Religion and Its Functions in Society

Introduction Religion in some form or the other has been with man for long. It is one of those few characteristics and activities of man which are independent of his animal nature. It has sprouted out of his mind, in response to his felt needs, external and internal. To trace its origin is impossible, and to define it is no less. It is evolutionary in character. Most of the definitions of religion oscillate round the concept of the super human; belief and practice; rituals and rites.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Religion and Its Functions in Society specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Every society possesses some conceptions of a supernatural order of spirits, gods or impersonal forces. These forces are different from and in some sense superior to those forces conceived as covering ordinary â€Å"natural† events and their nature and activities somehow give meaning to the usual, the frustrating and the rati onally impracticable aspects of experience. They are attributed in part at least to its agency, and the men devoted an important part of their time and resources for regulating their relations with this order as they conceive it. Analysis of Religion Religion seeks to interpret and control man’s relations with the forces of his physical and social environment. These forces are thought to be under the control of some supernatural power. The attempt to interpret man’s relations to these forces led to several forms of religions like superstition, animism, totemism, magic, ceremonialism and fetishism. Function of Religion Religion can serve certain functions in society including acting as the social cement that binds society together and suppresses conflict between social groups. It can be used as a form of social control. It is a source of legitimacy for society and its institutions. It is a source of identity. It provides a means for emotional expression and dealing with the difficulties of life. It also provides an explanation for the existence of the physical universe and how it functions. How has religion influenced politics? Religion and politics are dimensions of human experience engaged in a meaningful exercise of power. Both are patterns of power, dynamic processes of action and interaction, and systems of power relations that reinforce the general distribution of power within any society. One of the prominent scholars in the area of religion and politics asserts that, â€Å"Religion is concerned with the systemic ordering of different kinds of power, particularly those seen as significantly beneficial or dangerous.† In other words, religion is the way human being orient themselves to the multitude of powers that impinge upon their lives.Advertising Looking for essay on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Another author, Firth Raymond, agrees that, â€Å"Religio ns are basically concerned with problems of meaning and power,† (21) furthermore, religion alone is not sufficient as a single variable to explain [political] conflict in any given state. Hence, religion is an element in the conflict between ethnic language groups. Ronald L. Johnstone further explains that ethnicity and ethnically based action are determined by political, economic, and cultural factors, (Ronald 2007) although the factors vary in importance according to specific historical and contextual conditions. The interplay of religion and politics is often described as a volatile mix; and political scientists and politician have long insisted that these two entities should remain separated from each other. Religion has had varied effects on embedded cultural and political assumptions, with regards to policy and political decision-making. Some of these effects have contributed to the emergence of norms and values that assist in the maintenance of peace and order within th e West, while others have influenced the emergence of cultural behaviors and assumptions that several social commentators claim have has a destructive influence on the environment and on the health and well-being of communities and individuals. The relationships of religion to politics are complex and paradoxical. Both try to secure power. Yet they are different in the aims and values set on power. The basic power envisaged in religion, whether immanent or transcendental, is of another quality from another world. Both politics and religion imply awareness of social relationship and emphasize integration. Politics is focused on the relationship between men, whereas religion is focused on the relationship of men with gods or spiritual beings. Both use calculation and appeal to emotion, but religion is grounded in revelation whereas politics tries to keep within the bounds of reason. In hierarchy of social activities, religion stands at a peak of evaluation, while politics may have a l ow rate in the scale of public esteem. What is religious fundamentalism? Fundamentalism occurs in all the world’s major religions, including Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and Buddhism. It is a very powerful force in the world affairs today. It occupies a position not dissimilar to that occupied by Marxism in the twentieth century. Like Marxism, it is not only a belief system but also a plan of action to transform humanity (Scott Jones1). In addition, the plan in question sometimes involves the use of extreme violence, exercised not only within but also across state boundaries.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Religion and Its Functions in Society specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Religious fundamentalism has become a subject of teaching and research. In North America, the events of 9/11 have added a sense of urgency to what otherwise would have remained a part of the sober study of comparative reli gion. Whether we like it or not, after 9/11, religious fundamentalism has become an issue of national security as well (Scott Jones 9). Fundamentalism can be defined as the creation, the categorial result, of modern ideological structures that have generated the concept in the process of interpreting and making sense of a much wider realm of social realities (Scott Jones10). From this point, the term â€Å"Religious fundamentalism† refers to extremism and politicization in all varieties of religion. Increasingly, fundamentalism has become a pejorative label, often used synonymously with terrorism (Scott Jones18). Works Cited Firth, Raymond. Religià ³n: A Humanist Interpretation. New York, NY: Routledge, 1996. Print. Ronald Johnstone L. Religion in Society, A Sociology of Religion, eighth edition. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, Prentice-Hall, 2007. Print. Scott Jones, Julie. Being the Chosen: Exploring a Christian Fundamentalist Worldview. Surrey, England: Ashgate Publishing , Ltd. 2010. Print. 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pearl harbor a suprise or not essays

pearl harbor a suprise or not essays Knowledge that was not passed on and Miscommunication before December 7th Prior to December 7th there were many warnings and letters given to the military saying there was possible plan of attack on Pearl Harbor very few of these letters were actually received by the military. On November 27, the Chief of Naval Operations sent a letter to Lt. Layton concerning the possibility of imminent attacks on Pearl Harbor Refer to my 272338 {the naval sabotage warning}. Army has sent following to commander western defense command. Negotiations with Japan appear to be terminated to all practical purposes with only the barest possibilities that the Japanese Government might come back and offer to continue. Japanese future action unpredictable but hostile action possible at any moment. If hostilities cannot repeat not be avoided the United States desires that Japan commit the first overt act.... Prior to hostile Japanese action you are directed to undertake such reconnaissance and other measures as you deem necessary but these measures should be carried out so as not to repeat not to alarm civilian population...Undertake no offensive action until Japan has committed an overt act....1 This was one of the few letters that Layton received. Shortly after receiving this letter, Layton saw the Army begin to get ready, troops started moving as well as trucks: I though I saw weapons moving into the street and I presumed that they were going into full condition of readiness, including the emplacement of anti-aircraft and other mobile weapons around Pearl Harbor.2 Layton received other signals in addition to these, some confirming war within a few days and others saying war was going to happen in South East Asia. None of the signals, however, were passed on to military officials who could have used this information. One man who needed the information was McCollum. He received the above letter on December 1st 1941. Captain W.A. Heard...

Case Study for Human Resource Management Class Essay

Case Study for Human Resource Management Class - Essay Example Ron was also able to proceed with job analysis through the critical-incident technique. They were able to organize a meeting with the supervisors and they were able to come up with a conclusion. The only remaining aspect that they will need to look into is the type of validation strategy they needed to use. They had contradicting views on this matter. Ron believed that it criterion-related validity was appropriate while Bob chose content validity over the other. When Bob finished the evaluation of the agency's current staffing practices, the results tabulated in Exhibit 2.14 clearly depicts the presence of adverse impact. Using the 80 percent rule and by taking two sample groups which has the highest and lowest positions namely Blacks and Women, it shows that there is only 58.04% or less than four fifths of the selection come from the group with lowest rate. Even if there is no adverse impact evident on the selection process, it is still essential to evaluate other components for adverse impact. Aside from the standard 80 percent rule used to determine adverse selection, there are other issues that should be looked into the hiring process including the examination, interview and training of employees.

Management of information technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Management of information technology - Essay Example That same ability raises the specter of nightmarish Orwellian scenarios in which consumer purchasing behavior is captured in databases that are manipulated by corporations and government as a tool for spying. RFID utilizes a tag containing a computer chip that stores data relating to the tagged item, such as color, size, brand, warranty information, etc. Tags can also be affixed to pallets and cartons to identify contents of shipments during the distribution process. An antenna in the tag transmits and receives data through radio waves, which are picked up by a reader (Carlson 2006). In one type of RFID system known as passive, a signal is sent out by the reader creating a magnetic field, which is broadcast by its antenna to create a sensitive detection zone. When a RFID tag enters this zone it picks up the reader’s signals, which turn on the microchip’s transmitter, thus informing the reader of its presence. Passive RFID is a short range system in which the reader must range from one inch to a few feet from the tag in order to engage a signal (Kasavana 2006). Another type of RFID technology is known as active. This is a longer range system because both the tag and reader have power supply units and are capable of sending and receiving signals. The transmission range may be up to one hundred feet due to this mutual transmission. The data on active RFID microchips can also be rewritten (Kasavana 2006). Active tags are far more expensive than passive tags (up to $40 as compared to 15 cents for passive tags) and are therefore less attractive and appropriate in a commercial retail environment (Carlson 2006). Nevertheless, given their long range scanning potential, active RFID has a broader range of potential applications. It also drives greater concerns regarding potential abuse. RFID is considered to be more effective at inventory tracking than traditional bar codes for several reasons. First, it is

Filipino Americans In America Essay Example for Free

Filipino Americans In America Essay Filipino Americans have retained their racial and cultural pride and outlook even as they are fast becoming assimilated and adopting American values and cultural norms in the United States as an adopted country. This is a preliminary paper which featured six respondents to a fundamentally open ended but structured questionnaire, intending to elicit their inner sentiments on their nationality as immigrants to the United States. Qualifying criteria: Filipino ancestry, and residency in in the United States for the last 5- 15 years. Must have spent at least 10 to 15 years in the Philippines prior to immigration to the United States. Structure of Questionnaire: This is a fundamentally controlled emic questionnaire, initially, intended to have open-ended response that will give the inner sentiments of the respondents. Six respondents were given a free-wheeling right to answer the following questions (1) how they feel being Filipino Americans (2) the comfort level they have in being called Filipino Americans (3) their attitude to the previous citizenship (4) their general feeling about being Filipino or simply, Americans. (5) the values that differentiate them as a group (6) the beliefs that are common among them (7) their loyalty to their mother country (8) their religious faith/s (9) their attitude towards the US elections and the candidates (10) their celebrations and joys (11) The problems they perceive about their home country (12) The problems they meet in the United States. Emic-Etic Research 3 Interview results: 1. Four of six said they were proud Filipinos â€Å" just living or working in America. † Two said they are Filipino Americans, but that the United States is their country. 2. Four of six said they are not comfortable being referred to as Americans. Two were comfortable, but explain that they have Filipino roots. 3. All six said they were proud of their racial roots. Four of six said they identified with the United States as a friendly second country. 4. All said they would have preferred to stay in the Philippines because of the character of the people there (friendly and hospitable, and â€Å"wonderful†) but they would like to look for higher paying jobs in the US . 5. Five of six said their Catholic religion bind them together, four said they are proud of the heroes of their race, all five of six said they are proud of the racial industriousness and resourcefulness of their fellow Filipinos, and that their friendly nature distinguish them as a group. 6. All six said belief in God is a national faith. Among the values that they share as a group are: being good to foreigners, kindness to neighbors, cleanliness in their bodies, living harmoniously with neighbors. Some of the vices of their race include: gambling, gossip, and crabbing or stealing dreams. 8. Four of the six said they are non-practicing Catholics One was Protestant. One did not answer. 9. Three would vote for Obama , one for McCain. Two are not inclined to join the electoral discussions as irrelevant to them. Four said a McCain victory would be bad for Emic-Etic Research 4 Filipino immigrants. The same number said Obama would be good to immigrants. (Two answered twice) 10. All six said they enjoy Christmas as the most awaited holiday of the year. They enjoy singing publicly or in groups. They also all eagerly await the religious month of the Lenten season. They also enjoy family reunions, attending funeral wakes, group drinking, and teasing beautiful women, passing hours for their siesta, engaging in small talk, talking about their politicians, listening to movie gossip, either Filipino local or Hollywood. 11. The following came out as their negative list of events and/or descriptions in their country of origin: low value of the peso (5 of interviewees ) , high unemployment (4 of respondents) , air and water pollution ( 3 of respondents ) , and corruption in government (2 of 6 respondents). . 12. All six said they have experienced and can easily discern racial bigotry and discrimination in America. ANALYSIS The results of the tally suggest a pattern of national consciousness, an awareness of nationhood and national pride. The limited number of respondents at = six (6) is without any other controlling variables like total population and distribution profile and therefore cannot be a basis for any claim of being representative of the population of Filipino US immigrants. Emic-Etic Research 5 The present practical inquiry however can serve as a basis for future etic questionnaire that will define the answers to the above from a truly representative sampling, and allow an etic database that will provide objective percentages to the initial summary of findings above. As important as what the respondents above are saying are those that they have left unsaid. For example in Item 2, four of six respondents were unwilling to be called Filipino Americans –a fact that clearly displayed national loyalty and preference for their citizenship branding as Filipinos. The two who acknowledged their American citizenship were nevertheless fully cognizant and proud of their Filipino roots. In item 12, the stark figure of all six respondents saying they have experienced and could discern racial bigotry and discrimination in the United States speaks volumes about the social environment they operate, and describes their inner sensitivity to indications of racial discrimination. This is wide field of further inquiry that can further establish objective etic ( or objective, verifiable) information of concrete cases of discrimination that respondents have experienced in the United States.

Comparing Rugby and Football :: Compare Contrast Comparison

Comparing Rugby and Football The thick, broad-shouldered athlete breathes heavily and grunts with each step as he and his teammates push mightily against the opposition. His arms are locked over his teammates' shoulders, all of their heads down. The two teams are pushing against each other like two moose fighting over territory. He looks down to see the ball, sitting just in front of his feet. If he could just hook it with his foot and heave it to his teammate behind him†¦ This is what every player in a scrum is thinking while they fight each other for possession. Rugby is the true sport of men, because you wear no pads, and it is even more violent than football; however, football requires that you wear pads, thus being the true sport of want-to-be men. The rules of these similar yet vastly different games are extremely complex, so only the basics are necessary to distinguish the better sport. In football, the primary rule is that you must advance the ball forward by throwing it or running with it. Once a player with the ball is downed, the entire team lines up again, and the ball is snapped to the quarterback. The short pause in-between each down may not seem significant, but it definitely takes its toll on the excitement. In rugby, however, the primary rule is that you can only advance the ball by running with, kicking, or passing it. With passing, though, you can only pass the ball backwards or directly to your side, never forward. Like football, you score by running the ball into the endzone or by kicking it through the uprights. Also, you must touch the ball to the ground for it to count, and it is worth five points. When kicking, the ball can be kicked from anywhere spontaneously. If it passes through the uprights, it is worth three points, as in football. The equipment for the two sports is widely different, with football requiring much more. In football, players must wear a large set of pads, covering most of their body, and a masked helmet. The ball is made up of an inflated rubber bladder, surrounded by stitched leather, and it appears ellipsoidal in shape. Most players now wear cleated or spiked shoes, but flat-soles are often worn for artificial turf surfaces. But rugby, being the true sport of men, uses no pads of helmets.

Discovery Rules

Criminal or civil litigation is the last resort for seeking justice from the system. Given the large number of litigation suits filed in democratic countries as the United States, there is a need to seek recompense in justice outside the legal system or before parties concerned agree to bring the issue to a court of law. These measures however need to be institutionalized so that both parties are satisfied with the processes and are encouraged to resolve the matter outside the court of law.The mechanism of discovery rules is one such instrument which has provided for pre-trial phase in a law suit. The discovery procedure allows the parties in a law suit to request for evidence including documents from the other parties. The law provides for making such requests which could be for production as well as depositions. If required sub poenas can be issued for production of evidence. The discovery rules if used purposefully can lead to minimizing litigations as well as provide justice to l itigants.The aim of the prosecution is to collect sufficient evidence to establish veracity of the case and to ensure justice. However frequently the prosecution acts as an instrument to prove guilt of the accused. This mistaken notion results in subverting the very process that is required to be undertaken under the discovery rules. To avoid this anomaly it is essential that the prosecution discloses all evidence to the accused in a criminal case prior to the trial.Having so displayed information in all respects, be it exculpatory or inculpatory by the prosecution, the defendant will be able to establish culpability of the offence and in turn decide either to challenge the case or to disclose as much evidence as possible for the prosecution to assess if the case is to be pursued or will achieve the ends of justice. The defendant is granted very justifiably protection under the Fifth Amendment, a privilege of attorney-client relationship as well as against self recrimination because of which he should not be required to disclose evidence to the prosecution.This ensures that practical problems of implementing discovery rules are overcome. Prosecution can misuse discovery rules to extract maximum evidence regarding the case to strengthen arguments rather than seeking ends of justice. As Stracher (1998) has indicated the best legal minds are involved in manipulation of evidence rather than seeking ends of justice. Thus it would be appropriate for the defendant is able to exercise privileges granted in the present socio-legal environment.