Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) to Reduce Anxiety

Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) to Reduce Anxiety Panic Disorder Coping Print Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) for Anxiety By Katharina Star, PhD facebook linkedin Katharina Star, PhD, is an expert on anxiety and panic disorder. Dr. Star is a professional counselor, and she is trained in creative art therapies and mindfulness. Learn about our editorial policy Katharina Star, PhD Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on August 05, 2016 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on October 07, 2019  paolomartinezphotography/Getty Images More in Panic Disorder Coping Symptoms Diagnosis Treatment Related Conditions Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) is an exercise that anyone can use to alleviate disturbing and disruptive emotional symptoms such as anxiety or insomnia. Like breathing exercises,  visualization, and  yoga, PMR is considered a relaxation technique. Its especially helpful in moments of  high stress or nervousness, and even can help someone get through a  panic attack. History of PMR PMR was developed by an American physician, Edmund Jacobson, in the 1920s. Jacobson noted that regardless of their illness, the majority of his patients suffered from muscle pain and tension. When he suggested that they relax, he noticed that most people didnt seem connected enough to their physical tension to release it. This inspired Jacobson to develop a sequence of steps for tightening and then relaxing groups of muscles. He found this allowed his patients to become more aware of their tension, to learn how to let go of it, and to recognize what it feels like to be in a relaxed state. Since then the technique has been modified many times but all modern variations of PMR are based on Jacobson’s original idea of systematically squeezing and then releasing isolated muscle groups.   How PMR Works PMR works in part by helping to overcome a normal reaction to stress known as the  flight-or-fight response. In evolutionary terms, this reaction developed as a way to help animals survive a threatâ€"either by running away or by meeting the opposition head-on. Over time the flight-or-fight response has become a common reaction to feelings of fear that often are out of proportion with reality. Unfortunately, when its not needed for actual survival, the flight-or-fight reaction tends to bring on many uncomfortable physical symptoms, including accelerated heart rate, sweating, shaking, and shortness of breathâ€"largely the product of an influx of stress hormones. Also, muscle pain, tension, and stiffness are common symptoms brought on by stress and anxiety. Relaxation techniques, including PMR, have the reverse effect on the body, eliciting the relaxation response, lowering heart rate, calming the mind, and reducing bodily tension. PMR also can help a person become more aware of how their physical stress may be contributing to their emotional state. By relaxing the body, a person may be able to let go of anxious thoughts and feelings. PMR Step-by-Step For a quick taste of how PMR works, squeeze one of your fists as hard as you can. Notice how tight your fingers and forearm feel. Count to ten and then release the clinch. Allow your hand to relax completely  and let go of any tension. Let your hand go limp and notice how relaxed it feels now compared to before your clinched your fist.   This methodical approach to increasing and releasing tension throughout your body is the linchpin of PMR: By systematically constricting and releasing various muscle groups it is possible to relieve physical stress and quiet and calm the mind. Here are the steps for one version of PMR that anyone can do. Try it next time youre feeling nervous, anxious, or find yourself tossing, turning, and unable to sleep. Step 1 Get comfortable. You dont have to lie down to do PMR; it will work if youre sitting up in a chair. Do make sure youre in a place thats free of distraction. Close your eyes if that feels best for you. Step 2 Breathe. Inhale deeply through your nose, feeling your abdomen rise as you fill your body with air. Then slowly exhale from your mouth, drawing your navel toward your spine. Repeat three to five times. Step 3 Starting with your feet, tighten and release your muscles. Clench your toes and pressing your heels toward the ground. Squeeze tightly for a few breaths and then release. Now flex your feet in, pointing your toes up towards your head. Hold for a few seconds and then release. Step 4 Continue to work your way up to your body, tightening and releasing each muscle group. Work your way up in this order: legs, glutes, abdomen, back, hands, arms, shoulders, neck, and face. Try to tighten each muscle group for a few breaths and then slowly release. Repeat any areas that feel especially stiff. Step 5   End the practice by taking a few more deep breaths, noting how much more calm and relaxed you feel. PMR is a skill, one that takes practice to master. In order to be able to draw on PMR when you need itâ€"in other words when youre truly in a stressful or anxiety-provoking situationâ€"youll want to learn how to do it while you arent under pressure. Practice PMR several times a week to become aware of what its like to feel relaxed. Understanding this feeling can help you to more readily let go of tension when anxiety rises.

Graduation Speech Praise be to God Essay examples

First of all, I would like to thank God for giving me this opportunity to speak tonight. Had it not been for God, I wouldnt be here right now because He is the One whos given me the strength and courage to press on both academically and spiritually through my high school years, especially in times of discouragement. I am a international student. I came to the U.S. about five years ago. Studying in a second language and being away from parents many times have been really overwhelming for me, sometimes even to the point where I just wanted to quit and go back. But, through such times of discouragement and loneliness, God assured me that He is always with me, and also that through him I can do all things. During my five years at the†¦show more content†¦Thank you Mr. Goldwin. I believe that this lesson that you taught me will be a great virtue as I go on to college and pursue Gods work. I would also like to thank Mrs. Misk for teaching me the importance of relationships with others as well as the relationship with God. Thank you Mrs. Misk for teaching me how to love others and how to express that love. Through your testimony, I finally realized that love actually requires self-sacrifice. And I want to also thank Mr. Shultz for challenging me to constantly evaluate myself in light of the word of God and also for teaching me how to stand firmly on the truths. Thank you Mr. Shultz. You helped me to have a stronger faith in God and in His word. There are two more people that I want to give special thanks to. Even though they have not been with me very much throughout my high school years, I know that they have prayed for me day and night. Had it not been for their prayers, I wouldnt be as happy and as well as I am today. Thank you mom and dad for praying for me every day and sacrificing your time with me for six years. Last, but not the least, I want to thank all the other people whom God has put in my life for His sovereign purpose. Thank you, Mr. Voges, Mr. Hume, Mr. Williams, and Ms. Esp for showing me how to live a godly life. Your testimonies have been tremendous toShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Graduation By Maya Angelou766 Words   |  4 Pagesyour life that teaches you a lesson for us in order to win the journey of our life. In the essay, Graduation, Maya Angelou states about the unfair treatment of whites against the African Americans during the graduation. There are situations in life where we feel discriminated but no matter what we have to gain the strength to prosper. In this article, Angelou talks about her eight-grade graduation experience. 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A multitude of influential presidents have come and gone...

A multitude of influential presidents have come and gone in America, although none like Harry S. Truman. This above average president is one to be recognized for his unbelievable achievements within political foreign policies and governing here in the states. Although first struggling to gain his balance after the sudden death of his predecessor, Truman remained loyal to the Unites States and proved to be one of the most charismatic, and beneficial presidents that the nation has ever seen. The influences of Truman’s early life and introduction to politics, as well as the unexpected win of presidency and constant failures and triumphs shaped this man’s life as well as those of the American people. Harry S. Truman was born in Lamar,†¦show more content†¦Later that year, Truman became first introduced to the world of politics when friend of the Truman family asked him to run for judge in Kansas City. Little did Truman know that this was the beginning of the bigge st challenge of his life. Finding an unknown love for politics, Truman became a senator in 1934, catapulting his life towards becoming Vice President of the United States under Franklin Delano Roosevelt. In 1944, Truman was selected as the Vice President under FDR. â€Å"Eighty-two days after Truman’s election as vice president, he became president when Franklin D. Roosevelt died in office on April 12, 1945† (Toropov 202). Truman completed the rest of FDR’s elected term before actually running himself in the 1948 presidential campaign against Governor Thomas Dewey. After winning 49.5% of the votes over Dewey’s 45.1% with a popular vote of 24,179,345 and electoral vote of 303, Truman was sworn into office on November 2nd, 1948 ( Miller Center: cite). Although winning by almost 4% of the votes, most expected Dewey to win. The newspapers were quite shocked to find that Truman had won the election and their preprinted â€Å"Dewey Defeats Truman† papers were now false and inaccurate. 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Female Body Dissatisfaction Free Essays

The Media’s Influence on Female Body Dissatisfaction Too often we hear ourselves and others complain about the way we look. Females of all ages complain that they need to lose weight, need a nose Job, lip injections, Bottom, and implants. These surgical procedures are even advertised on public transportation. We will write a custom essay sample on Female Body Dissatisfaction or any similar topic only for you Order Now Most of us are not satisfied with our bodies even though we are considered healthy. What can possibly be the cause for most women to be dissatisfied with their natural bodies? Consider that most women are comparing themselves to unrealistic models in magazines and â€Å"perfect† bodies advertising assign and beauty products. Notice I quote the word perfect, I do this because I believe body image is subjective, yet many people don’t think so anymore causing them to become dissatisfied with their bodies. This unfortunate dissatisfaction is caused by the way the media portrays beauty and the ideal body. Commissioning editor of The Observer magazine Eva Washman, In her persuasive-informative article, â€Å"Uncomfortable in our skin: the body-image report,† discusses the media’s massive role on the way most people, from pre teens to senior citizens, are dissatisfied with their bodies. She adopts an earnest tone in order to display Just how massive the media’s role towards this issue is to her adult readers. Washman’s purpose is to expose that the way the media displays the ideal attractive body will, has, and is causing people from as young as age seven to be dissatisfied with their body. Washman advises people, who feel dissatisfied with their bodies, to consume the media critically and realize that they are advertising trying to sell them something. In the beginning of her article washman arrives at the University of the West of England to visit the world’s only Centre for Appearance Research (Car). There she meets the women of the Car, a team led by Professor Nicholas Ramsey and Dry Diana Harcourt, to discuss their research on how people deal with changing attitudes to appearance, and along the way helping answer the question: why do people, women and men, hate the way they look? She mentions to them that she doesn’t like the way she looks as well. Throughout her article she points out four main points about the way the media is effecting the way people, specifically women, hate the way they look. First she points out that people are becoming dissatisfied with their appearance from a onus age and for many women it lasts almost forever. Second she points out that people who are dissatisfied with their appearance compare themselves to social networked strangers, celebrities, and to photodiode images provided by the media. Third she points out that It is the fashion industry fault for making skinny, bony, unhealthy models seem like the ideal â€Å"perfect body’ because their size zero sample sizes force the media to advertise on such bodies. The fourth point, she adds, is that today’s diets, which are continuously advertised by the media in magazines, TV, and he radio, are the way people are cognitively encouraged to eat and are to blame for their anxiety. Washman concludes that the best way for people to get past the media false portrayal of the ideal â€Å"perfect† body, is to consume the media critically by reminding themselves that the media is advertising, and they are Just trying to sell them a certain product. Washman also concludes that after leaving the Car she is still insecure with her appearance but she now has a better understanding of why she feels that way. Washman furthers her purpose by effectively combining the use of Logos, Ethos, and Pathos to expand her main points. Washman Effectively convinces her audience that the media has a massive role on the way most people, from pre teens to senior citizens, are dissatisfied with their bodies through the use of interviewing women who are in a powerful position in the media paired with emotional stories from victims of this dissatisfaction including herself. She also tells of her extensive research in the area to make her readers believe in her credibility. By using all 3 strategies, Logos, Ethos, and Pathos she effectively gets the reader to believe her logically, to relate emotionally, and to establish her authority. Although washman’s article is strong and credible, I believe she personalizes the topic. The Car talks in general about the way people hate the way they look while she mainly focuses on the female sex. I think that took away from her purpose because she started out talking about both sexes but got into detail on only the effect it has on females. Also, throughout the article she misuses Ethos or authority by not citing her sources in some areas. I agree with all of Wigwams points completely, I can relate to them because I personally am dissatisfied with my appearance and she helped me analyze why the media is to blame for our dissatisfaction. Specifically thou I agree that our anxiety. I always feel so guilty when I have a piece of chocolate or a bag of chips. The reason I feel guilty is because I feel like models and women who are considered sexy are watching out, working hard, and avoiding these foods, and I am eating them and not being as slim as the people who don’t. Washman mention Bounce’s Bibb post pregnancy weight loss in her article to support my thoughts and feelings. Washman’s effective use of Logos and misuse of ethos appears in her first point; People are coming dissatisfied with their appearance at a young age, and in many cases this dissatisfaction lasts almost forever. She uses Logos or logic to prove her point by bringing in statistics. She explains that at age 5 children start to realize that their appearance is being Judged by others, at age seven they feel insecure and dissatisfied with their appearance, and that 90% of women in Britain feel anxious about their body image. Although she did somewhat prove her point she did not include her source here, which causes the audience to question her credibility of this topic. She then explained that this can almost last forever in some women. Contrastingly in this part of her evidence Washman clearly states â€Å"And it doesn’t wane – many women in their ass a re still anxious about the way their bodies look which, Professor Ramsey explains, can even affect their treatment in hospital, when their health choices are influenced by aesthetics. I agree with her because, being born in the mid ass’s, I went through body dissatisfaction at a very young age. I used to cry to my mom when I was 6 because I didn’t look anything like Barbie. Now I feel very ignorant for that but I still feel dissatisfied with my body even though I am at a healthy weight. She shows logic because her point is clear and specific, she has strong reason, and she gives evidence of her point, but her evidence is not completely credible therefore her logos or logic is not either because in order to have strong logic your evidence must also be credible. As you can see in her statistics she discuses males, she only speaks of females, this will most likely cause her body image-dissatisfied males to draw away from her article. Washman then uses Ethos in a better way along with pathos or emotion to continue to prove her first point. She connects herself by going back to her editing career. She tells a story about her emotions towards her appearance. She states â€Å"Two years ago I started writing a column for this magazine, illustrated by a photo of my face. At times it made me feel odd (l have never liked photos), at other times sad, often anxious. It made me more aware that I don’t like the way I look, but more, I don’t like the fact that I don’t like it. But it’s not Just me. All Car’s research suggests that Britain’s body image is in crisis. † Here she establishes authority effectively by connecting herself to the gist and she uses Car as a credible source. Pathos is used here because of her emotional story bout how she has been feeling dissatisfied with her appearance for the past two years of her career. The emotion she used is where the Pathos strategy comes in. She gets the audience to relate to her feelings by using this story to get there emotions going and to also get them to imagine the illustration of her face. She uses the words Odd, sad, and anxious. Her use of diction here is clear there is a pattern of sadness in her words to get the audience to realize how the media affects their emotions negatively Just like it does for her. I think she should have used a much stronger rod than sad, I would liked it if she used the word gloomy or even another word that is more intense such as depressed. Also I think the women and men reading this will find themselves questioning what exactly made her feel sad, odd, and anxious. What about the illustration made her feel that way? She does not demonstrate the illustration at all. I think if she was more specific, It would bring more emotion to them and help them imagine the illustration more vividly. Wigwams point that people who are dissatisfied with their appearance compare themselves to social worked strangers, celebrities, and to photodiode images revived by the media is proven by her effective use of logic. This time she establishes better Ethos or authority to make it much more credible. â€Å"We’ve always compared ourselves to other people, but what has changed is the way we use images. † She says. She then brings up a famous study, to back her claim up, which looked at teenage girls in Fiji after TV was introduced to them in 1995. The study showed that after three years of the girls watching TV, the most ones who watched it were 50% more likely to describe themselves as â€Å"too fat†; 29% scored highly on a test of eating-disorder risk. Her clear use of statistics and logic causes her audience to believe what she is saying because she has evidence, a scientific study, to go with her thesis. She establishes credibility by proving that the media really does have a massive affect on their body dissatisfaction and the evidence is there to speak for her. I can’t agree with her more on this. The medias role here is way too clear. Many of my friends are always out to get that celebrity look and do not feel satisfied because they will never look exactly like that celebrity. I think if this study was done again in 2013 the rates would be much higher. Washman uses Pathos or emotion and Ethos or authority to prove her third point; It is the fashion industry fault for making skinny, bony, unhealthy models seem like the ideal â€Å"perfect body’ because their size zero sample sizes force the media to advertise on such bodies. Washman decides to use a personal interview with the editor of Vogue Alexandra Sultan. Washman explains that Sultan herself knows that â€Å"real people†, actors featured in Vogue, don’t fit sample size cloths. Her exact words are â€Å"We’re sitting in her bright white office, beside shelves displaying international Vogue covers. She points at them one by one. Washman says. † As she pointed at them one by one washman says that she that she explained that the celebrities in each of the covers were wearing sample sizes that fit them tight, unlike the models. † The way she presents this information is much more detailed and adds vivid images of their conversation. This kind of vivid information presented with such strong imaginary detail is a great example of the way Washman uses detail in proving her third point. She continues to add evidence, but now she uses Ethos. She speaks of sultans efforts to get the fashion industry to roved larger sample sizes because she did not like that their tiny designs were forcing editors to shoot them on models with no â€Å"breasts or hips†. Washman then asks sultan if she has seen any change throughout her efforts. Sultan sees that there is still a bit off blindness and the fashion industry does not realize that people want to see something different. I completely agree with sultan because I am the same way as well. I am Muslim and often times I prefer shopping at boutiques owned by other Muslims because they provide Muslim and middle eastern fashion and there models wear a hajji Just like I do. Washman also agrees with her by saying â€Å"She’s right†, but she doesn’t stop there she adds her evidence. She states â€Å"Ben Barry (a PhD student at Cambridge University) surveyed 3,000 women, the vast majority of whom significantly increase purchase intentions when they see a model that reflects their age, size and race†. Here Washman demonstrates complete credibility. She demonstrates respect for sultans viewpoint and thoughts. Backs up both her thoughts and Sultans thoughts with credible evidence and sources, and she cited her source correctly. Her fourth point claiming that Today’s diets, which are mutinously advertised by the media in magazines, TV, and the radio, are the way people are cognitively encouraged to eat and are to blame for their anxiety she combines the use of ethos and logos to show credibility and then uses pathos to get her audience to emotionally feel her thesis. Washman starts out with the use of statistics. She begins by mentioning that rates of depression in women and girls doubled between 2000 and 2010 then she adds that the more women self objectify themselves the more they become depressed. She proposes that this is caused by the medias warm embrace of disordered eating. Then she backs up her thoughts with evidence. â€Å"Garcia reports that Beyond lost 60 pounds of â€Å"baby weight† by eating only lettuce. Cosmopolitan wrote about Kate Middleman’s â€Å"Dugan diet†, which begins with seven days of pure protein, and later two â€Å"celebration meals† a week. If women don’t look like Beyond or Kate Middleton, their flat stomachs a testament to their stamina then, it seems, they are not working hard enough. † here she is using Logos by providing deductive reasoning. She uses this by first stating her evidence then proving her thoughts towards it and adding it to her thesis or point. She adds ethos to it by providing her sources correctly in this case her magazine titles while titillating them. This establishes her credibility. She continues to prove her fourth point by interviewing Lauren codger. Washman explains that Codger is, in her words, â€Å"One celebrity whose body is frequently scrutinized (and scorned) by the tabloid media†. Washman meets with Codger as she is weeks into a drastic diet plan. Washman says to her: † Many women feel Judged on their appearance in some way, but what does it feel like to have those verdicts read by 99 million people a month? † Now before I mention Codgers response I want to mention that washman most probably chose that question knowing that Codger is going to have an emotional response. She does this so she can be able to provide Pathos or emotion when she comes to write about her interview to her audience women who somewhat share the same feelings. Washman said that Codger responded by saying â€Å"l can’t look at comments. I can’t buy the mass any more. I used to love them, but I was happy then. Then my weight became a story, not Just for the show but for the press. Yeah, I’m definitely aware of the online scrutiny. My body becomes my work. † Codgers Response causes people who are dissatisfied with their bodies to feel worse for codger than they feel for themselves after reading this. Codger is one of the victims who find that today’s diets are the way they cognitively feel encouraged to eat and are to blame for their anxiety. In sum, Washman’s Article is very useful because it demonstrates the media’s massive role on the way females, from pre teens to senior citizens, are dissatisfied with their bodies. It offers ways the media is trying to avoid this negative influence, the reasons fate the influence, who is to blame, ND what women can possibly do about it, even thou they do not have control over the way the media portrays beauty. Although it provides all these aspects to prove her thesis, I do not consider it one 100% credible because Washman forgets to cite some sources and loses focus when talking about women specifically instead of all people generally as she first stated. I Think both sexes are dissatisfied with their appearance equally from the media’s false portrayal of beauty and the ideal body image. How to cite Female Body Dissatisfaction, Papers

The Bible among the Myths

Introduction The Bible among Myths by John N. Oswalt is among the best apologetics of the recent times. The book seeks to debunk the ideas, which secular scholars have been propagating in the recent years, that the Old Testament chapters of the bible are part of the Ancient Near East Mythology.Advertising We will write a custom book review sample on The Bible among the Myths specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In essence, what Oswalt does in this book is to show that any arguments linking the Old Testament with the Ancient Near East Mythology are misguided. In so doing, Oswalt endeavors to make it plain to readers that literature from such scholars is misleading. In a bid to achieve this goal, Oswalt chooses to approach the book from a polemical viewpoint to convey his point. His introductory argument anchors on the assertion that in the last five decades much has not changed insofar as the content of the Old Testament is concerned, yet the perception of scholars has radically changed in the same duration (Oswalt 2009, 11-12). Currently, most scholars have lost esteem for the Old Testament, and to them, it is just another Ancient Near East myth. Some scholars consider the Old Testament as ‘remarkably similar’ to Ancient Near East mythical literature associated with other Semitic religions that originated from the Ancient Near East. Oswalt dispels this assumption by going to great depths to explain what a myth is in a bid to exclude the Old Testament from such definitions. Oswalt accomplishes this task in the first section of the book, viz. the first five chapters, which explore the Old Testament alongside the Ancient Near Eastern myths to bring out the contrast between the two.Advertising Looking for book review on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The second section of the book analyses the Old Testament from a historical p erspective and eventually concludes that the bible is a historical account to a certain extent. Chapter 1 The first chapter opens with an assertion that the bible is a key contributor to the Western world’s perception of reality. The importance attached to the Bible’s contribution in this sense stems from the fact that it greatly influenced ancient Greek philosophy and it continues to influence the perception of the world to date. The influence of the Greek thought on contemporary world perception is explored. The most illustrious aspects of ancient Greek thought that are inherent in the manner in which we perceive the world today are, according to Oswalt, the notion that human beings live in a universe and not a polyverse (Oswalt 2009, 21). Oswalt endeavors to show how the Greek pattern of thinking fits in with the biblical perspective of the same. Therefore, he explores the Hebrew perspective of the same issue. He notes that the Hebrew descendants were monotheists wh ose principal belief was that there is only one supreme God, who doubles as the creator of the universe. God revealed himself and his will to humankind, and thus humanity is expected to obey the will and be rewarded or defy it and face punishment.Advertising We will write a custom book review sample on The Bible among the Myths specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The notion of the integration of the Greek philosophy and biblical principles in today’s worldview manifests in the fact that the Greeks believe in the law of non-contradiction, which fits in well with the Jewish idea that God set himself apart from his creation (Oswalt 2009, 25-26). Oswalt thus notes that logic or rational thinking, which the Greek are credited with as the originators, only came to be after humanity’s acknowledgement of God as the sole creator of the universe. Oswalt refutes the emerging belief that logic and science can prosper without relig ion by arguing that the only thing that the two can deliver to humanity is destruction. He notes that Hiroshima and the Buchenwald concentration camps are the best humanity can achieve through logic and science alone. Chapter 2 In the second chapter of the book, Oswalt embarks on a mission to set the bible apart from myths by presenting different scholars’ definition of the term and trying to find the definition that suits the bible most. He starts by pointing out the reductionist viewpoint, which has been assumed by scholars towards the bible since the 1960s. In an attempt to prove that the bible is unique and cannot be equated to Ancient Near Eastern myths, Oswalt examines different definitions of the term ‘myth’. He carefully examines three definitions of the term and proceeds to show why the bible does not fit with each of the definitions. Specifically, the first definition claims that the most outstanding feature of a myth is the falsity of the narrated occu rrence or deity in the narrative (Oswalt 2009, 33).Advertising Looking for book review on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The distinctive feature of the second definition is that it notes that truth in a myth is relative so that if many people think the myth is true then it is truer than otherwise. In the third definition, events in myths are neither right nor wrong (Oswalt 2009, 38). All the three perspectives of a myth espouse the idea of continuity, which claims that all matter in the universe is the same thing. The example employed in the book to explain this idea is that of a man and a tree being the same thing both physically and spiritually. The fact that the underlying principle is the idea of continuity behind the myths leads Oswalt to define myth in his own way as ‘continuity’. Oswalt thus notes, â€Å"Myth exists to actualize continuity† (Oswalt 2009, 45). From such a position, he is in a position to explicitly outline the intrinsic characteristics of the Christian and pagan perspectives of the world later in the book. Chapter 3 The third chapter is dedicated to explainin g the philosophy of continuity deeply to give clear concept of its assertions as well as Oswalt’s beliefs insofar as the idea is concerned. All myths have, at their heart, the concept of continuity in which humanity, nature, and the divine are all part of one another. There is an interconnectedness, which links the physical, the spiritual, and the divine such that their existence is a circular continuum. Continuity is thus a worldview whose essence is mythical thinking. Oswalt analyses continuity with the intent of articulating its aspects in relation to religious thought. He notes that continuity, if approached from the perspective of a worldview, has numerous effects. Chief among the effects is the idea of associating some natural signs with certain phenomena (Oswalt 2009, 50-56) that if a certain sign manifests in nature, it symbolizes the arrival or departure of some phenomena. As an example, he tries to point the link between floods, plagues, and weather patterns among o thers with reality. Another good example that shows the effect of continuity is given by the use of magic to manipulate the universe in one way or another. Oswalt gives several other effects of continuity, and in essence, his argument is that myth is nothing, but a way of looking at reality. He proceeds to delineate definitive features of myths. Among them, all, but a few myths, share the idea that there are numerous gods. Chapter 4 In this chapter, attention shifts from examining the features of myths to examining the features of the bible. In essence, Oswalt moves from the continuity worldview to give a biblical worldview, which he calls transcendence. The main idea behind transcendence is that God exists apart from the universe and there is no continuity between the physical and spiritual planes. According to Oswalt, transcendence manifests in everything that the bible highlights about reality and he explains the distinctive features of the Old Testament such as monotheism, icono clasm, and the value attached to humankind coupled with the origin of acceptable ethical standards (Oswalt 2009, 64). A key feature of the bible that emerges from the description is that apart from the bible religion, viz. Christianity, all other religions are polytheistic except Judaism and Islam whose origin is accounted for in the bible. Thus, the key feature of the Old Testament in this respect is that Yahweh is the one and only God. This feature also applies to the rest of the bible. A different key feature of the bible is that before the universe came to be, God already existed. Thus, God created anything that exists in the universe out of nothing, which is a distinguishing feature of the bible. Another distinguishing feature of the bible in chapter four is that humanity is held in high esteem unlike in myth where humans are lowly creatures. This assertion by Oswalt fits in with the idea that man was created in the image of God and he was given authority over all creation. Sev eral other features of the bible are described, but all of them point to the idea that transcendence underpins every distinguishing feature of the bible. Chapter 5 Oswalt proceeds with his argument on why the bible is not a myth. This pursuit compels him to explore the ethical standards demanded of humanity in an attempt to show that the Ancient Near East and other secular world perceptions. Therefore, he expounds the concept of ethics from the perspective of the Ancient Near East and other secular worldviews. Oswalt notes that these worldviews held two distinct standards of ethics. Of these two, the first standard delineates how humankind should interact with its own. Concisely, it defines what is expected of every individual insofar as relating with one another is concerned. The other standard of non-biblical ethics explained how humankind was supposed to relate with numerous gods, which myths claim to exist. Every god had a particular way in which humanity was supposed to approac h him/her and carry out his/her instructions. This aspect sets the bible apart from myth completely because in the bible, God set a single standard of ethics for humanity. The standards that were expected of humankind when Christianity began are the same standards expected of humanity today because the God of today is the same God that existed even before he created anything (Oswalt 2009, 85-87). The idea of same ethical standards for all humanity leads Oswalt to compare the similarities that exist between Israelites and non-Israelites. He outlines a number of areas, which exhibit similarities between the two groups, but he is quick to point out that such similarities are a matter of coincidence. He does not believe that such similarities were intended to exist between the two groups. His main point as he closes the first section is that the bible’s perspective is unique and distinct from other perspectives and thus it is not a myth. Chapter 6 The second section of the book b egins with this chapter. The gist of Oswalt’s argument in this section is the historicity of the Old Testament. He is keen to note that the widely accepted historical ideology came from the bible. In a bid to prove this argument, he begins by examining the definition of history. Though there are several definitions, he examines them and coins his own, which he believes is the best. The theme of his definition is that for a text qualifies as history, it has to focus on human activity in â€Å"time and space, exist for the purpose of human self-knowledge, attempt to be an accurate account, and include an attempt to evaluate† (Oswalt 2009, 113). With this definition in place, he proceeds to examine other ancient pieces of writing. His intention is to point out that the writing may be insightful in giving an idea about ancient culture and other aspects of life, but clearly, they meet the criteria for qualification as history. The different ancient forms of writing are list ed and the purpose for each of them outlined, but all of them are found to fall short of qualifying as history because they distort the true account of events or they unnecessarily focus on particular individuals at the expense of many among other reasons. Oswalt then proceeds to point out how the bible is different from other forms of ancient writing. He endeavors to prove that the bible fits into the definition of history he coins because the bible, unlike other forms of ancient writings, depicts humans as fallible characters who have notable flaws inherent in the human nature (Oswalt 2009, 124-127). He uses the outstanding example of King David who is hailed as the greatest king in the bible, but he committed adultery and murder of a woman’s husband. Chapter 7 In this section, since the author has already concluded that the bible is history, he sets out to dispel the arguments leveled against the historical nature of the bible. He notes that some of the issues that have ca st doubt on the bible’s historicity include revelations and supernatural events, which were associated with the Israelites. Oswalt proceeds to note that God was keen on ensuring that Israelites recorded true accounts of their experiences. The main point that comes out here is that the bible points out clearly that God has made everything that is known to humans known via human-historical experience. Oswalt is keen to point out to the reader that the bible is an accurate account of the past. The idea of accuracy and history features in his definition of history earlier in the book. According to him, accuracy is one of the key yardsticks for determining what is historical and what is not. Thus, in the case of the bible, God preternaturally manifested his being to the Jews to make sure that whatever they chronicled was a true record of what they had seen and heard. This aspect, according to Oswalt, qualifies the bible as historical despite the criticisms leveled against it. He i s also careful not to touch on biblical passages, which would discredit his argument on the historicity of the bible. Chapter 8 In chapter eight, Oswalt continues to argue his case about the accuracy of the bible, which makes it historical. Therefore, chapter seven and chapter eight are somewhat like a single section for they address the problems associated with history in an effort to distance the bible from such problems and prove beyond doubt that it is indeed historical. Like in the previous chapter, his energy is directed towards proving that the bible is a historically accurate document. With this knowledge, he urges the reader to note that the entire bible is historical because books included therein give accounts of real people and their patterns of life. An important element of the accounts is that it does not attempt to hide their flaws, which typically picture them as ordinary humans. Oswalt goes a little bit deeper to bring out what the term history really means. In so d oing, he uses the German and Norwegian versions of the term Geschichte and Historie respectively. He shows how the translation of the term into different languages could distort the underlying meaning. He notes that the German version refers to a narrative while the Norwegian version refers to an actual event (Oswalt 2009, 157). In concluding this section, Oswalt notes that the bible is historical and that its historical nature cannot be isolated from theology because the essence of theology is history and to crown all these arguments, he quotes Apostle Paul who wrote that faith could not exist if people do not believe in Jesus Christ’s resurrection, which is a historical event. Chapter 9 This section is the penultimate chapter of the book. Oswalt thus begins to lay the ground for his conclusion. He does this identifying a few scholars who have given alternative viewpoints on the bible. Among those he identifies are â€Å"John Van Seters, Frank Moore Cross, William Dever, an d Mark Smith† (Oswalt 2009, 172). What Oswalt does at this point is to debunk the viewpoints of all these scholars by identifying a key idea in their work and pointing out how it is misguided and thus false. He begins by critiquing Van Seters’ claim that Jewish priests tampered with the bible after the Babylonian exile so that according to this scholar, the bible is not in its originally intended form (Oswalt 2009, 172). Oswalt refutes this assertion and points out that it is false. He also refutes Cross’ claim that the bible was an epic poem before being changed to what it is today (Oswalt 2009, 175). In the two instances, Oswalt position is that the bible has never undergone any alteration or changes save for translation into different languages. Oswalt proceeds to debunk other viewpoints from scholars such as William Dever who firmly believes that the Judaic belief system was similar to the Canaanite belief system, yet the similarities were ignored by scholars thus pitching the Israelite belief system as unique when it actually was not. Oswalt rejects this perspective as misguided and false, as to him, this kind of literature misleads its readers. Oswalt also rejects Mark Smith’s argument, which claims that the Israelite system of belief traces its roots to the Canaanite polytheistic belief system (Oswalt 2009, 181). This argument undermines the accounts of the bible, which it records that only one God existed before creation and he created everything that exists in the universe. In essence, it undermines the concept of transcendence as elaborated by Oswalt in chapter four. Thus, it cannot hold as true. Chapter 10 This chapter is the concluding section of the book whereby Oswalt sums up all his key arguments, which allows him to take a strong stand that the bible is a unique and special writing and is thus not a myth. The major ideas he conveys are the disparity between the biblical worldview or biblical perception of reality and the secular or non-biblical perceptions of the world. He is keen to point out that the biblical perspective finds its essence in the concept of transcendence while the non-biblical perspective has its essence in the concept of continuity. In a bid to make his point on the superiority of the bible over Ancient Near East literature and other non-biblical writings, he points out that the Western world has embraced the worldview of continuity, hence the downturn in morality that is witnessed in its societies. Here, he further propagates the idea that nothing good can come out of humanity if the influence of God is missing. Therefore, the bible cannot fall within the precepts of the definition of a myth. Reference Oswalt, John. 2009. The Bible among the myths: Unique revelation or just ancient literature? Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. This book review on The Bible among the Myths was written and submitted by user MotherAskani to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Essay on Understanding PovertyEssay Writing Service

Essay on Understanding PovertyEssay Writing Service Essay on Understanding Poverty Essay on Understanding PovertyBased on the information presented in this chapter, to what degree are poor people in the United States responsible for their poverty?In the United States, poverty is one of the major social problems. This fact means that it is not a new phenomenon in the global context as there are many poor people in one of the wealthiest nations in the world. However, the most important issue that is closely connected with this social problem is â€Å"who is responsible for poverty in the United States?† Social scientist, historians, economists and politicians have been interested in the study of the poor. To what degree are poor people in the United States responsible for their poverty? In order to find the answer to this question, it is necessary to understand the culture of people who live in poverty, as well as to have an understanding of the reactions of the privileged classes in American society toward the poor.In the United States, there is the largest g ap and inequality between the rich and the poor. People who live in poverty in the United States â€Å"lack or have insufficient basic necessities, such as food, water, clothing and shelter to provide a sense of well-being, both material and psychological† (Clancy, 2013, p. 36). In fact, those people who are in the lower class are responsible for poverty, as well as the U. S. government with its failures, such as unemployment, inflation, lack of effective social support. According to researchers, â€Å"these people are poor because they are not personally responsible, and the evidence of their lack of personal responsibility is that they depend on public assistance† (Young, 2011, p. 23). This fact means that poor people are not strong enough to fight for the better life.On the other hand, the U.S. government is responsible for poverty because the U.S. government plays an important role in developing economic and social policies aimed at assisting the U.S. citizens. The major goal of any government is to use the proper strategies to eliminate poverty rate. For example, private industry should be focused on preventing unemployment and promoting anti-poverty programs. Actually, the issue concerning the government’s responsibility is a debatable one, and it requires the adequate research. Some people state that the federal government is primary responsible for poverty reduction, others believe that the major responsibility for the growth of poverty lies on people. According to researchers, â€Å"if one thinks of poverty as resulting from a lack of opportunities empowerment and social protection, it is clear that the government is not solely responsible for filling that lack† (Moreno-Dodson Wodon, 2008, p. 4). Private sector provides massive opportunities for poverty reduction, including credit and employment opportunities, and the promotion of all society members and protection of all citizens. Private sector contributes to poverty red uction not only through independent initiatives, but also in close partnership with the government.At the same time, poverty is the state for many countries and nations, not only the United States. It would be wrong to blame poor people for their social status. Some of them are really lazy people; others have made poor decisions that led to poverty. However, they cannot be solely responsible for their troubles. It becomes clear that the governments are responsible for the poverty of poor people to a far greater degree. Some governments have pursued social, economic and political policies that actually harm successful development of their citizens. These policies create the major causes of poverty and inequality.Thus, it is necessary to conclude that poor people in the United States are responsible for their poverty to a lesser degree, while the U.S. government is responsible for their poverty to a far greater degree. Because of the inadequate policies, poor people have less access t o education, health, and other services. They face the problems of hunger, malnutrition and various diseases. Besides, poor people face inequalities in all spheres of human activity.Investigate resources for people who are living in poverty.   What are the resources and how do they help people.Social inequality in modern society is associated with the negative consequences for the quality of life of the poor. The phenomenon of poverty is not a new one. In order to investigate the major resources for people who are living in poverty, it is necessary to refer to the study of the conditions of life of the poor. The term â€Å"the poor† can be defined as â€Å"persons, families and groups of persons whose resources (material, cultural and social) are so limited as to exclude them from the minimum acceptable way of life in the society they live in† (Atkinson   Marlier, 2010, p. 7). There are many resources for people who are living in poverty, including education, hous ing, social contacts, employment, cultural traditions and customs, religion, medical care, etc. These resources affect the poor, their decisions, their lifestyles, etc. Moreover, each of these resources can help the poor to overcome various obstacles in their lives, including inequality, discrimination, prejudices, low self-esteem and other obstacles that affect human life to a great extent.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Education is one of the major resources for human beings, no matter how rich he or she is. Education has a positive impact on human life, providing massive opportunities of individual development and career growth. Job training helps the poor to find a good job and solve the problem of unemployment. Human service training programs and technical and community colleges guarantee positive outcomes. Another important resource is housing. For poor people, housing is essential. Today the U. S. government provides special housing for the poor – tempora ry shelters, including night shelters and battered women’s shelters. Social contacts are one of the most important resources that affect human life and individual development. Employment is another significant resource that can help the poor to improve the quality of their lives and become more independent. Today many anti-poverty programs developed and launched by the federal government that are necessary for poverty reduction. Expanded employment opportunities for the poor can change poverty outcomes. The U. S. government has generated employment opportunities for the poor through rural development and through the creation of the â€Å"credit to the enterprising poor† (Sharif, 2007, p. 141). Cultural traditions and customs can be viewed as a significant resource for the poor. Researchers state that â€Å"third world poverty is the result of traditional values† (Blackwell et al., 2008, p. 79). In the United States, poor people also face serious problems connect ed with the lack of following cultural traditions and customs. Many poor people are undeveloped, demonstrating â€Å"technological retardation linked to cultural flaws† (Blackwell et al., 2008, p. 79). This fact means that their culture is not focused on modern technology. These people live in the world of the so-called â€Å"outdated traditional values† (Blackwell et al., 2008, p. 79). The poor people should overcome these values and become more independent, innovative and flexible to new technological changes. Religion is an important resource that can help the poor to become more self-confident and develop human values. Christian teaching regarding the possession of wealth helps the poor to assess the meaning of life and find the proper solutions to the existing challenges. Medical care is a crucial resource for the poor. Today the federal government has developed effective health care settings to assist the poor, including â€Å"free medical clinics, community hea lth centers and obstetrics clinics associated with hospitals† (Templeton, 2011, p. 45).  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thus, it is necessary to conclude that various resources affect the life of people who are living in poverty.   These resources help people to become more developed and enjoy equal rights in human society, avoid prejudice and discrimination. These resources include education, housing, social contacts, employment, cultural traditions and customs, religion, medical care, etc. People without resources have limited opportunities to achieve the established goals in their lives. People with resources have more chances to become successful in their lives. The U. S. government should promote the proper resources to facilitate the life of poor people.The global recession that began in December 2007 has been described by U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernake as one of the most difficult financial and economic episodes in modern history. According to r esearchers, â€Å"the current global recession is certainly the worst economic crisis that has afflicted the international system since the Great Depression†(Tellis, 2009, p. 3). The recession that was identified in the United States in 2007 can be defined as a financial crisis, which was based on failing subprime mortgages, and which later was expanded into a â€Å"larger recession† that had a strong impact on the U.S. economy. Later it was expanded at the global level.Millions of people not only in the U.S., but also in many other countries of the world have either lost their jobs and/or have had hours and benefits cut. Besides, millions people have lost a large portion of their retirement funds and in most cases have also lost significant equity in their homes. Meanwhile, as has been reported in the media, Chief Executor Officers (CEOs) of the world’s largest companies continue to receive extravagant bonuses even though their company profits have plummeted an d many of their employees have been laid off or fired due to the â€Å"bottom line†. According to researchers, the banking sector has been influenced by the global economic recession, as well as many other fields. Nevertheless, their financial results were good enough. Based on the findings provided by the Fair Economy, â€Å"despite the looming economic recession, CEOs of the largest 500 companies in America earned an average of US $10.5 million, 344 the pay of typical American workers and 866 times as much as minimum wage employees† (Sun et al., 2010, p. 233). These findings demonstrate impressive numbers.Undoubtedly, this situation is unethical. Actually, the recession was partly caused by the unethical behavior of American investors. This situation places emphasis on the importance of ethics and its role in the country’s economy. The recession of 2007 involved unethical and illegal action of the leaders of large corporations. Unethical profits of large compa nies have negative impact on population.There is a necessity to use the proper strategies to improve the situation, e.g. the federal government should step in and regulate pay. According to researchers, later in 2009, â€Å"the president Obama maintained general support for his handling of the economy for seven months, despite a severe recession†( Sun et al., 2010, p. 89). In 2007, many Americans blamed the US President George Bush for the lack of support in the economic recession. Researchers state that there were at least four categories of the government’s mistakes. These mistakes produced the crisis. First, monetary policy and global imbalances affected the economy of the country. Second, different government policies promoted subprime mortgage related risk taking by all types of financial institutions. For example, the Congress pressured the enterprises, sponsored by the federal government, etc. These policies contributed to the promotion of the underestimation of the existing subprime risk.   Third, the U.S. government failed to guarantee prudential regulation of commercial banks operating in the U.S. This mistake led to the crucial problems connected with measuring bank risks. Fourth, the government failed to regulate subprime ratings inflation and provide the regulatory reliance on ratings.Thus, it is necessary to conclude that the global recession that began in December 2007 had a negative impact on the U.S. economy and on the lives of all Americans. Millions of jobs had been destroyed. Nevertheless, the recession of 2007 provided an example of the so-called flat world, because it had been spread worldwide, affecting global economy as well. Many large businesses used the recession to improve their positions on the market. Their unethical profits should be addressed by the government policies, through pay regulation. Actually, the deep recession that began in 2007-2008, revealed the failures and effects of the government’s inadeq uate regulation of banks and financial institutions. Millions of people could not sustain their mortgage loans and the government did not make steps to regulate payments. So, reviewing the financial crisis of 2007-2008, it is necessary to pay due attention to the role of the government in this situation, including its failures- deregulation and lack of the oversight of the banking system.

Posthumous and Posthumously

Posthumous and Posthumously Posthumous and Posthumously Posthumous and Posthumously By Maeve Maddox Researching another topic altogether, I came across this startling use of the word posthumously: Nicholas Schmidle, whose narrative account of the death of Osama bin was completed without ever interviewing any members of SEAL Team 6, posthumously wrote an article entitled â€Å"In the Crosshairs’’ in The New Yorker. Posthumously means â€Å"after death.† An article may be published posthumously, but writing one posthumously would be quite a feat. The adjective posthumous is applied to an action or reputation occurring, arising, or continuing after death. For example, John Kennedy Toole acquired a posthumous reputation for his novel A Confederacy of Dunces, which wasn’t published until eleven years after his death. Posthumously, he won a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Or perhaps the passive would be better here: He was awarded the prize posthumously. The word comes from the classical Latin adjective postumus that was used to describe a child born after the father’s death. The h in the English word may be the result of folk etymology by association with the word humus (earth), or by someone’s learned desire to associate it with the Latin verb humare, â€Å"to bury.† Here are examples of posthumous and posthumously used correctly on the Web: Murdered NYPD officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu were posthumously promoted to the rank of detective. The posthumous birth of a child has been a common occurrence throughout human history, but now â€Å"posthumous conception† has become possible. The technology that permits parents to bank sperm and eggs for later use has created legal problems no one could have anticipated a few decades ago. I did find this quotation in which the word posthumously is used in an unexpected way: Novelist Nadine Gordimer told writer Christopher Hitchens that â€Å"A serious person should try to write posthumously.† Hitchens interpreted her unusual use of the word to mean to write as if the â€Å"usual constraints of fashion, commerce, self-censorship, public and, perhaps especially, intellectual opinion- did not operate.† Bottom line: Ordinarily, people who are still alive can’t do anything posthumously. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How to Punctuate References to Dates and Times55 Boxing Idioms40 Irregular Verbs That Can End in â€Å"-t†