Creation Myths Essay Example for Free

Creation Myths Essay Creation myths are present in all cultures of the world, and while these stories reflect very different beliefs of creation, they also possess many similarities as well. Each culture from around the world has developed beliefs and cosmogony that help them to understand the most ancient and primordial of questions: where did we come from? Ancient civilizations bore stories of primitive worlds, gods, and creators who sprung forth to create the world we live in and who created the first man and woman. Experts have come to find that there are common themes of creation myths which all myths can be classified into; accretion and conjunction stories, secretion stories, sacrifice stories, division or consummation stories, earth-diver stories, emergence stories, two-creator myths, deus faber (the maker god), and ex nihilo (out of nothing). Some cultures usually bear more than one type of theme for creation. Two creation myths that bare similarities and differences are the Norse and Egyptian. The theme of Norse creation is based on accretion and conjunction, secretion, and two-creator myths, while Egyptian creation myths follow the themes of secretion, deus faber, and ex nihilo (Leonard McClure, 2004). Norse creation myths spring forth from the Swedish and Scandinavian cultures. The Norse myth begins in a world called Ginnunngagap, which was the earth before the heavens were created and before any living thing existed. In the Southern end of Ginnungagap was a land called Muspelheim, a fiery realm of fire and poison, and to the North was a land of ice and cold called Niflheim. The gods that came after, created Midgard which was the middle land born from the great Yggdrasil tree; a pleasant and habitable place for humans. The gods resided in a different realm in the center of the earth called Asgard; from Asgard, the gods watched over all of mankind. The elements that exist in these worlds are plants, soil, water, wind, mist, ice, and fire (Brancaccio, Tonk, Van Driel, Passantino, 2012). The world before time in Egyptian creation was called Nu. Nu was the dark swirling waters of nothingness and chaos. Atum the creator, a sexless being, sprung forth ex nihilo from the waters of Nu, and through secretion, bore a son and daughter who created earth and sky. Elements of this world are water, rain, earth, plants, and wind (Brancaccio, Tonk, Van Driel, Passantino, 2012). The creators in Norse mythology began with the first three beings; Ymir a male frost giant, Buri a male god, and Buri’s wife, the first goddess. Audhumla was the first animal who licked free from the ice Buri and his wife. Audhumla was also the one who gave Ymir sustenance through its milk. Buri and his wife the goddess, bore three sons; Odin, Vili, and Ve. These three sons killed and dismembered the giant Ymir, whose corpse then created the world. Ymir’s flesh became the land, his blood became the sea, skull became the dome of sky above, his bones became mountains, and his hair became the grass and trees. Odin then stole sparks of fire from the land of Muspelheim, to create the sun, moon, and stars. Destroyers of this world came later in Norse mythology with the introduction of other beings and giants that bring forth Ragnarok, the time of destruction of Midgard. Surt is the guard and giant of Muspelheim who destroys the heavens with his fiery sword. Hati and Skoll are wolves the chase the sun and moon, are the destroyers of these celestial beings. The frost giant Loki, along with Fenrir, and the World Serpent are also released by Surt to aide in the destruction of the world (Rosenberg, 2006). In Egyptian myths, the main creator was called Atum. He was neither male nor female, possessed an all seeing eye. He joined with his shadow and bore a son from his spit called Shu, and from his vomit, a daughter called Tefnut. Shu was made the god of air, and Tefnut the goddess of moisture, they were responsible for sorting out the chaos of the universe into a perfect balance called maat. These two produced children, one male and one female, Geb and Nut, who were then separated to create the earth and sky. Other gods were also created who each had an individual responsibility in creating maat, these gods were Isis queen of the gods, Hathor the goddess of love and beauty, Osiris the god of wisdom and justice, Seth the god of evil, Thoth the god of wisdom, and Nepthys the protector of the dead (Brancaccio, Tonk, Van Driel, Passantino, 2012). Cosmic occurrences in Norse creation played a great role in the creation of the first beings and the first world. The mingling of fire and ice caused the melting of a mountain which produced the first being Ymir, the frost giant. Celestial bodies such as the sun and stars were created of fire sparks from the Land of Muspelheim. The role of cosmic occurrences in Egyptian creation was expressed by celestial beings becoming the creators of natural phenomena. Nut the sky goddess gave birth to the sun every day, and also produced rain that fell upon the earth to grow plants. The cycle of rainfall, sunrise, and sunset were all thought to be produced by the gods. The similarities shared amongst the Norse and Egyptian myths were evident in the several aspects and themes. For one, both Creators Ymir and Atum, were deus faber meaning that they alone were the first creators, they also both arrived into their respective worlds ex nihilo, out of nothingness. Secondly, Ymir and Atum created other beings through secretion; Ymir created beings through his sweat, and Atum created man with his tears. In both myths, many lesser gods were created to govern over natural phenomenon, and played roles in the cycles of death and rebirth. The difference between the two cultural myths is the fact that Norse creation was born out of violence and violent acts. Gods were constantly in battle; the theme of good and evil play a large part in Norse myths. Egyptian myth presented the need to bring peace and order to the chaotic world of Nu. The gods and goddesses main role was to find balance and Maat. In conclusion, world creation myths have similarities as well as differences. The commonality between them all is that they serve to fulfill the same need which is the need to understand the world around us and understand our origins. Earlier cultures have pondered over the beginning and creation as we still do in this day and age.

Not here :: essays papers

Not here Most people think that the U.S. constitution was just ratified and there was no arguments over its passing. In fact there was almost enough opposition that it came very close to not being passed. It was the Hamiltonians vs. the Jeffersonians in almost all cases. Even before the United States Constitution was ratified there was debate over whether or not to have a strict interpretation or a loose one. There was also debate over a State’s right to nullify a law. As memories of Shay’s rebellion and the reality of the Whiskey rebellion came to the front the issue of undue force became an issue. One of the other major issues during this era was the debt and the national bank. Although the constitution was passed there was much debate over whether it should be a strict or loose interpretation. Hamilton’s federalists thought it should be loose and Jefferson’s democratic-republicans strict. If it was strict then the federal government would only have the powers specifically given to it because of the tenth amendment. Too justify it being loose the federalists used the elastic clause (Article 1, Section 8, Clause 18) and then they could decide what was necessary and proper. Hamilton thought that the only way â€Å"to protect states sovereignty and at the same time have a national government would be to have a strong central authority†. The Kentucky and Virginia resolutions brought to the front a very important matter of concern, a state’s right to nullify a law. The federalists said that if a state could nullify a law then what did the laws mean. The democratic-republicans thought that if a law hurt a state unduly then it could be nullified. â€Å"Resolved,† the Kentucky Legislature declared in its opening paragraph, â€Å"that whensoever the General Government assumes undelegated powers, its acts are unauthoritative, void, and of no force.† Supreme authority in America, it argued, was held not by the federal government but by the people and the states, and Congress and the president had only those powers clearly delegated to them by the Constitution. This issue would not be settled until the civil war This is one of the pivotal moments of politics at that time the federalists were thrown out in 1800 mainly because of this. Another cause for concern about the new government was the use of undue force. The democratic-republicans thought that Washington used too much force in putting down the whiskey rebellion.

Statement of Academic/ Career Goals

Being fond of pharmacy and with a desire to be a pharmacist, I m currently an undergraduate student in College of Arts and Science with my majors in Chemistry. I’ve always dreamt of becoming a pharmacist while studying in USA for which I am eager to work hard and whole heartedly. I was also in Letters Dean’s list in 2007-fall semester and joined the Chemistry school department symposium in 2008. I am also a social servant and have been a lifelong volunteer in Taiwanese Social Organization that took take care of impoverished patients in persistent vegetative state (PVS) suffers in nursing home environment. By serving there I gained experience in cost reduction and acquired leadership and managerial skills. I always wanted to achieve something high in academics due to which I have high spirits and faith in me. The reason for selecting United States among the numerous choices was the excellent learning environment found there which is the only way to fulfill my academic aspirations and for which I am ready to strive as much as possible. The way of teaching and inspiration that comes from United States attracts me the most which unfortunately, I wasn’t able to find in my country Taiwan. The learning environment at United States positively reinforces and encourages the students to think, express and be creative whereas in other countries punishments are used to push students along with cramming studies. In the United States, I believe that EMU is the platform where I can pursue my highly spirited goals and where my skills can be enhanced and polished because of the learned science faculty available there. I’ve been enrolled at this grand institute for more than a year and through my hard work have been able to complete 50 credit hours up till now. Even though I was faced with a lot of problems and financial constraints, I never compromised on my result and attained an overall GPA of 3. 07 and maintained an excellent GPA of 3. 4 in my major. This institute opened me to a new world of science where I saw my dreams coming to be true. This period holds strategic importance in further nurturing my interest and convincing me with the passing time that EMU is the right place for me for providing quality learning. EMU not only played a role in increasing my knowledge and skills but also made me learn other important things. The first thing that I learnt at the place was the significance of honesty. The institute explained me new definitions of cheating and plagiarism which had been never taught before and I eventually realized their importance in building my personality once I began to study at EMU. It made me more creative, self dependent and work harder since I learnt to complete assignments and reports with the help of my own ideas and information acquired through hard work from different sources. This also helped in nurturing my grammar and composition skills which were tremendously improved. Moreover, my interpersonal skills improved drastically in the university’s environment which was previously hidden in the Chinese culture I came from. My introvert nature disappeared and I was able to interact freely with my professors and classmates while frequently raising questions which was not so in my old country school. EMU has taught me to be individualistic and self-reliant while at the same time made me affluent and interactive. By studying at EMU, I’ve been able to acquire a professional knowledge through the courses and lectures taught by my learned professors. I had to take a lot of science courses since I was in the pre-pharmacy program. This was the point where my interest in Chemistry developed and eventually I became fond of it. Previously, I had an impression that Chemistry is a tough subject but the professors and learning environment at EMU made everything easy for me and my interest in Chemistry was further nurtured. In the initial semesters I learned about the basic principles and laws of Chemistry while in the last semester this knowledge became more profound and in-depth. All this knowledge and courses are adding up to my skills which will make me appropriate to pursue a career in pharmacy. Moreover, at EMU I’ve learnt to collaborate and work as a team. This skill was acquired by working in labs where I gained not only practical skills but also attained the spirit of a team. I am now experienced at handling chemical apparatus and equipments for the purpose of using them in experiments. This demanded considerable hard work because of the language barriers due to which I had to preview lab manuals and practice a lot before coming to the lab. But since I am not afraid of hard work I did everything that it took to acquire complete knowledge. Breaking the language barriers was one of the greatest achievements for me and that built in me self confidence and strength to face challenges. This actually allowed me to help my classmates with their problems related to labs, equations and graphs. The language obstacles instead of serving as a hindrance actually motivated me to strengthen my English skills and communication power due to which I started being careful on every detail. Besides Chemistry, I also focused on Biology and Physics which advanced my researching and citation, and measurements and calculations respectively. I also felt the warmness of American culture at EMU since my classmates understood that I came from a different cultural background and helped me in every way in understanding the language and accommodating into an American culture. Studying at EMU has changed my life, and I truly think that EMU is the right place for me to accomplish my dream of being a pharmacist. The promising environment and the learned faculty encouraged me to take a further step towards my goal. Delving more into my career aspirations I assimilated more and more knowledge which made me more eager to learn. For all these reasons I have made my decision to complete my bachelor degree of Chemistry at EMU and then apply for pharmacy schools. I have high aspirations to pursue what I yearn for and want to live up to my dreams in order to be proud and self-satisfied. I am also aware of the fact that behind every dream there are hardships and I am ready to strive and work hard for achieving what I plan to. My philosophy in life is the belief in hard work because this can earn me what I strive for and I look forward to develop my specific skills and competences for achieving my long-term goals. For this my bachelor degree from EMU is very important for my future. I have financial troubles but your scholarship can serve as a blessing to me and help in fulfilling my long awaited dreams. Statement of Need I am a Taiwanese student working hard to achieve a career in my field of interest. Like all other students, I am also striving to attain the skills and knowledge for expanding my horizons of intellectual abilities. In order to accomplish this, I have decided to shift to US since it is a land of excellent education which can quench my thirst for knowledge. Though adjusting in American culture is difficult but I have tried my level best to handle all the obstacles and have been able to adjust quite well. I want to pursue career in pharmacy so that I can help people in their pain and sufferings which has always touched me. I come from a single family since my dad passed away when I was 13 and my mom was the only person who had to work to earn a living for the whole family. She is now a 70 year old retiree and the whole family has to live on her pension plans. To date, I have completed my education from my previous savings and help from my family. Since I have a younger brother and an elder sister, I cannot use much of the savings of my family and therefore, I am left with a meager amount which is not enough to complete my under graduation. My family income is my mother’s pension plan and her whole life savings which have almost exhausted. She has mortgaged her only house to a bank so that I continue studying in US in order to seek the dream of becoming a pharmacist. I am in a strong need for scholarship which is the only way through which I can make my future. Since I am categorized as an international student I have to pay a higher sum of money than the US residents which further worsens the problem. Moreover, the US government does not permits international students to work and regards it as illegal therefore; I don’t have any source of income at present. My annual tuition fee is around $32000 apart from living, renting, transportation, books, eating etc. Since I am living without my family members therefore, I have no family support and have to manage all the expenses myself. The total expense of tuition and living becomes enormous and cannot be managed with the loaned amount and my mother’s pension plans. This is why I am in a dire need of your scholarship so that I can continue my education and get the degree I promised my mother and myself. All these factors are a hindrance towards my academic progress therefore, I m writing this with great hope and faith in your scholarship program which can help in removing my worries and troubles. I need this scholarship desperately because I have exhausted my savings and family income on previous tuitions in US. My request for financial help is well intentioned and your scholarship can provide me with a relief after which I can devote my maximum attention to my dreams and aspirations of becoming a successful pharmacist.

How Elie Was Saved By American Soldiers - 851 Words

The covenant Elie and his father shared throughout this story was something special. Much like God and Abrahams covenant, Elie and his father vowed to keep each other safe even when that meant putting their lives on the line for each other. Elie did everything in his power to keep his father alive as long as he could. Some of the prisoners viewed all this ongoing struggle as a sort of a test. Many kept preaching that this was a test given by God that they had to go through in order to make it to heaven, much like the tests God put Abraham through. Meaning that there will be specific tasks that will have to endure that they might not seem fitting during life in order to ensure that they will go to heaven. In the end, Elie was saved by American soldiers. He was extremely grateful for this because he might not have made it much longer. There were specific times in the book where it was obvious to see that Elie had wanted to give up and die on this journey. Elie showed us how strong he w as mentally to be able to endure what he did and still come out with faith in God. One of the greatest traits about this book is the endless connections one can make through the experiences Elie went through. Some may argue that Elie lost his faith in God throughout his journey. I believe that in the end why he did not lose his faith was because he made it out alive. His dad was one of the reasons why Elie made it. Elie felt like he owed it to his dad to make it home and try and find his sisterShow MoreRelatedThe Importance Of Speaking Up And Being Indifferent867 Words   |  4 PagesAmerica hasn’t always been the one to speak its mind, but it has learned from that time that it’s better to start a fight than to be quiet and not do anything for the situation. Elie Wiesel talks about the importance of speaking up and being indifferent. He was a victim of the anarchy in Germany as a child. American soldiers saved his life and now he is around to tell his story and thoughts on that time. He makes you feel a part of it. He makes you feel passionate about the situation, and even gives youRead MoreGeorge Orwell s The Perils Of Indifference : Lessons Learned From A Violent Centur y954 Words   |  4 Pagesperson, which do you choose? George â€Å"Orwell’s Shooting an Elephant† (Orwell 407) and Elie Wiesel’s â€Å"The Perils of Indifference: Lessons Learned from a Violent Century† (Wiesel 289) both examine the effect of human actions. Wiesel’s speech is the more persuasive due to the emotional element as well his plainly stated view upon indifference, whereas Orwell’s narrative leaves the reader questioning his action. 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