Christian Philosophy on Death Essay Example for Free

Christian Philosophy on Death Essay The Christian philosophy on death has long been that there is life after death. Yes, we do have confidence, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5: 8) We are supposed to take solace in the fact that while although our earthly body will be no more, our spirit or soul will move on into immortality. Since life after death seems like a simple enough concept, death should be no big deal, right? We should just view it as a step in becoming closer to God. While in theory, we should just take death in stride, even for those who wholeheartedly believe in life after death find it difficult to accept death. We find it difficult to visualize and conceptualize the afterlife and what our role will be in it. People cope with death differently. Some choose to combat it head on, others choose to simply ignore it all together. However most people fall somewhere in between those two extremes. Dying person will use belief systems as they have throughout there entire life-constructively, destructively, or not at all This saying generally tends to hold true as one dies. All people cope with death differently however, by in large, most people go through some form of Kà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½bler-Ross model of grieving. The Kubler-Ross model contains five stages that people go through while contemplating their own death. The first stage is denial. In this stage the person grieving thinks that This cant be happening. In the second stage, anger, the griever says, Why me? Its not fair?! (either referring to God, oneself, or anybody perceived, rightly or wrongly, as responsible) The third stage is bargaining. In this stage, the dying person says, I know its me but or Please just let me live to see The bargaining can be directed toward God which if the bargain is perceived as accepted can lead to a sense of hope or resignation, or anger, guilt, or fear if the bargain is perceived as denied. The fourth stage is depression, which is arguably the hardest to go through. During the depression stage the dying person takes time to grieve his/her own death. The final stage is acceptance in which the dying person is ready to go. While not everyone goes through these stages in exactly this order, almost everyone goes through these stages in one form or another. They may experience the stages out of order, skip a stage, or even go through the cycle multiple times. There is also a belief that people have three spiritual needs of dying people: the search for the meaning of life, to die appropriately, and to find hope that extends beyond the grave. The search for the meaning of life takes on a higher priority when one is closer to death. The knowledge of impeding death creates a crisis in which one reviews life in order to integrate ones goals, values, and experiences. Without finding their lifes meaning one may feel that their life had no meaning. Another spiritual need is to die appropriately. People want to die in ways consistent with their own self-identity. Most people want to die a quick death surrounded by fantasy, however this is only the case for a lucky few. People fear not so much the fact of death but more the process of dying. The final spiritual need is to find hope in life after death. Life after death is an integral part of many faiths and religions. We seek assurance in some way that our life, or what we left, will continue. We all want some sort of life after death, because the thought of death being the ends of things can be an awful thing to think about. Oftentimes during class or discussions on death, I find myself questioning my own faith and trying to imagine what it would be like if I wasnt on earth anymore. I guess to be more specific what it would be like if my mind or soul did not continue on in some way, shape, or form. The thought of the world around me going on without me often leads to a chilling feeling and a headache. I almost prefer just to shut down, effectively turning off my ears to the discussion around me. Doing that just seems easier than thinking of the what-ifs that the thought of no life after death means. I believe in God, that there is a life after death, and that my soul and mind will exist eternally. However, it is still hard for me to shake that feeling that comes with thinking about death. If I am getting these chilling feelings while thinking of death as a teenager, I can only imagine the thoughts running through peoples heads while they are on their deathbeds. While it is easy to dwell on the negatives that death presents, there are other ways to approach death. Some people handle death with much grace, accepting their fate and using the time allotted to them to try to make their last days count. No one exemplifies this more that Morrie Schwartz from Tuesdays with Morrie. Morrie rather than overly dwell on the fact that he was dying, chose to take the time he had left on earth to explain dying to the world. His advice such as When you learn how to die, you learn how to live. and Love each other or perish. are just two of the numerous tings that Morrie has tried to teach us. If we could all handle death as gracefully as Morrie did, death wouldnt be nearly as big a deal to people. Morrie teaches us that there is a time to be three and a time to be sixty-three. Morrie tells us that death is just as much a fact of life as a birthday or getting married. Morrie sets a high standard for coping with a terminal illness. We can also look to the Bible to give us Gods take on death and life after death. The Catholic faith believes that no matter what there is life after death. Whether that life after death takes place in heaven or hell depends largely on how you live your life here on earth. Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, whowill transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. (Philippians 3: 20, 21) Through the belief in God and living according to his commandments we can attain a life after death. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:51-57)

Coming Home Essay -- Homosexuality

Marriage: n. The uniting of a man and woman as husband and wife (Webster’s Standard Dictionary 178). Up until the 1970‘s, homosexuals were highly looked down upon and could not come out about their sexual feelings for fear of undergoing abuse socially. Presently, same-sex marriage has caused the unity of two people to become a far more complicated, constitutionally and politically questioned issue than once imagined. Same-Sex Marriage: A Brief Background If marriage is defined as the union of a man and a woman, then it becomes severely difficult for a man and another man to marry, or two women. The first state to allow same-sex marriage, Massachusetts, had a large impact on homosexuals in America. Since 2003, a multifold of gay couples have taken the opportunity to legally wed in this unique state (Friedman). Currently, many states are being fought over between supporters and opposers of same-sex marriage; the key states are New Hampshire, Iowa, North Carolina, Minnesota, West Virginia, Indiana and Pennsylvania (Gallagher). The support and opposal of same-sex marriage has drastically changed in the past decade. Seven or eight years ago American opinion polls display that the people opposed gay marriage by a 2-1 margin (Klarman). Furthermore, another poll taken in April 2005 told differently; according to a CNN/USA Today, Gallup poll, 68% of Americans felt that same-sex marriage should not be recognized as valid; 28% felt they should be valid, and 4% had no opinion. However, current opinion polls have presented that a slender majority of Americans support gay marriage (Klarman). Beside the fact that not everyone supports same-sex marriage, more homosexuals have come out to the people in their lives. â€Å"The number of Americans ... ...Gay Marriage, Empathy Is A Two- Way Street.† Dallas Morning News (Dallas, TX). 10 Nov 2009: n.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 13 Apr 2012. Friedman, Laurie S.. Gay Marriage: An Opposing Viewpoints Guide. Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press, 2008. Gallagher, Maggie. â€Å"Gay Marriage: New York’s GOP Let’s Down the Base.† Wall Street Journal. 30 Jun 2011: A. 15. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 13 Apr 2012. Jacobs, Deborah. "It's time to stop fighting about same-sex marriage." Forbes.com. N.p., 2011. Web. 27 Apr 2012. . Klarman, Michael. â€Å"Why Gay Marriage Is Inevitable.† Los Angeles Times. 12 Feb 2012: A. 27. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 12 Apr 2012. Olson, Walter. â€Å"Gay Marriage: An Amen for Albany.† Wall Street Journal. 30 Jun 2011: A. 15. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 13 Apr 2012. Coming Home Essay -- Homosexuality Marriage: n. The uniting of a man and woman as husband and wife (Webster’s Standard Dictionary 178). Up until the 1970‘s, homosexuals were highly looked down upon and could not come out about their sexual feelings for fear of undergoing abuse socially. Presently, same-sex marriage has caused the unity of two people to become a far more complicated, constitutionally and politically questioned issue than once imagined. Same-Sex Marriage: A Brief Background If marriage is defined as the union of a man and a woman, then it becomes severely difficult for a man and another man to marry, or two women. The first state to allow same-sex marriage, Massachusetts, had a large impact on homosexuals in America. Since 2003, a multifold of gay couples have taken the opportunity to legally wed in this unique state (Friedman). Currently, many states are being fought over between supporters and opposers of same-sex marriage; the key states are New Hampshire, Iowa, North Carolina, Minnesota, West Virginia, Indiana and Pennsylvania (Gallagher). The support and opposal of same-sex marriage has drastically changed in the past decade. Seven or eight years ago American opinion polls display that the people opposed gay marriage by a 2-1 margin (Klarman). Furthermore, another poll taken in April 2005 told differently; according to a CNN/USA Today, Gallup poll, 68% of Americans felt that same-sex marriage should not be recognized as valid; 28% felt they should be valid, and 4% had no opinion. However, current opinion polls have presented that a slender majority of Americans support gay marriage (Klarman). Beside the fact that not everyone supports same-sex marriage, more homosexuals have come out to the people in their lives. â€Å"The number of Americans ... ...Gay Marriage, Empathy Is A Two- Way Street.† Dallas Morning News (Dallas, TX). 10 Nov 2009: n.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 13 Apr 2012. Friedman, Laurie S.. Gay Marriage: An Opposing Viewpoints Guide. Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press, 2008. Gallagher, Maggie. â€Å"Gay Marriage: New York’s GOP Let’s Down the Base.† Wall Street Journal. 30 Jun 2011: A. 15. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 13 Apr 2012. Jacobs, Deborah. "It's time to stop fighting about same-sex marriage." Forbes.com. N.p., 2011. Web. 27 Apr 2012. . Klarman, Michael. â€Å"Why Gay Marriage Is Inevitable.† Los Angeles Times. 12 Feb 2012: A. 27. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 12 Apr 2012. Olson, Walter. â€Å"Gay Marriage: An Amen for Albany.† Wall Street Journal. 30 Jun 2011: A. 15. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 13 Apr 2012.

Personal Learning Styles Essay

Everyone learns and retains information differently than one another. There are so many different types of learning styles out there. There are visual learners, verbal learners, and kinesthetic learners. Visual learners remember best what they see by diagrams, flow charts or maps. Auditory learners remember best what they hear and kinesthetic learners are best when they can be hands on. College is such an important part of my life and of many young people in today’s day and age. I have two small children and a husband who works very hard at his job so he doesn’t have time for college. My mother was lucky enough to start a job with Intel almost 14 years ago but did not go to college; therefore she does not have a college degree. My father did, however, go to college, but never used his degree to his advantage. My reasons for seeking a college degree are more than just showing my family that I can be successful and stick to something, but it’s to prove to myself th at I can do it. I want my children to know that their mom worked really hard and never gave up on her dreams, quitting is not an option. When things become hard, you push through and do your best. I am a very intense learner. I have found that I learn best visually and verbally. Visual learners remember best what they see—pictures, diagrams, flow charts, time lines, films, and demonstrations. Verbal learners get more out of words—written and spoken explanations. Everyone learns more when information is presented both visually and verbally. (Felder & Soloman, n.d ). If you are a VISUAL learner, then by all means be sure that you look at all study materials. Use charts, maps, filmstrips, notes and flashcards. Practice visualizing or picturing words/concepts in your head. Write out everything for frequent and quick visual review. (Bixler, 2010) I have found in college most teachers, not all, but most don’t use a whole of visual presentation.  If at all possible, it’s best to ask the instructor if there are references you can look to for further help or guidance. I would have to say upon taking these short tests and seeing the results I agree with the outcome of the two. I believe I am a visual and verbal learner. I do believe I do better when I can visually see what the instructor is talking about, It gives me a clear picture whether it be a map, chart or something as simple as an image, shows me what the focus point is and the topics surrounding it. I also believe I am a verbal learner as well. I reciprocate and retain information so much better when they are the ones explaining and interpreting that information. Write summaries or outlines of course material in your own words. Working in groups can be particularly effective: you gain understanding of material by hearing classmates’ explanations and you learn even more when you do the explaining. (Felder & Soloman, n.d ). I do know, that I do not do well when I am forced to read chapters upon chapters at a time with a test or quiz at the end of each one. It is extremely hard for me to retain any information like that because my mind wanders. If I have something to focus on, like an instructor, it keeps my attention; it’s exciting and keeps me eager to learn. Although there are many types of learning styles not everyone has the same techniques. Verbal, visual and kinesthetic are just to name a few. Whether it be using maps, charts or graphs, listening to lectures or having to be hands on, there is no wrong way of learning. Whatever style works best for your needs is the one that should be utilized the most. References Felder, R. M., & Soloman, B. A. (n.d.). Index of learning styles. Retrieved from http://www.engr.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/ilsweb.html Bixler, B. (2010). Learning style inventory. Retrieved from http://www.personal.psu.edu/bxb11/LSI/LSI.htm

The Freedom Of Speech By Thomas Hobbes - 874 Words

As Thomas Hobbes asserts in his book â€Å"Leviathan†, the foundation of modern society is built on a social contract between states and population to legitimate the authority of the state over the individual. A compromise in such covenants is the renouncement of certain â€Å"natural† rights by the citizen in return for the assurance of security. This, however, does not entail the forfeit of every single right and an absolute submission of the people to governmental authority. To ensure human dignity and to prevent emergence of an autocratic governmental system, the Founding Fathers enacted constitutional provisions determining rights of defense against the state. Even though these rights were not part of the original version of the Constitution, they were enacted through the Bill of Rights shortly afterwards as an amendment to the Constitution. One of those fundamental rights is the freedom of press: â€Å"Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speec h, or the press†. From the formulation of this provision the Supreme Court established for a long time that this provision would solely apply to the federal government. However, under the doctrine of incorporation, the Fourteenth Amendment imposes the First Amendment prohibitions on the state level. Hence, the First Amendment binds federal as well as state governments. Thus, the Constitution guarantees the free flow of information nationwide, which constitutes the fundament for and consequently is indispensible to theShow MoreRelatedJohn Locke And The Civil War1177 Words   |  5 PagesMichael Gilmore Mrs. Sauter World History 15 December 2014 People over People John Adams once said, â€Å"Fear is the foundation of most governments.† Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Karl Marx all grew up in a time of war and witnessed the same events that caused them to create their idea of government. Hobbes learned that people are naturally wicked, Locke learned that people all had natural rights. 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