Do Student-Athletes in College Look At Their Coaches As Parent Figure Research Proposal

Do Student-Athletes in College Look At Their Coaches As Parent Figure - Research Proposal Example As the paper discusses with many of research studies in the theme of relationship between a coach and the athletic students in schools focusing on the leadership attributes and the moral and ethical relations, few studies have focused on the acceptable mode of handling the athletes by the coaches. With such perceptions as have been shown to hold in people’s views concerning the way that coach-student relationship should be, there lacks a standard tool on which the interactions and attitudes towards each other should be understood. There exists a gap in literature on whether students perceive their coaches as parent figures or not and what would be the factors that influence such perceptions. The lack of such literature from past studies and related academic materials shows the necessity to have a structured study into the theme in order to shape future studies and understanding of the theme. This study is aimed at establishing a qualitative justification through research study on whether the athletic students in colleges perceive their coaches as parents or not. This study is aimed at establishing whether student-athletes perceive their coaches as parents or otherwise through a qualitative analysis of the opinions by the athletes. The study is also focused on bridging the gap that currently exists between the literatures on student coach perceptions especially in the athletics and contribute towards shaping future research studies in the theme.

Write a 1,000+ word comparative analysis of two poems Essay

Write a 1,000+ word comparative analysis of two poems - Essay Example In her writings in the Love in Place, she elaborates on some â€Å"love in place† which moves nowhere and is static against time. This love is not changing at all. From this point, a theme is already brought. This theme of â€Å"love† is shared by both the poems. Closer examination of both poems reveals to the audience some kind of mood that is used in the poem. In Love in Place, Nikki Giovanni says that â€Å"I know I must have fallen in love ones because I quite biting my cuticles and my hair is gray†. Yet in the poem from Love Poem Medley, Ruddy Francisco suggests such kind of love which is far away and yet it would still be there. This is the point that the two poems draw some contrast. Both the poets have been able to deliver their themes on the same topic, and yet they use different tones. Nikki Giovanni is quite straight and to the point with how she presents the persona. She delivers the feelings of the persona right within the poem. According to the Rudy ’s Poem, he, distances himself from the love by repeatedly insisting that what he is talking about is nothing to do with love. â€Å"I am not a love poet†. This statement he repeatedly makes, which sinks into the mind of the audience and reveals some sarcastic view on the matter of love. From what Nikki suggests, in her reiteration that she has stopped biting her fingers, it would be inferred that the poet is trying to relay to the audience the progress she has made and changes that have occurred in life since when she was in love. Both the poets try to present greater appreciation of love. Nikki Giovanni appreciates love by keeping things the same way as they used to be. She portrays the person as having not changed in her appearance. The natural changes in her body have remained the same including her gray hair. The Francisco equally appreciates love by complementing the lady, who she wishes would have been her lady, but yet must understand that love is a painful affair

Letter of application Essay Example for Free

Letter of application Essay Though there are many formats, full block format with open punctuation marks is the most popularly used forms in today’s business communication. Full block format means, aligning all the parts of the letters in the left margin without indenting. One line space has to be left between the parts. Open punctuation refers to using punctuation marks only in the main body of the letter in order to ensure clear comprehension and omitting punctuation marks like commas and full stops in all other parts (date, address, salutation, subscription, etc. ) How to Write an Effective Cover Letter? An effective cover letter must convince the employer that the candidate possesses the requisite skills for the job and ensure him that he is the suitable person for the post. So the cover letter should highlight the most relevant skills/achievements/performance, needed for the job. The cover letter is usually written in three or four small paragraphs with enough white space in between. In the first paragraph, (i) mention the subject and reference. In other words, the name of the post you are applying and the source of information (name of the newspaper and the date) are to be mentioned. In case of some other sources like personal contacts, due acknowledgement has to be made. (ii) Express the reason to apply for the post or your willingness to be considered as a candidate. Some sample openings: 1. Your advertisement for the post of Software Engineer in the June 25, 2008 issue of The Times of India interested me as I am confident that I possess the requisite qualification and skills. I wish to be considered as a candidate for the same. 2. I understand from Mr. Rajgopal, one of your faculty that there is an opening in your esteemed organization for the post of Marketing Executive.. 3. I was very interested to see your advertisement for the post Software Engineer in The Hindu of 29.06.2008. I have been seeking for such an opportunity as this, and I think my background and your requirements may be a good match. I am very much interested in working as a Software Engineer in your esteemed concern. In the second paragraph, (i) highlight your academic and professional skills which are more relevant for the post you are applying now. (ii) Give specific and the most important details of your achievements and inform the employer that your resume is enclosed for the other details of your qualification and experience. Some samples: 1. As my enclosed resume indicates, I have a B.E in Electronics and Communication Engineering. I was a University rank holder and was awarded a merit scholarship by the University. I did my internship at Reliance, Bangalore, during the summer vacation. My project work has helped me acquire a wide variety of skills that would benefit your company. 2. My education includes a B.E .in Electrical Engineering from National Institute of Technology, Tiruchi and an MBA from IGNOU, New Delhi. During my undergraduation, I did a summer project in Network Security, at BSNL, Coimbatore. and received a letter of appreciation for my vision and ability to multitask. I wish to begin my career with Polexcel and I believe that my employment with you would be highly beneficial to your company and also add value to my career. In the third paragraph/concluding paragraph, (i) motivate the employer for taking action, i.e., calling for an interview (ii) express your convenience to attend the interview. Some Sample Closings: 1. I look forward to the opportunity of attending an interview when I can provide additional details. 2. I would like to meet you and discuss the employment possibilities at your company. I expect your reply and appreciate your consideration. 3. I shall be pleased to provide any further information you may need and hope I may be given an opportunity of an interview. 4. I wish to begin my career with SR Industries and I believe that my employment with you would be highly beneficial to your company and also add value to my career. 5. I have been looking for an opening like this one, which provides a fast moving, dynamic work environment and accelerated and challenging growth opportunities. (ii) RESUME A resume is a selective record of a candidate’s academic, professional and personal background. It is basically, a professional employment seeking document that presents the summary of an individual’s education, professional training, experience, skills, abilities, achievements and references. The length of the resume should be between 1 and 2 pages long. Format There is no specific format for writing a resume. The resume should have an effective design with a focus on readability and adaptation to the expectations of the prospective employer. Though the parts and the format of a resume differ from person to person and company to company, the standard parts of a resume include the following: 1. heading, 2. position sought, 3. career objective, 4. education, 5. work experience, 6. special skills, 7. achievements, 8. activities, and interests 9. references. Some sample objectives 1. To work as a System Manager in a leading IT company where I will have opportunities to use my knowledge in VB, ASP, NET, XML and SQL server. 2. To be a part of a fast growing multinational company that will enable me to use my analytical, interpersonal and communication skills. 3. Entry level position is design and development of microprocessor circuitry; eventual advancement to positions as Technical Manager or Project Leader. Resume Style There are three acceptable resume styles: Chronological, Functional and Hybrid (a combination of both) Chronological Resume: This is the most commonly used resume style. It focuses on education and experience and the details are arranged in reverse chronological order. Functional Resume: Functional resumes highlight accomplishments and emphasise skills. The requisite skills are demonstrated by means of the experience the candidate possesses. Combination Resume: As the name suggests, it combines the best features of chronological and functional resumes. This style is very rarely used. In short, the style of the resume depends on the nature of the job and the skills and qualification of the candidate. Points to Remember in Writing a Resume Make the design and format readable with main sections noticeable and the individual components distinct, separate and clear. Give well defined headings Leave enough white space between the parts. Align everything to the left Leave at least one inch margin Use standard font, preferably, Ariel or Times New Roman with 10 or 12 font size. Be specific, factual and objective. Edit carefully for grammar, vocabulary and spelling errors. Avoid punctuation as much as possible. Avoid columns, vertical, horizontal lines, or boxes. Avoid decorative designs, and typography Make the resume computer-friendly. Thus the success of employment search largely depends on a candidate’s ability to design an effective cover letter and a persuasive resume. LETTER OF APPLICATION In response to your advertisement in The Times of India of 29.06.2008, I wish to apply for the post of Software Engineer in your reputed concern. My academic record reflects my sincerity and strong determination. I graduated with a B.Tech in Information Technology from Anna University, Coimbatore with distinction in May 2008. I received the Chief Minister Merit Scholarship during 2006-2007 for my academic performance. As a dynamic and extroverted student, I took active interest and participation in many extra curricular and co-curricular activities and won prizes. I have enclosed my resume for the details of my qualification for your perusal. As I have a sound academic background, good oral and written communication skills, proficiency in computers and high degree of commitment, I would be able to contribute to the growth and expansion of your company. I look forward to having the opportunity to further discuss my qualifications for the post of Software Engineer at your firm. OBJECTIVE To obtain a challenging position as a Software Engineer in an innovative software company where I will have opportunities to utilize my computer proficiency, communication and interpersonal skills to contribute to the growth of the company and also enhance my career prospects. EDUCATION Anna University, Coimbatore B.Tech. in Information Technology, May, 2008. SH Senior Secondary School, Chennai passed Higher Secondary, April, 2004 SOFTWARE SKILLS Programming Languages: C, C++, JAVA, PERL Technologies: HTML, Java Security, JDBC Operating Systems: Linux, Unix, Windows 95/09/NT, DOS ACHIEVEMENTS Won Chief Minister Merit Scholarship for academic proficiency in III tear Won First prize in Inter – University elocution contest, in 2007. Secured Second position in Debugging’ contest, held at IIT, Chennai. ACTIVITIES Was the Student Secretary for the Society of Information Technologists Had been a member of National Cadet Corps for three years during my school Have participated in many extra – curricular activities and won prizes PERSONAL DETAILS Age Date of Birth 21 years 14.08. 1987 Marital Status: Single Languages Known: Tamil, English, Hindi, German Interests: Reading fiction, Web designing and Listening to Carnatic REFERENCES 1. Dr. V.Thanuvalingam Dean (Academic) Anna University Coimbatore 2. Dr.K.Viswanathan Professor Head Department of Information Technology Anna University Coimbatore Task: Assume that you have completed your degree and draft a letter of application to be sent to your dream company. Prepare your own resume to be enclosed along with the cover letter.

Marriage in African Traditional Society

Marriage in African Traditional Society Marriage is an important step in the life of every human on earth. Different cultures have different rituals and beliefs about marriage. Love, economic status, religious beliefs, and social acceptance are just a few reasons individuals marry across differing cultures. To understand various form of marriages among the Kenyan societies and specifically the Akamba, we shall look at length the systems of marriages that existed. Kenyan culture is very diverse and full of tradition based on social norms that have been around for generations. Social life is patterned around a strong clan and extended family ties. This plays a vital role in the marriage process. Kenyans attempt to maximize rewards and minimize costs. This is done by comparing what one gives up compared to what they receive in marriage. A husband may receive social status, sexual enhancement, increased labor, and the knowledge that his blood-line will continue, while giving up some sort of economic compensation to the family of the wife. The wife may receive resources, adult status as a wife, and protection in return for her labor and obedience to her husband. Marriage is a recognized union of a man and a woman as husband and wife, a union that is intended to last their joint lives. Mutisya(2004) cites a case of Rex vs Amkeyo, the then Chief Justice, Sir Robert Hamilton, that stated: In my opinion, the use of the word marriage to describe the relationship entered into by an African native with a woman of his tribe according to tribal custom is a misnomer that has led in the past to a considerable confusion of ideas the element of a so-called marriage by native custom differs so materially from the ordinary accepted idea of what constitutes a civilized form of marriage that it is difficult to compare the two. However, in the African mind, it is considered as a serious affair and one that demands high commitment. There are no half-measures in Akamba marriages. A man who engages in dubious marital relationships is a mutuanya, a vagabond despised by everyone in the community. Likewise, a woman without a proper husband is referred to as a mukoma nthi, one who sleeps on the floor, a person of no fixed abode. Among the Akamba, a virgin bride brought shame to her family; her virginity was an indication of ill preparation before marriage, therefore young women were ritually deflowered by elder men from whom they received sexual teachings. In the same vein, pre-marital sex was permitted for both boys and girls to prepare them adequately for their conjugal responsibilities in marriage. Among the Akamba, marriage had the specific purpose of perpetuating ones lineage and in the process, bestowing social status on the man and his wife. When a boy and girl came to a secret agreement that they were in love and wanted to marry, upon agreement, the young mans father would approach the girls parents on the matter. This was followed by the first sign of sealing an in-law relationship uthoni with two goats mbui sya ntheo. The young suitor then prepared the best beer uki, which was taken to the girls father, followed by a negotiation on the bride-wealth. The Akamba married woman was more or less the head of the family in the long run, since the husband had little control over her in the day to day management. If such a freedom to manage the home was absent, the husband had the danger of his wife becoming exasperated and running away. At all costs, the husband had to avoid such situations of a wife running back to her parents, because he would definitely not recover the dowry he gave to her parents, which could only happen if his former wife re-married. In the case of re-marriage, the new husband was obliged to refund the entire dowry paid to the former husband. In the final analysis what this system did was to reduce exceedingly the number of divorce cases. The Akamba men were socialized to worship physical power fighting, cattle raiding, and so on. The women maintained a closely guarded culture of oppression in which men were excluded from all intellectual activities. The mens only tasks were to raid cattle and guard the community. When they were not doing that, they were allowed to spend their time drinking beer or socializing. They were excluded from all creative activities where thought and tact would have been necessary. In deed, even in worshiping Mulungu the Akamba God, the men were excluded. The women had their own well organized religion called Kathambi. Their goddess, Kathambi, is the goddess of rain and fertility. The women associated rain and fertility with womanhood. And since men dont give birth or menstruate, they were deemed incapable of communicating with Mulungu. The congregation of Kathambi worshiping women was called Ngolano and the congregation was led by woman priestesses (who had stopped menstruating and giving birth) in shrines called mathembo, composed of thick forests or huge trees. Ghost Wives (Mulewa) Mulewa Muthiani goes about her business just like any other widowed woman in her village in Ukambani. But there is one difference between her and normal widows Mulewa never met her husband. In fact, she was married to him after he died, about 30 years ago. Mulewa is what is referred to in Ukambani as a ghost wife. And while she never set eyes on Muthiani, her husband, she knows for a fact that he once lived, and even if now long dead, he continues to live as a spirit. This she knows because when she was being married, her mother in-law, Muthoni who died in 1992 told her that she was being married to bear children for Muthonis son, Muthiani, who died in early childhood. Yes, she has children five in fact who were fathered by different men and who bear her dead husbands name. Stanely Kimanga. It was considered highly important for every Akamba man to be married because it was his wife and children that would guarantee keeping his memory beyond his death. If an Akamba man died before marriage, the father arranged to obtain a wife (Mulewa) for the dead son. Such a girl was married to the name of the dead unmarried man and bore him children, usually by his brother (cf. Middleton, p. 90). In 1967 C. W .Hobley wrote in Bantu Beliefs and Magic: There is a curious custom in Ukambani If a young unmarried man is killed away from his village, his Imu or spirit will return there and speak to the people through the medium of an old woman in a dance and say: I am so-and- so speaking, and I want a wife. The youths father will then make arrangements to buy a girl from another village and bring her to his, and she will be mentioned as the wife of the deceased, speaking of him by name Among the Akamba, a woman could be married to a man who was long dead and such a woman was called Mulewa ghost wife. Athough the ghost wife never met her husband, she knew he once lived and continued to live as a spirit. Mulewa was therefore expected to bear children for her dead husband by sleeping with other men. The ghost wife cultural practice also catered for male children who died in infancy. The bereaved mother counted the years until the dead baby would have reached marriageable age, then she would find him a bride. Before a girl was identified to be a ghost wife, there had to be evidence that she had already produced a son. The continuation of the dead mans lineage and that of his father was of prime importance. Even if daughters remained at home and produced children, they were not perceived as continuing the lineage of their maternal grandfather because kinship in the Akamba community was patrilineal and the children of daughters would not belong to the same clan as their grandfather. A ghost wife was accorded the privileges of a normal wife and her right of inheritance was protected and she received what her dead husband would have received from his parents. Woman-to-Woman Marriage (Iweto) The practice of women marrying women is somewhat common in certain societies in West Africa, Southern Africa, East Africa, and the Sudan. Yet, besides a total lack of discussion in the popular media, what is typically called woman-woman marriage is the subject of a very small body of academic literature. Cross-culturally, women take wives under three circumstances, all of which increase the status of the female husband: 1) barren women and widows take wives to obtain rights over children produced; 2) rich women accumulate wives to gain prestige and wealth in the same way men do through polygyny; and 3) in some societies where women have the right to have a daughter-in-law, women without sons can exercise their right to a daughter-in-law by marrying a woman and giving her to a non-existent son. In each of these situations, African women are able to manipulate the existing system through woman-to-woman marriage in order to achieve higher social and economic status. Woman-to-woman marriage can also be beneficial to persons other than the female husband. Woman-to-woman marriage involves the following persons: 1) the female husband herself; 2) if the female husband is already married, her own husband (the female husbands husband); 3) the woman who is married by the female husband the wife; and 4) the lover(s) of the wife who may father her children. To obtain a full understanding of the topic, it is important to examine the motivations not only of the wife, but also those of the wifes lover(s) and the husband (if any) of the female husband. The Akamba practiced woman-to-woman marriage (Gynegamy) known as Iweto All ceremonial aspects of this marriage were observed, bride-wealth was paid to the girls father, and all rules of divorce applicable in the Akamba community were adhered to. This marriage involved one woman marrying another woman, thus assuming control over her and her offspring. The Akamba female husbands resorted to this form of marriage to further their social and economic positions in society. Barren women and widows took wives to obtain rights over children produced. Rich Akamba women accumulated wives to gain prestige and wealth in the same way men do through polygamy. The Akamba women who had no sons exercised their right to a daughter-in-law by marrying a woman and giving her to a non-existent son. The Akamba allowed a woman who had no sons to marry another woman. This was usually after widowhood, but could also be during the husbands lifetime. The bride worked for and looked after the elderly woman she had married but was free to choose male partners as she pleased, since the purpose for her union with the elderly woman was to have sons. Any children born belonged to the family group, and the sons would inherit the property. Among the Akamba it was and still is the wifes duty to provide food for the family from the family cultivated land. The wife could ask for divorce if the plot of land was too small and the husband refused to negotiate a larger piece of land (cf. Penwill, pp. 15-18). Christian view of both types of Marriages In traditional thinking, ancestors are an essential link in a hierarchical chain of powers stretching from this world to the spirit world. Insofar as African traditional religion can be defined by specific religious actions, the cult of the ancestors is its most common and essential activity. In order to understand the importance of ancestors one must realize that in the African view, death is not thought to end human relationships. Rather, those who die enter the spirit world in which they are invisible. Deceased ancestors are integral to the traditional African social structure. In a culture where tribe, clan and family are of utmost importance, ancestors are the most respected members of the family. To be cut off from relationships with ones ancestors is to cease to be a whole person. Moreover, the ancestors sanction societys customs, norms and ethics. Without them, Africans are left without moral guidelines or motivation, and society is powerless to enforce ethics. However, the bible is clear on when should a union between a woman and a man end, in case of the ghost marriages. A wife is bound as long as her husband lives; but if her husband is dead, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.( 1st Corithians 7:39). This outlaws the connection in matrimony between the dead and the alive. It also cautions against tokenism where one worships a dead person. It is through Christ that all that have died will rise again. However, woman to woman marriages of Ukambbani are not same with lesbianism. It was a place to take care of each other and involved no or little sexual intimacy. Christian teachings prohibit marriage and sexual activities between same genders but encourage people to take good care of each other. ( 1st John 3:16). It was love that guided these relationships. References Cited Cadigan, R. Jean (1998), Woman-to-woman marriage: practices and benefits in Sub-Saharan Africa. Comparative Perspectives on Black Family Life. Journal of Comparative Family Studies, vol 1 Dundas, C. (1913), History of Kitui, Journal of Royal Anthropological Institute, Vol 43 pp480-549. Kimanga, S. (6 October 2004), The ghost wives of Ukambani, All Africa News, http://allafrica.com/stories/200410060072.html, Accessed 18th July 2010 Lindblom, G., (1969.) The Akamba in British East Africa, 2nd Edition, New York: Negro University Press. Middleton, J. (1953), The Central Tribes of the North-Eastern Bantu, London: International African Institute. New International Version, Holy Bible Penwill, D.J., (1951), Kamba Customary Law, London: Macmillan and Company. Roy M,M. (2004), Akamba Marriage Customs. Nairobi: Roma Publishers Limited. Mueni, E. (2010) Personal interview (0726 43-0331) Terry, M. (2010) Personal Interview (0721- 738524)

A Response to Hubbard’s essay Science, Facts, and Feminism :: Hubbard Scientific Men Females Essays

A Response to Hubbard’s essay Science, Facts, and Feminism In her essay "Science, Facts, and Feminism" Ruth Hubbard makes many claims in relating her opinions about the relationship between men and women in society as well as the role science plays in this relationship and the balance of power in the world. One of her claims states that "the pretense that science is objective, apolitical and value-neutral is profoundly political because it obscures the political role that science and technology play in underwriting the existing distribution of power in society." In essence, she is saying that it is ridiculous to claim that science is an objective look at the world around us because science is constantly affected by society and the political establishment. I agree that it is impossible to claim that science is in every way separate from politics and power because those types of people who created the political world also created the scientific world to supplement and support it. For example, the government, a political and power establishment , created the Manhattan Project and put a huge amount of funding into a scientific project that produced the atomic bomb. Hubbard disagrees with the idea that science is immune to power and politics. To think that science is neutral one must assume that the scientist is able to remove himself from the test subject and the surroundings and simply observe without affecting the test in any way. In reality this is impossible. The scientist must design the test, perform it, and be prepared to fix it if it does not address the problem he has posed. Because human beings are imperfect, the tests are also imperfect. As a result, the conclusion the scientist reaches is no longer objective, but influenced by the type of results he is expecting. Furthermore, to think that science is immune to the power establishment, one must assume that it is in no way affected by government or companies with money to spend. This, like the assumption that science is neutral, is also incorrect. In order for a scientist to be funded in his research, he must submit proposals to those power establishments that have money. These powerful companies and governments will only fund those projects they deem important to their interests and goals. In this way, science is extremely political in its effort to obtain money and support because it must please those power establishments who are, by nature, political.

Black Athletes in Society Essay -- essays research papers fc

Introduction In the collegiate world of sports, basketball has become an increasingly recognized sport among African Americans, predominantly males. The hope of any young basketball player is that one day a scout will come and recruit them into stardom The question that presents itself as a problem to the lucky few who are chosen to go professional, is whether or not an education is more important than a million dollar shoe deal, â€Å"The NCAA's (1998) annual six-year study reported that only 33% of Black male basketball players graduated, (Chronicle of Higher Education, 1999). Individually, basketball reported the lowest graduation rate in all divisions,† (Robinson, 2004:1). Basketball players have become so idolized in the eyes of young Black male basketball athletes, that the value of education appear to be less important in the development of these young men, â€Å"According to Sailes (1997), there is an over-representation of Black males in particular sports and an under-representat ion in other segments of American society. He provides the example of percentages of Black males competing in the NBA (77%), NFL (65%), MLB (15%), and MLS (16%) in comparison to the fact that fewer than 2% of doctors, lawyers, architects, college professors, or business executives are Black males.†, (Robinson, 2004:1). The idea of the attainment of a professional basketball player’s salary in the NBA, without even having to go to school for the time it takes to earn a degree is very appealing to some players. Those with a wealthy, or even upper-middle class upbringing may not view material assets as a priority. In the Black community, we have theorized that money and success play a more important role than education in most households. Although these two seem to go together, one resulting from the other, this does not apply in the sports world. Our research will examine the role that the family value system plays in influencing Black vs. White male athletes to turn prof essional, as opposed to obtaining a college degree before turning professional. The role of the family value system encouraging Black male athletes to graduate from college appears to be less influential than that of White male athletes. The attainment of a professional basketball contract is more important because the value system in African American families appears to be focused more on immediate gratification. So r... ...r   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Education Statistics. No date of posting/revision given. 20 Apr. 2004   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This website provides the information on the graduation rates of all races. It also gives one important factor when studying the Black community’s graduation rates, â€Å"Black may be 12% of population, but only 3% of PHD, 6.7% of Bachelors Degrees,† and therefore encouraging the idea that the Black community does not support education as one of its main priorities. Robinson, Mark D. Ph. D. â€Å"Every Black Kid Should Strive to Be a Professional Athlete†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Black Athlete Sports Network. 10 May 2004   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This article proposes the idea of what would happen if Black people really embraced the sports world and made that their priority instead of education, â€Å"He provides the example of percentages of Black males competing in the NBA (77%), NFL (65%), MLB (15%), and MLS (16%) in comparison to the fact that fewer than 2% of doctors, lawyers, architects, college professors, or business executives are Black males,†. Dr. Robinson brings up the sta†¦..

Buddhism as a religion

Buddhism is a religion with a major following of believers from the Far East Nations. These nations are among the most populous countries of the world commanding about three quarters of the world population; with large part of China professing Buddhism it can be regarded as that religion enjoying the largest number of believers. Bearing in mind that many of this nation are (or they were) communists by ideology it is doubtless that establishment of any form of religion has not been easy, and Buddhism has not been an exception.Craik Kenneth: (1943). In this narration two most important names feature-a devoted Buddha who runs away at the time of heightened persecution, and the second one belonging to an American author and artist, George Crane. Tsai ran away from Mongolia as a young Buddhist monk in the wake of attack by the Red Army in 1959. Unfortunately many of the remaining monks are killed in this operation that was meant to do away with the Buddhism religion.According to Tsai, the main character in the Bones of the Master, he ran away to save the teaching of Buddha. Craik Kenneth: (1943). His exodus takes him to Hong Kong and eventually to the United States where, in New York he meets his neighbor and friend George Crane. As they were all working on translation of poems their relationship gets to grow deep despite their age, although it appeared quiet unusual for Crane in the way the Buddha friend expressed his faith.In observing the Buddhism culture to the maximum Tsai seeks to return to Mongolia with the main aim of searching for the bones of his master and also construct a shrine for his master. Tsai also has a statue of the master which was given him by his student of meditation, but this seems so awkward to Crane who fears for its size and weight. Crane feared because with such a massive thing with them they might not even be allowed to go beyond the boundaries of China. In this return journey he asks his friend Crane to accompany him, and the later is more than willing to come along.The land at this moment is still very dangerous for any individual who professes Buddhism as his religion and for this very reason Crane is worried on how they will enter Mongolia, a land which is more obvious that he is the only one remaining of the stock of Buddhist monks. Craik Kenneth: (1943). George Crane (2000), came out to explain the very basic concepts of Buddhism and begins by saying that this religion is built on main principles and one of them is basically that life is about suffering. He notes that human life is centered on striving and attachments and therefore according to Crane it is this struggles that bring about suffering.Futhermore, of utmost importance according to his views is how to overcome this sufferings in which he suggests that the believer should choose the way of the right action and views. At this point, Crane, who most obviously has been influenced by the Buddha practices points out that this actions lead to a path or a way of nirvana or unification with the universe, in which the author says it is about one being in control of her own experiences. Further on Crane says that this path is brought down into four divisions, three of which deal with mental experiences and the remaining one deal with the physical part of the approach.By doing this the author is giving as the insight of the importance of emotions for any believer of the religion of Buddhism. In addition, an individual of the Buddhism faith should act with emotions in addition to his or her mind as a sign of understanding the faith. Concequently, the believer should use the triangle of emotions, imagination and wisdom as a rule of following the right path. This insight therefore makes us to understand that Buddha religion brings an individual to closer understanding himself and the influence of his actions affect his relation with the spiritual world.Death appears to play a central role, an important pillar in the Buddhism philosophy. In fact, according to this philosophy death has never existed because the spirit undergoes a reformation called reincarnation, a kind of a circle involving deaths and births believed to be eternal up to the point of spirit achieving Enlightment and eventually enters nirvana. Another believe is in the idea of Karma which is actually the totality of good and bad deeds associated to an individual during his or her lifetime and which his future life in nirnava.Devotional Practices The Buddhism religion is characterized by a series of practices which are meant to show how devoted the faithful is in the religion. These devotional practices are a sign of veneration expressed before Buddha. Craik Kenneth: (1943). Shrines It is difficult for a Buddhist to worship without the use of shrines. Shrines are special worship points where the image of Buddha is placed and the worshippers bow down around the image during worshipping.For along time Buddha images and shrines have been used as objects of w orshipping and devotion to Buddha – being important in the sense that they are used as objects of inspiration and helps one to remain focused in worship hence showing maximum reverence and gratitude towards the teachings of the Buddha. Images and shrines reminds one of the importance of having perfection in wisdom and compassion in Buddha in addition to the inspirational aspect which serve in developing important qualities as one recalls the majesty of the teachings of Buddha.A Buddhist will tell you that the image in the shrine helps them to be peaceful because when they go to the temple and see the image it helps them to know that there are some peaceful beings elsewhere and they also ought to be so. Psychologically therefore one settles down. Craik Kenneth: (1943). There are several ways in which the faithful of the Buddha show respect to their majesty, the Buddha. This by: Folding palms and placing them on the chest. This action expresses deep respect to Buddha; Dharma an d Sangha.Another way is by Prostration before the image of the Buddha as a sign of showing deep veneration and makes one set to listen to the teachings. Prostration before Buddha helps a Buddhist to focus on the qualities of Buddha which include compassion, patience and wisdom. George Crane (2000). Therefore, the practices employed by Tsung Tsai from USA are the clear ways of showing how devoted he was to his traditional religion. The first expression of the practice is that of meditation. In the travel account we come of the meditation class organized under Tsung Tsai through the of appreciation him by one of his students.The class organized under Buddhist meditation types of the Western world appreciated their teacher on his return to Mongolia by giving him a gift of a statue of Buddha. Possibly they had understood the weight contained in this act of devotion because establishing a shrine for Buddha is the highest form of devotion one expresses to Buddha. George Crane (2000). Mast ers are highly respected among the Buddha because they are the teachers of the traditions, meditations and devotional practices among the monk communities. As an act of devotion therefore there has to be some respect and reverence to masters of the religion.We remember vividly that before Tsung Tsai left for Hong Kong while escaping the massacre he had to visit his master before leaving. While away his master dies, most likely by the bullets of the insurgents, and is buried not in accordance with the proper Buddhist traditions he used to teach. Consequently, Tsung Tsai seeks to come back to accord his master the required burial as per the Buddhist culture. George Crane (2000). Finally we recognize an act of wisdom as a devotional practice. Wisdom is about having a right understanding about all aspects of life, that is, recognition of one’s environment as it is.This act of wisdom is not viewed by Buddhists as any act of intelligence but the way one is refined and with time bec omes freed of ignorance of this religion wisdom is described as a devotional practice where should give in fully to be transformed . Wisdom is achieved through ethical practices and therefore our mental displine is important in the achievement of understanding. To the Buddhists wisdom is very imperative during meditation where one requires clarity of the mind . This is probably the main reason the old master teacher of Tsung Tsai spend times alone in meditation.According to the Buddha wisdom is a characteristic of an enlightened personality and the possessor is compassionate and is likely to operate wisely. George Crane (2000). Conclusion Devotional practices are the basis of any religion and the determinant of how engraved to the acts of the religion one is. To Buddhism in particular they show reverence and respect to the master and his Buddha. Bones of the master is a clear insight to explaining to us the clear insights of the culture of worship evolved behind the curtains of Budd hism. Craik Kenneth: (1943).T sung Tsai can be described as a Cha’n master and monk and is seen as the last Ch’an on earth. Ch’an is a form of Buddhism from Chinese and when it was later introduced in Japan it was renamed as Zen. Therefore a Ch’an monk is associated with the Mongolian or Chinese while the Zen is to Japan. According to Ch’an traditions in Buddhist writings women are accorded the same status as men, and that is why Crane receives a gift from a lama woman and also believed that he was taught the religion by this woman. Craik Kenneth: (1943). Hinduism and Buddhism are closely related religions and evolved together in the Far East.As a result it has been documented that Buddhism and Hinduism a rose from closely related ideas. In addition the early development in the Indian valleys as documented show that there was a strong flow of faith between the two religions such that at one time the Buddha temples were built under the control of Hi ndu kings. Furthermore, the worship through the use of images brings them together in addition to a strong culture embodied in devotional acts of meditation, building of shrines and the role of teachers in the passing of this beliefs to the next generations. Both religions show venerations to many deities. Kadodwala, Dilip. (1995). References Kadodwala, Dilip. (1995). Hinduism. World Religions Series. New York: Thomson Learning, ISBN 1-568-47-377-X. L.C. BL1203.K33. Grades 5Â ­7. Craik Kenneth: (1943). The Nature of Explanation Cambridge University Press. George Crane (2000). Bones of the Master: A Journey to Secret Mongolia Bantam Books, (paperback) 304 pages.