The Function Of Prophecy In Old Testament Theology Religion Essay

The Function Of Prophecy In Old Testament Theology Religion Essay Prophets have always been surrounded by an aura of mystery. Because they were intermediaries between the human and divine worlds, prophets appeared to their hearers as terrifying yet magnetic and fascinating figures. Throughout the history of Western civilization, whenever these divinely inspired individuals have appeared, attempts have been made to penetrate the mystery that surrounds them. The focus of many of these attempts has been the Old Testament prophets who have traditionally functioned as models for the elucidation of other prophetic phenomenon. How prophets were viewed: Prophets were viewed as channels through which divine messages reached the ordinary world and through which humans could gain direct access to the divine. Therefore, the prophetic intermediaries appeared in any society which believed in the existence of divine powers capable of communicating with human beings.  [1]   However, within societies and groups, the behaviour of prophets tended to follow traditional, well-defined patterns. This behavior varied from society to society. Within a given society or group, prophetic behavior usually conformed to the expected norms. In the Old Testament we can find that the prophets receive divine messages and translate them into human terms and communicating them, using traditional speech forms and actions. This task indicates that they are functioning as prophets and the message they bring, comes from the divine realm.  [2]   Isaiah as a prophet: Similarly, Isaiah who is one of the great prophets, exercised his prophetic ministry during the reigns of Uzziah (783-742 BC), Jotham ( 742-735), Ahaz ( 735-715) and Hezekiah (715-687). The vision which is recorded in Chapter 6 was the one which constituted the call of Isaiah to be a prophet. It has sometimes been said that Isaiah must have belonged to the aristocracy of the capital because he knew the ways of the court and had ready access to the presence of the king when he had need. A prophet of the stature of Isaiah must have made himself a well-known member of the Jerusalem community and one whose words were treated with great respect.  [3]   The book of Isaiah, one of the longer units in the Hebrew Bible, comprises prophetic material in verse and prose collected over a period of at least half a millennium. In the opening chapter of Isaiah we catch echoes of Amos here and there, not least in the contrast between the sacrificial cult and the demands of social justice ( Isa. 1:12-17) which would fit better the early stage of Isaiahs career. There is also reminiscent of Amos in his condemnation of the ruling classes who grind the face of the poor (Isa. 3:15) and reflects a lack of concern for traditional moral values of the women of Jerusalem ( Isa. 3:16-17,24-26; cf. The poem on divine judgment (Isa. 2:6-22) restates for the befit of Judah the central message of Amos : that the God of Israel has now abandoned his people and left them at the mercy of history.  [4]   And Isaiah was taking up where Amos left. He is more explicit than Amos in his reference to the Assyrians and the role they were destined to play in Israels future ( Isa. 5:26-30). Social, cultural and political situation during the time of Isaiah: Before the time of Omri and Ahab, kings of Israel about a century before Isaiah received his call to be a prophet, the history of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah after the death of Solomon had been an unimpressive record of petty squabbles, and events of very local significance. But these two kings saw the folly of such behaviour o the part of two politically weak kingdoms, which, in face of an aggressive policy by a great power such as Assyria or Egypt, could hope to survive only by the combined military resources of an alliance of western states, in which they had part. Israel was the dominant partner. In every age political and commercial bargaining was successful done from a position of strength. With Israels considerable increase in national wealth owing to the opening up of profitable avenues of trade, s development which, in turn, widened the social gap between the wealthy, upper class in Israelite society and the poor peasants.  [5]  Such a situation was liable to recur whenever Israel entered into a close relation of association with, or, even more, of dependence on, a people greater in power than itself, and it was the main reason for the warning which the prophets repeatedly gave against any policy. In a way not paralleled in the activity of the other great prophets whose utterances have a place in the Old Testament canon, Isaiah took a very prominent part in the national crises of the days through which he lived. Isaiah as a Judge: In spite of the fact that judgment spoken of as if it were inevitable, that does not exclude from Isaiahs preaching the note of pleading and entreaty calling upon the people to return. This is found several times in chapter 1 (5, 16 f., 18 f.). It is Isaiahs conviction that for all this sinfulness a day of judgment is coming. God is not mocked; men cannot disobey his will with impunity. The land will be desolated. Lebanon will become a heath, fruitful places like Carmel and Sharon will become a wilderness, men and cattele will be few Time after time Assyria is specified as the instrument by which the judgment will accomplished.  [6]   Isaiah often declares his confidence that, however devastating the judgment may be, a remnant of the people will survive. Out of the stump of the tree new life will come. The glory will have departed, the comeliness will have perished, the new shoot will be a miracle of renewed life; but therein is the hope of the people and therein lies the possibility of the continuance of their work and witness. That conviction on the part of Isaiah may be related to the fact that even in human relations a complete obliteration of an individual or a people was guarded against with very great care ( cf. Deut. 25.5; Ruth 4.10 f., Amos 1.6,9). The doctrine of surviving remnant in turn is related to the fact that whereas the prophet can speak in terms of a judgment upon the whole people, he can, at the same time and without any sense of contradiction, speak of a discriminating judgment in which a distinction will be made between the righteous and the wicked ( Isa. 1. 27 f.; 3.10 f.; cf. 28.23-29). At this point Isaiah though of the necessary cleansing of the peoples as consisting substantiality of restoring in them a former righteousness and purity which had become corrupted; he comes near to describing it as a renewal of the wilderness ideal.  [7]   The message and the people Isaiah spoke to and spoke about: The postexilic community was concerned with their identity and self-understanding. Their existence as a people was threatened by the consequences of the catastrophe of exile and loss of national independence. There were other Jewish communities, and perhaps provinces, in close proximity to Judah, for example in Samaria and Transjordan, and far away, for away for example in Egypt and Babylon. Isaiah presents a vision for these people to understand themselves, their God and their world. The vision spans past, present and future. Israel as a people participates in this story ( Isa. 1.2-9; 4.2-6) and, at the same time, Israel is comprised of wicked and righteous, oppressors and the oppressed ( Isa. 1.19-23, 27-28; 3.13-15). Isaiah gives a clear picture of distinction between good and evil that is at points applied to over against the nations can be applied to Israel itself. Righteous versus wicked behaviour is the important point. There is no doubt in Isaiah about the radical separation of good and evil. What is in doubt, indeed, what is denied, is the equation of these absolute categories with actual human groups, whether defined in religious or political terms. Isaiah represents his vision as a Quasi-drama dominated by dramatic speeches. Even the narrative sections in chapter 6 provide settings for further speeches. The characters are not presented as distinct and historical individuals. They are constructs in the grand poetic work of Isaiah. Israel, for example, is masculine singular ( 1.4), masculine plural ( 1.5-6) and feminine singular ( 1.21-26), where one can see that Israel is judged and condemned, desolate and devastated, and comforted and redeemed.  [8]   Books Joseph Blenkinsopp, A History of Prophecy in Israel ( Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1996) James Luther Mays and Paul J. Achtemeier. Early Israelite prophecy: Interpreting the prophets, ed., Philadelphia : Fortress Press, c1987. Mauchline, John. John Mauchline, Isaiah 1-39 , (London : SCM Press, 1962), p. Peter D. Miscall, Isaiah ( Sheffield: JSOT Press, 1993). P.

Analyse an Example of Propaganda Essay

The use of propaganda has been practiced since early historical times. This is a form of communication aimed at influencing the attitude and view about a given issue in the larger population. This form of communication is meant for some cause or position (Taylor 2006, pp57-78).The information that is given in propaganda is usually not impartial as it is used to influence a given audience and in so doing further a given agenda. The facts used in propaganda are presented in a selective manner usually omitting bits in order to encourage some certain synthesis. Propaganda usually contains loaded messages which are meant to produce emotional response to the given information presented (Sommerville 2012, pp187-193). These being the characteristics of propaganda, the document will evaluate a video â€Å"Russia without Putin† produced in Russia during the 2012 election. The paper will examine the various aspects in the video which makes it qualify to be labeled as propaganda. The supp orting material will be evaluated as well as textual analysis. Discussion                      The release time of Russia Without Putin (2013) video was a calculated move-one day before the 2012 general election. Though there had been a long campaign period by which time such a video could have been released, the same was not carried out until the last minute. Such is the craftiness that can be associated with propaganda material. To the society the video was released to, they were meant to see it as the â€Å"savior† card before they committed political suicide by electing anyone other than Putin. Such is meant to be the power of propaganda (Silverblatt & Zlobin 2004, pp314-323). The timing of the video is also a characteristic of a propaganda video in that it was released late into the campaigns and precisely one day before the election. This did not give the voters enough time to deeply analyze the video and see the misleading presentation of facts. The people were not in a position to judge whether what they were being given was tr ue or not. With the devastating effects that were presented in the video of what would happen if they did not elects Putin, then the people were bound to be influenced to believe the video and vote Putin. In most times, any information that is meant to have the good of the people at heart should be presented in such a timely manner that there will be the full evaluation of the same and countering of facts which may not be true. However, with the video, there was no chance or the time to counter the content (Seidman 2008, pp177-184). In most times as highlighted in the introduction, propaganda material is meant to sway the people’s take in a given aspect. For this case, those rooting for Putin re-election would have wanted to influence most if not all of the voting population. The best option for this group to do this successfully was thus in form of a propaganda video (Reeves 2003, pp164-176). The Russia Without Putin (2013) video was released by Putin’s party channels and pro-Kremlin TV. The loyalty of the two groups is not hard to miss as they are known Putin’s campaign avenues. For the two groups to have released a video indicating what would happen to Russia if their preferred candidate was not elected is propaganda. They two pro-Putin groups were presenting their facts to the people without support of their source of their information or the truth in the same. Objective information should be delivered in such a manner that the reader or consumer is given accurate background with the ana lysis of the same being at hand. Missing the same is bound to be propaganda as the news will be subjective and often misleading. The same will be done with the intention to mislead. All the pro-Putin groups showed was the bad that would result if their candidate was not elected. They did not give the people the analysis of their subject thus the use of propaganda in the video (O’sahughnessy 2004, pp321-325). The channel of release of the video by the two Pro-Putin groups also makes the same qualify as propaganda. In most times, for news to reach most of the people, those who are in need of using a communication channel will utilize the most famous and the most effective channel. In the case of â€Å"Russia without Putin† video, the channel of choice was YouTube. This is a social media site where the pro-Putin groups targeted the larger audience the aim being to influence and sway the people into voting Putin back (Moore 2010, pp163-172). The groups knew that the release of the video on such a channel as you tube was bound to generate interest as it would reach many in the society especially the youth who are the majority group in consuming and using social media channels. For the video to have not qualified as propaganda and to show its impartiality, the same should have been released through Russia news channels. The same would have enabled the concerned group, in this case the R ussia society to see the authenticity and having the plight of the people at heart. However, release of â€Å"critical† information on what Russia would turn into without Putin with the use of social media channel affects the credibility and makes the video qualify as propaganda (Marlin 2002, pp97-124). The content in the video is segmented in such a way that there is a month to month account of Putin-less Russia. The video creators do an impressive job with a specification of the doomsday scenario of how Russia apocalypse will take place after without Putin. The clever crafting of scenes is meant to invoke the memories of the Russians to the past days marked by suffering (Kamalipour 2004, pp238-312). The Russian people are being led or manipulated to believe the calamities that will befall their nation. The specific scenes and accompanying propaganda are as follows: March 2012- The first month of a â€Å"Russia† without Putin is depicted as being marred by the struggle for political power by the various groups that may have had an interest in the same like in the past. The dissolving of the state duma will take Russia back to the dark days when the same was not in place. The various groups in the society who have been struggling to get to power will finally have their way. The video is meant to corrupt the minds of the people as to what will happen with the state when political power in politics is not held by Putin. Such issues as the formation of 200 parties within a month are not factual. The same may be a feat that is hard to occur which can also be read as propaganda (Herpen 2014, pp178-187). With the likes of the USA having been bitter rivals with the Russian, the same are shown to celebrate the fall of Putin where they declare the same as democracy. However, in real sense, such enemies will be celebrating the fall of Russia. The Ma rch section part of the video is to persuade the people not to make such a mistake as eliminate Putin from political power. May 2012                      Business is a big aspect in Russia. The same drives the economy. When such a critical channel is threatened, the people of Russia are bound to rally all the efforts in fighting for the same. Russia without Putin will see the same critical channel (business) face threats from the enemy. After two months without Putin in power, critical business such as oil, the banking sector and the transport sector will be doomed. Such critical amenities will end up in the hands of Russia society enemies. The fact that the video has examples of the same and who happen to be Putin’s political enemies is no surprise. Propaganda dictates that one portray the best case as they would want their audience to believe. In this case, those who have had their voices raised in public in opposition to Putin’s rule such as Eveginia Shirikova, Aleksei Navalnyi and Boris Nemtsov are shown to take over the major businesses (Gillespie 2000, pp 127-137). The Russia peop le are thus being led to oppose such a move. The fact that the same are Putin’s competitors is meant to show how they cannot be entrusted with such public amenities as banks, transport and oil business. However, as is the case with propaganda, the facts are not supported with people such as Boris Nemtsov being depicted as developing a sudden interest in business whereas he has been renowned for politics rather than his business prowess. With the nuclear aspect being a crucial matter in the whole world the fact that Russia’s enemy in this case the USA will be put in control of such weapons is something many in the Russian population would not be ready to allow. Propaganda in this section is meant to rally the Russian people behind protecting their amenities (Gessen 2013, pp98-112). September 2012                      The economy is a central part of any state. Russia without Putin will see the country face downfall in this section. The same should not be allowed to take place which is the message and call to the Russian people. The closure of huge companies such as Avto Vaz, the fall of the Russia stock exchange, the depreciation of the rubles against the dollar, highest rates of inflation, and unemployment are all economic problems that have plagued Russia in the past and left many suffering. This section of the video thus plays with the fear aspect in the society. The same would not want to go back to such times. Thus, the people are being reminded that failure to have Putin in power will result in their greatest fear coming to pass- suffering. Russia without Putin will see the society go back to the days when bread, an important commodity during hard times, becomes unavailable. The fact that this part of the video reminds the people of the past is a character istic of propaganda; relieving past failures in order to make the people think in the opposite direction (Freeze 2009, pp232-235). Going hungry is not something any society would want thus Putin should be allowed to stay in power to make sure that the same does not happen. November 2012                      If Putin is not in power, by this time as shown in the video, Russia will have degenerated into a violent society with civilians being the causalities. The plight of the needy such as the pensioners will have no one to take care of. This part of the video also relies on rekindling past bad memories in order to make people believe what is on offer to be the best. This is a major characteristic of propaganda (Cunningham 2002, pp128-154). March 2013                      This part of the video shows the degeneration of Russia just as it has been in the past with many regions wanting their independence from their mother country. Such a scene is reminiscent of the past times such as the end of the Second World War. Pro-Putin activists who made the video are aware of some of the emotional attachment the Russian people have with the motherland. They thus make sure that this part of the video depicts the fall-out within the same as it has happened in the past. In order to avoid the same, the people are made to believe that voting Putin will prevent such a scenario from emerging (Cull et al. 2003, pp157-163). June 2013                      Occupation of one’s country by foreigners is an aspect that many nations condemn and do not entertain. This is what the society in Russia is made to believe will happen if they fail to retain Putin in power. In the pretense of peace keeping, Russia will be invaded by other nations such as China and Japan occupying the different parts of Russia, for example, Chita, Khabarovsk, Blagoveshensk and Irkutsk and Vladivostok. With their nation’s sovereignty at risk, the Russian society is bound to resist such a move by all means in this case the best option being to retain Putin in power (Chomsky & Barsamian 2001, pp178-183). August 2013                      This section depicts the woes that will befall the society in this case human suffering. Failure to elect Putin will lead to continued occupation and invasion of Russia by the outside world with a human crisis such as the wiping out of entire societies such as Cossack militia. This is a move the society is being urged by this section of the video to desist from (Brady 2010, pp156-162). December 2013                      This section of the video is meant to convince the Russian society that failure to elect Putin will lead to the continued triumph of Russian enemies such as Alex Navalny. The same will receive international accreditation with people such as Navalny being awarded the Nobel peace prize. Navalny is a renowned Putin critic and political opponent thus international celebration of the same will mean Russia’s failure (Baker & Glasser 2007, pp231). February 2014                      International events such as the Olympics are a source of pride and prestige to the hosting nations. The fact that this section of the video depicts the upcoming winter games characterized by violence with Russia as the designated host is bound to touch each and everyone in the Russia society. The people will fight to see that the same does not occur. As per the planned propaganda in the video, the only way they can do so is by retaining Putin in power. The chaos from the games will also affect the rest of the society in that such amenities as communication channels and electricity will be interrupted. This section thus urges the people to protect the pride of their nation in hosting a successful international event by retaining Putin in power (Arutunyan 2009, pp132). Conclusion                      There was a timely release of the â€Å"Russia without Putin† video to the masses specifically one day before the election. The content as presented in the video relied on the influencing power of propaganda material. The target audience in this case the Russian voters were bound to be moved by the graphic portrayal of the doom that would befall their mother-land without Putin. The same would trigger an emotional cord within the voters in such a way that would enhance Putin’s re-election to power. Thus, the â€Å"Russia without Putin† video has all the characteristics of a propaganda material. References ARUTUNYAN, A. (2009).  The media in Russia. Maidenhead, England, Open University Press. http://public.eblib.com/choice/publicfullrecord.aspx?p=480619. BAKER, P., & GLASSER, S. (2007).  Kremlin rising. Washington, D.C., Potomac Books. BRADY, A.-M. (2010).  Marketing dictatorship: propaganda and thought work in contemporary China. Lanham, Md, Rowman & Littlefield. CHOMSKY, N., & BARSAMIAN, D. (2001).  Propaganda and the public mind: conversations with Noam Chomsky. London, Pluto. CULL, N. J., CULBERT, D. H., & WELCH, D. (2003).  Propaganda and mass persuasion: a historical encyclopedia, 1500 to the present. Santa Barbara, Calif, ABC-CLIO. CUNNINGHAM, S. B. (2002).  The idea of propaganda: a reconstruction. Westport, Conn, Praeger. FREEZE, G. L. (2009).  Russia: a history. Oxford, Oxford University Press. GESSEN, M. (2013).  The man without a face: the unlikely rise of Vladimir Putin. London, Granta. GILLESPIE, D. C. (2000).  Early Soviet cinema: innovation, ideology and propaganda. London, Wallflower Press. HERPEN, M. H. V. (2014).  Putin’s war: a history of the rise of russia’s new imperialism. Lanham, Rowman & Littlefield. KAMALIPOUR, Y. R. (2004).  War, media, and propaganda: a global perspective. Lanham, MD [u.a.], Rowman & Littlefield. MARLIN, R. (2002).  Propaganda and the ethics of persuasion. Peterborough, Ont, Broadview Press. MOORE, C. (2010).  Propaganda prints. London, A & C Black Publishers. O’SHAUGHNESSY, N. J. (2004).  Politics and propaganda: weapons of mass seduction. Ann Arbor, Manchester University Press. REEVES, N. (2003).  The power of film propaganda myth or reality?  London, Continuum. http://public.eblib.com/choice/publicfullrecord.aspx?p=436842. Reveal. (2013).  Russia Without Putin?. [Online Video]. 08 August. Available from:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAqqJ-uQRZQ. [Accessed: 25 February 2015]. SEIDMAN, S. A. (2008).  Posters, propaganda, & persuasion in election campaigns around the world and through history. New York, P. Lang. SILVERBLATT, A., & ZLOBIN, N. (2004).  International communications: a media literacy approach. Armonk, N.Y., M.E. Sharpe. SOMERVILLE, K. (2012).  Radio propaganda and the broadcasting of hatred: historical development and definitions. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire, Palgrave Macmillan. TAYLOR, R. (2006).  Film propaganda: Soviet Russia and Nazi Germany. London, I.B. Tauris. Source document

The Evolution Of Crime And Our Criminal Justice System

The evolution of crime and our criminal justice system over the past centuries has mirrored societal change. Gone are the days when one might get their hand cut off for stealing, or stoned to death for an act against the society, and in are cyber-crimes, identify theft and other twenty-first century misdeeds. Along with this evolution, an often forgotten element in the criminal justice process, the victim, began making its way into the spotlight. Although there have always been victims present in some crimes, victim rights and victim participation in criminal proceedings did not emerge until the 1970s. Fast-forward to the present, and victim’s rights have grown to include: right to restitution, the right not to be excluded from criminal justice proceedings, the right to speak at criminal justice proceedings, and the right to be treated with fairness, and respect for the victims dignity and privacy. The inclusion of victims as a â€Å"legally recognized participant with r ights, interests, and voice, has created an avenue for victim’s voices to be heard, but spawn a delicate â€Å"balancing act† between the interest of the state and the individual victim. Legal protection for victims varies from State to State with differing statutes and State constitutions, and research has indicated states with stronger statutory protections provide victims better access to be â€Å"involved,† and to â€Å"feel the system is responsive.† Victim involvement in theShow MoreRelatedThe Mechanisms Of The Criminal Justice System902 Words   |  4 Pagesmechanisms of the criminal justice system in America function as more than the instruments for determining guilt in a criminal court case. Through the creation and enforcement of laws, it is a reflection of our society’s morals and values. It is our form of social control. As set out in our text, in 1964 two models emerged in an article written by Herbert Packer, â €Å"Two Models of the Criminal Process.† Professor Packer proposed that there are two fundamental criminal justice models: the crime control modelRead MoreCriminal Justice Trends Essay1572 Words   |  7 PagesThe criminal justice system is a group of institutions that work together to protect a society, prevent and control crime, and maintain justice; enforcing the laws regulated by society. As the years have gone by and society has evolved; so have the criminal justice system and its methods to accomplish its role in society. This short analysis will evaluate the main facts that have been affecting the criminal justice system for decades and have influenced the evolution the justice system is enduringRead MoreEssay about Criminological Theories1544 Words   |  7 Pagesdifferent aspects of criminal justice policy. One in particular is the different theories of crime and how they affect the criminal justice system. The Classical School of criminology is a theory abou t evolving from a capital punishment type of view to more humane ways of punishing people. Positivist criminology is maintaining the control of human behavior and criminal behavior. They did this through three different categories of Biological studies, which are five methodologies of crime that were mainlyRead MoreJuvenile Delinquency : Should Severity Of Punishment For Young Offenders Be The Same As Adults?1200 Words   |  5 Pagesdevelopment, crime and social safety are still the biggest concerns for a country since it can influence the political, economic, and social aspects. With the evolution of human civilization, more than seventy percent of the world has been urbanized into developed countries. These countries contain advanced technologies, highly-comprehensive policies and economic system. Along with the inclusive developments, â€Å"the law affects nearly every aspect of our lives every day† (â€Å"Canada’s System of Justice†, 2015Read MoreTheorie s Of The Age Of Enlightenment1026 Words   |  5 PagesBefore the 17th century, people believed that when someone committed a criminal act it was not because they chose to do so, but because of some supernatural force, such as the full moon or demonic possession. Offending acts were punished by a wide range of inhumane acts including but not limited to being tarred and feathered, quartered, burned alive, beheaded, drowned, or stoned to death. This way of thinking and punishing offenders continued through the 1600’s until the Age of Enlightenment. ItRead MoreWhite Defendants When The Victim Was White914 Words   |  4 Pageswill examine how gender and race interconnects with the perception of what is considered criminal intent and the justice system. Gender acts on as an important task in recognizing who commit what sorts of crimes, why they carry out so, who is frequently wronged, and most importantly how the criminal justice system take actions to these victims and wrongdo ers. How the many racial occurrences shape they way our society is structured and what impact it on has women’s bodies. One will observe how rapeRead MoreRestorative Justice and Youth Reoffending in the United Kindom950 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction The United Kingdom is a society with the good government system, structure and laws policing as well as keeping the populace safe. This established system and structures contribute to making the United Kingdom a safe place to stay. The latest figures from the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) show that there were an estimated 8.5 million incidents of crime against households and resident adults (aged 16 and over) in England and Wales for the year ending June 2013 (ONS). ThisRead MoreThe Criminal Justice System Is Complex1201 Words   |  5 PagesOverview: The criminal justice system is complex and in need of several types of reforms, this is especially true in the juvenile justice system. In 2012, there were 1,319,700 arrests of juveniles in the United States (OJJDP) and this includes both violent and non-violent offenses committed by those under the age of 18. Policy reforms can offer alternatives to the incarceration of young offenders, by providing mental health, or addic tion rehabs for those that are in need of it rather than lockingRead MoreCapital Punishment Should Be Prohibited By Our Justice System923 Words   |  4 PagesDespite this evolution, there are some questions yet to be answered, such as: Does capital punishment have benefits? Does a person’s religion factor into his/her perspective about the death penalty? What are the reasons behind established capital punishment? could they be out of a desire for rehabilitation, or out of a desire for retribution? Whatever the answers of these questions, it is basically a way to take a life. Thus, Capital punishment should be prohibited by our justice system because itRead MoreCesare Lombroso s Role As A Criminology Thinker1115 Words   |  5 Pagesunderstanding of the criminal. This was to be done before we criticize the crime itself. (1912, pg.15). His book Criminal Man was one of his renowned works. His work was greatly influenced by that of Charles Darwin as he was a supporter of the e volution theory as suggested by Newburn (Newburn 2007). Lombroso was and advocate for positivism. He studied the biological characteristic of man to be an influence on one’s criminal behavior. He proposed that some people were born as criminals. He indicated atavism

Italian Prepositions Tra and Fra

Among the many pesky little prepositions you will encounter in your study and use of Italian are two that look particularly similar and pop up a lot: tra and fra, fortuitously similar in purpose as well as looks. Luckily, they are rather straightforward and much simpler to use than their counterparts di, da, or in, and they translate in English to between or among, and sometimes in. Is There a Difference Between Tra and Fra? Before we take a look at ways in which these two little words are commonly used in Italian, you should know upfront that there is no difference in meaning between tra and fra: the choice is governed by personal preference, some regional habit, and sometimes phonetics. For example, it is preferable to say fra travi and tra frati to avoid groups of identical sounds (other examples include tra fratelli and fra tre anni). How to Use Tra and Fra: Between The most common meaning of tra and fra is to signify space or time between two places, points, things, events, or people: Il libro à ¨ caduto tra il divano e il muro. The book fell between the couch and the wall.Sono tra Milano e Venezia. I am between Milan and Venice.La mia casa si trova a mezza strada tra Siena e Firenze. My house is located halfway between Siena and Florence.Tra qui e là ¬ ci sono circa dieci metri. Between here and there are about 10 meters.Tra oggi e domani ti porto il libro. I will bring you the book sometime between today and tomorrow.Il treno si à ¨ fermato dieci volte tra Perugia e Siena. The train stopped 10 times between Perugia and Siena.Tra me e te ci corrono otto mesi. You are I are eight months apart.Tra larrivo e la partenza ci sono due ore. There are two hours between the arrival and the departure.Fra noi non ci sono segreti. There are no secrets between us.Fra noi à ¨ tutto a posto. Everything is alright between us. Sometimes you will find the last two sentences as tra di noi or tra di noi It is a common construction. Tra and fra also indicate a status between two states of being or figurative things: Il nonno à ¨ tra la vita e la morte. Grandfather is between life and death.Quando ha squillato il telefono ero tra il sonno e il risveglio. When the phone rang, I was between sleep and awakening.Tra il dire e il fare cà ¨ di mezzo il mare (Italian proverb). Between words and actions lies the sea (between saying and doing lies the sea). In Distance and Time to Come In cases in which we are discussing distance or time to something in the future it translates in English to in: Tra due chilometri cà ¨ un benzinaio. There is a gas station in two miles.Tra due ore ci vediamo! We will see each other in two hours.Tra poco arriviamo. Well be there shortly.Arriverà   tra due ore. She’ll arrive in two hours. Among Us Another common meaning of tra and fra translates to among and it indicates comparison; one or more people or things among many or others; or something held between two or more people. In these cases, fra is preferred by many and more commonly used. See these examples: Siamo fra amici qui. We are among friends here.Il rapporto fra noi à ¨ speciale. The relationship among us is special.Si consultarono fra loro. They conferred among themselves.Giulio ama stare fra i suoi parenti. Giulio loves to hang out among his relatives.Sei il migliore fra i miei amici. You’re the best among my friends.Fra tutte le ragazze, Giulia à ¨ la pià ¹ simpatica. Among all the girls, Giulia is the nicest.Alcuni fra i presenti protestarono. Some among those present protested.Ho guardato fra le carte, ma non ho trovato il documento che cercavo. I looked among my papers, but I didnt find the document I was looking for.Fra i miei libri ne ho senzaltro uno sulla storia francese. Among my books I surely have one on French history. And fra me and me and me and you: Parlavo fra me e me quando ho visto Giulio che mi guardava. I was talking to myself when I saw that Giulio was looking at me.Luomo diceva fra sà © e sà ©, Non puà ² essere! The man was saying to himself, It cant be!Detto fra me e te, sono stanca del mio lavoro. Between me and you, I am tired of my job. Other Uses of Tra and Fra In some sentences, the expression tra tutto o tra tutti means between everything (or between one thing and the other) or all together: Tra tutti saremo una dozzina. All together there must be a dozen of us.Tra tutto, il pranzo ci sarà   costato 100 euro. Between everything, the lunch probably cost us 100 euros.Ho preso il pane e il vino, e fra tutto ho fatto tardi. I got the bread and the wine, and between everything I ran late. In certain expressions, the preposition tra or fra has a causal value: in other words, it amounts to something causing something. For example, fra la casa e i bambini non ho mai il tempo di uscire. Between the house and the children, I never have time to get out. There, the combination of what is on either end of the tra or fra amounts to a cause of something. Tra la mano rotta e il mal di stomaco sono dovuta andare dal dottore. Between my broken hand and my stormach ache, I had to see the doctor. Fra me e voi, questa lezione à ¨ finita! Buono studio!