History of the Pharisees in Christianity

History of the Pharisees in Christianity Much of what is known about the Pharisees arguably comes from Biblical sources, specifically from the Christian tradition. There were many instances in the Gospels when Jesus was confronted by the Pharisees and vice versa. For the Pharisees, the â€Å"meticulous observance of the Torah and its commandments †¦ reflects the highest form of divine service.†1 From this perspective the self-righteous stance of the Pharisees is very much evident and it is contrasted with the humility exhibited by the common people of that era.2Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on History of the Pharisees in Christianity specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The Pharisees are hated and reviled by those who condemn a narrow-minded approach to applying traditions. But a close examination of their history and belief system will reveal that they are not evil people and that they have many things in common with religious conservative s of today. There are those who may read the Christian Bible and make the conclusion that the Pharisees were the top religious party when it comes to Judaism but there are those who argue that this group were simply one of the several sects â€Å"each of limited membership, competing for the attention of the unaffiliated majority.†3 Nevertheless, a conservative assessment of the extent of their power and influence had to give way to the realization that the Pharisees were â€Å"the largest and ultimately most influential of all the sects present during the 1st century.4 Nevertheless, the group’s rise to prominence was due in part to the spirit of the times when the masses wanted to break free from the oppression of the Roman Empire and the lack of satisfaction they felt with their religion. Furthermore, scholars like Smith pointed out the necessity of entrusting the Jewish population to the control of the Pharisees after the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD also expl ains their rise to power even after the time of Christ.5 Thus, it can be argued that the religious and political party of the Sadducees was established first. Afterwards the Pharisees came into the picture in the hopes of instituting reforms in Jewish society. They strengthened their position so that they were able to overshadow the Sadducees in later years so much so that â€Å"the active period of Pharasaism, the most influential movement in the development of Orthodox Judaism, extended well into the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD.6 But during time of Christ the Pharisees were on equal footing with the Sadducees. If the politics of 1st century Jewish society can be reduced to two dominant parties then the Sadducees and the Pharisees takes the top two positions.Advertising Looking for research paper on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Before going any further it is important to pinpoint the early begin nings of Pharisaism and the emergence of the Pharisees. There are scholars who believe that the rise of the Pharisees can be traced back to the return of the Judean exiles from Babylon.7 It was during this period when the Pentateuch was canonized.8 The breakaway group was steadily formed when certain Jews lament the fact that not all the laws practiced by before the Babylonian captivity were included in the Pentateuch. The Sadducees – the political party of the high priesthood – cannot accept any teaching or rule that cannot be found in the Pentateuch or the written law.9 It is easy to understand why the Sadducees would not give in because in their mind, traditions and the written code are the basis for any action or decision-making process. There is stability to traditions and there is a level of certainty when one adheres to something that has been in use for hundreds of years. In other words the Sadducees founded their belief system on the written law while the Phar isees wanted to expand the scope to include both written and oral laws. The Sadducees are in a formidable position because they can point to Moses as the giver of laws. Furthermore, the written law that they have covers a broad spectrum of social, religious and moral issues. The Pharisees, however, insisted that the oral laws are as important as the written laws because the oral laws clearly explain the spirit of the law. The Pharisees did not conjure these ideas out of thin air; using the written law they were able to prove that indeed oral laws must be used side-by-side with the written law. Consider the following examples: In the book of Jeremiah it is stated that when the prophet bought a field from Hanamel he wrote a deed in the presence of witnesses who affixed their signatures. There is no mention in the Pentateuch of the requirement of a deed and witness in the transfer of a real property. In the book of II Kings we learn that if a man did not pay his debts his creditors had the right to take him into servitude. If he died and left the debt unpaid the creditor could enslave his children †¦ it is stated in the book of Haggai that God told the prophet to examine the priests on the laws of sanctity and impurity. These two laws are not found in the Pentateuch.10 The examples given provide a clear overview as to why the Pharisees insisted on the importance of the oral laws and to be respected as having equal importance as the written law. If the oral laws that were found in the book of Jeremiah, II Kings and Haggai are indeed part of a collection of oral laws that was intentionally lost after the canonization of the Pentateuch, then there is good reason for the emergence of the Pharisees. The examples given cover social and religious aspects of Jewish life.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on History of the Pharisees in Christianity specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Therefore it ca n be argued that without the aid of oral laws the Jews would then have to contend with their present situation using laws that are antiquated because these were established during the time of Moses and several centuries removed from the circumstances surrounding 1st century Judaism. It does not mean that the written law was not able to resolve many of the problems of Jewish contemporary society but a close examination of the oral laws mentioned earlier reveals the importance of oral laws when it comes to providing information to correctly interpret the Pentateuch and helps in the application of the written law. Consider for instance the circumstances surrounding Judea during the time of Christ. It was vastly different from the circumstances that surrounded Moses and his mission to rescue slaves from Egypt and bring them to their ultimate destination. In the first century AD the Jews had to contend with an occupying force that threatened to transform their religion and culture with a n equally powerful force which was the Greco-Roman culture. Based on the historical background provided it is now easier to understand why the Pharisees had to form another religious party to oppose the Sadducees. In a time of national crisis, it was imperative to have a clear and full understanding of the law. The Pharisees believed that it can only be achieved if the Jews study both the written and oral laws. In other words the Sadducees view the Pentateuch as a core foundation that every legal and moral statute can be hinged on. The Pharisees on the other hand sees it differently, in their opinion it is an incomplete set of laws and without the balancing effect of the second part (oral laws) they can never be assured that they are truly obedient to the laws of God. The Pharisees’ insistence for Jews to observe oral laws goes beyond the need to deal with the contemporary society. In the book of Haggai and oral law regarding purification and impurity was mentioned. If one on ly values the Pentateuch then it is easy to forget the statute embedded in the book of Haggai because it is not found in the written law. However, the issue mentioned there is of grave importance to the Pharisees because it talks about purity. In other words the Pharisees could never feel the assurance that they have carefully observed the laws of God if they will only rely on the written law. They needed both.Advertising Looking for research paper on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Conclusion For many people the Pharisees are nothing more than religious fanatics. Their many confrontations with Jesus Christ revealed the dark side of this particular religious party. But upon closer examination of the historical data, one tends to agree that the Pharisees simply wanted to obey the laws of God. Their insistence to observe both the written and oral law is not based on the desire to create something new. They contended that contemporary society has to be guided by oral laws and the written law. The oral laws provide insight into the application of written law. But more importantly the Pharisees believed that Jews cannot have the assurance that they have carefully observed the laws of God if they neglect the oral laws. Bibliography Cadbury, Henry. â€Å"Review: Christianity’s Treatment of the Pharisees.† The Journal of Religion 9 no. 2 (1929): 299-302. Goodblatt, D. â€Å"The Place of the Pharisees in First Century Judaism: The State of the Debate.â₠¬  Journal for the Study of Judaism 20 no. 1 (2004): 12-30. Skeel Jr., David. â€Å"What were Jesus and the Pharisees Talking About when they talked about the Law?† Journal of Law and Religion 23 no.1 (2007): 141-146. Pharisee, Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2011, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Pharisee Zeitlin, Solomon. â€Å"The Pharisees: A Historical Study.† The Jewish Quarterly Review 52 no.2 (1961): 97-129. Footnotes 1 David Skeel, Jr., â€Å"What were Jesus and the Pharisees Talking About when they talked about the Law?† Journal of Law and Religion 23 no.1 (2007): 141. 2 Henry Cadbury, â€Å"Review: Christianity’s Treatment of the Pharisees,† The Journal of Religion 9 no. 2 (1929): 300. 3 D. Goodblatt, â€Å"The Place of the Pharisees in First Century Judaism: The State of the Debate,† Journal for the Study of Judaism 20 no. 1 (2004): 13. 4 Goodblatt, 13 5 Ibid. 6 â€Å"Pharisee,† Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2011 7 Ibid. 8 Solomon Zeitlin, â€Å"The Pharisees: A Historical Study,† The Jewish Quarterly Review 52 no.2 (1961): 100 9 Pharisee. 10 Zeitlin, 100

The Timeline for the End of the Roman Republic

The Timeline for the End of the Roman Republic This  timeline uses the Gracchi brothers attempt at reform as the starting point and ends when the Republic has given way to the Empire as evidenced by the rise of the first Roman emperor. The Gracchi brothers were  Tiberius Gracchus and Gaius Gracchus. The two  of them were politicians who represented the commoners in the Roman government. The brothers were progressive activists interested in land reforms to benefit the poor. In the 2nd century B.C,  the two  of them  tried to reform Romes social and political structure to help the lower classes.  Events surrounding the politics of the Gracchi led to the decline and eventual fall of the Roman Republic. Overlaps in Roman History Since beginnings and ends overlap, the final entries of this timeline could also be looked at as the beginning of the succeeding era of Roman history, the Imperial period. The beginning of the final period of Republican Rome likewise overlaps the middle of the Roman Republican period. The  End of the Roman Republic   133 B.C. Tiberius Gracchus tribune 123 - 122 B.C. Gaius Gracchus tribune 111 - 105 B.C. Jugurthine War 104 - 100 B.C. Marius consul. 90 - 88 B.C. Social War 88 B.C. Sulla and the First Mithridatic War 88 B.C. Sullas march on Rome with his army. 82 B.C. Sulla becomes dictator 71 B.C. Crassus crushes Spartacus 71 B.C. Pompey defeats Sertorius' rebellion in Spain 70 B.C. Consulship of Crassus and Pompey 63 B.C. Pompey defeats Mithridates 60 B.C. First Triumvirate: Pompey, Crassus, Julius Caesar 58 - 50 B.C. Caesar conquers Gaul 53 B.C. Crassus killed in (battle) of Carrhae 49 B.C. Caesar crosses the Rubicon 48 B.C. Pharsalus (battle); Pompey killed in Egypt 46 - 44 B.C. Caesars dictatorship 44 B.C. End of Civil War 43 B.C. Second Triumvirate: Marc Antony, Lepidus, Octavian 42 B.C. Philippi (battle) 36 B.C. Naulochus (battle) 31 B.C. Actium (battle) 27 B.C. Octavian emperor

Grow and development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Grow and development - Essay Example The relationship between a parent and child is essential during this period because as an individual shifts from the role of dependent to assume the role of an adult, the dynamics of the family changes. Therefore, parents should accept the status of their child as an adult. Another important feature of this period is that young adults normally develop the feeling of self-definition and lost-identity (Arnett, 2006). Due to this, majority of young adult tend to obtain their self-identity and worth via external success. Emerging adulthood is characterized by age of many possibilities in that they have a conviction that they have good opportunities to live good lives than their parents did. Emerging adulthood is different from adolescent stage in the sense that during adolescence phase, teenagers need to develop personal identity. In this phase, success will always lead to the capability to stay true to oneself while failure is feared because it is linked with lack of self-identity and role confusion. Contrary, emerging adults have a strong sense of self-identity in that they need to establish loving and intimate relationships with those people around them. Further, success in their careers leads to feeling of hope of bright future while failure is associated with isolation and loneliness (Arnett, 2006). During physical development, young and emerging adults face shift in the shape of their bodies and brain structure that is responsible for roles such as planning, self-control, and judgment. Physical changes that take place affect major changes in cognitive and social attainment. The main tasks during the physical developmental stage are how to manage the changes that occur and their influence on subsequent social relationships and behaviors (Arnett, 2006). Cognitive development helps young adults to develop into responsible people in managing their lives. For instance, they are in a position to manage their problems and education

Just War Theory Concept Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Just War Theory Concept - Case Study Example Just war defines war as a situation where parties have to fight back based on various conditions. This includes having a just cause. This means that parties need to have just reasons for going to war. (DeForrest, 1997) Throughout history, human beings have continued to engage in war at different times for different reasons. Human beings have used war as a method of solving conflicts, yet, at the same time, war has been condemned by human beings as unnecessary. Accordingly, though the war has been a continued to be part of human history, human beings have always tried to reduce the extent of war by which the war may be fought. (DeForrest, 1997) Over the past, the question of when is war "justified" and which methods are suitable for a war has raised a vast deal of assessment. The great examination of the question has lead to the concept of just war to try and explain the when military action is justified. Just war theory has been accepted in many countries as the way in which just war may be determined. According to Wells (1996) he argues that war is justified if it is fought in reaction to aggression. The aggression can be directed to another state or towards a region of another state, threatening the political independence of that particular state. Despite the diverse sources in the formulation of just war theory, it basically has two basic major issues in regard to legitimizing a war. The first basic issue termed as "jus ad bellum" a Latin term meaning right or just to resort to war, which relates to when it is proper to get engaged in war. The second fundamental issue, jus de Bello determines the justified methods of warfare within a war.

Advantages and Disadvantages of the Experimental Design Essay Example for Free

Advantages and Disadvantages of the Experimental Design Essay Advantages and Disadvantages of the Experimental Design Advantages: * As well as controlling the independent variable the experimenter attempts to eliminate unwanted extraneous variables. * Control over extraneous variables is usually greater than in other research methods. * Experimental design involves manipulating the independent variable to observe the effect on the dependent variable. This makes it possible to determine a cause and effect relationship. Because of strict conditions and control the experimenter can set up the experiment again and repeat or ‘check’ their results. Replication is very important as when similar results are obtained this gives greater confidence in the results. Disadvantages: * Elimination of extraneous variables is not always possible. * Experimental situation may not relate to the real world. * It may be unethical or impossible to randomly assign people to groups. Eg. : Unethical to deliberately deprive children of sleep. * Impossible (expensive) to observe ‘jetlag’ by sending people on world trips. * Unethical to experiment on forms of punishment on children by subjecting them to punishment. * Advantages and Diadvantages of the Quantitative Observational Design. Advantages: * Quantitative observational designs allow variables to be investigated that would be unethical, impossible or too costly under an experimental design. Some kinds of behaviour can only be observed in a naturalistic setting. Disadvantages: * Cannot infer such a strong cause and effect relationship because there is or greater chance of other variables affecting the results. This is due to the lack of random assignment to groups. * Cannot replicate the findings as the same situation will not occur naturally again. * Quantitative Observational does not allow generalisation of findings to the general population. * Observer bias may influence the results.

Advertising: Information or Manipulation? Essay -- Marketing Business

Advertising: Information or Manipulation? In today’s difficult economy who can afford to spend their hard-earned money carelessly? Americans want good quality and low prices, and businesses that advertise their product make saving money possible. Advertising was created for one reason, so businesses could make known their product (Black, Hashimzade, and Myles). Some consumers may argue that advertising is not informative, but that it is manipulative because some advertisements make false claims. Fortunately, there are regulations and consumer rights that promote truth in advertising. Consumers must embrace their rights to keep advertising the way it is meant to be. Advertising is meant to be informative and not manipulative, and consumers play a great role in promoting truth in advertising. Advertising in America was created when businesses wanted to attract customers by providing information about their product or service (Black, Hashimzade, and Myles). Advertising has been used for many centuries, and was even used during the American Revolutionary War, 1775-1783. Businesses used different advertising techniques such as posters and signs to provide consumers with information about their products, and to persuade them to buy American. Before the war, Americans received their goods on ships from England. The American colonies won the war and became the United States of America. Now it was important for Americans to build a strong American economy (Milton 9). Even today American’s are partial to anything that says, â€Å"Made in America.† The economy thrives because of consumerism, so if advertising brings in more businesses than Americans benefit as well. Americans continue to benefit from the use of product and s... ...dleton, Kent R., Robert Trager, and Bill F. Chamberlain. The Law of Public Communication. 5th ed. Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 2002. 299-341. Print. Milton, Bess. Advertising. New York: Children’s Press, 2004. 9. Print. Mitra, Anu, Mary Anne Raymond, and Christopher D. Hopkins. â€Å"Can Consumers Recognize Misleading Content in a Media Rich Online Environment?.† Psychology & Marketing 25.7 (2008): 655-674. Business Source Complete. ESBCO. Web. 27 Oct. 2010. pdfviewer?vid=4&hid=13&sid=6735641b-1986-4a51-857c-c7676ec5d556%40sessionmgr12>. NAD Review. The Advertising Industry’s Process of Self-Regulation. Council of Better Business Bureaus. 08 Mar. 2010. Web. 27 Oct. 2010. . â€Å"The Pepsi Cola Story.† Pepsi. PepsiCo, n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2010. . Advertising: Information or Manipulation? Essay -- Marketing Business Advertising: Information or Manipulation? In today’s difficult economy who can afford to spend their hard-earned money carelessly? Americans want good quality and low prices, and businesses that advertise their product make saving money possible. Advertising was created for one reason, so businesses could make known their product (Black, Hashimzade, and Myles). Some consumers may argue that advertising is not informative, but that it is manipulative because some advertisements make false claims. Fortunately, there are regulations and consumer rights that promote truth in advertising. Consumers must embrace their rights to keep advertising the way it is meant to be. Advertising is meant to be informative and not manipulative, and consumers play a great role in promoting truth in advertising. Advertising in America was created when businesses wanted to attract customers by providing information about their product or service (Black, Hashimzade, and Myles). Advertising has been used for many centuries, and was even used during the American Revolutionary War, 1775-1783. Businesses used different advertising techniques such as posters and signs to provide consumers with information about their products, and to persuade them to buy American. Before the war, Americans received their goods on ships from England. The American colonies won the war and became the United States of America. Now it was important for Americans to build a strong American economy (Milton 9). Even today American’s are partial to anything that says, â€Å"Made in America.† The economy thrives because of consumerism, so if advertising brings in more businesses than Americans benefit as well. Americans continue to benefit from the use of product and s... ...dleton, Kent R., Robert Trager, and Bill F. Chamberlain. The Law of Public Communication. 5th ed. Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 2002. 299-341. Print. Milton, Bess. Advertising. New York: Children’s Press, 2004. 9. Print. Mitra, Anu, Mary Anne Raymond, and Christopher D. Hopkins. â€Å"Can Consumers Recognize Misleading Content in a Media Rich Online Environment?.† Psychology & Marketing 25.7 (2008): 655-674. Business Source Complete. ESBCO. Web. 27 Oct. 2010. pdfviewer?vid=4&hid=13&sid=6735641b-1986-4a51-857c-c7676ec5d556%40sessionmgr12>. NAD Review. The Advertising Industry’s Process of Self-Regulation. Council of Better Business Bureaus. 08 Mar. 2010. Web. 27 Oct. 2010. . â€Å"The Pepsi Cola Story.† Pepsi. PepsiCo, n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2010. .

Reflections on ‘How To Think Like Leonardo da Vinci’

After reading the 322 page How To Think Like Leonardo da Vinci book written by Michael Gelb, I felt a new world of insights rush into me.   I fell into an in-depth appreciation of Leonardo da Vinci’s genius!Although many critics say that Leonardo da Vinci was a failure particularly due to the fact that a lot of his works were left unfinished, I believe otherwise.   He was a great man who attempted to delve into a multitude of fields.He was an architect, sculptor, painter, inventor, tactician and strategist, mathematician, and a scientist, but only to mention some.   His ideas were truly far beyond his time, and if only his ideas were properly publicized it would have made a greater impact earlier on in history.I realized that in each of us lies the potential to be a genius.   To quote the author, ‘the human mind is more powerful than we think it is.’   As an art teacher, this perspective in dealing with students is important in order to fully cultivate, as well as appreciate, the students’ potentials.The Seven Da Vincian Principles were enlightening.   Through the exercises provided to develop each principle, I was able to get in touch with myself again, my beliefs, my dreams, and in the process of being connected with myself, I was given a chance to view my career as an art teacher in a refreshing perspective.The Seven Da Vincian Principles:CuriositaCuriosita is an insatiably curious approach, and this continuous quest for learning is the powerhouse of the Da Vincian spirit.   I realized how important it is to always ask why, why, and why.   Following the exercise, and after listing down questions that are significant to me and contemplating on them, I realized I have a lot I want to learn, and a lot I still want to understand.   I was once again contemplating the meaning of life.In the study of art, I believe the spirit of curiosita is important in the quest to improve one’s skills.   I thought about some questions.   What is aesthetically pleasing?   Why?   And most importantly, how can I make art that is truly aesthetically pleasing?DimostrazioneDimostrazione is a commitment to test knowledge through experience, persistence, and a willingness to learn from mistakes.   The exercises in this section led me to recheck my beliefs, why I believed them, and whether they are valid or not.   Are those beliefs truly mine, or are they simply influenced upon me by society?   Are these beliefs actually wrong?   For that matter, are the standards I have for measuring art truly mine or merely dictated upon me, are they truly the best standards to measure art?   These are the questions that were brought to me.SenzazioneSensazione is the continual refinement of the senses as the means to enliven experience.   Leonardo stated that the average human ‘looks without seeing, listens without hearing, touches without feeling, eats without tasting, moves without physical awareness, inhales without awareness of odour or fragrance, and talks without thinking' and I believe that this is true, to some extent, it even applies to myself.   The exercises here provided a very enjoyable experience.   In this section of the book, it is shown how important it is to be aware of the minute details that our senses tell me—the feel of clothes against my skin, the taste of something really delectable melting in my mouth, the soft sound of heartbeat in my ears.   Beauty can be found in such experience, though how simple the experience may be.   It is from the appreciation of such experience that wonderful ideas of art can come from.   I especially enjoyed delving into the exercise of answering the question ‘if you could bite into the music, what would it taste like?’   as this tries to express one type of sense in terms of another.SfumatoSfumato develops a willingness to embrace ambiguity, paradox, and uncertainty.   Sfumato literally means à ¢â‚¬Å"turn to mist†, which describes the hazy quality of paintings of Leonardo.   From here, I learned that it uncertainty is not necessarily a negative aspect.   In fact, it can be used to enhance art, as Leonardo did.It was in this section that Gelb mentioned how Leonardo would spend his day apparently doing nothing, instead of painting what was tasked to him.   In Leonardo’s words, ‘the greatest geniuses sometimes accomplish more when they work less.'   This is called incubation, and I believe this is true as I have also experienced something similar.   Incubation is most effective when alternating, as Leonardo did, between periods of intense focused work and rest.   Without periods of intense focused work, there is nothing to be incubated.Arte/ScienzaArte/Scienza is whole brain thinking, and the development of the balance between science and art, logic and imagination.   It is important not only to explore the art, but also to learn the science b ehind the art.   Thus, development should not only be in the side of creativity, but also on the side of logic.CorporalitaCorporalita is the cultivation of grace, ambidexterity, fitness, and poise.   It is here that Leonardo emphasizes for us to be healthy.   He warns against anger, and tells us to avoid grievous moods, to rest our head and keep our minds cheerful, to be covered well at night, exercise moderately, eat simple and chew well.   When we are fit, we are at our full potential to be creative.   Also, it is important that we develop not only one side of our body, but both.   In painting, it may be a useful exercise to try to paint with the other, less dominant hand.ConnessioneConnessione is a recognition of and appreciation for the interconnectedness of all things and phenomena.   It emphasizes a systems way of thinking.   A number of scholars have criticized Leonardo for the disorder of his notebooks because he scrawled notes in a random fashion.   But Mi chael Gelb believes that Leonardo's sense of connectedness was so all embracing that his observations were equally valid however they were related to one another.   He saw how everything connected to everything else.I believe this was part of his creativity.   He did not let himself be limited to any rule or order in writing his notes, so he was free to jot down his ideas without anything to hinder him.ReferencesGelb, M. (1998).   How to think like Leonardo Da Vinci:   Seven steps to genius every day.   DellPublishing.

External causes for Enron to collapse Essay

1) Deregulation Deregulation of the U.S. energy industry made possible Enron’s emergence as a major corporation, but also ultimately may have contributed to its collapse. The company successfully seized the opportunity created by deregulation to create a new business as a market maker in natural gas and other commodities. Enron successfully influenced policymakers to exempt the company from various regulatory rules, for example in the field of energy derivatives. This allowed Enron to enter various trading markets with virtually no government oversight. Arguably, regulation might have prevented Enron from taking some of the risks and making some of the mistakes which it did. While deregulation may initially have helped Enron, by allowing it to create and enter new markets, it later hurt the company by removing the very restraints that might have kept it from becoming fatally overextended. 2) Lax regulatory enforcement Arguably, government regulatory agencies failed to exercise sufficient oversight or to enforce the rules that were on the books. Regulatory bodies that failed to enforce the rules governing Enron’s actions included the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), and the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFEC). 3) Weak and ambiguous accounting standards Hindsight makes it fairly clear that the accounting standards promulgated by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) were too weak and too ambiguous with respect to the complex trading transactions and financial structures that Enron established and operated. Two areas stand out as ones of particular concern. First, the rules apparently permitted the widespread use of market-to-market (MTM) accounting in areas for which it was not originally intended. Second, the 3 percent rule for outside ownership of SPEs was arguably too low to maintain genuine independence. An underlying issue was that corporate practice (e.g., sophisticated online trading of complex financial derivatives) had outpaced the work of the rules makers,  leading to the application of rules in situations for which they were not originally designed. 4) A lack of independence on the part of the company’s auditors and law firms working for the company A key external issue was conflict of interest on the part of accounting and law firms working for Enron. Arthur Andersen, the company’s accounting firm, arguably had a conflict of interest in that Arthur Andersen provided both external audit services and internal consulting for Enron. If Arthur Andersen were to challenge the propriety of Enron’s financial statements in its annual audit, it ran the risk of jeopardizing its lucrative consulting and â€Å"inside† accounting work for its client. Moreover, relations between the two firms were unusually close, possibly undermining Arthur Andersen’s objectivity and independence. Similarly, Vinson & Elkins, Enron’s outside law firm, was seemingly under pressure not to question the legality of the Special Purpose Entities (SPEs) too closely, since Enron was a major client of the firm. 5) Inadequate campaign finance and lobbyist rules. Enron made extensive legal use of various techniques of political influence, including engaging the services of lobbyists, making extensive contributions to political campaigns, particularly using soft money, and hiring former government officials. One of the external causes, then, may have been campaign finance and other rules that permitted such legal exercise of corporate influence in policymaking. 6) Weak stakeholder oversight. A case can be made that external stakeholders–especially large institutional investors such as pension and mutual funds–failed to exercise due diligence. These institutional investors were happy to make handsome returns on their extensive investments in Enron in the late 1990s, but failed to become actively involved in corporate governance at the company until it was  too late.

The Chrysalids by John Wyndham

The Chrysalids by John Wyndham Free Online Research Papers The title â€Å"The Chrysalids† signifies that it is a novel about change. The word â€Å"chrysalid† is related to the word â€Å"chrysalis†, which means â€Å"the form which butterflies, moths, and most other insects assume when they change from the state of larva or caterpillar and before they arrive at their winged or perfect state†. Or in simpler terms, it is the state where the caterpillar does most, if not all, of its change into a butterfly. Change can happen anywhere, whether it be in a physical form, such as the caterpillar turning into a butterfly, or evolution of entire species; a mental state, for instance a deeper comprehension of an emotion, or an education towards acceptance and understanding; or in a social environment, for example the abolishment of slavery and the non-discriminatory laws. Change is almost inevitable, fore it is the driving force of life. With out change life could not adapt to its surroundings and survive. If change were to stop, then life would become meaningless. The Earth would be the same if there was life with no change, than if there was no life at all. Generally when people ponder about the notion change, they think about a process where a thing transforms into a better version of itself. While change is usually associated with evolution, it can sometimes be the complete opposite. Change can happen for the worse, though it is seldom seen. With life comes change, and though in The Chrysalids some change is not for the better, character, environment and the community all slowly develop into something else. David changes a lot throughout the novel The Chrysalids. Many things in his life have shaped him, but the most significant is Sophie and the many promises he made as a young boy. The caterpillar stage for David is when he was a young boy. He goes into his chrysalis when he meets Sophie since that is the day his mind begins to change. Sophie was David’s best friend, and he soon found out that she was in fact a mutant because of her miniscule sixth toe. David, being a young boy, did not think much of the mutation. Although David was raised to believe that mutants were a frightful thing, he thought that â€Å"there was nothing frightful about Sophie† (pg. 14) because he got to know Sophie before he knew about the mutation. He thought that if Sophie, â€Å"an ordinary girl† (pg. 14), were to be â€Å"hateful in the sight of God† (pg. 13) than â€Å"there must be a mistake somewhere† (pg. 14) in his religion. Sophie’s mother made David pr omise not to tell anyone about Sophie’s sixth toe. Sophie’s mother said that if anybody were to find out about Sophie â€Å"they’d be terribly unkind to her† (pg. 12). David knew that they would be unkind to her because of her sixth toe, but he did not comprehend why so many people would hate such a little toe, and how such a little toe can cause so much anxiety. When he was a little older he found out that he was also â€Å"abnormal† because of his telepathic powers. Once while sending thought shapes he was caught by his uncle, Axel, and was asked what he was doing. David briefly explained what he was doing and the whole concept of thought shapes. Luckily, Uncle Axel was David’s friend and was unsure of the image of man. Uncle Axel, knowing the kind of society he and David live in, makes David promise not to tell anyone else about his gift. Uncle Axel says to David: Just after that promise, uncle Axel makes David promise that he will â€Å"never do it out loud anymore†(pg. 31) so that the risk of being caught is reduced. Through these promises to Sophie’s mother and Uncle Axel, David becomes aware that he is different and as he grows from a boy into a man, he realizes that he must hide his thought shapes from society so that he can survive. He knows that not all deviations are harmful, like his society would want him to believe. His thoughts about his society have never been the same after the promises. In his chrysalis, David spoke with his uncle Axel about the places beyond his town. Uncle Axel was a sailor, so he tells David of all the strange stories he heard from other sailors. Strange stories of lands where women do all the work and eat the men when they are 24 years old, places where heads of corn grow taller than small trees, where very strange plants grow that could not be classified as anything normal. David learns about people on other lands who think they are the true image of man and persecute and kill anyone who is different. These stories about the people in far off lands from Uncle Axel show David that everyone has their own image, and no one knows for sure if their definition is correct. It teaches David to question things that people tell him, rather than just accept them. It also teaches David that even though a group of people want you to believe something, like the true image of man, it does not make it true. This shows David that he could actually be the true image. Near the end of the novel, David is ready to emerge from his chrysalis as a man whose hardships has changed him into an entirely new person. While change is happening in David’s life, Waknuk, the main town in the book, is changing environmentally. Waknuk is town that is run by its religion. It wants to â€Å"keep pure the stock of the Lord† (pg. 18), so they actively root out differences in plants and animals, which are called deviations, and destroy them. Abnormalities in humans are labelled abominations and are also punished by sterilization and banishment. Many of the residents of Labrador believe that God sent Tribulation to kill the Old People because the Old People thought that they were superior to Him. Through hints in the book one can conclude that Labrador is actually the province of Labrador in Canada, the Old People they are referring to are us and tribulation was a nuclear holocaust that killed almost everything on the earth, the â€Å"tribulation† that was nearest to them was probably a nuclear bomb dropped somewhere in the centrals of this can be seen after the Hiroshima bomb. In Hiroshima, after the Atomic Bomb was dropped, babies around the area were being born with no hair or no finger nails. A nuclear bomb that is many times larger than the atomic bomb would give of many times more radiation and cause more severe mutation. A nuclear blast would turn land black because of the mass explosion. The places that glow at night are caused by the nuclear radiation given off by the explosion and the plutonium used in nuclear bombs. Nothing would grow because the radiation would either kill everything or make plants and animals sterile so they cannot reproduce. The fish in the sea would die because of radiation and water contamination. Another example of how the environment is changing is that David commented on how people think that Labrador used to be a cold place in the time of the Old People. David also said that â€Å"there are only two cold months in the year now† (pg. 39). Immense heat from nuclear blast would warm the environment. Climate change would probably follow because a giant nuclear blast would send smoke and gas into the atmosphere and the gases would act like a greenhouse and warm the earth. When David was talking with uncle Axel he said that: A nuclear bomb dropped somewhere in the central-eastern US would send radiation into the air, so a south-west wind would bring up the radiation and cause deviations. For the environment, the caterpillar stage was the time of the Old People. The chrysalis form was during the nuclear holocaust when the environment was rapidly changing. The environment finally emerged into a place that caused genetic mutations and was really unhealthy and unsafe to any life form, which is the complete opposite from when it began. One can say that the environment has fully emerged from its chrysalis, however, over time the environment will slowly return back to normal. So once the environment has emerged from its first chrysalis, it will spend some time as its current form then it will go into a second chrysalis. Inside the second chrysalis the environment will go through several changes that will reverse all the harm done to it. It will finally emerge out of the second chrysalis as a healthy envi ronment, the contrary of what it was like before the second chrysalis, but the same from before the first chrysalis. The environment has not changed for the better during its transformation, although it will undergo another alteration and change back into what it was before. The community of Labrador is also changing, but not in a physical sense. The views of the community are changing. The views that used to be a conservative, very religious and one-sided, the side of the church, type of thinking changed into republican, fore-profit, and half opened minded type of thinking. The great horses are a perfect example of this change. David’s father, Joseph Strorm, was appalled about the horses his neighbour had imported from the main city, Rigo. Joseph argued that while the horses can be used to bring in a higher profit by doing twice or thrice the work than regular horses and consume less feed than two regular horses, they should be killed because â€Å"a horse that size is not right† (pg. 37) and that â€Å"God never made horses the size of these† (pg. 36). He argues with the inspector, but says he cannot do anything because they are â€Å"government-approved† (pg. 36). During Joseph’s argument with the inspector, h e says: Another great example of the how the views of generations differ is that the government chooses to sterilize and banish abominations instead of killing them. While David was talking with Jacob, an elder around Waknuk, he found Jacob was raging about how the government is becoming less and less religious and more like trying to please everyone. Jacob was saying that a generation ago mutants were killed like other deviations. Not just killed, but burnt. David was shocked. David’s generation was brought up thinking that only â€Å"crops and stock† (pg. 88) were burnt, and mutants were sterilized and banished to the Fringes. Jacob saw nothing wrong with burning mutants because they were â€Å"not† human, they were deviants – and fire is the only way to â€Å"cleanse deviations† (pg. 88). While Jacob was raging he stated: David asked his uncle Axel about the sterilization and he responds: Jacob knows that the generation’s morals are changing. He referred to Ted Norbet, a person in Waknuk, and his crime of hiding ten animals that are deviations (the novel does not say which kind of animal) and â€Å"eating all but two before he was found out† (pg. 87). Jacob said that in his day, if anyone had done a thing like that, they would receive â€Å"a public shaming on a Sunday, a week worth of penances, and a tenth of all he had†¦ so you’d not find people doing that kind of thing†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (pg. 87). Jacob is outraged that the community is changing and soon brings up another valid point about the child bearing laws. Jacob said to David that in Jacob’s father’s generation â€Å"a woman who bore a child that wasn’t in the image was whipped for it. If she bore three out of the image she was uncertified, outlawed, and sold.† (pg. 88). Jacob said that his father â€Å"reckoned there was a lot less trouble with mutant s†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (pg. 88). Now the punishment for a woman who bears three deviational children is that her husband has a choice whether or not he will legally leave her. The generation’s views are changing mostly because the government wants to be re-elected. Satisfying as many people as possible is important when one is in politics. The government sterilizes and banishes mutants instead of killing them because killing a thing that looks nearly human looks like murder, and murder does not sit well with most people – so the government finds a compromise. Instead of killing the deviations, the government sterilizes them and banishes them to the Fringes, so the affect is the same: the mutants will not be able to reproduce and there will be no mutants within the Labradorean society. This compromise allows the government to receive votes from everyone. The same thing goes with the child bearing laws. The compromise for the women who bear three children is that they are not punished as harshly as before. This is so because the men who really love their wives will vote for the political party whose agenda is to reduce the punishment. Th e compromise lets the government allow a man the choice to legally leave his wife if three children are mutants, but also does not harm the wife; therefore the government receives votes from both sides. Most of the changes to the generation’s views are made by the government. The government’s caterpillar form was a very strict and religious one. While in its chrysalis it made these new laws that compromise certain points of view. Now, it emerges from its chrysalis as a transformed government. One that has new laws that do not punish as harshly and whose views are willing to allow things into society if they prove to be useful. The government has changed and developed into a government with altered values and views. Character, environment and community all slowly developed into something different in The Chrysalids. The Chrysalids has demonstrated that change is inevitable, and only through change can something survive. Every bit of change is necessary; fore if David did not change his thoughts towards his society, than he might have given his secret about his thought-shapes away and he could have been captured and killed. If the environment did not change than â€Å"tribulation†, the nuclear holocaust would have lasted forever. If the Labradorean government never changed its policies towards useful deviations, than it would not be able to survive because it would be re-elected. Change and transformation is the only for a thing to become a better version of itself. Change is what makes life worth living. If change were to stop, then life would become meaningless. Research Papers on The Chrysalids by John WyndhamThe Fifth Horseman19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraWhere Wild and West MeetComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoHip-Hop is ArtThe Project Managment Office SystemCapital PunishmentPETSTEL analysis of IndiaGenetic EngineeringCanaanite Influence on the Early Israelite Religion

7 Steps to Stop Overthinking Everything in Your Life

7 Steps to Stop Overthinking Everything in Your Life You know you do it. It takes you half an hour to decide which sandwich to order at lunch. A week to decide what to do with your weekend. Years to decide in which direction you want to take your career. You tell yourself just to make a darn decision, but as soon as you do the chorus of doubts and second-guessing starts. If you want to make faster and better life decisions, it’s important to stop overthinking everything in your life. Here are 7 excellent strategies for how to clear your head.1. Zoom out and look at the big pictureBe a bit more mindful and start observing your thoughts from a distance. Rather than getting all caught up in the moment, observe your process and try to take the panic out of it. Simply noticing the restlessness of your mind without being swept away by that can help.2. Write it downIf you don’t have someone to talk your options through with, you can always talk them through with yourself- at least on paper. You’ll be able to organize (and see) your thought process and perhaps see the situation much more clearly.3. Stop thinking so muchSometimes designating â€Å"no-thinking times† is the way to go. If you have trouble sleeping, for example, limit yourself to not thinking about stressful things after 8 p.m. Or, you could schedule specific thinking time (say in 20 minute sections) and try to keep the hamster wheel still the rest of your day. When your time is up, move on to something more productive and try again in your next designated time slot.4.  Walk away for a momentIt’s really hard to concentrate on two things at once. Distract yourself from mental torture by doing literally anything else. Find an absorbing activity and use it as a cure-all for depressed or stressed moments.5. Be proactiveBreak a thought spiral by taking proactive steps towards getting something done. Pick one thing you can do now and focus on that. Do that one thing. And whenever you find yourself worrying endlessly about the f uture, take a break and repeat.6. Listen to and trust yourselfYour own opinion matters. Respect it. Trust yourself to make the right choice. And let go of the doubts.7. Know you can change your mindEven if you do make the â€Å"wrong† choice, don’t despair. It’s not worth gnashing your teeth over a decision when you’re really just worried you won’t choose correctly. Take away that fear by realizing that, no matter what happens, you can always change the wrong decision and correct things. No decisions are final. So no decisions require agonizing deliberation.

The effect French Revolution had on the main events in European Essay

The effect French Revolution had on the main events in European history in the 19th century - Essay Example Also, there was the rise of the capitalist bourgeois class that clashed with the aristocratic noble classes over political power. Though there was a new rising bourgeois class, France was still very much tied to old ways of politics: France in the eighteenth century still possessed a large measure of medievalism—a condition reflected in its diversified legal structure, in its powerful guilds, in its communes, in the church, in universities, and in the patriarchal family (Nisbet 157). These factors are tied to the overall effects of the revolution on France and all of Europe, those effects being a rise in individualism, patriotism, and nationalism. These ideas were trenchantly in opposition to the prevailing monarchies of the time that ruled over Europe at the time of the revolution. The French Revolution did not merely replace one set of rulers with another; it replaced an entire ideological system with another throughout the western world. As was mentioned, the causes of the revolution are very much tied together with the effects. The debt and poverty caused by the decisions of the monarchy were one of the chief concerns of the new bourgeois class: â€Å"a new a revolutionary class, the bourgeoisie, had risen in wealth and power during the eighteenth century, but had been denied political power and social recognition by the old ruling class of aristocrats and nobles† (Stromberg 88). This aspect has two main ideas behind it. First, the capitalists were financially hurt because of the decisions of the aristocracy. They were subject to the decisions of the aristocracy, as these decisions had a direct effect upon the economy of the country in which they functioned. To put it specifically, the decisions of the aristocracy had a direct effect on the capitalists ability to make money. Secondly, because the bourgeoisie