Original sin

and flip on the TV. Such is the rationalization of sin. Sin has a way to reason with the weakness of our flesh. Sin attempts to convince us that our own personal behavior and actions do not really affect or hurt others. In addition, sin responds pridefully in angry or defensive tones when others speak out or attempt to lovingly confront the sinful behavior they see in us. Words like, “Who are you to judge?” or “Why are you so intolerant?” or my…

Transcendence is “the experience we have in our religious environment to something objectively greater.” This is our constant desire for something more. Spirituality is “the gap between what we are, what we aspire to be, and what we think our potential is.” This is what ultimately creates the gap. When focusing on this gap, it goes all the way back to the Ancient Greek and the Egyptians. They would begin with a theory and move to praxis, and apply it to their everyday life. Today, the praxis is…

Salvation In religion, salvation is stated as the saving of the soul from sins and their consequences. But if one is already committed sins he/she has to repent first and confess that sin. Man, by nature, always seeks salvation either by living life without suffering or by death. Usually, salvation is related to faith in religion. If this faith is broken, somehow, religion is broken too. In Beckett’s plays, salvation means saves or protects from harm or awful conditions. Martin Esslin believes…

Crime and Punishment shares the story of how internal conflicts can shape the an individual’s values and priorities, especially when the torment they’ve endured has been lengthy and emotionally consuming. Self-inflicted punishment from guilt and remorse at some point corners characters into finding a way out; a form of salvation and redemption, for they come to realize the magnitude of their crime. Dostoevsky reveals that psychological torment leads an individual to seek forgiveness and…

Anger is not always bad. There are instances where anger is justified (DeYoung 124). Per DeYoung, justifiable anger or “the holy emotion” of anger is expressed when someone we love is endangered or is injured (121). In his book, Deadly sins and saving virtues, Donald Capps describes justifiable anger as an appropriate response toward injustice (30). Justifiable anger intends to do something good and seeks to do justice (DeYoung 121). For instance, the effort to advocate on behalf of someone…

Undoubtedly, “The Second Shepherd’s Play” in the same manner as a variety of plays or poems concerning the Middle Ages, is one to focus its attention on Cristian beliefs and its fundamental teachings. Observed by many as a mystery play, the play follows three shepherds and two additional characters and furthermore adds a delightful twist to conclude the message encoded. Nonetheless, such as other literary works of the era, “The Second Shepherd’s Play” stablishes its motifs and internal…

“Lewis’s Narrates the progress of Ambrosios destruction as his lust leads him to atrocious crimes.” These words of David McCracken concisely depict The Monk which takes the readers through a chaotic journey . In the book The Monk there are many conflicts that are in the way of the characters. Through the use of religion, Romance, and Greed, Matthew Lewis reflect the elements of the supernatural, sexual temptation, and Fallen man thus expressing Gothic Literature. The element of supernatural…

Confession for the Breaking of Covenant (vv.5-7) After his passionate reaction to the news, Nehemiah turns to God in prayer demonstrating his faith in God. In the prayer, Nehemiah reveals to us the true origin of the crisis in Jerusalem. He had insight that the crisis was not just about the shame and reproach the people nor was it about the broken walls but about a broken covenant and a broken relationship. To Nehemiah, God is “the covenant God who both makes and preserves the covenant with his…

Revenge for the Devil I never thought I’d be running through hell with only one arm; fleeing the demons that get off on torturing the souls of the damned. Let’s clear one thing up, they don’t carry around little pitchforks. They prefer tools that can cause more damage, like a hatchet or a sharp blade or two. As I run madly, I get a whiff of the oceans filled with vomit, bile, and the blood leaked out of the tortured. I don’t know if I’ll ever find a way out. You see, Dante was wrong.…

When I was working in the oil and gas industry in Aberdeen I remember hearing about a husband who was caught cheating on his wife and 8 months old with a co-worker. According to the news they had a one-night stand in a hotel, which the man filmed on his cell phone. His wife later found the videos and posted them on the internet and sent them to all her husband 's contacts, friends, and co-workers. The affair, however brief, resulted in them losing their jobs. The clips went viral online and the…