Human Trafficking

Today in class we discussed Fumiko's writing which deals with the issue of slavery, which today has become a major issue, now called human-trafficking. This issue immediately sparked controversy with me. Because morally this is an evil demeaning act. Yet, words have become so twisted in the English language. In the cities of America and other countries, strip clubs are a popular place to go. In the U.S. as of 2009, their are 4,000 strip clubs where women made $75 million annually. Their are approximately 400,000 prostitutes in the U.S. So while Americans are distancing themselves from "human-trafficking" they are just as guilty of this terrible slavery. While this is a choice for many in the states it generally has been titled slavery or human-trafficking when applied to other countries. Though this is a paid occupation in the United States it is still morally wrong. And an ostentatious way to exhibit our humanity. Think how demeaning it has become for societies and how ordinary sex has become. It has become less and less cherished as a gift of self to only give in marriage but just used as income or something to throw away.

AGAPE

Agape is a a Greek word meaning the highest form of love especially brotherly love of neighbor, charity and the love of God for man and man of God.
                  "This love is not proudly independent of its object. Its equality does not appear in love's proudly turning back to itself, indifferent towards its object. No, its equality appears in love's humbly turning itself outwards, embracing all, yet loving everyone in particular but no one in partiality (Ibid)."

Religion....Importance- An overview

Their has been a considerable amount of talk among my college friends considering the significance of organized religion. Many of my friends say that they don't follow a religion because of its imperfections.
Religion is the belief in something usually with a theory of life and an organized system of beliefs. The exploration of religion has played a key role in many brilliant lives throughout history including:  Dickens- Unitarianism, Durrenmatt- Protestant, Nietzsche- Atheism, Brecht- Protestant, Kundera- Totalitarian, C.S. Lewis- Catholic, Flannery O'Connor- Catholic, more current John Green- deeply Christian, Sarah Palin- Evangelical and Kenneth Branagh- Christian.
Religion is crucial in this world of strife. Religion provides us with inspiration, hope, organization, a deeper understanding of love, sanity, direction etc.etc.
In today's fast-paced society it is hard to juggle it is crucial for humans to have organized religion. Without organization their is confusion and havoc. Without religion their is nothing to believe in, no higher being to turn to in times of need. Religious figures play a large role in the form of each religion. Whether it be Zeus- still found on the Greek 2 euro coin in United Kingdom, Jesus Christ- worshipped by Christians, or Buddhism- Buddha himself worshipped by Buddhists.
So though many religions may have been splintered throughout the ages they remain organized and stable shelters for us to believe and see the significance of life.

All religions must be tolerated...for every man must get to heaven in his own way.
-Epictetus