Spirituality and Nature Essay - 1154 Words

Spirituality and Nature Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths, lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his bidding, you mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars, wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds, kings of the earth and all nations, you princes and all rulers on earth, young men and maidens, old men and children. (Psalm 148:7-12) When considering the reading that we have done so far in class I am struck by the relationship that is drawn in many of them, between the appreciation of nature and spirituality. While I am not a Christian in the typical sense there is still no doubt in my mind that there is a benevolent and†¦show more content†¦While there is absolutely no way to prove scientifically that this feeling is legitimate or correlated directly with our interaction with our environment it seems impossible to dismiss such an overwhelming response to the landscape. Furthermore, belief in accessing God through nature is not confined to the Romantic era. Nature is implicated in the worship of God in the Bible, and in many other of the major religions. Philosophical beliefs such as theosophy, popular among artists in the late 19th early 20th century maintained that there was an underlying spirit that ran through every living thing and that could be captured through art, writing, dancing, etc. The react ion seems innate, uncontrollable and seems to link the past to the present to the future, aspects of the experience that are explored by William Wordsworth in his poetry, and by Radcliffe, in her novel Mysteries of Udolpho. In Radcliffs Mysteries of Udolpho there is no doubt in the narrators mind that one can feel closer to God through interaction with nature. The novels heroine delights in the wild wood-walks, that skirted the mountain; and still more the mountains stupendous recesses, where the silence and grandeur of solitude impressed a sacred awe upon her heart, and lifted her thoughts to the GOD OF HEAVEN AND EARTH (10). Emily turns to nature when her father is on the verge of death for comfort, dwelling on the night sky as the worlds, perhaps, of spirits,Show MoreRelatedEssay about The Material Nature of Spirituality1611 Words   |  7 PagesThe Material Nature of Spirituality It was observed from the time to think experiments done in Biology 103 lab, that thinking is material. Thinking was associated with material changes and activities in the brain and the connected nervous system. This promulgates the brain=behavior notion. According to this notion, all aspects of human behavior and experiences are functions of a material structure, the brain. Who one is, is determined by his or her brain. Nevertheless, many peopleRead MoreThe Nature Of Spirituality : The Iroquois Nation Of The Eastern Woodlands1684 Words   |  7 PagesThe nature of spirituality may be difficult for someone outside of their culture to understand. Many Native Americans are visionary, dreamers, and mystic in animated worlds of spirits. Indians have encouraged the seeking of visions and dreams through various practices and beliefs. The Iroquois Nation of the eastern woodlands was one of the most highly organized civilizations that developed among Native American tribes in North America. Their religion was based off on an all power known as â€Å"The GreatRead MoreThe Nature Of God And Which Lense One Helps View Religion Or Spirituality1685 Words   |  7 PagesThere are many different views about the nature of god and which lense one chooses to view religion or spirituality. The nine that will be discussed are animism, polytheism, henotheism, pantheism, religious dualism, deism, theism, atheism, and agnosticism. While some of these have overlapping principles, they are each unique viewpoints as of the nature of god and are held by different religions throughout the world today and in history. One of the first forms of religions was animism, or the viewRead MoreCognitive Behavioral Therapy Is Beneficial For Specific Subsets Of Patients1144 Words   |  5 PagesThe internal dialogues of an individual play a central role in that person’s way of acting. Spirituality on the other hand, refers to the nature or religion, devotion or piety. It is an individual’s belief system that emanates from their own connecting with the transcendent. There is no defined definition of spirituality. Becker (2001) defines it to be the soul or the mind and different aspects of human nature that cannot be touched. Also, O’ Reilly (2004) refers it to an expression of transcendentRead MoreBeliefs within Aboriginal Spirituality and Buddhism1123 Words   |  4 PagesBeliefs within Aboriginal Spirituality Buddhism Religion is a set of beliefs towards life where it helps describe the truth, purpose, lessons and outlook on life and also beliefs toward a higher authority or creator depending on the beliefs. Aboriginal spirituality is the set of beliefs of spiritual traditions and teachings which is passed down orally through the generations and centuries of believers. Buddhism is the set of beliefs of ending personal suffering and discovering happinessRead MoreThe Spiritual Philosophy Of Spirituality Essay1161 Words   |  5 Pagesa connection with my spiritual nature and myself. This paper will demonstrate how the meaning of spirituality changed in my mind through the practices that I did and the ongoing understanding of spirituality from the book Studying Christian Spirituality by David B. Perrin, whom is a scholar and an educator in the University of British Columbia. In the beginning I didn’t think the retreat would be a good option for me, but I wanted to connect with my spirituality. I don’t like being introducedRead MoreSpirituality And Religiosity And Overall Well Being Essay1242 Words   |  5 PagesSpirituality/Religiosity and Overall Well-Being A relationship with a higher power offers many protective factors and benefits. Spirituality is used to comfort individuals and sooth concerns about unanswerable questions in life; increasing overall well-being. Spirituality is used as a method for regulating emotions, it provides spiritual rationales and methods for managing problematic emotions, including anger, guilt, and depression. It can enforce social norms, increase mental health, offer copingRead MoreEssay On Monkey Beach710 Words   |  3 PagesThe conflict of the Haisla peoples spirituality and modern white washing of their culture has a major influence on Eden Robinsons novel Monkey Beach. The protagonist Lisa struggles to understand her spirituality and her family often dismisses any hint of spirituality. Lisa finds herself connected to nature but is does not fully understand why, leaving her to contemplate there meaning or existence by herself. Robinson’s use of allusion and imagery illuminate many key themes an d implicit meaningsRead MoreThe World We Used to Live In by Vine Deloria Essay1667 Words   |  7 PagesNative American spirituality and traditional practices including ceremonies but also brings several important ideas of native spirituality to the forefront. He discusses the importance of having and maintaining a relationship with mother earth and all living beings; an interconnectedness with nature in all forms that is crucial to the understanding and practice of Native American spirituality. Dreams and visions were discussed as an important form of communication in indigenous spirituality. The importantRead MoreHow Spirituality Is A Central Theme And A Driving Force905 Words   |  4 Pagesa strong spiritual and religious motif in Tagore’s writings, but disagree on the nature of the motif. Differing perspectives include poetry as religion, practicing religion by simply being human, The three scholars this paper focuses on agree that spirituality is a central theme and a driving force in Tagore’s poetry. Many of his poems are written as offerings to a higher power. Others contemplate the spirituality of living everyday life. In one of the articles The Religious Motif in the Poetry

Sustainability Reporting For Hotel Companies A Tool For...

I choose sustainability in the lodging industry because with this being relevant in most of my major classes this semester. I wanted to do more research and become more knowledgeable on why sustainability is so important and the impact it has on this generation and generations to come. The three pillars of sustainability are the environmental, physical and social aspects that all affect one another, especially in terms of tourism and hospitality. The industry is only growing and if continues to expand while hurting the environment and using up resources that are scarce in one or more state or countries is questionable. These three articles are all relatable to the making hotels more green with research and steps taken before making short or long-term decisions within an organization that goes all the way down from developer to staff. Article 1: â€Å"Sustainability reporting for Hotel companies: A Tool For Overcoming The Crisis† The study of Croatia focuses on how to keep sustainability an increasing trend throughout the hotel industry. Trying to bring hotels in due to the amount of benefits both the environment and hoteling will get if sustainable action is taken. There would be an increase in revenue, visits and overnight stays by reducing costs and gaining competitive advantage against other hotels that are not helping preserve the environment. Taking steps that in the long run will only help its short longevity with sustainability being the root of this problem.Show MoreRelatedCase Study148348 Words   |  594 Pages978-0-273-73552-6 (web) ï £ © Pearson Education Limited 2011 Lecturers adopting the main text are permitted to download and photocopy the manual as required. Pearson Education Limited Edinburgh Gate Harlow Essex CM20 2JE England and Associated Companies around the world. Visit us on the World Wide Web at: www.pearsoned.co.uk ---------------------------------This edition published 2011  © Pearson Education Limited 2011 The rights of Gerry Johnson, Richard Whittington and Kevan Scholes to be identifiedRead MoreContemporary Issues in Management Accounting211377 Words   |  846 Pagescurrent research projects include an examination of the role of financial and nonfinancial controls in the management of strategic supply relationships, knowledge management in professional service firms, and the effects of extended performance reporting on financial markets. She has published widely in international journals including The Accounting Review; Accounting, Organizations and Society; Contemporary Accounting Research; and Journal of Management Accounting Research. She is a member of theRead MoreInternational Management67196 Words   |  269 Pag esPublished by McGraw-Hill, a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1221 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. Copyright  © 2012 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Previous editions  © 2009, 2006, and 2003. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written consent of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., including, but not limited to, in any network or otherRead MoreManagement Control Systems Pdf115000 Words   |  460 PagesBibliography Index PART VII: MANAGEMENT CONTROL AND EMERGING AREAS rI B S Auditing Audit of Management Functions U se PART V: MANAGERIAL COSTING O nl y Management Control of Operations C la s PART IV: MANAGEMENT CONTROL TOOLS s of Detailed Contents PART I: AN OVERVIEW OF MANAGEMENT CONTROL SYSTEMS Chapter 1: Introduction to Management Control Systems: Importance of Control Systems: Elements of a Control System – Nature of Management Control Systems: ImportantRead MoreMarketing Management130471 Words   |  522 Pagesrelations Understanding individual consumer behaviour Understanding industrial consumer behaviour Customer satisfaction Customer relationship management Marketing of services Rural marketing Types of marketing research Process of marketing research Tools and Techniques of marketing research Applications of marketing research Preparation of marketing research report Online marketing E-commerce Trends in marketing Page No. Marketing management – an introduction Unit structure: 1. Introduction Read MoreManagement and Teaching Note19520 Words   |  79 Pagestext inspection copies. ecch provides a free monthly e-mail update service giving details of new cases from all sources. Visit www.ecch.com to subscribe. Economics, Politics and Business Environment 9-407-049 ALLIANZ AG: BECOMING A EUROPEAN COMPANY Lorsch, JW; Chernak, A Harvard Business School Publishing 20pp 205-024-4 BRITISH CHOCOLATE MARKET: UP FOR A FAIRTRADE ORGANIC MAKEOVER? Structured assignment Rathore, RS; Ragu, SP IBSCDC 15pp; Teaching note 205-024-8 (12pp) 207-057-1 BURGEONING CHINESERead MoreTeaching Notes Robert Grant - Strategy 4th Edition51665 Words   |  207 PagesE*Trade 83 10 11 12 Emi and the CT Scanner [A] [B] 88 Rivalry in Video Games 98 Birds Eye and the UK Frozen Food Industry 109 1 CONTENTS 13 14 15 16 Euro Disney: From Dream to Nightmare, 1987–94 116 Richard Branson and the Virgin Group of Companies in 2002 125 General Electric: Life After Jack 131 AES Corporation: Rewriting the Rules of Management 139 2 Introduction This new edition of Cases in Contemporary Strategy Analysis has been developed to accompany the fourth edition of theRead MoreManagement Course: Mba−10 General Management215330 Words   |  862 PagesHughes−Ginnett−Curphy The Art of M A: Merger/Acquisitions/Buyout Guide, Third Edition Reed−Lajoux and others . . . This book was printed on recycled paper. Management http://www.mhhe.com/primis/online/ Copyright  ©2005 by The McGraw−Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. Except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a databaseRead MoreMarketing Mistakes and Successes175322 Words   |  702 Pagesbad handling of problems and opportunities are forever emerging. But sometimes we bring back an oldie, and with updating, gain a new perspective. For new users, I hope the book will meet your full expectations and be an effective instructional tool. Although case books abound, you and your students may find this somewhat unique and very readable, a book that can help transform dry and rather remote concepts into practical reality, and lead to lively class discussions, and even debates. In theRead MoreExploring Corporate Strategy - Case164366 Words   |  658 Pagessocial responsibility in the international development of a German company. Eurotunnel – clash of cultures threatens to derail Anglo–French rail link. Ryanair – competitive challenge and strategic choice in the budget airline industry. IKEA – quality and low prices at the Swedish furniture giant News Corporation – corporate logic and corporate management in a worldwide media business. CRH – impressive international growth of an Irish company driven from a ‘lean’ corporate centre. Numico – difficulties

Multiple Intelligence Theory and Its Application to Education Free Essays

The discourse surrounding multiple intelligence theory (MI) and its integration into education has been that of much debate. Written as an opposition to IQ testing, MI was originally developed as an alternate account of cognitive function, initially identifying seven distinct intelligences (verbal-linguistic, logical-mathematical, bodily-kinesthetic, spatial, interpersonal, intrapersonal and musical), and later acquiring two more (naturalist and existential). Applied to an educational context, the main aim of MI theory is to demonstrate the insufficiencies of IQ measurements and traditional testing methods as evaluations of student intelligence and the grounds for planning programs and curricula suitable for all students (Moran, Kornhaber, Gardner, 2007). We will write a custom essay sample on Multiple Intelligence Theory and Its Application to Education or any similar topic only for you Order Now MI theory is attractive to many because it offers â€Å"a more pluralistic cognitive universe† (Gardner, 1995b, p. 16). However, vigorous debate challenges MI theory, whilst the lack of clear instruction for its integration into pedagogy has led to misconceptions and unfaithful application of its key elements. Some of the arguments pertaining to the integration of MI in schools, and in art and design classrooms in particular, will be explored below, firstly examining critiques of the theory itself. The first debate considers the empirical aspects of MI. In Frames of Mind (1983), Gardner presents his investigation of numerous empirical studies, from which he identified the initial seven intelligences. Thus, it can be said that MI theory is formed solely on empirical evidence. Since there can be no permanence to any empirically based theory, MI can be modified in accordance to new studies, openly allowing for discussion and constant reconceptualisation (Gardner, 1995a). Whilst Kevin Williams (2000) highlights the intuitively appealing natureof MI theory, Robert J. Sternberg identifies the need for a basis for testing and comparing these â€Å"attractive† empirical theories (1984, p. 700). Klein (1998, p. 06) points out that Gardner, whilst expanding the claims of MI theory, â€Å"provides no evidence for them,† but further demonstrates the virtually â€Å"untestable† nature of MI theory that continued to exist over a decade after Sternberg’s critique. This means that whilst it difficult to prove that MI is wrong, it is equally difficult to prove that it is correct, which questions the validity of the theory in educational contexts. Secondly, MI theory has been accused of confusing intelligence with domain and discipline. Gardner (1995a, p. 02) explains that on the contrary, â€Å"an intelligence is a biological and psychological potential†¦ capable of being realized†¦ as a consequence of the experiential, cultural, and motivational factors that affect a person. † This definition is dissimilar to that of â€Å"domain,† which is a cultural concept, relating to culturally organized activities, in which individuals are involved. In the art and design context, sculpture, painting and woodwork would be examples of domains, which, according to MI, can be accomplished through the utilization if intelligences such as spatial, bodily-kinesthetic and logical mathematical. In saying that, Gardiner argues that intelligences can operate in many diverse domains(Gardner, 1995a; Gardner, 1998). Logical mathematical intelligence must be applied in planning and constructing a table, for instance, to attain correct measurements and angles. Perry D. Klein accuses MI of linguistic redundancy on the basis that each intelligence is defined â€Å"as an ability in a corresponding set of domains,† and an ability in each domain is explained â€Å"with reference to the intelligence† (Klein, 1997, p. 103). Gardner (1998) believes that Klein has confused these concepts, as each domain involves several intelligences, not just one by which it is defined. For example, a student who possesses high spatial intelligence might not necessarily produce an effective poster design without also incorporating a degree of bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, cultural support, practice and good instruction. Gardner strongly disagrees with a third critique that MI theory â€Å"so broadens the notion of intelligence that it includes all psychological constructs and thus vitiates the usefulness, as well as the usual connotation, of the term,† (Gardner, 1995a, p. 03). His argument stems from allegations that the traditional definition of intelligence provides a thin and incomplete observation of its nature, touching on only psychometric capacity and disregarding other cognitive aspects. MI deals only with matters of the intellect and Gardner believes that a more useful comprehension of cognition can be gained by considering multiple semi-independent intelligences than what is offered by the hypothesis of a single â€Å"bell curve† model of intelligence. Conversely, some critics show concern that MI regiments the variety of human intelligences due to the restriction of categories. The formation of categories and intelligences they include is, in the opinion of John White, based â€Å"on Gardner’s own value preferences† (White in Williams, 2000, P. 107). Williams (2000), however, asserts that White may have misjudged the way in which MI can allow for the diverse combinations of intelligences in the classroom. MI encourages that key concepts or disciplines be approached in a multiple ways to enhance a students experience of ideas and implications in a way that is familiar to them. In art and design, topics can be taught using a range of approaches, from narration of an artists or designers experience (interpersonal), class discussion (verbal-linguistic) and individual reflection (interpersonal and intrapersonal) to practical experimentation or stimulation (logical-mathematical, spatial and bodily-kinesthetic). By approaching content from different perspectives, teachers can increase their access to the intelligences of more students and allow students to see that they are capable of representing content and their knowledge in different ways (Gardner, 1995a) A fourth concern takes the form of what Gardner (1995a, p. 203) deems a myth: â€Å"MI theory is incompatible with g (general intelligence), with hereditarian accounts, or with environmental accounts of the nature and causes of intelligence. † His response is that MI theory is primarily concerned with exploring the intelligences and intellectual procedures that g does not take into account. MI examines the scope of g, not it’s actual existence. Similarly, MI theory focuses on exploring the interaction between genetic and environmental elements, impartial on the issue of whether particular intelligences are heritable. MI’s exploration of the unique intelligences of individuals allows them to understand that they have potential to be â€Å"intelligent† in multiple ways and are no longer restricted to the â€Å"smart† or dumb† categories that are often ascribed to g (Moran, Kornhaber, Gardner, 2007). Considering the above arguments, MI practice should not be considered in separation of MI theory and teachers should be aware of the discourse surrounding MI theory in order to make a more educated integration of its principles into their classrooms. The almost immediate attempt to integrate MI theory into educational contexts has generated positive results in its development. However, Burke (2007) also notes that many teachers have acquired information about MI that is in contradiction to what the theory actually suggests. Written in the context of psychology, Frames of Mind relates only six paragraphs to MI practice in education (Burke, 2007). Gardner denies that MI attempts to instruct pedagogy and sees it as the educator’s role to decide how MI will best serve students (Gardner, 1995a). Considering MI theory is not the result of standardized tests, any testing that claims to be MI based, should use an â€Å"intelligent-fair† method, as opposed to linguistic or logical methods of pen and paper testing, so that each individual intelligence is directly examined. For instance, if a student is to be assessed in aspects of spatial intelligence, it should be done based on their practical interaction with and application of visual arrangements and materials, rather than written assessment. Gardner points out that the assessment of MI’s is not always a main concern in education, but if it is appropriate for testing to occur, it should exist within an environment where the student feels comfortable and is provided with familiar materials (Gardner, 1995a). Misguided notions of MI have led to the concern that teachers need â€Å"to plan eight or nine different entry points or approaches for each lesson† (Moran, Kornhaber, Gardner, 2007, p. 26). Burke (2007) reports that in art classes where teachers attempted to teach to every intelligence, students began to complain about far-fetched lessons. It is not always feasible, nor appropriate to attempt to conduct lessons in this way, and Gardner (1995a) agrees that to do so would be a waste of time and effort. Klein points out that the complication of growing class sizes combined with the â€Å"supposed existence of eight intelligences† and their various levels of operation, would result in an â€Å"explosion in the workload of the teachers who would have to plan and deliver these programs† (1997, p. 38). Whilst the identification of â€Å"strong† areas of intelligence in individuals can be beneficial, Klein (1997) predicts that this could also mean that students will avoid areas where their intelligence is deemed â€Å"weak. † Within an art program, for example, a student with strong verbal linguistic intelligence and weak spatial intelligence might f ocus their efforts more heavily in developing a written report on an artist case study and avoid tasks that require them to create or interpret compositions or work with 3D modeling. Furthermore, if a student ascribes their strong logical-mathematical intelligence to an ability such as the careful planning of measurements for a project, and the calculations prove to be more difficult then they expected, Klein suggests that they often quit as they â€Å"interpret failure as a lack of this ability† (1997, p. 389). MI has also been applied to classrooms in trivial ways. This includes the practices that exercise aspects of particular intelligence without cultivating the mind (Gardner, 1995a). An example of this would be to have students thrash their limbs about to make random marks on a surface without informing them of what energized mark-making is about and how it is relevant to art. In order to achieve deep learning, applications of MI should be student-focused, considering the intellectual attributes of each individual in order to plan educational programs that are relevant, appropriate, fair and engaging (Gardner, 1995b). Understanding the dynamics of intelligences within a classroom can assist teachers in their provision of rich learning experiences. This means understanding which intelligences, both on an individual and class level, will create interference, compensation or enhancement (Moran, Kornhaber, Gardner, 2007). Having students work collaboratively on projects can allow for intelligences to operate â€Å"across students†¦ to build shared strengths† (Moran, Kornhaber, Gardner, 2007, p. 28). In concluding, Gardner (1998) maintains the position that MI theory can provide a rich, flexible and useful set of tools and ideas for teaching that allow educators to meet the needs of increasingly diverse classrooms by utilizing knowledge of and tapping into the specific intelligences and ubskills of individual students. MI can be useful in explaining the behavior of individuals and identifying obstacles in their learning with the aim of making teaching and learning relevant for more students in order to achieve deeper learning. However, to avoid misconception and subsequent misapplication of MI theory, educators must b e aware of the debate that surrounds it and its progress as a continually developing empirical theory. How to cite Multiple Intelligence Theory and Its Application to Education, Papers

Globalists V Sceptics free essay sample

The debate centres over whether the effects of globalization have played a significant role in constraining the ability of ‘national actors’ to influence the employment relations policies in a controlled and measured way on a national scale. ‘National actors’ refers to the three main bodies which have traditionally influenced employment relations and work policies: Capital (business, employers); the State (employment legislature, government departments and the judiciary of the Republic of Ireland) and Labour (employees, trade unions). Traditionally it has been the role of the government, trade unions and employers to negotiate work policies and debate national employment relations. ‘Globalists’ argue that the dawn of globalization has led to a diminished role for these national actors in deciding national work practices, being replaced instead by multinational corporations and the effects of decisions by more powerful international forces such as the G7 (Hirst Thompson, 2003, p. 42). ‘Globalists’ argue the diminishing role of the trade union in Ireland (62% membership in 1980 to 31% in 2007) is as a result of both the increasing multinational sector which has imported an American style of labour relations to Ireland and the drastic change in the balance of power between capital and labour caused by a shift in location of production, this has allowed for the adoption of a new strategy for labour control. We will write a custom essay sample on Globalists V Sceptics or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Through the vast improvements in communication and transport technologies, employers have become more effective at using the threat of moving production as a means of controlling pay, benefits and labour grievances taking control from the hand of the traditional national actors (McDonough, 2012, p. 3). ‘Sceptics’ view globalization as an unsustainable trend, they argue that the current state of international interconnectedness is not unprecedented such as the ‘belle epoque’ era in which there was a period of unprecedented international cooperation, trade and culture. However they point to the fact that ‘all previous episodes of integration have generated a backlash and have ended in the regression of international trade and investment’ (Hirst Thompson, 1999, p. 17). ‘Sceptics’ believe that the national actors still wield the majority of power in influencing national work policies and employment relations. The ‘Croke Park Agreement’ which reduced the number of public sector layoffs and further pay cuts in exchange for no industrial action and employee cooperation on increased efficiency and flexibility is an example of the continued influence of the national actors on influencing national work policies. Although the influence of the labour trade unions has waned over the last number of decades they have still managed to leverage power through Ireland’s social partnership model (McDonough, 2012). As this model works off a negotiation partnership forum they have been able to retain an equal share of power allowing them to broker wages and working conditions instead of the global neo-liberal tendency to leave the determination of wages and working conditions to the market. In Conclusion the evidence of an increasingly globalized world is clear. However the role played by national actors in determining employment relations and work policies is still up for discussion.

Christianity and islam Essay Example

Christianity and islam Essay Reflection Paper: Both Christianity and Islam are really broad spread faiths in the universe which have a great impact on the lives of their trusters particularly spiritually. Their common originality, values and some believes has enabled most of their trusters to esteem and seek to understand each others faith. In most states of the universe these two faiths have formed the bases of the states Torahs and are extremely recognized by the authoritiess. Though Christianity is widely dispersed compared to Islam, they impose the same challenge to each other Sing the similarities and the differences between Islam and Christianity, the two can be said to be really different since the chief Prophetss and the sanctum books which form the footing and counsel of the several faiths are non acceptable to the other. Christian religion is based on birth, crucification, decease and Resurrection of Jesus Christ who is the christ which is contrary to the Muslims position of Christ being merely a prophesier among the many. Comparison between the two faiths was much easier because there s a clear difference between the beliefs of the faiths every bit good as patterns in clip of worship. This is because in twenty-four hours today life of the several trusters their spiritual positions are aired. Geting the historic beginning of the two faiths was much easier particularly that of Christianity which begun as a Judaic religious order in the Mediterranean and Islam in the seventh century after the decease of Prophet Muhammad. Geting the differences between the two both being Abrahamic faiths and the sanctum books the Quran and the Bible mentioning to similar ancient people like Isaac and Ishmael in a related context. Introduction We will write a custom essay sample on Christianity and islam specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Christianity and islam specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Christianity and islam specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Christianity is a spiritual belief which begun as a Judaic belief and is seen as Abrahamic faith. Its followings are referred to as Christians. They believe in Jesus Christ the christ as the prophesier send by God to salvage world and the sanctum bible as the usher of their religion. They besides believe that the christ who came in the signifier of world suffered, died and resurrected to remiss them of their wickednesss. It is besides believed that he would return to honor those who have lived harmonizing to the philosophies taught by the sanctum Bible. Islam is an Arabic word significance entry and hence Islam faith is believed to be an Abrahamic faith which believes in entry to the Godhead God Allah and Muhammad as the prophesier. Quran is the holy book believed to be the guideline of the Muslims who are the of the Islamic faith. It is believed that Allah repeatedly revealed it to Muhammad verbally through angel Jibril and the original Arabic version is the concluding disclosure from God which is verbal. Historic background Harmonizing to Stern ( 11-15 ) Christianity originates from the word kristos which is a Grecian word intending the anointed one and it is a monotheistic faith. It guided by the life and instructions of Christ Jesus as shown in the sanctum Bible. It begun as a Judaic religious order from the eastern Mediterranean in the first century and by the fourth century was already dominant in the Roman Empire. Most of Europe was Christianized by the Middle Ages but Middle East, North Africa and some parts in India remained with minority Christians. It spread to America, Australasia and all over the universe through colonisation, find work and missional work hence became a major influence in Western civilisation determining. Thrower argued that It is the words largest faith and represents about a one-fourth of the full population, besides considered as a province faith in several states ( 21-25 ) It is categorized into three groups: Catholics, Protestants and orthodox. Islam began developing as from the seventh century with the Reconstruction of Prophet Muhammad s life after his decease. It started distributing in Atlantic Ocean to Central Asia after Prophet Muhammad s first recitation of the Quran. Harmonizing to Williams ( 1994 ) The Great Mosque of Kairouan is considered as beginning of the western Islamic universe mosques and is preserved up to now. Mention to Abdul-Rahman Islamic dynasties like Ottomans and Mughals collapsed under the European imperial sway during 18th and 19th centuries ( 141-160 ) . Muhammad started conveying Islam at Mecca and subsequently moved to Medina where the folk of Arabia were united to a civil order of Arab Muslim religion.Umar succeeded him in 634 following his decease. The other replacements were Uthman ibn al-Affan and Ali ibn Talib ; the four are referred to as al-khulafa ar-rashidun. Several struggles followed over political and spiritual leading which led to the rise of split amongst the Muslims. Basically th e beginning of Islam is tied to the economic, political and military. Similarities between Islam and Christianity Harmonizing to Strachey ( 62-69 ) both Islam and Christianity are Abrahamic faiths or in other words believe in the being of one supreme God. They both portion common values and beginning which is found in Hebraism when the people of Israel were given Torah. Islam was founded by Muhammad mentioning to the Quran while Christianity was started by the followings of Jesus of Nazareth but they both acknowledge a religious tradition related to Abraham. For the two faiths, God regulations, Judgess, forgives and he s the Godhead of the existence. Jerusalem is besides of major importance to both faiths. It was the metropolis where Christ was brought up, crucified, buried every bit good as resurrected. He besides healed, preached and cleansed the temple so its considered as a holy topographic point. The Al-Aqsa mosque in Sura Al-Isra besides called the furthest mosque is located in Jerusalem the sanctum land. Abdul-Rahman ( 55-64 ) the first Muslims besides prayed towards Jerusalem non Mecca and it was besides the topographic point where Muhammad ascended to heaven. The two faiths besides affirm that God sends angels and Prophetss to convey messages to his people and through divine Bibles reveals his Godhead will. They besides believe in the opinion twenty-four hours when God will step in in the history of world and find their ageless lives depending on personal beliefs and actions. Both faiths believe in the power of supplication and fasting as taught by their earlier Prophetss. Differences between Islam and Christianity Thrower ( 30-58 ) argues that Islam disagrees with some of the Christian beliefs about Jesus Christ like him being the boy of God and Jesus of world, besides the holy three of there being God the male parent, the boy and the Holy Spirit. Christians reject Islam s prophesier and Quran while the Muslims support that God ushers Christians but they perceive Bibles in their ain involvement. It is besides different the manner Muslims perceive the birth of Jesus compared to Christians. They believe that Jesus was created like Abraham while Christians believe that he was conceived by Virgin Mary through the Holy Spirit. They besides believe that Jesus was to be crucified but was miraculously saved while Christians believe he was crucified but resurrected. Christians believe that the Bible is Gods sanctum book which was written by people inspired by God and it teaches the will of God on world while the Muslims accept but believe that it has been corrupted to suit peoples involvements over the old ages. Decision Christianity and Islam are major universes faiths with the latter holding a greater figure of followings. They portion common beginning, values and some believes like God being supreme, Prophetss being God s couriers and opinion of humanity based on personal actions and religion while on Earth. The Quran and the Bible are considered as the two sanctum books written through God s inspiration though the Quran is believed was verbally revealed to prophet. Muhammad through angel Jibril. The two faiths have some major differences like the birth, crucification, decease and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. They besides differ in the originality of the sanctum bible as compared to that of the sanctum Quran every bit good as its reading by the Christians. The similarities between the two outweigh the differences. Plants Cited Abdul-Rahman, Muhammad, Saed. Islam inquiries and replies. Volume 22, MSA Publication Limited. Saudi Arabia. 1972 Lewis, Bernard A ; Churchill, Buntzie, Ellis. In the faith and the people. Illustrated. Wharton School Publishing, U.S.A, 2008 Stern, Bernard, Joseph. Science A ; society, Volume 12, 1-3, Concept Publishing Company, 1948. Strachey, Lytton A ; Holroyd Michael. Eminent Victorians, Nile Penguin Classics, 1986. Thrower, James. Marxist-Leninist scientific atheism and the survey of faith and godlessness in the USSR. Volume 25. Vienna ; Walter de Gruyter, 1983. Willliams, John, Adel. The Word of Islam. University of Texas. Qayrawan. 1994

Battleship Potemkin

Battleship Potemkin Introduction Sergei Eisenstein’s 1925 film Battleship Potemkin represents a classical example of formalist editing in cinematography. According to most well-known enthusiasts of this style of editing, such as Pudovkin and Eisenstein himself, the semantic significance of film’s mise en scene should not be dialectically explored but rather constructed.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Battleship Potemkin specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Both individuals tended to perceive the process of movie’s editing as being similar to the process of composing music – just as composer constructs a melody out of individually sounding and often dissonant musical notes, film’s director endows a particular scene with semiotic significance by the mean of providing scene’s takes with contextual wholesomeness. While outlining the essence of formalist editing, Gianetti (2001) states: â€Å"The envir onment of the scene is the source of the images. Long shots are rare. Instead, a barrage of close-ups (often of objects) provides the audience with the necessary associations to link together the meaning† (p. 157). Given the fact that Eisenstein never ceased being closely affiliated with promotion of Communist agenda, it comes as not a particular surprise that he had chosen in favor of formalist editing – by juxtaposing scenes’ seemingly unrelated shots, he was able to endow his films with clearly defined ideological sounding. In the same book from which we have already quoted, Gianetti provides us with the insight onto the actual technique of Eisenstein’s style of editing: â€Å"The conflict of two shots (thesis and antithesis) produces a wholly new idea (synthesis). Thus, in film terms, the conflict between shot A and shot B is not AB but a qualitatively new factor- C† (p. 158). In the next part of this paper, we will explore how Eisenstein went a bout applying the methods of formalist editing in Battleship Potemkin at length. Analytical part Even the very beginning of Battleship Potemkin is being perfectly illustrative of how the utilization of formalist editing in film can achieve a strong dramatic effect. At first, there is a take of battleship’s physician wearing a monocle, meant to emphasize his association with the class of bourgeoisie (00.05.43). After that, follows the shot of maggots crawling all over the piece of meat, which was supposed to serve ship’s sailors as food (00.05.45). After having exposed viewers to this take for a while, Eisenstein sharply replaces it with the shot of angry expression on sailors’ faces (00.05.60). It is needless to mention, of course, that from purely semantic perspective, the sequence of these shots does not make much of a sense.Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn Mo re Nevertheless, after having watched this particular scene, viewers quite unintentionally get to absorb the idea that Eisenstein wanted them to absorb – namely, the fact that, while serving in Russian Imperial Fleet, sailors used to be subjected to a number of different abuses, which had prompted them to revolt. Just as it is being often the case with today’s TV commercials, the main idea that combined earlier mentioned shots into something that conveyed cognitively recognizable ideological message, only existed in director’s imagination. And, it is namely the fact that Eisenstein was a master of psychological manipulation, which had allowed him to impose his obscure and morally repugnant ideas upon viewers as representing some objective value. Another clue as to the actual essence of Eisenstein’s formalist editing can be found in the scene where revolutionary speakers address angry mob (00.41.32 – 00.42.19). Given the fact that Battleship Potemkin is a silent movie, exposing viewers to the sight of crazed revolutionaries encouraging marginalized crowds to kill nobles, while intensely gesturing, making angry faces and spewing saliva, during the course of the process, does not appear rationally motivated – after all, there is no sound in the movie. Nevertheless, by having this particular scene presented in his film, Eisenstein did not aim at subjecting viewers to Communist propaganda per se, but rather at making them cognitively comfortable with this propaganda as a concept, because on subconscious level, people tend to associate emotional intensity with intellectual honesty. In other words, just as it is being the case with the shots of maggots crawling over the piece of meat, the shots of hook-nosed political activists instigating ‘proletarians’ to overthrow Czar had served the cause of psychological manipulation, on director’s part – a clearly formalist editing technique. Neverthel ess, it is specifically the scene of czarist police shooting at civilians in Odessa, which provides us with the full understanding of how the utilization of formalist editing had helped Battleship Potemkin to attain a cult status. After police fires a salvo at demonstrators, we get to watch the following sequence of structurally unrelated takes: people running down the ‘Potemkin stairs’ (00.49.23), some kids laying on these stairs and crying, while being stepped upon (00.50.08), a bug-eyed woman experiencing an emotional distress (00.50.12), the older woman making jesters with her hands (00.51.18), one-legged man maneuvering through the running people on his crutches (00.51.48), police officers firing another salvo (00.51.51), woman with a baby in her hands catching the bullet (00.52.53), people running again in a chaotic manner (00.53.07), and finally the baby-carriage with a baby rolling down the stairs on its own (00.54.57), with this shot climaxing the whole scene.A dvertising We will write a custom essay sample on Battleship Potemkin specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Apparently, Einstein was well aware of the fact that, even though the scenes of police shooting at civilians do not occur very often in reality, his depiction of such a scene nevertheless would be perceived by viewers as perfectly plausible, due to its strongly defined emotional undertones. In their turn, these undertones had been brought about by director’s mastery in utilization of formalist editing. Conclusion Even though that in ‘artsy’ circles, the application of formalist editing in cinematography is being often considered as the only appropriate, due to such editing’s ‘sophistication’, the majority of movie goers do not subscribe to this point of view. And, this has nothing to do with their lessened intellectual abilities, as is being implied by enthusiasts of ‘auteur’ genr e in cinematography, but simply with the fact that this style of editing does not correspond to the linearly defined workings of Westerners’ psyche. In formalistically edited movie, there is very little of an actual movie, but mostly theory. The watching of Einstein’s Battleship Potemkin is like observing Malevich’s Black Square painting – without having been introduced to both individuals’ highly irrational and superficially sophisticate life-philosophies, it would prove quite impossible to define the actual significance of their cinematographic/artistic creations’ themes and motifs, if we assume that they do exist. As Gianetti had put it: â€Å"Eisensteins theories of collision montage have been explored primarily in the avant-garde cinema, music videos, and TV commercials. Most fiction film ­makers have found them too intrusive and heavy-handed† (p. 168). Thus, even though in Battleship Potemkin Einstein did succeed with providin g an emotional appeal to the Communist cause, he nevertheless had failed in making this particular movie watchable – after all, viewers do not particularly enjoy the feeling of being intellectually manipulated by the mean of being forced to accept director’s own ideological agenda as representing an undeniable truth-value. References Gianetti, L. (2001). Understanding movies. 9th ed. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall.

Assessing Change in Homeland Security Policy and Practices Case Study

Assessing Change in Homeland Security Policy and Practices - Case Study Example Maryland responded to the threat of terrorism in the United States during September eleven in broad way that linked its security organs, legislature and administration and there were changes in security administration and emergency management to suit the urgent situation after September 11. The state of Maryland did not experience a territorial attack on the September eleven 2001. However, the event served as an opportunity to catalyze change in the state security organs creating the need to reassess the security and emergency approach. Therefore, the related departments of the state in conjunction with federal agencies were put to test regarding their ability to respond to emergency more specifically terrorism. Basically, the state has a vital, immensely noticeable army and intelligence agency manifestation that offers unique security and admission matters during incidences of keen watchfulness creating intense traffic support on the nearby infrastructure systems. Furthermore, imperative links to regional cooperation regarding infrastructure exist involving federal administration, Columbia, Maryland and Virginia at the strategic Potomac River junction along with Baltimore Parkway. Owing to the fact that there was no territorial attack on Maryland, the reaction was mer ely concentrated and anticipatory. This comprised of augmented vigilant checks on burrows, roadways as well as viaducts; measures to guarantee infrastructure safety, traffic jam organization, providing alerts and announcements and aiding Virginia DOT after the attack on pentagon. The State’s transport department was well organized and was concentrated on being receptive. What emerged from the entire episode was that the relevant departments of security and emergency response in Maryland were administratively excellent, with perfect though developing protocols and had the required power to respond swiftly to emergency at a

What does freedom of the press mean To what extent does it exist in Assignment

What does freedom of the press mean To what extent does it exist in modern Britain - Assignment Example On the corresponding side, we find that many countries have the ‘freedom of information laws’ or the ‘sunshine laws’ that while defining the scope and extent of the so called ‘national security /interest,’ also allows a citizen to take legal recourses, where he can appeal to get access to government protected information at a minimal charge. UK has implemented this freedom of Information Act 2000 s. 36 (The National Archives, Freedom of Information Act 2000), which gives freedom to its people to access certain parts of the protected information. In this article, I will examine the concept of freedom of press, and will study to find its relevance in modern day UK. Discussion The ‘right to express’ falls under the category of basic human rights and civil liberties, where the state is under obligation to provide for these fundamental rights to its citizens, under the International Convention of human rights, and also the European Conve ntion of human rights. ... Freedom of press is generally covered under the provisions freedom of speech or the right to express, where publications by the press receive the same legal protections as are given to any the other forms of publication, and oral speeches. Freedom of press is seen to be the core feature of democracy, while â€Å"censorship and other restrictions on the press are the hallmark of totalitarian and suppressive regimes† (Baldock, Manning and Vickerstaff, 2007, 100). However it is not always necessary that a government be openly suppressive or manipulative, in its control over the press. There are often more subtle and insidious means (as seen in UK) over controlling the press and blocking or limiting the available information, thus making reporting difficult on certain incidents (ibid). In this context we will now examine as to how the press operates in UK, and will explore to see whether it is really as Baldock, Manning and Vickerstaff claim that the UK government cuts down on the freedom of the press in a very subtle manner. The Human Rights Act (HRA) that was passed on 9th November 1998 by the UK government (made effective from 2nd October 2000), was aimed at giving more force to the rights, framed within the European Convention on Human Rights. The HRA, which provides for individual rights in UK, also gives the press freedom to express. Thus, from the government’s point of view, we find that there are indeed provisions made for the freedom of press in UK. However in the last few years it has been seen that the freedom of press has turned into a nightmare of sorts, for many of the celebrities and well known personalities in UK. This has led to speculations, both within the general public and the government, as to

Identifications in Hip Hop Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Identifications in Hip Hop Culture - Essay Example Bernard Zekri and   Jean Karakos had a significant impact on the history of American rap in the 1980s. In 1980, Zekri made the decision to leave France and move to New York where he worked in a restaurant with French owners. In this year, Karakos who had headed a small label in France referred to as Celluloid also moved to New York and met Zekri. The two had a significant impact on the American hip-hop culture which had long-term implications including bringing American hip-hop to countries overseas and changing the manner in which rap music was recorded. 4.Kafig The power that characterizes French hip-hop dancing can be traced back to the careers of individuals and the fact that developments in the styles of dancing occurred in regions that applied their own preferences. Kafig is a genre that comes from the regions of Lyons as well as Paris and is considered as the birthplace of hip-hop dancing. Kafig is a dance that is specialized, characterized by numerous complex movements. The artists who engage in this type of dance display a   large amount of emotion as well as power in their movements. This style of dance impacts on hip-hop culture through the fact that it aims at cultivating awareness of how movement can bring out a certain message or create a different depiction of the world(McCarren 65).   5. Siya Possi XThe name Siya Possi X is derived from both the English term referring to the posse and the phrase siya possi which means in simple terms people who are to be killed.

Basic empirical beliefs and its importances

Basic empirical beliefs and its importances A basic belief for most people is the idea that we believe in something which has not been corrupted by other beliefs to change the core belief we initially have about certain things. They are not inferred from other beliefs and is known better as Foundationalism. From this is the idea of a basic empirical belief, a belief that is learned by observing it using our empirical knowledge; sight, hearing, touch etc. To try and understand beliefs more clearly and to grasp what knowledge is without empirical beliefs, if it can happen, I will look at Foundationalism its counter argument Coherentism and the basic idea of empirical/sensory belief. Foundationalism considers that we need a core set of beliefs, beliefs that our other beliefs we have are built upon in order to make the original belief become more real. Most of us have a foundationalist belief structure and our basic beliefs can be justified by beliefs that link to it in order to make it more factual and the basic belief makes the beliefs which tie in with it justified. However, this doesnt mean that they themselves are justified, just that the basic belief, if true, makes the beliefs that stem from it justified. Following from having a basic belief, The Regress argument/Trilemma puts across that a belief is justified by another belief which is justified by another, then another and so on. So a) It goes on forever, b) Ends with some of the beliefs justify themselves, c) Ends with some of the beliefs having no justification. Therefore, if it went on forever it would be a vicious circle and end up having no end or beginning. It is a vicious regress, which Lewis discusses further, if you believe in the chance of something occurring or being true is small, then you dont really believe it because to have belief in something you need to b e able to justify it, if nothing can be certain then how do we know anything? But the idea of regress can be reversed if something is certain and we believe in it, so some beliefs must be certain. In Agrippas Trilemma, the 2nd option relates to Coherentism, which is an alternative argument to Foundationalism. Coherentism considers that if there could be now way to justify our empirical sense beliefs, and if the idea that beliefs can be justified by one another forever is ruled out then the beliefs can only be justified by their unique properties in relation to other beliefs and how well they fit together in order to produce a organised system of beliefs. Consistency is a requirement of coherence, but a set of beliefs do not need to have flaws to have no coherence, beliefs, which are perfectly consistent, may also have no coherence. As said in Agrippas Trilemma, beliefs justify themselves instead of going on forever, this is shown by the idea that if a belief was to be justified by another belief and so on, then empirical justification moves in a circular motion. But, Coherentism moves away from this idea and towards the idea of a linear motion and that the belief is in a line, with the order of epistemic priority at the beginning and epistemic justification at the other end of the line. The belief justifies itself then, as it does not need to have another belief to rely on it to make it justified. Moving on from this, having empirical beliefs means to have knowledge of our beliefs by gaining it through our senses. Foundationalism believed that basic beliefs were infallible, but by looking at Infallible sensory beliefs, what we believe to be seeing might not be infallible after all and most of our beliefs make us sure of our sensory beliefs. So it seems that we cannot have beliefs without our senses. For example, the belief in a religion, a God, that England are the best at Rugby, all these beliefs cannot be justified unless we have our sense to prove so. Furthermore, we cant have these beliefs to begin with unless we use our empirical knowledge to understand what we believe. If we had no sight then we could not read Holy Scriptures, which reveal religions, if we had no hearing then we could not hear classical music which you may believe to be the best music made by man and so forth. Our empirical knowledge is intertwined closely with our beliefs, and if we were unfortunate to not be able to use all our empirical senses and to have 1 of them taken away, this still hinders our chances of having a true belief in something and being able to justify it. However, a belief can make us more certain of our sensory beliefs e.g. I think I felt a spider run across my back. Later we discover it was a feather duster. Why cant other beliefs lower how sure we are of our sensory beliefs? If we are to accept the foundation of sensory beliefs, how does this relate to the belief structure? Following on from empirical beliefs is a priori knowledge. It is common to most that all the knowledge we hold comes from experience, experience we gain through using our senses. Our experience is not doubted and is gathered by using raw material of our sensible impressions, our empirical knowledge is formed by our interpretations of our own knowledge. A priori knowledge is very different from this, it does not come from experience, and it comes from innate knowledge we are born with. In example, a man who undermined the foundations of his house, that he might have known a priori that it would fall, that is, that he need not have waited for the experience of its actual falling. A priori knowledge is totally separate from experience, its opposite being posteriori, knowledge through experience. With beliefs, we adapt what we know from posteriori and a priori knowledge to justify and understand what we know about our beliefs. Before we are born are we are believed to have this previous knowledge, which Piaget talks of in relation to conscience and children. A child develops internal representations or mental and physical actions, some Schemata that are already present in a newborn, such as sucking, gripping and crying. Others develop as the child grows. The Schemata are built through 2 processes: 1. Assimilation- fitting newly acquired knowledge into what the child already knows. 2. Accommodation-as new experiences occur which do not fit into existing schemata, the child adapts them t fit, or creates new ones. This is similar to beliefs and knowledge, we can have a priori knowledge of a religion, like a blueprint in our mind of a God and we can build on our belief of this by using empirical knowledge to know more about it and by adapting what we already know and interpreting it with our senses. Overall, arguments show that mainly, if we cannot have empirical beliefs then we would find it hard to now anything. Our senses play a huge part in creating thoughts of belief, and without them it is hard to understand what beliefs can be justified if we were to for example have no sight or hearing. We would not be able to believe in a religion, except for the idea that we have a priori knowledge of a God. However, the basic belief of this is not enough to justify it and requires other beliefs to justify it, so this makes it hard for us to know anything. Or for that matter, anything true. I believe that we cannot know anything other than what we are innately born with, but this knowledge alone is not enough to create beliefs or pure knowledge, which solidifies these beliefs. Our empirical senses are key to establishing what we believe and whether we can justify them further therefore without empirical beliefs we can know nothing sufficient. Bibliography The Structure of Empirical Knowledge- Lawrence Bonjour 1986. London, Harvard University Press, ch.5 Critique of Pure Reason, trans. Immanuel Kant 1929. Norman Keep Smith, New York, St. Martins Press, 41-55 Piaget and the Foundations of Knowledge- Lynn S. Liben 1983. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Hillsdale, New Jersey, ch.6

History On Amazing Grace :: essays research papers

"Amazing grace, how sweet the sound..." So begins one of the most beloved hymns of all times, a staple in the hymnals of many denominations. The author of the words was John Newton, the self-proclaimed wretch who once was lost but then was found, saved by amazing grace. Newton was born in London July 24, 1725, the son of a commander of a merchant ship which sailed the Mediterranean. In 1744 John was impressed into service on a man-of-war, the H. M. S. Harwich. Finding conditions on board intolerable, he deserted but was soon recaptured and publicly flogged and demoted from midshipman to common seaman. Finally at his own request he was exchanged into service on a slave ship, which took him to the coast of Sierra Leone. He then became the servant of a slave trader and was brutally abused. Early in 1748 he was rescued by a sea captain who had known John's father. John Newton ultimately became captain of his own ship, one which plied the slave trade. Although he had had some early religious instruction from his mother, who had died when he was a child, he had long since given up any religious convictions. However, on a homeward voyage, while he was attempting to steer the ship through a violent storm, he experienced what he was to refer to later as his "great deliverance." He recorded in his journal that when all seemed lost and the ship would surely sink, he exclaimed, "Lord, have mercy upon us." Later in his cabin he reflected on what he had said and began to believe that God had addressed him through the storm and that grace had begun to work for him. For the rest of his life he observed the anniversary of May 10, 1748 as the day of his conversion, a day of humiliation in which he subjected his will to a higher power. "Thro' many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come; 'tis grace has bro't me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home." He continued in the slave trade for a time after his conversion; however, he saw to it that the slaves under his care were treated humanely. In 1750 he married Mary Catlett, with whom he had been in love for many years. By 1755, after a serious illness, he had given up seafaring forever. He decided to become a minister and applied to the Archbishop of York for ordination.