Importance of Vaccination to the Survival of Humanity

Importance of Vaccination to the Survival of Humanity Bokota, Rachael People in developed countries are able to live without the fear of a plague breakout. They are able to attend festivals, ride the subway, and share food without worrying that they could bring home a deadly pathogen to infect their loved ones. This is possible through the advent of vaccines. Surviving the year was not always so simple. There were times when there would be mass outbreaks of disease regularly. Cities would be breeding grounds for deadly pathogens, and the population would live in fear of having contact with neighbors, as they might be given the deadly blight. Vaccines have changed all of this. Not only do people these days feel protected from diseases, some even feel that in a way, man has conquered nature, allowing for more people to have longer lifespans and a greater quality of life. Vaccines have saved us by allowing pathogens to be bent to our will and serve our immune system, protecting more than just the individual, and making our schools safe by requiring vaccin ations. Vaccinations have changed our lives by using pathogens to aide our immune system rather than harm it. To understand how helpful vaccines are, it is important first to understand how vaccines work. Vaccines function one of four ways: by utilizing live, attenuated microbes, killed microbes, toxoids, or recombinant DNA from microbes (Krasner and Shore 2014). When live, attenuated microbes are used, the microbial strain has been tested multiple times in mice until a non-lethal strain is found and injected into a person. This person will then be able to easily fight off the disease and will have immunity through the antibodies made against the microbes for life. The use of killed microbe vaccines are slightly safer than live, attenuated vaccines, as the virus is dead but still causes antibodies to be produced. The downside to killed-microbe vaccines however, is that they often require a few boosters to be really effective and keep a lasting memory in the hosts immune system (publichealth. org). Toxoid Vaccines are taken from the microbe and then detoxified and injected into a person. This will cause the person to create antibodies against the toxin, effectively making them immune. Furthermore, antitoxins can be produced by injecting a small amount of toxin into a large animal such as a horse, which will produce antibodies against the toxin and then be injected into a person if the need arises (Krasner and Shore 2014). This is used to combat venomous animal bites or stings. Finally, recombinant DNA from a microbe can be taken and added to a nonvirulent virus and then injected into a person, who will then produce antibodies against the code of the microbe. Through these four ways, vaccines actively use microbes to create antibodies in the individual who is given the vaccine, giving them protection against that very microbe. Vaccines protect more than the individual through herd or community immunity. Herd immunity is the idea that when a critical immunization threshold of people vaccinated is met, the spread of diseases will be so reduced that the disease is no longer a threat, and even people who are at risk or who have not received the vaccine will acquire protection (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)). An excellent example of herd immunity at its finest is the way in which developed countries deal with the different strains of the flu each year. Every year, scientists come up with a vaccine which is a combination of the strains which are prevalent that year. Many people will receive these vaccines, and a herd immunity is built up so that less and less people get the flu every year. Furthermore, less and less people die from the flu nowadays that they did in the past, partly due to advances in medicine, but also due to the lack of spread of the disease. Measles has been eradicated in North America due to vaccinations and herd immunity. According to the California Department of Public Health, an outbreak of Measles was confirmed in December of 2014 when 40 people who had been at Disneyland contracted the disease. Whereas in other areas of the world this outbreak would have become a national epidemic, the disease only spread to six other states and the outbreak was found to have ended in April of 2015. The short duration of the outbreak and its relative containment were all due to the strong herd immunity that citizens of the U.S. had built up over decades of Measles vaccinations. For these reasons, vaccines are able to protect not only an individual who has been given the vaccine, but also other members of the community who have not been vaccinated. Vaccines have become important to community health through the controversial requirement by schools for students to be vaccinated. An ongoing debate in the education field has been whether or not schools should require their students to have been vaccinated for various diseases. Proponents of school immunization point out that the more students are vaccinated, the greater the herd immunity that is generated, and thus the safer the students and the community are. Opponents argue that there is always the possibility that a child could have an adverse reaction to the vaccine or perhaps develop Autism as a result. The claim that vaccines cause Autism has been widely refuted through numerous studies conducted around the world, which has led most experts to believe that not immunizing a child based on this risk is a fallacy. As Plotkin, Gerber, and Offit write, However, both epidemiological and biological studies fail to support these claims, (Plotkin, Gerber, and Offit 2009). Since 2009, more studies have been done on the issue, all showing that there is a negligible link between Autism and vaccines. As for other adverse effects which vaccines may cause, one is much more likely to get the disease when unvaccinated than to have an adverse reaction to a vaccine, and the consequences of contracting the disease will be much more severe. For these reasons, school immunization should be required as it makes the students and community much safer. We in the United States are fortunate to live in a vaccinated world. We dont have to live under the shadow of disease as our ancestors did, and as some people in the world still do. Through the use of vaccines we have generated enough herd immunity in schools and communities that our children can grow up safe from the illnesses that used to plague our country and world. Therefore, vaccines have saved us by allowing pathogens to be bent to our will and serve our immune system, protecting more than just the individual, and making our schools safe by requiring vaccinations. Work Cited Community Immunity (Herd Immunity) | Vaccines.gov (2017, January 18). In Vaccines.gov. Retrieved February 19, 2017. How Vaccines Work (2014, June 4). In PublicHealth.org. Retrieved February 19, 2017. Krasner, R. I., Shors, T. (2014). The Microbial Challenge (3rd ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones Bartlett Learning. Measles (n.d.). In California Department of Public Health. Retrieved February 19, 2017. Plotkin, S., Gerber, J. S., Offit, P. A. (2009, February 15). Vaccines and Autism: A Tale of Shifting Hypotheses. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 48(4).

The Byzantine Empire :: essays research papers

The Byzantine Empire   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Byzantine Empire, the survivor of the Roman empire, flourished into the oldest and longest lasting empire in our history. It began with Constantine the Great's triumph of Christianity. He then transferred his capital from Rome to the refounded Byzantium in the early 4th century, year 330 AD, and named it Constantinople after himself. This city became the surviving safe spot after the breakup of the Western Roman empire by the 5th century. It was by far the largest and richest city in Christendom during the Middle Ages with a population of about one million people. (Encarta)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Constantine the Great had established a criterion for the empire to follow throughout its history. It included the harmony of the church, the leaders and the teachers of the empire. Constantine created a successful new monetary system based on the gold solidus, or nomisma which lasted well into the middle of the 11th century. Because of the commercial thriving throughout the 4th, 5th, and 6th centuries, many ancient cities flourished. Large estates dominated agriculture which continued to be fruitful in spite of the heavy taxation causing an abandonment of land. From the beginning to the end of the Byzantine empire, the church and the emperor had been the largest landholders, therefore being the largest profiteers of Byzantine. (Encarta)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After the Roman empire fell in 476 AD, Byzantine conquered all. It took over the space of southeastern Europe, southwestern Asia, and the northeast corner of Africa. The present day countries in these areas include the Balkan Peninsula, Syria, Jordan, Israel, and Egypt. This large empire known as Byzantine didn't get called Byzantine until scholars named it. The people of that time were not thought of as Byzantines but as Romans who lived a Roman lifestyle. Byzantine had been started and ruled by an emperor without any formal constitution. It slowly formed a similar establishment of late Roman institutions. Byzantine followed the Romans orthodox Christianity as well. The predominant language of this era was Greek, although some subjects spoke Latin, The Byzantine Empire :: essays research papers The Byzantine Empire   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Byzantine Empire, the survivor of the Roman empire, flourished into the oldest and longest lasting empire in our history. It began with Constantine the Great's triumph of Christianity. He then transferred his capital from Rome to the refounded Byzantium in the early 4th century, year 330 AD, and named it Constantinople after himself. This city became the surviving safe spot after the breakup of the Western Roman empire by the 5th century. It was by far the largest and richest city in Christendom during the Middle Ages with a population of about one million people. (Encarta)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Constantine the Great had established a criterion for the empire to follow throughout its history. It included the harmony of the church, the leaders and the teachers of the empire. Constantine created a successful new monetary system based on the gold solidus, or nomisma which lasted well into the middle of the 11th century. Because of the commercial thriving throughout the 4th, 5th, and 6th centuries, many ancient cities flourished. Large estates dominated agriculture which continued to be fruitful in spite of the heavy taxation causing an abandonment of land. From the beginning to the end of the Byzantine empire, the church and the emperor had been the largest landholders, therefore being the largest profiteers of Byzantine. (Encarta)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After the Roman empire fell in 476 AD, Byzantine conquered all. It took over the space of southeastern Europe, southwestern Asia, and the northeast corner of Africa. The present day countries in these areas include the Balkan Peninsula, Syria, Jordan, Israel, and Egypt. This large empire known as Byzantine didn't get called Byzantine until scholars named it. The people of that time were not thought of as Byzantines but as Romans who lived a Roman lifestyle. Byzantine had been started and ruled by an emperor without any formal constitution. It slowly formed a similar establishment of late Roman institutions. Byzantine followed the Romans orthodox Christianity as well. The predominant language of this era was Greek, although some subjects spoke Latin,

The Slavery of the Millennium Essay -- Ethical Issues, Sex Traffickin

It is common ideology that slavery is a thing of the past. This is far from true; sex trafficking is prominent all across the world on a massive scale and is the new form of slavery. According to the U.S. Department of State estimates that 560,000 women are trafficked each year across international borders and forced into the sex industry. {{34 Holman,M. 2008; }} Other non-government programs such a UNICEF have these numbers in the millions. {{34 Holman,M. 2008; }} The real numbers of sex trafficking are unknown, but the problem is evident. The general public is unaware of the sex trafficking epidemic because the forced labor business is not only inhumane: it is well hidden. The business is kept underground due to the stigma associated with prostitution. Because of this most of workers of the business are from â€Å"forced recruitment†. {{25 Samarasinghe,Vidyamali 2007; }} Sex trafficking is not only an issue over seas, it is also a problem in the United States a culture tha t â€Å"glamorizes pimping and prostitution."{{31 Kotrla,K. 2010; }} This culture of tolerance, fueled by the glamorization of pimping, is embodied in multiple venues of daily life, including clothing, songs, television, video games, and other forms of entertainment. Traffickers easily control victim of their trade by using techniques such as â€Å"force, fraud, or coercion, including techniques such as confinement, beatings, rape, confiscation of documents, debt bondage, false owners of employment, and threats of harm to the victim or the victim's family.†{{30 Potocky,M. 2010; }}Once in the business, it is almost impossible for a victim to escape, and if they do they are not likely to come forward to authorities. There are four main ways out of sex trafficking enslavemen... ...ggling are often confused as activities, and the police and immigration officials are ill-equipped to recognize and respond to the problem as one involving victims as well as offenders.† (28) [add to this] If these simple changes are implemented to the standing sex trafficking legislation, mainly the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act implemented in 2000 failing in its attempt to prevent trafficking, protect victims, and prosecute traffickers. The TVPA will be up for reauthorization in November 2011. As this quickly approaching, it is imperative the public is educated on the human exploitation that is often ignored. Sex trafficking is a global problem that can only be taken down by the help of a government that recognizes the weakness in its current policy. The victims and the public deserve better than the U.S. government has done thus far.

Modern Racism Essay

An Asian friend once had experienced racism while he was out in a fast food restaurant in the city. He shared how he was the third person in line at the time, but when it was his turn to order his food, the food attendant, who was a 20-something white man, simply blew him off and serviced the person next in line to him. He said that his attempts to plead his right to order fell to deaf ears for a while, until the attendant exclaimed, â€Å"Whites first. You’re Asian. † Of course, he felt shock and embarrassment at the time the racism incident happened. He mentioned he couldn’t believe that racism is still prevalent up to this day. Though the said incident may be an isolated case, it still is alarming that these things still happen. Clearly, racism still isn’t a thing of the past, rather, it still lingers on to the present day, hence, the term, Modern Racism. One of the laudable explanations on prejudice that explains the food attendant’s attitude towards my Asian friend is the concept of In-Group Bias. This concept states that â€Å"humans have a powerful tendency to favor over other groups the group to which they belong† (Bordens & Horowitz, 2002). True enough, the food attendant chose to give his services to whites first because they have the â€Å"same color†, implying they belong in the same group, and tended to completely ignore his Asian customer because he is not white. If one must find justification to what the food attendant did, then one can only assume that because the country is at present extremely multiracial and multicultural, people tend to hold tightly to those in the same group as they are, because only then they can feel safest and strongest. This is due to the assumption that the other members of the group will also tend to value him/her more than other members of the outgroup, in the event of a conflict. This is explained in the Social Identity Theory, an underlying theory to explain In-Group Bias. The Social Identity Theory explains that â€Å"human beings are motivated to positively evaluate their own groups, in order to maintain and enhance self-esteem† (Tafjel, 1982). When a person derogates a member of the outgroup, it enhances the ingroup and in turn, promotes positive self-evaluation (Schneider, 2004. ) The racist remark and deed of the food attendant aims to please his group, which are the white people, and this event gives a positive effect on his self-evaluation. The food attendant’s hostility towards my Asian friend may also be explained by the Scapegoating Theory. This theory states that â€Å"frustration is a major instigation of aggression, and when this can’t be directed at the direct cause, it may be displaced onto a scapegoat† (Dollard, Miller, Doob, Mowrer, & Sears, 1939). In this event, the frustration of the food attendant is from his economic status, and because he is threatened that an outgroup, who in this case is my Asian friend, has a better economic status than he is, he displaced his anger and aggression by making a racist remark and deed against my Asian friend. Now, whether it is Ingroup Bias or Scapegoating Theory which explains the racist deed best, it cannot be justified that the deed was done in good taste. Of course, racism is what it entails, it is an unjust means of categorizing people, and yet it still prevails in the modern times. Unfortunately, there is no foolproof way that one can prevent racism from happening. The next best thing to avoid conflict that results from stereotyping and modern racism is to keep an open mind. References Schneider, D. J. (2004). The Psychology of Stereotyping. New York: The Guilford Press. Bordens, K. S. and Horowitz. (2002). Social Psychology. New Jersey: Lawrence Elbaum Associates Inc. Fisher, E. M. (1992). â€Å"Modern Racism and Academic Librarianship in a Period of Diversity. † Conference Proceedings, Sixth National Conference. Chicago, IL: Association of College & Research Libraries.

Literature Naturalism in Huck Finn Research Paper

Man versus Nature In the story â€Å"The adventure of Huckleberry Finn† by Mark Twain, many of the characters were facing some tough choices which were to either do what society believed in or do what they believed is right. Among the people that was mostly dominated by such choices, Huck Finn was the most critical character to always have to make these choices. In many occasions, he found himself on the spot to satisfy society but denied to do so because he does not care of what society think of him. Referring to the story can better help discussing the concept of man v. ociety that is so prevalent in Huckleberry Finn. The concept of man versus society that is so prevalent in Huckleberry Finn can be seen in many aspects. Huckleberry Finn in a way faces many aspects of society, which gives him the struggle of choosing his own individuality over society. In the beginning of the novel, Huck practically raises himself and relies on his instincts to guide him through his life on E arth. In the world as Huckleberry Finn views it, society has corrupted the notion of justice and morality  to fit the needs of its people in the nation at a particular period of time.In the very beginning of the novel † the Adventure of Huckleberry Finn† Huck plainly states that he did not wish to conform to society. Huckleberry Finn states that â€Å" the widow Douglas she took me for her son , and allowed she would sivilize me; but it was rough living in the house all the time, considering how dismal regular and descent the widow was in all her ways; and so when I couldn't stand it no longer, I lit out. I got into my old rags, and my sugar-hogshead again and was free and satisfied†( Mark Twain 102).Huck did not really want to live that civilize life miss Watson was trying to get him to lived. she would constantly give him direct orders like † don't put your feet up there Huckleberry† and † don't scrunch up like that , Huckleberry -set up stra ight † (102). she tried tirelessly to get Huck to be the way society expect him to be. it just wasn't working. After realizing this component of Huck’s personality, we can further identify the development of Huck as an individual that is outside of societies liking.We find next in the book that Huck’s own instincts tend to hold him in a higher moral standard than those of society. We first see this in the novel with Huckleberry’s decision to help free Jim, a known slave, is an example of one such occurrence. Huckleberry Finn recognizes Jim as a human being, but is actually fighting the beliefs bestowed upon him by society that believes slaves should not be free. However, it is even more important to realize though that Huckleberry’s decision creates the conflict between society and him.But, what Huckleberry Finn does not realize is that his decision defines his personal justice, the righteousness, and even the heroism of his own self that is develop ing. when Jim was captured, he decided that he will do the right thing by sending miss Watson a letter to tell her where her nigger was. He sat and think of all the bad thing that he had done and he mentioned how society think of helping a slave to escape was sin. Despite all of that thinking, his words were † All right, then, I'll go to hell† (239). Most of the time, society set the rules of how people suppose to live their live.In the face of the majority, you will be considered as immoral, out of order, miss-behave if one fail to follow those clear paths that been set. after reading this story, it is clear for one to see that he/she can distinguish his/herself from society. We can follow our own path just like Huck, and do what we think is right even if it hurt society. 01 November 2012Works Cited Twain, Mark. â€Å"The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn. † Vol. 2. The Norton Anthology. Ed. Nina Baym. Shorter seventh edition ed. New York: Norton & Company, 1884. Print.

A Letter to My Teacher – 15 Things About Me

Northern Caribbean University School of Religion and Theology Research Paper Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Course RELB113: God and Human Life By: Akeem Favorite – 18100633 To: Dr. Earl Cameron December 8th, 2011 One stark similarity existing between the Christian and Islamic faith is the plan of salvation. Both agree that the plan of salvation must be attained through the acceptance of â€Å"Godâ€Å". There are hundreds of different religions in the world; essentially all religions teach that there is some form of salvation. Christianity and Islam are two religions that have much in common, when it comes to the topic of salvation. A common view shared by both is expressed through their belief that it is by God they are saved through the plan of salvation. Careful research reveals that there is a commonality between Christians and Muslims in the following areas: the Afterlife, God, Heaven, Hell and Judgement Day. Therefore, this research will explore the aforementioned existential similarities between Christianity and Islam. Christianity started about two thousand years ago in Judea with Jesus and his disciples. Jesus was a Jew and observed the Jewish law as well as associated Himself with the Jews. In his early years, Jesus travelled from village to village teaching and preaching in the synagogues as well as healing those who were suffering. Jesus authorized many sinners to repent from their self-righteous and hypocritical ways, allowing them to realize that God is rooted in service and love. The ministry of Jesus touched the lives and hearts of many people. Jesus taught his disciples about the will of God and the will of the new covenant. The new covenant is that Jesus himself would pay for the sins of all humanity by being crucified unjustly on a cross. Three days later, he would be resurrected, having conquered death to give hope to a hopeless world. The purpose of this new covenant is to restore those who accept it into a renewed fellowship of forgiveness and love with God. Just as Jesus taught, it all happened and his disciples witnessed an amazing miracle. Their teacher, Jesus of Nazareth died and rose again in three days to become their Messiah. Bound by a great charge to share the love that the God of the universe had imparted upon them, the disciples began to proclaim this great gospel of hope throughout the territory. From a small group of ordinary men that lived in a small village in Judea, the history of the Christian church began, and the Christian faith since then has spread to the rest of the world. Jesus disciples preached a simple message: ‘‘For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal lifeâ€Å". John 3:16) According to the Christian belief, salvation is found in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Salvation comes only by the grace of God; there is nothing a Christian can do to guarantee their own salvation, they cannot save themselves or determine their fate after death. Salvation is a process that begins when a person completely accepts Jesus Christ in their life, and it continues through that personâ€℠¢s life and is completed when they stand before God on judgement day. Jesus the son of God is the bridge to the Father. If Christians obey and believe in Him, as well as chose his way, Jesus cleanses them from their sins by His blood. â€Å"But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. † (1 John 1:7) Islam is a monotheistic religion of law that is primarily concerned with right practices. It was developed in the Middle East in the 7th century C. E. The word Islam means â€Å"surrender† or â€Å"submission†, this religion was founded on the teaching of the prophet Muhammad. Imam Ibn Katheer who was a historian and commentator writes in the Tafseer of the verse 17: 94-95 which is the Arabic word for Exegesis or Commentary, usually of the Qur’an said â€Å"Allah says pointing out His Kindness and Mercy towards His servants, that He sends to them Messengers of their own kind so that they will understand what he says and will be able to speak to him directly. If He were to send to umanity a Messenger from among the angels, they would not be able to deal with him face to face and learn from him, as Allah says, ‘Indeed, Allah conferred a great favour on the believers when He sent among them a Messenger (Muhammad) from among themselves. † During the age of 40, Muhammad began to receive visions and revelations from a higher power and Muhammad began to tell people about these visions and revelations and gained many followers. These visions and revelations lasted for 23years and became the Qur’an. Islam has several branches and much variety within those branches. The two divisions within the religion are the Sunni and Shi’a, each of these divisions has different means of maintaining religious authority. One of the combining characteristics of Islam is the five pillars, the fundamental practices of Islam. These five practices include: 1. Reciting the two-fold Creed (shahada) (profession of faith) – There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet (or Muhammad is the messenger of God). 2. Prayer (salat) – At five set-times a day while facing towards the city of Mecca. 3. Alms – giving (sakat) (zakat- means â€Å"purification†, an act of worship_ – Both obligatory and voluntary giving to the poor. 4. Fasting (saum) – Especially during the holy month of Ramadan. 5. Pilgrimage (hajj) – At least once in a lifetime – to Mecca, Saudi Arabia if at all possible, known as the Hajj. Even though Muslims may observe each of these pillars there is still no guarantee of salvation. Islam is based on a religion of self-righteousness. According to the Islam belief, salvation is found in Allah. In order to receive this salvation as a Muslim one must first submit themself to the teaching of Islam and the will of Allah. Islam is a religion of salvation by works and Islam teaches that forgiveness is conditioned upon good works and Allah’s choice of mercy. In other word, Muslims believe by pleasing Allah and doing good works, they are gaining an entrance through personal merit. The Qur’an teaches that salvation is received on the basis of good works. According to Islam on the day of judgement a person’s good and evil deeds will be weighed on a scale; good works are heavy and evil deeds are light. The person who shows forth with more good deeds then evil, will go to heaven compared to the person whose evil deeds out way the good. Muslims believe that their chances for heaven are good if he 1: accepts the Muslim God Allah and his apostle Mohammed, 2: does good works and all that is required of him by Allah, and 3: is predestined to Allah’s favour. â€Å"If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (Submission to Allah), Never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost. † (Qur’an 3:85; cp. 5:10; 25:68) In order to know the different views of Islam and Christianity we have to go back to the very beginning of time, the time of Adam and Eve. The holy books of Islam and Christianity recount the story of Adam and Eve in the garden, and how they were told by God not to eat of a certain tree, but they disobeyed God. When linking the belief of salvation with Islam and Christianity the differences begin. Christianity calls Adam and Eve’s sin â€Å"the fall of man†, when Adam and Eve fell from the grace of God because of their sin. Christians believe that due to Adam and Eve’s sin, all of mankind will die according to Romans 5:12. This is because Christianity teaches that all the descendants of Adam and Eve have inherited the ability to sin. Thus Christians believe in the doctrine of original sin, according to Romans 3:23 we are all born as sinners. Islam on the other hand does not teach original sin but original forgiveness, Islam also makes mention of the story of Adam and Eve. In Islam Adam is the first prophet. Islam does state that Adam and Eve did sin in the garden, but unlike Christianity, that makes no mention of the repentance of Adam and Eve, Islam teaches that they did repent and ask God/ Allah for forgiveness and were fully forgiven, so that their sin had no consequences for the rest of human race according to the Qur’an. Qur’an 2:27) thus Islam teaches original forgiveness and not original sin. Seeing that Christianity teaches original sin and Islam teaches original forgiveness this then brings us to the difference of Salvation. Due to the original sin of Adam and Eve, mankind lost its relationship with God. In order to communicate with his children again, God did the best thing possible, God b ecame flesh, and he became one of the creatures he made, man. Jesus came to earth because he loves his children; he came to deliver truth in a world of false beliefs. But the main reason he came to earth was to be the final sacrifice for their sins. The simple reason was because they were not good enough compared to God’s standard Jesus Christ. Jesus then came into a sinful world to teach the love of God and tell of the new covenant that was put in place to gain that connection with God. This new covenant was that Jesus Christ himself would pay the penalty for the sins of all humanity and be crucified on a cross, but would rise again in three days to live, having conquered death, to give hope to a hopeless world. By the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, salvation is then given to mankind. His love prompted Him to become man to accomplish what only He could, to rescue mankind. Due to the fact that humanity is sinful, in a spiritually wrecked condition they are in need of redemption, but could not redeem themselves. No other person, but the Creator could accomplish that; no man with sin could qualify to redeem them with his life. God came to earth as man to cleanse the effect of the disease of sin inherited to all humanity. God loves his children and he who is perfect, righteous and holy lived among his creatures that are unholy, unrighteous, even those who were enemies of him. While on the other hand Muslims believe that God forgave Adam for what he did and because of that no one should be made to bear the burden of someone else’s sin or mistake because it is unfair. This God that the Muslims refer to as Allah is the God and creator of Jesus, and is the same God that Jesus refers to as father to whom he used to pray to. Muslims contradicts the idea that Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross. They believe Allah spared his messengers life from such an embarrassing death and placed Judas on the cross, which God made to look like Jesus so that he would suffer his rightful penalty for betrayal. Through this teaching Muslims see themselves protecting the prophetic integrity of Jesus, since a true prophet, according to Islam, could not suffer the humiliation that Jesus did. Muslims affirm that Jesus ascended to heaven but deny that he died on the cross. Muslims do not feel that it was necessary for Jesus to pay for our sins. They believe that every man must bear and pay his or her own sins; for Jesus to be punished and responsible for our sins would be unjust in their eyes. Since Muslims do not recognize the universal and corruptive power of sin, released as a result of original sin, they see no need for salvation. If there is no sin that has a hold on you, you do not need to be saved from it. This is why they do not hold any assurance of salvation. According to their view it is best to live a good life, pleasing God in all that you do. Submit to God and follow his commands. Religion, to the Muslim, does not mean salvation from sin; it means following the right path, or the shari’a, mapped out by Islamic law. That is why salvation is exclusively based on works, or what man can do to exalt himself in the eyes of Allah. Although Christians and Muslims don’t agree on many things, there are still some things that they both have in common. The first thing they have in common is their view of God. They both believe that there is one God and there is nothing or anyone else like him. There is no other entity in the entire universe worthy of worship besides him. He was born of a virgin and is the creator of man and this universe and is not created. He is also a sovereign God in the lives of men. He is first, last and everlasting; he was when nothing was, and will be when nothing else remains. Despite being called Allah in Islam, this is the same God that Christians believe in. Both view God as all powerful, all knowing, all present, and all merciful. They both believe that only God can grant life to anything and he sent his messenger to guide all of mankind. They believe that God is a just God, but is also a God of principles and finally they both have a holy book that is the only true revealed book in the world that has been kept without change. The second thing that these two religions have in common is death and the afterlife. They believe that this present life that they live is a trial in preparation for the next realm of existence. When a Christian or a Muslim dies the families of both of these religions have a funeral service to remember the loved ones time on earth, as well as their own existence here on earth is brief. Once this funeral service is done both religions place their loves ones back in the earth till the day of judgement where they will be taken up to heaven and judged and other make it to heaven or go to hell. The third and final thing that Christians and Muslims have in common is their holy books and creation. Although they have different names for it and it is written differently, there are still has some similarities, such as the persons, events and the books. In both books you will find that they make mention of, Paul, David, Mary and Jesus. Both books contain some of the same events such as the story of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Noah and the flood, Abraham promised a son, Lot and Sodom and Gomorrah and other stories as well make mention of the same people and places. They also have some of the same books such as Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The Qur’an and the Holy Bible both teach a six day creation. Adam and Eve were created in innocent perfection and placed in a beautiful garden. There Satan tempted them to rebel against God by eating the forbidden fruit, experiencing God’s wrath and judgement, and dismissal from the garden. In conclusion I have learned that even though these are two different religions, they both hold significant information. This information that is given to all of humanity is the plan of salvation. Although Christians believe that salvation is based on the grace of God and Muslims believe that salvation is based on good works both teach that this salvation will lead them to judgement were they will either make it to heaven or hell. Even though Christianity was around six hundred years before Islam both believe in one God and his sovereigns to all of mankind and cannot wait till that day when they shall me their God. References http://www. religionfacts. com/christianity/beliefs/salvation. htm http://www. comparativereligion. com/salvation. html#14 http://www. ankerberg. com/Articles/_PDFArchives/islam/IS3W0605. df http://www. arabicbible. com/islam/sinsalv. htm http://www. religioustolerance. org/chr_savb. htm http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=mh4_86xxlpA http://carm. org/religious-movements/islam/comparison-grid-between-christianity-and-islamic-doctrine http://www. christchurchcentral. co. uk/toughquestions/islam http://www. allaboutreligion. org/history-of-christianity. htm h ttp://www. truechristianity. com/christian/salvation. htm http://www. religionfacts. com/islam/beliefs/salvation. htm http://www. 30-days. net/islam/basics/beliefs/ http://answering-islam. org/Intro/comparison. html

A concept analysis of courage

A concept analysis of courage Courage is a virtue vital for good nursing, and has brought many benefits and advancements to the nursing profession, yet it has received little credit as a nursing skill. Making courage visible to nursing, can help incorporate it as part of the skills training for nurse leaders in nursing schools. This can bring further advancement to the nursing profession. Also, Having a courageous character can benefit patients since it provokes them to be more willing to take treatments and fight illnesses. The literature review identified physical courage, moral courage, psychological courage, and civil courage as different extensions of courage, and it reinforced that moral courage is the one necessary for nursing. It also identified caring, knowledge, and the ability to overcome fears as some of the defining attributes of courage. The willingness to have a courageous character can be provoke by confidence and a sense of duty, and it can lead to self esteem boosts and good learning experience s. Currently, only a few qualitative methods have been identified to study the phenomena of courage in nursing. It is harder to measure courage with quantitative methods because it is subjective in nature, and people experience it differently, depending on their values, believes, and cultures. More studies need to be done to incorporate courage as a nursing concept, and to identify tools and therapies that can entice courage in patients. Introduction The identification of nursing concepts has facilitated theory development and the growth of nursing knowledge, which has lead to many nursing advancement. Many concepts have being identified and inquired in nursing, yet there are some that still remain unexplored; one of these concepts is courage. Courage still remains undefined in nursing. Spencer and Smyth (2007) stated that courage is a concept that remains invisible in nursing, Yet it is essential to the advancement of nursing practice (Spencer, and Smythe 2007). While, Day (2010) s tated that â€Å"Courage is a virtue that is necessary to the conscientious practice of all health care providers† (Day, 2010). It is the virtue that leads nurses to develop other virtues and skills like leadership, advocacy, commitment, caring, and conflict resolution amongst others. Without courage, nursing would be a robotic job that implies following orders without any regards for the patients health care outcomes. According to Thomas (2007), courage is a requirement to be a leader. â€Å"Leaders must consistently find the courage to hold true to their beliefs and convictions† (Thomas, 2003). Today’s nursing leaders need to be courageous to face the politics of the health care systems and improve nursing for the future. Courage is a virtue that can also benefit patients in the health care. Being diagnosed with an illness often times creates fears and uncertainties that may cause loss of self esteem and dignity. This can lead to non-compliance to treatments a nd poor outcomes. Patients need to find the courage from within to fight the physical and physiological disruptions and restore their health. According to Wein (2007), having a fighting spirit can bring real benefits to the patients. Health care providers can use it as a therapeutic tool by appealing to the patient’s sense of courage, through facilitating therapies that ameliorate suffering, restore self esteem, and allow rediscovery of meaning (Wein, 2007).