What is the Meaning of Life?

What is the meaning of life? Does anyone know? Have you ever thought about what the meaning of life is? In my opinion, everyone has their own meaning of life. According to me, the meaning of life and the main point is to be completed. One day, as I get older and I am lying in bed dying, I want to look back at my life and ask myself if I was happy and did I complete the goals I had set for myself throughout that life time. If I had done the things I wanted such as finish my education and get a degree, get a good paying job, and start a wonderful family with successful children, then my life has been completed. I had live the life I wanted, so I can go on and let the young generation continue on. In my opinion, being completed is the meaning of life, but according to ancient times and different religions the meaning is a little different.

According to the ancient Greek philosophy, in Platonism, the meaning of life is in attaining the highest form of knowledge. This is the Idea of the Good, from which all good and just things derive utility and value. Human beings are duty-bound to pursue the good. According to another philosophy, the East Asian philosophy, Legalism, this has a different view of the meaning of life. They believed that finding the purpose of life was a meaningless effort. To the East Asian philosophy, Legalists, only practical knowledge was valuable, especially as it related to the function and performance of the state. In the 19th century, the philosopher, Nihilism suggests that life is without objective meaning.
There are also different perspectives of the meaning in life in the religious views. Life's purpose in the Christian religion is to seek divine salvation through the grace of God and intercession of Christ. In the Muslim world, man's ultimate life objective is to worship the creator Allah by abiding by the Divine guidelines revealed in the Qur'an and the Tradition of the Prophet. In the religion Judaism, the meaning of life is to elevate life, both in this world ('Olam HaZeh) and in the world to come ('Olam HaBa).
In conclusion, the meaning of life is different for everyone. As you can see in the video below, everyone’s believes are different. If you believe in a religion or follow a philosophy your meaning of life might differ from everyone else’s around you. For me being complete at the end of my life is everything. This is what is most important to me. Life is what you make it, so it is all up to you as a person to create it. In the end it is your life and you have to be happy with it.

By: Nevena Ronell

Common Characteristics of Religions

There are many different religions over the world.  Of course all these different religions have tons of different characteristics. Surprisingly there is one characteristic that they all have in common.  That is that there is a higher power, someone or something that is superior to mankind.  In most cases the people refer to this as their God or Goddess.  It may be a live person, it can be a statue or figure, or it can be spiritual being which is something that cannot be seen or heard but is believed to have a higher power.  However, the number of Gods may differ between the different religions.  The belief in only one God is to be considered monotheism, and the belief in many Gods is referred to as polytheism.

                An example of using a spiritual source as a god would be Christianity.  Christianity is a Monotheistic religion, they only believe in one God.  The god Christians worship has never been seen or heard in today’s society but the Christians believe that he has a higher power. The trees, the moon, and the stars were all believed to be created by their God.  These are all things man in incapable of.  Many Christians pray to god for healing or other miraculous wants.  There are also many photos and statues made, but the Christians do not actually worship those, in fact it is a sin to do so. 

                In the Hinduism religion has only one ultimate reality, the Brahman.  The Brahman would be considered their higher power.  The Hindu believes that Brahman is the creator of the universe and the creator aspect of the divine.  The Brahman is often presented with four arms and a red skin color.  Although they have only one ultimate God, there is existence of other Gods which represent the different aspects of the Brahman. 

            

  Buddhism is a religion that does not have a God, or creator. The Buddha is its higher power.  The Buddhists pay respects to the Buddha, but not in worship.  The Buddha was such a higher power because he was believed to have achieved enlightenment.  He also led the path to enlightment and Nirvana for the Buddhists from his own experiences.  Nirvana is the state of being free from suffering.   The Enlightment and to attain nirvana is the ultimate mission of the Buddhism religion.

I have only named a few religions but all of them believe in some sort of higher power, even ones I haven’t named.  They may have different rituals and other characteristics but they all believe in some type of higher power.  For some that higher power is considered to be a creator of the world, and for some it is not.  There are about 21 different religions some believe in one or many different creators.  My biggest question of all is:  If more than one religion believes that their God created the world or is in fact the highest power, which one is correct?

Gothic Cathedrals by Savannah Carson (Art & Culture #2: Architecual or Literary work)

    Over the course of history, human beings have created some of the
most beautiful and unique pieces of art. Some of them plain and simple
such as the classical Greek sculptures, and some of them of the most
intricate detail, like the massive pyramids of Egypt, all created with
an important reason or meaning to that particular culture. From the
large statues of Easter Island to the stained glass that covers church
walls, the various types of art all have fascinating stories or
purposes behind them. One type of art I found to have the most
significance and the most beautiful of appearances would be gothic
cathedrals.
    The start of gothic cathedrals began around 1200 and lasted about 300
years until 1500. Gothic cathedrals were developed from, and inspired
by, Norman architecture. Cathedrals alone began in the reign of
William the Conqueror. In this time the cathedrals built were
appointed Norman bishops by William, so naturally the cathedrals had a
Normandy style influence. Built by poorly skilled Saxons, the details
on these cathedrals were limited, using large blocks of stone and
creating large hollow walls. A man named Abbot Suger believed that the
churches or cathedrals at that time were too dull; he imagined a
church so enormous and incredible that everyone would want to attend
and it would appear to reach the heavens. This idea, along with the
increased knowledge of architecture and engineering over time, began
the era of gothic cathedrals.

    
The architects began a new method of building; with more advanced
tools the architects were able to shape stone more precisely allowing
them to put each stone in place with a more perfect fit to the stone
beside it. They also used these advancements to create solid walls and
pillars which allowed the cathedrals to withstand more weight and made
them much stronger. They not only paid closer attention to the
structural security of these massive buildings but also to the ornate
detail that makes them so astonishing. Some of the most obvious
details are the large pointed arches and the ribbed vaulting, but if
you take a closer look you will find some very fascinating details
which show just how dedicated the people were to their religion and
their place of worship. The carvings of the exterior were precise and
almost skeletal-like, some of the detail appearing to be symmetrical.
They added much more stained glass to the cathedrals giving the inside
a luminous glow, however, with the addition of this excessive glass
came a much more complex building style; flying buttresses were
created to allow the buildings to stand higher creating the more
vertical architectural design they sought after while still being able
to incorporate the beautiful glass designs. The invention of these
flying buttresses allowed for higher ceilings, which in turn made it
possible for a larger interior, which are just as beautifully detailed
and unique as their exteriors. The height of these buildings had much
significance, like Abbot Suger had imagined them; the cathedrals were
intended to appear to reach the heavens. Although the pointed arches
that the cathedrals are so well known for today are beautiful and help
to create the overwhelmingly large and captivating appearance, they
were not just designed to be stunning, they hold much architectural
logic. The large arches are flexible enough to be at such heights
without the fear of them breaking, and they direct the weight of the
cathedral to the most structurally sound areas at the base at a steep
angle, creating a more stable structure. These magnificent creations
were primarily used for daily religious services and as the seat of
the local bishop or archbishop but were also used for weddings,
christenings, and funerals.
    By examining the complexity of these large buildings it becomes
apparent that they are much more than large churches, they are
magnificent pieces of art, arguably the most beautiful of the world.

Comparing Civilizations

The U.S is becoming like the Roman Empire in many ways, first in the field of technology and indusial and secondly in a military form. The U.S in the technology field is on top of the world with up the most current devices available from computers to handheld phones. All are as fast and able to do so much and the U.S has a small lead on this. Our industry like Rome’s is turning out high quality products and turning them out at a fast pace. Our military is perhaps the best in the current world, the current United States Infantrymen is equipped with such technology like the Romans, and he has the best weapons, the best equipment.

            Like Rome, the U.S has spread itself and its influences so far that it is breaking it. The current war’s have taken a total on the U.S spread itself out both financial, politically and military. Like Rome the U.S has spread it military out and with the on going wars the financial bourdon is increased. Along with unemployment rates climbing up, the U.S economy is slowly and surely going down and given the current standings one can say that the U.S is in the similar situation that Rome was in. Seeing as the U.S in the technology field is on top of the world and has spread itself out military wise, it is hard not to disagree. If one looked at all the U.S military installations were they could see how these places would in a sense form an American empire.

            Another viewpoint to see is the corruption within the U.S government. With every government there are people who, steal money and hassle to make the government choose things in their interest. During America’s industrial revolution we saw the CEO’s of bug corporations laundering money and other acts to buy out political people and bending that persons arm for their favor. In Rome this was seen as well but by trades and others. Corruption and high-ranking businessmen that swindle money from the government can not only damage the U.S economy but also destroy it. Rome economy was plunged by senators and other men taking and holding onto great Roman wealth. In the US only five percent of Americans own the most of Americas wealth, five percent of the population. Romans were unable to stop such elite groups from holding such large amount of their wealth that soon the group began to chip away and help collapse the Roman Empire.

            As well, Americans are slowly losing their freedoms. With in the past decade several laws were past that if looked at closely have violated each American basic rights. Romans as well lost their rights as well over time. Is it really a question of is American like Rome or really a question of how long will it be before America takes her last breath before shattering.

In case you want to get into a little more detail:
.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThgsKuv4Ej0

Quest for Knowledge: Our Death Sentence?

Do we know too much? Is knowing many things for our greater good? Or is knowing too much in the verge of causing our own inevitable downfall? Knowing too much could become anyone's cause of destruction.

            For centuries the concept of knowing more than one should has been considered taboo. Biblical scripture tells of the first man and woman being forbidden to eat the forbidden fruit of knowledge. The snake argued to eve that if she and her partner were to eat the fruit they would know as much as God. After eating the fruit due to temptation, Adam and Eve are made aware of their nakedness and immediately attempt to clothe themselves, and because of their greed, God punished Adam and Eve by casting them out of the Garden of Eden and cursing them with pain and hard labor.

            If the greed to know as much as god cause the original sin, then why would anyone in the present want to achieve the burden of knowing all the secrets of the universe? If a person were to find out every little secret, they would know not only the beginning and the end, but also his or her beginning and their end. Imagine knowing how you would die; you would evade any event remotely similar to the incident that kills you (unless it is from disease or old age). If a man were to find out they would die by a piano dropping on his head, that man would avoid pianos at all cost, no matter how miniscule the risk is. The person would live his life in constant fear thinking pianos are out to get him. I know if I found out my future cause of death, such as being burned alive, I would never go near another open flame as long as I lived.

            If a person would know everything, he or she would be haunted by the past, present and future. If others were to find out an all-knowing person existed, they would be constantly pestering the all-knowing person to find out information no matter how big or how small. Whether it be where lost keys have ended up or if love would find a way, all the questions would leave the all-knowing without a moment of peace and quiet.
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            As of right now do we as a people already know too much? We know how to annihilate an entire civilization with the use of nuclear weapons. Is knowing how to vaporize each other all that necessary? Knowing how to separate atoms to blow anything up could end up blowing you up. Like the saying goes, you die as you lived. Those who can go to war because they know they have the means to win, will- like history has shown us, ultimately lose because they put all their efforts into power and too much power always cause the tower of infrastructure to topple over and fall.

            I believe we know too much. We know too much about what can be our downfall. We don't know too much about what can save us from disease or what can help us live without poverty, but right now, it seems to me that our priorities are in search of military strength and who can get the better gun. Maybe one day we'll forget about the search for greater weapons and we'll replace that knowledge about medicine and living as one society. After that's achieved, then maybe no one will say we know too much. One day we might be able to say, "We know enough."

Love

From being based off survival to being based off of emotions, love has changed meaning. In prehistoric times one had no choice but to follow social determining patterns. For example, a woman was to stay home, have children, cook, and other womanly duties. The men went out and made the money. This type of relationship would be applauded by any church. In today’s society there is no set position for men and women. Today’s relationships are based off of people’s opinions of what is right and not the church’s opinions.

In the Roman civilization, love was not necessary. If love it happened it happened. The reason for marriage was to have children. To talk about sex was looked down upon much similar to talking bad about the church. Today, sex is “love” to most of America. People today get married because of common traits, emotions and unexpected children. Most of the time marriages were arranged between two families of power in prehistoric times. They did this to keep money in the family, also to keep the prestige bloodline. But it was not unusual for a noble man to marry a slave. These relationships developed either by starting off as an affair, or the noble man becoming a widowed man. Having an affair was also looked down upon in the church, so these men had to hide from their wives and the church. In addition, the ones that married slaves were criticized by their family because they have polluted the bloodline.

Cheating today is common; many people have developed a tolerance for it. Once the husband cheats the wife either forgives or forgets. Another option could be that she goes and cheats herself as a source of pay back. In marriages today the only reason a marriage is involved in the church is the ceremony. The church does not get involved with the marriages because of cheating, it probably would not even know about it. Would one say that in prehistoric times people had more virtues than today? Would one say that they both have their moral faults? Only the people in the future could probably determine the answer to that question. One should think that love has its many views and no set definition. Also, can not be subdued by the church. Religion should be a part of the building blocks of a relationship but should not be the majority. In prehistoric times the church seemed to have too much rule on a couples love, which makes one think that love was all bad and no happiness. Love came off as being just a job.Is love a choice? Can one help who they do or do not love? Does the man above have any thing to do with it?

To be considerate one should not base opinions off of what stories or myths told about prehistoric love because there is never something that always stays the same. Everything changes. From old to new love can have many mishaps, but no period of time can put a stamp on how love can bring many aspects of happiness.

Iconography: The Pisa Griffin

The continual reemergence of mythology and iconography is a fact and is seen through the three-and-a-half-foot-high Islamic bronze statue, the Pisa Griffin.  An invention of ancient mythology created by amalgamating a lion and eagle has been interpreted symbolically by various cultures.  Christians had seen the beast as their own God. It came to signify the dual nature of Jesus, the eagle, which stood for his divinity, and the lion which stood for humanity. This sculpture is symbolic of many things no matter which culture created it, but it is also illustrative of how different cultures often appropriated the art of other cultures and imbuing it with their own values, symbols, and beliefs.

For Muslims, the eagle-like qualities signified vigilance, and its lion-like qualities, courage.  It is unknown how the griffin got to Pisa but many scholars have suggested that it may have originated in Persia, in the East, or perhaps in Spain, in the West.  It was placed on the top of the cathedral that was built in celebration of the Pisa victory over Muslim forces in 1063. It became the symbol of the city’s place at the center of the Mediterranean trade. The Griffin has been in Pisa in Italy since the Middle Ages.

It was said by the Assyrians and Persians that the griffin guarded the gold of India, while the Greeks believed these creatures watched over the gold of Scythians. The Pisa Griffin had some characteristics of a lion and some of an eagle, the head and wings of the eagle, and the broad chest and thick body of a lion. It was decorated with feathers on the wings, and the carving of its back suggests it is wearing a silk drape, which links it with Asia.  It is used to denote strength and military courage and leadership. Griffins are portrayed with rear body of a lion, an eagle's head, with erect ears, and feathered breast, with forelegs of an eagle, including claws. The combination indicates a combination of intelligence and strength. According to Stephen Friar's New Dictionary of Heraldry, a griffin's claw was believed to have medicinal properties and one of its feathers could restore sight to the blind.

In todays’ world, the Eagle is a symbol of strength, loyalty, courage, and freedom. Because of that, it is the national emblem for the United States. You can find it on so many things that we come across in our everyday lives, on the backs of our gold coins, the silver dollar, the half dollar and the quarter.  It is prominent in seals and logos, postage stamps, and other items relating to the U.S. federal government.

Over so many decades, the Eagle has been an important figure in many cultures.  Starting with the Pisa griffin in Italy, with its eagle like head and wings, to the bald eagle that means so much to the people of America. The continual reemergence of these symbolic creatures goes to show that even through the hundreds of years, people still come together and believe that these figures represent the people in some way, shape, or form.