The Biblicality of the social clock Essay Example

The Biblicality of the social clock Essay The belief that there are descriptive and prescriptive age norms concerning adults during their developmental shift involves the concept of the social clock. The social clock hinges on its description of society’s expectations where time to get married and have children at the same time attaining more of life’s burdens. For example, the traditional or what has been considered as the perception of women who have not yet entered into matrimony as individuals who are negatively appraised during their middle adulthood stage in contrast to the young adults. Social clock has something to do with an expectation that a person must somehow behave or conduct him/herself according to established developmental milestones or else, risk the consequences that may happen because the individual has allowed it to slip through ( Altenbernd, 2004). Discussion The concept is not unknown to anyone today, this despite the fact that many among Americans have grown to know in informal set-ups that the social clock exists and must be followed. We will write a custom essay sample on The Biblicality of the social clock specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Biblicality of the social clock specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Biblicality of the social clock specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer In the Bible, there are direct references when the Scriptures contradicted this traditional system. Although the Bible also showed how patriarchs like Abraham and his wife Sarah, had observed (in one instance, in panic) that both are past their childbearing stage and laughed (especially Sarah) when the angel did say that they will have their son born soon. In Genesis 17: 11, it says that â€Å"Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing (NKJV).† My opinion and belief is that when a person has the same God as that of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, there is no confinement to the so-called social clocks. In the case of Sarah and Abraham, they were indeed past the age to bear children, and the book of Genesis showed that God is who He is, and precisely He can do with anything; He made Sarah deliver a baby boy just as He told them.

A Holy Nation Essays - Books Of Samuel, Samuel, Saul, Eli

A Holy Nation Essays - Books Of Samuel, Samuel, Saul, Eli A Holy Nation A Holy Nation After creating the world, a paradise for human kind, God is forced to banish Adam and Eve because they disobey His orders to not eat fruit from the tree of wisdom. This results ultimately in the fall of man to earth. Immediately from the beginning of his time on Earth, man chooses not to follow the path set before him by God but instead spreads evil throughout the world. Therefore, the inherent problem humans face is the pressure to judge between good and evil, the need to aspire to be like God. God's first solution to this problem was to flood the world killing everyone, but those on Noah's arch. God realizes, however, that this is not an answer to the problem that humans are, and decides upon a second solution, that being the Holy Nation of Israel. God creates Israel, so that the Holy Nation and its history can serve as a guiding-light to the world. Israel is therefore an example in which the world can look upon and learn from. A pivotal character within the great history of Israel, is the Holy Nation's first king, King Saul. Saul epitomizes the problematic human being, and his character fully illustrates human pride, the need to rise up and be like God in judging what is right and wrong. This pride is ultimately the central source of all other sins. The rule of Saul over the people of Israel is a major turning point for the Holy Nation, for it marks the end of a line of Judges and begins a line of Kings. Saul is anointed king of Israel due to the sin of the people of Israel. The citizens of Israel, notice not only that Samuel, the Judge, was growing old, but also that his sons, whom he appointed to succeed him as Judge, did not follow their father's ways but were intent on their own profit, taking bribes, and perverting the course of justice(8:3). As a result the people demanded a king be appointed to rule over them, even after they were given a solemn warning of the future king's tyranny (8:10-8:18). Because the Israelites reject the order of Judges, they thereby reject God's word that He will save them, and have, as a result, lost faith in God. God states to Samuel, Listen to the people and all that they are saying; they have not rejected you, it is I whom they have rejected, I whom they will not have be their King(8:7). In sp ite of His people's sin against Him, however, God finds a king to rule over Israel, and chooses Saul. In the beginning Saul is a strong and humble leader to his people. When is uncle questions him about Samuel's remarks, Saul replies, 'He told us that the donkeys had been found'... but he did not repeat what Samuel had said about his being king(10:16). He does not tell his uncle that he is to become king of Israel because he is not overconfident and prideful in his position as ruler over God's chosen ones. Moreover, Saul becomes very zealous and effective leader when he chooses to [take] a pair of oxen, cut them in pieces, and [send] messenger with the pieces all through Israel to proclaim that the same would be done to the oxen of any man who did not follow [Samuel and himself] to battle(11:5). Saul's first acts and first successes as king prove not only that he possesses the qualities of a good leader, but also reinforces in the mind of the people that he is God's chosen. Saul's first victories against the nation's enemies cause great joy and excitement amongst the Israelites. During this moment of rejoicing, Samuel gives a warning to the people of Israel that is more directed towards Saul himself. Samuel states, If you will revere the Lord and give true and loyal service, if you do not rebel against his commands, and if you and the king who reigns over you are faithful to the Lord you God, well and good, but if you do not obey the Lord, and if you rebel against his commands, then his hands will be against you

Genealogy of Morality By Friedrich Nietzsche Essay

Genealogy of Morality By Friedrich Nietzsche - Essay Example This following quotes further supports my opinion: â€Å" ‘pure one’ is†¦merely a man who washes himself, who forbids himself certain foods that produce skin ailments, who does not sleep with the dirty women of the lower strata, who has an aversion to blood† 4, â€Å"†¦the concept ‘good’ is essentially identical with the concept ‘useful’† 2 â€Å"...they designate themselves simply by their superiority in power or by the most clearly visible signs of this superiority†3 . With how â€Å"useful† politicians had been to the society, the public undoubtedly sees them as good people and their well-painted reputations have earned them the label of â€Å"pure one†. All these vested superiorities, will earn them more supremacy and help them continue with their propaganda and declare themselves as the â€Å"good† people. An equivalence is provided by the creditor's receiving, in place of a literal compen sation for an injury, a recompense in the form of a kind of pleasure—the pleasure of being allowed to vent his power freely upon one who is powerless, the voluptuous pleasure of doing evil for the pleasure of doing it.. the enjoyment of violation 5.I do not believe that having someone who owes you something wins you any right to vent power over that person. Violation can never be justified by the pleasure a creditor gets from taking advantage or venting power over someone, particularly the debtor. Any form of abuse over someone should never be tolerated. The debtor is obliged to pay but it does entail having to take in any form of physical harm. First of all, it is going to be a violation of human rights. Although the next quote is applicable to some societies, there are certain human laws that defy the author's idea and, in opposition, vie to protect human rights in other communities: In "punishing" the debtor, the creditor participates in a right of the masters: at last he, too, may experience for once the exalted sensation of being allowed to despise and mistreat someone as "beneath him" or at least, if the actual power and administration of punishment has already passed to the "authorities," to see him despised and mistreated. The compensation, then, consists in a warrant for and title to cruelty 5. It was here, too, that that uncanny intertwining of the ideas "guilt and suffering" was first effected-and by now they may well be inseparable 6. With this inseparability, the incorrectness, if not immorality, of using pleasure as a justification for violating someone becomes even more visible and disagreeable. It was never proper to hurt anyone. Even statements like the following coul d raise eyebrows. On the contrary, let me declare expressly that in the days when mankind was not yet ashamed of its cruelty, life on earth was more cheerful than it is now that pessimists exist. 7