Modern Witchcraft :: Witchcraft Witches Magic Essays

Modern Witchcraft Magical Manipulation Many witches do not believe in spirits, and most if not all reject belief in a literal Devil or demons. Naturally, therefore, they reject the idea that sorcery and divination are accomplished by the agency of evil spirits. Many offer naturalistic explanations for the working of magic and divination and other "psychic technologies." On the whole, the occult community today has expanded its definition of "the natural" to incorporate elements that were earlier considered supernatural, placing them in the category of the super- or paranormal instead. Yet, they are still involved in the "old ways" -- that is, the occult. Now You See it, Now You Don't What has happened in the occult world in the past two or more decades is just what C. S. Lewis described in his classic work, The Screwtape Letters -- which portrays an experienced demon (Screwtape) writing letters of advice to a novice demon (Wormwood): I have great hopes that we shall learn in due time how to emotionalize and mythologize their science to such an extent that what is, in effect, a belief in us, (though not under that name) will creep in while the human mind remains closed to belief in the Enemy [i.e., God]. The "Life Force," the worship of sex, and some aspects of Psychoanalysis, may here prove useful. If once we can produce our perfect work -- the Materialist Magician, the man, not using, but veritably worshipping, what he vaguely calls "Forces" while denying the existence of "spirits" -- then the end of the war will be in sight. (1) Lewis's insights on the insidious strategy of Satan -- the archenemy of our souls -- appear to have been right on target in regard to modern occultism. (2) When observations like Lewis's are made, however, it is not uncommon to hear remarks to the effect that Christians attribute to the supernatural everything they cannot comprehend -- if it cannot be understood, it must be the Devil. However, this charge is unwarranted. While it is unfortunately true that some Christians tend to hyperspiritualize events and exclaim "the Devil did it," or "the Devil made me do it," this is certainly not the case with all. Many Christians have pointed out alleged demonic (or divine) occurrences which were -- in fact -- instances of fraud, anomalies, psychosomatic phenomena, auto- or heterosuggestion, and so forth. (3) Such Christians have demystified baffling occurrences and accounted for them by their natural causes.

Literature and Ideals Essay

Definition: Literature is a term used to describe written or spoken material. Broadly speaking, â€Å"literature† is used to describe anything from creative writing to more technical or scientific works, but the term is most commonly used to refer to works of the creative imagination, including works of poetry, drama, fiction, and nonfiction. Why do we read literature? Literature represents a language or a people: culture and tradition. But, literature is more important than just a historical or cultural artifact. Literature introduces us to new worlds of experience. We learn about books and literature; we enjoy the comedies and the tragedies of poems, stories, and plays; and we may even grow and evolve through our literary journey with books. Ultimately, we may discover meaning in literature by looking at what the author says and how he/she says it. We may interpret the author’s message. In academic circles, this decoding of the text is often carried out through the use of literary theory, using a mythological, sociological, psychological, historical, or other approach. Whatever critical paradigm we use to discuss and analyze literature, there is still an artistic quality to the works. Literature is important to us because it speaks to us, it is universal, and it affects us. Even when it is ugly, literature is beautiful. Importance of Literature. It is a curious and prevalent opinion that literature, like all art, is a mere play of imagination, pleasing enough, like a new novel, but without any serious or practical importance. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Literature preserves the ideals of a people; and ideals–love, faith, duty, friendship, freedom, reverence–are the part of human life most worthy of preservation. The Greeks were a marvelous people; yet of all their mighty works we cherish only a few ideals,–ideals of beauty in perishable stone, and ideals of truth in imperishable prose and poetry. It was simply the ideals of the Greeks and Hebrews and Romans, preserved in their literature, which made them what they were, and which determined their value to future generations. Our democracy, the boast of all English-speaking nations, is a dream; not the doubtful and sometimes disheartening spectacle presented in our legislative halls, but the lovely and immortal ideal of a free and equal manhood, preserved as a most precious heritage in every great literature from the Greeks to the Anglo-Saxons. All our arts, our sciences, even our inventions are founded squarely upon ideals; for under every invention is still the dream of Beowulf, that man may overcome the forces of nature; and the foundation of all our sciences and discoveries is the immortal dream that men â€Å"shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. † In a word, our whole civilization, our freedom, our progress, our homes, our religion, rest solidly upon ideals for their foundation. Nothing but an ideal ever endures upon earth. It is therefore impossible to overestimate the practical importance of literature, which preserves these ideals from fathers to sons, while men, cities, governments, civilizations, vanish from the face of the earth. It is only when we remember this that we appreciate the action of the devout Mussulman, who picks up and carefully preserves every scrap of paper on which words are written, because the scrap may perchance contain the name of Allah, and the ideal is too enormously important to be neglected or lost.

Against School Dress Codes and Uniforms Essay - 2272 Words

The Debate Between School Dress Codes and Uniforms The debate over school uniforms and dress codes has been going on for years and is still widely debated and talked about in the education system. Each side of the argument has many supporters. There are many pros and cons to each side so it is hard to really know what the right choice is. In Three Cups of Tea written by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin education is the main focus of the book. Although most of the book takes place half way across the world many topics are relevant to the school systems today in America. In the book the girls received, â€Å"crisp new school uniforms neatly folded inside its cellophane wrapper† and they are completely overjoyed to hold their first†¦show more content†¦With the gang activity growing throughout the 80’s school officials realized that implementing uniforms or strict dress codes may help combat the problem with gang apparel in schools. Previously dress codes have been seen in the form of uniforms or stric t rules in parochial, private and public school systems across the country. In private schools, uniforms were first implemented to mark a student’s social status (Motsinger par 8). Many people, according to Alfie Kohn, author of What to Look for in a Classroom†¦and Other Essays most people associate uniforms with, â€Å"the good ole days [when uniforms] symbolized [. . .] obedience.† Uniforms were a sign of respect, children respected their elders and presented themselves well while wearing them. As stated by Anderson in â€Å"School Dress Codes and Uniform Policies,† â€Å"[t]he first public school known to have adopted uniforms was Cherry Hill Elementary in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1987. In 1994, Long Beach (CA) Unified School District (LBUSD) was the first school district to adopt a districtwide uniform dress code policy† (par 11). During the Clinton administration the talk of school dress codes and uniforms in public schools first surfaced af ter his State of the Union Address in 1996. Since Clinton’s speech, schools all around the country have revised and implemented new dress code policies. The choice whether to amend current policies or make new ones is still usuall,y in most states, up to theShow MoreRelatedArgument Against School Uniforms Should Not Be Banned1556 Words   |  7 PagesArgument Against School Uniforms My disagreement against school dress code is that public schools should not make the student go to school uniforms. Students should be able to wear any appropriate clothing they want to wear. School uniforms are not the way to be unsuccessful in education. School uniforms are a waste of time to have in a public school system. Teachers should make the students go home and change into school appropriate clothes. Public schools should give students a chance on what theyRead MoreDress Codes And School Uniforms1248 Words   |  5 Pagesembarrassing than being dress coded at school? Enforcing a dress code among children is unfair because it not only discriminates against people but it destroys someone’s whole day. Dress codes and school uniforms are meant to increase student achievement and make everyone equal but instead it only hurts people. Most school dress codes are unnecessary and are sexist. Enforcing dress codes is suppose to boost student achievement but instead is racist, sexist and unnecessary. Schools should take into considerationRead MoreWhy we need dress codes, argumentative essay MLA.1452 Words   |  6 PagesSchools Need Dress Codes Dress codes in public schooling have recently been a controversial issue nation-wide. Mandatory uniform policys measures and emphasize the benefits of students on specific behavioral and academic outcomes. The arguments for the issue are just as strong as those against the issue. There are two main points surrounding school uniforms: performance and school and reduction of violence due to uniformity. Uniforms are argued to positively affect student safety by: loweringRead MoreThe Importance Of School Dress Codes1132 Words   |  5 Pages Every school has a dress code in their extensive school handbook. There are mountains upon mountains of dress code lists that go on and on forever, and many people are wondering why. Many schools believe that school dress codes help the environment of the school. That is why there are so many more dress codes pertaining to girls than to boys, just what OCR thinks as well by stating a dress code, â€Å"Shorts too short. Shoulder straps on her top too thin. Skirt exposing too much skin above her kneesRead MoreSchool Uniforms And Schools Uniforms1211 Words   |  5 PagesSchool uniforms began their revolution in private schools; they represented a unique appearance, and provided a safe environment for the students attending. Private and Catholic schools were clever enough for implementing school uniforms, because without their influence public sc hools would have not adapted on creating a dress code for students. By introducing school uniforms in school policies they have managed to impact students learning environment in reducing stress, changing students’ behaviorRead MoreEssay on School Dress Codes and Uniforms Are Beneficial695 Words   |  3 PagesSchool Dress Codes and Uniforms Are Beneficial Do schools really need a dress code? Just ask parents of kids who have to wear them and they will probably say yes. With the dress code policy parents would be able o save money on clothes for their children(Dress 1). This would be a big help for children with poor families who cant afford the proper clothes for them to wear. In addition, with uniforms these kids wont are looked at any different than everyone else because they will have the sameRead MorePersuasive Essay On School Uniforms979 Words   |  4 PagesThe age old argument of whether or not uniforms and dress codes should be enforced in schools seems to never conclude. The issue of appropriate clothing in schools is controversial and provoking. Many argue that abolishing a student’s choice in their attire violates their freedom of expression. Students use what they wear to express themselves; their clothing gives them a sense of a unique style and identity. Others argue that permitting students to wear whatever clothing they like can create unnecessaryRead MoreDress Codes In the School System Essays1399 Words   |  6 PagesDress codes have long been the subject of debate in our educational institutions for many years. Administrators have struggled to find effective ways to deal with discipline problems. The introduction of dress codes has been a common intervention in our educational system to help decrease the number of disciplinary issues that are dealt with on a daily basis. Topics such as gang activity, bullying, increasing violence and Freedom of Expression have been thrown into the discussion, causing controversyRead MoreArguments Against School Uniforms998 Words   |  4 PagesSchool uniforms and dress codes are becoming a popular trend among schools. Most Students and some parents don’t agree with the enforcement with school uniforms, saying that uniforms are taking away self-expression in schools. But, school uniforms are not a negative thing to have. Yes, uniforms and s ome very strict dress codes limit what the students have to choose to wear to school every day, but it doesn’t limit them from learning which is the main reason they are in school. Some students treatRead MoreAlexandra White. March 20, 2017. Mr.Allen. F Period. Dress1279 Words   |  6 PagesAlexandra White March 20, 2017 Mr.Allen F Period Dress for success? Or dress for Controversy? Is it better to have students expressing themselves through clothing, or instituting a dress code, hoping they will focus on studies? Many studies have had evidence for both ideas. School dress codes have been controversial ever since teenagers have been interested in fashion. Some people agree with the strict dress codes, and others disagree. School dress codes date all the way back to the 1920’s. According

The Accessibility And Affordability Of Unhealthy Foods...

â€Å"Beep-beep†, a young boy pushes buttons on the vending machine at school. Cheaper and easier than packing a snack, his mother gives him a dollar everyday to buy a treat. â€Å"Beep-beep†, the boy, now a teenager, plays video games alone in his house. Too embarrassed by his weight to play outside with friends, he spends his days isolated in the basement, seeking comfort inside candy wrappers. â€Å"Beep-beep†, the boy who just dropped out of college, ignores a call from his mother. He has not spoken to anyone in months because of his depression, which only worsened with his growing size. â€Å"Beep-beep†, machines surround the hospital bed of the boy, now a man in his 40s, who just suffered from a heart attack, prematurely brought on by obesity. This young man’s life may have turned out drastically different, if unhealthy habits had not developed so easily at a young age. The accessibility and affordability of unhealthy foods like candy and sod a make it very difficult to break bad habits and pursue healthier options. Imposing a sin tax on unhealthy food choices to combat the growing problem of obesity in the United States would not only help the citizens suffering from obesity, but everyone else in the country in many different ways. Many argue that the implementation of a sin tax infringes upon their freedom of choice. They believe the government plans to further limit American’s civil liberties and manipulate the everyday lives of the citizens with the tax. However, the sin tax doesShow MoreRelatedSin Tax in the Philippines4297 Words   |  18 Pagesand the like. Sin tax is used for taxing activities that are considered undesirable. These types of taxes are levied by the government to discourage individuals from partaking in such activities without making the use of the products illegal. Like other taxes, sin tax also provides a source of government revenue. Since the Senate wants to pass or reform the Sin Tax Bill for some reasons like discouraging youth or people from smoking and alcohol drinking, for health purposes and the like, it has

The Novel Reality Boy Bya.s King - 1127 Words

For this book talk assignment, I read the realistic fiction novel Reality Boy by A.S King. The story takes place in Blue Marsh, Pennsylvania, in the year of 2013. The main character - Gerald Faust - faces a man vs. self conflict. His psychological problem of anger issues hinders him from enjoying his life. His rough past and psychopathic sister, Tasha, also discourage him. Consequently, he decides to run away to his friend Joe Jr.’s circus in Florida with his girlfriend, Hannah. Hannah also has a difficult life, so they both believed that they would be better off escaping their conflicts instead of solving them. While the two characters escape, they have to make sure that they pass their parents and siblings unnoticed. The protagonist has three distinct character traits that have not changed from the beginning to the end of the story. One of these character traits is a contemplative mind. Through many of Gerald’s thoughts, one could tell that he thinks deeply into things. On pages 305 and 306, he narrates, â€Å"Nature is so lucky. People can look at it and think nothing. No one analyzes it. No one blames it. No one underestimates it. Most people respect it...Maybe if we all saw ourselves as nature, we’d be kinder†. This thought proves that Gerald thinks deeply into simple things, like nature. Furthermore, he looks into plain ideas in a different way than other people, as well as applying those ideas to his life, the lives of other people, and how it would help everyone as a

Beebo Brinker Free Essays

The society in which the Beebo Brinker series found its home during the late 1950’s and early 1960’s was an inhospitable one. While homosexuality was nothing new in the world at large, it had almost completely been repressed, especially in a Western cultured world that was not only steeped in Christian tradition, but also notably patriarchal. A masculine woman was called a tomboy, and she was expected to curb her tomboyish attitudes in time for marriage and child-rearing. We will write a custom essay sample on Beebo Brinker or any similar topic only for you Order Now Societal expectations consigned her to petticoats, which in the sixties had been downgraded to dresses and stockings. However, the desires of the woman to dress as comfortably as a man and perform the roles that were traditionally given to men were repressed during that time. While the desires of the woman to have more freedom were repressed, any homosexual tendency was crushed violently. While the violence of lesbian repression might not have been overtly performed, all the women (lesbian or not) were aware of the intense pressure put on anyone who held those feelings or performed those actions. Ann Bannon describes her own wretched experience during that time and the suicidal feelings that necessarily accompanied the tendency toward lesbianism in the 1960’s. She writes that while being in a gay bar in the evenings, she would have extreme fair of it being raided and of herself being taken to jail. She continues: â€Å"I had been extremely low profile, very proper, very Victorian wife†¦ I thought, ‘Well, that would do it. I’d have to go jump off the Brooklyn Bridge. ’ As easy as it might be if you were a young woman in today’s generation to think that was exaggerating, it wasn’t. It was terrifying† (Lootens, 1983, p. 12). The fear that society inspired in the lives of lesbians drove them to underground haunts and secret lifestyles that marginalized their existence in American society. This marginalization drove lesbians to the cities where people were much less concerned with the business of others as compared with small towns. In the Beebo Brinker chronicles, the big city referenced is Greenwich Village, and the life that Beebo leads after she finds the courage to â€Å"come out† to her gay roommate is possible only in that city. She uses the facilities that the relative anonymity of the city grants to lesbians—gay and lesbian bars and apartment life, and this facilitates the unleashing of her hidden desire for other women. The promiscuity that is possible even to heterosexuals under the blanket of city life is also granted to Beebo, and she becomes a butch character playing the role of the male in many short lesbian affairs. This butch/femme role is highlighted in the novels written by Ann Bannon, and Beebo falls staunchly into the butch role. She is described as being one who sits at the bar and lights up a cigarette, holding out the match to another woman expecting her to blow it out. This overpoweringly masculine role goes beyond the level of mere self-discovery into an assuredly male persona. Beebo (and others like her) are shown to have performed the search that many lesbian women must do, and have found and realized her deepest desire to act in that domineering manner toward women. In fact, this emphasizes the desire that these women have to for the feminine body—not to be feminine but to command the sexual love of the feminine woman. This concept of the butch/femme role is, however, a stereotypical one, as many homosexual women find elements of both types within their characters and personalities. This fact highlights the stereotypes that have been propagated concerning lesbianism. Beebo Brinker does serve to facilitate some stereotypes that were cast concerning lesbians. The butch/femme stereotype is one of the major ones upheld in the series. The re-release of the books highlights this stereotype, as Beebo is portrayed as a beautiful yet muscular and domineering woman even on the cover. The cartoon-like nature of the picture (which enables the caricature) further serves the purpose of the stereotype. Yet, the book also depicts the nature of the woman who was confined to living a closeted lifestyle. The fears, frustrations and anxieties Bannon depicts transcends the stereotypical evil and satanic creatures that homosexuals were taken for in that society. It depicted them as human beings who suffered on account of the feelings they had, and the feelings that society had toward them. In this way, the novels attacked some of the negative stereotypes that society had of lesbians. The literary form of the novels falls into the category of popular fiction. These have been compared to the Harlequin and Mills Boon romances that many consider trite and sentimental. However, the feelings and problems dealt with (however tersely) in Bannon’s books were never as tidy as those in novels expressing heterosexual love. The characters in Bannon books were often forced to relinquish the loves that they desired and return to the oppression of traditional life. Even in the Beebo Brinker tales (where lesbianism was more embraced by the title character), lesbians were never able to rid themselves of a social stigma that would oppress them regardless of their success in finding happiness in love. These complexities of life are revealed in the Beebo Brinker novels, and this allows them to transcend the level of the trash novel and to become a historical artifact. Works Cited Bannon, Ann. Beebo Brinker. San Francisco: Cleis Press, 2001. Lootens, Tricia. â€Å"Ann Bannon: A Writer of Lost Lesbian Fiction Finds Herself and Her Public. † Off Our Backs. Vol. 13, Iss. 11, 1983. How to cite Beebo Brinker, Papers

Marriage In The Renaissance Era Essay Thesis Example For Students

Marriage In The Renaissance Era Essay Thesis Irvin Alfalfa Mrs.. Fearer English 1 (College Prep) April 26, 2013 Marriage in the Renaissance Era Marriage customs today are very different than those of the Renaissance era. During this era women had limited options in marriage and life. In Michael Bests article, The Age of Marriage, he indicates that although people did not get married as young as people believed, marriage was still not so much about love. For example, in some noble houses marriages were indeed made at a young age for reasons of property and family alliance, (Best, 1). We will write a custom essay on Marriage In The Renaissance Era Thesis specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now A clear example of this is that Caplet wants Juliet to marry Paris to expand their name and alliances. Juliet did not love Paris but was being forced into marrying him by her parents. In addition, girls were obliged to marry a man that was successful and rich. This narrowed down the limited choices for women and although young girls had no interest in marrying they had to in order to get wealthier and have a better life. However, children of noble birth ran a great risk if they tried to marry without their parents prior approval, since they would be oft with no resources. Some marriages were in fact based on love but it was very rare because the bridegroom may not have been wealthy or known. Novel Guiders article, The Institution of Marriage in Renaissance Era, implies that marriage was both secular and sacred. For example, secularly, it served as a coming together of two parties interested in obtaining property, money, or political alliances. This was the main goal of noble homes. Some marriages were also sacred in that it assured the love of a man and woman and searched for reproduction. William Shakespearean ark displays the sacredness of love and marriage. However, some families did not force marriages because, the best marriages were those that were equally consensual and desired by both parties, (novel guide, 1). Freedom of choice varied for each child in a family. Each child had a certain amount of freedom in choosing their mate. The eldest son was under the greatest pressure since he inherited the majority of the land. His marriage was often critical to the family survival because they depended on him for financial support. This article somewhat contradicts Michael Bests article in which he states that all marriages where forced on. Jeremy Goldberg article, The Right to Choose: Woman, Consent and Marriage in Late Medieval England, suggests that marriage was indeed forced on, but by not only parents. Jeremy Goldberg provides an example in which a girl was forced by her attacker to agree to marry him. This was very common during this era. Men eager for money and land would force wealthy and innocent girls into marrying them. John Dale was a man who used physical violence and the threat of it to con Agnes into arraying him. In all, these three articles provide examples of marriage being an important for both men and woman. Some marriages were made to have more wealth and land while others were made simply because two partners loved each measures in order to have a wife. And although women had very limited options and were considered a minority, they managed to have a good life if they chose the right man. Very much has changed during the years. Best, Michael. The Age of Marriage. Roughage Ballads. University of Victoria Library. Web. 1 Feb. 2013. Tap://interrelationships. Vic. Ca/ Goldberg, Jeremy. The Right to Choose: Woman, Consent, and Marriage in Late England. History Today 59. 2 (2008): 16th. General Reference Center GOLD. Web 7 Feb.. 2013 http://go. Colleague. Com Shakespeare. William. Romeo and Juliet. Holt Literature and Language Arts. Third Course. Austin, Texas: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 2009. The Institution of Marriage in Renaissance Era. 1 Feb. 2013. Http:// enveloping. Com/Reporters/ literature/Shakespeare/institution-marriage- renaissance-period-was-both