Pride of the Anthropocentric World vs. the Theocentric World

Pride of the Anthropocentric World vs. the Theocentric World Verna Drieas Throughout The Iliad and the Tanakh, pride becomes an apparent theme, which frames characters and their worldview of humanity as a whole. Within the Tanakh, the Jews look down upon pride or admiring oneself, because they associate all their gain   to God. Yet, pride for the Greeks was about more than just one thinking highly of themselves, it was about being respected and honored by men now and those to come. The reason for this being that the Greeks live in an anthropocentric world, whereas the Jews live in a theocentric world. Living in an anthropocentric world means that the human is the main focus, so the Greeks felt that their Gods held no glory which they had to humble themselves before. Leading the Greeks to act as Gods themselves, therefore taking the glory away from the Gods of Olympus. For the Jews, God is the central element of their lives, so they associate [1]their prosperity to the glory of God, who they believe allowed them to have such blessings. Consequently, the Jews push aside their pride to acknowledge that they are nothing without God and ensure that God remains with them. Coming from different worldviews, causes the Greeks to put their pride above all others because humanity to them is greater than any divine, whereas the Jews associate[2] pride with sin, because they believe that all their gifts come from God so it is wrong to take credit for such blessings.[3][4] When David returned from war with the Philistines, the people chanted his name and praised him for his bravery. Saul, hearing this, became angry and sought out to kill David as he saw that David was a favorite among the people and feared that he would go after his crown. Fortunately, Sauls son, Jonathan, told David of his fathers plan, so David escaped from Saul and fled from one place to another to hide from the wrath of Saul. As David was hiding in the cave of En-gedi, Saul came in to relieve himself, so David went and cut off a piece of his cloak. David then felt guilty for doing so to Saul, The Lord forbid I should do such a thing to my lord- the Lords anointed- that I should raise my hand against him; for he is the Lords anointed (I Samuel 24. 7). Rather than killing Saul, he spares him because he is the Messiah, he was chosen by God. David feels as if he can not bring harm to Saul because then he would upset the Lord. Even though Saul insults David and continuously threatens h is life, David puts his pride aside and does not kill Saul for the sake of God. In contrast when Achilles was asked to put aside his pride for the sake of his comrades he was not willing to do so, for Agamemnon stole his war prize, Briseis and claimed her as his own. This was an attack towards Achilles as Agamemnon not only took away his trophy but his timà ª,   also known as honor. This humiliated Achilles, as Agamemnon continued to insult him and discredit his war efforts, Achilles then questioned Should he draw the long sharp sword slung at his hip, thrust through the ranks and kill Agamemnon now? (The Iliad I. 224-225). If Athena had not come down from Olympus to calm the fury in the heart of Achilles, he would have killed Agamemnon. To Achilles, his pride was far greater than the life of Agamemnon, as he was willing to kill him regardless of his position. Although both David and Achilles were faced with an inner-conflict of whether or not they should kill their king, they deal with it in different ways. David puts aside his pride and stops himself from committing such a violent act, and even feels remorse for simply cutting off a piece of Sauls cloak, because he is Gods chosen one. He fears God and is not willing to put his pride ahead, because he comes from a world where mans focal point in life is pleasing God. On the other hand, Achilles wants to kill Agamemnon for dishonoring him, he doesnt try to stop himself, rather it is Athena who stops him. Achilles does not care about Agamemnon nor does he fear him, as he would rather Agamemnon be dead than his pride be aggrieved. Being that they come from different worlds, Achilles and David handle the situation differently. David fears God because his whole world focuses on God and pleasing the Lord. Whereas Achilles does not need to fear the Gods, since they hold no true holiness, and in his world, human beings hold the greatest significance, so Achilles cares more about what man will say about him and his honor, rather than what the Gods will say or do to him. So the different worldviews affect the way in which characters value their pride. After Nathan had come to talk to David about Gods wishes, of building him a temple and relayed the Lords covenant to David, David said to God, What am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me thus far?You are great indeed, O Lord God! There is none like you and there is no other God but you (II Samuel 7. 18, 22). David reflects on all that he has gained over the time and he realizes that he has prospered immensely. Yet, he does not boast, rather he takes the time to thank God for all that he has given him and even vows to build the Lord a place for public worship. He does not become prideful and blame all his success on himself, instead he acknowledges that he is nothing without the Lord who blessed him with such riches. When it comes to the Greeks, they however are not the same. As Patroclus goes to war, in the place of Achilles, he kills one man after the other, with Zeus watching over him. Until Hector faces him and stabs him in the guts and mocks him, but Patroclus answers right back saying, Even if twenty Hectors had charged against me-theyd all have died here, laid low by my spear. No deathly fate in league with Apollo killed me (The Iliad XVI. 991-993). Patroclus shows no thanks to the Gods, rather he takes pride in all his success thus far in the war. He says that he could have taken any man, as he was able to face Gods who could not kill him. Patroclus boasts in himself, because he sees himself as a man who is greater than even the Gods and could defeat even twenty Hectors. Though both characters are blessed with gifts and talents, David connects his success to   the glory of the Lord, whereas Patroclus claims that all his talents and his ability to kill so many men was his doing alone. Patroclus is able to do so because he comes from a world where humans are held at a higher value than other beings, even divine beings, however he does not acknowledge that his gifts are given by the Gods. Instead he takes the glory of the Gods for himself and indulges in his own success, and forgets the Gods when he is able to gain such defeat over the Trojan warriors. In contrast, David thanks God for all that he has acquired, he knows that he was given all these blessings through the Lord. Unlike Patroclus, when David is faced with great prosperity, he humbles himself and questions the Lord saying Who am I to receive all these gifts from you. He does not claim all his success for himself, as he sees that he could not have done any of that without Gods doing. Si nce David does come from a theocentric world, his whole life revolves around God, so he does not take pride in himself, but rather he takes pride in the Lord being great towards him. In conclusion, pride within the two texts is different in that the characters from the novels come from different worlds, so their pride reflects upon what their focus is. Being that the Greeks come from a world that focuses on man, they are not afraid to admire themselves as all they truly care about is their pride and honor because that is what is carried on through history, and what men will be talking about even when they are dead. However, the Jews fear the Lord far more than man, so they are willing to put their pride aside in order to please the Lord above all. When faced with similar situations the characters from The Iliad and the Tanakh, go about the situation differently, because their central focuses in life are different from one another.

PESTLE analysis Essay

PESTLE analysis, which is sometimes referred as PEST analysis, is a concept in marketing principles. Moreover, this concept is used as a tool by companies to track the environment they’re operating in or are planning to launch a new project/product/service etc.PESTLE is a mnemonic which in its expanded form denotes P for Political, E for Economic, S for Social, T for Technological, L for Legal and E for Environmental. It gives a bird’s eye view of the whole environment from many different angles that one wants to check and keep a track of while contemplating on a certain idea/plan. Political and legal factors Political and legal factors are here regarded as a unit. They refer to framework given by politics. The exist regulatory or legal frameworks, which can be binding for regions, nations or on an international basis. The frameworks deal with economical issues or issues concerning the labour market.Subsidies for instance fall in the category of economical issues. According to the degree of support through subsidies, a country can be more or less attractive for a company. With respect to the labour law of a country, it can highly influence location decisions, too. If e.g. the dismissal protection in a country is very good, a firm may tend to choose a country with a more flexible hire-and-fire-system. Furthermore, political environment can have a significant influence on businesses, political factors affect consumer confidence and consumer and business spending. For instance, how stable is the political environment? This is particularly important for companies entering new markets. Government policies on regulation and taxation can vary from state to state and across national boundaries. Political considerations also encompass trade treaties, such as NAFTA, ASEAN, and EU. Such treaties tend to favor trade among the member countries but impose penalties or less favorable trade terms on nonmembers. Economical factors Economical factors deal with national or international economical developments and have a direct influence on supplier and consumer markets. Examples of economical factors that play a big role are: the GDP, the rate of inflation, interests, the change rate, employment or the situation of money markets. These economical factors influence demand, competition  intensity, cost pressure and the will to invest. For instance, if the gross domestic product of a country is fairly low, the demand is in general lower than in countries with a higher GDP. Social factors Social factors deal with social issues regarding the values, ideas, opinions and the culture of market participants. Market participants can be employees, customers or suppliers. Through their contact with the company, they influence it due to their opinions. The company needs to follow the market participant’s change of value and adapt its strategies. Nowadays, a change of values concerning environmental protection is on the move. Technological environmental factors Technological environmental factors are meanwhile of a great importance, especially for industrial companies, which underlie a fast technological change. The increasing speed of technological changes, like in microelectronics or robotics can either indicate risks or chances for a company. Particularly producing companies are affected of that fast evolution. Environmental factors At last, environmental factors are becoming more and more important nowadays. They regard natural resources and the basis of human life. Among those, the availability of raw materials and energy is the main topic. As the availability of fossil fuels, like oil or coal, gets worse within the next decades, the dependency on those fuels stays pretty risky. Moreover, to show an ecological responsibility, companies should assess and reduce their ecological damage. Through rare raw materials and increasing pollution, an environmentally friendly management gets spotlighted more and more by the public interest. Consequently, eco-friendly products or technologies can even signify a competitive advantage. To maximise on the benefit of PESTEL it should be used on a regular basis within an organisation to enable identification of any changes in trends. The impact of any external factor may have more severe impact on any division or department but, PESTEL will enable clarification why change is needed and identify potential solutions. As with all techniques there  advantages and disadvantages when ever using it.PASTEL includes some of these advatages;provides easy and simple to use framework for your analysis, helps to treduce threats and impacts of potential treats to your organisation. And also helps you to asses the level of implications of entering a new market both globally and nationaly. However it is also associated with the following disadvantages; as users can over simplfy information used in decision making in an organisation, assumptions often form the basis for most of the data used, making any decision made based on such data subjective. Users must not also succumb to paralysis by analysis where they gather too much information and forget that the objective of this tool is the identification of issues so that action can be taken.

Response Letter By Martin Luther King, Jr. - 1143 Words

Response Letter How long do we have to fight for our rights, for our living, or our belief? It is now 2015, and African-American still have less opportunities values than white or any minority and ethnic groups. We need to educate our youth, especially young African-American men, to be more responsible, more educated, and have more opportunities to become better leaders and to show respect for themselves and to other peoples. We need to, by all mean, to fix our black community from violence and death and return it to its former glory. To quote Martin Luther King. â€Å"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.†(â€Å"Martin Luther King, Jr. Quotes at BrainyQuote.com†) The judicial system is corrupted. And we, as a black community, have to fix this corruption once and for all. On August 9, of last year, an unarmed black man named Michael Brown was shot down by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri. Later that year a grand jury declared the officer â€Å"not g uilty.† The decision outrage the Ferguson community so much that people turn to riots and looting for they amusement. The findings of the grand jury suggested that Brown was the aggressor in his encounter with Wilson and that the officer acted in self-defense. Yet, if you ask what Michael Brown may have done wrong in this situation, many will say that you are blaming the victim (Loury). This is unacceptable. We are showing a terrible example for our black youth from taking advantage of this man death byShow MoreRelatedLetter From Birmingham Jail Analysis1617 Words   |  7 PagesRevolutionary Response Place yourself in the shoes of someone who is not allowed to sit down on a public bus,; who is not permitted to stay in certain motels,; who is not tolerated in the â€Å"white only† family amusement park,; that was the painful impediment that African Americans of the 1960’s faced solely due to the melanin in their skin (King 2). Among these African Americans was the reverend, doctor, humanist, husband, and Civil Rights activist, Mr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King was a middleRead MoreWho knew the two most powerful African Americans that influence countless of people in history and700 Words   |  3 Pageslocked up in jail? Martin Luther King Jr. was incarcerated because the city officials issued a court injunction to prohibit the civil rights marches in Birmingham. Whereas, Malcolm x was arrested for burglary while trying to pick up a stolen watch he had left for repairs at a jewelry shop. The fight for civil right was taken in the 1960s, where racism was a proble m. Whites discriminated blacks because they thought they werent equal to them. This is where Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcom X comeRead Moreï » ¿An Analysis of Letter from a Birmingham Jail1204 Words   |  5 PagesLetter from Birmingham Jail was written by Martin Luther King Jr. As he states in the title, in a Birmingham, Alabama jail. Martin Luther King Jr. was jailed because he participated on a nonviolent protest of segregation in public places such as lunch counters and public restrooms. During his jail time, Martin Luther King Jr. read a criticism about a protest made by a group of white ministers, accusing King of being an outsider, of using extreme measures that incite hatred and violence, that hisRead MoreThe Legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.1123 Words   |  4 PagesMartin Luther King Jr. (January 15, 1929 - April 4, 1968) was known as an activist and a remarkable leader for African Americans throughout the Civil Rights Movement. He was put in jail for his non-violent civil rights campaigns, spoke out for racial justice, and tried to find an end to racial discrimination. King’s legacy is still known present day, and continues to be one of the most well known leaders. Throughout Martin Luther King Jr.’s lifetime and the Civil Rights Movement, King was devotedRead MoreLetter from Birmingham Jail, by Martin Luther King Jr. Essay938 Words   |  4 Pages Is it not ironic that Martin Luther King Jr. s, â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail†, which testifies to his struggle for Civil Rights; not only contradicts the time Martin Luther King wrote it in, but also echoes the same sentiments of today’s moral causes and laws? . Dr. King (*) then known as Baptist minister Martin Luther King Jr. wrote the Letter to Birmingham in response to his fellow clergymen’s criticisms of him being locked up for his actions in Birmingham’s Civil Rights protest. The letter’sRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Of Letter From Birmingham Jail1281 Words   |  6 Pagesknow it. Martin Luther King Jr. was a pastor who knew it was time to stand up for African American rights. Martin Luther King Jr. was attempted to convince his readers that his beliefs on racism are true. His main focus, and audience, is the eight white clergymen and the white moderate churchgoers. He is a credible source on the topic of segregation and his tone is smooth and gentle. He was not hateful in his tactics. He gets his point across rather calmly. Martin Luther King Jr. does an incredibleRead MoreMartin Luther King Jr.: How Society Changed859 Words   |  4 Pageswas Martin Luther King Jr. King’s ideas sparked the ideal perspective of equality. Martin Luther King Jr. fought for equality by organizing marches, giving powerful speeches, and staying positive through adversity. Martin Luther King Jr. knew of the constant racism and cruelty in Birmingham, Alabama and decided to lead a march in 1963. Martin Luther King Jr. and Ralph Abernathy, treasurer of the SCLC, led a group of fifty marchers toward city hall in Birmingham (Boerst, 12). Martin Luther King JrRead MoreMartin Luther King Jr.s States Segregation Not Only Hurts Blacks but also Whites597 Words   |  3 PagesMartin Luther King Jr. On April 16, 1963 Martin Luther King Jr. wrote his famous Letter from Birmingham Jail, in which he responded to the Southern Clergy men’s letter appealing to the end of the demonstrations to end the demonstrations against segregation. King responded with his own letter pleading with the clergy to end segregation. In his letter he used examples of pathos, ethos, and logos to express himself to the clergymen. He also used his knowledge as a minister and a leader in his communityRead MoreEssay on Letter From Birmingham Jail, by Martin Luther King Jr.742 Words   |  3 PagesDr. Martin Luther King Jr. one of many great influential speakers wrote a life changing letter after being arrested for peacefully protesting African American rights. While sitting in jail Dr. King received a letter from clergymen questioning his motives and timings for being in Birmingham. In a response Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. writes a â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail† vividly expressing physical and emotional purposes for his presence in Birmingham, AL. First, in the â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail†Read MoreThe Portrayal Analysis Of Martin Luther King Jr.1211 Words   |  5 Pagesand beyond to bring about change: Martin Luther King Jr. He fought continuously for rights of African Americans even when he was, secluded from the world, in jail. One particular time, he was arrested for protesting the rights of African Americans in Birmingham, Alabama. Once in jail, he received criticism for his works by â€Å"fellow clergymen† regarding his â€Å"unwise and untimely† actions (King Jr.). To combat the comments made about him, King wrote a letter in response. He starts by giving the â€Å"four basic

The Issue Of Illegal Immigrants - 2135 Words

Introduction The debate of who should be allowed to enter the United States has been an issue for many years, with the large number of people entering and living here illegally this has become a significant talking point amongst the candidates in this presidential election. But are their views something that should be shared and supported by Christians today? There are definitely two opposing views from Christians on this topic. I will present both views regarding illegal immigrants in the United States and then I will present my own opinion on this topic. There are two points of view on the issue of illegal immigrants. One side of the argument says that illegal immigrants should be allowed into the country and should be able to get help from the church to obtain legal documents. The other side states that illegal immigrants should not be allowed into the country because it is illegal and that goes against Biblical teachings. This debate has been going on for many years and depending on the outcome of the elections, the issue will be resolved one of the two ways. Argument for Illegal Immigrants The central argument for illegal immigration is the fact that as Christians we should love our neighbor as ourselves and foreigners are no exception. Exodus 23:21 says, â€Å"Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt†. One of the problems that arises with illegal immigration is the fact that they are usually without money and without a place to stay. TheShow MoreRelatedThe Issue Of Illegal Immigrants Essay1370 Words   |  6 Pageswhat their past may be. To get a better idea of how important this issue is we will be looking at several things. The impact felony disenfranchisement has on the voting nation, the people who were for and against felony disenfranchisement, which states allow felons to vote, several facts on the history of disenfranchisement, how other countries handle felons voting compared to the United States, and the issue of illegal immigrants getting to vote but not the felons. The men and women that are releasedRead MoreThe Issue Of Illegal Immigrants Essay1374 Words   |  6 Pageswhat their past may be. To get a better idea of how important this issue is we will be looking at several things. The impact felony disenfranchisement has on the voting nation, the people who were for and against felony disenfranchisement, which states allow felons to vote, several facts on the history of disenfranchisement, how other countries handle felons voting compared to the United States, and the issue of illegal immigrants getting to vote but not the felons. The men and women that are releasedRead MoreThe Issue Of Illegal Immigrants1441 Words   |  6 Pageshighly debate and criticize illegal immigration, arguing that illegal immigrants are drug addicted thieves who thrive off of stealing American’s jobs and harming the United States labor force and the economy. As the immigration rate progressively rise’s it simultaneously concerns those who favor strict immigration laws and believe that illegal immigrants are harming the United States. However, these assumptions are hardly fact based and people fail to acknowledge that immigrants are human beings who onlyRead MoreThe Issue Over Illegal Immigrants1594 Words   |  7 PagesIs our government giving false reassurance concerning the risk of infectious diseases being spread by illegal immigrants? Are they basing our risk of infection on another country study results who â€Å"closely matches our TB program? Has the debate and concern over illegal immigrants in the United Sta tes sparked fears among health authorities about the spread of tuberculosis? According to a medical news article entitled, History of Tuberculosis, â€Å"Tuberculosis has around since ancient times, it existedRead MoreIllegal Immigrants : A Controversial And Key Immigration Issue1225 Words   |  5 PagesThe Illegal immigrant population in the United States is a controversial and key immigration issue. Our Author John Savant (2009) talks about illegal immigrants in his article â€Å"Imaging the Immigrant: Why legality must give way to humanity†. He is a professor of English at Dominican University of California. Illegal immigrants immigrate in search of a better life. On the other side author Lamar Smith (2014) talks about legalization of illegal immigrant in his article â€Å" Should illegal immigrants beRead MoreIllegal Immigration Become A National Security Issue Since Illegal Immigrants926 Words   |  4 Pagesmore secured from what it used to be prior to the terroris t attacks (CBP, 2009, p. 5). The main reason is due to illegal immigration becoming a national security issue since illegal immigration can create opportunities for terrorists to commit terrorist attacks in the homeland by importing weapons and terrorist personal to the United States via smuggling routes that illegal immigrants use when they cross the border (CBP, 2009, p. 6). However, if suddenly the border was to be made less open and moreRead MoreEssay about The Issue of Illegal Immigrants from Mexico853 Words   |  4 PagesThe Issue of Illegal Immigrants from Mexico One of the most controversial political issues of today is that of illegal immigrants from Mexico. Illegal immigration into the United States is a problem that should be stopped, as it is unfair to both Americans and to the people of the country from which they illegal immigrated. It is that the majority of illegal aliens residing in the United States are Mexicans. Roy Beck clarifies the situation by stating, The national consensus is that theRead MoreEssay about Illegal Immigration in the United States932 Words   |  4 PagesIllegal immigration in the US is and has been an ongoing battle for many years. According to legal-dictionary an illegal immigrant is define as an alien (non-citizen) who has entered the united sates without government permission or stayed beyond the termination date of a visa. There are many problems that occur such as overpopulation, raising crime rates and unemployment. Some Americans have issues with illegal immigration and some do not. Those with th e issues are concerned about illegal immigrantsRead MoreImmigrants Fear of Crime and Lack of Confidence991 Words   |  4 PagesILLEGAL IMMIGRATION ISSUE [Student name] [Instructor name] DATE ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION ISSUE The illegal immigrant is one who migrates into a country violating the procedures and laws of immigration of that country. There are many problems associated with illegal immigration both for the host country and the illegal immigrant. These problems are economic, political, and social. OBJECTIVE The object of this study is to design a research study that deals with immigrants fear of crime and lackRead MoreIllegal Immigration In The United States Essay1217 Words   |  5 PagesNational Issues Paper: Illegal Immigration There are more than 10 million illegal immigrants living in the United Sates, and each day that number is increasing by 1,400 illegal aliens. An illegal immigrant is a foreigner who either illegally crossed an international political border, whether it was by land, sea or air, or whether it be a foreigner who legally entered a country but nevertheless overstayed their visa in order to live and/or work there. The two focal attractions that the illegal immigrants