Conceptions of self

Entering a Christian church, one cannot help but notice how warmly those attending the service are welcomed inside, being greeted in a familial sense as “brother” or “sister.” This results in a strong sentiment of community and an impression of the church as a sort of haven, a place of stillness and peace from the endless commotion of the outdoors. The construction of such places surely stems from man 's desire for solace from the world around him, which appears so uncontrollable and mysterious.…

Some kids are army brats, some kids are marine brats, some are navy brats… I, on the other hand, am a garage brat. My parents opened their own automotive repair business upon learning that my mother was pregnant. This business would expand into a towing company. Not surprisingly, my first memory is being in a truck. I was just two years old, and I was seated between my parents. This was before my parents abandoned their favorite hobby, drag racing, in order to be dedicated entrepreneurs. We…

heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.” (Colossians 3:23). Self-sacrificing could be done for many reasons but it always comes down to the individuals beliefs. In the verse the Bible states that no one person should do anything for the people of this world, and self- sacrificing isn’t for others but for the person own self and for his or her God or religion. Since religions are very different from one another, sacrificing one’s self can also be done differently. Years ago, sacrificing…

Brocklehurst had planned to render the students as “hardy, patient, self-denying.” These are all traits that are expressed within the Bible as those of a good Christian and therefore Bronte is saying that the awful conditions of the school such as starvation, disease, and even death are all the fault of religion. Bronte…

When the shell built by childhood and innocence becomes removed, it’s as if for the first time an individual can truly see the limitless boundaries of the horizon. For Elie Wiesel in his work, Night, his boundaries lied at the edge of his hometown of Sighet. At age 16, Elie wanted to expand his horizons by strengthening his relationship with God, and although his father was against Elie taking up spirituality, he went and found himself a tutor in Moishe the Beedle. Months into their lessons, the…

My original understanding of Atheism focused on several distinctions that I felt acted to characterize basic differences between an atheist and theist. Of these particularities, I honed in upon experiencing life without a God figure present, as well as the importance of being fully aware in the environments we inhabit for the sake of forgoing the jurisdiction of a supreme being. An attempt was made to emphasize this approach by asking the reader to understand that we as individuals exist in a…

“What kind of God are you?” this question echoes through the theatre as Celie sings a desperate plea to God in The Color Purple the revival of the 2006 musical that opened in New York December 10th, 2015. Directed by John Doyle with a book by Marsha Norman based on Alice Walker’s 1982 Pulitzer Prize winning novel by the same name, the musical takes the audience on a journey through Celie’s life as she attempts to answer this question for herself. The musical is a portrait of Celie’s life as an…

During my early Christian life, I often wondered how does the God look like? I heard people saying testimonies that God spoke to them, they heard the voice of God. But really, Does God speak like normal humans? For me, God is beyond my expectations and he is extraordinary. After reading the article “The Ineffability of God” by Ron Rolheiser, I could easily relate most of the parts mentioned in the article to my life that is, I always escape from thoughts about God’s appearance because I’m…

The author utilizes this article to inform readers about the misuse of the name Jehovah in Christian translation. He points out that this was mispronunciation was recognized and caused The New American Standard Bible to remove it from their version. Names that should have been known for God in Christianity were not included in our translations. Listing the Contents Adler What’s in a name article- Brief Explanation of the Contents The author utilizes this article to inform readers about…

An overlaying theme that stands out to me: the everlasting love of a gracious father to an undeserving people. I relate to these people as time and time again I have strayed from the Lord when I thought that I knew best. Personally, I came form a background where the Bible was strictly a religion and not a relationship. I came from a background where I was constantly put down for messing up and being told that I was worthless to God. There came a time in my life where I placed my eyes on man…