scholarly journals A Critique of the Images of Heaven in the Scriptures of The Abrahamic Religions: An Existentialist Perspective

2020 ◽  
pp. 270-282
Author(s):  
Raymond Nonnatus Osei ◽  
Husein Inusah
Keyword(s):  
Legal Status ◽  
Kingdom Of God ◽  
The Political ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Political Structure ◽  
Ideal Society ◽  
Special Place ◽  
Abrahamic Religions ◽  
The Ideal

In this paper, we critically examine the scriptural images of heaven as captured in the Abrahamic religions from the existentialist perspective. The three dominant Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam opine that there is life beyond this earthly existence for all human beings and that God (their object of worship) has prepared a special place of eternal happiness for those who obey His commands on earth. This place is frequently referred to as the Kingdom of God, Heaven or Paradise. We argue that the above construct of heaven throws up a lot of problems, especially from the existentialist perspective. Some of these problems include the fact that these constructs of heaven eliminate all the challenges that stimulate human existentiality, throw into oblivion the scourging evils of boredom arising from the eternal passivity of existence in heaven and fail to lay down exactly the political structure and the legal status of the earthlings in heaven since a Kingdom presupposes a feudalist structure where there are kings, lords and serfs. We conclude by showing that the scriptures‘ constructs of heaven appear self-contradictory and fail to strike a chord with the contemporary image of the ideal society when perused from the existentialist perspective and should, therefore, be discarded.

Looking Backward 2000-1887

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward Bellamy
Keyword(s):  
Nineteenth Century ◽  
Democratic Society ◽  
The Political ◽  
Industrial Capitalism ◽  
Ideal Society ◽  
The Past ◽  
Utopian Fiction ◽  
Socialist Utopia ◽  
Year 2000 ◽  
The Ideal

‘No person can be blamed for refusing to read another word of what promises to be a mere imposition upon his credulity.’ Julian West, a feckless aristocrat living in fin-de-siècle Boston, plunges into a deep hypnotic sleep in 1887 and wakes up in the year 2000. America has been turned into a rigorously centralized democratic society in which everything is controlled by a humane and efficient state. In little more than a hundred years the horrors of nineteenth-century capitalism have been all but forgotten. The squalid slums of Boston have been replaced by broad streets, and technological inventions have transformed people’s everyday lives. Exiled from the past, West excitedly settles into the ideal society of the future, while still fearing that he has dreamt up his experiences as a time traveller. Edward Bellamy’s Looking Backward (1888) is a thunderous indictment of industrial capitalism and a resplendent vision of life in a socialist utopia. Matthew Beaumont’s lively edition explores the political and psychological peculiarities of this celebrated utopian fiction.

Tolkien’s Shire: The Ideal of a Conservative-Anarchist Distributist Governance

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-53
Author(s):  
Yannick Imbert
Keyword(s):  
Political Philosophy ◽  
Party System ◽  
Historical Background ◽  
The Political ◽  
Special Significance ◽  
Political Structure ◽  
Lord Of The Rings ◽  
Political Views ◽  
The Ideal

This article seeks to explores the political significance of Tolkien’s Shire through consideration of both his works and his historical background. Even though the nature of politics in The Lord of the Rings has already been much discussed, there is, given the scarcity of Tolkien’s political references, further investigation is still needed. In a first part, this article will look at the interaction of Tolkien and the “movement” known as Tory anarchism. This article’s thesis is that this particular species of anarchy was an immediate background to Tolkien’s political views represented in his writings, especially in his mythological corpus as well as in his shorter stories—as in Farmer Giles of Ham. In a second part, this article investigate the meaning of Tolkien’s self-described attachment to “unconstitutional monarchy.” Here, comparison with the Shire’s political structure will be instructive, as will be the influences of Chesterton and Belloc’s political philosophy. In this regard, their work The Party System, is of special significance. In conclusion, this article will defend that Tolkien’s Shire is best seen as a Distributist conservative anarchy.

Humanism and Empire: Aeneas Sylvius Piccolomini, Cicero and the imperial ideal

1993 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 499-515 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cary J. Nederman
Keyword(s):  
Political Thought ◽  
The Political ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Political Association ◽  
Civic Institutions ◽  
The Ideal

ABSTRACTThe paper argues that the De ortu et auctoritate imperii Romani of Aeneas Sylvius Piccolomini (1446) has been unjustifiably ignored by historians of quattrocento humanist political thought simply because of its adherence to the ideal of universal imperial government. At present, when De ortu is addressed at all, it is considered merely as an anachronistic product of a ‘medieval’ mentality. It is shown, however, that Aeneas, by working within a demonstrably Ciceronian framework, actually articulates a philosophically coherent defence of a single universal empire by exploiting a conceptual ambiguity in Cicero's own presentation of the foundations of social and political association. Aeneas suggests that Cicero's account of the communal nature of human beings, so far from sanctioning republican civic institutions, actually justifies the imposition of universal empire. A study of Piccolomini's political thought thus points to a greater diversity within the political viewpoints associated with humanism than current scholarship on the subject acknowledges. Moreover, it reveals the level of philosophical sophistication to which renaissance defences of empire could aspire.

Swami Vivekananda Teaching using Tradition of Valuing the Early years of the Child’s life, and a Rich Heritage of Practices for Stimulating Development and Inculcating “Sanskaras” or basis Values and Social Skills in Children in Icds in India

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Human Life ◽  
Great Influence ◽  
Social Philosophy ◽  
Early Years ◽  
The Political ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Practical Realization ◽  
Life Activity ◽  
Philosophical Consideration ◽  
Economic Philosophy

Philosophy is a search for a general understanding of values and reality by chiefly speculative rather than observational means. It signifies a natural and necessary urge in human beings to know themselves and the world in which they live and move and have their being. Hindu philosophy is intensely spiritual and has always emphasized the need for practical realization of Truth. Philosophy is a comprehensive system of ideas about human nature and the nature of the reality we live in. It is a guide for living, because the issues it addresses are basic and pervasive, determining the course we take in life and how we treat other people. Hence we can say that all the aspects of human life are influenced and governed by the philosophical consideration. As a field of study philosophy is one of the oldest disciplines. It is considered as a mother of all the sciences. In fact it is at the root of all knowledge. Education has also drawn its material from different philosophical bases. Education, like philosophy is also closely related to human life. Therefore, being an important life activity education is also greatly influenced by philosophy. Various fields of philosophy like the political philosophy, social philosophy and economic philosophy have great influence on the various aspects of education like educational procedures, processes, policies, planning and its implementation, from both the theoretical and practical aspects. In order to understand the concept of Philosophy of education it is necessary to first understand the meaning of the two terms; Philosophy and Education.

Persons Together

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan L. Mittleman
Keyword(s):  
Human Nature ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Image Of God ◽  
Jewish Tradition ◽  
The Political ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Human Flourishing ◽  
Political Dimensions ◽  
Market Relations ◽  
The Image Of God

This chapter moves into the political and economic aspects of human nature. Given scarcity and interdependence, what sense has Judaism made of the material well-being necessary for human flourishing? What are Jewish attitudes toward prosperity, market relations, labor, and leisure? What has Judaism had to say about the political dimensions of human nature? If all humans are made in the image of God, what does that original equality imply for political order, authority, and justice? In what kinds of systems can human beings best flourish? It argues that Jewish tradition shows that we act in conformity with our nature when we elevate, improve, and sanctify it. As co-creators of the world with God, we are not just the sport of our biochemistry. We are persons who can select and choose among the traits that comprise our very own natures, cultivating some and weeding out others.

The critical theory of democracy in Western political thought

2020 ◽  
pp. 117
Author(s):  
Ruqaya Saeed Khalkhal
Keyword(s):  
Political Life ◽  
The Political ◽  
Democratic Process ◽  
The Social ◽  
Science And Politics ◽  
Political Realities ◽  
The Church ◽  
Theory Of Democracy ◽  
Or Applications ◽  
The Ideal

The darkness that Europe lived in the shadow of the Church obscured the light that was radiating in other parts, and even put forward the idea of democracy by birth, especially that it emerged from the tent of Greek civilization did not mature in later centuries, especially after the clergy and ideological orientation for Protestants and Catholics at the crossroads Political life, but when the Renaissance emerged and the intellectual movement began to interact both at the level of science and politics, the Europeans in democracy found refuge to get rid of the tyranny of the church, and the fruits of the application of democracy began to appear on the surface of most Western societies, which were at the forefront to be doubtful forms of governece.        Democracy, both in theory and in practice, did not always reflect Western political realities, and even since the Greek proposition, it has not lived up to the idealism that was expected to ensure continuity. Even if there is a perception of the success of the democratic process in Western societies, but it was repulsed unable to apply in Islamic societies, because of the social contradiction added to the nature of the ruling regimes, and it is neither scientific nor realistic to convey perceptions or applications that do not conflict only with our civilized reality The political realization created by certain historical circumstances, and then disguises the different reality that produced them for the purpose of resonance in the ideal application.

THE CONCEPT OF "HUMAN RIGHTS" IN THE SOCIO-POLITICAL SCIENCES

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 50-59
Author(s):  
Farhod Khatamov ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Political Development ◽  
The Political ◽  
Scientific Article ◽  
Historical Evolution ◽  
Political Sciences ◽  
Special Place ◽  
Protection Of Human Rights

This scientific article analyzes the origin of the concept of "human rights", its historical evolution and role in the political development of society. Scientific conclusions were made by summarizing the interpretations of various periods and historical stages. The study also emphasizes that the protection of human rights and freedoms occupies a special place in the development of human civilization

ВОЕННОПЛЕННЫЕСТРАНЧЕТВЕРНОГОСОЮЗАНАТЕРРИТОРИИСТАВРОПОЛЬСКОЙГУБЕРНИИВУСЛОВИЯХПОЛИТИЧЕСКОГОКАТАКЛИЗМА(ФЕВРАЛЬНОЯБРЬ1917Г.)

2019 ◽  
pp. 122-139
Author(s):  
I.V. Kryuchkov
Keyword(s):  
Legal Status ◽  
Prisoners Of War ◽  
The Political ◽  
Economic Crises ◽  
Regions Of Russia

В представленном материале исследуется положение военнопленных стран Четверного союза на территории Ставропольской губернии. В статье отмечается незначительное ухудшение условий содержания пленных в г. Ставрополе и ряде сел губернии в начале 1917 г., что не отразилось на общей привлекательности губернии для пленных в сравнении с другими регионами России. Февральская революция 1917 г. способствовала либерализации правового статуса пленных. Однако нарастание в стране политического и экономического кризиса привело к ухудшению положения пленных, в том числе в Ставропольской губернии. С осени 1917 г. они всеми доступными средствами стремились покинуть губернию и выехать за пределы России.The position of prisoners of war of the Quadruple Alliance countries on the territory of Stavropol Province is considered in the article. A modest deterioration of the detention conditions of prisoners in Stavropol and certain villages of the province at the beginning of 1917 is marked in the material. The deterioration didnt affect the general attractiveness of the province to prisoners in comparison with other regions of Russia. The February Revolution of 1917 promoted the liberalization of the legal status of prisoners. However, the growth of the political and economic crises in the country led to the deterioration of prisoners position, including Stavropol Province. They had sought to leave the province and Russia by all available means since the autumn of 1917.

The Famous Forty and Their Companions: North Yemen's First-Generation Modernists and Educational Emigrants

2005 ◽  
Vol 59 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert D. Burrowes
Keyword(s):  
First Generation ◽  
The Political ◽  
Major Conclusion ◽  
Political Structure ◽  
Cultural System ◽  
The Impact

This article is a study of the several hundred North Yemenis who went out from isolated Yemen for education between 1947 and 1959. It focuses on their backgrounds, what and where they studied, the impact on them of this experience, what they did when they returned and, finally, the impact they have had on the Yemen most hoped to change. The major conclusion is that their impact has been modest and that this is best explained by Yemen's socio-cultural system and the political structure it supports.

The World Underfoot

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hallie M. Franks
Keyword(s):  
The Political ◽  
Classical Period ◽  
Social Fabric ◽  
Physiological Reaction ◽  
The Social ◽  
The World ◽  
Foreign Land ◽  
Social Gathering ◽  
Set Up ◽  
The Ideal

In the Greek Classical period, the symposium—the social gathering at which male citizens gathered to drink wine and engage in conversation—was held in a room called the andron. From couches set up around the perimeter of the andron, symposiasts looked inward to the room’s center, which often was decorated with a pebble mosaic floor. These mosaics provided visual treats for the guests, presenting them with images of mythological scenes, exotic flora, dangerous beasts, hunting parties, or the specter of Dionysos, the god of wine, riding in his chariot or on the back of a panther. This book takes as its subject these mosaics and the context of their viewing. Relying on discourses in the sociology and anthropology of space, it argues that the andron’s mosaic imagery actively contributed to a complex, metaphorical experience of the symposium. In combination with the ritualized circling of the wine cup from couch to couch around the room and the physiological reaction to wine, the images of mosaic floors called to mind other images, spaces, or experiences, and, in doing so, prompted drinkers to reimagine the symposium as another kind of event—a nautical voyage, a journey to a foreign land, the circling heavens or a choral dance, or the luxury of an abundant past. Such spatial metaphors helped to forge the intimate bonds of friendship that are the ideal result of the symposium and that make up the political and social fabric of the Greek polis.

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