Contemplating Islam in the 7th Century

The new religion established by a man named Mohammed is stirring up the hornet’s nest in my hometown of Makka. There are so many questions that linger in the air. It is a challenge to reconcile what Mohammed said in comparison to the current events of the 7th century.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Contemplating Islam in the 7th Century specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, there is something about what he said that attracted people to his cause. A close examination of his teachings will reveal that although his ideas were patterned after Judaism and Christianity he said something that captured the attention of the people. This was achieved when he made a connection to Islam and the Kaabah a major religious structure in the city. Contemplating Islam One of the problematic issues that I had to contend with is the fact that Mohammed patterned his teachings to that of Judaism and Christianity. J udaism is an ancient religion established hundreds of years before Islam. It can be surmised through the study of Jewish sacred scriptures that Abraham founded Judaism. But it must be pointed out that Moses was the one who was instrumental in creating the religion that became the foundation of the Jewish nation (Forta, p.13). The distinctive feature of this ancient religion that makes it stand out above the rest is the notion that there is only one God. But just like Abraham, Mohammed said something that captured the imagination of the people because he also taught that there is only one God. In ancient times this assertion is a radical idea. It is more practical and even more prudent to worship different idols. In a superstitious society it is better to have all the bases covered so to speak. Polytheism is the answer to the fear of sea travel, mountain spirits, crop failure, famine, accidents, and the unknown. It is a ridiculous idea to suggest to ancient fishermen that there is no need to worship or offer sacrifices to the gods of the sea. The same thing is true for tree-dwelling people who are terrified of the darkness in the heart of a forest. Judaism just like Islam declares that there is only one God the creator of the heavens and the earth. The Struggle to Accept the New Religion Islam on the other hand was established more than a thousand years after Abraham. The founder of Islam called himself the last prophet. Mohammed is his name. But before going any further it is interesting to examine what he meant by stating that he is the last prophet. This simply means that he is using not the beginning and simply a continuation of a belief system that started before him.Advertising Looking for research paper on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More A quick comparison to the two great religions Judaism and Christianity will reveal similarities to Islam. Even Mohammed himself made mention in the Q’uran of the â€Å"People of the Book† in reference to the Jews and Christians. This raises serious doubt as to the authenticity of Mohammed’s vision and his claim that he is the messenger of God. Mohammed said that he spoke with Gabriel the archangel who delivered the sacred scriptures of Islam. One has to ask how he knew about Gabriel. Supporters can of course reason that the angel simply appeared to him. But critics can easily counter that he had previous knowledge about it. Mohammed is not in part of any community or tradition that allows him to understand such things. Even the Jews had to learn spiritual things slowly beginning from Abraham to Moses and other prophets. It was not done overnight. It is also important to note that Mohammed is illiterate. Since he is unable to read and write then the only way for him to document the supposedly spiritual transactions he had with a heavenly being is to dictate it to scribes. This is perhaps the reason why the Koran is difficult to read. Compared to the Jewish and Christian Bible, the Koran seemed to lack unity and the ideas are disorganized making it a challenge to figure out what it the central theme of the whole body of sacred writings. Violence a Disturbing Trend For the Muslims the unbelievers are called â€Å"infidels† and no matter how they try to make a politically correct statement they cannot deny the fact that even the Prophet Mohammed had nothing but contempt for those who will not submit to the will of Allah. This can be seen in the Koran and therefore the Muslims are without any excuse. The Prophet Mohammed’s contempt for unbelievers especially those he perceive to be doing immorality reaches a point wherein even the Koran provides the blanket authority to destroy them. Muslim scholars may have a different interpretation on what these Sura verses meant but it is clear that some of the followers of Islam had already interpreted it a literal way. Their interp retation of Mohammed’s directive to punish infidels can be seen in jihad or holy war. The Q’uran is an interesting set of sacred writings. It was a book attributed of course to God but most importantly it was supposed to have been dictated verbatim to Mohammed. It would have been easier to believe that the Koran was God given if it was written well but the sad truth is that this book is an extremely difficult read (Andrae, p.38). The verses, ideas, and concepts are disjointed. It lacks coherence. In one sentence it speaks of one thing and then the second sentence jumps to another topic. It is rare to see a short story completed from beginning to end (Shakira, p.1). There is no concept well written (Andrae, p.38).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Contemplating Islam in the 7th Century specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More But on the few times that the author of the Koran created one coherent argu ment, the messages are not about peace but anger and hatred (Darwish, p.14). Read carefully the following lines taken from the latter portion of the book in the section called The Disbelievers (Q’uran online by M.H. Shakir, p.1): 109.1 Say: O unbelievers! 109.2 I do not serve that which you serve, 109.3 Nor do you serve Him Whom I serve: 109.4 Nor am I going to serve that which you serve, 109.5 Nor are you going to serve Him Whom I serve: 109.6 You shall have your religion and I shall have my religion.Advertising Looking for research paper on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Excerpts taken from the Koran provides other disturbing ideas: Sura 2:178-179: â€Å"†¦retaliation is prescribed for you in the matter of the slain †¦ there is life for you in retaliation† (Shakir, p.1) Sura 2:190-191: â€Å"fight in the way of Allah with those who fight with you†¦and kill them wherever you find them, and drive them out whence they drove you out, and persecution is severer than slaughter† (Shakir, p.1). There are many more verses that speak of killing and inflicting pain on others (Natan, p.1). This is the irrefutable evidence that murderers that kill in the name of Allah were encouraged by the teachings of Mohammed. It is not from a political idea but from a religious one. If these men were politically driven then they would go the usual route which is armed insurrection against their government and then stay within their borders as they try to uplift their nation using revolution (Darwish, p.13). However, Mohammed taught peace. Muslim believers believe in peace. It is possible to reverse the teachings about violence and the use of force to convert people and replace it with the message of peace and reconciliation. There are indeed many objections to the teachings of Mohammed based d on three important facets of his life and religious activities. There is a great deal of information regarding the fact that Mohammed was greatly influenced by the Jews and the Christians. It can be surmised that he met believers from these two faiths during his travels and through commercial pursuits. Critics focused on the issue of originality and question the integrity of the message of Mohammed. Thus, there is no need for him to establish a new religion because he simply had to align himself with Judaism or Christianity. But he did not. It can be argued that he was not given access to these religions. If he was accepted and given the chance to learn and grow in any of these two faiths then Mohammed need not preach a message that s ays he is the last prophet. There are also serious doubts with regards to his qualifications. His being illiterate is a serious matter because he could not communicate effectively a voluminous amount of data without having to develop a system of recording this information. His supporters can argue that Mohammed used scribes to dictate what he said but this can be easily refuted with the argument that if he cannot read then how will he know what was written. Aside from his illiteracy Mohammed cannot prove that he belonged to a particular community or tradition that enabled him to understand the complex nature of the ideological precepts given to him. The Jews had to go through a lengthy period of processing what were supposedly oracles and messages from God. It was a long history that showed a slow and painful process of learning. Judaism did not develop overnight. Mohammed claimed that in one night or a few occasions of supernatural encounters he was able to understand everything. H owever, Mohammed connected his teachings to the existence of a religious structure called the Kaabah. There are numerous idols there and the existence of diversified forms of worship encourages regionalism and strife. By accepting the new system of belief developed by Mohammed there is now a chance to unify all the tribes. It is also much better to accept the religion of Islam because it is a major improvement to the worship of idols and gods that were created by human hands. Conclusion At first it was a struggle to accept Islam. There are so many questions to answer. However, there is something about the message of Mohammed that attracted followers. It can be traced to the connection that he made to the ancient religious structure in Makka and the concept of monotheism. By removing idol worship and replacing it with the idea that there is only one God Mohammed can create a system of worship that can unite the warring tribes in the region. Works Cited Andrae, Tor. Mohammed: The Man and His Faith. New York: Dover Publications, 2000. Darwish, Nonie. Cruel and Unusual Punishment. TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc., 2008. Forta, Arye. Judaism. UK: Heinemann Educational, 1995. Natan, Yoel. â€Å"164 Jihad Verses in the Koran.† Q’uran online. Jan. 2011. 12 Mar. 2011 https://www.answering-islam.org/Quran/Themes/jihad_passages.html. Shakir, M.H. â€Å"The Q’uran.† Q’uran online. Feb. 2008. 12 Mar. 2011 https://quod.lib.umich.edu/k/koran/. This research paper on Contemplating Islam in the 7th Century was written and submitted by user Lilian V. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Music History essays

Music History essays Youre standing on stage playing a song you wrote, jamming with your buddies, or just sitting in your room, playing out your emotions and you feel it, a feeling that is so harmonious, relaxing, exciting, and purifying that it can only begin to be explained by the word awesome. This is music, and its history is just as amazing. From Classical to Blues to Metal, music styles have continued to evolve throughout human history. These changes in music styles nationally have affected music here at Gardiner Area High School. At the time our school was built, the rock revolution was spreading across the country. Within a few years, musicians like The Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Who, and The Beatles would change popular music across the country and around the world. Teenagers all over were joining in as a way to rebel, escape, or just listen for the love of it. Some consider the change brought by Rock and Roll to be the major advancement in music of our time. If it wasnt for Rock and Roll, music today would be very different. Rock and Roll lead to Metal, Hardcore, Nu-Metal, and many other sub-genres that are very popular today. Before the school was built, many types of music spread around the world. Early in history, most tribes had their own style of music using very primitive instruments. Then there was Classical, which dominated for hundreds of years. Many musicians from that time period are still very popular today. Mozart and Beethoven were two of the greatest classical musicians, and today their music is listened to and played regularly. In the 1920s, the Jazz era mirrored the prosperity and happiness of the time. This could be considered the beginning of the change to rock, because Jazz began a move towards more upbeat music. It used guitar, bass, and drums (rock instruments) more than Classical had. As the 1930s came, and the Depression began...

Theories explaining homelessness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Theories explaining homelessness - Essay Example In this paper the issue of homelessness will be discussed thoroughly by having a look at national homelessness factsheets with an emphasis on sociological theories to help understand the reasons of this social problem. Homelessness is a condition caused by numerous factors that affect people of various demographics in the United States. Among the most affected groups are African-American and White people, especially single men and children aged between 5 to18 years are seriously affected by this condition. Also, there are groups of people who are victims of domestic violence such as women who leave their homes to get rid of violence. Among the homeless people, there are mentally ill individuals and drug addicts as well, who do not have accommodation facilities. The main reason of homelessness is poverty and unemployment, offering people little opportunities to earn and pay for their housing facilities. However, there are other reasons as well such as domestic violence, mental illness, drug addiction, lack of affordable residence and little public assistance. According to a study, 10% of homeless people are suffering from mental disorders (Drake, Osher & Wallach, 1991). There is need to take certai n steps, for instance, controlling mental illnesses and addiction, poverty and unemployment and violence by providing healthcare, psychological and financial assistance to people in need in order to deal with this issue. Classical sociological theorists Emile Durkheim and Max Weber had given their views on society and its issues decades ago in the form of grand sociological theories. Durkheim gave a concept of anomie, a state of being normal in a society that could be applied to the social problem of homelessness that America is facing today. According to him social problems enter in a society when it lacks moral unity and norms and values are unable to create

Inspired a shared vision Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Inspired a shared vision - Essay Example I also had to have adequate facts to deliver the vision that included research details and real-life examples. These facts are the ones that led to the embracing of the vision with almost all the members present expressing interest in the vision and verbalizing their support. Previously, the outgoing leader of the organization inspired me to a shared vision. The vision to engage in the current tendering processes of the organization was developed by this leader who approached me and enlightened me on the importance of engaging in business opportunities with the group’s savings. It is from this experience that I witnessed the importance of using facts and examples to influence a shared vision. Having the vision that is in line with the general organizational goal of taking advantage of the business opportunities. Inspiring a shared vision is not easy. Leaders have a responsibility to lead the organization and its members to greater heights following their objectives. This forward movement calls for visionary leadership that entails having a vision and sharing it with the others. It is only when it is shared that the vision becomes a

Effect of Pornography on Violence Against Women

Effect of Pornography on Violence Against Women Critically assess the case that the products of the contemporary pornography industry are both a cause of violence and discrimination directed against women and also ‘intrinsically harmful’. ‘Everyone says: ‘Oh, women want sex soft and pretty, like a Harlequin novel’. It’s as if women are being protected†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Candida Royalle (2000:545) It is not the purpose of this essay to defend the contemporary pornography industry which to this day remains a ‘dirty’ and -to a large extent- a male-dominated, exploitative business, but rather to understand the reasons behind this sad reality. Pornography made its first prominent appearance in feminist discourse in the late 70s, when feminist groups such as ‘Women Against Violence in Pornography and the Media’ (WAVPM) embarked upon their anti-pornography campaign in the San Francisco Bay area[1]. The so-called ‘sex wars’ of the 1980s brought about an unprecedented division within the feminist movement. Anti-pornography writers, such as Andrea Dworkin and Catharine MacKinnon -authors of the famous ‘Minneapolis and Indianapolis ordinances’[2] advocated the censorship of pornographic material, on account of its role as ‘a practice that is central to the subordination of women’[3]. Other feminists put forth a liberal leg al argument, invoking the First Amendment to the American Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech. Two decades later, the pornography debate has retained its relevance in feminist discourse. There is still heated disagreement over three interrelated issues: what is the definition of pornography? Does pornography cause violence and discrimination against women? What is the best way to deal with pornography in the policy and legislation arenas? While critically assessing the anti-pornography thesis, I will argue in turn that most sexually explicit graphic material is not the cause but can mirror the misogyny and exploitation that characterizes modern societies; and that far from being ‘intrinsically harmful’ pornography can in fact be employed in the service of feminist ideas. A necessary starting point if we are to understand pornography would be an analytically helpful definition. But this is itself one of the main points of disagreement between feminists. The pro-censorship side has emulated traditional definitions of pornography[4] and equated sexual explicitness with violence and female subordination[5]. Dworkin understands pornography as the platform where sexist ideology thrives by exhibiting male supremacy, discernible in seven interwoven strains: the power of the self, physical power, the power of terror, the power of naming, the power of owning, the power of money and the power of sex’[6]. Contemporary porn depicts women as the helpless victims of men: bound, tortured, humiliated, battered, urinated upon or ‘merely taken and used’. Evoking the Greek etymology of the word, Dworkin (1990:24) defines pornography as the ‘graphic depiction of whores’, (‘porne’ being the Greek for a cheap prostitute or sex slave). Thus pornography is conceived as something sexist, violent and exploitative by definition; in other words, as an intrinsically harmful phenomenon. Even at this early stage, pro-censorship analysis seems to rest on shaky methodological grounds. First it involves a clearly circular argument which condemns pornography without trying to understand it, almost like arguing that ‘pornography is bad, because it is bad’. Second, the cross-cultural analysis of Ancient Greece is dubious, if not completely a-historical, since ‘pornography’ is not an ancient but a Victorian neologism, invented in the 19th century, thus reflecting Victorian sensitivities rather than ancient realities. Third, the definition of porn as a field of violence and sexism logically entails a distinction from other, sexually explicit material that is not violent, demeaning and exploitative, but is based on sentiments of mutuality and reciprocity. Defining this emerging category, usually referred to as ‘Erotica’, is a highly subjective endeavor and obviously unhelpful for an academic or a judge. Equating sexual explicitness to vi olence, misogyny and other value-judgments is not only counter productive to the search for a descriptive definition of pornography; it is also untrue, since it is often the case that ‘soft porn’ or even altogether non-sexual material can contain much more disturbing scenes of violence and sexism than pornography itself [7]. Fourth, most of the anti-porn literature has applied its definitions of pornography in a vague and inconsistent manner, jumping from the ‘graphic depiction of whores’ to the more mainstream concept of porn as cheaply produced ‘smut’ for instant consumption[8]; and sometimes to a more inclusive definition containing phenomena as diverse as fashion, TV commercials, sex toys and sex education[9]. Methodological concerns aside, anti-porn definitions of pornography entail positions that appear to contradict the very essence of feminism. Anti-porn pronouncements on ‘good, sensitive Erotica’ vis-à  -vis ‘bad, abusive porn’ are essentially pronouncements about ‘good’ and ‘bad’ sexuality. At the risk of caricature, this entails restrictions on sexuality of Orwellian dimensions, and is contrary to the fights of the feminist, gay and lesbian movements for sexual liberation and diversity. One anti-porn author opines that ‘erotica is rooted in eros, or passionate love, and thus in the idea of positive choice, free will, the yearning for a particular person, whereas in pornography the subject is not love at all, but domination and violence against women’[10]. Statements like this one seem to imply an acceptance of old patriarchical stereotypes of the form ‘men are aggressive and polygamous by nature, while women are passive and monogamous’ and that women do not, cannot or should not enjoy sex in itself. Paradoxically, Dworkin’s (1990) synoptic treatment of the history of pornography exaggerates the passivity and helplessness of female victims and the violence of male domination to such an extent, that it unwittingly reinforces the very binary stereotypes that feminism has historically fought to uproot. Her presentation of women in pornography as ‘whores’, is at best patronizing, if not condescending and insulting towards female porn-workers, who often choose to follow that mode of subsistence. The choices of porn-workers deserve as much respect as those of women working in less stigmatized industries and, perhaps, even greater feminist solidarity[11]. Pro-censorship argumentation tends to revolve around two rhetorical devices. The first is the exaggeration of the amount and degree of violence contained in pornographic material, through the accumulation of undeniably disturbing images. The slide shows projected in WAVPM meetings and the material articulately described in Dworkin’s book have been handpicked for their shock-value and power to disturb. Drawn primarily from the underground cultures of Bizarre, Bestiality and SM, most of these images are largely unrepresentative of the mainstream market, which is both highly diversified and specialized. Specialization is a key-point because of the basic fact that different people have different ‘turn-ons’. Given that some people may find publicly disturbing, what others view as privately stimulating is no good reason to label porn in its entirety as intrinsically offensive. The second rhetorical device lies in the argument that pornography is not just a representatio n of imaginary violence but also a recorded reality or as put by MacKinnon, a ‘documentary of abuse’[12]. Again this argument misleadingly conflates reality with representational fantasy. To claim that every woman -or man- that appears to be abused in a porn-movie is actually abused, is almost as naà ¯ve as claiming that every man shot-dead in, say, ‘the Terminator’, is actually dead. The anti-porn argument fails to take into consideration factors such as artifice, acting and role-playing[13]. While genuine case of abuse are not absent from the porn industry, the vast majority of depictions of ‘violence’ occur in a role-playing context which carefully ensures the safety of the actors. My view is that understanding pornography requires a descriptive definition which, instead of passing judgments over the moral credentials and political consciousness of its participants, focuses on the realities of the porn industry. In this light, modern pornography, as we know it, is the graphic representation of sexually explicit material, mass-produced and mass-consumed with the purpose of sexual arousal. Although it is not ‘intrinsically evil’, this industry is morally no better than the society that produces it. The effect of sexually explicit material on its viewers and society at large is the second main component of the pornography debate. Anti-porn analysis has insisted on a theory of causality, whereby real rape, physical abuse and humiliation of women by men occur as a direct result of their exposure to the ‘hateful values’[14] of pornography. In Dworkin’s own words ‘at the heart of the female condition is pornography: it is the ideology that is the source of all the rest;’[15]. By equating the representation of violence with injurious action, Dworkin evokes what neo-Aristotelian theorists of representation have termed as the ‘Mimesis-model’. Derived from the Greek word ‘mimesis’, meaning ‘imitation’ or ‘reproduction’, the model positions the real both before and after its representation[16]. At a theoretical level the Mimesis-model can be sufficiently challenged by another Aristotelian concept, that of Catharsis. This would entail that far from reducing men to perpetrators of violence, exposure to the mock-violence of pornography -with all its artistic conventions and restrictions- would relieve them of the violent dispositions that lay ‘hidden’ in their psyche, in the same way that, say, a horror movie may give us pleasure without inciting violence and blood-thirst. The Catharsis-model fits particularly well to the very nature of pornography. Founded on a much-attested human desire for an occasional breach of taboo, porn tends to represent situations and feelings that may well be antisocial and very often remote from what the actual social practice is. Japan -a country with one of the lowest rape rates world-wide- sustains a huge pornographic industry that ‘specializes’ in violence and sexual domination[17]. The anti-pornography perceptive fail s to grasp this crucial distinction between social reality and harmless fantasy[18]. In terms of empirical evidence, psychological experiments on the alleged correlation between exposure to porn and violent activity are, at best, inconclusive[19]. Historical and cross-societal analysis is equally unpromising for the Mimesis-argument. Porn, in its modern sense, is a very recent creation[20]. And yet, the exploitation of women by men had predated it by thousands of years. At the same time, political systems that adhered to the systematic suppression of pornographic representations, such as the Soviet Union or modern Islamic states, had not been less exploitative or violent. And yet, many anti-porn thinkers have insisted on censorship, despite the fact that this insistence has produced an awkward alliance with moral traditionalists from the Right[21]. If passed, the 1984 Minneapolis ordinance would have reinvented ‘pornography’ as a criminal offence, distinct from ‘obscenity’. This would have allowed women to take civil action against anyone involved in the production, or distribution of pornography, on the grounds that they had been ‘harmed’ by its portrayal of women. In the passionate words of Andrea Dworkin (1990:224) ‘we will know that we are free when the pornography no longer exists. As long as it does exist, we must understand that we are the women in it: used by the same power, subject to the same valuation, as the vile whores who beg for more.’ If only, pornography was, indeed, the mother of all evil. Then sexism could be uprooted at one, simple, legislative stroke. But unfortunately, sexism, v iolence and exploitation are endemic to the economic structure of the modern society and pervasive of all our media. Pornography seems to have been singled out as a scapegoat for all forms of sexual prejudices in today’s world. The long-standing social stigma and visual honesty of the industry made it an easy target to right-wingers and left-wingers alike. Censorship has not worked in the past and there is no reason to believe that it will work in the future. I believe that the only viable solution to the pornography problem is the exact opposite of censorship, namely support for ‘the Politics of Representation[22]. Women should try to ‘capture’ pornography, as producers, script-writers and directors, in a manner consistent with earlier feminist ventures into other male-dominated fields, such as literature, politics, media, religion, education and science. ‘Going legit’, would not only mean that society as a whole will take a less hypocritical stance to the realities of pornography but also that regulation would guarantee better working conditions for female porn-workers (e.g. unionization, safe-sex, better security, health and cleanliness)[23]. Most importantly establishing a feminine perspective within the industry would counterbalance the male bias from which it now suffers. Following the example of v entures such as ‘Femme Productions’ -launched by former porn-worker Candida Royalle and targeting a couple market- sexually explicit material written and produced by women can celebrate women’s right to pleasure without complying to sexism and exploitation[24]. Pro-censorship feminists have been mistaken in defining pornography as problem. The explicit representation of sexual scenes is neither ‘intrinsically harmful’ nor a direct cause of violence. While men retain the reigns of an industry plagued with social stigma, porn will continue to be biased and exploitative. Yet, in the right hands, pornography can become an instrument for feminist action. BIBLIOGRAPHY Barker, I. V. (2000): ‘Editing Pornography’, in D. Cornell [ed], Feminism and Pornography, Oxford Readings in Feminism, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp 643- 652 Butler, J. (2000): ‘The Force of Fantasy: Feminism, Mapplethorpe, and Discursive Excess’, in D. Cornell [ed], Feminism and Pornography, Oxford Readings in Feminism, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp 487-508 Carter, A. (2000): ‘Polemical Preface: Pornography in the Service of Women’, in D. Cornell [ed], Feminism and Pornography, Oxford Readings in Feminism, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp 527-539 Cornell, D. (2000): ‘Pornography’s Temptation’, in D. Cornell [ed], Feminism and Pornography, Oxford Readings in Feminism, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp 551-68 Dworkin, A. (1990): ‘Pornography: Men Possessing Women’, London: The Women’s Press Ltd C. A. MacKinnon (1988): ‘Pornography and Civil Rights: A New Day’, Minneapolis: Organizing Against Pornography Kilmer, M.F. (1997): ‘Painters and Pederasts: Ancient Art, Sexuality, and Social History’,in M. Golden and P. Toohey [eds] Inventing Ancient Culture: Historicism, Periodization, and the Ancient World, London, pp 36-49. MacKinnon, C. A. (1993): ‘Only Words’, in D. Cornell [ed], Feminism and Pornography, Oxford Readings in Feminism, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp 94-120 Rodgerson, G. E. Wilson [ed] (1991): ‘Pornography and Feminism: the Case Against Censorship’, Feminists Against Censorship, London: Lawrence Wishart Royalle, C. (2000): ‘Porn in the USA’, in D. Cornell [ed], Feminism and Pornography, Oxford Readings in Feminism, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp 540-550 Rubin, G. (1992): ‘Misguided, Dangerous and Wrong: an Analysis of Anti-pornography Politics’, in A. Assiter and A. Carol [ed], Bad Girls and Dirty Pictures: the Challenge to Reclaim Feminism, London: Pluto Press, pp 18-40 Russell, D. E. H. (2000): ‘Pornography and Rape: A Causal Model’, in D. Cornell [ed], Feminism and Pornography, Oxford Readings in Feminism, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp 48-93 Sutton, R.F., Jr. (1992): ‘Pornography and Persuasion on Attic Pottery’, in A. Richlin [ed], Pornography and Representation in Greece and Rome, New York, pp 3-35. Footnotes [1] Rubin (1992:18) [2] See Dworkin McKinnon (1988) [3] MacKinnon in the Minneapolis hearings, cited by Rodgerson Wilson (1991:11) [4] e.g. ‘the written, graphic or other forms of communication intended to excite lascivious feelings’, in the ‘American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language’, cited in Rubin (1992:25). [5] MacKinnon (1993:22) [6] Dworkin (1990:24) [7] Rubin (1992:24, 26) [8] e.g. compare pp 81 and 218 in Dworkin (1990) [9] Rubin (1992:28) [10] Gloria Steinem, cited in Rubin (1992:28) [11] Cornell (2000:551). For financial incentives for joining the porn industry see Royalle (2000:541-2) [12] cited in Rubin (1992:31) [13] For an excellent analysis of the difference between real violence and SM role-playing see Royalle (2000:545-6) [14] Dworkin (1990:24) [15] Dworkin, cited in Rubin (1992:34) [16] Butler (2000:448) [17] Sutton (1992:28) [18] Rubin (1992:19); Royalle (2000:546) [19] Rubin (1992:30) [20] Rodgerson Wilson (1991:67) [21] Barker (2000:643) [22] Cornell (2000:553) [23] Royalle (2000:548); Rubin (1992:33-4) Cornell(2000 :552-3) [24] Cornell (2000:564)

Why Western History Matters :: essays research papers

Critical Analysis for â€Å"Why Western History Matters† by Donald Kagan   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"Why Western History Matters† is an essay adapted from a speech Donald Kagan delivered to the National Association of Scholars, and was reprinted in the December 28, 1994, issue of the Wall Street Journal. Throughout Kagan’s essay, he describes the essential need for the college course, Western History. He does so by examining older cultures and explaining why they were quintessential to the past and to our future development as a society. I strongly concur with Kagan’s standpoint of the necessity of history, and the realization of how exactly our flourishing society came about. History is a key constituent in determining who we are; for to determine who we are one must first know from whence they came. In the words of George Santayana, â€Å"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it†. Donald Kagan argues for the requisiteness of Western History by describing older cultures, and then explaining how these older cultures became a key influence in what our society has become today. He examines the ancient Greek, Christian, and English culture influences that helped form our country. Throughout his essay, his depth of historical research is quite evident. He uses historical research of past cultures to imply the necessity of knowing where we, as Americans, came from. This approach helps establish the author’s credibility, and makes his presentation more plausible. The first ancient civilization that Kagan highlights is the Greek. He writes of their republic city-states, and pioneering of a â€Å"political life come to be shared by a relatively large portion of people†. He uses the Greek culture as an influence of science and reason. â€Å"The Greeks exposed everything they perceived—natural, human and divine—to the searching examination of reason.† Finally he describes the Greek quest for virtue and morality. He uses these examples to show how similar our culture is to the Greek. Second, Kagan explains of the Christian influence on our society. With the controversial idea of Christianity, â€Å"Philosophy led to the powerful divisive quarrels about the nature of God and other theological questions†. The influence of Christianity established itself within great writers of American history, who helped shape our country. Such as John Locke, who influenced our country’s foundation with the idea of God given â€Å"natural rights†, life, liberty and property. All of which define our personal freedom today. Finally, he discusses the influence of the English Revolution.

Greek Mythology Essay

Expository Essay Greek mythology started over 2000 years ago and it is still influencing our world of today. Traveling the world or just being more conscious of the area that you live in you will be seeing many names or things and guess what, many of those came from Greek mythology. For example, Olympic games or many movies like â€Å"Wrath of the Titans† or games like † god of war† derive from Greek mythology. Those and many others explain how Greek mythology continues to play role in our world of today.The articles, â€Å"You already know Greek myths Greek and Roman mythology in daily life† by N. S Gill, â€Å"Genesis of Greek mythology and Greek gods† by Rachel Ann, and â€Å"Greek influences today† explain how Greek mythology plays a role in the world we live in today. Many things are related to Greek mythology. According to the article â€Å"You already know Greek myths Greek and Roman mythology in daily life† N. S Gill states that, †000 figures behind the name of your car like Saturn or mercury, or names of planets were Greek gods names†.He also included that Space missions and one very famous â€Å"Apollo† is named for the god of music and prophecy. The author states† petroleum company whose logo is the winged horse Pegasus†, and â€Å"A moving company is named for the Titan†, and there are much more companies whose logo or names come from Greek mythology. Some plants or expressions or similes are related with Greek mythology for example the author claimed â€Å"The Narcissus flower was originally a vain young man†. It may not make a difference to quality of life but knowing the real origin of things and names that are around you will give you insight into our cultural heritage and understanding† N. S Gill claimed. The earliest Greek mythology gave a life style for many people who desire to grasp the universe began. According to the article â€Å"Genesis of Greek mythology and Greek gods† Rachel Ann states that â€Å"Early Greeks had faith that gods ruled the earth, so they built statues and cities that are named after gods and some of them remain to the day of today†.There are many good stories about Greek mythology and some of them are true, there were stories about Olympic games or how zodiac signs works and there are real Olympic games and we do use the zodiac signs now days as the Rachel Ann claims so in her article. The Greeks also have influence on our world of today in a major and simple things. According to the article â€Å"Greek influences today†, the author claims that â€Å"Greeks had a lot of educational and social influence on us†.The author also explains that, Greeks created the first idea of democracy and they were first monarchy, but with time there has been invented new, better way of ruling, it was a direct democracy. It has been improved in these days for representative democracy of cours e. The author states â€Å"They were first civilization to use alphabet and our alphabet partly originate from it†. At time when part of Egypt was part of Greek empire. The author included facts like that, the general ordered to build first in the world library with scrolls of knowledge and also in Egypt the first huge lighthouse was built.Additionally the ancient Greeks excelled in mathematics and science, they calculated and theorized many things like earth is revolved around sun or how stars move or developed Pythagorean Theorem. We also use Greek architecture now days, those huge pillars and Greek flowers styles on a buildings. Greeks and their mythology have good influence on our world of today, our society and education is developed thanks to them. It is good to know where some things first started and to know even a bit of Greek mythology makes life more interesting as it makes it more cultural.