A Street Car Names Desire Essay Example for Free

A Street Car Names Desire Essay A Street Car Named Desire deals with a culture clash between the Old South’s â€Å"plantation† mentality (priding itself on false pretenses) and the New South’s relatively uncivilized, yet real, grip on reality. The two characters who come to represent this tension are Blanche and Stanley Kowalski. Blanche advertises herself as a champion of â€Å"Southern Honor. † This entails an unfaltering dedication to virtue and culture. These are not, however, driving factors in her life but only mask her alcoholism and delusions of grandeur. By contrast, Stanley is an industrial worker who acts on habit and structure. Tennessee Williams juxtaposes illusion and reality by depicting the antagonistic relationship between the two by consistently employing symbolism. Blanche is constantly escaping the realities of life by retreating into her own fabrications. Her plummet into a delusional world begins when her beloved husband reveals himself to be gay and, soon after, shoots himself. She falls into a spiral of affairs after this event in a search to find emotional satisfaction and to reaffirm her womanhood. She ignores the obvious detrimental effect of her intimacies because all she wants is to be happy again: to be loved. Blanche physically escapes the reality of her life by leaving Belle Reve and Laurel to go to her sister’s home in New Orleans. Here, she misrepresents who she is and enters another relationship where she recreates her identity. When confronted about her lies, Blanche explains that she lies because she refuses to accept the hand fate has dealt her: I dont want realism. I want magic! Yes, yes, magic! I try to give that to people. I misrepresent things to them. I dont tell truth, I tell what ought to be truth. And if that is sinful, then let me be damned for it! (Williams, 34) Lying to herself and to others allows her to make life appear as she thinks it should be rather than as it is. Her final, deluded happiness (as her sister and Stanley commit her to an insane asylum) shows her acceptance that illusion is an adequate reality, but it also shows reality’s inevitable triumph. The driving force of reality, embodied by Stanley Kowalski, quickly dismantles all the falsities Blanche comes to represent. He is a practical man firmly grounded in the physical world who disdains fabrications. He finds meaning only in the primitive and straightforward: â€Å"Theres something downright bestial about him! He acts like an animal, has animals habits! Yes, something ape-like about him† (71). An animal would not create an alternate reality for a situation but would act according to the real, harshness of life in order to ensure its own survival. Stanley’s animal habits can be looked at as an appreciation only for tangible truths. In the end, Stanley succeeds in debunking all the false images Blanche created about herself. He goes out of his way to reveal Blanche’s past and then flaunts it in a crude, insensitive way: â€Å"Take a look at yourself here in a worn-out Mardi Gras outfit, rented for 50 cents from some rag-picker Do you know that Ive been on to you from the start, and not once did you pull the wool over this boys eyes? Ha ha! Do you hear me? Ha ha ha† (67). Stanley again asserts his bestial tendency, but this time to show his dominance. When he proceeds to physically rape her, he metaphorically strips her of the false reality she created. Williams uses symbolism to show that Blanche is trapped in a life of delusion. The Varsouviana Polka and the use of light are reoccurring symbols that elude to her disconnect with reality. The Polka is the music that played the night her husband committed suicide. Blanche says that it ends only after she hears the sound of a gunshot in her head. It plays at various points in the play, symbolising this event that triggered her mental decline. Whenever a situation gets too â€Å"real,† Blanche firmly believes she hears the Varsouviana, panics, and looses her grip on reality. Also, throughout the play, Blanche avoids appearing in direct, bright light, especially in front of Mitch: â€Å"And turn that over-light off! Turn that off! I won’t be looked at in this merciless glare†(45). It is clear she avoids the lights in efforts to conceal the reality of her age and fading beauty. Symbolically, Blanche avoids light in order to prevent Mitch from seeing her for who she is. She, once again, retreats into her own world of illusion. Blanche is never able to be looked at â€Å"in the light† and exposed. She never faces reality. Both Stanley and Blanche have a hard time relating to the other gender without sexual implications. The difference is that Stanley is upfront about this â€Å"animalistic† behavior towards women, while Blanche tries to paint herself as above the primitive nature of her sexual impulses. We can call one approach realistic and the other delusional, but it doesn’t change the fact that both characters approach interactions in a sexual way. What does this say about the nature of what is real and what isn’t? Williams seems to draw an ambiguous line. This implies that reality and illusions coexist in our lives, and what we choose to label our views and actions is just a matter of perspective.

Discovering The Kingdom Of God

Discovering The Kingdom Of God INTRODUCTION Do we really know what the Kingdom of God is, or are we only speculating? Is it that personal hope that one day after our death we will enter into the Kingdom of God and have eternal life? Or is it something else that we as human beings cannot grasp with our limited mindset. Whatever the outcome, let us explore this magnificent topic to get the best possible answer. As Christians we must be able to have Biblical answers to theological questions. 1. Write an essay presenting a biblical view of the nature of the Kingdom of God and exploring the implications of your understanding of the kingdom for ministry today: We must start off by asking ourselves the question: What does the Kingdom of God mean to us as Christians. To many this is maybe another irrelevant religious term used to describe the unrealistic visions of Christians. Some may even see the existence of the Kingdom of God altogether as part of the Church (Ladd 1981:2-3). One theologian by the name of Adolf von Harnack, when confronted over the issue, wrote the following: The Kingdom of God comes by coming to the individual, by entering into his soul and laying hold of it. For Adolf von Harnack, the Kingdom of God meant that the Spirit of life was to come and fill people personally. This hope was a universal hope for the whole creation. People had to interact with one another and the whole of creation to receive this eternal life (Moltmann 1996:131). Even Albert Schweitzer (Ladd 1981:3) says the Kingdom of God is supernatural and part of the future. Should we take the above mentioned as the only answers for the Kingdom of God or shoul d we go to the Word of God and find what it has to say about the Kingdom of God. Yes, we should definitely find the Scriptural truths in the Word of God that explains the Kingdom of God to us. First of all, the Kingdom of God is where God rules. In Jeremiah 31:33-34, LASB God writes the rights of His kingdom in our hearts and He wants us to obey Him in glory and honour (Ladd 1981:6). We see His kingdom exist in the spiritual realm which is not presently visible to our eyes, but we can persevere in faith that someday the Kingdom of God will come in all its fullness. Psalm 103:19, LASB The Lord has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all (Ladd 1981:6-7). The Kingdom of God is both in the present and in the future. We read that many times Jesus referred to the Kingdom of God in the future tense Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the Kingdom of God (Mark 14:25, LASB). Other times He indicated that the Kingdom of God was already present. Then sometimes He preached that the Kingdom of God was nearby (you could almost touch the kingdom). So we can see that the Kingdom of God progr ess through us (by spreading the Gospel) on the earth here and now (Ladd 1981:8-9). The Kingdom of God is unavailable to people that practice acts of sin. We read in the Bible the following: Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10, LASB). So if you are practicing some of the above and you die, you will not inherit the Kingdom of God, but if you are cleansed and forgiven by the blood of Jesus Christ, and sin no more and then die, the Kingdom of God is at hand. With the resurrection comes the Kingdom of God (Ladd 1981:11-13). In the Old Testament we also find the Kingdom of God spoken of for the first time, although the term itself is not directly used. Israel did not really care about the term Kingdom of God; they only worried about themselves and their rebellious ways. This was very sad because God actually wanted to prepare Israel to find hope in the coming of the King. For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulders. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6, LASB). This King was to deliver all people from their slavery to sin (Williams 1992:15-16). We see in the New Testament the establishment of the Kingdom of God. Jesus Christ was born to be the Ruler for us. When Jesus stood on trial for His life, before Pilate, Pilate asked Him, Are You the King of the Jews? He answered him and said, It is as you say (Luke 23:3, LASB). So we see that Jesus did tell him that He was a King, but Jes us also indicated to him that His Kingdom was not of this world. This scripture says it all, God was the Supreme Ruler and Jesus Christ was going to rule all nations of the earth (Williams 1992:17-18). Matthew records Jesus using the phrase Kingdom of heaven while Mark and Luke uses the phrase Kingdom of God. When the two are measured against one another, they are almost identical (Ridderbos 1996:39). In the above paragraphs I have tried to capture a biblical view of the nature of the Kingdom of God and know that with this discovery comes a profound responsibility for us as part of a ministry. So in closing I realised the following: Jesus tells us to seek first the Kingdom of God and Gods righteousness, and if we do, everything will fall into place. God has got one desire for us and that is to please Him and follow Him. God must be glorified here on earth because by doing so has both current and eternal implications. Our time, talents, treasures, attitudes and actions must be to serve God. We must avail ourselves to help others come to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, so that they may be saved from their sins as well, so that they can start to seek the Kingdom of God now and in the future. Conclusion Morphew (1991:52) said the following: There is every reason to be filled with hope the confident expectation that we move from the victory Christ has already obtained, to the victory of Christ still to be obtained. What a great priviledge to know that the Kingdom of God is coming and everything will change. To know that we have some insight into the Kingdom of God, but for now, change begins in us. Let us produce the Kingdom on earth through the will of God. Bibliography Barton B B, Beers R A and Galvin J C (eds) 1996. Life Application Study Bible. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers. Ladd G D 1981. The Gospel of the Kingdom. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans. Moltmann J 1996. The Coming of God: Christian Eschatology. St Albans Place, London: SCM Press. Morphew D J 1991. Breakthrough: Discovering the Kingdom. Cape Town: Struik Christian Books. Ridderbos H N 1996. In DRW Wood (ed.), New Bible Dictionary, 647-650. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press. Williams J R 1992. Renewal Theology, vol. 3. Grand Rapids: Zondervan. INTRODUCTION It is said that warfare is not only a physical reality, but it is also a spiritual reality. The enemy is around us and within us. Satan and his demonic forces are constantly prepared for an attack on Gods children. The great weapon that Satan employs in his attacks is the sinful nature of every human being. The question we must then ask ourselves is the following: First of all, is Satan really the ruler of the earth and are we under his rule. Secondly, did Jesus Christ then lost authority over us. Thirdly, can we really believe The Ransom Theory as the ultimate truth? Let us investigate the outcome so as to understand the enemys weaknesses and strengths without being afraid of him. ASSIGNMENT 2 Write an essay disputing the claim that Satan has the right and title deed to the earth. Be sure to address each of the implications listed below: The Ransom Theory of the Atonement cannot be dismissed as summarily as it usually is if indeed Satan had a right to the souls of men. The Ransom Theory personally for me creates the picture of God and Satan sitting at a table playing a deck of cards. Satan has just won and now rules the world. In an attempt to save the world and its people, God tries to negotiate or bribe Satan to give Him back the world. So God with His back against the wall gives His Son, Jesus Christ as ransom. When Origen formulated the doctrine, he said the following: It was Satan rather than God who demanded Christs blood, thus initiating this aspect of the transaction. So the ransom was determined by, paid to, and accepted by Satan. This mitigates to some extent the charge that the ransom theory makes God somewhat of a dishonest dealer (Erickson 1996:53-56). Really, we cannot believe this, for God is an honest and truthful Ruler. In Genesis 3 when Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit, Satan tried to tempt everyone away from God, but he couldnt do it. Although Adam and Eve were disobedient, God was still in control. I think the idea that made some to think the title deed of the earth was passed over to Satan was the fact that God gave us our own will and some people want to believe in Satan ruling the earth. Yes, Satan is powerful, but Jesus is more powerful. Jesuss resurrection shattered Satans power and showed Gods unconditional love for us. To overcome Satan we need faithful allegiance to Gods Word and stay away from sin (Gross 1990:114-115). Jesus said: Now is the judgment of this world, now the ruler of this world will be cast out (John 12:31, LASB). Postmillennialism too becomes far more attractive and reasonable when viewed in the light of inter-kingdom conflict: If the purpose of God is to win back territory from the enemy then truimphalism and kingdom now theology is tenable. To think that Jesus Christ will return after Christians (Not Jesus Christ Himself) have established the Kingdom on this earth sounds very attractive and promising. All of us wants to believe that this world will become better and better. We want to be heroes and save this world before Jesus Christ comes. However, this is not the Biblical view of the world in the end times. Triumphalism and kingdom now theology are acceptable, but only for people that believe in Postmillenialism (Erickson 1996:160-161). We as Christians must find balance between winning back the Kingdom of God and awaiting eternal life. We should spread the Gospel until Jesus Christ comes to save us. To think that there is nothing to fear or that we are Superman is insane. Paul explains that there are difficult times for Christian service. But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! (2 Timothy 3:1-5, LASB). Morphew (1991) says that A triumphalist approach will produce unreal people who live in a spiritual bubble, or worse, arrogance and fanaticism that brings the name of Jesus into disrepute. Similarly, spiritual warfare concepts such as taking our cities for God, so much in vogue nowadays, would need to be aggressively practiced. I disagree with this concept of running around chasing the enemy. Who do we serve, Jesus Christ or Satan? As being part of the military I have realized one thing, warfare in this instance should be defensive and not offensive. We have victory in our spiritual warfare by standing in prayer and not running around trying to rebuke Satan every time something goes wrong. It is by knowing the truth and submitting to God in obedience that the devil runs (Moriarty 1992:150-151). 2 Corinthians 10:4-6, LASB For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. When Jesus Christ arose and ascended, He revealed His victory over Satan, taking with Him those whom the devil had captured. The victory of Jesus Christ is the victory of all who are saved by faith in Him. Satan has no legitimate authority over Christians. The only influence he enjoys in our lives is when we yield to him (Moriarty 1992:153-154). It is true what Moriarty (1992:150) says The Devil does not need to be outshouted; he needs to be outtruthed. The implications for Church life also need to be considered: If the primary function of the church is to conduct a war then a hierarchical form of government would be appropriate and mega churches more effective than small family congregations. First of all we must remember that the main purpose of the church is for the praise of Gods glory and His wonderful grace. The church need not to change to really conduct war against Satan and remember that a church is not confined to four walls, the church of Jesus Christ is people. For me a small family congregation has got the same power as a mega church. Many churches and especially the new charismatics believe that the church needs a special army of Christian believers to worship with force to wipe out the devil and his demons. The people sing songs to chase away the demons and the devils and forget what the main purpose of spiritual warfare is all about. People forget that Jesus Christ is now head of the church, the ultimate authority over the world and we are the body. If we work, serve or worship together in holiness, we are one body in unity. Satan will not be able to stand when we worship together against him (Moriarty 1992:149-151). For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12, LASB). Conclusion You have read all the above arguments that were made and must make a decision. Do you serve Jesus Christ or Satan? Just remember, Christians will always be in battle, being a soldier for Jesus Christ is not an option, it is a command. Do not get excited about Satan; rather get excited about Gods Kingdom and eternal life. Bibliography Barton B B, Beers R A and Galvin J C (eds) 1996. Life Application Study Bible. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers. Erickson M J 1996. Christian Theology (2nd ed.). Grand Rapids: Eerdmans. Erickson M J 1996. Contemporary Options in Eschatology. Grand Rapids: Baker Books. Gross E N 1990. Miracles, Demons, and Spiritual Warfare. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House. Moriarty M G 1992. The New Charismatics. Grand Rapids: Zondervan. Morphew D J 1991. Breakthrough: Discovering the Kingdom. Cape Town: Struik Christian Books. INTRODUCTION Jesus handed down all His power and authority to us, but do we really appreciate this enormous opportunity to continue the legacy of Jesus Christ. Some people say that they do not experience the amazing works of God displayed in their lives. Did Jesus Christ loose His power and authority? Or is something wrong in us; we who proclaim that we belong to Jesus Christ. Let us find the answers and rekindle the flame of boldness, obedience, courage and power through Jesus Christ. ASSIGNMENT 3 3.1. The task of extending the kingdom. I agree with both these statements for the following reasons: Jesus did give authority and power to His disciples. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give (Matthew 10:6-8, LASB). The disciples had tremendous results as they ministered with authority in Jesus name. In Luke 4:18-20, LASB Jesus told Peter and Andrew to leave their fishing business and become fishers of men, to help others find God. They had to practise Christs teachings and share the gospel with others (Grudem 1994:83). Jesus also went and designated seventy messengers. These disciples were not fully qualified, but their willingness and their awareness of Jesus power made them excellent candidates to reach all people. We read that when the seventy returned, they were delighted and full of victory. Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name (Luk e 10:17, LASB) (Grudem 1994:92). Yes I agree, we the men and women of this world needs to preach the gospel based on the fact that Jesus Christ died on the cross and through His resurrection. Yes, we can still make use of Satan through our selfishness and sin, but do we really what to hamper our relationship with God. If we do not preach the gospel, teach the principles of the kingdom of God, heal the sick and deliver the demonised, who will. John 14:12, LASB Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. Jesus Christ gave the bible to teach and direct, the Church to support and the Holy Spirit to annoint. 3.2. The role of deliverance in extending the kingdom. Are demons described in the Scriptures as malignant entities with identity and personality? Give reasoning and references. Yes I would say that demons are distinct persons with indentities and personalities. Each has a name, though we only know the names of a few, for example the serpent (snake) in the Garden of Eden. Demons possess supernatural intelligence. They demonstrated insight into the identify of Jesus when He healed all the sick and demon-possessed. Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him (Mark 1:34, LASB). They definitely know their future. The two demon-possessed men when they saw Jesus thought He was only going to torment them at the end of the world. And suddenly they cried out, saying, What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time? (Matthew 8:29, LASB). How did the Lord Jesus deal with demons by counselling or medicating the victim, or by delivering him/her with a word of command? Give reasoning and references. Jesus made use of practical examples in His dealings with demons and there were always people to witness this events. And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons (Mark 1:39, LASB). Jesus used His name to cast out demons. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; (Mark 16:17, LASB). Jesus cast demons not only out of people with evil spirits, but also out of people who were not affected by demons. Some of the people never even realised their sickness were caused by demons. When the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them. And demons also came out of many, crying out and saying, You are the Chri st, the Son of God! (Luke 4:40-41, LASB). Is it the Lords expectation that we should deal with demonic conditions in the same way as He did? Give reasons and references. Firstly, Jesus wants us to use the spiritual armour He gave us. Therefore take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand (Ephesians 6:13, LASB). Without the armour people will be vulnerable to Satans attack. We must walk in honesty, righteousness, faith, love, hope, peace, readiness, speaking the Word of God and praying in the Spirit. We need all this to be successful against Satan and his demons. Jesus expects us to stand against Satan. We need wisdom and power from God to overcome them. We should walk in love, though this will definitely frustrate the demons. Jesus prayed for people and so should we. We should also know the truth, and the truth will make us free. 3.3. The role of prayer in extending the kingdom. Below are three statements about the role prayer plays in extending the kingdom of God. Which one do you support and why? I want to agree with the first two statements. The second statement more than the first. Prayer is the foundation of every Christian person (Wegerle 1997:3). We should by now realise the value of prayer otherwise we will never be moved to do things. Day and night we must pray. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it (Joshua 1:8, LASB). Prayer produces a strength (a spiritual strength) that can get things done. Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force (Matthew 11, 11-12, LASB) (Wegerle 1997:4). To pray you do not have to prepare any special formulas. God knows our hearts, if our hearts are pure and good, we can tell God anything (Grudem 1994:61). Prayer definitely releases the power and authority of God. In Matthew 16:19, LASB Jesus made an enormously big statement. Jesus gave us the keys to His kingdom. With this keys we can open the heavenly treasure-house hear on earth. We have the authority to bind Satan and his demons and change the behaviour (sins) of people (Wegerle 1997:16-18). Prayer is not an acknowledgement of need. God knows what we want and we must keep on praying in faith (Grudem 1994:57). 3.4. The role of the Spirit in extending the kingdom. Evaluate the contentions made in the quotation below and support your views with Scripture. We have entered into the time where great treasures of knowledge are revealed and teached to men and women by the Holy Spirit (Grudem 1994:112). We the annointed messengers should walk in the Spirit and deliver this knowledge. I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law (Galatians 5:16-18, LASB). The Holy Spirit is Jesus Christs representative in the church. Jesus took His seat in heaven and the Holy Spirit came down to begin the work of building up the body of Christ (Grudem 1994:113-114). For by one Spirit we were all baptised into the body whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free and have all been made to drink into one Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13, LASB). We must get accustomed to proclaiming the Gospel with the Holy Spirit sent down to us with power. And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe (1 Thessalonians 1:6-7, LASB). No pastor can preach the Word of God without consulting the Holy Spirit for annointing. The Holy Spirit can manifest Himself in a Church service and create an atmosphere of love. Usually then people submit their lives and wills to Jesus Christ (Grudem 1994:111-112). Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5, LASB). 3.5. The role of sign gifts in extending the kingdom. Comment on the logic in the following quotations by John MacArthur. Contrast MacArthurs views with those of teachers from the Charismatic movement. Finally, indicate your views on the meaning of Hebrews 2:3-4. The first quotation for me personally gives the idea that God is not truly present and that God did not leave us anything. It feels as if the line Once the Word was complete, it was all over really means that Jesus do not exist for us today and God will never be glorified. Then the Messiah is not authentic and true anymore (MacArthur 1992:127). I might agree with him on some issues for instance, we read in the Bible that Jesus and the disciples did wonderful miracles and healings. They raised the dead, healed cut-off ears and restored the crippled. The miracles of healing today is not so intense and frequent as in Jesus time. I want to agree in what Edward Gross (1990:36-37) believes. God does work miracles today. He says that God will never oppose His Word. He honors His Word even in greater ways than He honors His own name (Psalm 138:2, LASB). Miracles and healings will keep on happening. Jesus ministry has given to us His teachings. Although we did not see these miracles and signs , we base our believe on the people in the Bible that were eyewitnesses. This must be encouragement for us to go on and perservere because I do believe in a miracle working God. In the second quotation I agree that miracles, wonders and sign gifts were given to the first generation apostles. And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease (Matthew 10:1, LASB). Let us face it, even during the apostolic age Christians could not do signs and miracles. Those qualities were unique to the apostels (MacArthur 1992:126). But, what I do believe is that God intervenes supernaturally in human beings today. God can heal people inspite of what medicine say. All things are possible with God. But Jesus looked at them and said to them, With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26, LASB). Conclusion Most of the time we are limiting our own power, but it is Gods will to release the power in me and you. Let us not deprive ourselves the opportunity to be in the spirit, but be guided by the Holy Spirit. The Kingdom of God is extending everyday more and more because it is the mind of God. In the Kingdom of God are peace, love and perfect joy.

Romanticism Arts Essay examples -- essays research papers

Sensation, imagination, and judgment are interrelated in the experience of art. Burke explains how sensation, imagination, and judgment determine the experience of pleasure and pain, and how pleasure and pain are represented by the aesthetic concepts of beauty and sublimity. Burke says that, in order to understand the origin of our ideas of the sublime and beautiful, we must examine the experience of pain and pleasure. Romantic painter Caspar David Friedrich has a painting that will leave viewers in thought. His painting, The Wanderer at the Sea of Fog, leaves us to ponder what has happened. We see a man, wearing all black, standing on a ledge of rocks. He gazes out into a beautiful open sky, slightly cloudy, with the sun setting. There is an orange haze left as the reflection of the sun fills the sky. However, we cannot see his face. We do not know his facial expression, if he is sad, or if he just wanted to see the view. The end of pleasure may result in a state of indifference, disappointment, or grief. On the other hand, the end of pain may result in a state of indifference, happiness, or delight. Burke uses the term "delight" to refer to a pleasure which is caused by the removal of pain, while he uses the term "joy" to refer to a pleasure which arises in and of itself. As I look at this painting, I try and wonder if this painting h...

Essay --

Although autopsies may be a dreadful decision to make, it also can also be a very important decision to make. â€Å"Autopsies imply that certain questions pertain not only to the end of a project but also to the beginning of the next one: What happened, what was learned, and how could this be done better next time, says Richard A. Prayson. Even if the cause of death seems clear, the person may have had a medical condition, which was not apparent during life. In situations like this, an autopsy would be very effective. The objective of this assignment is to give expand ones knowledge on autopsy. Prayson said â€Å"autopsy all began with â€Å"antamony". â€Å"Aristotle is considered the first anatomist, drawing a distinction between nerves and tendons, and describing how major arteries branched out into smaller blood vessels. A Greek physician who settled in Rome, Galen was the first anatomist to begin recording a complete picture of what lies beneath the skin. Flemish physician, Andreas Vesalius, performed detailed dissections, stripping away layer after layer of tissue to record the structure of the human body†. http://www.eternapathology.com/HistoryoftheAutopsy.html What is an autopsy? Autopsy is â€Å"an examination of a body after death to determine the cause of death or the character and extent of changes produced by disease.† http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/autopsy Autopsy comes from the Greek autopsia, the act of seeing with one’s own eyes (Prayson, 4) . Autopsy is a scientific investigation of a deceased person’s organs and tissues (Prayson, 6). Pathologist use highly trained and skilled Associates and Pathologist Assistants to provide the highest level of expertise and experience to the performance of the autopsy (Finkbe... ...e wounds are believed to be from injections of narcotic painkiller Dermerol that he received three times daily for a year. In addition, also revealed was that the sing was reduced to minimal weight of eight stones one ounce just before his death. Charges were pressed against Michael’s cardiologist. Although the autopsy revealed how Michael Jackson died it also revealed other things. Dr. Christopher Rodgers also noted that in his autopsy report that Jackson's lips were tattooed pink, while his eyebrows were a dark tattoo. The front of his scalp was also tattooed black, apparently to blend his hairline in with the wigs he wore. The autopsy confirmed what Jackson told people who questioned why his skin tone became lighter in the 1980s. Jackson had "vitiligo, a skin pigmentation disease," Rogers said. "So, some areas of the skin appear light and others appear dark.

Learning to Become Literate :: essays research papers fc

Learning to Become Literate   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"In any literate society, people constantly see the best way to teach children how to read and write so that the younger generation can become fully functioning members of that society.† (Savage 15) This is obviously an important goal of any society that wants their children to be well educated and succeed in the world. Learning to be literate is a very important developmental milestone that is recognized cross-culturally. Its social importance is shown in the fact that in school; literacy makes up 2/3 of the three â€Å"R’s†. (Savage 15)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When becoming literate the most important thing a child can learn is that they can in fact learn in the way their school wants them to. They can be part of the school society and feel like they fit in with their friends who use literacy to communicate and play. â€Å"The bond between the teacher and the taught is strengthened; exploration, discovery, ambition and achievement expand and flourish.† (Meek 1) Reading and writing opens up a new world of opportunities for children and therefore is continuous research being done in order to ensure that the best methods of teaching our children are implemented. However studies show that a large portion of this milestone occurs before formal education is ever begun. (McLane and McNamee 4) 2 The fact that we wait so long to start to teach our children literacy is absurd. Teaching reading and writing should be done to all children in day care facilities, child development centers as well as head start programs and preschools. We cannot however just take the programs currently used in first grade classes and apply them to children in day cares and preschools. These would be developmentally inappropriate. (Strickland and Morrow 5) The program used for these younger learners must be based around â€Å"meaningful activities that involve reading and writing in a wide variety of ways.† The children should want to participate in the literate society that they are surrounded by everyday in their classroom, home and community. If this is accomplished there will automatically be a connection between literacy and experience, which is very beneficial to the learning process. Most importantly in the early childhood literacy curriculum that we apply the focus should always be on the child’s learning and not on the teaching. (6) Since a large portion of learning to become literate occurs prior to formal education parents need to be aware of what they can do before their children reach school age.

Dramatic Iron In Tragedy Essay

Dramatic irony is endemic in the experience of the tragedy; people get shocked when tragedy strikes but they will murmur underneath that they had seen it coming though the victims did realize it. Neighbors and friends read signs of death, they are afraid to it directly or try to tell it indirectly and the victims can not believe or just cannot understand. Tragedy sometimes strikes when least expected, Lindsay a beautiful young Woman of two, separated from her husband because he abused her physically, her estranged her husband did not accept the separation though it was authorized by a local judge. He visited her house often and without notifying her in advance, he claimed that house was still his home because they had bought the house together before he started in drinking before that ruined their relationship and turned their home into a battle field. Lindsay had no problem with that he was still the father of her children, though she no longer loved him, in fact she was seeing granted so that they could marry. She knew Andy would be jealousy if he got a wind that there was another man in her life but didn’t think much about it and when Andy bumped on them kissing on the coach, she didn’t think there was anything to worry about, furthermore they had decided that they should move on, in the best way each one knew. Andy reacted coolly, and seemed to be okay as the shook hands with Lindsay’s new man, she was surprised by his calmness and understanding. When Andy offered to take Lindsay and their children out for dinner, she suggested that her new boyfriend should also as he had already met him and even implied that if he was seeing someone he should also come with her. It didn’t seem to be a good ideal to her man but she managed to convince him and together they left in Andy’s car towards a local restaurant. Andy was quite jovial through out the evening, talking nostalgically of the old times they had shared as a family, he made it clear that he was fine and would respect. Lindsay’s decision to move on, he promised to help hasten the divorce to set her free. Andy drove his family and their new friend home, but as soon as he parked the car, he left outside and he held a pistol in hands he pulled he trigger and shot Lindsay and her man as he mocked them, telling them they can marry in hell. Luckily he did not kill his children but he turned the pistol to it and placed it on hid head, pulled the trigger and died on the spot. Lindsay was dead, her children became orphans, and she knew that Andy still bred her; some of her friends had warned her that it was too soon to enter into another relationship but she had not hindered their advice. They knew Andy would get crazy with jealousy, some of them would not even believe that he had not started a fight with Lindsay’s boyfriend on the first day he savo together. Family members must have worried about Andy’s welfare especially after they realized that Lindsay was saving someone else, they knew how possessive he was with her, the guessed that he could harm the man they knew that there was no way to take the pain and reaction he felt and so they just waited for time to heal his wounds. However, tragedy struck and all they could now say was they had seen it coming. Most tragedies that happen are as a result of all careless mistakes for instance when someone dies in road accident, people will always say they knew it would happen, may be they will talk about his careless and fast driving or say that he left very angry or struck, they saw him getting into the vehicle but did not stop him and he goes and trashes and dies. In every tragedy there is dramatic irony, and no matter how many tragedies strike people are always shocked and they never learn to stop the. Dramatic irony s endemic in the experience of tragedy, think of the humblest that killed may in the united states, the US had now with Iraq, they knew they would strike them but did not take much precautions neither did they try to stop them, until the tragedy struck. When a bus gets involved in an accident, the lucky passengers that bus had been driving careless before the us crashed, they will have felt it before it happens but do nothing to stop it. I can use this to justify that dramatic irony is endemic in the experience of tragedy, and it will always be, no matter how hard we try. References Barnard B. A and Winn F. (2005); Access to Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry and Drama; Amazon publishers, New York Diayanni R. (1997); Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry, drama and the Essay Amazon publishers, New York Dawson C. and Flood J. (2000); Spotlight on Literature; McMillan series Kennedy X. J and Gioia D. (2004); Literature: An introduction to Fiction, Poetry and drama Interactive edition 9th Edition. Royle T. ; (1999); Scottish Literature: McMillan series -Introduction to Literature: McMillan series -Enjoying Literature: McMillan series -Understanding Literature: McMillan series -American Literature: McMillan series English and Western Literature: McMillan series

Qualitative Research or Quantitative Research Essay

Both qualitative and quantitative research methods have their specific qualities which make them useful to a researcher, however in the course of this short essay I will explain why, for several reasons, qualitative research is better. As both methods operate within different assumptions, it is important to stem criticism for each method’s respective theoretical base in order to adequately judge them. In the course of this essay I will highlight each method’s theoretical assumptions and then I will assess each method by pointing out their positive and negative factors. The underlying assumption behind qualitative research is that the entire subject needs to be examined in order to understand the phenomenon. Quantitative research however, places importance in collecting and analyzing data from parts of a trend and in so doing, can miss important aspects which could lead to a complete understanding of the whole phenomenon. ‘There’s no such thing as qualitative data. Everything is either 1 or 0†²(Fred Kerlinger: 1999)Unlike quantitative research, there is no overarching framework for how qualitative research should be conducted; rather each type of qualitative research is guided by the particular philosophical stances that are taken in relation by the research to each phenomenon (Miles & Huberman: 1994, p. 40) This enables qualitative research to be more involved with the subject at hand whereas quantitative research has the same rules which it applies to every subject matter, thus making it easier to overlook important evidence. As the researcher using qualitative methods becomes entirely immersed in the data collection phase of the project, he himself actually becoming the data collection tool as opposed to the questionnaires and equipment used by quantitative researchers, it allows him to gain a better understanding of the subject matter as a whole and observe the subject in its own environment:Human behaviour is significantly influenced by the setting in which it occurs; thus one must study that behaviour in situations. The physical setting  ¬e.g., schedules, space, pay, and rewards  ¬and the internalized notions of norms, traditions, roles, and values are crucial contextual variables. Research must be conducted in the setting where all  the contextual variables are operating. (Marshall & Rossman: 1980)Quantitative research disregards these valuable contextual variables as most of the work is done in a laboratory with the researcher using the principles of impartiality and an objective portrayal of the subject. In conclusion, qualitative research is better than quantitative research because it places emphasis upon the subject itself by studying it in an in-depth manner and becoming involved with it on a personal level. Quantitative research keeps a level of impartiality with the subject matter thus making it neglect important contextual factors crucial to the research itself. 1.Using British Election Study data for example, why is it problematic to do quantitative research on ethnic minorities?It is problematic to do quantitative research on ethnic minorities because the standard deviation is so small, thus the observations are spread out over a very small sample which would not accurately represent the entire ethnic group. There is such a small valid percent that subjects would need to be targeted as they are unlikely to be caught during random sampling. 2.Providing either hypothetical and/or published examples, how accurate is it to label content analysis as a quantitative method?It is quite accurate to label content analysis as a quantitative method for several reasons. The comparisons of their theoretical patterns are numerous and therefore it has more in common with quantitative than qualitative methods. In the course of this short essay I will explain why it is accurate to label content analysis as a quantitative method by using an example of research employing content analysis and pointing out the similarities between the two. Content analysis has been described as:’Any technique for making inferences by objectively and systematically identifying specified characteristics of messages’ (Holsti: 1969 p. 14)Compare this with a definition of quantitative research:’The aim is to classify features, count them, and construct statistical models in an attempt to explain what is observed. It is objective – seeks precise measurement & analysis of target concepts.’ (Miles  & Huberman: 1994, p. 40)Both of these definitions contain the term objective, which shows that both of the methods share the core aspect of non-interference with subjects:’Content analysis is often referred to as an unobtrusive method'(Bryman: 2008, p. 289)This key concept lies at the heart of both content analysis and quantitative research methods, it is an obvious similarity. In Shephard’s study of the dynamics between the party, candidates and constituencies he used content analysis on party leaflets to spot recurring trends. His method (content analysis) bears a striking resemblance to quantitative research, for example both methods begin with hypotheses and theories, Shephard choosing to ask whether emphasis in leaflets matches the profile of the constituents. He then made two hypotheses stating that -the higher the unemployment rate the higher the emphasis on jobs and job creation and the higher the home ownership, the higher the emphasis on interest rates and mortgages. Quantitative research methods also start off with hypotheses and theories; therefore it is clear to see that content analysis could be labelled quantitative due to this fact. Furthermore, both methods of research have a high level of transparency because they are both highly structured and systematic in their approach. Shephard stated that to conduct his analysis ‘objectively and systematically’ (two quantitative features) that he had to identify his sample, sample period, text/images and what words and images to count. This shows that both content analysis and quantitative research share ‘epistemologically grounded beliefs about what constitutes acceptable knowledge’ (Bryman: 2008, p. 155)In conclusion, it is accurate to label content analysis as a quantitative method due to the fact that it shares many features in common with quantitative research. These include, maintaining objectivity during the study, transparency and a systematic approach to research. These features indicate that content analysis is grounded in the same theoretical processes and philosophy as quantitative research. 3.Providing examples of focus group research from the literature, discuss the advantages and disadvantages of focus groups. Focus groups are a highly useful method of data collection but they have many advantages and disadvantages. I will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of focus groups in this essay and also consider real-life examples of focus group research to illustrate this. Focus groups can provide an insight into the way in which people organize and interpret knowledge as well as how people construe information. This is especially useful in the study of audience reception- how audiences receive different kinds of television and radio programmes, etc. Such a study was conducted by Morley in 1980 into how Nationwide, a popular television programme at the time, was received by specific groups of people. He noticed that different groups had different interpretations of the programmes which they had watched, which indicated that the meaning of the programme was based in the way it was watched and interpreted not in the programme itself. (Bryman: 2008, 475) This provides more information that a simple interview because the interviewee has the choice to respond to fellow participants and argue with them, leading the researcher to gain a greater insight into why they hold such beliefs and how strongly they feel about them. Another advantage of focus groups is that they can provide a more open environment to respond to questions by the way in which they are selected prior to the event. For example, Kitzinger notes in her research on HIV that any attempts at discussions about risks for gay men were blocked out by strong homophobic clamouring amongst homophobic men. (Kitzinger: 1994b in Bloor, et al: 2001, p. 20) Therefore focus groups consisting of specific groups such as male prostitutes, retirement club members, etc, provided a more relaxed environment in which views could be openly discussed without fear of being criticised for one’s beliefs. In addition to this, organising groups consisting of only HIV positive people meant that disclosure of a potentially stigmatising status could be overcome. (Bloor: 2001 p. 23)However focus groups also have their disadvantages, the most prominent one being the role of the researcher within the discussion- the way in which the focus group is designed, the pa rticipants selected to take part, where the meeting takes place, how the questions are worded and delivered and who the instigator is may affect the responses which are obtained. This raises  the question over the validity of the results as the researcher has less control over a focus group than he would over a one on one interview with respondents possibly talking amongst themselves on irrelevant issues, or the simple fact that they may get bored or have personality issues with other members of the group. (Walvis: 2003 p. 405)Another disadvantage of focus groups is the tendency of researchers to (either consciously or subconsciously) pick groups so that they align with pre-determined beliefs about a subject. One famous example of this was when Coca-Cola launched ‘New Coke’ in 1985 despite the fact that the focus groups had made it explicit that they would not like to see the traditional coke removed from the shelves. (Pendergast: 1993 and Greising: 1998) The taste-tests however had proved positive, but they had not been asked the vital question about how they would feel if traditional coke was removed from the shelves, this positive response was more in line with how the CEO of Coca-Cola felt about the product and it was launched based on the back of poorly conducted focus groups. The subsequent product was a massive failure and lost Coca-Cola a large share of the market; it was obvious that Coca-Cola had spent too much time and money on the plan to dismiss it on the results from focus group research at the last minute. One final disadvantage of focus groups is their limited spread of views; Morgan (1998) suggests that the average size of a group should be around six to ten people. This clearly cannot be representative of the population as a whole- Stephen Fisher and Robert Andersen (2005) state that in order to have a representative sample for one million people you would need, with a margin of error of 5%, 384 participants. Bibliography †¢Bloor, M. et al. (2001) Focus Groups in Social Research (London: Sage). †¢Bryman, A. (2008) Social Research Methods (2nd Ed.) (Oxford: Oxford University Press). †¢Greising, D. (1998) I’d Like the World to Buy a Coke: The Life and Leadership of Robert Goizueta (New York: Wiley)†¢Holsti, O.R (1969) Content Analysis for the Social Sciences and Humanities (Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley)†¢Kerlinger, F. Foundations of Behavioural Research (Nova York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston 1965)†¢Marshall, C., & Rossman, G. (1980). Designing qualitative research. Newbury Park, CA: Sage. †¢Miles & Huberman (1994, p. 40). Qualitative Data Analysis†¢Pendergast, M. (1993) For God, Country and Coca-Cola: The Unauthorised history of the World’s Most Popular Soft Drink (London: Weidenfeld & Nicholson)†¢Shephard, M. (2007) ‘Multiple Audiences, Multiple Messages? An Exploration of the Dynamics between the Party, the Candidates and the Various Constituencies’, Journal of Elections, Public Opinion and Parties†¢Walvis, T.H (2003), â€Å"Avoiding advertising research disaster: Advertising and the uncertainty principle†, Journal of Brand Management, Vol. 10, No. 6