The Lazarus Project And Grace Ministries The Role Of...

The Lazarus Project and Grace Ministries: The Role of Religious Nonprofits in Addressing Personal and Social Problems Ines W. Jindra Abstract: In this paper, a review essay of Psychology and Spiritual Transformation in a Substance Abuse Program: The Lazarus Project, I examine spiritual transformation in the context of substance abuse and homelessness. I first tackle the question whether change results mostly from individual spiritual transformation experiences or the social surrounding converts are part of based on my own research on spiritual transformation and homelessness as well as Williamson and Hood’s work, and then examine the debate surrounding the application of Foucault’s â€Å"technologies of self† to programs such as the Lazarus Project. The last part of the paper offers a few methodological suggestions in the study of similar projects. Keywords: addictions, homelessness, spiritual transformation, religious conversion, recovery Introduction Scattered throughout many cities in the U.S., one will find a variety of nonprofit organizations that assist and work with individuals and families suffering from addictions, homelessness, and poverty. A crucial part of the safety net, these organizations rely on a mix of public and private funding to fulfill their goals, which range widely across a number of constituencies and needs. Some of them are branches of international organizations, such as the Salvation Army, while others are often agencies with local roots. Some

Conformity Essay Example For Students

Conformity Essay A Japanese proverb says, The nail that sticks out will be hammered down. Society tries to place many rules on us as individuals as to what is acceptable and what is not. We must decide for ourselves whether to conform to such a social decorum. We are taught as soon as we are old enough to grasp the idea that it is bad to be unique and to avoid being different. At some point, however, we must decide within ourselves whether to spend every day trying to be like everyone else because society says we should or living each day true to ourselves. Our strength as a person is proven through what we decide. E. E. Cummings once said, To be nobody but yourself-in a world which is doing its best night and day to make you like everyone else-means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight, and never stop fighting. The benefits of being true to ourselves greatly outweigh any negative aspects of choosing that path. One of the most obvious advantages of being true to ourselves is that people will see us, perhaps for the first time, without a mask. People will see what we are really like on the inside. They will see our talents, imperfections, and preferences. Then they will have the opportunity to accept us on our own terms. As we work to show our true selves to society, we may discover things about ourselves we did not already know. We all have God-given talents of which we may or may not be aware. After we stop hiding whom we truly are, our talents will have the opportunity to come to the fore. Second, society teaches us to conform by not thinking for ourselves. We are simply told how to solve a problem or accomplish a task. We are never taught why or how something works. If we do not attempt to break out of that mold, we will never get to the point where we wonder why or how things work. A young child constantly asks why? He has yet to realize that it does not matter, according to teachers and leaders of society, why the sky is blue. It only matters that it is blue. Perhaps there is an underlying fear that if we begin to question innocent things like the color of the sky we will one day begin to question government policies, etc. Then we might discover that many great leaders in this world have convinced us to believe their version of the truth. To be great is to be misunderstood (Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self-Reliance). The greatest people in the history of the world were misunderstood. If we want to be great, we can safely assume that we must be willing to be misunderstood. However, we cannot be misunderstood if we conform to the standards of society. If we act and think and talk exactly as everyone else, we will never run the risk of being taken the wrong way. Therefore, by being ourselves we are grouped with the some of the greatest people who ever lived. We may not reach their ranks of fame simply by being ourselves, but, in essence, we are just as great as they are in that we have the strength to be ourselves. It has been said that fools seldom differ. So if we were not willing to be different, to many we would be considered a fool. Emerson also wrote, God will not have his work made manifest by cowards. This tells me that in order to be used by God I must not be afraid to be different from the crowd. Romans 12:2 says, Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what Gods will is-his good, pleasing, and perfect will (Holy Bible, New International Version). We may discover Gods will for our lives by not conforming to this world and its decorum. .udd6ceaba13e63e47d867b68ec52198ad , .udd6ceaba13e63e47d867b68ec52198ad .postImageUrl , .udd6ceaba13e63e47d867b68ec52198ad .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .udd6ceaba13e63e47d867b68ec52198ad , .udd6ceaba13e63e47d867b68ec52198ad:hover , .udd6ceaba13e63e47d867b68ec52198ad:visited , .udd6ceaba13e63e47d867b68ec52198ad:active { border:0!important; } .udd6ceaba13e63e47d867b68ec52198ad .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .udd6ceaba13e63e47d867b68ec52198ad { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .udd6ceaba13e63e47d867b68ec52198ad:active , .udd6ceaba13e63e47d867b68ec52198ad:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .udd6ceaba13e63e47d867b68ec52198ad .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .udd6ceaba13e63e47d867b68ec52198ad .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .udd6ceaba13e63e47d867b68ec52198ad .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .udd6ceaba13e63e47d867b68ec52198ad .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .udd6ceaba13e63e47d867b68ec52198ad:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .udd6ceaba13e63e47d867b68ec52198ad .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .udd6ceaba13e63e47d867b68ec52198ad .udd6ceaba13e63e47d867b68ec52198ad-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .udd6ceaba13e63e47d867b68ec52198ad:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Data Compression Essay In conclusion, I agree with Emersons ideas about conformity. I think that there are times when it is best to try to conform, but most of

V for Vendetta Questions Essay Example

V for Vendetta Questions Essay If people feel strong it will be easier to get people once a good amount of people Join the cause It is very easy to mess up when a mass of people are doing something because of the numbers Everyone has to be on the same side for the manipulation to work. In order to immobile a population everyone needs to agree with the movement; convincing people is a lot more difficult when one has to convince a whole group of people. 2. A. I agree with what V said when he stated Moline can be used for good. The main reason I believe this is because even though there are only some instances in which evil has been used for good, there still are events that occurred for good. Some wars have been fought with freedom being the reason; although there have been ulterior motives other than freedom there is still one good thing. This one thing makes Vs.. Statement true. Another reason as to why I believe Vs.. Statement is true is because there have been vigilantes, such as V, who save people for the sole reason of being a good person. We will write a custom essay sample on V for Vendetta Questions specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on V for Vendetta Questions specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on V for Vendetta Questions specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer V saved Eve with violence and during World War 2, there were group of Jews who would go around blowing up concentration camps. The methods of destruction of those buildings and compounds were violent but in the end, it ended up saving some Jews from being sent to those concentration camps and any that were already there. 2. B. I believe Vs.. Motivation to use violence was based more for the memory of Valerie. Then would come his desire to awaken the public then, to challenge an oppressive government and the reason that was the least important to him would be revenge for the way he was treated. Although throughout the movie, he anted down the people who he believed did the most evil in the place he was held at, I think it was mostly to get revenge for Valerie, not for himself. 3. In that context, no, V is not a terrorist, he is a person who believes the people should rule the been oppressed by the government. Although, in the perspective of the government he was a terrorist because they were the ones who were oppressing and who believed what they were doing was right. But, since the context is The Government should be afraid of their people, V is not a terrorist, he is a liberator. The symbolism behind the Guy Fakes mask was that V was someone who was going to/ did blow up parliament. Guy Fakes is the actual guy who attempted to blow up Parliament. V is Just attempting to honor Guy Fakes. The audience isnt allowed to see Vs.. Face because it would ruin the imagery of the Guy Fakes mask being the liberator. I probably wouldnt unmask him if I had the chance. With the ending the movie had, the Guy Fakes mask became the trademark of people who are attempting to liberate the people from oppressive governments or any type of oppression. The mask is widely used with the Hastiest group Anonymous; they hack information and anything in order to try to help oppressed people. 5. V lets Eve make the final decision because he knew she would do the right thing. He changed during his time at the facility and Eve changed at the facility as well. At the beginning of the movie, V knew Eve and he were supposed to meet and that their fates were connected; he knew Eve would choose to help lead the revolution against the oppressive British government. The fact that Eve already had the background for eloping lead this revolution helped propel her ideals forward and it helped influence her decision of blowing up parliament. Her parents were taken away by the government so she knew how oppressive the British Government was; she knew it had to be stopped. She also Just wanted to help Vs.. Ideas live on; they couldnt die with him. 6. Freedom is the right ideal to have but security with limited freedom will probably make the country more successful and prosperous. With freedom, the people will rule the country. The majority of the people in every society are Just cooking out for themselves; its human nature. If people are afraid of their governments, they will not revolt, there will not be much violence, nothing truly significant will happen within that country. With freedom, new ideals will form from the ranks of the ordinary people. Although some of the ideas within the society will be good ones, the majority will burden a group of people if not the whole society; more mistakes can be made when freedom is a thing. With security, the society will be safe and everything will be okay within the country. Although, like in the movie, governments will get more oppressive over time and eventually they will start scaring the people with water viruses in order to make the people feel that they need the government. A society can be secure and free at the same time; although, if the balances are off, then the whole system fails. There needs to be a way of making sure that the government does not get too oppressive or powerful but there also needs to be a way to assure that the people will not topple the government or else the society will become chaotic and disorderly.

Battle of Shiloh in the Civil War

Battle of Shiloh in the Civil War The Battle of Shiloh was fought April 6-7, 1862, and was an early engagement of the Civil War (1861-1865). Advancing into Tennessee, Major General Ulysses S. Grants troops were attacked by the Confederate Army of Mississippi. Taken by surprise, Union forces were driven back towards the Tennessee River. Able to hold, Grant was reinforced during the night of April 6/7 and launched a massive counterattack in the morning. This drove the Confederates from the field and secured a victory for the Union. The bloodiest battle of the war to date, the losses at Shiloh stunned the public but were far lower than the battles that would come later in the conflict. Lead-up to the Battle In the wake of the Union victories at Forts Henry and Donelson in February 1862, Major General Ulysses S. Grant pressed up the Tennessee River with the Army of West Tennessee. Halting at Pittsburg Landing, Grant was under orders to link up with Major General Don Carlos Buells Army of the Ohio for a thrust against the Memphis and Charleston Railroad. Not expecting a Confederate attack, Grant ordered his men to bivouac and commenced a regimen of training and drill. Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant. Photograph Courtesy of the National Archives Records Administration While the bulk of the army remained at Pittsburg Landing, Grant dispatched Major General Lew Wallaces division several miles north to Stoney Lonesome. Unbeknownst to Grant, his Confederate opposite number, General Albert Sidney Johnston had concentrated his departments forces at Corinth, MS. Intending to attack the Union camp, Johnstons Army of Mississippi departed Corinth on April 3 and encamped three miles from Grants men. Planning to move forward the next day, Johnston was forced to delay the attack forty-eight hours. This delay led his second-in-command, General P.G.T. Beauregard, to advocate cancelling the operation as he believed the element of surprise had been lost. Not to be deterred, Johnston led his men out of camp early on April 6. General P.G.T. Beauregard. Photograph Courtesy of the National Archives Records Administration Fast Facts: Battle of Shiloh Conflict: Civil War (1861-1865)Dates: April 6-7, 1862Armies Commanders:UnionMajor General Ulysses S. GrantMajor General Don Carlos BuellArmy of West Tennessee - 48,894 menArmy of the Ohio - 17, 918 menConfederateGeneral Albert Sidney JohnstonGeneral Pierre G.T. BeauregardArmy of Mississippi - 44,699 menCasualties:Union: 1,754 killed, 8,408 wounded, and 2,885 captured/missingConfederate: 1,728 killed, 8,012 wounded, 959 captured/missing The Confederate Plan Johnstons plan called for the weight of the assault to strike the Union left with the goal of separating it from the Tennessee River and driving Grants army north and west into the swamps of Snake and Owl Creeks. Around 5:15 AM, the Confederates encountered a Union patrol and the fighting began. Surging forward, the corps of Major Generals Braxton Bragg and William Hardee formed a single, long battle line and struck the unprepared Union camps. As they advanced, units became entangled and difficult to control. Meeting with success, the attack drove into the camps as the Union troops attempted to rally. The Confederates Strike Around 7:30, Beauregard, who had been instructed to remain in the rear, sent forward the corps of Major General Leonidas Polk and Brigadier General John C. Breckinridge. Grant, who was downstream at Savannah, TN when the battle began, raced back and reached the field around 8:30. Bearing the brunt of the initial Confederate attack was Brigadier General William T. Shermans division which anchored the Union right. Though forced back, he worked tirelessly to rally his men and mounted a strong defense. Major General John McClernand. Photograph Courtesy of the Library of Congress To his left, Major General John A. McClernands division was also forced to stubbornly give ground. Around 9:00, as Grant was recalling Wallaces division and attempting to hasten the lead division of Buells army, troops from Brigadier Generals W.H.L. Wallaces and Benjamin Prentiss division occupied a strong defensive position in an oak thicket dubbed the Hornets Nest. Fighting valiantly, they repulsed several Confederate attacks as Union troops on either side were forced back. The Hornets Nest held for seven hours and only fell when fifty Confederate guns were brought to bear. Johnston Lost Around 2:30 PM, the Confederate command structure was badly shaken when Johnston was mortally wounded in the leg. Ascending to command, Beauregard continued to push his men forward and Colonel David Stuarts brigade achieved a breakthrough on the Union left along the river. Pausing to reform his men, Stuart failed to exploit the gap and moved his men towards the fighting at the Hornets Nest. With the collapse of the Hornets Nest, Grant formed a strong position extending west from the river and north up the River Road with Sherman on the right, McClernand in the center, and the remnants of Wallace and Brigadier General Stephen Hurlbuts division on the left. Attacking this new Union line, Beauregard had little success and his men were beaten back by heavy fire and naval gunfire support. With dusk approaching, he elected to retire for the night with the goal of returning to the offensive in the morning. Between 6:30-7:00 PM, Lew Wallaces division finally arrived after an unnecessarily circuitous march. While Wallaces men joined the Union line on the right, Buells army began arriving and reinforced his left. Realizing that he now possessed a sizable numerical advantage, Grant planned a massive counterattack for the next morning. Major General Don Carlos Buell. Photograph Courtesy of the Library of Congress Grant Strikes Back Advancing at dawn, Lew Wallaces men opened the attack around 7:00 AM. Pushing south, Grant and Buells troops drove the Confederates back as Beauregard worked to stabilize his lines. Hampered by the previous days intermingling of units, he was not able to form his entire army until around 10:00 AM. Pushing forward, Buells men retook the Hornets Nest by late morning but met strong counterattacks by Breckinridges men. Grinding on, Grant was able to retake his old camps around noon, forcing Beauregard to launch a series of attacks to protect access to the roads leading back to Corinth. By 2:00 PM, Beauregard realized that the battle was lost and began ordering his troops to retreat south. Breckinridges men moved into a covering position, while Confederate artillery was massed near Shiloh Church to protect the withdrawal. By 5:00 PM, most of Beauregards men had departed the field. With dusk approaching and his men exhausted, Grant elected not to pursue. A Terrible Toll The bloodiest battle of the war to date, Shiloh cost the Union 1,754 killed, 8,408 wounded, and 2,885 captured/missing. The Confederates lost 1,728 killed (including Johnston), 8,012 wounded, 959 captured/missing. A stunning victory, Grant was initially vilified for being taken by surprise, while Buell and Sherman were hailed as saviors. Pressured to remove Grant, President Abraham Lincoln famously replied, I cant spare this man; he fights. When the smoke of battle cleared, Grant was praised for his cool demeanor in saving the army from disaster. Regardless, he was temporarily relegated to a supporting role when Major General Henry Halleck, Grants immediate superior, took direct command for an advance against Corinth. Grant regained his army that summer when Halleck was promoted to general-in-chief of the Union armies. With Johnstons death, command of the Army of Mississippi was given to Bragg who would lead it in the battles of Perryville, Stones River, Chickamauga, and Chattanooga.

The Beauty That Is Joy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Beauty That Is Joy - Essay Example Like a garden filled with lovely flowers, the sight of ‘joy’ is naturally pleasing with real fragrance that lingers along the path stridden by its blossom. It does not take having to be in a place of literal wonders but it is that place in the heart that means to share unbounded happiness overflowing like a river or a rich honey to those who have been moved by it and tasted sincere goodness from someone who bears all the truth ‘joy’ could be. What puts an instant smile on a gleaming face? As a child, I knew exactly the measure of sadness there was in confinement, of time under a binding curfew so that every time mama said ‘you can go’ or ‘play all you want’ then joy is in being set free. That was when a sudden spark came all over and a roll of giggles jolted beneath my skin at the thought of short-spanned liberty with playmates. Sometimes, I could not imagine at this age how completely elated I had become on receiving toy presents f rom my dad whereupon each instance he would witness a certain twinkle in my eye and a pink blush on my cheeks as a collective sign of utter delight.

The Album that change my life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Album that change my life - Essay Example The King along with his band group were a force to be reckoned with in the musical sense and also famous for their very powerful visual imagery. King Diamond earned his fame with this album and made his first mass public appearances wearing garish face paint to prove to be as dark as the themes he sang about. With Hank Shermann being one of the most creative Metal guitarists, musically the band was incredible. The dueling performance between Hank Shermann and Michael Denner was very intense as King prowled and lurked singing and screaming the often horrific subject matter that the band based their lyrics upon. Rounding out the group was Timi Grabber on bass and Kim Ruzz on drums. This was in fact the very first pure prog-metal album of all time in the sense that no key-boards were used. Compared to the next release of Mercyful Fate which had more direct structures, "Melissa" contains all the necessary components of progressive heavy metal such as the various themes and arrangements, changes of tempos and moods within any separate song from the album. It is a known fact that the main indicator of a progressive work is complexity, which consists of the above-mentioned components. A considerable part of audience fails to perceive the blasphemy in this album. The fact that it was released in the year 1983 and focused heavily on Anton LaVey's work and used topics like "venom", "Satanism" and "devils workshop" indicate that this was not a band which dealt with image alone and not actual ideals. Further, ideals hold no importance without talent. King delivers an unmatched vocal performance surpassing Bruce Dickson and Rob Halford who were the reigning vocalists of the era. Shermann and Denner were world class guitarists at par with Tipton and Downing. The album begins with their best known song "Evil" which starts off with a rolling head and culminated into an amazing riff backed by excellent guitar work and well paced vocals. it must have carved out a genre of it sown in the 1980's when it was released. The way King drops his voice so as to not overshadow the guitar makes for a perfect contrast with his extremely high falsettos. "Melissa" is in all probability the world's greatest debut. The combination effect of the camp Satanic theme along with the gigantic crests of riffs and the subtle neo- classical themes found in the guitar solos leaves the listener in boundless amazement. The awe inspiring acrobatics of the vocals the sheer sonic heaviness of the entire performance simply adds to the perfection. Playing the album in a dimly lit room with a black candle and closed eye, takes you to another level of existence altogether to be engulfed by devils, death and sacrifice. The music in general is mostly dark and heavy but nevertheless it is catchy and inspiring. The songs are rhythmically inventive embellished with time changes and tempo shifts. The musicians are all in sync with each other and there is seldom a faltered moment in the vocals or instruments. "Melissa" is one of the most famous and influential albums in the history of heavy metal. Merciful fate was dubbed as a "black metal "group in the 80's though by today's standards that assertation stands invalid, it still makes some sense. The black

Has religious tourism increased because of the recent growth in new Essay

Has religious tourism increased because of the recent growth in new age spiritualism - Essay Example In the recent decades, people have been moving for leisure whereby faithful in a particular religion meet at a designated country or place for religious activities such as fellowship. Mecca in Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s popular religious tourism destinations for Muslims. They embark on pilgrimage annually, which is a tradition that is entrenched deeply in Islam. North America is also among the regions that have pronounced religious tourism. Faith tourism is among the sectors that are experiencing rapid growth in the contemporary tourism industry. Most of the religious tourist destinations are associated with pre-historic sites of worship or areas legendary for supernatural occurrences. The main religions associated with religious tourism include Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Judaism although there are many other minor religions that practice this form of religion. This paper evaluates whether religious tourism has increased because of the recent growth in new age spiritualism. It focuses on how religious tourism has evolved as well as whether pilgrimage has taken on a new meaning. It seeks to establish if people go to spiritual places because they are interested or because religion has seen a revival and people go for spiritual reasons. Pilgrimage dates back as far as the 16th century. The paper will address whether it is now done for different reasons or whether people still do it for the same reason as in the past. The World Tourism Organization estimates that more than 300 million people travel to key religious sites annually (World Tourism Organization, 2002). Since the industrial revolution, technological advancements made travelling all over the world simpler. Religions spread world wide and by the end of the 19th century, there was a marked increase in religious tourism that has grown to the present day. Communication technology has made it possible for people to exchange views and plan for meetings globally. The U.S.