Research paper solar power Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Solar power - Research Paper Example With man’s development and innovation, the sun has also become an energy source. Solar power is basically the power provided by the sun’s rays in the form of electricity or heat (Clean Energy Ideas, n.d.). Solar power has been considered a renewable form of energy compared to fossil fuels because the source, which is the sun, is basically present all the time. It is not likely to happen that the sun will burn out one day, or if it does, all of earth will be in trouble as well (Clean Energy Ideas, n.d.). rays. This photons is transforming the electrons in the materials to conduction electrons that make the electricity (Clean Energy Ideas, n.d.). Solar panels are the materials that have the electrons which create electricity. This materials look like computer chips and can also be seen in rooftops and space engines. The photons in the rays of the sun charges the electrons in the chips and the electrons flow through the cell. This is when electricity is generated (â€Å"Solar Energy†, n.d.). Different techniques have been used to make solar power. One uses a U-shaped mirror which looks like long troughs and focuses the sunlight to an oil that can be found at the middle of the pipe. With the hot coming from the sun, the oil makes the water boil and this creates the solar power. One more technique is using mirrors which can be moved to catch the sunlight which is connected to a tower that collects the heat and connected to a receiver. Molten salt is used as the receiver for this kind of technique. Another technique uses windows with materials that absorb heat. Usually, they are placed in walls and floors, and at night, these materials give out heat that can make hot water in the house (â€Å"Solar Energy†, n.d.). Just like any form of energy source, solar power has its pros and cons. The major benefit of solar power is that it is a sustainable source of energy. Meaning it can be harvested continuously without the fear that it will run out

Outcome Measures in Audiology Rehabilitation Essay - 1

Outcome Measures in Audiology Rehabilitation - Essay Example An outcome measure thus becomes the interface that lies in between goals set forth by a professional in rehabilitation and the response given by a client in a clinical procedure. Outcome measures can be put as being objective or subjective. An example of an objective outcome would be word recognition whereas self reports fall under subjective category. The choice of an outcome measure thus constitutes what a professional perceives as the goal of a particular intervention on a certain patient. Outcome measure is carried out with the intent of establishing the effects of a certain intervention on a patient (Hull, 2001). Therefore, outcome measure is basically a question of degree of clinical effectiveness. Usages of self-report measures are beneficial in that they act as facilitation to hearing aid fittings for an individual. They also can be used to assess the efficacy of fittings administered on an individual or even efficiency of an institution. Moreover, such measures remain very crucial in clinical decisions. Appreciate fundamentals  ­Ã‚ ­Ã¢Ë†â€™ these can be either practical or even technical. Practical considerations involve such things as considering the burden that comes with administering a certain measure both to the patient as well as the clinician administering it. The technical considerations involve such things as reliability, validity as well as norms attached to an outcome measure (McClimans & Browne, 2011). Succinct definition of purpose − this is to imply that a good tool must be clear as to the purpose it is designed to achieve. Such a purpose needs to be clearly and out rightly stated in the tool and not vaguely. Target population − A certain instrument should be unambiguous when it comes to a target population, and this should have certain things accompanying the selection of such a population, for instance, demographic details like age or gender. Reliability of a

Summary of global report on conflict governance and state fragility Essay

Summary of global report on conflict governance and state fragility 2011 - Essay Example It is worth mentioning that the aspect of governance needs to be applied and developed for the purpose of settling any sort of conflict, occurring in the societal system (Marshall & Cole, 2011). Thus, these three dimensions are regarded as the major holistic approaches of the societal system. With this concern, this paper intends to provide a brief summary about the global report focused on the aspects i.e. conflict, governance and state fragility 2011. Summary One of the commonly observed matters in the global system is the rise of conflicts in the society. The emergence of such conflicts eventually results in causing the incidents associated with political violence. The trend of the conflicts has become a continuous process in the globalization period. From the mid 1950s, the wars have been increasing in this global world, especially after the Cold War. It can be apparently viewed in this similar concern that around 21 nations of the world have experienced conflicts in the year 201 1. A few of the issues linked with the rise of the conflicts were the extension of boundaries, terror of militants and also the reported cases relating to trafficking, production along with supply of drugs. One of the leading examples of those conflicts was the attack of LTTE in Sri Lanka (Marshall & Cole, 2011). ... The increased level of conflicts during the year 2011 had indicated a beginning in the form of posing unfavorable impact upon intra-state along with inter-state wars and humanitarian operations at large. In recent times, a gradual decline in the conduct of wars in the global world reveals the reduction of problems relating to conflict by a certain degree (Marshall & Cole, 2011). Autocracy and democracy are regarded as the major forms of governance. These forms can be utilized in the maintenance of social order in a society. In this similar concern, The Polity IV Project has marked the level of both these forms for each country by taking into concern the political situations that prevail in the nations. In relation to the autocratic system, the participation of the citizens is often viewed to be constrained due to various crucial factors. These factors might entail restrictions especially upon political participation, limitations in the application along with the execution of relevant guidelines or effective regulations and weaker checks imposed over executive power. While determining the trend of governance, it can be viewed that in the year 2011, only Qatar and Saudi Arabia were rated as fully autocratic nations throughout the globe (Marshall & Cole, 2011). A few of the autocratic nations of the world such as Gabon, Togo, Syria and North Korea have implemented the succession of dynasties in executive leadership for the purpose of forestalling succession crises. On the other hand, certain nations such as Taiwan, Mexico and Senegal have move towards democracy from autocracy form. The reasons for this might be the increasing desires of various political groups towards strengthening their respective positions, non-maintenance of

Genetically Food Essay Example for Free

Genetically Food Essay An arguable statement about genetically engineered food being the means to end hunger around the world is gaining momentum as the population continues to increase and people continue to die of starvation. In the biotech world, what is known as agricultural biotechnology, supporters believe that this could guarantee and maintain food security for the hungry. On the other hand many people have concerns over consuming genetically engineered food. Many foods on the market today contain some part of GM (genetically modified) food. Approximately 85% of corn, 91% of soybeans, and 88% of cottonseed are genetically engineered which are used on food for human consumption. (http://truefoodnow. org/campaigns/genetically-engineered-foods/) The question remains on whether genetically engineered food safe? Various groups do not deem biotechnology as the answer to ending world hunger but they consider poverty to be the reason for the shortage of food worldwide. In order to discuss the possible advantages or disadvantages of genetically engineered food, it must be defined. Genetic Engineering as defined by Merriam-Webster is a group of applied techniques of genetics and biotechnology used to cut up and join together genetic material and especially DNA from one or more species of organism and to introduce the result into an organism in order to change one or more of its characteristics. The term Genetically Modified is commonly used term to describe food that has been modified in a laboratory to produce preferred traits such as resistance to pest and diseases, increased nutritional value, and much more. Farmers have been crossbreeding animals and plants for years to produce desired traits but this traditional form can be a lengthy process and not very accurate at times. Using a laboratory for genetic engineering not only can they yield the traits being sought after but can do it in a much faster rate and with more accuracy. In 2008, GM crops were planted on an estimated 308. 8 million acres worldwide, a year-over-year increase of 26. 4 million acres. (Turk Bensel, 2011) There are currently 25 countries growing genetically engineered crops. (Turk Bensel, 2011) In 1994 the first genetically engineered whole product, a tomato, went on the market. (Whitman) This not a new technology but people are becoming more aware of what they are in taking with their food. Supporters of GM food say that these foods pose no risk and are not different from conventional foods. As Tietel and Wilson stated in their book, Genetically Engineered Foods: Changing the Nature of Nature: What You Need to Know to Protect Yourself, Your Family, and Your Planet, would you want to be on a jetliner and open your morning paper as the plane is taking off see that they are just now doing test to determine whether or not the new model plane you are in is safe? Of course not, one would hope that all testing has been done prior to the plane being put into use. Our government, scientists, and researchers who support the concept are willing to allow genetically engineered food into our diets without sufficient testing being done to understand any long term effects. Numerous environmental groups feel that genetic engineering must be discarded due to the unknown effects they may have on humans. Some of the main arguments against GM foods are what environment hazards they may cause, the health risk to humans, and economic concerns. Genetically modified food is already present in some many food sources that we ingest; one would have to ask if there disadvantages to producing and utilizing genetically engineered food? Like anything else that is done there are hazards associated with the process and they must be addressed. The FDA set forth guidelines for testing to ensure the safety of bioengineered food. In 1994 they also established a consultation process to assist developers in meeting the safety standards set forth in their guidelines. (Bren, 2003) The problem many protestors of GM food see is that the consultation is not mandatory and is only on a volunteer basis. Nothing guarantees that all companies are using the volunteer process although the FDA believes they all are. A main safety concern involving genetically modified crops is the danger of introducing allergens and toxins into these foods. The news will report on huge jumps in childhood food allergies, but the reports fail to consider the link between the changes in America’s diet. (Smith, 2007) In the 1990s a study was done showing that people who were allergic to nuts had an allergic reaction to soybeans that had been altered using a protein found in Brazil Nuts. Some people have severe food allergies to nuts and reactions can be life threatening. The only way to conclusively test for allergies is by human consumption. Opponents of GM food state the people are being used as guinea pigs. (Smith, 2007) Incidents such as the allergic reactions to GM soybeans shows how vitally important it is to label products that have been engineered. Governments and factions that back genetically engineered foods don’t feel labeling are necessary because they say there is no significant difference between GM food and unmodified food. If genetically modified food is going to be a success, we have to market it, not hide it, said Elbert van Donkersgoed, executive director of the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario. (Strathdee, 1999) Consumers have the right to be informed. Organic foods are labeled; beef that has been grass fed only and contains no hormones are labeled, as well as eggs that were produced by cage free chickens. Everything has a label saying what it is made of except when it comes to GM food. By not labeling GM products it makes it seem as if there is something to hide about them. Fears over what genetically modified crops may do to the environment have activist condemning corporations for putting profit over possible hazards. Herbicide-tolerant crops are designed to tolerate herbicides that are used to kill unwanted plants such as weeds but can also kill the crop. These types of are commonly known as Roundup ready because they are designed to resist Monsanto’s glyphosate herbicide, known as Roundup. (Turk Bensel, 2011) The worries is that weeds will cross-breed with the Roundup ready crops and create a super weed that will be hard to kill. Now the weeds that died when treated with Roundup are now resistant just like the crops. Having super weeds would force companies to come up with different chemical compounds to combat the issue possibly causing new toxins to be released into the environment. Roundup ready seeds become useless and now farmers lose money because they can’t keep the weeds out of their crops. Not only do you worry about cross-breeding the possibility of cross-pollination can happen from one farmer’s field of GM crops to another farmer’s field of non GM crops. Farmers have been sued because companies feel slighted saying that GM seeds were used and they received no money from it. Moral questions are raised whether it is truly about the money are helping to produce better food sources? Along with herbicide-tolerant crops, you also have insect-resistant crops that have pesticides inserted to help with pest control. Just like with herbicide-tolerant crops, you run the risk of insects mutating and no longer being affected by the pesticide. DDT (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane) which was developed in the 1940s was used to fight insect-borne diseases such as malaria, typhus, and others that effected crops and animals as well. For awhile it was affective on mosquitoes but some species became immune to and rendering it ineffective. It was eventually banned due to be harmful to humans and the environment in the United States. Using crops that have pesticides in them we run the risk of pesticides becoming useless. Besides the health and environmental hazards, there are also economic concerns as well. Making genetically modified food is costly and lengthy process and agricultural companies are looking to make a profit. They patent their products and technologies so that no one can violate their rights and use them. Consumers worry about prices been driven up by the patents and farmers and poorer countries not being able to pay for them. With all these negative aspects that I have mentioned it no wonder that so many are against the use and genetically modified crops. Consumer advocates see that most companies seem to be in it for the financial gain and not to end world hunger. Not every aspect involving genetically modified crops is bad. They contain some very good attributes that may be able fix the supply and demand for food for the world’s growing population. Food would no longer be a scarce commodity and the supply could be increased to meet the demands of a growing population. The main advantages of bioengineered crops are the ability to incorporate pesticides and herbicides into the seed, being able to increase the nutritional value to better meets the needs of the impoverished, pharmaceutical purposes, cold and drought tolerance, and phytoremediation. Crop losses for farmers from insects can ravage them financially cause famine for third world countries. Due to the threat of insects farmers use a lot of chemicals to protect their crops. Chemicals have proven to be harmful to the environment, animals, and humans. Agricultural waste has polluted water ways and damaged some ecosystems beyond repair. Genetically modified crops with pesticides added into them reduces the need to spray large amounts of chemicals that pollute the air and water. Similar to crops altered with pesticides, herbicide-tolerant plants reduce the amount of herbicides used keep crops from being killed by them lessens the destructive outcome on the environment. Spraying herbicides is very time consuming and often will take multiple sprayings to be affective. Expenses associated with treating crops are reduced and agricultural waste is nearly eliminated. This transforms to savings for consumers and makes food more affordable for those living in poverty. Certain areas of the world are prone to drought while others may have unexpected frost. Scientist and developers have created an anti-freeze gene that will keep crops from dying off in during a cold snap. With climate change and weather becoming unpredictable this technology will benefit so many. In countries like Africa that dessert conditions farmers will be able to grow crops that are able to survive long periods without rain. States that receive snow and freezing temperatures as earlier as October will be able to yield crops after the first frost. Everyone has seen the commercials on of the starving children asking to you to give just thirty cents a day to help feed them. Children featured are malnourished and living off nothing more than rice and water. Where poverty is so far spread in underdeveloped countries and people’s diet only consist of a few items, they still lack the necessary nutrients that are needed for survival. Consequences of not getting a balanced diet full of vitamins and minerals will cause many to die or suffer other ailments that are preventable with vitamins and minerals such as blindness. What if the rice may possibly be altered to add in the vital missing vitamins and minerals? The nutritional value of the food could be enhanced to include beta-carotene which is vitamin A, that would fix the deficiency and keep people from going blind due to the lack there of this vitamin. Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Institute for Plant Sciences have created a strain of golden rice containing an unusually high content of beta-carotene. (Whitman, 2000) There millions of people around the world in undeveloped countries and are impoverished and unable to afford life saving vaccines and medicines. Vaccines and medicine are costly to produce and sometimes require certain storage conditions which a lot of countries don’t have where the poor live. Scientists are growing plants that will produce anti-bodies to fight heart disease, cancer, and tooth decay. (Bren, 2003) Not only that, they are also experimenting with fruits and vegetables that contain vaccines. This would make them so much easier to ship, store, and administer compared to traditional ways. Countless lives may possibly be saved. Survival of the human race and the ending of pointless suffering is great advantage to biotechnology. Humans have caused so much pollution to the planet. Numerous ecosystems have been destroyed and thousands of species are now extinct. Phytoremediation is the altering of plants such as trees to help clean up heavy metal contamination from the soil. The roots would soak up contaminates and clean the soil so that it becomes viable once again. Pollution plagues society in almost everything we do. Biotechnology is the wave of the future. Advocates of GM food truly feel that the technological advances ought to be seen as beneficial and way to end global hunger and help the environment. Famine and malnourishment could be things of the past. Picture a world where everyone has enough food to eat, afforded medicines, and vaccines, and the environment is cleaner due to less chemicals being used. Scientist and researchers are always looking for ways to better the planet for the survival of mankind for generations to come. The issue arises is that there are still so many unknowns with genetically modified food. Further test need to be conducted to fully conclude that no long term effects exist and that is safe for humans and animals. The answer to world hunger is staring us in the face and through proper education we should not be afraid to use it. References http://www. epa. gov/pesticides http://www. merriam-webster. com http://truefoodnow. org/campaigns/genetically-engineered-foods/ Bren, L.(2003). Genetic Engineering: the Future of Foods? FDA Consumer; Nov/Dec 2003; 37, 6; Research Library Core pg. 28 Marshall, M. (2012). GM food: The Case For The defense. New Scientist, 216(2886), 8-9. Smith, J. (2007). Genetically Engineered Foods May Cause Rising Food Allergies—Genetically Engineered Soybeans Retrieved from http://www. responsibletechnology. org/gmo-dangers/health-risks Strathdee, M. (1999). Group demands mandatory labeling of genetically altered food. Canadian Press News Wire. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com/docview/359528626? accountid=32521 Thomas, L. Of, T. P. (2002). Genetically altered food creates labeling dilemma for the industry. St. Louis Post Dispatch. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com/docview/402087128? accountid=32521 Teitel, M. , Wilson, K. (1999). Genetically Engineered Foods : Changing the Nature of Nature: What You Need to Know to Protect Yourself, Your Family, and Your Planet. Park Street Press. Turk, J. , Bensel, T. (2011). Contemporary environmental issues. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc Whitman, D. (2000). Genetically Modified Foods: Harmful or Helpful? Retrieved from http://www. csa. com/discoveryguides/gmfood/overview. php.

The minor prophets

The minor prophets The twelve books of the minor prophets is the name given to the last twelve books of the Old Testament. The twelve books of the minor prophets are in the Prophets section of the Hebrew Bible, which is divided into three sections, the Law, Prophets, and Writings. These books were all written at different times over a period of three hundred years, starting from the reign of Jeroboam II. All of these books, except for the Book of Jonah, record messages from God that were delivered to the people of Israel and Judah. The Book of Jonah was primarily biographical, and told his story, rather than hortatory. The name minor refers to their length, rather than their importance. The underlying theme of all of these Books is Israels relationship with God. There is a wide variety of views written in these books but the main questions that keep appearing throughout these prophecies are, What does God demand of humans, and how do historical events signify Gods word. The order of these books in the English Bible are Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habukkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. Hosea is the first book and was written during the rule of Jeroboam II. It is written to demonstrate Gods unfailing love for his people, even though they choose to follow their unfaithful Kings in their sinful ways. There were 6 other Kings after Jeroboam II that ruled, however, they were never mentioned by Hosea, probably because of their insignificance as well as their sinful practices. Amos prophesied around the same time as Hosea, and both served their ministry in Northern Israel when Jeroboam II ruled over Israel and Uzziah ruled over Judah. Amos was not a prophet by profession, but was a herdsman and vinedresser, who the Lord commissioned to travel to Northern Israel to warn them of impending judgment (Amos 7:15). Amoss famous prophesy was when he warned Israel of an earthquake at Hazor, which came true a couple of years later and authenticated Amoss message. The earthquake was viewed by the people, at that time, as an omen of judgment. Joels ministry is placed historically between Hosea and Amos. During Joels ministry, the Lord announced that he would punish the nations for the way in which they had scattered His people, divided up His land, and sold His children into slavery (Joel 3: 2-3). The Book of Joel has two major sections. In the first section, Joel urges the people to mourn over the devastating effects of the locust invasion (Joel 1: 2-20), and to repent (Joel 2: 12-17). The second section of Joel, he notes that the Lord does take pity on his people (Joel 2:18), the Lord promises to call off the locust invasion, restore the nations crops, and vindicates his people (Joel 2: 19-3: 21). Obadiah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah all prophesied around the same time, around the time of the destruction of Judah. They prophesied in the same period, however, they all prophesied on different issues. Obadiah is the shortest book in the Hebrew Scriptures, consisting of only one single chapter. His ministry was directed at the Edomites, who lived south of Israel and were a constant source of conflict for the Israelites. The Edomites took pleasure over the destruction of Israel by different foreign invaders, however, Obadiah prophesied that Jehovah (God) would rebuke the Edomites and destroy them, while promising Israel deliverance and peace (Obadiah 1: 1-21). Finally, Obadiah prophesied that God, or Christ ( is the Great Warrior) will come to judge all nations and restore the land of Edom back to Israel (Revelation 19: 11-19; 20: 7-10). Nahums prophecy is about the fall of Nineveh, which was eventually conquered by the Babylonians. Nahum calls the people of Nineveh (the Assyrians) to repent and that God is the ruler of all nations (Nahum 1: 1ff). Nahums ministry also involved notifying the Assyrians that God was going to punish them for their transgressions against Israel. Habakkuk: The Book of Habakkuk consists of conversations between God and himself. Habakkuk questions God on how His Holiness can allow the lawlessness and violence that was overtaking Judah, Habakkuk lament (Habb 1: 2-4): How long must the unjust triumph? The Lords response (Habb 1: 5-11): Justice is on the way. Habakkuks message to his people is that God will not allow evil to continue (Habb 2: 1-17). God promises his people that despite evil men prospering, God will exalt his people one day (Habb 3: 1-7). The Lords response (Habb 2: 2-20): Justice will indeed prevail in due time. Habakkuks response (3: 1-19): I have heardI will rejoice! Habakkuk basically questions Gods allowing evil to overtake Judah and after God responds to Habakkuk, he concludes that he can trust God to punish the people wisely and justly. Zephaniah was a contemporary of Habakkuk and Jeremiah. He prophesied during the reign of Josiah and preceded the fall of Nineveh. He prophesied in Judah, specifically in Jerusalem, during the time when the people of Judahs moral and spiritual life had been corrupted by the evil reign of Manasseh and Amon (Zephaniah 3: 1-7). The people have been drawn away from God and idolatry and corruption was the main theme in Jerusalem (Zephaniah 1: 7). Because of this, Zephaniahs prophecy came true when Judah was invaded and taken over by the Babylonians. The Book of Zephaniah is divided into three sections: retribution or judgment for sin, a call for repentance, and a promise of future redemption and blessing. Zephaniah prophesied that despite the impending exile God promised to Israel that he would judge the nation and rescue his people. He also tells of a day when God will purge creation of sin and redeem his people (Zephaniah 1: 18; 3: 8, 12-20). Gods promise of deliverance will extend past the burdens of Israel and include all those who are outcasts and lame. Paul clarifies these promises in the New Testament to show in Christ, both Jew and Gentile comprise the people of God (Eph 2: 11-3: 21). These promises, however, were not meant foe every Jew regardless of belief in Christ, but only for those Jews who trusted in Jesus (Rom 9: 1ff). Micahs ministry was primarily to Jerusalem and the rest of the Southern Kingdom. Micahs ministry criticizes the leaders of Judah for their corruption as well as their insensitivity to the poor. He was a contemporary of Isaiah and their messages were very similar. He prophesied the destruction of Samaria and Northern Israel, followed by similar destruction to Judah. Micah announces the coming of the Messiah, from Bethlehem (Micah 5: 1-5), and with the coming of this future King, will come a future Kingdom (Micah 4: 1-8). Jonah, unlike all of the other 11 books of the minor prophets, is the only one that is biographical. Jonah is called on by God to call on the Assyrians (specifically the people of Nineveh) to repent of their sin (Jonah 1: 2). The problem is that Jonah hated the Assyrians, who had caused his people (the people of Israel) many hardships. He felt that if his ministry was successful and the Assyrians repented, then God might forgive them and spare them from destruction. The main theme of the Book of Jonah is not about Jonah running away and hiding from God, even though this is an important lesson for everyone, it is that Gods purpose is to save people of all nations (Jonah 3: 1ff), not just the people of Israel. Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi is the last group of the Twelve Minor Prophets. They all prophesied after the Babylonian exile. Haggai was the first prophet to minister to the first people of Israel who returned to Jerusalem after the Babylonians decided to release them from captivity. He inspired the Jews who returned back to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple. During the first 15 years after their return to Jerusalem from Babylonia, the people had built fine houses for themselves, and only the foundations of the temple had been laid. However, after Haggais rebuke, construction of the temple restarted and within 4 years, the temple was finished. Zechariahs message was of hope and encouragement. Through Zechariah, God tells of a day when hw will bring the office of king and priest together as one, who will build the temple of the Lord (Zech 3: 8-10; 6: 11-15). This future individual is Jesus, who will make atonement for his people and rules as King on Davids throne (Acts 2: 1ff; 15: 1ff; Heb 2-9). Malachis message to the people of Israel was that if the people return to God, then God will bless them greatly. God announces (through Malachi) that he will send a messenger who will pave the way for the Messiah. Malachi 4: 5-6 refers to John the Baptist as that person (Mal 3: 1; 4: 5-6). Chisholm, Robert B. Jr. (2002). Handbook on The Prophets, p. 335-477. Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287: Baker Academic Retrieved from: http://theroadtoemmaus.wordpress.com/2007/08/17/the-message-of-the-minor-prophets/ 2/1/2010 Retrieved from: http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/Bible/Prophets/Latter_Prophets/The_12_Minor_Pr 2/1/2010 Retrieved from: http://bible.org/seriespage/minor-prophets 2/1/2010 Retrieved from: http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_otb5.htm 2/1/2010 Retrieved from: http://www.biblestudy.org/prophecy/minor-prophets.html 2/1/2010

Is Religion In Decline As A Major Institution Religion Essay

Is Religion In Decline As A Major Institution Religion Essay This paper will critically analyse and debate the question is religion in decline as a major social institution? I will be focusing my paper primarily on the United Kingdom (UK) but will touch on other Western countries. To begin, this paper will look at the definitions of religion as this in its self is surrounded by debate, and then it will go on to look at what is meant by secularisation. The main body of the paper will look at various perspectives, both for and against the idea that religion is in decline within the UK using not only the well documented thoughts of Sociologists but also using data that has been collated through various methods, such as the Census and British Social Attitudes Survey (BSA). Religion could also be thought of in various other situations, such as in football for example, a group of people come together in a belief of something. They perform rituals and sing the praises of what could be described as their common god their football team. However, for the purpose of this paper we will assume religion to be of the most commonly perceived form ie the belief and praying to god -regardless of the gods title ie God Allah etc. When we speak of the decline of religion in society we often hear the word secularisation being mentioned, Bryan Wilson (Religion in Secular Society, 1966), describes secularisation as the process whereby religious thinking, practices and institutions is becoming less prominent in society and its institutions less important and influential in the lives of individuals. Whilst Peter Berger in The Social Reality of Religion, 1969 puts an argument forward that it is The process by which sectors of society and culture are removed from the domination of religious institutions and symbols Wilson also stated that those who defined religion in substantive terms are more likely to be in agreement of the secularisation thesis, this is due to the fact that they can show that religious beliefs has declined as people accept other more rational explanations of the world due to factors such as post-modernity, the Industrial Revolution bringing about a greater understanding of the sciences and techn ology has also brought about a decline in the beliefs of a god within the minds of UK citizens, especially Christian UK citizens. Many Sociologists are in agreement that changes in society will directly impact on changes in religion. Going a step further, some sociologists have claimed that the continuing advancement of science will eventually mean a further weakening, or even complete disappearance of religion within our society. Berger (1967) states that with the rapid growth of technologies, media and sciences comes a decline of religion and a questioning of its place in society. He goes on to state that religion, in the past, has held the answers to our unanswerable questions and gave meaning to lives. Now that our questions are now answered by science and technology then the church and religion is no longer needed. This process is also referred to as the Rational Choice Theory (RTC) of Religion . Another supporter of the secularisation theory is Bruce (1995) whom argues that by measuring the size of the clergy is a direct indicator of the popularity of religion. At the start of the 1900s, there were over 45,000 clerics in Britain, this had declined to just over 34,000 100 years later in 2000. The clergy had decreased by almost twenty five percent, despite the fact that the population had all but doubled in size (Bruce 1995). Bruce also states that another pointer to secularisation is the rising divorce rate, coupled with fewer religious marriage ceremonies. In 1995 Bruce stated that 30 years ago church weddings used to make up 75% of all marriage ceremonies, but now this figure has fallen to less than half . When you add this statistic with the facts that there is an ever increasing divorce rate, cohabitation is becoming commonplace and the percentage of children being born outside of a marriage is at am all time high; it has to be seen that religion and its moral value sys tem exert little influence today (Bruce 1995). Durkheim stated A religion is a unified system of beliefs and practicesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦which unite into one single moral community called a Church, all those who adhere to them (Durkheim 1915: 62). He emphasised that religion brought people together, they shared a common belief and commitment to the same sacred symbol. It must be pointed out that Durkheim states that it is the coming together and bonding that is important not the reason of their togetherness. Durkheim argues that religion holds an essential social function There can be no society which does not feel the need of upholding and reaffirming at regular intervals the collective sentiments and collective ideas which make its unity and its personality (1915, 474-475) Although Durkheim was speaking here regarding religion we can see this happening in other ways in society, going back to the football match you could relate this statement back to the Emirates stadium, Anfield, Old Trafford and indeed any of the 100s of football grounds around the UK on any given Saturday between August and May! Webers The Protestant Ethic The Spirit of Capitalism shows us how Calvinists in the 16th and 17th century looked upon a persons success within business and savings was an indication that they were destined for salvation. We can relate this to the early beginnings of capitalism and a persons responsibility and prospects, with time the emphasis of religious beliefs was eroded as capitalism prospered. With this new society came increasing rationalisation, this lead to disenchantment and inevitably along with that came a decrease in religious belief systems and church attendance Anthon y Giddens (1997) wrote The three classical sociological theorists, Marx, Durkheim and Weber [all] thought that the significance of religion would decrease in modern times. Each believed that religion is in a fundamental sense an illusion. The advocates of different faiths may be wholly persuaded of the validity of the beliefs they hold and the rituals in which they participate, yet the very diversity of religions and their obvious connections to different types of society, the three thinkers held, make these claims inherently implausible. If we are to examine secularisation it is common sense to evaluate church attendance. According to the 1851 British Census just over 40% of the population attended church. By 1950 this had dipped to 20% and in 2000 we saw just 7.5 % of people stating that they attended church. Looking towards the future we could look at Sunday school attendance. Attendance had also dropped to an all time low in 1900 55% of children attended Sunday School in the year 2000 this figure plummeted below 4% this surely shows that religion is in decline, and at a very swift rate. The UK Census Data (2001) shows that 71.6% claim to be Christian, 2.7% Muslim, 1.0% Hindu, 0.6% Sikh, 0.5% Jewish, 0.3% Buddhist and 23.2% either have no religion or did not state one. However, if we compare the Census 2001 data with data available from Social Trends 30 (2000) cited in Moore (2001) suggest that while Christianity seems to be in decline other religions are not. Within the UK Islam had increased 380% from 130,000 people stating it as their religion in 1970 to 495,000. The UK has also seen a massive increase in Sikhism by 250% from 1970 to 1990. It must be pointed out that although undoubtedly these religions are on the increase by 100s of percent that the total number of individuals that say they are practising these religions is still quite a small percentage of the UK population. It also should be pointed out that although the Census data is usually accurate it is now almost 10 years old, and could be seen as outdated information. . An opposing view of secularisation argues that religious practices and participation have, in the past, been greatly overestimated and exaggerated. Martin (1967), has questioned the validity and reliability of past religious statistics. He argues that the demographic content is not valid and questions methods used for the collation of this data. Martin states that peoples religious belief systems and belonging to religious groups cannot be measured from statistics regarding religious practice. He goes on to state that although people may be religious they are choosing to express their belief in alternative ways. Martin also argued that some people attended Church for what the church can do for them in a non-religious capacity, for social motive, as opposed to holding strong religious beliefs. This mindset resulted in attendance of church numbers being inflated , Martin questions whether or not to interpret declining attendance to places of worship as evidence that points towards a lo ss of religious faith within society. Demaroth and Hammond (1969), also agree with this viewpoint and state that We should avoid the quick assumption that Church members are always highly religious in their personal beliefs and activities, or that Church non-members are otherwise non-religious.. Robert Bellah puts forward the argument that it is wrong to perceive that just because people do no longer attend church is vast numbers that region itself is in decline. Bellah states that people do not need to be a part of a large religious organisation in order to be religious, they can simply practice their beliefs in their own homes and lives and it is this that makes them religious, not the fact that they attend a church building. Luckmann (1967) calls this practice the Invisible Religion Luckmann states that when society goes through periods of vast change and development it is also expected that religious practices and systems will also evolve, and new forms shall emerge. It is fair to say that both Bellah and Luckmann agree that religion is simply transforming rather than declining. They argue that whilst group and public meetings of religion are in decline that personal practice is as strong as ever, but cannot be scientifically measured. A similar argument is put forward by Grace Davie (1995) she is in agreement with Bellah in that secularisation needs to be separated from belief and belonging. She argues the theory that in the UK religion is belief without belonging people believe, but feel they do not belong to the church, so they practice their religion in the privacy of their own homes. To conclude, it must be said that religion is in decline as a major social institution within the UK when referring to the Christian religions specifically Roman Catholics, Protestants and Methodists. These religious institutions have seen a rapid fall in church attendance- regardless of if people are practicing in their own homes or not. Within the UK religion, specifically Christianity, has seen a decrease, or disengagement, of power issues such as abortion and divorce used to be influenced greatly by the church today people do not look to the church for guidance on such issues but look more towards personal circumstance in order to reach decisions. With this in mind it can only be concluded that the major institution that we know as the church now holds less power, less cohesion and less importance within the UK today with traditions of religion and prayer being replaced by new technologies and a wish for an individual to succeed in personal issues such as employment, status and w ealth. The opposite could be argued for other religions such as Hinduism, Islam and Sikhism, although it could also be argued that these religions are only on the increase due to immigration into the UK in the past 10 years. I found very little factual data that could show a large number of UK born citizens joining such religions so it is my belief that the growth of these religions is primarily due to the fact that the beliefs and practices of these religions have been brought into the UK rather than developed within the UK. Ref Journal: Tony Fahey Studies: An Irish Quarterly Review, Vol. 83, No. 332 (Winter, 1994), pp. 367-375 (article consists of 9 pages) Published by: Irish Province of the Society of Jesus Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/30091534 Growth and Decline of Churchly Religion Ref Journal ; Malaise in the Sociology of Religion: A Prescription Richard K. Fenn Sociological Analysis, Vol. 46, No. 4 (Winter, 1985), pp. 401-414 (article consists of 14 pages) Published by: Oxford University Press Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3711156 Davie, G (1994) Religion in Britain since 1945. England,Blackwell Publishing Giddens,.A (2001) Sociology Introductory Readings , revised edition.: England, polity Hamilton, M (2001): The Sociology of Religion : England: Routlegde Luckmann, T (1963) The Invisible Religion: The Problem With Religion in Modern Society : England, Macmillan. British Social Attitudes Survey (BSA), viewed 08 April 2010, BOOK Bruce, S 1995, Religion in Modern Britain, Oxford, Oxford University Press. Census. Religion in Britain: Office for National Statistics, viewed 16 April 2010, www.curriculum-press.co.uk sociology fact sheet one viewed 28 March 2010.

Stereotyping and Profiling Based Upon Religion Essay -- Islam, Religio

Living in America we deal with a lot of diversity, especially those in the criminal justice degree program where situations caused by diversity can lead to a problem. Stereotyping is one of the biggest problems that we deal with, particularly in law enforcement. There have been many allegations of police officers accused of going after individuals and accusing them of a crime based on the sole fact of what their religious beliefs might be. This has been going on for a long time; however in recent years, it has gotten worse. The main job of police officers is to uphold the law, not to break it. Although stereotyping is not against the law, police officers have taken an oath to protect all human beings, regardless of their race or religion and stereotyping based on religion should not take place. Just because an individual is of a certain race dose not give us the right to stereotype them as a bad human being. Fred Edmund Jandt (2003), the word â€Å"stereotype† was first used to show the judgments made about individuals on the origin of their racial background. Today the expression is more commonly used to pass on to events made on the basis of a groups association. Psychologists have attempted to give explanations of stereotyping as errors that our brains make in the judgment of other people that are related to those mistakes our brains make in the view of illustration illusions. When information is blurred, the brain frequently reaches the incorrect conclusion. (p.77) Fred Edmund Jandt (2003), is the practice of racial profiling stereotyping? Profiling refers to a law enforcement carry out of scrutinizing of certain persons based on characteristics thought to classify an option of illegal activities. Example, a person traveling a... ...inar strips away cultural stereotypes. Pittsburgh Tribunei-Review. Retrieved October 30, 2008, from http://www.pittsburghlive.com////region/_529578.html Jandt, F. E. (2003, July 21). Barries to intercultural communication. In An introduction to intercultural communication (4th ed., pp. 77,79). Sage Publications, Inc. Retrieved October 28, 2008, from http://books.google.com/books?id=LyHDS--WSywC&pg=PA79&lpg=PA79&dq=a+person+traveling+alone+is+more+likely+to+engage+in+terrorist+activity&source=bl&ots=Kmn1NAlTjX&sig=7i-h54dh_2kROXAHmjgO0HJqogw&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=2&ct=result#PPA71,M1 Morgenstern, H. (n.d.). Suicide terror - fire fighters response. In Suicide terror - fire fighters response [Fact sheet]. Retrieved October 28, 2008, from http://www.nationalhomelandsecurityknowledgebase.com/Research/International_Articles/Suicide_Terror_and_FireFighters.html