Wednesday, June 24, 2020
Health Care Ethics Essay - 1375 Words
Health Care Ethics Essay (Essay Sample) Content: Health care ethicsNameName of institution28th, October 2014IntroductionAcross the globe, the health status of every individual highly influences their daily routines as it is the health status that determines what one can carry out. Moreover, most of the crucial decisions are made in regard to this health status. As a result, every individual finds him or herself as being a part of the health care institution whether forced or not. Consequentially, the health care institution is treated as a special body in the society as it has direct or indirect impact towards the daily functionality of the society. As such, the ethics governing the operational of all health care institutions are uniquely from other social goods in the society as this institution deals with peopleà ¢Ã¢â ¬s lives that are fragile if mishandled. As such, this essay will look into the ethics of healthcare services and most especially in the field of reproductive decision making, clinical study with human body and capacity, consent and confidentiality in health care.Healthcare ethics mostly known as medical ethics is a set of beliefs, moral values and principles that govern the health care providers and patients on making the right decisions about medical care. With these ethics, every individual is expected to use the sense of wrong and right and compare it with the beliefs and help every individual to determine what is right, just and fair while accessing and offering the health care services (Vermont Ethics Network [VEN], 2011). Importantly, the ethical role in any situation is determined by the nature of the decision to make and the role of the involved individuals in the decision to be made.To limit the type of the decision to be made, medical ethics has a set of four principles that govern and monitor the medical practice when making healthcare decisions. The first and most important principle is beneficence that stress that the service providers should service to their l evel best when attending to the patients so as to save a life or to fully satisfy the patients. Despite the functionality of this principle and its associated benefits, it also limits the level unto which the service provider should thrive to offer their best towards the patients as some of the services may seem beneficial though there is a possibility of them causing harm ((Hester Schonfeld, 2012)). Beneficence works hand in hand with the principle of non-maleficence that implies that the service providers should not do any harm towards the patients (VEN, 2014). This principle restricts the practitioners who offer their best service without first considering the impact of their actions.Additionally, autonomy is amongst the important principle governing medical ethics. Through this principle, the rights of an individual seeking health care services are given a priority. The principle allows the patient to make knowledgeable decisions without any interruption about their health life . The decision made is respected by and followed withoutany overruling mechanism applied by the respective practitioners. However, not all decisions are autonomous and, therefore, for any decision to be autonomous, the patient must be in right state of mind having the ability to accept, remember and replicate the information with ease (VEN, 2011). Lastly, justice is another principle that rules ethics of health care servicing. The principle relates to the distribution of limited resources in the health care institutions and who and when should get the access of these resources ((Hester Schonfeld, 2012)). Also, this principle aids the practitioners in making decision on the basis of the fairness and equality without biasness.From the above-discussed principles, it is easier to set up various and different ethics in healthcare institution that will govern different fields in the medical industry. As such, various ethics have been set up that aid in making the reproductive decisions amongst the patients and the practitioners (LaFollette, 2013). Sex selection is dominant in India and China, where women are forced to abort any female pregnancy in an attempt of reducing female pregnancy. It is advantageous to many people when a son is born in the family through sex selection. However,this is disadvantageous to the women and girls as it lowers down the autonomy as they are not given a chance to choose what they want without being forced. Despite this practice is against ethics of health care there rises a need of stopping this by prohibiting abortion as well as banning of selective sex (Julie, 2007). Although this is done, the autonomy of women and girls in these countries remain low since despite banning of abortion, women still do abort as their families force them to thus making abortion seem like it is illegal. Therefore, it is the function of practitioners carrying out this practice to stop it as it is against the code of ethics governing medical practices.Bes ides being the role of practitioners to stop this practice, it still remains hard since some women are willing to abort that forces the practitioners to obey the principle of autonomy that states that the patients decisions must be respected (Julie, 2007). To address this issue, it requires intervention of law and, therefore, some laws must be enforced of laws that forbid this practice. Together with medical ethics sex selection can be reduced in these countries where the law addresses the basis of oppression amongst the female gender while ethics will regulate the principle of autonomy amongst the women seeking abortion. Practitioners will evaluate the main reason making one to seek abortion whereby if it is genuine, the practice will be carried out and if not, it would not.Importantly, the same principles of ethics are applied when making decisions on how to handle the menopause stage amongst the women. At this stage, women cannot conceive since they do not receive their monthly p eriods and, therefore, it pauses a big challenge to those women who want children at such stage. Due to the advancement of technology, a replacement therapy can be carried out that will enable these women to have children through external fertilization. As such, it is upon the practitioners to ensure that this practice is carried out efficiently without any complications experienced. According to Madeleine, and Julie (2003), in Australia, a medical care program was set-up for the women at menopause were educated of making informed and right decisions on the matter concerning this therapy. Through this education, women were equipped with the necessary information that guide them on making these decisions. Similarly, this was a way of exercising the principle autonomy that encourage the patients to make informed and the right decisions independently.Besides being informed of the side effects of menopause, women who are carrying out this practice are held responsible of the any side ef fects associated with this practice. As such, this moves the interest of menopause from medical situation to other physical conditions. To solve this, discou...
Wednesday, May 20, 2020
Career Path Analysis Free Essay Example, 1000 words
Career Path Analysis Introduction One of the crucial programs delved into the development of human resources is career planning. For individuals employed in organizations, this phase of development entails a process by which the individual worker patterns and orchestrates oneââ¬â¢s separate but related work activities to prepare the person altogether with the organization to take greater job and personal responsibility in the future. Career pathing is actually defined by Heathfield (2011) as the ââ¬Å"process used by an employee to chart a course within an organization for his or her career path and career development. Career pathing involves understanding what knowledge, skills, personal characteristics, and experience are required for an employee to progress his or her career laterally, or through access to promotions or departmental transfersâ⬠(par. 1). To be applicable in this discourse, the career path analysis for students who are currently enrolled at the London College of Communication (LLC) would be structured by initially presenting: (1) where one has been, (2) what activities are currently undertaken and the reasons for engaging in them, and (3) where one envisions oneself in the future. Where One Has Been The current author of this career path analysis have had a challenging personal background being raised and trained to become a responsible person with commitment and dedication to the adherence of ethical and moral codes of conduct. We will write a custom essay sample on Career Path Analysis or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now The value and respect for other cultures have been ingrained in oneââ¬â¢s upbringing consistent with Sumnerââ¬â¢s (1960) contention that each culture must be seen in its own terms, and the worth of a custom can be judged only by the contribution it makes to the culture to which it is a part. The values, beliefs and preferences learned from the family and from oneââ¬â¢s national culture have continued to be manifested in the way one interrelates with other from diverse cultural orientations. Socio-cultural values have played important roles in oneââ¬â¢s view of motivation and behavior. The family, particularly oneââ¬â¢s parents, is the most influential force and reason to achieve. One has acknowledged that certain motives come about as a result of the cultural environment in which a person lives. School administrators and faculty members, as well as academic colleagues, should understand that these are some of the motives that the aut hor brings along the academe. Such motives will affect how one would view tasks and responsibilities and how important it is personally perceived.
Monday, May 18, 2020
Colgate-Palmolive CSR Free Essay Example, 1000 words
The companyââ¬â¢s enormous R&D program is formulated to provide effective, safe and superior products (Colgate, 2015). Product safety and quality The products ingredients are thoroughly evaluated using the latest technologies to promote safety and quality. The ingredients are assessed individually by Colgate scientists in order to prevent unforeseen uncertainties. The ingredients are analyzed in different real world situations like transportation, storage, manufacturing and at consumers homes. Product safety testing Colgate has a stringent rule in preventing animal testing among its products. It has maintained a 30 year initiative that encourages alternatives to scientific testing. The company has been awarded by PETA for promoting corporate activism in research alternatives (Colgate, 2015). Improvement of raw materials Colgate has partnered with supply chains to enhance its materials sustainability. Colgate is focusing on improving its carbon emissions, implementing green chemistry and adapting renewable raw materials. Packaging The organization has out-passed its goal of increasing recycling content in packaging by 20% which it implemented in 2010 instead of 2015. The companyââ¬â¢s packaging firm continuously assesses the processes and materials that could improve environmental and human health impacts (Colgate, 2015). Access and affordability The company is committed at providing affordable products for every consumer. We will write a custom essay sample on Colgate-Palmolive CSR or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now The company provides refill packs and small sized products that have value options (Colgate, 2015). The company tracks the purchasing power of lower income customers in the emerging markets so as to implement affordability of its products. Partnerships with customers Colgate engages with numerous retail stores, both small and large so as to sell the products world-wide. Colgate conducts merchandising techniques, innovative marketing communications, joint business initiatives and shopper insights to engage and build customer partnerships (Colgate, 2015). PLANET: Climate and energy The company tracks indirect and direct gas emissions for example scope 2 or indirect emissions are from Colgate sources. The company plans to invest 5% of its annual capital expenditure on planet related projects (Colgate, 2015). The company uses alternative energy like biomass, solar, green power, wind and fuel cells to promote the environment. Conservation of water The company has formulated a 2015 goal where it plans to reduce water consumption per unit of production by 40%.
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
The Journal Of Experimental Social Psychology - 874 Words
ANGER is a primal and destructive emotion, disrupting rational discourse and inflaming illogical passions ââ¬â or so it often seems. Then again, anger also has its upsides. Expressing anger, for example, is known to be a useful tool in negotiations. Indeed, in the past few years, researchers have been learning more about when and how to deploy anger productively. Consider a forthcoming paper in the November issue of the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. Researchers tested the effectiveness of expressing anger in three types of negotiations: those that are chiefly cooperative (say, starting a business with a partner), chiefly competitive (dissolving a shared business) or balanced between the two (selling a business to a buyer). In two experiments, negotiators made greater concessions to those who expressed anger ââ¬â but only in balanced situations. When cooperating, hostility seems inappropriate, and when competing, additional heat only flares tempers. But in between, anger appears to send a strategically useful signal. What does that signal communicate? According to a 2009 paper in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, anger evolved to help us express that we feel undervalued. Showing anger signals to others that if we donââ¬â¢t get our due, weââ¬â¢ll exert harm or withhold benefits. As they anticipated, the researchers found that strong men and attractive women ââ¬â those who have historically had the most leverage in threatening harm and conferring benefits,Show MoreRelatedCurrent Social Issues : Income Inequality767 Words à |à 4 Pages 1) Why to study? Overview of current social issues - income inequality Unequal distribution of income has significantly impacted individuals in the global workforce. In particular, the maldistribution of wealth has lead to various issues in the US society as well, not only economically, but also psychologically. Prior research shows that lower income status is positively associated with exposure to stressors and negative life events (Lantz et. al, 2005ï ¼Å' Santiago, Wadsworth Stump, 2011) In otherRead MoreExperimental Psychology : Psychology And Psychology Essay1654 Words à |à 7 PagesExperimental Psychology Experimental psychology is a sub-discipline in psychology that focuses on understanding the human behavior resulted from life experience through research and experimental studies (ââ¬Å"Career in Psychology,â⬠n.d.). Therefore, experimental psychologists approve or disapprove psychological beliefs through research. Experimental psychologists hypothesize the issues related to psychological subjects, and then conduct studies to find out the truth about their hypotheses (ââ¬Å"Career inRead MoreScientific Principles Of The Work Of Wilhelm Wundt Essay966 Words à |à 4 Pagesthe work of Wilhelm Wundt; this will be done through looking at his approach to psychology, his lab and the impact he had on psychology in general. The essay will then consider the Gestaltists approach to psychology by looking at their main beliefs, experiments and their legacy and link it to the scientific principles. Finally, it will summarize the influence both Wundt and the Gestaltists had on establishing psychology as a science. Scientific principles describe the steps of psychological researchRead MoreSocial Psychology : An Individual1117 Words à |à 5 Pagesmeaning of social psychology will be introduced. The differences and similarities social psychology shares with certain fields of psychology will be clarified throughout this essay. Specific subjects such as attitudes, group behaviors, and other related sources will be cited throughout this essay. Some of the research methods used in social psychology to determine how individuals affect groups or how groups affect an individual will be discussed in this essay. Keywords: group behaviors, social cognitionRead MorePositive Interventions: A Comparison of Increased Happiness Resulting from Completing Actions Involving Kindness and Gratitude725 Words à |à 3 Pagesinterventions. Froh, Yurkewicz, and Kashdan (2009) find that adolescent males obtained more social benefit from gratitude than adolescent females. The current study will explore this relationship in older participants. The current research will extend the question to see if differences exist due to gender in the outcomes obtained in acts of kindness, as well. Certain aspects of religion and psychology are traditionally and inherently linked (Watts, Dutton, and Gulliford, 2006). The current investigationRead MoreHistorical Reference Of Social Psychology1169 Words à |à 5 Pages Historical Reference of Social Psychology Social psychology uses scientific methods to understand how peopleââ¬â¢s opinions and behaviors are influenced by the actual presence or the implied presence of others. Social psychology is an integrative field that builds the gap between psychology and sociology. Sociology, on the other hand, is the scientific study of human behavior. In addition, social psychology is a comparatively new field that originated in the early 20th century. In 1954 Gordon AllportRead MoreWomen in Psychology - Margaret Washburn1458 Words à |à 6 PagesWomen in Psychology ââ¬â Margaret Floy Washburn PSY/310 May 23, 2011 Women in Psychology Margaret Floy Washburn was an accomplished and highly-recognized woman within the field of psychology in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Her interests were equally divided between science and philosophy and thus, Washburn made the decision ââ¬Å"â⬠¦to pursue ââ¬Å"the wonderful new science of experimental psychologyâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ (Goodwin, 2008, pg. 200, para. 2). Under the tutelage of E. B. Titchener, a British psychologistRead MoreSocial Psychology1703 Words à |à 7 PagesIntroduction Social orientation is the recognition of human psychology and behavior. The emphasis on human thought, emotion, and behavior was to represent the thought, emotion, and behavior of members of a social group. Thomas Hobbes declared that the social groups are nothing more than a collection of individuals and that of social thought, emotion, and behavior, governed by the pursuit of pleasure and avoidance of pain (Greenwood, 2009). Cognitive psychology represents the distinction amongstRead MorePositive Interventions: Happiness Attained from Acts of Kindness and Gratitude1471 Words à |à 6 Pagesactivities. This investigation hypothesized that performing kind acts and noting gratitude would have a positive effect on happiness as measured by self-esteem. Further, it was predicted that differences would be observed based on several factors: experimental condition, gender, and religious commitment. Participants (N=30) from a large, northeastern, urban university participated in an experiment in which positive interventions were performed daily for one week. Pre-test and post-test measures ofRead MoreSocial Psychology: The Study of Influences Essay1420 Words à |à 6 Pagesthat has been explored. Psychology, or the study of ââ¬Å"whyâ⬠, has been attempting to answer such questions for centuries. Although there are many answers (reflected in the number of schools of psychology), Social psychology atte mpts to explain the environmental factors that lead to a person behavior. By definition, Social Psychology is ââ¬Å"the study of the manner in which the personality, attitudes, motivations, and behavior of the individual influence and are influenced by social groupsâ⬠(Merriam-Webster
Ordinary People Essay free essay sample
Earth has experienced sadness and heartbreak. Some instances are harder to cope with than others. Death of a loved one can be the hardest to deal with. That is the very thing Conrad must deal with in Judith Guestââ¬â¢s book, Ordinary People. Con and Buck grew up together as brothers and best friends. Until, there was a boating accident that took Buckââ¬â¢s life. The story involves how Con and his family get through life without Buck anymore. There are many characters in this book that have had some role in helping Con cope with the loss of his beloved brother. Three people that have an impact on his recovery from the sadness are Berger, Calvin, and Jeannine. Berger is a therapist who quickly befriends Con, and helps him out of his depressed and saddened state. Berger is described to be an adult figure in Conââ¬â¢s life that he can talk openly to, and gain life guidance from. This has a huge impact on the way Con handles situations that could end badly otherwise. One example of this is when Con is at one of his evening sessions with Berger. At this particular session, Berger is teaching Con how to handle his anger, which is instrumental for his recovery. ââ¬Å"When it comes, thereââ¬â¢s always too much of it. I donââ¬â¢t know how to handle it. â⬠ââ¬Å"Sure, I know,â⬠Berger says. ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢s a closet full of junk. You open the door and everything falls out (78). â⬠This quote shows how Berger and Con really understand each other, and connect with each other. Con canââ¬â¢t get rid of his feelings without Beth or Cal getting upset or flustered. Berger just lets him do and say whatever, and he helps to decipher his feelings. Another example of Berger playing an important role in his recovery is when Con calls an emergency meeting with Berger. Con wants to see Berger because he found an article in the newspaper that said his friend Karen from the hospital had committed suicide. He then recalls his suicidal attempt and panics. ââ¬Å"The thing that hurts you,â⬠Berger says, ââ¬Å"is sitting on yourself. Not letting yourself connect with your own feelings. It is screwing you up, leading you off on chases that donââ¬â¢t go anywhere (225). This quote shows that Berger really understands what Con is having issues with, and also how to help Con get through the tough times. If Con didnââ¬â¢t have Berger at that time, he could have taken matters into his own hands, and let his anger out on himself; instead of out loud to Berger. He could have physically hurt himself, and possibly attempted at committing suicide; following in Karenââ¬â¢s footsteps. Although Berger is a good friend and mentor towards Con, he needs someone his age, someone the same to Karen in gender; to help him get thorough the hard times. Jeannine is a girl at school whom Con meets through choir. She thinks he has a lovely voice, and their friendship flourishes from then on; eventually leading to a date. Males and females need a partner; someone to show love towards and spend time with. That is exactly what Jeannine gives to Con, which helps him grow out of his depression and longing for Buck. This quote takes place after Jeannine has heard Con sing tenor for the choir. ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m getting to know your voice now. Youââ¬â¢re the tenor who stays on pitchâ⬠¦. You have much better tone than Ron (101). This quotes shows that Jeannine is offering positive feedback in Conââ¬â¢s life, which is much needed. Con does not get many people congratulating him and praising him. This is important for him, and Jeannine gives that to him. If Con only had bad comments passed to him, he would never be happy in life. He needs that encouragement that Jeannine is offering. Another example of Jeannine playing a role in Conâ⠬â¢s recovery is when Con and Jeannine go out bowling and afterwards to McDonalds. ââ¬Å"And it is all right after that. She is right; sheââ¬â¢s a lousy bowler but a good listener, a quick learner. He gives her all the tips he can, and she absorbs them easily, trying very hard. And besides she looks terrific up there, no matter what happens to the ball (169). â⬠This quotes shows how Con is getting into a relationship, and using all of the energy he has to get to know Jeannine and spend time with her, instead of using that energy to think about Buck and be in a miserable state of mind. In a way, Jeannine is helping Con keep his mind off of Buck, and onto a more positive thing; her. Although having a female friend to spend time with is beneficial to Con, he needs a male figure that is close to him in relation. Sons need their fathers, and Cal has helped Con in fatherly ways. Calvin is Conradââ¬â¢s father. At times, he is very supportive and understanding towards Con. But sometimes, Beth has a way of sweeping Cal away from their son. But when those good times between father and son occur, they play instrumental roles in Conââ¬â¢s life. This first quote takes place when Con has revealed to his parents that he quit the swim team. Beth is enraged that he has been lying to her and Cal, and the argument ends with Con racing up to his room. Once Con has left the room, Cal stands up for Con. ââ¬Å"Ah, Beth, crissake, lay off, will you? I feel like Iââ¬â¢ve been at a goddamn tennis match tonight! Back and forth, back and forthââ¬â(111). â⬠This quote shows that Cal is more apt to understand Con and not to take any anger out on him, like Beth does. He understands where Conââ¬â¢s anger is coming from, while Beth is not at all understanding and kind. Another example of Cal helping Con cope with the sadness of life is when Beth has become sick of Cal treating her as ââ¬Å"poor old Bethâ⬠, and she has left for a trip by herself. Con is now at the house alone with Cal, when they have a loving fatherly son conversation together. ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m not disappointed,â⬠Conrad says. ââ¬Å"I love you man. â⬠He winces, and this throat is tight, his eyes filled with sudden tears. ââ¬Å"I love you, too (259). â⬠This quote really illustrates how Con has really been accepting Calââ¬â¢s fatherly presence in his life, and not just letting his words come in one ear and out the other. Con and Cal have a strong bond after all of their hardships that has kept Con on the right track of life. Three people that have an impact on his recovery from the sadness are Berger, Calvin, and Jeannine. But all three have helped in different ways. A friendly therapist, who acts as a friend towards Con, and is always open to listen to whatever he has to say. A sweet girl, who gives him someone to hang out with, and help him keep his mind off of Buck. Last but not least, Cal, a loving father and shoulder to cry on in Conââ¬â¢s sadness filled life.
Heroes in Homers Poetry Essay Example For Students
Heroes in Homers Poetry Essay However, they are human, so they will ultimately meet their limits and fail. This contradiction pattern illustrates the doomed suffering and pain in a heros life, no matter how long the life will be. For example, Helen is the most beautiful woman in the world, so she is doomed to be fought for among men. She cannot control her own fate, or she will lose the gifts Aphrodite gives her, which is all she is famous for. At last she has to obey Aphrodite order as well as the arrangements of men. Similarly, Achilles is the fastest runner in the world, where his superhuman greatness lies. When Agamemnon takes his prize away and Hector killed his closest friend, Achilles gets lost in great pain. Through his suffering, he makes it clear that the only thing he longs for is his honor. And when he fights for honor, his limit appears. He can only choose one of the two alternatives, which are going home and living a long life without honor, or fighting for his honor and dying young. Another example is Hector. He is indeed a peace-loving and caring man, but he is born in a war age. This conflict torments him, and he has to protect his homeland and his family by standing on the rent line of battle and killing enemies. In the end, he pays back the loss of other peoples lives by losing his own. In this way, the suffering is necessary for heroes, because it arouses their identity and progresses them towards their tragedy. On one hand, these stories of heroes give us a sense of what happened in the past, and explain the origins for part of what we are confronting at present. They will also inspire us to imagine the future through illustrating the certain pattern which will last forever. People may learn the details of the Trojan War, as well as its cruelty. They may be taught about what things were like in the previous time. On the other hand, people may appreciate the tragedies in an artful way, which somehow entertains them. Meanwhile, the audience or readers may feel pity for the tragic heroes, which influences them when they read the poetry. These are the two main ways in which poetry functions. In Homers Iliad, the heroes share a couple of similar qualities. First of all, they are all self-esteemed. When Helen meets Paris, she abandons her husband, her children and her marriage bed to follow him to Troy, without consideration about the serious consequences of doing so. Here, she regards herself as completely independent from the whole community, which shows her lack in a sense of social responsibility. Likewise, when Hector hears his brother Paris offer to fight against Menelaus face to face, he rejoiced and right in the no mans land along his lines he strode (al. 3. 93-5 ). He stings taunts at Paris and looks forward to his words mentioned above, showing his indifference to his brothers fate. His reckless act is an indication of his self-absorption. Meanwhile, they possess the human feelings as well. When Helen learns about the war for her, she becomes more eke a human than a goddess, feeling shameful and guilty for what she has done. When Aphrodite asks her to go to Paris bed at once, Helen resists fiercely, Not l, Ill never go back again. It would be wrong, disgraceful to share that cowards bed once more. The women of Troy would scorn me down the years(al. 3. 475-78 ). At this time, Helen begins to care about others views on her as well as her social status, which reflects her humanity. And for Hector, when Andromeda, his wife, begs him not to return to the battlefield, Hector says All this weighs on my mind, too, dear women. But I would die of shame to face the men of Troy and the Trojan women trailing their long robes if I would shrink from battle now, a coward(al. . 522-25 ). Hector has no choice but to fight to protect his country, which shows a man of dignity, bravery, and self-sacrifice. This is Hectors human part. Obviously, Homer chooses to humanism his characters to make us better related to the heroes in his poetry, thus leads us to emerge a deeper feeling of pity or sympathy for these characters. In addition, the two functions of poetry work better simultaneously by giving the characters distinct personalit ies.
Thursday, April 23, 2020
Sinnners In The Hands Of An Angry God Essays - Grace In Christianity
Sinnners In The Hands Of An Angry God God In The Hands Of Angry Sinners Jonathan Edwards delivered his sermon, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, in Enfield Connecticut on July 8, 1741, the year following George Whitefield's preaching tour which helped inspire the Great Awakening. Weeping and emotional conviction among Edwards audiences came at a time of great spiritual thirst. While very foreign to mainstream American opinion today, this extraordinary message was fashioned for a people who were very conscious of how their lifestyles affected eternal consequences. By today's popular perspective, the doctrine of predestination probably discourages conversion because of the new-age independent attitude. However, in Puritan culture, through Jonathan Edwards sermon, Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God, fear might have powerfully affected people to look within them for the evidence of grace and then experience salvation. First, Edwards' sermon is filled with graphic images of the fury of divine wrath and the horror of the unmerciful punishment of the wicked in hell. If one were to continue in their sin, according to Edwards, not only would a person be tormented in the presence of holy angels, but Gods terribleness would be magnified upon his/her life and forced to suffer through Gods wrath for all eternity (74). Although it conveys the reek of brimstone, the sermon does not say that God will hurl man into everlasting fires--on the contrary, doom will come from Gods indifference... (Thompson 71). Edwards had little need to justify his scare tactics and theology. His consuming obligation was to preach it; to preach it fiercely, purposely, persuasively, and firmly. Williams 2 Next, an example of Gods wrath is seen through Edwards portrayal of great waters dammed for the present; they increase more and more, and rise higher and higher, till an outlet is given... (72). Here was an old image redesigned to startle Enfield out of its smugness (Cady 4). Every New Englander was intimate with his communitys use of water power at the mill, if nowhere else. The dramatic peril of floods as well as the daily power of the falling waters were familiar and exciting. Edwards strikes blow after blow to the conscience-stricken hearts of his congregation. He draws graphic images from the Bible, all designed to warn sinners of their peril. He tells them that they are walking on slippery places with the danger of falling from their own weight (Sproul God In The Hands Of Angry Sinners). Edwards took the essence of his hearers own minds, raised it to the plane of his own intensity, and made his vision live in those memories. Equally important is the spirituality of Edwards and the Puritans being far more complex than Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God portrays. The fear in the sermon is about having a holy respect for God's power. Because of the18th century popular culture, unconverted audience members probably remained more God-conscious in their daily living than most people of the past few centuries. Edwards understood the nature of God's holiness. He perceived that unholy men have much to fear from such a God (Cady The Artistry of Jonathan Edwards). He did not evangelize ...out of a sadistic delight in frightening people, but out of compassion. He loved his congregation enough to warn them of the dreadful consequences of facing the wrath of God (Sproul God In The Hands Of Angry Sinners). He was not concerned with laying a guilt trip on his people but with awakening them to the jeopardy they faced if they remained unchanged. Finally, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God is not directly concerned to create Hell imaginatively. Hell is in its picture, but only at the surface. The focus is on the predicament of the sinner, how dreadfully he dangles just before he plunges to eternal agony, while he has time to Williams 3 repent and be saved. The purpose of this sermon was to motivate those unconverted members of Edwards audience to repent from unbelief and sin, become baptized, and experience a realization of God's grace, as imparted by His Spirit. You have an extraordinary opportunity (to be saved) Therefore, let everyone that is out of Christ, now awake and fly from the wrath to come (Edwards 75). The horrific slipperiness and fearful suspension above the flaming fire described throughout is a message intended for those individuals who know the truth, yet have remained wicked and unbelieving. Edwards believed that God has less patience for
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