Basic summary of a religion #1:
Buddhism
Buddhism is one of the world’s leading religions, and it is followed by more than 300 million people worldwide. Buddhism is based on the concept of Buddha who was the primary origin of this religion. He was a man named Siddhartha Gotama, and at the age of 35, he enlightened by the knowledge of a complete set of values that later became a religion. Buddhism is a set of different values that provide a comprehensive way to spend the life according to the teachings of Buddha and the people who follow Buddha are the followers of the religion Buddhism. The religion includes several teachings of moral values, awareness about the actions and their result, wisdom values and understanding. It explains a complete set of life, in which ones need to adopt a code of practice that leads one to the achievement of true happiness. Buddhism briefly explains about injustice practices and inequality measures of societies that should never be adopted by the one who wants to follow the religion of Buddhism.
Buddha, who is considered as the primary origin of religion, was born in Nepal. He was the son of a rich man and belonged to a wealthy family. But he was the one who realized that the money could never provide true happiness. This thought provoked him, and he started learning about different religions of the world to explore the ways towards true happiness. He spent six years in meditation and after that enlightened by actual knowledge. He spent his rest of the life by teaching the values of Buddhism and due to the effect of his values people still have faith in him and follows his teachings from several centuries. Followers of Buddhism gave respect to the idol of Buddha and considered them their god.
Basic summary of a religion #2
Hinduism
Hinduism is another religion which is considered as one of the world popular religions, and it is based on the concept of several gods. Followers of Hinduism are called Hindu’s, and they believe in multiple gods’ existence. It is one among the oldest religion in the world and after Islam and Christianity religions; people most follow Hinduism. It does not have one particular founder, so its origin is not precise, but it is a combination of different traditions of philosophies of the world. It also provides a proper way of life, and Hindu people have the opportunity to select their gods among the multiple gods. For example, Hinduism includes Ganesha, Kali Mata, Ram, Hanuman, and several other particular figures which are considered as their gods. So, some groups of Hindu people follow Ganesha and other follows Ram or Hanuman or have the opportunity to accept all of the gods.
The Hindu people believe in Samsara that is based on the concept that there is a continuous cycle of death, birth, and re-incarceration. This concept includes the factor that people believe if one person, who is born and died after some time, have to come in the world again after their death, and this cycle repeats seven times. It is also called Punar Janam system. Hindu people also believe in Karma concept that means everyone has to face the result of his/her actions. Hindu people also believe in a soul and named it “Atman.” The people who are bad in one life or acted wrong throughout their lives have to pay for their sins in their coming birth or Janam. Hindu people also admire and respect all the animals and especially the monkey, elephant, and cow. These are their sacred animals. They do not eat pork or any beef due to their religious beliefs.
Biographical analysis of a religious figure
Malala Yousafzai
It is a sad and true reality of our world that most girls and women do not get and avail the opportunity of education as compared to men. Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani girl who also became the victim of this extremism that women do not have to get the education. Malala belonged to a Pashtun family in Swat valley of Pakistan. Pakistan is a Muslim country in the continent of Asia. Malala is a Muslim girl, and she became the victim of an extremist group named Taliban. Some men of Taliban attacked Malala and shot her in her head, but she survived and left Pakistan. Her fault was that she was an advocate of women educational rights. Her life scenarios and difficulties towards the education system motivated her to take initiatives for the women’s rights.
Malala was born in 1997, in a city named Swat of Pakistan. She is a Muslim girl and being a Muslim girl she faced several difficult times in her life such as restrictions on the education. She is inspired by her father, who is an educated person and his dream was to make a school in his area. When the events of 9/11 occurred, the terrorist groups of Pakistan named Taliban accepted the responsibility of the attacks that created issues for the country. These people started their extreme measures such as in the Swat valley; no girl was allowed to walk in the streets without veil or Parda. These people also make restrictions to the girl’s education. The rule was unacceptable for Malala, so her family started to protest against Taliban. In result, Taliban shot Malala in her school on her head. But she survived and now promoted the girl’s education rights on the global level.
Analysis of a live event
Volunteer Work
In my high school, I had taken part in several volunteer work campaigns that were helpful for me and developed my self-confidence level. The most notable work, I had done was the duty I had completed on a dark winter night. In cold winter days of December, I joined a volunteer work campaign in which all the volunteers had to work for two consecutive days. The first day was so tiring that, in the evening I left my friends and came into my room for rest. But my friend came and told me, the campaign requires the volunteers in the hall as there is an emergency situation. I was so tired that I refused my friend and it was a freezing night that was urging me to sit and relax. But when my friend left, I thought that work is more important than rest and sleep, and only for the work purpose, I came here so I should consider this factor.
I left my room and joined the volunteers in work. It was so difficult for me to work consistently at night for continuously 6 hours. But when we all completed the work, we all were tired so much but had this feeling that we did a good deed by sacrificing our rest and sleep in that cold night. We came in our room, and I slept like I never slept before as it was an excellent experience for me, in which I urged myself to work when I do not, wanted to, but need to do. It was a pleasant experience through which I analyzed that I can work hard, and I can sacrifice my rest for the sake of my work and perform my duties efficiently.
Analysis of one interesting aspect of a religion
Ramadan (Ritual of Muslims)
Islam is one among the most famous religions in the world, and has most followers in the world after the religion of Christianity. The people who are the followers of this religion called Muslims and they believe in the existence of one God. Every religion has some interesting aspects, similarly in Islam there are several interesting aspects. One aspect that fascinated me the most is that the Muslim people fast for 30 days consistently and it is their religious ritual. This ritual followed by the Muslims every year in the month named Ramadan. In this month, 30 consistent fasts are obligatory and Muslims followed this ritual all over the world. It is also called their Holy month in which the evil spirits are sent to hell or locked up in jail so that Muslims could easily spend their holy month by fasting and praying to God.
The Muslims believe that the evils are locked up by God in Ramadan and the gates of heaven kept open throughout their holy month. They fast and pray more in this month, and pray forgiveness from their God. In this month, people spend their money in charity and pay Zakat which is an obligatory measure in Islam. The Muslims believe that due to their fasting in the month of Ramadan, their God will be happy with them and grant them paradise in return. Muslims serves food to their neighbors and in the holy places like Mosques in the holy month. They believe that serving food to the people will make them happy and will make them prosperous in their lives. This aspect or ritual of Islam fascinated me as I really like their beliefs and admire their fasting procedure throughout 30 consistent days.
Analysis of a current religious issue in a contemporary context
Terrorism in Islam (Extremist People)
In the modern context today, Islamic religious issue named as terrorism is spread all over the world today. It started with the incident of 9/11 in the United States of America and after that several terrorist attacks occurred in the name of Islam. Islamic terrorism is based on several concepts but not linked the actual values of religion. The extremist Muslim people, who considered themselves professors of Islam, are the ones who use the name of Islam to serve their own particular goals. These extreme Muslim people considered them preachers of Islam and spread the disturbances all over the world. These people always try to justify their violent acts under the name of Islam and use the Holy books of Islam to use them for their purposes.
With the start of 21st century, these activists and extremist Muslim people spread all over the world and started their terrorist attacks to spread tension in the world. They want their own rule in the world, and they believe that they are doing the right acts. They want Islamic values to spread all over the world, and there will be no other religion exists in the world. They are not only doing wrong acts but also with the confidence that they are doing right. They believe that their God will be happy with their acts, and they should end the non-Islamic acts from the world. The do not feel guilty by killing thousands of people with the argument that they did right and killed wrong ones who were doing wrong acts. Nobody provided these people a right to judge the other religions or another wrong, and they also have no reason to spread terror in the world with the name of Islam.
Analysis of a documentary
Bottled Life – The Truth about Nestlé’s Business with Water by Res Gehringer
I recently viewed a documentary based on the Nestle Company Bottled Water project. Nestle is an international brand providing it’s healthy and quality products since 1867 when it was first established. The company is offering fresh and clean drinking water, also several other products that are created with the according to the pattern of sustainability. In a documentary, named, “ Bottled Life – The Truth about Nestlé’s Business with Water” created by Res Gehringer, the Nestle company is shown as a profit-making business nothing else. In the documentary, director targeted three nations including the United States of America, Nigeria, and Pakistan where the company had taken many unethical measures. The company introduced its bottled water approach all over its world franchises. In Asian countries, the plan was introduced with a high price. The company did not consider the fact that developing nations like Pakistan were suffering from poverty crisis and many people in the country will never be able to afford clean drinking water due to its higher price rate. Not only the expensive price factor, but the company also used several other unethical measures such as its negative impacts on the stakeholders and used contaminated water during the production of bottled water.
In Pakistan, people had faced several issues due to the higher prices of Nestle and the fact that they were not able to afford the clean drinking water, as it is their legal right and basic necessity of the human beings. In many southern areas of the country, where people were not able to access to safe, clean drinking water, company launched its product where people were also unable to afford or buy the water with those expensive rates. Due to lack of money, and no approach to the clean drinking water, people started to get sick by using the contaminated water. These all factors are discussed in the documentary. However, all these claims are later rejected by the company. However, the director’s deep down analysis is important and have worth.
Analysis of a book
Everything Bad Is Good for You: How Today’s Popular Culture Is Making Us Smarter
The selected book name is “Everything Bad Is Good for You: How Today’s Popular Culture Is Making Us Smarter” written by Steven Johnson. It published in 2005 in New York, United States of America and it is a non-fiction book. The main idea of the book revolves around the increased use of television, and video games and writer gives it a name of nonliterary popular culture, which is complex and influencing the society in a way that society is becoming more intelligent.
The book is based on two main themes; one is that the popular culture is increasing for the past two decades and it is becoming more composite and challenging with the passage of time. The other one is that this popular culture is sharpening the mental skills and abilities of the people who are similar to the skills which are enhanced by reading the books. In the United States, the gaming industry becomes the second most significant entertainment industry having the capital of more than $10 Billion (Johnson, Steven). The popular culture is becoming smarter, and the use of video games enhances the cognitive abilities and IQ level which the books can never do. There is no comparison between the book and a video game, and video game has more advantages than the books. The increased use of television is enhancing the intellectually of the people as well as improving their narrative sophistication. The writer demonstrates that our culture is not declining but penetrating the new and exciting ways into it, to make it better and more attractive for the people. The combination of video games and television will never get this kind of glow and success again.
Analysis of a movie
The Beautiful Mind
The Hollywood movie, “The Beautiful Mind” is based on the real story of John Nash who was a Nobel Prize winner and a schizophrenic patient in his life. The director of the movie was Ron Howard whereas Akiva Goldsman did the written screenplay. The movie released in 2001 and gains popularity in very less time all over the world. Nash was a great Mathematician who fought with the disease of schizophrenia throughout in his life bravely. He recovered from the disease without any medication and became a famous schizophrenic patient who recovered all around the world. His struggle and fight with the disease last too many years, but Nash never give up and consistently struggle with his mental disorder. The symptoms of schizophrenia started in the personality of Nash when he was 30 and considered as one of the most intelligent mathematicians in the world. He added so many worthwhile contributions in his field and his most significant contribution was the development of game theory. He experienced the hallucinations and delusions during the age of 30 to 31. But he fought for his survival and overcame the severity of the disease. He hospitalized many times and had to use several medications during the time of his mental illness. The main important point here is that Nash felt the existence of three people named Charles, Marcee, and Parcher who were not available in reality. But in the mind of Nash, these are real people and played significant roles in his life.
The film portrayed the fight of a brilliant man with the disease and at last he won in the end. He had faced several troubles due to his mental illness especially the hospital sessions and taking the doses of medication many times during the mental illness.
Analysis of music
Pop Music Culture
I always admire pop music as never enjoy music with slow beats. Since the childhood, I always consider pop music culture the best and always prefer the pop music culture pattern over others. Several artists write several books on the development and improvement of pop music. In an article, writer Sarah Larson explained about the pop music culture and its development factors. She believes that great pop music always developed through the senses of oppression, tension, and progress. The best pop culture arises when people struggle with the contradictions, and it is more suitable to grapple with the contradictions as compare to purge them, as it will lead to nothing but the development of pop music culture. Many times, the pop culture creators target exciting sounds and try to find the right music for converting the music into a pop culture musical pattern. According to this philosophical concept of pop music culture, Saint Etienne focused on the deep analysis. I have always preferred pop music as I never enjoyed slow musical beats and that is why I usually like the music pattern of Eminem, Pitbull, and Michael Jackson. I am a great admirer of the musical design of Michael Jackson as he was a great musician and singer as well. I prefer his songs that are based on a pop cultural pattern as I only enjoy these beats in the music.
Annotated Bibliography
Juergensmeyer, Mark. Global Religions: An Introduction. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003. Print.
In this book, the author provided deep analysis of the important global religions. It includes Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, African religion, and about several religious societies. The book provides a deep history, and origins of the selected religions with appropriate statistics and dates added.
Coomaraswamy, Ananda K. Hinduism And Buddhism. New Dehli: Indra Gandhi National Center for Arts, 1999. Print.
In this book, the author discussed the two world’s popular religions Buddhism and Hinduism. Author differentiated between two religions and argued about the functions of these religions. The author also targeted the terms that are used in both religions and interpret their meanings in detail.
Smith, Huston, and Philip Novak. Buddhism A Concise Introduction. New York City: HarperCollins Publishers, 2003. Print.
In this book, the author provided a deep understanding of Buddhism religion. It includes several important aspects such as its start, spread, follower’s beliefs, the life of Buddha, the message and values of Buddhism in detail.
Works Cited
“A Basic Buddhism Guide: 5 Minute Introduction.” Buddhanet.net. N.p., 2018. Web. 29 Mar. 2018.
“Hinduism – Facts & Summary – HISTORY.Com.” HISTORY.com. N.p., 2018. Web. 29 Mar. 2018.
Bottled Life: Nestle’s Business With Water. 2012. Web. 29 Mar. 2018.
Coomaraswamy, Ananda K. Hinduism And Buddhism. New Dehli: Indra Gandhi National Center for Arts, 1999. Print.
Johnson, Steven. Everything Bad Is Good For You. 1st ed., New York, Riverhead Books, 2006,.
Juergensmeyer, Mark. Global Religions: An Introduction. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003. Print.
Larson, Sarah. “Pop Music, Explained.” The New Yorker. N.p., 2014. Web. 29 Mar. 2018.
Rettner, Rachael. “How ‘Beautiful Mind’ Mathematician John Nash’s Schizophrenia ‘Disappeared’.” Live Science. N.p., 2015. Web. 29 Mar. 2018.
Smith, Huston, and Philip Novak. Buddhism A Concise Introduction. New York City: HarperCollins Publishers, 2003. Print.
Yousafzai, Malala. I Am Malala. 1st ed. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2015. Print.
