Christianity vs. Greek Mythology

Throughout many ages religion has been a very important part of history. It shaped many cultures and allowed us to better understand many civilizations. Two of these cultures are those of the Christians and Greeks. Both have similarities and differences in their religious beliefs that have been compared often and I have chosen to discuss the similarities and differences of Christianity and ancient Greek mythology. Christianity is a monotheistic religion, or belief in only one God, and spiritual practices are based on the Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus as written in the New Testament of the Bible, with the role of Jesus as savior and the Son of God. Greek mythology is a polytheistic religion, which is the belief in and worship of multiple deities, called gods and goddesses, belonging to the culture of ancient Greece. Even though their definitions are different, the faith of Christianity and one God and the culture of the Greeks in mythology of many gods are alike in a number of ways. To begin, in both religions humans believe that there are speakers for their God/gods. These people include pastors, priests and nuns in Christianity, and storytellers or prophets in Greek times. Furthermore, the people believe that their God or gods are above humans. Both cultures believe a god is above all mortal and of this earth, and he or she listens to people when they need help, and have supernatural power to help. This is why both the Christians and the Greeks pray to their God and gods for forgiveness. Another similarity between the religious beliefs of these two cultures is that they have explanations for many of ancient mysteries of life and major events on earth. The ancient Greeks and early Christians tried to find an explanation for the evil in the world, and both blame a woman for man’s downfall. Greeks believe a woman named Pandora opened a forbidden box and released all evil into the world. Christians believe a woman named Eve released evil after eating from a forbidden tree. Also, in both the ancient Greek and Christian beliefs of the early world, there exist stories of great floods that destroyed most of humankind. In Greek mythology, Zeus orders a man named Deucalion to make a chest in which he and his family can survive the flood Zeus was going to bring upon the earth. In the Bible, the account of Christian beliefs, God orders a man named Noah to build an ark in which he and his family, and two of each animal, can survive the destruction from a flood God was going to send. War was also a common characteristic of both the ancient Greek world and of the Biblical world. For example, the Trojan War is a major event in Greek history, and is written about most famously in Homer's Iliad. The gods always seemed to play important roles in this war, especially Zeus, Ares the god of war, and the other and goddesses living on Mount Olympus. Wars between Greek city-states were also common, with gods and goddesses almost always involved in them in some way. In similar comparison, the Bible accounts many stories of wars between different countries and religious groups, with God being involved in some way in the outcome or fate of the peoples. One of the most famous examples is the war between the Philistines and the Israelites. In this war, God interfered and sent a small shepherd boy David to save the Israelites. David does so by killing the giant Goliath, a super-human thing he would not have been able to accomplish without God's help. These examples show the cross-cultural belief that war was an important event in the ancient world, and the gods, and God, played significant roles. While Christianity and ancient Greek mythology have many similarities, there are key differences. The main and most obvious difference is that Christian belief is about only one God, and its beliefs and commandments are written about in the Bible. Christians regard the stories told in Bible as actual historical accounts of important people, events and concepts of faith. Greek mythology had 13 major gods and goddesses, and many lesser gods. Different Greek cities also worshipped different deities. There is no book like the â€Å"Bible†, rather many collections of stories that shaped early Greek culture. In short, Greek mythology was created to be the Greek's science for why things happened. Once they thought they figured out how things really happened, the belief in gods and goddesses faded away from Greek culture. The final difference I want to discuss to compare the ancient Greek creation story and that of Christian belief. In the ancient Greek story, at first there was only Chaos, a shapeless mass of darkness and meaninglessness. Out of Chaos came Nyx (night) and Erebus (the unfathomable deep). The first god to come into existence was Gaea, Mother Earth, though no one knows where she came from or how she came into being. Uranus, Father Sky, was born of Gaea as she slept. He became her husband, and together they had many children. One of these first gods’ descendants was Zeus. After much war between the gods and goddesses, Zeus became most powerful and assigned two lower gods the task of populating the earth with mortal creatures. With that task, one of the two gods granted so many gifts on the lower animals that when the time came to create man, there was nothing left. The beasts already had the sharp teeth and claws, the warm fur and feathers, the tough, protective hides, the wings and shells, speed, size, and strength. The wiser of these two lower gods was given task to figure out what gifts to bestow on man. The gods gave man a more noble, upright stance, so man would be above the beasts, with his face turned toward the heavens rather then down toward the ground. He also gave man an intelligence that reached much higher than the beasts’ mere cunning. In the Christian creation story, God was present in the beginning and He created the universe. At first the earth was shapeless and covered in darkness, and God's spirit hovered over the waters. God said, â€Å"Let there be light†. And there was light. God divided the day from the night, naming them ‘ day' and ‘night'. On the second through fifth day God made the heavens, commanded the waters to fill with living creatures and the air to fill with birds. On the sixth day God commanded the earth to bring forth all kinds of living creatures and He saw that it was good. God then said † Let us make man in our own image†. So God created man and woman in his own likeness and gave them authority over all living things. Adam, the first man, was created by God out of soil and given life by God's breath. Adam named all the animals and birds that God had made, But Adam had no companion of his own so God caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep and created woman – Eve- from one of Adam's ribs. In addition, unlike the beginning void of Chaos in Greek mythology, God is not a void of nothingness, but the beginning of all things. God also remains the ruler of the entire world in Biblical stories, while the Greek Chaos is forced out by several actual divine beings, the most important and permanent of those being Zeus. In conclusion I found there to be many interesting similarities between Christian faith and ancient Greek religious culture, but one final difference is that Christianity is practiced today and the Bible widely read in many countries and published in many languages, while ancient Greek belief system has faded away and become the stories of fantastical books, myths and legends.

The Storm By Kate Chopin Emotions in The Storm essays

The Storm By Kate Chopin Emotions in The Storm essays "The Storm" by Kate Chopin, is a tempestuous short story about a fling' between Calixta and Alcee. The two characters had been involved in a flirtation years before, but were now both married to other people. The storm concerns the sexual tensions and restraints experienced in the Victorian era, while also "making a statement about human's natural tendency towards sexual passion" (Bartee, unknown). The title itself gives the reader the first impression that something turbulent is being suggested. In literature a storm is symbolic of conflicts and high energies usually associated with passions and turmoil. Robert Wilson suggests that the title is symbolically feminine, and as the storm is attributed to nature, can be seen as a direct symbol of female passions and sexuality. This image is a recurring theme throughout the Calixta is introduced to us as a housewife, busy doing chores. Her husband, Bobinot has gone to the local store with their son, Bibi, and when the storm starts, they decide to shelter there. There are some critics that suggest that Bobinot is actually staying out of the way of his wife as he is aware of the sexual tension and repression she feels within her marriage (Wilson, 2) but I found that difficult to see in the text of the story. But Wilson's comments on Calixta, that her sexuality is repressed by the constraints of her marriage and society's view of women, represented in this passage by the housework", (2) is indicative of the feminine viewpoint of the era, where women did suppress their sexualities and passions in good works, housework or some other time consuming activity, which prevented them from thinking about their repression. Calixta is hot, and we do not know if this is because of the storm or her own torment of emotions and sexual frustrations. She loosens her white sacque' at her throat, which suggests a form of offer...

Mixed Metaphor Definition and Examples

Mixed Metaphor Definition and Examples A mixed metaphor is a succession of incongruous or ludicrous comparisons. Also known- playfully- as a mixaphor. Although many style guides condemn the use of mixed metaphors, in practice most of the objectionable combinations (as in the examples below) are actually clichà ©s or dead metaphors. Examples An Apprentice contestant with a love of bizarre business lingo has left Twitter users in fits of laughter after describing a failed task as leaving a sour taste in the clients eye. Contestant Gary Poulton, from Birmingham, also said his team were dancing around the bush in last nights episode, which saw his stint as project manager for Versatile end in failure.(Phoebe Jackson-Edwards, Im Not Going to Dance Around the Bush: Apprentice Stars Bizarre Business Jargon Is Mocked on Twitter. Daily Mail   [UK], November 26, 2015)Well have a lot of new blood holding gavels in Washington.(Georgia Congressman Jack Kingston, quoted in the  Savannah Morning News, November 3, 2010)Thats awfully thin gruel for the right wing to hang their hats on.(MSNBC, September 3, 2009)Her saucer-eyes narrow to a gimlet stare and she lets Mr. Clarke have it with both barrels.(Anne McElvoy, London Evening Standard, September 9, 2009)I don’t think we should wait until the other shoe drops. History has a lready shown what is likely to happen. The ball has been down this court before and I can see already the light at the end of the tunnel.(Detroit News, quoted in The New Yorker, November 26, 2012) [Chairman of the Federal Reserve Ben] Bernanke set the standard for muddled metaphors when he parried reporters questions that day. Certain economic data, he said, are guideposts that tell you how were going to be shifting the mix of our tools as we try to land this ship on ain a smooth way onto the aircraft carrier.(Nick Summers, Lost in Translation. Bloomberg Businessweek, July 8-14, 2013)â€Å"I conclude that the city’s proposal to skim the frosting, pocket the cake, and avoid paying the fair, reasonable, and affordable value of the meal is a hound that will not hunt.(a labor arbitrator, quoted by the Boston Globe, May 8, 2010)Obviously, its been a very difficult two days for us, Nelson said. We kind of saw the writing on the wall Friday night. Its just apples versus oranges, and its not a level playing field by any means.(Seabury’s Football Team Done for the Season. Lawrence Journal-World, September 22, 2009)The year began with quarterback Tom Brady tarred, then un chained from a suspension on the heels of cheating allegations in the scandal known as Deflategate.(Associated Press, Deflating Ending Sends Patriots Into Offseason. Savannah Morning News, January 26, 2016) Nigel said (using, to my mind, an excessive amount of metaphor), Youve taken a rare orchid and shut her away in a dark outhouse. You havent nourished her or paid her enough attention. Is it any wonder that her roots are struggling to survive? Daisy is a trapped bird whose wings have been broken, she is a  Fabergà © egg that you have boiled for four minutes and eaten for your breakfast.I stopped him just as he was embarking on a new metaphor to do with Daisy being a submerged volcano.(Sue Townsend,  Adrian Mole: The Prostrate Years. Penguin, 2010)The committee was tired of stoking public outrage with fortnightly gobbets of scandal. It decided to publish everything it had left, warts and all. Now everyone is tarred with the same ugly brush, and the myth that forever simmers in the public consciousnessthat the House shelters 435 parasitic, fat-cat deadbeatshas received another shot of adrenalin.(Washington Post, 1992)I knew enough to realize that the alligators were in the swamp an d that it was time to circle the wagons.(attributed to Rush Limbaugh) A lot of success early in life can be a real liability- if you buy into it. Brass rings keep getting suspended higher and higher as you grow older. And when you grab them, they have a way of turning into dust in your hands. Psychologists...have all kinds of words for this, but the women I know seem to experience it as living life with a gun pointed to their heads. Every day brings a new minefield of incipient failure: the too-tight pants, the peeling wallpaper, the unbrilliant career.(Judith Warner, The New York Times, April 6, 2007)There is no man so low that he has in him no spark of manhood, which, if watered by the milk of human kindness, will not burst into flames.(quoted by Willard R. Espy in The Game of Words. Grosset Dunlap, 1972)Sir, I smell a rat; I see him forming in the air and darkening the sky; but Ill nip him in the bud.(attributed to Sir Boyle Roche, 1736-1807) Observations I am tempted to believe that the indiscriminate condemnation of mixed metaphors arises more often from pedantry than from common sense.(Edward Everett Hale, Jr. Constructive Rhetoric, 1896)[T]o the fertile mind that thinks up a series of comparisons one gives admirationand defense against those who misunderstand the ban on mixed metaphors.(Wilson Follett and Erik Wensberg, Modern American Usage, rev. ed. Macmillan, 1998)What is called mixed metaphor...is the coming into consciousness of a mixing that goes on all the time, a consciousness that offends our sensibilities because it calls attention to the device and perhaps might reveal the inexplicable bases of our worldview.(Dale Pesman, Some Expectations of Coherence in Culture Implied by the Prohibition of Mixed Metaphor. Beyond Metaphor: The Theory of Tropes in Anthropology. Stanford University Press, 1991)Mixed metaphors may be stylistically objectionable, but I cannot see that they are necessarily logically incoherent. Of course, most metaphors do occur in contexts of expressions used literally. It would be very hard to understand them if they did not. But it is not a logical necessity that every metaphorical use of an expression occurs surrounded by literal occurrences of other expressions and, indeed, many famous examples of metaphor are not.(Mark Johnson, Philosophical Perspectives on Metaphor. University of Minnesota Press, 1981) The Lighter Side of Mixed Metaphors Grace Adler:  You cant control your competitive nature any more than I can.Will Truman:  That is...Grace Adler:  Yes, you just like to play the cool Will Truman while Im all the intense crazy one. Well, once the bowling shoe is on the other foot, look whos the good cop and look whos the bad cop.Will Truman:  That is the worst  mixed metaphor  you have ever uttered.(Debra Messing and Eric McCormack, Alley Cats.  Will and Grace, 1999)

The Yellow Wallpaper Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Yellow Wallpaper Journal - Essay Example For one, the newly born baby could have implicitly provided the impetus for her nervousness and depression (postpartum depression): â€Å"It is fortunate Mary is so good with the baby†¦And yet, I cannot be with him, it makes me so nervous† (Gilman 381). Secondly, the woman felt that she was a burden to her husband, which could be an effect of her inability to raise the baby herself and not to be able to perform her role and duty as wife and mother: â€Å"I meant to be such a help to John†¦and here I am a comparative burden already!† (Gilman 381). Further, transferring temporarily to a new home, while their home is being repaired could also cause nervousess and depression: â€Å"The repairs are not done at home, and I cannot possibly leave town just now!† (Gilman 385). In addition, always being left alone, since the job of her husband as a physician was perceived to be demanding, could also have contributed to her condition. This was exacerbated by the f act that John does not want her to write or delve into other activities which could exhaust her and make her more nervous. The overbearing control was noted to have caused her to feel afraid of her husband: â€Å"The fact is I am getting a little afraid of John† (Gilman 386). Thus, the woman’s fears and anxieties to perform the role and responsibilities as a wife and mother increase the preponderance to stress and contributed to her nervousness and

Supplemental Vitamins Vs. Natural Vitamins Research Paper

Supplemental Vitamins Vs. Natural Vitamins - Research Paper Example Scientists and nutritionists around the world have failed to form a consensus on the efficacy and usefulness of supplements. While some studies show that supplements do in fact help prevent diseases and assist in meeting nutritional requirements, latest studies reveal that the side effects of such man-made drugs are harmful. A study conducted in 2007 of 77,721 men and women smokers to identify whether or not the intake of supplemental multivitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, and folate helped reduce lung cancer is one such interesting find (Christopher G. Slatore). Over a ten year period, it was found that 521 cases of lung cancer were reported among the sample and it was found that these supplements did not present a reduction in the probability of lung cancer in the sample. Furthermore, it was found that vitamin E was actually linked to a slight increase in the risk of the lung cancer instead. On the other hand, there are studies that point to the advantages of supplements as a means of meeting nutritional needs. One such study, conducted on breastfeeding infants, suggests that dark-skinned infants who are fed only on breast milk should be given a vitamin D supplementation of 400IU daily. The study suggests that these infants would not receive the daily Vitamin D requirement based solely on their diet and would be at high risk of developing rickets (Kreiter SR).

Pain management of central chest pain of patients in the Emergency Essay

Pain management of central chest pain of patients in the Emergency department - Essay Example This means these groups of patients need special support from the nursing professionals and measures to relieve these pains as soon as possible, at least in order to decrease these feelings. In order to be able to handle and manage these cases appropriately in the Emergency Department setting the nurses must be able to critically analyse the signs and symptoms of these patients on presentation. It is also expected that the nursing staff must be able to assess these patients in a structured manner in the least possible time frame since the risks associated with adult patients presenting with chest pain may be enormous. In some cases rapid and timely institution of interventions may impact the outcomes of care very favourably, while failure to stratify these risks and to appropriately assess these patients may lead to a defective and ineffective care plan leading to serious morbidity and mortality. In fact current research evidence suggests that nurses should be trained to acquire skil ls in appropriately assessing a patient and then reaching a provisional diagnosis that can be ruled out or supported by point of care protocols such as C-Troponin, CK-MB, and Pro-BNP so legitimate care may be instituted at the earliest. In this assignment, a problem-solving approach will be elicited in the context if emergency nursing care delivered to a group of patients with central chest pain during a recent placement of this writer, where nursing skills of assessment, planning, implementation, evaluation and documentation of care will be demonstrated (Hamer and McCallin, 2006). Moreover this account will also demonstrate how critical the nursing communication skill becomes in delivering an effective, standard, and competent care to these patients while working independently or through interprofessional collaboration. Throughout this assignment, there will be demonstration of the process of nursing diagnosis and management

George Washington and Benjamin Franklin Essay Example for Free

George Washington and Benjamin Franklin Essay George Washington is a revered figure in history. He was the first President of the United States and one of its beloved Founding Fathers. He was â€Å"Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army upon whose victory the thirteen colonies depended to secure their separate and equal station among the powers of the earth† (Rediscovering George Washington, 2002, Introduction, para. 2). The usual facts aside, George Washington is a study of contrasting character traits, modesty and pride. Washington lived up to his legendary self with an immense awareness of who he was. In the book, Portrait of America (Oates Errico, 2003), Gordon S. Wood points that Washington’s greatest asset is his character; that he was representative of the 18th-century iconic image of a great man of virtue (Essay #10, II, para. 7 8). The eighteenth century was a very different era in many respects from the present that his personal concerns then may sound preposterous now. For example, Wood (2003) detailed that Washington was notoriously aloof in keeping with the image of a classical hero (III, para. 5), something that is bane nowadays for someone who occupies or dreams of coveting the highest office of the land. Wood (2003) exposed that Washington was very meticulous of himself especially in the company of others constantly cultivating the ideals of being a proper gentleman from his physical bearings to his personal manners(II, para. 15). He certainly considered his reputation his treasure and he protected it all his life (III, para. 6). There lies his enigma, the possession of two contrasting traits, modesty and pride. Wood (2003) further emphasized that it was his moral character that set him off from other men (II, para. 7). This moral steadfastness has served him well in tempting moments. It is worthy to know that Washington acknowledged but was quite insecure about his lack of formal education compared to his learned peers. Self-criticism impeded his actions like his refusal to travel to France finding to have a conversation through an interpreter indignant to a man of his stature, as Wood (2003, II, para. 16) pointed out. This shortcoming produced a very modest man who had the humility to surrender his powers and retreat from public life, an unprecedented act in the Western world (Wood, 2003, III, para. 2) and which only enhanced his image of greatness. Throughout history, the intoxication of power has often cultivated greed out of its possessors. Coming out of retirement and leading the Philadelphia Convention in 1787, Washington’s untarnished reputation was crucial to the ratification of the proposed Constitution. His reputation then at stake, he worked hard to have it ratified (Wood, 2003, IV, para. 1). This was the typical Washington work ethic: a concern for validation of his deliberate act in the eyes of his peers then and for the future generation. Being the President of a young nation, Wood (2003) pointed that â€Å"Washington was keenly aware that everything he did would set precedents for the future† (V, para. 1). His political contributions are still pervasive today, a testament to his leadership endurance. Wood (2003) concluded that Washington was responsible for establishing the president’s independent role and for making him a dominant figure in the government. He also set the Senate’s limited advisory role to the president in the making of treaties and the appointment of officials. Most importantly, he single-handedly institutionalized the two-term limit of the presidency that it was included in the 22nd amendment to the Constitution in 1951 (V, para. 2, 3, 7). Another outstanding Founding Father who is best known for his scientific pursuits than his understated political contribution is Benjamin Franklin. In Portrait of America (Oates Errico, 2003), Richard B. Morris (Essay #6) described Franklin at the beginning of his essay as â€Å"deceptively simple and disarmingly candid, but in reality a man of enormous complexity†. Like George Washington, Franklin was also concerned about living a virtuous life although he was a much more relaxed character than the famous general. Franklin is one who â€Å"seems made of flesh rather than of marble† (Isaacson, 2003). Both bettered themselves through purposeful self-improvement to make up for their lack of formal education. Franklin was blessed with a myriad of talents he used wisely: he was a writer, printer, entrepreneur, skilled negotiator, diplomat, scientist. He espoused such virtues of diligence, frugality, self-discipline, honesty. He loved making lists and the most significant of such is â€Å"as a young man, he made a list of personal virtues that he determined should define his life† (Isaacson, 2006). Franklin used his pen for his causes proving the commonly known expression, the pen is mightier than the sword. As a prolific writer Franklin wrote under the pseudonyms Mrs. Silence Dogood, a character that showed â€Å"the quintessential genre of American folksy humor† (Isaacson, 2006) then later showed more of his humorous side as Poor Richard Saunders for his annual almanac. Satirical writing is still in practice today especially in the criticism of public figures. His affable nature enabled him to successfully temper dissension during the heated deliberations of the proposed Constitution. He was against tyranny especially slavery despite him having black slaves in 1757. He never hesitated to promote his advocacy for freedom of the press and expression, still very much one of the prevalent rights issues in society today. References Isaacson, W. (2003, June 29). Citizen Ben’s Great Virtues. Time Magazine Online. Retrieved October 16, 2006 from the World Wide Web: http://www.time. com/time/2003/franklin/bffranklin. html. Morris, R. B. (2003). Meet Dr. Franklin. In Oates, S. B. , Errico, C. J. (Eds. ), Portrait of America: Volume One: To 1877 8th Edition (Essay # 6). Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. Rediscovering George Washington (2002). PBS. Retrieved October 16, 2006 from the World Wide Web: http://www. pbs. org/georgewashington/father/index. html. Wood, G. S. (2003). The Greatness of George Washington. In Oates, S. B. , Errico, C. J. (Eds. ), Portrait of America: Volume One: To 1877 8th Edition (Essay # 10). Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.