buy custom White Collar Criminal essay

buy custom White Collar Criminal essay Introduction This is the paper seeks to look into the high profile white collar criminal, Jeffrey skilling. Skilling was accused of many crimes including fraud, inside trading and crimes that were related to the collapse of Enron Corporation. He was found to be guilty of inside trading, conspiracy, making false statements to auditors and securities fraud. What sentence did Jeffrey Skillings initially receive? Jeffrey Skillings was sentenced to 24 years in prison at the initial sentence. He was sentenced for substantially jeopardizing the safety of a reputable financial institution. However, this was improper since there was no substantial evidence that Enron Corporation was a financial institution. The other initial sentenced that Jeffrey Skilings was sentenced for fraud, inside trading and crimes that were related to the collapse of Enron Corporation. He was sentenced in 2006 and is currently servicing a 24 year sentence for these charges. Jeffrey Skilling was sentenced and convicted on 19 to 28 counts of fraud and inside trading. He was not only sentenced to 24 years in prison but was also ordered to pay $630 million to the Government and a $ 180 fine on the same. A number of other employees pleaded guilty for the crimes committed at Enron Corporation and were found guilty and convicted for the crimes and giving false statements. Was this sentence appropriate for the crime or the harm done? This question has been asked by many people and answered by the same in different aspects but none of them seem to agree on whether or not the sentence was appropriate. Other people were in support of the sentence while others were against the sentence. According to many analyst, this sentence was an exaggeration or too much for such a petty crime. The indictments were basically on the fact that Stilling had probable knowledge of , and was likely involved with the fraudulent transactions with Enron Corporation. He was alleged to have sold shares with inside information on the status of Enron Corporation bankruptcy .Many people including Skillings attorneys protested against the in house court proceedings, citing that it would be an unfair trial but their protests fell on deaf ears. This is because an in house court sitting would not allow maximum media coverage. According to the wall street journal, on 17th June 2006, Skilling claimed that Enrons bankruptcy had affected him immensely to the extent of contemplating to commit suicide, he commented that the indictment had lifted his spirits and got him out of his depression. Many analysts wonder if this was true or simply a way to attract pity from the prosecution and judges. There are many aspects in this case that did not make sense, and many analysts wonder and ask if it was a fair trial. This is because most of Skillings requests were denied, including his request to remain free during the trial. This case was treated so harshly, it was worse that a murder trial. Many questions have emerged and many wonder if there was an underlying reason for such a harsh sentence apart from those that killings was initially accused of. This trial was not fair and the sentence was not appropriate for this crime at all. A sentence of 24 years and four months in prison for conspiracy, inside trading, making false statement to auditors and fraud is on the higher side. It was actually noted as serious frailties which ws not fair. However other analyst believes that this sentence was not enough for the crimes that Skillings committed, they suggest that the correct sentence would have been 35 years for all the 35 counts that he was accused of. They also attributed this sentence to Skillings wrong doing which needed maximum punishment. Jeffrey skilling was proved guilty for these crimes, which he denied being part of. The court proceedings were not fair on Skillings side. It was like attending a court that already knew the verdict before hearing of the case. The Government determined that the ruling was appropriate. Many readers and the people who carefully followed the Skilling case, found Skillings conviction ridiculous , they insisted that the punishment far outweighed the crimes that were committed. Some readers suggested that such a hard punishment was good in order to teach others like Skilling. Others actually thought that the sentence was too light and they suggested that for such a crime Skillings was better off getting a death penalty. However, the question is, does deception and corruption deserve a death penalty? How many people around the world are guilty of deception and corruption? Are they being sentenced for their crimes? Take for example; the politicians who are corrupt and deceptive? Have they ever been sentenced for this crime? It is therefore crystal clear that Skillings did not deserve such a conviction for a crime of corruption and deception. What was the outcome of the sentence in this case? In 2008, Jeffrey Skilling case was reviewed and quite a number of inconsistencies were discovered. The case was therefore reopened. Skillings attorneys argued that even if Skillings committed fraud or illegal financial misconduct, it was for the of purpose saving the company and he never profited from the gains. However, this approach provided a very narrow chance the killings original case ruling to be overturned. Analyst believe that Skillings only chance was to cite a court decision that threw out guilty verdicts of the three bankers that were accused of helping Skillings and Enron Corporation in committing the fraudulent activities. In 2010, the court of appeal finally agreed to listen to Skillings appeal on two controversial cases. The first case was based on the fraud statue title 18 of the United States code, section 1946.The main question that was put forward by Skillings defense team was on whether or not the honest servicerequred the Governments prove that was initially intended to achieve private gain. This simply means that the question was whether or not the Skillings involvement in the fraudulent activities of Enron Corporation was because of a honest service and not for private gain. The second argument was based on the issued on in house judging. The questions was how can we be satisfied that a fair jury was picked when the judge did not follow up when the witness said, am a victim of this crime?The Supreme Court made a ruling that saw the nullification of Skilling honest service fraud conviction. The court found that Skillings conviction had no grounds or justifications on bribe or kick back. The c ase was therefore ordered back to the lower courts for the review of the charges. Skillings defense team was however optimistic that the lower courts would have no option but to overturn the rulings. They were optimistic that soon Jeffrey Skilling would be a free man. That is yet to be seen, many peoplle, analyst and those who are affected by similar cases are patiently awaiting the final ruling of the lower courts. The ruling will defiantly set a precedent on all other similar cases. The case could however, take a turn for the worst if the lower case ruling does not over turn the judgment. In such a case analyst see a scenario that could mean or lead to a reduced charge of 15 to 20 years. Skillings defendants have stated that if this happens, they will be forced to go back to the appeal courts. This means that the sentenced was not completely reversed but was partially reversed on appeal. What is the comparison between the first outcomes of Skilling case to the fate of criminal defendants who were convicted? The United States court of appeal ruling will have a great impact and will greatly affect the fates of criminal defendants who are convicted. The high court will have to address the confusion on whether honest service will apply or will not apply. This case is more likely to be sent back to the circuit courts in order to reconsider. This hones stature argument will probably be used by many defenders and prosecutors on criminals who are convicted on the same grounds. The Supreme Court ruling simply said that the judgment of this case went too far. This could mean freedom for Jeffrey Skilling and many other criminal defendants who have been convicted on similar charges. This ruling has immensely compromised the main tool that is used by many prosecutors to go after corporate officials. However, many people including Skillings lawyers have seen this as a land mark victory. This is case will have a very big impact on other similar cases; the ruling will affect in a big way the rulings in other cases and the fate of criminal defendants who are convicted for the same. This case will end up disturbing and complicating the Governments practice of over criminalizing the conducts of those in the business sector that do not violate any criminal law to deserve such harsh treatments and convictions. The legality of the Skillings case will have an impact on the recipients and the participants in similar cases. In such a case the ruling will aid other rulings of similar nature until sustainable or alternative replacement a ruling is implemented. This ruling will provide information that cannot be obtained elsewhere. And the provisions of the information will guide the other cases to contribute to positive rulings on related fates of criminals who are convicted of the same. Therefore, the outcome of this case will contribute to positive, social and environmental change on the ability of Governments and other policy makers to make more careful decisions on such cases. This can be categorized as cause for supporting other outcomes of such cases. The outcome of this case is an inspiration to all other outcomes of other cases. All other similar cases will need to be assessed on the same level or at higher level but in the same precedent. Conclusion The first time the Jeffrey Skilling case was heard, majority of the newspapers read; Guilty! Guilty! Guilty! Jeffrey Skilling was actually convicted long before the case hearings began. Every one, every newspaper, every Television station convicted him. The deep wounds from the collapse of Enron Corporation affected the employees, the family and the friends of Jeffrey Skilling and continue to do so. His release or trial could release or retrial could cause outrage. Thus the case of Jeffrey Skilling of Enron will continue to draw interest, concern and other many reactions for many days or years to come. Buy custom White Collar Criminal essay

4 Tips for Writing a Stand-Out Why UChicago Essay

4 Tips for Writing a Stand-Out Why UChicago Essay SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips For students applying to the University of Chicago, the â€Å"Why UChicago† essay is more straightforward than most of the other essay prompts you’ll see, but it can still be intimidating to try to figure out how you should tackle this essay. What should you mention? What will impress the admissions team? What are they really looking for in your response? We break down the why UChicago essay, explain everything the University of Chicago is looking for in this essay, suggest topics to write about that’ll help you stand out, and give why UChicago essay examples to help get your creative juices flowing. The Why UChicago Essay Prompt The â€Å"Why the University of Chicago† essay is the only prompt that shows up every year on the UChicago application, and it’s also the only prompt that everyone must answer (for the other essay you’ll have multiple prompts to choose between). This alone should tell you that the University of Chicago takes this essay, and applicants’ responses to it, seriously. Here is the prompt: â€Å"How does the University of Chicago, as you know it now, satisfy your desire for a particular kind of learning, community, and future? Please address with some specificity your own wishes and how they relate to UChicago.† There is no strict word limit to this essay, but UChicago suggests a response of around 250-500 words. What Is the Purpose of This Essay? Why does UChicago require applicants to answer this essay? What are they really looking for in your response? Let’s analyze this prompt. No matter which schools you’re applying to, "why our college?" is probably the most common prompt you’ll on college applications, and for good reason: colleges, including the University of Chicago, want to see that you really want to attend their school. Why? Applicants who love UChicago are more likely to accept an offer of admission, be committed to their studies, participate in extracurriculars, and give back after they graduate. Basically, schools are looking for students who will take advantage of all the unique opportunities they offer so they have the biggest impact at the school and when they’re alumni.If you show in your essay that you really love UChicago, it makes admissions officers feel more confident you’re going to have a significant and positive impact on their school. If you can’t give any compelling reasons for choosing UChicago and/or you don’t seem to have done much research on it, that makes UChicago worry that you’re not that invested and will only do the bare minimum in college, without having much of an impact at the school or afterwards. They may also think you don’t really care about getting into their school, which can make them less likely to admit you. Additionally, UChicago asks you to write this essay to ensure that you and their school are a good fit for each other. If you use the why UChicago essay to talk about how much you love D1 sports teams or how you want to be a famous researcher in geology, the admissions team may be hesitant to offer you a place at UChicago since their sports teams are Division III, and they don’t have a geology major. Basically the purpose of this essay is two part: UChicago wants to make sure you know and value what they offer, and they also want to see how you’re going to make use of these opportunities to reach your goals for the future. What Should You Write About in Your â€Å"Why UChicago† Essay? There are multiple ways you could approach this essay prompt; although since UChicago is best known for its academics (as opposed to killer sports teams, for example), most people will discuss the academic side for at least part of their response. Here's a list of possible topics you can write about: Majors or classes you’re especially interested in The UChicago Core curriculum Professors whose work you admire and whom you’d like to study with or conduct research with Extracurriculars that you’d be interesting in joining The school's intense academic atmosphere UChicago Scav Research opportunities you’d like to have Small class size/discussion-based classes University of Chicago students you’ve met who you admire Volunteer opportunities Financial aid opportunities UChicago offers that make it possible for you to attend In your response, you should choose about one to three reasons why you think the University of Chicago is the best school for you. For each reason, you should describe what UChicago offers and connect it back to your interest and skills to show how you’re a good match for the school. Remember to answer the prompt completely; this means talking about both the learning and community at UChicago, as well as your plans for the future and how UChicago can help you achieve them. Want to build the best possible college application? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. Tips for a Great Response to the Why UChicago Essay Regardless of how you decide to answer this prompt, there are four tips everyone should keep in mind to make sure they’re fully answering the question, giving the information UChicago wants to see, and making sure they stand out from other applicants. #1: Do Your Research Before you begin writing your response to this essay prompt, you should know exactly why you want to attend the University of Chicago. There are multiple ways to do this research: School website Course catalog School newspaper Campus visit Meeting with an alum or current student Meeting with a professor #2: Be Specific From your research, you should have come up with specific reasons why UChicago is a great school for you. The more specific you can be when answering this prompt, the better. Don’t say UChicago has great academics, caring professors, and an interesting student body. Most schools have that. Instead, try to mention opportunities only UChicago can provide, like specific professors, course names, extracurriculars, or research opportunities.The things you discuss should be things your other top schools don’t offer, things that really make UChicago stand out. #3: Show Your Passion UChicago wants students who care a lot about what their studies and their school, so make sure this comes across in their response. A bland statement like, â€Å"I am impressed by UChicago’s strong economics program† doesn’t tell the school anything about you or help you stand out from other applicants. You’ve done your research to mention specific qualities of UChicago that have enticed you, and now you need to discuss specific qualities about yourself as well. Why does the economics program make you so excited? What do you want to get out of it? Do you want to use your knowledge to study the economies of different developing countries and use that knowledge to fight global poverty? That's what you should write about. Showing a passion that’s unique to you will help differentiate you from other applicants and show UChicago that you’re going to take your studies seriously. #4: Discuss Your Vision for the Future It states right in the Why UChicago essay prompt that they want to know how UChicago relates to your goals for the future. So let them know your plans!Do you hope to use your time at UChicago as a launching pad for a career as a researcher at Fermilab? Do you want to major in Theater and Performance Studies and eventually open a drama school for underserved kids?UChicago wants students who dream big, so let them know what your dreams are. Why UChicago Essay Examples To help you get a better idea of what a great response to this prompt can look like, below are two Why UChicago essay examples. The first is an excerpt of an essay written by an admitted student, and the second is an essay we wrote. After the examples we explain what makes them excellent responses. Essay 1 As I prepare to leave my home for a university, I dream of joining the University of Chicago community. In all honesty, UChicago is probably the only university that will accept and even encourage my eclectic thinking and passion for finding adventure in everyday life. Although I hope to major in Computer Science, I also want to study political science and the Italian language to the extent that I can confidently debate Thomas Hobbes’ Leviathan and copy Dante’s terza rima poetry. I want to learn about game theory and astrophysics not just in surface-level introductory classes, but through in-depth discussion and analysis. At UChicago, the Core curriculum will feed my hunger for a broad undergraduate education by guaranteeing that one-third of my studies will be dedicated to the exploration of the humanities, sciences, and arts. I yearn to engage in vibrant discussion with UChicago musicians who study neurosciences, business majors who star in theatrical productions, and psychology students who are learning Mandarin. At any other school, I would be an untraditional student, but at UChicago, I will fit right in. Traditional warrior princesses feel at home in castles; it is no surprise that UChicago’s campus is full of them. At UChicago, surrounded by diverse thinkers and unique personalities of every kind, I know that I will feel at home, too. -Samantha M. Essay 2 It was reading an issue of the Chicago Shady Dealer that made me know the University of Chicago was the right school for me. Any school that produced a satire paper that included hilarious and clever articles joking about students taking a math class in an abandoned parking garage or hysterical preaching and projectile vomiting during alumni weekend was a place where I knew I’d belong. After speaking with a current UChicago student, I felt even more strongly that this is the school for me.This student is a Creative Writing major, as I plan to be, and he mentioned so many opportunities for University of Chicago students to publish their writing, from the Shady Dealer, to the Chicago Maroon, to Sliced Bread. My only concern was having enough time to write for all these publications! I’m especially interested in the student magazine Diskord because of its focus on student opinions of national and global news. Many people dismiss young people as uninformed or naà ¯ve, but I’ve found many have my peers have extremely important things to say, and it’s important to hear each other. The student I spoke with on the phone also mentioned that he was able to combine his interests in poetry and French Literature, and I really like how interdisciplinary the major is. Theater and scriptwriting is something I’ve always been interested in learning more about, and I think University of Chicago’s theater workshops and groups like Court Theatre could help me gain more skills in this area. People joke the University of Chicago is where fun comes to die, but from what I’ve seen, it’s just the opposite. I’ve never met a group of students who were so funny, creative, and intent on making an impact, and I’d love to be a part of that. Why Do These Essays Work? Answer the entire prompt:Both of these responses answer every part of the Why UChicago essay prompt. They mention the type of learning the writers hope to receive, the type of community they want to be surrounded by, and what their plans for the future are. Give details:There are many details in both these responses, such as specific classes the authors want to take, what they want to major in, specific extracurriculars and school publications they want to join. Show where they fit in:It’s clear from reading these essays how the authors see themselves fitting in at the University of Chicago. The first hopes to major in Computer Science while also debating famous literary works with fellow classmates, while the second wants to become a writer for school papers, and possibly work on theater productions. They’ve shown the University of Chicago has opportunities they want to take part in and contribute to, and they tie this into their goals for the future. Summary The Why UChicago essay likely won’t be the make or break factor in your application, but it can help give the admissions teams a good idea of why UChicago is a great fit for you.The purpose of this essay prompt is for you to show UChicago that you’ve done research on their school, you feel it’s a good fit for you, and you already know some of the opportunities at the school you want to make the most of. In your UChicago essay, you can write about multiple topics, including academics, the student body, extracurriculars, and research opportunities.When writing your essay for this prompt, be sure to do lots of research on the school, be specific, show your passion, and mention plans you have for the future. Looking at Why UChicago essay examples can also help. What's Next? You'll need to write to essays when you apply to the University of Chicago. Check out our other guide to learn how to tackle both UChicago essays. (coming soon) The "Why This College?" is a common essay topic on college applications. Learn how to write a great "Why This College" essay for every school you're applying to by reading our guide on the topic. Want to see some more college essay examples? We have links to 101 great college essays that includes our expert analysis on how you can write a standout essay of your own. Want to write the perfect college application essay? Get professional help from PrepScholar. Your dedicated PrepScholar Admissions counselor will craft your perfect college essay, from the ground up. We'll learn your background and interests, brainstorm essay topics, and walk you through the essay drafting process, step-by-step. At the end, you'll have a unique essay that you'll proudly submit to your top choice colleges. Don't leave your college application to chance. Find out more about PrepScholar Admissions now:

The objectives of improving Coca-Cola Company's Internal Business Assignment

The objectives of improving Coca-Cola Company's Internal Business Processes - Assignment Example The individual skills and the unique talents of the workers assist the institution in achieving the 2020 vision and the goals therein. The institution thus refers to them as associates due to them being the ambassadors of the company’s brands to the world. There is a close relation of motivating employees to the other targets that are part of the vision of the company by 2020 as a description in (Britain, 2015). The company motivation tactics abide with the objective of the company to make its premises a high place of work whereby people experience the inspiration to be the best. The employee motivation also relates to the achievement of the company’s portfolio in the performance of a list of beverages that are quality brands in the satisfaction of desires and consumer needs. The elevation of the employees also brings the attainment of the goal to be productive by being highly economical. The other relationship is as per the winning culture of the company whereby the company collaborates with genius minds and is in the leadership. A focus of the business to its employees ensures that its outlook for the market is possible to the satisfaction of the needs of the franchise partner. The employee motivation also results in them work ing smart that is a goal of the institution through the acting with urgency and retain an excellent response to change. The great relation to the company also lies in the core statement of the business that appreciates the company to be a brand that inspires passion, fun as well as optimism.

Credit-Default Swaps and the Fate of AIG Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Credit-Default Swaps and the Fate of AIG - Essay Example The buyers of the credit mechanisms in most a cases are investors and the process of purchasing bond from the seller are comparable to the purchasing an indemnity contract (Rottleb, 2009). The payment done by the investor is characterized of it plagiaristic form that is always used as tradable security to the organization in question. The â€Å"Naked† credit default swaps are when an individual with no experience in dealing with CDS purchase the CDS protecting if from declining because of the upheavals in the economic conditions of the country. Naked credits purchasers are individuals taking a bet of non-payment to be sold to be sold to an individual who is a need of protection against a mechanism default (Pe?rez, 2011). The importance of CDS can not be underrated. It gives investors a break though to predict the changes within a default mechanisms or market catalogues to take suitable decisions regarding purchasing or selling CDS. An example is that an investor may profit to accrue proceeds from the excess of credit default swap from ‘basis trade’, since it combines various default mechanism with the cash bonds of an organization. The mechanism also opens up other avenues for speculations. A saver is at liberty in laying promises to take charge of a bond by promising the seller that he or she is fully liable incase of eventuality of a drop of CDS. An example is when a company A has certainty that company B is going to decline. It purchases bonds of unknown worth from the company to shield it against company C that was waiting to take over the assets of C on its fall. The CDS has the terms of its contract stipulated in the, in the ‘The International Swap and Derivates operation‘. The terms entail the deadline for protection of an organization from declining. Secondly, the terms also spell out the computation mechanisms to apply in determining the effectiveness off administrative function used on the transactions. Lastly, the term s also spell out the structure of the credit event that will lead to the payments of the cash used to insure an organization (Boberski, 2009). There are 2 forms of settlement for CDS associated with the settlement of the mechanisms are Physical or cash settlement. Physical Settlement and Cash Settlement Physical payment is the payment made by an investor to buys bonds to protect them from declining. The buyer investor pays the seller par value of the sold CDS. Cash settlement is the settlement the retailer pays the purchaser the variation par value of the CDS bought by a buyer or an investor. Synthetic Credit Default This is a debt that is taken with provision of security to acts as collateral for the debt taken. The debt taken is invested in other channels like CDS. Synthetic swap are based on the risk individuals take. The cons of synthetic CDS far outweigh its pros; thus it is not efficient. Disadvantages of Synthetic Credit Default Swap The use of synthetic CDS is not effective, since it is not given similar of financial support like the other available money souks because a risk taken by an individual will not be paid completely, rather the payments will be made in portions. Secondly, it requires different views from the stakeholders to

Beazer Homes Case Essay Example for Free

Beazer Homes Case Essay Investors were lead to believe that the company financials were healthier than they actually were, as evidenced by the changes noted when the financial statements had to be restated. As a result of doing this, investors who were under the impression of a healthier position, continued to invest in an organization that was essentially doing nothing more than stealing their money; money which could have been invested into a different enterprise rather than padding the pockets of executives that didnt earn it. As a result of having to restate financial statements, the per share price of Beazer Homes dropped from the $35/share price level in may, to approximately $11/share by the end of July. This is a significant loss in wealth for investors. In addition to the allegations against Mr. Rand for possible accounting fraud, allegations were also brought against Beazer Homes for mortgage fraud. To address the question as to which is a more serious offense, it would be our opinion that both would carry an equal weight of seriousness. On the one hand, investors were misled, as noted above, and this led to a significant loss of wealth for many, especially those individuals and/or institutions that may have held a large position. On the other hand, to address the issue of mortgage fraud, new homeowners were oftentimes cheated out of money that they paid to Beazer Homes. A example of this is when Beazer Homes would require purchasers to pay a fee for interest discount points at closing. Then Beazer Homes would keep the cash received and not lower the interest rate. This is just one example, but it can be an extremely costly one when you look at how much a . 25 percent or . 5 percent reduction in an interest rate can be over the life of a 20 or 30 year fixed rate mortgage; thats if Beazer Homes wasnt trying to convince people that an adjustable rate or hybrid mortgage would be better for their situation. Additionally, Beazer Homes ignored income requirements when making loans to unqualified purchasers, which not only put the purchaser in jeopardy of having the income needed to make their ayments, but in the event of default or foreclosure, it can have a significant impact on the home values of the neighborhood. As a result of these legal issues with Beazer Homes, the SEC issued a notice to the Beazer Homes CEO called the Wells notice. The Wells notice was created under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, which states that if a firm has to restate their financial statements, the SEC can require the CEO and CFO to return any and all bonuses that were received during the period of restated financial statements. Additionally, the CEO and CFO do not need to have any knowledge of errors. The SEC issued the Wells notice to the Beazer Homes CEO, Ian J. McCarthy, on 13 November 2009, indicating that the SEC would be brining a civil case against him to collect incentive compensation. In the notice issued to the CEO, there was no indication or allegations of cover-up, or misconduct, on the part of Mr. McCarthy with respect to the financial statements or other disclosures that were published during the period in question.

The Community of Female Voices in Arab Women Literature :: Fatima Mernissi Arab Culture Cultural Essays

The Community of Female Voices in Arab Women Literature In her memoir, Dreams of Trespass, Fatima Mernissi remembers asking her grandmother Yasmina how one can discern a true story from a false one. The wise old woman, Yasmina, told her granddaughter to relax and not look at life in extreme polarities because "there are things which could be both [true and false] and things which could be neither" (Dreams, 61). "Words are like onions," Yasmina explained further and "the more skins you peel off, the more meanings you encounter" (Dreams, 61). Thus, according to Yasmina, the real power of finding the "true" answer for oneself is to discover "multiplicities of meanings" because then right and wrong become irrelevant (Dreams, 61). Yasmina's image of words as onions can be used in one's understanding of the multilayered complexity of oppression in Arab women literature. Although in some novels, such as The Pillars of Salt and Drams of Trespass, female oppression is an obvious result of social norms, in other texts (In the Eye of the Sun, for example) the main female character, Asya Ulama, seems to be free of any form of social pressure. However, one has to keep in mind that no woman ever stands alone in her oppression, whether it is physical or psychological oppression, or both. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to "peal off all the skins of an onion" or to uncover all the different layers of female oppression presented in the five books: Pillars of Salt, A woman of Five Seasons, A Balcony Over Fakihani, Dreams of Trespass and In the Eye of the Sun. The Feminist Theory The feminist writer, Gloria Anzaldua, argues that in order for silence to "transform into speech, sound and words," the silence must first ‘traverse through our female bodies" (Making, XIII). According to Anzaldua, the female silence is richly layered and it hides important voices which once discovered lead to women's liberation. Many feminist writers would argue that women can only tell their stories when they listen to (and follow) their inner voices. These inner voices are not only singular voices of the "self" but also communal voices that connect women with past and future generations. Thus, if one is to explore the oppression of Muslim women through the work of Arab women novelists, one must keep in mind the multilayered complexity of women's voices, or what I call the "community of

Nature of Sin

Romans 5:12 [ Death Through Adam, Life Through Christ ] Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned. â€Å"It is proven every human being sins. Sin is often defined as missing the mark. It is a failure to live up to God's requirements†. When we use the word â€Å"sin† many people have very different ideas about what sin actually is. Most people think of sin only as committing very evil crimes.Others don't use the word sin when talking about their own deficiencies, but instead refer to their sins as â€Å"mistakes†. If we are to know God, it is of utmost importance that we understand His definition of sin and see our condition through the eyes of the Almighty One. â€Å"Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me† (Psalm 51:5). â€Å"We sin because we have a sin nature. Every human being possesses a sin nature — a corrupt natu re inherited from Adam†. Our sin nature separates us from God: â€Å"The result of one trespass was condemnation for all men† (Romans 5:18).Psalm 51:5 states that we all come into the world as sinners: â€Å"Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me. † Ephesians 2:2 says that all people who are not in Christ are â€Å"sons of disobedience. † Ephesians 2:3 also establishes this, saying that we are all â€Å"by nature children of wrath. † If we are all â€Å"by nature children of wrath,† it can only be because we are all by nature sinners–for God does not direct His wrath towards those who are not guilty. God did not create the human race sinful, but upright. But we fell into sin and became sinful due to the sin of Adam. Christians have two natures at work in their being — one is the old sin nature, and the other is a new nature controlled by the Spirit†. These two natures are constantly at w ar with each other. Paul explains that, despite his best intentions, he is still influenced by his sin nature: â€Å"I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do — this I keep on doing† (Romans 7:18-19). While our two natures are constantly in conflict, it is not the sin nature that will ultimately control the Christian.Part of the sanctification process involves dying to the old nature. The Christian will sin, but the Christian will not continue in unrestrained sin: â€Å"You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you† (Romans 8:9). Sin in the Christian's life will be followed by remorse and repentance. At Christ's second coming, when the believer's body is glorified, the sin nature will be destroyed once and for all. Until then, we are told to resist the sin nature's temptations.God is faithful; He will no t let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it† (1 Corinthians 10:13). â€Å"Sin is a spiritual contagious disease, an illness and an ulcer which has stricken all mankind, both in his soul and his body. Sin has damaged all three of the basic abilities and powers of the soul; the mind, the heart and the will†. Man's mind became darkened and inclined toward error, thus, man constantly errs – in science, in philosophy and in his practical activity.The Lord Jesus Christ Himself says that this sin – the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit – is not forgiven and will not be forgiven either in this age or in the future. He pronounced these terrible words against the Pharisees who, though they clearly saw that he worked everything according to the will of God and by God's power, nevertheless distorted the truth. They perished in their own blasphemy and their example is i nstructive and urgent for all those who would sin mortal sin: by an obdurate and conscious adversity to the undoubted Truth and thereby blaspheming the Spirit of truth – God's Holy Spirit.The Bible teaches that â€Å"all have sin and come short of the glory of God† (Romans 3:23). That means all humans have a sinful nature and are capable of doing things which are contrary to the will of God. James said â€Å"Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins†- James 4:17. Paul says, anything that is not of faith is sin (Roman 14:23) and the Apostle John calls sin lawlessness. With that being said, here we are in the Garden of Eden. God had given Adam specific instructions, before Eve was formed.Rom 6:22, 23 â€Å"But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our L ord†. It is evident that we all sinned and falling short; all but one man Jesus Christ. There was one major difference between Jesus and every other person who’s ever lived – He never sinned. Hebrews 4:15 says, â€Å"For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. As that verse also shows, Jesus went through every type of hardship that we go through. But why do we sin? Are we conceived with a Nature to sin or do we choose to sin? Do children have to be taught to lie or do they have to be taught to tell the truth? Obviously they must be taught to tell the truth because they are liars by nature. David wrote, â€Å"Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me† and again â€Å"The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go forth speaking lies as soon as they be born† (Psalms 51:5, 58:3).Paul tells us, â€Å"And you hath he quic kened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others† (Eph. 2:1-3). So we must conclude, according to Scripture, we are conceived under the condemnation of sin and death, with a nature to sin against God and need not be taught to sin.Sin was passed on to the Human Race when Adam knew Eve and Cain were born. Adam â€Å"BEGAT† sons and daughters, and the whole process continued. This seems to agree with what David wrote, â€Å"In sin did my mother conceive me† and what Paul said, â€Å"We all – were by nature the children of wrath, even as others†. Therefore God says, â€Å"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered the world, and death by sin; and so death PASSED upon all men, for that (in whom) all have sinned†. The 7 Deadly Sins are so-called because they have the ability to â€Å"kill grace† – to turn us away from a place where we can receive the grace of Christ.None of them are discreet acts: they are all â€Å"inner dispositions and modes of behavior from which individual sins flow†. In no particular order, they are: Lust, Gluttony, Sloth, Greed, Wrath, Envy, and Pride. A few notes about these will clarify their nature. â€Å"Lust is not merely sexual, though sexual lust captures the sense of it quite nicely: the Deadly Sin of Lust is disordered desire of any type – something early theologians saw as the primal sin†. Similarly, Gluttony is not just about food, but about consuming for the sake of consumption,  habitual excess. Greed is very similar: wealth for wealth’s sake.Pride’s definition is more well-known: self-centeredness, or the inability to refrain from putting oneself before others. These are not actions, but dispositions: they are not even things that we can will ourselves to do, but things outside of our will that twist our application of our will. I cannot simply choose not to be greedy; rather, my greed influences my will, justifying my greedy actions and thus limiting my will. â€Å"If we are to make informed choices in life, the seven deadly sins present us with biased fact sheets. This is one of the things that make sin so utterly sinful: we do not choose evil, but rather see evil as good. I’m sinful, and there’s nothing I can do about it. Sure, constant discipline can help me to control my outward expressions of the 7 deadly sins, but even if I manage to keep them all inside, they’re still in there. On our own, there’s nothing we can do about sin. Through his life and death, Christ has defeated sin. We are no longer guilty for sin, even though we continue to commit sins: by identifying with Christ, we identify with His sinlessness. To put it another way, Christ is the representative of all humanity – and because our representative is sinless, in the sight of God, so are we.Good news! The effects of sin (suffering and death) are no longer permanent; we look forward to being resurrected, just like Christ was, into a new world where God will â€Å"wipe away every tear†, and there will be no more mourning or death (Revelation 21:4). We are counted as righteous now (even though we aren’t), and one day we will have new natures like Christ’s, and so will actually be righteous. That’s not to say that I’ll ever be perfect in this life; but it is to affirm that my sinful nature does not flare up as often as it did five years ago.It is to suggest that, by the power of Christ in me through the Holy Spirit, I can do good! This is a very important issue to be dealt with by Christian Ethics, co unseling, and pastoral care. If we are completely incapable of doing good, yet are justified by Christ anyway, then should we even try to do good? Without a doctrine of sanctification, in which we assert that Christ has in some sense overcome sin in us, and that the Holy Spirit enables us to do good, then there is no rationale for judgment on one hand or ethics on the other. Humankind is sinful, there is no doubt. We all commit sins of commission and omission, and have twisted impulses and understandings, and face temptations and deceptions of all sorts, and are completely incapable of setting aside this sinful nature on our own†. But God is making us like Him, even now, and our present sufferings under the sinful nature are not worthy of comparison to the glory that will be revealed in us. â€Å"An overstated doctrine of sin tells us that we are worms whom God loves; God tells us that we are glorious, like His Son, and that we ought to, and can, learn to act like it. † ——————————————- [ 1 ]. Robert Thompson, The Nature of Sin (Trumpet Ministries, Inc. 2011), page 73 [ 2 ]. Alan Jacobs, Original Sin: A Cultural History (Reed Business, Inc. 2009) page 124 [ 3 ]. Holy Bible, King James Version (American Bible Society, 1999) [ 4 ]. Anna Kingsford, Concerning The Nature of Sin (Kissinger Publishing, LLC. 2010) page 226 [ 5 ]. Holy Bible, King James Version (American Bible Society, 1999) [ 6 ]. Anthony Roukema, The Bible and the Future (Gale ECCO. 2010) page 79 [ 7 ]. Holy Bible, King James Version (American Bible Society, 1999 [ 8 ].Holy Bible, King James Version (American Bible Society, 1999) [ 9 ]. Holy Bible, King James Version (American Bible Society, 1999) [ 10 ]. Josephine Hart, Sin (Create Space. 2009) page 10 [ 11 ]. Holy Bible, King James Version (American Bible Society, 1999) [ 12 ]. Holy Bible, King James Version (American Bible Society, 1999) [ 13 ]. Holy Bible, King James Version (American Bible Society, 1999) [ 14 ]. Holy Bible, King James Version (American Bible Society, 1999) [ 15 ]. Holy Bible, King James Version (American Bible Society, 1999) [ 16 ]. Holy Bible, King James Version (American Bible Society, 1999) [ 17 ].Holy Bible, King James Version (American Bible Society, 1999) [ 18 ]. Holy Bible, King James Version (American Bible Society, 1999) [ 19 ]. Josephine Hart, Sin (Create Space. 2009) page 223 [ 20 ]. Josephine Hart, Sin (Create Space. 2009) page 224 [ 21 ]. Josephine Hart, Sin (Create Space. 2009) pages 224-225 [ 22 ]. Holy Bible, King James Version (American Bible Society, 1999) [ 23 ]. Alan Jacobs, Original Sin: A Cultural History (Reed Business, Inc. 2009) page 23 [ 24 ]. Anna Kingsford, Concerning The Nature of Sin (Kissinger Publishing, LLC. 2010) page 510