Liberty or Equality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Liberty or Equality - Essay Example The work of Tocqueville titled Democracy in America will be used to vividly identify exactly what his perspective is. Democracy in America is an important book for historians both in and outside the United States. On the other hand, no particular work of Jefferson will be used as many of his works are a revelation of what his position is as they are primarily concerned with issues on liberty. The papers of Thomas Jefferson are an attempt made by him to keep a balance in his correspondence. This attempt, of course, reflects his opinion is on liberty. As it may have been observed, both thinkers have made very valid points—points that are very difficult to counter. If it were the case that one of them backs negativity and the other backs positivity, it would have been much easier to choose between sides. However, even though the points made by both Jefferson and Tocqueville are positive, there are still junctures where they disagree. The disagreement is given vent to by the fact that one of the two concepts – liberty or equality – is a constituent of the other. The argument is also urged on by the premises on which both men build their points. Drawing from their arguments, the existence of one – liberty or equality – will automatically lead to the existence of the other. If there is equality in a system, it will automatically bring forth liberty. In the same vein, if there is liberty in a system, it will bring forth equality. Reality however teaches further that liberty can only come into fruition in situation in which there is equality. Liberty, on the other hand, does not automatically lead to equality. That people have the liberty to do whatsoever they want does into mean that they will be treated as equals with others. In a situation in which there is liberty without equality, such liberty is automatically cut short because it will largely be useless. From the foregoing, it is very obvious that Tocqueville’s position o n equality is superior to Jefferson’s on liberty. Tocqueville (2000) says â€Å"Equality leads men by a still more direct path...† Right from the beginning of Democracy in America, it is very obvious that the stand that will be supported by the author is that equality wherever it exists is universal. De Tocqueville (2000) posits that â€Å"the gradual development of the equality of conditions  is therefore a providential fact, and it possesses all the characteristics of a divine decree: it is universal, it is durable, it constantly eludes all human interference, and all events as well as all men contribute to its progress.† What he basically succeeds in doing is to compare the way equality can be found in different countries using the Unites States as the reference point. By so doing, Tocqueville is able to show the ways each society has reveals how equality is in operation. De Tocqueville thinks that equality can only be attained in a situation in which †Å"all the prerogatives of birth and fortune are destroyed, when all professions are open to all, and when one can reach the summit of each of them by oneself, an immense and easy course seems to open before the ambition of men, and they willingly fancy that they have been called to great destinies† (2010). However, most times, the same society that makes citizens dream of a bright future is often the one that ends up drawing them back. Tocqueville think

The Gospel of John Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Gospel of John - Essay Example â€Å"Hymn to the Word† is a section meant to look at Jesus as the logos of God, and His eternal Word. John acknowledges that Jesus is above all divine creatures (Lee, 2002). There are seven signs whereby Jesus’s public life is explained and written so as to show the world his spiritual being different from that of the other human beings. Included are the seven signs or miracles together with long speeches as Jesus explains himself and his purpose in the world, particularly his relationship with God (Lee, 2002). He says that God is his Father and it is only through him that people would get to his father. He goes further and explains that He is the son of God and stated severally that if an individual did not know him, then how he would know his father. When Jesus raised Lazarus from the death, it leads to his execution. The Jews were greatly of the opinion that Jesus was mocking their religious beliefs and those of their forefathers. They, therefore, decided that the o nly way to deal with him was to kill him. The seven signs mentioned above included: John the Baptist, Jesus is the Lamp of God, the calling of Simon, Andrew and Nathaniel, the marriage at Galilee where he changed water into wine, Jews and the businessmen who conducted their business in the Holy Temple of God, Nicodemus the Pharisee and the need to be baptized. Throughout the Gospel of John, there is a persistent explanation of the relationship between Jesus and God. At the end of the Gospel, the Holy Spirit is introduced to the Gospel as a helper and comforter of the Disciples and other Christians, and would be there for them once Jesus left after His crucifixion and resurrection into heaven. Christology This has simply been described by many scholars as a manifestation of the word that has the basis for immortality (Lee, 2002). In the book of John, Jesus is presented as the divine Son of God and in the same book is described to be subordinate to God the father. This gospel gives mo re emphasis to the relationship between the father and the son unlike the other gospels (Moloney, 1998). There was a lot of emphasis put on this relation and it was described as beyond our human understanding of how there is one God and with Him, there are three: the father, the son and the Holy Spirit. Jesus Divine Role In this gospel, Jesus explains the Kingdom of God to the multitudes. He was sent by His Father to bring the God News to the world. He had a messianic secret and played a divine role in the world (Coloe M. , 2006). He talks a lot about God’s divine wish as there are even echoes in the dark. Jesus has been regarded as the real vine, the way, the truth, the resurrection and the life. There are also several others such as the bread of the World and the gate of the sheep. Jesus divine call is illustrated all through the presentation and, as such, did not need to find it as per that minute. Jesus was sent to the world so as to help us reach and be near to God. He w ould be killed and denied severally by his friends. He underwent all this suffering for the sake of human beings and to save them from the crunches of the evil one (Tovey, 2007). There are three main happenings that are significant to the practice of Judaism. First was the cleansing of the temple where Jesus found businessmen who were selling all kinds of goods in the temple, and money brokers within the temple. He cleansed the temple and chased them away together with their goods and animals. He told them to go away and