Wednesday, March 18, 2020
History of Celtic Christianity
History of Celtic Christianity Throughout history, there have been periods characterized by renewal and spiritual hunger. At times, people have tried to further understand their spiritual life by reverting to the origins of their faith. As the second millennium neared its end and at the beginning of the third one, organized religions of the world were unable to establish the connection they had been looking for. In the present times, people have been exploring the Celtic tradition in a bid to be in touch with what they have regarded as the Sacred Divine.Advertising We will write a custom article sample on History of Celtic Christianity specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For years, a collection of many books has been written in an attempt to fully understand the pre-Christian Celtic culture and history. Anthropology and archeology have gradually started to provide some useful information concerning the Celts. However, there have been many challenges presenting themsel ves when trying to understand this history and culture. One of the challenges that can be pointed out is that the process of interpreting the available literary and archeological materials can only be achieved through thorough comparisons which take a lot of time to complete. For instance, the earliest existing sources are derived from a period when the earlier practices and beliefs had been replaced by Christianity. The challenge is that scholars who try to explain the history and culture of the Celts today must document things that were stated as facts and the ones that were not stated. Many people today might think that Celts were one race but this was not the case since they were a group of societies characterized by diversity. They were different tribes living in different locations but who shared value systems and beliefs. In addition, they had common cultural roots and linguistic affiliations. The term Celtic is used to refer to ââ¬Ëof or related to indo-European languages Celtic group.ââ¬â¢ For a long period of time the term was used to make reference to everything pertaining to individuals believed to have lived in regions where Celtic languages were spoken. A hypothetical common Celtic from indo-European came into place by 1000 BC. The different tribes speaking this language became the group of people dominating Central and Western Europe by 6th century BC as it known by the Romans and the Greeks. After some years, but before the end of the pre-historic period, the language split into two. Today, there are different sources that document the history and culture of the Celtic people and which can be used to gain further understanding of the group. For instance, archeological findings reveal that the Celts were creative and skilled artisans. They produced complicated metal workings in bronze, silver and gold which exhibited their unique skills and creativity.Advertising Looking for article on religion theology? Let's see if we can help y ou! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More From archeology, it is understood that the Celts also produced beautiful and useful pottery alongside wood-workings and textile. Another source of information that gives insight about the Celts is written legends and myths. These narrate different aspects of the lives of the Celts. For instance, through myths and legends, their belief systems are understood. Apart from archeological and legendary sources, there are other written sources of information available to scholars that provide some insights on the culture and history of the Celts. There are documentary texts that explain concepts like language since language has no physical manifestation. These written sources assist in reconstructing the history of the Celts. Linguistics in the sense of Celtic names also provides philologists with insightful information on where to place the language of the Celts in relation to other world languages.
Monday, March 2, 2020
Why Powerful Men Sexually Harass Women
Why Powerful Men Sexually Harass Women We know from recent studies that half the workforce in the US is female. And were also well aware that though the numbers may be equal, the power distribution isnt. Only 15 women served as CEOs of Fortune 500 companies in 2009. Even at the upper and middle levels of management and leadership, men predominate. And with power comes abuse. When a woman files a sexual harassment complaint, its rarely about a co-worker harassing her. Its usually a boss, supervisor, or someone higher up the food chain. Anecdotal evidence suggests that for some men, power provides opportunities and access. Many perpetrators dangle potential jobs, pay raises, or promotions in front of women with the implication that if youre nice to me, Ill be nice to you. But is sexual harassment about sex and lust, or control and domination? Is power the catalyst that flips the off switch into an on position for some men who would otherwise not behave this way if they werent in charge? Those who study human behavior tend to agree that powerful men sexually harass women more than men on equal footing with their female co-workers, but what triggers that is up for debate. Most, however, agree that sexual harassment is not about desire but domination. Noted legal scholar Catharine A. MacKinnon specializes in sex equality issues under constitutional and international law. In her book Directions in Sexual Harassment Law co-written with Reva B. Siegel, MacKinnon states: ...[S]exual harassment is...the expression, in sexual terms, of power, privilege, or dominance....To understand sexual harassment primarily in terms of misplaced sexual desire is wrong for many of the same reasons that it is a mistake to understand rape as primarily a crime of passion or lust. acceptance of interpersonal violencethe desire to dominate womenhigh authoritarianismdifficulty seeing othersââ¬â¢ perspectives (difficulty being empathetic)belief in sex-role stereotypesendorsement of stereotypic views of male sex-role norms While the tendency is to link the above traits to male behavior, it might be more accurate to blame hormones specifically an overabundance of testosterone. Widely recognized as a major factor in dominant behavior, testosterone also impacts men in other ways (and can similarly influence women with elevated levels in their own bodies). Writing about The Testosterone Curse for Psychology Today, Leon F. Seltzer, Ph.D. notes the many traits associated with high-T (high testosterone) males: ...[D]ominant individuals also tend to be extremely competitive, and are frequently endowed with whats commonly known as the killer instinct. ....[I]n cutthroat businesses, its undeniably an asset....[but] a driving need to compete with others undermines the empathy, understanding, tolerance, and compassion necessary to sustain close, caring relationships.At its worst, high-T dominance and competitiveness can involve brute force, violence, and fighting behavior of all kinds....Their more tender feelings literally blunted by elevated testosterone levels, they tend not to be particularly concerned aboutor, for that matter, interested inthe feelings of others....Sadly, theres seems to be something about high testosterone levels that contributes to an almost predatory frame of mind....Complementing this tendency to be imprudent, rash, or even reckless, are a variety of research findings indicating that high-testosterone males are more likely to be impulsive, impatient, unreliable.... According to anthropologist and historian Laura Betzig, the point of politics is sex. She cites rulers throughout history who routinely engaged in sexual harassment and sexual assault, adding: Why is every man with a big harem a despot? Because collecting womenââ¬âlike tribute, like labor, like homageââ¬âtends to require force. People...tend to cede favors on two accounts. One is, they get a favor back; the other is, they get beat up if they dont. There are, in short, positive and negative sanctions. because they can Powerful men have a both an overactive libido as compared to normal men, but they are also more willing to gamble that they can get away with their sexual activities....[I]n my opinion, it is the position of power itself that makes men arrogant, narcissistic, egocentric, oversexed, paranoid, despotic, and craving even more power, though there are exceptions to this rule. Powerful men generally have a keen eye for female beauty and attractiveness....Every willing woman confirms the power of the powerful man....It is not too speculative to think that powerful men live in a sexualized or eroticized world. Not only do they expect to have sex whenever they fancy, but they also expect that every woman is always willing to provide this service, and enjoy it. They are...opportunistic and just take what they want. It probably comes as a complete surprise when somebody does not comply. The forbiddenness, and the awareness of transgression, makes the sex even more attractive... Sources:Betzig, Laura. Sex in History. Michigan Today, michigantoday.umich.edu. March 1994.MacKinnon, Catharine A. and Reva B. Siegel. Directions in Sexual Harassment Law. p. 174. Yale University Press. 2004Seltzer, Leon F., Ph.D. The Testosterone Curse (Part 2). PsychologyToday.com. 6 May 2009.Sex and Power: Powerful Men Have an Overactive Libido. Spiegel Online. 27 May 2011.
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