Essays on Religion Page 67

When Apollo discovered that it was Hermes who had stolen the cattle, he became very angry. However, Hermes managed to reconcile the situation by creating a beautiful lyre and presenting it to Apollo. This gesture resolved the conflict between them and led to their friendship. One fascinating aspect of Hermes is his appearance as the…

The cases of Heavens Gate and the Branch Davidians exemplify Stanley Milgram’s theories on individuals’ responses to authority. Marshall Applewhite, also known as “Do,” established Heavens Gate and convinced 39 people that he had terminal cancer. He persuaded them that by dying with him, a spaceship in the comet “Hale-Bop’s” tail would transport them to…

The Poem “Felix Randal” is a sonnet with an Italian or Petrarchan rhyme scheme (abba, abba, ccd, ccd); although not published until 1918, it was written in 1880. The title character is known from extrinsic evidence to have been a thirty-one-year-old blacksmith named Felix Spencer, who died of pulmonary tuberculosis; Father Gerard Manley Hopkins, while…

The Mbaino tribe in Things Fall Apart practice many traditions that the Western culture would deem superstitious. The Western religion allows for the Christian ideals to prove many of the native traditions superfluous when infiltrating the native’s land during colonization. This disassembling of traditions is introduced by Christianity’s unshakeable stance that native deities have no…

Islam is a belief system that I think has been greatly taken out of context. Often times, in our current social climate, we see members of opposing religions like Christianity focusing on the parts of Islamic scriptures that are destructive. What many people neglect to see is that like in any religion, there are positive…

These six things the Lord hates, indeed, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look [the spirit that makes one overestimate himself and underestimate others], a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that manufactures wicked thoughts and plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, A false witness who…

Natural theology is about arriving at truths in nature regarding the existence of a supreme being through reason alone (Engen, 1997). This is in contrast with revealed theology, where truths are revealed through divine revelation. As one may notice, truths using natural theology are readily acceptable to human reason. This is due to the fact…

The 2007 comedy film Knocked Up is designed for the entertainment of today’s youth. While categorized as a romantic comedy, it primarily focuses on comedy. It offers plenty of laughs with its awkward romance and stoner behavior, targeting its intended audience. However, the film also tackles issues that are rarely seen in movies. Judd Apatow,…

Long ago, in the desert of Egypt, Hebrew slaves known as Israelites escaped from the tyranny of the pharaoh. This story has a common theme that an unlikely hero leads people out of a wasteland and into a place of new life. The Israelites heroes’ name was Moses. There are several attributes that his quest…

Chronology of St. Augustine’s life 354, November 13 – the birth of St. Augustine in Tagaste, Numidia, Proconsularis, North Africa. 387, April 24/25 – his conversion and baptism by St. Ambrose, bishop of Milan; death of St. Monica. 388 – founded monastery in his hometown, Tagaste. 391 – He was ordained as a priest by…