Essay Examples on Religion

Buddhism is one of the world's largest and oldest religions

Buddhism is one of the world's largest and oldest religions. Buddhist ideas have been influencing many people from all around the world for over twenty-five centuries. Siddhartha Gautama Buddha discovered the four noble truths and the Eightfold Path to Nirvana. He had found a way to be in utmost joy. Buddhism is a religion that is practiced by hundreds of million people in the world. There are three schools branches of Buddhism which include: Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana. Mahayana is largely practiced in China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Korea, Tibet, and Japan. It is the most followed branch. Theravada is found mostly in Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, and Burma. It is the second-largest practiced branch. The least followed branch is Vajrayana. It is practiced primarily in Tibet. Although they are different branches they focus on the same teachings, such as that the Buddha is their Master who gave them the Teachings accepting the Four Noble Truths and there are different ways to achieve enlightenment. Buddhism mythology is important to the culture of its people because it describes how the universe was created after being demolished and then re evolving into its present form over a period of innumerable millions of years, it forms the importance of reaching enlightenment and it expounds the belief that God is unknowable. The universe was created without intervention of any God, nor nature according to the Buddhists. The creation happened over and again all through time. Going to the start of each cycle land begins to shape in darkness on the exterior of the water.

2 pages | 518 words
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Usul al-fiqh has existed by virtue of necessity for as long as fiqh has

Arguably usul al-fiqh has existed by virtue of necessity for as long as fiqh has. There can be no fiqh in the absence of its related sources and derivational methodologies. The relationship between these distinct disciplines is comparable to that of grammar and language with usul setting out standard criteria for the correct deduction of rules of fiqh from its sources. Thus both disciplines have accompanied one another by necessity from the outset Kamali 1991. However, the codification of fiqh preceded that of usul. In the early Islamic era, there was not an impetus to codify usul al-fiqh. Whilst the Prophet may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him was alive he provided guidance and solutions to problems through divine revelation and direct rulings. Following his death when novel situations presented themselves the companions performed ijtihaad with reference to the divine sources without a pressing need to explicitly detail their methodology. Their authoritativeness in this respect can be attributed to their exalted position as the direct recipients of prophetic teachings which cultivated within them a unique intimacy to the sources and intrinsic mastery of derivation. Their successors. Tabi un was able to similarly carry out ijtihaad without prompting a need to explicate their methodology Nadwi 1999. During and following the latter period of this generation however, the expansion of the territorial domain of Islam gave rise to new challenges. The mixing of Arabs and non-Arabs diluted the Arabic language new realities requiring the exercise of ijtihaad increased and there was the emergence of increasing variance and disputation in juristic thought. The divergent legal opinions could be traced geographically as a result of the scattered dissemination of Ahadith and legal judgments of the companions.

2 pages | 562 words
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Anglo-Ottoman Relations. Tamburlaine by Christopher Marlowe

It is difficult to imagine a contemporary equivalent to Christopher Marlowe's choice of fourteenth century. Turk warlord as a subject for popular entertainment. The historical Timur had no immediate impact on English culture or history. Those English texts that had taken an interest in historical Muslims had more often than not described figures like Timur as barbarous and bloodthirsty princes of darkness, associated with tyranny, terror and the antichrist. In taking up the story of a long passed Muslim conqueror Marlowe tapped into commercial and diplomatic interests in Asian, Near Eastern and Northern African markets, as well as anxieties over the cultural exchanges accompanying such ventures. English joint-stock companies in the last quarter of the sixteenth century were exploring trade in precisely those areas of North Africa and the Levant that Marlowe's Tamburlaine plays traverse. The English were eager to expand their economy but concerned too with maintaining their standing in what Sir Thomas. More referred to as the common corps of Christendom.

1 pages | 326 words
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The Big Bang theory, Darwin's theory and Theologist Approach to human existence

The existence of God has long been argued. Christians and people of other religions have a strong belief in the existence of God and tend to hold their ground when it comes to this but a scientist, on the other hand, believes in a much more realistic theory. Where Christians believe in the existence of God and label Him the creator of the universe scientist feel that the existence of God is false and have introduced a few much more logical explanations, the most popular being. The Big Bang theory. Furthermore, the human existence, in general, is often in the debate between a scientist and religious goers seeing as how religious views say though God created man and scientific views believe in Darwin's theory of Evolution. The scientist also believe that humans are unable to directly comprehend anything with infinite powers and abilities thus ruling out any form of human interaction with a God. Though theologist tries to make claims that God endows special people with unnatural powers to know divine matters. Take these three factors into account and only one conclusion can be reached there is no God. The Big Bang Theory is a scientific attempt to explain the existence of the universe. Now, most churchgoers believe that God created the world and the universe we are in, but if looked at through a more scientific point of view the creation of the universe makes much more sense.

2 pages | 478 words
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Scientific Revolution in European science

Just as the Renaissance saw a great evolution in European art the Scientific Revolution of approximately the same timeframe was a huge evolution in European science. The works of scientists such as Copernicus Galileo and Newton significantly changed Europeans mindsets. Their work was definitely affected by important components of the societies that they lived in. Religious controversy hindered the work of scientists by creating barriers to the spread of scientific ideas. Leaders supported science for their own political purposes helping in its advance. Although there was widespread support for science the norms of society crippled the strength and effectiveness of those who hoped to further and embrace scientific ideas. First, a major factor in the endeavors of these scientists was the staunch opposition of the Catholic Church. The Church had a great deal of control over science at this point in history as evidenced by Galileo's experience with the Inquisition where he was punished by the Church for his work in favor of heliocentricity. Scientists were driven to ingratiate themselves with the Church to make sure that their work would be able to reach enough people. This is certainly seen in the writing of Copernicus to Pope Paul III when he states. It is to your Holiness rather than to anyone else that I have chosen to dedicate these studies of mine.

2 pages | 444 words
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