Sunday, October 13, 2019

Secondhand Smoking Essay -- Tobacco Nicotine Smoking Cigarettes

â€Å"A blockbuster study published in the January issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) examined the impact of exposure to ETS on the progression of athersclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and concluded, in part, that the arteries of non-smokers exposed to ETS thickened 20% faster than non-smokers with no second-hand exposure† (JAMA). Another study published in Pediatrics in January estimated that, â€Å"about half of the cases of early childhood cases of asthma, chronic bronchitis and wheezing are attributable to exposure to secondhand smoke† (JAMA). Smoking in public areas such as bars and restaurants can be harmful to the health of not only the smoker himself, but everybody around him. Recent studies on the number of deaths as a result of smoking confirmed that eight out of ten people affected with diseases affiliated with smoking were a cause of second hand smoke. Laws are in the process of being passed to make certain places completely non-smoking. Why should a person who has been careful about their health be subject to smoker’s health problems? Why should a family going out to dinner have to smell the smoke from someone else when the family has just as much right to be there as the smoker does? Isn’t there some way to compromise between the two? Won’t someone be unhappy no matter what the decision about banning smoking is? The fact is that everyone has the right to smoke if they want to; but there is no way that a non-smoker should be forced to inhale smoke that isn’t theirs. Although, won’t a restaurant lose a lot of business if they cut out the smoking sections? The Institute for Social Research at York University for the Ontario Tobacco Research Unit at the University of Toronto performed a study on smoking attitudes and behaviors. First of all, â€Å"only 19% of Toronto adults smoke, 15% daily† (institute). The study proved that, â€Å"eight out of 10 smokers in To ronto say they would follow the rules if there were more restrictions on smoking, even without the threat of a fine. Only one in 10 smokers say they would ignore new restrictions† (institute). Half of the adults who go out to eat don’t go to the smoky restaurants or bars for that matter, but somewhere else. Only a quarter of all the non-smokers replied that they would not take a smoking table even if it was the last one in the restaurant (institute). This information was provid... ...eness Coalition formed in upstate New York and the Tobacco-Free Tri-Counties including Washington Counties and Oregon. The fact is that many groups are strongly against public smoking because of the effect it has on innocent bystanders. The tobacco companies are afraid of what all these organizations will do to their profits and, as a result, are bringing forth lawsuits against some select organizations because the organizations are so effective in making new laws. The many new non-smoking laws in bars and restaurants have proved many times profitable to these public places. Therefore, the bars and restaurants, along with many other public places of employment are becoming much safer because of the no smoking rules. This includes less second hand smoking diseases as well as something as drastic as a fire. These new regulations naturally make the non-smoking community very happy; some smokers even believe in the new safety rules. Those smokers who believe they have the right to do whatever they want when they want will have to learn to cope with the new ways. Eventually, these laws will be very common and it won’t be such a big deal to the smoking society once it gets used to it.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Essay --

In the world of animals, those at the top of a dominance hierarchy are more beneficial than low-ranking animals1. However, the costs associated with being at the top of a hierarchy remain controversial1. Different studies reported contradictory findings on whether dominant or subordinate animals experienced greater stress levels2-3. Furthermore, Sapolsky4-5 suggested that hierarchy stability could potentially influence the stress levels experienced by high-ranking olive baboons. Given the results from previous literatures, Gesquiere et al.1 created a research question asking how do male savannah baboons (Papio cynocephalus) respond to rank-related stress during stable and unstable hierarchy? They hypothesized that high-ranking males would exhibit higher levels of testosterone and glucocorticoid only when a hierarchy was unstable1. From this hypothesis, they predicted that during the month with unstable hierarchy, the high-ranking male savannah baboons would exhibit greater fecal testosterone (fT) and fecal glucocorticoid (fGC) levels than other males within the hierarchy; however, such phenomenon would not be observed during the month with a stable hierarchy1. To test this prediction, they conducted a long-term study on wild savannah baboons in Amboseli, Kenya1. Over a 9-year period, ecological, behavioral and physiological data including fT and fGC were collected monthly from 125 adult males1. General linear mixed models (GLMMs) were used to predict the de pendent variables, fT and fGC, based on predictor variables including individual rank, hierarchy stability, and an interaction between the two1. Gesquiere et al.1 defined a stable hierarchy as the month when the males with the highest 3 ranking were the same as those in the p... ...nction9. However, a parasitic load in an individual was not only associated the individual immune function but also with how likely it is exposed to the infectious agents9. Hence, parasitic load would not be an accurate indicator of individual immune function9. In contrast, leukocyte count, which was used in another study to investigate immune function, could serve as a better indicator than parasitic load10. In conclusion, going beyond the study conducted by Gesquiere et al., the proposed experiment is significant because it can provide more insights into whether or not suppressed immune function is another potential cost for being at the top of the dominance hierarchy. Also, using leukocyte count as an indicator of immune function instead of parasitic load, the proposed experiment can further elucidate the contradicting findings reported by different literatures. Essay -- In the world of animals, those at the top of a dominance hierarchy are more beneficial than low-ranking animals1. However, the costs associated with being at the top of a hierarchy remain controversial1. Different studies reported contradictory findings on whether dominant or subordinate animals experienced greater stress levels2-3. Furthermore, Sapolsky4-5 suggested that hierarchy stability could potentially influence the stress levels experienced by high-ranking olive baboons. Given the results from previous literatures, Gesquiere et al.1 created a research question asking how do male savannah baboons (Papio cynocephalus) respond to rank-related stress during stable and unstable hierarchy? They hypothesized that high-ranking males would exhibit higher levels of testosterone and glucocorticoid only when a hierarchy was unstable1. From this hypothesis, they predicted that during the month with unstable hierarchy, the high-ranking male savannah baboons would exhibit greater fecal testosterone (fT) and fecal glucocorticoid (fGC) levels than other males within the hierarchy; however, such phenomenon would not be observed during the month with a stable hierarchy1. To test this prediction, they conducted a long-term study on wild savannah baboons in Amboseli, Kenya1. Over a 9-year period, ecological, behavioral and physiological data including fT and fGC were collected monthly from 125 adult males1. General linear mixed models (GLMMs) were used to predict the de pendent variables, fT and fGC, based on predictor variables including individual rank, hierarchy stability, and an interaction between the two1. Gesquiere et al.1 defined a stable hierarchy as the month when the males with the highest 3 ranking were the same as those in the p... ...nction9. However, a parasitic load in an individual was not only associated the individual immune function but also with how likely it is exposed to the infectious agents9. Hence, parasitic load would not be an accurate indicator of individual immune function9. In contrast, leukocyte count, which was used in another study to investigate immune function, could serve as a better indicator than parasitic load10. In conclusion, going beyond the study conducted by Gesquiere et al., the proposed experiment is significant because it can provide more insights into whether or not suppressed immune function is another potential cost for being at the top of the dominance hierarchy. Also, using leukocyte count as an indicator of immune function instead of parasitic load, the proposed experiment can further elucidate the contradicting findings reported by different literatures.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Punishment for Crime should be Individualized Essay

Crime and the punishments for crimes have been the subject of debates for centuries.   When asked, most people would say that people who commit crimes should be punished for it in some way. When deciding however what kind of punishment should be given to the offender, is when the debate begins.   The reason for the debate comes about because there are significant differences in how people view punishment and what punishments should be used for different crimes. Most people struggle with the question of what kind of punishment is fair for the offender.   In the past, people have at times been treated differently for very similar crimes, this created upset among the people who cried out for equal treatment for everyone.   What those people fail to realize is that equal is not always fair.   Although some degree of structure in sentencing is needed, there should be some leeway provided in order to individualize the sentence to â€Å"make the punishment fit the specific crime†.   In order to determine what is considered fair and equal punishment, the first step is to identify what punishment is. One definition of punishment is the deliberate infliction of physical harm on an offender or his property without his consent because he is an offender, but for reasons other than self-defense (Halliday, Appendix B.).   In the legal system, punishment is inflicted upon an offender as a direct result of negative behaviors for the purpose of deterring future behaviors these are called sentences.   Different members of society however have different ideas of what kind of punishment is fair.   What some people feel is fair and just as a particular punishment for crime, others feel is cruel and inhumane.   During some eras in history, sentences for crimes were not fairly and equally handed out to all citizens.   People with higher community status were sometimes given lighter or no sentences for crimes that other people were harshly punished for.   Due to the differences in sentencing and an increasing crime rate, changes in the law and punishments were needed (Lehrer).In an attempt to make sentencing fair for everyone, President Ronald Reagan passed a Comprehensive Crime Control Bill on October 12, 1984 (Kaufman, 1). Through this, â€Å"the Sentencing Reform Act of 1984† created â€Å"The United States Sentencing Commission† which developed a set of sentencing guidelines for specific crimes.   These guidelines created mandatory sentencing for anyone who committed certain crimes, which took away all ability for the judge or jury to individualize sentences for individuals or for individual crimes (Kaufman, 1).   Although these guidelines were developed with good intentions to provide the average and underprivileged with the same rights as the wealthy, there are other factors in crimes that were not taken into consideration. It is a well known fact that not all crimes are created equal.   Murder is obviously a more serious offense than theft and should not have the same consequences and few people would argue that the consequences should be the same.   The problem of fairness becomes more of an issue when the end result of the crimes are similar.   The motive or cause of the crime however might have been completely different.   While it is easy to say that a punishment should be less severe for stealing jewels than for someone who takes a human life.   The consequences however are the same for a person who shoplifts a CD to avoid paying for it and a person who steals a can of soup to feed a starving family.   Because the end result is the same the law requires that the offenders be punished equally, but the motive in the case is quite different.   The same is true when comparing a person who commits murder over a bad drug deal compared to a woman who kills her husband after years of sufferi ng abuse.   Because the sentencing guidelines are based on the end result of the crime, motivation is not considered.   Judges are required to pass sentence based on the mandatory sentence.   Ã‚  Even over half of the Federal Judges would chose to eliminate the mandatory sentencing guidelines and 82.8 percent believe that judges would be better and more efficient at choosing the sentence for crimes (Pratt, 1). If the guidelines were eliminated or at least changed, the judges, juries or parole boards would have more freedom to take into consideration special circumstances behind the criminal behavior.   This would reintroduce the possibility for some mistakes or personal preferences, but it also allows for some leniency for crimes with less criminal motivation. The problem with mandatory guidelines has gone so far as to invade the public school system.   In schools, it is called the zero-tolerance policy.   This policy was introduced into most public schools after the shooting at the Columbine, Colorado high school and the increased number of school shootings that followed.   This policy states that any child, who brings a weapon to school, threatens to or harms other students, or indicates hostile ideation will be punished.   The punishment ranges from suspension to actual criminal charges. The premise behind the policy is to take all threats seriously.   The problem with it is that children are no longer allowed to be children.   When children get angry they often threaten them, but due to the policy children are getting suspended from school and arrested for drawing pictures of guns and for using dinnerware to peel oranges for lunch (Dart, 1).   These rules, like the mandatory sentence guidelines for adults takes all of the common sense and reason out of assigning consequences for various behaviors. In January of 2005 a Supreme Court decision provided some hope for the future of fair sentencing.   The court ruling declared mandatory guidelines unconstitutional (Edelstein, 1).   This provides the judges a little more freedom to use desertion.   The mandatory sentences are still the default sentence, but based on the circumstances surrounding the case, the judge has the right to rule outside of the guidelines if appropriate (Edelstein,1).   In these cases the judge can provide lighter sentences to people whose special situations led them to commit a crime they otherwise would not have considered. Mandatory sentences often also include parole guidelines which mandate at what point in the sentence a criminal might be eligible for parole or if parole is even an opportunity.   In cases where an inmate can not ever be eligible for parole, there is very little motivation for the person to use positive behavior while incarcerated.   The person in these cases have no hope of getting a reduced sentence because of merits accomplished while in prison.   By providing the judges to choose the sentence, parole can be made more of an option to motivate criminals to choose rehabilitation instead of continuing to have problems during the time in prison.   This would help lead to more people successfully being rehabilitated.   By providing more inmates the opportunity for reduced sentences and rehabilitation, there would be significantly less of a problem with prison overcrowding. Although the guidelines for sentencing were created to make the legal system and criminal punishments fairer for everyone, they have gone to the extreme and are now causing harm to some people.   A legal system that provided special treatment for the rich and famous was wrong, but a legal system that requires horribly abused women to undergo the same sentence as a child killer is just as wrong.   There should be some basic guidelines, but at the same time there should be provisions in which the motive of the crime and the background behind the crime should be taken into consideration.   There is no such thing as a â€Å"cookie cutter† crime and there should not be uniform punishments to for the crimes. Every person is individual and when an individual commits a crime, a little time needs to be taken to determine the best and most effective punishment for that crime.   Some people would benefit more from community service or therapy than being put in jail.   Prison in many cases proves only to harden people and makes a person less likely to be able to adequately adapt to society upon returning to it.   Parents who have more than one child do not discipline all of the children in the same way for similar behaviors, because different consequences are more effective for different people.   Based on this fact, the sentencing guidelines need to be re-examined and adapted to be sure that the best possible consequence is given for each individual and each offense.   Works Cited Edelstein, Jonathan. â€Å"Sentence Structure† 31 August 2005 26 February, 2008. Dart, Andrew. â€Å"Zero Tolerance vs. Common Sense† 19 December 2008. 25, February 2008 Lehrer, Eli. â€Å"Soft Cell†. 9 June, 2003. 25, February 2008 < AEI – Short Publications> Pratt, Robert. â€Å"Senseless Sentencing: a Federal Judge Speaks Out†. 10 January 1999.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Des Moines Register.   25, February 2008 Halliday,Roy. â€Å"What Good is Punishment?† 1 January 2003. Appendix B. What good is punishment> Kaufman, Shari. â€Å"The Federal Sentencing Guidelines: A Formulaic and Impersonal Approach to Dispensing Justice†. (1999) the Federal Sentencing Guidelines: A Formulaic and Impersonal Approach to Dispensing Justice

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Good Morning, Life! Essay

Good Morning, Miss Dove, is a novel narrating the story of an elementary school teacher, who later in her life will suffer from an illness that would require her to undergo a life-threatening surgery. This bestseller was written by Frances Gray Patton. Life during the time of Miss Dove, was far more simple and serene. She has ruled the classroom for decades enforcing strict rules. Such rules reflect her humor-less, no-nonsense and stern personality. After all, she was more popularly known as â€Å"the terrible Miss Dove. † She epitomizes gentility and wisdom. She leads by example. Reflecting a dramatic event in life, the children she once mentored are now in turn at her service as her doctors and nurses. Events turned nostalgic as she began to see her students again, this time as adults concerned about the health of their second mother. Her students were taught to live abiding by strict rules. She instilled in them that life’s everyday challenges can be approached just by using one’s common sense. These are practical rules. When practiced, it would certainly make our lives easier and more worth it. Life is complex in itself. Let us not add to its complexities by making our lives harder than it really is. Life is a learning ground. It is a huge classroom of endless learning. And we must all aim to graduate life with honors. Miss Dove is like any other parent proud of the fruits of her labor. She cared enough to trace the path she wanted her students to take. When payback day begins to dawn, the wind beneath our wings deserves credit. Echoing the voices of all the other pupils of Liberty Hill, let us thank this lady for teaching us life’s valuable lessons, in the manner that seemed like a live movie happening right before our eyes.

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Martin Luther and His Impact on the Modern Church Essay

Western Europe was in desperate need of change during the sixteenth century. The popular cry among the Europeans was a call for â€Å"reform†. The political atmosphere was unstable as a result of violent leadership changes during the dismantling of the feudal system. This disunity of the people created a general atmosphere among the Europeans of discontent, unrest, and frustration. Economically, the inhabitants experienced increased poverty and financial troubles. The church was severely plagued by greed and corruption among the clergy, even in the upper echelons. The spiritual quality of the clergy was being degraded through the appointment of familial or political candidates. The theological minds, like Martin Luther’s, sought a reformation of church doctrine and a return to the basics of Christianity. The emphasis placed on Luther’s doctrine of justification and scriptural authority helped to reform church traditions and break the binding hold of corrupt leade rs over the church. The sixteenth century was a tumultuous time for Western Europe and the Church. Many Europeans were fraught with worry concerning the economical, religious, and social disorder. As the printing press became popular, the middle and lower classes were being flooded with information that had previously been unavailable; several competing doctrines were being given a voice through printed media. Previously, people would turn to religious institutions for hope and guidance amidst this type of chaos. However, the state of the church in the sixteenth century was fragile. This is due in part to the effects of the Great Schism in the fourteenth century. â€Å"[The Great Schism] divided the political, as well as the ecclesiastical world, and breaks up the Christian Europe into several hostile camps†. The Great Schism was a result of a gradual decline along political and theological lines. Prior to the Great Schism, the Papacy had risen to a level of prominence in the hearts and minds of Western European Christians. The Church controlled virtually every aspect of human life within Western Europe and the Pope was looked to as the authority on all matters; spiritual and secular. The Church possessed a large percentage of the region and had established one of the most efficient systems of government in history. At this time, theological justification for the supremacy of the papacy had been established under the principle of â€Å"the subordination of the state to the church† by Pope Innocent III. However, in Eastern Europe, the Pope was more of a foreign authority; available only when their own political leadership could not settle matters. The empire was recognized as the supreme power. They argued that unity for the citizens could only be realized through obedience to one authority; the empire. Since Christ had not given the authority of the state to the church, the church had no right to claim supremacy over the empire. Several religious leaders in the East sought to inhibit the power and authority of the Papacy. The climate of Europe was poised for division. The beginning of the division came in the form of the â€Å"Babylonian Captivity of the Church† that lasted from 1309 to 1377. During this period, the French King Phillip IV held Pope Boniface VIII captive, and sequestered the College Cardinals to Avignon. This would introduce a reign of corruption among the French papacy and introduce a dividing line between European Christians; one side supporting the French papacy and another side that opposed it. These factors led to a final cataclysmic event that earned the title â€Å"The Great Schism†. When Gregory IX, the final Avigonese pope, returned to Rome, the Church attempted to re-establish the papacy in its historic setting. Upon his death, the papacy faced a great challenge. Urban IV, an Italian pope, was elected at the urging of the local mob, while Clement VII, a Frenchman, claimed rights to the seat as well. This caused confusion over the authority of the church and division among political lines; England, Germany, I taly, and their allies support Urban IV, while France, Scotland, Spain, and their allies supported the â€Å"anti-pope† Clement VII. The Great Schism had a great effect on the faith and spirituality of the masses. There was a general feeling of distrust toward the Church and leadership. Even after the Great Schism had ended, â€Å"many found it difficult to reconcile their faith in the papacy with their distrust for its actual occupants†.Corruption and bribery were now commonplace among the upper level clergy; the practice of â€Å"the sale of indulgences† would even substitute for the process of salvation. Morally, the church was failing the believers. However, there were other flaws within the church during the sixteenth century. At the end of the fifteenth century, Western Europe had been flooded with literature from divergent theological schools of thought. â€Å"New philosophical outlooks were introduced†. Mysticism and humanism were now beginning to replace the previously solid scholastic theology of the church. Supporters of Reform were calling for a change of the traditional practices. It is in this context with which Martin Luther was influenced during the fifteenth and sixteenth century. Martin Luther grew up in an austere environment in Germany in the 1500’s. As a young adult, Luther entered the monastery out of concern for his own salvation. He thought, â€Å"’Oh, if I go into a monastery, and serve God in shaven crown and cowl, he will reward and welcome’†. Luther began a diligent study of theology during his time at the Augustinian Priory in Erfurt. He excelled intellectually and spiritually, though he experienced severe personal struggles. â€Å"He sought to work out his own salvation by careful observance of the monastic rule, constant confession, and self mortification†. This careful obedience to the monastic life was to no avail; Luther was plagued with despair at the thought of his sinfulness. Added to his frustrations, Luther had experienced disillusionment during his tenure at the monastery. The carnally minded clergy of Rome shocked him. â€Å"In Rome, the first sparks of doubt flew into his soul, which, perhaps, while he was unconscious of it, faintly glimmered, but which, with the first opportunity that might present itself, were destined to rise up into a flaming fire†. It is through these experiences that Luther would come to significant theological conclusions concerning the doctrine of justification by faith. These conclusions helped to spark a movement that would forever change the mindset of the Christian community. As Martin Luther continued his studies of scripture, he was tortured by the guilt of sin. â€Å"He was struck by the prayer of Psalm 31:1, ‘in thy righteousness deliver me’. But how could God’s righteousness deliver him? The righteousness of God was surely calculated rather to condemn the sinner than to save him†. His questions required him to review Paul’s’ doctrine of justification detailed in Romans. The doctrine of justification by faith is the basic message of God’s forgiveness towards the sin of man. Job pondered this question in the Old Testament; â€Å"How can a person be justified before God?† (Job 9:2, HCSB). Justification, then, is an act of grace by God, where he accepts the righteousness of Christ as our own by our faith in Christ. Paul comments that â€Å"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. For in it God’s righteousness is revealed from faith to faith, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith.† (Romans 1:16-16, HCSB) The righteousness of God now holds new meaning for Luther; the message of the gospel, or good news in Christ. The justice or righteousness of God does not mean punishment as Luther originally thought, but rather the imputation of God’s righteousness to the believer. The righteousness of God is imputed to the believer, even as the believer is a sinner, because of God’s grace and mercy. Essentially, as Christians we are both sinful and justified. God does not excuse or ignore the sin of man. However, God declares us as justified because of the sacrifice of Christ once we believe and trust in Him. Our faith is not the cause of justification, as if we are rewarded for faith. But rather, faith and justification are free gifts to sinners who accept them. Luther’s new revelation led him to a new way of thinking and preaching. His thoughts concluded that â€Å"I soon felt as if born again; as if I had found the gates of Paradise thrown wide open to me. Now I also looked upon the blessed Scriptures more reverently than in former times, and read them through rapidly† . This message of justification was received warmly by the masses. The western Europeans felt that Luther spoke to their condition, and increased their desire for reform. For Luther, the Word of God was of utmost importance and it helped him find the answers to the issues of salvation that overwhelmed him. In the mind of Martin Luther, the Word of God was more than the text of the Bible. â€Å"For the laws of the Bible become sweet unto us when we read and understand them, not only in books, but in the wounds of our precious Savior†. The word of God is essentially more than scriptural text; it is the revelation of God and the Word of God working together. In the primary sense we are told in John 1:1 that the Word of God is actually God himself. â€Å"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.† Here detailed, the Word of God is actually the personage of Christ, the Second Person of the Trinity. This means that when God speaks, He also acts. This is depicted in Genesis as the Word of God is involved in creation; God said, let there be†¦and there was. Christ, now God’s greatest action is also His greatest revelation; the victory of God through Christ. The Bible is the Word of God, not because it is infallible, but because in it we find Christ. The final authority of the Word of God is now realized in Christ. â€Å"Luther responded that it was neither the Church that had made the Bible, nor the Bible that had made the Church, but the gospel, Jesus Christ, that had made both the Bible and the Church. Final authority rest neither in the church nor in the Bible, but in the gospel, in the message of Jesus Christ, who is the Word of God incarnate†. Luther came to a transformative knowledge through his theological doctrines of justification by faith and the scriptural authority of the Word of God. His new emphasis greatly challenged the traditional views of the church. In sharing his knowledge, he penned ninety seven theses to stimulate debate about the theological traditions of the church. He expected to cause a stir, but the theses never received a wide circulation outside of the university. Luther pens another theses in response to the misrepresentation of doctrine by John Teztel, a German Dominican preacher. Tetzel, authorized by Pope Leo X, was responsible for the sale of indulgences in Germany. The sale of indulgences was the practice of granting absolution to a sinner through a monetary remuneration. Family members were also able to purchase an indulgence for the deceased. Pope Leo granted the authorization of the sale of indulgences with the conditions that half of the proceeds would be used by the papal coffers. The monies would then be used for the refurbishing of Rome; more specifically â€Å"the refurbishment of the great basilica that is now the pride of Roman Catholicism†. With righteous indignation, Luther refutes the practice of the sale of indulgences in his Ninety Five Theses. The sale of indulgences was popular at the time, though a theologically gray area. Luther believed that this practice was indicative of the loss of the foundational truths present in the gospel. Luther wrote the theses through his new mindset in the doctrine of justification by faith. Luther established that the sale of indulgences financially exploited the believer whereas salvation was intended to be a free gift from God. He also inadvertently challenged the authority of the Pope: â€Å"if it is true that the Pope is able to free souls from purgatory, he ought to use that power, not for trivial reasons such as the building of a church, but simply out of love, and freely†. With his nailing of the Ninety Five Theses on the door of the church in Wittenburg, on the Eve of All Saints, Luther is said to have sparked the Protestant Reformation Though the religious nature of the Reformation reverberated throughout Western Europe, there was a significant political aspect as well. Though Luther was nothing more than a friar, however, his text was an endangerment to the profits of the empire. The Emperor Maximillian wanted to silence the indignation of Luther. To the emperor’s chagrin, this could not be accomplished through Luther’s Augustinian Order; many of his fellow friars favored his teachings. The pope was forced to use an alternate method in commissioning Cardinal Cajetan to arrest Luther; an unfruitful undertaking. When Luther learned of Cajetan’s plans, he escaped back to Wittenburg to file an appeal with the general council. During this time he remained under the protection of Frederick the Wise, and attempted to gain support for his cause. Shortly following this, the Emperor Maximillian died. The Imperial Throne was vacant, and Pope Leo was searching for a candidate that he could control. Out of the three possibilities, he believed Frederick the Wise would help to balance the power in the region and allow Leo greater influence. Leo allowed the condemnation of Luther to be postponed. During this time, Luther gained the support of a colleague, Andrea von Karlstadt, at the University of Wittenburg who helped him to reform the schools theological curriculum. Karlstadt and Luther would enter into the academic debate with a shrewd theologian, John Eckk at the University of Leipzig in Ingerstoldt. It proved disastrous for Luther. His theological doctrine concerning the authority of scripture agreed with the findings an early theologian, John Huss, who had been declared a heretic. By agreeing with Huss, Luther, was therefore declared a heretic. This catalytic event began a series of struggles and triumphs for the Reformers. To his success, the debate with Eckk gained him support among humanists and the German nationals. Throughout Germany, and beyond, Luther’s protest began a movement in those who desired reform. Luther also ignited the ire of Charles V, the new emperor, with his seemingly heretical stance. Through a series of events, Luther was issued a papal bull that required the burning of his books and his excommunication. He burned this order in public, which prompted him to be brought before the Imperial Diet at Worms. It is here that Luther refuses the opportunity to recant and makes his boldest affirmation â€Å"My conscience is a prisoner of God’s Word. I cannot and will not recant, for to disobey one’s conscience is neither just nor safe. God help me. Amen†. The Reformation that Luther desired was a positive renewal of the church internally. However, Luther was unable to carry out the necessary steps to cement the reform movement. After the Diet of Worms, Luther retreated and Karlstadt was left to further the Reformation. Initially Luther was advocated the changes taking place, including the marriage of monks, the simplification of worship, and the abolition of mass for the dead. However, things soon began to spiral when rebellion broke out among the peasants. Luther never supported rebellious undertakings and urged a more peaceful solution, but to no avail. â€Å"Protestantism† would be blamed and it would create a division in the religious community; Protestants on one side, and Catholics on the other. The Protestant Reformation did not cause other reform movements, but would parallel them. Reform movements would spring up in various European states. In Switzerland, Ulrich Zwingli would be credited with the beginning of the reform movement. Zwingli was a pastor who would draw national attention by declaring many of the same theological doctrines as Martin Luther. He spoke out against the requirement of pilgrimages for salvation, and denounced the exploitation of the Swiss people at the hands of church leadership. Similar to Luther, Zwingli even spoke out against a seller of indulgences that had come to Zurich. The Swiss Reformation saw the New Testament as central to its program of renewal. Their main goal was the â€Å"restoration of biblical faith and practice†. This is where Zwingli held differing opinions than Luther and his followers. Zwingli believed that they should return to the ways of the New Testament and Christ. Zwingli agreed with Luther on several points, but they could not agree on predestination or the understanding of the sacrament. Concerning predestination, Zwingli saw it as a natural consequence of the all knowing nature of God. Luther though content to determine that salvation was the work of God, could not completely agree with Zwingli. This affected their understandings of the sacrament. â€Å"Zwingli dreaded a physical interpretation; Luther, on the contrary, dreaded the evaporation of the of the spiritual element of the sacrament of communion†. The religious community and the citizens of Western Europe were in a state of chaos during the sixteenth century. In desperate need of change, the Europeans called for reform against the traditions passed down from the medieval era. Through the revelations of Martin Luther concerning his doctrines of justification by faith and scriptural authority, the popular sentiment was organized into a movement that would of forever change the religious landscape of the West. Ultimately, a reformed Europe would be divided between the Catholic states of the south and the Protestant states of the north. From these efforts, several differing denominations would result that would inspire religious diversity and other reforms within the church. No longer would the believer be held to the sacrilegious traditions that had pervaded the papacy for over two centuries. Luther’s reformation was more than a â€Å"protest against the pope†; it [was] a positive and constructive renewal of the chu rch†.

Tuesday, October 8, 2019

Health care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

Health care - Essay Example this case, the mission statement is vital for an organization in order to facilitate prosperity and growth, since it has a positive impact on profitability, an increase of shareholders equity and it helps the employees to understand the company mission. 2. The health care organizations are integrating their operations with technology by use of computerized systems for communication. This has benefited to the organization, but there are some demerits associated with this integration due to the high dynamism associated with technology. The computerized systems are becoming obsolete with time, thus causing some difficulties since the rate of change is in a way that the organizations are unable to maintain updated systems. Therefore, changes in health care regulations and policies have led to confusion in various health care organizations resulting to a problem in communication and operation using the computer systems. In conclusion, the paper has explored issues related to a mission statement in order to elaborate about its significance to an organization. The paper has also discussed the effects of changes in health care policies and regulation, which are facilitating the use of computer systems leading to a difficulty in

Monday, October 7, 2019

Write a brief memo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Write a brief memo - Essay Example It is also critical to consider the content of the constitution in depths rather than shallow mastery and reference to the preamble. The overall goal of the constitution is to boost the welfare of the citizens with particular focus to liberty and human rights. All the statutes are derived from specific sections of the constitution which is also subject to amendments. In this case of vaccination, the cardinal objective of the State of South Caledonia health department was to improve healthcare of its population. The effective implementation policy was to institute a law in line with section 137 of chapter 75 of the Revised Laws of Massachusetts. Mr. Dalrymple need to know that While the mere rejection of his offers of proof does not strictly present a federal question, the court may properly regard the exclusion of evidence upon the ground of its incompetency or immateriality under the statute as showing what, in the opinion of the state court, is the scope and meaning of the statute (Gostin, 2008). It is very clear from the statute which provides that failure by any person eligible to vaccination to comply attracts a fine of $750. This was the case of Jacobson v Massachusetts, 197 U.S. 11 (1905) in which the battle on constitutional interpretation and understanding reigned. The defendant based the better part of his factual argument on the declaration of the preamble before the jury and lost. Although the defendant gave several facts in an effort to prove his innocence in Jacobson’s plea, the complainant won because all indications clearly tell that the defendant was duly informed and exempted of any expense in the vaccination process request. This case presents several facts in regard to people’s understanding of the law. In line with the 14th amendment of the constitution and the vaccination law, the state health stand in