Introductory Unit
1. heart - the Locus (center) of the person, because it is only satisfied by satisfaction.
2. Desire - a strong feeling of wanting to have something or wishing for something to happen.
3. reality- the world or the state of things as they actually exist, as opposed to an idealistic or notional idea of them.
4. 4 truths of the "I"- 1.I didn't make myself 2. We have desires that are unlimited. 3. We are limited, our abilities are limited. 4. We expect to be happy.
5. Ontology- the branch of metaphysics dealing with the nature of being.
6. Being- ontos or existence
7. Religious sense - is wrapped up in the unity of the human person, it cannot be disconnected like some mechanical component.
Anointing Of The Sick
8. Suffering- experience of something bad or unpleasant.
9. Who are the administers of the sacrament?- Bishop or priest.
10. Apocalyptic- resembling the end of the world.
11. apostolate- the position or authority of an Apostle or a religious leader.
12. original sin - a consequence of the first sin, the hereditary stain with which we are born on account of our origin or descent from Adam.
13. theodicy- the vindication of divine goodness and providence in view of the existence of evil.
14. viaticum- the Eucharist as given to a person near or in danger of death.
15. Presbyters- an elder or minister of the Church.
16. Stations Of The Cross- a devotion consisting of prayers and meditations before each of the 14 crosses or images set up in a church or along a path commemorating the events of the Passion of Jesus.
17. Who can receive the sacrament? The anointing of the sick can be administered to a member of the faithful who, after having reached the use of reason, begins to be in danger due to sickness or old age.
Reconciliation
18. penance- a Christian sacrament in which a member of the church confesses sins to a priest and is given absolution.
19. Confession- a formal admission of one's sins with repentance and desire of absolution.
20. Forgiveness- the action or process of forgiving or being forgiven.
21. Conversion- the act or an instance of converting or the process of being converted.
22. Empathy- the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.
23. Ten commandments- the divine rules of conduct given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai.
24. Contrition- the state of feeling remorseful and penitent.
25. Act of Contrition- a penitential prayer.
26. Absolution- an ecclesiastical declaration of forgiveness of sins.
27. Sin- an immortal act considered to be a transgression against divine law.
28. Mortal Sin- a willful rejection of right relationship with God.
29. Venial Sin- a relatively slight sin that does not entail damnation of the soul.
30. Original Sin- a consequence of the first sin, the hereditary stain with which we are born on account of our origin or descent from Adam.
31. personal sin- the free choice to disobey God.
32. Confession of sin - the confession of a person's sins in a religious practice in a number of Christian traditions.
33. Restitution- the restoration of something to its original state.
34. Concupiscence- a strong sexual desire; lust.
35. Fornication- when two people not married to each other have sexual intercourse.
36. Excommunication- officially excluding someone from participation of the sacraments and services of the Christian Church.
37. Apostasy- the abandonment or renunciation of a religious or political belief.
38. Heresy- belief or opinion contrary to orthodox religious doctrine.
39. Schism - a split or division between strongly opposed sections or parties, cause by differences in opinion or belief.
Matrimony
40. abortion- the deliberate termination of a human pregnancy.
41. Contraception- the deliberate use of artificial methods or other techniques to prevent pregnancy as a consequence of sexual intercourse.
42. Sterilization- to deprive a person of the ability to produce offspring.
43. Fidelity- sexual faithfulness to a spouse or a partner.
44. Divorce- a legal dissolution of a marriage by a court or their competent body.
45. Polygamy- the practice or custom of having more than one wife or husband at the same time.
46. Adultery- a voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and a person who is not his or her spouse.
47. Annulment- to declare a marriage to have had no legal existence.
48. Intimacy - close familiarity or friendship.
49. Grace- a free favor of God.
50. Family- a group of people related to each other by blood or marriage.
51. Cohabitation- to live together and have a sexual relationship without being married.
52. Creation- the Act of God bringing to existence the universe.
Holy Orders
53. Diocese- a district under the pastoral care of a bishop in the Christian Church.
54. Vicar- a representative or deputy of a bishop.
55. infallibility- the doctrine that in specified circumstances the pope is incapable of error in pronouncing dogma.
56. Imprimatur- an official license by the Roman Catholic Church to print an ecclesiastical or religious book.
57. Parish- a small administrative district typically having its own Church and a priest or pastor.
58. Stole- a liturgical vestment composed of a strip of material, several inches wide, and worn around the neck by priests and bishops.
59. Dalmatic- a wide-sleeved, long, loose vestment open at the sides, worn by deacons and bishops, and by some other monarchs at their coronation.
60. Presbyters- an elder or minister of the Church.
61. Seminary- a college that prepares students to be priest, ministers, or rabbis.
62. Celibacy- abstaining from marriage and sexual relations.
63. Bishops- a senior member of the christian clergy, typically in charge of a diocese and empowered to confer holy orders.
64. Pope- the bishop of Rome as head of the Roman Catholic Church.
65. Priest- an ordained minister of the church having the authority to perform certain rites and administer certain sacraments.
66. Deacon- an ordained minister of an order ranking below that of priest.
67. Cardinal- a leading dignitary of the Roman Catholic Church.
68. Clergy- the body of all people ordained for religious duties.
69. Chasuble- a sleeveless outer vestment worn by a priest when celebrating mass.
70. Discern- perceive or recognize something.
71. Grace- a free favor of God.
Baptism
72. Baptism- the religious rite of sprinkling water onto a person's forehead or of immerions in water, symbolizing purification or regeneration and admission to the Church.
73. Proper Matter- flowing water
74. Correct Words/Form- "I baptize you in the name of the father, and of the son, and of the Holy Spirit"with triple pour of water.
75. Designated minister- bishop priest or deacon. (in emergency anyone who intends to offer baptism)
76. RCIA- the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. The process through which interested adults and older children are gradually introduced to the Roman Catholic faith and way of life.
77. Rite of Baptism of Children- people did not want their children to want life... infant baptism became prevalent.
78. Water- the proper matter for Baptism.
79. White Garment- one of the three aspects of Baptism.
80. Effects of Baptism- washes away original sin. Makes us children of God and temples of the Holy Spirit. Welcomes us forever as shares in the common priesthood of all believers, and in Christ's mission of Justice and peace.
81. Concupiscence- the tendency towards sin.
82. Catechumens- A Christian convert under instruction before Baptism.
Confirmation
83. Confirmation- the rite at which a baptized person is admitted as a full member of the Church.
84. Proper Matter- anointing with Chrism.
85. Correct Words/Form- "Be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit" with oil on the forhead in the sign of the cross.
86. Designated minister- bishop.
87. Seal- the obligation on a priest not to divulge anything said during confession.
88. Holy Spirit- the third person of the trinity; God as spiritually active in the World.
89. Fruits of the Holy Spirit- love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.
90. Gifts of the Holy Spirit- understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, fear of the Lord, and wisdom.
91. History- Laying on of hands - ancient gesture used in confirmation that symbolizes the giving of the Father's own spirit to the recipient.
92. Age of Discretion- age seven to age sixteen.
93. Pentecost- birthday of the Church.
94. RCIA- the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. The process through which interested adults and older children are gradually introduced to the Roman Catholic faith and way of life.
95. Chrismation- a rite in the Orthodox and Easter Catholic Churches that is comparable and similar to confirmation in the roman catholic Church.
96. Why We confirm- Confirmation strengthens, intensifies, deepens and builds on the graces we were given at baptism.
97. Requirements for reception- be prepared to protest the faith, be in the state of grace, intend to receive the sacrament, and be prepared to witness to Jesus Christ.
98. Sponsor- is responsible for the candidates religious education.
99. community- a group of people having a religion in common.
Eucharist
100. Eucharist- the Christian ceremony commemorating the Last Supper, in which bread and wine are consecrated and consumed.
101. Transcendence- of God existing apart from and not subject to the limitations of the material universe.
102. Source and Summit- Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian Life.
103. Consecration- to make bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ.
104. Transubstantiation- the conversion of the substance of the Eucharistic elements into the body and blood of Christ; substance
105. Tabernacle- an ornamented receptacle or cabinet in which pyx or ciborium containing the reserved sacrament may be placed in Catholic Churches, usually above or on the altar.
106. Other Names for the Eucharist- Lord's Supper, Breaking the Bread, Eucharistic Assembly, Memorial, Holy Sacrifice, Holy and Divine Liturgy, Holy Communion, and Mass.
107. Proper Matter- wheat based bread and pure grape wine.
108. Correct words/form- "This is my body.... This is the chalice of my blood"
109. Designated Minister- Bishop or Priest.
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Universal Call To Holiness
The prompt is:Msgr. Luigi Giussani states: "[T.S. Eliot] asked himself "Has the Church failed mankind, or has mankind failed the Church?" . . . Both, both, because first and foremost it is mankind who failed the Church, because if I need something, I chase after it if it goes away. No one chased after it . . . The Church began to fail mankind, as I see it . . . because she forgot who Christ was, she did not rely on..., she was ashamed of Christ, of saying who Christ is."(Interview, 2004).What does it mean to say, "if I need something, I chase after it if it goes away"? How does this relate to the "Universal Call to Holiness"? What do you think this quote implies for the everyday Catholic? What do you think it means to "say who Christ is" without shame?
The Universal Call to Holiness has priciples that are important in order to understand this spiritual journey. One principle is the intimate union with God. God is powerful and his powers can not be attained by any human being. Us human beings are the dependents of God. His grace was gift to us from the beginning. We can only recieve God's loving grace from God. Therefore, he is unattainable. God makes everything possible for us. We cannot complete our universal call to holiness without him. God's grace is essential to spiritual journey of the Universal Call To Holiness. Luke 18:27 says, "What is impossible for human beings is possible for God." We have to understand who God is. One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is Fear of the Lord. The gift of Fear of the Lord does not actually mean be scared of him. It means to understand that he is way more powerful than we are. Because of this we should follow him and obey him. We desire, want, and try to achieve things, but without God's grace we would not even know what is possible. Even though God is unseen, he lives in all of us. We have to see him in others.
Another principle is to know that our effort is neccassary. Yes, we desire to make a difference in things, but must know that those desires comes from God's grace. We desire to change things in this world for beter and for worse. We have to realize that God gave us the ability to chose. We must realize that God works through us, but we have to correspond. Our effort is very neccessary for the Universal Call to Holiness.
Another principle is that we have to change in order to have a deep union with God. We all were born with original sin. This started from Adam and Eve disobeying God and moving toward Satin and sin. Since we all are born with sin, we must be healed through the church and transform in the process of the Universal Call to Holiness. We must know that this path is not going to be perfect. There will be struggles on this path but how we overcome those struggles will bring us closer to God.
The last principle is that all of the struggles that we go through are worth it. We have to realize that it is not only us, that is going through struggles. We have to come together as a community and love each other, becasue we were all made the same. We are all going through struggles. We are all going through a variety of struggles, but we must love each other to get through it. This is how God works. He works in each of us and he wants us to love each other. On our journey of the Universal Call To Holiness, we need not to quit. Quiting will get us nowhere. Instead we must love each other to get through it.
The prompt says, "If we need something we must chase after it if it goes away". This prompt simply relates to the last principle. All of the struggles we go through are certainly worth it. We have to chase after God, because God appears to be invisible. But actually he is not, he lives in all of us.
The Universal Call to Holiness has priciples that are important in order to understand this spiritual journey. One principle is the intimate union with God. God is powerful and his powers can not be attained by any human being. Us human beings are the dependents of God. His grace was gift to us from the beginning. We can only recieve God's loving grace from God. Therefore, he is unattainable. God makes everything possible for us. We cannot complete our universal call to holiness without him. God's grace is essential to spiritual journey of the Universal Call To Holiness. Luke 18:27 says, "What is impossible for human beings is possible for God." We have to understand who God is. One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is Fear of the Lord. The gift of Fear of the Lord does not actually mean be scared of him. It means to understand that he is way more powerful than we are. Because of this we should follow him and obey him. We desire, want, and try to achieve things, but without God's grace we would not even know what is possible. Even though God is unseen, he lives in all of us. We have to see him in others.
Another principle is to know that our effort is neccassary. Yes, we desire to make a difference in things, but must know that those desires comes from God's grace. We desire to change things in this world for beter and for worse. We have to realize that God gave us the ability to chose. We must realize that God works through us, but we have to correspond. Our effort is very neccessary for the Universal Call to Holiness.
Another principle is that we have to change in order to have a deep union with God. We all were born with original sin. This started from Adam and Eve disobeying God and moving toward Satin and sin. Since we all are born with sin, we must be healed through the church and transform in the process of the Universal Call to Holiness. We must know that this path is not going to be perfect. There will be struggles on this path but how we overcome those struggles will bring us closer to God.
The last principle is that all of the struggles that we go through are worth it. We have to realize that it is not only us, that is going through struggles. We have to come together as a community and love each other, becasue we were all made the same. We are all going through struggles. We are all going through a variety of struggles, but we must love each other to get through it. This is how God works. He works in each of us and he wants us to love each other. On our journey of the Universal Call To Holiness, we need not to quit. Quiting will get us nowhere. Instead we must love each other to get through it.
The prompt says, "If we need something we must chase after it if it goes away". This prompt simply relates to the last principle. All of the struggles we go through are certainly worth it. We have to chase after God, because God appears to be invisible. But actually he is not, he lives in all of us.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
She Went By Gently
1. A gift of Baptism is the ability to love others as God loves us. How is this ability seen in the woman's treatment of the girl?
Regardless of what happened in the past, the the woman's character towards the girl shows her belief in God's love for us. The ability to love others as God loves us is a gift of Baptism. The lady cared for the girl as if she was her own child. This disturbed her husband, but it did not stop her from caring for the girl. The woman showed a sense of grace towards the girl.
2. At the end of the story the woman says in regard to the infant, "I saved him." What does she mean by that statement?
When the woman says in regard to the infant, "I saved him." She means that she saved him spiritually in a religious sense. The woman baptized him in order to save him. She Baptized him to bring him back to God and his kingdom.
3. The author describes the journey of the woman to her own home. What is the purpose of this section of the story? What is he trying to convey about the woman through his descriptions?
The journey of the woman to her own home was a comparison to her own life and how she witnessed Baptism again. By helping others she also witnessed a sense of grace. THe part of the story when she witnessed darkness was like a comparison to original sin. Through everything she went through she never gave up on God and God never gave up on her.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Confirmation
1. The gifts of the Holy Spirit work in my life every day in many different ways. Without these gift I would not be the child of God I consider myself to be today. Each of the gifts of the Holy Spirit effect my life in different ways. The gift understanding helps me realize all the problems including me and surrounding me. As a senior in High school I am faced with many struggles with family, school work, friends, and many others. The gift of understanding helps me get through these struggles and also helps me forgive others. The gift of wisdom is my favorite. This gift helps me focus. It helps me focus on what is important: relationships with family, friends, and God. The gift of Piety allows me to serve God. I think this gift is very important in my life. This gift helps me realize all the good things God has done for me, and allows me to praise and serve him in return. The gift of piety brings peace in my life. It helps me realize that God has always and will always be there for me, and for that thank him.
2. The Holy Spirit gives seven gifts to those that are confirmed. Each of these git are very important in the person being confirmed's life. The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the lord. In my life, all of the gifts of the Holy Spirit are essential in my everyday life. One that is very important to me is Fear of The Lord. Fear of The Lord is important, because it lets us know that God and only God is our creator. The ten commandments say, "There shall be no other gods before me." This gift of the Holy Spirit is not saying that we should be afraid and scared of God. It is saying that we should recognize God's power. Everything that has been done, has been done by God. God is mighty and he has the power to do any and everything. I'm just thankful that he used his power to create me and that he gave me a chance in this world. That is why the gift of Fear of the Lord is important to me.
2. The Holy Spirit gives seven gifts to those that are confirmed. Each of these git are very important in the person being confirmed's life. The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the lord. In my life, all of the gifts of the Holy Spirit are essential in my everyday life. One that is very important to me is Fear of The Lord. Fear of The Lord is important, because it lets us know that God and only God is our creator. The ten commandments say, "There shall be no other gods before me." This gift of the Holy Spirit is not saying that we should be afraid and scared of God. It is saying that we should recognize God's power. Everything that has been done, has been done by God. God is mighty and he has the power to do any and everything. I'm just thankful that he used his power to create me and that he gave me a chance in this world. That is why the gift of Fear of the Lord is important to me.
Friday, November 9, 2012
DIstance Learning #3
The following answers come from the questions of the reading "Are Sacraments Narrow?" These answers are my opinions.
1. Ludwig did not understand grace and therefore did not understand the higher life given to us by God.. Grace has a wider view then what most of us think. It is okay to not understand. As he continues through the sacraments, the more he will understand.
2. When it comes to Sacramentality the Church is not only thinking about Christians. Everyone has a choice to be Baptized and to be saved. The Church is not being biased.
3. When it comes to Sacramentality, the Church is thinking about the important relationship between God and his people. Salvation is essential in this relationship from both ends.
4. The Church refers us to the Son Of God, Jesus Christ. Jesus is a sign of God, therefore God is present in him. All of the Sacraments of the Church are extensions of the power of Christ and God.
5. The primal Sacrament of Sacraments, the Incarnate Son of God is the Christian doctrine that is the foundation of all sacraments.
6. The gobs modern "spirituality" tells us that God is an extended ether in the cosmos and he never puts himself with crudeness of matter. With this spirituality to be spiritual is to be more or less disembodied. Lastly the sign of primitive superstition is that the Christian God should employ physical means like sacrifices of blood.
7. The Christian Bible repudiates the spiritual snobbery with the announcement that God likes matter a lot. He loves us. He declared it good at the beginning of creation and continues to manifest himself.
8. "But that was so that he could put this gross body of flesh to death on the Cross and revert back to pure spirituality, wasn't it?" I do agree with this statement. Besides the fact that they called Jesus body gross. But it compares the incarnation with the spiritual view of God, which is correct.
9. "That is why the sacramental worldview sees more than just a symbol in a Sacrament". Christians view the Sacraments as an encounter with Christ. Therefore, the Sacraments are more than what they are, because they are a sign of Christ, whom is unlimited.
10. .K Chesterton said that the difference between the sacramental Real presence in the Eucharist and the universal grace of God is the difference between saying "The spirit of Jehovah pervades the universe" and saying "Jesus Christ walked in the room". He also said that the sacraments and Sacramentality does not come from a desire to exclude any from the redemption of Christ, but from the odd nature of Christianity itself with its stubborn insistence that the world was saved when God became local.
11. Grace is the theory that God is here on Earth in all of us. Not only Christians. Grace must be focused in the lens of the Sacrament, not to limit God, but to kindle us. That is the purpose of Grace, to kindle everyone on Earth
1. Ludwig did not understand grace and therefore did not understand the higher life given to us by God.. Grace has a wider view then what most of us think. It is okay to not understand. As he continues through the sacraments, the more he will understand.
2. When it comes to Sacramentality the Church is not only thinking about Christians. Everyone has a choice to be Baptized and to be saved. The Church is not being biased.
3. When it comes to Sacramentality, the Church is thinking about the important relationship between God and his people. Salvation is essential in this relationship from both ends.
4. The Church refers us to the Son Of God, Jesus Christ. Jesus is a sign of God, therefore God is present in him. All of the Sacraments of the Church are extensions of the power of Christ and God.
5. The primal Sacrament of Sacraments, the Incarnate Son of God is the Christian doctrine that is the foundation of all sacraments.
6. The gobs modern "spirituality" tells us that God is an extended ether in the cosmos and he never puts himself with crudeness of matter. With this spirituality to be spiritual is to be more or less disembodied. Lastly the sign of primitive superstition is that the Christian God should employ physical means like sacrifices of blood.
7. The Christian Bible repudiates the spiritual snobbery with the announcement that God likes matter a lot. He loves us. He declared it good at the beginning of creation and continues to manifest himself.
8. "But that was so that he could put this gross body of flesh to death on the Cross and revert back to pure spirituality, wasn't it?" I do agree with this statement. Besides the fact that they called Jesus body gross. But it compares the incarnation with the spiritual view of God, which is correct.
9. "That is why the sacramental worldview sees more than just a symbol in a Sacrament". Christians view the Sacraments as an encounter with Christ. Therefore, the Sacraments are more than what they are, because they are a sign of Christ, whom is unlimited.
10. .K Chesterton said that the difference between the sacramental Real presence in the Eucharist and the universal grace of God is the difference between saying "The spirit of Jehovah pervades the universe" and saying "Jesus Christ walked in the room". He also said that the sacraments and Sacramentality does not come from a desire to exclude any from the redemption of Christ, but from the odd nature of Christianity itself with its stubborn insistence that the world was saved when God became local.
11. Grace is the theory that God is here on Earth in all of us. Not only Christians. Grace must be focused in the lens of the Sacrament, not to limit God, but to kindle us. That is the purpose of Grace, to kindle everyone on Earth
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Distance Learning # 2
The first article I read was called "These are the Sacraments - Seven Conditions Of Life". This article explains that people grow and develop in the church just as they do in society. Christians grow and develop in the Church through the Sacraments. You are born into the Church through your Baptism. Then, we nourish ourselves trough the Eucharist, taking the body and blood of Christ at mass. We spiritually take our responsibilities of the Church through Confirmation. We heal ourselves by asking for forgiveness from God through Penance. We pray and bless those that are sick through the Sacrament of Anointing Of The Sick. Some live spiritually with God and the Church through the Sacrament of Holy Orders. We get married with others through God in the Sacrament of Matrimony.
The second article I read was called "These are the Sacraments - What the Sacraments Bring to Man". This article talks about how Jesus Christ died on the cross to bring us to a higher life. It is upon us to look for that higher life. It explains a story about a tadpole that thought that the world was only water. If the tadpole would have looked for a higher life then he would see more than water. We use the sacraments to experience Christ. The Sacraments provide us with divine life and grace.
The third article I read was called "These are the Sacraments - The Bible Is Sacramental". This article explains that the Bible itself is Sacramental. The words and deeds of Jesus are Sacramental and that is what the Bible is filled with. The Bible is the word of God. The Bible gives the sacraments a background meaning. In the Bible, a sign is always a symbol. All symbols are signs but not all signs are symbols.
The last article I read was called "These are the Sacraments - A Divine Sense Of Humor". This article was an introductory to to the sacraments. It explained to us what they mean and what the symbol to us on Earth. It also explained that in order for one to understand a sacrament, he or she must have a divine sense of humor. When they say divine sense of humor they mean that the person is able to see over and above things here on Earth. The divine sense of humor relates to our understanding of the Sacraments. The divine sense of humor helps us understand the visible sign of the invisible God.
The second article I read was called "These are the Sacraments - What the Sacraments Bring to Man". This article talks about how Jesus Christ died on the cross to bring us to a higher life. It is upon us to look for that higher life. It explains a story about a tadpole that thought that the world was only water. If the tadpole would have looked for a higher life then he would see more than water. We use the sacraments to experience Christ. The Sacraments provide us with divine life and grace.
The third article I read was called "These are the Sacraments - The Bible Is Sacramental". This article explains that the Bible itself is Sacramental. The words and deeds of Jesus are Sacramental and that is what the Bible is filled with. The Bible is the word of God. The Bible gives the sacraments a background meaning. In the Bible, a sign is always a symbol. All symbols are signs but not all signs are symbols.
The last article I read was called "These are the Sacraments - A Divine Sense Of Humor". This article was an introductory to to the sacraments. It explained to us what they mean and what the symbol to us on Earth. It also explained that in order for one to understand a sacrament, he or she must have a divine sense of humor. When they say divine sense of humor they mean that the person is able to see over and above things here on Earth. The divine sense of humor relates to our understanding of the Sacraments. The divine sense of humor helps us understand the visible sign of the invisible God.
Monday, October 29, 2012
Distance Learning #1
1987- The preacher says, "If I Baptize you, you'll be able to go to the Kingdom of Christ. You'll be washed in the river of suffering, son, and you'll go by the deep river of life. Do you want that?" Harry got baptized and he was cleansed from his sins.
1988- Harry took part of Christ's Passion by dying in the river he was baptized in. He was searching for his kingdom.
1989- After Harry was baptized he no longer wanted to stay with his parents. He realized that his parents were a bad influence. So, he turned away from sin.
1990- That day that Harry went out with Ms. Connin he found out so much. He learned more about pigs, but most importantly he learned about Jesus Christ. He learned that the way his parents were living was the wrong way to live.
1991- After the preacher asked Harry if he was ready to be baptized, he though to himself, "Yes, I won't go back to the apartment then, I'll go under the river."He understood and accepted God's righteousness.
1992- When the preacher asked Harry if he was ready to be baptized, Harry made the decision of accepting God into his life. He didn't know what was coming, but he knew that it would be better than what was happening.
1993- "Justification establishes cooperation between God's grace and man's freedom...which invites him to conversion,". Harry had the choice to stay with his parents or to find peace in God. He came up with these two choices after his Baptism.
1994- "heaven and Earth will pass away but the salvation and justification of the elect... will not pass away." Even though Harry drowned and passed away, he will have everlasting life. His justification and salvation still exists.
1995- The Holy Spirit worked through Ms. Connin to get to Harry. The Holy Spirit reached his life, and Harry no longer wanted to live the life he was living.
1996- The day Ms. Connin came and "fixed" Harry was a favor from the Holy Spirit. It was the grace of God that saved Harry. Because of God's grace Harry lived eternal life with God.
1997- Harry participated in God's life, because of his baptism. The Holy Spirit breathed through him. In union with Jesus the son of God he became an adopted son.
1998- Without God, Harry would still be living with his crazy parents in his apartment. His parents were immature, and Harry needed a better figure in his life. By the grace of God, Harry got that figure.
1999- When Harry got Baptized he was a new person. Things started to make more sense to him He realized that he wanted to be forever with Jesus. The Holy Spirit helped him realize this.
2000- Harry and the Holy Spirit worked together to find the grace of God. If Harry did not correspond with the Holy Spirit, he would not have the same experience that he had.
2001- Ms. Connin helped prepare Harry for his baptism. This was also a form of God's grace.
2002- God gave each of us a free choice. Harry fell in love with God after his baptism and it was his choice to try and find his Kingdom.
2003- The baptism of Harry was a gift from God that Harry accepted. They worked together for Harry to find some peace.
2004- After his baptism, Harry had a responsibility. He was responsible in finding Christ. It was his choice to find Christ the way he did.
2005- God works in mysterious ways. Harry did not know that his baptism was by God's grace, but he had faith. He knew that he wouldn't find that at his home, so he decided to look for God where he found him.
1988- Harry took part of Christ's Passion by dying in the river he was baptized in. He was searching for his kingdom.
1989- After Harry was baptized he no longer wanted to stay with his parents. He realized that his parents were a bad influence. So, he turned away from sin.
1990- That day that Harry went out with Ms. Connin he found out so much. He learned more about pigs, but most importantly he learned about Jesus Christ. He learned that the way his parents were living was the wrong way to live.
1991- After the preacher asked Harry if he was ready to be baptized, he though to himself, "Yes, I won't go back to the apartment then, I'll go under the river."He understood and accepted God's righteousness.
1992- When the preacher asked Harry if he was ready to be baptized, Harry made the decision of accepting God into his life. He didn't know what was coming, but he knew that it would be better than what was happening.
1993- "Justification establishes cooperation between God's grace and man's freedom...which invites him to conversion,". Harry had the choice to stay with his parents or to find peace in God. He came up with these two choices after his Baptism.
1994- "heaven and Earth will pass away but the salvation and justification of the elect... will not pass away." Even though Harry drowned and passed away, he will have everlasting life. His justification and salvation still exists.
1995- The Holy Spirit worked through Ms. Connin to get to Harry. The Holy Spirit reached his life, and Harry no longer wanted to live the life he was living.
1996- The day Ms. Connin came and "fixed" Harry was a favor from the Holy Spirit. It was the grace of God that saved Harry. Because of God's grace Harry lived eternal life with God.
1997- Harry participated in God's life, because of his baptism. The Holy Spirit breathed through him. In union with Jesus the son of God he became an adopted son.
1998- Without God, Harry would still be living with his crazy parents in his apartment. His parents were immature, and Harry needed a better figure in his life. By the grace of God, Harry got that figure.
1999- When Harry got Baptized he was a new person. Things started to make more sense to him He realized that he wanted to be forever with Jesus. The Holy Spirit helped him realize this.
2000- Harry and the Holy Spirit worked together to find the grace of God. If Harry did not correspond with the Holy Spirit, he would not have the same experience that he had.
2001- Ms. Connin helped prepare Harry for his baptism. This was also a form of God's grace.
2002- God gave each of us a free choice. Harry fell in love with God after his baptism and it was his choice to try and find his Kingdom.
2003- The baptism of Harry was a gift from God that Harry accepted. They worked together for Harry to find some peace.
2004- After his baptism, Harry had a responsibility. He was responsible in finding Christ. It was his choice to find Christ the way he did.
2005- God works in mysterious ways. Harry did not know that his baptism was by God's grace, but he had faith. He knew that he wouldn't find that at his home, so he decided to look for God where he found him.
Monday, October 15, 2012
The Man Without A Face
In the movie, The Man Without A Face, Norstadt learned to trust McLeod. Norstadt did not really have a father figure in his life. All he had was his sisters and mom. His mom got married several times, and that also did not help with the growth of Norstadt. His oldest sister was rude to him and his younger sister he would consider a brad. The youngest sister was the type that snitched on everything she heard. Norstadt was so stressed out through out the movie, and his family was one of the causes to his stress. He took an exam to get into a boarding school and did not pass, so he wanted to take it again. His family, on the other hand did not think he should. They thought he was dumb and thought that taking the test again would be a waste of time. His older sister said in the movie, "Your dumb just like your father.". When his family told him they didn't want him to take the test, they were on a boat, with everyone's cars on the bottom floor. Norstadt got so angry that he vandalized his own mothers car. He thought nobody was watching him, but Mcleod did. He was sitting in his car with his dog. Of coarse McLeod did not say anything.
Norstadt heard many rumors about McLeod. People around the town called him the Freak and they called his dog the beast. The kids would say that he was a murderer. They would talk and tease about him, but they were all in fact scared of him. Half of McLeods face was burnt, so most people didn't get a good impression on looks. His face is actually scary looking. If you hold a conversation with him, you will most likely stare at his scar. That is why McLeod did everything secretly. He would go get his groceries at night, when everyone was sleep. When he went on the boat ride, he stayed at the bottom floor with all of the cars. Everything McLeod did was while he was alone, just so he could keep his distance from people. Everyone had something to say about him. People in that town were so judgmental of him, so he just kept his distance. His house was far off into the woods, so that he wouldn't cause any trouble and so that trouble would not come to him.
Norstadt needed a tutor for his exam, and heard that Mr. McLeod was a teacher. So, McLeod started to teach him and they both enjoyed it. He told Norstadt that he needed to ask permission from his mother to come to his house for tutoring. Norstadt knew that his mother would say no, because of the bad impression she had of McLeod. Therefore, Norstadt lied to Mr. McLeod and said that his mother could come. McLeod trusted him and continued to tutor. As the tutoring continued, Norstadt and Mcleod became friends and they started to trust each other. Norstadt one day asked him what happened to his face. He was very curious to know. McLeod told him that he got into a car accident, and a little boy got killed.
Norstadt and McLeod both were missing something in their lives. Norstadt was missing a father figure. His sisters and mom were not enough in his life. And on top of that everything he heard about his father was lies. Mcleod was missing a friend. Ever since the accident, peoples judgments of him grew. Everyone in the town thought that he was crazy. He needed someone that he could just talk to. It seemed to him that no one else was there except for Norstadt and his very own dog.
Norstadt came home one day and walked in on his older sister and her boyfriend. His sister got so mad at him, that she told him the truth about his father. She told him that his father was a drunk and that he killed himself. When Norstadt heard this he was devastated and immediately ran to Mr. McLeod's house. He stayed with him over the night. The police came to the door in the morning and Norstadt came downstairs in his underwear. This was a very big issue, because Mr. McLeod was accused of being a pedophile and sexually assaulting a boy a very long time ago. The police thought that he was doing the same to Norstadt and they asked him to keep his distance. Norstadt was so devastated and confused with life. He just wanted to know the truth. So he went to McLeod's house and asked him. McLeod asked him what he thought and asked him not to cheat in the question. He didn't want him to cheat on the question, because he knew that their trust was strong and that Norstadt knew that it wasn't true. Nostadt believed him and was very appreciative of him, because he passed his test and got into the boarding school.
Norstadt came in certainty that he could trust McLeod, because he could not trust anyone else. He felt that he could not trust his family, because they were lying to him. McLeod was helping him pass his test, at no cost. Mcleod was almost Norstadt's only friend and Norstadt was McLeod's only friend. They came to trust each other. Regardless of what the police said on the case. McLeod and Norstatd were the only people that really knew what happen. Therefore, they trusted each other.
Norstadt heard many rumors about McLeod. People around the town called him the Freak and they called his dog the beast. The kids would say that he was a murderer. They would talk and tease about him, but they were all in fact scared of him. Half of McLeods face was burnt, so most people didn't get a good impression on looks. His face is actually scary looking. If you hold a conversation with him, you will most likely stare at his scar. That is why McLeod did everything secretly. He would go get his groceries at night, when everyone was sleep. When he went on the boat ride, he stayed at the bottom floor with all of the cars. Everything McLeod did was while he was alone, just so he could keep his distance from people. Everyone had something to say about him. People in that town were so judgmental of him, so he just kept his distance. His house was far off into the woods, so that he wouldn't cause any trouble and so that trouble would not come to him.
Norstadt needed a tutor for his exam, and heard that Mr. McLeod was a teacher. So, McLeod started to teach him and they both enjoyed it. He told Norstadt that he needed to ask permission from his mother to come to his house for tutoring. Norstadt knew that his mother would say no, because of the bad impression she had of McLeod. Therefore, Norstadt lied to Mr. McLeod and said that his mother could come. McLeod trusted him and continued to tutor. As the tutoring continued, Norstadt and Mcleod became friends and they started to trust each other. Norstadt one day asked him what happened to his face. He was very curious to know. McLeod told him that he got into a car accident, and a little boy got killed.
Norstadt and McLeod both were missing something in their lives. Norstadt was missing a father figure. His sisters and mom were not enough in his life. And on top of that everything he heard about his father was lies. Mcleod was missing a friend. Ever since the accident, peoples judgments of him grew. Everyone in the town thought that he was crazy. He needed someone that he could just talk to. It seemed to him that no one else was there except for Norstadt and his very own dog.
Norstadt came home one day and walked in on his older sister and her boyfriend. His sister got so mad at him, that she told him the truth about his father. She told him that his father was a drunk and that he killed himself. When Norstadt heard this he was devastated and immediately ran to Mr. McLeod's house. He stayed with him over the night. The police came to the door in the morning and Norstadt came downstairs in his underwear. This was a very big issue, because Mr. McLeod was accused of being a pedophile and sexually assaulting a boy a very long time ago. The police thought that he was doing the same to Norstadt and they asked him to keep his distance. Norstadt was so devastated and confused with life. He just wanted to know the truth. So he went to McLeod's house and asked him. McLeod asked him what he thought and asked him not to cheat in the question. He didn't want him to cheat on the question, because he knew that their trust was strong and that Norstadt knew that it wasn't true. Nostadt believed him and was very appreciative of him, because he passed his test and got into the boarding school.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
What is knowledge?
Knowledge has steps. It starts with a proposal. Then we come up with a hypothesis. A hypothesis is an idea that we come up with about reality that we test. The goal of the hypothesis is to get to a conclusion. The conclusion is the answer. It is the actual knowledge of reality.
Knowledge is based on experience. It is the certainty of the thing we know. Knowledge leads to another question. That question is, "What does it mean to know something?". A lot of people say that they know their name. The only reason we know our names is, because we were taught it by our parents or guardians. We believe our parents or guardians, because it is someone we trust. Knowledge is power. The power is the people we trust. Therefore, knowledge is based on who we trust. We go to school to learn and to get more knowledge. As students we trust teachers to teach us the right information.
The biggest challenege in life is that we think we know things. It is like foreigners in a country where we don't speak the language and people talk to us and we think that we understand them and we don't. We think we know things, but we only know what people tell us and teach us. But what if the people we trust are telling us lies. We never really know. Therefore it seems that we have no knowledge. I think that the definition of knowledge is something that you believe in and were not by someone else.
Knowledge is based on experience. It is the certainty of the thing we know. Knowledge leads to another question. That question is, "What does it mean to know something?". A lot of people say that they know their name. The only reason we know our names is, because we were taught it by our parents or guardians. We believe our parents or guardians, because it is someone we trust. Knowledge is power. The power is the people we trust. Therefore, knowledge is based on who we trust. We go to school to learn and to get more knowledge. As students we trust teachers to teach us the right information.
The biggest challenege in life is that we think we know things. It is like foreigners in a country where we don't speak the language and people talk to us and we think that we understand them and we don't. We think we know things, but we only know what people tell us and teach us. But what if the people we trust are telling us lies. We never really know. Therefore it seems that we have no knowledge. I think that the definition of knowledge is something that you believe in and were not by someone else.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Cathedral
The story Cathedral has three main characters in it. Robert, who was blind, the narrator and the narrators wife. The wife used to work for the blind man. She used to read to him, but they had a special connection. The husband knew about this special connection, but did not understand it. His wife writes poems only about things that are important to her. She wrote a poem about the day that the narrator touched her face. The narrators wife died and he was coming to visit the narrators wife, because he was in town. The narrator did not want Robert to be in his house. By the end of the story, Robert helped the narrator draw something with his eyes closed. The narrator could finally see things in his perspective.
1. The narrator was not looking forward to the visit of the blind man, because the blind man and his wife had some connection that he did not understand. His wife used to work for the blind man. She would read to him. The narrators wife writes poems of special moments. She wrote a poem about when the blind man touched her face. The narrator did not know why this was so important and did not want the blind man in his house. This shows that the narrator is a jealous type
2. You can tell that the narrators wife just wants to be noticed by a man, because of her suicide attempt. She used to be married to an Air Force Officer. She didn't like that she had to keep moving from place to place and started to feel lonely. So, she attempted to kill herself by swallowing a lot of pills. But, when the blind man touched her face she didn't feel lonely. She felt like she was seen and noticed by him even though he was blind.
3. If your friend has a friend, then you should be nice to his or her friend, it is a sign of respect. That is what is means to receive another's friend. That is how the narrators wife felt when the blind man was coming to visit and her husband didn't want him there. She just wanted everyone to feel comfortable.
4. Yes, I do think Robert saw his wife Beulah. He might not have seen exactly what she looked like, but he saw something. He saw his perspective of her, which in this story is what it means to be seen. To be seen is what you look like in someone else's eyes.
5. The characters smoke to relieve stress. All of the characters are in a stressful situation. Robert's wife just dies, The narrator doesn't feel comfortable with the blind man being there, and the wife has to deal with her husband being uncomfortable around her old friend. All of these characters smoke to relive their stressful situations.
6. The culture put a lot of time into building their cathedrals. The cathedrals had a lot of art and sophisticated designs. Obviously, the culture really loved God, and they built the Cathedrals for him.
7. The narrator had a hard time describing a cathedral, because he never paid any attention to them. When Robert helped the narrator draw a Cathedral with his eyes closed, he could see it better. I think the narrator could see the Cathedral better with his eyes closed, because he had to think more about it. When your not blind you can see everything, therefore you don't have to think about what it looks like.
1. The narrator was not looking forward to the visit of the blind man, because the blind man and his wife had some connection that he did not understand. His wife used to work for the blind man. She would read to him. The narrators wife writes poems of special moments. She wrote a poem about when the blind man touched her face. The narrator did not know why this was so important and did not want the blind man in his house. This shows that the narrator is a jealous type
2. You can tell that the narrators wife just wants to be noticed by a man, because of her suicide attempt. She used to be married to an Air Force Officer. She didn't like that she had to keep moving from place to place and started to feel lonely. So, she attempted to kill herself by swallowing a lot of pills. But, when the blind man touched her face she didn't feel lonely. She felt like she was seen and noticed by him even though he was blind.
3. If your friend has a friend, then you should be nice to his or her friend, it is a sign of respect. That is what is means to receive another's friend. That is how the narrators wife felt when the blind man was coming to visit and her husband didn't want him there. She just wanted everyone to feel comfortable.
4. Yes, I do think Robert saw his wife Beulah. He might not have seen exactly what she looked like, but he saw something. He saw his perspective of her, which in this story is what it means to be seen. To be seen is what you look like in someone else's eyes.
5. The characters smoke to relieve stress. All of the characters are in a stressful situation. Robert's wife just dies, The narrator doesn't feel comfortable with the blind man being there, and the wife has to deal with her husband being uncomfortable around her old friend. All of these characters smoke to relive their stressful situations.
6. The culture put a lot of time into building their cathedrals. The cathedrals had a lot of art and sophisticated designs. Obviously, the culture really loved God, and they built the Cathedrals for him.
7. The narrator had a hard time describing a cathedral, because he never paid any attention to them. When Robert helped the narrator draw a Cathedral with his eyes closed, he could see it better. I think the narrator could see the Cathedral better with his eyes closed, because he had to think more about it. When your not blind you can see everything, therefore you don't have to think about what it looks like.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
what it means not to talk in class
It is actually very important not to talk in class, whether us students like to believe it or not. If you talk during a presentation of a student or a teacher's lecture it is disrespectful. STudents work hard to present in front of a class. Someone might also be nervous to speak in front of a class, and when students talk it might make them even more nervous. Teachers also work hard to speak in front of class. That is their job. They spend a lot of time preparing for a class. When students talk while a teacher is teaching they can feel disrespected. That is why teachers get so mad when students are talking during their class. Some teachers feel like their time is being wasted. Some teachers think that they are interrupting the students conversation.
In elementary school when we would talk in class, the teacher would call our parents. Whenever my parents got a phone call from the school I would always be in a bunch of trouble. My mom always said that is was being disrespectful and that I should always respect my teachers. We were taught to not talk in class at a young age. My second grade teacher Ms. Spriggs said that our conversation wait. We could always continue our conversation after class, but during class it has to stop.
I always thought it was okay to talk during class and long as your not loud and purposely trying to be disrespectful. I always thought a little whisper couldn't hurt. Especially, if I was confused about something that was being taught. I would always just ask my neighbor or the person sitting beside me. Every time I got in trouble in class the teacher knew I was not trying to be disrespectful. They always told me that if I had a question I should raise my hand.
Teachers also think that when a student or students are talking in class then he or she is not learning what is being taught. If your talking then there is not a possible way you could be listening to what the teacher is saying at the same time. Unless you are multitasking. But teachers don't want students to multitask. They one students to do one thing and one thing only which is listen to the teacher.
Coaches of teams say that how you practice is how you will play in the game. Teachers are preparing us for the real world. When we are in class we are learning, but we are also learning to be respectful and no to talk while others are talking. When we get a job and have meetings, we will not be able to hold side conversations. We will not be able to whisper. We will just have to sit there and listen. If we are disrespectful to our boss, we can possibly lose a job. Which can cause other huge problems in life. So practicing to be quiet during class can benefit each and every one of us in the long run. We will not only learn more, but we will also learn how to act in the setting of the work world.
When I was in middle school, our disciplinary actions were a little bit different. If we got in trouble talking in class we would have to write I will not talk in class 200 times. I used to hate this, because I would get hand cramps. I never thought that it would help me learn anything either. I thought it was a stupid punishment. The truth is and I hate to admit it. I did learn from it. Because of that punishment I did not talk in class only because I did not want to write all of that for homework. If we kept talking we would get a demerit sent home to our parents and then it would be a detention. Everybody has their own disciplinary actions for talking in class, but no teacher likes it. Now in my senior year of high school we still get in trouble for talking in class. My homework for tonight was to write a seven hundred and fifty word essay on why it is important to not talk in class. As we get older our punishments get more serious, because it is more important. Our time is coming. Soon this generation will the world and we will not be able to do that if we are uneducated and chitter chatter all the time. If we pay attention in class we will be educated, and if we just focus we will not be talking all the time. If you want to be somebody and you want to go somewhere you better wake up and pay attention. You will get nowhere if talking is your hobby.
In elementary school when we would talk in class, the teacher would call our parents. Whenever my parents got a phone call from the school I would always be in a bunch of trouble. My mom always said that is was being disrespectful and that I should always respect my teachers. We were taught to not talk in class at a young age. My second grade teacher Ms. Spriggs said that our conversation wait. We could always continue our conversation after class, but during class it has to stop.
I always thought it was okay to talk during class and long as your not loud and purposely trying to be disrespectful. I always thought a little whisper couldn't hurt. Especially, if I was confused about something that was being taught. I would always just ask my neighbor or the person sitting beside me. Every time I got in trouble in class the teacher knew I was not trying to be disrespectful. They always told me that if I had a question I should raise my hand.
Teachers also think that when a student or students are talking in class then he or she is not learning what is being taught. If your talking then there is not a possible way you could be listening to what the teacher is saying at the same time. Unless you are multitasking. But teachers don't want students to multitask. They one students to do one thing and one thing only which is listen to the teacher.
Coaches of teams say that how you practice is how you will play in the game. Teachers are preparing us for the real world. When we are in class we are learning, but we are also learning to be respectful and no to talk while others are talking. When we get a job and have meetings, we will not be able to hold side conversations. We will not be able to whisper. We will just have to sit there and listen. If we are disrespectful to our boss, we can possibly lose a job. Which can cause other huge problems in life. So practicing to be quiet during class can benefit each and every one of us in the long run. We will not only learn more, but we will also learn how to act in the setting of the work world.
When I was in middle school, our disciplinary actions were a little bit different. If we got in trouble talking in class we would have to write I will not talk in class 200 times. I used to hate this, because I would get hand cramps. I never thought that it would help me learn anything either. I thought it was a stupid punishment. The truth is and I hate to admit it. I did learn from it. Because of that punishment I did not talk in class only because I did not want to write all of that for homework. If we kept talking we would get a demerit sent home to our parents and then it would be a detention. Everybody has their own disciplinary actions for talking in class, but no teacher likes it. Now in my senior year of high school we still get in trouble for talking in class. My homework for tonight was to write a seven hundred and fifty word essay on why it is important to not talk in class. As we get older our punishments get more serious, because it is more important. Our time is coming. Soon this generation will the world and we will not be able to do that if we are uneducated and chitter chatter all the time. If we pay attention in class we will be educated, and if we just focus we will not be talking all the time. If you want to be somebody and you want to go somewhere you better wake up and pay attention. You will get nowhere if talking is your hobby.
Monday, September 24, 2012
Wonder
The insect I have chosen to wonder about is a butterfly. I wonder if butterflies actually have real lives like humans or do they just fly around. I think that butterflies have their own world and systems. As adult butterflies, they probably have to continuously fly around, while their kids stay in their cocoon. They probably look at humans as dangerous animals. They probably think they run the world, just as us humans do.
When I was six years old I used to wonder all the time. I was always thinking about something. I was interested to know everything. My process of thinking was to compare everything to myself and how I live. For example, I always wondered if a dogs bark is their own language or when birds chirp are they actually speaking to each other. I actually never found out the answer to that. I still have the same wondering process as when I was six. I would have approached this question the same way. I compare everything to the way I live, because the way I live is the only way I know.
As most people get older they lose their imagination and stop wondering about things. I think this happens, because we start to get more intelligent. At the age of six or younger we would think of anything and sometimes it wouldn't make sense. As we got older we went to school and were taught many thinks, which made us lose most of our imagination. For example, I no longer believe in Santa Claus, the tooth fairy, and unicorns. I don't believe in these things anymore, because I have learned that these things were apart of my imagination and do no exist.
St. Gregory of Nyssa said, "Concepts create idols, only wonder knows.". I think this means that when we hear something we start to wonder about it and start to practice it and believe it. As i look at this quote it is true to my experiences. In my mind Santa Claus was real until somebody told me he wasn't. I also believed in Santa Claus, because somebody led me to believe it. The truth is our knowledge comes from each other, so who are we to say who is right. Therefore, we should not stop imagining and wondering.
When I was six years old I used to wonder all the time. I was always thinking about something. I was interested to know everything. My process of thinking was to compare everything to myself and how I live. For example, I always wondered if a dogs bark is their own language or when birds chirp are they actually speaking to each other. I actually never found out the answer to that. I still have the same wondering process as when I was six. I would have approached this question the same way. I compare everything to the way I live, because the way I live is the only way I know.
As most people get older they lose their imagination and stop wondering about things. I think this happens, because we start to get more intelligent. At the age of six or younger we would think of anything and sometimes it wouldn't make sense. As we got older we went to school and were taught many thinks, which made us lose most of our imagination. For example, I no longer believe in Santa Claus, the tooth fairy, and unicorns. I don't believe in these things anymore, because I have learned that these things were apart of my imagination and do no exist.
St. Gregory of Nyssa said, "Concepts create idols, only wonder knows.". I think this means that when we hear something we start to wonder about it and start to practice it and believe it. As i look at this quote it is true to my experiences. In my mind Santa Claus was real until somebody told me he wasn't. I also believed in Santa Claus, because somebody led me to believe it. The truth is our knowledge comes from each other, so who are we to say who is right. Therefore, we should not stop imagining and wondering.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
My Freedom Experience
The question is to think of a moment of when you felt free. I think a moment I felt free is when I got my drivers license. I was so scared to take the test, and when I passed I was just ecstatic. I no longer had to depend on people to take me places. Every time I wanted to go somewhere I would always ask my parents or catch a ride with a friend. I hated this. I always had to wait for someone to pick me up, and my mom was always late. Now that I have my license I can go anywhere at anytime I want. Freedom is having a choice. When my parents gave me a car they gave me a choice. I now have a choice to go places alone in my own car and I can still ride with my parents if I choose. Although, my parents still have the power of telling me where I can and cannot go. I still have a little bit of freedom and it feels good. I feel like I'm growing up.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Life And Work
I read an article from a commencement speech given by David Foster Wallace. This speech showed how David viewed life. It was very interesting to read his different views and opinions. Most of the situations he wrote about was something I could relate to. Foster says that the most important realities are the ones that we tend to not see. It is not that we don't want to see reality, it is more that we cannot see reality. We are so used to the way we are living, that we are just not capable of seeing beyond our every day life.
David Foster Wallace also says that every situation we have is based on ourselves. Meaning in our minds the world revolves around us. But everyone thinks the same thing, then who does the world actually revolve around? Davids idea is actually credible. We always put ourselves first. That is why we have so many disputes and problems in this world. In this essay he shows many examples of situations that show that we only think about ourselves.
All humans are different. We were all created with different personalities and characteristics. Because of this, we all make different decisions. Some decisions are good and some are bad. I do think that we would make better decisions if we just opened our eyes. We can make better decisions if we actually took the time to think of how others feel and how others are thinking. We can make better decisions if we actually realized that the world does not revolve around us. We have to share the world with other people.
In parts of the audio of the commencement, people would clap when David Foster Wallace was being ironic and kid of questioning their intelligence. I think the people in the audience did this because they did not realize what they were clapping for. They are just so used to applauding that they didn't even notice that he was insulting them in a way. I think this is indicative to how people don't realized when they are being controlled.
In the begging of the speech, he started with a story about fish. To sum it all up, the fish didn't notice that they were living in water, because they have never seen anything else. They have never been outside of the water, therefore they didn't know what it was. Us human, can relate to this. Actually, every last one of us can. Many of us don't notice that were being controlled, because most of the time we profit from us. We are just so used to it, that we don't do anything about it. The truth is, if we weren't being controlled then we would be truly free. We would not be punished for the wrong decisions we make, and so many other things we would not be accountable for. We would have no one in power above us. Everyone would have the same amount of power and we would be treated equally.
David Foster Wallace also says that every situation we have is based on ourselves. Meaning in our minds the world revolves around us. But everyone thinks the same thing, then who does the world actually revolve around? Davids idea is actually credible. We always put ourselves first. That is why we have so many disputes and problems in this world. In this essay he shows many examples of situations that show that we only think about ourselves.
All humans are different. We were all created with different personalities and characteristics. Because of this, we all make different decisions. Some decisions are good and some are bad. I do think that we would make better decisions if we just opened our eyes. We can make better decisions if we actually took the time to think of how others feel and how others are thinking. We can make better decisions if we actually realized that the world does not revolve around us. We have to share the world with other people.
In parts of the audio of the commencement, people would clap when David Foster Wallace was being ironic and kid of questioning their intelligence. I think the people in the audience did this because they did not realize what they were clapping for. They are just so used to applauding that they didn't even notice that he was insulting them in a way. I think this is indicative to how people don't realized when they are being controlled.
In the begging of the speech, he started with a story about fish. To sum it all up, the fish didn't notice that they were living in water, because they have never seen anything else. They have never been outside of the water, therefore they didn't know what it was. Us human, can relate to this. Actually, every last one of us can. Many of us don't notice that were being controlled, because most of the time we profit from us. We are just so used to it, that we don't do anything about it. The truth is, if we weren't being controlled then we would be truly free. We would not be punished for the wrong decisions we make, and so many other things we would not be accountable for. We would have no one in power above us. Everyone would have the same amount of power and we would be treated equally.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Albert Camus - "Caligula."
In the play, Caligula's sister, Drusilla, died and he disappeared. But he was not very sad about it. He had the desire for the impossible. When Caligula entered the stage, he seemed tired, because he had been walking for a long time. He was simply looking for the moon. He was looking for the moon, because it was something he did not have yet. Caligula noticed that when most men die, they are not happy. He doesn't want to be that way, and wishes that everyone will learn to be happy.
The patricians thought that Caligula was sort of insane. They thought that he was very reliable, but yet uneducated. The patricians followed Caligula around and wanted to know his every move. Scipio saw that he went up to Drusilla's body and stroked it with two fingers. They wanted to know why Caligula disappeared and the figured that it was because the death of his sister. He disappeared, because he needed to find a new desire, but this desire was impossible. I agree with the patricians view of Caligula. I think he is insane. I understand that people mourn over deaths, but Caligula was not mourning. He was just looking for the moon. I think someone that tires themselves out by looking for the moon all day is crazy. But yet I don't think having desires is crazy, you just have to limit them.
The patricians thought that Caligula was sort of insane. They thought that he was very reliable, but yet uneducated. The patricians followed Caligula around and wanted to know his every move. Scipio saw that he went up to Drusilla's body and stroked it with two fingers. They wanted to know why Caligula disappeared and the figured that it was because the death of his sister. He disappeared, because he needed to find a new desire, but this desire was impossible. I agree with the patricians view of Caligula. I think he is insane. I understand that people mourn over deaths, but Caligula was not mourning. He was just looking for the moon. I think someone that tires themselves out by looking for the moon all day is crazy. But yet I don't think having desires is crazy, you just have to limit them.
Friday, September 7, 2012
My Computer
The assignment was to find an object in my home and describe it, attempting to account for all of its factors.The object I have chosen is my computer. My computer is not a laptop it is a hp desktop computer. The kind that is called an "All in One". It is black and has a 20 inch digital widescreen that is HD. It has an LED backlit display. I really don't know what that means. It has windows 7. It also has a built in Wi-Fi and video chat, also known as webcam. This computer is used for so much. It is not only used by me, but also everybody that lives with me. I mainly use this computer for homework. When I have to type papers, look up information, and etc. I use this computer. I also can use to to search the web. I can use it to get on any website I want. I can go look up colleges or even shop online. I also have skype on this computer. Skype is an app that I downloaded that allows me to to talk to anyone else,who has skype,face to face. My mom also uses this computer. She uses it to sometimes work, but she mainly uses it to shop online. With the internet she can almost go to any store she wants, buy things, and have it shipped to our house. All with the use of this computer. My dad also uses this computer for work, but most of the time he uses it to get on espn to check scores to games. My brother usually uses his laptop, but he still uses this computer for itunes. All of our itunes accounts are on this computer. This computer can be used to reach emails, play games, get on social networks. When I turn the computer off it is just a black screen that I can see myself through. I could use this computer as a mirror. I can use this computer to charge my phone, my ipod, my ipad, and my kindle. I could use this as a charging dock. I can use it as a telephone through skype. I can keep in contact with everyone. I could use this computer as a radio. The sound gets really loud, I could blast the music all through the house. There are so many things I could use this computer for. The purpose of this excersise was to see what it means to be reasonable.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
What My Happiness Consist Of...?
The question is, "What does my happiness consist of?" This is a very difficult question, because a lot of things make me happy and it would be hard to put all of that in one essay. In the process of answering this question, I thought of what things make me mad on a day to day basis. Then, I thought of everything that makes me smile. The truth is, my happiness consists of so much, but it always involves other people. For example, it makes me happy to see another person smile, to be loved by others, and also having fun with others. It just makes me feel good to know that I am not here alone.
When I see another person smile I automatically want to smile too. Especially when I know I put the smile on that persons face. If I go out of my way to do something special for a person and they smile, then I know I accomplished my goal at making them happy, which in result makes me happy. However, if I go out of my way for someone, and they don't smile, it can be a little upsetting. Smiling is an expression that shows that someone or something made you feel good. Regardless of who made that person smile, it is always good to know that someone is smiling.
Everybody wants to be loved. Whether its love from your grandma, your mom, your aunt, or even your boyfriend. It is still some type of affection showing that they care. When my parents are upset at me or yelling at me, it doesn't make me happy at all. It makes me feel more sad. Going through a breakup with a boyfriend can also feel sort of depressing. All of these things hurt, because you know that at one point they loved you, cared about you, or was not upset with you. Being loved is very important in this world. It helps people realize that there are people by their side every step of the way.
I think that it is healthy to have fun. If everything you do in life is boring, then your not living, your just existing. Having a good time with friends and family is what i live for and look forward to. Having no friends and no fun at all can be extremely depressing, which is unhealthy. I try to enjoy myself in everything I do, because having fun makes me happy.
Overall, people make me happy. If I was all alone in this world, you would never see me smiling and I would probably be depressed. Thank God I have friends and family to change that. Seeing my grandmother smile makes me happy. Someone telling me they love me makes me happy. Enjoying the time I spent with someone makes me happy. Every happiness I have involves someone else. So, to answer the question, my happiness consist of my interaction people. When I say my interaction with people, I mean how much I care for them, how much they care for me, and how we enjoy the time we spend together.
Monday, September 3, 2012
Introducing Myself
My name is Dayna, and for safety reasons I will not share my full name. I am a high school student that is seeking to be an architect or an engineer. I know that I am young, but I am an intelligent female. I've had many great teachers who have taught me many lessons. The most important lessons I have been taught is how be respectful and how to speak my mind. I know how to tell people how I feel in a respectful way.
My family is the most valuable thing in my life. They have done so much for me. Without them, I would not be who I am today. My family has been with me through every obstacle and every bad thing that has happened in my life. Regardless of the situation, they always have my back. My family does many things for me out of love, and because of that I try to make them proud in every way possible.
I have been Catholic all my life, but I do not discriminate against other religions. People believe in different things, because of what they have been taught. Therefore, we should not hold anything against them. But for myself, I believe that God the Father Almighty is the creator of the Heavens and Earth.
I am not ashamed of my religion. I go to God not only when I need help, but I also go to him to give him thanks.
I am an African American and very proud of it. Just as I don't discriminate against other religions, I don't discriminate against other cultures. People cannot decide to be born a certain way, only God can. As human beings we cannot change who we are, we just have to accept it. I am very proud of my culture, because I know that we have come a long way. We have very strong people to come out slavery and the big era of blacks being treated unfairly.
In my life, I just hope to be successful and respected. I hope to have a well paid job, that will support me and my family. I am a very respectful person, so I hope that people will respect me back. I will treat others the way I want to be treated. I feel that if I accomplish these goals and continue with my religious beliefs, then I will make God, myself, and my family proud.
My family is the most valuable thing in my life. They have done so much for me. Without them, I would not be who I am today. My family has been with me through every obstacle and every bad thing that has happened in my life. Regardless of the situation, they always have my back. My family does many things for me out of love, and because of that I try to make them proud in every way possible.
I have been Catholic all my life, but I do not discriminate against other religions. People believe in different things, because of what they have been taught. Therefore, we should not hold anything against them. But for myself, I believe that God the Father Almighty is the creator of the Heavens and Earth.
I am not ashamed of my religion. I go to God not only when I need help, but I also go to him to give him thanks.
I am an African American and very proud of it. Just as I don't discriminate against other religions, I don't discriminate against other cultures. People cannot decide to be born a certain way, only God can. As human beings we cannot change who we are, we just have to accept it. I am very proud of my culture, because I know that we have come a long way. We have very strong people to come out slavery and the big era of blacks being treated unfairly.
In my life, I just hope to be successful and respected. I hope to have a well paid job, that will support me and my family. I am a very respectful person, so I hope that people will respect me back. I will treat others the way I want to be treated. I feel that if I accomplish these goals and continue with my religious beliefs, then I will make God, myself, and my family proud.
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