Category: Religion

Introduction

In the present-day world of globalization and modernization, the amount of people migrating from one state to another is increasing at an enormous speed. In the West, practically all countries are now full of immigrants coming from all parts of the world. As a result, there emerge more and more highly diverse societies, in which people having different cultural and religious backgrounds have to live together (Stromquist & Monkman 2014). However, another consequence of this multicultural environment is that religion has become a point of difference, which cannot pass unnoticed as not only the number of people residing in a country is affectedreligious beliefs and cultural values, as well as ways of life of various minority groups, have a considerable impact on the organization of the indigenous society.

A continuous flow of immigrants inevitably brings about numerous changes to the population of the country, which touch all the aspects of peoples life (Hirst, Thompson & Bromley 2015). The research has revealed that such blended communities that have a considerable number of immigrants deal with religious diversity and identity issues through demographic and structural factors (Griffiths 2015). The point is that immigrants usually attach high significance to their religious beliefs as they govern their lives in a new country and allow their culture to develop even in previously unmet conditions. Bringing their cultural and religious values, beliefs, and lifestyles with them, immigrants transform the structure of the region, in which they decide to reside and substantially change religious landscapes of cities (McKim 2015).

For instance, Australia currently hosts a considerable number of different religious groupsthis allows speaking of religious pluralism in the country. Indeed, the Australian society of today has appeared as a result of the unceasing flow of immigrants who brought their cultures and religions with them when they started to come to the continent in 1945 from Italy, Greece, the UK, the Middle East, and some Asian countries (Connell & McManus 2016). Statistics show that 28.2% of the entire population of the country was not born there, which implies that the community unites some different religions: In 2001, there were 67.9% Christians, 1.5% Muslims, and 30.6% other religious groups; however, ten years later, the number of Muslims grew up to 2.2%, making them the fourth largest religious community in Australia (Bouma & Hughes 2014).

Such unprecedented growth is explained by increasing immigration as well as birth rates among those who already live in the country (Peucker, Roose & Akbarzadeh 2014). This religious community is far from being homogeneous: On the contrary, there are a lot of ethnical groups that comprise it (including the Lebanese, Egyptians, Turks, Afghans, Bosnians, etc.), each speaking a variety of different languages (English, Arabic, Urdu, etc.) (Roose & Harris 2015). 70% of them reside in Sydney (making 4.8% of the whole population of the city) whereas the remaining 30% are distributed across other cities (Bouma & Hughes 2014).

Thus, Australia is a highly demonstrative example making it possible to analyze religious diversity in general and the Muslim group in particular. Another good example of a similar distribution of this community is New Zealand: 67% of Muslims live in Auckland while 32% have opted for other cities for their permanent residence (Kelsey 2015). Muslims came to New Zealand in the 19^th century (almost two centuries later than to Australia) and brought the same culture and social structure there as they did to the neighboring country. This was made possible by the policy of both countries giving no way to discrimination of people having different nationalities and religious beliefs. That is the major reason these two countries have been chosen for the analysis. Muslims often select areas situated close to mosques as they need these places for performing their religious rituals daily (Ali, Payne & Hinckson 2015). That is also why Yanbu Industrial is a suitable instance: It is famous not only for the diverse cultural and religious landscape but also for a considerable number of mosques. The paper will perform a comparative analysis of Sydney, Auckland, and Yanbu Industrial spatial distribution of mosques with the help of Geography Information System (GIS).

Research Aims and Objectives

The study intends to investigate spatial variations in accessibility to mosques in the selected area. It will determine disadvantaged areas featuring few mosques, the number of which does not satisfy the increasing demand. Access barriers to mosques will also be identified and discussed.

Specific objectives of the study include:

1. To identify spatial variations in accessibility to mosques as a crucial indicator for Muslim communities residing in Sydney, Auckland, and Yanbu Industrial;
2. To single out existing spatial clusters of disadvantaged groups of Muslims that have no access to services and facilities that they find essential.

Significance of the Study

The research may prove to be significant for finding an evidence-based policy solution to the problem of accessibility of critical facilities for representatives of Muslim communities in the selected areas, which would allow addressing the current distribution disadvantage. Moreover, findings obtained by the study may help people choose the right place for their permanent dwelling. Therefore, the study will benefit not only the government but also policymakers and non-government organizations, performing various activities to improve the minority community. The structure of the research can be applied for exploring other facilities and population groups through certain changes in analytical settings and data will have to be introduced for this purpose.

Research Motivation

Regardless of the religious group under discussion, everyone must have access to services and facilities used for satisfying daily needs. Otherwise, inevitable difficulties are likely to emerge: For instance, in 2010, 30% of adults in Australia had to encounter several problems connected with access to some vehicles and facilities, which produced numerous negative effects as these facilities were important to people (Bouma & Hughes 2014). Thus, it is essential to identify locations, in which mosques are adequately distributed since it can make a difference not only to Muslims but to the population as a whole (Roose & Harris 2015).

The research, recognizing the importance of these facilities to the minority community, will help increase their number of the selected areas (Roose & Harris 2015).

Furthermore, if mosques are not distributed properly and tend to cluster in some places more than in others, it leads to the overconcentration of the community representatives in the former areas (Bouma & Hughes 2014). A comprehensive literature review has revealed that very few studies were devoted to the problem of the availability of mosques (as well as other facilities) to Muslims (Roose & Harris 2015).

For the reasons mentioned, the identification of adequate spatial accessibility is an issue of paramount importance for the community.

The research will use high spatial resolution data sets along with GIS-based spatial analysis and spatial statistical measures. The major idea underlying the study is to find out the spatial variation inaccessibility to the facilities at fine spatial resolution while the key consideration is mosques (by using GIS).

Reference List

Ali, N, Payne, D & Hinckson, E 2015, Being-Muslim and doing-Islam: narratives that influence physical activity of Muslim women in New Zealand. Sites: a Journal of Social Anthropology and Cultural Studies, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 106-132.

Bouma, GD & Hughes, PJ 2014, Using census data in the management of religious diversity: an Australian case study, Religion, vol. 44, no. 3, pp. 434-452.

Connell, J & McManus, P 2016, Rural revival: place marketing, tree change and regional migration in Australia, Routledge, London.

Griffiths, PJ 2015, Problems of religious diversity, John Wiley & Sons, New York.

Hirst, P, Thompson, G & Bromley, S 2015, Globalization in question, John Wiley & Sons, New York.

Kelsey, J 2015, The New Zealand experiment: a world model for structural adjustment, Bridget Williams Books, Wellington.

McKim, R 2015, Religious ambiguity and religious diversity, Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Peucker, M, Roose, JM & Akbarzadeh, S 2014, Muslim active citizenship in Australia: socioeconomic challenges and the emergence of a Muslim elite, Australian Journal of Political Science, vol. 49, no. 2, pp. 282-299.

Roose, JM & Harris, A 2015, Muslim citizenship in everyday Australian civic spaces, Journal of Intercultural Studies, vol. 36, no. 4, pp. 468-486.

Stromquist, NP & Monkman, K 2014, Globalization and education: integration and contestation across cultures, R&L Education, Lanham.

Introduction

Four canonical Gospels describe the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, His miracles, and His teaching (Stanton 15). It is believed that all four Gospels were written soon after the Jesus death. Therefore, they were created for the early Christian communities with the purpose to retell the life of Jesus, to make peoples beliefs stronger and to bring them hope (Stanton 16). One of the most important historical events described in both texts is the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple by Rome soldiers which has happened approximately in 70 AD (Mulder et al. 330) It is important to understand the historical background and purposes of this description in Matthews and Marks Gospels for their correct understanding and interpretation.

The Historical Background and the Purpose of Matthews Gospel

Matthews Gospel is the first one, and it makes a link between the Old and the New Testaments. It was written for both Christians and non-Christians, in particular, for the Jewish community. With this purpose, the author included affirmations of the Torah in the Gospel (Sim 5). Matthew described the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple and found the explanation of this event in Jewish sources in which opponents are hypocrites (1QS 4:14), blind (cf. Wis 2:21), guilty of economic sins (cf. As. Mos. 5.5), unclean (cf. Jos. J.W. 4.382), [&] destined for eschatological destruction (cf. m. Sanh. 10:1), and the cause of God forsaking his temple (cf. Jos. J.W. 2.539) (Muddiman and Barton 69).

The author used this event to show the connection between Torah and Christianity and to confirm Jewish people that Jesus was a real Messiah. Therefore, it could be stated that Matthews Gospel was created to turn more Jewish people to Christianity (Martin 93). Probably, it was the main purpose of writing the story.

The Historical Background and the Purpose of Marks Gospel

Marks Gospel follows Matthews text. However, it is believed, that Marks Gospel was written first and was the source for Matthews story (Muddiman and Barton 27). It could be stated that it was written after the temple destruction (Incigneri 116). In chapter 13, Jesus [&] predicts that the temple will be destroyed, an event which of course happened in 70 CE (Muddiman and Barton 121). Perhaps, this was the beginning of difficult times for Jewish people.

Also, Jesus predicted further suffering of Christians (Incigneri 119) which they actually faced from Rome (Incigneri 211). It could be supposed that the main purpose of the Gospel was to emphasize a suffering Messiah and his followers. However, Jew people did not expect their Messiah to suffer and die. It was expected that a Messiah would have a decent life with glory and admiration (Martin 79). Therefore, it could be supposed that in Marks Gospel, the author tried to introduce an image of suffering Messiah to support early Christians in difficult times.

Conclusion

It is important to understand that Matthews and Marks Gospels are narrative stories that describe a life and suffering of Christ and retell His teaching to make them available for early Christians in different parts of the world. It was supposed that Matthews Gospel was created to turn more Jewish people to Christianity. Marks Gospel served to proclaim Jesus as a Messiah and to support early Christians in their suffering. Therefore, it could be concluded that both Gospels played a significantly important role in spreading Christianity and making peoples beliefs stronger under existed difficult historical circumstances.

Work Cited

Incigneri, Brian J. The Gospel to the Romans: The Setting and Rhetoric of Marks Gospel. Brill, 2003.

Martin, Dale B. New Testament History and Literature. Yale University Press, 2012.

Muddiman, John, and John Barton. The Gospels. Oxford University Press, 2010.

Mulder, Noor, et al., editors. Exploring the Narrative: Jerusalem and Jordan in the Bronze and Iron Ages: Papers in Honour of Margreet Steiner. Bloomsbury, 2014.

Sim, David C. The Gospel of Matthew and Christian Judaism: The History and Social Setting of the Matthean Community. T&T Clark, 1998.

Stanton, Graham. The Gospels and Jesus. 2nd ed. Oxford University Press, 2002.

Introduction

The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch is one of the most notable books¹ in the history of Chinese Buddhism. This work was created between the VIII and the XIII centuries in China. Its main text is based on the teachings of the sixth Chan patriarch Huineng that include the knowledge about nature and how does each human fit into its order. The primary concepts featured in the book are the perceptions of good conduct, meditation, and wisdom.

Book Summary

The book consists of ten chapters, each revealing either one of the primary concepts that Huineng wanted his followers to learn or the facts from his personal and professional life. The first story features a contest for power over Hongren. Even though Huineng won that contest, he had to find shelter in a monastery to protect himself from an opposing party. The second chapter is a lecture about the importance of wisdom, otherwise called prajna. According to the author, having a clear mind without any thoughts is one of the best states a person could be in to enjoy the true sense of wisdom. The next chapter focuses on the answers that Huineng gives to his followers. The main idea is that the inner side of a human is more important than his physical appearance or geographical position. The fourth and fifth chapters feature the importance of meditation and its association with wisdom. Chapter six determines the ritual of repentance. The following three chapters tell stories from Huinengs life and the dialogues that he had with different people. There is an interesting detail of when the Patriarch was invited to visit an emperor and declined this offer. The final chapter includes the instructions of Huineng that are based on the fundamental concepts of Buddhist teaching.

The Work of Yampolsky

The book features the Introduction by Philip Yampolsky that analyzes the work and features some of the principles of Zen Buddhism. This translator became one of the most prominent researchers of Asian religious studies. The Introduction by Yampolsky starts with an overview of the history of Buddhism in China and its influence on the local tradition. This part is followed by the biography of Huineng and the story of the book creation. The final part of the introduction has content analysis.

Sources

Yampolsky explicitly uses sources that support his overview of Buddhist history in China. Many pages are filled with references by half, which usually contain a detailed overview of the source value, its credibility, and parts where information was taken from. For instance, the first part of the introduction mentions that most sources used for it are very old, belonging to the Medieval era in China, and their authors usually cannot be identified. Although the footnotes contain valuable information, they are hard to follow, and additional knowledge is required to understand them.

Logic

The logic of Yampolskys Introduction makes sense when it is built the history of Zen Buddhism. All events are represented in a structured order, one piece of evidence supporting or explaining the other. The translator discusses the events from the book and finds evidence in other sources that support the model of Buddhism spreading across the Chinese nation.

Style

The constant referral to the sources and many details that surround each fact or discussion make the text almost impossible to read. Of course, the information presented in the Introduction helps understand the book, yet the style of it does not allow readers to read the pages fast. A detailed description of all the contradictions in sources puts the Introduction far from popular history articles.

Argument

The main argument of Yampolsky regarding the content of the book is based on the perception that it does not feature a history of Zen Buddhism in China, but rather focuses on the story of one man and describes some fundamental concepts of this religion. Although all the points mentioned by the translator are hard to follow, they make perfect sense in picturing the path of this religious thought in China.

Translation

The Tun-Huang manuscript features information about all sides of human life including politics, religion, agriculture, etc. The language of this document has many dialects that were used in ancient China. It is not surprising that Yampolsky decided to take this source as the base for his translation. The manuscript was created when Zen Buddhism was developing in the country, making its evidence valuable for comparison.

Value

Although the Introduction has been possibly created for a wide range of people to better understand the text of the original book, it can be easily read-only by historians specialized in Chinese studies. The detailed overview of the sources is valuable for research works, but it does not serve to support the easy reading.

Conclusion

The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch is not a book that should be read for entertainment. It is a solid scholarly work that is supported by an analysis of ancient manuscripts that contain facts about Chinese culture and religion starting before the X century. Although the book itself is a masterpiece of Asian philosophic literature, a long time should be dedicated to its understanding.

Bibliography

Yampolsky, Philip B. The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch: The Text of the Tun-Huang Manuscript. New York: Columbia University Press, 2012.

Footnotes

1. Philip B. Yampolsky, trans., The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch: The Text of the Tun-Huang Manuscript (New York: Columbia University Press, 2012).

Introduction

Creation stories are interesting are examples of how ancient peoples attempted to understand the world around them and to answer a philosophical question concerning the origins of life. One way of deepening a persons appreciation of creation stories is to compare popular examples. In this regard, it is best to compare the Iroquois creation story, a Native American version of the creation event with that of the religious worldview found in the Book of Genesis.

These creation stories are similar when it comes to the basic formulation of explaining the origins of life and the physical world, but differ considerably when it comes to the finer points of authorship or creative force behind the event. There are also differences in the ultimate purpose or impetus for initiating the creation process.

Similarities in the Formulation

The Iroquois creation story shares common ground with the Genesis account when it comes to the basic formulation of how a creation narrative was developed and transmitted to its target audience. The basic formula used in both versions was to present the author or the creator and to explain how critical elements of the known world came into existence. In the Genesis version, God was the mastermind and creative force behind everything that human beings can see in the world today. In the Native American version, the creator came from the woman.

In both versions, one can also see similarities in highlighting important elements of the creation narrative. For example, in the biblical and the Iroquois version, both narrators discussed how the creator formed the heavenly bodies, the terrain of the planet, and the fauna and flora components of the living world.

Differences in Authorship and Reason for Creation

There are also sharp differences in both accounts especially when it comes to the nature and authority of the creator in the story. For example, in the biblical version, God who was the creative power of all living and non-living things was depicted as a powerful figure that existed outside the physical realm.

This can be seen in the way he commanded the emergence of light. It was through his authoritative voice that the command was executed and fulfilled. This method of creation differed significantly from the way the Iroquois described how the Good Mind labored in using the elements that were already in existence. In other words, the Good Mind did not demonstrate the capability to create something out of nothing. This was highlighted by the fact that the Good Mind used the corpse of his mother to create the sun and the moon.

There is also a big difference when it comes to providing an implied reason for the creation event. It has to be made clear that there was no explicit discussion on the impetus for initiating the process of forming the earth, plants, and human beings. However, one can make a valid argument as to the rationale behind the emergence of the plants, animals, and the heavenly bodies based on the flow of the narrative. For example, in the Iroquois version of the origins of the planet, human beings were not the center of attention for the whole story. This is starkly contrasted in the Genesis account because it is not possible to ignore the idea that human beings, specifically Adam and Eve, were the crowning glory of Gods creativity.

In the said Native American narrative, the main characters named the Good Mind and the Bad Mind was not the original human beings (Yasuda 5). In fact, in the first lines of the tale, it was made clear that the woman who descended to the lower world belonged to a group called mankind and they inhabited the upper world (Franklin 22). Based on this information, one can argue that the main purpose of the narrative was to explain the emergence of a new continent and not to provide an answer to the question of who created the first human beings.

It seems to correlate with the history of the Native Americans who migrated to the American continent, which is divided today as North America and South America was presumably viewed as one continent by ancient people groups. In other words, the creation narrative produced by the Iroquois Indians was an attempt to explain their arrival in the American continent.

In stark contrast to the Iroquois version of the creation story, the biblical account focuses the spotlight on human beings. This account also takes into consideration the origins of the first human being. However, the most important realization is on how God, as the creative force, valued human beings over other created things. This assertion is supported by elements in the narrative that pointed out how man and woman were created last and that they were created in the image of God (New Revised Standard Version Genesis 5.1). Starting in the first line of Genesis up to the fifth chapter one can see how the world was arranged to cater to human beings. However, in stark contrast to the Iroquois interpretation, human beings were not viewed as more important or more valuable than the other creatures found on the planet.

Conclusion

There are only a few similarities when comparing the biblical account of the origins of life and that of the Iroquois version of the creation myth. The common ground shared between the two versions was limited to the basic formulation of the story and the key elements that were identified. However, the trajectory and emphasis of the narratives diverged especially when it comes to the rationale for creating the physical world and its inhabitants.

In the biblical version, mankind was the crowning glory of Gods creative force. However, in the Iroquois Indians interpretation, human beings were part of the created world. One can also argue that the emphasis of the Genesis account was to highlight the establishment of an environment suited to mankind. On the other hand, the Iroquois Indians tale may have been developed to explain how ancient people groups ended up living in the American continent.

My Version

The Lord of the Sky lived in the 12^th heaven. He started a good work by creating the stars, sun, and moon. He stretched the firmament to create the Universe. For thousands of years, the Lord of the Sky was happy to live in his kingdom. He was contented to live among his powerful and humble servants. They had wings like dragonflies and faces like lions. However, one day the Lord of the Sky wanted a companion that shared similar qualities.

He knew that this was a difficult and risky venture. Nevertheless, he took the gamble and decided to create a small version of himself. The Lord of the Sky took a seed from the center of his heart and dropped it to the lowest parts of his kingdom. The Lord of the Sky hurled thunderbolts. One managed to hit the tree splitting it into two parts. A large branch fell into the ocean producing fish and seaweeds. Another large branch fell on a mountain producing small trees and animals. From the broken trunk emerged the first man and woman. The Lord went down to work with the man and woman.

Works Cited

Franklin, Wayne. The Iroquois Creation Story. The Norton Anthology of Americans Literature. 8^th ed., edited by Julia Reidhead, W.W. Norton, 2012, pp. 20-25.

The Bible. New Revised Standard Version, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ, 1989.

Yasuda, Anita. Sky Woman and the Turtle: An Iroquois Creation Myth. ABDO Group, 2013.

Apologetics implies the justification of religion by means of rationalism. It carries a different background, since for someone, it will be admiration and a pleasant association, and for someone, it may cause suspicion and disdain. It is noted that this concept in Christianity is an ideal and unique combination of concepts such as reason and romance. Apologetics does not imply an apology or explanation to someone for the fact that a person adheres to faith, although it comes from the Greek word, which means protection (Chatraw and Allen 2018, 4). Thus, it can be defined as a way to avoid or limit obstacles or doubts and offer reasons for believing that Christianity is true and satisfying.

However, it is essential to emphasize that apologetics is not engaged in imposing opinions and does not mean explicit Christian assumptions. It is helpful for people who believe in God and do not believe, as it can show the importance of his presence in life and the value of living faith and testimony. There are several main reasons why people engage in apologetics. Thus, its usefulness lies in the fact that it implies those ideas and values that form a receptivity to the gospel and the world as a whole. Further, another reason is the spiritual formation of a person in Christianity. Apologetics promotes better and deeper development and assists in considering the content of mental life. Thus, there is an analysis and deprivation from mistakes and an accurate assessment and understanding of attractiveness and Jesus. After all, apologetics helps to attract non-believers to the faith.

Truth, faith, and knowledge are essential for humanity and are in a specific interaction with each other. However, it is impossible to give an exact definition of what is true and what is not since this is a difficult concept to explain. It is also noted that the more difficult people make this phenomenon, the worse it becomes for them (Gould and Loftin 2018, 11). Moreover, problems with determining what the truth is arising because individuals consider it explicit and understandable but cannot explain it. Thus, it is not easy to talk about what the truth is, especially in relation to knowledge and faith.

Moreover, this aspect is since there is such a thing as relativism. It is conditioned by the point of view that there is no absolute truth. Thus, it is believed that there are only those truths that certain people believe in. That is, for example, someone may believe that God exists, and someone will say that he does not exist, and this will be the truth of each individual. Thus, relativism implies that different people may have different views on what is moral and immoral or right or wrong.

On the other hand, we can say for sure that truth is characterized by absoluteness and objectivity. In addition, it is based on the fundamental notion and the state of things. Knowledge, in turn, is a concept that is exposed to the demonstration of truth and represents a scale of certainty. Faith can be considered a ventured trust and not inherently contrary to reason. Thus, this aspect is a part of the truth and always has a definite object.

References

Chatraw, Josh, and Mark Allen. 2018. Apologetics at the cross: An introduction for Christian witness. Michigan: Zondervan Academic.

Gould, Paul, Travis Dickinson, and Keith Loftin. 2018. Stand firm: Apologetics and the brilliance of the Gospel. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Academic.

The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch (based on the Tun-Huang manuscript and translated by Phillip Yampolsky) is one of the earliest Buddhist sacred texts written (supposedly by the monk Shen-hui) in the 8th century AD. It is, in essence, a collection of different theological and quasi-philosophical teachings by the Sixth Patriarch Hui-Neng. Nowadays, it is commonly assumed that the Platform Sutra did contribute rather substantially towards the popularization of Chan (Zen) Buddhism in China and many other parts of the world through the later centuries. The validity of this assumption can be illustrated regarding the strong phenomenological/absurdist quality of most ideas promoted throughout the sutras entirety. The most discursively prominent of them (in the sense of having had a strong effect on the subsequential rise of Chan Buddhism as a separate Buddhist doctrine) can be formulated as follows:

• Meditation (abstract thinking) is the source of true wisdom. According to Hui-Neng, while indulging in abstract thinking people can strengthen their intuitive awareness of the fact that there is so much more to the surrounding physical reality than ones eye may meet, and that the metaphysical realm is just as real as the physical one. In its turn, this implies that meditation and wisdom are, in fact, two sides of the same coin, Meditation and wisdom& are a unity, not two things. Meditation itself is the substance of wisdom; wisdom itself is the function of meditation.¹
• Desire leads people astray from being able to attain bodhi (enlightenment). Throughout the sutra, Hui-Neng encourages readers to remain unemotional when interacting with the surrounding natural and social environment. In his eyes, such a course of action is justified by the fact that the notion of emotion is innately inconsistent with the notion of dharma (divinely inspired order of things in the universe), When (emotional) delusions are cast aside you are self-enlightened, achieve the Buddha Way.²
• Just about any Buddhist practitioner can become instantaneously (as opposed to gradually) enlightened as to the ways of dharma, The Dharma itself is the same, but in seeing it there is a slow way and a fast way.³ This particular provision, contained in the Platform Sutra, represents one of the most distinctive theological peculiarities in the Southern branch of Chan Buddhism.

There can be only a few doubts that the Platform Sutra did exert some powerful influence on the conceptualization of Zen Buddhism, as we know it today. In particular, it helped to substantiate the validity of the Zen Buddhist outlook on the dialectical relationship between causes and effects as such that originate in each other. This puts the Platform Sutra in the same line with other prominent Buddhist writings.

Introduction by Phillip Yampolsky

Structurally speaking, Yampolskys Introduction to the Platform Sutra consists of four sub-chapters. In the sub-chapter 1, the author expounds on the history of Chan in China while outlining the qualitative specifics of how this particular school of Buddhism continued to aspire for dominance within the countrys religious domain through the 8^th-13^th centuries AD. The following sub-chapter provides the extended biographic account of Hui-Neng  the Sixth Patriarch. In the sub-chapter 3, Yampolsky discusses the historical and cultural givens of how the Platform Sutra came into being. In the Introductions closing sub-chapter, the author comes up with several interpretative insights into what should be deemed the overall discursive significance of the sutra in question.

Among the Introductions foremost strengths can be mentioned the fact that throughout its entirety, the author never ceases to take into account the evolutionary logic of historical events  especially the ones concerned with the rise of a particular religion. In its turn, this helps to ensure the commonsensical soundness of most argumentative claims, on the authors part. The following quotation can be seen perfectly illustrative in this respect, They (Chan affiliates) not only perpetuated some of the old legends but also devised new ones, which were repeated continuously until they were accepted as fact.⁴ Yampolsky must also be given credit for having provided many explanatory notes (with references to the external sources) in support of most of his opinionated suggestions.

There are, however, many weaknesses to the discussed Introduction as well. The most easily identifiable of them has to do with the fact that despite the logical integrity of the authors claims, most of them appear highly speculative. Yampolsky proved himself an intellectually honest writer by admitting that there were indeed many objective reasons for this to be the case, Owing to the fragmentary condition of the literary remains of the period& and to the absence of supporting historical evidence, it is virtually impossible to determine the actual process whereby Chan developed.⁵ The concerned Introduction could have also benefited from being less reflective of the authors perceptual biasness.

Nevertheless, it can hardly be doubted that Yampolskys Introduction (and the Platform Sutra) do deserve to be recommended for reading by just about anyone interested in learning more about the origins of Zen Buddhism. The reason for this is apparent  both texts are filled with factual data in this respect.

Bibliography

Yampolsky, Phillip. The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch. New York: Columbia University Press, 2012.

Footnotes

1. Phillip Yampolsky, The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch (New York: Columbia University Press, 2012), 135.
2. Yampolsky, The Platform Sutra, 144.
3. Yampolsky, The Platform Sutra, 163.
4. Yampolsky, The Platform Sutra, 4.
5. Yampolsky, The Platform Sutra, 5.

Sayyid Qutb is an Egyptian educational civil servant, as well literary critic, and essayist. He turned to Islam and started studying the Quran at the age of about forty, refusing secularism. First of all, Qutbs views were influenced by a trip to the United States, which was intended to reduce the degree of radicalism the essayist was showing in his works. However, he was shocked by the sexual freedom, racism, and materialistic values he observed in the West. Additionally, upon his return to Egypt, Qutb got to the Muslim Brotherhood, and later, he was put in prison with them. During his imprisonment, he witnessed torture and murder, which may also have shaped his religious views. In particular, Qutb came to the conclusion that only a government that is bound by the doctrines of Islam is capable of not committing such atrocities.

The main theological innovation for which Qutb is known is the development of a political theory based on sharia law. Qutb suggested that the Quran be viewed as a set of direct rules both for political and social life. In particular, he believed that the principles of Islam can be the only source of governance, as well as prescribe the rules of life. Notably, Qutb considered the expansion of the Islamic order through preaching and Jihad as a necessity. He believed that the ultimate goal was the elimination of everything non-Muslim, as well as the restoration of pure Islam. For Qutb, the principles of Islam have become the only aspect capable of transforming society.

The Egyptian government of that period was pro-Western, which made Qutbs perception contradictory to the political agenda. Closeness with the Muslim Brotherhood has allowed Qutb to develop the concept of a coup against what he sees as the countrys non-Islamic government. Gamal Abdel Nasser first used members of the Muslim Brotherhood and Qutb to overthrow the monarchist government, but later it turned out that he had no intention of establishing an Islamic government in the country. Realizing the true plans of Nasser Qutb and the members of the Brotherhood plotted against him but were imprisoned. A few years later, the ideologue of Salafi-Jihadism was released from prison but was later sentenced to execution by hanging for plotting against the President and Egyptian officials.

In nowadays era of postmodernism with its materialism, affluence, and consumerism, the position of the church seems to be marginalized in the Western countries as people more likely tend to be agnostics and atheists. Such a situation recalls the book of Esther that depicts Jews who were forced to live outside their homes in isolation. This paper aims at examining the advice of Esther with regard to the modern and future role of the church, taking into account a theological and social context.

Esther as Advice for Exiles

The concept of exile refers to living outside the home without permission to return. In terms of the Bible, the exilic images are beneficial to understand people who were in exile as well as the role of faith on their way to salvation. To interpret the book of Esther and apply it to the modern church, it seems essential to provide its brief overview. King Ahasuerus (Xerxes I) was looking for a new wife, and Esther, a young Jewish girl who has hidden her origin, participated in the contest and became the queen of Persia (Bellmann, 2017). A person named Haman asked the King to introduce a law that would exterminate the Jewish population of the country.

However, Esther opened her identity to her husband who urged her to protect her people. When she proved that Haman attempted to initiate a massacre surreptitiously, the King issued another decree that was directly opposite to the previous one. The Jews were instructed to to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the forces of any people or province hostile to them, including women and children, and to plunder their possessions (Esther 8:11, NIV).

The date was also indicated  the same on which the massacre of the Jews was appointed. The decree also protected the right of Jews to live according to their laws, prescribed compulsory assistance to the avengers, and instituted a new holiday called Purim. Those areas or cities with a Jewish population that would decline from the execution of the decree were subject to merciless devastation with fire and sword. This story shows that Esther was a symbol of Gods presence in foreign lands when many Jews started doubting that He still leads and protects them in the course of their assimilation to the Assyrian culture.

Theological and Social Context

The story of Esther with her contribution to freeing Jews has social and theological backgrounds with regard to exile. From the theological point, this excerpt shows how Jews forced to live in foreign lands managed to preserve their cultural and religious identity. At the same time, the social construct focuses on the fact that they were given few opportunities to publicly practice their traditions. Esther incarnates the ability of the Jewish people to thrive in extremely difficult conditions.

There is a slimily between her story and Jews as both were separated from home and had no control over their fate. People isolated from Israel had to survive and preserve their national identity. Probably, the most important advice of Esther is associated with wise behavior, which is expressed in compromise and serving the people (Beach, 2015). In spite of a difficult social position, this population being in exile remained loyal to the word of God.

Applying the concept of exile to the 21st century, one may note that the modern church is also in exile. The ubiquity of consumerism leads to such a phenomenon when Christians want to get something even when they go to the sermon (Beach, 2015). Instead of giving, they consider taking, which is complicated by the mainstream culture that is simpler. However, exile does not mean failure but a challenge to be overcome. The Apostle Paul describes believers and states that our citizenship is in heaven.

And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:20, NIV). God is present in any case  not only in the form of a pillar of fire and cloud as in the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt but also His will can be done by the hands of people. Even if they do not even speak about Him in front of other people, it is evident that the book of Esther is representative of the abovementioned statement.

Week Two Learning Outcomes

The paramount idea of the week two learning is that the experience of Israelites who were moved to foreign lands yet maintained their religion is rather important to inform the church positioning in the 21st century. The sociological kinship between the Western culture and Jews in the book of Esther is expressed in such common features as isolation, destabilizing environment, and potential for thriving. The power of church and its influence in North America has reduced, but exile may be regarded as a useful way to understand how it can adjust its strategies and become the valuable place for committed believers again.

The theological kinship between the modern church and Israel depicted above is also evident. Esthers performance fueled faith in the Jewish population that began doubting Gods presence. In a sense, she acted like Moses who led Jews through the desert in a search for a new home. It goes without saying that this comparison is superficial, and the meaning of Esther and Moses for Christianity differs. However, both of them allowed people to comprehend that God exists and protects them from enemies (Crowther, 2018). Another common point is that Esther and Moses can inform todays church on how to address its exilic situation, specifically leadership and empowerment aspects may be considered.

It should be stressed that exile is not romantic in its nature as it may seem at first glance. It included violence, forced migration, and religious restrictions, which make the theme of exile rather serious. Nevertheless, Esthers advice teaches that the ministry should adopt a creative approach to treating faith by relating it to modern social challenges and needs. Likewise exile of Jews promoted the emergence of new canons (Hebrew), the contemporary church needs to reconsider its strategies. The theological articulations should be conducted to understand how the church may attract more believers and explain to them the word of God, thus continuing its fundamental mission.

Conclusion

To conclude, this essay examined the story of Esther and her advice to Jews who were exposed to be assimilated to the Assyrian culture and live outside Israel. When Esther, a young Jewish girl, become the queen of Persia, she freed them and promoted their faith. It was found that the church in the Western culture is also in exile, and it may use Esthers advice to renovate its approaches to treating the congregation and attracting more people to church based on the theo-sociological context.

References

Beach, L. (2015). The church in exile: Living in hope after Christendom. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

The Bible, New International version (NIV). (n.d.). Web.

Bellmann, S. (2017). The theological character of the Old Latin version of Esther. Journal for the Study of the Pseudepigrapha, 27(1), 3-24.

Crowther, S. (2018). Biblical servant leadership: An exploration of leadership for the contemporary context. London, UK: Palgrave Macmillan.

Introduction

Teaching students how to pray in accordance with Christian and Catholic tenants of faith is vital for an individual child, group, class, school, and entire Christian community. Prayer is a complex and intricate subject that needs to be taught with full awareness of the underlying essentials. The given summative assessment will highlight the most critical aspects of proper and correct approaches toward teaching prayer. The core elements include appropriate teaching style, personal nature of prayer, the distinction between assembly and school liturgy, dimensions of the Eucharist, child engagement simplification, and purposes of an assembly.

Appropriate Teaching Style

Firstly, when educating students on prayer, it is important to note that the role the teaching in a Catholic school is critical in order to ensure the effectiveness of learning through an appropriate teaching style. When it comes to Religious Education or RE teacher, the prayer cannot be fully taught without having a personal faith commitment (Life Light, 2022). It is stated that without ramming the Christian-Catholic vision down the throats of your pupils, you are expected to own what you say about the different aspects of your Christian faith (Life Light, 2022, p. 11). In addition, an RE teacher must have a more professional commitment to religious education as a subject (Life Light, 2022). Therefore, prayer needs to be taught within the framework of these two commitments, which are essential for providing both instructional and exemplary elements of the act.

Moreover, one should understand that prayer is a complex and multifaceted topic. The learning process needs to be delivered with a consideration of four critical aspects. These include the underlying knowledge of prayer, concepts related to prayer, skills required to properly pray, and attitudes towards the act of praying (Life Light, 2022). In other words, a learner needs to be given a comprehensive understanding as well as experience on the subject from an RE teacher, which depends on commitments and teaching elements.

Personal Nature of Prayer

Secondly, an RE teacher must be aware that prayer is a complicated and unique subject, even in the realm of religious education. It is stated that unlike most other sections of the RE syllabus, prayer raises a series of questions for the teacher which affect ones attitudes to life, faith, and life-style (Life Light, 2022, p. 20). Thus, the deeply personal nature of prayer means that there needs to be a proper and meaningful definition of the act, which is achieved through reflection. Whenever a learner describes what he or she understands a prayer to be and mean, each word and factor stated requires reflective analysis and discussion. It is important to emphasize that prayer is a self-opening on to God & grounded in an attitude of mind and heart (Life Light, 2022, p. 21). In other words, it is an invitation to allow God to invade ones personal life, which can be fleeting or significant. For example, during a crisis, a persons prayer will likely have a higher degree of self-opening. Prayer is a conscious effort rooted in ones attitude towards God, and its experiential side can be a minor emotion or life-changing event (Life Light, 2022). Despite prayer being personal, it does not mean that it cannot be conducted in a large gathering because liturgy is an act of praying as well.

The commonality of prayer as a phenomenon should not be dismissed. Although it might be challenging to assess how common it is for people to pray, the opinion polls show that over 90% of individuals engage in it (Life Light, 2022). Thus, prayer needs to be taught with relevant knowledge substantiating its prevalence in humans daily lives. It is vital for RE teachers to broaden and expand a learners idea of praying because it can take many different forms, shapes, and scales. It should be communicated that one may experience prayer while listening to music, watching a film, admiring a view, taking a walk& No matter! (Life Light, 2022, p. 22). There is no single correct approach because it is a deeply personal and transcendental experience that is genuine in its intention. Prayer should not be confused with a mere knowledge of set prayers, which is why one should avoid over-stressing of recitations (Life Light, 2022). A student must first acquire a full understanding of what prayer is and what it is not before going into detailed methods of Catholic praying.

Assembly and School Liturgy

Thirdly, when teaching students how to pray, the communal aspect needs to be addressed. It should be noted that private prayer is the same in purpose but distinct in execution and approach. There are two general forms of group prayer, which include assembly and school liturgy (Life Light, 2022). A RE teacher needs to start the given subject by accentuating the learners first because a group prayer is an act of a group opening itself up to the Lord. The core element of such a format of prayer is joining in a series of common prayers and common ritual actions (Life Light, 2022, p, 23). Comprehensively mastering and understanding a private prayer ensures that one can easily incorporate the essential attitude within a group setting. In addition, an occasion might require a change in expression, such as smiling instead of a solemn demeanor (Cepelka, 2019). In other words, an RE teacher needs to be able to highlight the differences and similarities between individual and group prayers.

Furthermore, it is vital to pinpoint the significance of the school mass and its special format called Eucharist. It is stated that The Eucharist is at the center of any Christian community, just as it is at the center of all Christian living. The sacramental and liturgical life of the Church revolves around the Eucharist (Life Light, 2022, p, 23). A student needs to know the central themes centered around the Eucharist, which include Jesus second coming, the outpouring of the Spirit, sacrificial death and resurrection, preaching, and incarnation (Life Light, 2022). In other words, the special occasion plays a significant role in the communitys function and life of the Catholic school.

Dimensions of the Eucharist

Fourthly, a student must be taught about the essential dimensions and appreciation points of the prayer in the Eucharist. The first one is faith-strengthening because faith requires constant and continuous work through contemplation, resistance to temptations, and self-control. The second dimension is community-building since the strength of Christians lies in their unity and togetherness in their faith in Christ, which is why this relationship needs to be renewed and preserved. The third element is the Liturgy of the Kingdom, and the Eucharist is at the heart of Christianity: The Kingdom of God (Life Light, 2022, p. 23). The fourth and last critical aspect is an outpouring of the Spirit because the Eucharist is an occasion for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Life Light, 2022, p. 23). In other words, the Catholic school community and Christian community in general needs are filled with the Holy Spirit through reassurance, comfort, strength, and faith (Cepelka, 2019). Therefore, the core four dimensions of the Eucharist are the strengthening of faith, the building of the community, the Liturgy of the Kingdom, as well as an outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

Children in an Adult Religion

Fifthly, an RE teacher must be able to teach how to pray with consideration to the students stage of development. It is important to point out that Christianity is first and foremost an adult religion (Life Light, 2022, p. 24). Since the students are likely to be children, the process of celebrating the Eucharist might become an issue due to a mismatch between an adult-centered religious practice and child participation. An RE teacher needs to be aware of the fact that the Directory makes provision for a simpler ritual which would be more readily appreciated by children of school age (Life Light, 2022, p. 24). In other words, simplicity is permitted and enabled by the Vatican, but it is vital to preserving the essentials of the prayer itself. The central objective is to make the mass and community prayer as meaningful to children as possible. Each child student needs to be involved, engaged, and encouraged to feel the part of the given liturgical action (Life Light, 2022). An RE teacher should refer to the Chapter III of the Directory for more details on how to proceed with this simplification process and ensure a greater level of engagement.

Assembly: Core Aspects

Sixthly, an assembly at Catholic primary schools is not only used for announcing sports results or reading out notices. An RE teacher needs to understand that the essence of an assembly is to provide an opportunity for the school family to gather and come together as one unified Christian community (Life Light, 2022). Therefore, the gathering needs to incorporate some form of meaningful and relevant Christian activity for the purposes of making a connection or link between life and faith. For instance, according to Goldman, worship for the young child must be at a personal, immediate level of experience if it is to be real (Life Light, 2022, p. 24). In other words, the emphasis and accentuation must be put on worshiping, sharing, communion, caring, and loving primarily. The correct use of the vocabulary of the Christian religion is secondary compared to the previously mentioned qualities.

When it comes to the purposes and forms of assembly, it can be flexible and come in different formats. An RE teacher educating children and students on how to properly pray must be knowledgeable about these freedoms in the teaching process. For example, an assembly might be focused on differential contexts ranging from small celebrations of something worthwhile to a prayer of international occurrences (Life Light, 2022). Similarly, the formats and shapes of an assembly can vary from a gathering of the entire school to a class-based one. In the case of the former, the assembly can be initiated by a group, a class, or an individual.

Conclusion

In conclusion, an RE teacher must know about appropriate teaching styles, personal nature of prayer, the distinction between assembly and school liturgy, dimensions of the Eucharist, child engagement simplification, and purposes of an assembly. Being aware of these critical understandings can greatly improve the teaching process of prayer. Catholic schools offer a wide range of tools supplicated with underlying knowledge to enable a deeper understanding of prayer.

References

Cepelka, K. A. (2019). National standards and benchmarks for effective Catholic schools: An Archdiocesan framework for excellence. Journal of Catholic Education, 22(1), 207-212. Web.

Life Light. (2022). Religious education in the primary school in Ireland. Life-Light Home Study Courses.

Introduction

Secularization doubtlessly is worth mentioning among the trends that are observable in the modern world. Simply stated, religious thought is facing serious challenges from science, technology, and the materialistic worldview as the product of those; therefore, it may need substantial reconsidering to be adaptable to the changing conditions. Apparently, not all of the existing denominations will be able to survive the upcoming epoch since peoples values, needs, and preferences will transform inevitably and, with high probability, irreversibly. Jehovahs Witnesses are on the list of religious communities that find themselves on the verge of extinction; the paper seeks to identify the reasons for that. The low growth and the decreasing retention rate of believers, as compared to other Christians, suggest that the strict rules that are not consistent with the current values and technological environment result in the decline of the worldview.

Analysis of the Worldview

The Jehovahs Witnesses movement was founded in the 1870s, and during the second half of the nineteenth century, the main postulates of their teaching were developed and formalized. Therefore, their understanding of Christianity is quite young; the lack of experience, in addition, may be one of the reasons why the philosophy is in a crisis. Among the prevalent doctrines, in the period of its formation, was premillennialism, whose adepts were expecting the Second Advent before the beginning of the new thousand of years. Disputes on that apparently inspired some believers to study the Bible thoroughly and search for alternative interpretations, which eventually gave birth to a unique denomination.

As a result of private closed meetings the Witnesses organized for theological discussions, a new concept of God appeared, which differs from the established ideas in Christianity. Notwithstanding its relative newness, the worldview doubtlessly is at the top of the list of the most conservative religious paradigms. This may result from the adepts unwillingness to reframe the philosophy, adjusting it to the changing needs, values, and preferences of people. Instead, they stick to the views the creators of the religion, headed by Charlez Russell, expressed, and follow the rules those established. Since the Witnesses beliefs contradict the recognized basics of Christianity, most churches, including the Orthodox, the Greek Catholic, and several Protestant, do not accept them.

The main ideas of this religious branch acquired an official formulation in the 1930s. The document that involves them, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania&, remains a strict model for the religious behavior of the Witnesses. The conviction that Armageddon will happen in a short period is one of the key postulates, which they doubtlessly inherited from the premillennialists. This, in fact, is only one example of how essential biblical texts are in this philosophy; nevertheless, its adepts may doubt the correctness of the commonly accepted doctrines. Thus, they reject the concept of an immortal soul since, according to them, any living creature, including human beings, can be regarded as a soul. In addition, they believe in resurrection, which will happen after Armageddon, when Jesus begins to rule the earth.

The apocalyptic imagery of the religious beliefs of Jehovahs Witnesses, as well as the contradictions with official Christianity, led to numerous persecutions of this religious branch. As mentioned, many believers consider the denomination heretical; furthermore, some label it a cult, not willing to accept it as another variation of the canonic doctrines. Regarding secular governments, the adepts frequently have conflicts with those due to their refusal to do military service, which emerges from their belief in the intrinsic value of life. The Witnesses behavior in other spheres, meanwhile, may contradict that conviction; thus, they do not accept blood transfusion even in case it is vitally important. This is another reason for the deprecation and one of the most ethically and legally debatable rules, which deters many from participating in the community. The loyal members insist that their views originate directly from the Bible in its initial version, not distorted by incorrect translations or serving anybodys personal interests.

One of the main differences between Jehovahs Witnesses and official Christianity is the denial of the Holy Trinity and belief in the one God Jehovah. Notably, they deny the divinity of Christ, considering him simply Jehovahs primary creation. It is not relevant for them, consequently, to participate in any holidays associated with Jesus, including Easter and Christmas. Another reason why they do not accept the orthodox celebration is their belief in its pagan origin; actually, peoples birthdays are neglected as well because of this. Neither do the Witnesses practice iconography since, according to them, the Bible teaches that the worship of images contradicts Gods will.

Critique of the Worldview

The above analysis illustrates the general disputableness of the doctrines Jehovahs Witnesses follow and spread. The fact that they disagree strongly with the commonly accepted Christian teachings is not the only issue; if a certain religion comprises multiple denominations, those hardly ever cease to polemize. Poor adaptability to the ever more secular world is the main disadvantage of the philosophy under review; the following section provides detail.

The religion of Jehovahs Witnesses is rapidly losing followers and acquiring few new adherents due to extreme strictness, which is inconsistent with the moral values of the modern world. Among the latter are humanism and technical progress, the synthesis of which has enabled overcoming the diseases that had killed people inevitably before, including various forms of cancer, serious traumas, severe anemia, and others. Managing those conditions frequently requires blood transfusion; the Witnesses, meanwhile, oppose it, notwithstanding the high probability of a fatal outcome. As a result, many of those for whom faith is a source of hope leave the community because it proclaims the prevalence of the rules over their lives, depriving them of a chance. In addition to ruthlessness, the rules are quite outdated, considering that, as mentioned, the theoretical base of the worldview did not undergo any serious reframing for almost 150 years.

The culmination of the Witnesses activity, which demonstrated them as radical and potentially dangerous, however, occurred at the end of the 20th century. Being the successors of premillennialists, they were foreshadowing Armageddon, that is, the end of the world, in parallel with the Second Coming of Christ. That period in world history was quite difficult, marked by substantial political, economic, and, consequently, social perturbations. In such a context, the assumptions that God was planning to destroy the unrighteous, on which the Witnesses were insisting, apparently did not sound relevant. That was among the reasons why their religion became one of the few prosecuted worldviews in the twentieth century, the epoch of unprecedented moral freedom.

Another aspect is that the ideas of Jehovahs Witnesses, being strict and requiring depersonalization as well as obedience, often stand in opposition to state institutions. In fact, the above freedom, whose integral part is the liberty of conscience, became one of the major stumbling points. The vast majority of democratic states include it in their constitutions; the Witnesses, meanwhile, violate the latter by offending and humiliating even other Christians, which is classifies as the incitement of religious hatred. In addition, the only legitimate power, according to the given worldview, is that of God, for which reason the followers may accuse politics as well as voters of betrayal and disobedience.

The denial of military service doubtlessly is another point to make this religion the object of criticism and even persecution. In a secular environment, civil duties are a priority and, therefore, have to be combinable with religious convictions; this encourages most of the existing philosophies to develop in certain ways, growing more flexible and progressive. The beliefs of Jehovahs Witnesses, meanwhile, are dramatically rigid and prevent them from performing appropriately as citizens.

To summarize, the philosophy under the review faces heavy criticism both from the other denominations of Christianity and from non-religious population. The reasons for discontent include not only its contradiction to the recognized doctrines but also excessive strictness, outdatedness, hate speech, and poor compatibility with civil life. Even the former members are leaving the community because of those disadvantages, which allows assuming that it is hardly able to survive the ever-increasing secularization of the world.

Defense of Christianity against the Worldview

By contrast with the beliefs of Jehovahs Witnesses, orthodox Christianity doubtlessly has withstood the tests of time and will continue to be popular. The main reason for this is that the latter can provide believers with hope as well as room for self-actualization, while the former, as mentioned, rests on obedience and suppressing individuality. In general, the traditional Christian views are associated with humanism and development substantially closer in comparison with the opposing philosophy.

The primary point to mention is the apocalyptic nature of the Witnesses paradigm, which cannot serve to motivate and comfort by definition. Furthermore, the idea of Armageddon apparently plays an essential role in their lifestyle, which they organize completely around the possible ways to deserve a resurrection after the end of the world. This is one of the key channels the leaders use to communicate their beliefs to the adepts; in fact, the former instruct the latter to obey the rules to survive.

Official Christianity, on the contrary, regards God as the highest, absolute, and unlimited mercy, which every believer is able to contact. Furthermore, according to Christians, even those who do not consider His existence real can observe it in miracles, the occasions that contradict the known laws of nature. It is worth noting that Jehovahs Witnesses do not share this opinion, insisting that only the most loyal adepts of their worldview, who never violate the rules, can be connected to God.

The concept of miracles is actually worth considering as a bright illustration of how the classic denominations of Christianity seek to find the balance between the material and the supernatural. Specifically, while not doubting the recognized scientific discoveries, the believers assume that the nature humans can observe is not the only dimension of the Universe and the existence of the other evidence that of God. The ability to perceive and explore the supernatural hypothetically is peculiar to everybody; whether a particular person does that or not depends on his or her will. Meanwhile, as guessable from the above, the Witnesses, with their unnecessarily literal interpretation of the Bible, are too radical to reach an equilibrium of such a kind.

Another reason why orthodox Christianity is substantially more appealing in comparison with the beliefs of Jehovahs Witnesses is its respect towards personality. The Witnesses, as mentioned, postulate depersonalization through complete obedience and, furthermore, do not accept the concept of an immortal soul, supposing that all material and non-material components of an individual die simultaneously. In the traditional understanding, meanwhile, personality is one of the major values; Christians see people as spiritual beings created after the image and likeness of God, any of which, therefore, can unite with Him eventually. Among the keys to that is free will, which the believers appreciate strongly both in themselves and in others since it, according to them, is the manifestation of the divine nature in humans.

All of the above makes it quite apparent that Christianity, in its commonly accepted interpretations, postulates equality, which aspect has acquired special importance in the modern humanism-based society. The above conviction that God may speak to everyone, regardless of his or her religious belonging or any other identity, through miracles, is not the only example, although one of the brightest. It is also noteworthy that Christian God, being an embodiment of absolute love, treats all of His children, who humans are, with equivalent care. Specifically, He provides everybody, including sinners, with a chance to recognize and correct their mistakes

and turn to Him, without categorizing and separating people. The leaders of Jehovahs Witnesses, on the contrary, consider themselves the chosen, elite, which view not only favors discrimination and humiliation but also manifests the sin of false pride.

Finally, Christianity is quite adaptable to the ever-growing speed as well as variety of life since it does not neglect any sphere of it the way the Witnesses do. Thus, as mentioned, the latter refuse to participate in politics, join the military, and accept certain medical interventions; the most dedicated may avoid higher education and anything else that prevents an individual from serving Jehovah. Considering the above excessive rigidness of the worldview, it is hardly able to integrate successfully into the modern future-oriented world, where the role of knowledge, science, and progress continues to become leading. Christianity, meanwhile, insists on constant improvement to reach perfection in every area; this is the shortest way to God and matches the values of the current epoch.

Conclusion

To summarize, it doubtlessly is reasonable to state that the community of Jehovahs Witnesses is experiencing a dramatic downturn, primarily, due to prescribing outstandingly strict and outdated rules to its members. The principles have remained practically unchanged since the late nineteenth century, when the methodology appeared; this apparently complicates attracting modern people, whose values are substantially different from those of the founders. Furthermore, the existing adepts become disappointed with the philosophy, mainly because of its apocalyptic focus that kills rather than awakens hope in people. In addition, a range of the convictions is poorly combinable with the ideas of humanism and technical progress, which underlie the worldview of the modern progressive population.

Bibliography

Gould, Paul, Travis Dickinson, and Keith Loftin. 2018. Stand Firm: Apologetics and the Brilliance of the Gospel. Nashville, TN: B&H Academic.

Knox, Zoe. Jehovahs Witnesses and the Secular World: From the 1870s to the Present. London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2018.

Morton, Jason, Keely Bakken, Mohy Omer, and Patrick Greenwalt. The Global Persecution of Jehovahs Witnesses. United States Commission on International Religious Freedom. Web.

Ransom, Heather J., Rebecca L. Monk, and Derek Heim. Grieving the Living: The Social Death of Former Jehovahs Witnesses.Journal of Religion and Health (2021). Web.

Swinburne, Richard. 2012. A Case for Miracles. In Christian Apologetics: An Anthology of Primary Sources, edited by Khaldoun A. Sweis and Chad V. Meister, 31334. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.