Religion :: essays research papers

According to the dictionary "religion is the service and worship of God or the supernatural."1 I challenge that definition. It is true that all religions do involve the worship of some supernatural force, however, it is also true that no religion in history has ever stopped at that. For a more complete definition of the word religion we also have to examine two other aspects. How has it affected man over the centuries? And what is the true motivation of its leadership? Some would have you believe that it has brought peace and harmony to the world and that its leaders are motivated by the service of their god. I suggest that a more accurate definition of word would be as follows. Religion, a feudal system of government which uses fear, hate and sometimes lies to control and manipulate people for the betterment of a select group of individuals. To better illustrate this point let's look at just three of the countless examples that human history has to offer. The Inquisition, "judicial institution, established by the papacy in the Middle Ages, charged with seeking out, trying, and sentencing people guilty of heresy."2 Heretics were considered enemies of the state. The penalty for heresy was torture and death. The crucifixion of Jesus Christ, "Jesus was taken to Golgotha and nailed to a cross, the Roman punishment for political offenders and criminals."2 The Crusades, "The name Crusade (from Latin, "Cross") was also applied, to the wars against pagan peoples, Christian heretics, and political foes of the papacy."2 All three examples illustrate how man has used God to justify his greed and quest for power. When the leadership was challenged, it used devine decree to justify the murder and torture of the innocent. We are expected to believe that a non-physical being order the religious leadership to aquire riches and land, often at the demise of the poor and helpless. The misuse of God isn't limited to the Ancient world.

Legal aspects of cultural diversity Essay

Cultural diversity is of great essence to any community, just as diversity is important to the living organisms which can in fact, have their ecological system adversely affected, lack of cultural diversity can lead to an increase in the risk of economic and political instabilities. This therefore implies that it is very important to preserve cultural diversity. Its preservation, above all conflicts and security concerns has made it to be of much concern in the global arena. For effective integration of the cultural diversity there is need to develop and enact laws that are intended to preserve it so as to continue enjoying its numerous benefits (Heuberger, Gerber, & Anderson, 1999). Legal aspects of cultural diversity A major fundamental characteristic that is emerging as a result of political space that is increasingly widening globally is not so much due to plurality but as a result of polarity of thoughts coming from different corners of the globe which vary significantly. The polarity of these ideas naturally corresponds to the cultural diversity of the communities. Polarity does not necessarily lead to development in the negative direction in the process of social politics. However, there is need to derive some values which are useful from this particular development. This therefore means that there should be efforts which are aimed at developing institutional mechanisms, which apart from acknowledging the existence of cultural diversity they also stress on the fundamental consensual principles and values as a basis of any state. The potentiality of such opportunities lies in the enactment of laws intended to safe guard cultural diversity, such laws should be well entrenched in a country’s supreme law, that is, the constitution (Tarver, 1999). The ethnic and cultural diversity is a broad area which can be very problematic should states fail to adequately cater for them in their laws of the land. When properly managed, cultural diversity is capable of producing positive fruits in the development of institutional structures aimed enhancing integration of various cultures. It is therefore important to note that dealing with ethnic and cultural diversity is not only a sensitive issue but a complex one too. Thus it is of much essence to include virtually all the stakeholders while coming up with laws of regulating and governing this diversity. This is very important since if such a process is not well managed the minorities are likely to feel left out in the development of their nations and thus opposed to its objectives. This can result into anarchy in a country, which can easily lead to tribal conflicts which do not auger well for the economic and political stability of a nation (Mitullah, 2002). The differences in various cultures are not absolute, they can therefore, be mediated positively through a well engineering process of the constitution of the country or other laws governing the state. This is a task that every country should endeavor to accomplish so as to avoid instances of discrimination of minorities. Their values too should be well taken care of and appreciated in a similar manner as those of the majority. Making laws on such basis will ensure that no single culture is left out in the task of nation building as they are all important and each form an integral part of the nation and thus a state cannot function optimally without the inclusion of all the cultures existing within its boundaries (Mitullah, 2002). By the laws properly addressing the issue of cultural diversity the states are likely to be saved from effects of conscious mobilization of people based on their culture and ethnic origins by their elites who are selfish and only interested in their political gains as opposed to the greater good of the entire nation. Such laws should ensure that there is eradication of political processes in which politicians are able to divide people during the periods of campaigns through ideas of cultural differences instead of policies that are needed by the state in order to develop both democratically and economically and thus liberate the citizens from the handicaps of ethnicity and their respective cultures. The laws should enable the citizens to perceive each culture in the country as an important part in the general development of the nation (Mitullah, 2002). In many countries ethnic or cultural social engineering so as to achieve myopic political goals is a major challenge in attaining credible political and economic stability. Not unless such is adequately addressed several countries will continue suffering and their development objectives delayed. Such short comings can be effectively addressed if there are laws and statutes to cater for cultural diversity so that it can be used to yield good fruits for these nations as opposed to situations of political and economic instabilities resulting from failing to manage cultural diversity in a proper manner (Lewis, 2007) Conclusion Cultural diversity when well managed in any given society is capable of yielding a lot of benefits to the all the nationalities. There is need therefore to ensure that it is well preserved and adequately taken care of so as to realize the benefits of stable economies and political systems. By appreciating cultural diversity the members of the different communities are able to borrow the strong values from other cultures and this will lead to the emergence of a culture that incorporates all the cultural diversities that exist within their limits. This can be effectively addressed in laws and statutes which should be oriented at ensuring that cultural diversity is preserved. Reference: Heuberger, B. , Gerber, D. & Anderson, R. (1999): Strength through Cultural Diversity; Journal Article of Multiculturalism Vol. 47, Issue 4. Lewis, M. (2007): Cultural Norms and Political Mobilization: Accounting for Local and State-Level Liquor Laws, 1907-1919, Journal of Cultural Geography, Vol. 24, Issue 8. Mitullah, W. V. (2002): Recognising and Respecting Cultural Diversity in the Constitution, Retrieved on 22nd May 2009 from, http://www. commonlii. org/ke/other/KECKRC/2002/5. html. Tarver, M. L. (1999): Law Enforcement Diversity Training And Technology, Retrieved on 22nd May 2009 from, http://aabss. org/journal1999/f13Tarver. html.

The Medieval Period Of The Middle Ages - 1183 Words

During the Middle ages countless disputes over power occur. From corrupted government officials, to establishing a proper structure for Roman Catholicism. However, one can argue whether it’s good or bad intentions with great powers comes great responsibility. The Medieval period began from the 5th century when the Western Roman Empire collapsed, to 15th century. During the Medieval Period the Roman Church was the dominated church. The church controlled religion, philosophy, morals, politics, art and education. In addition, many practices from the Middle Ages laid the foundations to today’s modern world. Charles the Greats of the franks, also known as Charlemagne was a Medieval Emperor during 800. Ruling majority of Europe by spreading the outbreak of religion and culture. Charles the Great was a man of knowledge, as he was fluent in Latin, he studied Greek and liberal arts, giving him personality as a scholar. Unlike his predecessor Charlemagne supported education, o ne of his goals was to provide an educated clergy. The educated clergy was usually a group of religious servants, performing administrative duties for the government. Furthermore, to continue Greco-Roman cultural legacy he made Christianity the domain religion in regions of Western Europe. However, Charles the Great was challenged as â€Å"Emperor of the Romans† because â€Å"Emperor of the Romans† rightfully belongs to Carolingian family. Yet in the act into reviving the Roman Empire, Pope Leo III crownedShow MoreRelatedThe Medieval Period Of The Middle Ages901 Words   |  4 PagesThe Medieval Bestiary During the middle Ages there was thought to be a spiritual aspect to animals – real and imaginary. The bestiary was an odd compilation, even to today s standards. It combined observations from nature, zoological commentaries, imaginative illustrations and a good dose of moral and religious lessons to bind it all together. In a time where there was no distinct separation between church and science, it seems almost natural that a book like the bestiary evolved from such an unlikelyRead MoreMedieval Period : The Middle Ages1964 Words   |  8 PagesThe period of time from approximately 500 AD - 1600 AD is commonly know as the Middle Ages. It is also known synonymously as the Dark Ages; a time devoid of any art, literature, theatre, or innovations. A Medieval scholar will be quick to dispute these claims for when one begins to study this time period it becomes hard to deny the plethora of artistic development over the thousand year period. Theatre scholars and practitioners are n ot immune to this common misconception. In the long history ofRead MoreThe Early Middle Ages And Early Medieval Period Essay1435 Words   |  6 Pagesfocus on medieval to modern times can help you learn about what historians call the late antiquity, early middle ages, and the early modern period. 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