Dietary Restriction in Judaism Essay Example for Free

Dietary Restriction in Judaism Essay Many scholars have attempted to explain not only the reasoning for the existence of Jewish dietary restrictions but how not conforming to them can be perceived as evil. Some have said that a hygienic component was the most important reason for these restrictions. Others have stated that it was a result of an attempt to preserving the Jewish culture from foreign influences. While others argue that it is a means to achieving holiness or purity. In her book Purity and Danger, Mary Douglas examines some of the arguments put forth by several scholars and theologians. In her examination, Douglas rejects most of the explanations and settles on the explanation that she believes to be the only one without contradiction, the idea of purity. To understand why Mary Douglas comes to the conclusion that she does, it is important to understand how she views the concept of â€Å"good† and â€Å"evil† or â€Å"purity† and â€Å"pollution†. Douglas places great emphasis on the idea of purity and how dirt defiles it. This is not always meant to be literal. Douglas makes the distinction between clinical views of dirt versus a symbolic ideal of pollution of purity. She points out that even though the two views come from completely different mindsets, they are much more closely related than it would initially appear when she says â€Å"†¦ the resemblance between some of their symbolic rites and our hygiene is sometimes uncannily close.†. Douglas was paramount in our understanding of how the concept of dirt plays an important role in our perception of social norms. These norms help to shape society by outlining boundaries that define what is good and what may be considered evil. â€Å"The public identification of â€Å"dirt† displays the boundaries of cultural categories†. When one performs an act that crosses these boundaries, it can be viewed as an act of defilement, which may be perceived as â₠¬Å"pollution† or â€Å"evil†. Ritual practice, in this case the dietary restriction, â€Å"†¦is an opportunity to remove things that are not acceptable from society† and attempt to restore purity. Some have cited the main purpose of the dietary restrictions as being for hygienic and health reasons. While Douglas does mention this as a contributing factor and admits that the restrictions have shown these benefits to exist, it is apparent that she feels that there are too many contradictions for this to be a completely valid argument for the existence of the restrictions. In regards to this mode of thought she states that â€Å"†¦ it is one thing to point out the side benefits of ritual actions, and another thing to be content with using the by-products as a sufficient explanation†. Douglas even goes as far as saying, â€Å"The only sound approach is to forget hygiene†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Some interpretations of these restrictions were based on the idea that the Jewish people were using them as a means to differentiate themselves from other groups of people. This could lead one to the conclusion that the sole reason for â€Å"†¦the prohibition on pigs was aimed at differentiating the Israelites from their nighbors†. In James’ work in The Priestly Conceptions of Evil in the Torah, he explains â€Å"People who are set apart by God to become holy are required to live by different rules than other people†. From this we are to understand that in order to become pure in the eyes of god, one must set themselves apart from others just as god has. In contradiction to this school of thought, Douglas points out that this concept is more of a product of mistranslation and that the term â€Å"set apart† should have really been translated as â€Å"holy†. This reinterpretation gives a different meaning to the scripture. It changes the focus from a means to an end to an expression of desire for one to be of the highest spiritual level. The Jewish people do not need to differentiate themselves from others to achieve holiness. Another conception is that these restrictions are being used as a means to preserve the purity of their culture from the influence of other cultures. If we are to believe this ideology we would be lead to believe that the introduction of customs from another group would cause the Jewish culture to become â€Å"dirty† or â€Å"impure† and therefore unholy. Douglas invalidates this argument when she says that the â€Å"†¦ argument cannot be comprehensive, for it is not held that the Israelites consistently rejected all the elements of foreign religions and invented something entirely original for themselves.†. The concept of purity is quite prevalent throughout Jewish literature and the ideals of their dietary restrictions. It is also the concept that Douglas believes best explains the necessity for dietary restriction in the Jewish faith. Purity of diet plays a large role in achieving a state of purity or avoiding pollution â€Å"†¦ the dietary laws would have †¦ inspired meditation on the oneness, purity and completeness of God† One of the main ideas is that all animals belong to one of three domains (the sky, the earth and the water) and have certain attributes that make them adapted to life in that domain (the wings of birds, the four legs and divided hoof of cows, or the scales and fins of a fish for example). Those that do not conform to one domain by some form of adaption that is deemed less fit for that domain and thereby violating its sanctity, are seen as â€Å"impure† or â€Å"dirty†. Another ideal of â€Å"purity† that must be upheld is the idea of confusion or mixing. Any animal that is mixed with another species is considered dirty just as the improper mixing of blood relatives is considered impure for it has brought forth confusion or disorder. James writes that â€Å"hybrids †¦ represent a return to the chaos that God banished in bringing order to the world.† Douglas says that â€Å"dirt is essentially disorder†. From this one could surmise that moving from order to disorder is akin to moving from â€Å"purity† to â€Å"dirt† or â€Å"good† to â€Å"evil†. As god brought order to the world, man must bring order to his life to be like god and therefore holy. Mary Douglas shows that the dietary restrictions of Jewish people consists of both a hygienic component as well as an element of â€Å"purity†. She does however favour the element of â€Å"purity† as there are some contradictions involving hygiene. Douglas uses her keen perception to analyze the theories proposed by others and uses sound logic to either validate or discredit them. She shares a similar view with James in regards to the idea of â€Å"pollution† of â€Å"purity†. Adhering to the dietary restrictions provides the practitioner with a means to attain and maintain a state of purity. Bibliography Barak-Erez, Daphne. Outlawed Pigs : Law, Religion, and Culture in Israel. Chicago: University of Wisconsin Press, 2007 Douglas, Mary. Purity and Danger. New York: Routledge, 2002 Hendel, Ronald. Remembering Mary Douglas: Kashrut, Culture, and Thought-Styles. Berkely: University of California, 2008 James, Gene G. The Priestly Conceptions of Evil in the Torah. Evil and the Response of World Religion. Ed. William Cenkner. St. Paul, Minn: Paragon House, 1997 Weimer, Jade. â€Å"Mary Douglas’ work.† Class lecture, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, November 8, 2012.

Attack on Poland :: World War II History

Attack on Poland At daybreak on the first day of September, 1939, the residents of Poland awakened to grave news. A juggernaut force of tanks, guns, and countless grey-clad soldiers from nearby Germany had torn across the countryside and were making a total invasion of the Pole's homelands. Germany's actions on that fateful morning ignited a conflict that would spread like a wildfire, engulfing the entire globe in a great world war. This scenario is many people's conception of how World War II came about. In reality, the whole story is far more detailed and complex. The origins of war can be traced as far back as the end of the first World War in 1919, when the Treaty of Versailles placed responsibility for that terrible war squarely on Germany. Years later, in the Far East, Japanese ambition for territory led the nation to invade Manchuria and other parts of nearby China, causing hostilities to flare in the Pacific Rim. Great Britain, the United States, and many other nations of the world would all be drawn into battle in the years to come, and each nation had it's own reason for lending a hand in the struggle. Although Germany was the major player in World War II, the seeds of war had already been planted in the Far East years before conflict in Europe. On September 18, 1931, the powerful Japanese military forces began an invasion of the region known as Manchuria, an area belonging to mainland China. This action broke non-aggression treaties that had been signed earlier. It also was carried out by Japanese generals without the consent of the Japanese government. In spite of this, no one was ever punished for the actions. Soon after the assault on China, the Japanese government decided it had no choice but to support the occupation of Manchuria. By the next year the region had been completely cut off from China (Ienaga 60-64). Because of the Japanese offensive in China, the League of Nations held a vote in October to force Japan out of the captured territory. The vote was passed, 13 to 1, but Japan remained in control of Manchuria. A second vote, taken in February, 1933, a formal disapprova l of the Japanese occupation, was passed 42 to 1. Instead of expelling Japan from the area of Manchuria, it caused the nation to formally withdraw it's membership in the League of Nations the next month (Ienaga 66).

The Rise of Christianity – Did Jesus Want to Start a New Religion?

If the Gospels are accurate in reporting that God sent Jesus to earth, what did Jesus come to earth to do? What was his mission? Let's briefly consider a few of Jesus' own statements about why he came. How better to discover his mission than to hear what he himself had to say about it? â€Å"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets,† he said, thus endorsing the teaching of the entire Old Testament. â€Å"I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them† (Matthew 5:17). Jesus came to â€Å"fulfill† the Old Testament, in part, by living in complete obedience to God.Although he faced the same temptations that stalk us, it is written that he never sinned once. That's why he could become the perfect sacrifice for every nation’s sins, as the Bible tells us: â€Å"God made him who had no sin [Jesus] to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God† (2 Corinthians 5:21). The Christian message is not merel y about eternal life some day, after we die, in some far-off heaven. It is about living life to the maximum right here and right now. There really is no other way to take Jesus' words: â€Å"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life† (John 10:10).In the era that Jesus walked the Earth in, we can imagine the Roman Empire. The Roman government practiced syncretism, accepting that all religious beliefs, philosophical teachings, and government systems are ultimately compatible, or a reflection of, a larger system – the Roman system. They practiced one of the first â€Å"one country, two systems† policies – pronouncing that all people had religious freedom, political freedom, and freedom of thought, yet maintaining strict control. The Jews held much distrust and often hatred for the Roman Empire – they were unwilling subjects.At the time of Jesus’ birth, the local Roman ruler, King Herod had initiated a massacre of all Jewish baby boys born at the time. Such actions added more reasons for Jewish resentment of the foreign Roman government. The Jews understood the world to be divided into two types of people: Jewish and Gentile (non-Jew). The Jews worked hard to disassociate themselves from the Gentiles. King Herod employed many laborers by commissioning many public works (e. g. building temple in Jerusalem, palaces, ports, fortresses, stadiums, ornate stone carvings, etc. ) There was a very large disparity between rich and poor.Jesus approached the scene with the proclamation that he had come to dispatch the difference between rich or poor, Gentile or Jew, and sinner or saint. While accumulating followers, others opposed his ministry with the belief that he was gaining fame all for the sake of wanting to be seen as God Almighty. All the same, Jesus never stated or claimed to be God. He did ,nonetheless ,claim to be the son of God. It is true that Jesus never said, â€Å"I am God † directly. However, most of His teachings were done through parables, and not by direct statements. His disciples asked Him why He taught this way.His answer was: â€Å"To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. For whoever has, to him shall more be given, and he shall have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. † (Matthew 13:11-13) Along with witnessed miracles performed, his technique and approach reeled in crowds of all kinds of denominations.Some may hold the opinion that he hoodwinked desperate believers by using magic or tricks to allure them into his ministry. Others were awfully intimidated by Jesus and his prophecies , thus forth came his crucifixion. Even after death, there was still more to come. â€Å"Don' t be alarmed,† he said, â€Å"You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. † (Mark 16:6) The book from the evangelist Mark records that after three days, Jesus Christ arose from his grave and ascended back to Heaven to reunite with his father, God Almighty.After death and acclaimed resurrection, many still testified to spiritual and physical encounters with Jesus. One person who can testify to this is the apostle Paul. Apart from Jesus, Paul is the most significant figure in the development of early Christianity. He has profoundly influenced such monumental figures as Augustine, Luther, and Calvin. Of the 27 books of the New Testament, thirteen are attributed to Paul. Luke tells us in Acts 9 that Paul was on the road to Damascus when he saw a light from heaven and heard a voice saying, â€Å"Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?†Paul responds, â€Å"Who are you, Lord? † and the r eply came, â€Å"I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. † Paul was blind for three days, and then his site was restored when Ananias laid hands on him. This story is not in Paul’s own writing, although Paul does tell us something of his conversion experience (See Gal. 1. 13. -16; 1 Cor. 15. 3-9). In one way or another, it seems that Paul believes that he received a revelation of the risen Christ. Whatever happened, it completely changed Paul's life, and he went from being a persecutor of Christians to the greatest missionary of the early church.Paul’s influence of early Christianity was one of great measure. Paul was the author of many writings that were written during his imprisonment of an estimated six to seven years in Rome. During this period of time Paul authored books in letters to all churches holding different denominations with instruction and inspiration to motivate and minister to his readers about following the teachings of Christ and repenting their sins to God through prayer and worship. The Bible does not tell us how or when the apostle Paul died, and history does not provide us with any information.The only thing we have to go on is Christian tradition, which has Paul being behead in Rome, around the mid 60s A. D. , during the reign of Nero. His role in Christianity has resulted in giving him the title â€Å"The Founder of Christianity†. Just as Paul was captivated by his experience with Jesus many others also became believers because of their experiences. Recorded in the book according to the evangelist Luke, there was a woman with the inability to stand straight up (a condition referred to as stooped ) who meets Jesus on a Sabbath Day (A Saturday supposedly) in one of the synagogues of the city he was then in.Although the Law of Moses states that the Sabbath is a day of rest; Jesus heals this woman of her condition and she is then enabled to stand upright without unease and strain. Jesus is said to have opposed many rules and laws through his miracles, but nonetheless continued to heal and preach to many whether the situation and timing was convenient or not ; gaining many followers in the process of doing so.In response to the question of whether or not Jesus was setting out to form his own religion; it is my opinion that that is a misconception to say so. Jesus, in my perspective, was set on saving lives and teaching sinners to follow God and repent their sins so that they could join he and his father in Heaven. It will most likely always be someone’s opinion that Jesus had other motives behind his healing and ministries, however the revealing of the truth is yet to arrive to us. Was he our messiah or our magician? You decide.

Use of Light and Darkness in Joseph Conrads Heart of...

Use of Light and Darkness in Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness contrasts light and darkness, to represent the civilized and uncivilized sides of the world. Conrad uses light to represent the civilized side of humanity while contrasting the dark with the uncivilized and savage. Throughout the thematic stages of the novel, that is the Thames river London, the companys office in Belgium, the journey to the heart of darkness and the conclusion, light and dark is used to represent these sides of humanity, but on a deeper level many assumptions of darkness and light are challenged, with the appearance of light and dark, and in turn good and evil contrasting with the reality. From the initial†¦show more content†¦From the start of the novel, Conrad foreshadows Marlow journey into the heart of darkness through the use of light and darkness. Marlows journey to the Belgium companys office, where he encounters two women knitting black wool. The two women are commonly interpreted of representing two of the three fates of Ancient Greek mythology who spun, wove and cut thread to represent the birth, lifespan and death of mortals. This darkness used perhaps foreshadows the evil he will encounter, something that merely fate may decide. Marlow describes the place as the city that always makes me think of a whited supulchre, and the city of the dead, thus, white in this instance is used to represent the exploitation of the company and the true evil, which is hiding behind the faà §ade of light and progress. Therefore Conrad uses the civilized white to represent the evil of the dead city and the search for the precious trickle of ivory. The map in the companys office, and the light and darkness associated with it again demonstrates and perhaps foreshadows the good and evil, and the civilized and uncivilized side of humanity. . 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