Mexican Religion Shapes Culture Essay

Mexican Religion Shapes Culture Throughout the world, the expansion of religion has significantly influenced the development of humanity in many different ways. Religion is an organized collection of belief and cultural systems with world views that relate humanity to spirituality and moral values (dictionary.com). Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to explain the origin of the Universe and give a convincing meaning to life. It was Hernan Cortes who first brought the Catholic Church to Mexico in 1521. His expedition, which included a friar named Bartolome de Olmedo and a priest named Juan Diaz, was mandated to convert the Indians into Christians. After the Spanish conquest, Mexico became colonized which, was helpful in the attempt to influence indigenous people to take on Catholicism. Religion has impacted Mexican societies through their culture, their surroundings and architecture, and their families. Roman Catholicism was established as the dominant, but not official, religion of Mexico. Today, about 89% of Mexicans still identify themselves by this division of Christian religion. The 2000 census reported that Mexico had some 101,000,000 Catholics among the population aged five and above. This equates to about 91% of their total population, making it the second largest Roman Catholic country in the world. The Catholic Church is the world’s largest Christian church, and is its largest religious grouping. Catholicism influences people in many countries, and in Mexico this influence is no less apparent. Though not everyone in Mexico is Catholic, religion seems to maintain a social order. Mexican Catholics take the many rules of Catholicism very seriously. In the article â€Å"The Catholic Church in Mexico: Triumphs and Traumas†, Shep Lencheck claims, â€Å"As of this moment the Church remains a unifying force in the private lives of Mexicans. It is the one constant in the changing and sometimes chaotic Mexican scene† (Lencheck 1). Thus, Catholicism is an ever present aspect in the lives of many Mexicans. Statistics show that almost 50 percent of Mexico’s population attends weekly mass at their local church. This weekly mass isn’t the only Catholic part of Mexican culture. Many ceremonies, including baptisms, confirmations, and weddings revolve around the Catholic Church. These events become more than just a religious ceremony but they are turned into a social event or community celebration with family and friends regardless the religion professed. A perso ns journey through religion is celebrated and all events from baptisms to weddings come with a party where religion is integrated into the social lives of many. The majority of society is scared to act upon certain sins in fear of the unknown (Hell). In the Catholic religion it is believed that sins of great evil are mortal sins-which bring the dire consequence of going to hell if unrepented for. In the bible a fear of God is clearly demanded, â€Å"The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them,† (Psalm 25:14) This states that in order to be a good Catholic, one must have a fear of God. This fear is instilled in Catholics from the moment they join the religion. They are told that in order to guarantee themselves eternal life they must have a personal covenant relationship with God. Part of this relationship includes following the rules of the religion to ensure a pathway to eternal life. Sin can also be viewed as anything that violates the ideal relationship between an individual and god. If one does not believe they will also receive consequences, â€Å"Hell will also punish the sin of those who reject Christ† (Matthew 13:41) So whether you believe or not, committing sins leads to the ultimate punishment. This fear of Hell keeps many Catholics from breaking their covenant with God. The Catholic Church holds great power over their followers. As its own arbiter, the Catholic Church accepts no authority as being higher than itself. In the mid 1960s, Mexico experienced a population growth that instantly became a problem. The increasing population added to social inequalities and put pressure on job creation and emigration. In â€Å"Latina Sexuality, Reproduction, and Fertility as a Threat to the Nation.†, author Leo Chavez explains the population boom in Mexico. Mexico’s high fertility rate was the result of an unusually pronatalist cultural tradition, which meant that Mexicans placed an abnormally high value on having children. Because of machismo and Marianosmo, the argument went, men are dominant and women were submissive, and having more children increase the social status of both. Motherhood is viewed as an essential purpose for a woman’s existence. (Chavez 535) These trends in procreation were very strong in the Mexican culture. The church had their own reaction to this population boom and in 1972 the Catholic Church called for reduced family size, and has promoted family planning clinics and education programs. This shows how the Catholic Church rules over everything, even things as uncontrollable as social trends. No matter where you go, you will always see some sort of solicitation about religion. It could be door to door solicitation, over the radio, on television, advertisements on billboards, or even on clothing. No t only is religion everywhere and impractical to avoid, most of the solicitation revolves around begging. More specifically, in the late 160Os, the brothers and mothers of the church would travel throughout the neighborhoods soliciting funds for their masses, sick comrades, and the like. In Nicole Von Germeten’s work called Black Blood Brothers: Confraternities and Social Mobility for Afro- Mexicans, she shows how public solicitation was a prominent feature of Afro-Mexican Catholicism during the seventeenth century, The comrades petitioned support on a large scale, dispatching numerous members to diverse locations consistently each week and on religious holidays. These initiatives proved remarkably lucrative. For instance, records for the Incarnation and Saint Biaises, a sizable seventeenth century Black confraternity of Valladolid, indicate that begging accounted for nearly all of the funding for the group’s activities. (Von Germeten, pp. 111) Their success is exceptional, which is common among the institutions, which points to the generosity of the colonists and to their respect for the organizations within the Catholic faith. The Mexican people were involved in the creation of the Catholic Church in Mexico from the beginning. They supported the church and provided the funds for the religion to grow within their cities and surroundings. Whether a house is small and rural or large and urban, crosses, rosaries, and small candles honoring Jesus or Our Lady of Guadalupe decorate most homes in Mexico. Icons such as these are mainly used for worship and have great significance to Catholics. Our Lady of Guadalupe is a recognized symbol for all Mexican Catholics and was used in the struggle for independence against the Spanish. â€Å"The most important icon of Mexican national culture is the Virgin of Guadalupe, which illustrates the pervasive influence of Roman Catholicism in the national culture. She is viewed as the â€Å"mother† of all Mexicans. The dark-skinned Virgin is the Mexican version of the Virgin Mary and as such represents national identity as the product of the mixing of European and Meso-American religions and peoples.† (everyculture) This icon represents Mexico as a whole and shows just how large an influence Catholicism has had on Mexico. With the display of icons such as the Lady of Guadalupe, the home becomes an expression of the religion of the family. There are about 5000-7000 churches in the entire country. Even in the Prehispanic Period, Mexican architecture focused mainly on places of worship including the pyramids and temples of the indigenous. Catholicism has found its way into the architecture of many cities in mexico including Mexico City. One of the most visited b uildings is The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe on the outskirts of Mexico City. This Church has become such a facet of Mexican Architecture that, according to The Catholic News Agency, even our former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has visited the shrine, â€Å"During her recent visit to Mexico, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made an unexpected stop at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe and left a bouquet of white flowers ‘on behalf of the American people,’†(CNA). This Catholic Church is a shrine to Our Lady of Guadalupe as well as a very popular tourist and religious attraction. The Shrine welcomes tens of thousands of visitors annually. Religion has integrated itself so deeply into Mexican architecture that most tourist attractions are religious based. The strength of the family unit is intertwined with the practice of religion and in the eyes of most Mexicans, family is valued greatly. Family is the essence of Mexican life. Most families are very closely knit and it is not unfamiliar to see three or more generations living together in the same household. But religion is what holds these families together so tightly. Country Facts points out how religion holds the Mexican family together, â€Å"The Mexican people are quite religious and they have important religious events the whole year round on which the families get together to celebrate. Amongst the important dates for the Mexican families are the 12th of December which is known as the Nuestra senora de Guadalupe. The 24th and 25th of December are important dates according to the Christian traditions.†(Country Facts 2) The biggest holidays for Mexican families are religion based. Families get together to celebrate their religion and also to celebrate their family. Religion and family go hand in hand in Mexico and these events are used to keep even extended family as closely knit as possible. Mexican families sometimes make pilgrimages to The Shrine of our Lady of Guadalupe. A pilgrimage, defined by The Modern Catholic Dictionary, is a journey to a sacred place undertaken as an act of religious devotion. Its purpose may be simply to venerate a certain saint or ask some spiritual favor; beg for physical cure or perform an act of penance; express thanks or fulfill a promise. In The Houston Chronicle, journalist Dudley Althaus reports on Mexican pilgrimages, â€Å"tens of thousands of Mexico’s Roman Catholic faithful will travel narrow and hazardous two-lane highways through central Mexico’s cold highlands to the Basilica of The Virgin of Guadalupe.† (Althaus). Most who embark on this journey do not do so alone. Many families will make a pilgrimage together in order to prove their faithfulness or to ask for a blessing for the family. Families who make a pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe do so for different reasons. The upper classes trave l out of tradition, and the poorer classes more likely do so for specific material requests for themselves or others. Prayer has played a vital role in religion for many years throughout history. Mexican families will often pray during meals or privately in their separate rooms before bed. A few reasons why they pray is because it is very relaxing, because they want to thank God, and some even pray solely because they want something. In the Catholic religion praying is crucial for a close, personal relationship with God. One Bible verse states: †Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened† (Matthew 7:7-8 NAB). Prayer has a positive impact on family unity and connectedness, which Mexicans are universally drawn to. This belief in prayer resounds in the heart of every Mexican, convinced that it is a source of strength and protection. Religion has impacted Mexican societies through their culture, their surroundings and architecture, and their families. Roman Catholicism was established as the dominant, but not official, religion of Mexico. Today, about 89% of Mexicans still identify themselves by this division of Christian religion. Throughout the world, the expansion of religion has significantly influenced the development of humanity in many different ways. WORKS CITED Baxamusa, Mufaddal H., and Abu Jalal. Does Religion Affect Capital Structure?. Rochester, Rochester:, 2013. ProQuest. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. Carrigan, Henry. â€Å"Houses of God: Region, Religion, and Architecture in the United States.† Publishers Weekly 244.30 (1997): 67-. ProQuest. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. Lorentzen, Lois Ann. â€Å"La Llorona’s Children: Religion, Life, and Death in the U.S.-Mexican Borderlands.† The Americas 62.3 (2006): 474-5. ProQuest. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. â€Å"THE ARTS: Diego Rivera; Art and Revolution; Cleveland Museum of Art Premieres Retrospective.† The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Jun 18 1999: 6-. ProQuest. Web. 10 Apr. 2013 . Ramirez, Margaret. 2000. RELIGION / Exploring issues, answers and beliefs. Los Angeles, Calif. Tribune Publishing Company LLC Von Germeten, Nicole. (2006a) Black Blood Brothers: Confraternities and Social Mobility for Afro-Mexicans. FL: University of Florida Press. â€Å"religion.† Dictionary.com Unabr idged. Random House, Inc. 17 Apr. 2013. .

Heat stress procedure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

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Feeling after concert - Essay Example The cast of the Legions of Black Collegians despite coming from from various groups, nationalities, and backgrounds sung a unified and inspirational music for the audience. They have given each of the audience the hope and unity with their songs. The performances of the students of MU School of Music, Department of Arts and Department of Theatre have once again proven the high-quality education that they received from the university. They have given another concert that touched that lives of the audience. Presenting Thomas Jefferson’s life this year has given each audience the knowledge about the 3rd President’s significant contribution to the country. Aside from the lessons we learned in school, the concert have shown us how President Jefferson helped the United States of America became independent. As we know, President Thomas Jefferson was the Founding Father and principal author of the Declaration of Independence. However, some of us are not aware of this. A lot of us were also not aware of his contribution and efforts for the United States of America. Therefore, this concert has not only given an exceptional performance but also left awareness and memorable information for the audience to ponder. The Corps of Discovery Opera as well as Trey Makler contributed their superb performances for the audience. Makler’s music was very unique. He really stood out and made each one alive with his extraordinary performance. He has proven that he was worthy of the recognition for Sinquefeld Prize. The Corps of Discovery Opera also delivered a brilliant performance. The audience was in admiration as expected. The stage presence of the cast of the concert is very remarkable. They have portrayed composure and mastery of their crafts. The stage is simple and the lighting is visually acceptable. The performance area had the right decorations. The crowd focused on the casts on stage and their exemplary performance. The concert is definitely

Myocardial Infarction Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Myocardial Infarction - Research Paper Example The infarction site depends on which vessels are involved. For example, if a blockage occurs in a circumflex coronary artery, this leads to lateral MI while blockage of a right coronary artery can lead to right-sided heart failures (Life nurses forum: Nursing care plans For Myocardial infarction). There are many predisposing factors to the higher number of MI cases. Some of these factors can be controlled while others cannot. These factors are; age, gender, positive family history of MI, high blood pressure, obesity, high levels of cholesterol, lack of physical activity, diabetes, stress, hypertension, increased serum triglycerides, excessive intake of saturated fats, salt and carbohydrates (Salim). Other risk factors include sedentary life, increased homocysteine and C -resistance proteins and use of drugs such as amphetamines and cocaine (Life nurses forum: Nursing care plans for myocardial infarction; (Haffner).About 20% of patients with MI have diabetes (Salim). The symptoms of M I includes; arm, epigastric and chest pain, breath shortness, diaphoresis, clammy skin dizziness, nausea, vomiting, angina frequency, fatigue, presence of pericardial friction rub, systolic murmurs, bradycardia, hypertension, absence of jugular vein distension, activity intolerance, decreased cardiac output, anxiety, among other symptoms (Life nurses forum: Nursing care plans for Myocardial infarction). Nursing process in Myocardial infarction. The nursing process is a very important thinking tool and involves a number of stages. Assessment This stage involves collecting and recording of data so as to obtain the necessary information which will help a nurse or a clinician to predict, detect, prevent, manage and eliminate health problems and associated risk factors. During the assessment, the nurse should be able to clarify the expected outcomes and the advantages of the care. These outcomes should be measurable. The nurse should also be able to choose intervention strategies to be u sed in achieving the desired results and promoting patients health (Afaro) Diagnosis Diagnosis is very important as it helps in analyzing and synthesis of data so as to facilitate drawing of conclusions. Diagnosis can be achieved through physical examination of symptoms. Other diagnostic tests which can be used include, detection of elevated levels of homocysteine and C- resistance proteins, electrocardiogram, use of cardiac troponin to differentiate between MI and injury of skeletal muscles. This can also be achieved by looking at the family history to identify if there is the positive relationship. During diagnosis, the nurse should identify patterns and produce a list of suspected problems and also rule out the presence of other health issues. Identification of symptoms is important as this may help the nurse to refer the case to more qualified personnel if need be (Afaro). The nurse should be able to clarify actual and potential health issues and the associated risk factors.

English Legal System - Court Observation Visit Essay

English Legal System - Court Observation Visit - Essay Example Courts play a vital role in ensuring that justice prevails at all levels of the nation. There are various types of courts that a state installs, each of which is charged with specific duties and responsibilities in line with its jurisdiction. The Supreme Court of Justice in England is a specific law enforcing unit in the country. Dispute resolution in relation to high end cases is the sole role of the court. Cases dealt with by the court are referred to it as the court of last resort. Among all appeal courts in the United Kingdom, the Supreme Court of Justice is the highest. Middlesex Guildhall, Westminster is the location where the Supreme Court in England is situated. The building that houses the court is on the opposite side of the Houses of Parliament. The location was agreed upon after intensive deliberations that finally concluded that the court’s current location was informed by United Kingdom’s constitutional change. Court Visited and Observed The court observat ion visit took place in England, with the court visited being the Supreme Court of Justice in England. The visit took place on the 18th of June, 2012. Specifically the observation took place in court 1, from 10:30 am. Proceedings in the Court At the time of the visit, the case that was being handled was KM (Zimbabwe) (FC) (Appellant) v Secretary of State for the Home Department (Respondent) (Elliot, 2009, p.36). The case had been previously determined but KM went ahead to appeal following his dissatisfaction with the previously passed judgement. KM was seeking asylum in the United Kingdom1. He is a Zimbabwean citizen, aged 54 years. His primary reason to seek for asylum followed the belief that he would be persecuted upon going back to his home country since he had failed to be loyal to Mugabe’s regime. His claim had been previously refused, thereby being required to return to his country. Although he appealed to the decision that required him to leave the United Kingdom, the tribunal that was hearing the case dismissed the appeal. This was in the year 2009; six years after KM entered the United Kingdom. The court proceedings on the 18th of June, 2012 accounted for the above, with the Supreme Court of Justice hearing KM’s appeal following the asylum denial. The Secretary of State representing the United Kingdom’s Home Department was accounting for KM’s stay in the United Kingdom. He had been previously required to leave the United Kingdom for up to six months, with an allowance to re-enter as a visitor (Zander, 2007, p.89). KM’s claims were regarded vague and without critical evidence. The appellate court, however, did not rule out the possibility of underlying risks to KM given the fact that his son had successfully been granted asylum in the United Kingdom. The Supreme Court made considerations to have the case remitted to the tribunal for critical evaluation and assessment of KM’s case with regard how credible his a rgument was in the filed appeal. Parties Involved A number of parties were involved in the case. The first party was the appellant. The appellant in this case is KM. On the other hand there is the respondent. The Secretary of State for the Home Department of the United Kingdom (Bailey, Ching and Taylor, 2007, p.47) was the respondent, and the second party. The third party was the jury and the legal system in the United Kingdom. The case was based on some operational immigration laws that are enforced by the United

Can international law change the world Essay Example for Free

Can international law change the world Essay Sir Christopher John Greenwood was born in 1955. Currently he is a judge of the ICC whereby he was elected to the position on 6th November 2008. Before being elected as an ICC judge, Sir Christopher John Greenwood was a professor at London School of Economics where by taught international law. In addition, he was a barrister who most often made appearance before the international court of justice, the English Courts and the European Court Of Human Rights among other tribunals. During an interview as evidenced in the video, Judge Sir Christopher John Greenwood puts it clear that the international law has the power to change the way world operates. He further argues that, while each system of the national law strives to regulate affairs within only a single society, the international law has the concern of the whole world. In contrary, judge Sir Christopher John Greenwood argues that, though the international laws has the power to change the world and the way different systems of the world operate, there is yet no methods of enforcement available to the national legal systems. According to Sir Christopher, the international law can change the security and political stability of the different nations of the globe if only there could be efficient and effective measures put in place that would ensure the different national systems comply. Moreover, Sir Christopher says that if the different national systems could comply with international laws like those concerning weapons and international peace, international health like those stipulated in the world health organization (WHO) among other laws made to ensure that the social welfare of the different socio-economic classes of people would change the world to a greater extend. In addition to this, Sir Christopher further argues that following compliance to the different international economic laws would change the way business is carried globally by different nations. Compliance to the international laws would make the transactions between different nations secure since are governed. Moreover, international economic laws would standardize how business is carried in the world. In a broad spectrum, the international laws can only change the world if the different nation systems comply. It will be of great importance if the different world systems comply to the international laws for better so as to steer development through trade standardization among other things. References Source document