Religion and Theology

It is above all by virtue of its historical origin that the Christian community discovers its links with the Jewish people. Indeed, Jesus of Nazareth in whom it puts its faith, is himself a son of people. The link to their beginnings is the acceptance by Christians of the Sacred Scriptures of the Jewish people as the Word of God addressed to them as well. Indeed, the Church has accepted as inspired by God all the writings contained in the Hebrew Bible as well as those in the Greek Bible. Also, the Church during its apostolic times had to define itself in relation to Torah which in Jewish scriptures occupies a central place.

The linguistic relationship between the New Testament and the Jewish scriptures are numerous. For instance, although the Book of Revelation contains no explicit quotations from the Jewish Bible, but it is so steeped in the Old Testament that it is difficult to distinguish what is an allusion to it and what is not.

The New Testament recognizes the definitive value of arguments based on the Jewish Scriptures. In the Fourth Gospel, Jesus declares that Scripture cannot be annulled. Its value derives from the fact that it is the word of God (ibid.). In the Second Letter to Timothy, after mentioning the Sacred Scriptures, we find this affirmation All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be proficient, equipped for every good work. Specifically referring to the prophetic oracles contained in the Old Testament, the Second Letter of Peter declares First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of ones own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. These two texts not only affirm the authority of the Jewish Scriptures they reveal the basis for this authority as divine inspiration.

The covenant is the only human way of conceiving the relationship of God with its people, thus, it is defined simply I will be your God and you will be my people. The covenant should not be understood as bi-lateral for which the obvious example is the Promise to Noah in which God tells Noah and his sons that he is going to establish a bondbetween them and all living creatures with no obligation.

Another example that manifests Gods unilateral character is the Promise to Abraham in which the lord promises Abraham To your descendants I give this land (1518) which makes no mention of a reciprocal obligation. While The Covenant at Sinai with the poetic symbolism carry on eagles wings- shows clearly how the covenant is intimately connected with the great liberation begun at the crossing of the Red Sea.

The conclusionwhich is to be drawn is the early Christians were conscious of being in profound continuity with the covenant plan. Israel continues to be in a covenant relationship with God, but the early Christians were also conscious of living in a new phase of that plan, announced by the prophets and inaugurated by the blood of Jesus, blood of the covenant.

Marie M. Fortune, the author of Is Nothing Sacred is not just an author and ethicist she is a heroine that battles domestic violence and a pioneer on the quest to fight the sexual exploitations by religious leaders. She is an ordained pastor in the United Church of Christ and was actively engaged in the National Advisory Council on Violence against Women for the U.S Department of Justice from 1994 to 2002. Currently, she serves on the Defense Task Force on Domestic Violence for the US Defense Department. Furthermore, Marie M. Fortune founded the FaithTrust Institute in 1977, a national multifaith organization working to end sexual and domestic violence.
   
Being a parson, Marie M. Fortune has an extraordinary passion for humanity. This is one of the primary reasons why, in my opinion, she founded the FaithTrust Institute. She wanted to extend her passion and help to those who are in need by organizing forums and conferences to promote awareness against domestic violence and sexual abuse.
   
The book Is Nothing Sacred is about the story of a pastor who sexually abused women and the consequences that he faced when his deeds were exposed. The pastor seemed an average preacher that leads the church. People looked up at him with reverence and respect. People believe what he lectures because he is the person in authority. And being in his position, he has the loyalty of his subjects. His words seem to be facts that people should believe in and respect without question. However, everything about the pastor was just a faade. He was not the person that people deemed him to be. He sexually abused women and even used his position and authority to make his malicious intentions towards women easier to realize. The central point of the book was that not everything that seemed normal is right and actually normal. In the silence of the night and behind the smiles of women, there may be pain and abuse and this should not be taken for granted because it is a reality and there may be a lot of women who needs rescue and a lot of abusers that have to be persecuted and stopped with their wrong-doings.
   
The book in was organized in a way that effectively showed how a seemingly normal environment and people may have dark secrets. Is Nothing Sacred started with a general impression of an average congregation and a leader that seemed to be perfectly typical and ordinary. As the book progresses, it showed the series of events that gave hints that there is something wrong with the pastor and the ignorance of the congregation about it. The turn of events was gradual. As readers flipped from page to page, they get the hidden message that there was something wrong. The organization and pacing of the different parts of the book was very effective because of its gradualism thus, the readers felt the impact of each and every action and the consequences were deeply realized.
   
As aforementioned, each part of the book is vital to each other. The first part is important for a reader to understand the next and so on. Therefore, readers have to read thoroughly each and every part because there are many questions in the succeeding parts that is answered by the previous or sometimes the next. The events were intelligently intertwined. There is nothing in the content of the book that is unnecessary to the development of the central idea and message. The climax of the book was the revelation of the pastors malicious practices. However, wake up call didnt end in the disclosure of the secret it continues on the consequences of the pastors actions. More shocking and disturbing than the malicious deeds of the pastor were the effects it had to the women he abused and the congregation that believed in him.
   
Hence, the development of the book was designed to always go back to the central point  which is the pain behind the silence. From the beginning till the end, all summits point to the unfortunate fact that silence does not necessarily signifies peace and righteousness. There is more to the eyes can see. And what is more fateful fact is that sometimes what we see is not real but just a faade of something immoral.
   
Basically, I judged the book by the following criteria organization of thought, effective deliverance and its ability to touch the awareness of the readers. The organization of thought is an important criterion because it is the technical know-how of the author. There are instances when even though how big the idea is, if the way on how it is related is not effective, it becomes useless. The transition of partstopics of the book is included in the organization of thought. It is important that the information being discussed in a page is not far fetched from the previous and the next pages. This will make the readers attention focused and thus, understanding is deeper. Marie M. Fortune did an excellent job in organizing the ideas of her book Is Nothing Sacred. Each page is a link of the previous and the next. So when you start reading it, you cannot stop until you actually finish.
   
The second criterion on which I based my judgment of the book is effective deliverance. The criterion in composed of the way the information are conveyed and on the technical side, the choice of words and the construction of sentences. Good choice of words and fine development of sentences make a very good composition. Effective deliverance makes the message easier to reach the heart and mind of the readers. Is Nothing Sacred is a very good example of a book with a very good way of delivering the central point of message. The words used were carefully chosen. Crucial points and events were artfully described and thus, understood easily. Especially that the book deals with sexual matters, it made a very good job in making the descriptions educationally adaptive.
   
The last, but definitely not the least, criterion on how I judged the book is the ability to touch the awareness of the readers. Needless to say, it is abundantly clear that Is Nothing Sacred did an excellent job at this. As a matter of fact, it is one of the supreme books that deal about domestic violence and sexual abuse. It is one of the favorite resources when it comes to discussions about how to fight domestic violence and the eradication of sexual abuse in the society.
   
If the book was person that a reader can talk to, it teaches a lot. The title itself is very intriguing. As soon as hearing the title Is Nothing Sacred, readers themselves ask the same question to their subconscious Is Nothing Sacred The answer is then profoundly discussed in the content of the book. Thus, if you consider the book as a person, you will become a very amazed audience  listening to ideas and information that seem to be unreal yet actually exists. Along the progression of the book, you may have plenty of why and how. The best part is that questions are not left unanswered because the book was developed in a manner that all questions at point A are answered when you reached point B.
   
Ultimately, the book Is Nothing Sacred achieved its goal. It became a famous book in the field of anti-violence and anti-sexual exploits. Whenever there are conferences or forum about the topic of domestic violence and sexual abuse, the book always serves as an eye-opener. It is because it was able to effectively address the issues that ministries hide. It made public the secrets of some congregations and sends out the message that keeping sexual abuse and violence as a secret is never healthy, both to the victims and the offenders. Eventually, the truth comes out. Thus, it is best to address the issues and problems and hit it right at the eye.
   
Although Is Nothing Sacred talks about something negative that happened in the ministry, its effect is the adverse. It actually became a tool for the ministry to strengthen the trust of its members by making them aware of their rights and educating them of their duties to their brothers and sisters.

Afterlife or life after death is one major concept that has occupied the human mind throughout their existence. The afterlife is the notion that the consciousness of man continues after the occurrence of physical death. This is mainly believed to take place in the divine sphere. Most of the existing views on life after death are derived from religion, obscurity and metaphysics. The views are either empirical assertions based on observation or religious viewpoints based on faith. The empirical views are based on observations and conjecture created by humans that include physical research and parapsychology. The religious views are usually beliefs in stories passed down from the ancient times and are mostly found in the religious books. Religious views on life after death

 Afterlife has been a central element in most religions since the ancient times. Life after death played a significant role in the ancient Egyptian religion and forms the earliest belief system in the world. Among the Egyptians, the stages of human life, rebirth and life after death formed the reproductive cycles that surrounded them in the natural world. After death, they looked forward to continue their normal life with their descendant and enjoy all pleasures of life without pain and hardships. The idea is depicted in their burial rites that demonstrated how the deceased wished to remain after death. Life after death was experienced by the different components of the human body. The tomb was the natural location of the physical body and the illuminated spirit could live among other people, the vicinity of the tomb or in a different world. The guardian spirit resembled the person while the soul animated the individual. Most American Indians believed in some kind of existence after death and that human beings have more than one soul. The free soul can be removed from the physical body and survive death but the main soul connected to the breath cannot escape death. Most of the American native beliefs on life after death represent shamanistic themes.

 Zoroastrianism is one of the ancient religions that have influenced many other religions in many ways. It was founded in Persia by Prophet Zoroaster at around 100 BC. Its main element is the struggle between good and evil which is a more or less even match. On life after death, it teaches that the human souls will be judged after death by comparing the evil deeds versus the good deeds of the individual. After judgment, the person is either taken to hell or paradise but if the judgment is not immediately defined, then the soul is placed in a transitional realm to await the final apocalypse. After the long battle between evil and good, the good individual will receive resurrection to be made immortal while the evil will be consumed. This concept of resurrection represents the earliest notion of immortality and the end of the world when good overcomes evil and people rejoice with the renewal of creation. This idea of the end time was adopted by the Jews apocalyptic thinkers and later by Christianity and Islam. Towards the end of the 19th century, the Bahai faith emerged in Persia with roots in the Islamic culture. The religion teaches that the physical world is a representation of the spirit and the basic reality of each individual is the soul. Spiritual improvement continues after the termination of the soul from the body at death which occurs in the presence of god in an eternal and more extensive stage of education.

Gnosticism emerged as a movement and school of thought in the Hellenistic era and influenced paganism, Judaism and Christianity. Its main teachings were that the world more so the human body was the creation of an evil divinity that had confined human souls in the physical world. Human beings are required to reject the pleasures of the body in order to escape from this captivity. This can only happen through intellectual insight (Gnosis or knowledge). Instead of looking for immortality in life, the Gnostic believed that life was some sort of hell and they generally believed in a circle of reincarnation like the Asian religions. During the third century, another religious movement called Manichaeism emerged in the Mediterranean which was a mixture of Gnosticism, Zoroastrianism and Christianity. Its main teaching was the brutal dualism of the spirit and body. It emphasized that the soul was a fallen divine glow from the sphere of good while the body was the creation of the evil world. The righteous were believed to ascend into the light and everyone must reincarnate until they are fully purified.

Spiritualism is a religious notion that stresses in life after death based on scientific evidence and communication with deceased persons through medium ship. Its central tenet is the continuity of the individual by being reborn into a spiritual body. After death, the soul is slowly transformed until it reaches the realm of pure spirit and the speed of the process depends on the mental and moral capacities acquired on earth. Most Christian denominations hold the view of life after death where the righteous will inherit the kingdom of God while the sinners will be condemned to eternal punishment in hell. This will come to pass after the second coming of Jesus Christ and the final Day of Judgment.

The belief in life after death will continue to enlist a lot of interest from different quarters. It can not be proved or disapproved like a scientific theorem rather it can only be sustained by the belief system. This is one question that scientists will never unravel but every at one time will come face to face with the reality. Most people believe in life after death because there is no compelling reason to believe otherwise. Death is simply the end of the physical consciousness of man but the spiritual continues to exist. It is equally one subject that has confused the human mind especially in contemporary times. It is both a source of fear and hope in equal measure. The existence of variant view points about life after death more so how it should be attained is a big dilemma for many people. All in all, we shall at least exist in some form beyond our last breath.

The inquiry into the question of the role of women in Islam religion tries to give light into several aspects in the life and rights of an Islam woman in the contemporary setting.  The rights in question include the educational and economical rights which are fundamental to the development of any society.  Women being most imperative in the entire economic architecture, their rights have to be observed.  However, the Islamic law (Sharia) provides for the distinction between the rights, roles and obligations of men and women in the Islam religion.                                                                                                                                           A case study is Saudi Arabia which serves an important role to understand how the Islam religion perceives issues regarding womens education. In the article Islams Point of view on View on Womens Education in Saudi Arabia by Rafeda Al-Hariri, the journal of Comparative Education Vol. 23 No.1 1987, we learn about Saudi Arabia which is the heart of Makkah and Medina, the Holy places considered among all the Islamic states.  Saudi Arabia is truly an Islamic country since all the Saudis are Arab Muslims.                                                                                                                                                                  A very strong structure exists in the families in Saudi Arabia which values the family as an important constituent of a society with complete customs and ways of life. The Saudi Arabia society at large, strives to attain the peak in education and applications of modern technology by providing education to their children. Furthermore, the education system in Saudi Arabia recognizes the traditions and the values of the Islam religion which embrace the concept of family links and a family as a core social unit. Therefore, the education system in the Islamic community consolidates the structure of a family instead of dwindling it.                                                                                                                                     According to Muhammad, education should be offered to all the Muslims regardless to gender and both the male and female are equally requested to seek for knowledge through education.  Moreover, Muhammad the Prophet makes several statements regarding the rights of women.  For instance, while talking to his men, Muhammad said that God commands men to treat the women in a noble manner. The Prophet in addition declared that a Muslim is more perfect of faith when he is more kind and civil to his wife. The statement by Muhammad and those from the Holy Quran clearly indicate the complementary of men and women to each other.  This implies that two are depended of each other and when they work together in harmony, the full meaning of life is attained. Subject to the spirit of equality as taught in the Holy Quran, men and women have equal rights in a manner of justice.  Prophet Muhammad always reminded his Islamic religion followers about the equal treatment which should be granted to both female and male children in all matters of life including education.                                                                                                                                                        For women to command respect in the Islamic religion, the teachings in Islam restrict women to display their charm and beauty which often leads them to be objects of attraction.  This reduces the women to a maladroit and without manner lot which is not the nature of Islamic religion but a custom.  The Holy Quran makes this statement clear by pointing out that believing women should be advised not to display their ornaments and beauty unless they are with their husbands, husbands father, their fathers, husbands sons, their sons, their brothers or sisters sons, their women, the male servants or slaves devoid of vigor or to the children knowing nothing of the nakedness of women. The teachings of the Holy Quran in addition restrict women stamping their feet to disclose the hidden aspects of their beautification. The teachings in the Holy Quran are to protect the high esteem for the women by the public when they appear in public.  Women should at all times appear to have dignity and great decency.                                                                                                                                                                              The statutes about public appearance and general morality apply to men just like in women.  Therefore, the similar manner in which women should protect chastity and modesty, men alike are obliged to keep off from gazing and smirking at women. This makes the women to appear true equals in all scenarios of life including the most important aspect of education.  A similar case is studied in Malaysia by Mansur et al.  In their work, Perception towards the Importance of Education among Muslim Women in Papar, Sabah (Malaysia) Mansur et al of the University of Malaysia, Sabah in 2009 examines the aspect of education among the Islamic women and how it affects the socioeconomic quality of women.  The Malaysian women have been identified to play a major role in the economical development of the country and in the labor market. One of the most evident factors observed in Malaysia is the equal education access among both male and female children.
In Malaysia, education provision to women has enhanced better job opportunities and as a result increasing the individuals level of earnings.  In fact, education in Malaysia is considered a special factor in the modeling of human capital.   Since the Islam teachings provide that education and knowledge should be sought and acquired by each and every Muslim individual, it is the responsibility of the state of Malaysia to provide equal education.  The Islam religion does not condone laziness and idleness.  It is believed that poverty is brought by inactivity or idleness and all these are condemned in the Islamic religion. Muslims should entirely be involved actively in bettering their skills and knowledge in order to make their life with meaning and not mere existence.
    Mansur et al give a close examination on the perception towards the necessity of education among the women in Islamic society giving an example of Sabah, Papar district in Malaysia. Malaysian women have been observed to have improved participation to the countrys economic development and improved access to health and education. Much of the improvements were made possible by the fast economic growth which created novel and extra opportunities for Islam women.   The fast economic growth was also a product from the accomplishment of gender equality programs by the Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and the government.  The changes in the institutional and legal structure also facilitated the involvement of women in the economic development. The most notable area of significant improvement is the fast rise in numbers of women contributing to the labor market.
    Equitable access of education by women has been identified as the important factor in the socioeconomic advancement among Malaysian women.   
The economical right of women in the Islamic religion is highly observed.  Women, just like men, have the right to earn and own property, contract, carry out various business enterprises without the intervention of any party.  She has her life, property and honor as sacred as that of man.  This is similar when it comes to paying for the penalties. In case of any offense that has been committed by a woman, she is given the same penalty like that imposed on man.  The compensations against any harm or wrong inflicted to a woman must be equal to that made to man.      Sometimes, it is argued that women are given less financial rights than men in the Islam religion.  It is absolutely true that the women are given proportionally less financial rights because of their less financial obligations.  They do not have much to do in the family relative to providing for the whole family. It is completely the role of a man to effectuate this function of family provision. This is similar to the sharing of inheritance as stipulated in the teachings of the Holy Quran.  Women should inherit less than the inheritance for men. It is reasonable to observe that women do not pay dowry neither pay for children and the aging parents.  This is reason enough to qualify them for less inheritance compared to that of men.  Some exceptions however exist where women may inherit more depending on their position in the family or the existence of the other heirs.The issue of women working in Islam is allowed but under specific conditions. They are recommended to seek employment only when there is dire financial need according to the Quran teachings on the two female shepherdesses. If the woman has to work, the nature of the work should not subject the woman to violate any law and statutes of the Islam religion. 
Economical rights for women are granted in most in all Muslim countries including the Saudi Arabia and Malaysia.  These rights have been offered to women equal to men, which has boosted the educational status of the women although they seem to concentrate in the line of arts specialties. Empowering women in education makes them to be on a safer side when it comes to solving issues of economic rights. Women become so dependent especially when they lack necessary education. This is a different case if a woman would be educated and stood along to cater for her needs sufficiently.  It is allowed in the teachings of the Holy Quran that a woman has a right to own property.  This makes the woman throw the scuffs of dependency and become autonomous. 
In general, education is the backbone of human capital development.  Therefore, education rights to women is imperative to the developing the economy of the individuals and a country at large. Skills and knowledge are gained through education which makes an individual to be independent.  Women are valued in the Muslim societies and as a result they are granted equal educational rights and to some extent, economic rights.   However, the financial privileges when it comes to inheritance may not be the same case compared to educational rights.  The women are given lower property inheritances with an outstanding reason they have no much financial obligations in the family. Majority of Muslim women have come to embrace the factor that education is important for future development which was not the case in the past. 

 Hinduism is one of the religions which evidently lack a united belief system. It is however to be realized that as a religion, Hinduism is a well organized religion, which is made up of the strong belief that life is a suffering and that happiness can only be realized when one gets in a state of being a divine ground of being both in phenomenal and spiritual existence (Pauwels, 2002). The religion has been mainly influenced by the traditional philosophical cultures of the Indian people. The concept of sole searching and self realization as it pertains to the cause and effects of human actions are quite influential to Hinduism as they originate from the Indian tradition. Hindus believe that death is the ultimate realization of self- actualization and thus liberation from the human sufferings of the world (BBC, 2009).
This paper gives a critical discussion on the Hindu religion. The author talks about what makes up the Hindu religion and how cultural and societal influences have made the religion vital to the Indians. A discussion on the concept of desire for earthy suffering liberation as taught by the Hindus is also given.
It has been rightly claimed that Hinduism is not a religion but rather a collection of traditions and beliefs which have constantly evolved over time (Cimpean, 2010). The whole concept behind such philosophical inclination of the Hindu religion is basically based on the search for knowledge that could sufficiently free mankind from the suffering or birth and rebirth cycles of worldly existence. Despite its lack of a united belief system, Hindu has one central theme which is the belief in Brahma the universal soul or creator and the individual soul, its rebirth and search for self actualization (Shattuck, 1999). It is thus clear that the religion has a strong belief in one Supreme Being who is the source of the ultimate reality. The religion is also made up of the human perception that religious faith should not be limited to a particular name or form. The truth is not only one reality but also universal and thus not an exclusive formulation. Hinduism is therefore a universal formulation of the concept of reality. It has many gods and their image representation all of which are just but reflective of the individual feelings, emotions and moods (Daniel, 2004). This is meant to allow its believers truthfully and conveniently worship the truth and ultimate reality as it exists.
Hinduism has been greatly influenced by the cultural and societal beliefs of the Indian people. This is basically due to the fact that it adopted numerous traditions and cultural systems which where adhered to by the Indian people. First and foremost is that the religion has as many myths as it concerns with the countless faces of the divine being and his interaction with the various kinds of people (Pauwels, 2002). It is to be realized here that just as could be found in the Hinduism religion, the Indian culture perceived the divine being as capable of blessing, punishing and protecting people depending on their levels of faith and adherence. It is these concepts which could be closely equated to the Hinduism concept of the trinity namely Brahma who is perceived as the creator of all reality, Vishnu or Krishna who is the preserver or provider of all of the creations, and Shiva the ultimate destroyer of all creations (Shattuck, 1999). Such can be interpreted to mean bless, protect and punish respectively as found in the Indian culture.
The concept of liberation from earthly existence is quite elementary in the Hinduism religion. It is in the process of karma that moksha is realized. Karma simply refers to acting from will. It is this concept which helps in explaining samara as a source of suffering in the human life (Cimpean, 2010). The concept claims that self actualization can only be realized when all the human individuals break the cycles of rebirth and reincarnation which causes suffering and thus realizing happiness or liberation in life. It is to be noted here that Hinduism beliefs that suffering is the result of the human ignorance and thus acceptance of the human person to make belief on the reality. It is therefore only after claiming defeat of such ignorance that the human person can realize liberation from earthly suffering. This process is best realized by trying to understanding karma or the cause and effect of our human actions. It is liberation from the earthly sufferings that is claimed to be the peak of the human life as it is the ultimate realization of happiness and freedom from suffering (Pauwels, 2002). It makes the individual to be in a state of existence in both phenomenal and spiritual all being.
In conclusion, Hinduism is evidently a non- united religious system that is strongly tied together by a collection of traditions and beliefs. It is due to this that the religion has been claimed to be a great influence of the Indian culture and societal beliefs. Such traditions are mainly marked with the philosophical concept of having freedom from suffering for mankind. This is why the religion is evidently found to seek liberation from earthly existence.

According to the Jewish theology, the God referred to Jews as his chosen people. Despite this fact they frequently became a target for persecution by the societies, in which they lived. The Jews and their teachings were always perceived as foreign, either as a monotheistic abnormality in the pre-Christian era or as a suspiciously successful minority in the modern era, especially in the predominantly Christian west. Although violent anti-Semitism has disappeared, most observers believe that anti-Semitism exists in less virulent forms.
Brief history
Since its beginning, the Catholic Church has spread the anti-Jewish teachings, because the Christian theology teachings consider the Jewish to be infidels, who killed Jesus and refused to embrace the true gospel. The church doctrines also stated that for one to be considered saved, they should show hatred to the Jews. Judaism was also viewed as an outdated religion that had been created by the church and the Bible (Groppe paragraph 2).
The term anti-Semitism refers to the prejudice or hatred against the Jewish. The holocaust, which was the government funded persecution and killing of the European Jews by Nazi Germany and its supporters between 1933 and 1945, is the major example of anti-Semitism in history. The term also implies hatred of various liberal, cosmopolitan and international political patterns of the 18th and 19th centuries, which are frequently associated with the Jews. In the 19th century, a xenophobic movement was formed by the German scholars, philosophers, and artists, who perceived the Jewish spirit to be alien to Germanhood. Theorist of the racial anthropology availed false scientific support for the idea. The Nazi party, which was formed by Adolf Hitler, also provided political support to the theories of racism. The Nazi party gained massive support because of spreading anti Jewish propaganda (Donald paragraph 4).

Political battle between Nazis and catholic party
The Catholic Church was very skeptical about Nazis even before the rise of Hitler to power. Hitler formed the Nazi party and due to his outrage against foreign rule and need for strong leadership, the Catholic party saw danger in his speeches and wanted to deport him back to his place of origin in Austria, but they feared the consequences associated with such an action. The Catholic party requested the Socialists to support them, but they turned down their offer citing an excuse that deportation would abuse the liberty of expression. Hitlers main strategy to ascend to power was through the election, and because of this he stopped offending the Christian teachings. Since the catholic bishops had known Hitlers, Nazis, and the Communists strategies, they were condemned from the pulpits (Donald paragraph 5).
The Nazi party enjoyed massive support in the city of Munich and some small towns in Bavaria, which was attributed to the fact that these areas were inhabited by Protestants. Later they won the elections to the National Student Council, which meant that they had massive support from the protestant universities, unlike catholic institutions. Since other political parties failed to show their commitments in the parliament fearing being pronounced popular, Hitler was seen as the only leader capable of forming a stable government which could save the country from the problems it was facing like inflation, serious unemployment, and social crimes (Groppe paragraph 4).
The hatred between the Catholic Church and the Nazis persisted and in 1931, the German bishops sent away all active Nazi party members from the church, and Hitler was among them. The Communists were also sent away from the church and the penalty was meant to involve them into an argument. Because of this action taken by the church against the Nazis and the communists, the president fired the catholic bishop, who was serving in the government as the chancellor and appointed another catholic, Papen, who was viewed as an independent person, who could help in finding a solution to the stalemate. Although the Nationalists showed interest in governing together with the Nazis, the coalition was seen to lack majority. Papen and the president encouraged the Catholic party not to vote so that the coalition could govern the country. The Catholic party defied the request and in return Papen joined the coalition. The Catholic party members felt cheated and reacted by expelling Papen from the party (Donald paragraph 4).
In 1933, new elections were held and the parties had prepared themselves for a political battle. The orthodox Jews preferred the Catholic party with the liberal and less religious voting for the socialist, liberals and conservatives. Because of the anti-Semitism, any party, which supported the Jews, was seen as a loser, therefore liberals and conservatives supported anti-Semitism. To show cooperation, the catholic party appointed a Jewish candidate and this made many Jews vote for the Catholic party. Because of this political orientation, Hitler won the election, which he did not gain many votes in catholic constituencies (Groppe paragraph 6).
After ascending to power, he requested a concordant with the church so that he could control the rights of the church in Germany. The concordant was signed with 40 states. The request was not considered unusual, since the government had promised the freedom of religion, which would also mean publishing and running schools. The church felt that this was a good deal, since there was no demand made in return. During the signing of the concordant there was joy from various groups who had been dictated in the past and they recognized Hitlers government as the legitimate one (Donald paragraph 4).
The major cause of the Catholic Churchs current life and its witness was its failure to exercise one of its core values moral responsibility during the time of anti-Semitism. Supporters of Catholic Church argue that the Nazi regime was a terrorist and a dictator, which was unstoppable, when it wanted to destroy its enemies. The initial intimidation by the Nazi officials to the catholic leaders that whoever opposed them would be taken off to the concentration camp resulted into a lot of fear and deterred most people from opposing the regime in any way. The support by the citizens made the regime to become more oppressive than ever before. The church was placed under thorough scrutiny with the clergy being scrutinized and the agents of the Gestapo and informers taking every note of the weekly summons (Donald paragraph 5).
The overgrown German custom of social control could easily be applied to any church member, who was observed not to support the Nazi regime and its political plan. The church members, who decided to maintain their individual and church traditions got frustrated and frequently paid the price for not being loyal to the regime. Because of all these cases of oppression, the reactions, which the Catholic Church showed, were mixed. The priests resisted by preaching crucial summons and the Catholics in the rural areas resisted Nazi activities (Groppe paragraph 7)
The lack of resistance to the Nazi regime and the subsequent decline in the moral integrity among the catholic leaders has been attributed to some historical facts. There is evidence that in the early days of the year1933, after Hitler had been selected as the chancellor, a massive number of Catholics were carried away by their expectations of an increasing strength of anti-communist policy and also by their optimism that there will be national renewal and revival promised by the people, who were spreading the Nazi propagandas. The excitement of the early speeches of the Nazi rule did not extend far because of the start of the First World War (Donald paragraph 4).  In the year 1935, the opposition which the clergy showed to the Nazi regime was divided since around 30 of the Catholics feared intimidation associated with defying the Nazi rule. The conclusion of the concordant by the Vatican in the year1933 compromised the position of the Catholics on hotly debated issues like sterilization and euthanasia. The church only supported Jews who had changed to catholic. The Catholic Church only supported the church but not the Jews who were being prosecuted by the Nazi regime, except the pronouncement of Pius the twelfth (Groppe paragraph 9)
The 15th anniversary of Hitlers rule, which took place in January 30th 1983, also raised eyebrows concerning the churchs stand on National Socialism. The accusations, which have been made against the church, concern the churchs knowledge on how to get a long with power by struggling for power and also to protect its territory and save its clerical appearance. The outward features of the church contributed to its criticism. Quite often the church looked shy when people expected rage towards Hitler. The Catholics become dissatisfied by the catholic leadership since the much expected show of outrage from the pope and the Episcopal did not occur (Donald paragraph. 7).

Vaticans criticism to the Nazis
    Although the church failed to oppose the Nazis by their names, their intentions came out clearly. This was illustrated by the speech of the German ambassador to the Vatican during the war. He said that the Vatican was expressing the outrage towards Nazis rule in general terms. The Nazis also knew the feelings of the church and this was confirmed when they said that the believers have an impression that the church rejects the institutions of the autonomist state. The church also spoke out directly rejecting the Nazis through arranged series of articles that strongly condemned the Nazis Dietrich (Donald paragraph 9). The articles were done by pope Pius the twelfth. In these articles the Vatican stated precisely that being a member of Hitlers party is against the catholic doctrines. In 1935, Cardinal Pacelli told the pilgrims including Germans that the Catholic Church would never agree with the Nazis as long as they still maintain their racial attitude.

If  a  Christian  was  asked  whether  he  is  a  true  follower  of  Christianity,  he  would  surely  claim  his  faith.  God  says  in  the  Bible

(1  John  3  17)  But  if  anyone  has  the worlds  goods  and  sees  his  brother  in  need,  yet  closes  his  heart  against  him,  how  does  Gods  love  abide  in  him

Then  why  is  it  that  none  of  us  follow  this  principle  Why  is  it  that  we  blindly  follow  Christ,  but  Christ  has  not  entered  into  our  hearts  yet  Why  is  it  that  we  sit  back  and  stare  blankly  at  the  suffering  of  our  fellow  mankind Why  is  it  that  many  of  us  sleep  in  warm,  cozy  beds,  while  others  have  to  endure  the  bitter  cold  out  in  the  streets  The  Soloist,  in  its  pages  enlightens  us  about  the  such  people  who  are  homeless  and  have  no  choice  but  to  spend  their  life  on  the  streets,  this  book  is  not  just  about  the  homeless,  it  is  about  friendship,  it  is  about  music  and  so  many  other  things.
The Soloist  tells  us  the  story  of  Nathaniel  Anthony Ayers, Jr.,  a  talented  human  being  whom  God  gifted  with  a  unique  talent  over  music.  Nathaniel  Ayerss  career  began  as  he  started  playing  the  cello  at  the  Julliard  School  in  New  York  and  it  was  during  his  time  here  that  he  developed  the  mental  illness  of  schizophrenia.  It  is  true  that  God  gives  and  He  has  the  right  to  take  from  an  individual,  but  who  are  we  to  question  is  will  and  to  let  down  a  fellow  human  being.  After  the  death  of  his  mother,  Ayers  travels  to  Los  Angeles  in  search  of  his  father,  but  failing  to  find  him,  he  is  forced  to  live  his  life  on  the  street,  trying  to  earn   his  living  by  playing  the  broken  musical  instruments  he  had  brought  along. This  is  when  Steve  Lopez,  a  journalist  whose  career  had  not  be  so  bright  at  that  time,  discovers  Ayerss  musical  flair  as  the  man  magnificently  plays  on  a  broken,  two  string  violin.
The  Soloist  has  shown  us  that  even  a  man  who  is  mentally  ill  can  achieve  greatness  and  fame,  God  gave  him  the  ability,  all  he  needed  was  a  push,  and  even  though  many  people  turned  him  down  just  because  of  his  mental  condition,  a  single  man  who  showed  little  faith  in  him,  changed  not  only  Nathaniel Ayerss  life  but  altered  his  own  as  well. 
The  religion  significances  this  book  is  trying  to  bring  to  us  is  that  people  like  Nathaniel  Ayers  are  our  fellow  human  beings,  they  are  alike  us,  they  need  our  help  and  support,  we  should  not  turn  ourselves into  selfish  beings,  it  is  our  duty  to  be  kind  to  them,  it  is  Gods  true  message  that  we  need  to  aid  them  physically  and  morally,  and  above  all  we  need  to  guide  them,  because  they  truly  need  our  guidance. We  must  always  remember  that  God  is  watching  and  what  we  do  to  others  might  come  upon  us  some  day.  As  God  speaks  in  the  Bible

(Matthew  7  120 )  Do  unto  others  as  you  would  have  others  do  unto  you.
Another  aspect  the  Soloist  highlights  is  the  true  spirit  of  friendship,  a  friendship  that  develops  between Ayers  and  Lopez,  as  he  tries  help  out  Nathaniel  in  every  way  possible,  thus  we  should  learn  the  lesson  of  friendship,  we  should  not  narrow  our  minds,  but  rather  open  up  our  hearts,  and  learn  the  lesson  and  build  an  emotional  foundation  of  love  and  kindness  upon  it.

The Bible, especially as might be expected, the New Testament, contains a number of passages concerned with what the Christian should be like, his attitudes, the things he should and should not do, and especially perhaps, with the main theme of the whole of scripture -  his relationship with his God.. Passages such as for example Philippians 2 v 5 Your attitude should be the same as Christ Jesus which links back to those early words in Genesis 1 v 27 where the Bible tells how God created mankind in his own image  Gods word sets out clearly  that  what is known of God is to be mankinds pattern for living . The author, Paul, then goes on to explain what kind of life that was ( Philippians  2 verse 6-11) using an early Christian hymn (The gospels were not yet in circulation a t this time.) . Also Galatians 4 v 13 I say live by the Spirit. And again reasons are given why this is right, in this case so as they might not fall into sin.
 In his prologue ( John 1 v 12 ) the evangelist describes a Christian as being a child of God and in John chapter 3 Jesus himself describes  becoming a Christian as having a new birth in the Spirit. In this essay though there will be a concentration on Pauls letter to the Romans, especially chapter 12 with its plan for the sanctified life..
Romans is Pauls longest known letter and perhaps the clearest explanation of  what the Apostle to the Gentiles considers the Christian  life to be. As with all scripture the letter, although it has a clear beginning and end, cannot be read or understood in isolation, but should instead be  seen in the context of the whole Bible.
Chapter 12 of the epistle begins with imagery taken from Judaism and Jewish worship and is of a living sacrifice ( v 1) and so one that is holy and pleasing to God. Many of Paul s readers shared his Jewish background  and would have been familiar with passages such as that in Psalm 24  where, the worshipper is going  up to the temple to  make a sacrifice and asks (N.I.V.) -
Who may ascend the hill of the Lord( i.e. in order to make a sacrifice) Who
may stand in his holy place H e who has clean hands and a pure heart.
The reference is not to ritual purity, although that was, and is, important within Judaism, but a real purity of purpose being necessary in order to make a worthy sacrifice..
Eugene Peterson in his Message paraphrase speaks of everyday life, all the ordinary things people do, as being worthy sacrifices Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him.( The Message Romans 12 v 1 ,page 1542) which the N.I.V. translates as Your spiritual act of worship. K.E.Kirk in the Clarendon Commentary on Romans ( 1937) page 230, explains how this idea of a living sacrifice  fits in with the Old Testament idea of sacrifice not being about the actual death of the victim, but rather about the willingness to offer life to God as when Abraham is prepared to give his only son, if that is what God demanded.( Genesis 22) Barrett in his 1957 translation  ( page 230 ) has the words This  is the spiritual worship you owe him. Owe him why Because Christ sacrificed his living body for them as Paul has already explained to them. Romans 4 v 25 and  in 5 v 15 ( after an explanation of how sin came into the world)  ( N.I.V.)-   
He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
How much more will those who receive Gods abundant provision  of grace
 and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through  the one man, Jesus Christ
   
The passage goes on to say that Christians, while living in the world, should not conform so closely to it that they cannot be distinguished from it. Paul the apostle then goes on to explain in which ways they should be different.
12 v 2 describes how, though the body itself must wait for the day of resurrection, but the Christian mind needs to be transformed into one ready and better able to serve God, and to use the body to do so. The point the apostle is trying to get across is that his readers should  allow their minds to be transformed  so that they can truly offer both mind and body as in the hymn Take my life by Frances R.Havergal which includes lines such as Take my lips and let them move at  the impulse of they love.
The verses 12 v 2 -21 have been described as a sermon on brotherhood in the church, that is living the sanctified, holy life amongst other Christians.
12 v 3 Because of the grace God has given him, Paul feels he understands what is required for the good, acceptable and perfect life of the church. The word faith here is to be taken in its widest connotations to mean all the gifts, spiritual and physical with which God has endowed each person.
12v 4 Although born into a Jewish family and he was now a follower of Christ, Paul of course lived in an Hellenic world and this idea of individuals being part of a larger whole community was taken from Greek philosophy. The analogy of the church as the body of Christ is one that Paul used on several occasions as in Colossians 1 v 18 He is the head of the body, the church, and is similar to the analogies with buildings as in Ephesians 2 where images of a city, a household, a building and the temple are used all of are things which need all the parts to fit together well if they are to be complete and fully usable entities. This is more than just a philosophical idea however as the body of Christ is where he is  - where his mind, his spirit , his love , his willingness to sacrifice, his saving grace, his  access to the father  all these are present in Christ and should be present in his church.
This wont happen in an instant of course, but Paul does expect there to be spiritual and moral development. Compare this idea with 2nd Corinthians 3 v 17,18 ( N.I.V)-   
    Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled
faces all reflect the  Lords glory, are being transformed into his likeness
 with ever increasing glory , which comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
This is an important point for Christians, that being holy isnt something to be worked at, although good works  will result, but is because of the Spirit of Christ dwelling within them. This indwelling then goes on to produce fruit. Love, Romans 5 v 5 ( N.I.V.)-
    God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit.
It brings freedom from condemnation, as in Romans 8 v 1,2 (N.I.V.)-
    There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because
 through Christ Jesus the  law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law
 of sin and death.
This freedom and love should then lead quite naturally to service  as described in Romans 7 v 6 ( N.I.V.)-
    We serve in a new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.
This written code was of course the Jewish law with its many intricacies that controlled every action, but during the Sermon on the Mount  ( Matthew 5 v 17, N.I.V.) Jesus said to the gathered crowds -   
Do not think I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets I have not
come to abolish them but to fulfil them.
This was to be a better, more fulfilled way of living.
Next comes a practical guide to church life in verses 4 -13. The order should be noted , for it is necessary to be in a right relationship with God before one can expect to get on with  ones fellow believers. This section is basically about humility  not being jealous of anothers position or gifts, whatever these might be , but all are to work together in harmony, none being more important than another, as the body of Christ. There is a lesson here for church leaders who might on occasions feel it is easily to run a one man show i.e. take  on every role, especially those involving public worship, for themselves or for only a limited number of people. Rather Paul exhorts the church to let people use their gifts, whatever they are, according to their faith. (v 6)
The passage though isnt jus t about living life cut from the world in a holy huddle. In the prologue to his gospel the evangelist John explains how Christ shone as a light in a dark world , a world which did not understand him or his message, yet which he still cared about deeply ( John 1 v 5 and10).In Romans 12 v 14 ff advice is given as to how to deal with the world around, even those who would persecute Christians ( v 14). And the message isnt just about toleration or longsuffering  Christians are exhorted to bless their persecutors. Live, as far as is possible in harmony with everyone ( v 16)  How many Christians when asked too bring along or invite  a non-Christian friend to an event , have to admit to not having non-Christian friends  yet here is an exhortation to get alongside people  to share their joys and sorrows , and through this show them Christ.
So the passage can be divided into three sections
The attitude of the Christian to God, Romans 12 v 1-3
Hi s attitude towards fellow Christians Romans 12 v 4 -13
His attitude to the people and world around him including his persecutors and those in authority Romans 12 v 14  13 v 1
These sections are not hard and fast divisions an dare part of a greater whole The attitude to God must spill over into attitudes towards fellow Christians and outside into the world. Love of God will mean a more loving attitude to all. And it must be a sincere love, not just a case of doing what is expected. Romans 12 v 9 ( N.I.V.)-
    Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil, cling to what is good.
There is again  a link of ideas with Philippians, another letter driven by love for fellow believers. Philippians 2 v 2  be one in spirit and purpose and verses 3 and 4 of the same passage ( N.I.V.)-
    Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider
others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests , but also to the interests of others.   
Context
The letter was written to mainly unknown people, strangers, Christians in the city of Rome, whom Paul had not yet met although he would later travel to Rome as described by Luke in the book of Acts, 22 v 22  28 v 31. Tertius, who actually wrote the letter down, presumably at Pauls dictation, doe s know people in Rome however, so there are links. ( Romans 16 v22)
Despite never having met them Paul obviously feels an affinity with the Romans believers as part of the body of Christ described in chapter 12.Chapter 1 v 8 (N.I.V.)
I thank my God through Jesus Chris t for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world.
Paul was planning a trip to Spain and wanted to visit Rome on the way as he tells his readers in Romans 15 v 28.. He describes his readers ( Romans 1 v 7) as  all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints. Although in some tradition Peter is credited with founding the Roman church it is probably much more likely to have been established by Jewish pilgrims who had been present perhaps at that first Pentecost. Acts 2 v10 mentions visitors from Rome being present in the crowd who heard Peters sermon on that day.
 In Romans 1 verse 10 he explains that he has been praying for them and hopes, at some future point, to be able to visit. Paul doesnt say much without an explanation of why he is saying it and here it is in verses 11 and 12 ( N.I.V.)-
I long to see you so that I might impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong  that is that you and I  may be mutually encouraged  by each others
faith.   
The main theme of the whole letter is justification by faith and sanctification by the Holy Spirit. Paul explains the plan of salvation, not just for Jews or for Gentiles, but for everyone  Romans 3 v 22,23 (N.I.V.)-
This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference for all have sinned and fall short of the glory
of God.
There is an obvious link here to passages from other letters such as that to the backsliding Galatian church. Galatians 3 v 26-28 ( N.I.V.)
You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized in to Christ have clothed yourself with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male or female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Ernst Kasemannn is quoted by Douglas Moo in the New Bible Commentary, 1994, ( page 1118) as saying that the theme is The righteousness of God by which he can be said to mean  the God who intervenes  in order to claim back a relationship with his creation.  Barrett on the other hand ( pages 233 ff) has  the whole section from verse 3  under the heading The Christian offering, but has a separate heading The ground of Christian  ethics for verses 1,2. Barrett points out ( page 230) how this letter is often understood as being divided into dogma,  ( chapters 1-11) and ethics (chapters 12 and13.) Barrett feels however that this is a false distinction as one is so clearly built upon the other. The good works to which the church is enjoined in chapter 12 are not to be understood as being in any way a contradiction of justification by faith, but are rather the natural outworking of the obedience that is a natural part of real faith.
The letter is not an attempt at systematic theology  agreed creeds would come along rather later in church history. Instead this is a letter written to meet particular circumstances  Paul wants to explain to them who he is, what his circumstances are, and also to tell them more about the Christian life  what it is and what it isnt.
I t is likely that the letter was written during a three month stay in Greece after the end of the third missionary journey. (Acts 20 v 3-6). It is possible according to some scholars including Kirk,( page 15) that this was originally a general letter and that  the parts specifically addressed to the Romans  were added at some point.
Conclusion
When Paul wrote this letter he was not writing from some ivory tower where all was well and nothing evil ever made an appearance. He had reached Corinth, as far as is known his most westerly point so far, and now looks onward some 600 miles to the north west and Rome, where a large and established Jewish colony existed although, according to Acts 28 v 21, the leaders of the synagogue in Rome seem to have had no prior knowledge of either Paul or his message. The Christian group did not necessarily have an easy time there. Acts 18 v 2 mentions that under Claudius the Jews had been expelled from Rome, although no reason is given. Barrett, page 6 ( 1957) quotes Suetonius as believing riots had broken out, Barrett believing this took place when  Christ and his gospel  was first  proclaimed in Roman synagogues. Paul had just finished a period of missionary work between Jerusalem and Illyricum, Romans 15 v 19. In 15 v31 we find he is anticipating danger in Judea, yet he is able to conclude his letter with the word s, To the only wise God be glory. The kind of sanctified living that Paul lays out before the Roman church was no guarantee of an easy life, but it would ultimately be a glorious one.
Metzger and Coogan, ( 1993) page 660, describe the whole letter as being about Gods lordship and the passage from 12 v 1- 16 v 27 as being concerned with Gods lordship in everyday  life with all its problems, both within and outside the Christian community. In 13 v 1-7 he speaks of the Christians relationship to the state authorities and then , chapter 13  v 8-14, to ones more immediate neighbors , and in 14 v 1  15 v 13 Paul gives very practical instructions as to how to cope with different ideas an d practices within the Christian community.

Paul has just been dealing with a matter close to his heart ( Chapters 9 -11) the rejection by many Jews of Gods plan for their salvation, but now he moves on to a more hopeful passage, where he explores how Gods plan can be worked out in everyday life by those  who have placed their faith in him H e is well aware that these people are not beginners as far as faith is concerned  as he explains in 15 v14, but nevertheless he is concerned that they understand a s much and as clearly as possible  so that (N.I.V. Romans 15 v 16)-
    The Gentiles might become an offering  acceptable to god, sanctified by the
 Holy Spirit.
His desire is that each one of them will, because they trust in Christ , will be full of hope, joy and peace and overflowing with  hope by the power of the Holy spirit
George Eldon Ladd  in A Theology of the New Testament ( 1975) describes the passage in Romans 12 as Pauls most  extended horatory  or encouraging passage ( page 518). In other letters he is dealing with specific problems and situations as in the Letter to the backward looking Galatians, but in this case he does not personally know his audience, only knowing that they are seeking to serve Christ where they are. He perhaps does not know how much knowledge they have got of the gospel and of spiritual matters so he explains things clearly and in an encouraging way  you can do it, with the grace of God and the power of the Spirit, you can lead a sanctified Christian life, even where you are at the heart of the pagan Roman empire. This message, almost 2000 years old, contains eternal truths and so can still be applicable today for Christians struggling to serve God in a world where their ideas  and motives are almost alien to the society in which they live. In his commentary on Romans 9-16 William Hendriksen heads the entry for Romans 12  Practical Application. He asks the question (page 413) What should be the attitude of the justified believer  towards fellow Christians and answers it by quoting from Romans 12 v 10 Be devoted to on e another in brotherly love.
This not a letter explaining some dull theological point  this is a practical and loving guide to living a life of holiness.

In Sanskrit, the word Goddess is called Devi and mostly this word is used by the people who follow Hinduism. It is believed by the Hindus that this word comes from the Shakti tradition of the Hindus and it is basically the female aspect of divine. Hindu Goddesses who are worshiped by the Hindus are referred as Devis who are the female counterparts of the male Gods and this basically represents discrimination. The female Goddess is also known as Prakriti and she balances the male aspect of Purusha. According to Hindu tradition of Shaktism, Devi is considered to be supreme while the Smartha tradition believes the Devi as a primary form of God. According to other Hindu traditions, the energy and the power of the males such as Shiva and Vishnu is embodied by the Devis called Parvati and Lakshmi.
Origin of this concept
The origins of this concept come from the Indus Valley Civilization from where these Hindu religious practices began. Some of the names of the most significant Goddesses are Ushas, Prithivi, Aditi, Saraswati, Vac, Nirrti, Ratri, Aranyani while some those have not received much recognition are Puramdhi, Parendi, Raka and Dhisana.
Durga
Durga is referred as the creator while Lakshmi, Parvati and Saraswati are referred as the preserver however Mahishasura-Mardini, Kali  Smashanakali are referred as the destroyer. Mahadevi is one great female Goddess and the Hindus strongly believe in her. Besides Mahadevi, Hindus also give respect to Durga who is one of the most popular Hindu Goddess and she is referred as a warrior and thus, invincible. She was also associated with Shiva, the Hindu God and she had a homely character. Moreover, the most famous celebrations that are associated with Durga and this festival is celebrated in the month of Ashvin i.e. Sepetember to October. This is denoted by Durga Puja and this festival is called Navaratri.
Saraswati
Besides Durga, Saraswati has also got a lot of recognition by the Hindus and she has been frequently talked about in the Rig Veda. (Sanatanssociety.org, n.d.). Initially, this Goddess was denoted by Saraswati River but with time, this belief changed and now she is known as the Goddess of speech and learning. Saraswati created Sanskrit as well as the language in the Vedas, she was a Brahma and the Jains and the Buddhists also belief in her strongly. She is also associated with art, science and culture and this is completely different from the characteristics of the other Goddesses. Saraswati is shown with four arms and some of the most common things the statue of Sarwasti Devi holds are a book, lute, mala and a water pot and all these have various associations. For instance, the books shows learning while the mala and the water pot denotes the religious rites. According to the Hindu calendar called Basant Panchami, Saraswati is worshipped on the first day of spring. (Hindu Deities, n.d.)
Lakshmi
 Sri is most commonly known as Lakshmi and she is also worshiped by the Hindus and the ten qualities as well as the objects that Lakshmi represents are food, royal power, universal sovereignty, knowledge, power, holy luster, kingdom, fortune, bounteousness, and beauty. She is associated with Vishnu and is known to be his wife and is worshiped by the Hindus on the festival of Diwali, a new moon night. The concept of Diwali is to dispel darkness from the hearts of the people i.e. her devotees. (Das, n.d.).

Parvati
 She is the Goddess of power and is known as the daughter of the Himalyas. Parvati is also regarded as Sagun or Adi Shakti. Parvati was the first wife of Shiva and was destroyed by Shiva by self-immolation due to reason that her father Daksha offended him. Parvati is known by many names such as Durga, Ambika, Gauri, Bhavina , Kali and Shyama.
Kali
She is not associated with a male God and she has creative as well as destructive power and her temples are built far from the areas where humanity persists. Some of the most famous battles she fought are mentioned in Devi Mahatmya and it is said that when she used to get angry, her face used to turn pitch dark. Moreover, she wears a garland made up of human heads and is clothed with the skin of the tiger along with the skull of a human being.

The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls was not the product of an intensive, nor expensive scientific endeavor launched by some university or prestigious scientific or archaeological body. Rather, the fortuitous event was something that happened by accident. Bedouin goat herds were in the process of looking for a lost goat, searching for the lost animal along the cliffs of the Dead Sea (Ayala Sussman and Ruth Pelad 1). Muhammad ed-Dib, among the many Bedouin herdsmen who bring their flocks to the many Wadis, was looking after the flock, his cousin, Juma Muhammad Khalil, threw a rock into the mouth of one of the caves and heard something shatter. Ed-Dib investigated the matter and found eight clay jars within the cave (Casey Deryl Elledge 2).
    In the jars were remarkably preserved scrolls, one of them shattered, hence the shattering sound. The three scrolls found inside the jars included the Great Isaiah Scroll, the Commentary on Habakkuk, and the Rule of the Community. On another trip to the same cave, the site yielded four more scrolls the Thanksgiving Hymns, the War Scroll, the Genesis Apocrypha and a fragmented form of the Isaiah scroll. Some of the artifacts were dated in the spring time of 1947, but the Bedouins assert that the discoveries may have been made months or even years earlier (Elledge 2).
    The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls have revolutionized the knowledge of the academic world about the Early Judaism Period during the time of the Second Temple in Jerusalem and the early periods of Christianity. Before the discovery of the Scrolls, scholars constructed the period of Judaism before 70 B.C.E on the opening parts of the Aboth, to the traditions which God gave the Decalogue to Moses, given to Joshua, to the elders, passed to the prophets and the members of the Great Synagogue (James Charlesworth).
    Since the time of the finding of the Scrolls, and as a result of the research done on the manuscripts, academicians have affirmed that the earlier reconstruction of the pre- 70 B.C period of the period of Early Judaism did not reflect the many facets of Judaism before the temple was destroyed in 70 C.E (Charlesworth). In the period of the Scrolls, the period discussed was the period that the Second Temple was built by King Solomon (Joseph Telushkin 1). In the description of the Scriptures in the Tanach, or the 2nd Book of the Chronicles, the temple was a massive structure, the inside of the structure was approximately 180 feet long, 90 feet wide and 50 feet high. At its highest point, the Temple stood 207 feet tall (Telushkin 1).
    The terrain of the Judean lands proved to be a difficult challenge for any scientific and archaeological activity. The lands were almost completely devoid of any life forms, save for a few shrubs, some sheep foraging for some grass and the Bedouins who looked after the small herds. The lowest area on the face of the planet, the lands are located 1,300 below sea level. The area lies as a section of a large rift valley, running from Mount Hermon in the north to Africa, ending at Lake Victoria. The Dead Sea, which lies east of the area, is so called since the body of water has extremely high salt concentrations that will not support any form of life (Kenneth Hanson 16).
    The release of the findings of the Scrolls were hampered by the fact that the time coincided with the eve of Israels war for independence (Sussman and Pelad 1). Before the declaration of the state of Israel, Professor Eleazar. L. Sukenik, a professor at the Hebrew University, secretly acquired three of the Scrolls from a Arab antique dealer, Khalil Iskandar Shahin, or Kando (Elledge 2), in Bethlehem, while the remaining four Scrolls were in the possession of the Metropolitan of the Syrian Jacobite Monastery of Saint Mark, located in Jerusalem, Mar Athanasius Yeshua Samuel (Sussman and Pelad 1).
    Yigael Yadin, who had just retired as chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces, bought the remaining Scrolls from Mar Samuel for  250,000 after Samuel placed an ad in the Wall Street Journal selling the Scrolls. It is interesting to note that Yadin, who went back to his first vocation, archeology, is the son of Professor Sukenik. Thus, the four Scrolls who  slipped  the hands of the father, were bought by the son making all of the Scrolls in the possession of one party. The seven scrolls were housed in the Shrine of the Book, located in Jerusalems Israel Museum. The scrolls from the Cave 1 are Isaiah A, Isaiah B, the Habakkuk Commentary, the Thanksgiving Scroll, the Community Rule (or the Manual of Discipline), the War Rule (or the War of the Sons of Light against the Sons of Darkness), and the Genesis Apocrypha, all of the Scrolls released for publishing (Sussman and Pelad 1).
    Sukenik was also the first to acknowledge the historical value of the new manuscripts, especially the great Isaiah Scroll in the possession of Samuel. Sukenik also established the Scrolls were linked with the Essene party mentioned in earlier texts. Sukenik believed this since the writings of Pliny, the Roman geographer, mentioned in his writings, in his work Natural History (Richard Niswonger 67), that a group of Essene living in the En-Gedi, not far from where the Scrolls were initially discovered. Sukenik tried to purchase the remaining Scrolls from Samuel directly, but did not push through with the transaction (James VanderKam 4). 
    After the transactions with Sukenik did not materialize, Samuel contacted two American academicians at the American School of Oriental Research in Jerusalem, William Brownlee and John Trever. Together with the schools director Millar Burrows and noted archaeologist W.F. Albright, Brownlee and Trever affirmed the historical value by examining the age of the script that the Scrolls were written in. Using a method called  paleography , the group affirmed the statement of Professor Sukenik, that the Scrolls were not only hundreds of years old, but they were actually thousands of years old (Elledge 3).
    Also, they discovered that the Scrolls were probably dated in the period of the Age of Palestinian Judaism before the destruction of the temple in 70 C.E. (Elledge 3). The Dead Sea Scrolls also triggered an intense debate on the identity of the community and the actual date of the manuscripts. Some scholars have stated that the communities most identified with the texts are members of the Hasidim communities, the zealous anti-Hellenistic formed in the early period of the Maccabees. The Hasidim is regarded as the ancestors of the Essenes, the group concerned regarding the widespread Hellenization of the country and endeavored to follow the teachings found in the Torah (Sussman and Pelad 1).
    Noted scholars across the globe affirm the importance of the practices of archeology and paleography. The sciences can affirm that the Qumran Community, who were the inhabitants of the lands when the Dead Sea Scrolls were antedated, give a glimpse into the past of the community. They were though to be priests who left the synagogue in 150 B.C.E due to partisan politics within the ranks of the priesthood in Jerusalem. Going into the wilderness, they found the Qumran community, perhaps the ruins of an old fortification on the border of Israel (Charlesworth).
    As the years passed, the travelers went on to build and expand the existing community, and the Qumran community slowly increased in size. There are various reasons that can be given in why the priests left Jerusalem. Among them were the perceived compromises of the Jerusalem priests who professed to obey the teachings of the Torah while accommodating the Greek ideologies emanating from Syria, the profession of a different belief other than what is stated on their duties, and more importantly the words of Isaiah the prophet calling them to answer to the Voice and prepare the way of the Lord. Josephus gave some detail into the way of life of the particular group, saying that he had spent some amount of time with a group of Israelites in the desert, but did not mention that the group was the Essene (Niswonger 67).
    The Dead Sea Scrolls may be a source of information on the Essene. It is true that with the present body of available information, the fact that the community in the northeastern shore where the Scrolls were discovered cannot be proven without a hint of doubt. In the New Testament, the Essenes, or Essaloi, were not mentioned in any part, but some scholars have tried to tie the group and the practices of Christianity in the Scriptures (Niswonger 67). Over the years and in the course of exploration of the caves in the area, chance discoveries have yielded a significant amount of manuscripts from many time frames and of various types. Clarendon Press in Oxford is undertaking the publishing of the collective manuscripts in their series named Discoveries in the Judean Desert (Florentino Garcia Martinez, Wilfred G.E. Watson).
    All the manuscripts have been carefully collated into sets or collections, the actual area where they were discovered used as the basis for their inclusion into the different sets. Using the paleography dating of the scrolls, the collections are Papyri from Waddi Dalioyah or the Samaria Papyri, dating from the 4th century BCE, found in a cave 15 kilometers north of Jericho. The writings were part of the belongings of a group retreating from the forces of Alexander the Great who destroyed Samaria in 331 BC. The Manuscripts of Qumran, a collection of manuscripts recovered from 11 caves around the area of Khirbet Qumran, the scrolls discovered as part of a archaeological activity or bought from the antique market.
    The Masada Manuscripts are scrolls recovered during the archaeological activities in the Fort of Masada. The collection includes a number of texts from the Bible, a manuscript of Ben Sira, and a copy of the Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice, a piece found in the manuscripts of the Qumran. The Manuscripts from Nahal Mishmar is the most insignificant of the collections, as they only provide a few manuscripts found in 1961. Finally, the Manuscripts from Khirbet Mird, a set of Greek, Christian Palestinian Aramaic and Arabic scrolls from the ancient ruins of Castellion, purchased from Bedouin and as part of the findings of the Belgian expedition in 1953. These are the sections of the collections that collectively make up the Dead Sea Scrolls (Garcia Martinez, Watson). 

Taoism is more a tradition that is transmitted verbally to the next generations. No written records are available that can tell the exact history of Taoism. However, Taoism can be traced back to the shamanistic practices. Taoism is a practice that is very flexible and adaptable. That is why it is still surviving today because it can be easily moulded as per the needs of the time. Still today Taoism is keeping pace with the modern culture. Taoism mainly focuses on the practices that can give an individual an eternal life. The answer for infinite life is to utilize the time available to explore and live to your nature. Taoism offers an alternative to religious beliefs found elsewhere and includes teachings that attempt to align the human form with cosmic forces.
 Misconception
Earth Lore in the work Living Simply The Art of Taoism helps us in understanding what really Taoism is. Let me clarify this that Taoism is not a religion. Rather it is best described as a philosophy. This philosophy is about living on the earth.
Introduction
Tao signifies THE WAY. If an individual wants to live in accord with the others then he should follow this path. Taoisms fundamental concept is deeply rooted in the endeavor of living in harmony. If an individual wants to achieve immortality then he must synchronize himself with environment. The infinite life will further be accompanied by spiritual liberation.
Despite the fact that Taoism is mystical, its application is very practical. Different aspects of politics, art, medicine, religion, philosophy seems to have been inspired by Taoism. Taoism helps to accomplish more with fewer efforts. In modern times when people are striving hard to achieve their aims, they are often found under great stress. Taoism helps to discover a more calm and relaxed way of living (Alexander et al, ix).
 HYPERLINK httpwww.associatedcontent.comuser1884phillip_townsend.html Phillip Townsend in the work Taoism An Ancient Chinese System for Modern Western Living tells us that Chinese philosophy is very rich. Taoism is also a part of Chinese philosophy. Taoism focuses on the religious practices which praises the virtues of living in accord with the nature. The history of Taoism in china dates back several thousand years. According to the records available, Shamans were the actual Taoists. They lived in harmony with the nature. They served their people by reading omens, catering to the holy link between the people and the unseen world and predicting the yearly cycles of the weather.
History of Taoism
 HYPERLINK httpwww.associatedcontent.comuser1884phillip_townsend.html Phillip Townsend in the work Taoism An Ancient Chinese System for Modern Western Living dictates us that the story of Taoism starts with a man name Li Erh, commonly known as Lao Tzu. He was a royal librarian during the Chou Dynasty in around 700 B.C.E. Lao Tzu was one the chinas greatest philosopher. He was thought to have been roamed the earth with a dragon. Li Erh or Lao Tzu decided to retreat from the society. His mind was enlightened after years of study. He traveled to the far west and reached upon a distant mountain pass where he met Wen Shih. Wen Shih was the keeper of the Pass. However Wen-Shih persuaded Lao Tzu to write a book that reflects his inner thoughts about the society and earth. This led to the birth of Tao Te Ching, a book of philosophy and a deep manual regarding the insights of the meditation and self transformation.
 HYPERLINK httpwww.associatedcontent.comuser1884phillip_townsend.html Phillip Townsend continues narrating that with time to time other profound thinkers and philosophers wrote manuals that highlighted the Taoist thoughts and teachings. The most well known philosophers among them were Chuang Tzu and Lieh Tzu. Over the past centuries Taoism has grown so much in China and in its adjacent areas that it has been divided into many schools of thoughts. At this point of time, it is almost impossible to separate Taoism from the Chinese philosophy, medicine, history, and culture, etc.
Forces
 INCLUDEPICTURE httpwww.crystalinks.comtaoism.gif  MERGEFORMATINET
Taoism states that the world in which we live is composed of two basic forces. They are yin (yielding, receptive, dark side) and yang (masculine, active, light side). It is possible for every individual to live in harmony with their surrounding if they utilize these two basic forces.  Yin and yang needs to be carefully balanced if an individual wants to achieve what is known as Taoism Qualities. These Taoism qualities are vitality, energy, and spirit. If an individual ensures that all these three qualities are properly balanced then only it is possible to keep the two forces of yin and yang easily synchronized with the healthier and happier living (Taoism - A philosophical approach).

Types of Taoism
 HYPERLINK httpwww.associatedcontent.comuser1884phillip_townsend.html Phillip Townsend in his work identifies 5 types of Taoism. They are
Philosophical Taoism
Devotional Taoism
Magical Taoism
Alchemical Taoism
Western Taoism
1. Philosophical Taoism. According to  HYPERLINK httpwww.associatedcontent.comuser1884phillip_townsend.html Phillip Townsend the essence of the philosophical is rooted in the teachings of Tao Te Ching of Lao Tzu or the Chuang Tzu. It deals in the philosophy of looking at the universe in the same manner as it has been discussed in the Tao Te Ching. According to this the Taoist should live a simple life. Philosophical Taoism looks a natural living which should be in accordance with the environment of the world. Taoist refers to it as the Childlike state or uncarved block.
2. Devotional Taoism. According to  HYPERLINK httpwww.associatedcontent.comuser1884phillip_townsend.html Phillip Townsend Devotional Taoism is also referred as the folk religious tradition of China. It is headed by the pantheon of gods. This is headed by Tai-Shang Lao-Chun and Lao Tzu is deified. Under a series of people exists. They are the celestial Emperors, Empresses, Lords and Immortals. It forms a very complex hierarchy. People worship Deities, Immortals and Ancestral spirits. They teach people regarding how to lead pious lives. Devotional Taoism is further divided into other school of thoughts. Part of the devotional Taoism focuses on the ceremonies, rituals for clergy, and others stress meditation. Shang Ching and the Heavenly Master are some of the contemporary schools that are still active in China. In Taiwan Redheads and Blackheads are the two major sects.
3. Magical Taoism. According to  HYPERLINK httpwww.associatedcontent.comuser1884phillip_townsend.html Phillip Townsend Magical Taoism is all about the world of spirits, demons, spells, talismans, incantations, and exorcisms. The magical practices are rooted in the ancient traditions of the shamans and to this day are often very secretive. The magicians look for magical powers from everything around them. They are found casting protection spells, exorcising malevolent spirits, leading the spirits of the dead onto the new world, and engaging in rainmaking. Mao Shan School is one of the most influential sects of magicians.
4. Alchemical Taoism. According to  HYPERLINK httpwww.associatedcontent.comuser1884phillip_townsend.html Phillip Townsend Alchemical Taoism is a Mystical Taoism. It focuses on the secrets of the immortality.  Schools of the scientific alchemy viewed material formulas as the means to attain immortality, whereas the real concepts about the immortality are derived from the teachings of the earliest hermit shamans and meditators. They are the part of the Inner Alchemy. Inner Alchemy stresses the body of an individual. According to the Inner Alchemy all the vital ingredients of immortality are found within the body. Body is the microcosmic reflection of the universe. If a Taoist meditates and performs energy exercises (Chi Kung, also spelled Qigong) than he or she can transform the physical body into an immortal energy. This immortal energy can then transcends this world and reunite with the universe. Inner alchemy also teaches sexual yoga in which males and females can cultivate energy together. There are various schools of Inner Alchemy. Some are from the strict monastic background, whereas some are from the mountain hermits.
5. Western Taoism. According to  HYPERLINK httpwww.associatedcontent.comuser1884phillip_townsend.html Phillip Townsend Taoism is also growing in the West. The most famous is the Philosophical Taoism. Translations of Tao Te Ching are widely available in all leading book stores. It is gaining wide acceptance, and it can be witnessed by the fact that now there are teachers in the West who are teaching Taoist meditation and other ancient traditions. Classes on the Tai Chi and Chi Kung are regularly followed by the people for better health and longevity. Other teaching such as Acupuncture is becoming quite popular in the western medical culture.
Tao and God
 HYPERLINK httpwww.personaltao.comtaotaoist_master.htm Casey Kochmer in the work Taoism 101 Introduction to the Tao defines God as the Ultimate Creator, who has all the universal powers. The concept of God varies from person to person. It is a perception of people as to what they believe, and similarly they follow the teachings of their respective god as per their perception. Taoism says that the human definitions are subjected to be right or wrong. All the definitions are related to the human capacity to think. Whatever the humans perceive they interpret in their terms. Thus, to define is a highly personal and sensitive topic. The Taoists prefers to stay out of the argument of the gods definition and respects each persons view of God as being personal and subjective.
 HYPERLINK httpwww.personaltao.comtaotaoist_master.htm Casey Kochmer further continues that the simplest explanation about the god and Taoism is that Taoism does have some gods. But these gods are the tangible beings. We can see them everyday in our life. They may be walking beside us, chatting with peers, sharing tea or may be just playing. The concept of god in Taoism is embodied in the enlightened immortal being. These enlightened immortal beings guide other conscious beings towards the path of enlightment. The help the people in finding the inspirations that are essential for the enlightment.
Two different religious ways
J. Dominguez, M.D tells us that Lao was the teacher of Confucius. Lao is considered as the mystic who talked about the unseen and intangible. Whereas Confucius is the realistic who set a system of moral axioms. According to Confucius human must be virtuous, and pious. The human conduct must be the mans relation with god and the universe will itself take care. On the other hand Lao stressed that good human conduct will follow only if the individual establishes a harmonious relation with the universal principle with Tao.
Living the Tao
Earth Lore in the work Living Simply The Art of Taoism define the Tao as The Way. The Tao Te Ching has an abundance of philosophical proverbs that helps an individual to align the routine activities with the way. Taoism teaches us that there are no contradictions.
 Detachment  Oneness Earth Lore explains this point by describing that Taoism says that by becoming detached from all things, individual actually becomes one with all things. It is based on the argument that when one realizes that he or she is one with all things, then only he or she will realize his or her true self.
 Not-Knowing  True Knowledge Earth Lore explains this point by describing that Tao, The Way is a state of being. It can neither be grasped nor can it be comprehended. In Tao Te Ching presuming is considered as a disease. This is because when you live in a NOT-KNOWING state you actually remain open to all the possibilities. Lets take an example. When you presume that when you consider yourself as an unlucky person, or you consider certain circumstances as a sign of bad luck, thus, ultimately you are going to have a bad luck. Therefore, presuming is a disease. Philosophically speaking an individual needs to understand that true healing will start only if the individual considers himself as being the cause and cure of the disease. Approaching the Tao from the Not Knowing state is the True Knowledge.


Taoism has found various applications in routine life. According to Alexander and Annelen, et al in their book
Participants begin with a calm, tranquil center in the experience of the Tao, and then express Tao in motion, in life, as chi directed outwards. Meditation, Shi Kung, Eastern medicine, Martial Arts, art, and Psychotherapy offers ways to apply these principles for a healthier, happier, more energetic life, at One with Tao (85).
Meditation can help in bringing clarity to the thinking process of an individual. Along with clarity comes calm and peace of mind. This is further accompanied with greater vitality, flexibility, sensibility, and resiliency. The Taoist engage themselves in meditation because they believe that meditation will bring them healthier and happier living. Mind and body are linked together. If an individual wants to soothe his mind, then he must first try to tranquil his body. The body is easily relaxed by applying the different methods of meditation. (Alexander et al, 87-88)
Keeping the One
Taoist practice Keeping the One. When the individual keep the One, they become closer to the Tao and find balance in their life, mind, body, and spirit. When we experience the One, everything around us tends to flow smoothly. But the problem is how to maintain this experience of keeping the One. Meditation helps to bring consistency in keeping the One. (Alexander et al, 91)
Chi Kung Enhance Well-being
Ever wonder how the water easily makes its way. Water is shapeless. Be it in container, or in any other jar, it takes a new shape with that new shape. The most essential characteristic of water is its flexibility in its nature. This flexibility makes the water more adaptable. The same can be applied to the human existence. Taoism teaches the individuals to become more flexible. Because actions that are rigid often end up in failure. Although there is temporary success, but still rigidity is not at all considered as positive. Taoism proposes flexibility as the key to more successful in life situations. Taoist techniques help to enhance suppleness of the body and increase the flow of Chi. (Alexander et al, 95)
Practicing Taoism
Casey Kochmer in her work Taoism 101 discusses guidelines about how to practice Taoism. According to her Taoism lets you flow with life. Some of the practices which are followed in Taoism are philosophical, while others are religious in nature. Taoism teaches only one truth and that is to embrace life in actions that support you as a person. Taoism is all about letting the people live according to their heart. The tips for living as a Taoist are
1. Develop a set of guidelines about your own self. Be true and honest to yourself. Let the other be themselves if they arent accepting you for you true nature. Dont take action against them. If you are living yourself, let them be themselves. Connect to the world as you want to be treated.
2. Discover set of practices. These practices will help your mind, body, and spirit engaged and strong. All the practices should be to support the central theme of your oneself, such as you meditate to clear your mind. Your practices should highlight your essence. Ultimately all the practices will help you in learning more about yourself and about the world.
3. Always remember that is Taoism there are no plans. Taoism is based on the individuals gut feeling and trusting his or her basic instincts. Just relax, and take out time for your one.
Conclusion
Tao is translated as the way. When the people talk about the Tao, they are actually speaking the central them of their practices. The practices should be the according to the essence of human existence .i.e to create harmony with the environment. However, the word Tao is used for a lot more than just Taoism.
Taoism helps the people to move away from the material world, and drives the people towards the immaterial world of spirituality and enlightment. Mind, body, and spirit should be properly exercised. They must be kept clear so as to create harmony with one own self in particular and that with the universe in general. Taoism has survived thousands of years. This is because it is a practice that people transmit to their coming generations. The most distinctive part of Taoism is that it provides the mean by which it becomes possible for the individuals to achieve basic understanding about the natural environment, which other religions and philosophies fail to prove. Works Cited
Kochmer, Casey. Taoism 101 Introduction to the Tao.