The 12th Imam The Mahdi and Iran Today

Iran is a fervently Shiite Islamic Republic with a 98 percent Muslim population and 89 percent of those Muslims identifying as Shiite according to the CIA World Factbook. Twelver Shiism is the largest branch of Shiite Islam, with about 85 percent of Shiite adhering to the belief in the 12th Imam. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the father of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, was a Twelver. So is the current Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Now, what does this mean? They believe that a series of Imams was appointed to carry on the Prophet Muhammads message and that these Imam rank above all other prophets except for Muhammad himself. The 12th, Muhammad al-Mahdi, is believed by these Shiites to have been born in present-day Iraq in 869 and never to have died, only gone into hiding. Twelvers—not other Shiites or Sunni Muslims—believe that al-Mahdi will return as a messiah with Jesus to bring peace to the world and establish Islam as the ruling faith across the globe. The apocalyptic catch? The Mahdi is expected to appear when the world is wracked by utter chaos and war. Many Sunnis also believe that the Mahdi will come in such a judgment day scenario, but believe that he has not been born yet. The Twelver beliefs have raised concern in conjunction with Irans steeped interest in furiously pressing forward with its nuclear program, combined with threats against Israel and the West. Critics of the Islamic Republic allege that Ahmadinejad and the Supreme Leader would even go so far as to hasten a nuclear showdown and cataclysmic strike—perhaps an attack on Israel and inevitable retaliation—to hasten the arrival of the 12th Imam. Ahmadinejad has even called for the reappearance of the 12th Imam from the podium of the United Nations General Assembly. During his speeches within Iran, Ahmadinejad has said that the main mission of the Islamic Revolution is to pave the way for the reappearance of the 12th Imam. When NBC News Ann Curry interviewed Ahmadinejad in Tehran in September 2009, she asked him about the Mahdi: Curry: In your speeches, you pray for God to hasten the arrival of the hidden Imam, the Muslim messiah. Would you tell us, as I know you will speak about this at the general assembly, as well: What is your relationship with the hidden Imam, and how soon do you think before the second coming? Ahmadinejad: Yes, that’s true. I prayed for the arrival of the 12th Imam. The owner of the age, as we call him. Because the owner of the age is the symbol of the—justice and brotherly love prevailing around the world. When the Imam arrives, all of these problems will be resolved. And a prayer for the owner of the age is nothing but a wish for justice and brotherly love to prevail around the world. And it’s an obligation a person takes upon himself to always think about brotherly love. And also to treat others as equals. All people can establish such a connection with the Imam of the age. It’s roughly the same as the relationship which exists between Christians and the Christ. They speak with Jesus Christ and they are sure that Christ hears them and responds. Therefore, this is not limited to us only. Any person can talk with the Imam. Curry: You’ve said that you believe that his arrival, the apocalypse, would happen in your own lifetime. What do you believe that you should do to hasten his arrival? Ahmadinejad: I have never said such a thing. Curry: Ah, forgive me. Ahmadinejad: I—I—I was talking about peace. Curry: Forgive me. Ahmadinejad: What is being said about an apocalyptic war and—global war, things of that nature. This is what the Zionists are claiming. Imam†¦will come with logic, with culture, with science. He will come so that there is no more war. No more enmity, hatred. No more conflict. He will call on everyone to enter a brotherly love. Of course, he will return with Jesus Christ. The two will come back together. And working together, they would fill this world with love. The stories that have been disseminated around the world about extensive war, apocalyptic wars, so on and so forth—these are false.

I Want A Career As A Mythology Teacher - 1792 Words

The Japanese have a saying,† The nail that sticks up will be hammered down.† The nail, of course, being someone out of the ordinary and unique, while the hammer is everything in your way and everyone trying to manipulate you into what they want you to be. Teaching mythology is no different than that nail that sticks up. People think it’s weird and not important to learn mythology so it gets taken out of schools and is forgotten, but they are wrong. Being a mythology teacher allows you to open your students eyes to a world of lore and imagination, introducing them to new ideas and beliefs to help them better understand the world we live in today. They teach their children about the monsters, gods and goddesses, and epics to show them why we believe in certain things and why our world works the way it does. Mythology teachers are fantastic story tellers and amazing listeners when it comes to presenting and answering questions, but they are also very open-minded and d etermined people. I want a career in mythology because it will involve me to do something I absolutely love and will allow me to share and learn new ideas. I have given myself responsibility to work hard in school and go to college so I am at my peak performance for my students to learn everything they need. I am willing to be the nail that sticks up and I am willing to go ageist the hammer if it means I can do what I love and empower future generations with this knowledge in mythology. Now, in order to do that IShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Rick Riordan s The Kane Chronicles, And The 39 Clues1594 Words   |  7 Pageshis love of history, mythology, and his son. He loves to share his opinion and craft with other people, writers and non-writers alike. Riordan says, â€Å"I come to writing the same way I come to teaching, which is that my goal is always to create life-long readers.† Riordan grew up in Texas and attended Alamo Heights High School, graduating in 1982. He attended the University of Texas and double majored in English and history (famousauthors.org). He was introduced to Greek mythology, and he developed aRead MoreMy Most Valued Learning Experiences977 Words   |  4 Pages My most valued learning experiences have been with the discussions of each module; I learned so much from my fellow students about their views and beliefs. It was a very wonderful experience reading about what they think and then replying to them, as well as, the replies I received from my fellow students about my statements. My fellow students beliefs were very interesting and understandable, and if we disagreed with a viewpoint they were not rude but instead very courteous. Instead, theyRead MoreAssignment Questions1180 Words   |  5 Pages Students are encouraged to request tutoring placement. Otherwise, student teachers and/or the students’ advisors place st udents into sessions. C. ACT Preparatory Courses: An ACT Preparatory elective was developed. Students experience practice and information regarding the following sessions of the ACT: English, reading, mathematics, and science. 2. Who could best help you create a communications plan? To begin, I would consult Dr. Julie Flieg, my assistant superintendent. She is the district’sRead MoreGreek Mythology And The Lightening Thief1940 Words   |  8 Pagesgoddess, deep deep down to the frightful underworld, to be seated by the King of the Dead, Hades. Greek mythology is very interesting and can also be very interestingly weird. In the lightening thief we see the very interesting part about Greek mythology. The lightening thief uses the modern day society to tell the adventure packed story. In this essay I will give you an overview of Greek mythology, along with a summary and analysis of The Lightening Thief. Hero is the main theme of this story. WeRead MoreJames M. Mcpherson : An American Civil War Essay1397 Words   |  6 Pageshistorian. He received the 1989 Pulitzer Prize for Battle Cry of Freedom, his most famous book. McPherson was the president of the American Historical Association in 2003, and is a member of the editorial board of Encyclopedia Britannica. In his early career McPherson wanted to leave a legacy as being known for the historian who focusses on more than one point. Through skillful narrative in a broad-ranging oeuvre of essays and books, McPherson has succeeded in telling both stories, combining social, politicalRead MoreMassive Open Online Courses1349 Words   |  6 Pagesindigenous knowledge. 16 Currently in Africa, educational programs typically adopt traditional Western models of education, with an emphasis on math, science, language, and social studies. 11 These programs allocate scarce resources to topics like Greek mythology, prime numbers, or tectonic plate movement—topics that may provide intellectual stimulation, but have little relevance in the lives of impoverished children. 11 While many scholars hold that indigenous education and knowledge has a transformativeRead MoreThe Effects Of Video Games On Children2629 Words   |  11 Pagesone can begin to understand how this form can further develop our children. From confidence building to creativity, video games can be brought on as educational as well as just for fun and relaxation. Not too long ago while I was scrolling through my face book page, I stumbled upon a video which was a commercial by the company Nature Valley. In this video, there are a few parents, their children, and grandparents, being asked the question, â€Å"When you were a kid, what did you do for fun? (NarratorRead More Pearl S. Buck - A Modern Day Hero Essay2921 Words   |  12 Pages Pearl S. Buck - A Modern Day Hero Introduction A friend of mine gave me a copy of The Good Earth as a birthday gift. Until then, I had never heard of the literary masterpiece or the author, Pearl S. Buck. The story captivated me. I found myself engrossed in the story of the poor farmer Wang Lung whose love for his land allowed him to overcome many odds including famine, flood and a revolution. Through hard work and dedication, Wang Lung became one of the wealthiest landowners in the Anweih provinceRead More Its Time for Transitional Education Essays2091 Words   |  9 Pagesworld disgrace the students from the United States in every scholastic competition. Students in the United States today mostly encounter only one type of teaching technique a traditional technique overrun with chalkboard lectures and unenthusiastic teachers. This uneventful classroom structure forces students to act like the receptacles Freire described in Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Now, students function as trashcans for a teachers input. Children do not exp ress or think for themselves anymore.Read MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Death Of The English Language1891 Words   |  8 PagesWilliam Shakespeare was thought to be born in Stratford in 1564. (cite) He was one of eight children and was born into a well-known and highly respected family. In the year of 1592 Shakespeare’s career began to take off. Shakespeare has written histories, comedies, tragedies, poems and tragic comedies. He has been distinguished as one of the first professional writers and the second most quoted after the holy bible. He is an influential artist and a play writer. He has written 37 plays and 154 sonnets

Government Business Regulations

Question: Discuss about the Government Business Regulations. Answer: Introduction: Trade protectionism refers to a set of government directives and policies established to restrict unfair trade practices and competition by foreign business organizations. It is basically a politically motivated defensive measures implemented by countries to protect the interest of home grown businesses (Ghibutiu 2013). Various policy instruments used for protectionism are discussed below: Tariffs: These are assortment of various taxes that are imposed on import of goods. It is one of the major forms of protectionism tool intended at protecting local businesses and acts as a source of revenue for the government. The higher tariffs results in the increase in price of imported goods. The elasticity of demand determines the level of success of tariffs because greater the elasticity, more effective the tariffs (Osabouhien Efobi and Beecroft 2014). Quota: It refers to a limit imposed on quantity of imported goods. This is imposed mainly with an objective to promote local businesses and discourage competition from foreign players. Imposing of quota restriction affects neither the price of goods nor it increases the revenue for the government. Embargo: In laymans term, embargo means a hindrance. In business terminology, embargo is defined as a partial or blanket ban on trade and commerce with a particular country or some countries. Embargo is generally imposed as an outcome of hostile economic or political conditions between two countries. Embargo aims to isolate the targeted country and create obstacles for its governing body, obliging it to take action on the core issues that led to embargo. For example, embargo imposed by Australia on Indonesia on livestock due to their brutal techniques of slaughter in their country. (McGovern 2016). Subsidies: It is a payment that is paid by the government to a business or individuals for exporting the goods to another country. Export subsidies offer traders and manufacturers an incentive for exporting, making it more rewarding for them to sell goods abroad and thereby increasing the prices of goods in the home country Exchange Control: This method is used to put restrictions on the amount that can be brought in by the importers. The main objective behind having an exchange control mechanism is to curb the ability of an importer (Cavusgil et al. 2014). Product Standards: Restriction on the basis of product standards are levied for various reasons such as usage inferior raw materials, sub-standard products, product safety and labeling issues. Limiting imports through implementation of such regulations promotes growth of home businesses. Environment Standards: In the current business environment, where climate change and global warming has become a major issue globally, each and every country is taking proactive measures the tackle the effect by implementing stringent environmental laws for the businesses to discourage them from using harmful chemical that affects the environment. Further, such laws also encourage the businesses to use environment friendly business practices and corporate social responsibility for sustainable development (Matsushita 2015). Policy instruments used in competitive market model can be classified under two heads i.e. competition laws and government policies which are discussed below: The government of any country sets regulations and laws to monitor and control unfair trade practices in the market. Competition laws and government policies includes the following aspects Anti-Competition Agreement (Collusion) and Cartels: In order to boost the economy and have a fair competitive market, the government of any country aims to take control over the leading players in any specific industry to restrict them from using their position to discourage other players in the market or increase their prices through the process of cartel and price fixing. Market Liberalization: It involves the introduction of fresh competition in various monopolized markets such as telecommunications, air transport, and many others to support competition and to encourage other small players to enter the market (Feenstra 2015). Merger Control: The government should closely monitor and investigate various mergers and acquisitions that take place between two large firms within the same industry which may be intended at dominance in the market and discourage smaller firms. Foreign Direct Investment: In order to boost the source of revenue for the government and make the economy more flourishing and competitive, the government may choose the method of foreign direct investments by making attractive and flexible policies to attract various multinational conglomerates through to establish new projects (greenfield projects) or acquisition (brownfield investment) in the home country. Consumers Safety: The government of any country through a regulatory body monitors the usage of quality of the raw materials and semi-finished goods used by the businesses operating within the economy that the product is safe for by the consumers. The safety standards by the regulatory authority states various requirements that a business is obliged to follow such as product description, ingredients, date of expiry, labeling issues. The various policy instruments in a competitive market are imposed by any government of any given economy to prevent market inequality through implementation of various laws to regulate the market and promote home grown businesses through subsidies. These instruments intervene in the market to support general economic equality. These instruments aim at raising social wellbeing by disrupt monopolies and regulate adverse external factors. Through the implementation of such instruments, the government makes the businesses provide better services to the consumers. Increased competition gives way to innovation due to increased competition (Bowen Hollander and Viaene 2012). The increased competition due to stringent regulations in the market, business is encouraged towards identifying their strengths and weaknesses as well cultivates the habit of creative thinking as well as it helps them to identify their key customers. The stringent regulations in the competitive market environment enable the businesses to generate new ideas for their products or services through learning and knowledge management and help the employees to be for efficient and productive due to increased competition. It further helps the businesses to grow and expand by focusing on innovation and learning and bring about solution to common problems that are prevalent in that specific industry they operate by working together with the other businesses and the government and all the above activities and efforts leads to better and healthy business environment where all the stakeholders i.e. business, society, customers, government and investors get benefits from it (Cavusgil et al. 2014) . References Bowen, H.P., Hollander, A. and Viaene, J.M., 2012.Applied international trade. Palgrave Macmillan. Bown, C.P., 2014. Trade policy instruments over time.World Bank Policy Research Working Paper, (6757). Cavusgil, S.T., Knight, G., Riesenberger, J.R., Rammal, H.G. and Rose, E.L., 2014.International business. Pearson Australia. Feenstra, R.C., 2015.Advanced international trade: theory and evidence. Princeton university press. Ghibutiu, A., 2013. Trade protectionism: An increasing threat to global economic recovery.Knowledge Horizons. Economics,5(3), p.166. Matsushita, M., Schoenbaum, T.J., Mavroidis, P.C. and Hahn, M., 2015.The World Trade Organization: law, practice, and policy. Oxford University Press. McGovern, E., 2016.International trade regulation(Vol. 2). Globefield Press. Osabouhien, E., Efobi, U.R. and Beecroft, I., 2014. Free trade, protectionism and the balance of trade: New empirical insights.Beggar-Thy-Poor-Neighbour: Crisis-Era Protectionism and Developing Countries, pp.13-24.

Over The Past Fifteen Years A Powerfully Charged Drama Has Essays

Over the past fifteen years a powerfully charged drama has unfolded in New York's Broadway venues and spread to the opera houses and ballet productions of major cities across the country. Its characters include angry college students, aging rock stars, flamboyant B-movie queens, society matrons, and sophisticated fashion designers. You can't buy tickets for this production, but you might catch a glimpse of it while driving in Bethesda on particular Saturday afternoons. If you're lucky, Compassion Over Killing (COK), an animal rights civil disobedience group, will be picketing Miller's Furs, their enemy in the fight against fur. These impassioned activists see the fur trade as nothing less than wholesale, commercialized murder, and will go to great lengths to get their point across. Such enthusiasm may do them in, as COK's often divisive rhetoric and tacit endorsement of vandalism threaten to alienate the very people it needs to reach in order to be successful. The animal rights idealogy crystallized with the publication of philosophy professor's exploration of the way humans use and abuse other animals. Animal Liberation argued that animals have an intrinsic worth in themselves and deserve to exist on their own terms, not just as means to human ends. By 1985, ten years after Peter Singer's watershed treatise was first published, dozens of animal rights groups had sprung up and were starting to savor their first successes. In 1994 Paul Shapiro, then a student at Georgetown Day School, didn't feel these non-profits were agitating aggressively enough for the cause. He founded Compassion Over Killing to mobilize animal rights activists in the Washington metropolitan area and "throw animal exploiters out of business." Since then, COK has expanded to over 300 members with chapters across the country, including one at American University, which formed in the fall of 1996. COK organizes protests as a primary activity of the group, although some chapters may choose to expand into other areas if they wish. COK's focus on direct-action protests and demonstrations is just one way that the animal rights movement has mobilized to end the fur trade. The larger animal rights organizations have conducted attention grabbing media blitzes with the help of stars like Paul McCartney, Melissa Etheridge, Rikki Lake, Naomi Campbell and Christy Turlington. Lobbying efforts by animal advocacy groups have resulted in trapping restrictions in numerous states and an end to federal fur industry subsidies. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has persuaded several fashion designers including Calvin Klein and Donna Karan to stop using fur in their clothing lines. In addition, anti-fur concerts, videos, compact discs, t-shirts, drag revues and award ceremonies have been used by animal rights groups to advance their cause. Each side of the conflict over fur coats has an entirely different way of conceptualizing and talking about the issue. Animal rights groups bluntly describe fur as "dead...animal parts" and emphasize that animals are killed to produce a fur garment. Those involved in the fur industry consistently use agricultural metaphors and talk of a yearly "crop of fur" that must be "harvested." Manny Miller, the owner of Miller's Furs, refused to describe his business in terms of the individual animals; "I don't sell animals. I sell finished products. I sell fur coats." These linguistic differences extend to the manner in which both sides frame the debate over fur. COK refers to the industry in criminal terms; fur is directly equated with murder and those involved in the industry are labeled killers. Industry groups like the Fur Information Council of America (FICA) always describes fur garments as objects and clothing; it is "the ultimate cold weather fabric" that is "your fashion choice." On Saturday, April 12th, Compassion Over Killing demonstrated outside the White House, protesting the Clinton administration's opposition to a European Community ban on the importation of fur coats made from animals caught in the wild. In addition, the demonstration called for the release of several Animal Liberation Front (ALF) members imprisoned for vandalizing property and liberating animals from research labs and factory farms. Several dozen high school and college students turned out for the event, but the protest attracted a handful of thirtysomethings and an elderly woman as well. Most of the young people there seemed to dress in a similar style; baggy pants, piercings and t-shirts advertising obscure "hard-core" rock bands adorned most of the activists. The organizers of the protest provided more than enough signs for everyone to carry. Each sign had a slogan stenciled on the cardboard in boxy black letters, including "Abolish the Fur Trade," "Fur is Murder," "Stop Promoting Vanity and Death," and "Fur is Dead- Get It In Your Head." Some of the