So if I just do all this stuff I'll be perfect?

1. Patience - Understanding that waiting for something is not the end of the world.
2. Moderation - Taking nothing to the point of excess.
3 Silence - Knowing when saying nothing says more.
4. Awareness - Knowing the situation that surrounds me.
5. Humbleness - Being modest and never boastful.
6. Caution - Thinking things through and understanding when something is a bad idea.
7. Obedience - Being willing to follow the direction and advice of others.
8. Honesty - Telling the truth and being sincere in my actions.
9. Discretion - Keeping things secret, being mindful of my speech.
10. Trust - Allowing others into my life without doubting them.
11. Spontaneity - Being able to act without, or outside of, plans.
12. Toughness - Being strong and resilient.
13. Sensitivity - Noticing those around me and how my actions may effect their emotions and well being.

Puritans! ...versus... Rationalists!

I think the biggest difference between the Puritans the the Rationalists is science. Puritans believed that God made the universe and we should just be happy with his handy work the way it is and leave well enough alone. While on the other hand, Rationalists strove to find out why things were the way they were. Science was the main tool Rationalists used to figure things out, there is pretty much no other use for science - it explains things. Puritans didn't believe in figuring things out, so they had no use for science and were actually against the use of it.
Examples of this same conflict can be found in many places today. Reason versus religion is a battle I believe could be fought for many years to come. Whether it's evolution, stem cell research, or just how far science should go and how much it should effect our lives; reason and science will always be up against religious standards. In many ways puritan ideas are still in place in the U.S. today, there is a ban on the sale of alcohol on Sundays in a number of states and the law against same sex marriage. I think rationalism has had a stronger impact on the world today though. The fact that I'm here at school, where science classes are mandatory to graduate, is proof of that. Our nation was founded by men of reason, and I think that the spirit of rationalism still has a heavy influence on us now.

Puritans, Puritans, Puritans...

In my opinion, the Puritans were pretty intense people. According to their beliefs, you're born a sinner, you will always be a sinner, God hates you quite a lot, and no matter what you do, you still might burn in hell. Puritans believed in God's unending and undeniable grace, but then that Jesus only died for a precious few. It almost seems more like God's grace is not something He wants to give us, but something He has to give us whether he wants to or not. The only word that I think describes the Puritan's outlook on life is bleak

The concept of original sin has always been interesting to me. Why should we all be blamed for something that Adam and Eve did at the dawn of time? It doesn't seem fair that everyone should suffer for the wrongs of two people who lived so long ago. It’s sad to think that sweet little babies are born tainted by sin and that they will eventually befall to their sin nature. Puritans did believe that you could fight your sin nature, but that you would most likely backslide and give into temptation at some point.

I always find so much of Puritan belief to be contradictory. They believe in God's undeniable grace, but also that He is just waiting around the corner to smite the heck out of them. Also, they believe that Jesus only died for the sins of some, and that only a precious few will be saved; this does not speak of grace to me. I can't imagine worshiping a God that hates me, is disgusted by me, and who might not even save my soul from eternal damnation and hell fire. If you're born a sinner, there's nothing you can do to make yourself pure, and all the do gooding and pleading in the world won't guarantee your salvation, than what's the point?! Puritan belief seems very hopeless to me, and also very, very oppressive.

I have a feeling that these people lived in intense fear. If I went to church every Sunday and heard things like Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, I would be terrified. In Jonathan Edward’s sermon he mentions that God is responsible for the torments of hell: “They are now the objects of that very same anger and wrath of God that is expressed in the torments of hell.” I was always taught that the devil was the mastermind behind hell, so I wonder if Edwards was intentionally trying to scare his congregation. So much of this sermon makes me wonder what Edwards’ intent behind this sermon was. He obviously meant it to be scary, but for what purpose? Was he trying to scare his church into submission, or was he simply attempting to be a good pastor and lead them away from wickedness? He warns them, “The devil stands ready to fall upon them and seize them as his own…” “The devils watch them; they are ever by them, at their right hand; they stand waiting for them, like greedy hungry lions that see their prey, and expect to have it…” but he also says some things that are just plain terrifying, “God has so many different unsearchable ways of taking wicked men out of the world and sending ‘em to hell…” and “God has laid himself under no obligation by any promise to keep any natural man out of hell one moment.” From my understanding the Puritans lived very simple lives adorned by nothing and pleasure was thought to be sinful. So having sheltered themselves from flowery writing, the images these sermons induced would be all the more alarming. The other Puritan literary works like Of Plymouth Plantation are very mundane and boring, but these sermons are full of imagery, and not all of it is pleasant.

The Puritan belief that I think is most heavily exemplified in Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God is total depravity. Jonathan Edwards opens the sermon with the verse "Their foot shall slide in due time." Deuteronomy 32:35, he goes on to explain that this verse is about how even God's chosen people are wicked. No one is free from sin, so, Total Depravity. The second Puritan belief that I think is exemplified perseverance of the "saints". The whole sermon is Edwards' interpretation of the verses he chose to preach. His words were rule in the Puritan belief, no matter whether they were accurate or not. The things he says in Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God seem over the top, I think he took things too far, but in those days, he could almost do whatever he wanted.

Belly Dancing (Writing Assignment One)

Throughout my life I’ve taken more than just a few dance lessons. I started with ballet when I was only five, and since then I’ve also taken several different types of ballroom dancing. The most enjoyable dance class I’ve taken so far, though, is definitely belly dance. I began taking lessons at the Healing Arts Center last autumn, and I instantly fell in love with it. The slow hypnotic movements and the equally hypnotic and energetic shimmies of my instructor drew me in. I couldn’t imagine how I would ever be able to move like her, but I wanted to try and learn how. So through the past year I’ve immersed myself in belly dance culture. I’m still an amateur dancer, but I have gained many skills and plenty of knowledge.

The history of belly dance is rich, and largely undefined. The exact origins of the dance are disputed even today. Belly dance is generally associated with areas in the Middle East and upper Africa as well as a few other places, like India. All of these regions lay claim to different styles of the dance. Many people associate belly dancing with gypsies, which is not entirely a mistake. It is believed that gypsies were responsible for the spread of the dance, because of their nomadic lifestyle, but generally they are not accredited with the creation of the dance. Belly dance gained notice in the U.S. at the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago. The gyrations of the corsetless dancers shocked, entertained, and appalled the Victorian crowd, and eventually the theatre was closed. From that point on belly dancers could only be seen in burlesque and vaudeville shows, and therefore gained an unflattering reputation among polite society. Even today belly dancing has a reputation of vulgarity, something which modern belly dancers are trying to change.

The technique involved in belly dancing has a heavy influence on isolation. Moving one section of your body while holding every other part still is the main goal. Once a dancer can isolate different muscle groups, she learns how to layer moves on top of each other. Have you ever tried to move your hips in a figure eight and shimmy them at the same time? Well, it’s definitely not easy. The skill required to perform these moves correctly takes a long time to gain. A common misconception is that belly dancers just shake and wiggle whatever they’ve got - this is very untrue. Exact movements are what dancers aspire to achieve, no matter what body type they have. It takes intense concentration, practice, and strength to belly dance, just like any other structured type of dance.

The fitness aspect of belly dancing is also an attractive feature. It’s a great cardiovascular workout, and since so much of it focuses on muscle isolation, it’s great for toning as well. The legs and core get a great workout as well, and if you’re practicing veil or zil (finger cymbals) work, your arms will get a good workout too. The best thing is that even though it’s a workout, it’s fun! My friends and I would leave class tired and with aching muscles, but we also had smiles on our faces. No matter how hard our instructor works us, we always feel rewarded at the end of class.

My favorite thing about belly dance culture is that it’s very accepting. It’s a come-as-you-are type of thing. Height, weight, age, skill; none of these really matter. It’s not about a person’s flaws; it’s about being who you are. Dance is an expression of the soul, and it’s human nature. Belly dancing allows people to focus for a little while, something I think many people don’t get to do very often. Belly dancing is fun, easy to get into, and good for the well being of your body as well as your mind. I highly suggest taking any dance class, but belly dance is at the top of my list.

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer pages 1-29

I was skeptical of this book from the start. I usually am skeptical of extremely popular things, but at some point I realize that writing something off because large amounts of people adore it, is illogical. Discrediting something just because half the world loves it does not make sense. So, I decided that I would give Twilight a try. I've only read the first chapter, but I have to say, it's already intensely engaging. I've been introduced to whom I think are the main characters and the setting, but that's pretty much it. I wasn't expecting the writing to be very good, I figured it would be somewhere at or below J.K. Rowling's skill level (whom I believe is a fantastic story teller, but not the most amazing writer). Twilight sucked me in though, the writing is very good, and even though nothing has really happened with the plot yet - I'm hooked. Meyer's writing is very descriptive, but not overly so. She makes you interested in the characters, but she keeps things moving as well. I'm not surprised so many people love this book or that it's being made into a movie. The book reads like a screenplay with its attention to description and drama.

The Box Man by Kobo Abe pages 1-90

This book is bizarre. This book is hard to follow as well. I'm not really sure what is happening at any given moment. The book began with a brief description of what a box man is, which is basically a man who lives in a large cardboard box and never leaves it. The next part of the book was a story of how a man, "Case A", became a box man, which was a very odd tale indeed. After those two stories were finished, I was introduced to the person writing the book, a box man himself. This box man who is narrating tells the reader a strange story about himself, a nurse, and a doctor who is also an imitation box man. That is where I am now. So far the box man has sold his box to the doctor for a large sum, and was told to destroy his box. He does not destroy his box, but tells the doctor and the nurse that he did, and now the doctor is going to become a real box man, not just a pretend one, and the nurse is going to get naked, something that the box man wants very much, but he also seems terrified by the prospect of it. At least that's what I think is happening, I'm not entirely sure, and I think if I talked to someone else who has read the book they would say something completely different. Although this book is very confusing, it's intensely interesting and I'm looking forward to reading what happens next.