Essay about Pagan Christmas - 788 Words

25 March 2013 Mythic Dimensions of Literature â€Å"The Origins of Christmas† Christmas is a holiday celebrated by members of the religion of Christianity. The holiday acknowledges the birth of the Christian prophet Jesus Christ. It is celebrated on December 25th by an estimated two billion members of the Christian religion. The holiday is also celebrated by many non-Christians, who highlight the secular aspects of the holiday. Many of the symbols, traditions, and rituals widely attributed to Christmas have been discovered by scholars and historians to have pagan origins. This essay will identify aspects of Christmas that have non-sacred origins, why they have been adopted by Christians and incorporated into Christmas, and also inquire as†¦show more content†¦The exchanging of gifts is also a ritual, without which modern day Christmas would be almost unrecognizable. While today it is an integral part of Christmas, the tradition itself is actually centuries older than the holiday of Christmas. Many Christians will cite the gifts that the wise men broug ht the Christ child as the inspiration of Christmas gift giving, but historically its origination seems to have come from elsewhere. Gift giving began with the Feast of Saturnalia, the Roman celebration of the God of Saturn. The Feast of Saturnalia was a weeklong celebration between December 17th and December 23rd. Children would receive toys on the 23rd and adults would exchange gifts, sometimes accompanied by prose, which could also be the origin of the Christmas card. Roman converts to Christianity kept this tradition in spite of protest from the Roman Catholic Church. When the Church received news of the popularity of the gift giving, they incorporated it into the holiday and justified its existence through the original gift of the Magi. The origin of Santa Claus is also one that is rooted in pagan traditions. Santa Claus, or Sinterklaas, bears many similarities to the Germanic god Odin. During Yule, Odin would ride across the sky with a grey horse with eightShow MoreRelatedEssa y on Christmas Traditions Around Th1170 Words   |  5 Pages RELIGIOUS PRACTICE AND POPULAR CUSTOMS The Bible provides no guidelines that explain how Christmas should be observed, nor does it even suggest that it should be considered a religious holiday. Because of the lack of biblical instructions, Christmas rituals have been shaped by the religious and popular traditions of each culture that celebrates the holiday. On Christmas Eve, churches around the world hold evening services. At midnight, most Catholic and many Protestant churches hold special candlelightRead MoreThe Commercialization Of Christmas And Easter1609 Words   |  7 Pagesescape the lure of commercialism. Although advances in technology have made consumerism more readily available to people world-wide, the root of secularization of the church can be traced back hundreds of years. Of course the commercialization of Christmas and Easter stands out amongst holidays celebrated by Christians; other religions also include elaborate festivities and gift giving during their religious celebrations. In addition to the merchandising during the holidays, there are countless storesRead MoreThe Beginnings of Christianity Essay examples1760 Words   |  8 Pageswas paganism †¦with its multiplicity of divine powers, rituals of sacrifice, temples, statues of deities, votive offerings, and periodic festivals, therefore to become more popul ar with the people Christianity borrowed elements from the existing pagan religions so it could eventually replace them (Ferguson p.3). This method of drawing followers could be viewed as cut throat in retrospect, but it was tactics such as this combined with giving the people what they wanted that helped to make ChristianityRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem Sir Gawain And The Green Knight 1491 Words   |  6 Pagesthis heroic story. This encourages whoever is reading it to have a contrasting mindset because the story has not only Christian elements, but many pagan themes as well; it makes you wonder what type of story this really is. Many people speculate, however, whether the Gawain author could have been a monk because God was constantly being mentioned, Christmas was being portrayed, and there were valuable lessons to be learned when dealing with morals and values; all things associated with a devout personRead MoreChristmas Research Paper1774 Words   |  8 PagesThe Origin and History of Christmas Christmas is the most popular festival globally. Christmas is an occasion that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. The origin and the history of Christmas have pagan roots. It is said that the origin of Christmas began 2000 years ago when the birth of Christ took place. History mentions that Jesus was born to Joseph and Mary in a manger and it is said that a star guided the three Magi who traveled from the East to Jerusalem to shower gifts on baby Jesus. ItRead MoreChristmas in Ukraine878 Words   |  4 Pagessuch a paramount celebration as Christmas. For my research, I have interviewed Nadia, native-born Ukrainian, who told me the significance of this celebration in her family, their traditions and her own childhood memories and nostalgia. In Ukraine, Christmas is celebrated in a very special way, preparing to it carefully and keeping old traditions. Ukrainians have developed different rites and ceremonies, fasts and diets, Carrols and divinations to celebrate Christmas. To assi st my investigation I haveRead MoreScrooge in A Christmas Carol2375 Words   |  10 PagesThereof In a time in which the significance of Christmas gradually started to change, Charles Dickens, in accordance with these changes, wrote a Christmas tale: A Christmas Carol. The novella was published six days in advance of the Christmas celebrations of 1843; it was sold out three days later. Although a socially engaged narrative, Dickens’ work is not occupied with trivialities such as the introduction of Christmas cards; instead A Christmas Carol focuses on the transforming beliefs and valuesRead MoreThe Christmas Of The German Christmas Essay1301 Words   |  6 Pagesexplained to us how the Christmas was celebrated differently in the two countries. Here are some of the things I learned   There is a huge difference of how Christmas is celebrated in America and how it is celebrated in Germany. Many Christmas traditions that we have in America originated from Germany. The Christmas tree custom was brought to America by German immigrants. In America Christmas is celebrated on December 25th and in Germany it is celebrated on the 24th and the 25th. Christmas in America has beenRead MoreExploring Christmas Essay846 Words   |  4 PagesExploring Christmas As the year draws to an end, the holiday spirit is in the air (quite literally we are waiting for the actual ‘holiday’ to start) Well, jokes aside Christmas is surely just around the corner and the spirit of Christmas is once again present among us. But what is this ‘Spirit of Christmas’? In fact what is Christmas? When a person thinks of Christmas, the first thing that most probably comes to mind is the Christmas tree or Santa Claus or even presentsRead MoreThe Symbols Of A Christmas Lessol : A Christmas Carol1818 Words   |  8 PagesA Christmas Carol was published relatively early in his career, appearing in 1843 when Dickens was 31. The tale is one of a series of short stories on a subject that had long preoccupied its author: the importance of celebrating Christmas. One of Dickenss earliest published works was a defense of this holiday against its enemies, both religious, and irreligious. The former objected to the pagan unseemliness of feasting and frolicking in celebration of the birth of Christ. The latter objected to

The Impact of the Generation Gap on the Performance at the Workplace, Research Proposal

Essays on The Impact of the Generation Gap on the Performance at the Workplace, and on the Cooperation Between the Employees Research Proposal The paper â€Å"The Impact of the Generation Gap on the Performance at the Workplace, and on the Cooperation Between the Employees" is an intriguing example of a research proposal on human resources. â€Å"The phrase generation gap implies a deep chasm, which opens up between parents and children†. In our societies, we have seen our parents exert a great influence on the subsequent generations in matters relating to the culture, lifestyle, and religion but the question arises is where is that gap, and what can be done to fill this gap? But before going to these questions’ the research will explore in the context of today’s world the meaning of Generation Gap. What constitutes a generation, and what is that specific thing or things that link the people together and make the people into one family?ContextThe main question asked will be the impact that the generation gap has on the productivity at the workplace, and the impact it has on the interactions between the workers. In this context, the research will look at some of the methods that have so far been adopted to bridge the issues created by the generation gap at the workplace, besides finding further solutions to the problem. The context is important given the fact that it is now well accepted that the only way to solve issues of growth is to ensure effective communication between employees. This needs not to be marred by issues of the generation gap. Generation Gap Literature ReviewThe prevalence of the generation gap is often a heated topic in context to domestic affairs and among families all over the world. We often hear our elders complaining about the type of dress we are wearing our lifestyle and several choices that defy previous societal conventions. However, change is the norm of this world. It has occurred when our parents were also young and before that when grandparents were young too. They all have to face some questions from their parents. The sum of these differences alo ng with several causes is what known as the Generation Gap.Generation gap refers to anytime there is a vast difference in cultural standards and values between a younger generation and their elders. This gap develops when younger and older people do not understand each other because of their different experiences, behaviors, values, habits, and opinions. Although such gaps have existed throughout history, the term generation gap gained widespread acceptance in the 1960s as a way to describe the cultural differences between the baby boomers and their parents (Froehlich and Froehlich, 2006). According to the â€Å"generational† school of thought, the idea of defining a generation and thereby creating differences from one to the other is the values that are created and imprinted for the duration of an entire life. These are historical events that take place as people mature from children and enter adulthood, and are defined by the norms in society, the present technological nuan ces and the growth structures and belief systems that define a given societal structure at that given point in time.

Deforestation of the Pacific Northwest Essay Example For Students

Deforestation of the Pacific Northwest Essay One of the most controversial areas associated with the global problem of deforestation is the Pacific Northwest of the US. The problem can be broken down into several issues that all tie in together. These include the near extinction of the Northern Spotted Owl, the business aspect of logging versus the environmental aspect, and the role of the government in this problem. In 1973, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was passed. This enabled the Dept. of Commerce and Dept. of the Interior to place species, either land or marine, as either threatened or endangered. Under these terms species could no longer be hunted, collected, injured or killed. The northern spotted owl falls under the more serious condition of being endangered. Also, the bill forbids federal agencies to fund or carry out any activity that would threaten the species or its habitat. It is the latter part of the bill that causes the controversy. Under the ESA, loggers should not be allowed to cut down the old- growth of the forest. The old growth of a forest includes the largest and oldest trees, living or dead. In the case of the North Coast forests, this includes some thousand-year-old stands with heights above three-hundred feet and diameters of more than ten feet. In 1990, the number of spotted owls dropped to 2000 breeding pairs. The preservation of any species contributes to the biodiversity of an area. In an ecosystem, the absence of one species creates unfavorable conditions for the others. The absence of the spotted owl could have a significant effect on the North Coast forest ecosystem. In order to send the owl population in the right direction, the major problem for their decline would have to be remedied loss of habitat. This fact combined with the owls short life expectancy and late age of breeding only exacerbates the problem. When loggers remove old growth the owl loses habitat for its food, housing, as well as protection from predators. Approximately ninety percent of the forests in the Pacific Northwest have already been harvested. In order to protect the current owl population, the remaining forests would have to be preserved, but this would have a serious negative economical effect. Such a decision would effect jobs, regional economy, as well as the lifestyle of loggers. With such a great effect, to stop the cutting seems to be an exercise in futility. On the other hand, by continuing the destruction of the owls habitat, the only suitable habitat that will remain will be in the confines of a zoo. Seeing an animal in an artificial environment can certainly not be compared to witnessing an animal in its natural environment. In my opinion, there can be no price put on the existence of any species on this planet, plant or animal. To think that money has become such an influential part of our society that companies are willing to sacrifice a species in order to make a profit. The northern spotted owl is only one of many species that are on the verge of extinction do to deforestation. Another important consideration in the deforestation of the Pacific North Coast is logging as a business. The investors of a publicly owned company sole concern is the growth of their stock, and this for lumber companies is accomplished by harvesting trees in the most efficient and cost effective manner. Clear-cutting old growth is the best way to accomplish this. This approach leads to quick financial gain but is not best for the long-term or the trees. It is the companies that use this process that is the most unfavorable to the forests and contributes to deforestation the most. Civil Engineering And American Engineering Another approach uses wise management techniques to maximize the long-term profit of the forest. Guest speaker Jerry Howe would fall into this category as a private land owner. As a land ;steward,; he believes he can do what he wants with his land. The term ;steward; is used to mean that no one can truly ;own; the land, it can only be used or under the care of a person. He uses clear-cutting when it has the smallest effect on the environment, he also uses strip cutting in which the forest is cut in strips to provide a buffer zone and is more aesthetically pleasing. His methods are better for the forest due to conservative forestry practices that speed up the regeneration of the forest. This produces a more sustainable yield than clear-cutting alone. While neither of these techniques .

Concurrence of Five Paradoxical Coincidences

Question: Discuss about the Concurrence of Five Paradoxical Coincidences. Answer: Introduction The issues, arguments as well as counter arguments are highlighted in this essay that mainly focuses on the Munk Debate in China. The economy of China has developed in just 30 years. However, it is taken over as the largest automobile market in the world by the United States (Huang). Discussion The demand for cars in China is likely to increase by tenfold in the years to come. As per the report, China is likely to use one fifth of all worldwide energy by the year 2035. The country used to dependent on foreign direct investment. It has been quoted by Fareed Zakaria that China is a country whose level dwarfs the United States. It has been indicated by the UN in a report that China is going to have a demographic fall down over the next 25 years. As a result, it is likely to lose 400 million individuals. David Li had argued that he feels himself to tremendously handicap in the debate. However, he had argued that the changes that have been observed in the past decades in China at most are only intermediately executed. He had also argued that the continued change in China is mainly due to energy. It has also been argued what kind of influence China will have in the world. Fareed Zakaria argued that the influence would be multi-dimensional (Horesh). The emergence of China has provided hopes to the deprived in the world that includes the individuals from Africa and other underdeveloped region. China has also been constrained in the natural resources. Henry Kissinger on the other hand argued that the issue is mostly related to the fact that whether 21st century belongs to China. According to him, China was preoccupied with massive issues locally. Although, China has accomplished great things inexpensively it requires to produce 24 million jobs each year (Onnis). The country requires attracting six million individuals shifting into the cities each year. It also requires accommodating a society in which the coastal areas are at the level of advanced countries. In the geopolitical situation, a group of smaller countries has surrounded China historically. As a result, the foreign policy of China can be described as a barbarian management historically. On the other hand, Niall Ferguson have put forward a counter argument that deals with the fact that the major challenge is to accommodate the rights of China. A fascinating series of arguments have started to take shape in this debate (Lin). Conclusion According to the opinion, China has been changing for the past 30 years and regardless of all the increasing challenges, the country is still making changes. It can be concluded that an economy as large as China will not be able to grow at the speed of dual digit GDP growth. References Horesh, Niv. "In Search of the China ModelHistoric Continuity vs. Imagined History in Yan Xuetongs Thought."China Report49.3 (2013): 337-355. Huang, Philip CC. "How Has the Chinese Economy Developed So Rapidly? The Concurrence of Five Paradoxical Coincidences."Modern China(2015): 0097700415576702. Lin, Yi-min. "The Connotation, Debate and the Prospect of'Beijing Consensus'." (2013). Onnis, Barbara. "Has China Plans for World Domination?."Comparative Civilizations Review68 (2013): 55-73.

Murdering Mckinley free essay sample

The main factors that are presented in the book include how the assassination affected America and its society, Roosevelt’s response to the assassination and his succession to the presidency, the reasons for committing the murder, and the evidence that supports the cases of the assassin and the district attorney. I found this book to be a well-organized and accurate account of the assassination as well as the surrounding events. I found the events that occurred to be extremely wrong and hurtful to the American society. The means by which the assassin achieved the political changes that he desired were completely immoral and threatening to America. Rauchway describes William McKinley’s assassination in the year of 1901 by explaining to the reader the motives of the assassin, the reaction of the district attorney and society, and the response that Roosevelt had to suddenly becoming the President of the United States. On September 6, 1901 President William McKinley was tragically assassinated at the Pan American Exposition in Buffalo, NY by Leon F. We will write a custom essay sample on Murdering Mckinley or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Czolgosz. President McKinley ran the politics of state supported capitalism. He was a strong conservative, which was reflected in his successes of reopening factories and putting individuals back to work. Czolgosz disliked McKinley’s politics and wanted McKinley himself to fall in order to prove America was vulnerable and to strip the American people of any illusions of safety. Although the motives behind Czolgosz’s actions were completely immoral, he did have well supported logic behind these actions. The case ultimately went to trial, and the district attorney tried to prove that the assassin succumbed to radicalism through his anger of his social standing. Some would argue that Czolgosz was mentally insane and delusional and that he should receive mercy. At the time of the assassination the American society was becoming more urban and more complex, leading people to have less control over their own fates. People soon began to believe that a sane and healthy social environment would lead to a sane and healthy United States population. Movements to sustain these ideas grew and flourished during the time of Roosevelt’s presidency. This led to liberal political ideology, which soon became kno wn as progressivism. The main impact that McKinley’s assassination had on Americans was that it pressured them to be more clear and up front on their opinions of a working class which included a large number of immigrants. It also encouraged the people to voice their opinion on race in the developing democracy. The organization of the text and manner by which the facts were presented by the author made it easy to follow and understand. I found the book to be unbiased while representing all sides of the argument fairly. The book contains evidence of the details given and the author sometimes uses other historians to back uphisevidenceasagoodwaytosupporthisstatements. Tome,therealbenefitof reading this book was that it helped to expand my knowledge of the actual events of the assassination as well the effects that it had upon America and Roosevelt’s new role as President. I feel that the arguments presented by Rauchway regarding whether or not the assassination was a positive or negative experience for America were mostly equal. After reading the book I gained a better understanding of the affects of the murder. I am able to understand that although McKinley’s death was a tragedy, ultimately America was able to flourish through the progressivism supported through Roosevelt’s policies. However, I feel very strongly that Czolgosz’s act of murder was completely inhumane and very disrespectful to America and its people. As a whole, the book was a very well written description of the murder of William Mckinley and of the affects it imposed on the country. The murder of McKinley had many lasting impacts on American society. Through the assassination, America recieved a push towards progressivism, and became a wake up call to American politics. Although it was a misfortunate act which was committed, it did help America to grow and become stronger as a nation. Roosevelt took a strong stance as the new President and bravely faced the challenge of leading America with courage and knowledge. He acted upon constituent’s fears so that they would become supporters of his efforts to rid radical dissent. Some say Czolgosz acted upon his own insanity, however his decisions were based on logic and his life ended in the electric chair and his remains were doused in sulfuric acid. When he committed the crime he was aware that there would be extreme consequences for his actions. This showed America how far some people would go to achieve the political changes they desired. As Americans today look back on the tragic event, it is seen as one of the most devastating days in American history. However, in the end America found the strength and courage to push through the sorrow and hurt and eventually grow from the death that birthed a new nation. Eric Rauchway presents this tragic event in American history with a hopeful and optimistic tone as he emphasizes the positive growth that America managed to obtain through Roosevelt’s policies. His account is easy to understand yet still challenges the reader to think more deeply about the implications of the event.

A New Study Guide for the New SAT and the Best-Selling CD-ROM

A New Study Guide for the New SAT and the Best-Selling CD-ROMIn a recent examination of the New SAT Sample Essay, I noticed some interesting parallels between the well known and the completely opposite Best Selling SAT Booklets that you can find on the market today. When you read these sort of books, it often becomes hard to tell the real work from the sales pitch. It seems as though most publishers or authors seem to have an agenda, although that could be a stereotype and maybe it is the case.But, since the New SAT Sample Essay came out I have been reading and listening to a lot of really good writers that were sampled in the same way as the samples used in the CD-ROM test, but for the New SAT (Revised) Essay, I do not think they are closely enough alike to be part of the same distribution team. In fact, I believe it to be more than that. They are actually the opposite of each other.Now, I am not trying to say that a publisher or author did not do their homework and study the Best S elling SAT Booklets, even if they tried to incorporate their own materials into the layout of the booklet. When you find a specific writer's name on the cover of an Official Study Guide or Exam Pro, there are a couple of different things that can be going on. It may be a rip off, a cynical attempt to discredit that author or perhaps a legitimate survey of the matter that they are aware of.But, the makers of the New SAT Sample Essay have obviously created their own Official Study Guide, DVD-ROM based on this Best Selling Booklet. They took most of the material and added some more. The most obvious change is the change of subject. When you change from the classic SAT topic of math and language to other subjects like Sports and Business, or Science and Technology, this makes it all about the New SAT (Revised) Essay rather than the original Best Selling book.The leading authors and the New SAT (Revised) Essay website made it their mission to market the New SAT (Revised) Exam Study Guide . It is one of the ways they are trying to show that the materials are superior and are really what you need in order to score well on the Official SAT (Revised) Exam. That said, I do not buy it.I think that the New SAT (Revised) Sample Essay and the best selling CD-ROM have two different audiences. One group are the people who purchased the books because they really wanted the content. They purchase the books hoping that the New SAT (Revised) Essay will improve their scores. The other group are the people who do not want the advantage of a different version of the test, but really want the data and the study materials.In the end, I think that if the Best-Selling CD-ROMs that produce high scores were released in a slightly different format, then the New SAT (Revised) Sample Essay would be irrelevant. But, I don't think that the writers or authors have taken the time to look at the big picture, which is that there are so many similarities between the New SAT (Revised) Essay and the B est-Selling CD-ROM that we have the opportunity for our learning materials to change the way we see ourselves and our learning experience.We can make our own Best Selling CD-ROM with your data and answer questions, or add and tweak the content to better fit what we learned in your resources, we can offer the best practice guides that produce the highest test scores. There are many things that we can do with the Best-Selling CD-ROM and the New SAT (Revised) Sample Essay. Please consider all this.

Samurai X essays

Samurai X essays The Tokugawa Era ended with the surrender of their loyalist forces. Royalist forces called the Ishinshishi rebeled against the Tokugawa Shogunate because they were not contented with the countrys current state. But Yoshinobu Tokugawa didnt have any choice when the mysterious Black Ships (Western) of Commodore Matthew Calibriath Perry arrived in Japan. The government was afraid of an invasion. So Tokugawa was forced to sign a treaty of trade with U.S. which led to more trouble which caused its down fall. The Meiji government replaced the military regime of Tokugawa and placed Emperor Meiji in power. The government wanted to modernize Japan by learning from the West. During the period the carrying of swords was banned. So the samurai had no place in the new society. Some became farmers, others became bandits. Here is where kenshin steps in. Rurouni Kenshin is the story of a wanderer called Himura Kenshin (with Himura meaning, of the village, and Kenshin meaning Sword Heart). During the Bakumatsu (end of Edo Dynasty in Japan), he was known as the Hitokiri Battousai, which meant, Assasin of Sword-Drawing. Kenshin killed with a single stroke, quick and painless. He was a member of the Choshu Ishin group, and was a Hitokiri (Assasin) for them. Later, Katsura Kogoro transferred him to the front to fight against the Shinsen Gumi. After a period, he left the Choshu, and began wandering throuhout Japan. He took a vow never to kill again, and replaced his sword with a Sakabatou (reverse-blade sword) so that he may still use his fighting skills but not to kill. Now, Kenshin perceive life as a precious gift and therefore, he treats people with cheer and love and his enemies with respect. ...