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Unit 36 Beliefs
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Unit 36 Beliefs - Форум
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Unit 36 Beliefs
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| readeralexey | Дата: Воскресенье, 15.10.2023, 13:47 | Сообщение # 1 |
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| Choose an issue from the following list (a different one from what you used at the Upper-Intermediate level) or any other issue where you have strong views. Describe your views / position on the issue (the essence of your views, where they derive from, how long you have been their proponent, why you converted to them, what are their practical implications (if there are any) in your life, what other people think about your beliefs...). Use as many words from the unit as possible.
- Capital punishment
- Women's rights
- Rights of sexual minorities
- Animal rights
- Pro-life / pro-choice controversy
- Green issues / Environmentalism
- Military service
- Immigration
- Emigration
- Freedom of speech
- Safe spaces / No platforming / Cancel culture
- Culture wars
- Inclusive language
- Identity politics
- Diversity / Inclusivity / Equity
- Eurocentrism
- White privilege
- Cultural appropriation
- Marriage / Family / Divorce
- Child-free ideology
- Serial monogamy
- Trial cohabitation before marriage
- Use of foul language
- State power vs individual freedom / privacy
- Social inequality
- Clash of civilizations
- Russia vis-a-vis the collective West
- War in Ukraine
- War in Palestine
- Marxism
- Post-modernism
- Democracy
- Street art / graffitti / tagging
- Biblical criticism
- Ecumenical movement
- Modern style in church architecture
- Women priesthood
- Worship in Russian versus Church Slavonic
Look up a world view that interests you, e.g. feminism, Marxism, humanism, Buddhism or any -ism that you want to research. Make notes about (1) the origins of the -ism, (2) what its basic beliefs are, and (3) what differences there are between its different branches (if it has them).
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| yarovaya02 | Дата: Вторник, 17.10.2023, 09:20 | Сообщение # 2 |
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| Pro-choice controversy
A human, really, is a very complex being. Sometimes we do what we don’t want to do and we don’t do something we have inclination for.
“For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.” (Romans 7:18-19)
Our will is continually progressing. We try to accord our deeds with good will. We have good desires, but only God can help us to realize what we want to do. On the one hand, our deeds DERIVE FROM our will, on the other hand, good actions strengthen our good will. Confident deeds help us to follow good impulses and to help us to move towards God.
We want to be good people, to live a righteous life, but not always we are ready to say prayers or to help our neighbors.
We want to be taught how to love truly, but do we do everything for that? According to Venerable Ambrose of Optina, if we don’t have such a love we wish to have, then we are to perform deeds of love, even if at first they are performed without love. And in my VIEWPOINT, God seeing our persistence, will help us and bestow His great gifts.
I ADHERE TO the idea that esteem of our desire and will depends on the strength and perseverance of our pleading and prayer. So the more we ask, the harder we stand for the asked and for the sought.
But we should not forget that God knows better what we really need. And fortunately, He doesn’t give us everything we ask Him for. I think we should be obedient to the providence of God, for the one who is obedient is loving.
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[A good essay, but its content has nothing to do with the title. See Masha's essay. And some grammatical corrections are due.]
In my VIEWPOINT, all these TENETS are INCREDIBLE and IMPLAUSIBLE. You should not be so GULLIBLE. You should TAKE it WITH A PINCH OF SALT.
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Сообщение отредактировал yarovaya02 - Понедельник, 22.04.2024, 20:33 |
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| marichernaya911 | Дата: Среда, 18.10.2023, 23:07 | Сообщение # 3 |
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| Pro-life / pro-choice controversy
These days in European countries thousands of abortions are performed annually. Young people today want to be free of any kind of responsibility, fulfilling their passions and desires. So, living a usual life, they prevent their life from being burdened by birth of a child through abortion. Those who are adherents of such way are called "child-free" or "pro-choice".
Such people say that it is necessary to give any woman freedom of choice whether to have a child or not. They say that a foetus is not a human, but just an accumulation of cells. That is why they find nothing immoral or inhumane in abortion.
At the same time there is a "pro-life" movement. They teach that an embryo is already a human, so they find abortion a murder, and in every possible way prevent a woman from that, supplying them with social and financial support.
I am a Christian, so I have no doubts that a human starts their existence from the moment of conception. We have a strong acknowledgement of that in the form of one of the greatest Orthodox feasts - the Annunciation. We believe that our salvation started at the day when Archangel Gabriel came to Virgin Mary to bring Her the great God's blessing and good tidings for all nations.
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Pro-life movement's followers seek to eradicate abortions. They believe that it cannot be justified. Their beliefs derives from the idea that an embryo is not a part of woman's body - it's another body. So, she can dispose of her own body in a way she wants, but not of the body and life of another person.
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Сообщение отредактировал marichernaya911 - Четверг, 25.04.2024, 00:24 |
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| amasaltseva | Дата: Четверг, 19.10.2023, 15:58 | Сообщение # 4 |
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| Freedom of speech
Freedom is what everyone is seeking, something we are eager to get, and in what we all want to believe. But does it really exist? What is to be free when it comes to our daily lives?
In the religious discourse, freedom is a precious gift given to us by God. We are free to choose whether we want to follow Him or not, and each action of ours is a free choice. From that point of view, we are all free. However, that is not what we mean when talking about the freedom of ourselves as social creatures.
You are never free in the society. Even if you are told you are free, that’s just an illusion. The adherents of that kind of "philosophy", I mean those who proclaim their freedom, are hostages of their own beliefs and frames.
What is freedom of speech? If to understand this literally, you can tell whatever you want. Obviously, you can’t. There are things which are not allowed to be pronounced and would be suggested as offending, extremist, propagandistic etc. That’s already a limitation, even if we acknowledge that to be right.
Your freedom ends where the freedom of another person begins. Your freedom ends where the politics starts. Is there any room for it at all? It seems, only in our souls and mind. Or maybe not, if we accept the idea of the great impact of propaganda, advertising and so on. But that’s another issue to be discussed.
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Сообщение отредактировал amasaltseva - Понедельник, 12.02.2024, 19:41 |
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| ulyana_kazakova | Дата: Суббота, 21.10.2023, 14:06 | Сообщение # 5 |
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| Green issues / Environmentalism
We live in a world where one and a half billion people own cars. Cars in turn emit exhaust fumes, and prolonged contact with an environment poisoned by car exhaust causes a general weakening of the body - immunodeficiency. In addition, the gases themselves can cause various diseases. For example, respiratory failure, bronchitis and lung cancer.
Among other things, exhaust gases have a negative impact on the environment, pollute the air, water and soil with harmful substances, contribute to poisonous acid precipitation, poison plants, agricultural and fodder crops, which we then consume. This environmental issue is closer to us than any other.
I PRESUME that if you want to make a difference, start with yourself. Every person can help the environment, if only by disposing of his/her rubbish properly and separating it. Or at least by not throwing rubbish into rivers or on roads. People make their own rubbish dumps. And as for water bodies, waste and toxic discharges, once in the water, harm fish and aquatic animals, and become a cause of disease for both animals and people.
Last summer, RADICAL ecoactivists glued themselves to a Botticelli painting in the Uffizi Gallery. And this is not an isolated case: by doing so, they are trying to demonstrate that people are protecting and preserving "some painting", but they are not preserving the land they live on. Of course, by their actions these activists are damaging works of art, but on the other hand, it begs the question: how can they get the message across that our planet is dying because of environmental problems?
I know a store called "Kotomka.zero". Here is what their website says about their project: "Kotomka is a space where everyone can immerse themselves in the zero waste lifestyle. You'll find everything you need to live a zero waste lifestyle. From packaging-free food to products that can be easily substituted for everyday items for a greener lifestyle". The authors of this project, as far as I understand, believe that in order to change the world, you have to change yourself. In their online store they sell many different items: reusable collapsible cups, reusable shoe covers (with an included bag for them), multipurpose set of appliances, which is convenient to take with you (the set includes a spoon, a fork, a knife, a drinking straw and sticks, the case is made of cotton, equipped with a rubber band and a metal button, and the instruments are made of bamboo and coated with a water-based food lacquer), multi-use folding container, glass and steel straws, shopper bags. Speaking of shopper-bags. The shopper was originally intended to be a reusable shopping bag, to avoid using plastic bags. Now, many people use shoppers in their daily lives as regular bags.
As for my family, if we go to the grocery store, we usually take shoppers with us, so we don't have to buy non-biodegradable plastic bags. I would like to believe that in some small way we are doing something to help the environment. But in reality, environmental problems are global problems that are INCREDIBLY difficult to deal with and can't be solved quickly. Nevertheless, I would like to do something to delay the death of our planet due to environmental problems.
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Добавлено (20.11.2023, 14:29)
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1 When reading news online, especially on social media, it is advisable to take the information WITH A PINCH OF SALT. 2 Due to GULLIBILITY, it is possible to believe misinformation or become easy prey for scammers. 3 Personally, I am INCREDULOUS of the information I find in unfamiliar sources.
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Сообщение отредактировал readeralexey - Среда, 07.02.2024, 22:26 |
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| veronikachernykh15 | Дата: Понедельник, 24.03.2025, 17:20 | Сообщение # 6 |
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| Marriage / Family / Divorce
Although I have little experience of marriage, I decided to take this particular topic, as others seemed too complicated and distant to me. My opinion on the family is probably somewhat naive; I can't imagine divorcing a man with whom I made vows before God. But I have experience with divorce, and it's certainly not an impulsive decision but it's a great tragedy that changes the lives of everyone involved. Of course, there are times when divorce is the only way out.
Speaking of marriage itself, it's all about love. It differs for everyone, but every marriage is unique. In Orthodoxy, marriage is a sacrament. For me, every day in marriage is a miracle, a gift from God. The Apostle Paul wrote, "Husbands love your wives as Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her." (Ephesians 5:25)
Secondly, marriage is responsibility. Responsibility for your choice, your actions and those of the person you choose. Now everything does not belong to you alone but to both of you. Whether you are successful or not, whether you move closer to God or away from Him.
And thirdly, marriage creates a family. A family that extends from the two of us. The good and bad we have been able to bring into this world.
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1) He was a FANATIC and his main aim was to CONVERT people into his faith. 2) This radicalism of his beliefs ERADICATED a wish to talk with him. 3) Only GULLIBLE people could listen to his TENETS. 4) Suddenly, one REACTIONARY became fed up with his ideas and PRESUMED that the fanatic should be isolated.
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Сообщение отредактировал veronikachernykh15 - Понедельник, 05.05.2025, 22:32 |
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| sodrozdova | Дата: Понедельник, 24.03.2025, 19:06 | Сообщение # 7 |
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| Use of foul language
A very important point that I would like to mention before discussing the subject is that this is my personal opinion, and I am not trying to convert anyone to take my point of view.
Regarding foul language, I am not that radical about it. I personally do not use it, and this is not based on any religious or social beliefs. To be honest, when I was in school, I did use some of these expressions. However, I clearly remember the moment when I decided to stop. It was when my mother caught me using some swear words in my regular conversations with friends, and I felt embarrassed. At that point, I realised that I had been doing something wrong.
After some time, I realised that living without using foul words was much better for my spiritual well-being. As a result, a key tenet is that I feel calmer and more stable when I don't use such words in my speech. However, I'm not a fanatic about it, so if some of my friends continue to use these words, I don't say anything about it. If they ask if I mind, I simply say that it's their choice and that I prefer if they could use less often. If they can't manage that, I have learned to ignore it and focus on the positive aspects of our friendship and their speech.
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1) Sometimes, people are too subjective when it comes to other people's lives. 2) I believe that being objective and less radical is a person's superpower. 3) You always feel like you can tell these people anything, because they seem credible gullible. 4) But remember to take their words with a pinch of salt, as they are trying to be loyal and never express their true opinions.
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Сообщение отредактировал readeralexey - Понедельник, 05.05.2025, 15:20 |
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| lolosipovanika | Дата: Вторник, 25.03.2025, 12:46 | Сообщение # 8 |
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| Street art / graffiti / tagging adore graffiti and street art.
In my point of view, graffiti can be very beautiful, and for me, it's hard to call some foul words on the walls true graffiti. You should take it with a pinch of salt when somebody says that graffiti is always awful. But for true artists, it doesn't matter where to draw: on paper or on walls. Graffiti derives from gangs' battles for the territory. Nowadays, graffiti is still illegal, legal graffiti is called street art. But in my opinion, beautiful art can make a building more wonderful, of course if this graffiti isn't on some historic building, etc. There is much awesome graffiti in Moscow. But my favourite place with graffiti is in Tel Aviv. There are a lot of great graffiti works, which are absolutely fantastic. Good graffiti makes streets into a gallery and a city into a museum of art.
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1. Mary is a fanatic, she is always very radical about politics. 2. I presume that she is very gullible and what she says is implausible. 3. I always take what she says with a pinch of salt.
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Сообщение отредактировал lolosipovanika - Понедельник, 05.05.2025, 19:33 |
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| lisaswan001 | Дата: Среда, 09.04.2025, 20:20 | Сообщение # 9 |
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| Marriage / Family / Divorce
The topic of marriage and family in general is one of the most sensitive for the modern world. It is no secret that the divorce rate in recent years has reached incredible scales. Many get divorced without even a year of marriage. And many still do not marry after a lot of years of life together. Unfortunately, there has been a very big shift in the values associated with marriage.
For me, as an Orthodox Christian, cohabitation with a partner is only possible in marriage, although this is often misunderstood and my point of view has been condemned many times. Many people think that cohabitation is a "test" of a person in life and it is absolutely necessary. The whole point is that no partner will be suitable to you one hundred percent, in all aspects of life, if you do not make an effort to do so. You will definitely notice some of his habits, which are not similar to yours and thereby irritate you. Besides, everyone knows the fact that God sends us not a "convenient" partner, but a "useful" one, because together you will strive for the Eternal Kingdom in humility.
Many modern people, fascinated by new directions of psychology, behave very egoistically in marriage, which destroys relationships. The problem is that selfishness and marriage are two completely incompatible concepts. Whereas the most compatible concept for marriage is love. By humbling ourselves for love, we do not deny ourselves, but come closer to God and to a happy family.
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Religious adherence can take many forms, from mild practices to radical devotion. Some people convert to new beliefs after deep reflection, while others, more gullible, may be influenced by persuasive arguments. A fanatic will aggressively seek to impose their viewpoint.
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Сообщение отредактировал readeralexey - Понедельник, 05.05.2025, 15:42 |
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