Issue in the media today Essay Example for Free

Issue in the media today Essay Why is asylum such an important issue in the media today? More countries joined the EU recently, and it is expanding. People in the Eastern countries get low wages and so are attracted to Britain. 100-150,000 Poles have come to live in the UK illegally, to find work. The media reflects public concerns over mass immigration. Secondly, we are getting more immigrants than emigrants, so more people are entering than leaving the country. This also raises concerns about overcrowding. Thirdly, terrorism has become increasingly worrying, and people link asylum seekers to the recent murder of a police officer in Bradford. The general public dont believe that the government are effectively handling immigration, where only 25% of asylum cases get rejected, but NOT deported; leading the public to wonder where these people go. Asylum is an issue locally, because there is a Home office (Asylum Centre) in Croydon. These results in many asylum seekers come to Croydon. In this coursework I am going to compare two contrary newspaper articles on the issue of asylum. The point of view expressed by THE SUN is that asylum seekers should not be allowed to come into the UK and stay here. THE SUN wants people to read this article and get angry about those coming into the UK, at the experience of British tax payers. THE SUN believes that some asylum seekers are terrorists, and are using this to convince people to be against asylum seekers and write letters to the government against so much immigration. There are very strong elements of bias present in THE SUN because it gives only the point of view against asylum seekers staying in Britain. It is a very one sided article and though full of opinion, the opinion are put forward as facts. However, the point of view expressed in THE GUARDIAN is liberal, and is trying to give readers more information about the topic, so that they can come to their own decision. This newspaper gives different examples to show that not all asylum seekers are terrorists or coming here for free money. It also makes out that other newspapers are deliberately trying to give false impression to the public to try to scare them. The newspaper, however, is biased, as it only gives the point of view for immigration to be continued, rather than giving information for both sides of the story. However it is clearly an opinion piece and the photograph of the writer reinforces this. THE SUN makes the reader angry using phrases like Every day 1000 people or refugees claim free treatment on the NHS without being entitled to it, and The Government plans to fork out millions of Tax payers money buying luxury Hotels and more estate to house asylum seekers. These phrases make the reader angry if they think that they are paying taxes and asylum seekers are living in luxury hotels for free using their money; making them feel it is unfair. The language used by THE GUARDIAN is more sophisticated than THE SUN; the words used have more complex meanings whereas THE SUN uses simple language to make its points. This shows that the readership of each paper is very different; where THE GUARDIAN is read by people who are typically more educated then those of THE SUN. Its uses language such as tolerance, ethnicity and liberal progressives, which are effective because they make the reader feel that the issue is not in such a dangerous position as others make out. THE SUN uses other techniques to persuade its readers, such as photos and graphs. These are effective because the images used to make you want to read the topic and you can imagine what THE SUN is talking about when looking at the pictures. The graphs are eye-catching and show you the differences between spending in other countries and the UK; it shows the differences here very clearly. The cut-out letter to Tony Blair makes it easy for people to complete, and gives them a sense of power to do something. The bold writing used is catchy because you can see it instantly, and your eye looks at the different writing because it shows you the main points clearly. THE GUARDIAN uses a cartoon to persuade its readers because it is complicated, and vague, so makes them think about its meaning. The photograph is effective because it shows the person who is writing the article, and you realise that this persons opinions are written here. However, THE SUN makes opinion sound like facts which is misleading. I find THE SUN more persuasive because it is simple and effective words which most people are able to understand. It also shows the picture where I think people are able to understand. It also shows the picture where I think people are climbing over the fence having scarves on, which is not showing there full face, this makes the reader think that the people are terrorists or criminals. The article makes me feel angry towards the newspaper because it gives a very biased point of view, and doesnt tell me about genuine asylum cases. My point of view is that asylum seekers should be allowed to move from their country to any country they wish, because they are also humans as we are and they are just unlucky that they cant live in their own country because of many reasons like war and persecution. The main reason that people move from their country to the UK is because they need to reach a place of safety. Secondly, they choose the UK in preference to other destinations which tells us that they know of the UK but I dont think they will have a detailed knowledge of our immigration and/or our benefits systems. I think that the people should make more effort to understand the difference between asylum seekers and illegal immigrants. Illegal immigrants are people who move to settle in another country or region, temporarily or permanently, in violation of the law or without documents permitting them to settle in another country or region, temporarily or permanently, in violation of the law or without documents permitting them to settle in that country. I can understand that some people may get upset by so many people moving here, because it is hard to find jobs anyway, hospitals and schools are overcrowded and there is a lot of crime, people may feel that asylum seekers only add to the problem.

Eugenides’s The Virgin Suicides and Joyce Carolyn Oates’s Expensive Peo

Eugenides’s The Virgin Suicides and Joyce Carolyn Oates’s Expensive People Suburban life is commonly portrayed as a narrative of the upper-middle class. Clean, sterile and reserved, suburbia is a tangible representation of the universally misconstrued â€Å"American dream.† However, culture fails to recognize the dark underbelly of this uplifting dream: a world of masked depression, ingrained superiority and stark ignorance. Jeffery Eugenides’s The Virgin Suicides and Joyce Carolyn Oates’s Expensive People both narrate the darker side of the American dream. This hidden societal decomposition is portrayed in a light filled with brilliant reality; a reality that true American life fails to acknowledge. Both The Virgin Suicides and Expensive People were written about a time wrought with cultural tension. Although none of this is directly mentioned it seems highly unrealistic that any part of these happenings failed to seep into suburban communities and infect them with some sense of a crumbling reality. Outside influences, whether they were consciously recognized or not, drifted silently into suburban America and cast a suffocating spell on these structured communities. National crisis and society as a whole became the catalyst for suburban decomposition, simply because all those living in such communities chose to ignore reality and feign an untouched existence. In The Virgin Suicides the five Lisbon girls are placed in â€Å"a comfortable suburban home† (Eugenides 5). However, this placid existence is disrupted by the suicide attempt of the youngest daughter Cecilia. The naivetà © of the community is shown extremely early in this novel , citing the newspaper’s failed obligation to report the drama: â€Å"Our local newspap... ...al institutions. Suburban life has always been seen as untouchable, a form of utopic existence. Both Eugenides as well as Oates did an excellent job in distilling this myth and portraying the American dream-esque neighborhood as more of an American fiction. The Lisbon suicides, dictated by monotonous routine and dreary life style, became a representation of the disease that was infecting the country: conformity. Richard’s murder of his mother became the crack in the community’s pristine outer shell of existence; his refusal to become submissive to suburbia came when he sent the last bullet into his mother. Both novels capture negative suburban influence and, in reference to Hunter S. Thompson’s theory of the â€Å"death of the American dream,† in direct correlation with both novels, suburban life has become â€Å"a monster reincarnation of Horatio Algers American dream.†

Law Studies Essay

Respond to the following prompts in complete sentences. 1. What role did Enlightenment ideas play in the development of the United States? Give at least two examples to support your answer. The constitution uses philosophers ideas during the Enlightenment era. Jefferson shaped the country by solidifying the ideas of natural rights in term of government and religion. Locke was asserting that government had to be fair and equitable in order to be sustainable. 2. How are the ideas of the Magna Carta evident in the founding documents of the US? The Magna Carta set a precedent for the idea of a limited central governing body. It said that the king doesn’t have unlimited power and he needed the approval of those he govern. 3. Briefly explain the roles of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches and how the power of the government is separated among them. Legislative make laws Executive enforces the law and judicial interpret the law . 4. In your opinion, does the government work the way it should? Is power shared equally or does one branch control more than its share? Be sure to support your answers with details and examples. The original intend to having three branches is to be able balance them out but I think that the judicial branch has been claiming more power. Courts making decisions that overturn laws that have been signed into law even when there is no Constitutional basis for such an action. 5. Give one example of how you are affected on a daily basis by each of the following: your city/county government, your state government, the federal government. Each day I live I have to follow the law. So it affects me everyday even for little things like following the speed limit and to not littering. Even though we have law people are always breaking them but the law always wins and the get their consequences.

Free Will, Nature, And Nurture - 3271 Words

The Origins of Morality: How Nature, Nurture, and Especially Free Will Influence One’s Moral Framework Political Science 302 Free Will, Nature, and Nurture in Politics and Society March 16, 2015 Lindsey Macalalad When thinking about morality, it is necessary to consider how aspects from both nature and nurture, along with free will, may form ones moral beliefs and dictate ones moral actions. To understand how moral beliefs as well as actions formulate and operate within individuals and societies, it is imperative that a general definition of morality is laid out. Morality, then, can be defined as ones principles regarding what is right and wrong, good or bad. Although an individual may hold moral beliefs, it is not always the case that moral actions follow. Therefore, in this essay I aim to provide an explanation that clarifies the two and in doing so I also hope to further the notion that one’s moral framework is a product of all three factors; nature, nurture, and free will. The first part of this essay will flush out what exactly morality it and how it manifests similarly across individuals and differently across individuals. Contrariwise, I will then explain how morality manifests similarly across societies and differently across societies. Alongside presenting the information in this order, I will trace morality back to primordial times to showcase how morality has evolved and developed since then, not only from a nature-based standpoint, but also from aShow MoreRelatedNature vs. Nurture1117 Words   |  5 PagesThe nature versus nurture debate is one of the oldest issues in sociology (Davidson, 1991, n.p.). The debate centers on the relative contributions of genetics and environmental factors to human behavior (Davidson, 1991, n.p.). Today, the majority of experts believe that behavior and development are influenced by both nature and nurture (Macionis, 2009, p. 73). The biggest question now is which one affects human development more: nature or nurture? According to Macionis (2009, p. 72), in the pastRead MoreThe Nature Vs. Nurture1463 Words   |  6 PagesT What can we define as Human Nature and Nurture? The Nature vs. Nurture has been a long never ending debate for some time now. Nature vs Nurture has been so profoundly debated, that now it’s unclear whether what makes us who we are and what we do, nature or nurture. For purposes of this essay Nature is going to be defined as characteristics we acquire through our genetic and biological factors, while that Nurture is going to be defined characteristics we acquire through our interactions and influencesRead MoreNature vs. Nurture: a Biblical Perspective1531 Words   |  7 PagesRUNNING TITLE: Nature vs. Nurture Nature vs. Nurture: A Biblical Perspective Ouida Lynne Heath Psychology 101, Module 5 Professor Roberts December 17, 2009 Nature vs. Nurture: A Biblical Perspective The Nature versus Nurture debate has been ongoing for centuries. People have tried to gain power through knowledge in determining what causes the human â€Å"mind to tick.† For centuries leaders and scientists haveRead MoreNature vs Nurture: Genetics vs Environment Essay972 Words   |  4 Pagesclassic debated topic of Nature versus Nurture has been and will always be a quarrelsome subject in the scientific world. Meaning, the issue of the level to which environment and heredity sway behavior and development in a person. Nature can be defined as, behaviors due to heredity. This means the behaviors is based on the inherited makeup of an individual and is an influence of the growth and development of that individuals’ all through life. On the other hand nurture is causes of behaviors thatRead MoreSerial Killers1314 Words   |  6 Pagestoday is the debate over nature versus nurture. With that debate going on there are many topics that are being researched under it, l ike serial killers, and what drives them to do what they do. Many scientists are still researching whether or not if serial killers are driven by the way they were raised or if it is a part of their genes. This literature review will analyze what people think about the nature versus nurture debate. It will talk about the nature side and the nurture side of the debate.Read MoreNature vs. Nurture: A Biblical Perspective1182 Words   |  5 PagesThe Nature versus Nurture debate has been ongoing for centuries. People have tried to gain power through knowledge in determining what causes the human â€Å"mind to tick.† For centuries leaders and scientists have performed unethical and immoral studies to determine why two people with similar genetic composition can come from similar backgrounds and turn out so differently. I have witnessed a person raised in a poor home by parents with drug addictions become a thriving contributable member of societyRead MoreNature vs. Nurture Essay1250 Words   |  5 PagesNature vs Nurture   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For the past five weeks we have studied three different but influential people in our perspective on human nature class. They are Freud, Plato and Tzu. The main discussion between all of them is nature versus nurture. I will discuss the difference between nature and nurture and then I’ll apply to each of these philosophers and how they react to it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When looked up in the dictionary the term nature means the universe and its phenomena or one’s own character and temperamentRead MoreNature vs Nurture Essay804 Words   |  3 PagesThe controversy of nature vs. nurture has been disputed for years. Nature vs. nurture refers to the question of which factors are most significant in determining development; those related to heredity or environment. It has been reported that some scientists think that â€Å"nature† is referred as the importance in heredity as the major determinate also known as â€Å"nature† the theory of human behavior. The nurture theory scientists believe that people think and behave in certain ways because they areRead MoreCreativity : Nature Vs. Nurture907 Words   |  4 PagesCreativity: Nature vs. Nurture As a child, I loved lying on the living room floor, crayons in hand, creating a masterpiece for my mother to camouflage our refrigerator. Throughout my childhood and adolescent years, I was fortunate enough to realize my creative potential. I often think about what exactly attributed to my creative ability. For a long time the proverbial nature vs. nurture question has sparked quite a debate. I hold the belief that nature vs. nurture is a zero-sum game. We essentiallyRead MoreNature Vs. Nurture Essay1612 Words   |  7 PagesNature vs. Nurture Essay Throughout many years, scientists have been debating about whether nature or nurture is the driving force that shapes a person’s cognitive abilities and personal traits. Before the ongoing debate can be explained, it is necessary to understand what nature and nurture actually are. Nature is loosely defined as the genetics one inherits and tendencies that influence development. Many things in an individual are hereditary, for instance; gender, disease, height, eye color,

Gdp Of The Us, Eu28, Canada, And China - 1348 Words

Student: An Nguyen Dr: Konou ECON 602 McNeese State University I. GDP for the US, EU28, Canada, and China. 1. The USA Figure 1.1: GDP of USA from 1995 to 2014 The United States experienced a crisis in 2008, whereas incentive is the major problem (Kohn, 2009). Incentives make lenders ignore underwrite â€Å"because they did not intend to hold the loan themselves†. Furthermore, from the experience gathered by many years, the GDP increase gradually and show a good economic trend; those investors continually expect the increase in price. They couldn’t prepare and forecast for the market bubbles, so they purchased more. In the end because of market bubble that leads to the inability to repaid loan. Crisis was at peak in the period 2007-2008. GDP dropped tremendously. To resolve the crisis, many policies are created to â€Å"countering the tightening of financial conditions† (Kohn, 2009). They â€Å"lowered the interest rates, made backup sources of liquidity available to private lenders, and revive a variety of financial markets† (Kohn, 2009). These aimed to limit the ability of institutions that would pull back from lending and thus impede the decline in spending (Kohn, 2009). In short, observing the GDP from 2010 to 2015, we see the gradually increase and that marks the successful of applied policies during crisis. 2. EU28 Figure 1.2: GDP of EU28 from 1995 to 2014 The GDP graph of European describes the increase trends, however, there is some fluctuation which is notShow MoreRelatedChipotle Marketing Plan5991 Words   |  24 PagesCEO Steve Ellis opening the restaurant chain, he himself was a chef. Since its creation, Chipotle has become a phenomenon in the restaurant industry and has experienced tremendous growth since it went public in 2006 with over 1,600 restaurants in Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, and France, with the majority located in the United States (Chipotle Mexican Grill, 2015). . The company focus is on using high-quality raw ingredients, (Chipotle Mexican Grill, 2015). Using fresh ingredients is the groundwork

Eco Friendly, Green, Earth, Dirt, Recycle, Reuse - 1715 Words

When you think about the word sustainable, what comes to mind? Eco friendly, green, Earth, dirt, recycle, reuse, reduce. It is a word that is being thrown out there a lot. But, what is it really? The real dictionary definition of sustainability is: capable of being sustained, of, relating to, or being a method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged. In other words, and ones you will actually understand, to be sustainable means that you take out of a system the same amount of energy as you put in, with no pollution or waste. Or quite literally the ability to sustain. For example, if you take down a tree, you must make sure to plant one or even two in its place, and you must do it by†¦show more content†¦Just like any other sustainable company, for the ones in fashion it is nearly impossible to be truly sustainable. This is because the concept of fashion is one of change, and the process of constant change generally prod uce a lot of waste. Basically, this cycle is referring to the things in your closet that you only wore once and by the time you wanted to wear it again it was â€Å"out of style†, so you simply don’t wear it again and buy something that is â€Å"in style†. It’s ok, we are all guilty of this at one point. Many people have unfortunately moved more towards overconsumption and the desire to pay the least possible price for the most products. 2 You may be wondering how this whole sustainable fashion movement began. Well, many scholars believe that the sustainable fashion movement can be traced back to the 1960s and 1970s, in accord to rising concerns over the environment. This is a little scary is you think about it, because this means that people have been talking about it since the 60’s and it still, sustainability has not become a common practice in our day to day. But, designers today face problems that date back to at least the nineteenth century when machines were invented to create make textiles quickly but of poor quality. Mechanization and mass production was looked as something amazing and wonderful because it created more product in less time for less money but unfortunately itShow MoreRelatedWaste Disposal Is A Huge Concern For Our Planet Earth2654 Words   |  11 Pages Waste disposal is a huge concern for our planet earth. Seven billion people live on earth and every single one of us creates was te. A lot of people think that their responsibility is over once the garbage is in the garbage bin and the garbage workers take it away, but that is not true. There is so much more to the process of waste disposal. What is Waste and Waste Disposal? Waste is any material, thing or product that can no longer be used or has gone bad. Such material has to be disposedRead MoreGlobal Pollution4546 Words   |  19 Pageswaste materials to the site. Additional information on SWPSs can be found on the Sustainable Waste Management section of our website.  Our Regulatory Position Statement – Developments on Peat  Ã‚  (8.56mb) and Guidance on the Assessment of Peat Volumes, Reuse of Excavated Peat and Minimisation of Waste   (2.6MB) may also be of help.   This includes reference to guidance Developments on Peatland: Site Surveys and Best Practice  Ã‚  (96k). SEPA policy and guidance SEPA produces a series of Pollution PreventionRead MoreConcepts And Practices Of Sustainability And Green Architecture3239 Words   |  13 Pages 1. INTRODUCTION The activation of the application of the concepts and practices of sustainability and green architecture in the construction industry will lead to finding appropriate solutions to the problems of environmental, economic and functional. Green architecture and sustainable buildings is not a luxury academically, and do not approach the theory or the aspirations and dreams have no place in reality, but because they represent a global trend for the application and start to be professionalRead MoreSustainable Building Material...24522 Words   |  99 PagesGreen Building A Guide to Sustainable Building Materials and Methods in Santa Cruz County Funded through waste reduction grants from the City and County of Santa Cruz Departments of Public Works, and in cooperation with Ecology Action. Green Building: A Guide to Sustainable Building Materials and Methods in Santa Cruz County  © 2004, Ecology Action of Santa Cruz Principal Authors: Barry Hooper Karsten Mueller, Ecology Action Editor Kiosk/Graphic Designer: Jenny Shelton, Shelton Design

Salvation in Hinduism and Christianity Free Essays

string(31) " the transgression of the law\." INTRODUCTION Salvation is a common belief for many religions despite the difference in their Supreme Being or Beings, which they seek deliverance from. In this research, a comparison between how salvation is viewed by Christians and Hindus will be examined so a conclusion can be formed. What is Christianity? Christianity is God’s revelation of himself and purpose to mankind. We will write a custom essay sample on Salvation in Hinduism and Christianity or any similar topic only for you Order Now And his revelation was designed to bridge the gap between a rebellious world and a caring God. Christianity is found in most parts of the world, with in the region of one hundred million followers and could be the world’s largest religion. There are many branches of Christianity, namely Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican and Protestant churches. There are many Protestant Churches called denominations. They include Lutheran, Baptists, Presbyterians, Methodists, Pentecostals and many others. Protestant churches stress the importance of reading and understanding the bible. The members of these de-nominations are called Christians. Christians are described as people who follow the teachings and example of Jesus Christ. Christian teaching is written in the bible, which is divided into two parts called the Old and New Testaments. The bible is also used by Christians during worship, and it serves as a guideline on how to live their lives. Christian Beliefs Christians has many beliefs, some of which will be mentioned below. Christians believe that the universe was fashioned by God. According to the scriptures God created the heaven and earth in six days, and rested on the seventh day. They also believe that it is wrong to act against God’s laws, for example; killing and stealing. Any action against God’s law is referred to as a sin. The bible teaches that Jesus, who was without sin, came to earth and sacrificed his life for the sins of the world. Christians believe in life after death, because Jesus was raised from the dead. They also believed that Eternal Life is a gift from God. Christians believe that there will be a judgment, when Jesus will judge the living and the dead. Christians believe in a God who offers salvation to all who wish to take it. But there is a cost, and that is for people to accept God as rulers over their lives, their thoughts, motivations and actions. What Jesus’ Death on the Cross means to Christian The most commonly used Christian symbol is the cross. The cross is also important because his death on the cross mended the broken relationship between God and humanity. Christians used the word atonement to describe Jesus’ death on the cross. They also believed that Jesus redeemed mankind when he died on the cross. He paid the price for their sins. Jesus Christ died in our place, so that we will not suffer eternal death but become partakers of the life that he offers, we should have paid the penalty of eternal death ourselves since, we are the guilty ones. But the Saviour was willing to take our place. That was what happened at the cross. â€Å"The ordinance of the Lord’s Supper was given to commemorate the great deliverance as a result of the death of Christ. The Lord’s Supper is the Christian’s Passover. The bread is a symbol of his broken body and the wine signifies his spilt blood which is shed for many for the remission of sins. In scripture Paul wrote â€Å"For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till he come’ (1 Cor. 11:26). It is God’s grace that will bring about the change we need in our daily lives which will enable us to do â€Å"good† works. This race is free. It cannot be earned. It is undeserved favour from God. Satan is real, the battle is real, and only at the Cross was he defeated and his destruction made certain. Christian ways of Salvation Chris Wright in his book Beliefs, Questions and Issues stated that Christians are sometimes described as people who follow the teachings and examples of Jesus Christ. They believed that by looking at Jesus, a person can see what God is like. Christians worship the Creator of heaven and earth the Father the son of God Jesus Christ, who is the Creator of all things. Most Christians believe in the second coming of Jesus Christ, to judge the living and dead. They believe that through Jesus’ death on the cross, salvation became possible as his death on the cross mended the broken relationship between God and humanity. This relationship was broken when humanity rebelled through sin against God. According to Oxford School Dictionary and thesaurus, salvation is the act of saving from loss or damage. This is a general view of the term. In the religion Christianity, salvation is saving souls from sin and its consequences. Salvation is achievable by first accepting that a mistake was made and so the feeling of sorrow and guilt is experienced. This is the act of repentance, the sin is then confessed, and the act of forgiveness is desired. When this is done, the sinner’s desire is to forsake the sin. This is a combination of step two and three. The fourth step in the salvation process is justification. According to the book Growing in Christ, in justification the sinner is forgiven, acquitted of the charges of sin and reckoned righteousness. This act brings about the assurance of the believers acceptance. It also brings the joy of being united with God. † Sanctification is a result of true repentance and justification. The word sanctification means holiness or consecration which is a result of what God does in us. The blood of Christ for many Christians brings forth transformation. The believer becomes a new creation; the old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Why d o Christians need Salvation and how is it Achieved Christians need salvation because of sin, which is the transgression of the law. You read "Salvation in Hinduism and Christianity" in category "Papers" The sin problem refers to the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, which brought to the earth the Great Controversary between good and evil. And it is God’s action to rescue his people from the destruction of sin, which brings about salvation. The consequence of sin is death. Human beings live their lives every day with the reality of sin and its effects. The effects of sin were so great that without a divine solution, there would be no solution. We should all be grateful that the solution was given. It is called â€Å"the plan of salvation† and its purpose is to solve the problem of sin Only through Jesus Christ can one experience salvation, â€Å"for there is no other name under heaven given among men which we must be saved† Acts 4:12. The experience of salvation involves repentance, confession, forgiveness, justification and sanctification. Sins have to be confessed and repented of before it can be forgiven. Sin does not only have to do with wrongfully committed acts. It also includes the desire and fantasizing about things that we know are wrong. There is also a category of sin that usually referred to as â€Å"sins of omission. This is the willful neglect of duty; a conscious refusal to do something one knows ought to be done. As sinners who have violated God’s law, we can do nothing to make ourselves right with God. The only way to save us was for Jesus to pay the penalty in our stead and then offer us the perfect righteousness, which we claim by faith. We cannot earn our salvation; it is a gift of grace. The Origin of Hinduism Hinduism has its r oot in the interrelationship of two basic religious systems of the ancient civilization residing in the Indus Valley from the third millennium B. C. nd the religious beliefs brought to India by the Aryan people who began infiltrating the Indus Valley sometime after 2000 B. C. Most Hindus believe in one supreme Spirit, Brahman which is unchanging and eternal. He is also described as â€Å"Ultimate Reality† and the ‘Absolute’. Hindus worship a total of three hundred and thirty three million deities. For Hindus, these gods and goddesses are different aspects of Brahman, however the trimurti which is made up of Braham, Vishnu, and Shiva. Together they represent and control creation, preservation and destruction. Hindu Beliefs For Hindus, death is not the end but merely the separation of the soul from the body. They believe that the body dies and the soul continues its eternal journey. Hindus believe in re-incarnation that the soul is re-embodied according to the law of Karma. The cycle of death and re-incarnation continues many times. Their ultimate goal is to attain moksha. Hindus cremate their dead, since they believe that this releases the soul to continue its journey. Hindus believe that every thought and action has consequences. This is the law of Karma. The goal of Hindus is to achieve moksha that is, to be free from that cycle. To achieve moksha, it is important to follow the right path in life. The right path is called yoga. There are many forms namely: karma yoga is doing service for humanity; raj yoga is practicing self-control and meditation; bhakti yoga is the path of loving devotion; and jnana yoga is the path of knowledge and understanding through study and discipline. Hindus practice the spiritual exercises of meditation and yoga as ways to help them centre their thoughts on God. Hindu ways of Salvation In the religion of Hinduism, there are four aims of life. They are Dharma – the aim to carry out ones duty, Artha – the aim to make an honest living, Kama – the aim to enjoy the pleasures of life and Moksha – the aim to become free from the cycle of rebirth. In Hinduism salvation is known as the fourth aim of life Moksha. Moksha is when an enlightened human being is freed from the cycle of life and death (the endless cycle of death and reincarnation) and comes into a state of completeness. He then becomes one with God. There are four ways to Moksha: The way of Action: This involves carrying our certain religious ceremonies, duties and rites. The objective is to perform works without regard for personal gain. The Way of Knowledge: This requires using your mind and philosophy to come to a complete comprehension of the universe The Way of Devotion: Salvation is reached through acts of worship, based upon the love for a God (there are thousands of gods in Hinduism). The Royal Road: The use of meditation and yoga techniques. This method of reaching salvation is typically only used by wondering monks. Each of these ways to salvation in Hinduism requires that a person do certain things. Salvation is through what a Hindu does. However, many Hindu believe that this salvation is only achievable by the caste system which is associated with reincarnation. According to Hindu teaching, there are four basic castes or social classes (and thousands of sub-groups within the castes). Each has its own rules and obligations pertaining to nearly all facet of life. At the top are the Brahmins or priests. Second in rank are the Kshatriyas or warriors and rulers. Third are the Vaisyas or merchants and farmers. Below these are the Shudras or laboring class. Salvation is possible only for the top three castes, which are called the â€Å"twice born. Outside the caste system are the untouchables or the outcastes. Though outlawed in India in the late 1940’s, many in the countryside are still considered outcastes. Conclusion Hindus are correct in their recognition that all is not right with the world and with human existence in it. They are correct as well in suggesting that the ultimate to the human dilemma is spiritual in nature. However, there is little common ground between Christianity and Hinduism. We will now look at a few more important areas. First Hinduism lacks any understanding that God created the world for a good purpose. Also lacking is a conception of God as infinitely holy and righteous and as the one to whom we as humans are accountable for the way we conduct our lives. Another area of contrast between Hinduism and Christianity is the conception of human nature and of the source of our estrangement from God. According to Hindu teaching, man is divine at the core of his being. He is one with God. According to the biblical teaching, however, the source of our alienation from God, is not ignorance of our divinity, but our sinful rebellion against God and his purpose for our lives. This now leads us to our final point—the way of salvation. According to most Hindu teaching, salvation from the cycle of reincarnation is achieved by our own efforts—whether through good works, meditation, or devotion to a deity. According to the Bible, however, our spiritual need is for deliverance from God’s judgment on our sin and for restoration to a life under his direction and care. This salvation can be provided only by God’s gracious and undeserved action in our behalf It is true that in certain Hindu groups there is a similar emphasis on God’s grace (probably as a result of past Christian influence). But even here, there is a major distinction. The Hindu teaching about grace sees no need for atonement for sin, but simply offers forgiveness without any satisfaction of the judgment on sin required by a holy God. In contrast, the Christian gospel is this: God the Son became human, died a sacrificial death on the cross, making real forgiveness of sins against the real God possible to those you place complete trust in Christ. All who do so can experience true forgiveness, know God and his purpose for their lives, and have the assurance of Eternal Life with Him. How to cite Salvation in Hinduism and Christianity, Papers