Religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 19

Religion - Essay Example w Research Center for the People & the Press and the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life indicate that around 96% of Americans believe in God or other supreme being which is an indication that there is some form of religion that is alive in America. Further research by General Social Survey (GSS) shows that in the 21st Century, the number of Americans attending religious services and those who proclaim their religious preference has since doubled from that of the previous century. As from 2008 in the onset of economic crisis, the number of Americans who turned religious is said to have increased drastically. Critics say this is as a way of trying to seek divine intervention from the economic problems but according to Newport in his book God Is Alive and Well: The Future of Religion in America, it is because they realized that it is only through religion and divine intervention that they can be redeemed and get solace (Newport 45). This can be said to be the case because even as the economic problems eased, those that had become religious did not revert back to secular ways but have continued to remain among the religious based on the polls conducted by research firms. According to Newport, the evidence of religion is through actions where religious people are expected to change their behavior from bad to good or even better. Based on this therefore as an indication of an increase in religion, America can be said to be religious (Newport 156). Further evidence other than the one from the polls indicates a reduction in crime. This is an indication that many Americans have changed their behavior for the better. The elections of 2012 also proved to have religion in mind and proved that religion is alive. The leaders who were vying for positions such as the senate one had religious agendas in mind though not expressed directly. For example some of them were prolife and repulsed all the evil that is not acceptable by religion. If the leaders are religious, then many

Compare 2 films Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Compare 2 films - Essay Example An analysis of several scenes will illustrate these points. Ozu’s â€Å"Tokyo Story† tells the journey of an elderly couple to the city of Tokyo where they reunite with their children and grandchildren. Their children, however, don’t have the time to spend with them. A few days later, the elderly couple goes back home. The mother falls ill and eventually dies. After the funeral, the children return to Tokyo leaving their father alone. Kurosawa’s â€Å"Rashomon†, meanwhile, recounts the stories of four different persons about a murder that transpired in the woods. A wife is allegedly raped by a bandit while her husband is murdered. In a dilapidated house that bears the name â€Å"Rashomon†, a priest and a woodcutter relay the story to a commoner. All four stories mutually contradict one another. In the end, an abandoned baby is found at the dilapidated house. 2. Themes Ozu explores the consequences of generational gap in families. Children, on ce grown, will live their own lives and leave their parents behind. Parents, on the other hand, will wish that their children achieve success and live happy lives. As time passes by, parents and children grow emotionally apart. The once warm and caring relationships become cold and neglectful. Neither parents nor children are to be blamed in this situation; it’s just the way things are. ... Kurosawa, meanwhile, explores the subjective nature of reality and the human tendency to embellish one’s positive characteristics and conceal those that are unattractive. Reality, as the film portrays, is a matter of interpretation. One event can be viewed and looked at from different perspectives creating a myriad of meanings out of it. The ultimate and absolute truth of something, therefore, can never be realized. This applies to human beings as well. People choose to believe what they please. Their perception is always influenced by motives both good and bad. 3. Stylistic Analysis Mise-en-scene. This refers to the composition of a scene which include the setting, lighting, costumes, and actor’s gestures, to name a few. Ozu’s mise-en-scene is constructed with utmost control and filled with telling details. The teapots, cups, or slippers are all there for a reason. Each tells a story of its own (eg. slippers lying at the elderly couple’s door at the spa). In â€Å"Rashomon†, the mise-en-scene gives emphasis on nature. Most of the time, the actors are shot beneath the shadows of trees and leaves revealing both their good and bad nature. The sometimes hysterical and animalistic acting of the wife and bandit show how strongly they held to their perception of the event. It seems like they’re trying hard to conceal their bad nature. Cinematography. This refers to the distance and movement of the camera, and the framing and duration of shots. Ozu often utilizes long and medium shots which show entire landscapes, actors in full body or waist up, and the space/background where the actors move around. Close-ups which emphasize facial features and emotions are never used. The camera moves only once