Death Rituals In American And Egyptian Society

Death Rituals In American And Egyptian Society The term burial refers to the practice of disposing of dead bodies or remains of the dead. Though there are other ways of disposing of dead bodies as practiced by people following different religions, the term burial particularly means the act of placing a body into the dug into the ground. Once the digging has been done, the body is placed inside, followed by the replacement grave of the soil to fill the hollow again. Though the term burial may refer to burying of any object or body, it usually refers to the burial of the body of dead person. It is sometimes also used for the placement of a body into a tomb. Burial of dead bodies prevents the release of stink as a result of gases discharged by bacterial putrefaction after a body starts to decompose (Bodiford, 1992). History tells us that burial is an old custom and the first instances in history are found during the Paleolithic period in European caves. Research method The approach used for data collection relied on both secondary and primary sources. Data were gathered according to two complementary techniques: * Documentary research and * Personal interviews With respect to documentary research, the internet served as the primary tool for research. Relevant journals, articles and books provided the information. For more scholarly sources online libraries and research databases such as Emerald and Ebsco were used. Personal interviews were conducted from a number of local residents from different areas selected randomly. The majority of these interviews were personally conducted at or outside their residences; a few however were interviewed on the phone. Informal, conversational interviews were taken where Death and Burial Rituals were discussed. In most of the cases no predetermined questions were asked. This strategy kept the discussions open and adaptable. Almost all the interviewees discussed how they have seen changes in these rituals with passage of time. They also shared their personal experiences. Introduction Many communities all over the world bury their dead in keeping with their religious beliefs and social customs. Usually the body is carefully handled and buried with respect. In some cultures it is believed that the physical remains continue to be important to the person who has passed into the next world. In other cultures, a ceremonial burning frees the spirit to go up to its new abode in the next world. Many variations in the burial customs are found especially in early Asian communities. Though, burial usually refers to burying in ground, history tells that amongst the Vikings water burials were common. Later, they started to burn the bodies followed by scattering the ashes in water (Wahl, 1961). In India, outdoor funeral pyres were common by the side of rivers and the ashes were frequently thrown into the holy Ganges River. Nonetheless, these customs are transitory and have changed to a great extent over time. As societies have evolved, their ways of burying their dead and grave markings evolve too only to provide an interesting area to be studied by archeologists of the future generations. This essay aims at comparing and contrasting the death and burial rituals of the contemporary American society with the ancient Egyptian society and their primitive ways of burial. The essay would talk about how the ancient Egyptians would preserve the dead bodies (mummies). It would also talk about how in modern America and in modern Egypt bodies are buried in the natural form to signify death as a rite of passage. Egyptian rituals of burial and death: Ancient Egyptian society believed in rebirth and this is what reflects in the burial rites that they practiced. For them, death was not the end of life but only an interval. They believed that eternal life could be ensured by leading a pious life and by preserving the bodies of those that passed away by mummifying them. For the Egyptians, every human body consisted of the ka, the ba, and the akh (name, body and shadow) (Spencer, 1988). The name and shadow were also considered to be living things that had to be sustained and shielded from harm along with the body so as to enjoy eternal life. Bodies that are buried in desert pits are naturally preserved by aridity. Therefore, the poor Egyptians who could not afford a ceremonial burial were usually buried in deserts. Rich people would bury their dead in stone tombs making use of non-natural mummification methods. This involved doing away with the internal organs, followed by covering the body in linen. The body was finally buried in a stone tomb in a wooden coffin. By the New Kingdom, the ancient Egyptians had mastered the art of mummifying dead bodies. The best method took as many as 70 days and involved removal of the internal organs including the brain which was removed through the nose. The body was then dried out after the application of a mixture of salts called natron. The body was then covered in linen with protecting amulets placed in between layers and placed in an ornamented anthropoid sarcophagus. The original preservation practices declined during the Ptolemaic and Roman eras as greater importance was now given to the outward appearance of the mummy, which was bejeweled. Rich people were buried with a lot of luxury items. Nonetheless, all burials, not considering the social status, included goods for the departed soul. After burial, the family and friends of the dead were expected to occasionally bring foodstuff to the tomb and offer prayers for the departed soul. Egyptians assumed that preserving the body by mummifying it was the only way to have an eternal life. A special constituent of the death and burial ritual was a carved mask, put on the face of the dead. This mask was thought to make the spirit of the mummy stronger and protect the soul from evil spirits on its way to the next world. Egyptians believed in the flimsy state of transition thinking that the dead would have to successfully surpass in their physical and spiritual flight from this world to the next. Burial and Death rituals in American culture: The United States has a loaded history of burial and death rituals and traditions that have merged with the incursion of Evangelical and Catholic customs to form fascinating and at times strange contemporary practices. The present century has observed a number of remarkable changes in death customs of the United States. Some of these changes, perhaps, represent improvements in the long established rituals; others do not. Customs of burial were completely different a century ago than they are at present. Mr. Peterson, a local resident, shared his fathers early life experiences of death rituals with us. While giving details, he told us that his father grew up in a countryside area of south-central Kentucky. When an old lady in his neighborhood died, female members from his family went to her cottage, bathe the dead woman and made her wear the best dress from her wardrobe. The next day a wooden coffin was brought and was loaded in the rear of a wagon drawn by a mule and towed to a small graveyard a few miles away. The members of her family had a small gathering near her grave and stayed there for a brief service. Routine work was resumed quickly. Another local interviewee, while talking about his own experiences, told us that his grandfather died when he was only nine year old (five decades ago). They transported the dead body to their old family home for a family gathering. He recalled that there was already a small funeral parlor in the close by city by that time. His grandfathers body was placed in one of the bigger rooms. The adult of the family stayed up late talking of the past and about the good deeds of the dead man. The body was buried in the little graveyard the following day. The death culture of the United States has changed significantly over the last few decades and even at present a variation can be seen in these practices in different localities of the country. In southern America, burials and funerals, predominantly, continue to be extremely sanctified events. Residents of southern America still give way to the passing burial procession and pull to the side of the streets. Things are fundamentally different in the Western part of the country. A funeral, according to an interviewee belonging to the West, takes a completely worldly atmosphere. He, while giving details of his personal experience, recalled that he had attended many funerals where there was no insinuation of the spiritual or religious words, no talking about of God, no interpretation from the Bible, no sacrosanct signs, and no holy hymns. A number of funeral processions even took on an almost celebratory atmosphere. Another interviewee talked about the playing of popular music in the burial and funeral processions of the Western America. Residents of the West are also seen as too busy to be attending these services. They have a very casual attitude towards these services. A few interviewees also mentioned about attending some funeral services in with even fewer than a dozen people came for the service. The present Burial and funeral practices of the United States correspond to the emotional, economical and symbolic facets of their lives (Spencer, 1988). A few people, with respect to the economic explanations, affirms that funeral practices of America indicate the nature of materialism and capitalism. Others, however, believe that these Death customs symbolize the core beliefs of the social system; that life is sacred. Almost all the funeral services in America are characterized by a relaxed and normal public show of the dead body on his last day before burial. The main rationale behind this is that people want to show an acceptance of the verity that dead bodies will decay with passing time and that no one is making an attempt to spell out that they have been nauseated with this (British Humanist Association website, 2003). Dead bodies On the other hand, are represented as simple as possible so as to display that no manipulation has been done as normally carried out by capitalist systems. American Fascination of Egyptian Mummies and modern Egyptian burial practices The culture of ancient Egypt and the mummification of their dead bodies have been a source of great inscrutability and attraction to the people of United States. The Egyptian belief that mummies and their spirits are capable of flying out of the burial place and come back to it is also a bit terrifying to a number of Americans. Although the burial and funeral practices of the Egyptians and Americans were extremely different in the ancient times, Egyptian culture has drastically changed with passing time. They have given up the mummification of the dead bodies and burial of Gold and other worldly things with the dead. The most prevailing religion in Modern Egypt is Islam so their current burial and funeral practices are completely in accordance with the teachings of their religion (Andrews, 1994). When a Muslim Egyptian is close to death, the family members are called upon to console, and remind him/her of Gods compassion and amnesty. Verses from the Quran may also be recited by some encouraging the dying soul to recite words of commemoration and prayer. When the person is dead, the family members are encouraged to stay peaceful, pray for the deceased, and start arrangements for funeral. The eyes of the departed should be closed, and the dead body is temporarily covered with a clean sheet. Egyptian Muslims try hard to bury the dead body as early as possible. The family members, relatives or other members of the society, in preparation for funeral, will bathe and shroud the dead body. The body is then carried to the place of the funeral prayers. These last prayers are usually held in the open air. All the people gather there, and the prayer leader (imam) stands at the front of the dead body. After the final prayers, the dead body is transported to the graveyard for burial. Although funeral prayers are attended by all members of the community, only the male members go with the dead body to the graveyard (Faure, 1991). The dead body is peacefully laid in the grave facing the holy city of Mecca. Putting flowers or other momentos is strictly discouraged by the Islamic teachings. Now that we have read about the modern Egyptian burial and funeral practices more closely, we can see that it is very similar to the modern American burial rituals. Conclusion Rituals regarding burial and funeral cremation represent the beliefs, holy cosmology and rational growth of people and their customs. Today, the average individual is likely to disregard studying or exploring about traditions of burials and funerals. The reason behind this is that the present world is more about young life and life with an entrenched apprehension of death buried in one side of the mind. Death is an inescapable part of living. Archaeologists search and investigate the history of ancient civilizations by discovering burial and funeral practices that different cultures have left behind. These findings disclose more and more about the way societies have lived and from where our current cosmology around the world has come from.

Censorship Essay -- essays research papers

Censorship Everyone has a voice and an opinion. Some people, unfortunately, are censored and denied the right to express their opinion because it is different. Because everyone thinks they are right, if something is new or different, it will, more often than not, be disliked because people do not like to hear new and different ideas. It is not right that some people can express their opinion and some are censored and cannot express their opinion because their opinion is different from the norm. Censorship is wrong because it denies an individual the chance to be heard simply because they have different ideas. It also restricts freedom of information, which is vital to the survival of Democracy. With censorship, moral, artistic, and intellectual growth would cease to exist, and people would have no choice to believe what the government tells them, because they would have no other sources of information to turn to. Nazi Germany used censorship as a prime tool to keep the average people ignor ant and promote anti-Semitism. The United States Constitution says in the First Amendment, â€Å"Congress shall make no law†¦abridging the freedom of speech† (qtd. in Murphy) which means that any material in any medium; art, music, literature, spoken, cannot be altered by the government in any way. The people of the United States of America are free to express their opinion in any way, shape, or form without fear of repercussions from the government or others. Therefore, censorship is a violation of an American’s First Amendment rights. According to an article on Eric Nuzum’s website, after September 11th, a list of over 150 â€Å"lyrically questionable† songs was circulated to radio stations, urging restraint of these songs, â€Å"out of respect† for the dead. ( Nuzum). In the list, â€Å"all songs by Rage Against the Machine† was listed. Rage Against the Machine is a band famous for its controversial political views. Almost none of Rage’s songs bear reference to flying airplanes into buildings. There is no reason for all of their songs to be censored. This is an example of censorship. Silencing someone because of ideas that are different. Rage Against the Machine has a right to express their ideas without repercussions, and to censor all their songs from the radio is a violation of their right to free speech. According to an arti... ...any. It strips the common man of individualism, keeps him ignorant, and makes him a prime target for manipulation by malicious persons. Censorship has long been the tool of fascists, and totalitarian dictatorships who seek to use the common man for their own malicious intents. Censorship ensured that the Nazis had the German public in their grip as they bombarded them on a daily basis on how their lives had been improved from the day Hitler became Germany's leader. Nothing good has or will become of censorship. Murphy, Gerald. "Bill of Rights." Legal Information Institute. 14 Mar. 1993. Cornell U. 12 Feb. 2005 . Kingsbury, Alex. "A Windy War of Words." U.S News and World Report Feb. 2005: 16. Nuzum, Eric. "Sound Off: Our Attitudes Toward Music Parallel Our Belief in Freedom." Parental Advisory: Music Censorship in America. 30 Oct. 2001. 12 Feb. 2005 . Rovers, Ronald. "The silencing of Theo van Gogh." Salon. 24 Nov. 2004. 9 May 2005 http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2004/11/24/vangogh/index.html "Discriminate." Dictionary. 2000. 10 May 2005 . Alexander, Jeff. "Blue In The Face." Rock Out Censorship. 2003. 10 May 2005

My Virtual Life Report Essay

Attachment is defined as the positive emotional bond that develops between a child and a particular individual. Of the four major patterns of attachment (secure, avoidant, ambivalent and disorganized-disoriented), I would consider Blair securely attached. Like other children who have a secure attachment pattern, Blair uses me, her mother, as a type of home base (Feldman, 2012). At 8 months Blair is cautious and shy in new situations. She has a typical fear of strangers but will eventually warm up somewhat to a new situation. Blair shows a strong preference for me over others. I am always talking and thinking about Blair. When my husband and I find time to go out, I find myself worrying and calling grandma to make sure she is doing all right. Set 2: 19 months-TEMPERAMENT Blair has a somewhat moderate activity level. She enjoys her quiet time activities, but she also loves climbing and exploring her environment. As far as sociability goes, I would say that Blair is more introverted. This means that she is less sociable (myvirtuallife. com, n. d. ). At 19 months she seemed to not like playing with the other kids at daycare and had a hard time warming up to anyone who she wasn’t super close to. I would consider Blair a slow-to-warm up child. She shows relatively calm reactions to her environment. She tends to be withdrawn from new situations, adapting slowly. Blair is pretty cooperative for the most part, but she sometimes resists me. She usually just whines and fusses and is not usually aggressive. Her self-control is very good, but one may say that she is somewhat emotional. When she gets upset it is sometimes hard for her to calm down. Blair has been fairly stable in terms of her temperament throughout the last 18 months. Blair’s goodness of fit is directly related to her temperament. When Blair was younger she was anxious with strangers. As parents, we are benefiting from the principle of goodness of fit by gradually introducing her to new people and situations (Feldman, 2012). Set 3: 30 months-PARENTING PHILOSOPHY â€Å"For cognitive development to occur, new information must be presented- by parents, teachers, or more skilled peers- within the zone of proximal development (Feldman 2012 p. 171). This, in other words, is when a child cannot completely perform a task independently but can do it with a bit of assistance from a more competent figure. This zone of proximal development is something I experience with Blair. At two years old she has got to pick out her tooth and hairbrush, but she still needs a bit of help with both operations. Another idea that Vygotsky believed in was the method of scaffolding. This is known as the support for learning and problem solving that encourages independence and growth (Feldman 2012). For example, sometimes Blair has a tough time communicating using her words.

Essay about The Deinstitutionalization of Marriage

Andrew Cherlins article The Deinstitutionalization of Marriage is an analytical evaluation of the changing themes of the American approach to the relevance of marriage and its evolution over the past century. Through a method of statistical analysis of the changing ideologies and practices of Americans in regards to the institution of marriage Cherlin is able to show that marriage has now become an option rather than a necessity. In analyzing the recent growth of cohabitation he finds that its practice began as a short term method of reducing the possibility of divorce as cohabitation was viewed as a sort of trial marriage. However, as time has progressed this trial period has been severely lengthened and has less frequently†¦show more content†¦The article then goes on to explain that as societal expectations become less imposing and an individuals options increase, this changes the manner in which marriage is approached. The results, as he says, of increased option and a lessening of cooperative marital rewards have led to the deinstitutionalization of marriage. The next area that is assessed by this article is the reasons that people would continue to get married. Cherlin develops the ideas that people continue to get married because of symbolism or to display social status. The latter point is extremely well evidenced in the statistics that he shows that support a rise in the peripheral events that accompany a wedding of high social significance, notably that the wedding reception has increased by twenty four percent since 1925. Lastly, Cherlin shows that while it is likely that the current state of affairs regarding marriage will continue, the major changes that have occurred in the past were not predictable. Taking that into account he estimates that marriage practices could do one of three things. Marriage practices could regress to more traditional standards, continue on their current path, or evolve further into just another sort of ro mantic relationship on par with the rest of the lot. In his estimation, the second option is the most likely as he says that marriage, even though it has been deinstitutionalized, will remain distinctiveShow MoreRelatedThe Deinstitutionalization Of Marriage And The Sanctification Of Gendered Marital Roles1316 Words   |  6 Pages Baker, E. H., Sanchez, L. A., Nock, S. L., Wright, J. D. (2009). Covenant marriage and the sanctification of gendered marital roles. Journal Of Family Issues, 30(2), 147-178. This article contains research on the deinstitutionalization of marriage and the changing gender roles by focusing on a unique group of marriages. The authors use quantitative and qualitative research data from previous studies. The article reveals that covenants are more traditional than standards across religious, maritalRead MoreCohabitation By Andrew J. Postag81v1 s Article From 2004, The Deinstitutionalization Of American Marriage Essay1487 Words   |  6 Pages(2000) argues that cohabitation has increased tremendously over the past but it is short lived by couples either breaking the relationship off or proceeding to get married. Andrew J. Cherlin’s article from 2004, The Deinstitutionalization of American Marriage, argues that marriage is becoming deinstitutionalized while cohabitation is becoming institutionalized. More couples are starting to realize that they do not need a piece of paper to signify their love or compassion for one another. If theyRead MoreMarriage As A Social Institution2025 Words   |  9 Pages The definition of marriage as a social institution has significantly undergone a dramatic transformation over the last several decades. Marriage was once an important social institution within each and every individual s life. This image shift as new trends emerged and alter the society. This essay briefly will exploit Cherlin’s (2004) argument towards the conception of marriage becoming deinstitutionalized in the west and examine the future direction of marriage as a social institution. ThisRead MoreThe Controversy Over Same-Sex Marriages861 Words   |  3 Pageswrong for society to accept marriages between same-sex couples. The masses express confusion regarding the homosexual community and individuals are generally inclined to discriminate homosexuals. While some consider that marriage is not actually an important thing and it is irrelevant whether or not a gay couple unites through official means, recent events show otherwise and it is apparently very important for a homo sexual couple to have access to the institution of marriage in order for both of itsRead MoreAnalysis Of Andrew J. Cherlin s American Marriage946 Words   |  4 PagesIn Andrew J. Cherlin’s essay â€Å"American Marriage In Transition†, he discusses how marriage in America is evolving from the universal marriage. Cherlin’s definition of the universal marriage in his essay is the man is the breadwinner of the household and the woman is the homemaker. In the 20th century according to Cherlin, the meaning of marriage has been altered such as the changing division of labor, childbearing outside of marriage, cohabitation, gay marriage and the result of long- term culturalRead MoreThe Change Of A Formal Business Agreement Between Two Families1263 Words   |  6 Pages Over the past century, there have been many changes in the way society views marriage. What was once a formal business agreement between two families, is now a symbol of romantic involvement or social achievement. While these changes have been beneficial for the most part, some very important aspects of marriage have been lost in the process; leaving society with a fragile version of the strong union marriage should be. As a result, divorce has become a common and generally accepted ending toRead MoreThe Changing Landscape Of Love And Marriage By Kathleen E. Hull, Ann Meier1429 Words   |  6 Pageslife is the institution of marriage itself. Over the past few decades, the role and presence of marriage has been transformed. What once was a standard assumption in the home life of Americans has become increasingly less consistent. The Changing Landscape of Love and Marriage by authors Kathleen E. Hull, Ann Meier, and Timothy Ortyl discusses how and why these changes may have taken place on the basis of two primary conclusions. The first of these is the idea that marriage has lost it’s taken-for-grantedRead MoreMental Health Incidents Have Effected Policing1439 Words   |   6 Pagesspread disapproval with institutionally-based mental health service had spread to Canada, and throughout the 1950’s and 60’s, 80% of the beds in psychiatric hospitals were closed. In 1961 the Joint Commission on Mental Health called for the deinstitutionalization of Canada’s mental health system and a switch to community based mental health service (government). In 1963, the Canadian Mental Health Association released More for the Mind, a landmark policy document presenting 57 recommendations thatRead MoreDefining Deviancy Down By Daniel Patrick Moynihan2906 Words   |  12 PagesMoynihan also uses articles and statistics in addition to the ideas of the people I mentioned to further develop his three categories. The first category, the altruistic, is illustrated by a movement that appeared in the 1950s known as the deinstitutionalization movement focusing on the mental health profession. The second category, the opportunistic, mainly portrayed by the acceptance of â€Å"alternative† family structure. The third category, the normalizing, focusing on the growing acceptance of violentRead MoreCritical essay on gay marriage2070 Words   |  9 PagesTo begin, I must admit that I approached David Blankenhorns book The Future of Marriage with some trepidation, as I know that he is against extending marriage to same-sex couples. After reading the book, however, I have to give him credit for approaching the issue with more respect than most who believe in preserving â€Å"family values.† He doesnt fall into the easy and usual trap of moralizing about homosexuality being wrong, perverted, or unnatural. In fact, he goes as far as saying homosexual