Bible: Exodus 20:4-6

The Old Testament ends with the prophets. These teachers provided insight on many issues facing Jews who were desperate to know God. Idolatry, social injustice and religious ritualism are three areas that are emphasized in their teachings and instilled in the minds and hearts of believers today. The prophets were great teachers who had much to say about God and the way man lived, social issues they faced, religious rituals they took part in, and their teachings are just as important today as they were in the past. Idolatry was a prominent issue among the Jews.God confronted this problem early in the Bible in Exodus 20:4-6. It is clear that following God requires complete and total attention on Him. The prophets considered this very an important issue. Consider Hosea who was commanded to marry an unfaithful wife to represent Israel’s covenant unfaithfulness towards God. During this time, Israel was unwilling to worship God and sought to find their own idols to worship and besto w glory upon. Hosea taught through his marriage the extent of unfaithfulness the Jews had in their relationship with God.Hosea compared Israel to spoiled grapes, a wild vine, a trained heifer, and a rebellious son and led into God to lay ruin to a large portion of His people causing the remnants to seek repentance before Him. Hosea, through using a marriage metaphor, showed the Jews how deep God’s love for them truly was and still is. Hosea’s example has modern implications. Because man can see how deeply God cares for them, there should be no reason to place importance of other things before their worship of Him. Yet, they do.If society could focus more on God today, the issues the world faces would cease to exist. Because this is not the case, man continues to destroy themselves as their eyes and minds stray from God and their own idols. The prophet Jonah put the truth about idolatry bluntly in his prayer to God: â€Å"Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake thei r hope of steadfast love. † Amos was a prophet with a lot to say about social injustice. He preached of a coming judgment against Israel for (among other things) oppressing their people.The Old Testament had charged the Israelites to take care of the disadvantaged and the poor, but there was a great disparity between the rich and the poor as Israel continued to reject God’s commands. Amos compared the wealthy women of Samaria to well fed cattle because they oppressed the poor while being consumed by selfish pleasures. Amos 5:14-15 states: â€Å"Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is. Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts. Perhaps the Lord God Almighty will have mercy on the remnant of Joseph.†The goal of Amos was to show that Israel was not keeping their charge to care for one another despite God’s command. This was due, in large part, to the people focusing on self interest s. This sentiment is echoed in Micah where the wealthy conspired to steal the land of the needy. The world today mirrors Israel during the time of Amos. History has shown time again that wealth and personal selfishness blind man to the plight of the needy. In the United States, there is a huge disparity between the rich and the poor that requires personal conviction to change.Man must stay focused on God and care for one another to bring blessing upon them. Man’s negligence of the needy has led to homelessness and even suicides. Micah was a prophet who fought social injustice and idolatry like the other prophets. However, he offered a unique insight on what God looks for in man’s glorification of Him. As Micah reveals, God was not primarily interested in Israel’s sacrifices and offerings, no matter how extravagant they may have been, He was interested (and still is) in man’s humble obedience to Him reflected through a lifestyle of mercy and justice.The ot her prophets spoke to religious ritualism, but Micah put the concept simply and this concept is definitely true today. Man can go to church, sing the hymns, tithe their money, and hear a sermon, but God is most concerned with what man does in their obedience to Him and their receiving of His revelation. Church rituals are practically meaningless without obedience and positive action. James 2:20 is very relevant in this respect: â€Å"But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? † The Prophets of the Old Testament deliver instruction, wisdom, and warning.Man learned from them that idolatry takes the focus from God and puts the focus on self. Their teachings on social injustice show that God requires us to love and care for one another. Their teachings on ritualism show that God is more concerned with our obedience and reflection of Him than He is with offerings. Though the teachings of the prophets occurred many years ago, they are certainly releva nt today. Man can learn a great deal from the teachings and warnings presented by these men. Praise God for His patience in man’s stubborn ignorance.As man began to drift away from God’s own heart they began to create their own religion and beliefs. Many cultures have materialistic things that became their Gods! There social injustices in these cultures and many religious rituals. We all know the 10 commandments but the first commandment God said there will be no other Gods before me. A lot of people of that time were so far away of God and had so much wickedness in their hearts. In Ezekiel chapter eight it talks about an idolatry temple and God took him all around the area to show him how and why God’s presence has left.Ezekiel 8:17-18 says â€Å"He said to me, â€Å"Have you seen this, son of man? Is it a trial matter for the house of Judah to do the detestable things they are doing here? Must they also fill the land with violence and continually provoke me to anger? Look at them in anger; I will not look on them with pity or spare them. Although they shout in my ears, I will not listen to them. † Obviously after reading this you can tell how mad God was with all the Idol worshipping going along at the land.As you continue to read the book of Ezekiel you read that the presence of God departed from the temple. God seem so disgusted with the people and right fully so we see how man put other idols in front of God. The word of the Lord always came to the prophet Ezekiel and God exposed him to many things that the people did. When God told Ezekiel â€Å"set your face toward the south; preach against and prophesy against† not only did God believe in Ezekiel but he had enough with these false Gods. It’s so easy for our society to be drowned into having an Idol.In my opinion our time period has more of a temptation of having Idols because of social media and it’s easier to get the things you strongly desire to use a s an idol, but with that we are seeing the people getting to know Jesus by the millions. It has it’s pros and cons but I believe that we have so many things to guide us in the right path that it would help us to draw near to God. Amos’ statements are daring for him to make because they directly challenge the generally accepted religious practices of his time.Strong opposition to Amos developed at once when Amaziah, a priest, sent word to King Jeroboam that Amos was a dangerous character and should be expelled from the land. Although Amos insisted that he spoke only the words that Yahweh told him to proclaim, Amaziah told him to leave the country and never to prophesy again in the land of Israel. The prophecies of Amos mark an important point in the development of the religion of the Old Testament. The prophet was indeed a spokesman for Yahweh. That he was not speaking for himself or trying to please his listeners is made clear by the content of the message he delivered .Critics have often maintained that the Old Testament Prophets created the god of whom they spoke out of their own imaginations. However, had these prophets done so, it does not seem at all likely that God would have spoken so critically of what was being done by the prophets’ own people. Some of the rituals we in our time are like fasting (sun rise to sun set), acts of kindness, buying your way to heaven. Honestly if you can think of it being a ritual it probably is a ritual somewhere. Just like how it is today back then you the old days (bible) they were social injustice.The book of Amos 5:11 it says â€Å"You trample on the poor and force him to give you grain. Therefore, though you have built stone mansions, you will not live in them; though you have planted lush vineyards, you will not their wine. I wish I can just say that it’s only in the Old Testament that dealt with social injustice but it happen in the New Testament as well. Thinking about social in justice reminds me the time when Joseph was captured by pharaoh and he was held captive for such a long time. In our society we have so much injustice. We have the very wealthy branch of people then we have the middle and the lower.If you’re not in with a group of people then you are good enough to be around them. It seems like it is something you deal with in high school but not so much. I deal with it in the military. In the book of Micah chapter six verse eight it says â€Å"He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? † what has our society has come to that they lost the love and compassion for people. We have become complacent that we forget to love our neighbor and I fall into this subject. We need to be a people who Love not hurt others

Motivation and Organizational Culture Essay

A psychologically safe and healthy workplace is one that promotes the well-being of an individual. It is creating an environment that is enjoyable and respectful of all people, regardless of cultural or ethical differences. Japanese immigrant, Ayame Nakamura, is employed as a pharmaceutical project manager in California. The confrontational management style interferes with Ayame’s cultural background. Workplace motivation can affect areas such as productivity and influence organizational culture. Management Roles The main goal of management and workplace psychology is to create an environment that is conducive to allowing employees to perform at their highest potential. Management’s role in workplace psychology is a large component of overall satisfaction. Initially, there responsibility is to provide a workspace that is fair and diverse. This provides employees the opportunity to learn and grow within the company by giving them a chance for personal development. Psychologically, management should state clearly their expectations. Their role should be to support, promote flexibility, provide advancement opportunities, and offer praise when it’s due. Employees are more likely to put forth great effort with the knowledge that those efforts will be noticed and reviewed. The energy that management puts into their employees is paramount to creating growth both in the individual and the company. (Robbins, et al, 2011) Cultural Background and Feedback Language and actions are used to express ourselves or to get our ideas across to another. Verbal, nonverbal, and visual clues are all various methods using to establish, maintain, and modify relationships. Effective communication, regardless of culture, has the ability to help or harm any potential business relationship. Culture can be defined as the  characteristics of a particular group of people that may be defined by language, religion, social habits, or music. In the case of Ayame, a Japanese immigrant, her culture places a high emphasis on collectivism. Ayame’s culture places a high emphasis on giving the business aspect priority over placing emphasis on each individual in it. The pharmaceutical company she works for has a confrontational style that conflicts with her cultural background. Firm, consistent feedback that done in a gentler manner would encourage Ayame and keep her motivated and keep in line with her cultural beliefs. Ayame’s background encourages f ace to face communication that is a consensus of both herself and management. I would encourage the pharmaceutical company’s management team to review their communication strategies and have a meeting with Ayame to ensure that all parties are satisfied with the terms of employment. (Robbins, et al, 2011) Motivation Techniques Ayame’s motivation is lacking due to cultural issues in management’s confrontational management style. This confrontational style makes it difficult for her to receive and process feedback and is affecting her motivation. The pharmaceutical company needs to identify what motivates people and what does not. People tend to do their best work when they are in an environment in which they feel valued. Simple changes such as â€Å"thank you,† or â€Å"great job!,† can encourage an employee to go the extra mile. These simple changes could encourage Ayame and motivate her to put her best foot forward. According to Hackman and Olman (2011), â€Å"any job can be described in terms of the following five core job dimensions: skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback. (pg 273). Ayame is likely motivated to do her job well, is able to complete the tasks, and can do so in an effective manner. She does, however, struggle in the final dimension. Management should support Ayame in the top three job dimensions. By guiding her through their expectations, they are giving Ayame a chance to show her skillset and they are supporting her in that position. Employees who are supported and feel valued are more productive. Areas such as job design, delegation of duties, and recognizing the manner in which Ayame processes and receives information are all methods of increasing her motivation. (Robbins, et al, 2011) The manner in which the world perceives  us and how we are perceived comes down to our actions. Motivation is the force that drives us to act, work harder, and that pushes us to succeed. There are several types of motivation with each type influencing how we respond in a different matter. Being mindful of each other cultural and ethical belief can affect the performance of all employees. Each person adds something to the melting pot that is the United States of America. In order to effectively motivate and go forward, each person needs to be mindful of the next. References Robbins, S., Decenzo, D., & Coulter, M. (2011) Fundamentals of management: Essential concepts and applications (7th ed.). Boston, MA: Prentice Hall. Sarafino, E.P. (2011). Health psychology: Biopsychosocial interactions (7th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: J John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Prohibition and Gangsters Essay

Cheap labour force due to continuous immigration pre WWI, including unskilled labour   Onset of WWI and America’s late entry Reaction to WWI & After:   Set up the League of Nations, but did not join and chose to follow an isolationist policy   Entered late into the war so therefore had a plentiful supply of goods, and no physical damage on American soil Availability of natural resources e. g. oil, coal, wood, iron Sold supplies to fighting countries during the war, as well as loans   Economies in Europe were struggling to rebuild, allowing America to take over as the world’s largest producer of products such as fertilisers. Technological advances made: mechanisation, creation of plastic Economic Management:   Limited government intervention ‘laissez-faire’, with low taxes & few regulations encouraged economic growth in businesses   ‘Rugged individualism’, belief that people succeeded with their own hard work   Tariffs introduced to protect the US economy: import duties on goods to the USA, along with a reduction in income tax rates to allow people to spend more on American goods   Introduction of new production methods: the conveyor belt, which sped up production rates and increased profits. New materials introduced such as plastics and glass, helping create buildings such as skyscrapers   Wages increased along with profits, more people could spend more on consumer luxuries   Electrical power made widespread, usage of oil doubled   People were confident and now prepared to buy American goods and invest in the American economy   Prosperity was a right, not a privilege: people encouraged to spend Return to isolationism:   The US economy was increasingly protected by government intervention in the forms of tariffs   Quota system for immigration, closing the ‘Open Doors’ policy. The Boom & Industries that benefited: Motor industry, building works, stock market   Advertising increased massively to fuel consumerism Low inflation, low unemployment, low interest rates meant that people could afford to buy luxuries   Hire purchase introduced to allow average earners to spend on luxuries   Stock market share prices rose steadily during the 1920s, until in 1928 where it suddenly rocketed   Beginning of speculation, people willing to buy shares using loans Motor industry: Car production relied on other industries such as steel, petrol, glass and rubber. Techniques such as the assembly line lowered costs of production, making cars more affordable Increase in purchase of cars led to more roads being built, as well as hotels/restaurants which were now reachable   Construction industry similarly benefited from the introduction of new materials, as well as greater demand for factories, buildings etc.   Transport services as more was invested into infrastructure such as roads, allowing buses to become common, as well as commercial flights Introduction of department stores, where people helped themselves to goods. Suffering industries: Coal, Railway, Textiles (Cotton/wool), Agriculture ‘Old industries’ such as coal mining began to be in competition with oil * Cars began to take over the railway transport system, lessening the need for coal   Advancement in technology meant less workers were needed for mining -> unemployment begins   Mines began to close down Textiles industries began to face competition when tariffs were lowered New materials such as rayon meant that old textiles fell out of favour in terms of cost and efficiency in production Changes in fashion (short dresses etc.) meant less textiles were needed   WWI led to farmers choosing to produce more, and this rate of production continued into the 1920. While they benefited during WWI, consumption began to decrease as Europe began to recover and stopped relying on American produce, but there was already excess production Technologies such as tractors helped to increase production rates   Farmers were therefore forced to sell their goods at a lower cost, and they refused to lower their production rates as they were unsure that other farmers would do the same. Many farmers became the poorest paid workers in the US and many had to borrow money to pay their mortgages, or face eviction and unemployment Society in the 1920s: Women: Position of women pre 1917 included limited unemployment, limited social positions (accompanied by chaperones), no role in politics as well as being expected to adhere to dress standards After 1917 as the US entered WWI, women were employed to work in the heavy industry and for the first time went out by themselves, smoked and drank in public   Vote given in 1920. Consumer luxuries such as vacuums led to more women having leisure time Introduction of the Flappers: women who challenged traditional attitudes, and were mainly middle and upper class Leisure:   Newspapers & magazines fuelled consumption, as more people wanted to read about the latest issues and famous people   Sport also took over, becoming a focus of newspapers, magazines as well as radio shows. Sporting figures such as Babe Ruth also challenged traditional society, where he was seen smoking and drinking in public. Cinema: visiting the cinema became popular as part of family life, especially with the introduction of ‘talkies’, and sex became a popular focus for movies. Cinemas were refurbished and several film studios were founded Radio: First radio station started in 1920 (KDKA), with many more soon to come. Radio enabled people to listen to sporting events, music, advertisements and entertainment.   Jazz: ‘the jazz age’, when jazz became popular, especially with the flappers despite its African American origins Prohibition and Gangsters: Drinking was largely believed to be hindering work efficiency, as well as being the cause of trouble, including in religion, leading to a ban on alcohol   People were driven to the black market to consume alcohol, including speakeasies which relied on corruption by paying off law enforcement officers   Smuggling of alcohol also became common (rum running), and some doctors provided ‘medicinal whiskey’   Some of the illegally brewed alcohol was not checked and this led to poisoned alcohol   This led to the rise in organised crime, or ‘gangsterism’, with one notable figure being Al Capone: Chicago’s speakeasies, bookmakers, nightclubs etc.

A Creative Writing on an Interview with Joseph About His Charitable Acts

A Creative Writing on an Interview with Joseph About His Charitable Acts This is an interview with Joseph on October 21, 2021. Joseph has spent the past 3 years helping the homeless with whatever he can, from donating non perishable goods to thousands of dollars. His charitable acts have become publicized when he was caught on camera handing out over fifty bagged meals to the homeless in Los Angeles. He has been recruited by Society First CA for this in depth interview at Society First CA’s headquarters in Downtown Los Angeles. I think it all started when I visited Los Angeles when I was 16 years old. Everywhere I looked, there was someone begging for help, whether it’s food or money. I hated the sight. Not the sight of the homeless themselves but the sight of the fortunate ignoring the unfortunate. It was saddening that a fellow human being would ignore another just because of their social status and their wealth. I saw the disgust within the faces of those passing by and my heart broke. That’s when I decided to donate at least $5 to any homeless I see every day. I actually saw your charitable act myself a few years back myself. I was surprised that a teenager would give their own money to someone less fortunate, especially in this generation. It left an impression in my mind. Thank you! While my motive for helping out the homeless isn’t to gain attention but any publication which shows the current situation of the homeless helps. I’m trying to bring attention to the homeless problem within L.A. right now, as it is a big problem, but I want to help everywhere I can. And if my actions left an impression within you, maybe you can help out too (laugh). I would love to (laugh). Have you been doing anything else to help out with the homeless situation? I actually help out at the nearby soup kitchen. When I have extra money, I often go to the local supermarket and buy non-perishable food to donate. Then I go to the kitchen and help out with the cooking. Although this may not be much, some of the homeless haven’t had hot food in several days. The warmth they give when they receive their food fills my heart. It really makes me understand how privileged I am to be able to have hot food every day and a roof over my head. How long do you plan to continue your humanitarian works? I don’t plan to stop any time soon. In fact, I don’t want to stop. I believe that if you do good works the good works will come back to you. If I suddenly became homeless, I wouldn’t want to be ignored and stay helpless. I would want hot food to warm myself when it’s cold. I would want a roof over my head. I hope that my good works will be reciprocated and that the homeless can flip their lives around and help others. In fact, I actually want to try making a non-profit corporation devoted to helping out the homeless and the less fortunate. However, until that happens, I plan to continue to donate to charity and give to the homeless. This genre is for the Improve society #1 of my bucket list. I chose the genre of an interview because I felt that this genre would be the most effective way to show my motive for helping out at homeless shelter. This genre is important to my bucket list because I have always had a heart for the unfortunate people who are victims of circumstances which they could not control. Additionally, I have seen so many people who ignore the homeless and it breaks my heart when I see that happen. I used a basic outline of an interview, having the interviewer ask me a question and lead the conversation from the response. I mainly focused on the humanitarian aspect of my motive to help the homeless. I used a casual tone instead of a professional to make the interview more intimate and honest. To create the interview itself, I imagined myself actually being asked these questions and responded to it. While I may be able to help out the homeless, I feel that this wouldn’t have an impact if it was not shared. I want others to be aware of the homeless problem within society and that we have an obligation to help a fellow human being. Many are afraid of the homeless or believe that the money we give will be used for other purposes. However, if we are to show love and be altruistic, I believe in the natural human goodness within everyone and believe that the homeless can have a change.

See order instructions. It is one page discussion question. reference Coursework

See order instructions. It is one page discussion question. reference source within last 5 years thank you - Coursework Example Heart diseases account for 25% of the total number of deaths in the US. Obesity is another health problem that is very prevalent among the middle-aged adults. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, 34.9% of the US citizens are obese (2009). However, the rate of obesity has been found to be higher in the African Americans. The third health problem that can be minimized by regular exercise is depression. Anxiety and depression are the most prevalent mental illnesses in the US today. Almost 40% of the middle-aged adults have been affected by these mental illnesses (ADAA, 2012). As a nurse I would carry out a health promotion on regular exercise that will help the society eliminate the aforesaid health complications. I would reach the targeted group through the available community based organizations and offer a practical teaching on exercise and healthy living. I will use pictures and videos as teaching aids. The middle-aged adults will be encouraged to involve themselves in activities such as walking and running to keep them fit. However, they should not overdo it; too much exercise might make them very tired and prevent them from doing their jobs

Customer Orientation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Customer Orientation - Essay Example The subject of customer orientation, that was discussed in this essay has become a subject of interest not only to the business world, but also to the scholarly world. In the recent past, companies have committed a lot of resource on researching on the subject of customer orientation behavior and building of organization culture that is customer oriented. There have been systematic effort by many companies to come up with programs especially in their production and sales department that are customer oriented. Companies have encouraged their sales people to implement behavior which are customer oriented and which focus on the integration of marketing concepts and customer oriented behaviors. Satisfaction of customers has been the guiding principle in the operation of many companies. Concept places more emphasize on the need to listen to the needs of the customer. In this regard it tries to find out what kind of products the customer needs in the market and what response customer gives about the product that they are provided with. The researcher then concluds that this concept as used in management and business can be seen as a way of staying closer to the customers or putting the customer at the to pf o the organization chart. This means that the customer become the most important person in the business organization. It is also stated that the main focus of customer orientation is in production and in sales. This knowledge will help the researcher to provide his customers with servicers that are tailored to their needs. ... This means that the customer become the most important person in the organization. The main focus of customer orientation is in production and in sales. (Berneisten, 2004) Which behavior can be considered as customer oriented There are several behaviors which can bee seen as customer oriented. These are behavior and actions that are aimed at meeting the satisfaction of the customers. These action include thinking and talking about clients, assessing customer perception, resolving priority issue in favor of customer, making amends for poor treatment of customers, employing any policy at hand in order to satisfy the needs of the customers, re-aligning processes and redeployment of resource which are geared toward ensuring high quality services to the customers, and many other action all which are aimed at satisfying the needs of the customers. (Hunt, 2000) Therefore customer oriented actions are those actions which will be opposed to sales action that are geared toward achieving immediately increased sales of a product rather than satisfying the needs of the customers. Sales oriented actions are geared towards achieving immediate sales with no regard to the benefit the product will have on the customers. Therefore as opposed to sales oriented actions, customer oriented actions will be looking at satisfying the needs of the customer and hence it will involve collecting the view of the customer about products and services and likewise giving redeploying service and process to suit the needs of the customers. How can a corporate create a customer oriented culture The culture of a corporation is one of the most important aspects that determine how an organization performs. Different Corporations have been known by different culture where they

Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 96

Journal - Essay Example Problems are likely to arise if some of the workers discover that they earn less than their counterparts regardless of performing the same work. Conflicts are likely to arise and these can impact negatively on the performance of the organization. Conflicts are counterproductive and they can pose a serious challenge to the human resource management. The other issue that should be considered is that collective bargaining should be advocated in the event of awarding a salary increase to the employees. This helps to prevent salary discrimination where some of the employees may earn more than others regardless of performing the same task. This strategy helps to create a sense of belongingness to the company among all the employees belonging to the same department. Essentially, employees need to be motivated so that they can put optimum effort in their performance. This can be achieved through promoting equality among