Western Civilization: How does ancient Greek religion differ from Hebrew religion?

The ancient Greeks religion was almost completely different from Hebrew religion in many ways. For one, the Greeks worshipped many Gods, such as Zeus, God of the Sky, Poseidon, God of the Sea, and Aphrodite, Goddess of love. They prayed or sacrificed to more than fifteen of these higher beings, depending on their need or problem. Paris made a deal with Aphrodite, to vote her as the most beautiful woman in a contest. If he followed her commands, he'd be granted his own wish, Helen of Troy. This is a classic example of how the Greeks viewed their deities. They were afraid of provoking the Gods to anger, and believed that had to be feared and appeased with gifts. 

They were also thought to be as temperamental and unreliable as we human beings. The Gods were liable to pride and lust, and other sinful tendencies. For instance, Nemesis is the Goddess of revenge. According to the Greeks, she would most likely intervene if things are going too well for you. She would cause something bad to happen, in order to keep you humble! Her sister, Fortuna was considered too generous by Nemesis, in her bestowal of wealth and good tidings. But even she was 50/50, in that you never knew whether you'd be blessed or cursed by her. It was a matter of luck and sheer chance. She is usually depicted holding the cornucopia, loaded with berries, meat, and other tasty food. This was supposed to represent all she had to offer her followers. Because of Fortuna, this basket is symbolic of our American holiday, Thanksgiving.

The Hebrews, on the other hand, only revered and loved one God. He is all-powerful and good, not capable of practicing deceit or committing atrocities. He won't be won over like a genie, by exchanging one thing for another. He also doesn't require human sacrifice, as was frequently practiced in Greece. This was firmly established by Abraham, father of the Hebrews. God tested his faith, by asking him to give up/kill his only son. When he saw Abraham's willingness, he told him to drew back his sword. Therefore, since that day, the Hebrew God has never expected or condoned human sacrifice towards him. Instead, Jews practice animal sacrifice, as Abraham did with the ram.

500 Word Essay: Cotton. Winthrop's, and Rowlandson's View of Puritans "Errand In The Wilderness"

The Puritans were extremely devoted to their faith, and wouldn't compromise in any area of it. But there was a large amount of debate between all of them, over religious controversies and differing opinions. The Puritans disagreed with their English peers, which is why they had relocated to the New World. However, they met with more problems in regards to Cotton and Winthrop's strange views. 

These elders argued against the Puritans belief that they were saved by grace and not by works. They stated that human beings were not worthy of God's love and had to earn it, by keeping in perfect step with the laws.  This was totally contrary to the idea that you didn't have to do anything to prove yourself honorable to God. I personally don't find very much inspiration in their viewpoints. They were extremely religious and seemingly pious, but didn't seem to have an intimate, loving relationship with their maker. 

All the Puritans agreed that their, "errand in the wilderness" was a holy and divine journey. They would liken it as the Hebrews's 40 year path taken with Moses into the land of "milk and honey". New England was a spiritual haven for them, an escape from Britain's tyranny and lack of religious freedom. In this place, they could follow their faith and not be forced to accept contrary beliefs.

Winthrop was a lawyer who led many of his fellow puritans on a journey to the New World, in 1630. He founded numerous colonies in Massachusetts, being very instrumental in the Puritans escapades. He delivered his famous message, "Model For Christian Charity" aboard the Arabella. The main points of this sermon are as follows,  (1)"a political body has to maintain difference in the community to ensure community, (2) worldly activities such as the acquisition of money can serve spiritual ends, and (3) stable public life depends upon some exterior threat to it's existence. Winthrop believed the Puritans struggles to agree could be contributory in achieving overall unity. Basically, he thought that they could definitely compromise and din't have to be of the same mind to live together.

Winthrop said that variety within the community shouldn't be frowned upon, but rather celebrated and endorsed. In this way, every individual had a unique way of honoring and serving God. They didn't have to all follow the same rules and agree on every detail of their lives.

Cotton wholeheartedly believed in separating from the Anglican church, the prime religious sect at the time.He thought the Church of England's practices and beliefs weren't in line with the Scriptures, God's true thoughts on things.Cotton specifically had the notion that the church should stop the observation of Saint Days, kneeling for communion, and making the sign of the cross. From his outlook,the Anglican church was only separate by name from the Catholic church. He didn't want to associate himself with this lifestyle and beliefs and therefore choose to leave for the New World. Because of his theory that the church needed reformed and purified, he was definitely an authentic,"Puritan' who developed thought-provoking, intelligent ideas. Cotton is regarded by many scholars as the most accomplished,influential minister/theologian of the Massachusetts colony.

Rowlandson was committed to God and her faith, to an admirable and inspiring level. In spite of the horrors she encountered, she persevered and maintained hope and love for people. Mary Rowlandson endured 11 weeks of torture and starvation at the hands of her enemies, the Indians. She was mistreated and separated from her family and friends, watching several of them perish in the raids. Her six-year daughter died from her injuries and malnourishment, which was a heart-breaking event to her mother.

Her faith faltered at times, as the conditions worsened and she experienced more pain and distress. But she never gave up or resorted to hatred for her captors. It is exceptionally inspirational how courageous and brave she was throughout the trial. She attests her strength entirely to God and claims without him she wouldn't have survived. Mary admits that at times she contemplated suicide and was grateful that God prevented her from committing this grave sin. She's also very down-to-earth in acknowledging how often she wondered why it seemed he had abandoned her. 

The death of her young daughter must have surely been a severe and devastating blow. It must have led her to question providence and wonder whether she should still believe in the Lord. Yet she often quotes Bible verses or compares her situation with famous role-models, such as Job. She seemed to be particularly fond of the Psalms and Isaiah. Mary turns to the scriptures often for consolation and comfort in her anguish. She has an impressive memory of verses memorized, to remind herself constantly of. Her story is likened unto Jobs, in that she loses everything and remains resolute and strong. Rowlandson even goes so far as to reprove herself for carelessly forgetting to honor the Sabbath! 

Even amidst all her suffering, this fact is proof enough of her devotion to her Puritan faith. 

Mary treats her own personal "errand in the wilderness" as a good and pure thing. She says it strengthened her once weak faith in God, by seeing how he worked even through all her suffering. Whilst she was on this physical journey, she was also undergoing spiritual transformation and on a divine path. She claimed that she never really found herself and God, until she went through the fire of her trials. Like the Israelites wandering amidst their sin and disbelief, so did Mary until she finally came home, with a newly developed faith. 

Week 6 writing assignment

First question: Describe the circumstances leading to the Persian Wars. Why were they significant in Western History?

The Persian Wars were instigated by increasing pressure between Sparta and Athens. Spartans were taking part in political affairs that had nothing to do with them. This upset the Athenians, who asked Persia for assistance(an alliance). The Persians looked upon themselves as the greatest nation in the world, and didn't want to make a one-sided agreement. They told the Athenians that they must contribute gifts of earth and water, to seal the deal. This act meant the Athenians were vowing loyalty to Persia. 


However, because of their ignorance involving Persian tradition, the Athenians didn't realize this symbolism.They gave in to the Persians, without a second thought of what it would entail. This misunderstanding in itself fueled the fire that would be the Persian Wars. It was further heated up, when Athens procured 20 of it's navy's ships to be used in an Ionian-Greek uprising against Persia!


Unbeknownst to them, this was a terrible and crucial move that infuriated Persia. They almost instantly demanded that all the Greek-city states donate earth and water to them. 
Clergy, or ''legates" were even sent to receive these peace-offerings, but were murdered about arriving. Upon hearing this, Persia declared war and sent its ships to Greece to demonstrate a show of force. 

The Greeks won at the Battle of Marathon, their first confrontation with Persia. Eleven years later, the Athenians had conquered Persia. Afterwards, they decided to form the "Delian League" with many other city-states. The purpose of this alliance was to defend against further encounters with Persia. It would later prove to be a disastrous decision, as a war broke out between the Delian and Peloponnesian leagues.

Significance: The Peloponnesian war forever altered the course that Western Civilization took.

Second question: What point was Pericles trying to make in his funeral oration?

Pericles's funeral oration was on democracy and the powerful abilities of the people of Athens. He discussed democracy as a valuable tool in achieving grand things for the country. Athens's democracy wasn't merely them making decisions because they had to; but because they had a noble heart in them to improve their community. It was a very appropriate speech for Pericles to give at a funeral, in honoring the deceased/proclaiming the pride he had for his peers.

500 Word Essay: Cotton and Winthrop's View of Old Testament

The Puritans were taught to view the Old Testament as a set of rules and regulations. They were required to obey the concepts laid out in it's pages. It wasn't a matter of love or devotion to their religion, it was just expected of them. Their children were taught a simplified version of this book. in their catechism. It played a large role in their overall education, as a core belief of the Puritans. Cotton's theory was that they could study it further, when they were older and more mature.


Obviously as young children, they couldn't grasp the deep truths in this complicated book. Therefore, they could enjoy and understand it better as adults. In the meantime, their leaders wanted to expose the youngest and most influential members of their congregation.

Short Essay on Spartan Society & Aristotle

Spartan Society was quite strange, with many odd and harsh practices and traditions. Young boys, starting at the age of 7, were shipped off to a military training academy. They were then exposed to rigorous preparation for the army and difficult living conditions. They were forced to eat disgusting and unclean food and taught to kill Helots. The practice of murder was ingrained in them from an early age, and thought acceptable and normal. Upon becoming men, they were allowed to marry but couldn't visit their wives, unless they could get past many guards! They could not marry until they were 30. If they did, they had to live separate from their wives until they completed their training. Men and boys were forced to commit to the Spartan army for life. The ritual of flogging was thought to be a measure of their resilience to pain, a test to see how much they could take.



As for the women, they were also forced to master many different skills, like dancing,javelin throwing, gymnastics. Supposedly, the Spartans believed these things would prepare them for the physically demanding duties of motherhood. Spartan nannies exercised some very cruel methods in child-rearing. There is a myth that they bathed children in wine rather than water, and left them to cry and fend for themselves. This reinforced, at a young age, that even the infants had to learn to be strong and tough.


Marriage was only valuable, in this culture, because it would produce more soldiers. Bachelors were mocked publicly at ceremonies and considered outcasts. If a girl couldn't get pregnant, her husband was expected to find a substitute so she could bear a son. Romantic love was not of any significance in the scheme of finding a mate.



Second Topic: Why was Aristotle A Significant Figure?

Aristotle was a very influential philosopher, although considered less popular than his teacher, Plato. He made noteworthy contributions in pretty much every area of knowledge(logic to  biology, ethics to aesthetics) He studied at Plato's academy for 20 years. Although his beliefs differed from Plato's, he still had a great deal of respect for this infamous man. He studied marine biology and also tutored King Phillip II's son, the future Alexander the Great! Aristotle believed that our purpose in life was the pursuit of happiness, or "euphoria". This he said could only be achieved through reason. Contrary to tradition, he thought we needed to discover things on our own in the world. We couldn't just depend on the all-knowing power and wisdom of the gods. He also invented the first system of classification.

500 Word Essay: Is Bradford's story a Mortality Tale?

I would say yes, because the English/Indians are portrayed as bad guys, while the Separatists are painted as helpless victims. The English are controlling religious fanatics who believe everyone should attend the Church of England. They travel to Plymouth and the new world, with grand hopes of freedom and a fresh start. They are seeking religious freedom and a better home and environment for their children and grand-children. So great is their desire, that they are willing to risk their very lives on this dangerous voyage. This Pilgrims head out on this unpredictable journey, unbeknownst to the perils and pain they will face.

They take everything they own with them, all their belongings, with their hopes, dreams, and plans. However, they encounter many problems along the many, with many of their travelers dying from disease and fatigue. Upon arriving, they must build a new settlement from scratch and learn to survive in a budding territory. They meet Squanto, who seems friendly enough at first and teaches them how to hunt and fish. But it turns out he has his own personal motives, behind his facade of generosity and kindness. The Indians carry rampant health problems with them, which causes more of the Pilgrims to die.

Wallowing in sorrow and misery, the Pilgrims's life is one of sadness and despair for much of their time in this colony. Between trying to survive disease, starvation, exhaustion, and turmoil, they are thoroughly worn out and miserable. It would be safe to assume there were times they wondered if they were better off in England. Yet there were some that survived these perilous conditions and increasing troublesome times. If it weren't for Squanto, there wouldn't have been a single one of them still alive. After such a brutal, merciless winter, it was a wonder that they hadn't all perished from starvation.


Thanks to his wisdom and knowledge, the Pilgrims knew how to be self-reliant and hunt/garden for their own food. He instructed them in planting corn and fishing, so they wouldn't die during the excruciatingly long winter. Although these actions were worth noting, Squanto's intent in them was only to get in the good graces of the Pilgrims. He didn't want them to turn against him and his tribe, so he attempted to impress them with his skills.


Therefore, in conclusion I would say that this is a tale of mortality. The Pilgrims are painted in shades of innocence, nobility, and bravery. They are vulnerable targets of King James II, a tyrant and absolute monarch. He deprives them of their freedoms in religion, speech, and free thought. Because of his unfair treatment, they must leave their home country and may never see their relatives/friends again. Then, upon arriving, they only have more pain and heartbreak, losing many of their peers to disease or starvation.

They spend many years trying to make a life in America, by sheer determination and an iron-will to persevere/conquer the imposing difficulties. Their courage and ability to still be strong after all this is quite admirable.

Plato's Philosopher King qualities and "Allegory Of The Cave"

Plato's philosopher-king is wise, gentle, brave, and strong. He rules with a good sense of justice, or what is "right and wrong". Plato also states that women should be included in the debates, so there would also be "philosopher-queens" as well.These honored and elect rulers must be conceived by the best of the best, quote,"by merit and not by birth." Plato believed in the concept of natural selection, only the fittest surviving.

 Plato's idea was that this philosopher king or queen would be ideal in their capability to be in charge. They were able to rule, because of their extensive knowledge and wisdom of goodness and virtue. Above all others, they are expected to hold the highest education in these things, and love the truth. This way, they can instruct those under them with this understanding.




Second Topic: Plato's ''Allegory Of The Cave".

The point Plato was trying to make is that many of us are in the dark, in regards to truth. Like the prisoners chained to the wall, we
are captive to our idea of the truth. We can't see beyond this facade and mistakenly view shadows of reality. Blinded by our ignorance, we are incapable of having our eyes opened. Instead we remain within our own illusion, unwilling to be exposed to reality.

What role did ancient Greece play in Western Civilization? :Essay

Their pottery, art, politics, science, philosophy, and sports all contributed tremendously to building the foundation of the Western World. Philosophers, like Aristotle, Plato, and Socrates helped in paving the way to much of modern-day Western thought. Their ideas and studies were studied and adopted by many over the generations. Plato's theories are at the core of philosophy.  Pythagoras and Euclid greatly succeeded in their discoveries, involving mathematics and science. If it weren't for them, we wouldn't have the extensive knowledge of subjects such as geometry and the Pythagorean theory. The Greeks also accomplished much in the area of poetry. Talented writers like Homer, Hesiod, and Sophocles fashioned works of art, like the Iliad, that are still read and remembered today. Every mystic reference and popular Greek story reverts back to these poets.

In sports, there was the infamous Olympic Games, showcasing the Greeks passion for competition. According to the website History World. org, the impact the Greeks have had on the Western World can not be overestimated.