Koran

In this work, the overall message relating to the relationship between man and Allah is that man is far, far, far inferior to Allah and Allah is portrayed as how a great god should be. “In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds; Most Gracious, Most Merciful; Master of the day of Judgment. Thee do we worship, and Thine aid we seek. Show us the straight way, The way of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy Grace, those whose (portion) is not wrath, and who go not astray.” (pg. 231)   He is the all things mighty and he is the rule maker. Mankind’s responsibility to Allah is to be at his beck and call and serve him to their greatest potential.

            Women are to be treated with respect but also they are thought of more like property I think. It says to choose more than one if you wish but if you can’t handle it then choose only one. It talks about the dowry, going back to women being treated like property, because you pretty much buy a woman when you marry her. And then when your daughters grow up you kind of barter with the husband. “If the guardian is well off, let him claim no remuneration, but if he is poor, let him have for himself what is just and reasonable.” (pg. 242) I could be totally wrong and off base with that but that’s how I interpreted it.

            I would say that the people from the book are the people who obey every line in the Koran and who are very into the religion. Their relationship to the revelation of Allah and those who accept Islam is that they really know what they are talking about so they can spread the word and be like no, this is how the revelation really happened; it says so in Surah 47 (just an example). They are the people who I would say are really high up in the religion and by spreading the word I just mean that they are the teachers of the revelation to those who accept the Islamic practice.

            The biggest comparison I can make between the Koran and the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, in relation to god, is that the god, whoever it may be, is the ultimate creator of the world. They are the only beings that possess the power to make things, destroy things, and “call the shots” in the world they created. The biggest difference I notice is that in the Koran, they describe the creation of the world to be interpreted as a gift to the people, like Allah made everything for the people and they respect that as long as they respect him. In the Hebrew Bible and New Testament, I feel like god made the world for himself rather than the people he intended to put on it. Like the people who wrote those pieces of work made it seem like the people were ungrateful for what god made them. Because after all, these are just stories, the writer makes the people of the Koran out to be grateful while a different writer makes god seem selfish.

            The overall advice given to the Christians from the Koran is that they should still believe in their god and believe in the last day and do what is right, and if they do, then they will still be rewarded by their god and have nothing to regret or fear and then they can make their way to heaven.

            One should accept this revelation (I’m assuming this is in regards to question 5) because it makes perfect sense. It’s saying that even if you don’t believe in Allah, you still believe in a god and if you do everything that your god tells you to do and you live your life to the god’s standards, then you still have a place in heaven alongside your god. This makes sense because isn’t this the overall message from every god in every religion?

            The role of the prophets in general is to relay messages to the participants of a religion from god, in this case Allah. The prophets are special people who are chosen to bear this precious gift, when Allah has a message he wants relayed to his people, he tells the profits through a dream like vision, then the prophets relay the message to the people. The role of Muhammad specifically is that he is considered to be the founder of the Islamic religion, he is a prophet of god, but he is also believed to be the last prophet of god which is taught in the Koran.

            I think the evidence given for this being at work of revelation is the fact that they love Allah so much. I don’t know how to make my point other than this, “Say: He is Allah, the One and Only; Allah, the Eternal, Absolute; He begetteth not, nor is He begotten; And there is none like unto Him.” (pg. 265) They just believe in him so much that I think this is the evidence for revelation.

           

Nature Argument Paper

Aristotle argued, “Moderation in all things.” Many of the authors in the Nature section of our humanities book agree that we don’t need an excess of things to make us happy, rather, we need the bare minimum to get by and that will make us happier. We started out as simple beings and were intended to stay that way until technology gave us the opportunity to become more and more lazy with more and more gadgets.

            Henry D. Thoreau said, “The necessaries of life for man in this climate may, accurately enough, be distributed under the several heads of Food, Shelter, Clothing, and Fuel; for not till we have secured these are we prepared to entertain the true problems of life with freedom and a prospect of success.” (pg. 353) He believed most in the fact that all we need is simple things in small quantities to get by. He showed examples of this by moving out to Walden Pond and building his own house that was one room big. He didn’t need three bathrooms, four bedrooms, a laundry room, an upstairs and a downstairs just for one person. He had a bed, a fireplace, and a desk for which he could write on and that is all he needed to get by.

            Aldo Leopold said, “Gadgets fill the pockets, they dangle from the neck and belt. The overflow fills the auto trunk, and also the trailer. Each item of outdoor equipment grows lighter and often better, but the aggregate poundage becomes tonnage.” (pg. 373) I think what Leopold means is that we make more and more of gadgets that yes, get better and better, but they take up space and they distract us from the true nature that we used to live in. If we had less gadgets, things like campers and big trucks, we could go back to bringing just a simple backpack full of things into the wild and living off of it.

            A nature issue that is a perfect example of living in moderation is the issue of whaling. I learned that the Japanese kill hundreds of whales a year, with tons of whale meat that eventually ends up going bad in the street because they don’t eat it fast enough or there is too much meat to eat. We could lessen this issue by hunting less whales, putting a limit on the number killed a year, so that the Japanese only have the bare minimum amount of whale meat to feed everyone and this way, more whales are spared to repopulate the whale population and aid in the food chain. Hunting too many whales is just wasteful, hence the leftover meat. We don’t use the things that we have excess of. We don’t use the meat, we don’t use our new shiny gadgets after awhile, and all of it makes our lives cluttered and actually a bit harder.

            On the other hand, someone might say, well isn’t it better to be prepared? Yes, it is better to be prepared, but at what price? There is a need for leftovers in case one day you don’t have food and need something quick but there should be a limit as to how much is considered storage. We can have storage of things but we don’t need ten pounds more of meat. This relates to all things as well. Like Charmin Ultra says, “Less is more!”

            In conclusion, we have proven on countless times that moderation really is best for us. You kill too many whales, you have leftover meat that goes bad and you decrease the whale population. You eat too much food, and you get fat. You exercise way too much to lose the weight and end up hurting yourself rather than helping yourself. You buy gadget upon gadget just to ignore a week later that ends up cluttering your life. We really should use less than we do because as said by Aristotle, “Moderation in all things,” is better than excess of all things.

           

Reflect and Connect: Week 11

Connect:

Relfect:
In class this week we talked about Buddhism and the Dhammapada and Toaism. We went around the class saying a quote from the reading that we could relate to. My quote was, "Keep sharpening your knife and it will blunt." I chose this because I feel like it is very true. I feel that if you do something to excess, it ends up hurting you in the end rather than helping you. Mrs. Spackman commented on it saying that she sees this in high school with mean words. Kids say something mean to one another but the words hold no meaning because we throw them around like nothing. This tied into a discussion of why kids are so mean to each other these days. I think it's because we don't actually think of the meaning of words, we have become insensitive to them. We also think the other person can take it because we are joking but sometimes they can't.
Another discussion I really liked came from McKay. He said that he was visiting his friend who used to share the same religion as McKay but then kind of veered from the path and started doing his own thing. He told McKay some things and McKay said he wouldn't make the same mistake and he wouldn't have chosen to do whatever specific thing his friend did but then his friend challenged him and said well who are you to say it was a mistake? Maybe for you it was a mistake but it was my decision and maybe for me it was the right one. I totally agree with whoever this kid is because I always feel like I am looked down on because I don't believe the same things that everyone else does but just because YOU think it's right, doesn't mean I do. It's like trying to force your  beliefs on someone but you can't change what another person believes. I just really liked that McKay brought that up. He also had an epiphany and realized that's not right and I secretly appreciate that.

Creation Myth

           Long before the humans, and when the earth was still new, there was a place with sapphire colored waters and ivory colored beaches, the sun beat down on a tranquil lagoon with waves crashing upon it.  On the first day the waves that would create everything washed ashore two lizards the color of the green foliage, with their blue spots to remind them of their creator.  With small yet quick agile bodies the lizards were a perfect creation.  With their blue spots to remind them of their creator, they climbed and roamed all over the tree tops where they decided to live.

            On the second day the almighty waves washed ashore the two sun bears.  With a permanent golden collar that resembles the rising and the setting of the sun, their coats were pitch black.  This was the wave’s way of paying homage to the almighty sun.  The bears soon climbed the trees to hunt the green lizard and leaves around them. 

            On the third day the godly waves brought fourth the clawed otters.  They had a sleek fur coat made for swimming at high speeds to catch it’s pray in its special claws.  Once the otter was washed up to the shore they ran into the dense tropical forest just behind the palm trees to the beach where they would live. 

            On the fourth day the ocean washed up two giant elephants.  With their large bodies and tusks the elephants felt at home among all the ground where they enjoyed the cooling shade from the tall trees, and eating the green grasses beneath them.  They live for many years enjoying the beautiful climate.

            On the fifth day the sea brought ashore two feathered Cendrawasihs.  These birds of paradise were gorgeous.  With the long white tail feathers hanging down and a sharp beak with a bright yellow head, the bird was the prettiest animal yet to arrive.  The birds were given wings to fly over and watch all the other animals on the perfect land of paradise. 

            On the Sixth day the waves washed ashore two little black fish with white spots called an East Java.  Once they fish landed on the white sandy beaches they realized that land was not the place for them. They then hoped back into the blue lagoon over to the reef. 

            On the seventh day the biggest wave of all the seven days washed ashore two humans.  Both stood up and looked at the paradise surrounding them.  They went and saw all the other beautiful creatures that had been washed upon shore in the past six days.  They realized that the almighty ocean and waves were the ones that created all of it.  They created the lizards, the sun bears, the clawed otters, the elephants, the Cendrawasihs, the East Java fish, and lastly the humans.  The waves were the source of life for the animals living, and they knew it created them to take care of the new world. 

Drama Critique

1.      What play did you attend? (Include name, location, name of performers, and director) (No high school productions are permitted)

I saw Zorro the musical. It was held at Hale Center Theatre. The performers were David T. Glaittli, Parker Paulsen, Gunnar Russell, Bailee Johnson, Derek Smith, Paul Cartwright, Jacquelyne Jones, Jeffery Whitlock, Victoria Greco, Raul Adrian Benitez, John Graham, Christopher Squires, John Hayes Nielsen, Adam Dietlein, Bradley Quinn Lever, Benjamin Roeling, Taylor Wuerth, CJ Strong, Rebecca Joy Raboy, Ashley Kathryn Stonebraker, Melanie Cartwright, Sara Schmidt, Summerisa Bell, Bonnie Whitlock, Keolani M. Smith, and Lena Camila Candia. The director is David Tinney.

2.      Give a summary or description of the play you saw. (At least 150 words)

Zorro starts out with a man in California who is an official and deals with punishing people when they have committed a crime. He is a just man, always doing what is right. He has two sons, Ramon and Diego. Diego is just like him but Ramon isn’t. Through the childhood, Ramon feels like he doesn’t get the attention he deserves from his father while Diego is the golden child. When the time comes for Alejandro, the boys’ father, to pass on his title, he chooses Diego but Diego thinks this isn’t fair and gives the title to Ramon. Then Diego runs away to Spain. While he is in Spain, his brother turns into a harsh man who punishes the people unfairly. Diego’s childhood friend, Luisa, seeks him out to tell him that Ramon has become evil and also that his father has died. Diego goes back to California with Luisa and he battles his brother as Zorro and discovers his father is still alive and saves him and in the end he defeats Ramon and wins over the love of his life, Luisa.

3.      In 250 words, discuss the quality of the performance (include a discussion of the costumes, lighting, acting quality, direction, sound quality, and any mistakes or other problems that detracted from the performance)

Overall the performance of the play was outstanding. The costumes were appropriate for the time period of the story and they were very authentic. They had bright vibrant colors when needed and were drab and dull when needed. The accessories used with the costumes also made an impression. The gypsy women wore long, dark wigs that helped express who they are. Through the costumes you could tell who was rich, poor, important, or useless.

            The performers used in the play were prefect for the characters they were meant to play. For example, the characters from Spain were Spanish looking and the ones from California looked that way as well. In short, they used the proper nationalities when needed. They also picked people with great body types for whom they were playing. Example, “Zorro” is a nicely built man who could very well be a gypsy and the gypsy women were nicely built as well.

            Not only did the performers look well but they also performed well. They had so much charisma and personality that they really dragged you into the story, into another time really, and made you resurface when you realized that the play was over. They made it thoroughly entertaining to watch. Even the roles who weren’t as important as the main characters really add something to the play. They are the ones who add in little things that give the play spice, you just have to know when and where to be looking when it happens. As far as mistakes are concerned, if there were any, they hid them flawlessly.

4.      In 250 words discuss the social and philosophical issues the play addresses and indicate what answers/conclusions were reached. (i.e. what was the argument of the work?)

I think this a perfect example of good vs. evil, where the “good guy” will always win over the “bad guy”. Socially, Diego is a better man that Ramon is, therefore leading into the whole daddy loved you more thing. This built up resentment in Ramon for both his brother and his own father, making him an even more despicable person. While Diego being a good guy made things worse by giving Ramon the authority and then running away.

            How Ramon treats his subjects in punishment after he becomes the “ruler” is also a social issue. He takes on the role of the tyrant ruler who raises his hand at the slightest infraction of the rules. He doesn’t treat people fairly as a result of his childhood but also has a result of who he was born as.

            As Diego and Luisa return to California with their gypsy friends, Ramon looks down on the gypsies because they symbolize the rebellion that Zorro brings with him. This is just another social example of problems that arise in this play.

            Philosophically, treat your children equally even when you know one is worse than the other, it will cause problems later if you don’t. Don’t look down on people that you don’t know just because they are different than you or believe differently than you do. And I think the most important thing is that if you are a good person with strong morals and good beliefs, you are most likely to overcome your opponents when they are not so morally sound. People will back you when you are doing good things and they will oppose you when you are doing bad things. Show kindness and you shall receive it.

5.      If this was a musical or opera, discuss the role that music played in the work (150 words)

Zorro is a musical, as said above, so there was a lot music and singing. The music was handy for super intense scenes like the fight scenes or dramatic moments when there needs to be an ominous bum, bum, bum, in the background. Music can bring out the mood of the scene to indicate what you are supposed to be feeling about what is happening in the scene. But also when there were group singing times, it added a little break from normal boring talk of the usual lines said by the cast to add something flavorful to the play. It just makes it more fun to watch, especially when they add the dance numbers to the songs. I like how it brings everyone in the play, even the small parts, into one thing together. For that moment, everyone is on the set and you can see how they all interact with one another. It makes it more personal I think.

6.      What did you find out about the background of the work or playwright? (100 words)

Zorro is a book by Stephen Clark and Helen Edmundson inspired by the 2005 biography of the fictional character of Zorro written by a Chilean author named Isabel Allende. This version was inspired by the 1919 novella The Curse of Capistrano by Johnston McCulley. In reality, it is a prequel to the novella that hints to older Zorro related works, especially from the 1998 film called The Mask of Zorro. Through the decades, the story of Zorro has been changed and rewritten and altered by so many people that there isn’t a specific story line, rather a few that resemble one another but yet has the same concept to it.

7.      Would you recommend this performance to others? Why or why not? (100 words)

I personally don’t enjoy the story of Zorro, it has the feel of an old western mixed with Spain and it’s not my genre of entertainment but this play was different I think because it was live and not just a movie. So I would recommend this to people to go see because it was fun to watch and more entertaining than a boring old movie. Seeing people act it out right in front of me made it more real for me I guess. I still don’t know if I like the story line of Zorro but the attractive men that were in it made it so worth seeing. So if you don’t like Zorro, still go see it for the actors in the play, it’s worth it.

8.      What was your personal reaction to this performance? Would you enjoy attending this type of event again? Why or why not? (100 words)

I don’t like musicals and plays much and like I said, I don’t like the story of Zorro much so I wasn’t too happy to go see this particular play. However when I got there and took in the performers, costumes, music, settings, and the sheer quality, my mind was changed. I think if I were to find a play that really interested me and spoke to me like this one did, I would enjoy seeing more plays  and performances but most the time I don’t like them so it’s kind of a double edged sword. I can either chance it and be miserable or chance it and be pleased. So yes I would go again, but at what price?

            

Buddhism, Dhammapada, & Taoism

Buddhism & the Dhammapada (6^th century B.C.E.)

            The story relating to Buddhism is about a prince who has lived his life in a luxurious manner from eating better than the people to having three palaces. One day he decides that being cooped up in his house isn’t the way to live his life. He decides to shave his hair and beard and become homeless. He practices the way of the monks by eating very little and trying to reach inner peace inside of himself. Along the way, he teaches five other monks the way of the dhamma. Through this story the monk goes through all of the steps of the Hero’s Journey; from the call to the threshold to the end. (I can’t remember the exact names of the steps and I know there are a lot more than that, but you get the idea.) You can connect this story to pretty much any story out there. The character isn’t satisfied with their current situation so they go off on an adventure and then become spiritually happy in the end. From the Dhammapada I have chosen two sayings to connect to. The first is, “One who makes merit rejoices in this life, Rejoices in the next, Rejoices in both worlds. Seeing one’s own pure acts brings joy and delight.” I connect to this because when I volunteer I feel happier and better knowing I was doing something good for someone else. The second is, “Longing gives rise to grief; Longing gives rise to fear. For someone released from longing there is neither grief nor fear.” I can connect to this because I long for something greatly at this moment and it really does cause me grief and sometimes, because I long for this, I can be scared at times.

Taoism (6^th century B.C.E.)

            Taoism is pretty much like the Buddha story and the Dhammapada. It just has a lot of lines regarding how to live your life to the fullest and what to give up and take more of and how to behave around others and how to treat them and everything. I can connect to two sections of this as well. The first one says, “Keep sharpening your knife and it will blunt.” I connect this to being overly cocky I guess. Cocky isn’t quite the right word but I associate it with doing something to such excess that it just ends up hurting you in the end. The second connection says, “Wise people trust those who trust. But they also trust those who do not trust.” I connect this to myself because I feel like I always put trust in people until they give me a reason to believe otherwise.

Reflect and Connect: Week 10

Connect:

Reflect:
This week we wrapped up talking about nature issues and were introduced to religions. I am excited for this portion of the class because I have always wanted to learn about the different kinds of religions and what each one believes. We talked about religion briefly in sixth grade but that was a long time ago, it will be great to go over it again.
After reading the myths, it is interesting to see that most of the sacred texts are similiar. For example, a lot of them deal with floods, and all of them have to do with how the world was created. I am looking forward to seeing how each religion matches its beliefs with how they say the world was created.