Religion in Crime and Punishment: -Raskolnikov's Pilgrimage Towards Salvation- "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?"...

The Greek Gods in Homer's The Odyssey and the God of Abraham in the Bible both play the feared and respected role of the master while the humans act as their subordinates. Although the Gods are similar in their master-servant relationship with humans, their nature and moral values differ sharpl...

The problem of 'free will' and the responsibility for exercising 'free will' have been among the central issues of philosophical and religious thought since ancient times. In Christian theology, St. Augustine, Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Soren Kierkegaard among others have ...

The nature of individual's role in salvation from the point of view of Luther and Erasmus Erasmus was one of the most intelligent people of his century. In his time, he was the leader of all scholars in Europe from Germany to Italy and Spain and from Englan...

The Mesopotamian myth of "Atrahasis" tells of the creation of humans as slaves to their gods. "Atrahasis" also tells of the destruction of all people by a deluge, save one man and his family, who were saved by divine intervention on the part of the god Enki. At the myth's ...

In the world of traditional Christianity (or at least Anselm's Christianity) there are ultimately three types of people in relation to how God deals with them (save or punish). According to Anselm, people can be good and be saved; they can be wicked and be punished; or they can be wick...

Professor Stringer Humanities 101 October 26, 2000 My World View and the Bible We tend to think of mankind as the center of the world we live in. We are the smartest, the most intellectual, the most dominant, and the most common thing that we relate to. How did we get here? Simple, God...

"They fear and see philosophy as a threat that will shake their sense of spiritual security or fissure their soda-cracker-like faith which is seemingly solid, but just a touch of philosophy's sturdy hand crumbles this faith before their very eyes." (Velasco, 54) This line struck me when I was rea...

Christianity and Islam: Salvation It is beyond doubt that Christianity and Islam have many similarities. Yet each maintains its own unique characters which distinct one from the other. Both religions belong to the monotheistic family. Christian and Muslim believe only in one God, the creator an...

The reputations that people carry have a lot to do with their code of honour. Showing honour makes a person respected and strong and dishonour brings shame and misfortune. In the Greek tragedy Antigone written by Sophocles and the Shakespearean tragedy Othello written by William Shakespeare, honou...

If you have ever gone to school, then you have most likely recited the "Pledge of Allegiance" numerous times. Did you ever notice the part of it that said "under God?" The Pledge was written in 1892 by Francis Bellamy, a Christian socialist; it was to be said in the public school...

In his classic novel "Ragtime," E. L. Doctorow presents a type of "Godfather" character which posses many of the same attributes and characteristics of the Don Corleone character in Mario Puzo's novel The Godfather. This Godfather-like a character is the character, J.P Morgan. One can always go...

God vs. The Green Girdle In the days of King Arthur, religion was one of the most important aspects of life. Literature from this period reflects that strong faith and reliance that people had in God. People looked to God for answers, protection, and comfort. To these people, God worked in m...

The religious symbolism and undertones of Flannery O'Connor's "Good Country People" The short story "Good Country People," by Flannery O'Connor, is a work that uses both irony and symbolism to convey to the reader a religious message. The heroine, Hulga Hopew...

In Dostoevsky's work, the Inquisitor presents his case with many wordy arguments. He cleverly discusses the issue of Catholicism, the freedom inherent in oppression and the joy and peace of submission to the iron will of another. The Inquisitor speaks from the position of a dictator; an entit...

Following the "Roman Road" to the "Door of Salvation" and reciting the "repeat-after-me" magic words that mysteriously transform a person into one of the "saved" was an experience that caused me great bewilderment for many years. Convinced in his heart...

The Social and Spiritual Dilemmas Among Women When we stop and consider the fact that women in our country were not able to vote until 1920, it is staggering to imagine the obstacles facing women during the Middle Ages. The 19th Amendment to our Constitution was ratified only after women foug...

In the movie The Pledge, director Sean Penn delivers a suspenseful and compelling mixture of murder and faith. Not only does he force us as viewers to examine our own opinions of good and evil throughout the twisted plot of the film, but he also keeps our attention with his unique editing style. ...

God and the Platypus In the beginning there was man. That seems like a lofty statement, doesn't it? It is apparent that throughout the course of conscious human existence, people have looked for answers to questions that have ultimately eluded them. However it is in the humble opinion of t...

The End of The Affair', by Graham Greene, is about the novelist as God, and God as the novelist who gives his characters freewill. Critic David Lodge once said that in Greene's fiction, 'Catholicism is not a body of belief, but a system of concepts which Greene can arrange and dram...

The End of The Affair', by Graham Greene, is about the novelist as God, and God as the novelist who gives his characters freewill. Critic David Lodge once said that in Greene's fiction, 'Catholicism is not a body of belief, but a system of concepts which Greene can arrange and dram...

The Problem of Evil, and Free Will as the Primary Source Some people view the problem of evil as the most serious challenge to the Christian tradition. "How can God exist when there is evil in the world?" This question arises due to the nature of God. God is understood to be benevolent, omniscient,...

Fitting the Holes of Theory and Faith Since the dawn of human awareness, we have wondered how we have come to exist and for what purpose, yet no theory thus far has even been agreed upon, let alone proven. Philosophers, theologians, and scientists have argued back and forth about our or...

When questioning the issue of our existence one must go to the basic question of "If we exist, then who created us?" Many religious and spiritual people would have a very simple answer: God. So this leads the questioning philosopher to ask how do we know that God exists? This is a question that ...

May/08/2004 The Devil and Miss. Prym by Paulo Coelho Coelho's books has touched my soul. I can see all my guilt, fears, pain, and above all my love. His simple style leaves me questioning myself, do you follow the path of good or evil? The story ( told in third person )...