Terrorism in pakistan free essay sample

Terrorism in Pakistan Full Essay: Terrorism is not just word but ideology that suffered this world a lot. There are many countries of the world that are facing this threat in their parts. Important thing is that all countries are trying to counter it but terrorism increased. Pakistan is also the victim of this terrorism. In fact it is suffering a lot than any other country. The reason of that it’s big functional boundary which is associated with big countries of the world like India, Iran, Afghanistan and China. In last UN Convention in which all heads of States were present, PM India Man Mohan Singh said Pakistan is the Epicenter of Terrorism† and all people that were sit in that convention endorsed his statement without considering that Pakistan gave lot of lives in this fight of terrorism, army men and also public. Today, bomb blast or suicide bombing is normal thing for the citizens of Pakistan. We will write a custom essay sample on Terrorism in pakistan or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Many Pakistanis are dying these blasts but they are facing it by bravery. But the whole world is continuously pointing to us as terrorist state. What a shame? There is no govt. official that can say truth to the world and to the citizens of Pakistan that are still seeing towards leadership. This is happening with us because of our slavery and corrupt leadership that made such decisions and policies through we are reached at the edge of another partition. Our Establishment launched Jihad to rescue the people of Afghanistan against USSR. We defeated USSR badly with the help of USA and got huge success. Now the scenario has been totally changed for last 10 years. USA replaced USSR and it is fighting against these Afghanis that were fighting with USA against USSR. Pakistan played the same role and it is helping USA against those Afghanis. Presently Pakistan is considered as Infidel (Kafir) state by this Pakistani Taliban. So, Pakistan is facing different war scenes. TTP which has origin of Pakistan is fighting against Pakistani State and Afghani Taliban is fighting against USA in Afghanistan. This wart is continuously going and USA is ready to leave this region by the beginning of 2014 but what about Pakistan? Pakistan has to do something to get rid of this problem because after going USA Pakistan will become the prime target for both of them which will be very deadly detrimental for Pakistan and it should plan something long term to make itself safe from these coming situations.

Margaret Pole, Tudor Matriarch and Martyr

Margaret Pole, Tudor Matriarch and Martyr Margaret Pole Facts Known for:  Her family connections to wealth and power, which at some times of her life meant she wielded wealth and power, and at other times meant she was subject to great risks during great controversies.   She held a noble title in her own right, and controlled great wealth, after she was restored to favor during the reign of Henry VIII but she became embroiled in the religious controversy over his split with Rome and was executed on Henry’s orders. She was beatified by the Roman Catholic Church in 1886 as a martyr.Occupation:  Lady-in-waiting to Catherine of Aragon, manager of her estates as Countess of Salisbury.Dates:  August 14, 1473 – May 27, 1541Also known as: Margaret of York, Margaret Plantagenet, Margaret de la Pole, Countess of Salisbury, Margaret Pole the Blessed Margaret Pole Biography: Margaret Pole was born about four years after her parents had married, and was the first child born after the couple lost their first child on board a ship fleeing to France during the Wars of the Roses.   Her father, Duke of Clarence and brother to Edward IV, switched sides several times during that long family battle over the crown of England.   Her mother died after giving birth to a fourth child; that brother died ten days after their mother. When Margaret was only four years old, her father was killed in the Tower of London where he was imprisoned for rebelling again against his brother, Edward IV; rumor was that he was drowned in a butt of Malmsey wine.   For a time, she and her younger brother were in the care of their maternal aunt, Anne Neville, who was married to their paternal uncle, Richard of Gloucester. Removed From the Succession A Bill of Attainder disinherited Margaret and her younger brother, Edward, and removed them from the line of succession.   Margaret’s uncle Richard of Gloucester became king in 1483 as Richard III, and reinforced young Margaret and Edward’s exclusion from the line of succession.   (Edward would have had a better right to the throne as son of Richard’s older brother.) Margaret’s aunt, Anne Neville, thus became queen. Henry VII and Tudor Rule Margaret was 12 years old when Henry VII defeated Richard III and claimed the crown of England by right of conquest.   Henry married Margaret’s cousin, Elizabeth of York, and imprisoned Margaret’s brother as a potential threat to his kingship. In 1487, an imposter, Lambert Simmel, pretended to be her brother Edward, and was used to try to gather a rebellion against Henry VII.   Edward was then brought out and displayed briefly to the public.   Henry VII also decided, about that time, to marry the 15-year-old Margaret to his half-cousin, Sir Richard Pole. Margaret and Richard Pole had five children, born between about 1492 and 1504: four sons and the youngest a daughter. In 1499, Margaret’s brother Edward apparently tried to escape from the Tower of London to take part in the plot of Perkin Warbeck who claimed to be their cousin, Richard, one of the sons of Edward IV who had been taken to the Tower of London under Richard III and whose fate was not clear.   (Margaret’s paternal aunt, Margaret of Burgundy, supported Perkin Warbeck’s conspiracy, hoping to restore the Yorkists to power.) Henry VII had Edward executed, leaving Margaret as the sole survivor of George of Clarence. Richard Pole was appointed to the household of Arthur, eldest son of Henry VII and Prince of Wales, heir apparent.   When Arthur married Catherine of Aragon, she became a lady-in-waiting to the princess.   When Arthur died in 1502, the Poles lost that position. Widowhood Margaret’s husband Richard died in 1504, leaving her with five young children and very little land or money. The king financed Richard’s funeral. To help with her financial situation, she gave one of her sons, Reginald, to the church.   He later characterized this as abandonment by his mother, and bitterly resented it for much of his life, although he became an important figure in the church. In 1509, when Henry VIII came to the throne after his father’s death, he married his brother’s widow, Catherine of Aragon. Margaret Pole was restored to a position as lady-in-waiting, which helped her financial situation. In 1512, Parliament, with Henry’s assent, restored to her some of the lands that had been held by Henry VII for her brother while he was imprisoned, and then had been confiscated when he was executed.   She also had restored to her the title to the Earldom of Salisbury. Margaret Pole was one of only two women in the 16th century to hold a peerage in her own right. She managed her lands quite well, and became one of the five or six wealthiest peers in England. When Catherine of Aragon gave birth to a daughter, Mary, Margaret Pole was asked to be one of the godmothers. She served later as a governess to Mary. Henry VIII helped provide good marriages or religious offices for Margaret’s sons, and a good marriage for her daughter as well.   When that daughter’s father-in-law was executed by Henry VIII, the Pole family fell out of favor briefly, but regained favor.   Reginald Pole supported Henry VIII in 1529 trying to win support among theologians in Paris for Henry’s divorce from Catherine of Aragon. Reginald Pole and Margarets Fate Reginald studied in Italy in 1521 through 1526, financed in part by Henry VIII, then returned and was offered by Henry the choice of several high offices in the church if he would support Henry’s divorce from Catherine. But Reginald Pole refused to do so, leaving for Europe in 1532.   In 1535, England’s ambassador began suggesting that Reginald Pole marry Henry’s daughter Mary. In 1536, Pole sent Henry a treatise which not only opposed Henry’s grounds for divorce – that he had married his brother’s wife and thus the marriage was invalid – but also opposing Henry’s more recent assertion of Royal Supremacy, power in the church in England above that of Rome. In 1537, after the split from the Roman Catholic Church proclaimed by Henry VIII, Pope Paul II created Reginald Pole – who, though he had studied theology extensively and served the church, had not been ordained a priest – Archbishop of Canterbury, and assigned Pole to organize efforts to replace Henry VIII with a Roman Catholic government.   Reginald’s brother Geoffrey was in correspondence with Reginald, and Henry had Geoffrey Pole, Margaret’s heir, arrested in 1538 along with their brother Henry Pole and others. They were charged with treason.   Henry and others were executed, though Geoffrey was not.   Both Henry and Reginald Pole were attainted in 1539; Geoffrey was pardoned. Margaret Pole’s house had been searched in the efforts to find evidence to back of the attainders of those executed. Six months later, Cromwell produced a tunic marked with the wounds of Christ, claiming it had been found in that search, and used that to arrest Margaret, though most doubt that. She was more likely arrested simply because of her maternal connection to Henry and Reginald, her sons, and perhaps the symbolism of her family heritage, the last of the Plantagenets. Margaret remained in the Tower of London for more than two years. During her time in prison, Cromwell himself was executed. In 1541, Margaret was executed, protesting that she had not taken part in any conspiracy and proclaiming her innocence. According to some stories, which are not accepted by many historians, she refused to lay her head on the block, and guards had to force her to kneel. The axe hit her shoulder instead of her neck, and she escaped the guards and ran around screaming as the executioner chased her with the axe. It took many blows to finally kill her – and this botched execution was itself remembered and, for some, considered a sign of martyrdom. Her son Reginald described himself afterwards as â€Å"son of a martyr† – and in 1886, Pope Leo XIII had Margaret Pole beatified as a martyr. After Henry VIII and then his son Edward VI had died, and Mary I was queen, with the intention to restore England to Roman authority, Reginald Pole was appointed papal legate to England by the Pope. In 1554, Mary reversed the attainder against Reginald Pole, and he was ordained as a priest in 1556 and finally consecrated as Archbishop of Canterbury in 1556. Background, Family: Mother: Isabel Neville  (September 5, 1451 - December 22, 1476)Father: George, Duke of Clarence, brother of king Edward IV and of Richard, Duke of Gloucester (later Richard III)Maternal grandparents: Anne de Beauchamp  (1426-1492?), wealthy heiress, and Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick (1428-1471), known as the Kingmaker for his roles in the Wars of the RosesPaternal grandparents:  Cecily Neville  and Richard, Duke of York, heir to King Henry VI until Henry’s son was born, and regent for the king during his minority and during a later bout of insanityNote: Cecily Neville, Margaret’s paternal grandmother, was a paternal aunt of Margaret’s maternal grandfather, Richard Neville. Cecily’s parents and Richard’s grandparents were Ralph Neville and  Joan Beaufort; Joan was the daughter of John of Gaunt (a son of Edward III) and  Katherine Swynford.Siblings: 2 who died in infancy and a brother, Edward Plantagenet (February 25, 1475 - November 28 , 1499), never married, imprisoned in the Tower of London, impersonated by Lambert Simnel, executed under Henry VII Marriage, Children: Husband: Sir Richard Pole (married 1491-1494, perhaps on September 22, 1494; supporter of  Henry VII). He was a half-cousin of the first Tudor king, Henry VII; Richard Pole’s mother was a half-sister of  Margaret Beaufort, Henry VII’s mother.Children:Henry Pole, a peer at the trial of  Anne Boleyn; he was executed under Henry VIII (a descendant was among those who killed King Charles I)Reginald Pole, a cardinal and papal diplomat, last Roman Catholic Archbishop of CanterburyGeoffrey Pole, who went into exile in Europe when accused of conspiracy by Henry VIIIArthur PoleUrsula Pole, married Henry Stafford, whose title and lands were lost when his father was executed for treason and attainted, restored to a Stafford title under Edward VI. Books About Margaret Pole: Hazel Pierce. Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury, 1473-1541: Loyalty, Lineage and Leadership. 2003.

Islam, a Religion of Peace Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Islam, a Religion of Peace - Research Paper Example However, Islam is largely misunderstood and therefore feared in the western world. I have good friends, as does everyone probably, who actually thinks a good percentage of Muslims, followers of Islamic faith, are terrorists who are intent on jihad (religious war) and instilling Sharia Law all over the world. People fear what they do not understand. I don’t think a clearer example exists than the current Islamophobia gripping the nation. This has resulted in the discrimination and hate crimes directed at Muslims. This leads me to ask the question, who are the real terrorists? Education is the key to understanding and a peaceful coexistence between different faiths and cultures. My paper will give a brief overview of Islam in an effort to help bridge the gap of understanding. The Prophet Muhammad founded Islam in the year 622 in the city of Mecca located in what is today the nation of Saudi Arabia. Of the world’s great religions Islam is the youngest yet because it is an extension of Judaism and Christianity Muslims do not consider it newer. They think of it more as the refined version of a very old religion. All three have the same stories featuring the prophets Moses, David, Abraham and Jesus. Most people I’ve talked to had no idea Jesus is a large part of the Qur’an, the holy book of Islam.... The word ‘Islam’ is taken from s-l-m, a root-word in Arabic meaning peace and submission. Islam means submitting to the will of God. A Muslim is one who submits to God. Living an Islamic life generally means adhering to the Five Pillars of Islam: â€Å"publicly bearing witness to the basic affirmation of faith; saying prescribed prayers five times a day; fasting during the month of Ramadan; giving a tithe or alms for support of the poor; and making a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once during the believer's lifetime, if this is possible.† (Wuthnow, 1998). The Qur’an is not viewed as a new revelation of God separate from its family religions but instead a more accurate and complete version therefore the final edition of those faiths. When Muhammad died in 632 A.D., Muslims were confronted with the challenge of preserving their faith so they created a hierarchal system of leaders called khalifahs (cliphs) which means successors to the Prophet Muhammad but not t hemselves prophets of God. The initial four caliphs were friends of Muhammad. Most Muslims believe their rule which lasted from 632 to 661 was the age of the ‘Rightly Guided Caliphate.’ A great expansion of the Islamic faith occurred during this period of time. Muslims conquered the Persian Empire known today as the Islamic Republic of Iran and took Syria and Northern Africa away from a crumbling Roman Empire. Within just a few short decades Islam expanded from a small village in the desert of Arabia to include territory that stretched from Africa to Asia. From the tenth century to the sixteenth the caliphs effective power ended but the area of the Muslim world

RESEARCH ON THE JAPANESE YEN Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

ON THE JAPANESE YEN - Research Paper Example Precisely, this theory argues that a unit current, for instance, the Yen must have the same purchasing power in a foreign country. The study uses the Japanese Yen together with other currencies in testing the PPP hypothesis and focuses on the empirical analysis from 1980 up to March 2013. This period is divided into three windows. The first window is what is referred to as the complete sample; the pre-crisis sample, which began in January 1980 and ended in August 2008, is the second window. The third window is referred to as the crisis sample, starting from September 2008 up to March 2013. The Japanese Yen among other currencies such as the Euro, the British pound and the U.S dollar are key currencies of the recent floating exchange rate period. In this regard, the first step of the study was to check for the stability of the real exchange rate prior to and after Lehman Brother’s crash in 2008. The empirical results showed that the real exchange rate is not constant for Japane se yen. For a proper evaluation of the problem under study this paper will comprise of various sections, including a brief literature review, the econometric methodology, data and empirical evidence, and lastly a summary of the findings and concluding remarks. The purchasing power theory dates back to several centuries ago, beginning with the Spanish doctors and the ‘Salamanca School’ of the 16th century who had crucial contributions to the economic theory (Laurentiu). They designed a quantitative money theory of the foreign exchange, which was based on diversity in purchasing power in various countries from observing the general effects on price levels, exchange rates and money supplies of large inflows of gold from the newly discovered continent, America. The celebrated Augustinian doctor, called ‘Doctor Navarrus came up with some outstanding contributions in

Benefits of Non Verbal Communication Essay Example for Free

Benefits of Non Verbal Communication Essay Non verbal communication is defined as certain ways that a person communicates his thoughts and meanings without actually saying anything. These are the subtle clues that can help an investigating officer uncover a truth while questioning a suspect or witness or can lead him to more questions that will aid the investigating team. Programs such as CSI have shown us how police officers and crime scene investigators utilize contradicting, complementing, substituting, accenting, or regulating verbal messages. An investigating officer will benefit immensely from being familiar with these methods because of the way a crime scene is most often chaotic and witnesses who are being questioned are dealing with fear of being implicated in the case or perhaps, trying to cover their own involvement in the case. A sample of a contradicting non verbal communication that he can look out for has to do with the way a witness recalls the events as it transpired in a certain case. When a witness is looking down while relating the events transpired, that witness is most likely creating a memory. A person recalling a memory usually looks upward when trying to remember events, places, and situations. Under such circumstances, he should take notes and make sure to verify all the events by interviewing other people who might attest to the validity of the statements previously made. He may also consider the tone of voice of a person being interrogated. When a person is trying to hide a truth, there is a certain intonation and nervousness in the voice that usually causes it to raise in tone by a pitch or so. The officer must make sure to gain the trust and confidence of the witness or accused prior to questioning to keep the person off guard in order to get the most truthful answers out of them. A parole officer on the other hand must be highly observant and familiar with the psychological profile of his parolee that could indicate his behavior during certain situations in order to easily recognize the signs being displayed by the parolee when he comes in for his weekly reports. While meeting with the parolee, he should observe his complementing and accenting behavior. Particularly the first time the person enters the room. Does he shake your hand? Does he make eye contact? Does he seem nervous and on the edge? All of these could add up to a specific non verbal message that will give one an insight into the real score behind what the parolee wants to portray as truth. He should then react accordingly by enticing the person to become more open and share more information with him. In the event that the parolee begins to display accenting behavior such as hitting the table or throwing something, he must be prepared to restrain the person and try to snap him out of his mood. The one non verbal communication that both an investigating and parole officer must be quick to realize are the regulating non verbal communication tools. Such actions could be a simple look of question, a hint of despair in the eyes, or the wringing of hands of the person spoken to. Once recognized, he must be prepared to follow up on the subtle messages either by asking follow up questions or reassuring the person that the officer is in charge and everything is under control. People say that there is no such thing as the perfect crime. I have to agree with that statement because any officer who is familiar and highly observant when it comes to non verbal communication cues will easily be able to follow up on subtle clues not included in the physical evidence present at a crime scene or parole interview.

Contrasting Settings in A Midsummer Nights Dream :: comparison compare contrast essays

Contrasting Settings in A Midsummer Night's Dream      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   William Shakespeare's play, â€Å"A Midsummer Night's Dream† offers a wonderful contrast in human mentality.   Shakespeare provides insight into man's conflict with the rational versus the emotional characteristics of our behavior through his settings. The rational, logical side is represented by Athens, with its flourishing government and society.   The wilder emotional side is represented by the fairy woods.   Here things do not make sense, and mystical magic takes the place of human logic.   Every impulse may be acted upon without a forethought to there outcome.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The city of Athens represents the epitome of civilized man.   Ruled by the laws of man and kept in check by society's own norms.   The human struggle to suppress its unrestrained and irrational tendencies, still being undertaken today, discourages the ‘civilized' man from making rash and foolish actions. Thus every action should have a sound and logical purpose, based on the social norms.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the play, Egeus, the father of Hermia, has thoughtfully chosen what he considers an acceptable mate to wed his daughter.   Egeus most likely based his decision on economic, political, and social factors in his choosing of Demetrius.   He is making a reasonable decision based on Hermia's future in their society.   Unfortunately Hermia is smitten by Lysander and vice versa.   Although her father may have made his decision with every good intension, keeping with the traditional customs of his day, and even perhaps taking into consideration such things as attractiveness, he failed to foresee the desires of his daughter. The young Lysander, who like most young men, cares little for the rules of society, is willing to break tradition and flee Athens to obtain Hermia. Therefore they must leave the rational Athens to enjoy their irrational love.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Theseus, the king of Athens, is the highest symbol of law and order in his kingdom.   After winning a war with another kingdom, he chooses to marry their queen, Hippolyta.   His decision may very well have been inspired by love, but the political ramifications of their marriage is a more plausible rationale. In fact Theseus' apparent love for Hippolyta seems almost as an added reward to an already beneficial partnership. Whether any attraction was there or not probably would not have made a difference.   As king, Theseus must place the kingdom before his own feelings.   It simply comes with the position.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In short Athens represents the desire to suppress feelings and impulses and to make decisions based on logic.   Thus it does not give the power of raw emotion the true respect it requires, for man is both emotional and rational.

Buddhism- a Religion or a Philosophy?

Albert Einstein believed that, â€Å"the religion of the future will be a cosmic religion that should transcend a personal god and avoid dogmas and theology. Covering both natural and spiritual, it should be based on a religious sense arising from the experience of all things, natural and spiritual and a meaningful unity† (Jammer, 1999). Buddhism qualifies as a religion depending on one’s point of view. If religion is defined as a system of worship or devotion to a higher deity then Buddhism does not fall under the religious category (Buddha Dharma Education Association, 2012).However, if religion is defined as a system of beliefs and rituals and morals then Buddhism classifies as a religious practice (Harshorne, 1996). The aspects of religion that include rituals and devotions are the very key aspects of the human experience. Although occupying the same socio-psychological space as other religions, they do not all necessarily share similar characteristics (Molloy, p5, 2010). Western scholars and religious thinkers often refer to Buddhism as an atheist or nontheistic religious practice (Florida, 1990).Despite apparent contradictions between Buddhism and theistic religions there are many elements of commonality. This paper supports Albert Einstein’s claim on religion through exploring Buddhism as a contemporary religion relevant to reality in relation to science, while considering the similarities shared by Buddhism and traditional religions such as Christianity. Why does it matter if we consider something a religion or not? There are Buddhists who speak confidently on â€Å"Panel discussions† stating that if using the word religion becomes a problem then they will not use it (Los Angeles Interreligious Group, 1991).Buddhism shows no concern over whether or not it qualifies as a religion, as it is a matter of belief from within and not what people think of it. Smith, a religion historian states in his works that â€Å"beliefs are not primary to religion; faith is† (Florida, 1990) which reflects Buddhism’s emphasis on the importance of karma and leading a morally-based life. Smith also strongly believes that theistic religions invented the idea of god based on humanities â€Å"ignorance, weakness, fear, and desire†(Florida, 1990).Michael Stone is a psychotherapist and a Buddhist teacher who shares Albert Einstein’s view on religion. Michael attempts to incorporate traditional Buddhist teachings with today’s psychological and philosophical understanding (Stone, 2012). Science has created an abundance of contradictory views in traditional religious teachings that Buddhism stands out as a religion which accommodates scientific evidence (The Dalai Lama centre, 2012). Religion’s importance today has come into question when analyzed through the eyes of society’s logical mind.The Dalai Lama claims that â€Å"if modern science presents good evidence that a Buddhist idea i s wrong, I will accept the modern science, (he gives the example of the Earth moving around the sun, which runs counter to Buddhist scripture)† (The Dalai Lama Centre, 2012). Science has therefore made many questionable beliefs come to reality through trial and error research that many base their beliefs on evidence (Molloy, p179, 2010). Buddhism: The Buddhist religion entails a sense of sacredness with one’s self in relation to the environment and the universe. All religions are concerned with the deepest level of reality and for most religions the core or origin of everything is sacred and mysterious† (Molloy, p7, 2010). The â€Å"Three Marks of Reality† encompasses the embedded truth in Buddhist theology which reinforces the belief in having no god but rather finding the god within (Molloy, p132, 2010). Sacredness in religion refers to a dedicated practice to a religious purpose not the belief in a mystical figure who controls life as we know it.Sacredne ss is an interesting place of experience, and since there is a common misconception about Buddhism, the Dharma equips one to make a conciliatory meeting with whomever. The Dharma is part of the Three Jewels of Buddhism since it covers Buddhist teachings in â€Å"how to view the world and how to live properly† (Molloy, p131, 2010). The Dharma accommodates a variety of other views and appreciates those views for what they are. The emergence of Buddhism was based on the spread of Siddhartha’s teachings who was the oblivious son of a powerful king.The main components of Buddhist belief are: â€Å"karma, compassion and reincarnation†, which were conceptualized as a result of Siddhartha’s sudden exposure to reality’s misfortunes (Molloy, p128, 2010). These features influenced followers to adopt a peaceful and moral journey through life if they seek a blissful reincarnated-self (Molloy, 2010). Having experienced the â€Å"four passing sights† which involves living with nothing but oneself, Siddhartha began his journey towards becoming a world teacher (Molloy, p128, 2010).He practiced â€Å"The Four Noble Truths† which are the â€Å"truths about life, that suffering exists, it has a cause, it has an end and there is a way to attain release from suffering† (Molloy, p143, 2010). In Buddhist literature it is believed that worshipping a higher deity disregards the notion of â€Å"karmic results of action† which they strongly believe in (Thera, 2012). Similarities of traditional religions (Christianity): Religion â€Å"suggests the joining of our natural, human world to the sacred world† (Molloy, p5, 2010).Buddhism revolves around the life and lessons of Buddha, and Christianity revolves around the life and lessons of Jesus Christ, who are the two prophets present in both fields of practice (Los Angeles Interreligious Group, 1991). Both prophets followed the same strategy to uncover the worldly truths as they â€Å"stayed in the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights’ facing evil, â€Å"Jesus by Satan and Buddha by the demon Mara and his daughters† (Los Angeles Interreligious Group, 1991). As the holiness’ representatives, both religions have a centralized authority figure such as the Pope and the Dalai Lama to carry on the teachings of God and Buddha on a global scale (Molloy, p391, 2010). Similarities in both Christians and Buddhists theological practice reflect the fact that despite the difference in beliefs in a deity the foundations share some common ethics. Buddhism’s conception of reality refers to the basics of â€Å"The Four Noble Truths and The Noble Eightfold Path† that can be applied to the Ten Christian Commandments (Molloy, p136, 2010).The Ten Commandments represent God’s rules of behavior Christians are expected to follow (Betty, 2008). The early stage of Buddhism was initially rejected as a religion by westerners. However lat er on, western scholars considered â€Å"Buddhist concepts of nirvana and dharma as parallels to the Western notion of divinity or God† and they refuted it (Florida, 1990). The manifestation of Buddhist characteristics attributed to God’s existence in theistic religions is partly based on Buddhism’s perspective on reality and needing no god to control their way of life (Betty, 2008).Yet religious symbolism has been an important feature of all religions, including Buddhism and Christianity. The Christians pray to Jesus in churches while Buddhists pray to Buddha in monasteries. According to Molloy, â€Å"religious symbols, myths, and terminology at times suggest a universal language that all religions speak† (Molloy, p9, 2010). The differences: While both are classified as a religion, a prominent difference and focus of many arguments surrounds the notion of Buddhism’s lack of deity to worship.Any forms of God-like elements in Buddhism are seen as ma nifestations of a specific physical form (Betty, 2008). Gods in Buddhism are essentially considered manifestations of distinct physical elements and mediums from which Buddhists can contribute their physical energies toward enlightenment, which is a state of spiritual understanding (Hartshorne, 1996). Buddhism does not place great importance on having a higher divinity because they don’t think it will have an impact or even make a difference when practicing their values (Hartshorne, 1996).According to Stafford, â€Å"Buddhism and Christianity have much to teach each other about Ultimate Reality—God or Buddha Nature† (Stafford, 2008). Buddhism is considered a â€Å"psychological religion† as it provides the tools within a person to attain full-fledged happiness internally rather than externally (Thera, 2012). Whereas Christianity is a religion of doctrines where the institution of the church controls Christian practices on life (Molloy, p391, 2010). Theref ore the ideas of ultimate reality differ greatly as both religions expect different outcomes from their practices.One focuses on what God expects while the other does not place any expectations other than attempting to reach personal happiness. The difference in guidance received by both Buddhist and Christian followers provides an understanding as to why Buddhism may not be considered a religion by some theist believers. Christianity stresses on the importance of human action based on God’s cosmic plan to impose good morals into society to fight between the good and evils life bestows (Molloy, p15, 2010). Buddhism on the other hand focuses on personal karma to justify the good reasons behind following a morally-based lifestyle.Pope John Paul II upset Buddhists when he stated that â€Å"Buddhism is an ‘‘atheistic’’ system and that ‘‘the doctrines of salvation in Buddhism and Christianity are opposed’’ (Stafford, 2008). The Pope’s words made it clear that he believes the rejection of a dogma in Buddhism raises a lot of questions in the sphere of religion when it comes to the nature of Buddha. Agreeably, â€Å"Christians have faith in God while Buddhists have faith in something other than God- emptiness, perhaps† (Florida, 1990).Since Buddhism and Christianity address â€Å"the relationship of ultimate- God or emptiness† as major opposing elements (Florida, 1990), Florida poses an interesting question regarding Christianity that â€Å"if ultimate reality is Emptiness, is the Christian forced to choose between identifying God with Emptiness and denying God altogether? ’ (Florida, 1990). This statement supports Christianity’s set requirements for fulfilling one's â€Å"obligations† with no room for personal opinion to God whereas Buddhism allows a progressive growth from within, with the world around in tune with one’s personal opinion (Silva, 2011).The pr ogressiveness of Buddhism suggests that there are no implications on what one should and can believe in, in pursuit of sacredness. Sacredness can either be defined as the emptiness attained in Buddhism when enlightened or â€Å"speak of the sacred as what people hold to be sacred† in Christianity (Florida, 1990) (Molloy, p 14, 2010). The holy books are another way to identify the difference in what is considered as guidelines or expected practices for both religions as they are not used for the same reasons.In Buddhism, there are many kinds of holy books known as the Sutras. Buddhists Sanskrit, serve as a guideline to a deep reality beyond â€Å"the reach of ordinary cognition and senses† (Thera, 2012). Buddhism believes in personal reason while Christians follow religious authority (Molloy, p19, 2010). Therefore, the Bible reveals the words of God that â€Å"cannot be questioned and are a compilation of claims about the physical or spiritual worlds to be accepted on faith† (Birnbaum, 2009). Can a religion both be atheistic and a religion?While attempting to understand what the topic of religion consists of, one must consider the fact that the term ‘religion’ was developed in the western culture thus representing their traditional idea of what is meant by religion. The western perception of religion â€Å"may not be entirely appropriate when applied across cultures or spiritual paths† (Molloy, p5, 2010). In â€Å"Going Beyond God,† Armstrong argues that many Westerners define â€Å"religion† much too narrowly because they use the Abrahamic religions — Judaism, Christianity, and Islam — and belief in the God of monotheism as the â€Å"standard† of what defines religion (Vincent, 2012).In a book called â€Å"One of Faith and Belief† Smith notes that â€Å"the world's religious systems . . . are not all variations on a theme; they do not give differing answers to the same question s, they do not operate in a common mode† (Smith, 1979). Therefore it is needless to say that contemporary ideologies about religion are no longer strictly based on teachings that cannot be challenged. â€Å"Whether we should go on or not to call it faith in God, depends directly on what we think of the universe not on what be thought of it† (Florida, 1990).New scientific interrelations with religions such as Buddhism, will formulate a new branch that is â€Å"both spiritual and scientific† which would be suited for contemporary society logicality (O’Brien, 2009). Religion â€Å"suggests the joining of our natural, human world to the sacred world† whatever that may be for anyone (Molloy, p5, 2010). Therefore, why should believing in a divinity improve the humanity-focused problems experienced in religion? Conclusion: If Dharma was assimilated into our culture as a daily practice and was not represented by the word â€Å"Buddhism† the world wou ld be a happier place.If children had to focus on their attention in early childhood education to learn to look at their mind, to regulate their emotions, to be trained in that way then having the name â€Å"Buddhism† to represent the practice would not matter (Los Angeles Interreligious Group, 1991). If you try to categorize Dharma or Buddhist teachings it is really challenging, because it is a combination of a science, a religion, a philosophy or psychology. Buddhism can be seen as a religion which focuses on a way of life that allows the adoption of teachings in any other religion appropriate to one’s life journey (Molloy, 2010).Having drawn attention to the distinct similarities and differences both Christianity and Buddhism share this helps us develop an understanding of the dynamics present in both religions. Based on these comparisons it is clear to say that despite the differences, â€Å"Buddhist thinkers are less intent on systematizing† Buddhist though t into theories of ethical action, and â€Å"are more interested in examining particular Buddhist views on what it means to be a moral subject† (Heim, 2011). Based on my personal observations, if you go to any Asian country where Buddhism is practiced it is clear to say that the followers have very religious behaviors.All in all, Buddhists practice with one goal in mind, to end suffering. Therefore the idea of a higher deity seems senseless if it does not have a direct impact as to aid moralistically. â€Å"Answering a question such as, do you believe in a god, a Buddhist may answer â€Å"is answering that question either way, going to make me less or more sad†Ã¢â‚¬  (Los Angeles Interreligious Group, 1991). Bibliography: Betty, L. (2008). What Buddhists and Christians are teaching each other about God. Cross Currents. 58(1), 108-116. Buddha Dharma Education Association (2012). Morality. Fundamentals Of Buddhism. A BuddhaNet Production.Retrieved from http://www. budd hanet. net/fundbud6. htm Birnbaum, R. (2009). In search of an authentic engaged Buddhism: voices from ancient texts, calls from the modern world. Religion East & West, (9), 25-39. Florida, R. E. (1990). Theism and Atheism in the Work of W. C. Smith: A Buddhist Case Study. Buddhist-Christian Studies. University of Hawai’i. Vol. 10, pp. 255-262 retrieved from http://www. jstor. org/stable/1390212 . Hartshorne, C. (1996). Buddhism and the theistic question. In Buddhism and the emerging world civilization (pp. 62-72). Carbondale, Ill: Southern Illinois Univ Pr.Heim, M. (2011). Buddhist ethics: a review essay. Journal Of Religious Ethics. 39(3), 571-584. Jammer, M. (1999). Einstein and Religion. Publish by Princeton University Press. Retrieved from http://press. princeton. edu/chapters/s6681. pdf Los Angeles Interreligious Group (1991). An Early Journey. Buddhist-Catholic Dialogue. Retrieved from http://monasticdialog. com/a. php? id=334 Molloy, M. (2010). Experiencing the Worldâ €™s Religions. Tradition, Challenge, and Change. McGraw Hill. Fifth ed. O’Brien, B. (2009). Why Buddhism Is a Religion, and Why It Matters. Religion and Spirituality.Retrieved from About. com Tablan, F. E. (2011). Towards a Buddhist-Catholic interreligious encounter: a Southeast Asian perspective. Studies In Interreligious Dialogue. 21(2), p188-210. The Dalai Lama Centre (2012). â€Å"Happy Night in Canada: The Dalai Lama and Leading Scientists Search for Happiness†. For Peace and Education. Retrieved from http://dalailamacenter. org/learn/â€Å"happy-night-canada-dalai-lama-and-leading-scientists-search-happiness† Thera, N. (2012). Buddhism and the God-idea. BuddhaNet edition. Retrieved from http://www. accesstoinsight. org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/godidea. htmlStone, S. M. (2012). About. Centre of Gravity. Retrieved from http://www. centreofgravity. org/m_stone/ Silva. D. L. (2011). Radical Therapy. Buddhist Precepts in the Modern World. Retrieved from http ://www. accesstoinsight. org/lib/authors/desilva/bl123. html Smith,W. C. (1979). Faith and Belief: The Difference Between Them. Princeton N, J. Princeton University Press. Retrieved from http://www. amazon. ca/Faith-Belief-Difference-Between-Them/dp/1851681655 Vincent, H. (2012). Christian Buddhism?. Buddhist Geeks. Retrieved from http://www. buddhistgeeks. com/2010/08/christian-buddhism/