Saturday, August 31, 2019

Personal Experiences As A Student About Inclusiveness Education Essay

I was born in the epoch of 1960s, during that clip the old school system do non allow inclusiveness in the chief watercourse school. Different schools were setup for different abilities of pupils, i.e. schools for handicapped, schools for low abilities, schools for rational handicapped. I have studied in a SAP school for both primary ( Pei Chun Public School ) and secondary school ( Catholic High School ) , the abilities of the pupils in these schools are about homogeneous, most of them were able to larn and understand the instruction at the same gait, there were highly rare instances of pupils with particular demands. In general, the perceptual experience for the schools during that clip was holding pupils with particular abilities will do an excess load on the instructors, i.e. the instructors need to utilize excess schemes, excess resources and clip to manage these pupils, and the gait of the acquisition will be affected excessively. Therefore, if any of the pupils were found unsuitable for the chief watercourse, they will be transferred to the schools that were able to serve their demands. Even though this old system has its virtue, but many pupils and parents felt that they were labeled and discriminated from the society. Personally, as a pupil, I besides felt that pupils with particular demands should be reassign to a particular school to make their acquisition. In the particular schools, these pupils will be larning at the same rate, same content as their equals, they will non be force per unit area to execute every bit good as their equals in the chief watercourse. Own Personal teaching method about inclusiveness in schoolroom on the content taught in this class The thought of inclusiveness in Singapore came about 2004, when the Prime Minister Mr Lee Hsien Loong in the first startup address urged our society to incorporate people with disablements into the mainstream society, get downing with the integrating of pupils with disablements into the mainstream school. To-date, more and more pupils with mild particular demands or disablements are put in the mainstream schools analyzing together with the regular pupils. Teachers played a really of import function in making a acquisition environment that include varied scholars, such as pupils with particular demands. As mentioned by Bloom ( 1956 ) , larning has 6 different phases, i.e. cognition, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis and rating. With that in head, it is of import that different teaching methods should be employed for the 6 different phases. Therefore, effectual instructors should develop their ain personal teaching method based on their belief, values and perceptual exper iences to manage the varied scholars, I am non an exclusion. Personal beliefs and values about cognition, society, instruction, and political relations help to crisp instruction beliefs ( Kagan, 1992 ) . E.g. , if a instructor believes that different type of pupils will hold different type of ability to larn and frailty versa, this belief will be reflected in methodological analysis and instruction manner. Differences in pupils should be seen as norm instead than exclusion. My personal belief is that each pupil is alone but yet they can be grouped into a group with certain similar abilities. I need to distinguish my instructions on these different groups of pupils. Valuess are ideals that usher or one ‘s personal behavior, interaction with others, and engagement in one ‘s calling. Values besides help person to separate what is right from incorrect. Harmonizing to Cecile Peterkin ( 2005 ) , learning values is an of import portion of being parent, nevertheless instructors can besides play a portion to learn pupils about values. Valuess such as Honesty, Courage, Peace ability, Self-reliance and Potential, Self-Discipline and Moderation, Fidelity and Chastity, Loyalty and Fidelity, Respect, Love, Unselfishness and Sensitivity, Kindness and Friendliness, Justice and Mercy, aid to do the society safe and feasible. My personal values that are developed by my ain are non much different from the above. In add-on, I consciously need to learn my pupils about values through taking by illustration and besides take the clip to explicate to them. Students may develop values different from what I taught them, nevertheless, they will make so with a solid foundation, and with a footing of comparing. My actions can do a difference in the pupils ‘ life at present and future. Profile of my preferable category Even though as a instructor, one is non supposed to take and pick his or her signifier category based on the pupils ‘ ability, but in world this is non the instance. Many times, some of the instructors are given the favour to take the better category with high abilities pupils, some non so lucky 1s will be given the undertakings to manage the low ability category. But by and large, most of the instructors will be given a category with assorted ability pupils, e.g. 35 percent low-ability, 55 per centum in-between ability and 10 per cent high ability pupils. As ascertained, each pupil is alone by nature and a schoolroom may incorporate pupils with differences. Some of these differences are singular, such as an outstanding endowment in art or mathematics, or a disablement such as disableds. Some are non so obvious and harder to observe, such as a disablement of autism and low IQ. As for me, after working 2 old ages as contract teacher, I still prefer to take up a disputing category such as a foundation category or draw out category where all the pupils are with low ability. No uncertainty, the category may be a low ability category, but I still have to construct a category profile for my category. Having a category profile allows the instructor, the school direction to be able to see easy the different demographics of pupils who form the category. For e.g. , I had created a category profile with pupils holding larning disablements, wellness damages, hearing damage, dyslexia, ADHD, broken household, single-mother household, low ego regard. With the category profile on manus, I can group my pupils in footings of their strengths and failing, such as intelligence, ability, disablement and so learn them ways to leverage on their strengths or to get the better of their failing. Thingss to make as an inclusive acquisition environment in the 1st 2 hebdomads Harmonizing to Quek, Angel, Wong ( 2the 008 ) , instructors whom are successful in making an inclusive schoolroom both socially and academically, normally will utilize 2 attacks at the same time, i.e. single attack and whole category attack. For the societal inclusion facet, I will work with pupils on both single and whole category attack. At the single degree, these are things I will make. First, I will do friend with the pupils and spend clip in the deferral or after school to cognize more about the pupil in school and at place. Second, I will seek to work together with the pupil ‘s parent to assist and supervise the pupil, such as acquiring the parents to look into the pupils ‘ diary every dark for prep. Third, I will pass more clip with the pupils for guidance, giving feedback on his behaviour and past consequences, and besides to make a end puting with him. Forth, I will seek to explicit to learn pupil to get appropriate societal accomplishment, such as how to do new friends within and outside the schoolroom. Fifth, I will seek to do the possible troublemaking pupil to sit in forepart, so to supervise him more closely and halt any inappropriate behaviour every bit shortly as possible. Finally, I will seek non to bury to promote each pupil to be more independency and ego ordinance in their school plants. At the schoolroom degree, I will learn the whole category, the followers: To remind all pupils in the schoolroom to be responsible, to look after the well being and safety of all their schoolmates, e.g. no tease of schoolmate who is handicapped. To be more tolerance and respects for differences among the schoolmates, e.g. some of them may be slow in acquisition, sometimes teacher demand to explicate the construct once more, those faster 1s can go on making their exercisings. To make chances for pupils to interact, teamwork and edifice relationship among them, i.e through group works or squad athletics drama like playing association football. To give direction to larn societal and interpersonal accomplishment among the pupils, like struggle direction, bend pickings, covering with differences, like how to work with schoolmate who is holding hearing jobs. To emphasis the of import to assist one and another, e.g. through the usage of brother system, equal coachs. To explicate to the pupils about particular demands and to steer them to give equal support and direction of pupils with particular demands. To put regulations and modus operandis in the beginning, and to give wagess and penalty if they are broken. To be function theoretical account, and demo the pupils the coveted behaviour, such as â€Å" when u see a instructor, u must recognize. † To prehend learning minutes when possible, to demo the pupils what are the unsought behaviour and learn them the right behaviour instantly. Following, for the academic inclusion facet, these are the schemes that I have learnt and will use to my pupils, some of them non merely for the first 2 hebdomads but besides throughout the whole term or whole twelvemonth: As effectual instructor, I will interrupt down a construct or accomplishment and learn them in stages. This allows the pupils to understand the construct or skill more easy. Besides, I will guarantee that the pupils understand the basic construct and skill exhaustively before traveling on to more complex 1s. Sometimes, I will seek to pattern the accomplishments taught in forepart of the pupils, e.g. learning the pupils how to make a thorax base on balls for hoops. As mentioned before, every pupil is alone with their ain strength and failing. Concentrating on their strengths will increase the pupils ‘ ego regard and motive to success both academically and socially. Next, to put pupil ‘s individualised end at the beginning of the term. Goals will establish on their old public presentation and ways to accomplish them. Upon puting them, the instructor and pupil will work together to supervise them. As a instructor, I will give encouragement and feedback to the pupils non merely on their academic public presentation but besides on their academic betterment and social-emotional advancement. There are times, I will seek to utilize differentiate instruction methods for different group of pupils due to their differences in larning manners, abilities, such as utilizing ocular AIDSs to some groups and verbal direction to some. In add-on, utilizing existent universe examples to help in learning besides turn out to be an effectual tool. For e.g. , to learn how to add and deduct money, I will ever utilize the scenario of traveling to market with parents to purchase fish, eggs, poulet utilizing money. Besides, I will utilize more concerted acquisition activities as a scheme to heighten pupils ‘ experiences to work as a squad to accomplish a common end. As mentioned before, equal tutoring proved to be an effectual scheme which was widely accepted by the pupils. One of the dimensions of meaningful acquisition is to learn others, by learning other one get a opportunity to further their ain understand of a construct or accomplishment.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Extensive Reading for Efl Learners: a Library Research Essay

Abstract Most of EFL learners do not like reading and they rarely read. It is because some factors such as difficult reading material, uninteresting material and low motivation to read. However, reading skill is important skill to improve learners’ ability in learning a language. From reading, the learners will get much exposure to the language. Therefore, the teachers should introduce a good reading approach for the learners to help them in reading. Extensive reading is one approach which gives the learners an opportunity to get contact with the target language. Extensive reading will motivate learners to read and also learn English. Therefore, it will also enhance the learners’ vocabulary and improve the learners’ language proficiency. Keywords: EFL, Extensive reading, learner. Introduction Reading is one of basic skills which is learnt in English as Foreign Language (EFL) besides listening, writing and speaking. Reading will influence learners’ success in the learning process. Without having a good reading ability, learners will have problems in getting any information from reading sources such as book, newspaper, or journal. As stated by Richard Anderson and the Commission on Reading â€Å"reading as the process of constructing meaning from written texts†. Reading is one way to get information from the source that was written. However, reading is not an easy skill to be learnt. There are some factors that influence the result of the reading activity such as the type of reading, environment, and reading material. In most EFL classes, the focus of the reading skill is on the study of vocabulary and grammar, which is known as intensive reading. That kind of language lesson is not reading at all (Alderson and Urquhart, 1984; Robb and Susser, 1989 in Sheu, 20 03). Moreover, the reading itself should be more than studying the vocabulary and the grammar. The most important of reading is to understand the information in the text, in the other words the focus of the reading is in the reading comprehension. It makes the learners have little time for reading practice in their learning process. As the result, they are maintaining their ability which can help them to read extensively and understand the content of the text latter. Some researchers have introduced some approaches which can help the learners to develop their reading comprehension. One of the approaches is extensive reading. Extensive reading is contrasted with the intensive reading which is slow reading and careful reading which will take much time. According to Sheu (2003) â€Å"an extensive reading (ER) approach appears to be most appropriate option for improving learners’ language proficiency and reading ability†. This kind of reading approach can help the learners to maintain their reading skill and reading ability, because they do not need to know the meaning of every word in the text. It concerns more in the context meaning which help the learners to reduce the time spent for reading. This article will show some reasons why the teacher should use extensive reading (ER) in teaching EFL. Definition of Extensive reading Extensive reading is an approach to language learning, including foreign language learning, by the means of a large amount of reading. The learners’ view and review of unknown words in specific context will allow them to infer the word’s meaning, and thus to learn unknown words (Wikipedia.org). Extensive reading is a kind of reading that ask the learners to read large amount of books which are relative easy and understandable for the learners. It also means reading for pleasure, because the learner read what they want to read or their favourite books. The aim of this approach is to develop the learners’ reading interest and to give them more opportunities to get a large contact with the foreign language in order to master it. Extensive reading will help the learners to understand the meaning of a text or to get the information in the text as quickly as possible. Moreover, reading is one way to get a large contact with the foreign language. However, the learners have limited time in the class to get large amount of reading practice. Therefore, they need to have their own reading practice outside the class. The reading source should be understandable and also should fit with their current level of language comprehension. Therefore, in this approach, the learners are given a freedom to choose and read their favourite books or anything that they want to read. As stated by Nancy (2000) by reading many books that fit in with their language level and also understandable for them, there will be some changes occur in the learner, such as: a.Learners become able to visually and mentally process written English in a smoother, more natural way, rather than in a halting process of translating. Because the readers progress smoothly and comprehendingly through short and easy books, they are able to understand the overall flow of stories and organization of nonfiction texts. b.The foundation of English vocabulary and grammar become better established and remembered by being processed in the mind dozens or hundreds of times in natural, comprehensible contexts. c.Many of the variations of high frequency vocabulary and grammar elements that are too numerous to learn explicitly, can be learned incidentally by reading texts composed exclusively of this high frequency lexical and grammatical core. d.Learners feel satisfied and enjoy a sense of accomplishment from reading many books on their own. This increases their confidence and autonomy. e.Learners who have experienced successful English reading on their own are more appropriate to develop a reading habit. They are more likely to read outside of their courses and after their formal education ends. The characteristics of Extensive Reading 1.Reading Material In this reading approach, the teacher need to provide the learners with large amount of books which are appropriate with the language level of the learners and also the books which the students may interested in. It will be better if the books are kept in the classroom because it will give the learners an opportunity to read in their leisure time and also give them the opportunity to borrow the book. It will also help the teacher to direct the learners to read. 2.Students choice In extensive reading approach, the learners are given freedom to choose the books that they want to read based on their interest. If the learners find difficulties in reading that books, they can return the book and choose other books. 3.Reading for pleasure and information Usually learners do not like to read. They feel frustrated to understand the reading text which is too far from their language level, because they are asked to understand the whole words in that text. It will make them do not want to try to read. In the extensive reading, the learners are asked to understand the text without forcing them to understand every single word in the text. This approach will maintain the learners’ interest in reading. 4.Extensive reading out of class In extensive reading, the teacher can persuade the learners to read a lot even outside the classroom. As stated before, when the books are kept in the classroom, it will encourage the learners to borrow books and take it home, it will help to maintain learners’ reading ability. 5.Language level The level of vocabulary and grammar in the books that the learners read should not pose difficulty. It is because the purpose of the extensive reading approach is motivating the learner to read and also encouraging the learner’s reading fluency. However, the books should not too easy, because it will lead the learners’ feeling that they get nothing from reading that kind of books. 6.Use of dictionary Reading becomes a boring activity for the learners because they need to stop their reading to look up every word that they do not understand in the dictionary. Therefore, the use of the dictionary in this kind of reading should be avoided when their reading flow. They can write or take note for some difficult words and can look them up after they have finished their reading. 7.The teacher role in Extensive Reading In the extensive reading, the teachers’ roles are to encourage, to motivate, and to help the learners with their reading. The teachers can involve their individual counseling in the learning process. This situation gives the teachers an opportunity to ask learners’ reading experiences and also ask learners’ problems in reading during or after class time by checking and commenting on written summaries that learners do of their reading (Susser and Robb, 1989). By making summaries, the learners are given opportunities to demonstrate what they get from reading and allow the teacher to check their understanding to the texts or books that they have read. The teachers’ role is also as a model for the learners. When the teachers are also seen to be a reader by the learners, it will encourage them to read. The teachers can talk in class about the books that they have been read. If the teachers are knowledgeable about the books in the class library and having them r ead, they can give recommendations to learners about what to read. The teachers can also read aloud to the learners, as a way of introducing students to different genres or individual books. Benefits of using Extensive reading technique for EFL students Many researchers have been held some research to know the benefit of using Extensive reading technique (ER) and also to demonstrate the effectiveness of ER to support the development of language acquisition for the learners. First, extensive reading can improve learners’ motivation in learning English. One characteristic of extensive reading is that the learners can choose books or articles in which they are interested because learners have their right to choose books or articles that they like to read. According to some result of experiment by Shang, Briody and Lin (2006), the learners prefer reading articles or books which they are interested in, rather than reading textbooks. Therefore, learners have more motivation to read English materials. Second, extensive reading can enhance learners’ vocabulary. In the process of extensive reading, the learners can read some words which show up frequently in the articles or books. When the learners read more and more, they will become familiar with the words that they usually read. They can understand those words and memorize them easier. In addition, learners have greater motivation to learn some special or interesting words through reading. Consequently, extensive reading can enhance learners’ vocabulary, these findings fit into the literature (Lai, 1993). Third, extensive reading can improve learners’ reading comprehension. Learners can comprehend more extensive vocabularies, build their reading ability, and access to background information through extensive reading. When learners read more, their vocabularies could be developed. Once the learners’ ability in vocabulary has been developed, it will be easier for them to get and understand the main idea from articles and other texts. Fourth, extensive reading can improve learners’ overall language proficiency. It does not only improve their reading skills but also improve learners’ skills in listening and also speaking as reported by Cho and Krashen (1994). Writing skill is also impacted by reading extensively as reported by Elley and Mangubhi, (1981) and Janopoulos, (1986). The most important thing is that extensive reading will make the learners become better readers. Research in languages learning shows that learners learn to read by reading. It means that the more they read, the better reader they become. Conclusion Extensive reading is an approach which give the learners high amount of reading chance. It is a good technique which can give the learners high contact with the target language which can help them to master the language. There are some benefits of using extensive reading for EFL learner such as: improving learners’ motivation in learning English, enhancing learners’ vocabulary, improving reading comprehension, and also improving language proficiency (speaking, listening, writing and reading skill). References Alyousef, Hesham Suleiman. (2005). Teaching reading comprehension to ESL/EFL learners. Retrieved from www.readingmatrix.com/articles/†¦/article.pdf. Bell, Timothy. (1998). Extensive reading: why? and how?. Retrieved from http://iteslj.org/articles/bell-reading.html Hafiz, F.M., &Tudor, I (1989). Extensive reading and the development of language skills. English language teaching Journal, 43, (pp 4-13) Lan, Yu-Ju., Sung, You-Ting., & Chang, Kuo-En (2006) Collaborative early reading EFL reading among distributed learners: a simulation pilot study. The JALT CALL Journal, 2006, vol.2, No.2, pp3-18. Maley, Alan. (2009). Extensive reading: why it is good for our students†¦ and for us. Retrieved from http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/articles/extensive-reading-why-it-good-our-studentss†¦-us Mason, B., & Krashen, S. D. (1997). Extensive reading in English as a foreign language. System, 25, 91-102. Retrieved from http://www.benikomason.net/†¦/extensive_reading2.pdf Richard, R.D. The benefits of extensive reading (ER). Retrieved from www.oup-bookworms.com/†¦reading/er_article. Shang, Hui-Fang., Briody, Paul., Lin, Chia-Yun. (2006) The effect of extensive reading strategies on

Research Paper on Abortion

The ethics of abortion is one of the most controversial topic that has been continually argued over years and probably many years to come. The main controversy is the question of legalization of abortion, which ties into ethical issues, emotions, and political issues or laws. Before I discuss the many sides to abortion, it is critical to define the term. The Webster’s Dictionary defines abortion as the termination of a pregnancy after, accompanied by, resulting in, or closely followed by the death of the fetus. Despite the liberal attitudes toward abortion, it still remains an important political issue. Even in societies where abortion has been legalized, many actions are being raised by the anti-abortionists. These anti-abortionists believe in â€Å"pro-life† and their religious perspectives are responsible in their arguments against abortion. They believe that â€Å"it is equally as heinous intentionally to kill a human being in existence at fertilization, as to kill a larger pre-born child. † On the other hand, there are reasons for legalization of abortion. Most people agree with the concept of reproductive freedom—the fundamental right of every individual to decide freely and responsibly when and whether to have a child. Human life is defined as â€Å"any living entity that has DNA from the species homo sapiens. This includes an ovum, spermatozoon, zygote, embryo, fetus, newborn. It also includes an infant, child, adult, elder. It also includes a breast cancer cell and a hair follicle and a skin scraping. Some forms of human life have little or no value; others are the most valuable and precious form of life in the known universe†. Because an unborn fetus is considered to have a human life, abortion should not be legalized. It is a definitely a crime to kill a living and breathing fetus even though the embryo may not take the form of a human structure. If abortion is permitted, the dignity of human will be destroyed. In the medical field, the doctors prescribe the baby before 15 days after conception as dividing cells. But after this short period, abortion is prohibited from the principal of identifying. This is because the fertilization process contains many cell divisions by zygote progressing into a human being. Many people assert the right that women do not have a baby because they have the right to choose. But it is neglecting the right of the baby who has his or her own life. Just because an unborn fetus is not capable to express his or her feelings, is it morally right to end its life? Considering moral issues, abortion is definitely equally termed a murder. However, I do understand the other point of view for legalizing abortion. The exception to abortion is considered when the mother bearing the child has illnesses or diseases that can be transmitted to the baby genetically. Also, financial issues are often being raised by the parents whom are not able to support another family in the house. In this case, abortion may be permitted because it is rather better to not be alive than be living under such poor conditions. Furthermore, abortion is considered as a rightful act when the women get pregnant from rape. Some people may generally think that a crippled person is pessimistic about the world. But in fact, they thank their parents who gave life to them. The life as a handicapped person could be better than not experiencing life at all. If it’s not by the force of other one, people must take the responsibility for their behavior. Every action you make comes in consequences and therefore, it is important to choose birth controls if pregnancy is not wanted. If the reason that causing abortion is merely a problem of foster, it is never permitted. We must keep in mind that life is most precious thing in the world. It is estimated that the number of aborted babies is almost 4000 in a month. Vast majority of abortions are done for convenience, by women who simply want to terminate an unwanted pregnancy. But abortion is a murder. So, now is the time for us to think about the abortion again and to search for the best solution. In any circumstances, the life must be admired. Work Cited http://www.religioustolerance.org/abortion.htm http://abortion-alternatives.adoption.com/ http://www.friesian.com/abortion.htm

Thursday, August 29, 2019

International business envioronment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

International business envioronment - Essay Example However what is required at the present is an understanding that things need to be properly aligned so that the problems which center the economic grounds cease to exist and thus provide all and sundry with a sigh of relief – one that is free of any form of anguish, economic disparity and woe, as one might put it. The chances of Germany coming back on the rails of success as far as the economic activities are concerned are manifold and one needs to understand as to what exactly are the undertakings on the part of the German authorities when the talk goes out loud of the German economy and the related measures that are being taken under the same auspices. The reasons as to why Germany is actually experiencing economic crisis lies in comprehending that the Germans are indeed the main reasons behind the very same. Only if the thinking mindset of the Germans as concerns to their economy and the future growth of the country in the long term perspective can change, there surely coul d be light at the end of the tunnel and thus positives could be drawn from the current quagmire in which Germany is in reality caught up. Unemployment has also been a bane for Germany in the recent past which has contributed in a negative manner towards the economic basis of the country. Add to that, the lack of different resources and more so the shortfall of skilled employees and specialists meant that Germany was in for a tough time at the hands of the economic parties. It had to take care of its financial basis in the light of the changing economic climate and for that Germany had to seek measures outside of its chosen boundaries. In other words, Germany had to look elsewhere in order to find out the exact problem with its undertakings that it had carried out over a period of time. The help sought from the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) is some of the options that are listed under the German

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Integrated Technology Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Integrated Technology Systems - Essay Example However, humanity is developing ever since the first dawn of jungle life when humans were living in caves and eating raw flesh of animals and they used leaves to cover their bodies but one thing they had in common with modern man and it was the urge to develop and grow into better beings. This need helped them in the conquest of building agricultural societies which finally gave birth to industrialized cities and the most advanced form of civilization exists in the form of knowledge communities of the west and all advancement is being considered as the result of the need of humans to experience betterment (Peck, 2005). Wright brothers developed first working model of an aeroplane which was in fact based on the theoretical work of Leonardo Di Vinci and currently same principles are refined in order build planes like Boeing 777 that have a wing span of more than 200 feet. The development is the essence of human existence and therefore, evolution always remained a defining attribute of human race. The climatologists are always remained interested in gauging climate change, rain and wind speed. In early days of the field, raw footers were used in order to measure the level of rainfall and with the passage of time; humans developed more sophisticated means to do that. Again the process of evolution kicked in and scientists effectively developed new measures for gauging rainfall. However, the basic principles remained the same but techniques changed dramatically over the past few decades. Even in the modern age of the 21st century, weather experts are measuring rainfall in millimetres and centimetres. The main idea of scientific development is to minimize the level of human effort needed to get the job done. The concepts remain the same and means of applying them change as world clock moves forwards (Kemp, 1994). The conventional methods of measuring rainfall were crude and these were more

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Music in our life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Music in our life - Essay Example Music gets viewed as type of language or speech. Vocal or instrumental music has the ability to deliver messages to the targeted listeners. Music has the power to poses subtler shades of meaning when compared to the spoken word but yet can display much more emotive forces. The innate ability of human beings to respond to musical tones, beats, rhythm, and pattern makes it possible for music to get used as a form of communication to them (UniOrb, 2011). Different music can communicate various messages to the listeners such as those of love, peace, unity, and even aggression. Music has the ability to produce a variety of positive trends on its listeners. Recent research studies pay tribute to the role of music in a modern branch of medicine called music therapy. This branch in medicine is getting notoriety over its therapeutic claims that music assists in accelerating the pace of recovery among patients undergoing either physical therapy, and or post-operative recuperation. Stimulating or relaxing music has the power to accelerate the recovery pace of patients. However, the ability of music to aid in such recovery relies on the ability of the patient to respond to the music and thus music becomes a form of supplementary recovery. Music has been shown to improve creativity among human beings. Music can serve as a muse and inspire to stimulate and activate individuals’ creative processes. A number of artists credit listening to music as having helped them to produce ingenious creations that they would have not been able to come up with on their own. Multiple studies have also linked music studies to academic achievement. A number of topflight professionals make a connection between their passion for music training and success in professional lives (Lipman, 2013). They credit music for opening up pathways to creative thinking. Music training suggests

Monday, August 26, 2019

Ghadafi and Libya essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ghadafi and Libya - Essay Example The Egyptian conflict was the first example where the protestors of the country fought for justice and freedom and forced their leader, Hosni Mubarak to resign. These protests were followed in other countries where the citizens wished to revolutionize their countries and attain liberal governments that would fulfill their demands and recognize the importance of... the citizens of the country. The most prominent amongst these is the Libyan Conflict which began in the month of February in the year 2011. The conflict is still in progress and rebels have taken to the streets to force the step down of their leader Colonel Muammar el-Qaddafi who has been in power since almost 42 years. Qaddafi has not given up and does not intend to give in to the demands of the people and has resorted to severe measures which include oppression and killings of the masses. The conflict has met with criticism from international countries and allies of Libya have also requested Qaddafi to step down and abide by the wants and wishes of the people (Libya — Protests and Revolt 2011). Libya is an Arab nation which is located on the map in North Africa. The country like many other Arab countries contains very high reservoirs of oil. The country has been under the rule of Colonel Muammar el-Qaddafi from the year 1969 who has proved to be a very strict and harsh ruler for the country. Qaddafi has always been a ruler who has followed the policy of dictatorship and has tried to keep all the powers of authority in his hands. Qaddafi is an intelligent man who has used all his powers to keep the country divided so that there could be no united strong appraisal against his oppressions. He did not create any strong national organizations and at the same time, he also did not form a nationalized army so that no revolt to overthrow him could be very strong. He has been criticized on the international level owing to his oppressive acts which have resulted in the expulsion of Libya as a member fr om the United Nations Security Council. There was an internal unrest in the country but the actual conflict resulted due to the wave of revolution that started in the neighboring countries of Egypt and Tunisia and led to the freedom of these countries. It was followed by the Libyans who started their revolt against the government and initiated a mass protest demanding the resignation of their leader (Fahim et al 2011; Libya — Protests and Revolt 2011). The revolt against the government started in the city of Benghazi and spread across the country and rebels were seen to be operating in different cities of Libya against the four decade old rule. It was expected by many that Qaddafi would opt for resignation but these hopes vanished when he chose for fighting against the people of his own country. He used threatening and derogatory remarks against the rebels terming them as â€Å"cockroaches† in his speech and threatened to kill all of them. It seemed that the revolt wou ld not last long and the protesters would be crushed but international intervention and military assistance and strikes from the United States and United Kingdom in the month of March served to increase the revolt and the side of the rebels became stronger again. The NATO forces also came to the assistance of the rebels and assisted them to fight back the forces of Colonel

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Analyze a Political Cartoon Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analyze a Political Cartoon - Essay Example Ultimately, the power of the cartoon cannot be found within any single component of its message but rather with the entire combination of symbolism, labeling, and exaggeration that it presents. Finally, the analysis will seek to answer the question of whether or not the portrayal of the cartoon is effective in persuading the viewer and/or audience to think or view a situation in a given context or manner. The first aspect of the cartoon that grips the viewer’s attention is the clear use of symbolism and labeling that the cartoonist has employed to denote the Christian, Muslim, and members of the SCAF that are represented. This labeling simplifies the issue and allows the participants within the cartoon to be reduced and simplified to a mere 3 active entities. By utilizing the Christian cross, the Muslim crescent and the insignia and uniforms of the SCAF, the reader is made aware of what each participant within the cartoon represents and symbolizes. ... This level of purity is further symbolized by the fact that the Christian and Muslim man (representing the broader populations of both of these entities within Egypt) are clothed in white. Naturally, exaggeration is also employed in a massively effective means as the SCAF is denoted to be an insidious and corrupting influence that displays the same generic and shameful behavior under the guise of its constitutionally given power. This exaggeration is the strength behind the entire cartoon. Although the Christian and the Muslim occupy center stage within the confines of this political cartoon, it is the corrupting influence of the SCAF that provides the power behind the image that is typified. Yet, rather than making a blanket statement regarding the ultimate goodness or evil that is exhibited by the SCAH, the cartoon seeks to strike at the core of the problems that are exhibited within Egypt; namely a power structure that is able to take advantage of natural and key fault lines that exist within the political spectrum; thereby allowing the members of the government and the SCAH to behave in a manner that they would not do otherwise. In short, the increase in division serves the purposes that they strive to accomplish (Lawate 2). Ultimately, the reader and/or researcher can understand that the given political cartoon is not only effective in communicating an understanding of the present day situation within Egypt and/or the Arab world, it is extraordinarily effective in such a task. Although this is not always the case for a political cartoon, this particular cartoon is one which allows its underlying simplicity and the vocal and omnipresent nature of its participants to speak to its underlying truth. Due to the fact that almost all

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Subvertising and advertising culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Subvertising and advertising culture - Essay Example Subvertising is a blend of two words â€Å"subvert† and â€Å"advertising†.It is about making spoofs or parodies of corporate and political advertisements,so as to make a statement. Subverts take the form of a new image of an existing image or icon generally, in a satirical manner. It is also a meme hack and a part of social hacking or culture jamming (Posner 1982). It mimics the look and feel of the targeted ad and the viewers suddenly realize they have been duped. Their primary goal is to damage political candidates and campaigns, corporations and other targets. Subverts create cognitive dissonance by cutting through the hype  and glitz of mediated reality and, momentarily, reveals a deeper truth within." History In 1972, the logo of Richard Nixon's reelection campaign posters were subvertised with two x's in Nixon's name (as in the Exxon logo). It referred to the corporate ownership of the Republican party. In 1977, The Billboard Liberation Front, used this techniq ue in San Francisco  . After the U.S. presidential election of 2000, John Kanis, a supporter of the Republicans, designed a saying "Sore Loserman" to mock Democratic party candidates Gore-Lieberman. However, the Supreme Court, halted the process. Over the years, no large organization or brand, has managed to escape the wrath of subvertising. Examples of such targets include Ford, Coke, Pepsi, McDonalds, BMW, Visa, Nike, Marlboro, Smirnoff, Absolute Vodka, Benetton, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein and a horde of the other best brands in the world. Even politicians and other celebrities like Richard Nixon, George Bush, John F Kennedy, Albert Einstein, Paris Hilton have not been spared. Subvertising vs advertising (Advertising is any paid) form of non-personal presentation and promotion of ideas, goods and services by an identified sponsor. (Subvertising refers to the) practice of making spoofs and parodies of corporate and political advertisements. The following table draws up a compar ison and a contrast of the two concepts. \Advertising Subvertising Paid form Unpaid form Non-personal in nature Non-personal in nature Promotes goods, services Depromotes goods, services Sponsor identified Unidentified Creative Destructive Promotes brand building Encourages brand killing Encourages consumption of goods and services Discourages consumption of goods and services Humorous Satiric Positive message Negative message Initiated by marketers Initiated by anti-consumerists Wide reach and long lasting appeal Wide reach but short-lived appeal Benefits outweigh disadvantages Effects doubtful Positive publicity Negative publicity Subvertising - Strengths and weaknesses Subvertising does enjoy a host of advantages. They are: 1. Attention grabbers 2. Highly creative 3. Positive intent 4. Can be used for good causes 5. Promotes sustainable consumption 6. Highly inexpensive 7. Easy to create Subvertising is popular, essentially, due to its tremendous attention grabbing effect. It sho cks the viewer into a moment of reflection and thought. Obviously, subverts are highly creative. Parody and spoofery does require a lot of brain racking and though the individual does not have to create the subvert from scratch, unless it is very creative, the spoof will miserably fail. Though the subvert is negative in nature and tone, the intent behind the act is, can be, positive. The purpose is to make the viewer think about the negative aspects of advertising and create a positive influence. Though, most or almost all the time, Subverts are used for wrong purposes or causes, at times, good cause subvertising also exists. Subverts on smoking advertisements, promoting sustainable consumption, Greenpeace initiatives are a handful of cause-related subvertising examples. Advertising, essentially, encourages limitless consumption, for purposes of sales and revenue generation. Subvertising on the contrary forces us to think of sustainable consumption in harmony with nature. Since Subv erts need only to mimic the advertisement and bring

Friday, August 23, 2019

Job saisfaction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Job saisfaction - Essay Example This leads them to be tired and stressed out. Over a period of time, they may do the job just for the sake of doing it and not because they love to perform their work. 2. Bad bosses: If the immediate superior does not give the employee enough space to perform his or her job then it may lead to dissatisfaction in performing a job. In most cases, employees may not be given the freedom of empowerment which may affect their job satisfaction adversely. (prweb.com, 2011). 3. Reward: Most organizations fail to recognize the potential of an employee and do not equally reward them thereby leading to dissatisfaction in job. Organizations must learn to reward performance of employees. A mere pat on the back or a word of praise may help an employee to remain loyal to his work. Also the human resource team must ensure that the employees are duly appraised for their work. This will lead them to job satisfaction which in turn will affect their performance level positively. 4. Providing opportunitie s to grow: Dissatisfaction to perform a particular job may result from the fact that there are no opportunities for the employee to grow in a current organization. An employee needs to be promoted as per his or her skills and talents so that he or she can perform better. 5. Type of work: Sometimes the type of job may also be responsible for propelling dissatisfaction in job. ... Some employees may try to improve conditions by remaining in the organizations, some may protest, some may neglect the job and in extreme cases people may quit the job. (Zhou & George, 2001). A person who is dissatisfied with his job may resort to absenteeism. This is one of the most common signs which is displayed when one is not satisfied with the job. People may also show a careless attitude wherein the person does not both to take responsibility for his or her actions while performing a job. There is lack of dedication and skill in the job performed. In more severe cases, a person may cut himself or herself off from friends and colleagues and stay in alienation in the work environment. The Peter Principle is one which maintains that often persons who have been recognised and have got frequently promoted may be dissatisfied after attaining a certain level in their job. In this case, the person does not perform with the same aggressiveness and skill as he performed previously. This is due to dissatisfaction in job. (Potter, 2005). Potential interventions: There are many techniques by which job satisfaction may be restored. First of all, the human resource must see to it that the employee is given respect and rewarded for the kind of performance. This will lead him to take interest in his work. Secondly, the bosses must treat the subordinates with respect and they must use the tactics of participatory leadership. If employees are involved in the decision making process it makes them feel important and the person may be more interested in performing his or her job better. Third, the employees must be given proper compensation and benefits for the work performed. They must not be made to work for

Thursday, August 22, 2019

What determines the distrbution of income between wages and profits Essay

What determines the distrbution of income between wages and profits - Essay Example Consequently, the wages paid to the workers in the cinema theatre would reduce. An opposite scenario in this context would be that if the public transport is privatized, the wages paid to the bus conductors would possibly increase. 2. The bargaining power of the workers is another significant factor that plays a role in the determination of distribution of income between wages and profits. The point to be noted here is that bargaining power of the work force can be more important than their productivity. 3. Profits not only depend on the macro factors such as the country’s economy but they also depend on the cost of production which can be company/industry specific. For instance, some companies who believe in excellence would spend a lot on innovation, resulting into low cost of production and high profits. This could also result into high wages. 4. The wages paid would also depend on the size of the company and industry. If the company is growing in size, the wages paid would be high; similarly wages are of growing nature in sunrise industries. Companies who have maintained oligopoly in the market can also afford to pay high wages. 5. Fields such as Information technology and Finance are of revolutionary and innovative nature, so we find wages to be very high in these fields. Similarly companies in any industry such as biotechnology, weapons manufacturing and aerospace that are of innovative nature can afford to pay high wages to the workers. 6. Another important factor is the distinction between skilled and unskilled workers. Skilled workers certainly get paid more than unskilled workers. The point to be noted here is that skilled workers enable the company to make more profits. 7. Referring to the above point again, we can also conclude that skilled/unskilled workers working in the specialty and niche areas will be paid more than

Principles of Dispute Resolution in indigenous Australian Community Essay Example for Free

Principles of Dispute Resolution in indigenous Australian Community Essay The manner in which the indigenous population in the so called the aboriginal community are represented in the criminal justice system is bringing a lot of questions according to the Heather and Braithwaite1. The Aboriginal community is increasingly overrepresented and at the same time families are experiencing high levels of violence. Heather and Braithwaite argue that finding a solution of these issues is increasingly becoming hard and difficult particularly when indigenous people become victims or offenders2. This is also seen whenever they come into contact with the criminal justice system The indigenous Australian community that is the Aboriginal community is cultural sensitive therefore making any attempt to help in dispute resolution among them and other parties become very complicated. For instance looking at the report that was produced by Queensland community justice program (CJP) Aboriginal mediation project the year 1990, it was discovered that the mediation process in dispute resolution on the indigenous community is rather in consistence to the cultural values of the people. This research paper therefore looks at the mediation principles and how they have been inconsistent to the cultural values of the society especially in resolving family violence. A conclusion is then drawn after coming up with alternative methods to mediation owing to the fact that the mediation process has failed in dispute resolution among the Aboriginal community of Australia. Introduction  Mediation process in the Aboriginal community in the Australia state according to the reports by the Queen community as mentioned above seem to very inconsistent therefore a lot of argument and debates have been raised on the effectiveness of the mediation3. The communities are seen to be aligned on one side leading to proper implementation of the criminal justice system. This implies that the mediation process in the Aboriginal community is never cultural sensitive. The dispute resolution method practiced on indigenous community does not take into account the traditional values of the society (Moore, 2003). The principles of mediation that are supposed to be observed by the commentators or mediators have not been followed. The indigenous community of the Australian state is very conservative as far as the culture is concerned and the mediation principles applied are not compatible with their values and culture4 . These principles include confidentiality, voluntariness and neutrality. Confidentiality Confidentiality is the ability to make something become private5. Boulle argues that mediation process will only be successful if and only if privacy and confidentiality of what is being said in the mediation process is kept close/ private. This is contrary to the aboriginal community where the community leads a unique life. Kinship is still observed making it hard to make things confidential. The communal way of life may not allow for privacy. The family members who are involved in the conflict are expected to interact with the mediator prior in order to have some knowledge on the issue and seek for favoritism (Nolan, 1993). Mediation should actually be kept confidential to avoid public embarrassment that make the parties involved feel inferior before other members of the Society6. Noble (1995) also believes that confidential is the key principle that strives to build trust of family members having disputes in the mediation. This is not applicable to the Aboriginal community. It is suggested that mediator should be a person who lives among the indigenous community and even workers within them according to Noble. This person will be assumed to be aware of the community’s cultural benefits such as that when involved in mediation; he should be fair as dictated by the community’s values7. Reassuring the families involved in the disputes is very important. Members of the community will give their opinion on who is to be picked as the mediator. That is where he lives and works. This point has also been stressed by Ackfun who argues that maintaining privacy and confidentiality in the mediation process may not be possible since the members exist in small communities and they observe kinship8. Members are tied to one another as they view other members of the society as relatives. Even though the court system attempt to maintain confidentiality, elements such as the physical arrangement of the community and the idea of kinship try to block out the confidentiality principle to be observed9. Neutrality This is another principle that should be observed in the mediation process according to Kelly (2002). Being neutral implies that the mediator should not be seen to be favoring one party in the mediation process. Therefore the background and relationship that may exist between the mediator and the parties involved is scrutinized. In other words the mediator is not allowed to have prior knowledge about the disputes and parties involved. If at all he has prior knowledge about the parties and those with disputes, then there is likelihood of unfair hearing arising. The person should actually come out boldly and voluntarily to preside over a mediator instead of being forced. However as much as this principle is a factor to the success of the mediation process, it is at different times difficult to maintain neutrality10. In most cases, the mediator is found to have prior knowledge concerning justice. He/she must have interacted with the families or parties involved in the disputes. Astor and Chinkin argue that, since neutrality may not be observed and realized in dispute resolution among the Aboriginal community, then the only thing that can be done is to have a mediator showing interest in the outcome of the mediation. The expectations of the Aboriginal family on the outcome of mediation are another issue that hinders the implementation of the concept of neutrality. The mediator is expected to take side during the dispute resolution in which he is expected to take side and favour either a friend or a family member. In such a case the mediator actually is related to one of the families having disputes who feed him with the knowledge regarding the situation. This makes the whole process of mediation lack neutrality but instead the parties are helped by the mediator to make and reach a decision since the mediator has already the prior knowledge11. This therefore proves the idea that the mediation process in dispute resolution involving the aboriginal community and other parties is not compatible to the principle of neutrality. Voluntary attendance. The principle of voluntarily requires the parties involved in a dispute to voluntarily agree together and come up with achievable scheme and a mediator of their choice12. This is actually what happens in most mediation process whereby the process may be conducted within a court of law or authorities with relevant knowledge regarding the process. Astor and Chinkin, 1996). However with respect to the Aboriginal community, the principle seems not to be applicable as such. According to the views of Noble, mediation in Aboriginal communities is only acceptable if its presided over by an old respected person with a well knowledge relating to their culture. This is the person who may be required to assist in dispute resolution. The fact that mediation should be voluntarily according to Moore, Aboriginal community does not observe this because they still view things in the traditional manner. Council of elders according to Noble have a lot of influence and power in the communities. Elements such as forcing someone to do something or accept something still exist. These are normally done by the respected elders where one party is left dissatisfied after the whole process of dispute resolution has been carried out. Cultural values of the community must just be looked into whether the nature of the mediation is voluntary or not. The mediator will be expected to adhere to the cultural dynamic for it to be fair and practicable. Noble, 1996). Just to make a brief conclusion on why principles of voluntarily in the mediation process is not applicable to the Aboriginal community, the whole process is cultured sensitive. Elders are accorded their respect and tend to influence decision in the process in order to come up with a resolution. Therefore whether the nature of mediation is voluntary or not the elders still have the influence on the outcome of the mediation13. It is very hard to group the class where the so called Aboriginal community belongs. They tend to be so conservatism and do things according to their lifestyles. The criminal justice system that is currently being applied is modern yet the society still swims in a pool of traditions that is outwashed by the modern one. The fact that there is lack of neutrality, confidentiality and voluntarily, this makes the mediation process become very odd and of little consequence. The Aboriginal community still believes that neutrality does not exist and so one party must just be favored in the mediation process. In effectiveness of mediation in solving domestic dispute Among the Aboriginal community, mediation has been unsuccessful when it comes to mediating between spouses especially where domestic wrangle is the issue to be resolved14. This is a society where traditional lifestyles are still practiced. Normally when violence exists between the spouses, men are not considered as the major course of violence but all the blame goes to women. Women, according toHovey, are seen to be inferior members of the society. Therefore mediation process in any dispute resolution between spouses among the Aboriginal community will automatically favour men and disadvantage women. Men have to say anything over women during the process of mediation. However there are two factors that are considered in the mediation involving domestic violence between a man and a woman according to Noble. First, the interest of the woman must be considered and protected in the process of mediation. The other factor that has to be considered is the consideration of the safety of men if at all they are taken to court following domestic violence15. Noble view domestic violence among the spouses to be something abnormal among the Aboriginal community and this may be or not through mediation. However mediation does not apply to all cases in a relationship. For instance mediation is not practical in solving violence in a relationship because the process may not be able to distinguish between who is guilty and who is not16. Otherwise issues emerging in a relationship are easily resolved through mediation. The culture of the aboriginal community does not allow couples to fight therefore a mediator is not allowed to assist any of the party to solve the dispute or help the parties come into consensus. The spouses however are left to agree between themselves and end the conflict. The issues may be so technical that the mediator might not be able to make a final resolution (Catherine and David, 2004, p49). Even though other proposals may be given such as to have mediation in a common ground, the whole process still will not be smooth owing to the fact that violence is the issue to be resolved. Therefore whether the ground is common or not, mediation in solving domestic violence is not successful17 Research methodology After having critically accessed the limitations of mediation process in dispute resolution among the Aboriginal community in Australia, it is practical therefore to come up with an alternative method that can address or solve disputes among communities. This is because the society (Aboriginal) is cultural sensitive that is they tend to observe their culture so much making them to be rigid to adopt other ways of life18. The research therefore was carried collecting by information from different sources. For instance interviews were done to the Aboriginal community that was grouped according to gender. Questionnaires were also posted to some individuals administered directly to the individuals who were to participate in the study. A total of twenty house holds were to be interviewed and given the questionnaires. Out of twenty households, ten were to be from young couples and the other ten from old members of the Aboriginal community.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Nonverbal Communication In Negotiations Cultural Studies Essay

Nonverbal Communication In Negotiations Cultural Studies Essay Cultural specific studies have focused attention on cultural and communication practices in specific countries, while conflict resolution and negotiation studies have integrated intercultural communication in their theories. Studies have identified factors influencing intercultural business communication which include effects or emotions and non-verbal behaviour. The earliest of these comparative theoretical and applied studies reflected in the conditions existed in the early stages of globalization following world war two. During this period complex international business transactions could be channeled through fully bilingual specialists who provided translation and interpretation services, while simple communication exchanges such as obtaining and fulfilling sales orders could be processed through routine channels. These transactions did not impose the same communication requirements as do the interactive and intercultural communication channels of the present day of international business communication environment. Since 1960s, language studies traditionally emphasized verbal and written communication, however in the recent times more research studies seriously began to consider what takes place without words in conversations, in instances were verbal and nonverbal communication meets (Hartley Bruckham, 2000). The research would start by discussing problems of communicating across social boundaries and then define and discuss some of the concepts associated with non verbal miscommunication in cross cultural meetings and negotiation. Then it would also focus on both verbal and non-verbal communication factors and consider how much scope there is for ambiguity and interpretation. If it can be anticipated how other people will interpret to what we say and do, then our communication can be made more effective. We also need to bear in mind that communication is not just the transmission and reception of information. No matter how carefully we feel we have encoded our message, we need to be aware of all the factors which can influence how other people will interpret our behaviour. The research would also address how cultural factors affect cross-cultural communication and explain in bridging cultures, and some strategies they can use to overcome cross-cultural communication problems. Nonverbal behaviours unintentional, beyond the words, can be interpreted by a receiver as having meaning. They either accompany verbal messages or are used independently of verbal messages. They may affirm and emphasize or negate and even contradict spoken messages. They are more likely to be used unconsciously and spontaneously because they are habitual and routine behaviours. There are seven key elements of Nonverbal Behaviour which include gestures, body moments, facial movements, eye contacts, postures, vocalics and haptics. Gestures, body moments, facial movement and eye contact are combined in the kinesics code, which vary culturally, also referred to as body language. The study of this caters to traditional linguistic principles to the parts of the body particularly the face, hands and arms or body as a whole. It also addresses posture in standing and sitting as well as with eye and facial expressions such as the arching of eyebrows or rolling of the eyes. Vocalics refers to a ll vocal activities other than verbal context, also called the paralanguage. Paralanguage may be expressed consciously or unconsciously and it includes the pitch, volume, and, in some cases, intonation of speech. Sometimes the definition is restricted to vocally-produced sounds. The role of Haptics focuses on touch as an element of communication and is very much a function of culture. It can vary from touch and the frequency and intensity, like many other roles of non verbal communication. The communication environment consists of physical environment and spatial environment. Secondly, there are the communicators physical characteristics like physique general attractiveness, height, clothes and other accessories. Here I would wish to bring into focus an incident which I had observed on television. When Americans go for negotiation to Saudi Arabia, the female members accompanying the team would always wear a full body cover named Abhaya (not Burkha). But recently when Indian Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh visited Saudi Arabia, Mrs.Manmohan Singh who accompanied him did not wear that. So looking at this incidence and by carefully observing, it can be said that there was a wrong cultural assumption from the Indian think tanks whereas even Mrs. Obama and Mrs. Clinton, did wear them during their respective visits. By wearing them is like respecting the feeling of Saudis, so here its the miscommunication made and the body language is like I dont care attitude, the opposite party can interpret it in that way. India is going there and its equally important for both countries, especially more for India, by doing this India is putting them in a wrong position right at the beginning itself. An another instance is when I was watching NDTV, a popular Indian news channel, there was a discussion with two leading political parties of India namely UPA and Left, which also included prominent news reporters. The discussion was regarding the past performance of the newly elected government. Usually a discussion of this kind can heat up at any time without warnings because thats how the Indian political scenario works. As expected, there was a hot exchange of words between the representatives of the parties who were sitting in close proximity. It was surprising to note that the opposite partys gesture by touching the hand of the other party member, couple of times to ease the tension. In Indian culture, this gesture is commonly used in easing tensed situation and making the opposite person calm during a meeting or discussion. A soft touch in the hand is considered as a humanitarian way of showing that there is no intension to start a fight (usually these gestures can be seen done my males) thereby avoiding the situation to get worse. This happens between people of Indian origin and in an Indian context; understanding and acting these small gestures can win a situation or even stabilize it. But in general, Asian cultures tend to discourage touching outside of intimate situations whereas certain other cultures like US allow cross-gender touching while same-gender is less acceptable. These rules change in Japan, where women are frequently seen holding hands but not men. In the Mediterranean, it is common to see men holding hands or touching in public but not women. So an awareness of these local norms is important and would help negotiators for better cross cultural negotiations. The use of space is called proxemics, and the use of time is chronemics. Environment involves the communicative value of the physical space. Unconsciously, we all keep a comfortable distance around us when we interact with other people. This distance has had several names over the years, including personal space, interpersonal distance, comfort zone, and body bubble. This space between us and another person forms invisible walls that define how comfortable we feel at various distances from other people. Business people, for example, assume significant meaning about desk size; its commonly assumed that the important people of companies occupy the top most floors of the company. Artifacts likewise is connected with communicative aspect of objects visible in a room such as art or possessions, these may be personal indicative of status of revealing lifestyle. In some societies much meaning is presumed by ones choice of automobile. Artifacts certainly play a role in cultural significance. For instance in many Western countries, pet shave great emotional significance; among many Arabs rugs are prestigious. It should be further emphasized that these codes do not usually function independently or sequentially, rather they work simultaneously. Moreover, nonverbal behaviour is always about sending messages. We cannot communicate without using them even though at times these messages are ambiguous. This wide range of nonverbal behaviour serves various functions in all face-to-face encounters (Gesteland, 2002). For instance at a companys important social meeting, the general manager is introduced to several new employees whom he has not met. Having greeted them with a dominant handshake, he stands at the social distance from the new employees. Knapp Hall (1997) claim that leaders and dominant personalities tend to also choose specific seats but seating position also can determine ones role in a group. Johnson (1993) says that choosing where to sit even if it means moving a chair or even deciding whether to sit, is significant. Anderson (1993) states that leaders and powerful people take up more space than others do. By taking up more space, they appear to be taking charge. Conversely, after shaking hands with the boss, the new employees take full or partial arm-fold gestures because of their apprehension about being in the presence of the companys top man. Both the general manager and the new employees feel comfortable with their respective gestures as each, is signaling his status relativ e to the other. A study conducted in the United States brought to light that, in more than 93 percent, the messages is transmitted by the speakers tone of voice and facial expressions; only 7 percent of the persons attitude was conveyed by words. Probably its a fact that we express our emotions and attitudes more nonverbally than verbally. There are however nonverbal differences across cultures that may be a source of confusion for foreigners. For example, expression of sadness, in culture such as the Arab, grief is expressed openly but this is just the opposite in the case of other cultures like the Asian. Here the general belief is that it is unacceptable to show emotion openly, whether its sadness, happiness or pain. Negotiation is a broad conflict management process involving discussions between and among individuals who are interdependent and need to come together for a decision or course of action; frequently associated with the need to compromise effectively (Shockley-Zalabak, 1988, p. 247). Negotiation consists of two distinct processes: creating value and claiming value. Creating value is a cooperative process whereby the parties in the negotiation seek to realize the full potential benefit of the relationship whereas claiming value is essentially a competitive process. The key to creating value is finding interests that the parties have in common or that complement each other, then reconciling and expanding upon these interests to create a positive situation. Parties at the negotiating table are interdependent and their goals are locked together. A seller cannot exist without a buyer. The purpose of a negotiation is a joint decision-making process through which the parties create a mutuall y acceptable settlement. The objective is to pursue a win-win situation for both parties. Sun Tzu once wrote: Know your enemy and know yourself and you can fight a hundred battles without disaster. It is perhaps a bit extreme to compare a business meeting to a battle and a business partner to an enemy but the main principle still holds. In order to be reliably successful in business you must understand both yourself and your partner. This understanding will enable you realize what makes your corresponding person tick, and thus understand how he is likely to react in a given situation. In order to gain the full advantage of this knowledge, it is also necessary to understand oneself, both so that one can accurately grasp in what areas the other party is similar or dissimilar, and in order to accurately see how your counterpart is likely to view you. Hill (1998) mentions cross-cultural literacy, and defines it as an understanding of how cultural differences both across and within natio ns can affect the way in which business is practiced (1998:66) If we consider the fact that negotiating with our fellow citizen is not an easy task due to many individual differences, it would be reasonable to suggest that negotiating in a cross cultural setting with people from different cultural boundaries may be even more difficult. The way we perceive and create our own reality may be completely different to our counterparts way of thinking, behaving and feeling. Its also a fact that gaining knowledge of different languages is not enough to face and solve the problem. Language is a cluster of codes used in communication which, if not shared effectively, can act as a barrier to establish credibility and trust. Nations tend to have a national character that influences the type of goals and process the society pursues in negotiations. This is why specifying and understanding cultural differences is vital in order to perform successfully in inter-cultural communication. As we better understand that our partners may see things differently, we wil l be less likely to make negative assumptions and more likely to make progress during meetings and cross cultural negotiations (Zieba, 2009). Japanese negotiators are known for their politeness, their emphasis on establishing relationships and their indirect use of power. Japanese concern with face and face-saving is one reason that politeness is so important and confrontation is avoided. They tend to use power in muted, indirect ways consistent with their preference for harmony and calm. In comparative studies, Japanese negotiators were found to disclose considerably less about themselves and their goals than French or American counterparts. Silence and pauses in conversations are normal. Two can strategically use breaks in conversational flows even in situations where they could process information faster and send messages sooner. In essence the period of silence provide a twofold advantage of reducing the possibility of introducing unproductive and destructive commends into conversations and providing breaks for reflection, designation of ideas and planning of communication strategy and tactics during negotiations. Thes e are consistent with the norms of Chinese and Japanese, however westerners might have discomfort in the same situations. They are very formal and polite and place great importance on proper protocol. They are also concerned with proper etiquette. British negotiation behaviour is characterized by the soft sell and their culture is relatively high in context. Americans usually like to get down to business quickly in a meeting which may lead to people from Chinese and Japanese cultures being offended. In spite of that, the discussion mostly proceeds at a much slower pace than US business people are accustomed. The Chinese uses high context speech and therefore use a lot of non-verbal cues to communicate. They may use feelings of guilt, shame and obligation to get certain kinds of concessions whereas Americans use less risk taking tactics to misrepresent in order to gain more information. In general, most Westerners expect a prompt answer when they make a statement or ask a question ra ther than long pauses and silence (Weiss, 1992). This form of Kinesic messages shows that even if one keeps silent, one is still conveying messages. Knapp Hall (1997, p. 332) state that The face may be the basis for judging another persons personality and that it can (and does) provide information other than ones emotional state. They found that how something is said is often more important than what is being said. In addition, Anderson (1993) suggests that people perceived as powerful, shift their position occasionally, making themselves appear in charge. However, the rise in the global business trend and cross cultural meetings has paved way for the Chinese and Japanese professionals in doing business with the West with relative ease and have shown tendency to modify their behaviours to accommodate west. Nonetheless, doing business in Japan necessitates preparing oneself by understanding areas such as business culture, business etiquette, and negotiation meeting protocols. For instance, bowing your head is an integral part of J apanese culture. It is used for greeting at beginning and end of the meetings to show gratitude or used in other occasions to express sympathy or to apologies but a Westerner would not be expected to bow and will most likely be greeted with a handshake combined with a slight nod of the head (Nelda Spinks 1997). The French, expect everyone to behave as they do when doing business which includes speaking their language. Negotiations are likely to be in French unless they occur outside France. The French enjoy conversation for the sake of conversation but they are also very pragmatic about details of the proposed agreement during negotiations. They are very much individualists and have a sense of pride that is sometimes interpreted as supremacy. They follow their own logic, referred to as Cartesian logic, when negotiating. These logics are based on principles previously established. It proceeds from what is known, in point-by-point fashion, until agreement is reached. Protocol, manners , status, education, family, and individual accomplishments are keys to success when dealing with the French. The French prefer detailed, firm contracts. They enjoy conflict and debate and will interrupt even the opening presentations with arguments of little or no relevance (Moran and Stripp, 1991). It is widely acknowledged fact that people from different countries tend to communicate in different ways. We argue that these differences are more related to different communication cultures than other differences. Being aware of these differences usually leads to better comprehension, fewer misunderstandings and to mutual respect along with the prospects of success and benefits in negotiations and cross cultural meetings (Janosik, 1991). The key to successful nonverbal cross-cultural communication is that one must be experienced, motivated, knowledgeable, skilled and competent communicator in the global marketplace. These factors are interrelated and a deficiency in one would impacts at least one of the other factors. The more the deficiency is reduced there is more likelihood of achieving a high level of cross-cultural communication. Spitzberg (1991) points out in his model of interpersonal communication competency that, there is an additive effect of these factors resulting in co mmunication satisfaction, perceived confirmation, and conversational appropriateness and effectiveness (p. 22). However these may not be true in all cases. For example, I would like to point out a particular instance from my personal experience wherein a subject becomes more important or more influencing factor in a face to face space negotiation, the subject is something slightly different than a pure technical one. If I am trying to create a thinking process or an idea or an ideology, I would like to spread that and make others understand, which is really important. So my aim would be to make others understand my thinking process, and to do that, I better do my homework properly and know exactly what others think, hence this topic is more valid in such context. When the negotiation is highly technical then all these dont make much difference because technical things are tangible. For example, if we say we would like to export one ship of rice to Kenya, the quantity of rice that can go to that ship load is tangible and the product in talk is also tangible as we can specify the type of rice. H ere, the negotiation is only about the final loading price for that particular merchant, so whatever language we talk (say I know everything about Kenya, I have hired a secretary for that and I have done everything for that) it work only if its feasible for me hence its pure technical. TATA motors was trying to sell their cars and trucks in Africa region but finally succeeded only in selling trucks because the tertian needed in that region is almost same as that of the Indian region. So there the buyer was only interested in the efficiency of the truck and the total maintenance cost, rest all was of least importance. For instance, consider an advertisement of any car in the daily, they are also communicating. We can see that some of these advertisement are related to festive moods like Easter so by means of picture, it is trying to relate us to that particular festival which helps us to get connect faster and thereby leading to buy the content. So here the language they use is a vis ual one. Another example is say early morning a person is ready to go for negotiation and finds that he has forgotten to take the thoughts and has the habit of sweating (sweating here indicates nervousness in a sense). Now imaging the condition of that person, he going to attend a important meeting, he will be biased because of the sweat and his body language would be completely wrong because of this irritation factor which is definitely going to affect his meeting. His conversation would be influenced by this irritation factor and there is a possibility that other members might misunderstand his body language or it could even be medical problem or a digestion problem or it could be something like a pillow given in the hotel. Instead of a soft pillow the person would have got a hard one and say that person has a spontaliaties problem, he would have a very bad night of sleep and this would reflect in his gestures. So its always not correct to say that one can understand and interpret the body language rightly, even if he has enormous experience and skills relating to it, as according to the above example, under such circumstances it would be very difficult to communicate in proper body language and even verbally may not be saying what he intended to say. Sometimes persons would be forced to do things they are not aware of because of various other factors related to it. It is not a pure science where oxygen and hydrogen combined together gives water, in any instance. In a positive sense, everything could hype a person up like the food that he had last night or the drink that he had or the company that he had, so there again he is not projecting his real self. The next day when he goes for a negotiation his spirits are high which also could be misread and misinterpreted by the opposite party. The opposite party would think that the person is much interested in the business or negotiation but the reaction would only come later, seeing him in high spirit, the opposite party would start in a entirely different way from what he had prepared earlier. As human beings, we act on the basis of our perceptions and beliefs. So if we have a particular view of human communication, then we will act on that view. If we have a faulty view, then our behaviour may cause problems. The behaviour of humans is bundled up by different complex set of factors from individual personality, the social context their respective cultural values. Negotiating behaviour can vary depending upon various other aspects from the age of the participant, class, religion and character, its complexity gives nuanced explanations (Hartley Bruckham, 2000). This is a classical example to show how different cross cultural non verbal signals are misread, the cost of it being delays and missed opportunities. This case comes during the early days when the American diplomats attended a meeting of US -China reconciliation. Cohen (1991) points out that U.S. observers entirely missed the most significant Chinese signal of reconciliation of all in the 1970-71 periods. In October 1970, Chairman Mao invited an American author and journalist to stand next to him at the Gate of Heavenly Peace. While this gesture seems obscure to American diplomats and hence they did not respond to it, the symbolism was clear to the Chinese, who expected a significant response. These gaps in nonverbal gestures created friction among these two nations, if addressed in its rightful instance could have brought out fruitful results beneficial to both nations.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

The Doctrine Of God Theology Religion Essay

The Doctrine Of God Theology Religion Essay Many people find the study of the principals of Christianity to be interesting and even intriguing. For some, however, the interest goes well beyond idle curiosity. For this group of truth seekers, a hunger for knowledge and truth drives them to dedicate years of their lives to the pursuit of deeper and meaningful insight into what it all means. They dive into their studies: reading, analyzing, listening, discussing, and debating the issues surrounding creation, divinity, and human relationships with nature, one another, and deity. Though their paths may be diverse, they share the universal hope that their efforts are fruitful; that they are able to tell the story of Jesus Christ, the history of the Christian church, and share the message of a loving Creator in a way that will have a positive impact on humanity and be pleasing to God. This is where my colleagues and I find ourselves today. We are charged with explaining what we have read, heard, learned, and understand, and the magni ficent task of doing so with clarity and authority. The greatest challenge of sharing this message of hope, that is both exciting and challenging, is to be able to teach it (and live it) in a way that is not hypocritical or exclusive. While some are passionate and some are curious about the gospel message, there is still an entirely different group of people who are affected by it: those who are ignorant of Christian teachings and those who have negative feelings toward them. It is perhaps the majority of society, whom we should be reaching out to. Those people who are living outside of religion and spirituality are doing so because someone failed to share the message of God with them, or because someone failed to share it effectively. I believe there is more danger in being ineffective in sharing the message than in not sharing it at all. I grew up a pseudo-Southern Baptist. I say pseudo because my familys attendance at church was very inconsistent. We were faithful to attend church at least once a month, maybe twice in some months. I was never involved in youth activities, vacation bible school, or bible study groups. I did not have a close group of friends within the church. My experience with pew sitting included hellfire and brimstone sermons delivered by preachers who were well-versed in salvation founded in fear rather than faith. It is easy to imagine that, for me, church was not a place where I felt peace or grace. I eventually stopped attending church altogether during my teens. I had not felt any affirmation or nurture during my church experiences, so for a long time, all I felt I was missing was the guilt and fear I associated with church membership. I stayed away for about fifteen years before I felt God calling me to a relationship. Shortly after meeting Christi, who would soon become my wife, we visited the United Methodist Church with our daughters. It was then that I became deeply involved in a bible study for the first time in my life, and so much of the gospel message from my hit-and-miss church attendance finally began to make sense. We began to participate in several church activities with our children, volunteering in youth events, Sunday School activities, mission projects, and small group bible studies. It wasnt long before I was drafted into the church praise band, leading worship on Wednesday nights and at the early service on Sunday mornings. I had known for a while that I had a desire to serve more fully, but it was through a very unexpected event at church that I was rapidly introduced to full-time ministry. Stepping out on faith, I was hired as the youth minister and soon became a licensed local pastor. This served my purpose temporarily, but it did not provide fully for the kind of education I felt was necessary to preach and teach in pastoral ministry. The more tha t I learned during this time of rapid growth and awakening, the more I hungered for even more knowledge. My understanding of Christianity and church membership has since changed drastically from the narrow-minded perspective I had maintained throughout my childhood and well into adulthood. My perspective has shifted and my understanding continues to evolve. There are things which had no importance to me at all, that have become priorities. I have grown passionate about social justice and have gained a true appreciation for programs that promote the wellness and interests of women, children and others who are oppressed or marginalized. I have felt a calling to be a voice of support for women in ministry; to support their ministries and ensure that they are fully enabled to accomplish all of the good that they can, particularly in areas of ministry that they can be far more effective than a man could be. I feel strongly about the importance of encouraging inclusiveness in the church. I believe that it is important for all Gods people to have a place to participate in corporate worship. Church membership should not exclude members of the gay and lesbian community, as we all are in desperate need of feeling ever closer to God. There are several mainstream congregations within our communities that would not welcome gay or lesbian individuals into their churches. It is often openly and overtly preached against such blatant sinners becoming church members. I believe that none of our own sins can fairly or accurately be judged. Inclusiveness must be an overriding theme in all areas of the mission field. We are called to go make disciples and since we are all sinners, we would be hard-pressed to make disciples among those who are perfect. Our worship space and our church families should be places that are welcoming and inclusive, rather than rejecting and exclusive. If we are to model ourselves after Jesus, the Christ, we must remember that our savior ate with sinners. In those examples of love and forgiveness, Christ showed us the perfect model. If we are to be like Him, we must remember all those on the fringes; not just those who are victimized, but also those who are marginalized of their own poor choices. I believe that Jesus is my example and I am to model myself after Him. This is my calling. Prolegomena- The central theme of the Bible is God calling us, Gods people, back into a relationship with God. If we believe this, then we can only accomplish this restored relationship by ensuring that all of Gods people have not only the chance, but the understanding of what that relationship means. But, for many, the Bible is a strange writing. It is filled with stories and situations and language that are not easily understood. In fact, for many, it is like a foreign language. In addition, as I have come to experience in the world of theological education, there are so many terms that are indecipherable to the common person. We take our knowledge of the Bible and continue to turn it into terms that are still not user friendly. I believe that as theologians and faithful followers of Jesus Christ, we have a responsibility to humanity to give our best efforts to share Gods message with others. We are called by God and by the scripture in Matthew to go out and spread the gospel in order that all people may have the Bible accessible to them and to bring the message of scripture interpreted to them in a language that they might understand. When I use the phrase for the fringes, I am referring to those who are outside the church. For whatever reason, they do not have any affiliation with a church- possibly from a bad experience, never having been exposed, or disbelief. I believe that this is partially what we are being told in the passage from Matthew 25, the least of these. These children of God may be in the far corners of the earth, or in our back yards. They may be from the poorest of society, or they may be in the wealthiest ten percent. They may be pre-teen children, or they may be in the eve of their lives. In any case, I feel as though it is the responsibility of those who know the truth of scripture, the Christian community, to educate in common terms. More specifically, I believe that it is my responsibility, as a response to Gods amazing grace, to make it a priority to share Jesus with everyone that I can, in a language that everyone can understand. Dr. Rieger referenced our God as a fairly radical God.  [1]  This God of creation and liberation is the radical God that can appeal to the masses of those who are believed to be on the fringes, those just outside the church. Some believe that God is only available to those who gather in community and in relationships found within the fellowship and experiences of like-minded persons. We characterize those outside established congregations with terms like unchurched, or underchurched, or lost. The fact that they are not incorporated into an organized body of believers does not make them wrong. Too often the Christian community carries within itself, perhaps even in its doctrines, the belief that God can only be found inside the church. There are some who may even believe that they are the only ones who do church right. As theologians, we are faced with the challenge of presenting good God-talk, rather than bad. Unfortunately, many people experience theology as nothing more than anothers unlearned opinion or agenda, which could be limiting, damaging, or complete destruction. It is the responsibility of every person to seek knowledge and to share that knowledge. The Doctrine of God- Theology begins and ends with God. In an effort to firm our theological stance, we seek resources to support what we have learned and understand of God. The Bible and other historical documents are not written to provide proof of God, but to show what God has done, what God is doing, and what God is yet to do. They are, in fact, a documentation of Gods existence throughout history. Of these resources, there is no place better to start than with the Bible. In Genesis, we see that God created the heavens and the earthà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. and God swept over the face of the waters.  [2]  We see evidence of Gods existence at the beginning of time. However, Gods existence in the lives of the individuals is measured not by the accounts of others, but in the relationships and experiences of the individuals. The book of Deuteronomy, chapter 26 carries a hidden creed showing that the God of mercy and love delivered the writer from captivity and bondage. We cried to the Lordà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil and our oppression. The Lord brought us out of Egyptà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.with a terrifying display of power.  [3]  Throughout the text, a merciful image of God is evident as God helped liberate a people from their captors. The Word shows that while being a God of great mercy and faithfulness, and love, that there is the existence of a God who can be terrifying. Both characteristics are contained within the same account. But, the testimony would not carry the same effect had it not been in a relational setting. The oppression and captivity were very real and very personal to the writer; also the action of God was also very personal. It is through these kinds of stories that the God of our Christian faith can be better understood. God has been presented to us with many attributes. These include Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer, omniscient, omnipotent, holy, loving and forgiving, to name a few. Perhaps the best defining words for God would be self-existent. The fact that Gods existence does not rely on anything but God is somewhat overwhelming. The challenge is not only to gain a personal understanding of who and what God is, but to be able to effectively articulate God to others. This is the mystery of God. God can be described as everywhere, yet among us. God is said to be the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.  [4]  These terms provoke questions within those who do not have a relationship with God. God has been said to be all things to all people. It is through these examples that we begin to gain an understanding of the enormity of God. God is immeasurable through our human understanding. We cannot possibly have a complete understanding of God. To simply say that God is Chri st leaves God somewhat boxed and therefore not the true God. Origen said that God is incomprehensible, transcending being itself. God is known only by inference from the created order.  [5]  We see the presence and existence of God through the world around us. God is seen in the actions of neighbors and strangers. The God of creation is seen through the beauty of nature and in the faces of our fellow humans. God said in Genesis 1:26, let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness.  [6]  It is clearly seen that God is intentional in Gods communion with humankind. Biblically speaking, the image of God can be seen in each and every person. John Wesley referenced in his Sermon 111, the scripture found in Jeremiah 23:24, Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them? Says the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth?  [7]  Both John Wesley and biblical scholars agree that we see through this scripture that God is both immanent and transcendent. God exists entirely in this world and beyond. But the way that God is go ing to be seen in each persons perspective is going to depend on where this person is in his or her life. God will meet us where we are at. The circumstances that surround a persons life will shadow how God is viewed. A person who is suffering from loss, or poverty, or oppression might view God as uncaring, or distant. Whereas a person who is experiencing success- either socially, financially, spiritually, and relationally, may see God as very involved in their lives. It is those times where it is easier to see and acknowledge the existence of God. It is much harder to give God credit when times are hard. But the bridge to a better understanding of God is putting the two together and showing where God is present throughout. Trying to completely describe God would be failure. We cannot accurately speak of Gods greatness. Too many facets would be left out, and that would illustrate a God who fell short of the God that we have in our midst. Explaining the Trinity is equally difficult. As theologians, we are to be able to put into words that the three- God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all one. In our limited ability to understand, we seek to make sense not only to ourselves, but others. The Trinity may be likened to a full chord on a guitar. Each note, or string, has equal responsibility and equal worth. Each has its own tone and depth. But when all the notes are played simultaneously, the chord makes a complete and beautiful sound- a harmony, a relationship. This is how the Trinity works. As previously discussed, God the Father, Creator is with us always, from the beginning of time. As Christians, we understand that each point of the Trinity is equal to the other two. There is no subordination. If subordination were the case, the idea of the Trinity would be pointless. A wonderful example of the Trinity in modern writing would be illustrated in the book The Shack. The main character has suff ered loss and brokenness and experiences all three facets while dealing with his circumstances. Though based on a fictional account, the lesson of each point of the Trinity, being in harmony with each other rings true. Each point of the Trinity was able to help the character in a different way. Understanding God and the Trinity has and will be a continuous journey. As we move and study and live, the presence and knowledge of God will move within. Our understanding will change daily, as will our maturity in explaining. By helping others to identify God in their own personal experiences and relationships, we have a greater chance of helping them to understand scripture and the greatness of God. The Doctrine of Jesus Christ- Jesus Christ the Son, born of a virgin, is both fully divine and fully human. Jesus came and lived among sinners and died for our sins. This is the general idea of what Jesus Christ is to the world. But, there is so much more to the idea of the Son of God. The Christian faith says that the most significant way in which it has been able to see God present within the world is through the life, work, and legacy of Jesus Christ. It is claimed that Jesus Christ is the physical embodiment of God in the world. Jesus himself is not all there is to God, but He is God as God has chosen to physically manifest Godself in the midst of Gods creation. The historical Jesus is the Jesus of today, acting in history. In Mark 8:29, Jesus asks, Who do you say that I am?  [8]  It seems that the world has been trying to answer the question since it was asked. The problem is that many different people have many differing answers. Or is that a problem. For some, He is simply a man who lived over two thou sand years ago. To others, He was a prophet, much like Elijah. To some He was a politician, or a public figure that was well known and killed for His views. And yet to many of us, He was a man, who lived over two thousand years ago, who was able to tell us things that were of another dimension, who was political and stood for a cause greater than we could humanly imagine. And then, just as He said, He would be betrayed by a close friend, arrested for upsetting the higher political figures, and murdered- all the while, changing the course of history and the future of the world. Jesus only had a short ministry, but the magnitude of things done in that time would shape a faith that give millions hope and peace all over the world. He began by assembling a group of men who were not in the upper crust of society. He never promised wealth or position, something that the average person might aspire to achieve, but instead offered life, unlike they had ever experienced before. These young men would have been the blue collar workers of our times. They understood what it was like to work long hours for very little pay. Most of them were barely educated. But Jesus saw something in them and He chose them to help Him carry the message- His message. Much of the time, they did not understand the words or actions of this man. He spoke unlike anyone had ever spoken. He used parables to teach them how to live and how to love. He healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, cleansed the lepers, raised the dead, ate with sinners, and basically drew outside all the lines of societ al normalcy. Jesus spoke of a kingdom not of this world where we would go to be with the Father. Jesus spoke about loving their neighbor and forgiving them of their wrongdoings. He challenged them to carry His teachings to the world. And this message was for the multitudes of people who believed, and followed. We are the disciples of Christ who are called to take this message now. The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit- In the Old Testament, we see the Spirit connected with deep experiences, through which its power might overcome an individual, it may rest upon an individual, or might be poured out over many people.  [9]  In the New Testament, this spirit is identified with Jesus Christ and is the bringer of justice, mercy, and the complete knowledge of God to the Jews and Gentiles alike. The idea that the spirit will be poured on the many- ie, Male and female, old and young, slave or free, as well as people of other nations, languages and cultures was radical considering the context of the time. The Spirit was granting knowledge to the outcasts. Not only were the wealthy and privileged receiving it, but so were the common folks.  [10]  We are told in scripture, beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God.  [11]  In fact, considerable time and study has been spent in exploration of this topic. The subject of spiritual warfare comes to mind. There are spirits that work daily in our lives. Theses spirits are not for the good of us, rather the opposite. The Holy Spirit is that presence that is carried within us every minute of the day. It is often the guidance that we seek when making a difficult decision. This Holy Spirit lives in contrast to the negative spirits. It is the spirit of both our God and Creator, as well as the spirit of Jesus Christ the Son. And this Holy Spirit will not act always the same way. Our individual needs and context will cause the spirit to respond in Its necessary capacity. Wisdom scripture say that the spirit has filled the world and holds all things together.  [12]  It is through our personal experiences that we see the Holy Spirit at work. It is often masked as the nudging to participate or to not participate in any given activity. It is the feeling or calling of reaching out to those who are in need. We see the holy Spirit at work in the actions of others who show grace and compassion when their situations would not ordinarily warrant it. The Holy Spirit is the third element of the trinity, and is God and Jesus both active within our everyday lives. The Bible is a collection of all that God has said and done, as seen and recorded through the words of persons who were inspired to write by the Holy Spirit. It is a good example of how the Spirit works and speaks in their time and situation. The image of the spirit, in both the Old Testament and the New Testament is that of wind or breath.  [13]  In the Book of John, Jesus promises the spirit as encourager to come after He is returned to God. I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truthà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦he abides in you and he will be in you.  [14]  The Holy Spirit is God living in us. And the Spirit helps us in our weakness.  [15]  The work of the Holy Spirit in our daily lives, just like in the lives of the Old Testament and New Testament people, helps to offer guidance even in our darkest hours. The battle that goes on within- should I or shouldnt I? is the direct activity of the Spirit, working against the evil and sin in our lives. It may be very complex and often difficult to explain, but the fact is that the Holy Spirit is simply our God, the Creator of all things, living inside, present at all times. The Doctrines of Creation and Providence- The doctrine of creation tells us that God is the source and the Creator of all things. God is the Creator of the universe as well as individual human existence. All life comes from God and all life returns to God. We are told in Genesis 1 that God created and saw that everything was good. We have no doubt that God was pleased with creation.  [16]  Creation, however, is not simply a process that was. Creation is a continuous, ongoing process in which God is actively involved- a relationship between God and the world. Throughout Biblical history, we have seen the hand of God at work, primarily in the acts of creation. For example, this is evident in the story of the flood, through the imagery of the olive leaf returned to the hand of Noah by the dove. We saw God establish the covenant afterwards, the creation of Israel, and then the creation of a new community of faith through Jesus Christ. These are just a few examples of the love that God has continued to show for Gods creation. We have to be able to share that creation did not create itself. It is the gift of a God who is love, and through this gift, we are shown the magnificence of God. But why did God create the earth and everything in it? Some have pondered that God was lonely, so God created. We believe that God is complete in Godself. We have already established that God is self-existent and ultimately that Gods existence does not rely on anything but God. with that in mind, it does not make sense, even to or limited understanding of this all-loving God, that God would become lonely and subsequently create. Karl Barth believed that God was radically separate from this world. Barth said that the One who loves in freedom was acting out of no external necessity but freely creating simply because love seeks to share its goodness.  [17]  This loving God that we worship, and often fear, is seeking to share Gods greatness. Through creation, God begins the relationship with humanity, not out of need, but out of love. John Calvin said, Gods providence is not that by which God idly observes from heaven what takes place on earth, but that by which, as keeper of the keys, he governs all events.  [18]  According to Wood, in the Oxford Handbook of Systematic Theology, we are not to believe that we are tied to our situations simply because God has willed it that way. This God who sends pain has also sent the means to alleviate it. The God who sends flood and fire has given is the intelligence to prevent it from happening, or to minimize its harmful effects.  [19]  Providence is Gods divine guidance and care. God the Creator is continues as the sustaining force for creation and the guiding force for human destiny. But why would a loving God allow evil into the world. Placher points out that often, we just dont have answers, but we might look at a few possible reasons. Sometimes good is not possible without evil, humanity abuses its freedom and the result is evil, evil helps refine our souls to be what God would have us to be, or simply that God allows some limited evil to act in the world.  [20]  It is only through Gods grace that humanity experiences free will. Sometimes, our choices through this free will cause us to be in harms way. Gods allowance of evil helps humanity to become the people God would desire us to be. Plainly speaking, we learn from our mistakes and through trials, we turn our hearts toward God. In the end, our relationship to God is strengthened, as is our witness to others. The Doctrine of the Human Creature- The problem with the issue of human being is that we all believe that we have a complete understanding of human being. And because we already know about the human being, we tend to work from that assumption. Our human condition, or human creature, or human existence is based upon our relationship with God. When we have a relationship with and we follow Jesus Christ, we become more fully human.  [21]  We are told that the human creature is not just individual, but collective, as well.  [22]  Our humanness comes with both possibilities and limitations. There is something in the individual, and in that individuals desire for personal success that is adverse to the human creature. We are qualified by the claim that what distinguishes them as specifically human is that God creates them in the image of God.  [23]  The one who is created in the image of God seeks to form and sustain loving and caring relationships with God and other human beings. When the humans desire to achiev e personal success overlaps the desires of another, conflict is created. Often in conflict, healthy relationships are not nurtured. This conflict is called sin. The Doctrine of the Church- The church is the people of God.  [24]  Though there are many divisions, facets, communities, denominations, the church stands as the people, the body of Jesus Christ, who founded the church and charged us with the task to go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  [25]  God will speak where God will and the community will form around where God is. The role of the church is to re-present Christ to the world.  [26]  In a recent lecture, Dr. Rieger alludes to a personal struggle that was similar to the struggle of Luther, Wesley, Barth, and Bonhoffer. That struggle was not about the people not believing, but that the people were being taught wrongly and therefore believed wrongly. Rieger offers that rather than idealizing the church, we begin to analyze the church. To do this, we must look at the four marks of the church to function as a framework for our analysis. First, we look at the unity of the church- One holy, catholic, universal church. But we are not one church. We have both social threats to church unity, as well as theological threats. One threat is segregation. We are primarily segregated. Racially, church is referred to as the most segregated hour in America- from 11am to 12 on Sunday morning.  [27]  Class stratification is not easily overcome, especially in America. If we are really interested in the unity of the church, we have to address the issues that divide us. We are also divided by our differing doctrines. As a United Methodist now and formerly a Baptist for 35 years, I appreciated the joke about a Methodist being a Baptist that can read. There is humor intended in the statement but the sad truth is that Baptists, United Methodists, Catholics, Presbyterians, Church of Christ, and Pentecostals have been divided in their beliefs for ages. In addition to these differences, we also create divisions with the Jewish people. W e believe that the new covenant of Jesus Christ has somehow nullified the covenant of God with Israel in the Old Testament. Instead, we need to look to our similarities, oppose anti