Explain What Tutankhamun’s Tomb and Its Contents Reveal...

With reference to Sources A, B, C and D and other archaeological evidence: Explain what Tutankhamun’s tomb and its contents reveal about the role of a New Kingdom Pharaoh. The tomb of King Tutankhamun was discovered in 1922 by British archaeologist Howard Carter. Many secrets were revealed about the life of Tutankhamun and his role as a New Kingdom pharaoh through the contents found in his tomb. As well as being the ruler of Egypt, Tutankhamun took on many other roles and responsibilities. The vast amount of treasures and wall paintings in his tomb, provide sufficient evidence as to what kinds of roles and responsibilities were expected of the young King. Over three thousand items were placed in Tutankhamun’s tomb, some of which†¦show more content†¦Tutankhamun, like all pharaohs before him, was considered to have been semi-divine. He was seen as a mediator and acted as a link between the realm of the gods and the world of human beings during his lifetime. Hundreds of items found in Tutankhamun’s tomb support his role as a military leader and hunter in New Kingdom society. Tutankhamun was buried with almost fifty bows of various types and sizes, many of them showing signs of use. Several daggers and shields were also uncovered, as well as a pile of dissembled chariots, some of which showed signs of use. As pharaoh, Tutankhamun was responsible for the protection of his country and people and for defense against all enemies. Although the pharaoh was quite young, the weapons and paintings in Tutankhamun’s tomb suggest that the young King lead the Egyptian troops into at least one major confrontation. These archaeological evidences also display the King’s role as a fearless hunter. The painting on the lid of the wooden chest depicts Tutankhamun hunting wild animals. He is often depicted hunting animals such as ostriches and gazelles from his chariot using a bow and arrows. These animals represented the chaos of the wil derness and had to be conquered in order to maintain ma’at. Tutankhamun’s death mask is one of the most well known artifacts from his tomb and supports his role as a god and administrator. Source D shows Tutankhamun’s royal regalia,

Tyler J. Torgensen. Professor Roxana Russo. Enc 1101 â€

Tyler J. Torgensen Professor Roxana Russo ENC 1101 – 250 English 1 29 February 2017 How does Make-A-Wish help those in need? Make-A-Wish is one of the most well-known charities in the world for giving dying children one last wish and making it come true for them. I remember in middle school one of my friend’s brothers had cancer and so his parents reached out to Make-A-Wish to try and give their son a happy memory that he could cherish for the rest of his life. He wished he could ride in a monster truck so the people at Make-A-Wish had it arranged and they reached out and asked them to come to the Delta Center which was home to the Utah Jazz but could also house monster trucking. He went and got to ride in the most famous monster†¦show more content†¦These kids who knew they were going to die were given hope, hope that could hopefully allow them to become healthier. It might seem stupid or gimmicky to older people but to these kids it’s all they got in life. Make-A-Wish grew so rapidly because of this, that they were making tens of thousands o f wishes come true each year. Now that we have covered the full history of Make-A-Wish let’s move on to general facts of Make-A-Wish. To be eligible you must be referred by someone treating the child, a parent or legal guardian, or the children themselves if they are of age. The average cost of granting a wish is $10,130. Make-A-Wish pays for the full experience including costs of travel because they believe that the parents have enough financial worries. The way Make-A-Wish makes money for all of this is from mainly donations and foundation grants. This means that normal every day citizens are funding these wishes and could be giving a dying kid their last wish which I think is special. There have been numerous celebrities and stars that participate in Make-A-Wish. John cena holds the record for Make-A-Wish at over 500 wishes. Justin Bieber has participated in over 200 wishes and numerous celebrities have done multiple wishes. This is all voluntary so none of these celebrities are forced to do it. Now that we have looked at the general facts of Make-A-Wish lets read the

The First Domino Of Fall - 2014 Words

History is often a series of processes. Very rarely do important changes happen out of the blue. These changes are brought about by little progressions, so the question becomes what is the first domino to fall. In some respects, the religions of the American colonists seem like a small thing, yet without religion it is unlikely that the New England Colonies would have developed into the nation we have today. Religious beliefs play huge role in shaping the paradigms of individuals and ultimately individuals shape nations. As we go through colonial history we can begin to see a pattern where communities will divide and unite then divide again, all on the basis of their evolving religious ideals. At the time of the colonization of America, Protestant religions were on the rise. It all started when King Henry VIII broke away from the Catholic church so that he could divorce his wife, Catherine of Aragon and marry Anne Boleyn. To replace the Catholic authority, the Anglican church was formed, still essentially Catholic in overall theology and practices, but with the king himself as the authority of the church in place of the pope. King Henry VIII ordered that all of the churches should then be equipped with an English translation of the Bible. Prior to that most copies of the Bible were only written in Latin, and therefore not accessible to the general public. As a result of this change more people outside of the clergy began to have access to the Bible. During this time theShow MoreRelatedIb Physics Ia - Domino Effect1271 Words   |  6 PagesYong Hui 6.5 Domino Effect IA Investigate the effect of the distance between each domino on the time taken for all the dominoes to fall Independent Variable: Distance, d/cm, between each domino. The distance d/cm is measured between the middle of one domino to the middle of the next domino Dependent Variable: Time taken for all the dominoes to be toppled to the ground. The timing will start when the 1st domino is hit by a metal ball and it will stop when the last domino falls completely. Read MoreEssay on The War in Vietnam1662 Words   |  7 PagesThe War in Vietnam America became increasingly involved in the war in Vietnam, mainly because of the domino theory, the fear of the spread of communism. If South Vietnam fell to the communist the US feared that communism would spread throughout Asia and to neighbouring countries. The influence of the previous presidents also caused another main reason for the US to become more involved in Vietnam. But there is one underlining fact; if the ‘French had not left, AmericaRead MoreDevelopment Of Domino Cmos Technology For The Design Of Xor Gate1452 Words   |  6 Pagesthe development of domino CMOS technology for the design of XOR gate. Low power dissipation is one of the main design considerations for high level performance circuits. The leakage power dissipation is controlled by the factor gate oxide leakage and threshold leakage and thus the overall leakage of domino XOR circuits. To show the efficiency of the proposed model, a simple example like implementing of XOR gate with P type domino XOR, N type domino XOR gate and PN mixed domino XOR gate, an averageRead MoreThe War Of The Vietnam War1704 Words   |  7 Pagesproxy war during the Cold War, but it is always swept aside. The Vietnam War divided the U.S. as the war continued throughout the years. The U.S. shouldn’t have been involved in the Vietnam War because the Domino Theory was not correct. Before the U.S. started combat in Vietnam, there was the First Indochina War. France had colonized Indochina for many years, until Ho Chi Minh, a communist leader, and his group called the Viet Minh started to fight back (â€Å"Vietnam War†). The U.S. supported the FrenchRead MoreHow The Domino Theory Backfired825 Words   |  4 PagesHow the Domino Theory Backfired Brought up in the 1950s, a theory primarily gave way to a supporting a war started in regards to it. After two world wars had started and ended in the span of less than 50 years, the first half of the 1900s were influenced and shaped by the war and war effort. This was a time in world history ruled by vulnerability, but not long after the end of the infamous world wars, the Cold War followed. This war was an American effort against the Russian to, in part, fight theRead MoreEssay about The Importance of Accountability1039 Words   |  5 PagesThis essay I am going to write is about the importance of accountability in the army, and as to how it affect the units mission. First off by definition Accountability is important in the military because soldiers are often times required to perform extremely challenging duties and services. Without accountability, a soldier cannot be expected to meet these high demands and expectations. Being accountable means being in the right place at the r ight time, being in the proper duty uniform, beingRead MoreSegmentation, Targeting And Positioning Are Important For Achieving A Successful Marketing Mix1381 Words   |  6 PagesSaddle, N.J: Pearson. Segmentation is known not the wonder dividing the target market sector into small clusters or subsets of buyers in light of numerous components and after that planning and applying techniques to target them. Considered to be the first element of a marketing strategy where a company’s marketing efforts are aimed at a group of customers or a target market. Influencing the consumer’s perception towards the brand or its products and gaining an advantageous position in the consumer’sRead MoreThe Reasons For Australia s Involvement During The Vietnam War1207 Words   |  5 Pageswere led by America who controlled the region through â€Å"puppet† politicians such as Ngo Dinh Diem. South Vietnam was republic based and sought to diminish communism and prevent Soviet Russia any political support. But why did Australia, a country at first glance not having any need to get involved in the Vietnam conflict do such thing? After analysing many sources and content Austra lia’s participation in the Vietnam War was inevitable. I have used a number of sources including extracts from PM MenziesRead MoreWilliam Descartes s The Domino Effect On The Existence Of God1371 Words   |  6 Pagesforce that made us. To Descartes this force or entity is God. To make things simpler, let us use this example. Think of a domino effect. In the domino effect one domino falls and causes another to fall down, but before any of the dominoes can do anything there has to be a force to make the first domino fall down. The force in this example would be you, the one forcing the first domino to start the ongoing chain. So in Descartes argument he states that in order for us to be â€Å"humans† there must have beenRead More The Vietnam War Essay1721 Words   |  7 PagesVietnam War have such a devesting impact on both the US and Vietnam. The civil war between the French and Viet Minh was a major cause of the war. It is said that the Vietnam War, or the Second Indochina War, was just a continuation of the First Indochina War. The First Indochina War started because of Vietnam’s demand for independence from French colonial rule and France’s refusal to allow it. The battle continued from 1946 to 1954 until the French suffered a humiliating victory at the hands of the Viet

Women s Oppression Of Women - 1352 Words

The oppression of women has been brought into light in the recent years but it was the norm in many societies in early history especially in premodern east Asia. During that time, the roles of men and women in society were determined by great scholars that had the power to get their voice to be heard and set general rules in society. In China, scholars like Confucius, Mencius, and Mozi had great impact on the way people divided the roles between men and women. The overall oppression of women in premodern east Asia can be seen through quotes from great scholars about how women should be obedient to men, should not make important decisions in their families, and are not spoken of equally to men in society. Among the skills that they were†¦show more content†¦From that moment on, she no longer belongs to her own family. She then has to obey and serve her husband’s family because that is what the ideal woman was supposed to do. One way that some people tried to deny the sexist behavior in China is saying that women actually have more power than men. They supported this idea by saying that women can control their sons or husbands which directly reflects on controlling Chinese society. This argument is invalid because, although women did have some sort of control over their sons and husbands, it was not the kind of control that would affect their career or important decisions. The kind of control that they had was within the family. For example, if they wanted something to be done within the family and they knew they did not have the power to do it, they would try to use their husbands or sons as an excuse. However, this did not have a great effect on the important issues o f their husbands and sons. Even if they were going to use the males as an excuse, the males have the ultimate decision and control of whether they will listen to the wife or disregard her wishes. Additionally, women were expected to do certain tasks in the household that would keep them busy throughout the day and keep them from interfering with the outside, where men were supposed to be. Mozi, who was a great Chinese philosopher, mentioned that â€Å"women rise atShow MoreRelatedWomen s Oppression Of Women1657 Words   |  7 PagesThe oppression of women is best described as a steel cage, crafted over the centuries by the hands of patriarchal powers, enslaving flightless and chirp less birds. Birds may be benevolent and gentle, yet they embody a power most ferocious amongst all creatures. Though, it is of no fascination as to why women, in being similar to birds, transform from powerful peoples to frail figures. The molestation of power from these birds is done by the hindering c age encompassing them. The thick bars of oppressionRead MoreWomen s Oppression Of Women921 Words   |  4 PagesWomen are the one of most oppressed groups of people among all civilizations and nations of the world. Throughout history, women have been belittled, abused, and discriminated against. They have been second-class citizens and seen as objects through almost all civilizations and throughout most of human history. The ideology behind these views has been challenged, but still women all around the world have continued to be oppressed and silenced as a result of practices in today’s societies that perpetuateRead MoreDiscrimination : Women s Oppression Essay996 Words   |  4 PagesName: Tutor: Course: Date Due: Discrimination of women in workplace The issue of Ladies discrimination in the work environment has been around for a long time. Despite the fact that women currently have more money and power than ever before, there is still a considerable measure of work to be completed to guarantee that supreme uniformity turns into reality for all ladies all through the world. This essay covers the issue of gender discrimination in the workplace, male states of mind towards ladiesRead MoreWomen s Oppression And Physical Abuse2876 Words   |  12 PagesIn A Thousand Splendid Suns, men do not hate women, in fact, the author shows women’s oppression and physical abuse are rooted in the society. For instance, wearing burqa symbolized the beginning of women’s oppression in the Islamic culture. In the novel, Rasheed says, ‘â€Å"I’m a different breed of man, Mariam. Where I come from, one wrong look, one proper word, and blood is spilled. Where I come from, a woman’s face is her husband’s busin ess only. I want you to remember that. Do you understand?†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Read MoreWomen s Patriarchal Oppression By Kate Chopin Essay1621 Words   |  7 PagesNovember 2016 Women s Patriarchal Oppression Women have been denied social power and the right to various forms of self-expression during the 19th century. Feminism is the belief that women should be treated as equals to men and have the same opportunities. Feminist analysis discusses about topics such as women in society that s been through oppression, dehumanizing, and depression. Several brave female writers came forth during this period, to speak out against their oppression through the meansRead MoreWomen s Marital Oppression By Kate Chopin976 Words   |  4 PagesCases: Women’s Marital Oppression â€Å"The Story of an Hour† is a short story in which the author, Kate Chopin, presents an interesting view on women s feeling in marriages. Louise Mallard is the main character of the story and rather than mourn her husband’s death, she fills with a confuzed joy as she feels freedom from her boring life. Once she finds out that her husband, Mr Brently, is still living, Mrs. Mallard’s heart explodes and she dies from sadness.While the idea that women can feel oppressedRead MoreWomen s Oppression During The Land Of The Free1336 Words   |  6 PagesWomen’s Oppression in the Supposedly Land of the Free The Declaration of Independence represents justice, equality, and natural human rights. Written to liberate American citizens from British control, the document stood for the colonists to live as freely as they wished. As grand as this document is, the pronouns and terminology used throughout this document is in the eye of controversy when the rights and status of women become involved. Mary Wollstonecraft, writer of A Vindication of the RightsRead MoreFemale Stereotypes The Cause Of Women s Oppression1634 Words   |  7 Pages Peter Pan: Female Stereotypes the cause of Women s Oppression The movie Peter Pan (1953) is about how Wendy and her brothers believe in silly fantasies but to her dad it seems to be problem since Wendy is already a young lady and needs to act more like her own age and stop acting like a little girl. So Peter Pan takes Wendy and her brothers to Neverland so they never have to grow up. He takes her so she could be a mother to the lost kids in Neverland. While they are th they have many fun experiencesRead MoreWomen s Literature : Oppression And The Role Of A Woman971 Words   |  4 PagesEvan Rhodes Survey of World Literature December 1, 2014 Hartmann Women in Literature: Oppression and the Role of a Woman In early literature, men dominated the writers’ circuit. As literature began, it was used as an easily digestible way to promote social norms and moral code. In these texts, the role of women changes vastly depending on the culture, although there is a common theme: women exist to belong to a man. Women were not only oppressed in life, but their struggle is weaved into all ofRead MoreThe Second Sex : The Fight Against Women s Oppression2230 Words   |  9 PagesSimone de Beauvoir â€Å"The Second Sex’: The Fight against Women’s Oppression Simone Lucie Ernestine Marie Bertrand de Beauvoir simply referred to as Simone de Beauvoir was a French intellectual, writer, political activist, existentialist philosopher, social theorist and feminist born in 1908. Often subscribed to the schools of Existentialism, French Feminism and Western Marxism, she did not regard herself as a philosopher even though she is heralded for her significant influence of feminist theory

Much Ado About Nothing By Kenneth Branagh - 1272 Words

When a play is transferred from paper to screen, minute details are amplified and can have large impacts on the story. Camera angles, sounds, and editing all must be added in. In the â€Å"Forever a Bachelor† clip from the movie version of Much Ado About Nothing, directed by Kenneth Branagh, these details serve to convince the viewer of Claudio’s love for Hero. In order for the rest of the scene to make proper sense, the director must quickly establish that Hero and Claudio love each other. In the first few moments of this scene, Hero is shown on up on a balcony. The camera is positioned below her, presumably from the perspective of Claudio. This shows how Claudio has already lifted Hero up onto a pedestal in his mind. Hero and Claudio do not break eye contact during this scene until Hero is forcibly pulled away from the balcony by Beatrice. The only exception to this continued eye contact is a small glance that they give to the person that they are next to, a glance th at is mirrored between the two of them. Such mirroring is a common sign of rapport building, and sometimes a sign of love as well. Film techniques in the opening moments help quickly create a sense of love for the viewer. Hero’s eyes and chest are kept along the upper and lower rule of thirds lines; these are four lines, two vertical and two horizontal, that divide the image into nine equally sized rectangles. Things placed along these lines or their intersections naturally stand out to the human eye. WhenShow MoreRelatedKenneth Branaghs Much Ado About Nothing Essay1588 Words   |  7 PagesThe scene opens in the beautiful hills of Tuscany, Italy. Lying about on the slopes of grass are the humble townsfolk basking in the sunshine as a soft voice introduces; â€Å"Sigh no more ladies, sigh no more.† This dreamlike setting is the opening scene of the major motion picture Much Ado About Nothing as envisioned by film director Kenneth Branagh. A far cry from its Shakespear ean origins, Branagh’s Much Ado has a look and feel all of its own. This film seeks to capture its audience with visual majestyRead MoreEssay about Much Ado About Nothing Movie Review627 Words   |  3 PagesMuch Ado About Nothing Movie Review Cast: Kenneth Branagh, Emma Thompson, Denzel Washington, Keanu Reeves, Robert Sean Leonard, Kate Beckinsale, Richard Briers, Brian Blessed, Michael Keaton, Ben Elton Running Time: 1hr 5mins Introduction ============ If youre studying the Shakespeare play, Much Ado About Nothing, be sure to watch Kenneth Branaghs interpretation of this play. This film will provide you with an enhanced understanding of the playRead MoreBenedick And Beatrice In William Shakespeares Much Ado About Nothing1042 Words   |  5 PagesWilliam Shakespeare’s classic comedy Much Ado About Nothing follows the story of the two famous pairs of young lovers; Claudio and Hero, and Benedick and Beatrice. Although mainly following the first pair throughout the text, the relationship between Benedick and Beatrice is followed throughout the text with less attention from the reader, not noticing love forming between the two. Shakespeare sets his text in Messina, a town located on the island of Sicily in Italy. The play mainly takes place atRead MoreDifferences Of Shakespeare And Much Ado About Nothing By William Shakespeare1668 Words   |  7 Pageswriter who was known for the many plays and sonnets he wrote. This 16th century writer wrote a play called Much Ado About Nothing in the year 1598 (Alchin). This play consists of many characters meddling into ea ch others lives, causing chaos, lots of drama, and even romance making for some very comedic entertainment. The title gives away a lot about the plot that it really is a lot about nothing. Shakespeare is regarded as a very influential writer in British literature and has been an inspiration forRead MoreCape Literature Ia Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare2242 Words   |  9 PagesThe 1993 film adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Much Ado about Nothing, by Kenneth Branagh, differs in many aspects from the original script written by Shakespeare. Branagh employs brilliant cinematography, manipulating lighting, camera angles to produce a carefree version to the original text. The soundtrack is dazzling and his interpretation breathes life and vitality into this old world play. According to critic Vincent Canby, â€Å"He has taken a Shakespearean romantic comedy, the sort of thingRead MoreEssay about Film Versions of Shakespeare Comedies2208 Words   |  9 Pagesexe mplified in comparing two of the more recent cinematic adaptations of Shakespeare’s comedies, Trevor Nunn’s Twelfth Night and Kenneth Branagh’s A Much Ado About Nothing [‘Much Ado’]. Although both films can to an extent be seen as comedies with serious, almost tragic aspects inherent throughout, Nunn’s film deals with these serious facets as central to the depiction, whereas Branagh, although not entirely ignoring the deeper issues, prefers a more light-hearted and visually attractive adaptation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  TwelfthRead MoreBranaghs Interpretation of Much Ado About Nothing Essay2331 Words   |  10 PagesBranaghs Interpretation of Much Ado About Nothing    Shakespeares wonderful comedy, Much Ado About Nothing, is an entertaining tale of the trials and tribulations of two pairs of lovers, who must face and overcome both malicious schemes plotted against them and also their own flaws and shortcomings before finding happiness together. Although clearly a comedy, the play is not without its darker moments. Don John plots to ruin Claudios marriage; he nearly succeeds because Claudio, and mostRead More Movie Essays - Narrative Holes in Films of Shakespeares Plays2130 Words   |  9 PagesNarrative Holes in Films of Shakespeares Plays My subject in this essay in playtexts and in films of those playtexts. Drama offers the storyteller a simple choice about how to communicate each element of the story to the audience: show it, or have a character describe it. Often in drama narration is used because an event cannot be shown, but occasionally telling is used when showing is perfectly possible and Shakespeare uses this device self-consciously to draw attention to the mediumRead More Much Ado About Nothing - A Feminist Perspective of Hero Essay919 Words   |  4 PagesA Feminist Perspective of Hero in Much Ado About Nothing  Ã‚     Ã‚   Unlike the title of this piece suggests, Hero did not undergo her transformation in Much Ado About Nothing through magic.   Rather, Hero was a victim of the double standards and illogical fears that the men of Shakespeare’s plays commonly held.   The following quote sums it up quite well:   In the plays female sexuality is not expressed variously through courtship, pregnancy, childbearing, and remarriage, as it is in the periodRead MoreHow Does Shakespeare Present Love and Marriage in ‘Much Ado About Nothing and How Might a Modern Audience Respond to the Presentation of These Themes?1736 Words   |  7 PagesThrough rich imagery and a comic context Shakespeare uses characters to explore his ideas about love and marriage, using relationships to show the trials of love. In his play Shakespeare makes Beatrice and Benedick the critics of love and through them the modern audience is shown how Elizabethan society maltreats the female role and how the male code of honour and pride can lead to devastation. Shakespeare portrays Claudio and Hero as a pair of conventional lovers who go through an unadventurous

Preventing Teen Pregnancy with Bill Alberts Article,...

â€Å"Parental Influence and Teen Pregnancy† is article written by Bill Albert who is part of the national campaign to prevent teen and unplanned pregnancy organization. This article was found on the Education.com, it is a website where parents can get information that will help them be a better parents and teach them proper ways to raise their children from a young age. I consider Education.com credible because the website is updated and also because they do research on the tops they talk about and have citation on where they got the information from. For example, they got the article â€Å"Parental Influence and Teen Pregnancy† from a different website that is also credible. The information in the article is up-to –date because most of the information stated throughout the article is accurate. You can also tell that the information is up-to date because it was written not too long ago and because in the original website that this article came from the origination is still updating their informations about teen pregnancy. The author intended to target parents of adolescents. The author was trying to tell parents that they can stop their children from having unprotected sex and also can prevent their teenage girls from getting pregnant at a young age. There was some information in the article that was not presented in class or in the text book. The article stated that about 59% of adolescent boys were told that having sex and getting girls pregnant isn’t a big deal (Albert,

Belgium Cultural Analysis Free Essays

I. Introduction II. Brief Discussion of Belgium’s relevant history III. We will write a custom essay sample on Belgium Cultural Analysis or any similar topic only for you Order Now Geographical Setting a. Location – between France (S) and Holland (N); Germany and Luxembourg (E); and North Sea (W) b. Climate – Belgium has temperate weather, warm in summer (May to September) and cool to cold in winter, with snow very likely. temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy c. d. Topography – The coastal region, extending about 16–48 km (10–30 mi) inland, consists of sand dunes, flat pasture land, and polders (land reclaimed from the sea and protected by dikes), and attains a maximum of 15 m (50 ft) above sea level. Eastward, this region gradually gives way to a gently rolling central plain, whose many fertile valleys are irrigated by an extensive network of canals and waterways. Altitudes in this region are about 60–180 m (200– 600 ft). The Ardennes, a heavily wooded plateau, is located in southeast Belgium and continues into France. It has an average altitude of about 460 m (1,500 ft) and reaches a maximum of 694 m (2,277 ft) at the Signal de Botrange, the country’s highest point. Chief rivers are the Schelde (Scheldt, Escaut) and the Meuse (Maas), both of which rise in France, flow through Belgium, pass through the Netherlands, and empty into the North Sea. IV. Social Institutions a. Family i. The nuclear family – Belgians are among the happiest, most satisfied people in the world and among the least likely to leave their country. happiness is a safe and comfortable life shared with family and friends. Much of the Belgian culture revolves around their family. The Belgian family has remained very close-knit despite great changes in society due to industrialization. Most children have a strong sense of loyalty not only to their parents, but also to grandparents, siblings and cousins. The extended family has remained relatively close. It is not unusual for a family to live in the same neighborhood or even the same house throughout a lifetime. The average Belgian family size is 2. 9 people. ii. The extended family – The extended family has remained relatively close. It is not unusual for a family to live in the same neighborhood or even the same house throughout a lifetime. iii. Dynamics of the family . parental roles – parents in Belgium sent their children to preschool programs so that they could learn to become more independent and socially adept. Most Belgian children over age 2 attend these state-funded programs full-time. Belgian parents listed smaller classes and more physical education and music as desirable improvements. 2. Marriage and Courtship – Long marriage engagements are common, as is living together before or instead of marriage. Only civil marriages are legal, but many couples also have a religious ceremony. As you declare your wedding in Belgium, the first thing that you must do is to print two wedding invitations, one from the groom’s family and the other from the bride’s family. The invitations are a symbol of the union of the two families as well as the beginning of the new union. Following the ancient Belgium tradition the bride must walk up the isle to hand her mother a single flower which is followed by an embracing. After your marriage is over the bride presents the groom’s mother a single flower and then the two of them embrace. This symbolizes the bride’s acceptance of her new â€Å"mother† which is simply fantastic. Another noteworthy wedding feature in Belgium is that the bride must carry a specially embroidered handkerchief with her name on it. This is required as after your marriage celebration is over this handkerchief is framed and hung on the wall in a place of honor. There is more to add to this tradition. This very handkerchief is passed on to the next female member of the bride’s family when she plans to get married. iv. Female/Male Roles – Fathers are ultimate decision makers. Mothers discipline and rule household matters v. Education 1. The role of education in society a. Primary b. Secondary c. Higher d. The structure of the educational system consists of pre school (3-6 years); six years of primary school and six years of secondary school. Belgium has two systems of education: the state system and the private (mostly Catholic) system. Education is free in both of these systems, and the curriculum is the same. There are four types of education: †¢General Secondary Education (ASO): general education; mostly theoretical that prepares students for higher education. †¢Art Secondary Education (KSO): Along with general subjects, students take visual arts, music, dance, drama, etc. A previous knowledge of the subject is required. †¢Professional Secondary Education (BSO): in this category students may choose from a selection of courses such a hairdressing, car mechanics, and sewing, among others. Students completing the 12th year level receive certificate of higher secondary education. This diploma is sufficient for higher specialized study: interpreting, architecture, technical engineering, pedagogy, etc. Only 16 17% of Belgian students graduate at this level. Education is considered very important in Belgium. Therefore standard are high and students take school very seriously. At Christmas and Easter schools are closed for two weeks. Carnaval and All Saints Day (Nov. 1) bring short breaks of a week each. Summer holidays (vacation) last from June 30 to September 1. 2. Literacy rates – 99% over 15 can read and write vi. Political System 1. Political Structure – federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy 2. Political Parties – Flemish parties: Christian Democratic and Flemish or CDV [Marianne THYSSEN]; Dedecker List [Jean-Marie DEDECKER]; Flemish Liberals and Democrats or Open VLD [Bart SOMERS]; Groen! Mieke VOGELS] (formerly AGALEV, Flemish Greens); New Flemish Alliance or N-VA [Bart DE WEVER]; Social Liberal Party or SLP [Geert LAMBERT]; note – prior to 19 April 2008, known as Spirit; Social Progressive Alternative or SP. A [Caroline GENNEZ]; Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) or VB [Bruno VALKENIERS] Francophone parties: Ecolo (Francophone Greens) [Jean-Michel JAVAUX, Isabelle DURANT]; Humanist and Democratic Center or CDH [Joelle MILQUET]; National Front or FN [Daniel HUYGENS]; Reform Movement or MR [Didier REYNDERS]; Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI RUPO]; other minor parties 3. Stability of Government – Very Stable; Original member of EU and debt = 80% of GDP 4. Special Taxes – Expatriates in Belgium are generally regarded as Belgian tax residents and are therefore subject to Belgian income tax on their worldwide income. However, the Belgian authorities have encouraged multinationals to transfer foreign executives to Belgium by introducing special tax concessions to non-Belgians who are ‘temporarily’ working in the country. The tax concessions allow such expatriates to be treated as non-residents for tax purposes. The concessions do not apply to inheritance tax. To qualify for these special concessions, a number of factors are considered e. g. ‘does the employment contract specify a limited time? ’, ‘has the expatriate’s family moved? ’, ‘is the expatriate’s centre of economic and/or personal interest in Belgium? ’, ‘is the employment with a qualifying entity? ’. Under the special concessions: Only Belgian sourced income is taxable, including property income and dividend income, although total world-wide, earned income must be declared. Municipal taxes are payable at 7% of total income tax payable. There is no capital gains tax, except for certain types of sale of Belgian property. Expatriates who benefit from the non-residents special tax regime cannot invoke double taxation agreements because they only apply for the benefit of Belgian residents. 5. Role of Local Government – Each of the provinces has a council of 50 to 90 members elected for four-year terms by direct suffrage and empowered to legislate in matters of local concern. A governor, appointed by the king, is the highest executive officer in each province. There are 589 communes. Each municipality has a town council elected for a six-year term. The council elects an executive body called the board of aldermen. The head of the municipality is the burgomaster, who is appointed by the sovereign upon nomination by the town council. Recently, the number of municipalities has been greatly reduced through consolidation. vii. Legal System 1. Organization of judiciary system – The judiciary is an independent branch of government on an equal footing with the legislative and the executive branches. Minor offenses are dealt with by justices of the peace and police tribunals. More serious offenses and civil lawsuits are brought before district courts of first instance. Other district courts are commerce and labor tribunals. Verdicts rendered by these courts may be appealed before 5 regional courts of appeal or the 5 regional labor courts in Antwerp, Brussels, Ghent, Mons, and Liege. All offenses punishable by prison sentences of more than five years must be dealt with by the eleven courts of assize (one for each province and the city of Brussels), the only jury courts in Belgium. The highest courts are five civil and criminal courts of appeal and the supreme Court of Cassation. The latter’s function is to verify that the law has been properly applied and interpreted. The constitutionality of legislation is the province of the Council of State, an advisory legal group. 2. Code, common, socialist, or Islamic law country? Belgian Civil Code 3. Participation in Patents, trademarks, other conventions – Yes viii. Social Organizations 1. Group behavior – 2. Social Classes – There is a relatively even distribution of wealth, with 5 to 6 percent living close to the poverty line. The majority of the population is middle class. The vast majority has equal opportunities for education and a professional life. There is a very inclusive social security system. 3. Clubs, Other organizations – Belgium hosts many international organizations and hundreds of lobbying-groups, but their presence has little direct impact on social life. The most influential organizations are the Catholic Church and its affiliates and social organizations related to the pillars, such as trade unions. 4. Race, Ethnicity, and Sub culture – The nation’s cultural diversity has been enriched by international and local immigration. The high numbers of Flemish names in the south and Walloon names in the north indicate long time internal mobility. In the last hundred years the most important immigrant groups were Jews who form a sizable community in Antwerp; Poles, who came in the early 1930s and after the fall of communism; Italians (in the 1930s and 1950s); and North Africans and Turks, who arrived in the 1960s. There are many recent immigrants from other countries in the European Union as well as many expatriates working in or around European Union institutions and NATO headquarters. The percentage of noncitizens in the population is high at 15 percent nationally and 28 percent in Brussels. ix. Business customs and practices- Relationships Communication. Although third-party introductions are not necessary, they often smooth the way. .  Regardless of how you are introduced, you must always be polite and well mannered. .  Belgians are careful and prudent so take time before they trust others, be they individuals or representatives of companies. .  Business dealings tend to be bureaucratic. There are many procedures and a great deal of paperwork.   Belgians are excellent linguists and many are sufficiently fluent to conduct meetings in English. .  Belgians prefer subtlety to directness, believing that subtlety is a reflection of intelligence. .  Although they are more direct in their communication than many cultures, if a response is too direct it may be seen as simplistic. .  They prefer communication to be logical and based on reason . Belgians oft en engage in long, critical discussions before reaching a decision so that they can be certain that they have considered all the alternatives.   They believe it is rude to be confrontational. Business Meeting Etiquette .  Appointments are necessary .  The person you are meeting will generally set the time for the meeting, usually mid morning or mid afternoon. .  Avoid scheduling meetings during July and August, which are prime vacation times; the week before Easter; and the week between Christmas and New Year. .  Everyone is expected to arrive on time .  Arriving late may brand you as unreliable. .  Meetings are formal .  First appointments are more socially than business oriented, as Belgians prefer to do business with those they know.   Do not remove your jacket during a meeting. Dress Etiquette .  Men should wear dark coloured, conservative business suits with white shirts and silk ties. .  Women should wear business suits or conservative dresses. .  Men s hould only wear laced shoes, never loafers or other slip-ons, as they are too casual. .  Polished shoes are an integral part of a professional image. Business Cards .  Business cards are exchanged without formal ritual. .  Have one side of your business card translated into French or Dutch. This shows respect and understanding of the linguistic heritage of your colleagues.   If you have meetings in both areas, have two sets of business cards printed, and be careful to use the proper ones. .  Present your business card so the recipient can read the side with their national language. V. Religion and Aesthetics a. Religion and other belief systems i. Orthodox doctrines and structures – Catholicism is the main religious faith. The government financially supports the Catholic and Protestant churches as well as the Jewish and Muslim faiths. The Catholic Church controls an important network of schools with 70 percent of the pupils in secondary education and two main univer sities. Religious beliefs and practice declined during the twentieth century, but approximately 65 percent of Belgians believe in God. Many people who say they do not believe in God take part in religious rituals for major events such as baptisms, weddings, and funerals. Minority faiths include Muslims, Jews, and Protestants. ii. Relationships with the people – The Catholic Church controls an important network of schools with 70 percent of the pupils in secondary education and two main universities. iii. Prominent religions – Catholicism iv. Membership of each religion v. Any powerful or influential cults? No b. Aesthetics i. Visual Arts – The golden age of graphic arts lasted from the fourteenth century to the seventeenth century and was embodied mostly in painting. The Flemish Primitives school of painting (fourteenth and fifteenth centuries) made the region the main artistic center of Europe outside of Italy. Artists such as Jan Van Eyck (1395–1441) and Rogier Van Der Weyden (1400–1464) were interested in spatial composition and psychology and rendered the colors and textures of living and material objects with realism. The main artistic figure of the next century was Pieter Breughel the Elder (1525–1569), with his lively paintings of peasant life. Pieter Paul Rubens (1577–1640) was the most famous painter of his time, receiving commissions from European sovereigns. His main focus was on the human figure. Rubens influenced Anthony Van Dyk (1599–1641) and Jacob Jordaens (1593–1678). The graphic arts declined until the late nineteenth century, when James Ensor and Rene Magritte (in the twentieth century) revived the avant-garde. The most innovative works of living artists can be seen in contemporary art museums in Antwerp and Ghent. ii. Music – Classical, Blues and Jazz, Folk, Pop and Rock iii. Performing arts – The Franco-Flemish style dominated European music in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, with composers such as Josquin des Prez and Orlando di Lasso. In the twentieth century, the most famous Belgian musician was the singer Jacques Brel. Several living classical composers are active. The harmonica player Toots Thielemans is the most famous jazz musician. The Blindman Kwartet combines jazz, pop, and classical music. The presence in Brussels between 1959 and 1987 of the French choreographer Maurice Bejart stimulated a new generation of choreographers. The main theatrical centers are De Singel in Antwerp and the Kaai Teater in Brussels. Several theaters and orchestras are supported by the government. iv. Folklore and relevant symbols – The calotte (plural calottes, French from Provencal calota or Italian callotta), is a skullcap worn by students at catholic universities in Belgium. In the front of the calotte are stripes representing the Belgium flag (black, yellow and red) and stripes representing the colors of the city or the university where the calotte has been received. At the back of the calotte, the faculty of the student is represented by a color and a symbol, with if needed an additional symbol to determine the speciality. Golden stars around the calotte represent the number of years that the student has studied successfully (if a year has to be retaken, a silver star will represent it). In addition to that, a number of official and personal pins will be added to the calotte, all representing something about its owner examples include: †¢ Official position in a student organisation (above the considered year’s star) Hobbies and occupations (cardplayer, partyer†¦ ) †¢ Character (patriot, lazy†¦ ) the meaning of the calotte has evolved, but whatever the theories may be on its origins, the calotte is mainly a sign that indicates the student’s belonging to a group. The student is also able to express his individuality by wearing several insignia on the calotte that will reflect their academic curriculum, their perso nal interests and even their character. VI. Living Conditions a. Diet and Nutrition i. Meat and vegetable consumption rates – Bread and potatoes are the traditional staple foods. Most meals include, pork, chicken, or beef, and Seafood is popular in the northern part of the country. The national drink is beer, but wine is imported in large quantities. In northern cities, popular dishes include mussels with fries and waterzooi a broth of vegetables and meat or fish. Throughout the country, French fries are eaten with steaks or minced raw meat. Cooking is traditionally done with butter rather than oil; there is also a high consumption of dairy products. ii. Typical Meals – Traditionally, the noon meal is the main meal of the day: businessmen take a two-hour break and most children come home from school. This is the meal that begins with soup or hors d’oeuvres, then a hearty meat or fish dish with potatoes, followed by a separate course of salad or cooked vegetables. Frequently the meat is carved in the kitchen and the platter garnished with seasonal [pic]vegetables. It is interesting to note that [pic]vegetables and salads are almost a social status symbol – the higher the level, the more [pic]vegetables and salads are used. For most families, however, potatoes are the only vegetable requirement. A dessert for dinner would be fruit and cheese, a tart or pudding. Wine or beer is usually served as well iii. Malnutrition rates – n/a iv. Foods available – The Belgian market offers good opportunities and has enjoyed considerable growth in recent years in the following areas: 1. health and organic foods, 2. energy foods and sports drinks, 3. snack foods, 4. ethnic foods, 5. ready-made and microwave products, 6. frozen and fresh food and vegetables, 7. ried fruits and nuts, 8. wine, 9. specialty meats such as bison and pet food, 10. seafood, and 11. specialty products (e. g. kosher food, wild rice,maple products and other confectionery goods etc. ) b. Housing i. Owning your own home isn’t considered such an important an investment as it is in some other countries. Types of housing available – While property in Belgium is cheap by UK standards, the various fees, charges and deposits a ssociated with buying a house and securing a mortgage are likely to discourage all but the most determined buyers. There’s no mortgage relief on income tax ii. Do more people own or rent? More own iii. Do most live in one family dwellings or with other families? One family c. Clothing i. National Dress – Belgians, especially those in the cities, wear modern Western-style clothes. The ethnic costumes of the Flemings and Walloons are seldom worn today. On some farms women still wear the traditional dark-colored clothing and white aprons, and men wear the old-fashioned caps. ii. Types of clothes worn at work – Men who work in offices are expected to wear suit jackets to work. It is generally acceptable for women to wear slacks to work. d. Recreation, sports, and other leisure activities i. Types available and in demand – The most popular participant sport in Belgium is bicycling. Belgians also participate in and watch soccer, and there are many regional teams. Other sports popular in Belgium include tennis, horseback riding, hiking, and skiing. Belgians also enjoy the popular European sport of sand sailing. A sort of minicar with sails called a â€Å"sand yacht† is driven along the coast, powered by the wind. Also popular, especially in Wallonia, is pigeon racing. As many as 100,000 pigeons may be entered in a single race. Like many other Europeans, Belgians are avid soccer fans. There are over sixty teams in the national league. Concerts and theater are popular evening pastimes in the cities, and Brussels also has opera, ballet, and cafe cabarets (restaurants with musical entertainment such as singing and dancing). ii. Percentage of income spent on such activities – 9. 5% e. Social Security – Belgium has a comprehensive system of social security, which applies to all residents. It covers family benefits, unemployment insurance, work accident insurance, health care, old age and invalidity pensions, and long-term care insurance. Belgium takes great pride in its benefits systems and the quality of its social security services, although the high cost of providing those services and benefits (employer contributions of up to 40 per cent plus employee contributions of up to 20 per cent of gross pay) has recently prompted the government to consider changes to the social security system in an attempt to encourage individuals to assume greater responsibility for the costs of retirement, disability and even health care. . HealthCare – Health insurance is mandatory in Belgium, and basic cover is generally provided by the national social security system. Contributions are paid by both employers and employees, and most forms of public assistance (unemployment benefit, old age pensions, certain forms of sickness and maternity benefits) are paid net of withholdings for health insurance, the benefit authority effectively paying the employer contributions. Foreigners coming to live in Belgium without working (e. . retirees and the ‘idle’ rich) must generally produce proof of health insurance in order to obtain a residence permit. There are special health insurance plans, valid in a number of countries, designed specifically for the needs of expatriates and those who travel frequently. If you qualify for ‘non-resident’ tax status, you may not be required to contribute to national social security, in which case you will probably be covered by your employer’s health care plan. (You should check! All employees and self-employed people in Belgium must contribute to a health insurance fund ( mutualite/ziekenfonds) as part of the normal social security enrolment process. Some funds are restricted to members of various religious, political or professional organisations for historic reasons, but most are open to all. Your employer should be able to provide you with information about available funds, and you should ask neighbours or colleagues for recommendations. All funds charge the same basic contribution and pay similar benefits, but some take longer than others to make reimbursements. Health insurance contributions are made by your employer directly to your chosen fund. These amount to 7. 35 per cent of your gross salary, of which 3. 55 per cent is withheld from your pay and the remaining 3. 8 per cent contributed by your employer. If you’re self-employed, you contribute the full 7. 35 per cent through your quarterly social security payments. Cover is automatically provided for dependent family members, including spouses (if they don’t have their own cover) and children up to the age of 18. When you enrol in a Belgian health fund, there’s a six-month waiting period before you can claim benefits. This waiting period can be waived if you were previously included for at least six months in another person’s health cover (i. e. as a dependant) or, in many cases, if you were covered by a state health care plan (or the equivalent) in another EU country for at least six months before your arrival in Belgium. For most medical services, you must pay the bill and then submit the receipt for reimbursement. Reimbursements are usually less than the charges incurred, and most Belgians take out supplementary health insurance to cover the unreimbursed portion or to upgrade their cover from the statutory level. Many employers provide supplementary health insurance cover as an employment benefit, or you can purchase individual cover. Supplementary health insurance is also available to self-employed people through professional associations and private insurers. In typical Belgian fashion, the exact nature of what is and isn’t covered by the state system is rather complicated. Services rendered by most doctors and specialists, hospitalisation, prescriptions, pregnancy and childbirth, rehabilitation and other forms of therapy are normally covered, although the self-employed are covered only for ‘major risks’, which include mental illness, tuberculosis, cancer, hereditary diseases and birth defects, most types of surgery and childbirth. There are no fewer than 18 categories of medical procedure and service, each with its own reimbursement level, varying from 0 to 100 per cent (although the number of items qualifying for 100 per cent reimbursement is constantly diminishing because of funding problems). There are also certain ‘preferred’ categories of people who are entitled to a higher level of reimbursement for many items, including widows, orphans and those receiving certain forms of public aid (e. g. the blind). A standard doctor’s appointment, for example, is normally reimbursed at 75 per cent, whereas those in a preferred category may be reimbursed at 85 or 90 per cent, depending on their circumstances. It’s wise to keep copies of all receipts and any other documents you send to your health insurance fund in case anything is lost. Rather than sending each receipt separately, it’s often better to collect all receipts for a given illness or accident or all receipts during a three or six-month period before submitting them for reimbursement. If you have supplementary insurance, your health fund usually forwards information to your private insurer, and both insurers normally pay reimbursements directly into your bank account. If you’re hospitalised, you must usually pay a fixed daily accommodation fee, either in advance or when you’re discharged, but the hospital normally sends all other bills directly to your health insurance fund. In the case of prescriptions, if you take most of them to the same chemist, it’s usually possible to register with him so that he bills your health insurance fund directly. In this way you pay only the unreimbursed portion of the prescription fees, as well as saving yourself the headache of keeping track of your payments. Prescriptions are subject to a particularly complex scale of reimbursement percentages, according to the ‘social and medical usefulness’ of each medicine and whether it’s available ‘off the shelf’ or must be made up by a chemist. Certain types of medicines have maximum patient contribution levels, where 100 per cent of charges are reimbursed after a certain period. VII. Language a. Official Language(s) – Belgium has three official languages: French, German, and Flemish, which is similar to Dutch. b. Spoken vs. Written languages- N/A c. Dialects – Dutch in Belgium is virtually identical to Dutch in the Netherlands, with the exception of a few local terms and expressions, although certain areas in Dutch-speaking Belgium have local dialects that can sometimes be incomprehensible to speakers of standard Dutch. The French spoken in Belgium is standard but with its own distinctive accent (at least according to the French! ) and a few specialised words, notably the use of septante and nonante for 70 and 90 instead of soixante-dix and quatre-vingt-dix. (Oddly, the Belgians do use quatre-vingt for the number 80 rather than octante, which is used in Switzerland and some other francophone areas of the world. ) VIII. Executive Summary IX. Sources of Information How to cite Belgium Cultural Analysis, Papers

Contingencies on the Moral Ethics of Qu’ran Free Essays

Moral ethics or moral philosophy involves the systemization, defense and recommendation of the concepts of right and wrong behavior. Currently, we define morality within the religious tomes and its dictates. The normative concept of what is right and wrong is religiously determined; that is to say that the moral dictums we follow or pattern is dependent on what the religious tomes, like the Bible [for the Christians] and Qu’ran [for the Moslem] impose on its’ followers. We will write a custom essay sample on Contingencies on the Moral Ethics of Qu’ran or any similar topic only for you Order Now Take for instance, the suras of Mohammad in Al-Isra’ [ The Night Journey of the Children of Israel] , a Moslem disciple of Allah, defines the virtues and duties of a faithful Moslem. Hereto we investigate the moral dictums of Sura 17 of Qu’ran and moral implications on the contemporary society as well as several other important issues like the Sura politicization and current social relevance. Mohammad’s Sura 17Al Isra’ titled The Night Journey of the Children of Israel is equivocal to the Abraham’s Ten Commandments in the Christians Holy Bible. As human beings, we are differentiated from the rest of the animal kingdom by our ability to ‘reason’ and to play by the set of rules and obligations as members of the holistic society. The imposition of ‘rules’, ‘regulations’, and ‘duties’ are complex but the foundation is basically the same—they appear obligatory irrespective of the consequences that may follow. One major tenet of duty theories is duty/obligation to God/Allah and arguably, any religion for that matter, would necessitate or allude to the practice of inward and outward worship to God. For Moslems, such practice is neatly outlined in the ‘commandments’ imposed by Allah through the writings of His disciple Mohammad in Sura 17 of the Qu’ran. The precepts of Moslem moral duty are basically the same with that of the Christian, ‘Do not kill’, ‘Honoring parents’, ‘Do not lie’, ‘Avoid adultery’, ‘Do not covet, and ‘observing Sabbath’. Because such moral duties were defined thousands of years ago, they would naturally lose the characteristic elasticity especially if correlated to the current demands of the changing society. The contention is that with the rise of technology and the current trend of globalization, moral duty is now questioned with the concept of Darwinian adaptation. Looking at it this way, Moslem moral duty would need to rectify the age old wisdom to answer to the demands of the societal evolution. Would Allah’s commandments be suffice to feed the moral need of the people? Apparently, Allah puts emphasis on prima facie duties described in Qu’ran Sura 17. In actuality such duties lay conflict on our daily life. Poverty is a pox of the society and one of the major problems correlated to it is overpopulation. To combat this, the [most] government prescribed or legalized ‘abortion’ to control increasing population. Naturally, abortion is a huge no-no to Moslem duty and this was explicitly defined in Sura 17: YUSUFALI: Kill not your children for fear of want: We shall provide sustenance for them as well as for you. Verily the killing of them is a great sin. PICKTHAL: Slay not your children, fearing a fall to poverty, We shall provide for them and for you. Lo! the slaying of them is great sin. SHAKIR: And do not kill your children for fear of poverty; We give them sustenance and yourselves (too); surely to kill them is a great wrong (v 32). The notion is laughable considering that raising children is a responsibility which entails financial sustenance and not just from abstract provision from Allah. While it true that abortion is an unorthodox method of population control from the religious view, it cannot be contested that it is a ‘legal’ right in most Western and Westernized countries alike. Additionally, the verse is also in contra with the women empowerment on their right to choose to deliver life of their own accord. Herein there is a question on individual moral conviction; in a sense, abortion is not religiously right by the premise of Allah’s Sura which is in contrast with the current trends on upholding women empowerment and the stabilizing force of the government-erected constitution. Perhaps the most debated issue on Allah’s commands is the verse concerning murder and the justice system underscored by it: .YUSUFALI: Nor take life – which Allah has made sacred – except for just cause. And if anyone is slain wrongfully, we have given his heir authority (to demand qisas or to forgive): but let him not exceed bounds in the matter of taking life; for he is helped (by the Law). PICKTHAL: And slay not the life which Allah hath forbidden save with right. Whoso is slain wrongfully, We have given power unto his heir, but let him not commit excess in slaying. Lo! he will be helped. SHAKIR: And do not kill any one whom Allah has forbidden, except for a just cause, and whoever is slain unjustly, We have indeed given to his heir authority, so let him not exceed the just limits in slaying; surely he is aided (V. 3). While it is true that murder is forbidden in Islam, there also constitute a just compensation for the victim and the allusion of Allah as the Supreme Being, Him being a cause to die for. Compensatory damages proceed by an almost unprecedented manner; Sharia law of qisas (retaliation) dictates an almost undemocratic treatment of the murder victims with biased favors for the Islams and only half of blood money allowed for the non-Islams. Such system of compensation is far-fetch from the now-favored legislative system which does not pass down court decisions on compensatory damages depending on the type of religion. The notion of Supremist religion of the Islamic community is instigated by the fact that Qu’ran and any Islamic texts (if not abrogated) states the omnipotence and the due reverence that must be bestowed to Him [Allah], and if otherwise not followed, will incur the curses of Allah and all mankind. YUSUFALI: And fight them on until there is no more Tumult or oppression, and there prevail justice and faith in Allah; but if they cease, Let there be no hostility except to those who practise oppression. PICKTHAL: And fight them until persecution is no more, and religion is for Allah. But if they desist, then let there be no hostility except against wrong-doers. SHAKIR: And fight with them until there is no persecution, and religion should be only for Allah, but if they desist, then there should be no hostility except against the oppressor (v. 93). While mercy killing is condemned, jihad is ‘just’ because it is for the cause of Allah and it is an acceptable means to obliterate the unbelievers. Over the course of history, and more so now, jihad is politicized by Islamic communities; Islam government and in some small discrete communities who practiced Islamic faith claimed that jihad is just if for the cause of retaliation and Allah. YUSUFALI: The prohibited month for th e prohibited month,- and so for all things prohibited,- there is the law of equality. If then any one transgresses the prohibition against you, Transgress ye likewise against him. But fear Allah, and know that Allah is with those who restrain themselves. PICKTHAL: The forbidden month for the forbidden month, and forbidden things in retaliation. And one who attacketh you, attack him in like manner as he attacked you. Observe your duty to Allah, and know that Allah is with those who ward off (evil). SHAKIR: The Sacred month for the sacred month and all sacred things are (under the law of) retaliation; whoever then acts aggressively against you, inflict injury on him according to the injury he has inflicted on you and be careful (of your duty) to Allah and know that Allah is with those who guard (against evil)(v. 194). Jihad then is a defensive mechanism for the Moslem community. Looking at it this way, genocide is permissible given that the victims are Christians or Islam non-believers. What is most daunting is that such principle/concept destroys diplomatic international relations between Moslems and Christians. Such moral principle lay conflict to the recently instigated international law banning warfare after the World War II. While it is true that religious laws lay foundation to our basic moral principles and ethics, it must be remembered that our greater obligation is to produce good for the greater mankind. An inspection on some Qu’ran laws display the importance of reconsidering or rectifying the foundations of Moslem moral ethics based on several social and universal moral considerations. How to cite Contingencies on the Moral Ethics of Qu’ran, Papers

English as an International Language Free Essays

There are lots of languages in the world and some of them fall into the category of international languages or languages of wider communication, such as French, English, German, Spanish, Russian, Italian and Arabic. All these languages are the official languages of the United Nations. Among all these languages English is rightly considered to be the international language of the world, though English has assumed the function of the ‘world language’ quite recently. We will write a custom essay sample on English as an International Language or any similar topic only for you Order Now It was only in the 1930 that the British Foreign Office stopped using French for all its official memoranda. Nowadays it is estimated that besides 300 millions native speakers, there are 300 millions who use English as the second language and 100 millions use it as a foreign language. It is listed as the official or co-official language of over 45 countries and is spoken extensively in other countries where it has no official status. A very marked rise is evident in the use of English for occupation purposes: English is the international language of the air, and failure to use it efficiently can endanger passenger safety. English is the language of banking and industry: many international firms, based in non-English countries conduct their entire operations throughout the world in English. Two thirds of all scientific papers are written in English. Over 70% of all mail is written and addressed in English. Most international tourism is conducted in English. There aren’t any linguistic reasons why English might be the world language, because to anyone learning English it’s neither more simple nor more complex than any other language. English is easy to master to some extent, because it has a simple system of declension. Some linguists divide the use of English into three circles. The inner circle is the traditional base of English and includes countries such as the United Kingdom, Ireland, the USA and former colonies: Australia, New Zealand and some others. English is the native language or mother tongue of most people in these countries. In the outer circle are those countries where English has official or historical importance. This means most of the Commonwealth (the former British Empire), including high-populated countries such as India and Nigeria and others under the American sphere of influence, such as the Philippines. Here English may serve as a language for mutual understanding between ethnic language groups. Higher education, the legislature and judiciary, national commerce and so on may all be carried out predominantly in English. And the expanding circle refers to those countries where English has no official role, but nevertheless is important for certain functions, notably international business. This use of English includes most of the rest of the world. In conclusion I would like to say that the knowledge of the English language nowadays is important for career. It increases your salary by 30%. How to cite English as an International Language, Papers