a certain event while another may have little or no ill effects towards the same event. This is dependent on peoples behavior or skills, levels of maturity, personalities and the ability to cope. For some people, reaction to crisis may be coupled with behavior change such as over eating or insomnia. For other people reactions such as disbelief, inability to cope or denial may be evident. Others still may experience physiological changes such that they may start to sweat, faint or their heart rate may increase. Many people perceive crisis to be an unexpected sudden calamity such as a natural disaster or a car accident. However, crises range in how severe it is and also in type. Sometimes, crisis can be a predictable part of our lives, For instance, the mid life crisis. Some crises are situational and are abrupt and unexpected such as accidents. Other crises are existential which are conflicts within and are related to things as spirituality, direction and life purpose. It is very crucial to give victims of a crisis some counseling. This is to help the person experiencing it be able to confront the reality of the current happenings. Chronic crises can lead to trauma or stress which leads to mental illness. It is therefore, crucial that the counselors dealing with the crisis be very skilled and knowledgeable on how to handle these victims. Crisis counseling is an intervention on short term basis which is intended to offer assistance to the victims, give them support and resources and to make them stable and go beyond emotional trauma and pain towards opportunities for change and growth and to be strong. In this research paper we look at the Biblical perspective of crisis intervention. This is a very unique but effective way of dealing with crisis aftermath and especially when we compare it to the secular approaches. In order for the counselors to understand the spiritual needs of their clients, they have to understand and differentiate the characteristics that define the bible based therapy. When the Bible is relied upon for counseling and a crisis intervention, a client is likely to be returned to functioning safely and into coping levels, at the same time the client reestablishes a relationship with God. Crisis intervention and counseling in a Biblical manner should be accustomed by all who follow God. There is need to remind those suffering of the ever guidance and love of Jesus. Numerous crises occur every day and especially in the secular world that we are living in today and with the rise in technology hence Bible based guidance is much more needed. It is important to understand the benefits emanating from biblical crisis intervention. The crisis intervention and counseling through Bible helps an individual to go through a difficult state by relying on the bible and God. According to Phil Monroe, counseling from the Bible focuses on how to live in a faithful manner, to love mercy, to act in justly, and to walk in a humble manner in circumstances that we find ourselves in (MCP, 2007). There are two main needs in most of the clients: first, for one to be able to open up and speak of the unresolved pain. Second, for one to be given a surety that they are children of Gods love. These are apparent needs and which a counselor must attended. For a client who believes in God, it is paramount to be reminded of Gods love. It is very important for the faith of the client to be reestablished. If the client is not a believer, or no longer has faith in God, it would be a good opportunity to bring back the client to God when the crisis has been resolved. At the same time, it is important for the counselors not to take advantage of the individuals sufferings. The intervention and counseling for a crisis can as well be hectic and sporadic. As much as one has to understand the ground rules, it is always important to understand that when a situation heats up, it is a priority for the situation to be stabilized. The person doing the intervention must always be armed with scriptures or any spiritual and pastoral gifts in order to help the individual through the crisis (Read Mallet, 2003). The view of mankind as a sinner is also very important to consider in the biblical crisis counseling and intervention. We were all created in the likeness of God but we have fallen short of His glory hence making us all sinners in Gods eyes. This puts all clients and their counselors on the same ground in that none are righteous in the eyes of God since we have all sinned (Read Mallet, 2003). In giving out the counseling Biblically, it is important to note that one cannot minimize the crisis but can cope with the crisis. Many people experience the reality of suffering. According to Biblical counseling, suffering is an opportunity to explore our response to suffering and sickness and also gives us an opportunity to faithfully suffer. It is an honour to suffer in the name of Jesus. In second Corinthians chapter four, Apostle Paul speaks of suffering but he reminds believers not ever lose faith for our suffering has a purpose (crisis Intervention 2008). Why Biblical Crisis Intervention The Biblical crisis intervention is much needed in our world. We are a world of sin, which have fallen from the paradise and plan of God. Sin is rampant in the world but the Holy Spirit brings under control the full effects of sin. This is a reality that ensures that all people, those who believe and those who do not, suffer so as to experience the need for biblical crisis intervention (crisis Intervention 2008). Even if suffering is a reality, believers have hope of an eternity that is perfect after this life. The biblical counselor must know how to guide others as people live in a world of crisis. The counselor must know how to guide individuals in such a way that they return them to their original coping position before the crisis. The counselor then needs to guide the individual to a state of renewal or first conversion to Christianity. To save a persons soul should never be an afterthought, it is an important aspect in the biblical crisis intervention. When a person is reoriented back to Jesus, his or her faith is saved as well as attending to the worldly crisis (crisis Intervention 2008). Recent developments and defining characteristics The biblical crisis intervention is not static. Secular movements such as scientific psychology and postmodernism have been a big influence hence it would not make sense to ignore their influences. New techniques are continuously being developed thus the counselors add their perspectives which are unique hence it is important for counselors to be up to date with the disciplines recent developments (crisis Intervention 2008). Methodologies and sub disciplines for the biblical counseling intervention are being developed. It is a likely that a pastoral counselor will have to render help to the non believers in a post modern view point. It will often require the counselors to combine the science psychology with the postmodern view of the world (Schwartz Nicholas, 2007). Also therapy that is community based has grown significantly. This is a good realization that people do not cope or grow in vacuum instead they involve helpful interested parties. Since therapists in postmodern have given up their expert status, they have an interest to expand participants in therapy. They want to involve anyone undergoing therapy that has coalesced around a problem. Although this is a postmodern technique, it has as well been embraced by biblical counseling (Springerlink, 2005). Although these recent developments seem to merge the views of the postmodern, the secular science and the biblical therapy, it is still very obvious of the distinctive characters that will set apart biblical crisis intervention. One of the distinctive features of biblical intervention from the rest is that the counselors must relate with their clients as equal. This is because the counselor understands that the person whom he or she is relating with is created in Gods image hence worthy of respect and likable. At the same time, the client must also understand that mutual respect exists as well as a relationship between him or her and the counselor. Another distinctive feature in biblical counseling is that God is involved in every conversation or session. The pastoral counselors must help their clients enter into a conversation with God. With this unity the clients spiritual aspects are nurtured as well as addressed. Also when a client returns to God, he or she is in a better position to comprehend the meaning behind the suffering and to cope with it well. Benefits of pastoral therapy in comparison with secular therapy To a believer, biblical counseling has more benefits to him or her than the secular counseling. This is because of the spiritual experience. There is a high possibility of therapy succeeding when the counselor considers the clients cultural background. It is also important to evaluate the impact of the clients religion on the crisis at hand. This will facilitate total counseling of the client. This is a concept that is in contrast with the secular counseling. It had been assumed that there existed a universal scientific psychiatry that could address effectively all of the peoples emotional illnesses regardless of their cultural or social backgrounds. In the recent research, ethnic and cultural groups conceptualize mental illnesses variously based on their unique conceptualizations of both the cures and causes. Biblical counseling is better placed in helping out the client in many situations as it focuses on these unique cultural viewpoints. There is a high possibility that many people would not seek psychological help because of their personal religious views. Consequently, attitudes towards psychological disorders among religious groups will impact on a persons admission of a problem, and behavior to seek help. The writer of Hebrews explains that, we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need (Hebrews 4:13) when we approach God with our problems. Thus, these individuals must be made to understand that the pastoral counselors could be the vessels that God uses to help them approach Him. The pastoral counselors need to understand that human beings are either in a relationship or out of fellowship with God. If the client is out of fellowship it is up to the counselor to bring them back to and if the client is in a relationship with God, then it is the counselors responsibility to help the client understand on how to seek guidance and strength from God (Crisis Intervention, 2008). As much as the biblical crisis interventions have more benefits than those of secular, it does not mean that they should be mutually exclusive. Human beings have many dimensions and since there is a connection between emotional and spiritual dysfunction and health, both psychological and pastoral resources must be integrated in order for a holistic healing to be achieved. Human beings have been provided by God the understanding ability of the external natural world and the psychological world which is internal. Counseling is more likely to succeed when there is a combination of the counseling lessons with those of the biblical teachings. Secular theologists find this concept very difficult. They have acknowledged the religious aspect of man just recently although it has been the cornerstone of biblical crisis intervention from the beginning (crisis Intervention 2008). In most cases, early childhood occurrences can have a lasting effect which can easily distort our perception of love of God. These misconceptions of the love of God may have lasting effects on the coping capabilities of a person. The childhood events can imprison us in beliefs which are distorted and which may misshape our perception of self, others and God. The foundation of cognitive counseling is that the dysfunction in psychology emanates from false beliefs and to be healed emotionally, one requires replacing lies with the truth. However, thoughts which are faulty cannot occur at the cognitive level of logical knowledge. We may have the precise information about ourselves and God in our heads. Instead, the faulty beliefs that misshape us normally transpire at the effective level of knowledge experience. Only biblical orientation can break free of these distortions hence the secular crisis intervention is unable to reinstate an individuals coping abilities since they are unable to restore a persons relationship with God. Another benefit that the biblical crisis intervention has over the secular is that biblical counseling acknowledges the significance of religious application to a rapid event. This benefit helps the client to understand who they are and ways of functioning within their society (crisis Intervention 2008). Focus on the event and the solution The Biblical crisis intervention uses two approaches. The two approaches are not mutually exclusive and focus on two aspects that are different. The first approach focuses on the event and challenges to alter the views of the client on the original event. This approach is also called the traditional therapy. The other approach focuses on the solution and tries to use the client, God and the precipitating event as a change catalyst. It is also called the Brief therapy (ITHACA, 2010). No matter the approach, identification of the crisis cause is very important and the main goal for the counseling is to make the client return to a coping level before the crisis. At the same time the pastoral therapist may attempt to return the client to his or her original comfort zone or may even stretch their zones of comfort to existing conditions (crisis Intervention 2008). The main reason for the biblical crisis intervention in counseling is the impact that the crisis can have on an individual. Our perception of reality or what is not real can be distorted by our worries. The worries that are often the source of the crisis or relate to a possible future crisis do not help the biblical counseling process. In fact, thoughts full of fear are normally exaggerated and can even make the problem to worsen (Popovich, S. 2010). The most important thing is to restore the copying abilities of the individual because when they are not restored the results would be disastrous. When a person is unable to cope with a certain crisis, the impending dangers would be depression, taking out anger on others in insults or violence, abuse of substance or even suicide. This affects the persons future coping as he or she will be left with feelings of failure and guilt and this affects his or her future coping mechanisms. This renders the client to have a downward spiral which moves from one crisis to another which then accumulates future crises resulting to a degraded lifestyle of the client (MCP, 2007). There are many factors that increase crisis effects. Some of the factors are expectations that are unrealistic, personality traits which are negative, a sense of identity which is faulty, a belief system which is faulty, and isolation. This could lead also to an advanced isolation and a loss of support from the loved ones. The main goal, therefore, of biblical crisis intervention and counseling is to try reduce the impact of the original crisis and hence to reestablish the mechanisms for copying (CCEF, 2010). The first approach (the traditional therapy) for the pastoral counselor is to establish a rapport and a relationship with the client while determining the perceived impact of the precipitating event. Some of the precipitating events may be intensely dehumanizing hence it is important to first reestablish the individuals humanness. The interventionist will have the need to confront the realities of shame and sin when helping the client. It helps to remind the client that we are all sinners and we all have fallen short of Gods glory (Roman 3:23). When the crisis intervention undertaking focuses on the solution, it becomes more complicated. This is because some individuals have a rough time overcoming the event even if they are well reestablished with God. The same way when Peter the Apostle denied Jesus the night of His arrest, even after the event, he lived with the shame and guilt of his sin (Mark 14: 66- 72). On the other hand, some clients are able to confront the situation but still need to be reminded of Gods love. They need to be reminded that according to the writer of Hebrews, God says I will never leave you, never will I forsake you. (Hebrews 13:5). At the same time, believers are encouraged to say, The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What can human beings do to me? (Hebrews 13: 16). The second approach (the brief therapy) that the counselor will focus on is the possible solutions to the crisis. The main goal is to help the client in the least period of time as possible. This approach does not minimize the precipitating event rather it focuses on the future. The crisis may have been caused by many and complicated causes, hence the therapy focuses on what can be done in order to change the situation in the present and in future rather spending a lot of time focusing on an event that may or may not be able to be changed (ITHACA, 2010). The distinguishing feature between the traditional therapy and the brief therapy is that they focus on a treatment that is specific, with measurable and short term goals. The client and the interventionist work hand in hand to set up measurable objectives that they record after every session. This use of smaller shorter objectives make the clients feel like they are accomplishing something and also feel in control of their lives. The counselor is also there to help the client if they go astray (ITHACA, 2010). There is a major difference between the roles played by both the traditional therapist and the brief therapist. In traditional therapy, the counselor is seen as an expert hence a bit distant with the client, whereas in brief therapy, the counselor works in collaboration with the client to understand and to solve the problem. In brief therapy, the counselor is seen as a sister or a brother in Christ whereas in traditional therapy, the relationship is that of an expert and a subordinate. The relationship in the brief therapy allows for a position to evangelize when one is needed or desired (ITHACA, 2010). Biblical counseling controversies There are disagreements and movements that occur in Biblical counseling and crisis intervention. There are two known main movements within biblical counseling. The first movement is to discard all the secular techniques and counsel with only the Bible. The second movement is a movement that seeks to reduce the Bible usage within the Biblical counseling. Some denominational seminaries are the ones who discussed the first movement that biblical counseling should move away completely from counseling using secular theories to use of biblical teachings only. They contend that scripture is enough to address psychological problems. This movement believes that by incorporating secular counseling in pastoral counseling, the biblical counseling has lost its way and focus on God (Goliath, 2008). To defend their position, they quote the Bible in Pauls words that, all Scripture is God- breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that all Gods people may be thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3: 16-17). The implication that pastoral counseling is not biblically based is either totally ignorant or totally arrogant. Pastoral counseling and care which is not based on the Bible or theological integrity is deficient. Again, Biblical counseling that does not include awareness of psychotherapy has a danger to be abusive. This danger is that those with problems that cannot be wholly solved through scripture may not seek the help they need and probably will never recover. According to David Winfrey, when biblical counseling rejects the behavioral sciences, its discarding an important source of information which has been made available by God (Koenig, 2005). According to Phillip Monroe, the Bible is not a text book in counseling yet it is more than a pointer to God. It does not provide an all-inclusive methodologies or theories for counseling. However, it is not just a book that discusses God. It also points out truths about the human nature and life hence should be used together with counseling methodologies that are not in the scripture (MCP, 2007). Biblical counseling is based on the notion that each and every believer performs like a counselor to other believers. Secret knowledge, professional credentials, or guild are not needed. Even if some people may have wisdom and Christian maturity that enables them to deal effectively with complex people and issues, we will all be treated the same. Seek the face of God, love God and others in the moment, trust God for things you cannot change and when things seem dark and dismal, repent and trust God all over again each day (HOLY Bible). The pastoral counselor hopes to help the person being counseled to respond in faith when in fear, when angry, when confused or grieving. When this happens, person being counseled may have the experience of peace and joy also the confusion within will be minimal (MCP, 2007). The opposing movement has minimized the use of the Bible and uses at a larger extent secular approaches and only supplements religious thoughts when necessary. This movement poses the problem of minimizing the personal responsibility to God. Instead of being responsible to God and living His will, these secular techniques allow people to only be accountable to no one else other than themselves. The best and the approved biblical counseling and crisis intervention methodology incorporate techniques from both the Bible and the secular disciplines. This will help in giving the counseling service to both the believers and the non believers and the pastoral counselors can even evangelize to the non believers (Koenig, 2005). It is important to understand that its not by simply talking about God whether in a professional or an academic manner that will reorient individuals back to Jesus. When we combine reintegration to the church community with psychological therapy it provides both the long term support and the immediate guidance an individual will require to cope with the crisis at hand (Koenig, 2005). Conclusion The challenge for biblical intervention methodology is providing a valuable crisis assistance and support within the earliest time possible following victimization, and to make the resources and services available in order to meet the victims needs by providing a direct assistance or referring to other agencies (crisis Intervention 2008). The Biblical crisis intervention and counseling does not imply the end of the required therapy. When an individual has been established in a church community, much support is thereafter needed. When the crisis counseling is over, many church ministries continue to offer the long term help that is much needed by their clients. Since there is a unique relationship between the client and the counselor, it should be very possible for the life counseling and guidance sessions to continue. Biblical guidance is a beautiful way since it is a demonstration of the love of God for His people. The love and affection that the pastoral counselor displays is just a small token in comparison with the love God gives to those who believe in Him. This is a reality that guides the pastoral counselors in getting their clients back to God. At the same time, when we rely on Gods word, it reminds us of Jesus importance in our lives. As the Hebrew writer explains, the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow, it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart (Hebrews, 4:12). Again, in the Gospel of John, Jesus tells all those who believe in Him that Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free (John, 8: 32). Biblical therapy is counseling is not only focused on sin. It sees suffering as a given opportunity to suffer in faith as we discover how we respond to pains and sicknesses whether self inflicted or God oriented. How we respond to the difficulties that befall us reveals what we worship and seek in life whether its God, pleasure, comfort, perfection, and escape, to be safe or to be significant. The biblical crisis intervention and counseling is not focused on ending human suffering or teaching skills to end suffering, rather, it works with the broken and sinful people who live in sinful world and helps them live in a faithful manner and to trust in God the creator of all things. Biblical therapy strives to help people combine the worship of God and enjoy the blessings of being the chosen people of God. It also helps to reorient people in discipleship, mercy ministry and help them in sanctifying themselves. Biblical counseling works on the principle that the Bible has all the information we need to help us deal with our day to day problems. Most people believe that emotional and mental problems should only be dealt with the professional psychologists but this has been proved wrong since bible therapy has seen many people be able to cope to cope with their problems and even face others in future. Again, it has been proven that bible therapy is the best as it deals with the souls of human beings and pastoral counselors are well exposed to the wisdom of God.