Wednesday, May 6, 2020

The Kingdom Of Heaven And Jesus s Mission On Earth

One dominant study from the New Testament has been The Kingdom of Heaven as it is believed to be the central theme within the novel and Jesus’s mission on earth. The phrase ‘Kingdom of Heaven’ is supposed to be the Kingdom of God, in which those who are spiritual believe in his existence in their hearts leaving this ‘kingdom’ as the place where God is unfolding his divine plans (Walvoord, 2015). Christians believe that God is the creator of all things and sovereign over the universe however the Islamic faith believe that God sent prophets to teach his laws and one was Muhammad. Christian texts represent the concept of the Kingdom of Heaven to be the exercise of God’s power and dominion. The Christian faith in contrast to Islamic beliefs, ow sacred texts are interpreted with parables, how they represent beliefs and how religious founders taught will be discussed throughout this essay. The Bible is a sacred texts to religions such as Christianity, it not only holds stories and rules or expectations to follow but hidden messages from God about the Kingdom of Heaven. The Parable of the Sower represents four different ways the word of God from the Kingdom of Heaven can be interpreted by evaluating the condition of four types of hearts from humanity. Jesus explained to the people that a farmer had gone out to sow his seeds. Referring to Matthew 13 versus 4-6, explains the first two kinds of people. â€Å"As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came andShow MoreRelatedThe Kingdom Of God : Central Message Of Jesus1283 Words   |  6 PagesThe kingdom of God was the central message of Jesus. The term â€Å"kingdom of God† is used very frequently throughout the gospels. For example: â€Å"The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God has come near; repent and believe in the good news† Mark 1:14-15. In reply Jesus declared, â⠂¬Å"I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.† â€Å"How can a man be born when he is old?† Nicodemus asked. â€Å"Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother s womb to be born!† Jesus answeredRead MoreChristian Church And The Mormon Church1326 Words   |  6 PagesAlthough The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS or Mormon Church) considers itself unequivocally as a Christian church, there are number major differences between traditional or mainstream Christians and the Mormon Church. This research paper primarily focuses on identifying major areas of differences between the mainstream branches of Christianity (Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant - as a group) and the Mormon Church. Origin Christianity traces its origin to Jerusalem in approximatelyRead MoreThe God Is Blessed By God1313 Words   |  6 PagesGod has in store for us the believers. So what does it really mean to be blessed by God? Let s start by remembering how God blessed Abraham. The story of Abraham is one of the most powerful stories of faith ever. Thousands of years have passed and his testimony still changes and has an impact on so many people. God literally asked Abraham to leave everything behind; his country, people and his father s household and go to a new land, completely unfamiliar to him. Abraham, without knowing where heRead MoreThe Holy And Resurrection Of Jesus Christ995 Words   |  4 Pagespurpose to the Church who, like a bride, awaits her groom. The eschatological reality of the coming Kingdom of God, inaugurated in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, presently breaks forth to forms the Church for its mission. As Aleksandr Schmemann writes, â€Å"the Church itself is a leitourgia, a ministry, a calling to act in this world after the fashion of Christ, to bear testimony to Him and His kingdom.†1 This leitourgia is embodied in the central practice of the Church, instituted by the LordRead MoreGod s Rescue Operation By Wright Essay1274 Words   |  6 Pagesglorious â€Å"rescue operation† p lanned, raising â€Å"all His people to new bodily life to live in it†. (Wright 58) God has begun this magnificent rescue operation utilizing Israel, the Church, and Jesus to complete his plan. Through these three, Wright believes that God intends for the â€Å"kingdom of the world to become kingdom of God† in which â€Å"the beauty of this world will be enfolded in the beauty of God†, only completing his rescue operation â€Å"when the present world is rescued, healed, restored, and completedRead MoreThe World s Largest Religion1291 Words   |  6 PagesFinal Exam Essay Christianity is the world’s largest religion (Stark, R. 2012. 494). Currently with around two billion followers worldwide who are focused on Jesus Christ. He lived in the â€Å"Holy Land† known as Israel, two-thousand years ago. Christianity outstandingly has a great reach on the world; Christmas is celebrated as the birth of Jesus Christ which has become a government holiday in the United States. Christianity having such a large number of followers is the only religion in the world withRead MoreThe Book Of Revelation By John The Apostle1726 Words   |  7 Pagesbelievers by showing the final outcome of God s plan, showing the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, and revealing Christ in all his glory. John writes to encourage the faithful to resist the demands of emperor worship and hold fast to God s promises: that the final showdown between God and Satan is imminent, the believers are sealed against spiritual harm and will be vindicated when Christ returns, the w icked will be forever destroyed, and God s people will enter an eternity of glory and blessednessRead MoreThe Orthodox Christianity Essay1332 Words   |  6 Pagesdistinct in the way they relate to each other (Mere Catholicism). The Son of God, in the name of Jesus, has his main task on Earth which is to reveal the face of the Father as stated in John 14:8: Whoever sees me, sees the Father. This suggests that everything He does is a mirror of the Father. His revelation of the Father through His prayer can be described as reaching down into depths beyond words (Jesus of Nazareth reading). These prayers tell the following about the Father: (1) He is a real presenceRead MoreMission Theology Of The Bible1203 Words   |  5 Pagesunderstand â€Å"Mission Theology† we first have separate the two words. Mission is the vocation or calling of a religion organization, especially a Christian one, to go out into the world and spread its faith (Oxford Dictionaries). Theology is the study of God or the study of the nature of God and the relationship between the human and divine. In the textbook we use for class which is called â€Å"Introducing World Missions† we are told that the word â€Å"missions† (which ending with the letter â€Å"s†) is the wordRead MoreN Africa Block Of Islam1405 Words   |  6 Pagespublished strategies as it relates to the Kanuri community, in the Chad region with the message of Jesus. The Kanuri has been neglected mostly in part to the being not able to reach them. The lack of these people should be unsetting to all that believe in doing mission work, It seem that someone within the last thousand years could have evangelize this community. Keep in mind Jesus died for all people, and it s because of this those that are redeem must at all cost we must reach them. This I have made

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Causes and Consequences of Microbial Communit †Free Samples

Question: Discuss about the Causes and Consequences of Microbial Communit. Answer: Introduction: A microorganism is a microscopic organism which may be unicellular or multicellular. The scientific study of microorganism stated with their observation under a microscope by van Leeuwenhoek in 1670s and also Louis pasture found that microorganisms were capable of causing food spoilage by performing the spontaneous generation theory in 1850s. Robert Koch discovered that microorganisms caused the disease like cholera, anthrax, and tuberculosis in the 1880s. Microorganisms, comprise the unicellular organisms and are very diverse including bacteria, and archeae that are the domain of life of microorganisms. Microorganisms are grouped as eukaryotes like fungi and algae and prokaryotes like protozoans and protests. Microbes are very important in the culture and health of human, serving to produce enzymes, production of fuels, bioactive compounds, treatment of sewage and fermenting food. They are an essential tool as a model organism in biology and have been used in bioterrorism and biological warfare. Microbes are the component of the soil fertility and inhuman they make up human microbiota and also are pathogens for infectious disease(Acton, 2015). In this report, it is explained how microorganism is able to impact in the civil engineering projects. In the recent years, the understanding of the biodeterorations and befouling processes in the civil engineering has increased. These processes involving the bacteria activity and microorganisms are of very important to every civil engineer in the range of the natural environment and artificial systems they engineer. Examples of where the processes of microorganism have significant effects include: corrosion, deterioration of the materials of construction and the concrete materials, damage to the abstraction systems of groundwater flow in bumps and pipes in pressure, clogging of the drainage and irrigation system, rock or soil alteration and also production of harmful gases(Brar, 2015). Microorganisms in infrastructure Microbial induced corrosion is caused by the microorganisms that attack nonmetallic and metallic materials. For the major infrastructure like motorway bridges, pipelines of gas and liquid transmission, ships and railways and present threat that lead to high cost of repair. microscopic organisms are damaging the gas and oil industries that are types of infrastructure, bacteria that cause corrosion damage billions of dollars of gas and oil infrastructure every year .corrosion caused by bacteria leads failure of the materials which is very costly, delay in the productions business interruption and accidental release into environment(Clement, 2010). Pipelines and other gas and oil equipment are exposed to the soil, seawater, and freshwater and are very vulnerable because of corrosion caused by the bacteria. Unchecked bacteria can grow quickly and rapidly and as they grow the corrosion rate also accelerates. There are many species known for corrosion in aluminum and copper alloys, stainless steel, and carbon steel. Examples are: Bacteria that reduce sulphate: their bacteria are found in sea water and in most cases cause the corrosion damage to the infrastructure of pipelines, oil rigs and other structures. They are species that can thrive in anaerobic areas. Their damage is as a result of the production of the hydrogen sulphide in their metabolic processes as a byproduct and causes chemical reactions with iron that degrades the metal. Some also attach metals directly through electron withdrawal from the iron through the corrosion influenced by electrical microbial(Crisp, 2012). Bacteria that are related to iron: these are associated with attacking the stainless steel in the pipelines and other equipment of infrastructure. They use manganese or ferrous iron in their process of metabolism in the weakening metal. Bacteria that produce acid: these produce acids like acetic acid, carbonic acid, nitric acid, and sulfuric acid that corrodes metals used in building infrastructure(D, 2013) The corrosion of the metals has serious economic impacts on the modern society. There is the cost that is directly related to the designs, manufacture, inspections and construction of the corrosion protection. Solution and prevention techniques of microorganisms attack Giving the bacterial that corrodes the new method of medicine, by applying antifouling microorganisms to tackle the bacteria responsible for the corrosion will result to a greener economy and will be a friendly way of fighting corrosion and maintaining infrastructure. Also through using the anti-fouling microorganisms through substituting chemical compounds greenhouse gases will not be released to the environment. microorganism influenced corrosion can also be prevented by regular cleaning of the mechanics if possible, they can also be treated by chemical but not in excess to prevent the environment from the damages too from chemicals. Complete dry storage and drainage can also apply Silica gel and buffers can adjust the relative humidity. The buffer will absorb and release moisture to the atmosphere. Dehumidifiers can be used to reduce the content of the moisture on air.(Crisp, 2012). The growth and impacts of these bacterial also depend on their environmental condition which can be divided into three groups, they include Physical environment: the most common dominant factors of the physical environment is temperature, water potential and redox. Bacteria that reduce sulphate are found in the aerobic environment and also they survive and do better in high-temperature environments that are found in unconventional and conventional locations of drilling inside the pipeline infrastructure of oil and gas. Bacteria that are related to iron are found in the environment with the zone of transition where the water without oxygen from the anaerobic environment flows into the aerobic environment. Bacteria that produce acids are found in the acid environment(D, 2013). Microorganism in geomechanics In many years, the improving the soil properties has been established and is based on the use of the microorganisms. Microorganisms are very important in the clay minerals and a fine particle that is grained. The monolayer bacteria can form a surface of minerals within seconds. The microfossils presence in the fine-grained soil as the particles of soil can have the effect on the soil mass behavior, and deviate from some correlations like a high limit of liquid, porosity and compressibility. There is evidence that activities of the microorganisms play a role of calcite precipitation and crystallization. Example of the microorganism that precipitates calcium calcite is the Bacillus species. The bacterias of alkalophyles produce ammonia by using urea as their source of energy and increases environments pH causing calcium ion and carbonates to precipitate the optimum temperature for the precipitation is 25 degrees Celsius(Engineers, 2012). There are many numbers of the studies on the effects of bioremediation on the stiffness and strength of ground and soil. Microbial processes were concluded to be the cause of mineralization, soil weathering, soil grain and fabric surface properties and soil formation. Restriction of the pore size inherent in relation to microorganisms size limits the sedimentation post bioengineering of clay soil(Engineers, 2013). The interaction between minerals and microorganisms can facilitate biogeochemical process and reaction which is the research that is important in the exogenic geochemistry. The way in which microorganisms affect the process of the rock formation is the most important in the geology department. Bacteria activate sedimentation and crystallization of many sediments and minerals that are formed through weathering. In every case, the composition of chemical of microfossils is same to that of the matrix of rock. Comprising main oxides that form rocks such as silicon, potassium, magnesium and aluminum. This provides confirmation that complex of microbiology is coeval with the host rock. The microorganisms in the rock functions as catalysts. The decay of minerals and their transfer to the material that looks like clay happened through the bacterial precipitation(Engineers, 2013). Bacteria also produce substances that are sticky in the polysaccharide form that helps in binding soil particles together into aggregates that are small and leading to the structural stability of the soil. Hence microorganisms are very useful as they improve the soil stability aggregates infiltration of water, and the capacity to hold water. Microorganisms participate in the early stages of the formation of soil. The surface of their rock may be colonized by organisms that are microscopic, that is microorganisms, lichen which is a microorganism are normally the first to colonize the rock surface that is exposed(Gopi, 2013). These microorganisms release the acid which helps on rock dissolution and enables the organic debris accumulation. Over time some organisms may colonies the same place facilitated by the brought changes by lichen. Afterward, the rock surface is crumbed, etched, eroded and cracked. Rain and wind erosion combined by the action of the microorganisms continue to break pieces of smaller rocks. Also, microorganisms stabilize soil in places that are dry without the vegetation cover. In the places that land is good, microorganisms such as lichens form the crusts on the soil which is thin to provide the resistance to wind erosion that is mild and raindrops to help in stabilizing soil particles disturbed by animals(Gunnison, 2014). Microorganisms facilitated the soil aggregation. Some bacteria and fungi produce gum of polysaccharides that cause the particles of soil to attach to each other. These gums are flexible and the chain has carbon molecules and makes any contact across the soil particles surface. Some of the microorganisms also attract the particles of the soil because they charge that is electrostatic or another surface that can be polarized. This attracts the bacteria to the soil particle because of the opposite charge, these forces contribute to the soil aggregated that help in the stability of the ground because it prevents the soil and ground from becoming loose(Horikawa, 2013). Environmental conditions that favour the activities of the microorganisms Most of the microorganism that is helping in the process of soli stability, land, and ground or the geomechanics are in the soil, so they occupy soil environment. Like the species of Bacillus work better in the alkaline environment. Modern activities can have the impact that is important on the materials of the building and their durability. It is hence good to understand the activities in order to select strategies that are proper for the treatment, monuments and the restoration of the building. In the todays buildings, microorganisms present a challenge since they are sources of pollution. The growth of these, microorganisms like fungi and bacteria act as indoor bio pollutant(Howsam, 2013). Both the modern and historic buildings are subject to the derivative and deteriorative action of microorganisms. The growth of higher plants and mosses are recognized. The structure of the root penetrates and affect the structure of the building. The growth of the plants happens after the protozoa have been established by the growth of the activities of derivative microorganisms. The activities of microorganisms are the potential threats to the maintenance of the buildings that are modern, cultural and historic properties(Jones, 2015). The microbial biofilms and microbial association cannot be visible but sometimes can be visible. All the surface can be coloured and the discolouration and soiling of the building are shown in the biofilms but also the invisible biofilms are the threat because they produce substances such as acids cause the surface of the material minerals degradation and cause flaking coatings. The colonization rate is affected by biological, environmental factors. The intensity of light, temperature, humidity, and the chemical and physical nature plays an important role. Normally the stones of low permeability are resistant to the attacks of degradations of microorganisms. But every rock is vulnerable to the formation of biofilms(Kai, 2014). Pigmented microorganisms such as algae, fungi, bacteria, because the surface decolonization to the historic and cultural building also they cause the degradation of the materials through the metabolic activities(Torgal, 2014). Biodegradation and biodeterorations cannot be prevented by the creating the surface on the building stones because these coatings are the subjects to the growth of microorganisms. Nevertheless, the surfaces that are smooth, hard and less porous like varnished stone and the basalt are more resistant to the colonization of the microorganisms. The biofilms that resulted should be regularly removed using the same methods that are friendly to the environment and nonabrasive materials to reduce the activities of microorganisms(Nemergut, 2013). Painting may be exploited by the microbial species. Many of the painting components are materials that can degrade easily. The easel painting has molecules that microorganisms may use a food for growth like sugar, protein, and gum(Silva, 2011). Given the wide range of inorganic and organic molecules that are available in both paintings, many microorganisms can colonize these places as long as the environmental conditions are favourable like pH, temperature, and humidity and light. Microorganism growth on the paintings may cause aesthetic damage that must consider stains, discolouration, and the biofilms formation on the surface that is painted(Nemergut, 2013). Structural damage might also occur like the disintegration and crack of the paint layer, the formation of paint blisters, and degradation of the polymers that are supporting resulting to detachment of the layers of paint from the support(Pfafflin, 2012). The effects of microorganisms on the building of historic The effects that were observed Material Activity of microorganisms Major microorganisms Water retention All Physical presence All Discoloration All Physical presence Fungi, cyanobacteria and algae Material disaggregation Stone, stone wood, and concrete Growth of firmament form Lichens, algae, fungi and cyanobacteria Degradation and corrosion Mortar, concrete and stone Production of acid Bacteria, fungi and lichen Structure weakening and dissolution Chelating and mobilizing iron Bricks, stone. concrete and motor All Stimulation of the growth of higher organisms on the building Physical presence Surface that is clean Photosynthetic bacteria and fungi Material breakdown Painted surface and wood Enzymes that are hydrolytic Bacteria and fungi Patinas formation Stones Oxidation of the acids cation production Manganese and iron-oxidizing bacteria, fungi, lichens, and cyanobacteria Dissolution of the alkaline Stone Hydrogen ion uptake by the cells Cyanobacteria and algae Silicates layers disruption Soapstone and mica Polyols liberations All Environmental Condition Favoring the Growth of Microorganisms The microorganisms are able to survive the rehydration and drying that is continuous on the building surfaces that is exposed. Some also produce cells for survival some also are able to survive a high period of desiccation and this is why they can colonize the walls exposed to the external environment(Russell, 2010). Many of the microorganisms are capable of producing pigments for the UV light protection and can result in the staining that is normally present to on the surface of the building. Some microorganisms like cyanobacteria and algae are always coloured, that is when active and change to black grey colour when dead. In the buildings, the pollutant layers that are organics may serve as nutrients for the growth of microorganisms. Thus affection the deterioration of both physical and chemical(Publications, 2010). The best way to prevent the growth of microorganisms on the buildings is to regulate and deny the spore by regulating relative humidity. When the relative humidity is high, dehumidifiers can be used to reduce the content of the moisture on air. Adequate air circulation should also be maintained to aim a good temperature that dont favour the growth of microorganisms. Problems that can lead to the conditions of the environment should be regulated like repairing the leaking pipes, cracked windows and a cracked wall. Silica gel and buffers can adjust the relative humidity. The buffer will absorb and release moisture to the atmosphere, Conclusion This report is about the impacts of microorganism on various levels such as building, infrastructure and geomechanics, microorganism have both positive and negative impacts on these levels, it is well written in every part the environmental conditions that favour the activities of microorganism and also how the effects can be prevented. A microorganism is a microscopic organism which may be unicellular or multicellular. The scientific study of microorganism stated with their observation under a microscope by van Leeuwenhoek in 1670s and also Louis pasture found that microorganisms were capable of causing food spoilage by performing the spontaneous generation theory in 1850s. Robert Koch discovered that microorganisms caused the disease like cholera, anthrax, and tuberculosis in the 1880s. Microorganisms, comprise the unicellular organisms and are very diverse including bacteria, and archeae that are the domain of life of microorganisms. Microbes are very important in the culture and health of human, serving to produce enzymes, production of fuels, bioactive compounds, treatment of sewage and fermenting food. They are an essential tool as the model organism in biology and have been used in bioterrorism and biological warfare. Microbes are the component of the soil fertility and inhuman they make up human microbiota and also are pathogens for infectious disease. Bibliography Acton, Q. A., 2015. Issues in Environmental Economics, Engineering, and Technology. Paris: ScholarlyEditions. Brar, S. K., 2015. Nanomaterials in the Environment. Colorado: American Society of Civil Engineers. Clement, J., 2010. Influence of Distribution System Infrastructure on Bacterial Regrowth. Paris: IWA Publishing. Crisp, T., 2012. civil engineering. Michigan: John Wiley Sons. D, R., 2013. International Conference on Frontiers of Energy. Colorado: DEStech Publications. Engineers, A. S. o. C., 2012. American Society of Civil Engineers Research Project on Impact of Civil Engineering Projects. New York: American Society of Civil Engineers. Engineers, A. S. o. C., 2013. Transactions of the American Society of Civil Engineers. New York: American Society of Civil Engineers. Gopi, S., 2013. Basic Civil Engineering. New Delhi: Pearson Education India. Gunnison, D., 2014. Microbial Processes in Reservoirs. Paris: Springer Science Business Media. Horikawa, K., 2013. Civil Engineering - Volume I. New York: EOLSS Publications. Howsam, P., 2013. Microbiology in Civil Engineering. Michigan: CRC Press. Jones, J., 2015. Advances in Microbial Ecology. Colerado: Springer Science Business Media. Kai, L., 2014. Proceedings of the 2009 International Conference on Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering. Moscow: World Scientific. Nemergut, D. R., 2013. The causes and consequences of microbial community structure. Michigan: Frontiers E-books. Pfafflin, J. R., 2012. Encyclopedia of Environmental Science and Engineering. Paris: CRC Press. Publications, R., 2010. Advances in Civil Engineering Materials. Michigan: RILEM Publications. Russell, J. S., 2010. Perspectives in Civil Engineering: Commemorating the 150th Anniversary of the American Society of Civil Engineers. Michigan: ASCE Publications. Silva, M. R., 2011. International RILEM Conference on Microbial Impact on Building Materials. Paris: RILEM Publications. Singh, D. N., 2017. Contemporary Issues in Geoenvironmental Engineering. Colorado: Springer International Publishing. Torgal, F. P., 2014. Biotechnologies and Biomimetics for Civil Engineering. Michigan: Springer.

Sunday, April 19, 2020

Water Pollution Essays (479 words) - Ocean Pollution,

Water Pollution The earth is facing a lot of environmental problems today, these problems are caused by humans. In the search for the technology, humans begin to improve their lives without giving attention to what this development has caused to the other types of life on the face of the earth. All aspects of life on the earth have been affected, as well as the sources of water. Sea and river pollution is one of the problems that resulted from the new technology, and humans should solve very fast to save our planet. Water is one of the most important sources of life in the earth a lot of animals live in seas, rivers and lakes. In addition water in also important for humans, not just for drinking, seas are one of our main sources of food today, for example fish. Sea pollution has become one of the biggest problems facing our environment. This pollution which is caused by the oil tankers or the oil spills could cause serious damage to the lives of many kinds of creatures that live in the sea. People were happy when the oil was first discovered. For them it was a new source of energy that would help to made life a lot easier, no one ever thought that oil could cause so much damage, but it became clear when oil tankers began to dump oil in to the sea. The oil which was dumped into the sea for different reasons, could case a lot of damage to the life in that sea, for example a thick spot of oil could cover the surface of the sea and causes screening of the sun rays from the sea. That screening can case the death of many of the sea creatures, because most of the sea creatures depend on the sun for their lives. A lot of beaches are destroyed because of the oil spots, too. The oil spot finally ends up on the beach. A lot of birds that live on the beach will face death because they lost their source of food. People will be affected too. A lot of fish will die so there will be no fishing. In some countries where they depend on sea water for drinking, they are going to have problems purifying. Rivers were facing the same problem too. The chemicals that have been used in manufacturing should not be dumped in lakes or rivers, because of the animals that live in these rivers and lakes. In some countries they polluted some of their big lakes because of the big factories that were built beside them in order to throw the waste of chemicals on these lakes, and the result was big loss of natural life. However, it is a big problem, we still can not stop it from happening, but we can reduce it by enforcing stronger laws to stop these oil tankers and these factories from dumping oil and waste-water in to the seas and rivers. Our environment is important to us, so we should take care of it.

Saturday, March 14, 2020

Can torture ever be admissible Essays

Can torture ever be admissible Essays Can torture ever be admissible Essay Can torture ever be admissible Essay Torture has been used as an instrument to crush the will of the enemy through millennia. The intensity and bitterness it has created has through the ages, evoked public outcries; to no avail. The 21st Century has begun with the world’s only Super Power using torture in the war against terror, which has justifiably sent shock waves throughout civilized societies. The issue of use of torture as an instrument of State policy is being hotly debated from the pragmatic, legal, philosophical and religious perspective.The thorny issue of torture as an instrument of State policy to extract information and use it as a tool to interrogate potentially dangerous terrorists or bad elements in society has come into sharp focus in the aftermath of horrendous images in the international media of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and Abu Ghraib prison, Iraq. That Americans, the conscience keepers of nations, were involved in acts of utter barbarity has shocked the world. Religious and human rights groups ha ve made common cause to enlighten the ‘enlightened’ of the inherent danger of letting loose terror as an instrument of State policy. A fiery debate rages.According to Scott Allen, M.D. of Physicians for Human Rights, torture has led to false and misleading testimony with devastating consequences. â€Å"The idea that torture yields reliable information is highly questionable as victims will often say whatever it is they think their interrogators want to hear to stop the torture†.In a brilliant expose of the apologists of torture, Kenneth S. Pope in a chapter titled Torture,† in the Encyclopedia of Women and Gender: Sex Similarities and Differences and the Impact of Society on Gender, edited by Judith Worell and published by Academic Press, has listed and countered every argument of the apologists of torture.The most common strategies of accommodation, acceptance, or justification of torture rely on:i.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   State authority and formal or ders: The UN Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, states, â€Å"An order from a superior officer or a public authority may not be invoked as a justification of torture.ii.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Use of abstraction and linguistic transformation: The horrors of torture can be obscured by achieving a sufficient level of abstraction, euphemism, and other forms of linguistic transformation. Repeatedly in the Nuremberg trials, the most heinous forms of torture carried out by Nazi doctors, concentration camp guards, soldiers, and others were characterized dismissively by the defendants as medical matters.iii.  Ã‚  Ã‚   They dont count: This strategy creates the illusion that the people targeted for torture are not actually people but rather genetic or cultural trash, of no inherent importance.iv.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Justice is possible only when those who have caused great suffering are made to endure great suffering: Torture is seen as righteo us and well-deserved revenge. In some instances, this is portrayed as an eye for an eye philosophy.v.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Torture is appropriate not because of what people have done but because of what they will, might, or can do.vi.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Torturers as the relatively helpless victims of external forces beyond their control.vii.   The most common rationales for engaging in torture are to obtain information that supposedly could not be gathered by other means. Those supporting torture may claim that subjecting an individual to a relatively brief experience of torture may be necessary for a greater good: preventing the loss of a great many lives.viii.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Those who are aware of torture may come to accept its presence in their community or state by viewing it as something that is none of their business.ix.  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the bluntest ways that people can accommodate torture in their midst is to deny that it exists, usually by dismissing an y signs, reports, or evidence of torture as lies, exaggerations, or mistakes.Pope has cautioned that while â€Å"understanding and preventing torture requires countering effectively the strategies of acceptance, accommodation, and justification, they may well carry special appeal in the context of inertia, noninvolvement, and the costs of recognizing tortures realities†.Pope has quoted Harvard psychiatrist Judith Herman:It is very tempting to take the side of the perpetrator. All the perpetrator asks is that the bystander do nothing. He appeals to the universal desire to see, hear, and speak no evil. The victim, on the contrary, asks the bystander to share the burden of pain. The victim demands action, engagement, and remembering.Pope has raised two pertinent questions: What are we doing to understand and prevent torture and help its victims? If we are not doing all we can, why?Democrat Patrick Leahy, US Senator from Vermont, in an article titled, â€Å"There is no justifica tion for torture† published in the Boston Globe of June 28, 2004, has rebuffed arguments centering on necessity and self-defense as justifications for torture.If torture is justified to obtain information from a suspected terrorist, why not from his wife or children? Do we really want to usher in a new world that justifies inhumane, immoral and cruel treatment as any means to an end? We must reject the dangerous notion that torture can be legally justified.†Amoral pragmatism should be shunned. The question each one of us should ask ourselves is: Can our country adopt the high moral ground against another if it uses torture to gather information? It would not be inappropriate to muster an array of quotations from philosophers and thinkers, good souls, who have left an indelible imprint on history and whose thoughts have the power to raise sunken spirits.The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons (Fyodor Dostoyevsky).Never do anything aga inst conscience even if the state demands it (Albert Einstein).To sin is a human business, to justify sins is a devilish business (Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy).Liberty has never come from the government. Liberty has always come from the subjects of government. The history of liberty is the history of resistance. The history of liberty is a history of the limitation of governmental power, not the increase of it (Woodrow Wilson).In the light of the foregoing, only an insane voice would plead for the admissibility of torture as a deliberate instrument of State policy.Scott Allen in a question-answer session hosted by Amnesty International described the symptoms of torture on victims as depression, anxiety, difficulty with concentration and memory, hypersensitivity to external stimuli, hallucinations and perceptual distortions. â€Å"In severe cases, these symptoms can lead to personality changes that can interfere with daily function and the maintenance of social and intimate relationship s. Persistence of symptoms and recovery can vary widely from case to case, but often may take years and even decades.†Torture, says Scott Allen, is clearly dehumanizing and damaging to the victim, but it can be just as damaging to the mental well being of the torturer.Here it would be appropriate to quote Booker T. Washington, â€Å"You cant hold a man down without staying down with him.†And Friedrich Nietzche: â€Å"Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And when you look into an abyss, the abyss also looks into you†.Pope Johan Paul II has written:The thought of Jesus being stripped, beaten and derided until his final agony on the cross should always prompt a Christian to protest against similar treatment of their fellow beings. Of their own accord, disciples of Christ will reject torture, which nothing can justify, which causes humiliation and suffering to the victim and degrades the tormentor.George Hunsinger , professor at Princeton Seminary, and a leading voice in the Presbyterian movement to oppose torture, delivered a pointed sermon in 2006 in response to theologian and Nazi fighter Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s eye-opening question, Who is Jesus Christ for us today?   Hunsinger’s answer is that Christ today is found among the victims of U.S. torture (www.generousorthodoxy.net).He has quoted from the Holy Scripture: â€Å"Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured (Heb. 13:3)†.He closes with an interpretation of I John 4:20:   Those who say, I love God, and torture their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who torture a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen; and the same holds true for those who turn a blind eye to torture or otherwise condone it.No religion condones torture.Hinduism: This is the sum of duty: Do naug ht unto others which would cause you pain if done to you (Mahabharata).Islam: No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother what which he desires for himself (Sunnah).Buddhism: Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful (Udana Varga).Judaism: What is hateful to you, do not to your fellowmen. That is the entire Law; all the rest is commentary (Talmud).Zoroastrianism: That nature alone is good which refrains from doing unto another whatsoever is not good for itself (Dadistan-i-dinik).Torture is the very essence of evil. Sooner of later, woe would befall a society that condones torture. Here three quotations are appropriate and self-explanatory:The government is the potent omnipresent teacher. For good or ill it teaches the whole people by its example. Crime is contagious. If the government becomes a lawbreaker, it breeds contempt for law; it invites every man to become a law unto himself, it invites anarchy. To declare that the end justifies the means, to declare that the government may commit crimes, would bring terrible retribution (Justice Louis D. Brandeis).Give government the weapons to fight your enemy and it will use them against you (Harry Browne).A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves (Edward R. Murrow).Skeptics, who entertain apologists of torture, have no place in civilized society.

Thursday, February 27, 2020

Research proposal Annotated Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Research proposal - Annotated Bibliography Example Apple Inc has been able to capture this market through establishing a department whose role is to market the products through the social media. This source explains the benefits of social media marketing. According to this source, the customers are turning towards companies that are innovative and integrate their ideas in the production process. Besides marketing, social media provides a platform for the company to interact with the customers. According to this source, marketing of the high technological products has changed over times. Due to the dynamic nature of the devices, it has become important to identify a cheaper marketing strategy. This source is important in identifying the impact that social media has been having on the company sales. The tastes and preferences of the current market keep on changing. Different companies are setting up huge amounts of money to conduct research on different aspects that affect the consumption behavior of the market. This source will be significant in identifying other ways that social media can be used to enhance the performance of the company. Social media has improved the performance of the business by making it easy to contact the customers. This source will be significant in identifying how social social media has improved the communication process. Many of the people have focused on leadership of Apple Inc as being the key to success of the company. However, social media has been instrumental in boosting the performance of the business. In addition, it has enabled the company to reach customers who are located in different parts of the

Tuesday, February 11, 2020

A Case study report on Welcome Break Group Ltd Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

A report on Welcome Break Group Ltd - Case Study Example The company is looking out to implement strategic initiatives that will boost the company and bring out the internal talents (Peene, 2013). This will be effective through training employees so that they can be in a position to handle all its business units. This will make their operations effective since customers will enjoy services provided to them by experienced individuals. The HR department is very important to the growth of the company (Nichols, 2013). In the case study, it is evident that this department is on the move to automate its services. This is good to both the company and employees. Since none of the employees is losing out their job positions, it good to use the SuccessFactor system. I have learnt that a company has to start small before it can realize its full potential. While we see Welcome Break as a huge company in the motorway industry, it has a very humble background. Efforts, determination, strong leadership and a good working environment are essential to growth. David Willock gives a great conceptualization of ideas behind the company’s prosperity. Through it, we are in a position to identify the successes and future strategies that are good for company growth. Nichols Will, 2013. Green Energy Company and Nissan have now fitted 16 fast-charging units at Welcome Break motorway service stations across the UK. [Online]. 5 August. Retrieved from: http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/2286661/more-rapid-chargers-speed-up- ecotricitys-electric-highway. [Accessed on 17 March, 2014] Saran Cliff, 2012, Case Study: Welcome Break Group Revamps HR with SuccessFactors. [Online]. 10 August. Retrieved from: http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240161289/Case-Study-Welcome-Break- Group-revamps-HR-with-SuccessFactors. [Accessed on 17 March,

Friday, January 31, 2020

War in Iraq Essay Example for Free

War in Iraq Essay The United States Governments decision to invade Iraq was a mistake and so is the decision to continue to occupy the war-country. However, more than just a mistake, the war is of course wrong, and the reasons which the US declared for the rationale of the war are based on misinformed information. There are kinds of war that can be justified if the reasons behind them are morally right — the Iraq War is not one of them. The question whether the government knew this or not is not really known. Various sides claim different things regarding the rationality of the war, but one thing is for sure: This author is not for any kind of war, including the Iraq War. Iraq War in Under Fire There are a number of reasons why the war on Iraq is to be considered a bad judgment, if not a bad â€Å"scheme. † We could go on and on with a long list, but it would take a very long time. However, the main concern of the government was that Iraq had what they called â€Å"Weapons of Mass Destruction† (WMD) that are a threat to the security of not only America but also the rest of the world. There is reason to believe that misleading information influenced the decision of the president to go to war. In a press release posted on the Central Intelligence Agencys (CIA) website, Jay Rockefeller, chair of Intelligence committee said, â€Å"In making the case for war, the Administration repeatedly presented intelligence as fact when in reality it was unsubstantiated, contradicted, or even non-existent. As a result, the American people were led to believe that the threat from Iraq was much greater than actually existed† (qtd. in United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence 1). He was right; by the time the US and coalition forces was done ransacking the country, no WMD were found. There were also no threatening biological and chemical weapons found in Iraq. There were hints that Saddam wanted to create such devious weapons, but the findings suggest that the â€Å"imminent threats† that the government was so afraid about were non-existent. With these findings alone, the main justification of the US government for going to war with Iraq is nullified. Supposedly after the US was embarrassed by their Intelligence failure, the logical thing to do was to pull out of Iraq as quickly as possible and admit they have made a mistake. Yet, instead of doing this, the government even denied it, publicly declaring Iraq as an â€Å"imminent threat† to the US (Center for American Progress 1). Of course, pulling out of the Iraq would not be that easy especially because the coalition forces have done such a good job of virtually maiming the country. The chaos that the conflict created also meant that it would be morally wrong to just leave the devastated country after doing significant damage to it. The process of pulling out the troops, however, is taking longer than necessary. US troops have been in Iraq since 2003 and until now, tens of thousands of soldiers are still in the dangerous country. The longer the troops stay in Iraq, the more body bags the army have to ship back home. Apart from the unjustified nature of the Iraq War, the casualties that the conflict created and is still creating are one of the major reasons why this war is being contested. As of June 2, 2009, there have been 4,627 coalition deaths, and these only include the coalition forces that died (Cable News Network [CNN]). According to a recent research published in the New York Times, the civilian casualties that the conflict is causing may sum up to 600,000 since the war began (Tavernise and Mcneil). That is almost a hundred thousand deaths a year, which makes this war even more wrong because of the sheer number of casualties produced. Not everybody sees this war the same way. Some argue that if Iraq was not invaded by Coalition forces, Iraq may have developed the Weapons of Mass Destruction they were so eager to find inside Iraqi territory. However, since the time when Iraq was invaded up to this date, no Weapons of Mass Destruction have been detected, making this argument invalid. For others, the war on Iraq was a necessary move of the United States in order to defend itself from foreign threats, and it was a direct action to the seemingly increasing threat that Saddam supposedly had on the US. Former US President George W. Bush claimed that war was his last option. â€Å"I didnt want war, to assume that I wanted war is just flat wrong,† George Bush said in an interview (qtd. in Shakir). However, evidence suggests that he has already made up his mind long before the first coalition forces landed on Iraqi soil. Bush and then British Prime Minister Tony Blair have already met and decided on the matter as revealed in a memo dated January 31, 2003 (Norton-Taylor). Conclusion The Iraq War is just flat out wrong. The US government pretended and projected to the people that Iraq was an imminent threat despite the lack of real evidence. The rationality of the war is just based on misleading information, therefore making it a mistake. However, more important than the rationality of the war, the number of casualties that the conflict has created and is still creating is a strong enough reason to justify the immorality and irrationality of the war. Others may claim that the war was necessary, but the hard truth is that it was indeed a mistake. The failure to find WMD has caused critics to be suspicious of the real intent of the US why they invaded Iraq — Iraq is of course an oil well capable of generating enormous amounts of money that even the already rich US government could not resist. Works Cited Cable News Network. â€Å"US and Coalition Casualties: Iraq. † CNN. com/world. 2 June 2009. 4 June 2009. http://edition. cnn. com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/. Center for American Progress. â€Å"In Their Own Words: Iraqs Imminent Threat.† Center for American Progress. 29 Jan. 2004. 4 June 2009. http://www. americanprogress. org/kf/QUOTES. PDF. Norton-Taylor, Richard. â€Å"Blair-Bush Deal Before Iraq War Revealed in Secret Memo. † 3 Feb. 2006. Guardian News and Media. 4 June 2009. http://www. guardian. co. uk/world/2006/feb/03/iraq. usa. Shakir, Faiz. â€Å"Bush Insists I Didnt Want War, Overwhelming Evidence Suggests Otherwise. † Think Progress. 21 Mar. 2006. 4 June 2009. http://thinkprogress. org/2006/03/21/made-up-his-mind/.