Status of Women in South Africa Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Status of Women in South Africa - Term Paper Example The progressive constitution of South Africa guarantees equality for women, access to socio economic rights e.g. fair labour practices, land, housing and health as well as right to freedom from violence. Unfortunately, some of these rights are not a certainty for many women as the country has failed to put into practice and deliver on the policies that give consequence.Poverty and inequality in South Africa, is closely related to race, gender and class. According to the World Bank, the level of poverty is defined by the lack of ability to achieve a minimum standard of living, which is measured in terms of basic consumption needs or the income necessary to satisfy those needs.It has been estimated that 60% of black South Africans remain poor and live in deteriorating socio economic conditions. The unemployment rate in South Africa increased from 33% to 36.2% in the 3 years to 1999, of which 56% of the unemployed were women and the remaining 44% were men. Seven years later, in 2006, ac cording to the Household Survey, of the unemployed, more were women (31.8%) than men (23.8%). The survey also showed that the highest unemployment rate of 41.8% was among black African women.There was another survey done in 2006, the General Household Survey, indicated that 37% refers to households headed by women, and those headed by black African women tally up to 31.9%. From all these statistics, the Institute for Democracy in South Africa indicates that 80% of households headed by women have no wage earners.

The Essence of Food Essay Example for Free

The Essence of Food Essay Food is any substance, usually composed primarily of carbohydrates, fats, water and/or proteins, that can be eaten or drunk by an animal or human for nutrition or pleasure. Items considered food may be sourced from plants, animals or other categories such as fungus or fermented products like alcohol. Although many human cultures sought food items through hunting and gathering, today most cultures use farming, ranching, and fishing, with hunting, foraging and other methods of a local nature included but playing a minor role. Most traditions have a recognizable cuisine, a specific set of cooking traditions, preferences, and practices, the study of which is known as gastronomy. Many cultures have diversified their foods by means of preparation, cooking methods and manufacturing. This also includes a complex food trade which helps the cultures to economically survive by-way-of food, not just by consumption. Many cultures study the dietary analysis of food habits. While humans are omnivores, religion and social constructs such as morality often affect which foods they will consume. Food safety is also a concern with foodborne illness claiming many lives each year. In many languages, food is often used metaphorically or figuratively, as in food for thought. Contents [hide] 1 Food sources 1. 1 Plants 1. 2 Animals 2 Production 3 Preparation 3. 1 Animal slaughter and butchering 3. 2 Cooking 3. 2. 1 Cooking equipment and methods 3. 2. 2 Raw food 3. 3 Restaurants 3. 4 Food manufacture 4 Commercial trade 4. 1 International exports and imports 4. 2 Marketing and retailing 4. 3 Prices 5 Famine and hunger 5. 1 Food aid 6 Safety 6. 1 Allergies 7 Diet 7. 1 Cultural and religious diets 7. 2 Diet deficiencies 7. 3 Moral, ethical, and health conscious diet 8 Nutrition 9 Legal definition 10 See also 11 Notes 12 References Food sources Almost all foods are of plant or animal origin, although there are some exceptions. Foods not coming from animal or plant sources include various edible fungi, such mushrooms. Fungi and ambient bacteria are used in the preparation of fermented and pickled foods such as leavened bread, alcoholic drinks, cheese, pickles, and yogurt. Many cultures eat seaweed, a protist, or blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) such as Spirulina. [1] Additionally, salt is often eaten as a flavoring or preservative, and baking soda is used in food preparation. Both of these are inorganic substances, as is water, an important part of human diet. Plants A variety of foods from plant sources Many plants or plant parts are eaten as food. There are around 2,000 plant species which are cultivated for food, and many have several distinct cultivars. [2] Seeds of plants are a good source of food for animals, including humans because they contain nutrients necessary for the plants initial growth. In fact, the majority of food consumed by human beings are seed-based foods. Edible seeds include cereals (such as maize, wheat, and rice), legumes (such as beans, peas, and lentils), and nuts. Oilseeds are often pressed to produce rich oils, such as sunflower, rapeseed (including canola oil), and sesame. [3] One of the earliest food recipes made from ground chickpeas is called hummus, which can be traced back to Ancient Egypt times. Fruits are the ripened ovaries of plants, including the seeds within. Many plants have evolved fruits that are attractive as a food source to animals, so that animals will eat the fruits and excrete the seeds some distance away. Fruits, therefore, make up a significant part of the diets of most cultures. Some botanical fruits, such as tomatoes, pumpkins and eggplants, are eaten as vegetables. [4] (For more information, see list of fruits. ) Vegetables are a second type of plant matter that is commonly eaten as food. These include root vegetables (such as potatoes and carrots), leaf vegetables (such as spinach and lettuce), stem vegetables (such as bamboo shoots and asparagus), and inflorescence vegetables (such as globe artichokes and broccoli). Many herbs and spices are highly-flavorful vegetables. [5] Animals Various raw meats Main article: Animal source foods Animals can be used as food either directly, or indirectly by the products they produce. Meat is an example of a direct product taken from an animal, which comes from either muscle systems or from organs. Food products produced by animals include milk produced by mammals, which in many cultures is drunk or processed into dairy products such as cheese or butter. In addition birds and other animals lay eggs, which are often eaten, and bees produce honey, a popular sweetener in many cultures. Some cultures consume blood, some in the form of blood sausage, as a thickener for sauces, a cured salted form for times of food scarcity, and others use blood in stews such as civet. [6] Production Tractor and Chaser Bin Main article: Agriculture Food is traditionally obtained through farming, ranching, and fishing, with hunting, foraging and other methods of subsistence locally important. More recently, there has been a growing trend towards more sustainable agricultural practices. This approach, which is partly fueled by consumer demand, encourages biodiversity, local self-reliance and organic farming methods. [7] Major influences on food production are international organizations, (e. g. the World Trade Organization and Common Agricultural Policy), national government policy (or law), and war. [8] Preparation While some food can be eaten raw, many foods undergo some form of preparation for reasons of safety, palatability, or flavor. At the simplest level this may involve washing, cutting, trimming or adding other foods or ingredients, such as spices. It may also involve mixing, heating or cooling, pressure cooking, fermentation, or combination with other food. In a home, most food preparation takes place in a kitchen. Some preparation is done to enhance the taste or aesthetic appeal; other preparation may help to preserve the food; and others may be involved in cultural identity. A meal is made up of food which is prepared to be eaten at a specific time and place. [9] Animal slaughter and butchering Workers and cattle in a slaughterhouse. The preparation of animal-based food will usually involve slaughter, evisceration, hanging, portioning and rendering. In developed countries, this is usually done outside the home in slaughterhouses which are used to process animals en mass for meat production. Many countries regulate their slaughterhouses by law. For example the United States has established the Humane Slaughter Act of 1958, which requires that an animal be stunned before killing. This act, like those in many countries, exempts slaughter in accordance to religious law, such as kosher shechita and dhabiha halal. Strict interpretations of kashrut require the animal to be fully aware when its carotid artery is cut. [10] On the local level a butcher may commonly break down larger animal meat into smaller manageable cuts and pre-wrapped for commercial sale or wrapped to order in butcher paper. In addition fish and seafood may be fabricated into smaller cuts by a fish monger at the local level. However fish butchery may be done on board a fishing vessel and quick-frozen for preservation of quality. [11] Cooking Main article: Cooking Cooking with a Wok in China The term cooking encompasses a vast range of methods, tools and combinations of ingredients to improve the flavor or digestibility of food. Cooking technique, known as culinary art, generally requires the selection, measurement and combining of ingredients in an ordered procedure in an effort to achieve the desired result. Constraints on success include the variability of ingredients, ambient conditions, tools, and the skill of the individual cooking. [12] The diversity of cooking worldwide is a reflection of the myriad nutritional, aesthetic, agricultural, economic, cultural and religious considerations that impact upon it. [13] Cooking requires applying heat to a food which usually, though not always, chemically transforms it, thus changing its flavor, texture, appearance, and nutritional properties. [14] Cooking proper, as opposed to roasting, requires the boiling of water in a container, and was practiced at least since the 10th millennium BC with the introduction of pottery. [15] There is archaeological evidence of roasted foodstuffs at Homo erectus campsites dating from 420,000 years ago. [16] Cooking equipment and methods There are many types of cooking equipment used for cooking. Ovens are one type of cooking equipment which can be used for baking or roasting and offer a dry-heat cooking method. Different cuisines will use different types of ovens, for example Indian culture uses a Tandoor oven is a cylindrical clay oven which operates at a single high temperature,[17] while western kitchens will use variable temperature convection ovens, conventional ovens, toaster ovens in addition to non-radiant heat ovens like the microwave oven. Ovens may be wood-fired, coal-fired, gas, electric, or oil-fired. [18] A stainless steel frying pan. Various types of cook-tops are used as well. They carry the same variations of fuel types as the ovens mentioned above. cook-tops are used to heat vessels placed on top of the heat source, such as a saute pan, sauce pot, frying pan, pressure cooker, etc. These pieces of equipment can use either a moist or dry cooking method and include methods such as steaming, simmering, boiling, and poaching for moist methods; while the dry methods include sauteing, pan frying, or deep-frying. [19] Traditional asado In addition, many cultures use grills for cooking. A grill operates with a radiant heat source from below, usually covered with a metal grid and sometimes a cover. An open bit barbecue in the American south is one example along with the American style outdoor grill fueled by wood, liquid propane or charcoal along with soaked wood chips for smoking. [20] A Mexican style of barbecue is called barbacoa, which involves the cooking of meats and whole sheep over open fire. In Argentina, asado is prepared on a grill held over an open pit or fire made upon the ground, on which a whole animal is grilled or in other cases smaller cuts of the animal. [21] Raw food Many types of sushi ready to be eaten. Certain cultures highlight animal and vegetable foods in their raw state. Sushi in Japan is one such cuisine that features raw sliced fish, either in sashimi, nigiri, or maki styles. [22] Steak tartare and salmon tartare are dishes made from diced or ground raw beef or salmon respectively, mixed with various ingredients and served with baguette, brioche or frites. [23] In Italy, carpaccio is a dish of very thin sliced raw beef, drizzled with a vinaigrette made with olive oil. [24] A popular health food movement known as raw foodism promotes a mostly vegan diet of raw fruits, vegetables and grains prepared in various ways, including juicing, food dehydration, not passing the 118 degree mark, and sprouting. [25] Restaurants Toms Restaurant, a restaurant in New York Many cultures produce food for sale in restaurants for paying customers. These restaurants often have trained chefs who prepare the food, while trained waitstaff serve the customers. The term restaurant is credited to the French from the 19th century, as it relates to the restorative nature of the bouillons that were once served in them. However, the concept pre-dates the naming of these establishments, as evidence suggests commercial food preparation may have existed during the age of the city of Pompeii, as well as an urban sales of prepared foods in China during the Song Dynasty. The coffee shops or cafes of 17th century Europe may also be considered an early version of the restaurant. [26] In 2005 the United States spent $496 billion annually for out-of-home dining. Expenditures by type of out-of-home dining was as follows, 40% in full-service restaurants, 37. 2% in limited service restaurants (fast food), 6. 6% in schools or colleges, 5. 4% in bars and vending machines, 4. 7% in hotels and motels, 4. 0% in recreational places, and 2. 2% in other which includes military bases. [27] Food manufacture Packaged household food items Main article: Food manufacture Packaged foods are manufactured outside the home for purchase. This can be as simple as a butcher preparing meat, or as complex as a modern international food industry. Early food processing techniques were limited by available food preservation, packaging and transportation. This mainly involved salting, curing, curdling, drying, pickling, fermentation and smoking. [28] During the industrialization era in the 19th century, food manufacturing arose. [29] This development took advantage of new mass markets and emerging new technology, such as milling, preservation, packaging and labeling and transportation. It brought the advantages of pre-prepared time saving food to the bulk of ordinary people who did not employ domestic servants. [30] At the start of the 21st century, a two-tier structure has arisen, with a few international food processing giants controlling a wide range of well-known food brands. There also exists a wide array of small local or national food processing companies. [31] Advanced technologies have also come to change food manufacture. Computer-based control systems, sophisticated processing and packaging methods, and logistics and distribution advances, can enhance product quality, improve food safety, and reduce costs. [30] Commercial trade International exports and imports Food imports in 2005 World Bank reported that the EU was the top food importer in 2005 followed at a distance by the USA and Japan. Food is now traded and marketed on a global basis. The variety and availability of food is no longer restricted by the diversity of locally grown food or the limitations of the local growing season. [32] Between 1961 and 1999 there has been a 400% increase in worldwide food exports. [33] Some countries are now economically dependent on food exports, which in some cases account for over 80% of all exports. [34] In 1994 over 100 countries became signatories to the Uruguay Round of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade in a dramatic increase in trade liberalization. This included an agreement to reduce subsidies paid to farmers, underpinned by the WTO enforcement of agricultural subsidy, tariffs, import quotas and settlement of trade disputes that cannot be bilaterally resolved. [35] Where trade barriers are raised on the disputed grounds of public health and safety, the WTO refer the dispute to the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which was founded in 1962 by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization. Trade liberalization has greatly affected world food trade. [36].

Essay --

The term 'branding' in modern marketing is generally originated in the agricultural practices of the medieval age. The farmers 'branded' their animals with the iron and then they were able to identify to whom a particular animal belonged. Artisans 'branded' their products, for example, expensive silver tableware. Smiths 'branded' their swords. The role of the brand is to identify products by the same way as for medieval farmers and for modern corporations as well. Every company seeks to create its own brand - a unique and effective image. Purpose of brand is attracting and retaining customers in its market share. Branding in marketing is a complex technology, aimed at making advantageous position a brand from the competition. Facilitating the search for the necessary goods to the buyer, branding in marketing becomes more effective if the consumer product features meet market requirements. It is especially necessary to identify the goods, for a case of unprepared buyer which can not assess the competitive characteristics (for example, high-tech products). The development of technology has had a huge impact on human society. It is reflected in the fact that we are surrounded by complex technical devices that we use every day and sometimes we have no idea of how this thing is located within. Here the brand comes to help the consumer that stands out from all those product characteristics that are important to the consumer and facilitates the unde rstanding of the product. The second problem was solved by the brand is a simplification of choice. Every day consumer is faced with many similar products, and he just physically does not have time to compare all the annotations, the percentage composition, indications and specifications (f... ...ll one advantage and this is petrol stations. The Tesco â€Å"Clare Hall† has a petrol station and prices there are always lower than usual. The ability of the management in positioning and establishing the product is a success in any company that operates for marketing and profit acquisition. Furthermore, the ability of the company and its management to complete and maintain a competitive edge among its competitor throughout the product differentiation is another basis to say that is successful. Also, innovation and the constant development on the product lines and the growing number of customers also define the corporate standing of a company. Effective branding strategy and strong brand name are an important part of the profitable business. But, all the strategies and all marketing theories can be worth nothing without the compliance of the desires of consumers.

Free College Admissions Essays: Learning from Mistakes :: College Admissions Essays

Learning from Mistakes    One day that I will probably never forget is the day that I had to play Jonathan Walker. He was easily the best table tennis player in our school and he had even been offered to play on the National Junior team. I remember the match as if it was yesterday.    It was the time of year when competition smelled thick in the air and everyone was excited about Inter-House Sports. I was particularly involved in Tennis and Chess but I was really excited about Table Tennis as I had been named Vice-Captain.    It was a grueling school day that had ended with an arduous 120-minute Chemistry practical. The school bell that rang was like sweet music to my ears and the only thought that whisked through my mind was that of going home and sleeping in my big, comfortable bed. Just then, I remembered that the Table Tennis contest between Team C and Team D which also incidentally the finals, was at 4:00 p.m. I sluggishly changed into the clothes that I had in my locker and headed for the Games Room. I was very tired and hoped that I would have an easy opponent. However, this was not to be my lucky day. The captain of our team, Jason, was sick so I had to play the opposing captain, namely, Jonathan. Panic and doom were those thoughts that dominated my mind when I was told this.    However, I was always an optimist and tried to convince myself that I could defeat him (Yeah right!). We approached the table and shook hands. In the few initial minutes, we warmed up, just casually rallying the ball around, but even then he was playing better tennis than I ever had. The coach then blew his whistle which concluded the warm up and signaled the commencement of the match. At this point in time, I tried to swallow all the fear and anxiety that I had and to face my opponent valiantly and courageously. The match began and before I had fully realized, he had won the first game 21-05. He had won it with the utmost ease, returning even my best shots without any struggles or even remote difficulty. I tried not to feel discouraged, saying to myself that he still had two more games to win and that I would not give in without a fight.

Carmilla the Lover and Monster Essay

The story of Carmilla is one that shows the complexity that mankind is capable of. This story shows how loving and caring mankind can be and how monstrous we can become without knowing how or why we became so monstrous. Carmilla meets the criteria to be called a lover and monster. Love is a virtue representing human kindness compassion and/or affection. Out of love Carmilla slowly drains the life out of Laura so she can turn her into a lifelong companion. But to die as lovers may–to die together, so that they may live together. Girls are caterpillars while they live in the world, to be finally butterflies when the summer comes; but in the meantime there are grubs and larvae, don’t you see–each with their peculiar propensities, necessities and structure. So says Monsieur Buffon, in his big book, in the next room. † Sometimes it was as if warm lips kissed me, and longer and longer and more lovingly as they reached my throat, but there the caress fixed itself. My heart beat faster, my breathing rose and fell rapidly and full drawn; a sobbing, that rose into a sense of strangulation, supervened, and turned into a dreadful convulsion, in which my senses left me and I became unconscious. This shows that Carmilla despite being a vampire has retained the human ability to love. She wishes to have friends and the only way to accomplish this task is to turn humans into vampires. She also has the characteristics that many would call monstrous. As a vampire, Carmilla needed blood to sustain her existence. As humans hunt for sustenance so did Carmilla, she obtained sustenance where ever she could without disrupting her relationship with Laura. As we sat thus one afternoon under the trees a funeral passed us by. It was that of a pretty young girl, whom I had often seen, the daughter of one of the rangers of the forest. The poor man was walking behind the coffin of his darling; she was his only child, and he looked quite heartbroken . â€Å"I hope there is no plague or fever coming; all this looks very like it,† I continued. The swineherd’s young wife died only a week ago, and she thought something seized her by the throat as she lay in her bed, and nearly strangled her. Papa says such horrible fancies do accompany some forms of fever. She was quite well the day before. She sank afterwards, and died before a week†. If Carmilla was just a monster she would have killed everyone in the area just to continue her existence and then moved on to another area to find sustenance. That is not the case here in this shows that certain things are not always as they seem. Carmilla believes her existence is better than that of the human and in many ways she is correct. She does not know illness of any sort and because of her longevity. She has been a vampire for over 100 years. â€Å"She ? I don’t trouble my head about peasants. I don’t know who she is,† answered Carmilla, with a flash from her fine eyes. â€Å"The house of Karnstein,† he said, â€Å"has been long extinct: a hundred years at least. My dear wife was maternally descended from the Karnsteins. But the name and title have long ceased to exist. The castle is a ruin; the very village is deserted; it is fifty years since the smoke of a chimney was seen there; not a roof left†. Carmilla in a twisted way shows the good and evil that has existed in our world for many millennia. She has the ability to love but for her to love long-term she must kill the object of her affection. As twisted as many would perceive this is a fair reflection upon mankind over the generations. Mankind has been doing strange things to find and hold on to what they believed they love for as long as we have been in existence. The existence of vampires such as in the text Camilla is imaginary but the actions of vampires are mirrored in many aspects by the actions of man!

Word Choice Each vs. Every - Writing Tips with Proofed

Word Choice Each vs. Every - Writing Tips with Proofed Word Choice: Each vs. Every â€Å"Each† and â€Å"every† are both determiners. They also both refer to something as singular. They are even interchangeable in some cases! As such, it’s not surprising that people mix them up sometimes. However, these terms also have slightly different uses, so you need to be careful to avoid errors. Each vs. Every (Groups of Three or More Things) Both of these terms can be used to refer to a group of people or things. For example: We were told to read each book on the list. We were told to read every book on the list. In this case, both sentences imply reading all of the books on the list. The only difference is that â€Å"each† makes us think of reading the books one by one, while â€Å"every† makes us think of them collectively. But this only works when the group comprises three or more things. And the difference between these terms becomes obvious if we apply them to a group of two things. Each vs. Every (Two Things) If you are referring to two people or things, the word you will need is â€Å"each†: He had an apple in each hand. âÅ"“ He had an apple in every hand. âÅ"â€" The first sentence here implies that someone is holding two apples. The second sentence, by comparison, suggests that we’re dealing with some kind of many-handed octopus man. Or possibly a Hindu deity. Every vs. All Since it is used for larger groups, â€Å"every† is like the word â€Å"all† in that both terms refer to a group of three or more things collectively. However, â€Å"every† is only ever used with singular countable nouns, while â€Å"all† is used with plural nouns or uncountable nouns: Every alpaca deserves a hug. All alpacas deserve a hug. If we compare the sentences above, we can see the differences: â€Å"every† is used with a singular noun and a singular verb; â€Å"all† is used with a plural noun and plural verb. So while thinking of â€Å"every† as a synonym for â€Å"all† can be helpful, you still need to combine it with singular terms. Hug me! Each and Every? Finally, a quick note on the phrase â€Å"each and every.† Some people combine these terms as a form of emphasis when referring to larger groups. This is fine, but it is technically a redundant expression. You should not therefore use â€Å"each and every† in formal writing (e.g., a college paper).

Strong emotional impact on audience Essay Example

Strong emotional impact on audience Essay Example Strong emotional impact on audience Essay Strong emotional impact on audience Essay Choose a production you have seen during your course, which made a strong emotional impact on audience. Discuss in detail one scene or section that made an impact on you. You will need to refer to the activity on stage, the audience reaction possible lighting, sound, set design or custom.  I have chosen to write about the production Blood Brothers by Willy Russell due to the reason I have been studying the story as a section in my course.  The scene that I shall be discussing is the very last scene in which Mickey is seen to have a lot of anxiety towards Linda and Eddie. Mickey has a lot of anger and range as he has just seen Linda his wife and his best friend Eddie kiss. The scene begins in the setting of the town hall were Eddie the rather successful one is holding a meeting with two councillors. He is dressed up smartly due to the job he does this conveys his status which is also ironical due to the fact that his blood brother Mickey is not very successful in life. The scene continues with Mickey who enters erratically interrupts him. Mickey is breathing awkwardly this make the audience unsettle as the way they have seen Mickey as a child, is a change as you see someone completely different at the end than you saw at the begging as a load playful child. The lighting is quite bright and concentrated on the main stage and characters. There are no other sound interruptions as this helps the audience pay attention to what is being said on stage. Mickey pulls out a gun, which shocks the audience and also Eddie as it is intended for him. The audience is becoming more aware of the situation and how it may end. The audience has already reached an emotion point due to the past events that have made the audience more intact with the story. The audience are always aware that it will not be a happy ending as the Narrator has pointed out in his singing. I think that this scene conveys how a child can be affected by society. Taking Mickey as an example of the child and his family and friends and the way he has been treated by the law is the society. This is why Mickey is so angry. Edward and Mickey argue for a while. Edward is clearly treated by Mickey but is also trying to keep him calm.  Mickey is outraged and talks about how Lindas child could have been Eddies. Mickey is confused and this is portrayed to the audience by there is continues pauses between his speech. Mickey is lower status than Eddie due to the fact that Mickey is wearing jeans and a black casual jacket. A person dresses according to there lifestyle as Mickey does not have a lot of money he wears what is comfortable to him. Eddie has a career that demands him to be smart he is also paid for being smart this shows how status is reflected in different types lifestyle. There is a lot of tension in the room the audience feel sorry for Mickey but are also concerned for Eddie. Mickey is rather pale at the end due to the fact that he has been though a rather depressing period in his life and this has drained all of the life out of him. He is very nervous he occasionally shaking his gun shows this. All of these factors combined give two views to the audience that Mickey is the hopeless one and that Eddie is more enhanced one this is why the audience understand what has pushed Mickey so far that he is in the position of killing his brother. The character of Mickey says I stopped taking the pills he is implying the anti-depressant pills this shows that at one point Mickey felt as though he had hope and it has all now gone. Edward tries to keep quite as he tires not to be noticed by Mickey too much. Eddies hand gestures are small and he does not move around the stage too much he stand in a position pleading with Mickey. On the other hand Mickey is fuming around the stage he is thinking to him self as well as confronting Eddie. I think that the characters are positioned in such an opposite way because they try to portray that they are so unalike. When the police enter from the two stage doors situated in the audience this grabs the audiences attention. I think that this was cleverly done as the audience now feel as though there are in side the scenes they are actually apart of what is going on. The entrance of the police is unexpected therefore the result is that the audience are on edge of there seats. The voices of the police are extra load as the officers have a mega phones. There is a lot of commotion due to this the police plead with Mickey. In this scene there is a set above the stage where Mrs Johnston is watching I think this shows how the mother wants to be there for both of her sons. Mrs Johnston is worried about the outcome throughout the play he had a guilty conscience she knows that something like will happen.

Addressing International Legal and Ethical Issues Simulation Summary E

Addressing International Legal and Ethical Issues Simulation Summary E Addressing International Legal and Ethical Issues Simulation Summary LAW/421 October 27, 2014 Addressing International Legal and Ethical Issues Simulation Summary When resolving legal disputes in international transactions countless issues may be involved. According to Melvin (2011), a U.S. firm entering into a legal contract with one from another country, the U.S. firm should ensure that the agreement could be officially enforced. This also applies to the foreign firm, which is the reason it is so important for businesses to stay updated on international trade regulations and laws. Some of the issues involved in the resolution of international transactions are political and cultural. An example of a cultural issue that can arise in an international transaction between a company in the U.S. and a company in China would be if business discussions were brought up too soon by the U.S. company. This is because China has a cultural tradition of discussing issues of personal or social matters before dealing with the business side of things. In international law, legal disputes can be resolved properly with the avoidance of these types of cultural an d political differences, which is the reason companies need to be aware of them. When taking action against a business partner in a foreign country, the first thing that needs to be considered is the laws of the other country. This is essential when trying to ensure the actions against the international business partner are taken legally based on the laws of their country. Although the U.S. legislation might have similarities to those of another country, there are likely to be some very important differences. Because U.S. laws only pertain to the U.S., the upheld laws are going to be those of the business partners country. Consequently, verifying that the case is even relevant, based on the laws of that foreign country is also something to consider. A behavior that is deemed illegal in the U.S. may not be viewed as so in another country. Therefore, the need to completely understand the laws of business in a foreign country is so important before business can be conducted with a company in that country. Ultimately, consideration of the ramifications due to taking legal action against a nosiness partner of another country must be taken into account as well. If not, conducting business in that country in the future may not be an option. One major factor that may work against the decision CadMex made in granting sublicensing agreements is that as more agreements are granted, the chance of a legal case occurring is higher. CadMex needs to have the inclusion of sub-paragraphs in all of their agreements so that they can be protected from any legal actions taken against them. Without the sub-paragraphs, legal accountability for financial losses due to a lawsuit filed against a company, who holds a contract with CadMex, by another country, can be pinned to CadMex. When organizations in different countries partner in business, and the customs and laws of those countries are in conflict, the local countrys laws and customs take precedence over the laws and customs of the partner country from abroad. If a company in the U.S. is conducting business in China, then the laws and customs of the U.S. cannot be enforced; Chinas laws and customs hold precedency. As business is conducted in China by both foreign and domestic companies, only the laws of China hold valid; there is no adaptation to the laws of the foreign country abroad. Accordingly, during conflicts related to a foreign company conducting business within a country, the nation where business is being conducted is the governing laws and customs that will be upheld. The decision to start a contract for business between two companies is made with the expectations that the legally bound contract is protected by laws of the U.S. Regrettably, not every scenario has this outcome. Certain situations occur where one company is protected by state laws, where the other company is not. Marijuana, for example is legal in some states, but not all. Before entering into contracts, companies must also consider state laws. When there are issues of a domestic nature, domestic courts handle the issues and both companies are familiar with the laws. Disputes of international nature are dealt with

Visual Representations of Organization Theory Essay

Visual Representations of Organization Theory - Essay Example As quoted by Morgan, ‘communications theorist Marshall McLuhan noted that the last thing a fish is likely to discover is the water it is swimming in. The water is so fundamental to the fish’s way of life that it is not seen or questioned.’ (2006). Through this Morgan directs our attention to the concept of trap of favored ways of thinking. The fundamental role played by water to the fish analogues many mechanisms, ideologies, concepts upon which organizations are formed. Just the way, water is the world for a fish, and a fish cannot live out of water, so do organizations behave very often. Organizations tend to adopt certain culture, mechanisms, tools and practices which eventually become the fundamentals of the organization and its goals. These features reflect in the motivational aspects of the organization too which forces the employees to work in that direction ‘only,’ thus blocking creativity and other hidden business potential. In this course, o rganizations tend to adopt a kind of language, called as the organizational language which becomes the key factor of organizational growth as communication is vital for any organization’s success. Morgan relates this situation to the psychic-prison metaphor relating it to the trap of favored ways of thinking, and provides guidance to unleash hidden power and creativity. The trap of favored ways of thinking leads to closure of other avenues and opportunities, eventually leading to the situation of work becoming more of a norm or ritual and loss of innovation and creativity. In the process of favored ways of thinking, we tend to see only those things are familiar to us, and tend to ignore the rest. Though existence of creativity may not be the determining factor of any business, it can eventually turn so and, thus, lack of creativity has to be noticed. When the suppression of logic of what is significant is imposed by organizational control, this

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Investigating business - Assignment Example Started by Jack Cohen as a sole proprietor business, the business attained developments after the entrepreneur built a warehouse and headquarter in north London. After being registered as a private company in 1932, new developments followed after floating the company’s stocks in the stock market in 1947 (Pinto, 2012, pg.13). The company continued with its expansionary zeal by buying competitors shops. By 1970, the company developed its operations and the chain supermarkets became a household name throughout the United Kingdom (U.K). The company’s reputation developed through provision of basic groceries at competitive prices. With time, the company introduced luxury goods as people earned better incomes. By 1980s, the company continued to the building new stores recording a hundred stores by 1985. The company’s vision of expansion on different consumer products continued through investing in different fields making it the largest independent retailer in the petro l industry by 1991 (Peterson, 2012, pg. 11). The company’s aims and objectives of reaching out to the wider customers ensure developing new customer-focused initiatives as well as other stores in different localities. Advancements in new customer-initiatives enhanced introduction of the customer loyalty card. Other developments ensure the company delivers the best customer products and the first company to introduce a healthy eating initiative. The healthy eating symbol branded the nutritional products thus making the company the first largest retailer to emphasize on nutritional value of the company’s brands to its customers. The company also maintains its expansion of retailing services through forming joint ventures and acquisitions. For example, the company joined with the Royal Bank in Scotland to enhance offering a variety of financial services. Consequently, the company introduced a visa card to enhance customer efficiency. The company currently offers a range o f financial

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Social costs - Essay Example ce, the long-term unemployed people in these countries become discouraged and exit the labor force market prematurely instead of continuing to search for the jobs that have evaded them for a long while (Junankar, 2009). This is mainly likely for the older generation who are unemployed because they take quite longer to get jobs.   Most persons in these countries who have been unemployed suffer certain erosion in their acquired job skills since they haven’t been applying them. This is apparently a much bigger social problem for the individuals who have been out of employment for a long time. The erosion is even worse for individuals with skills in specific fields which change more rapidly (Junankar, 2009). Much unemployment also involves a waste of time as well as the country’s productivity.   The most noticeable difference in social costs of unemployment in the USA and Canada is in health care. Canadas healthcare performance is of higher quality on most factors than in the USA. Additionally, healthcare attention is universal for all Canadians. In the United States, the complaint is that most people are uninsured; therefore, do not have access to most basic health care amenities which Canadians are entitled to. This creates a burden on the emergency chamber services in the States which in turn increases healthcare costs significantly (Junankar,

Gun Control Unit 2 Part 1 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Gun Control Unit 2 Part 1 - Research Paper Example He pointed out that some resistance was expected form weapons, ammunition and arms industries, stating that it would be seen as an attack on them. Although only as few as four senators had agreed to support Chaffee in his quest to table the bill, he remained confident of winning more support. He was wary of refusal to hand over the guns immediately, but confident $5000 penalty thereon would compel criminals to gradually accept the ban. He was categorical on exceptional possession of the guns by police among other licensed holders. In attendance was Dr Burton Lee, the President Bush’s personal physician who was in agreement of Chaffee’s argument (Mulligan, 1992). The controlling idea in the author’s article is the legal platform being sought to bring in measures t control possession of guns by the public. It is clear that that his thesis is centered on the bill and the popularity it is likely to gain from supporters. From the reporters’ view on the bill that Senator Chaffee prepared for passage into law, some key support is lacking, such that the retired Supreme Court Chief Justice declaration for support of the bill gets such publicity. Apart from a few senators in support of the provisions of the bill, it is apparent that there is a considerable level of resentment from key quarters of arms possession stakeholders. Apart from the politics that goes with legislation, public safety enhancement lies squarely in the sealing of risky loopholes in the security policies made by the government. It might be argued that public opinion is the key to determination of policy and legislation, and so does the support of key bills, but a critical surgery of the underlying issues must be used to make the final verdict. How serious is possession of guns by the public? What popular alternative solutions could be offered in place of hand gun bans? Who could take a better

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Gun Control Unit 2 Part 1 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Gun Control Unit 2 Part 1 - Research Paper Example He pointed out that some resistance was expected form weapons, ammunition and arms industries, stating that it would be seen as an attack on them. Although only as few as four senators had agreed to support Chaffee in his quest to table the bill, he remained confident of winning more support. He was wary of refusal to hand over the guns immediately, but confident $5000 penalty thereon would compel criminals to gradually accept the ban. He was categorical on exceptional possession of the guns by police among other licensed holders. In attendance was Dr Burton Lee, the President Bush’s personal physician who was in agreement of Chaffee’s argument (Mulligan, 1992). The controlling idea in the author’s article is the legal platform being sought to bring in measures t control possession of guns by the public. It is clear that that his thesis is centered on the bill and the popularity it is likely to gain from supporters. From the reporters’ view on the bill that Senator Chaffee prepared for passage into law, some key support is lacking, such that the retired Supreme Court Chief Justice declaration for support of the bill gets such publicity. Apart from a few senators in support of the provisions of the bill, it is apparent that there is a considerable level of resentment from key quarters of arms possession stakeholders. Apart from the politics that goes with legislation, public safety enhancement lies squarely in the sealing of risky loopholes in the security policies made by the government. It might be argued that public opinion is the key to determination of policy and legislation, and so does the support of key bills, but a critical surgery of the underlying issues must be used to make the final verdict. How serious is possession of guns by the public? What popular alternative solutions could be offered in place of hand gun bans? Who could take a better

Nursing Shortage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

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Gustave Flaubert and Madame Bovary Essay Example for Free

Gustave Flaubert and Madame Bovary Essay Madame Bovary consists of a Realist critique of Romanticism with Emma Bovary portrayed as the emotionally overwrought romantic who destroys herself and others in her attempts to fulfill her unrealistic dreams. For writing about such a horrible woman Gustave Flaubert, the author, was charged with corrupting the morals of French society. He was acquitted of the charge at a public trial. The major characters of the novel include Emma Bovary, the title character and the villain who brings ruin to herself and others in her efforts to realize her romantic illusions; Charles Bovary, a mediocre country doctor who is lackluster at best but deeply in love with his wife Emma; Leon, a law clerk who is a fellow romantic to Emma with whom he eventually has an affair; Rodolphe, a â€Å"gentleman† landowner and womanizer with whom Emma has an affair; and Lheureux, a merchant and money-lender. Lheureux in French means the happy, and this character becomes happy by preying upon Emma as she attempts to buy the reality of her dreams. Selections, Summaries, and Commentary We meet Charles Bovary who struggled in school to become a doctor. He assumed a practice at Tostes, France, and married. But his wife died. One evening, Charles was summoned to a farm to set a broken leg. Here Charles made the acquaintance of Emma Rouault, the daughter of the patient. Charles, at the invitation of Mr. Rouault, ate breakfast with Emma; and, among other things, they talked of Emma’s dislike for the country. They had closer contact when both of them reached for Charles’ riding crop after it had fallen to the floor. â€Å"Instead of returning to [the farm] in three days as he had promised, he [Charles] went back the very next day, then regularly twice a week†¦. † Though Charles never had the nerve to ask Mr. Roualt for the hand of his daughter, Roualt figured things out, and the marriage was contracted. â€Å"Emma anted a midnight wedding with torches, but old Rouault could not understand such an idea. † It was a country wedding. They walked a mile and a half to and from the church, Emma’s dress trailing on the ground and gathering grass and thistles. After the ceremony, the guests ate until night. â€Å"Charles, who was anything but quick-witted, did not shine at the wedding. † Two days after the wedding, Charles and Emma left for Tostes. Charles now â€Å"had for life this beautiful woman whom he adored. For him the universe did not extend beyond the silky circumference of her petticoat. For Emma, on the other hand, things were different, â€Å"Before [her marriage to Charles] she thought herself in love; but since the happiness that should have followed failed to come, she must, she thought, have been mistaken. And Emma tried to find out what one meant exactly in life by the words bliss, passion, ecstasy, that had seemed to her so beautiful in books. † Emma, we learn, had been fed a steady diet of romanticism at the convent where she was placed at age thirteen. â€Å"Accustomed to the quieter aspects of life [in the country], she turned instead to its tumultuous parts. She loved the sea only for the sake of its storms, and the green only when it was scattered among ruins. † She found herself attracted to the mystical aspects of the religious life. An old maid at the convent kept the girls dreaming. She [the old maid] knew by heart the love-songs of the last century, and sang them in a low voice as she stitched away. She told stories, gave them news, ran their errands in the town, and on the sly lent the big girls some of the novels, that she always carried in the pockets of her apron, and of which the lady herself swallowed long chapters in the intervals of her work. They were all about love, lovers, sweethearts, persecuted ladies fainting in lonely pavilions, postilions killed at every relay, horses ridden to death on every page, somber forests, heart-aches, vows, sobs, tears and kisses, little boatrides by moonlight, nightingales in shady groves, gentlemen brave as lions, gentle as lambs, virtuous as no one ever was, always well dressed, and weeping like fountains. Girls at the convent hid keepsakes with engravings. Here [on the engravings] behind the balustrade of a balcony was a young man in a short cloak, holding in his arms a young girl in a white dress who was wearing an alms-bag at her belt; or there were nameless portraits of English ladies with fair curls, who looked at you from under their round straw hats with their large clear eyes. † After Emma returned home to the farm, she became disgusted with the country. When Charles came to call on her father, she saw Charles as her knight in shinning armor, come to rescue the damsel in distress. Something â€Å"sufficed to make her believe that she at last felt that wondrous passion which, till then, like a great bird with rose-coloured wings, hung in the splendor of poetic skies, and now she could not think that the calm in which she lived was the happiness of her dreams. † Emma is a victim of the mass media, dying because she read the escapist, romantic fantasies and mistook them for reality. She wondered, â€Å"Why could not she lean over balconies in Swiss chalets, or enshrine her melancholy in a Scotch cottage, with a husband dressed in a black velvet coat with long tails, and thin shoes a pointed hat and frills? Charles talk, in contrast, was dull. He provoked no emotions in her but disgust; he had no desire to do or see anything. Charles’s conversation was commonplace as a street pavement, and every one’s ideas trooped through it in their everyday garb, without exciting emotion, laughter, or thought. He had never had the curiosity, he said, whil e he lived at Rouen, to go to the theatre to see the actors from Paris. He could neither swim, nor fence, nor shoot, and one day he could not explain some term of horsemanship to her that she had come across in a novel. A man, on the contrary, should he not know everything, excel in manifold activities, initiate you into the energies of passion, the refinements of life, all mysteries? But this one taught nothing, knew nothing, wished nothing. He thought her happy; and she resented this easy calm, this serene heaviness, the happiness she gave him. Flaubert writes that â€Å"ennui, the silent spider, was weaving its web in the darkness, in every corner of her heart. † But after a few months, Emma and Charles were invited to the Vaubyessard estate by the Marquis d’Andervilliers (â€Å"Another Village†). Charles had cured the Marquis from an abscess in the mouth, and the Marquis had requested some offshoots of the cherry trees that were in the Bovary’s little garden. When the Marquis came to thank Charles personally, he saw Emma. He thought her pretty and sophisticated enough to invite to the chateau. Charles and Emma arrived at nightfall along with many others. An elaborate dinner was served, and they prepared for the ball. When Charles intimated that he would dance, Emma replied, â€Å"Why, you must be mad! They would make fun of you; stay in your place, as it becomes a doctor. And when he kissed her on her shoulder, â€Å"’Don’t touch me! ’ she cried; ‘I’ll be all rumpled. ’† The dancing began, and when the atmosphere grew warm and heavy, a servant broke out the window panes. Through the windows Emma â€Å"saw in the garden the faces of peasants pressed against the window looking in at them. † She was reminded of her own heritage, the days of the farm, but â€Å"the splendor of the present hour† made her almost doubt she had ever been there. Supper was served, and at three o’clock the cotillion (more dancing) began. Emma danced with a Viscount, and proved to be a highly courted partner. Charles, in the meantime, had spent five consecutive hours watching people at the card tables â€Å"without understanding anything about it. † Lunch was served the following day, and then Charles and Emma left for Tostes. Emma believed the life of Vaubyessard to be the kind of life she wanted and deserved, and her immediate surroundings grew even more dreary. â€Å"She longed to travel or to go back to her convent. She wanted to die, but she also wanted to live in Paris. † She became increasingly irritated with Charles and her surroundings to the point of becoming ill. She suffered from heart palpitations, and she exhibited altered states of hyperactivity and torpor. She constantly complained about Tostes, and Charles thought that perhaps her illness was due to the town itself. From that thought on, â€Å"Emma drank vinegar to lose weight, contracted a sharp little cough, and lost all appetite. † The Bovarys moved to a new town, Yonville (â€Å"yonder village†), a small market town some twenty miles from Rouen. Here the Bovarys had a daughter, whom Emma names Berthe, after a young lady she had encountered at Vaubyessard, and the Bovarys sent Berthe to be nursed by a carpenter’s wife. Emma was not a very good mother. She really wanted a son who would be free to â€Å"explore all passions and all countries, overcome obstacles, taste of the most distant pleasures. † She did not care for the realities of motherhood. On one occasion, after returning home, Berthe approached Emma. â€Å"‘Leave me alone,’ repeated the young woman quite angrily. Her expression frightened the child, who began to scream. ‘Will you leave me alone? ’ she said, forcing her away with her elbow. Berthe fell at the foot of the chest of drawers against the brass handle; she cut her cheek, blood appeared. Emma then felt sorry for her treatment of the child. The Bovarys met Leon Dupuis, a clerk for the town notary. Leon and Emma were fellow romantics. They spoke of their desire for change as opposed to routine. They talked about their desire for walking in the country, witnessing sunsets, visiting seashores, mountains, lakes, waterfalls. They related their love for music and reading by the fire. The two of them fell in love with one another, but did not yet allow themselves to express their love. â€Å"Weary of loving without success,† Leon eventually left for Paris to pursue a law degree. Emma became unhappy and ill again. A â€Å"gentleman† named Rodolphe Boulanger brought one of his workers, who wanted to be bled, to see Dr. Bovary. Rodolphe had just acquired an estate that consisted of a chateau and two farms that Rodolphe cultivated himself, â€Å"without, however, taking too many pains. † Rodolphe â€Å"lived as a bachelor, and was supposed to have† a sizeable income. When Emma was called to assist in the bleeding, Rodolphe became infatuated with her beauty. But he only desired her as a mistress. Flaubert described Rodolphe as â€Å"having had much experience with women and being something of a connoisseur. † Rodolphe thought to himself, â€Å"Three gallant words and she’d adore me, I’m sure of it. She’d be tender, charming. Yes; but how to get rid of her afterwards. † His present mistress, an actress in Rouen, was beginning to bore him. During an Agricultural Fair, Emma and Rodolphe strolled around, arm in arm, eventually ascending to â€Å"the council room† on the first floor of the townhall. The room was empty, and Rodolphe suggested they could enjoy the show there more comfortably. Flaubert showed his appreciation of irony when, in the background, he awarded the first prize for manure at the same time Rodolphe told Emma, â€Å"A hundred times I tried to leave; yet I followed you and stayed†¦. As I would stay to-night, to-morrow, all other days, all my life! † Also, as Emma and Rodolphe gazed at each other, â€Å"as their desire increased, their dry lips trembled and languidly, effortlessly, their fingers intertwined,† a prize was awarded to an old peasant woman for fifty-four years of faithful service at one farm. Emma was susceptible to Rodolphe’s charms. After some six weeks, a time chosen by Rodolphe for the purpose of not appearing too eager, he visited Emma. He knew just how to play her. When Charles returned home, Rodolphe suggested that riding might be good for Madame Bovary’s health. Charles thought it a good idea. At first, Emma objected, but Charles talked her into it. She and Rodolphe rode and walked. Sometime into their first outing, Emma â€Å"abandoned herself to him. † Charles bought her a horse. Emma and Rodolphe rode regularly, and they began exchanging letters, placing them in the cracks of a wall located near the river at the end of the garden attached to the Bovary home. If Charles left early enough, she would sneak off, on foot, to see Rodolphe at his estate and return to Yonville before anyone awoke. She would cry when she had to leave Rodolphe, and her farewells would go on forever. Rodolphe suggested her visits were too dangerous; she was compromising herself. So, Rodolphe began coming to the garden at night, throwing sand against the shutters, and Emma would sneak out after Charles had retired. Six months passed. Rodolphe became increasingly indifferent, and Emma became uncertain herself. One day, news of a new surgical procedure for curing clubfoot reached the apothecary at Rouen. Emma, who wanted more fame and excitement for her husband, and the apothecary, who wanted fame for himself, urged an unwilling Charles to carry out the new operation on a crippled servant at the inn. The servant was pressured and finally consented after the operation was offered to him at no charge. At first, the operation appeared successful, and Emma was delighted with Charles and his prospects. But the device in which they strapped the servant’s foot caused swelling. In response, the device was tightened even further, and gangrene set in. A surgeon was called in for consultation. He laughed and scolded Charles. The surgeon had to amputate the servant’s leg to the thigh. Emma was no longer delighted. â€Å"Everything in him [Charles] irritated her now; his face, his dress, all the things he did not say, his whole person, in short, his existence. † The disastrous operation was further proof of Charles stupidity and incompetence, and Emma turned to Rodolphe to fulfill her dreams. She sent Rodolphe love notes, and the two of them made plans to leave for Italy. Emma was apparently willing to leave without Berthe. When she firsts suggested the idea of leaving, Rodolphe asked about the fate of Berthe. Then, Emma, who had obviously not thought of Berthe before, said they would take Berthe with them. But no further mention of Berthe was made in their succeeding plans, and Emma rarely gave Berthe any attention. Rodolphe, who had no real intentions of running off with Emma, postponed the departure on several occasions, and then they set a specific date. On the day of their departure, however, Rodophe sent a letter to Emma through a servant. In the letter he ended the affair and announced that he was leaving without her. He had his servant echo his plans to depart, but he was not actually planning to go anywhere. Though, later in the day, he did decide to go to Rouen. Emma saw him leaving as he passed by the Bovary home. She was devastated and became ill. Charles stayed by her side for forty-three days, neglecting his own affairs. Charles thought the theatre may be good medicine, and so he and Emma went to Rouen to see an opera. The whole experience began to reawaken Emma’s romantic being. After the second act, Charles went to get Emma something to drink and ran into Leon. As the third act began, the three of them left to talk elsewhere. Leon, as it turns out, after his schooling in Paris, had come to Rouen to work as a clerk. Because the three old acquaintances talked through the opera, Emma did not get to see the third act; and since Emma now seemed energized, Charles suggested that she stay the night and see the third act the next day. Charles, however, must return home. Emma stayed, and she and Leon began an affair. As Flaubert wrote it, Emma and Leon apparently consummate their feelings for one another during a long carriage ride through Rouen. When she returned to Yonville, she was informed that Charles’ father has died. Emma was by this time substantially indebted to a shopkeeper and moneylender by the name of Lheureux (â€Å"the happy,† as in the seller of happiness), and he suggested that Emma obtain the power of attorney over Charles’ father’s estate. She manipulated Charles into giving her this power of attorney, and she even earned his gratitude for going to Rouen to have Leon look over the legal papers. Emma’s stay in Rouen lasted three days, after which Leon came to Yonville at times and sent Emma secret letters. Emma then began to make weekly trips to Rouen under the pretense of taking piano lessons. She manipulated Charles into asking her to refresh her skills in this area. She and Leon would stay in a hotel, and she was running up all kinds of debts with Lheureux, spending freely on her trips to Rouen and satisfying all of her whims. Lheureux lent her money on the value of Charles’ father’s estate. Charles was unaware of her spending and her adultery. Leon and she began seeing each other more frequently. She began billing Charles’ patients herself, without his knowledge, and selling things in order to pay on her bills. She gave Berthe no attention. Finally, someone wrote Leon’s mother, telling her that Leon was ruining himself with a married woman. Leon’s mother wrote her son’s employer who then indicated to Leon how important it was to break off the affair. Leon wanted to end it, but he was in love. Eventually Emma’s unpaid bills ran long overdue, and her creditors obtained a judgment against her. On her return from a visit to Rouen, the maid showed her a judgment that commanded her â€Å"by power of the king† to pay the sum of eight thousand francs. She went to Lheureux, who by this time had sold the debt at a discount to a banker at Rouen. Emma tried to talk Lheureux out of the judgment. She â€Å"even pressed her pretty white and slender hand against the shopkeeper’s knee,† but Lheureux would have none of that. She owed a vast sum of money, and the sheriffs officers arrived to confiscate the family property. Emma tried frantically to raise the money. She went to Leon at Rouen and urged him to borrow the money for her, and she even suggested that he steal the money from his office. Leon tried to borrow the money from lenders, but to no avail. On the next morning, people gathering in the market read a notice indicating that the Bovarys’ furniture was for sale. Madame Bovary went to see the town notary. The notary was in business with Lheureux and, so, knew all about Emma’s plight. But he listened as she told him all about it. He then made it clear, in a not so subtle manner, that he would expect a sexual relationship if he were to lend her the money she needed. Emma appeared insulted by his forwardness, shouted that she was not for sale, and left in a fury. She was surely not opposed to exchanging herself for money, but the notary was too crass and straightforward about it. Had he concealed it in more romantic language, she probably would have consented. Later, as Flaubert wrote, â€Å"perhaps she began to repent now that she had not yielded to the notary. † At last, when she heard the sound of Charles coming home, she went to the town’s tax collector and offered herself to him in return for the money. He was offended by Emma’s advances. While Emma was running around, thinking about how to get the money, Charles learned of his family’s financial ruin. Emma, at least, turned to Rodolphe. But even though it seemed the two of them could once again become lovers, Rodolphe was either unwilling or unable to help. Out of shame and despair, Emma poisoned herself with arsenic she obtained from the pharmacy through an unwitting assistant. She hoped to make her death short and sweet. She said, â€Å"Ah! It is but a little thing, death! â€Å"I shall fall asleep and all will be over. † But she suffered long and horribly with vomiting, sweating, pain, moaning, and convulsions. Charles, unable and in no shape to help his wife, called in another doctor, but to no avail. â€Å"A final spasm threw her back upon the mattress,† and she died. Charles appears to be the true hero of the novel. He genuinely loved Emma, would have done anything for her, offered her a decent li fe, was a good husband, a good provider and a good father. But, he was a real human being with real human characteristics and flaws. At the end of the novel, however, Charles becomes a genuine romantic, engulfed by authentic and understandable emotions. Charles decided in favor of a mausoleum for Emma’s tomb, and he wrote the following instructions: â€Å"I wish her to be buried in her wedding dress, with white shoes, and a wreath. Her hair is to be spread out over her shoulders. Three coffins, one oak, one mahogany, one of lead. Let no one try to overrule me; I shall have the strength to resist him. She is to be covered with a large piece of green velvet. This is my wish; see that it is done. The pharmacist and the priest, we are told, â€Å"were much taken aback by Bovary’s romantic ideas. † Charles’ mother shared their view. But Charles now had become a romantic just like Emma, emotionally overwrought with the death of this woman he so dearly loved, refusing to sell any of her possessions to satisfy her debts. Flaubert writes of Charles, â€Å"He was a changed man. † â€Å"To please her, as if she were still living, he adopted her taste, her ideas; he bought patent leather boots and took to wearing white cravats. He waxed his moustache and, just like her, signed promissory notes. She corrupted him from beyond the grave. Soon, though, Charles discovered the love letters from Leon and Rodolphe hidden in a secret drawer of Emma’s desk; and, shortly thereafter, Charles died of love sickness. A surgeon â€Å"performed an autopsy, but found nothing. † All of Charles’ belongings were sold to satisfy debts, and there remains just enough to send Berthe off to her grandmother. But the grandmother died the same year, and Berthe fell under the care of a poor aunt who sent her â€Å"to a cottom-mill to earn a living. †

Fifteen Gross Sins Are Listed Religion Essay

Fifteen Gross Sins Are Listed Religion Essay Brenda It certainly does. Seriously, though, working at a reference desk has to be a bit intimidating. After all, anyone is allowed to ask you any question, and you are supposed to be able to find the answer! So, I guess one of the qualifications for the job is that you have to be omniscient! That would leave us all out. But there is someone who is qualified, someone who knows all the answers. In Revelation 2 and 3, Christ includes in each of the letters to the seven churches the words I know your works. God knows us. He knows our strengths and our weaknesses. He knows our needs. He knows the answer to every question in our heart. He is the ultimate reference desk worker. GNB What a great God we serve and worship! And we on Word Alive are privileged to be able to share the information of God with you. Thank you for joining us today. Dr Derek Stringer is our communicator and Derek has been taking us through the amazing letter of Paul to the Galatians. Weve reached the fifth chapter and verses 19 to 21. DS And I hope that youll not be put off if I say that this information is some of the most discouraging in the entire Bible, but also one of the most realistic. GNB Lets look at Galatians 5:19 to 21 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. Derek! DS Brenda, thank you. On the surface it is hard to imagine anything more depressing and discouraging than these three verses. Fifteen gross sins are listed, followed by a strong warning that those who practice such sins will not inherit the kingdom of God. GNB And some of you may be wondering, Is he really going to devote an entire message to these three verses? Why not combine them with the next three, which speak of the fruit of the Spirit. Then at least something uplifting and positive might result. DS Well, were going to get to verses 22-23 next time, and I think after enduring the sourness of todays text, the fruit of the Spirit will taste much sweeter. Before digging into the detail, however, I think there are a few general observations we need to make by way of an overview of the SIN or the S.I.N. Virus that stands for SERIOUSLY IN NEED virus! First, I want us to consider why Paul included this list of sins here in the book of Galatians. One reason seems to me to be an issue of balance. Pauls strong advocacy of grace as a life principle and his severe attacks against legalism could lead some to take sin lightly. These verses enable him to communicate not only that there are moral principles even for those living under grace, but also that persistent violation of the boundaries God has set, has severe, even eternal consequences. Some old writers knew the truth of this. Thomas Merton for example: The reason we never enter into the deepest reality of our relationship with God is that we so seldom acknowledge our utter nothingness before Him. GNB As George MacDonald: To be ashamed is a holy and blessed thing. Shame is shame only to those who want to appear, not to those who want to be. Shame is shame to those who want to pass their examination, not to those who would get to the heart of things. To be humbly ashamed is to be plunged in the cleansing bath of truth. DS And then In addition, it is one thing to know in general that there is a conflict between the sinful nature and the Spirit. It is quite another thing to be given a list of fifteen specific examples of the acts of the sinful nature and then a list of the fruit of the Spirit. God doesnt leave us wondering about the real difference between a life lived after the flesh and one lived after the Spirit. Furthermore, all of us are interested enough in saving face that, without such a list we would tend to think of the acts of the sinful nature only in terms of deeds we personally have not committed. And we would focus only on the fruit of the Spirit that seem to have counterparts in our own personalities. But these lists force us to face the fact that everyone of us has an active sinful nature, and everyone of us has room for major cultivation of the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. Also by way of overview I think we should take note of Pauls comment to the effect that The acts of the sinful nature are obvious. Obvious to whom? Apparently to anyone who is objective and honest. GNB In the past 25 years our modern culture has made great efforts to deny that many of these acts are even wrong. (sinful, of course, is not even in the cultures vocabulary). Sexual activity outside of marriage, for example, is considered by many modern psychotherapists, politicians, and even clergy to be perfectly acceptable. Standards not acceptable a few years ago are now routinely labelled a natural alternative lifestyle. Those who deal with drug addiction and alcoholism insist their clients are merely suffering from a disease. DS But the Scriptures deem all such behaviour to be acts of the sinful nature, (though certainly sin can, and often does, lead to disease). The media treats astrology as a harmless and perhaps even helpful way for people to find order in a chaotic world, but Paul says it, too, is an act of the sinful nature. Even we evangelicals play this game when we consider jealousy, envy, and a bad temper to be minor indiscretions or personality flaws we cant help, while God lumps such things together with idolatry and orgies, and calls them all the acts of the sinful nature. You know we can justify, excuse, and rationalise all we want, but despite all our efforts to hide the truth, the acts of the flesh are obvious. No matter how we dress them up, they are sin, and we know it in our hearts. GNB Now lets take the time to examine the acts of the sinful nature one by one, as enumerated by the Apostle. DS There are 15 deeds mentioned here in the NIV, 17 in the KJV, which adds adultery and murder. These two are not found in the oldest Greek manuscripts of our text and were probably added by a later scribe who thought two sins as nasty as adultery and murder surely deserved a place in Pauls list. The list, of course, was not meant to be exhaustive, and whether or not Paul himself wrote adultery and murders, he undoubtedly included them in the et cetera at the end of the list. As a matter of fact, virtually the entire Ten Commandments are missing from this list, though they also certainly deal with notorious acts of the sinful nature. Bible scholars often divide this list into four parts: sexual sins, religious sins, social sins, and sins related especially to alcohol. GNB There are the sexual sins. DS The first vice in the list is Immorality. The Greek word used here is the term porneia, from which we get our English word, pornography. It is a broad term which signifies sexual perversion in general. Almost any sexual act outside marriage would be included. Sin of this kind was so common in Pauls day that it was almost taken for granted. Even believers were not particularly shocked by it. I fear that we are fast approaching the same degree of apathy to sexual looseness in our own day. We are living in a sex-saturated society. Most major television programmes are built around a theme of sexual promiscuity, to say nothing of the best-seller list of fiction books or leading magazines or Oscar-nominated movies. And all this is impacting the church. I remember a magazine article entitled, Sex and the Single Evangelical. It contends the church is in denial about how its single evangelicals are having sex (which may be true), but then she goes on to suggest that the prohibition on premarital sex is just a church tradition, and is essentially unaddressed in Scripture. Frankly, I dont know how they can square that with the whole tenor of Scripture, to say nothing of specific passages like 1 Corinthians 6. However, with all these voices out there advocating sexual freedom, plus our inherent tendency toward the desires of the sinful nature, there is virtually no doubt there are individuals listening to me today who are right now living a double life of godliness on Sunday and immorality during the week. Perhaps there is someone who is presently carrying on an affair with a colleague at work. Almost certainly in a group as large as the group listening to me right now well there are some caught in the vice-grip of wrong actions. I would not even be surprised if there is a parent who is sexually abusing a child or a stepchild. Please, please dont pretend to be shocked-if this happened at Corinth and at Galatia, then it also happens at our Church. But while acknowledging the fact that it is happening, we dare not take a blasà © attitude toward it. Please be informed that those who practice such things, according to this very passage, shall not inherit the kingdom of God. They are not destined for heaven. Thats what God says. But possibly some of you have never been guilty of an explicit sexual sin. You are still not necessarily off the hook. For the second vice mentioned is Impurity. It refers to a filthiness of heart and mind that corrupts and defiles a person. The impure person sees dirt in everything. GNB Double-entendres are his forte. He is described in Titus 1:15: To the pure, all things are pure. But to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. The impure person is also described in 2 Peter 2:14 as one having eyes full of adultery. DS You know Many Christian men who wouldnt think of having an actual affair, nevertheless think nothing of walking down the street with their eyes at breast level. We men in particular need to be so careful what we read, what we watch, and especially what websites we visit on the computer. If you find yourself susceptible to temptation, flee as Joseph did. A simple way to flee internet temptation is to use an internet provider with an adequate filtering system. But women, too, are not exempt. Filling your minds with romance novels and soap operas are equivalent to saturating yourself with impurity. If its filthy, its not of the Spirit; its an act of the sinful nature, and those who practice such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God. The third vice in the sexual area, Debauchery or sensuality is a broad term covering everything from provocative clothing to shameless disregard for public decency. Sensuality is the byword for the bulk of advertising done in our country today. The clothing industry thrives on it, as does the entertainment industry, the travel industry, and the music industry. In denouncing sensuality, Paul is not suggesting that beauty and attractiveness are out of bounds for Christian people. But everyone of us knows in our hearts the difference between beauty and sensuality-its the difference between Michelangelos statue of David and the Playgirl centrefold. You can stand next to that incredible statue of David in Florence, in the presence of dozens of men, women, and children, with no sense of shame-only awe. It exudes beauty, not sensuality. GNB Pauls first three entries among the acts of the sinful nature should not be interpreted as implying a negative attitude toward sex. DS Thats so right Sexuality is God-given and beautiful, but when exercised outside the bounds of marriage, it can be incredibly self-destructive. And those who practice sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery (or sensuality) shall not inherit the kingdom of God. GNB Next there are the religious sins. DS Idolatry. There are many places in the Bible where idolatry is ridiculed. GNB In the 44th chapter of Isaiah the prophet says, All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. . . . He cuts down cedars, or perhaps a cypress or oak. . . . Half of the wood he burns in the fire; over it he prepares his meal, he roasts his meat and eats his fill. He also warms himself and says, Ah! I am warm; I see the fire. From the rest he makes a god, his idol; he bows down to it and worships. He prays to it and says, Save me; you are my god. They know nothing. They understand nothing; ; their eyes are plastered over so they cannot see, and their minds closed so they cannot understand. DS But the worship of idols involves not only graven images but also any substitute for the living and true God. GNB In Colossians 3:5 covetousness is described as a form of idolatry, because the thing coveted becomes an object of worship. DS The Christian who devotes more of himself to his car, house or boat than he does to serving Christ may be in danger of idolatry. We are commanded in Scripture to worship God, love people, and use things; but too often we use people, love self, and worship things, leaving God completely out of the picture. The important thing to note here is that false worship is every bit as much a work of the sinful nature as adultery. And those who practice idolatry shall not inherit the kingdom of God. The second religious act of the sinful nature is Witchcraft or sorcery. The Greek word Paul uses here is the one from which we get out English word pharmacy. It referred to the use of drugs to poison people, as well as in witchcraft. Magic and sorcery were extremely common in Asia Minor, where the Galatian churches were located. GNB In Acts 19:19 we read that due to Pauls ministry in nearby Ephesus, A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. DS The Bible forbids anything related to magic, fortune-telling, astrology or contact with the spirit world. Perhaps a specific comment relative to astrology and horoscopes would be in order, since many people are conned into thinking it is a harmless and sometimes even helpful way to plan for the future and to make decisions. At best it is a foolish waste of time and money. More often it is a subtle trap that Satan uses to undermine ones faith in Gods active sovereignty over human affairs. At worst it makes one vulnerable to demonic influences. GNB Let me quote just one of many passages in the Bible that speak to this issue. Im reading from Deuteronomy 18: When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. Let no one be found among you who . . .practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord. DS Those who practice idolatry and witchcraft or sorcery will not inherit the kingdom of God. So much for the religious sins. The social sins are more numerous. If the first two categories didnt get you, then this one probably will, for the vices listed here are very common, even among professing Christians. But theyre no less serious just because theyre common. Hatred refers to hostility between individuals or communities, whether on social, political, racial, or religious grounds. The attitude of those who stir up racial hatred is here. So is hatred for gays, for abortionists, and even for politicians. One can disagree strongly with a persons view or lifestyle, but hatred of that person is forbidden. The second act of the sinful nature that fits in the social realm, or perhaps I should say anti-social realm is Discord. This is the natural result when hatred is acted upon. Whether the discord occurs in Northern Ireland or Jerusalem or London, it is the end result of hatred. GNB Some homes are characterised by discord, as the hatred and contempt of one family member for another boils over in fighting and feuding. DS But interestingly, four out of the six times Paul uses this word in his epistles, it is connected with church life. Some churches, unfortunately, are characterised by strife. Fights and splits are typical fare, and the world watches and wonders, Is this what Christianity is all about? I prayed all my ministry life that God would spare the church I pastored from the discord that leads to a church split. God was gracious and answered that prayer. The next act mentioned is the word Jealous. And its not always a vice. In fact, God is called a jealous God in the Scriptures and even gives as one of His names, Jealous. GNB And we are urged to be jealous for Gods honour and for Gods name. DS But here it is obvious the intention is to speak of selfish jealousy, that attitude which resents the success enjoyed by someone else. This, too, occurs in the church, when one person is asked to do a ministry that someone else wanted, or when one member has an unusual degree of success in business. Then there are Fits of rage. Losing ones temper and blowing a gasket are not excusable because your hair is red or because someone around you is especially irritating or because thats just the way you are. Its a work of the sinful nature, and those that practice outbursts of anger shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Another act of the sinful nature in social situations is Selfish ambition. The term used here signifies a mercenary spirit which withholds ministry or service from someone if there isnt enough money in it. Pastors who choose speaking engagements solely on the basis of where the larger honoraria are given are guilty of this vice. GNB A cartoon in Leadership Journal years ago showed a Christian musician standing before an adoring audience about to sing a beautiful worship song he had written himself. The caption has him saying something like this: The Lord gave me this song, and if anyone uses it without my permission, Ill sue you. DS A spirit of selfish ambition, to be sure. But so is the attitude of a layperson who refused to serve in the church because it would interfere with his moneymaking ability. The next word is Dissensions. Its a term with strong doctrinal overtones, and refers principally to the introduction of divisive teaching in the church. GNB The legalists in Galatia were a prime example. DS And there are many in the church today who are teaching doctrines, some absolutely false and others just distortions, which keep people from focusing on truths that exalt Christ and build up believers. In fact, I believe even solid truth can sometimes be taught in a way that produces dissension. The doctrine of election, for example, is a doctrine I highly value, but if it is not taught carefully, it can be unnecessarily divisive. The next word (Number 12) is Factions. It goes a step further than dissensions. In fact, it is the natural result of divisive teaching, in that a party spirit develops and the Body of Christ is split into groups-one of which champions a particular teacher or leader, while another champions someone else. GNB Paul experienced this in Corinth, where he chided the church with these words: One of you says, I follow Paul; another, I follow Apollos; another, I follow Cephas still another (and this was the super-spiritual group), I follow Christ. Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptised into the name of Paul DS I believe cliques are a common manifestation of this vice of factions. Oh, how we need to be careful not to isolate ourselves with our little group of friends! Nothing will destroy the spirit of unity in a church more quickly. Young people, this includes you. Sometimes youth groups are extremely difficult for new kids to break into because of the cliques that exist. Its an act of the sinful nature. Next Envy is closely related to the earlier concept of jealousy, only this term, in contrast to jealousy, is always negative. It is the grudging spirit that cannot bear to contemplate someone elses prosperity. GNB Christ gave a parable in which some of the workmen complained that the last-hired worker had been over- generously paid. The owner of the vineyard replied, Do you begrudge my generosity? DS Those guilty of envy do indeed. Having examined the social sins that deal with interpersonal relations, lets consider two that are common to drinking alcohol. Drunkenness is excessive indulgence in alcohol, which weakens ones rational and moral control over actions and words. There is undoubtedly less excuse for the abuse of alcohol in our society today than even in the Galatian society of the first century, for drinking wine in those days was almost essential, whereas today it is always by choice. No one today has to drink at all-the alternatives are numerous and often more healthy. The simple reason why abuse of alcohol is such a problem today is social pressure. Too many people think theyll stick out like a sore thumb if they ask for a soft drink. But, you ask, cant one drink without abuse? Certainly, and many do. Drinking is not in itself a spiritual issue-drunkenness is-but drinking is certainly a social issue that must be examined carefully by Christian people. Many need to ask the question, Is the minor enhancement of life that moderate use of alcohol provides worth the major risk of abuse that so subtly and frequently results? Remember that those who practice drunkenness will not inherit the kingdom of God. Then he mentions Orgies or carousings which often accompany drunkenness. In fact, rarely, do these occur without alcohol, for the lowering of ones natural inhibitions with alcohol is generally a pre-requisite before most people will even participate in grossly immoral behaviour. GNB Fifteen vices have been listed. DS But then the Apostle adds an et cetera, for in verse 21 he ends his list with the phrase, and the like. What he doesnt want us to do is to think of the acts of the sinful nature just in terms of these 15 vices, with the implication that if you avoid all 15 of these, youve got it made spiritually. These are only representative of the kinds of actions that generate from our natural, in-born tendency toward sin. GNB We need to hear this even if its tough to do so its information from the Word of God here on Word Alive with Dr Derek Stringer. And we must also evaluate the acts of the sinful nature. And Derek will be back in a moment to help us do just that. I just want to take this opportunity to let you know that we are praying for you our listener. If we can be of help spirituality well thats what were here for. Word Alive is not just about giving biblical information but seeing it lead to spiritual transformation. I give you our contact details in just a moment but let me hand the microphone over to Derek Stringer as he wraps up this teaching from Galatians 5:19 to 21. Over to Derek DS Thanks again Brenda. What we find at the conclusion of the Apostles list is a severe warning. I warn you, he says, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. The first thing we should ask is this: To whom is this warning addressed? Well, theres no question that Paul is talking to the professing Christians who were members of the churches of Galatia. Most of them were probably genuine believers, but as in any church, there were undoubtedly some who were just going through religious motions. Many of these church members had come to Christ out of paganism, where their lives had been controlled by sinful habits. Some of them had practiced fornication as a religious duty in the pagan temples. Sorcery had been as common as weather forecasting. Naturally, not all of these nasty habits disappeared overnight when they professed faith in Christ. Some struggled with particular sinful addictions, or at least temptations, for some time. I would like to suggest that it was because some of these former pagans were struggling that the Judaizers had been so successful in introducing their legalism into the churches. I can just hear them say, You Galatians have tried grace as a way of conquering your baser instincts; but the only sure way of putting a lid on sin is going back under the Law of Moses! Paul, of course, disagrees strongly that the Law has any power to conquer such habits, but instead of reiterating what he has already shared as the real answer (namely the life of grace as it is walked in the power of the Holy Spirit), he hits them with a stunning warning, namely that the Kingdom of God is not going to be populated by people who commit immoral deeds, hate other people, lose their tempers, or get drunk. Now, if youre a normal, intelligent and inquisitive person, you probably are not willing to let the matter lie with that simple statement of Pauls theology. For numerous questions invade ones mind as to the meaning of this severe warning. Does this verse teach that anyone who has ever committed one immoral act or gotten smashed or acted jealously is excluded forever from Heaven? Or rather that those who do such things after conversion are excluded? Or that those who do such things and refuse to repent are excluded? Or that those who practice such things continually are excluded? Probably most of us would tend to choose the latter option, because we are anxious to preserve one of our favourite doctrines-the security of the believer. I too agree with the last option, but not for that reason. The Apostle is, in my estimation, fighting the very common tendency to divorce morality from religion. GNB There are many who feel that whats important is just what people believe, not how they behave. DS One or two of you may have even thought thats what I believe, for probably no fewer than a dozen times over the past programmes I have stated, We are saved by believing, not by achieving. Yes, I said that, and I believe that, but I never said that behaviour is unimportant-just that it can never save you. Anyone who thinks he can run around on his wife, get drunk at every office party, and practice road rage every night, and still go to Heaven so long as his beliefs are orthodox, has missed Pauls point regarding our freedom in Christ completely. A Christian should never view his relationship with God as a free ticket to sin, but rather as a compulsion to forsake sin. Both our beliefs and our behaviour are important to God, and we dare not divorce them. In fact, we cant divorce them, even if we try. GNB We behave the way we behave because we believe the way we believe. DS I think thats true. If we live sinful lives its because we really dont believe God hates sin and that He will some day judge those who do it. We may say we believe it, but we really dont. Now its very important to pay attention to the verb used in v. 21: GNB those who live like this. DS The word is in the present tense and is used often to mean practice. This passage says that one whose life is characterized by these acts of the sinful nature will not inherit Gods Kingdom. It doesnt matter what profession he has made. It doesnt matter what aisles he has walked or at what altars he has kneeled. It doesnt matter what spiritual experiences he has had or even whom he may have led to Christ. If these kinds of deeds describe his life-style, then he will not inherit the Kingdom of God, Thus says the Lord. His attitudes and actions contradict the profession he makes that he has experienced the saving grace of God and the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. Would that when we meet one of these severe warnings of Scriptures we would not immediately ask, How does this fit with eternal security?, but rather respond as Jesus disciples did when told that one of them would betray Him, Lord, is it I? Lord, are you talking about me? Finally, I would like to mention just a couple of implications of this severe warning. First, I do not believe anyone whose life is characterised by these acts of the sinful nature has the luxury of claiming to be a Christian. I am not the one to judge whether hes saved, lost, or just backslidden, but I do say that he has no right to claim hes a child of God when his life denies it. I have had individuals contact me, who were at the time living in gross sin, tell me, Well, at least I know Im a Christian. And I have had to say, Im sorry, but I think thats blasphemy. You have no right to make such a claim while youre living like that. A final implication is that while the entire book of Galatians has emphasised that we cannot inherit Gods kingdom by works, verse 21 says in effect that we can bar ourselves from Gods kingdom by works. Good works, in other words, cant get you into heaven, but works of the sinful nature can send you to Hell. All around us are evil influences threatening to drown us in the actions of the sinful nature. But I find hope offered to us in the Word of God. Brenda! GNB In a very similar passage in 1 Corinthians 6 this same Apostle wrote, Dont you know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy no drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. DS Notice the tense of that verb when he says, And that is what some of you were. Paul would never have written, And that is what some of you are, for Christian adulterer is an oxymoron; so is Christian thief and Christian drunk. But the use of the past tense shows that God can turn people around. The greatest thing about Christianity is that a personal relationship with Christ can turn a mans present habits into history. There is no life too gross and too filled with the acts of the sinful nature that Jesus Christ cant make a past tense out of it. The only person unredeemable is the one whose heart is too proud to seek Gods forgiveness. GNB Are you one who is in need of the warning of this Scripture passage today? DS Yes Are you, as one who professes to be a Christian, involved in practicing one or more of these sins listed here? If so, your ultimate concern should not be to debate whether you real