Sunday, December 29, 2019

Feminist Spirituality and Goddess Religion Essay - 1907 Words

Feminist Spirituality and Goddess Religion Thousands of years ago, the Goddess was viewed as an autonomous entity worthy of respect from men and women alike. Because of societal changes caused by Eastern influence, a patriarchial system conquered all aspects of life including religion. â€Å"Furthermore, most feminists interested in goddesses are women who strongly reject western patriarchal theology†(Culpepper 51). Thus, there was this very strong feminist idea of women being the prime in the early part of the 17th and the 18th century. Today, the loss of a strong female presence in Judeo-Christian beliefs has prompted believers to look to other sources that celebrate the role of women. Men and women have increasingly embraced goddess†¦show more content†¦Some of these so called religions would be Christianity including the Roman Catholic Church, Protestants, European Religions and also Judaism who thought of as god being male i.e. Jesus. Goddess worship was gradually combined with worship of male Gods to produce a variety of Pagan religions, thus losing some of its singular focus on the female as a deity. Goddess Worship during the Christian era was molded by more dominant outside forces. As Judaism, Christianity eventually Islam evolved, the Pagan religions were suppressed and the female principle was gradually driven out of religion. Consequently women were reduced to a level inferior to men. The God, King, Priest Father replaced the Goddess, Queen, Priestess Mother (Miles 24). A womans testimony was not considered significant in courts, women were not allowed to speak in churches, and positions of authority in the church were (almost without exception) limited to men. A feminine presence was added to Christianity when the Virgin Mary was named Theotokos (Mother of God). However, her role was heavily restricted and included none of the fertility components present in Pagan religions. A low point in the life of women was reached during the Renaissance, when hundreds of thousands of suspected female witches were exterminated being burned and hanged. At the turn of the century, scholars began writing about a â€Å"Mother Goddess†. By the 1950s, Gerald GardnerShow MoreRelatedFeminist Spirituality and Goddess Religion in the United States1999 Words   |  8 PagesThousands of years ago, the Goddess was viewed as an autonomous entity worthy of respect from men and women alike. Because of societal changes caused by Eastern influence, a patriarchical system conquered all aspects of life including religion. Today, the loss of a strong female presence in Judeo-Christian beliefs has prompted believers to look to other sources that celebrate the role of women. Goddess religion and feminist spirituality have increasingly been embraced by men and women as an alternativeRead MoreFeminsim And Wicc A Spiritual Correlation1364 Words   |  6 Pages FEMINSIM AND WICCA: A SPIRITUAL CORRELATION Marisa Leonardi Religion, Magic and Witchcraft Professors Palshikar and Mehta May 13, 2016 Introduction Today there are a bounty of religions to choose from, from Christianity to Hinduism, and while some religions have their roots deep into the people’s history, there are some religions that are relatively ‘new’. Wicca, in the United States, is a relatively new religion that has gained popularity in the 1960s/1970s when Raymond and RosemaryRead MoreWicca and Ecofeminism3245 Words   |  13 Pagesover female and culture over nature have been associated with more male-dominating religions like Christianity (Roach, 2003; Ruether, 2003) Goddess religions and earth based spiritualties on the other hand find power in the female image, connect with nature through rituals, and believe it is the destiny of humanity to participate in the cycles of birth, death, and renewal that characterizes life on earth. The Goddess and Mother Nature inspire individuals to repair the split between men and women, betweenRead MoreWicca a Religion Based on Earth and Gods Essay1482 Words    |  6 PagesWicca is earth based religion with gods and goddess. There is no central of leadership due to each person path is different from each other. The view of the person who has a diverse backgrounds, views of the world around them as well as personal connection with the goddess/god. There are people who practice alone which are called solitaries. There are people who practice in a coven just like a church. In a coven, there are degrees to be earn to become a High Priest or High Priestess. You areRead MoreEssay on Rita M. Gross Feminism and Religion4159 Words   |  17 PagesIn her book Feminism and Religion, Rita M. Gross provides readers with an introduction to the need for, and benefits of, androgynous scholarship in the field of religious studies. Gross strives to make readers aware of the dangers of androcentric, Eurocentric scholarship. Moreover, she advances the claim that, â€Å"properly pursued, the field of religious studies involves study of all major rel igions found in human history† and an equal representation of both men’s and women’s religious experiencesRead MoreEssay about Ecofeminism4924 Words   |  20 Pagespart of this essay will outline the main arguments of the feminist ecologists and deal with the concept of Ecofeminism. The second part will sketch the main arguments of Rosemary Radford Reuther book, Gaia and God. The final part of this essay will analyze: Starhawks The Spiral Dance, Witchcraft as Goddess Religion, The Homeric Hymn to Demeter, and the Descent of Inanna and examine the pros and cons of the position that a return to goddess worship would save our planet. Part One Ecofeminisms Read MoreThe Analysis Of Mythology Of The Environment And The Unconscious Mind978 Words   |  4 Pagesa cultures beliefs and values (Rosenberg, 1999). Despite the various roots in which a myth may originate and or the level of cultural recognition, it is evident myths exist in all societies. Myths allow humanity to embody culture, tradition and spirituality. Myths fulfill the human desire to express an established identity or sense of oneself. This perspective aligns with Sigmund Freud’s interpretation of internalization of the environment and the â€Å"unconscious mind†. It is my perspective that culturesRead MoreEvaluate Postmodernist Explanations of the Role and Functions of Religion in Contemporary Society.1606 Words   |  7 Pagesrole and functions of religion in contemporary society. Postmodernist religion can be defined as any type of religion that is influenced, interpreted or shaped by postmodernism and postmodern philosophies. Postmodern religion is not an attempt to banish religion from society; rather, it is a philosophical approach to religion that considers orthodox assumptions that may reflect power differences in society rather than universal truths. A postmodern interpretation of religion emphasises the key pointRead MoreI Thought Of The Vagina2558 Words   |  11 Pagesfeminists adhered to in order to achieve the heightened sense of worth Finley was referring to. Edelson has become a large influence upon my work as I have also previously role-played the ancient goddesses and warrior women as you can see in Boudicca 2 (Figure 6), in order to question why we have lost the respect as modern women that the goddesses and strong women from folk tales of old wielded long ago. Carolee Schneemann also focuses on using her body as a spiritually empowering tool, but inRead MoreSRS11105471 Words   |  22 Pagesï » ¿Introduction: The Cross-Cultural Approach Myth: is a story or example believed as true from a religion or culture group (usually an origin story) (The Prophet Mohamad PBUH is true for all Muslims) -myth comes from the greek word â€Å"muthos† which means word: -â€Å"muthos† are not literal words (they are metaphors) -â€Å"logos† are literal words The difference between Myth, Legends, Fairytales   Myth: origin stories Legends: stories that may or may not be believed Fairytales: stories that starts

Saturday, December 21, 2019

Art Allows Me to Leave Reality Essay - 599 Words

Good art allows me to flee the realms of reality. In my minds limitless consciousness, I can escape the mundanity of everyday life. It opens a door in my head to a world only limited by my imagination. I am no more a slave to gravity, chained down on the earth when I am reading. I can be a bird and soar high above the clouds, or be a fish and swim deep down in the darkest depths of the ocean. I am there, I am that person, and everything else around me regardless of what it is, fades away. Sometimes these people are the ones Id like to be but sometimes I encounter nefarious characters I wholly condemn. I am able to feel the emotions that the artist intends for me to feel. However, it is not merely reading or listening, but understanding†¦show more content†¦Languages form an essential part of every human experience. To express oneself is one of the simplest joys we can experience. English and Music are two such languages in my life, that indirectly relate to, have a profound impact on mine. My interests in Music, just as in Literature, extend to a wide array of genres, whether it be Bob Dylan or Tchaikovsky. After relentless perseverance at the age of 16, My father bought me a black dreadnought. I spent hours upon hours practicing by watching instructional videos and my favorite guitar players play. In no time I was playing shows, from winning school competitions to performing at live music theatre events. I had soon established a name for myself as a singer-songwriter by being a supporting act for many bands. I soon began recording my rendition of songs on my laptop, eventually writing my own music and now working on my album. This has proved to be a huge learning curve, in enabling me to understand the dynamics of a composition, Thereby continually improving myself. In my spare time, I have been teaching English to Arab students. It has been a remarkably challenging experience. I have learned far more teaching than I had as a student, in trying to ar ticulate my thoughts in words they could understand. This has been a humbling and rewarding experience. I realize there remains a vast ocean of knowledge I am still unaware of, which empowers me to thrive and work hard in an undergraduate environment. ArtShow MoreRelatedIn William Shakespeares The Tempest, the line between the realm of reality and illusion is blurred900 Words   |  4 PagesShakespeares The Tempest, the line between the realm of reality and illusion is blurred by Prospero, who through the use of his magic is able to manipulate and control both the island and those who are stranded on it. The duality between illusion and reality, the contrast between the natural and unnatural are being represented and questioned by Prosperos magic. Throughout the play, Shakespeare is stating that illusions can distort reality, but in the end reality will always makes itself apparent. ProsperoRead MoreArt History And Its Impact On Art980 Words   |  4 PagesArt history allows for a greater understanding of the progression of human thought and how conditions from one time period to another are reflected in art. Humanity represents itself through art and by doing so we are able to take a deeper look into the mentality and emotions that were held within a certain time period. Human studies such as cultural studies or history only highlight small specific areas of humanity while art history combines the two and gives a comprehensive look into all factorsRead MoreBlack Women in Art1267 Words   |  6 PagesBlack Women in Art Historically and currently African American women use art as a way to express themselves, their emotions and as an act of resistance. In this paper, I will discuss the various ways two very influential artists, Laurie Cooper and Lorna Simpson, use imagery to uncover and forefront the various forms of oppression that affect their lives as African American women. Since the late 1970s, African American art, as a form of self expression, explores issues which concern African peoplesRead MoreEssay on Painting and Self-portrait Story Hum1345 Words   |  6 Pagesit has come time for me to create a portrait of myself. I would like the viewers of my work to have a greater understanding of myself, and my work, I feel I will be able to give the people who admire my pieces of art a larger perspective of my work and passion. I have been painting for the majority of my life, I really don’t know if people know who I am and what I have a passion for, I would like to put a ever lasting fac e to my work, my face. People who have viewed my art have seen my signatureRead MoreWhy Art Has Three Main Purposes1701 Words   |  7 PagesI believe art has three main purposes. One, to educate. two, to understand, and three, to amaze. Let me explain myself more thoroughly. We want individuals to be educated from the art they see in a museum. Educated about the culture, meaning and purpose that certain art pieces served to a community way back when the piece was created. Also, we want the viewer of the piece of art want to know more about it. To understand why the piece was made out of certain materials, how those materials were obtainedRead More Black Women in Art Essay1254 Words   |  6 Pages Black Women in Art Historically and currently African American women use art as a way to express themselves, their emotions and as an act of resistance. In this paper, I will discuss the various ways two very influential artists, Laurie Cooper and Lorna Simpson, use imagery to uncover and forefront the various forms of oppression that affect their lives as African American women. Since the late 1970s, African American art, as a form of self expression, explores issues which concern African peoplesRead MoreOpposition between Art and Reality in Shakespeares The Tempest1062 Words   |  5 PagesOpposition between Art and Reality in The Tempest      Ã‚  Ã‚   The Tempest is a self-reflexive play that explores the boundaries of art and reality. Shakespeares island is a realm controlled by the artist figure; where the fabulous, the ideal and the imaginative are presented as both illusory and palpable, and where the audience is held in an indeterminate state, a strange repose. The juxtaposition of the world of art with political and social realities explored by representative charactersRead MoreThe Work Of Art And The Age Of Mechanical Reproduction1320 Words   |  6 Pagesessay, â€Å"The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction† by briefly distinguishing his categories from traditional aesthetic values, those of â€Å"creativity and genius, eternal value and mystery† (Benjamin, 218). In contrast, he relates these tendencies to bourgeois and fascist ideologies and to the conditions, inevitably generated out of capitalism itself, which provoke â€Å"revolutionary demands in the politics of art† (217-8) Benjamin claims that in times past the role of art has been to provideRead More Essay on the Setting in Shakespeares The Tempest1072 Words   |  5 Pagesit represents the ‘bounds of things, the remotest shores of the world’. On the boundary of reality, the island partakes of both the natural and supernatural both the imaginative and the real. It allows the exploration of both man’s potential and his limitations, his capacity for reform through art and his affinity for political and social realities. It is constructing this opposition between art and reality and in giving Shakespeare’s romance the freedom to explore mankind free from the concerns ofRead MoreGiuliano Bugiardini’s, Madonna and Child with St. John the Baptist, Northern vs. Southern1355 Words   |  6 Pagesperiod had various effects on art which can be broken down and seen from Southern (Italian) and Northern paintings. With the renaissance, came disinterest in dogma, and more of a focus on naturalism and humanism. However, the strong influence of religion never left either the Northern or Southern art works, due to the commission by the church. Giuliano Bugiardini’s, Madonna and Child with St. John the Baptist, 1510, is a pristine depiction of what Southern European art during the renaissance contained

Friday, December 13, 2019

Infosys Financing an Indian Software Start-Up Free Essays

Infosys is small software development venture which provides information technology (IT) consulting services for international clients. The company is located in Bangalore and was founded back in 1981 by a small group of skllfull entrepreneurs, with very little equity of 1000$ and without backing from a large companies. Mr. We will write a custom essay sample on Infosys: Financing an Indian Software Start-Up or any similar topic only for you Order Now R. Narayana Murthy is the CEO and chairman and Nandan Nilekani is the president and chief operating officer (COO), of Infosys Technologies Ltd. Being a company grounded on a Indian soil at that tome was not an advantage for Infosys because the economic policy supported by the government prior to 1991 caused many problems for business, especially for those businesses that wanted to import goods from a foreign market. Therefore the easiest business solution for Infosys was to develop software services , since production of hardware could have been a troble because all the devices they need for the hardware development were imported from abroad. Because the domestic market held no real opportunity for the new company, Infosys focused on international markets for its software products. Up till 1999 Narayana Murthy bought out all the shares from the remaining founders, the company has dramatically transformed its business and image and grown with over 100 employees. It faced possible bancropcy but somehow managed to survive it, took the advantage of the capital markets with one of the first market-priced IPOs and brought itself a tremendous growth in its business. It is our vision at Infosys, to create world-class leaders who will be at the forefront of business and technology in today’s competitive marketplace. Challenges: As the mission for the company was to become a globally respected firm and a leader in the Indian market, they needed to transform Infosys as a desirable place to work not only for domestic people but also for the foreigners who have complementary skills. That is why they have invested the money from the IPO and created an environment that would enhance the overall experience for employees by taking three most important values: learning value-added, if there is financial value-added, and if there is emotional value-added. This was very well percieved by the internal employees as well as all other gratuated students who were considering Infosys as the best place to work. Employees had very good training programm, chance for carrier development, possibility for company loans for private reasons etc. Infosys even offered stock options to all qualified employees. The factor which helped Infosys to grow at a faster pace than others was the low employee turnover. The turnover rate at Infosys was around 11% as opposed to industry average for software companies’ of over 25% during the 1990s. Infosys’ retention capability was a function both of its rigorous selection procedures as well as proactive HRD practices Increasing productivity was their next challenge in order to remain competitive on a global basis. Therefore they considered three objectives: increase our customer penetration, to increase our brand equity, increase the amount of fixed price contracts we work on. Hiring international employees was a possibility to accomplish many of the objectives with regard to productivity. And finally the most important challenge was regarding future growth and financing. Infosys’ shares trade on the Bombay Stock Exchange. The company must decide whether it should seek to also list its shares on a U. S. stock exchange and, if yes, whether to list on NASDAQ or NYSE. Solution: There are several opportunities and constraints for considering the current situation and objective of the company. The main challenge is to move up the value chain by increasing our revenues per employee and by increasing our customer base. For accomplishing this goal, the brand should be enhanced not with tools like advertising and other â€Å"traditional† forms of marketing but with word-of-mouth publicity that will highlight the uniqueness of our company compared to our competitors. Secondly, an ADR offering in the United States would help accomplish other goals, such as the recruitment of international employees. Thirdly, in addition to providing currency for our employees, a listing would also provide currency for acquisitions in the United States or any another international location. Finally, it would be helpful for our current investors as well. Very few contraints appeared for infosys’s listing on the US exchange, mostly related to the valuation of the company on the US exhange. Conclusions: In my opinion I think the company should be list its shares on the US exhange due to the following reasons: The offering would be fantastic for investors as there are very few, if any, comparable ways to invest in this part of the world and there is a huge desire to invest in international markets. Possibility to recrute international employees. Finally with the listing Infosys will voluntarily opt to behave like a US domestic issuer, rather than subjecting itself to the less stringent standards of a foreign issuer. When it comes for deciding the right exchange, I would choose NASDAQ since it is a favoired market for technology stocks and offers better conditions for foreign companies unlike NYSE . How to cite Infosys: Financing an Indian Software Start-Up, Papers