Princess Nourah University The Legend of Heinkegani Research Paper i need a research paper for the assignment all needed details and instructions are in th

Princess Nourah University The Legend of Heinkegani Research Paper i need a research paper for the assignment all needed details and instructions are in the uploaded file

also there are three examples of how it should look like in the uploaded files Ellent 1
X. Ellent
17 April 2017
Religion and Sex: The Surprising Correlation
Sex and religion: two frequently-discussed topics that receive a lot of attention in the
media nowadays. Although commonly thought to be opposing subjects, the two are more closely
related than one may think. Stemming from the broad topic of sex are two contemporary issues:
premarital sex and divorce. Both topics tend to clash with various religious views, causing much
debate within society. Also, differences between the Bible and religious teachings in general lead
to more controversy on both premarital sex and divorce. Despite the difference in opinion, these
controversial topics of sex and love are greatly affected by religious participation and vice versa.
Christian teachings as a whole contrast with societal opinions on premarital sex and divorce, but
religion has a profound effect on each topic, and both premarital sex and divorce significantly
influence religious involvement.
Many Christian religions are very old and have a foundation of concrete morals, making
it unlikely for them to change their beliefs on certain subjects. Among these subjects lies perhaps
one of the most controversial: premarital sex. The religious rules and boundaries surrounding sex
can be somewhat confusing and unclear, as shown in this excerpt from the Bible: “Let marriage
be honored among all and the marriage bed be kept undefiled, for God will judge the immoral
and adulterers” (Hebrews 13:4). As a whole this quote is very vague, since the words “undefiled”
and “immoral” are never defined. However, the Bible does not aim to threaten anyone, nor does
it speak of sex in a negative way. In fact, premarital sex is never actually forbidden in the Bible.
Christian teachings outside of the Bible are the original source for preaching the importance of
waiting until marriage, as sex is an intimate, holy experience meant for a man and his wife. The
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confusion arises here, as the church places such emphasis on forbidding an act not ruled sinful in
the Bible. Speculation has risen that the strict, condemning reactions to premarital sex have been
exaggerated beyond God’s intent. In the book Love and Christian Ethics, Mark D. Jordan wrote
a chapter about Christian sexual ethics. He writes, “Jesus’s refusal to participate in the violent
extravagance of sexual shame suggests that he means to challenge our cultural and individual
exaggeration of sexual sin” (Jordan 300). In saying this, Jordan does not mean that the church is
okay with premarital sex, rather that some religious books and writers have made it into a bigger
deal than necessary. He continues by saying, “Churches have spent centuries fulminating against
sexual sins as the most prominent and most fatal rejections of God. In this, they have
contradicted Jesus’s example” (Jordan 300). While sex outside of marriage is considered a sin in
the Christian faith, it is not near the worst type of sin. Placing such emphasis on abstaining from
sex before marriage causes more problems to arise than necessary, especially since the Bible’s
teachings differ from the church’s teachings.
Another viewpoint to consider is society as a whole and its ever-changing opinions
regarding sex. Throughout history, sex culture in the media has drastically changed. The
increased use of social media has made our society more sexually permissive: sex is no longer a
highly-avoided, taboo subject, but rather one that receives a lot of attention. Nowadays kids are
exposed to sex at such a young age because everything seems to be sexualized. The “sex sells”
strategy is now commonly used by companies in advertisements, exploiting the bodies of both
men and women to sell products. However, amidst the sexualization of society, the Christian
church has not once waivered on its contrastingly conservative beliefs. Some may view this
unchanging nature as inflexible or discriminating while others see it as respectable tradition.
Either way, the church remains unaffected. In Edward Stourton’s book Absolute Truth, The
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Struggle for Meaning in Today’s Catholic Church, the author addresses contemporary issues
when remaining faithful, specifically in the Catholic Church, in such a sexually centered society.
Stourton addresses how the church’s intent for sex contrasts with society’s: “For centuries the
Church had taught that the purpose of sex was procreation…” (Stourton 79). Mark D. Jordan
agrees when he writes, “In sum, good sex is modest, fertile intercourse between a man and a
woman in a position meant to enhance conception” (Jordan 293). Popular societal opinions view
sex primarily as a pleasurable activity, while the Catholic Church’s stance is the exact opposite,
viewing sex as a form of procreation with minimal pleasure. Jordan furthers his point by saying,
“Christian authors have stigmatized sexual pleasure in so many ways that it is difficult to survey
their reasons… Sexual pleasure is judged sinful because it is antirational or bestial, because it is
intrinsically transgressive or disorderly, and because it is impure or contaminating” (Jordan 293).
This quote shows the extensive boundaries Christian leaders have placed on sex. Because of
these rules that make almost all sex sinful, sexual intercourse is drastically limited by guidelines
of the church, even within marriage.
However, sex is not the only subject surrounded by rules. Divorce also remains a pressing
issue in both the church and society. As confusing as the topic of premarital sex is, the church’s
stance on divorce is more clearly stated. In the Bible Jesus says, “‘So they are no longer two, but
one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, no human being must separate’” (Matthew
19:6). There is no misconception here that God forbids spouses from divorcing. An even clearer
statement can be found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church: “Divorce is a grave offense
against the natural law. It claims to break the contract, to which spouses freely consented, to live
with each other till death” (Catechism of the Catholic Church). However, there may be
exceptions, just like with any controversial topic. In the Bible Jesus also says, “I say to you,
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whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) and marries another commits
adultery” (Matthew 19:9). Here an unlawful marriage means one plagued by adultery, so it
appears Jesus presents a way to divorce within the church in a “legal” manner. However, while
this loophole may exist, the circumstances are extremely specific, as outlined in the Catechism:
“If civil divorce remains the only possible way of ensuring certain legal rights, the care of the
children, or the protection of inheritance, it can be tolerated and does not constitute a moral
offense” (Catechism of the Catholic Church). Therefore, taking Jesus’ word too lightly could
mislead someone to think divorce is easily justifiable. In the eyes of the church, more
specifically the Catholic church, a couple is considered married even after a divorce unless the
situation falls into one of the previously mentioned exceptions. These specific, minute details
may seem overly excessive from a religious perspective, but not so much from a societal
viewpoint.
While divorce is not something couples want or expect when they get married, it recently
seems to be one of the more obvious solutions to marriage problems. Throwing in the towel and
simply giving up may be extremely tempting, but it is not a decision that should be made lightly.
Compared to twenty or thirty years ago, marriages today are lasting a lot longer, but 40% of
spouses still end up divorcing (Clarke-Stewart and Brentano 16-17). Not only does the church
look down upon divorce, but the ending of a marriage has drastic, lasting effects on everyone
involved. According to the Catechism, “This disorder brings grave harm to the deserted spouse,
to children traumatized by the separation of their parents and often torn between them…”
(Catechism of the Catholic Church). The divorce of a couple affects more people than just the
two splitting up; their whole family, especially any children they may have, will have to carry the
burden of the ended marriage. In their book Divorce Causes and Consequences, authors Alison
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Clarke-Stewart and Cornelia Brentano agree with the previous statement, offering extensive
research on the negative effects of divorce. They write, “Given the downward mobility, loss of
old friends, role changes, and task overload of divorced adults, it is not surprising that they often
have psychological problems” (Clarke-Stewart and Brentano 72). While some divorces may be
for the better, the process of divorce can lead to a number of negative side effects that should be
carefully weighed before making any decisions. Clarke-Stewart and Brentano go on to talk about
more specific consequences, including depression, anxiety, and drinking problems: “…increases
in problems like depression and drinking begin before divorce, rise sharply at the time of
separation, and then, over the next few years, decrease somewhat…” (Clarke-Stewart and
Brentano 75). Despite these negative consequences, the negative social stigma that comes with
divorce has diminished in recent years making it a more common practice.
Overall, the Christian church has very conservative viewpoints on controversial topics
such as premarital sex and divorce. These opinions may leave some people, both religious and
nonreligious alike, searching for the reasoning behind their conservative nature. The answer may
be found in the article “Religiosity and Premarital Sex in Adulthood” written by Steven E.
Barkan. Barkan, a sociologist and professor who is published in multiple academic journals, is
mainly known for proving his hypotheses with statistical analysis. Based on his credentials, his
studies done on the correlation between religion and sexual activity are credible sources and
offer legitimate information. According to the article, religion has a positive impact on many
areas of life, not just the realm of sex and love. Steven Barkan quotes Ronald L. Johnstone,
author of the Book Religion in Society: A Sociology of Religion:
By giving people a common set of beliefs, religion teaches people moral behavior and
helps them learn to be good members of society. In these ways, religion acts as an
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important agent of socialization. Moreover, the communal practice of religion, as in
houses of worship, brings people together physically, facilitates their communication and
other social interaction, and for these reasons strengthens their social bonding. (qtd. in
Barkan 407-408)
Barkan also quotes Peter S.Bearman, American sociologist, who then explains the effects
religion has on sex among adolescents: “…with religious youths more likely than their less
religious counterparts to delay first intercourse, to be less sexually active if they do lose their
virginity, and to be less likely to use contraceptives” (qtd. in Barkan 408). These two quotes lead
to the conclusion that religion indirectly affects premarital sex rates by primarily improving most
other aspects of human life. These aspects include self-esteem, self-efficacy, and the tendency to
follow rules for fear of divine retribution (Barkan 408). Someone raised in a religious
environment would have been taught that sinning leads to separation from God and should be
avoided as much as possible. They also would have been taught that premarital sex is a sin,
possibly scaring them away from sexual activity in general. Growing up surrounded by such high
moral standards would definitely have a lasting impact on a child into adulthood. Besides the
fear of committing a sin, people raised in a religious household are exposed to a sense of
belonging within a certain faith community that more often than not contributes to the positive
effects of religion. While not true for everyone, belonging to a church can lead to the
development of lasting relationships that could possibly affect social and mental development
significantly. Barkan attests to this claim when he writes, “Various forms of religious
involvement further help integrate individuals into networks of relationships that both reinforce
these norms and provide potential disapproval and other social sanctions for norm violation”
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(Barkan 408). Having a positive influence, whether religion as a whole or a personal relationship
with someone, is what will ultimately decrease sexual activity among adolescents.
Along with premarital sex, divorce is a very controversial topic that the church views in a
conservative way. Because of the aforementioned positive influences religion has on people,
those raised in a religious setting will have higher moral standards that affect their opinions on
marriage and divorce. According to Guerrero, Anderson, and Afifi, “Previous studies have
reported that less religious people are more likely to divorce because religious people are more
likely to have stronger moral beliefs in marriage” (qtd. in Tanaka 2). Because of the strong moral
beliefs in marriage, religious people are also more likely to find divorce morally wrong. Similar
to premarital sex, the church instills the consequences of ending a marriage in a child’s mind
beginning at an early age. Therefore, the immorality of divorce stems from the fact that divorce
is taught as a forbidden subject in the church. An article written on this relationship between
religion and divorce by Dr. Kimiko Tanaka, Associate Professor of Sociology, gives some
insight on the topic. Dr. Tanaka quotes Jared Wadley, professor at the University of Michigan:
“The Early Years of Marriage Project at the University of Michigan also reported that couples
who attend church are less likely to divorce” (qtd. in Tanaka 3). Whether the unlikeliness of
divorce is attributed to fear or to true belief in marriage, religion seems to have a positive
influence on married couples. Conversely, the article reads, “…previous divorce experience,
especially divorce experience during middle age, significantly reduced the odds of regular and
public religious involvement in later life” (Tanaka 10). So, not only does religion affect divorce,
but divorce affects religious involvement. People who were raised in the church and end up
divorcing their spouse may feel more extreme effects of guilt due to their religious background.
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In some cases, this guilt could lead to lessened participation within their faith community,
possibly out of fear of being judged.
More often than not, religion and society do not agree on contemporary issues dealing
with sex. More specifically, viewpoints clash when considering the most controversial topics:
premarital sex and divorce. The Christian faith has extremely conservative opinions on these
subjects, actually forbidding both. Society tends to be more forgiving, especially in recent years
as negative social stigmas surrounding premarital sex and divorce have decreased significantly.
Though seemingly unrelated, religion and sex greatly influence each other. People raised in
religious backgrounds are less likely to have premarital sex or get a divorce, and those who
divorce are less likely to be involved in a faith community later on in life. Overall, sex and
religion are overlapping subjects that cause much controversy in society.
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Works Cited
Barkan, Steven E. “Religiosity and Premarital Sex in Adulthood.” Journal for the Scientific
Study of Religion 45.3 (2006): 407-17. EBSCO. Web. 20 March 2017.
Catholic Church. Catechism of the Catholic Church. Citta del Vaticano: Libreria Editrice
Vaticana, 1993. Print.
Clarke-Stewart, Alison, and Cornelia Brentano. Divorce Causes and Consequences. New Haven
and London: Yale University Press, 2006. Print.
Jordan, Mark D. “Love in the Vocation of Christian Sexual Ethics.” Simmons, Frederick V and
Brian C Sorrells. Love and Christian Ethics. Washington: Georgetown University Press,
2016. 290-302. Print.
Tanaka, Kimiko. “The Effect of Divorce Experience on Religious Involvement: Implications for
Later Health Lifestyle.” Journal of Divorce & Remarriage 51.1 (2010): 1-15. EBSCO.
Web. 20 March 2017.
Crichton 1
April 23, 2016
Dinosaurs: An Intriguing yet Disruptive Footprint
How important are dinosaurs? Are they simply prehistoric creatures that dominated the
animal kingdom, or are there mysteries that hide in the history of their bones? People seem to
have an extreme fascination with dinosaurs, even though their reign of domination is long over.
In the realm of modern culture, dinosaurs are one of the biggest marketing “giants,” appearing
in film, television, and themed consumer products At the same time, scientific progress has
exploded, yet paleontologists spend years digging up ancient fossils, trying to learn as much as
possible about them. It is clear that people absolutely love dinosaurs, whether they are seeing
Tyrannosaurus Rexes fighting to death on screen or trying to prove Tyrannosaurus Rexes fought
to death in reality. This love for the ferocity of dinosaurs, however, is not just a modern
phenomenon. Many tales of horrible creatures ripping apart ships at sea and eating people
whole were commonly known in times relatively close to the current generation. In fact, many
people believed these tales, living in fear of sea serpents and flying dragons. Unsurprisingly,
some people in the current age also believe that monstrous creatures still exist. By critically
looking at the evidence and effects dinosaurs have had on both pop and scientific culture, the
real truth behind dinosaur science and the existence of monstrous cryptids can be made clear.
Before looking into the scientific evidence regarding dinosaurs, the reason why people
even care about them needs to be understood. Dinosaurs are something that people cannot
observe in real life. Their dominion is long over, with only bones and mysteries remaining for
humans to uncover. One could also argue that the dodo is also extinct, but unlike certain
dinosaur films, it will be difficult for any movie about dodos to make over a billion dollars at the
Crichton 2
box office. The key difference between dodos and dinosaurs is, of course, the sheer massivity
and fearsome strength dinosaurs must have possessed. Quite simply, the easiest word to
describe dinosaurs with is “awesome,” which is the common opinion in today’s society. Why
would people think they are “awesome” though? Imagination is the only tool one would have
to recreate prehistoric fights. With anything mysterious or fascinating, there is always someone
who would like to profit off of the excitement. Because of their extreme marketability,
dinosaurs have been resurrected with the magic of animatronics and computer animation.
Arguably, the biggest dinosaur film that captured the entire world’s heart is Jurassic Park. When
watching this film, audiences are able to visually see the exciting yet terrifying behavior
dinosaurs exhibit around humans. Allen A. Debus, the author of Prehistoric Monsters: The Real
and Imagined Creatures of the Past That We Love to Fear, refers to the time where dinosaurs
grew rapidly in popularity as the “Dinosaur Renaissance” (Debus 210). After various films like
Jurassic Park, certain dinosaurs such as the Velociraptor and Tyrannosaurus became cultural
icons, whereas previously people barely even knew about them (Debus 221-215). Recognizing
that dinosaurs are beloved in modern culture is key to understanding modern dinosaur science.
Sometimes, something extremely popular can taint the scientific process, which has certainly
happened because of this “Dinosaur Renaissance.”
While masses of people crowd to see dinosaurs fight on screen, scientists are searching
in the background for as man…
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