Read About It

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The Question of Hijab: Suppression or Liberation
This article gives a great explanation of why muslim women cover their whole body. It explains that the ideal reason is because Allah told them to.

“O Prophet, tell your wives and daughters and the believing women to draw their outer garments around them (when they go out or are among men). That is better in order that they may be known (to be Muslims) and not annoyed" (Qur'an 33:59).

Muslim women also do this because they want to be treated as equals towards men. By covering up their body, men cannot see the women's physical features and will not treat her as a sex object. Instead, they will see her as a chaste, modest, and pure woman.

"Say to the believing man that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that will make for greater purity for them; and Allah is well acquainted with all that they do. And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; and that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what must ordinarily appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands" (Qur'an 24:30-31).

In this section of the Qur'an we see a couple things:
1. A woman should not show her beauty or adornments except what appears by uncontrolled factors such as the wind blowing her clothes, and
2. The headcovers should be drawn so as to cover the hair, the neck and the bosom. There is no fixed style for women, but there are requirements.
The first of these requirements is the parts of the body which must be covered. Islam has two sources for guidance and rulings: first, the Qur'an, the revealed word of Allah, and secondly, the hadith or the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad (S), who was chosen by Allah to be the role model for mankind.
The second requirement is looseness. The clothing must be loose enough so the women's body figure cannot be easily seen.

I highly recommend this because it's a great simple read for anybody who wonders about muslim women and their reason for their attire.

The Chosen-by Chaim Potok

I read The Chosen by Chaim Potok. The Chosen is a novel set in 1945, and it is about 2 Jewish boys, their fathers, and their communities. The book is about the differences between sects of Judaism and it specifically focuses on Conservative Judaism versus Hasidism. The book starts out with two schools playing baseball, a conservative school and a Hasidic school. The main character Rueven is hit in the eye by a ball hit by the leader of the Hasidic children, Danny. Rueven goes to the hospital where he spends the next couple of weeks. He is visited by Danny, and at first Rueven is very mad, but he lightens up and realizes that he and Danny have a lot in common, and they become best friends. While Rueven is in the hospital, the Normandy invasion is occurring. Rueven learns that Danny is brilliant and that his intellectual knowledge is hungry for more than just Talmudic study. Both Danny and Rueven’s fathers are Rabbis and both require their children to do extensive Talmudic study. Danny has his path set out for him, as the leader of the Hasidic community, however, Danny really wants to study Freud and become a psychologist, whereas Rueven doesn’t have to become a Rabbi, but wants to be one. Danny decides to present Rueven to his father and his community. During this initiation process, Reb, Danny’s father quizzes Danny relentlessly over the minutest details of the Talmud. Because Rueven is the guest, he also is quizzed; fortunately he passes and is allowed to visit the community. As time goes by, Rueven is spending a lot of time with Danny’s family, and they are quizzed daily. Eventually Reb finds out about Danny’s reading, and gets angry with Danny. Danny and Rueven graduate and both go to the same Jewish college, where they will study what they wish to in addition to Talmud. During this time, the Allies win, and Rueven’s father becomes a very active Zionist. However, Danny’s father is strictly against the creation of a Jewish state because in the Torah it states that there will be no creation of Yisroel until the Mesiah comes. Reb, in his strict rules forbids Danny from making any contact with Rueven for about a year. Eventual Rueven confronts him, and Reb explains that it was necessary because his community looks up to him, and he couldn’t have his son associating with a Zionist. Both Danny and Rueven graduate, and Rueven continues to study to become a Rabbia and Danny continues studying to become a psychologist.
I would strongly recommend this book to anyone. It is an interesting, well-written, quick read. It is fascinating and enlightening at the same time. It teaches the reader a lot about Judaism and specifically Hasidism, and it shows how not mainstream Hasidism is. I had no Idea that some Jews were incredibly opposed to the creation of Israel as a Jewish state. The book was fantastic and educational.

Zoroastrians

1. I read about Zoroastrianism. I found this religion to be completely compelling because this particular religion have influenced the proceeding religions such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Many Zoroastrians reside in Iran, and they are considered a minority group in relation to other mass religions in Iran.

2. The religion, Zoroastrianism was originated from the revelations and visions of a divine Persian prophet named Zoroaster, who once lived in the 6th century b.c. The concepts that this religion encompass and value are the differences between "good and evil, heaven and hell and the existence of the supreme being.". In addition, Zorostrians believe that the good will always be at war with bad, however, if good continues to do only good things, good will essentially prevail over all evils. As a result, because of the truth and benevolence that they practice and value, many Zorostrians are considered to be immensely truthful and forthright.
A really interesting thing about Zorostrians is that they value nature and earth. As a result, when in circumstances dealing with the dead, they neither cremate nor bury. In the past, Zorostrians would put the corpse on a flat stone atop a mountain and let the earth itself deteriorate the body; this usually meant purity. Today, however, Zorostrians would put the dead on a medal stretcher enclosed in cement.

3. I definitely recommend this article because Zorostrianism is very interesting and it is fascinating to know that many of the religions now are somewhat derived and influenced by this archaic religion.

Here is a quote that points out the importance and sagacity of Zorostrianism:
"While Zoroastrians in Iran have been a marginalized group, Iranians of all faiths hold romantic ideas about them as bearers of the country's original religion and culture."

Jainism

Jainism is an ancient religion of India and a branch of Hinduism. Jains are a small religious minority in modern India. They are successfully growing in the U.S., Western Europe, and Australia. Jains have an ancient tradition of scholarship and are crowned with the highest degree of literacy in all of India. Their libraries are the oldest in India.

Jainism traces its roots in ancient East India. The first Jina is believed to have been a giant that lived 8.4 million years ago. The most recent, and last, Jina was Vardhamana. He was also the founder of the Jain community. Jainism is a syncretistic religions, which contains many elements similar to Hinduism and Buddhism. There are about 1,410 Jains that reside in Canada. Jainist beliefs are: The supreme abode (Siddha, where the liberated souls live), The upper world (30 heavens), Middle world (earth), and the Nether world (7 hells). Everyone, according to Jainists, is bound with the universe by one's karma. Jains follow a very strict vegetarian diet. They are against the killing of any plant or animal. Their diet consists of fruits, milk, and nuts. Jains often read their sacred texts (Kalpasutra, Agama, Tattvartha Sutra) daily. Jains are recommended to pass through four stages during their lifetime. The life of a student, family life, family and social services, and life as a monk. An interesting thing that I came across was the symbol of Jainism. It resembles a swastika with 4 dots.

I would recommend this article because it is a branch of one of the largest religions and its culture is packed with interesting information

Read About It
The Question of Hijab: Suppression or Liberation
This article shows the reasoning behind Muslim women covering their entire body. The overbearing reason for this is because Allah told them to wear coverings. Secondary reasons include women being judged for their personality and mind rather than for their appearance. "We want to stop men from treating us like sex objects, as they have always done. We want them to ignore our appearance and to be attentive to our personalities and mind. We want them to take us seriously and treat us as equals and not just chase us around for our bodies and physical looks." (Iranian school girl) Many Muslim women believe that coverings are open to individual discretion depending on the situation. The wives of the Prophet (S) were required to cover their faces so that men would not think of them in sexual terms since they were the "Mothers of the Believers," but this requirement was not extended to other women. Multiple pieces of the Qur'an tell women that they must conceal their body. "O Prophet, tell your wives and daughters and the believing women to draw their outer garments around them (when they go out or are among men). That is better in order that they may be known (to be Muslims) and not annoyed..." (Qur'an 33:59)
This article is definitely worth taking a look at. I recommend it it to anyone who does not know much about the reasoning behind Muslim women covering themselves. This article is very educational.

1. I read an online article by G.R. Lewis about the unparalleled rise of Buddhism in America.
2. The articled covered, statistically, the rise gain and depretiation of other religions compared to Buddhism. It explored the reasons for the number of practitioners in each religion.
3. I would HIGHLY recommend the article to anyone interested in the field. It did a very good job for stating the reasons for the rise of Buddhism (such as the rationality, pacifism, and other reasons) which I felt was a great addition to the article besides just facts and statistics.

I read the beginning of the book Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer. The prologue told the story of Brenda and Erica Lafferty who were brutally murdered in 1984 by Brenda’s brothers Ron and Dan, all of whom were devout members of the Mormon Church in Utah County, Utah. The two claimed that they a revelation from god which ordered them to kill Brenda and Erica. They reportedly wrote down had written down the revelation and followed it without any remorse or regret for what they claimed god had willed. “If God wants something to be done, it will be done,” said Dan. These two individuals represent only the worst side of Mormonism, but bring into question our stereotypical views on religious violence. When Americans think of religious violence the picture that comes to mind is of a foreign terrorist living somewhere in the middle east when in fact religious fundamentalism is alive and well in America. That is not to say all Mormons are evil or practice a faith which is immoral, but the first two chapters of the book relate the story of a small group of Mormon Fundamentalists whose practices are anything but tolerant. Located in Colorado City in northwestern Arizona is a sect of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints led by Rulon T. Jeffs. or “Uncle Rulon.” This town is essentially a theocracy run by this man who has control over or at least strong ties with The mayor and all city employees, the police force, and the public schools. He and the fundamentalist community own all the land within the city limits, control the use of government spending (often corruptly) and have the power to take families away from parents who do not follow the strict codes of the sect. Uncle Rulon once ordered that all dogs within the city limits be rounded up and shot and has ostracized and banned many former members of his church. Although this book was published in 2004 and things may have changed, I had no idea that a community as Krakauer describes it is surprisingly close to Taliban controlled village. I would most def recommend this reading to others because what I read of it educated me a great deal about a religion that is well known but not well understood.

Ann Roach
9/3/08
Pew Research
Stem Cell Research: At the Crossroads of Religion and Politics
http://pewresearch.org/pubs/903/stem-cell-research

- Which publication did you choose to read? Why?

I chose this publication because the topic of whether or not the use of embryonic cells is ethical or not has been breached a lot lately for the upcoming election. Since Abortion is one of the key topics to this year’s election, I felt that the issue of embryonic cell research went along very nicely with that topic. Also I thought it was be good since I am for stem cell research that I should read up on my facts so I can back myself with the proper information.

- Please provide a brief summary of the most important and/or relevant information you found in the report.
1. Cells can only be used between the time periods of three to five days old.
2. Such research can held cure: juvenile diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injuries and blindness
3. These cells, unlike any others, have the ability to form into any of 220 different types of cells. Meaning they can replace cells that have been lost or damaged. Plus they are easier to grow in a lab than adult embryonic cells are.
4. Religious leaders fear that the further research of the cells will soon be crossing the line that abortion crossed. => They push for using adult cells for research instead of embryonic cells.
5. Researchers argue that they are not able at this time with what technology is available to use adult cells as well as they could embryonic cells, they also argue that they have only used a few hundred cells rather than the larger number of abortions that have been taking place.
6. Most religious groups believe life starts at contraception so the idea that these embryos are not human does not make sense to them, instead the researchers are “killing a potential living human being”. However many more liberal religions fully support the research.
7. A slim majority of Americans in a poll taken in 2007 support the research.
8. “According to a 2007 national poll by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life and the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, 51 percent say it is more important to conduct stem cell research that could result in new medical cures than to avoid destroying the potential life of human embryos. The same poll found that 35 percent say it is more important not to destroy embryos.” (Pew Research)

- Did the report change or confirm any of your own perspectives?
Was this worthwhile for you? Why or why not?

While reading this I felt like the article mostly confirmed my opinion in that research should be approved and supported. To put in another fact, we as a nation are way behind in research than Europe is, and I think it might be important if we try to collaborate information… More so I don’t think these topics should be affected by religion. State and Religion should stay separated. If you do not agree with your government do not blame it on something that the bible said (“Man shall not have control over life and death) those documents were written thousands of years ago when they didn’t dream of anything like this. Now days I feel that it is important that we do as much research to help cure diseases that would other wise be incurable with out this research. Also to claim that killing an embryo is like killing a living being is not literally true. If these were living beings, the cells would have already “decided” what type of cells they were going to develop into. However embryonic cells that are being research have yet to develop far enough, so they are caught at a stage where are free to turn into what ever cell they need to be; meaning that if you needed to replace a brain cells, well in the future, with further research, a new brain cell you could get.

I read "A thousand Splendid Suns"by Khaled Hosseini. The book is about 2 different women who are living their lives between turmoil and war. They eventually meet up and endure their struggles together. The book gives a description of how hard life is for women during the times of war, the Taliban, and how hard it is to be a muslim woman during this time. Mariam was born a bastard child, and she lives in a hut with her mother. Her mother is harsh, but caring, and constantly warns her of the dangers of life out in the real world. Mariam does not believe her and goes out only to discover that her mother was right. By her father who she thought loved her dearly, gives her away to marry a man 20 or so years older than herself. There she lives with a traditional Muslim, who makes her wear a burqua, forces her into sex, and beats her when he is displeased.

In the second part of the book, the reader is introduced to Laila. she is beautiful, with blond hair and green eyes. Her father supports her and wants her to go to school and learn, so that she can become a powerful and well-educated woman. Her brothers are off fighting in the war, and when war finally reaches their home, they decide to move to eventually reach America. Before they can move, however, their home is hit by a bomb, and Laila's mother and father die. Her boyfriend has moved away, and she has nowhere to go because the Taliban have control over her region. She gets taken in by Mariam and her husband. The husband decides to offer to marry Laila, and she accepts, because she knows that she is pregnant. From then on, they discover hardships that they did not know possible, such as starvation, near-death beatings from the husband, and even murder.
I would recommend this book to others to read, because it gave me a clearer understanding and insight to muslim women and their hardships. I felt that it gave me a better understanding of their lives, and how hard it is and was to be a muslim woman during these times.

I read Section III from the book The Religious Fringe: A History of Alternative Religions in America. Section III in this book is entitled "Cracks in the Protestant Empire: The Civil War to World War II."

Section III is composed of 5 different chapters. The first chapter in this section talks about American culture in the late nineteenth century, most notably the social and economic conditions of the era, and how they impacted the religious background. The next chapter talks about the nineteenth century occult and metaphysical movements. One of the most important movements of this time was Theosophy. Theosophy upheld the existence of a basic universal truth, which is contained in myths, legends, and the religious teachings of all peoples. The Theosophists reject materialism, but not natural law. Other religious movements that came to be during this time were New Thought and Christian Science. The next chapter in this section talks about the early Eastern groups, such as Hinduism and Buddhism as they came to America. It talked about a lot of things regarding these religions that I have already learned, so this section was a lot of review. However, it did speak briefly about Islam, which I learned a bit more about. The fourth chapter in this section talks about Christian-related bodies. This section talks about different cults and sects that have come out of Christianity, such as Adventism, Pentecostalism, the Holiness Movement, Jehovah's Witnesses, and the Worldwide Church of God. This chapter was very interesting, as I enjoyed learning about the different cults I had always heard so much about, but never really knew much about.

Though this book had a lot of good information in it, I would not recommend it to others, because it reads almost like a standard textbook, and is not very interesting on its own. If you can get past the boring setting, the information is very rich and informative, but it might take a lot to be able to sit down and read the entire book.

I read "In Untruths About Obama, Echoes of a Distant Time" The article refers to the opposition that candidates of U.S. history and present times have faced due to their religious affiliation. Part of the article focuses on Al Smith, and the resistance he faced from the public,the same resistance closely resembles what Obama has faced for the past two years. Accusations of having some sort of Muslim origin immediately led to beliefs of Obama being a terrorist etc. Fact is, rumors like this escalate anti-muslim feeling and imply that a Muslim is unfit to be president. Rumors of Obama's Muslim origin shadowed his true religion Christianity. As mentioned in the article, "Likewise today, there is a widespread belief that somehow you cannot be a good American and be a Muslim at the same time, that being a Muslim means you have loyalties outside the United States — and, like Catholics in the 1920s, they are dangerous loyalties to militant groups seeking to do harm. There’s no truth to the allegations, then or now, but they are tenaciously held."
I would definitely recommend this reading, it's very informative in pointing out the quiet anti-muslim feeling amongst America. The fear that still circulates, as a result of 9/11. It was interesting in seeing the parallels between Obama- accused of being unpatriotic, Muslim terrorist- and Al Smith- discriminated due to his Roman Catholic faith.

I read Marc Shapiro's seminary thesis entitled "The New Physics and the New Age: Quantum Mechanics in the Light of New Age and Biblical World Views."In his dissertation Shapiro attempts to down the marriage of eastern mysticism and quantum mechanics using a variety of reasoning. Shapiro starts the paper by giving the reader background into the many complex topics his paper alludes to. The first body section of the paper, “The ‘Old Physics’ that Made the ‘New Physics’ New,” helps explain to the reader why this topic only arises when talking about “new physics,” clarifies which sciences will be discussed, and gives a brief history of science concerned with matter and energy. The next section dives deeper into quantum mechanics and gives enough information so the reader at least thinks they know what is being discussed throughout the rest of the dissertation. After the background sections the paper reaches its core argument. Shapiro first introduces some basic tenets of eastern mysticism and shows how they are associated with the quantum theory. The paper looks at connections made especially by Fritjof Capra whose book "The Tao of Physics" originated the modern wave of literature linking eastern mysticism and quantum theory. Shapiro then uses the next section to thoroughly dispute the connections using the philosophy of science as a guide. The substantive part of the paper is then concluded with a section describing how quantum theory could just as easily be linked to western, Judeo-Christian ideas, therefore disproving that modern physics can be associated with a specific religious doctrine.

I found the paper to be quite interesting. Beginning with no knowledge that this association of science and religion was occurring I found myself quite engaged and curious. The thesis taught me about both quantum physics and eastern mysticism and persuasively argued that these two should not be associated. I would recommend the dissertation for anyone interested in links between science and religion who is also willing to learn about a complex science in order to comprehend the paper.

The thesis is readily available from Mr. Shapiro, just ask him.

I read Sam Harris’s, Letter to a Christian Nation. This is a non-fiction book written in the form a letter to the fundamental Christians of the United States. This book starts with the idea that fifty three percent of Americans are creationists, and how this culture of conservative Christian Right stumbles to portray an intelligent image. Some examples include simple everyday questions like, how could a benevolent god allow something like Hurrican Katrina to happen? To more nit-picky ideas like the bible teaches the golden rule, but it also teaches to stone your bride to death if she is not a virgin upon her wedding night: why should anyone follow a text where you’ll face eternal damnation for not following one line, yet other sections are hypocritically ignored. The purpose of this book is not to simply tear apart Christian fundamentalists, but it is to prove why the constantly unchallenged bigotry of the majority of the United States is in fact harmful. Harris concludes that this should be seen as a “moral and intellectual emergency.” An example of direct impairment of all American citizens due to the moral dilemma of a select majority includes the spread of human papilloma virus (HPV). (HPV is a sexually transmitted virus that does not show signs in men, but leads to cervical cancer in women.) Harris explained that although the HPV vaccine was tested and had a successful clinical trial, “Christian conservatives in our government have resisted a vaccination program on the grounds that HPV is a valuable impediment to premarital sex. These pious men and women want to preserve cervical cancer as an incentive toward abstinence, even if it sacrifices the lives of thousands of women each year” (p. 26-27). Thankfully now the HPV vaccine is readily available. It is terrifying to even admit that a cancer-preventing vaccine was postponed due to the hebetudinous of a people that actually hold power in our country. This is just one example of the gross injustices caused by a clear violation of the first amendment.
One does not have to be irreligious nor atheist to appreciate this book. In fact, in this book Harris explains the significance of maintaining a spiritual life. Everyone should read this book to get a better understanding of the society we live in. The intended recipient of this letter is a people that, along with everyone else, represent the United States of America. To better understand our country, and how to resolve some of our most deep-seated problems, it is crucial to read this book. It is only about one hundred pages, making it a comfortable read for the unsettled reader.

I read the Confucianism chapter in the World Religions Book.

The chapter is really broken up into four main parts. The first part describes Confucius himself, the simple aspiring politician who ended up only teaching his followers. He is described as a reserved person who never considered himself a sage even in his discussions with his students, he would just ask them questions and tries to think of answers with them. Ultimately he is considered one of the greatest teachers.

The second part discusses the problems that Confucius faced at the time namely, the outbreak of war and general anarchy and the various view that people had on how to solve them. The 'Rival Arguments' to were first that force was the only tool, which could keep people in line. Once tradition is lost the whip is how to keep the people doing good. The second was that love was what the world needed. If everyone just loved everyone equally then there would be no strife and all would be well. Confucius disagreed with both of these sentiments for the opposite reason. He felt that the whip could only go so far in influencing, because passion and rebellion will always fight a whip, and while treating all with kindness is preferable when faced with hatred one needs to respond with justice not love. Confucius felt tradition was the only true way to keep people in check, that and respect for your elders.

The third part discussed how Confucius was able to influence such a large number of people when in life he considered himself a failure. The reason is that his followers spread the word and new leaders embraced his ideals and started traditions, as he would have intended. This education went to the point that it even influenced the language itself. Illiterate and literate alike use the phrases that have been passed down for generations in their sayings.

The final part discussed the impact of such an influence. The basic ideas and texts of Confucianism have been taught to nearly all Chinese students for two millennia. Government itself is influenced and it used to be a requirement to know the doctrine of Confucius to get a government job. As I stated before the language itself has been influenced by it. The Chinese have many different words to talk about family, coming from the respect for elders it is important to know the difference in ages of people.

I would say that I got a lot out of this reading. The content is interesting and practical, as it has influenced a quarter of the world's population for so long. However, the writing is a bit dull. It is not a very engaging read despite its content and it is almost overly descriptive. I would recommend only to people who are genuinely interested.

1. I read the first two books from C.S Lewis’ book Mere Christianity. These books were called “Right and Wrong as a Clue to the Meaning of the Universe” and “What Christians Believe.”

2. Although C.S Lewis is best known for writing The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe series, (which are actually full of religious metaphors) he wrote about religion often. He was raised in the Church of Ireland but became a staunch atheist at 15 but then re-converted at age 30. He was considered a Christian “apologist” because he worked to use reason to defend Christianity and show how it was superior to other religions. The first section of this book explains man’s Moral Law and how God is behind that. He says that we all have a moral foundation and everyone understands what good is, so there must be a perfect Good for everyone to compare against. He uses many metaphors in this section that explain his ideas very clearly. He only gets to the idea that there is something else out there creating our moral foundation. The next book goes from this idea all the way to Christianity. He begins by explaining how there must be a personal God because an impersonal God would have no reason to forgive people and one could not relate to. He then discredits the “Dualist” point of view that states that there is a constant battle between two opposing forces in our livse. He explains how we have to have a perfect Good to compare these against to figure out which side is good and he sees that as God. He then explains how Jesus fits into this. He says that Jesus was either completely insane, Satan or truly the Son of God. He believes that Jesus was truly the Son of God and because He did no wrong, and He suffered so that man could be forgiven. Because Jesus stated that men are forgiven of all sins, it makes it clear that Jesus must have been God because these sins were committed against him.

3. My dad was a religion major in college and has been pushing for me to read this book for years, and this assignment finally gave me the incentive to do it. As a Christian, I really enjoyed reading this; it sort of reaffirmed a lot of ideas in Christianity for me. But I think that others may not enjoy it, especially atheists. He flat out states that atheists are wrong and over simplify the world and Christianity. He also lambastes “Pantheistic” religions like Hinduism. So, I think this book works best as “preaching to the choir.”

I read the chapter on Taoism in Huston Smith’s The Worlds Religions. Taoism originated with a man named Lao Tzu around 600 B.C. His name translates into “the Old Boy”. According to legend, he was conceived by a shooting star, carried in his mother’s womb for eighty-two years, and was born a wise old man with white hair. In actuality, very little is known about Lao Tzu, including his name the fact of his existence. Lao Tzu wrote the most sacred text in Taoism, the Tao Te Ching, or The Way and Its Power during a three-day retirement. The text is only 5,000 characters and can be read in half an hour.

Taoism has three senses in which it can be understood. Tao is the way of ultimate reality, the way of the universe, and the way of human life. People have tried to find the way of human life through three different Taoisms; Philosophical Taoism, Religious Taoism, and another that does not have a name. Philosophical Taoism, also known as Popular Taoism, is reflective and the vitalizing programs active. It is similar to Zen Buddhism. Religious Taoism is influenced by Buddhism.

One important concept of Taoism is the ch’i. Ch’i means “vital energy”. The more ch’i one has, the better his life is. To maximize their ch’i, the Taoists experimented with matter, movement, and mind. The Taoists found that their ch’i was increased by medicinal herbs, sex, and meditation and dance. Taoists reject all forms of self-assertiveness and competition. Taoism does not value those who try to stand out. Taoists also appreciate nature and its beauty.

I would recommend this reading simply because it is something new that we have not and will not cover in class. There are some interesting aspects to Taoism such as the concept of ch’i. I enjoyed reading this chapter.

1. I read "A Thousand Splendid Sounds" by Khalend Hosseini.

2. The story revolves around two women who cope with the struggles of being women. Due to strict patriarchal tradition, both women are subjected to the mistreatment by their husband. Their two very different life stories come together as a result of the Taliban's control over the government, and marriage to Rasheed. Mariam is a young girl, who happens to descend from the rich, wealthy man named Jalil- as a result of sleeping with a housemaid and Mariam's mother Nana. Jalil refuses to accept his flaw and sends Nana away to raise Mariam. His on and off presence means a great deal to Mariam, whom struggles to win her father's affection and become a part of his family. In an effort to do so, she rebels against her mother and leaves to find out that she truly is an outcast. Upon return, her mother is dead and her life of independence and freedom comes quickly to an end. Her fate is now in the hands of Rasheed. Laila, leaves a pleasant life with two brothers and parents who admire modern day beliefs of Afghanistan. When war breaks out, she loses everything including her family and her boyfriend- Tariq. She feels pressure to marry Rasheed and bare his children. Ironically, her relationship with Rasheed introduces her to Mariam. Their journey of hardship is never-ending as they cope with the oppression of women under their husband and their government.

3. I recommend this book to everyone. It is suspenseful, dramatic and sad. "A Thousand Splendid Sons" provided me with a great appreciation for my freedom. Additionally, it gave me a view of what life is like for oppressed women. As The Kite Runner focused on a male's struggle with manhood, and pressures to be a leader, this book focuses on a female's struggle to succumb to the inferiority of her role as wife and woman. It's a great book.

1. I read "A Thousand Splendid Sounds" by Khalend Hosseini.

2. The story revolves around two women who cope with the struggles of being women. Due to strict patriarchal tradition, both women are subjected to the mistreatment by their husband. Their two very different life stories come together as a result of the Taliban's control over the government, and marriage to Rasheed. Mariam is a young girl, who happens to descend from the rich, wealthy man named Jalil- as a result of sleeping with a housemaid and Mariam's mother Nana. Jalil refuses to accept his flaw and sends Nana away to raise Mariam. His on and off presence means a great deal to Mariam, whom struggles to win her father's affection and become a part of his family. In an effort to do so, she rebels against her mother and leaves to find out that she truly is an outcast. Upon return, her mother is dead and her life of independence and freedom comes quickly to an end. Her fate is now in the hands of Rasheed. Laila, leaves a pleasant life with two brothers and parents who admire modern day beliefs of Afghanistan. When war breaks out, she loses everything including her family and her boyfriend- Tariq. She feels pressure to marry Rasheed and bare his children. Ironically, her relationship with Rasheed introduces her to Mariam. Their journey of hardship is never-ending as they cope with the oppression of women under their husband and their government.

3. I recommend this book to everyone. It is suspenseful, dramatic and sad. "A Thousand Splendid Sons" provided me with a great appreciation for my freedom. Additionally, it gave me a view of what life is like for oppressed women. As The Kite Runner focused on a male's struggle with manhood, and pressures to be a leader, this book focuses on a female's struggle to succumb to the inferiority of her role as wife and woman. It's a great book.

- I read a U.S. News article by Serena Gordon, titled, Religion May Help Extend Your Life.
- Just by glancing at the titled of the article, I thought what a ludicrous article. How could believing in a set of ideals, lengthen your life? I mean, my dad puts faith in his favorite college basketball teams every weekend, similar to attending church every Sunday, but I don’t see him getting any younger. It is fair to say I was flabbergasted, but intrigued, so I read the article. The article starts off by explaining religion’s importance. It states that religion gives people a sense of stability, a safe haven away from the hectic world, which is stricken with a recession and a threat of terrorism. It also mentions that the overall religious community adds comfort to individual’s lives. Then the article gives details to the study that motivated this article. 95,000 women, some who attended church and others who didn’t as much, were incorporated in the study. The women were between the ages 50-79 and each would give yearly health reports. Before adjusting the data, there were no discernable trends. But after accounting for physical health, age, ethnicity, income, education, social support, important life events and life satisfaction, tendencies became clear. The study concluded that weekly churchgoers had a 20 percent reduction in the risk of death, and those who attended church less than once a week had 15 percent reduction in the risk of death. But despite this study, we still do not know the exact reasons for the decreased risk in death.
- This short article is a fun, easy and thought provoking read. I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone.