Cultural expression of Islam in Indonesia

Indonesia is considered as a secular state. However, a number of different religions exists and are practiced in the country, with these religions yielding a collective influence in the political, economic and culture of the country. The country has strong Islamic influences with over 87.2 per cent of the population being strong Islam followers. Therefore, … Read more

Child marriage within Islamic teaching

Child marriages have long been the subject of international concern for human rights organisations. Various attempts have been made to ban marriages between minors, in many countries. In Islamic countries, difficulties in this area arise from tensions between international treaty commitments, and traditional and critical interpretations of religious sources. A marriage contract is valid only … Read more

Strengths and Weaknesses of The Rational Choice Approach To Religion’s Behavior

One of the pioneers of the rational choice theory has been Gary Becker. He states that this approach can be applied to all human behaviour, including religion. This approach has three assumptions. It assumes that people engage in maximising behaviour. When applying this approach to religion we are not concerned with money. We are concerned … Read more

Research Paper Angels and Demons

My research paper cover different views of angels and demons from different religions. Jesus Christ, during his earthly ministry, encountered many demons. Of course, none of them was greater than Jesus Christ. And when night came, they brought to him many who were possessed with devils, and by the word he cast out devils, and … Read more

Critically explore the notion that the human being is the imago Dei.

From the very beginning ‘imago Dei’ was sewn into the fabric of Christianity, in the first book of the Bible, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness,” (Genesis 1:26-27). The meaning of this, as God’s intention, has been discussed for centuries commented on by the likes of Augustine and Irenaeus. However, I … Read more

Exodus 34: 1-10

Part 1: Exegetical Essay Throughout the Old Testament, the Lord plays many roles and can be characterized in many different ways based on the relationships and the ways in which he interacts with the people Ancient Israel. Ancient Israel was chosen by the Lord to be His people and to live out the words and … Read more

Disciplinary Power and the Transformation of the Body: Foucault’s Analysis of Surveillance and Control

The importance of the “body” has been transformed along with the formation of a disciplinary society. Throughout history, the society’s disciplines have changed from social “quarantine,” to an indefinitely generalizable mechanism of “panopticism” (206). According to Foucault, discipline is a unitary technique that increases the economic efficiency of the body and decreases its political obedience. … Read more

‘Ram Ke Naam’ Documentary

‘Ram Ke Naam’ is a documentary that shows the destructive effects of the campaign executed by Hindu-nationalists that emphasized building a Ram temple on the grounds of the Babri Mosque. The documentary explores religious beliefs in India and how politics come into play to create tension between Hindus and Muslims. Since the mid-1900’s, India was … Read more

How the Holocaust is seen to be both for and against God

The genocidal and discriminatory murders of the Holocaust proved to be one of the ultimate tests of the role of God and the experience of suffering to the Jewish population. They began to question whether the God they believed in was truly the omniscient, omnibenevolent, and omnipotent being they once saw. The problem with this … Read more

The Hebrew Scriptures

The Hebrew Scriptures involve many stories of God and his interactions with the Israelites. These scriptures depict an almighty God, who is merciful towards his people, but also capable of destruction. There are three passages in particular that display similar interactions and themes. The passages are Exodus 3:1-21, Isaiah 6:1-13, and 1 Kings 19:1-19. In … Read more

Religion and Cigarettes

Religion is not only a moral campus for humans but also an unbelievably ironic remedy that enriches our mortal soul. Over the years, the existence and the attributes of God have been brought under scrutiny by the clergy and scientists. The existence of a supernatural being has often been viewed as some sort of slavery. … Read more