The Religious Traditions of Buddhism and Confucianism Essay Example for Free

The Religious Traditions of Buddhism and Confucianism Essay No other force in our collective history is as influential in shaping our world as religion has been. It is a force that continues to define and redefine the world as we know it. Nations and countries have been established and destroyed all in the name of religion. Political lines are being redrawn even as we speak with religion as the main weapon of choice. No other force can affect people and compel them to action as much as religion does. It keeps followers together even while it keeps people of different faith out. It is source of cohesion and conflict at the same time (Cristi, 2001, p. 223) People who would not normally use force on another will gladly fight in the name of faith. A call to arms in the name of religion is the best way to assemble an army, fueled with righteous anger against the perceived enemy. Most, if not all civil wars have been fought in the name of religion. The enduring conflict in Northern Ireland between Catholics and Protestant, as well as the violence of Buddhists in Sri Lanka against the Hindu Tamil proves such a point. For all its awesome power, the exact nature of religion remains shrouded in history. Some scholars believe that religion arose from man’s necessity to make sense of living, and his compelling need to understand the mysteries of life. (Hume 24) Over the years, religion has come to be defined as an organized system of practices structured around some supernatural or divine belief. Religion is faith practiced in the context of reality. They are rules that guide certain kind of faith or belief. (Derrida Vattimo 6) Most cultures that exist in the world today are greatly influenced by the predominant religion of their respective places. The most common manifestations of religion can be seen through prayers, rites, and traditions that certain religious denominations practice. The most dominant religions of the world include Catholicism, Islam, Jew, and Hinduism. Other religions such as Protestantism are offshoots of Catholicism. Some, like Confucianism and Theravada Buddhism remain contentious. Some regard the two as religion, while others argue otherwise. The question is how did others came to be recognized as religions while others remain ambiguous? How do we make the distinction between religion and religious traditions? This paper argues that while Confucianism and Theravada Buddhism may not be religion, they are nevertheless religious traditions by virtue of their organized and specific rules of behavior. Theravada Buddhism is the dominant school of Buddhism. The two major schools of Buddhism that emerged from Buddha’s teachings are simply different representations of the same core principles. At first it may seem contradictory that a philosophy that espouses non-violence and universal tolerance will have a division. However, there exists neither conflict nor competition within these two main schools and the schools that followed after; the schools are more of a reflection of the place, time, and circumstance where Buddhism grew and became a way of life. Because cultures and histories differ, our perspectives on Buddha’s teachings can differ as well. (Gyatso 113) The emphasis of Theravada Buddhism is on individual attainment of nirvana, as opposed to enlightenment for all as advocated by Mahayana. Mahayana believes that Buddhists should not just be concerned about their own enlightenment, but aim to enlighten others even if it means sacrificing their own (Gyatso 168). The Mahayana form has more â€Å"religious† conventions, including worship or veneration Buddha and other divine beings. They also venerate sacred objects and icons and follow certain religious rituals. Theravada Buddhists, as an offshoot of their beliefs do not have the same features of the Mahayana. The â€Å"selfish† orientation and the unadorned nature of Theravada Buddhism perpetuate the perception of a non-religion. However, it should be said that apart from this fundamental difference, these two major schools adhere to basically the same principles. (Gyatso 170). For purposes of clarity, Buddhism, as discussed here refers to Theravada Buddhism because it is the school that is most often the target of â€Å"religious† debate. Buddhism has more close to 400 millions of followers worldwide. Buddhists ascribe to certain ways of living and behaviors that are unique to their faith. The main debate whether Buddhism is a religion or not stems from the fact that Buddhists do subscribe to the belief of an all-knowing and all-powerful deity. Buddhists do not worship any sentient, supreme being; and in the same vein, they do not have specific beliefs about the afterlife and the world that exists therein. The association of religion with the belief in gods and afterworlds to the exclusion of everything else is a mistaken notion that most people stubbornly adhere to. While belief in gods and some form of afterlife is a common characteristic of most religions, it is not a feature that distinguishes religion from those that are not. It may be argued that while Buddhism has no specific god who they believe can save them, they nevertheless have some sense of the divine or the ultimate truth; a truth that Buddhists believe any one individual can attain by their own determination. For Buddhists, one’s love for of one’s self is the chain that bonds us to a life of suffering and only by following Buddha’s path can a person be liberated from the cycle of causation and rebirth. Freedom from causality is the state of nirvana (William 142). Buddhists believe that our world is a world of suffering and causality, where one action causes another to take place. Followers of Buddhism denounce violence and espouse the principles of non-violence in all aspects of their lives. The virtue of nonviolence is one the key precepts of Buddhism, which is why followers are strict vegetarians and pacifists, Another major tenet of Buddhism is meditation. Buddhists believe that by going into your own thoughts, you cleanse and purify your soul. Meditation, while relaxing the body, sharply focuses the mind, thus enabling us to purge negative energy and achieve clarity of thought. Meditation is a keystone in Buddhism; without which one cannot achieve the awakening that they are looking for (William 167). Meditation as a cornerstone of Buddhism came from the fact that Buddha himself attained enlightenment after a long period of mediation. For Buddhists the meditation technique produces a sense of calm, but it does not entirely lead us away from all of our sufferings. Regardless of the proven benefits that meditation brings, it does not provide a complete pathway to enlightenment. Buddhists combine calm meditation with or insight meditation (William 198). Calming the body and then calming the mind. This type of meditation is intended for the development of a heightened sense of awareness about the world and our place in it. It asks us to be aware of what we are doing at the precise moment we are doing it. Some people call this process metacognition, or awareness of our awareness. Once this is achieved and sustained, then enlightenment will soon follow. The origin of Buddhism is traced to an Indian prince named Siddhartha, who, in spite of the wealth and power that surrounded him found no true happiness in them. Siddhartha had a lingering discontent; there was a compelling need for him to find the meaning and purpose of life; a need so urgent that he was willing to leave the comforts and safety of his home in search of answers. And so Siddhartha travelled the world in search for his personal truth. It took many years and experiences and deep reflections, until one day, under the Bo Tree, he found absolute clarity and illumination. (Penney 17) From thereon, he called himself Buddha which means the enlightened one. He continued on his travels but this time to teach the path of enlightenment to those who seek it. It is important to note that some Buddhist scholars fall into the trap of analyzing Buddha’s teachings that they neglect the actual spiritual experiences of Buddha, which is more important than the first. To grasp the spirit of Buddha, it is necessary to know the experiences of Buddha himself. Enlightenment, which is the final goal of all Buddhists, is an absolute state of acceptance and the absolute absence of discrimination, ignorance, and suffering. By ignorance, Buddha means spiritual unawareness, the inability to consciously seek the truth and recognize it once it has been found. In the end, the message of Buddhism is clear, that one must follow the Middle Path or take a detached view of reality for an individual to see his involvement and separation from everything in life. Once this state of detachment has been achieved, then will come the realization of how our live are empty in its absolute oneness with the universe. This realization of emptiness is achieved when one seeks constant awareness of experience and thought through meditation and by consciously taking the Middle Path in all of life’s extremes. While Buddhism if more focused on existential experiences, it does have the same goals as other forms of religion: transformation and growth. Religion, through the prescription of certain doctrines and rules of behavior, seeks the betterment of all its followers. Buddhism encompasses all aspects of the follower’s life. In fact it might be argued that Buddhism is more stringent in their rules as other denominations of faith. Because Buddhists are not subservient to any god, they do not claim monopoly of truth and salvation as well. Would-be-followers are not forced to forsake their original religion as long as they follow the Buddhist way of life, which is non-negotiable. The same â€Å"religious† issues beset Confucian philosophy. The absence of an omniscient potentiate excludes it from the list of what the world recognizes as religion as well. Confucianism was based on the teachings of Confucius, renowned ancient Chinese philosopher. While Buddhism focuses on suffering and enlightenment, Confucianism is more about human behavior in the context of civilized society. During the Qing Dynasty, Confucian teachings were organized and proclaimed as China’s state religion. (Yao 28) This political move stained the public’s perception of Confucianism, making it even more difficult to be classified as a religion. However, Confucianism is strictly about how to live a morally upright life based on good deeds and good citizenship. Despite this political underpinings, Confucianism remains the ideology of choice for most Chinese.

Free Essays - Sarcasm and Irony in A Modest Proposal :: Swift Modest Proposal Essays

Sarcasm and Irony in  A Modest Proposal In  A Modest Proposal, by Jonathan Swift, the main objective was to draw attention to the plight of the Irish people and motivate readers to find a workable solution.   Swift shows the readers his proposal mainly through irony.   Irony can be defined as expressing the opposite of what is meant.   This is a great technique of the sense of humor used in the proposal and in Swift.     One of the voices that are present throughout the story is that of irony. The story itself is ironic since no one can take Swifts proposal seriously. This irony is clearly demonstrated at the end of the story; Swift makes it clear that this proposal would not affect him since his children were grown and his wife unable to have any more children. It would be rather absurd to think that a rational man would want to both propose this and partake in the eating of another human being. Therefore, before an canalization can continue, one has to make the assumption that this is strictly a fictional work and Swift had no intention of pursuing his proposal any further.    One of the other voices that are present throughout the entire story is that of sarcasm.   Right from the first paragraph Swift attempts to fool his readers by the sarcasm of the dreary scene that Swift presents. For example, he mentions that it is a melancholy sight to see beggars and their children on the street. The sarcastic paradox in this statement is whether it is a melancholy object for him, having to see homeless people every day, or for the beggars lifestyle? Upon first reading this one may be led to believe that Swift is a compassionate writer attempting to feel the pain of the beggars. But as the story continues, a reader can look back and note that he is using a sarcastic tone and the only sad sight that he sees is the fact that people of his status have to deal with commoners. It is a good combination that makes the reader think twice about any other statements, and the voice used, after the first paragraph.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Also, one could argue that the whole context of the story must be taken into account. First of all, one must take into account the environment in which the story was written. During this time period, the beggars that Swift describes could not read, much less afford to buy one of Swifts works.

Police Roles and Functions

Police Department Roles and Function CJA/214 Police Department Roles and Function In this paper the principal roles and functions of police organizations and their roles as it applies to the law will be identified. Secondly, the description of various types of police agencies at the local, state, federal level, and the roles and functions of each will be discussed. In addition, the role and function of patrol will be explained. The principal roles and function of police organizationsThe principal role of police organizations can be narrowed down to different services that they provide. Protecting and serving the local community and their civil rights, traffic control, to uphold and enforce the law, and to encourage respecting the law. As we identify the function of the police organization we can say that each organization function helps to prevent crime and keep communities safe. The municipal police deals with serious crimes in big and small cities and asked to provide a wide variet y of emergency services.Description of various types of police agencies at the Local, State and Federal Levels As previously discussed, there are three levels of law enforcement agencies being covered, Local, State and Federal. The Local level is made of three organization Municipal Police, County Police, County Sheriff, County Coroner/Medical Examiner and some states still use Constables today. Let’s briefly review each one. Municipal police play a more complex role than any other law enforcement agency due to serving in our cities. Big and small cities represent the most complex environments when it comes to diversity.With that being said, city police carry the heaviest responsibility for dealing with serious crime, which is not concentrated evenly. They are also responsible for difficult order maintenance problems as well as asked and expected to provide a wide range of emergency services (Walker & Katz 2011). A County Police officer is essentially a municipal police offic er that operates on a county-wide basis but do not have non-law enforcement roles of the county sheriff. There focus is on patrolling and criminal investigations.On the other hand, County Sheriff has a unique role as they serve all three components to the criminal justice system: law enforcement, courts and corrections (Walker & Katz 2011). Under these components they patrol, investigate crimes, process and serve subpoenas, provide security in courtrooms and last but not lease maintain county jails. The County Coroner also called the Medical Examiner falls under the law enforcement because they investigate death scenes, conduct autopsies and determine cause of violent and unexpected deaths (Walker & Katz2011).Constables were still used, are usually found in a County court system where they are responsible for serving warrants and subpoenas, transporting prisoners, and providing security for district judges. They also work with county commissioners to post delinquent tax notices and assist attorneys in serving divorce papers (Walker & Katz 2011). State police and Highway patrol fall under the State Level. They both provide a variety of law enforcement services. In terms of patrol, state police have concurrent or shared responsibility with local police agencies.In about half of the states, the state police or highway patrol agency has the primary responsibility for enforcing traffic laws on the main highways (Walker & Katz2011). State police manage traffic and emergency incidents and minimize exposure of the public to unsafe conditions resulting from emergency incidents and highway impediments. Furthermore state police prevent loss of life, injuries, property damage, and protect public and state assets (CHP 2012). The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is one of several law enforcement organizations under the federal umbrella.The DEA is to enforce the controlled substances laws and regulations of the United States and bring to the criminal and civil justice s ystem of the United States (DEA 2012), and primarily dedicated to reducing the supply of illegal drugs to residents in the United States (Walker & Katz 2011). One of the missions and responsibilities of the DEA is the management of national drug intelligence program that aids with federal, state, local, and foreign officials to collect various intelligence drug information (DEA 2012). The role and function of patrol With law enforcement officer the role and function of patrol can take on many descriptions.At times while on patrol an officer can be called upon to be a service provider, a crime fighter or a social worker. Secondly, traffic flow and collision reduction can be one of the many functions that allow an officer to take up different roles while on duty (Heath & Karen, 2012). Conclusion In conclusion local, state and federal law enforcement agencies are the key to protecting our country. From the municipal police officer who is responding to a 911 call or a federal agent maki ng a major illegal drug bust, each duty is very different but essential to enforcing our laws.Without law enforcement agencies in the United States and throughout the world, there’d be no one to â€Å"protect and serve† leading to total chaos. Reference Walker, S. , & Katz, C. M. (2011). The Police in America. An introduction (7th ed. ). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix Collection database. CHP (2012) The California Highway Patrol, Retrieved from http://www. chp. ca. gov/html/mission. html Drug Enforcement Administration (2012) About Us, Our Mission Retrieved from http://www. justice. gov/dea/ HG Global Legal Resources (1999-2012) Control Substances Law Retrieved from http://www. hg. org/control. html

Same Sex Marriage Should Be Legal Essay - 1299 Words

Jon Burrows American Government Unit 2 Research Paper 12/19/2016 Same-Sex Marriage Same-Sex marriage has been a button issue has tied to United States feelings on homosexuality. The family institutional structure in the United States is to be natural to have the heterosexual marriage and when they become parents, they will repopulate with heterosexual children and so on for generations to come. History of same-sex marriage goes back to. Men marrying each other goes back to the 16th century in the gulf coast(Washingtonpost.com,2015) and the 18th century when the term the â€Å"female husband† who married to another woman. The marriage of Sylvia Drake and Charity Bryant in 1820 which their same-sex union lasted for 44 years. The marriage of Jason Chamberlain and John Chaffee lasted more than 50 years as they called wedded bachelors. (Cleves, R. H. 2015) in modern times, goes back to the 1950’s where the topic was the first mention in the 1953 March issue of One magazine that asked the question of homosexual marriage which was delayed for three weeks by the postal off due to its controversial topic. (counting justice: gay men and lesbian v. the supreme court, 2001) By the 1970’s where the first lawsuits seeking the legal recognition of same-sex relationships civil rights. Groups like the G.A.A(Gay Activist Alliance) and the LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgendered, and Queer) started the movement to fight to have same-sex marriage legalized. Big steps like in 1973Show MoreRelatedSame Sex Marriage Should Be Legal1288 Words   |  6 Pages Marriage is not precisely the same as it used to be interpreted. For example, women used to be their husband’s property. Sometimes the women were forced to marry whoever their parents wanted them to marry and most of the time they couldn’t leave the marriage. Nowadays women have more freedom. They can vote, they can run their own business, and they can marry whichever man they want to. The laws change as the people’s mind change. As they get more comfortable with the idea, they become more openRead MoreSame Sex Marriage Should Be Legal Essay1475 Words   |  6 PagesSame sex r elationships relate to when a man or woman are attracted to someone of the same gender of themselves. It is being rejected as same gender marriage denies the obvious purpose between a man and a women which is procreation (Richardson-Self, 2012). Denying same sex couples the legal right to get married, could mean that they are being denied their basic human rights to enjoy human benefits (Richardson-Self, 2012). However, the opposing view is that if gay marriage was granted the legal rightsRead MoreSame Sex Marriage Should Be Legal1403 Words   |  6 PagesSame-Sex Marriage â€Å"I now pronounce you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  At some point in a person’s life, they have heard or will hear those words. What follows, however, has changed somewhat over the years; although, the commitment has remained the same. Those words historically indicate that until the death of a spouse, that couple shall remain together. Who should be able to determine whom that spouse is for that person? Some people judge others for their sexuality and how it is affecting them, but they never stop andRead MoreSame Sex Marriage Should Be Legal1144 Words   |  5 PagesGay Marriage There are many issues the revolve around same-sex marriage. Many issues like: Whether same-sex should be legalized and should there be an amendment on same-sex marriage? There are multiple side to view this, but gay marriage but in my opinion gay marriage is socially accepted. it should be legal and it does affect American teens in a broad spectrum of ways. There have been a lot of issues on whether or not same-sex marriage should be legal or not. According to Burns, â€Å" The unionRead MoreSame Sex Marriage Should Be Legal998 Words   |  4 PagesSame sex marriage ought to be legalized on the grounds that it is uncivilized and unmerited. Marriage is a commitment between two people that cherish one another. In almost every country and culture, marriage is a commitment of loyalty and love. Marriage is an authority contract gathering two individuals together, furnishing them with profits of holy matrimony such as tax cuts and clinical privileges. The debate throughout most countries today is whether or not the rights of these profits and commitmentsRead MoreSame Sex Marriage Should Be Legal1659 Words   |  7 Pages Same-sex couples can hardly remember a time where they were not fighting for their right to marriage in the United States. After several court cases, California Proposition Six, and their struggle against the Defens e of Marriage Act (DOMA), same-sex couples found their way into U.S. society. Many misguided studies appealed to those opposing same-sex marriage, but after several years of integrating in society, same-sex couples found the support they were looking for. Before the Supreme CourtRead MoreSame Sex Marriage Should Be Legal899 Words   |  4 Pages In the United States, same sex marriage became legal nationwide on June 26, 2015, when the United States Supreme Court overruled the court in favor of same sex freedom and marriage. The victory of same sex marriage came to be recognized from the Obergefell v. Hodges case which was submitted when an American Ohio man was denied and regretted to get his name on his late husband’s death certificate. Same sex marriage has been a controversial social issue in the United States for several decades. SinceRead MoreSame Sex Marriage Should Be Legal1491 Words   |  6 PagesSame sex marriage is one of the most debatable issues in the modern world. Marriage has been accepted as the social union between a man and a woman for the past thousand years. Homosexuality was viewed with scorn, and marriages among same sex couples were prohibited in most cultures across the globe. However, gay relationships are slowly obtaining acceptance, as homosexuals have come to be expressive in fighting their rights to marry in the early 90’s. As homosexuality grows in acceptance in theRead MoreSame Sex Marriage Should Be Legal892 Words   |  4 PagesLove Same sex marriage is now allowed in all states across the country. But it took years and years for this â€Å"issue† to be finally laid to rest. The first state to legalize same-sex marriage was Massachusetts in 2004. There was not a last state to legalize gay marriage. The supreme court realized how many states were now legalizing it, so they just had all of the states left legalize it as well. ProCon.org supplies information that â€Å"Twenty-six states were forced to legalize gay marriage becauseRead MoreSame Sex Marriage Should Be Legal2253 Words   |  10 Pages1776). The recognition of same-sex marriage is an issue influenced by numerous factors, and debates continue to arise over whether people in same-sex relationships have the right to marriage. Marriage provides many benefits, legally, financially, and personally. Same-sex marriage can open up those in same-sex relationships to tax benefits and financial demands comparable to those afforded to and required of peo ple in opposite-sex marriages. Same-sex marriage also gives them legal protections, such as