compare mercantilism with an embedded institution essays

contrast mercantilism and an implanted foundation papers In this article I will attempt to respond to the proposed paper question: Compare and difference antiquated/medieval and mercantilist financial thoughts available as an implanted establishment. I will start by examining old/medieval monetary thoughts and talk a tad about Thomas Aquinas. The whole reason starts where there is an enormous real estate parcel and the proprietor of the land, ruler of the house (landowner) who is normally a military individual, has workers taking a shot at his territory to develop it as a byproduct of their work they stay on his property. The estate takes a segment of whatever is created on his property. In this circumstance individuals will make a trip to towns to trade their products for merchandise that they need. This establishes a trade which fulfills people groups needs and not for bringing in cash. The following movement in the old medieval society is the organization (which are like associations) they produce one item and they have a restraining infrastructure concerning that item. So as to make the item you must be an individual from that specific organization which thus clears out all opposition. In this manner this isn't a market economy because of the way that they have zero rivalry and there is a set cost and purchaser. We st art to see a change when the vendors are brought into the condition. Vendors represent considerable authority in bringing in cash. They purchase from a proprietor at a set cost and afterward offer it to a shopper at a greater expense. Aquinas will in general kindness the worker - estate relationship, he feels that it is an increasingly steady society and he feels that vendors ought not take a benefit when exchanging to the purchaser. In spite of the fact that he will legitimize a benefit on the off chance that it is for a sensible reason, i.e.: transportation costs or for a noble cause. Aquinas composed on the possibility of a simply cost. I discovered this article and thought it was a couple of the focuses the author makes are intriguing: The simply cost of things isn't fixed with scientific accuracy, composes Aquinas in the su... <!

Athen Essay essays

Athen Essay articles There were three kinds of government in Ancient Greece: a theocracy, government, and a majority rules system. A theocracy was administered by a couple of affluent and influential individuals. A government was administered by just a single individual. A vote based system is when residents decided on who the pioneer was and open issues. Residents were just men who had Greek cause and were not slaves. On the off chance that residents couldn't have cared less for a lawmaker, when they casted a ballot, they composed on a dirt tablet which individual they needed to leave Athens. On the off chance that one individual got in excess of 6,000 votes against him, he was unable to return to Athens for a long time. Old Greece was partitioned into territories called city-states. There were numerous city-states and every one had its own legislature. Athens and Sparta were two of the most remarkable city-states. Sparta was managed by the military. In early occasions, Athens was represented by a government. A government is a Greek work signifying administered by one. Soldiers hand-picked their new pioneer and put him into power. Government didn't keep going long in Athens. The Athenians assemble another legislature called a theocracy, which signifies administered by the couple of. Some pioneers were known as dictators. An oppression is a treacherous government driven by somebody who has taken force. By 508 B.C. majority rule government began in Athens. Greece had one of the principal majority rules systems ever! In Athens, majority rule government signified Intensity of the individuals, despite the fact that ladies couldn't cast a ballot or pursue position. Residents who were 18 and male could be board individuals, judges or government authorities. Every one of the three employments last just a single year and not one single individual got paid for their administrations! The gathering would meet at the Acropolis four days consistently. Vote based system is significant in light of the fact that it gives everybody a state in the legislature, so everybody is dealt with reasonably. In a popular government, anybody can run the nation, however in a government, once in a while a terrible individual guidelines and will do awful things. In Athens there were initially three archons: the archon basilieus, or lord archon, the eponymous a ... <!

(Paint)Ballin

(Paint)Ballin’ From May 9th to May 13th (a Friday, naturally), MIT students endured that little piece of hell known as dead week. Yes, dead week. How aptly named. Some people call it hell week, but Ive found that even in the short span of two semesters, the term starts to lose its meaning. Its like calling everything and everyone a flurg you start to wonder what that even means andwell, why are you saying it so much, anyway? (Maybe ask Fodor? Has anybody ever read any of Fodors stuff?) The way I see it, every week with a test coupled with at least one or two p-sets has constituted, at some point, a hell week. But dead week is on a whole new level. Its the equivalent of a reading period at MIT, only classes continue to run up until the Friday of that week. So basically, youre learning and re-learning things at the same time, but hey, no p-sets due, right? And so you hold on dearly to that heartwarming fact until you realize that your schedules may look like this (click em to make them bigger!): Not pictured: The wake for my recently-lost composure Couple that with the fact that I didnt adhere to the end times of my study sessions too often when it got closer to bedtime, and you can see just how dead you can get. But wait! Whats that? ITS IN ALL CAPS SO THEREFORE IT IS IMPORTANTYes. Thats MIT tip number one: when studying for long stretches of time, allot some study break time, or you will go insane. In light of this, some of the bloggers decided to be some serious ballers up in New Hampshire, which is to say we went paintballing at OSG. Among the good sports were Chris Peterson (my boss), Elijah, Cam, and former bloggers Jess, Kim, and Keri. The venue itself was incredible. Imagine the most forest-y, most outdoors-y place youve ever been to, and dump a few ships, wooden towers, a castle, a minivan, and makeshift ditches and trenches in it. Thats OSG, a place where the barriers behind which you crouch always seem to have a fresh new paint job, and where the myriad tactical locations and thick collection of trees makes you uneasy to venture anywhere without steady nerves, some sharpshooting, or adequate cover fire. A man with over 17 years of experience of designing maps threw together his Engineer-like creativity and crafted eight fields for us to fire off paintballs at 260 feet per second. Since I dont like making things too abstract, let me give you an idea of what that can do. For instance, my jacket liner was always zipped throughout the entire day, and in spite of that, one paintball round went right through that and hit the shirt underneath. Dang.Since I havent outed myself as a paintball expert, you might be calling shenanigans due to the lack of paint on the liner. Trust me: I got absolutely covered, just not at that angle (and according to one of the workers at OSG, that means I tried really, really hard!) So youve probably already gleaned that, like a molecule of bromoethane in sodium hydroxide and dimethyl sulfoxide, I got backside attacked. (Yes, that was in honor of the 5.12 test that I didnt study that much for that day.) Here, the Br (read: my pride) is the leaving group after being hit in embarrassing ways.According to Chris, its done wonders for employee morale here at admissions. I can sort of see what hes driving at; nothing says camaraderie and great team building exercises like pelting the ever-loving stuffing out of your coworkers with several rounds of paint to turn them into walking canvases. In fact, on some occasions youre given quite the colorful palette. The first thought that came to mind? Weaponized easter eggs. (Photo from a generous Wikimedia Commons contributor.)(Our color selection was a bit more limited. My hands ended up looking like a Navis when I was done.) When I came back from the paintballing excursion, I felt drained in the most cathartic way. Sublimating your worries into something different lets all the stress exit the body like steam hissing out of an engine. Youre cooled down, rested up, decompressed, and ready to get going again. And thats how you resurrect yourself after dead week.

Essay on Analysis of Treatments for Cancer - 1411 Words

Treatments for Cancer Cancer is a disease in which cells multiply out of control and gradually build a mass of tissue called a tumor. There has been a large amount of research dedicated to the treatment and cure of cancer. Several types of treatments have been developed. The following are just some of the major examples of cancer therapy: surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, biologic therapy, biorhythms, unconventional treatments, and hyperthermia. Each type of treatment is discussed in detail below. Surgery is the oldest type of treatment for cancer. In its earlier use, surgery was not as successful as it is today. This was due to the difficulties involved with the anesthesias, excessive blood loss,†¦show more content†¦Therefore, dose and duration of treatment is limited, which in turn limits the amount of normal and tumor cell death. A second mechanism is the suppression of cancer cells for variable periods of time without cell death. This mechanism is referred to as remission. Unfortunately, the cancer can return at any time, and it is sometimes stronger. Here another limitation is introduced. Some tumor cells can develop resistance to a particular chemical agent, or several chemical agents, limiting the types of chemotherapeutic agents available for effective use. The last mechanism is cell differentiation, which helps the immune system learn to recognize and fight tumor cells (1). Radiation therapy is the ionization of atoms in tissues resulting in formation of highly reactive radicals in a well-defined, restricted volume (1). In other words, ionizing radiations are used to eradicate tumors and at the same time preserve structure and function of normal tissue. A limitation is prevented from being a problem. If bone marrow or neuronal cells are destroyed or injured, they do not regenerate. However, with radiation therapy, these cells are often saved from injury or destruction, unless the tumor is infecting bone marrow or neuronal cells. Today, radiation therapy is the most popular type of cancer therapy in use. It is used to treat one-half to two-thirds of all cancers, which translates to more than ten percent of the populationShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Nigella Sativa And Its Effects On The Treatment Of Cancer3007 Words   |  13 Pagesantioxidant, and antimicrobial effects that help explain its medicinal properties. More recently, Nigella sativa a nd its major active compound, thymoquinone, have become an area of interest in the treatment of cancer. As one of the leading causes of death, cancer is a dreadful disease with no known cure and treatments with high toxicity and expense. In an effort to find drugs with lower levels of toxicity, scientists have turned to naturally occurring compounds, and Nigella sativa has shown great promiseRead MoreCancer Is The Common Feeling Of Fear And Anxiety Of Life And Death Situation1417 Words   |  6 PagesCancer is the term which bring the common feeling of fear and anxiety of life and death situation. Each calendar period, more than a million individuals will be pronounced with tumor growth called cancer per annum conforming by the American Cancer Association. When learning about cancer was diagnosed at the first time, it is hard for client and loved ones to accept the reality of tumor or growth and hand out any kind of information has to be provided immediately after the diagnosis. All kind ofRead MoreSystematic Review Paper981 Words   |  4 Pagesin early detection and treatment of colorectal cancer has seen marked improvements in recent years. However, it is still the third leading cause of cancer related death worldwide. Although there are studies reporting the significance of miRNAs in stage II colorectal cancer, there is, as of yet, no known comprehensive study utilizing collective data from multiple published studies. It is imperative that this knowledge gap of viable miRNA biomarkers in stage II colorectal cancer, be filled. Thus, thisRead MoreThe Use Of Breath Testing On The Management Of Cancer Patients1635 Words   |  7 PagesWith the ceaseless quest in health research for improved outcomes in the management of cancer patients, novel approaches to screening, diagnosis, and treatment are highly sought after. In particular, effective and relatively low cost screening tests may play an invaluable role in reducing patient mortality resulting from di agnosis early in the disease process which is crucial for proactive measures and successful therapy. However, it is critical to remain mindful of the risk of harm related to falseRead MoreThe Treatment Of Prostate Cancer852 Words   |  4 PagesProstate cancer is the one of the most lethal disease in the United Sates. The pattern of disease recurrence being the major cause of morbidity and mortality. In spite of recent advances in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms responsible for the development of prostate cancer, the survival rate of men with this disease has remained relatively unchanged in over the decades. Since the Nobel prize winning discovery by Dr. Huggins and Dr. Hodges (Huggins C., 1941) androgen deprivation therapyRead MorePhysiological Selection Bias Of Colorectal Cancer1184 Words   |  5 PagesLiquid Biopsies in colorectal cancer patients can elucidate mechanisms of clonal evolution and resistance to EGFR blockade Colorectal Cancer (CRC) evolves through clonal evolution and genetic diversification. The clonal evolution model states that cancer cells develop from normal cells that accumulate a series of mutations which give them growth advantage under selective pressure. Genotyping of colorectal cancer has limitations; tissue samples only provide a single snapshot in time which preventsRead MoreCase Study Of The MA. 17R Trial1486 Words   |  6 Pagesthe benefit from extending aromatase inhibitor therapy with letrozole from 5 to 10 years in postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive early breast cancer. This trial is a North American Breast Cancer group trial that included participating cooperative groups from both USA Canada and was led and coordinated by the National Cancer Institute of Canada Trials Group (NCIC CTG). Methods Design: This was a randomized, double- blind, placebo- controlled phase III study of letrozole (2.5 mg/daily)Read MoreSymptoms And Symptoms Of Cancer Related Fatigue972 Words   |  4 PagesCancer-Related Fatigue (CRF) is the most common and debilitating symptoms in cancer patients, with frequency range from 60 to 90% in cancer patients (Yennurajalingam, 2014). CRF is defined as â€Å"distressing, persistent, and subjective sense of physical, emotional, and/or cognitive tiredness or exhaustion related to cancer, or cancer treatment that is not proportional to recent activity and interferes with usual function† (Yennurajalingam, 2014). Fatigue may be an isolated problem or a part of groupRead MoreSymptoms And Treatment Of Cancer Essay1214 Words   |  5 PagesCancer remains a major disease in the United States and causes a burden not just to individuals but also to the society in general. It was estimated more than 1.6 million new cases will be diagnosed in the United States in 2016 , and approximately 600,000 patients will succumb to cancer1. Through the effort of screening (mammography for breast cancer, colonoscopy for colon cancer, to name a few) some cancers can now be detected early on when local resection is still feasible. However, many cancersRead MoreRevolutionizing Cancer Treatment917 Words   |  4 PagesThe iKnife: Revolutionizing Cancer Treatment According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology, in a little over a decade, cancer will become the leading cause of death in the United States. The rate of new cases is expected to increase by 45% by 2030. (Wilson, 2014) Undoubtedly, this comes as no surprise to a populace that has seen an increasing number of their friends and family diagnosed with cancer. It seems to have become an epidemic, affecting both young and old, male and female, and rich

How Education Has Changed Over The Last Decade Essay

Colleges have changed how they approach education dramatically over the last decade. For many years, the common perception of how colleges were preparing students involved, teachers providing lectures, students doing various homework assignments and then being evaluated. Students either passed or failed. How much time and effort individual’s put into their studies became the only way colleges measured student success outcomes. Often, colleges did not find themselves bearing the burden of responsibility for poor student outcome statistics. In recent years, the responsibility for student success has begun to fall more heavily on the schools. According to Grubb and Associates’ article, â€Å"From Black Box to Pandora’s Box. Evaluating Remedial/Developmental Education†, as the shift in responsibility switched colleges have challenged themselves with redefining how they approach educating students. â€Å"Accepting this responsibility means identifying and then correcting the many possible reasons for non-completion or failure to learn- in short, providing remedial/developmental education, tutoring, counseling, and other forms of student services† (Grubb). Within college education, there are two main types of schools. Students either enroll in a four-year university or a two-year community college. Where they are able to gain acceptance, often, depends on their level of preparedness. Two- year colleges have less demanding admission requirements. Christopher Shults article,Show MoreRelatedEducation : The Past, The Present And Future1184 Words   |  5 Pages‘Education: The Past, the Present the Future’ â€Å"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.† - Nelson Mandela. Without education, there is simply no telling of what this world would be like. There wouldn’t be doctors, lawyers, businesses etc. Life and everything around us would be fatuous. Schools and education give us a plan in life and help guide us. Throughout the years education has changed tremendously. It had its improvements throughout the decades, and itRead MoreHow Culture Influences Health Of All Individuals1389 Words   |  6 PagesHow Culture Influences Health in America Culture plays a great role in the health of all individuals. The American race has a vast influence over other cultures that migrate to the United States. Unfortunately, the dietary habits of the average American can lead to an increased health risk and a variety of problems that will further be elaborated on. It is important to remember that health is not just the physical aspect that everyone assumes when they consider the word health. It actually hasRead MoreAnalysis Of Gish Jen s Who s Irish?893 Words   |  4 Pagesknowing about how gender inequality in china has changed over the last several decades since the story was written, and wanting to narrow the topic I focused on inequality in education in China. Not many women were fierce and independent women who could make a life of their own, which then brought up the question, has gender inequality changed in Chinese culture? Or to narrow it down some more how has gender inequality in education changed in Chinese culture? T hough slowly gender inequality has been changingRead MoreAchieving Gender Equality : Education1520 Words   |  7 PagesEquality: Education in China In Gish Jen’s short story Who s Irish?, the main character is a determined Chinese grandmother who moved to America with her husband when she was a young woman, and now, in her old age, she is nearing her limit when she cannot handle her granddaughter s behavior and how she is being raised. 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The website was last updated on March 29 and uses data over the last 70 years from over 400 schools in the United States, with a combined enrollment of over 4 million undergraduates. Students are in what he calls the â€Å"consumer era,† according to Rojstaczer’s website. With students paying so much for college and its subsequential debtRead MoreThe Effect of Racism in Toronto1274 Words   |  5 Pagesissue I chose to work on, how racism in Toronto affects its education and economy. It is of no surprise to anyone that a person’s life and achievements may depend strictly on his/her skin color. In the following paragraphs, I discuss how racial discrimination has changed over the past fifty-four years, and how the different coloured populations have reacted to these changes. The overall attainments of the adult population in Toronto have been gradually changing over the last fifty-four years. 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Personality Testing of New Hires Free Essays

Personality Testing During the Hiring Process Personality testing is not a new topic. What is new is the ongoing shift in mindset that has diluted the value of personality testing during the hiring process and only finds a value in using personality testing after the candidate has joined the organization. This will be challenged by first providing a brief history on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and reviewing the years of dedicated research that went into the development of the test. We will write a custom essay sample on Personality Testing of New Hires or any similar topic only for you Order Now Second, it will reveal the correlations of the test results to job requirements through specific examples. Third, it will discuss why applicant honesty and company policy makes personality testing necessary. Fourth, it will identify and support how many organizations successfully use the MBTI for applications other than pre-employment. Finally, organizations utilizing personality testing, specifically the MBTI, as a part the hiring process will identify the strongest and most compatible candidate for the required organizational needs. Many organizations are following the notion that personality tests have no relevance to job performance and should not be used as a tool to support the hiring process; however, it can be used appropriately for leadership identification, self-awareness and team building (Robbins Judge, 2008). The testing of personalities was at its peak in the early nineteen fifties with MBTI leading the way (Overholt, 2004). Banks initially used the MBTI as a pre-screening tool in nineteen forty six. Not one or two banks, but the entire industry was committed to utilizing the MBTI. This concept of capturing personality was developed by Isabel Briggs Myers and her mother Katherine Cook Briggs. They performed rigorous studies of some earlier work by a Swiss psychiatrist by the name of Carl Jung. The first assessment was a couple of simple questionnaires that would gauge people by their personality type. There are sixteen possible types that are configured out of four specific categories. The dedication of the Myers-Briggs team was unsurpassed. Even after her mother passed away, Myers spent her life advancing this body of work. Rubis et al. , 2005) For those who may not be familiar with the structure of the test, here are the parameters. There are one hundred questions that are situational based. The participant is to choose the answer that best describes the general actions or feelings they usually have when in that situation (Robbins Judge, 2008). The questions are built around general concepts of personality, and by answering the questions it helps to reveal t he participant’s personality type (Pepper, Kolesnikov-Jessop, Herman, 2005). There is no right or wrong when answering. The questions are open to interpretation, because every question is presented on logical opposition (Bentley, 2007). The participant simply determines which one fits them the best. Some examples of the questions a participant would be asked are as follows: â€Å"Would you rather be considered a practical person or an ingenious person? â€Å", and: â€Å"Does following a schedule appeal to you or cramp you? † (Ross, n. p. ) Once the participant finishes the test, the answers are consolidated into one of the sixteen personality types. Anyone that takes the test will fit into one of the sixteen personality types that the MBTI generates (Rutzick, 2007, June). To understand how the MBTI can be beneficial in the hiring process, a further definition of the different personality types is necessary. Robbins Judge (2008) state the following: Individuals are classified as extroverted or introverted (E or I), sensing or intuitive (S or N), thinking or feeling (Tor F), judging or perceptive (J or P). These terms are defined as follows: Extroverted verses introverted. Extroverted individuals are outgoing and assertive. Introverts are quiet and shy. Sensing verses Intuitive. Sensing types are practical and prefer routine and order. Intuitives rely on unconscious processes and look at the â€Å"big picture†. Thinking verses feeling. Thinking types use reason and logic to handle problems. Feeling types rely on their personal values and emotions. Judging verses perceiving. Judging types want control and prefer their world to be ordered and structured. Perceiving types are flexible and spontaneous. (p. 108) Examples of how the actual results would be presented and what would be learned about the participant are: the INTJ or introverted, intuitive, thinking, judging individual and would be considered a visionary; they are strong willed and could sometimes be considered bullheaded; they are creative and like to act on their own ideas and thoughts. (Robbins Judge, 2008). Another example would be the ESTJ or extrovert, sensing, thinking, judging individual and would be considered as the organizer; they are planners who like solving real problems, they work well around others and are very business minded (Robbins Judge, 2008). Using the two previous examples of personality types, consider the following scenario: Employer â€Å"A† has a position open in the operations department for a supervisor. Of the two candidates, the INTJ or the ESTJ, which one would be the better fit in an operations supervisor, knowing both candidates interviewed equally? The ESTJ would make the best choice, organized, business minded, like solving problems, and as an extrovert will do better working around other people. In contrast if the INTJ is placed in this operational position, it would not challenge his visionary traits and his strong will would work against him when trying to supervise others. It would not be long before the employer or employee, or both, realized they were the wrong fit and separating the employee may be the best solution. This would cause an increase in turnover and training costs that could have been avoided. The information personality testing provides becomes extremely useful when trying to find the proper job fit, and it would have to increase job satisfaction because now the candidate is in a position or role that suites his unique personality, increasing the potential for them to naturally excel. In conjunction with the interview process, personality testing opens up insight that could easily be missed when trying to assess if a candidate will be the right fit for the position (Baker, 2008). There are other factors that create an importance for personality testing during the hiring process. Two of these factors are: the increased levels of misrepresentation on resumes and applicants learning or paying for coaching to teach them how to give a great interview (Van Steenwyk, 2008). Another factor to be considered is that references are getting harder to validate. Many organizations have implemented policies that do not allow the providing of job specific references, they will only validate dates of employment (Van Steenwyk). Having the ability to draw consensus between the information on a resume, the information given by references, what is learned in the interview, and then match all that information up against the results of the personality test allows the perspective employer to have more points of congruency when making a final decision. It helps the employer find the personal side of what is on the resume and reduces failure based on job incompatibility (Baker, 2008). It could be argued that candidates could learn to give what they believe to be the desired answers on a personality test, like the MBTI. Although not impossible it is a bad way to start a new job and most tests check for continuity of the participant’s answers to make sure the candidate in not lying (Overholt, 2004). Some other highly accepted ways the MBTI is used in organizations are for leadership identification and selection, self-awareness, and team building (Rubis et al. 2005). When an organization needs to select or identify leaders, testing becomes very useful to find the personality traits that are essential to successful leaders (Robbins Judge, 2008). There are benefits to the established leaders learning more about their own personality. Once the leaders are armed with the characterizations of their personality type, they can make accommodations for their weaknesses or soften overly direct qualities helping them in their handling of situational outcomes (Rutzick, 2007). During the training or coaching of leaders, many professional trainers or coaches choose to use the MBTI as the first step for helping the leader better understand who they are so they can better understand and lead others (Bentley, 2007). For any leaders to be truly effective they must be able to understand others, allowing them to tap into what motivates or drives an individual or group (Bentley, 2007). Personality testing provides that essential information. Work teams find personality testing to be helpful during times of conflict resolution as many times personality differences are at the center of most communication barriers (Bentley, 2007). By understanding their individual differences, team members learns to become more tolerant of the other because now they understand why the others think what they think or react the way they react to certain situations, this understanding creates a more cohesive and productive team (Bentley, 2007). Stronger cooperation will decrease costly turnover and increase job satisfaction because it stimulates open sharing and sparks creativity. (Robbins Judge, 2008) Currently, there are eighty nine of the Fortune One Hundred businesses that employ the MBTI for their pre-hiring process, team building, and leadership identification and selection (Pepper et al. , 2005). Personality testing works and the results are trustworthy. To state it more directly, eighty nine of the top one hundred companies choose not to lower the bar, and place a higher importance on wanting to know who they are getting into business with before they make the job offer. This type of emphasis on the selection process helps these companies sustain the strong cultures that are in place, by realizing that several candidates will have the skill or the talent to perform at high levels (Robbins Judge, 2008). They only hire the candidates that possess that high level to perform and exemplify the highest compatibility with the organization’s culture (Robbins Judge, 2008). The MBTI has a history of proven success and worldwide acceptance as a pre-screening tool (Robbins Judge, 2008). Many organizations make costly mistakes in the hiring of individuals only to discover that because of their personality they just do not fit in. Organizations utilizing testing, in cooperation with the appropriate interview process, greatly reduce costly hiring mistakes and job incompatibilities, while increasing individual and team performance. The trend in people management and development has moved from hard cutting and insensitive to a softer hyper-sensitive approach. It is time to find the middle ground between the engaged work environment and putting the right people in place that will achieve greater results. References Baker, B. (2008). HIRING HINTS. PM Network, 22(9), 26-27. Bentley, R. (2007). Fit for What Purpose?. Training and Coaching Today, n. p. Overholt, A. (2004). Personality Test: Back With a Vengeance. Fast Company, n. p. Pepper, T. , Kolesnikov-Jessop, S. , Herman, M. (2005). Inside the Head of an Applicant. Newsweek, 145(8), E24-E26. Robbins, S. P. , Judge, T. A. (2008). Organizational Behavior (13 ed. . Upper Saddle River: Pearson/Pentice-Hall. Rubis, L. , Fox, A. , Pomeroy, A. , Leonard, B. , Shea, T. F. , Moss, D. et al. (2005, December 2). 50 FOR HISTORY. HRMagazine, 50, 10-24. Rutzick, K. (2007). Personality Test. Government Executive, 39(9), 22-23. Van Steenwyk, J. (2008). Using Tests to Screen Employees. Journal of Financial Planning, n. v, n. p.. Williams, R. L. , Verble, J. S. , Price, D. E. , Layne, B. H. (1995). Rel ationship of Self-Management to Personality Types and Indices. Journal of Personality Assessment, 64(3), 494. How to cite Personality Testing of New Hires, Papers

Aztecs And Incas Essay Research Paper The free essay sample

Aztecs And Incas Essay, Research Paper The Inca and the Aztec were likewise in some ways but besides had really big differences. The Inca lived on the northeasterly seashore of South America from 1450 AD to 1535 AD. The Aztecs lived in cardinal Mexico from 1325 AD to 1523 AD. Let # 8217 ; s expression at the agribusiness. The Inca had an advanced agribusiness system, which allowed them to turn more nutrient and specialize. They would carve stairss out of a hill and so would works veggies such as maize, beans, and squash. These were called patios. They besides had an advanced irrigation system that consisted of canals and watercourses to assist H2O the patios. The Aztecs besides had an advanced agricultural system. They used drifting gardens called chinampas which were tonss made of reeds which dirt was put onto and so seeds were planted in it. This manner they could hold more land for farming. We will write a custom essay sample on Aztecs And Incas Essay Research Paper The or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Let # 8217 ; s expression at warfare. The Inca were non really aggressive people and seldom fought wars. Normally they fought merely to suppress more lands or if they were threatened. You will read subsequently how a civil war brought the Inca empire down. The Aztecs were a really militant civilisation and were really aggressive. They fought frequently so they could take prisoners for forfeit. All Aztec work forces were required to contend at the male monarch # 8217 ; s order. When they could non happen a alibi for war they played a ball game called tlatchli in which the also-rans of the game would be sacrificed. Now let # 8217 ; s expression at faith. The Incas faith was complex and focused around the Sun. The Inca believed in blood forfeit and graven images. Besides they sacrificed black llamas as offe rings to the Sun. Like the Inca, the Aztec faith focused around the Sun. They believed in human forfeit and that the Sun would decease if they did non do a forfeit. Aztec priests made the forfeits and were ranked high in the Aztec civilisation. Now let # 8217 ; s talk about authorities. The Inca authorities was a rigorous monarchy. The chief swayers were the male monarch and his Lords. The people # 8217 ; s lives were wholly controlled by the male monarch and his Lords. Without the male monarch and his Lords, the imperium would fall. The Aztec authorities consisted of an emperor who ruled the people. The following most of import individual to the emperor was the snake adult female ( who was a adult male ) , who advised the emperor in of import determinations. The last of import group in the authorities were the Lords, knights, and the priests. Let # 8217 ; s talk about the ruin of the civilisations. The terminal of the Incas imperium was in 1531 at the custodies of the Spanish. They were conquered by a Spanish soldier named Francisco Pizzaro. The Incas imperium fell when the male monarch and all the Lords were murdered by Pizzaro when they came out to recognize him. With no swayers to steer the people, the Incas imperium was subdued easy. The Aztec were conquered in 1521 by the Spanish. They were conquered by Hernando Cortes. He had taken over them with a little ground forces in 1519, but was driven out of Mexico. Cortes came back with a larger ground forces in 1521 and eventually conquered the Aztecs. These are some of the large differences between the Inca and Aztec civilisations. But they besides had some similarities like in agriculture and faith. Its interesting how some different civilizations can be likewise.

Modesty free essay sample

Woman must not wear mens clothing, nor a man wear womens clothing, for the LORD your God detests anyone who does this. The desire to emulate men in dress has seriously affected the fine and noble characteristics of womanhood. Often it takes a second glance to determine the sex of a woman today, due to the distorted and strange garb she wears and the close proximity of her attire to that of a man. The Scriptures call this practice an abomination unto God, or something God hates. Perhaps some will say this standard has changed due to the inception of the age of grace introduced by Jesus Christ. But this verse deals with moral law and with the nature of God, which never change, not with a ceremonial ritual fulfilled by Christ. Moreover, when the Apostle Peter wished to instruct Christian women about proper conduct, he used Sarah, the wife of Abraham, as his example (I Peter 3:5). We will write a custom essay sample on Modesty or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Thus, we are not out of order in this instance to use a verse of Scripture from the law. We rightfully go back over the years and learn a spiritual lesson that sharply rebukes the customs and practices of our day. You see, all these questions that people argue about can be settled just by plain old common sense. The principle is to let the appearance be different enough that folks won’t have any doubt. That’s the way to answer it all. You don’t have to get everybody’s ok on this piece of clothing, or that one, just draw the line and determine to wear something that no one will ever have a doubt about. It’s going to look like man’s clothing. It’s going to look like women’s clothing. What about when working out in the field? What about women working in factories? What about women who have to climb on ladders? Don’t they need something modest? Yes, they do need something modest. I used to see women out in the field picking cotton and so on. I used to see them wear overalls, but I also saw some of them pit dresses on over their overalls. That was common when I was a girl. Now I know that some of them didn’t wear dresses over their overalls. Some of them did others things that were wrong, too. You know, too, there are some other things to wear, such as culottes, which are just as modest and still look feminine. That’s what you ought to wear. If you can’t buy any, get a sewing machine and learn how to sew It’s worth the expense and trouble to make that adjustment if you are going to have convictions. Do not wear clothing that the opposite sex wears. And if you are in doubt about it, just don’t and you will be safe. Just make sure that what you wear identifies you as a male or as a female and not in a way that a person would have to look at the tempting zones of the body to tell whether or not you are a male or female. This is what the Devil wants you to do, and surely you don’t want to cooperate with the Devil on this matter. Second, what do you look like when you wear these clothes? What do you look like from a distance? You’ve had the same experience that I’ve had of being out in public and seeing somebody at a distance and not being really sure if that person is a male or a female. You can’t tell by the clothes, because girls wear pants just like boys do. They wear T-shirts just like boys do. The boys often have their hair just as long as the girls (or the girls’ just as short as the boys), so you look at someone from a distance and you often cannot tell if the person is a male or a female. The only way you can tell is to look at those portions of the body that distinguish between male and female, and by the way, this is the Devil’s reason behind it all. That is what he wants you to look at. He doesn’t want you to look at somebody’s head; he wants you to look other places. That is one of the things that makes this so wrong, and we need to see that. We should not wear clothing which at a distance would make anybody wonder whether we are male or female. Her hair style is again predicated upon the Word of God, which teaches her to let her hair grow uncut: Is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered? Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering (I Corinthians 11:13-15). Here are the biblical guidelines concerning Christian example in dress for women. 1. Modesty 2. Moderation in cost. 3. Inclination toward godliness (decency). 4. Avoidance of outward adornment. 5. Shamefacedness and sobriety. 6. Distinction between male and female. Sailors may have played a role in the dissemination of trousers as a fashion around the world. In the 17th and 18th centuries, sailors wore baggy trousers known as galligaskins. Sailors were also the first to wear jeanstrousers made of denim. These became more popular in the late 19th century in the American West, because of their ruggedness and durability. In ancient China, trousers were only worn by Calvary. According to tradition, they were first introduced by King Wu of Zhao in 375 BC, who copied the custom from non-Chinese horsemen on his northern border. Tim 2:8-10 I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing. I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, 10but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God. Peter 3:1-5 Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in Gods sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. Holy women of old concentrated on adorning their spiritual life by developing the character of the heart. This is the major concentration and beautification of the Christian woman. Thus, the Apostle Peter used the great dedication of women of another age to impress the women of the first century with the need for the ornament or adornment of a meek and quiet spirit. By the same token, we are within reasonable and scriptural rights to insist that Christian women today heed the influential, sensible, and divinely inspired advice of the apostles. Paul admonished women to dress according to certain standards and listed them in this order: modesty, inexpensive and nonornamental attire, and clothing that becomes godliness. To be modest means to be decent and respectful. The apostolic Christian woman seeks to emulate all the fine virtues of Christian womanhood, so she carefully and prayerfully selects her attire in order not to unduly expose her body to the stares of the public. She is not so old-fashioned as to look like a monstrosity, but she is deliberately methodical in choosing clothing that will dignify her womanhood without provoking the stares of the opposite sex. She has dedicated herself to the cause of Christianity. This manner of dedication avoids expensive, extravagant clothing and superfluous, ornamental jewelry, permitting only the functional use of a wristwatch and a wedding band to designate her wedlock. The great needs of Christian evangelism and charitable assistance to the poor demand that she deny herself the exorbitant tastes of expensive fads so that she might practice the Christian art of concern for others. In this manner, she professes a godliness that stems from a heartfelt desire for virtuous, holy living. Holiness involves both the inner man and the outer man (I Corinthians 6:19-20; I Thessalonians 5:23). We must perfect holiness by cleansing ourselves of filthiness both of the flesh and of the spirit (II Corinthians 7:1). For example, lustful thoughts are as sinful as an act of adultery (Matthew 5:27-28). Holiness, then, includes attitudes, thoughts, and spiritual stewardship on the one hand and actions, appearance, and physical stewardship on the other. One without the other is insufficient. Inward holiness will produce outward holiness, but the outward appearance of holiness is worthless without inward holiness. For example, a modest spirit will produce modest dress, but modest dress is of little value if it conceals a lustful heart. Holiness or sanctification is not a means of earning salvation but a result of salvation. As such, it comes by grace through faith. Holiness cannot be manufactured bywords of the flesh but must come as we submit to the leadership and control of the Holy Spirit. We are holy in a twofold sense. On the one hand, we receive an immediate sanctification (separation from sin) through the death of Christ when we are baptized in Jesus’ name and filled with the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 6:11; Hebrews10:10). God counts us holy by imputing Christ’s righteousness to us. On the other hand, we must follow after and seek holiness (Hebrews 12:14). We must strive after holiness and receive the progressive work of sanctification. We are already sanctified, but we are also called to be saints (sanctified, holy ones) (I Corinthians 1:2). Many times what we wear helps to mold their expectations as well as our own. When a woman wears an immodest dress, she begins to think of herself as seductive and acts accordingly. Other people perceive her as provocative and treat her as such, which reinforces her behavior. In short, appearance both reflects and to large degree determines what we are in the eyes of self and others. The basic reason for modesty of dress is to subdue the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life. The exposed body tends to arouse improper thoughts in both wearer and onlooker. To implement the purpose behind modest dress, the body should basically be covered, except for those parts which we must use openly for normal living. This suggests that clothes should cover the torso and upper limbs. Reasonable guidelines, then, would-be women’s dresses over the knee. In addition, we should avoid low necklines, sleeveless dresses or shirts, very tight clothes, very thin clothes, and slacks on women because they immodestly reveal the feminine contours of upper leg, thigh, and hip. Likewise, swimming in mixed company is immodest. Since the primary effect of makeup is to highlight sex appeal, we reject makeup as immodest. To strive to please the Lord. That is the ultimate goal of the Apostolic lady. Those in Pentecost know there is nothing more attractive than a precious saint whose love for Jesus shines upon her face and is shown to the world in a kind character! Does it fit properly? Remember you are a daughter of the King! No reason to dress frumpy, but dont go too far in the opposite direction! Always keep an attitude of modesty in mind! Is it too tight, flashy, or revealing? A good rule of thumb I use to judge an outfit is would I feel comfortable talking to my pastor wearing it? Would I want my daughter to wear it? Many sisters use the four finger rule for necklines. Place four fingers below the notch at the bottom of your neck, if the neckline plunges below your pinkie finger it might be too low! Check the sleeves, if you can see your underclothing or into your shirt when you lift your arms consider the sleeves may be too short or too wide. You want to be able to lift your arms in worship without any doubting! Regarding slits in skirts or dresses, if you were to take a pair of scissors and cut off the skirt at the top, would it be too short? If the answer is yes, then the slit is too high! Sew it shut or add a triangle piece of scrap denim to fill it in! Is it suitable for the occasion? While we always want to look neat and tidy, the Apostolic lady never wants to appear over or under dressed. Take the time to double check, you want to be focused entirely on the Lord and not be worried about your outfit after you leave home! What Should I Look for While Shopping? The Apostolic lady always appears in clothing which celebrates her gender. A good rule of thumb to follow is the outline of her shape should not be defined above the knee. When purchasing a skirt or dress be sure to bend from the waist and at the knee. Sit down in the dressing room and ensure your skirt stays put! Some naysayers will try and convince you that you are handicapped in a skirt, not so! Many sisters enjoy outdoor activities such as horseback riding, hiking, gardening, bike riding etc. while maintaining their modesty and femininity. Remember the more you strive to please the Lord, the more He will bless you! I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto god, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12: 1-2 I Should Be Ashamed To Be Naked. The Bible consistently associates shame with nakedness. This is found in both the Old and New Testaments (Micah 1:11; Nahum 3:5; Rev. 3:18, 16:15). In the beginning, man and woman were completely naked. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed (Gen. 2:25; all quotations taken from NKJV). There was no shame because there was no knowledge of good and evil. After they sinned, their eyes were opened, they knew that they were naked and sewed fig leaves together to make coverings for themselves (Gen. 3:7). What happened next teaches a lesson that many brethren have yet to learn: We dont have to be completely nude to be Biblically naked. Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, Where are you? So he said, I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself. And He said, Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat? (Gen. 3:9-11). Adam was covered with fig leaves, yet he said he was naked and hid himself in shame. Notice God did not tell him he was not naked. He agreed with Adams conclusion. Adam wasnt clothed until verse 21: Also for Adam and his wife the LORD God made tunics of skin, and clothed them. Why was man still naked in the covering he made for himself, but clothed in the covering God made for him? The garment God made was more adequate, not because of the material it was made out of, but because of the parts of the body that it covered. Man was not clothed until his nakedness was covered. Are we going to be so bold in our dress as to reveal what God has covered? Some brethren are. Some people like to play the where is it game when it comes to modesty. Where is the line? How short is too short? How low is too low? How tight is too tight? I played this game too, until I realized that it was avoiding the real issue. Nakedness has to do with exposing parts of the body, not in measuring the fabric of the clothing. As we have already pointed out, we can have clothes on and still be naked in a Biblical sense. While some brethren are looking for that line between modest and immodest, they overlook the fact that the Bible has been very specific in telling us what is to be covered. There are certain parts of the body which, if left uncovered and exposed, constitute nakedness. The Thigh. Take the millstones and grind meal. Remove your veil, take off the skirt, uncover the thigh, pass through the rivers. Your nakedness shall be uncovered, yes, your shame will be seen; (Isaiah 47:2-3). To reveal the flesh of the thigh is to be naked, and should cause shame. Any clothing which reveals the flesh or form of the thigh is immodest. This would include (but is certainly not limited to) shorts, spandex jogging shorts, swimsuits, mini skirts, skirts with long slits, cheerleading uniforms and many athletic uniforms. The Buttocks. So shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians as prisoners and the Ethiopians as captives, young and old, naked and barefoot, with their buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt (Isaiah 20:4). To expose the buttocks is to be naked, and should cause shame. Any clothing which reveals the flesh or form of the buttocks is immodest. This would include short shorts, mens and womens swimsuits, pants hanging off waist, hip-huggers, etc. The B reasts. I made you thrive like a plant in the field; and you grew, matured, and became very beautiful. Your breasts were formed, your hair grew, but you were naked and bare (Ezekiel 16:7). To expose the breast is to be naked, and should cause shame. Any clothing which reveals the breast (in part or in whole), or is specifically made to showcase or augment the form of the breast is immodest. This would include low cut tops, loose fitting sleeveless tops, tube tops, tight sweaters, push-up bras, etc. This would also apply to men going without a shirt, wearing a muscle shirt, or leaving their shirt unbuttoned. 1. The Bible clearly specifies which body parts need covering. To wear clothing which reveals, exposes, or draws attention to these parts of the body is to dress immodestly. Proximity to a large body of water, or to a swimming facility, doesnt make a swimsuit modest. Calling sports (cross-country, wrestling, basketball, gymnastics, etc. ) or cheerleading outfits a uniform does not make them modest. If these popular garments expose the thigh, buttocks or breasts (mens chest), the one wearing them is naked in a Biblical sense, and ought to be ashamed. 2. I Dont Want To Advertise Something About Myself That Isnt True. Our clothing sends a message. The Bible talks about a Christian woman professing godliness in her dress and conduct (1 Timothy 2:9-10). It also talks about the attire of a harlot (Proverbs 7:10). It is interesting to note what some in the world have to say about todays popular fashions. They willingly admit what some Christians try to deny. The legs, breast, buttocks and midriff of a woman will attract the attention of men. The muscular build of a man (shoulders, arms, chest and buttocks) will attract the attention of women. Clothing designers know this, and many of todays fashions are made to empower men and women with the ability to attract this attention to themselves. Most reasonable people will admit that this attention is actually lust. Clothing which reveals parts of the body meant to be covered will incite lust in members of the opposite sex. The clothing is going to do what it is designed to do even if the person wearing it is a Christian. It sends a message that Christians shouldnt be sending. It invites sexual attention. It leads people on. 3. I Dont Want To Cause Another To Stumble. Then He said to the disciples, It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones' (Luke 17:1-2). The Lord condemned those who would be stumbling blocks. He shows, with graphic language, that it would be better for one to die a brutal death of drowning before offending another than to face Him in judgment after doing so. We have already pointed out that some clothing is designed to produce lust. What is wrong with lust? Why cant we Look But Dont Touch? Whats wrong with giving others something to look at? The Bible does not portray lust as an innocent thing to be enjoyed, but as a dangerous thing to be avoided. Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul (1 Peter 2:11). Lusts are those things which will cause us to lose our souls in Hell. Flee also youthful lusts ldots; (2 Timothy 2:22). We are to flee lusts, not invite them. Whatever naturally provokes and excites these sinful lusts must be opposed and avoided -including the wearing of revealing clothing. The sight of bare flesh provokes lust. Young people have more power in this area than many of them realize. They need to be aware, not only of the signals they are sending with immodest clothing, but of the affect it has on others. To dress or behave in such a way as to cause one to lust is to be a stumbling block. I Need To Be Careful To Preserve A Good Conscience. The conscience is what holds everything in check. It is our warning system which tells us when we are about to do something wrong. The Bible warns that after we have violated our conscience enough, it can become hardened and no longer work (1 Tim. 4:2). Once that restraint is gone there is nothing left to keep us from going further into sin, and nothing left through which God can appeal unto us to repent. Some obviously look upon immodest dress as a little thing. Why are some brethren wanting to make such a big deal out of it? Because we know that big things come from little things. The Bible teaches that sin becomes progressively worse, not better: But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived (2 Tim. :13). If I can convince myself that nothing is wrong with dressing immodestly, it will not be hard to convince myself that nothing is wrong with mixed swimming, dancing, drinking, bad language, petting and fornication. Conclusion: Approaching immodest dress from this point of view is not meant to leave the impression that the matter is open to personal interpretation. Nakedness is clearly defined for us in the Bible. Gods word specifies what parts of the body are to be covered, and common sense tells us why they need to be covered. Christians who still insist on dressing immodestly are violating both.

Kickstart Your Writing with Nanowrimo

Kickstart Your Writing with Nanowrimo Kickstart Your Writing with Nanowrimo Kickstart Your Writing with Nanowrimo By Brittiany Cahoon If you find your writing suffering latelyperhaps due to the shifting weather and gray skiesNanowrimo may be just what you need. Founded nine years ago, the yearly write a novel in a month event will have more than 100,000 participants from across the globe trying to write 50,000 words in the month of November. Thats over 1500 words a day, or just over four pages of typed text. It sounds crazy and probably is, but Nanowrimo teaches important writing habits that no fiction writer can afford to ignore: 1. Discipline: Assuming full-time novelists write one or two books a year, that writer probably writes somewhere between 500-1000 words a day. Forcing yourself to write more is like the old story of the marathon runner training with weighted shoes. Once the handicap comes off, youre even faster. 2. Ignoring the internal editor: With a quota of four pages a day, you cant afford to be a perfectionist. Your writing will be full of typos, spelling errors, and idiotic dialogue. Here is a sample from a participant of previous years: I think I am going to go to lunch now. Lunch? Now? Yes, I think this would be a good time. A good time? Why do you think it is a good time? Because I am hungry, and I am bored. But by allowing yourself to write crap you also allow yourself to write, which is more important. 3. Losing control: Many new authors try to control the plots of their stories and novels, resulting in deus ex machina situations, wooden characters, or unbelievable twists. Writing this fast forces you to give up control and simply write what comeswhich can later be edited into something readable without losing the spontaneity and realism in your rough draft. Nanowrimo novels often stink, but participating is a wonderful way to practice the writing habits you need every day of the year. To learn more or to sign up, visit http://nanowrimo.org. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Fiction Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:"Because Of" and "Due To" The Possessive ApostropheEducational vs. Educative

Overcoming Procrastination. Time Management Article

Overcoming Procrastination. Time Management - Article Example The personal obstacle I faced was procrastination. I had the habit of avoiding doing assignments even when I knew they had to be done. Despite having a highly detailed schedule, I would still find myself procrastinating my duties. This was as a result of getting weighed down by my workload that I would have just put it all off. At most times, I found the lectures so tiring. Concentration was also lacking with new exciting things in this new environment. Some of the causes for poor time management were; lack of self motivation and knowledge as I had no predetermined goals. Maintaining a schedule was difficult due to improper planning for a schedule that was flexible. Procrastination also contributed heavily on managing time as whatever was put off had to be done later at a time planned for another task. To overcome these obstacles, I had to employ some useful tactics. According to my biological tempo and the time of the day it became easy to plan for what would be best to do in the mo rning, day time and evening. I came up with a way to prioritize my day. In the evenings, I would put down most crucial things to be done the next day. I would then attempt them in order of their significance. I would review my progress and fix or adjust my list if necessary. When all significant errands were done, timely and in an organized manner, I would reward myself. For better concentration; studying in particular places like the library is best. Where one can avoid interruption from fellow students or friends, they can cover a lot of work and do their revision. Also switching off the phone or having it in silent mode so as not to get disrupted. During study time, one should only pick urgent calls and shun chatting with friends. Having an arranged working area beats off laziness. One can optimize their working environment. I had a file for all my things and kept them in order of the dates. My class notes were organized and kept ready for quizzes and tests. On a weekly basis, I would conduct a clean up where I would go through all my materials. I filed everything recent systematically and kept old papers in another file at home. Another helpful technique to solve procrastination would be starting on another item after finishing that which you were working on. For example, during study time when done with the day’s work, briefly start on the next assignment so as to be ahead during the subsequent session. If the work is too much you can always do only a small part of the task at a time, and this goes hand in hand with time management. If you do small quantities of the work when it is already nearing the time it should be handed in then the assignment will not be completed, but if one starts doing small portions of the work immediately assigned by submission date, it can be complete and ready to be handed in for marking. A relapse is normal and expected so one must not give up, evaluate what went wrong then try overcoming the obstacles again. After ap plying these techniques, the progress in overcoming my personal and academic challenges was remarkable. Free time and study time were defined clearly after coming up with a flexible schedule. To guarantee success in my studies, there was enough planned study time such that for every hour spent in class two hours would be devoted to revision. I discovered the overpowering problems such as the need for perfection, anxiety and panic and sought them out fast since they are what caused these obstacles in the first place. When the mind is kept occupied at all time, for example, multi tasking it helps. During breaks, going back on what you had studied and revising this for instance definitions covered earlier when studying so that they can be remembered easily if

RAW #7 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

RAW #7 - Essay Example 2. The contracts have terms of reference that vary from contract to contract. â€Å" †¦the terms of a contract providing a foundation for economic ethics acceptable to a diverse set of imaginary contractors (some greed- driven egoists, some deeply religious artruists, most probably in between)†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Donaldson and Dunfee 26) 3. The macro- social contracts are based on the assumption that there is rationalism among the contractors as they know the facts that are entailed. â€Å"†¦not afflicted inconsistency or logical confusion† (26) 6. Those who undertake the experimental thought on social contract are not aware of the political and economic preferences of contractors. â€Å"†¦we are confronted with undetermined mix of contractor preferences † (Donaldson and Dunfee 27) The list above shows the argument of Donaldson and Dunfee in relation to macro- social contract understanding. These main points can be used as the basic principles that govern the same kind of

Theories of African Christian Ethics

Theories of African Christian Ethics INTRODUCTION Before I begin, let me first suggest to you the overall task of Christian Ethics. If I speak about ethics, I speak about Who we are, how we are to perceive our world and how we are to live in this world. This is the main crux of Christian Ethics. In this assignment I would like to demonstrate a working knowledge of African, Western and African Christian Ethics. I will also look at the differences between selected ethical theories. ASSIGNMENT 1 Explain Western Ethics and evaluate the effect it has on our understanding of ethics. Underscore both the positives and negatives it has brought about in ethical thinking. According to Barnhill (2009) the Western tradition has four major approaches to ethics: The first two listed (Utilitarian Ethics and Deontological Ethics) are modern developments and they dominate modern philosophy. He says that Virtue ethics is as old as Plato and is making a bit of a come-back. Natural law ethics is relatively popular among environmental ethicists. After reading his Environmental studies, I have come to realise the following: This study speaks about goodness and badness. We can identify happiness with the good and sees virtue as a major part of happiness. We can explain that happiness and virtue should be detached. If we look at virtue it relates to good will, a good will is good in every circumstance and is absolute or unconditional good. It grows when you act for the sake of duty. A human action is morally good and is done for the sake of duty. Western Ethics shows us that an action can be motivated by duty and has moral worth. Not because of the results it achieved, but for satisfying a formal principle. The principle of performing ones duty, whatever it may be. People have impulses and desires and that is why the moral law appears to us as a law that we must obey. This impulses and desires is our only source for moral judgement. This is our free will. Our free will can create a moral law and we will obey it. The human mind is able to know what is good and evil. To have value judgement is born from ins ide of us. This is called your conscience. Most people recognize that man is free to make his or her moral decisions. On the other hand, all the things that we do wrong come from our human desires. Men and women should follow the will of God. Use the will of God to make certain decisions in life. There is a universal moral law, the knowledge to free ourselves from human desires. We are free to make good and sound moral judgements. In the approach of care and the community, too much Western Ethics has given individuals the right to think about themselves. We must build love and compassionate relationships among people. The full theory of ethics would have to accommodate all four aspects of Western ethics. One way to sometimes approach Western ethics and the influence it has on ethics is based on four aspects like rights, goods, virtues and our relationship with each other. We must look at the following questions like: Do our actions violate another persons rights? We must try to achieve good in life. Look at our integrity. Care for each other. Ethics and even Western Ethics can never be static and with Western Ethics there are certain frameworks and principles. We dont know whether Western Ethic has a future, but it really and most definitely do have a past. We can see that the patterns of the Western moral personality will continue to surface and really have to be dealt with, either through painful reflection or painful restructuring (Kunhiyop, 2004:29). Define in your own words Contemporary African Ethics. Highlight its important characteristics. Kigongo (nd) says that Contemporary African Ethics is a combination of African ethical tradition and European ethical tradition. What better way to describe Contemporary African Ethics than the word Ubuntu. Ubuntu means that people are people because of other people. In Africa nobody can survive alone, we need each other to survive. I think that we are all searching and suggesting new directions which to follow in pursuit of African values. We can say that the foundation of African ethics is definitely a humanistic worldview. Everything about the community is seen to exist not just in the here and now, but also in the past, through those who have already gone and also in the future, those who have yet to come. It is the past that influence the present and the present the future. Why, we ask, has this worldview, with the emphasis on respect for all mankind, support and responsibility not travel through the whole world yet? You remember in the second paragraph I spoke about Ubuntu. Well, I can say that this worldview is expressed by the very society that lives according to it. If the community follows Contemporary African Ethics, they are living testimonies to their worldview. This worldview is worth reviving and respect for another, especially a stranger, is well known to communities in the south of the Sahara. With them a visitor was to be welcomed and feted, not suspected and resisted like in some of our communities (Kunhiyop, 2004:23-27). Africa is currently looking at a new future when it comes to African Ethics. Africa believes that its own worldview has so much potential and contemporary messages to give. Africa does not have all the above on record, but the culture itself speaks of enrichment and value. Definitely African values can be included in everything in life, for example in institutions of higher learning. The world needs more Contemporary African Ethics (Kunhiyop, 2004:13). Identify the key aspects of African Christian Ethics. I hear what Okolo (nd) says: First, the African may well count himself fortunate to be blessed with such a basically sound and enduring religious and moral tradition. But this does not at all mean that the Christian religion based on Christs love ethic constitutes a mere superficial dimension in his moral life. The Christian religion means for the African fundamental changes in many of his cultural values and options such that a real conversion is required for him to be a Christian in the authentic meaning of the term and in its ethical implication. I think that the African society is in a moral crisis. The African are having an identity crisis and have shifted away from their value system. Their moral values they gave away for other value systems. In a sense the first aspects is the fact that they have betrayed the African value system by analyzing it with the socio-economic and political implications that are taken from all the different value systems. The second aspect for me is the fact that Africans are now abandoning their value system by trying to embrace other systems, namely liberalism and utilitarianism. The consequence of this above mentioned shift is that the African will no longer be known by what he is, but by what he has acquired by different means. The African have lost the sense of Who am I and this created the moral crisis in South Africa. If we look at virtue ethics, I think it could help us to redeem the African value system as well as every individual in South Africa. Virtue ethics is intended to provide a s ociety in which people can live a meaningful life. There is a general agreement amongst the African people that the African cannot be defined except in the closeness of the community. We can see the closeness of relationship between the individual and the social nature of the African. The African system is not concerned with material issues; it is concerned primarily with human beings in their relationship with one another. It is like that, the community means that the community alone can constitute the context, their social and cultural space. Africans needs to find freedom and responsibility in themselves and also in other people in South Africa. CONCLUSION Whether African Christian Ethics will start a different socio-economic and political arrangement remains a question that needs to be explored in-depth. Bibliography Barnhill D L 2007. Four Traditional Western Approaches to Ethics. Online article: http://www.uwosh.edu/faculty_staff/barnhill/ES_375/ethics.html, 07/01/2009. Kunhiyop S W 2004. African Christian Ethics. United States of America: Hippo Books. Kigongo J K n.d. The Relevance of African Ethics To Contemporary African Society. Online article: http://www.crvp.org/book/Series02/II-8/chapter_ii.htm, 13/01/2009. Okolo C B n.d. The African Experience of Christian Values: Dimensions of The Problematic. Online article: http://www.crvp.org/book/Series02/II-3/chapter_xi.htm, 13/01/2009. INTRODUCTION The Bible is an expression of Gods will to us and possesses the right supremely to define what we are to believe and how we are to conduct ourselves. In the book African Christian Ethics Samuel W. Kunhiyop gives us guidelines in biblical Christianity for Africa. Although Samuel Kunhiyops book does not deal exclusively with the role of the Bible, I will review his book to get to the core. We know that everything stays the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. To review a great Theologian like Samuel W. Kunhiyop, I dont think it is for me to comment on the way he wrote his book. ASSIGNMENT 2 Write a critical book review of the course textbook: Samuel Kunhiyop (2004), African Christian Ethics. In the introduction Samuel describes the need for writing this book: Christian ethics is often regarded the same as Western ethics, but they are really not the same. The two have become confused because Western missionaries did not bring a true and honest gospel but one that is different from the true gospel. Students who should be studying African Christian ethics are too often busy with the wrong ethical theories coming from the West. What should be taught in African theological colleges is an ethics that is African, biblical and Christian. That is what this book seeks to give to its reader (Kunhiyop, 2004:8-10). We can find a lot of information on African Christian Ethics through the internet and there is a lot of information for Western churches to use. Hippo books are so popular that they are used by many publishers and are well known throughout the world. Some of the publishers like Zondervan and African publishing houses also make use of Hippo books. Hippo books create an environment for the learner or student to get acquainted with all sections of Theology. Hippo books have got information and theories of many of scholars who share their knowledge and experience with us. Hippo books have got a vision to help with the growth in all African churches so they can see their culture from an evangelical perspective. Hippo books also published African Christian Ethics which I am about to review (Davy, 2010). Samuel Waje Kunhiyop was previously the Professor of Theology and Ethics at ECWA Theological Seminary. He holds a Bachelor of Theology, Masters of Theology and PhD at Trinity International University, Illinois. Samuel Waje Kunhiyop was ordained by the Evangelical Church of West Africa as a minister. Currently he is one of the heads of the Postgraduate School at the South African Theological Seminary (Kunhiyop, 2004:4-5). The need for an interpretation of Christianity and all its aspects from an African point of view was necessary. One such aspect is the question of Christian ethics and how it is affected by Africa and its enormous cultural variety. Samuel identified the need to explore and explain the many questions that arose around the issue of African Christian ethics. According to Kunhiyop he started in his life seeking to find all information and truths about African Christianity. He studies for 8 years in Nigeria for his undergraduate theological training and another 7 years in the United States for his graduate theological training. In 1993 he went back to Nigeria and has been teaching now there for 11 years. Samuel is a great teacher of the Bible, Theology, Ethics and Philosophy. In 1994 he was teaching to a group of students and after finishing with them he asked the students What did you learn from this course? One of the students stood up and answered with the words nothing. Samuel was stu nned and because of that answer, he started to investigate and wanted to seek for the right answers. He realised that the information he gave through to the students did not pertain to them and their culture. He knew that he needed to do more for the students for them to succeed in life (Kunhiyop, 2004:8-9). If I can mention that it was very difficult to find the book in the library and Protea Bookshop gave an indication that it would take 10 weeks if I order the book. The book had to come from Kenya. When we look at the life of Samuel Waje Kunhiyop, we can see a Christian who believes in Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour. Although he did most of his studies overseas, he was born and raised in Africa. He wanted to help and assist African Christians struggling with their own situations and problems. He recognized that Africans, and even more so, African Christians, needed guidance in relation to the interpretation of their everyday personal problems within an ethical frame of reference (Kunhiyop, 2004:9). At first I didnt know what to make of the book African Christian Ethics. The book seemed extremely difficult to read, interpret and understand. Why might that be, I asked myself. Then I came to a conclusion. It was because I knew nothing about the Africans and their unique, intricate and diverse cultures. The only knowledge I have is about my own culture and roots. In Ethical Foundation: Section one Samuel Waje Kunhiyop explains what African morality and the African culture consists of (Kunhiyop, 2004:11). It is wonderful to read about my fellow African inhabitants within their interesting context. The songs they love to sing and the stories they love to tell. Then suddenly, the way of the African opens up to you and you begin to understand everything. The style in which the book has been written became much easier to read and interpret. As soon as I caught the drift of things, I enjoyed reading the book immensely. Samuel Waje Kunhiyop has done a lot of research to get to the truth. He also incorporated Biblical content to support his findings and to better explain the interpretation of these findings from a Christian point of view. At work my responsibilities include informing the soldiers about HIV and AIDS. With the knowledge that I gained from Samuels book I can now understand the African soldier better. It also helped me in building better relationships with the soldiers, as I better comprehend their training of thought and understanding of Christianity. Samuel Waje Kunhiyop, through this book, opened up the eyes of many people, scholars and foreigners, although I think there is many more to explore and more information to gain. In South Africa a lot of African people are still confused and do not have identity. I can see that when I work with the youth in South Africa. The youth are lacking the strong morals and values they need to become better human beings in their communities and societies. The content of this book is magnificent and I would definitely encourage other individuals to read it and apply it to future situations with the African cultures. Let us explore the content of the book in detail to grasp the crux of what Samuel Waje Kunhiyop want to explain to us. I believe Kunhiyops work is excellent and I want to give him all the credit for this book. The book is divided into two sections, section one: Ethical Foundations, Chapter one, two and three deals with the theory of ethics, while section two: Contemporary Ethical Issues, Chapter four to thirteen discusses practical issues. Issues that is so relevant that we can apply it in our daily lives. The issues are grouped in the following order, as given in the Table of content: Political Issues, Religious Issues, Medical Issues, Welfare Issues, Financial Issues, Witchcraft Issues, AIDS Issues, Marriage Issues, Sexual Issues and Reproductive Technologies. Each chapter begins with a general introduction followed by the chapters dealing with the specific issues in that area. Samuel does not go into a detailed debate regarding War, rather, he looks at the wars and conflicts in Africa and then examines the Bible to find an answer (Kunhiyop, 2004:2). Starting with Contemporary African ethics, we can see that the African society does believe in God as the highest order and as the sole creator of earth and mankind. Secondly they stand under the authority of spirits and ancestors who are the leaders and instructors of good and evil. The distinct differences between morality and ethics are not acknowledged as they experience it as one with their religion. These assumptions are only written on paper as there is no documentary proof of the history or origin thereof. The growing up and teaching or learning through the elderly and community by word of mouth is their reference in life. Most important is the tribe, community and family rules for belonging and not to be a single individual with his or her own set of rules and regulations. Believing in the spirits and the ancestors justifies certain actions as long as you dont get caught and therefore has a deterrent effect on your family or community. They also believe that you must keep th e spirits happy in order to be blessed and not to be cursed in life. Mostly the interaction between family (grandfathers, grandmothers, fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, cousins, nieces and nephews) and the community (neighbors, friends, etc.) is a vital link to the forming of the African cultural inheritance (Kunhiyop, 2004:11-28). Secondly, while Western ethics were founded and applied by numerous leaders of the Enlightenment eras, it had different positive as well as negative impacts on society. One example that has a negative impact on the biblical views of the religious community is the privacy factor where a woman has the sole right to apply abortion if she wishes to. Furthermore I do believe that technology is good for anybody except where it is applied have a negative result to humanity (Kunhiyop, 2004:29-46). The reading and understanding of African Christian Ethics was very difficult. Samuel makes mention of many authors and in text citing. The English language he used in Chapter three to point out his facts is confusing as to get the history facts straight. What I do understand from this Chapter is that Samuel writes that Christian theology is the backbone of African Christian ethics and that it will be useless if the Scriptures are not part of the guidance to the rules of African Christian ethics. The Black African Christian has a rule of ethics whereby their ancestors are always consulted and is a part and parcel of their decision making. Therefore in their ethics within certain issues they leave out God in certain other issues they consult Him. He explains that African ethics is deeply rooted in the soul and that it becomes personal, influencing the mind, heart, body and spirit of a person. If a family member has got an issue, that issue will affect the immediate family, as well as t heir distant relatives. It will influence those who are living and those who are dead, but still interested in the affairs of the living. To understand the community is to understand African ethics. This is a critical tool and must be used when studying African ethics. These ethics are developed in interaction with the past, the present and the future, nothing or nobody can be excluded. God, the spirits of the departed, the ancestors and good and evil will always have an enormous influence on the morality of the people. Why, because they are African and full of culture. Although the Bible does not support the doctrines of demons, evil spirits and witchcraft, many Christians are unaware of what the Bible teaches on the subject. Christians believe the Bible also serves as an authoritative moral influence, thus in Africa there is no such thing as an ethical system that has no practical and religious implications. There will always be principles or rules that guide behaviour. These prin ciples or rules are intertwined with practices of ethics and work nicely together (Kunhiyop, 2004:47-70). Samuel takes into account all the factors that are historically tied to the given topic and describes each problem in detail. In each problem he looks for a Biblical perspective on the issue, usually asking what the Old Testament says and what the New Testament says. This he does by also including the churchs response and the separate African churchs response before drawing an overall final conclusion. This method which he is using is effective because it keeps the Western reader aware of the differences between the West and Africa approach to ethical problems. The Western and traditional African understanding of ethics has affected the ethical thinking of Christians. We need to change our perspective of the church because the church is constantly growing and becoming stronger in other parts of the world. To conclude his thoughts Kunhiyop offers an outline for decision making. He based this outline on five important principles: God is the ultimate model of morality. The Scriptures pr ovide the only authority in matters of morality. Every aspect of life is subject to the laws of the Scriptures. The scriptures must be properly interpreted and the community of faith can provide support, responsibility and accountability. The world provides the boundaries in which we live out this morality and ethics (Kunhiyop, 2004). I really dont see any difference between Western Christian Ethics and African Christian Ethics. Kunhiyops point is actually what is underlying these ethics. Understanding the different world views on Christian ethics paves the way for Western churches to be influenced by and to have a greater influence on the African churches and their day to day functions. It is important for Christianity to overcome the barriers of culture and language. We are after all loved by Christ regardless of ethnicity and the limitations of the human race. I regard it important to note that even though the ethical values between the Western civilization and the African cultures are similar, the traditions within the set framework of each group changes the interpretation and thus also the outcome of the ethical concepts. It is in this idea that the key to unlocking Samuels thinking process lies. He understands, having been exposed to both African and Western culture, that these differences, however subtle so me may be, have an immense impact on the eventual interpretation of a persons set of ethical values. Christian ethics cannot be separated from its religious foundation. The important thing is that God requires something of man and that He stands ready to reward the obedience and punish violation. God has something to do with the very meaning of obligation. This book explains these issues well. The Western world is now faced with a choice: are we going to utilize the tools that will enable us to bridge the gap between two very different civilizations or are we going to sit back and do nothing? With the right understanding of Africans and how they interpret ethical values we can incorporate a set of Christian ethical values that will, without a doubt, benefit both parties (Kunhiyop, 2004). CONCLUSION The churches need to understand and interpret African Christian Ethics for them to survive in their communities. Let us think about this and understand where Kunhiyop comes from. Bibliography Davy T J 2010. HippoBooks African Evangelical Imprint. Online article: http://bibleandmission.wordpress.com/2010/01/19/hippobooks-african-evangelical-imprint/, 15/01/2009. Kunhiyop S W 2004. African Christian Ethics. United States of America: Hippo Books. INTRODUCTION Must Christians become involved in politics? In Romans 13:1-7 God is proclaiming that the government belongs to Him. God also tells us that we must follow the government of the day. Let us now try and establish a link between the church and the state. ASSIGNMENT 3 Evaluate the practical value and effectiveness of the four factors of change in the church and state relations. Political Factor Bishop Desmond Tutu exclaimed, Now I am going back to the church to do the real business of the church and leave politics to those well qualified to do it (Kumalo, 2009). When Nelson Mandela became the new president of South Africa that was then that there was an active democratic development in South Africa. Bishop Buthelezi also made the same statement on his farewell function. If we look at the church leaders we can see that most of these prominent leaders came from the political milieu and then go over to the church. On the other hand the other side of the coin is also true, church leaders sometimes also join departments and commissions. We dont know if what the two theologians above said, made the church to withdraw from politics, but they do make us to think about the church and their leaders in South Africa. The Sociological Factor It is true that Muslim politicians go to the Muslim community for their votes. In the Christian community the Christian politicians will go to the Christian community for their votes. The recent call by General Muhammadu Buhari from Nigeria that Muslims should vote only for Muslim candidates in the forthcoming elections in 2003 has generated a lot of controversy. It is important to understand why this is the case. The morality issue of Buhari could be defended from the point of view of his fundamental right. In other words, he has the freedom and fundamental right to take any position on any issue. The changing relationship between religious groups and the state opens up new challenges and new possibilities. More and more people of different religious groups are getting intertwined and use each other to accomplish goals (Kofarmata, 2009). The Economic Factor God has not called Christians just to work in the church, but however he has called us to get involved with all the economical issues in the world. In any case, God is in us and not just in the church. The gifts of the Holy Spirit that God has bestowed upon us and the calling from God, means getting involved in identifying the causes of poverty. We can address these problems and help the needy with the support of God. This means that it is not only the responsibility of the government, but a responsibility of the church. Christianity also means getting involved in politics so that the people can have a better life. Christians must try to create and provide on the job training for other people also encouraging them to find jobs. The African church specifically must get involved in politics and government. The church needs to educate their people so that everybody can make positive contributions to our country and government (Kunhiyop, 2004:74). The Religious Factor According to McCain (2008) the last two decades of the twentieth century have been known by for great explosion of Christian activity and Christian growth. Kunhiyop (2004:74) said: During the 1970s it was not uncommon to hear Christians, especially Christian youth, praying for the nation, which was believed to be under the forces of darkness. All night prayer meetings, fasting and prayers for the nation were common in the church and parachurch organisations such as the one mentioned above. I want to say that the above is true, but the opposite is also true and if we as Christians dont wake up, we are going to miss the opportunity to have an influence in politics. People all over the world still think that religion in politics is a negative and harmful issue that needs to be avoided. We really need to change the way people are thinking and acting in our country. We need to have transformation in our religion, having some objective value that can guide us. If we look at our political leaders when they speak, we must be able to say they are right or wrong, not from a political perspective, but from a religious perspective. The scriptures that we use must be not white or black, but the scriptures of the Holy Word of God. It is the absence of religion in politics that creates this huge gap in our society. We really have to be critical in this analysis. What are we going to do as a nation? Can a nation return to God? I think the question is, can we as a nation rise above our racial and discrimination issues and form one church? If black and white churches unite and stand together, the prayer and fasting for our nation will come back. The youth in this country will stand together and fight for religion and not for politics (MCain, 2008). Distinguish between the concepts state, government, politics and church. State A State is a self-governing political driven place. A state has territory which has internationally recognised boundaries and sometimes there can be quarrels over boundaries. A state has got the following in it: People that are staying and living there permanently. A strong or weak economic structure. A government that must supply things like police services and public services. A state can enter into relations with other states. A state is a nation? Where there is a state there is a nation? Governments can change but a state can stay static and not change for a very long time. Most of the States have sovereignty over their countries so that other states cant interfere. In Somalia this very same thing happened due to civil war. Somalia was part of the internal strife and because it had little authority outside Afghanistan, Somalia collapsed (Global Policy, nd). Government A government can be seen as a body within the community or an organisation that makes and enforce the laws, rules and regulations. A government is committed to the promotion and protection of human rights and human dignity. They are there to establish a society based on democratic values and social justice. The government must lay the foundation for a democratic and open society which is based on the will of people and where every citizen is equally protected by law. They definitely have to improve the quality of life of all the people supporting the government of that day. It is necessary to construct a culture of peace and replacing a culture of violence and disregard for human life. For me, this is what a government must consist of (Kunhiyop, 2004:77). Politics Politics is a need for the general public to have a representative in places other than the ordinary home or workplace. Candidates make themselves available to be elected through votes so that they can represent the people in different public and government organisations (Wikipedia, 2010). Church A church is a Christian religious organisation made up of a congregation, its members and clergy. The religious body is organised with constitutions and laws so that the church can function well. Churches often belong to a broader tradition within the Christian religion, like the Dutch Reformed church, sharing in a sense a history, culture and doctrinal rules with other church (Davies, 2009). Renwick and Harman (1958) said the following with regards to the church: Here we see the fulfillment of our Lords words that, although His kingdom was like a grain of mustard seed, it would yet become a great tree sheltering the birds of the air (Luke 13:19). The small and apparently weak church became a mighty organisation known throughout the earth. Its history shows its moral grandeur; it shows, too, certain defects arising from human weakness and the love of worldly pomp and power contrary to the spirit of the Master. We Theories of African Christian Ethics Theories of African Christian Ethics INTRODUCTION Before I begin, let me first suggest to you the overall task of Christian Ethics. If I speak about ethics, I speak about Who we are, how we are to perceive our world and how we are to live in this world. This is the main crux of Christian Ethics. In this assignment I would like to demonstrate a working knowledge of African, Western and African Christian Ethics. I will also look at the differences between selected ethical theories. ASSIGNMENT 1 Explain Western Ethics and evaluate the effect it has on our understanding of ethics. Underscore both the positives and negatives it has brought about in ethical thinking. According to Barnhill (2009) the Western tradition has four major approaches to ethics: The first two listed (Utilitarian Ethics and Deontological Ethics) are modern developments and they dominate modern philosophy. He says that Virtue ethics is as old as Plato and is making a bit of a come-back. Natural law ethics is relatively popular among environmental ethicists. After reading his Environmental studies, I have come to realise the following: This study speaks about goodness and badness. We can identify happiness with the good and sees virtue as a major part of happiness. We can explain that happiness and virtue should be detached. If we look at virtue it relates to good will, a good will is good in every circumstance and is absolute or unconditional good. It grows when you act for the sake of duty. A human action is morally good and is done for the sake of duty. Western Ethics shows us that an action can be motivated by duty and has moral worth. Not because of the results it achieved, but for satisfying a formal principle. The principle of performing ones duty, whatever it may be. People have impulses and desires and that is why the moral law appears to us as a law that we must obey. This impulses and desires is our only source for moral judgement. This is our free will. Our free will can create a moral law and we will obey it. The human mind is able to know what is good and evil. To have value judgement is born from ins ide of us. This is called your conscience. Most people recognize that man is free to make his or her moral decisions. On the other hand, all the things that we do wrong come from our human desires. Men and women should follow the will of God. Use the will of God to make certain decisions in life. There is a universal moral law, the knowledge to free ourselves from human desires. We are free to make good and sound moral judgements. In the approach of care and the community, too much Western Ethics has given individuals the right to think about themselves. We must build love and compassionate relationships among people. The full theory of ethics would have to accommodate all four aspects of Western ethics. One way to sometimes approach Western ethics and the influence it has on ethics is based on four aspects like rights, goods, virtues and our relationship with each other. We must look at the following questions like: Do our actions violate another persons rights? We must try to achieve good in life. Look at our integrity. Care for each other. Ethics and even Western Ethics can never be static and with Western Ethics there are certain frameworks and principles. We dont know whether Western Ethic has a future, but it really and most definitely do have a past. We can see that the patterns of the Western moral personality will continue to surface and really have to be dealt with, either through painful reflection or painful restructuring (Kunhiyop, 2004:29). Define in your own words Contemporary African Ethics. Highlight its important characteristics. Kigongo (nd) says that Contemporary African Ethics is a combination of African ethical tradition and European ethical tradition. What better way to describe Contemporary African Ethics than the word Ubuntu. Ubuntu means that people are people because of other people. In Africa nobody can survive alone, we need each other to survive. I think that we are all searching and suggesting new directions which to follow in pursuit of African values. We can say that the foundation of African ethics is definitely a humanistic worldview. Everything about the community is seen to exist not just in the here and now, but also in the past, through those who have already gone and also in the future, those who have yet to come. It is the past that influence the present and the present the future. Why, we ask, has this worldview, with the emphasis on respect for all mankind, support and responsibility not travel through the whole world yet? You remember in the second paragraph I spoke about Ubuntu. Well, I can say that this worldview is expressed by the very society that lives according to it. If the community follows Contemporary African Ethics, they are living testimonies to their worldview. This worldview is worth reviving and respect for another, especially a stranger, is well known to communities in the south of the Sahara. With them a visitor was to be welcomed and feted, not suspected and resisted like in some of our communities (Kunhiyop, 2004:23-27). Africa is currently looking at a new future when it comes to African Ethics. Africa believes that its own worldview has so much potential and contemporary messages to give. Africa does not have all the above on record, but the culture itself speaks of enrichment and value. Definitely African values can be included in everything in life, for example in institutions of higher learning. The world needs more Contemporary African Ethics (Kunhiyop, 2004:13). Identify the key aspects of African Christian Ethics. I hear what Okolo (nd) says: First, the African may well count himself fortunate to be blessed with such a basically sound and enduring religious and moral tradition. But this does not at all mean that the Christian religion based on Christs love ethic constitutes a mere superficial dimension in his moral life. The Christian religion means for the African fundamental changes in many of his cultural values and options such that a real conversion is required for him to be a Christian in the authentic meaning of the term and in its ethical implication. I think that the African society is in a moral crisis. The African are having an identity crisis and have shifted away from their value system. Their moral values they gave away for other value systems. In a sense the first aspects is the fact that they have betrayed the African value system by analyzing it with the socio-economic and political implications that are taken from all the different value systems. The second aspect for me is the fact that Africans are now abandoning their value system by trying to embrace other systems, namely liberalism and utilitarianism. The consequence of this above mentioned shift is that the African will no longer be known by what he is, but by what he has acquired by different means. The African have lost the sense of Who am I and this created the moral crisis in South Africa. If we look at virtue ethics, I think it could help us to redeem the African value system as well as every individual in South Africa. Virtue ethics is intended to provide a s ociety in which people can live a meaningful life. There is a general agreement amongst the African people that the African cannot be defined except in the closeness of the community. We can see the closeness of relationship between the individual and the social nature of the African. The African system is not concerned with material issues; it is concerned primarily with human beings in their relationship with one another. It is like that, the community means that the community alone can constitute the context, their social and cultural space. Africans needs to find freedom and responsibility in themselves and also in other people in South Africa. CONCLUSION Whether African Christian Ethics will start a different socio-economic and political arrangement remains a question that needs to be explored in-depth. Bibliography Barnhill D L 2007. Four Traditional Western Approaches to Ethics. Online article: http://www.uwosh.edu/faculty_staff/barnhill/ES_375/ethics.html, 07/01/2009. Kunhiyop S W 2004. African Christian Ethics. United States of America: Hippo Books. Kigongo J K n.d. The Relevance of African Ethics To Contemporary African Society. Online article: http://www.crvp.org/book/Series02/II-8/chapter_ii.htm, 13/01/2009. Okolo C B n.d. The African Experience of Christian Values: Dimensions of The Problematic. Online article: http://www.crvp.org/book/Series02/II-3/chapter_xi.htm, 13/01/2009. INTRODUCTION The Bible is an expression of Gods will to us and possesses the right supremely to define what we are to believe and how we are to conduct ourselves. In the book African Christian Ethics Samuel W. Kunhiyop gives us guidelines in biblical Christianity for Africa. Although Samuel Kunhiyops book does not deal exclusively with the role of the Bible, I will review his book to get to the core. We know that everything stays the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. To review a great Theologian like Samuel W. Kunhiyop, I dont think it is for me to comment on the way he wrote his book. ASSIGNMENT 2 Write a critical book review of the course textbook: Samuel Kunhiyop (2004), African Christian Ethics. In the introduction Samuel describes the need for writing this book: Christian ethics is often regarded the same as Western ethics, but they are really not the same. The two have become confused because Western missionaries did not bring a true and honest gospel but one that is different from the true gospel. Students who should be studying African Christian ethics are too often busy with the wrong ethical theories coming from the West. What should be taught in African theological colleges is an ethics that is African, biblical and Christian. That is what this book seeks to give to its reader (Kunhiyop, 2004:8-10). We can find a lot of information on African Christian Ethics through the internet and there is a lot of information for Western churches to use. Hippo books are so popular that they are used by many publishers and are well known throughout the world. Some of the publishers like Zondervan and African publishing houses also make use of Hippo books. Hippo books create an environment for the learner or student to get acquainted with all sections of Theology. Hippo books have got information and theories of many of scholars who share their knowledge and experience with us. Hippo books have got a vision to help with the growth in all African churches so they can see their culture from an evangelical perspective. Hippo books also published African Christian Ethics which I am about to review (Davy, 2010). Samuel Waje Kunhiyop was previously the Professor of Theology and Ethics at ECWA Theological Seminary. He holds a Bachelor of Theology, Masters of Theology and PhD at Trinity International University, Illinois. Samuel Waje Kunhiyop was ordained by the Evangelical Church of West Africa as a minister. Currently he is one of the heads of the Postgraduate School at the South African Theological Seminary (Kunhiyop, 2004:4-5). The need for an interpretation of Christianity and all its aspects from an African point of view was necessary. One such aspect is the question of Christian ethics and how it is affected by Africa and its enormous cultural variety. Samuel identified the need to explore and explain the many questions that arose around the issue of African Christian ethics. According to Kunhiyop he started in his life seeking to find all information and truths about African Christianity. He studies for 8 years in Nigeria for his undergraduate theological training and another 7 years in the United States for his graduate theological training. In 1993 he went back to Nigeria and has been teaching now there for 11 years. Samuel is a great teacher of the Bible, Theology, Ethics and Philosophy. In 1994 he was teaching to a group of students and after finishing with them he asked the students What did you learn from this course? One of the students stood up and answered with the words nothing. Samuel was stu nned and because of that answer, he started to investigate and wanted to seek for the right answers. He realised that the information he gave through to the students did not pertain to them and their culture. He knew that he needed to do more for the students for them to succeed in life (Kunhiyop, 2004:8-9). If I can mention that it was very difficult to find the book in the library and Protea Bookshop gave an indication that it would take 10 weeks if I order the book. The book had to come from Kenya. When we look at the life of Samuel Waje Kunhiyop, we can see a Christian who believes in Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour. Although he did most of his studies overseas, he was born and raised in Africa. He wanted to help and assist African Christians struggling with their own situations and problems. He recognized that Africans, and even more so, African Christians, needed guidance in relation to the interpretation of their everyday personal problems within an ethical frame of reference (Kunhiyop, 2004:9). At first I didnt know what to make of the book African Christian Ethics. The book seemed extremely difficult to read, interpret and understand. Why might that be, I asked myself. Then I came to a conclusion. It was because I knew nothing about the Africans and their unique, intricate and diverse cultures. The only knowledge I have is about my own culture and roots. In Ethical Foundation: Section one Samuel Waje Kunhiyop explains what African morality and the African culture consists of (Kunhiyop, 2004:11). It is wonderful to read about my fellow African inhabitants within their interesting context. The songs they love to sing and the stories they love to tell. Then suddenly, the way of the African opens up to you and you begin to understand everything. The style in which the book has been written became much easier to read and interpret. As soon as I caught the drift of things, I enjoyed reading the book immensely. Samuel Waje Kunhiyop has done a lot of research to get to the truth. He also incorporated Biblical content to support his findings and to better explain the interpretation of these findings from a Christian point of view. At work my responsibilities include informing the soldiers about HIV and AIDS. With the knowledge that I gained from Samuels book I can now understand the African soldier better. It also helped me in building better relationships with the soldiers, as I better comprehend their training of thought and understanding of Christianity. Samuel Waje Kunhiyop, through this book, opened up the eyes of many people, scholars and foreigners, although I think there is many more to explore and more information to gain. In South Africa a lot of African people are still confused and do not have identity. I can see that when I work with the youth in South Africa. The youth are lacking the strong morals and values they need to become better human beings in their communities and societies. The content of this book is magnificent and I would definitely encourage other individuals to read it and apply it to future situations with the African cultures. Let us explore the content of the book in detail to grasp the crux of what Samuel Waje Kunhiyop want to explain to us. I believe Kunhiyops work is excellent and I want to give him all the credit for this book. The book is divided into two sections, section one: Ethical Foundations, Chapter one, two and three deals with the theory of ethics, while section two: Contemporary Ethical Issues, Chapter four to thirteen discusses practical issues. Issues that is so relevant that we can apply it in our daily lives. The issues are grouped in the following order, as given in the Table of content: Political Issues, Religious Issues, Medical Issues, Welfare Issues, Financial Issues, Witchcraft Issues, AIDS Issues, Marriage Issues, Sexual Issues and Reproductive Technologies. Each chapter begins with a general introduction followed by the chapters dealing with the specific issues in that area. Samuel does not go into a detailed debate regarding War, rather, he looks at the wars and conflicts in Africa and then examines the Bible to find an answer (Kunhiyop, 2004:2). Starting with Contemporary African ethics, we can see that the African society does believe in God as the highest order and as the sole creator of earth and mankind. Secondly they stand under the authority of spirits and ancestors who are the leaders and instructors of good and evil. The distinct differences between morality and ethics are not acknowledged as they experience it as one with their religion. These assumptions are only written on paper as there is no documentary proof of the history or origin thereof. The growing up and teaching or learning through the elderly and community by word of mouth is their reference in life. Most important is the tribe, community and family rules for belonging and not to be a single individual with his or her own set of rules and regulations. Believing in the spirits and the ancestors justifies certain actions as long as you dont get caught and therefore has a deterrent effect on your family or community. They also believe that you must keep th e spirits happy in order to be blessed and not to be cursed in life. Mostly the interaction between family (grandfathers, grandmothers, fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, cousins, nieces and nephews) and the community (neighbors, friends, etc.) is a vital link to the forming of the African cultural inheritance (Kunhiyop, 2004:11-28). Secondly, while Western ethics were founded and applied by numerous leaders of the Enlightenment eras, it had different positive as well as negative impacts on society. One example that has a negative impact on the biblical views of the religious community is the privacy factor where a woman has the sole right to apply abortion if she wishes to. Furthermore I do believe that technology is good for anybody except where it is applied have a negative result to humanity (Kunhiyop, 2004:29-46). The reading and understanding of African Christian Ethics was very difficult. Samuel makes mention of many authors and in text citing. The English language he used in Chapter three to point out his facts is confusing as to get the history facts straight. What I do understand from this Chapter is that Samuel writes that Christian theology is the backbone of African Christian ethics and that it will be useless if the Scriptures are not part of the guidance to the rules of African Christian ethics. The Black African Christian has a rule of ethics whereby their ancestors are always consulted and is a part and parcel of their decision making. Therefore in their ethics within certain issues they leave out God in certain other issues they consult Him. He explains that African ethics is deeply rooted in the soul and that it becomes personal, influencing the mind, heart, body and spirit of a person. If a family member has got an issue, that issue will affect the immediate family, as well as t heir distant relatives. It will influence those who are living and those who are dead, but still interested in the affairs of the living. To understand the community is to understand African ethics. This is a critical tool and must be used when studying African ethics. These ethics are developed in interaction with the past, the present and the future, nothing or nobody can be excluded. God, the spirits of the departed, the ancestors and good and evil will always have an enormous influence on the morality of the people. Why, because they are African and full of culture. Although the Bible does not support the doctrines of demons, evil spirits and witchcraft, many Christians are unaware of what the Bible teaches on the subject. Christians believe the Bible also serves as an authoritative moral influence, thus in Africa there is no such thing as an ethical system that has no practical and religious implications. There will always be principles or rules that guide behaviour. These prin ciples or rules are intertwined with practices of ethics and work nicely together (Kunhiyop, 2004:47-70). Samuel takes into account all the factors that are historically tied to the given topic and describes each problem in detail. In each problem he looks for a Biblical perspective on the issue, usually asking what the Old Testament says and what the New Testament says. This he does by also including the churchs response and the separate African churchs response before drawing an overall final conclusion. This method which he is using is effective because it keeps the Western reader aware of the differences between the West and Africa approach to ethical problems. The Western and traditional African understanding of ethics has affected the ethical thinking of Christians. We need to change our perspective of the church because the church is constantly growing and becoming stronger in other parts of the world. To conclude his thoughts Kunhiyop offers an outline for decision making. He based this outline on five important principles: God is the ultimate model of morality. The Scriptures pr ovide the only authority in matters of morality. Every aspect of life is subject to the laws of the Scriptures. The scriptures must be properly interpreted and the community of faith can provide support, responsibility and accountability. The world provides the boundaries in which we live out this morality and ethics (Kunhiyop, 2004). I really dont see any difference between Western Christian Ethics and African Christian Ethics. Kunhiyops point is actually what is underlying these ethics. Understanding the different world views on Christian ethics paves the way for Western churches to be influenced by and to have a greater influence on the African churches and their day to day functions. It is important for Christianity to overcome the barriers of culture and language. We are after all loved by Christ regardless of ethnicity and the limitations of the human race. I regard it important to note that even though the ethical values between the Western civilization and the African cultures are similar, the traditions within the set framework of each group changes the interpretation and thus also the outcome of the ethical concepts. It is in this idea that the key to unlocking Samuels thinking process lies. He understands, having been exposed to both African and Western culture, that these differences, however subtle so me may be, have an immense impact on the eventual interpretation of a persons set of ethical values. Christian ethics cannot be separated from its religious foundation. The important thing is that God requires something of man and that He stands ready to reward the obedience and punish violation. God has something to do with the very meaning of obligation. This book explains these issues well. The Western world is now faced with a choice: are we going to utilize the tools that will enable us to bridge the gap between two very different civilizations or are we going to sit back and do nothing? With the right understanding of Africans and how they interpret ethical values we can incorporate a set of Christian ethical values that will, without a doubt, benefit both parties (Kunhiyop, 2004). CONCLUSION The churches need to understand and interpret African Christian Ethics for them to survive in their communities. Let us think about this and understand where Kunhiyop comes from. Bibliography Davy T J 2010. HippoBooks African Evangelical Imprint. Online article: http://bibleandmission.wordpress.com/2010/01/19/hippobooks-african-evangelical-imprint/, 15/01/2009. Kunhiyop S W 2004. African Christian Ethics. United States of America: Hippo Books. INTRODUCTION Must Christians become involved in politics? In Romans 13:1-7 God is proclaiming that the government belongs to Him. God also tells us that we must follow the government of the day. Let us now try and establish a link between the church and the state. ASSIGNMENT 3 Evaluate the practical value and effectiveness of the four factors of change in the church and state relations. Political Factor Bishop Desmond Tutu exclaimed, Now I am going back to the church to do the real business of the church and leave politics to those well qualified to do it (Kumalo, 2009). When Nelson Mandela became the new president of South Africa that was then that there was an active democratic development in South Africa. Bishop Buthelezi also made the same statement on his farewell function. If we look at the church leaders we can see that most of these prominent leaders came from the political milieu and then go over to the church. On the other hand the other side of the coin is also true, church leaders sometimes also join departments and commissions. We dont know if what the two theologians above said, made the church to withdraw from politics, but they do make us to think about the church and their leaders in South Africa. The Sociological Factor It is true that Muslim politicians go to the Muslim community for their votes. In the Christian community the Christian politicians will go to the Christian community for their votes. The recent call by General Muhammadu Buhari from Nigeria that Muslims should vote only for Muslim candidates in the forthcoming elections in 2003 has generated a lot of controversy. It is important to understand why this is the case. The morality issue of Buhari could be defended from the point of view of his fundamental right. In other words, he has the freedom and fundamental right to take any position on any issue. The changing relationship between religious groups and the state opens up new challenges and new possibilities. More and more people of different religious groups are getting intertwined and use each other to accomplish goals (Kofarmata, 2009). The Economic Factor God has not called Christians just to work in the church, but however he has called us to get involved with all the economical issues in the world. In any case, God is in us and not just in the church. The gifts of the Holy Spirit that God has bestowed upon us and the calling from God, means getting involved in identifying the causes of poverty. We can address these problems and help the needy with the support of God. This means that it is not only the responsibility of the government, but a responsibility of the church. Christianity also means getting involved in politics so that the people can have a better life. Christians must try to create and provide on the job training for other people also encouraging them to find jobs. The African church specifically must get involved in politics and government. The church needs to educate their people so that everybody can make positive contributions to our country and government (Kunhiyop, 2004:74). The Religious Factor According to McCain (2008) the last two decades of the twentieth century have been known by for great explosion of Christian activity and Christian growth. Kunhiyop (2004:74) said: During the 1970s it was not uncommon to hear Christians, especially Christian youth, praying for the nation, which was believed to be under the forces of darkness. All night prayer meetings, fasting and prayers for the nation were common in the church and parachurch organisations such as the one mentioned above. I want to say that the above is true, but the opposite is also true and if we as Christians dont wake up, we are going to miss the opportunity to have an influence in politics. People all over the world still think that religion in politics is a negative and harmful issue that needs to be avoided. We really need to change the way people are thinking and acting in our country. We need to have transformation in our religion, having some objective value that can guide us. If we look at our political leaders when they speak, we must be able to say they are right or wrong, not from a political perspective, but from a religious perspective. The scriptures that we use must be not white or black, but the scriptures of the Holy Word of God. It is the absence of religion in politics that creates this huge gap in our society. We really have to be critical in this analysis. What are we going to do as a nation? Can a nation return to God? I think the question is, can we as a nation rise above our racial and discrimination issues and form one church? If black and white churches unite and stand together, the prayer and fasting for our nation will come back. The youth in this country will stand together and fight for religion and not for politics (MCain, 2008). Distinguish between the concepts state, government, politics and church. State A State is a self-governing political driven place. A state has territory which has internationally recognised boundaries and sometimes there can be quarrels over boundaries. A state has got the following in it: People that are staying and living there permanently. A strong or weak economic structure. A government that must supply things like police services and public services. A state can enter into relations with other states. A state is a nation? Where there is a state there is a nation? Governments can change but a state can stay static and not change for a very long time. Most of the States have sovereignty over their countries so that other states cant interfere. In Somalia this very same thing happened due to civil war. Somalia was part of the internal strife and because it had little authority outside Afghanistan, Somalia collapsed (Global Policy, nd). Government A government can be seen as a body within the community or an organisation that makes and enforce the laws, rules and regulations. A government is committed to the promotion and protection of human rights and human dignity. They are there to establish a society based on democratic values and social justice. The government must lay the foundation for a democratic and open society which is based on the will of people and where every citizen is equally protected by law. They definitely have to improve the quality of life of all the people supporting the government of that day. It is necessary to construct a culture of peace and replacing a culture of violence and disregard for human life. For me, this is what a government must consist of (Kunhiyop, 2004:77). Politics Politics is a need for the general public to have a representative in places other than the ordinary home or workplace. Candidates make themselves available to be elected through votes so that they can represent the people in different public and government organisations (Wikipedia, 2010). Church A church is a Christian religious organisation made up of a congregation, its members and clergy. The religious body is organised with constitutions and laws so that the church can function well. Churches often belong to a broader tradition within the Christian religion, like the Dutch Reformed church, sharing in a sense a history, culture and doctrinal rules with other church (Davies, 2009). Renwick and Harman (1958) said the following with regards to the church: Here we see the fulfillment of our Lords words that, although His kingdom was like a grain of mustard seed, it would yet become a great tree sheltering the birds of the air (Luke 13:19). The small and apparently weak church became a mighty organisation known throughout the earth. Its history shows its moral grandeur; it shows, too, certain defects arising from human weakness and the love of worldly pomp and power contrary to the spirit of the Master. We