The Bible is the most influential book in the world. The Bible is the best source for teaching and knowledge on certain social aspects. It’s looked at today in one way to look at today’s social issues and what the Bible says about them. The Bible teaches us about many topics like Religion, Gender, Immigrants, and Intermarriage. The Bible has verses on each of these aspects and their own beliefs in Judaism that they followed back then. We use the texts and examine them to use them as a way to think. The Bible has its own teachings on these four issues.
Religion impacts my identity very much. I’m very religious. I attended a Catholic high school, learning the bible and many other Catholic aspects and views. I attend church as much as I can and I pray every morning and night. Religion is very much a big part of my identity. The bible strictly believes in Monotheism. Monotheism is the belief in one God which is God. In the bible, God is the creator of mankind. He created mankind to rule over the earth in the Book of Genesis. The bible teaches to believe in only God. It banishes people who believe in polytheism and other religions.
The Book of Genesis teaches us about only believing in God Himself in the story of Abraham and Moses when he gives him the Ten Commandments. Ethical monotheism is a form of exclusive monotheism in which God is the source for one standard of morality, who guides humanity through ethical principles. He communicates to the Israelites and specific chosen people to guide them in life and His chosen people, the Israelites.
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Theology is the study of nature of God and religious belief. Theology is your understanding of God. Theology impacts one’s behavior because depending on your relationship to your religion that’s how you live your life. People can be very religious and other people aren’t that religious. Theology impacts my identity because some of my views in life and society are based on my understanding of God and the bible. Theology doesn’t really affect my relationship with society and community because I’m going to live my life how I want to. No one is going to try diminish my views and beliefs.
I believe what I believe. My views can be tweaked but I will always believe in my views in religion. If people of faith in any religion in the world could live by this Faith would be a bridge of cooperation. Today with all the chaos in the world it is a little of everything in different areas of the world. In Israel, the fight between Judaism and Islam has turned into a bomb of destruction but not even because of faith reasons because of political issues. In places like New York City, I believe its a bridge of cooperation based on the fact it’s the most diverse place in the US.
In some places down South in the US, faith has become a barrier of division. Religions are separated and don’t interact most of the time. The world should live in a world of Pluralism. Pluralism is the acceptance of other religions as true. Unfortunately, many people don’t want to believe that other religions are as true as their which is Religious Relativism. I am a religious fundamentalist based on my views but I am not going to tell anyone that their religion isn’t true. Religion has taught me many things in my life. It impacts my identity and has taught to be a better person and just be humble. It taught me to put God first.
Men have been portrayed as the strong independent gender in the Bible. It has been a common theme in the bible that men are very masculine. Many figures are self-reliant and leaders like Moses and Noah. King David is described in the bible as a warrior, man of valor, skillful, and beautiful man. He is supposed to be looked at as a strong masculine man. Clines identifies five themes in the construction of masculinity in the West. One of the themes, is be aggressive. He states that boys from childhood are supposed to be tough and not run away.
Competitive sport emphasizes the values of aggression and a tough mental and physical state. They are supposed to be strong men who aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty or get hurt. The second theme is be successful. A Man is supposed to stand out of the group with his leadership or appearance. Those are just two examples of how men were portrayed in the Old Testament. I would say today that men are still taught to be “men”.
Boys are always taught to be very masculine and take on manly characteristics even in changing times. In today’s society, manly characteristics have come with a price. People are looking for gender equality and freedom so the norms of masculinity are frowned upon in some aspects. Today people would say it’s not okay to be aggressive as a man. These aspects and views on men has come up in society as toxic masculinity. As myself being a man, I don’t see any privileges or disadvantages as a man. I don’t believe that men have privileges for being a man in today’s world, 2019.
I don’t believe in the idea that men get jobs over woman. The person who is more qualified for the job will get the job it’s not based on your gender. I personally was not hired for a job because I was not qualified and a girl who was more qualified got the job. A woman today can do anything a man can. Women can work any job that a man can and they do. Women have actually recently passed men in the workplace with the number of women working to number of men working. They earn 60% of bachelor degrees. Of course there will be cases of inequality of genders but the world isn’t perfect. Overall, I don’t believe in the idea of gender inequality or the fact that I am privileged because I am a man.
The bible says in many verses to welcome the stranger. The Book of Leviticus says,” And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not do him wrong.’’ According to the bible, we are suppose to help and take in the strangers to your land. The reasoning for this concept is based on the fact that we were all once strangers. The Israelites were strangers on Egypt’s land. Based on this, we are suppose to help these people and take them as if they were citizens. My Dad’s grandparents immigrated to America from Italy in the early 1900’s.
They immigrated because of the new opportunity in America and to live a better life. They lacked the economic safety in Italy and wanted to pursue the American dream. They came in from Ellis Island and have lived in New York since. Italy is a big part of my identity. Most of the foods that I eat is of Italian influence like pizza or pasta. This impacted my identity because we found opportunity and took it. That is a big thing in my family that if opportunity comes your way, take it and be hard working and dedicated.
My great grandparents took the opportunity and became hard working to build a better life for my grandparents and Dad and Aunt. It’s a big part of my life because I see myself as an Italian-American. I am very proud to be Italian and American. The United States is built on immigration. Immigration is a great thing especially for the economy but it comes at a cost. Today, we have a serious immigration problem with a President who is trying to stop illegal immigration and limit our borders. The country is split in half today with conservatives versus liberals and each side has their own view on immigrants.
President Trump has very clearly wanted to limit the borders and build a wall. Legal immigration is the way to do it not illegally entering the country. You cannot feed off America’s economy without becoming a citizen. American taxpayers, who live here legally, pay $116 billion dollars to the 11 million illegal immigrants for government benefits and services. The American dream is for the people who want to become American citizens and live here legally.
As so to refugees and asylees, I believe they should be able to enter the country because they can’t go back to their country because of persecution, war, etc. The US averages about 40,000 refugees to enter each year and allow asylees to enter asylum status. Those are the people that we should allow to live without citizenship or a green card/visa. Illegal immigrants who enter illegally should not be allowed to enter unless applying for citizenship or a green card/visa. Today, I think its a different time than it was in the Bible. We can’t help and take in millions of immigrants. All of this will come at a cost if we let everybody in and feed off the economy.
Intermarriage is the marriage between people across lines of difference such as marriage across religions, tribes, ethnicities, or racial groups. The Bible is clearly against intermarriage. The Israelites custom was to marry within Judaism. Jews that married out Judaism were to be forgotten about and banished by their family. In Joshua 23:11-13, states that Jews should not intermarry, “Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God.
Else if ye do in any wise go back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you, and make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you; know for a certainty that the LORD your God will no more drive these nations from out of your sight; but they shall be a snare and a trap unto you, and a scourge in your sides, and pricks in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.” Obviously from this the Jews were very strict on no intermarriage. They said that people that intermarry should be punished.
The main reason behind the idea of no intermarriage is that they should be faithful to God and not push away their faith. They believed that intermarrying would make people lose their faith and God. In Exodus 34:13-16, it clearly states that they believe intermarrying would cause Jews to lose their faith. Today in american society, intermarriage is not like the bible teaches. Intermarriage is common.
People marry across most religions, races, and tribes. American society would say today that intermarriage is fine. You can marry whoever you want if you love them and want to get married despite their race, religion, or tribe. In some faiths it’s still frowned upon but it happens. Intermarriage doesn’t really affect my identity in my family. My family would like me to marry a Christian girl and for my children to be Catholic just because of my family’s beliefs which I believe in also. Other than that, my family wants me to marry a woman I truly love. I know the girl that I am looking for and want to marry but intermarriage doesn’t play a significant role in my family’s identity.
The Bible is the best source of knowledge and understanding. Social issues today occurred in Biblical times and we use these texts today to use as our belief or as ideas. The bible as taught us about social issues today like Religion, Gender, Immigrants, and Intermarriage. These four aspects have taught me ideas I had never learned and can teach many more people.
