When Religious Beliefs Overpower Human Rights - 1489 Words

Free societies benefit from a separation of church and state, while others are greatly governed by a combination of the two. The problem arises when religious beliefs overpower human rights, and oppression takes over. At the center of its core, Buddhism emphasizes on meditation as the path towards liberation of the wheel of samsara. To further my understanding, I chose to focus on a Tibetan meditation practice known as Vajrayana, which is the most important practice from the Theravada schools as a means to the liberation of all sentient beings, hence, eliminating oppression and suffering (Lewis, 69). To gain a greater understanding and appreciation for this practice, I participated in a meditation service and lecture given by Buddhist monk†¦show more content†¦According to Lopon Wandgu’s lecture, visualization of self as an enlightened being is the reason why one meditates. Empowerment, which comes from the embodiment of the five wisdoms of the Buddha, allows for prai se and offering through recitation (mantra), which â€Å"rotates around the seed syllable at the heart† (Wandgu). Dissolution during meditation allows for the environment to be melted into the â€Å"seed syllable†, finally melting into emptiness. During the final stages of meditation, one must arise again â€Å"as deity.† The last part referred to as the dedication, requires the â€Å"practitioner to dedicate the merit [from the merit bank] of meditation to the benefit of all sentient beings† (Wandgu). After the main meditation section, the practitioner is required to try and keep the feeling of being an intrinsic deity. Lopon Wangdu, stated that meditation is not for ourselves, but for the liberation of all sentient beings and for the enlightenment of deities that are capable to help other sentient beings. Lopon Wandgu explained that that are three types of practitioners, inferior, middle person, and the superior. For the purposes of this paper, I will focus on the superior level, because at this level one knows that we are all on the same â€Å"samsara boat† (Wandgu), and the only â€Å"way out† is to help others reach a mind of enlightenment. In Vajarayana practice we also take refuge in the Dharma protectors, who are highly advanced beings capableShow MoreRelatedNietzsche And Murdoch s Theme Of Morality978 Words   |  4 Pagesfrom religion itself. A comparable theme from both Nietzsche and Murdoch is that humans derive their beliefs about human nature from morality. Nietzsche believes morality is living out passions, rather than suppressing them as religion does. Nietzsche denies religious moral values and believes that each individual’s conscience has natural passion to determine what is immoral or moral. Nietzsche believes that as human beings get morality from nature. Nietzsche believes that there are people with aRead MoreThe Evolution Of The Human Race1681 Words   |  7 PagesFaith Vs. Fact The universe is a vast and endless portal of knowledge and experience whose origin and creation is not fully proven. There are two ideologies that the human race has adopted into giving reason for our existence as well as our evolution; this being, religion, and science. Science and religion have been in a conflicting battle against each other in discovering truth about the universe and their main ideas disregard the other making them ultimately incompatible. Throughout historyRead More AHAB in moby dick Essay969 Words   |  4 Pagesoff from humanity, in reality it is what makes him human. Ahab desperately wants to be freed from his obsession – to not have to rely upon it to feel. It is because Ahab is no longer in control of his obsession that the reader eventually discovers that besides what the book originally seems to insinuate, Ahab is only human. The first few times that Ahab is introduced to the reader and to his crew, he appears to be inhuman. Even his description when he first appears on deck states that he â€Å"seemed madeRead MoreThe Importance Of Social Work1507 Words   |  7 Pagesand be able to provide effective practice to individuals, families, groups, and communities. As we all know, it is critically important for social workers to empower clients by focusing on their strengths and promote their abilities, not to overpower them with own perspectives, assumptions, and judgments. Focusing on client strengths with empowerment enhance the quality of social work practice that helps to increase clients’ abilities and promotes positive processes, interventions, and outcomesRead MoreThe Hunt By Josephine Donovan927 Words   |  4 PagesUnlike animals, humans are able to observe past the mere monochromatic vision of survival. We have an impeccable ability to desire more than just living to breed, and bree ding only to someday perish. Thus, we gradually brush this canvas with the colours of ethics, control, and knowledge. Whether the colours fade or become prominent through time, this canvas becomes our perception of normality and we allow it to justify our actions; favorable or harmful. We, as well as the narrator in the short storyRead MoreEssay on Abortion: A License to Kill1373 Words   |  6 Pagesroots and looks at our cores to give the individual the choice to the being growing within the mother. No government should take away that basic human right to chose what is best not for them as a family, but their child. There is an innumerable amount of defenses to allow parents to off their growing babies, and the only real defense for it is purely religious. Now, religion is great in theory, but throughout its entire history, all it has is allowed and advocated is the oppression of people who soRead MoreLiberalism Is The Root Of Our American Soil Essay1217 Words   |  5 PagesWe have all heard the terms â€Å"right wing conservatives† and â€Å"left wing liberals,† but many people are not quite sure which wing is correct. Although both sides have good arguments for separate issues, in my opinion, liberalism should be guiding our thinking when it comes to our economic ways, and political rights; liberalism is the root of our American soil. Many people believe that steering away from liberalism is the right way to create change, and build upon our freedoms, but by returning to whatRead MoreHistory Of Taliban And Their War Against Women1428 Words   |  6 PagesSayid Mohammed Najibullah’s regime. Taliban became more dominant in the year 1994 when Pakistan picked the movement to provide guidance to the Pakistan trade convoys to Central Asia. Due to the efficient supply of armor, financial aids, and military training, the Taliban Movement was able to seal the fate of President Sayid by extending their control in numerous Afghan Cities. The movement is firmly based on religious and ethnic bonds including the Sunni Muslim Pashtuns and Pashtuns clans which makeRead MoreMark Steyn s Views On The Pursuit Of Truth1590 Words   |  7 Pagesdistaste in the religious practice. Painting a religion of over a billion followers with the same brush is not only extremely detrimental to society, but to only showcase Mark Steyn’s opinions as well as the many articles that posit an unfavourable view of Islam which were highlighted in Maclean’s is harmful for a society such as Canada and in no way contributes to achieving truth. In order to grow and develop as a democratic society, the values of the majority should not overpower those of the minorityRead MoreThe Apartheid Of South Africa1750 Words   |  7 Pagesprinciples and enduring extraordinary sacrifices that robbed him of most of his adult life, he helped force change, while proving beyond any doubt that he was a leader who could be trusted to keep his word† (Kent). Nelson Mandela (1918-2013) was a human rights activist as well as the first black President of South Africa. Referred to as the living embodiment of black liberation, Mandela specifically fought against the government system of South Africa known as apartheid (Lacayo, Washington, Monroe,

Hat Task 1 Essay - 1012 Words

HAT Task 1 The community I decided to research and compose this paper is one from which I live, Kent County Michigan. I gathered data from several different resources such as the Kent County Health Department and Michigan Department of Community Health in order to create a community assessment. The data I collected can be broken down into four different assessment pieces. The first assessment piece is labeled population and economic status. I obtained the majority of this information from the Kent County Health Department. Kent County is located in the middle of West Michigan in the Southern Peninsula. The population as of 2011 was totaled to 608,453. The majority of this population consisted of people between the ages of 15†¦show more content†¦African Americans voiced distrust among healthcare providers however they did support and agree for a universal healthcare system. Hispanics voiced concern for the lack of translation services due to language barriers and issues surrounding do cumented legal status and the difficulty this poses to accessing healthcare (2009, Michigan Department of Health). I discovered that in the area there are over 50 parks with various indoor and outdoor activities for all to enjoy. The third assessment piece is entitled neighborhood and community safety. This information was obtained from local agencies. I noted the Health Department and local hospitals are very involved in providing health services, education, and discussions for the community free of charge. The air quality for Kent County is considered poor. We have had at least 7 air pollution days per year due to fine particulate matter and ozone. The water quality in the last 5 years has been excellent. 0.09% of public water supplies exceeded contamination levels during this time frame (2011, Kent County Health Department). The wild life in the area can cause a potential for disease, and the many surrounding lakes, rivers and streams can cause a potential for drowning. Due to th e location of Kent County we risk potential severe weather events. The violent crime rate in the area was 0.34% significantly lower than the national average. It was alsoShow MoreRelatedHat 1 Task 11541 Words   |  7 PagesPaul D. Parker HAT 1: Task 1 Merced County Health Status A community’s health can be established through a myriad of differing factors. Three specific factors that will help to determine the health of the county in which I live are community safety, disaster preparedness, as well as an analysis of the population. The community under review, Merced, is located in central California and made up of seventeen cities and communities whose individual populations do not exceed more than 75,000 andRead MoreKey Findings From Secondary Sources1510 Words   |  7 Pagesall parts of the guide were be relevant to this Hills Hat project, it was nevertheless very comprehensive and encouraged a whole-of-life analysis. †¢ Operations Management, Edition 9, by Jay Heizer and Barry Render (Heizer Render, 2008). This book provided a thorough examination of manufacturing operations and productivity and included a multitude of tools, techniques and worked examples that had some relevant to this project. †¢ Hills Hats documentation was a helpful source of historical informationRead MoreInferences And Implications. The Inferences, Implications1181 Words   |  5 Pagesproject sponsor authorise the project’s implementation. In particular, before the project is implemented, the following things need to be checked: 1. Do our project team members agree completely on the project scope? 2. Are team all roles and responsibilities clearly defined and understood? 3. Will the project team meet on a regular basis? 4. Are project tasks defined sufficiently so progress can be tracked? 5. Will progress reports be produced regularly for key stakeholders? 6. Will project issues beRead MoreSEO Company Case Study814 Words   |  4 Pagesconsider is the type of methods practiced by the SEO firm. When it comes to SEO there are White Hat technique and then there are Black Hat techniques. Although now most of the SEO firms will be following White Hat techniques, it is likely that some still to use Black Hat techniques. †¢ Google has recently modified the search engine algorithm and hence this makes it harder for SEO firms to follow Black Hat techniques. Furthermore the watchful algorithm of Google also blacklists websites for followingRead MoreAnalysis Of The Union Of Medtronic And Covidien1020 Words   |  5 Pages Florence Leykin Group 4 Assignment #3 Chapter 1 Organization- Medtronic is a company where they want to improve lives by having medical technology. They can create innovations for health systems, hospitals, and healthcare providers so they can help and provide the best care possible to patients and their families around the world. Medtronic is working with health systems to provide and combine our capabilities with their knowledge to help change how the company can work together and to achieveRead MoreIs Your NY Business Investing In The Right SEO Case Study910 Words   |  4 PagesSEO companies will implement different methods to achieve their targets. However, it is a good idea to first inquire about the process of the SEO firm and also make that they are committed to your project. †¢ To be successful at SEO is not the easiest task in the world and can take anywhere from 4 to 12 months. For every firm there are likely to be several thousand other similar firms in the same line of work trying to get ahead and promote their own website. For example, if you are trying to promoteRead MoreShould You Hire an Experienced Hacker to Protect Your It Systems819 Words   |  4 PagesIn undertaking the daunting task of securing your Information Technology systems, I think you have to take what ever measures necessary. You can not afford to let competitors or criminal minded individuals gain access to your vital data. I say who better to safeguard this information than someone who knows the intricacies of what a hacker looks for when trying to infiltrate a network. I think you would be making a mistake not to at least look in to hiring a hacker to help your organization. FistRead MoreTaking a Look at Basmati Rice1005 Words   |  4 PagesMETHODOLOGY Rice grains of two Indian Basmati varieties namely; 1121 Basmati Rice and Sharbati Basmati Rice were taken up for quality analysis task. The basic steps in the quality analysis of Indian Basmati rice grains using Top-Hat Transformation are as follows: a) Image Acquisition. b) Convert RGB to Gray scale image. c) Perform Morphological operations. d) Apply Top-Hat Transformation on the image. e) Image segmentation using Thresholding method. f) Parameter calculation. g) Histogram creation. h) ComputeRead MoreEssay on Strategic Management and Strategic Competitiveness1374 Words   |  6 PagesRUNNING HEAD: STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT AND STRATEGIC COMPETITIVENESS 1 Strategic Management and Strategic Competitiveness XXXXXXXX Strayer University BUS 499 Business Administration Capstone XXXXXXXX April 18, 2013 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT AND STRATEGIC COMPETITIVENESS 2 With offices in more than 30 countries, Red Hat, founded in 1993, is the worlds leading provider of open source solutions, using a community-powered approachRead MoreEthical Hacking : A Breach Of Security1457 Words   |  6 Pagesmust first understand what hacking really is. As defined by dictionary.com hacking means to modify a computer program or electronic device in a skillful or clever way: or to break into a network, computer, file, etc., usually with malicious intent.[1] Hacking is performed by a person or group of people know as hackers. In the computer security context, a hacker is someone who seeks and exploits weaknesses in a computer system or computer network. Hackers may be motivated by a multitude of reasons

Linz and Stepan Consolidated Democracy Study Guide and Notes free essay sample

Towards Consolidated Democracies Linz and Stepan * Three conditions before speaking about democratic consolidation * First†¦no state=no democracy * Second†¦. democracy cannot be thought of as consolidated until a democratic transition has been brought to completion * Necessary but by no means sufficient condition for the completion of a democratic transition is the holding of free and contested elections (on the basis of broadly inclusive voter eligibility) that meet the seven institutional requirements for elections in a polyarchy that Robert A. Dahl has set forth * Third†¦. no regime should be called a democracy unless its rulers govern democratically * Cannot fail to rule within the bounds of a state of law, their regimes are not democracies. * Authors: What then are the characteristics of consolidated democracy? * by a consolidated democracy we mean a political regime in which democracy as a complex system of institutions, rules, and patterned incentives and disincentives has become, in a phrase, the only game in town. * Working definition of consolidated democracy is then: Behaviorally- a democratic regime in a territory is consolidated when no significant national, social, economic, political, or institutional actors spend significant resources attempting to achieve their objectives by creating a nondemocratic regime or by seceding from the state * Attitudanly- a democratic regime is consolidated when a strong majority of public opinion, even in the midst of major economic problems and deep dissatisfaction with incumbents, holds the belief that democratic procedures and institutions are the most appropriate way to govern collective life, and when support for antisystem alternatives is quite small or more-or-less isolated from prodemocratic forces * Constitutionally- a democratic regime is consolidated when governmental and nongovernmental forces alike become subject to, and habituated to, the resolution of conflict within the bounds of the specific laws, procedures, and institutions sanctioned by the new democratic process. Consolidated Democracy does not mean NO chance of breakdown and does not mean all Consolidated democracies look alike * In addition to a function state there are 5 other conditions that are necessary: * Conditions must exist for the development of a free and lively civil society * Value articulation and adva ncing of interests key * Autonomous political society * Arena for contestation of power * State bureaucracy that is usable by the new democratic government * Effective Rule of Law * Institutionalized economic society * Rechtsstaat, which is a state subject to law, is absolutely critical for consolidated democracy * Presidents are more likely to abuse and to get around rule of law than PM’s†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦no checks on Presidents like for a PM (i. e. o confidence vote) * Effective democracy requires effective bureaucracy to tax and maintain control of day-to-day functions†¦. many cases (i. e. Chile) bureaucracy remains largely molded by authoritarian past, this needs to change if democracy is to become consolidated * Economics are key for consolidated democracy * No Consolidated democracy with command economy * No consolidated economy with pure market economy * Markets cannot be maintained without a degree of regulation * State has to correct ‘market failures’ * Democracy naturally will push the government to offer so me sort of public goods to alleviate inequality * Democracy is an interacting system†¦.. e need the five characteristics to be acting in unison in order for all of them to be functioning effectively * Two surmountable concerns to consolidation * Ethnic conflict * Disappointed popular hopes for economic improvement * What empirical conditions are the logics of state policies aimed nation-building congruent with those aimed at crafting democracy†¦. conflicts with these different policies are reduced when almost all of the residents of a state identify with one subjective idea of a nation * Democratic transitions in these cases put into question relationship between Demos and Polis * Plurality naturally increases the complexity of politics * Careful crafting of institutions required Some methods of dealing with â€Å"stateness† are inherently incompatible with democracy * How do we achieve democracy in multinational states * Laitin: Competitive-Assimilation Grame†¦. best interests of working class to assimilate in order to have a better future for their kids in this environment * Author: This rarely happens, esp. in newer democracies in E. Europe * How can Democracy be achieved in multinational states? * State policies that grant inclusive and equal citizenship and gie all citizens a common â€Å"roof† of state mandated and enforced rights is the way to go * Federalism is a good policy option as well†¦. lthough you need to establish a national consciousness before decentralizing (otherwise you risk having extremists running these regions) * Political identities * They are not fixed of â€Å"primordial† * If outside forces do not force people to choose†¦many people are happy to identify themselves as having multiple or complementary identities * Examples of reforms that would kill chances of Dem. In multinational societies * Political society†¦. nationalization citizenship laws * Legal system†¦. could privilege one group’s customs over another * Rapid changeover to one language†¦. could leave some groups disadvantaged when accessing state services * One language for school and mass media†¦. eave civil society to develop in only one sector of society * â€Å"Titular nationality† of state could be granted special considerations in the economic realm * Problems of Simaltaneous Reforms * State restructuring must take precedence over economic reforms * Tightly coupled v. loosely coupled (medium range time frame†¦people can make independent and opposite assessments about political and economic trends) conceptions of economy and democracy * People can withstand deterioration of economy for a while†¦. incongruence cannot last forever though * Quality of democracy should be seen as separate from quality of society†¦.. quality of democracy can contribute positively/negatively to this, but two should NOT be confused.