Tuesday, February 18, 2020

Homosexuality is not a sexual preference Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Homosexuality is not a sexual preference - Essay Example It is however, important to understand that homosexuals often face difficulties which are difficult to overcome and put them in socially disadvantageous position. Not only they face strong psychological issues but they are also being discriminated based upon their sexual orientation and are often considered as odd man out in the society. The overall societal response to homosexuals therefore varies according to cultures and historical periods and is still considered as unfavorable in many societies. Though some States have allowed the Gay Marriages however, still there are some States where it is not legal. Such situation may suggest a split opinion about the homosexuals within the country. Similarly, Military has relaxed its rules to allow same sex marriages however; it has still not been accepted by the Military personnel and has hard time dealing with it. Gay parents are still not accepted by many people and their children suffer significant childhood trauma to actually deal with this situation. Not only they are being bullied growing up but they are being put in a situation which may be entirely out of their control and still they may face the consequences of the same. This paper will argue and discuss and prove that homosexuality is not a sexual preference. Though the term homosexuality has been coined in late 19th century however, its history dates back to Greek era and often reference is made to the Plato’s Symposium to the recent Queer theory. It is suggested that the largest amount of data which is available regarding the history of homosexuality comes from Greece. Right from the work of Plato and other Greek authors to the artwork, homosexuality has been comprehensively discussed and depicted in different sources in Greek literature. (Ekwo,15) It is also believed that homosexuality has been present in Greek culture more than any ancient culture and therefore most of the references regarding the historical origins of the homosexuality. It is also important to understand that despite such tendencies, there were some regional variations even across the whole Greece therefore it is important to keep this factor distinguished. Some notable persons such as Alexander the Great has also been considered to have interest in boys and other men. However, the overall number of such persons is relatively low. (Crompton) In ancient Greece, having particular interest in any same sex individuals was not considered as a moral issue but it was seen from the perspective of the individual preferences and choices. To ancient Greeks, Gender was irrelevant and more preferences were given to beauty and character found in either sex. Exercise of moderation as well as the social and economic status of the persons were taken into consideration too w hile anyone was actually attracted to any particular sex. There were also distinctions based upon having relationships with the slaves as well as freemen. Sex with freemen were considered as problematic in nature however, with slaves it was relatively easy. Besides, there were clear distinctions based upon the role being played by the partners during the overall relationship. The active and passive role, inserative and penetrative role played by partners’

Monday, February 3, 2020

God's Omniscient; Man Isn't Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

God's Omniscient; Man Isn't - Essay Example 3.5). Just like Moses after them, Abraham and Joseph humbled themselves before God and sought His wisdom and direction rather than relying upon their own reasoning and intellect. Moses, the man who stood up to Pharaoh and parted the Red Sea, demonstrates through the accounts of Abraham and Joseph that strength, victory, and wisdom come through a humble dependence on God for knowledge, while weakness, defeat, and foolishness are a result of a prideful reliance on one’s own knowledge and ability. Abraham, whose name means â€Å"father of many,† ironically lived his first 100 years as the father on none, and Moses goes through great length to show the unshakeable faith Israel’s patriarch, which is demonstrated through his leaning on God’s promises. God’s first promise to Abraham (at this time, â€Å"Abram†) was to make him into a great nation (Gen. 12.2). God, who was unfamiliar to Abram at this point, also told him to leave his settled land and travel west into unchartered territory with his wife Sarai (later called Sarah) and a caravan of all their possessions, herds, and servants. Abram unwaveringly obeyed ? although the promise and command he received made little sense to him and his people ? but God later blessed him with immeasurable riches and fertile land for his faith and obedience, as he relied on God’s understanding and not his own. Even though Abram and Sarai were far from young (75 and 65 years old, respectively) and already living comfortably in a settled land, Abram believed that God would bless him with countless descendants and safely establish him in a hostile and unknown land, which He did. Moses shows through Abram that man, in his knowledge, cannot comprehend the wisdom of God or the scope of His plans, and that obedience and faith in God is much greater than human reasoning. Even though Abraham is known for having unparalleled faith, he had his lapses; yet Moses shows us how God, in His knowled ge, rectifies the things man blotches in his limited understanding. When Abram and Sarai went to Egypt to escape a famine, Abram relied on his own cunning for protection – not God’s. He told Pharaoh that Sarai was his sister ? not his wife ? because Sarai was beautiful and he thought that the Egyptians would kill him over her. God inflicted Pharaoh’s household with diseases so that Pharaoh would know Sarai was Abram’s wife and would not lay with her as his own wife (Gen. 12.20). Abram’s reasoning was exposed as foolishness that almost ended in disaster, but God still faithfully protected him and Sarai. God bailed Abram out once again when he relied on Sarai’s plan to deliver what God had promised – a child. Instead of waiting upon the Lord, Abram took Hagar as his wife and impregnated her at the request of Sarai, who was now 76 years old and barren. God then had an angel send Hagar and her son Ishmael away to avoid Sarai’s jeal ous wrath and then opened Sarai’s womb to allow Abram – now 99 years old ? to impregnate her with Isaac. Because Abram and Sarai second-guessed God’s wisdom, Ishmael was born, whose offspring would be at war with Ishmael’s for millennia to come. But when God later tested Abraham (the name God gave him when He fulfilled His promise to make him fruitful and multiply) and told him to sacrifice his son, Isaac, Abraham unswervingly obeyed. When he raised the knife, God ordered