The Problem With College Drinking - 857 Words

The problem with college drinking is not necessarily the drinking itself, but the negative consequences that occur from excessive drinking. Alcohol abuse takes an enormous toll on the intellectual and social lives of male students on campuses across the country. Almost sixty percent report drinking alcohol every day. Forty percent of college male binge drink in the past thirty days. Peer pressure get the good students and turn them into alcoholics. Severe Impairment such as speech, memory, attention, reaction time, balance significantly. Judgment and decision-making dangerously. You can loss of consciousness. Alcohol is abuse too much by college males. â€Å"What is binge drinking?† Binge drinking is the pattern of drinking that brings blood alcohol concentration level to 0.08 g/dL. Typically g drinks for college students in about two hours. Drinking this way can cause pose serious health and safety risks. It immediately takes effect to your coordination. Over a long time b inge drinking can damage the liver and other organs. Car crashes, drunk driving arrests, sexual assaults, and injuries. For many their goal is to black out. Blacking out is when you just shut down into a hard sleep and can’t remember anything. Drinking too much alcohol can make you have alcohol poison and get really sick. You may even die or suffer health problems for the rest of your life. Peer pressure, or the direct or indirect encouragement from ones own age group to engage in activities they mayShow MoreRelated Will lowering the drinking age solve the problem of binge drinking among college students?2643 Words   |  11 Pagesin order to reduce the death rate of many teenagers who were dying because of alcohol related problems. Today, many people believe that lowering the drinking age back down to eighteen would reduce and or solve the problem of binge drinking among college students. A simple answer can be conjured up, no. What many people don’t realize is that alcohol, (if started at a younger age) cause’s more severe problems to health as they mature; an eighteen year old isn’t anywhere near as mature and developed asRead MoreCollege Drinking A Major Problem That Affects The Lives Of Many People1138 Words   |  5 PagesFinal College drinking a major problem that affects the lives of many College drinking is a major problem and it affects the lives of students their families and the community. As the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism website notes: â€Å"About four out of five college students drink alcohol. . .† (â€Å"College Drinking†). The Affects of alcohol have impacted the lives of many people. I believe drinking is a problem, and believe that it is a problem that it is oftenRead MoreDrinking on College Campuses1799 Words   |  7 PagesDrinking on College Campuses Underage students drinking on college campuses has been a problem for countless years. Parents and professors look over the problem of students drinking and look at their college life in a positive way. They understand the students to be studying, making new friends, or working. Instead, an abundance of students are partying and drinking at these parties. The transformation from high school to college causes stress to the students. Therefore, instead of the studentsRead MoreBinge Drinking On College Campuses1459 Words   |  6 Pages Binge Drinking On College Campuses Over the past few years, there has been this big debate about whether the drinking age should be lowered to 18 or if it should stay at 21. Those in favor of lowering the drinking age to 18 argue that someone who is old enough to serve their country should be allowed to have a drink. Those who are in favor of keeping the minimum legal drinking age at 21 because of consequences regarding psychological development and health problems later in life. HoweverRead MoreAlcohol Issues on College Campuses1181 Words   |  5 PagesAlcohol Issues on College Campuses â€Å"Binge Drinking on College Campuses.† Center for Science in the Public for Science, Center for Science in the Public Interest. Web. 21Mar. 2012. The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) discusses that students enrolled in college are more likely to consume alcohol than their peers than do not attend college. They report that 1700 college students die yearly due to alcohol. The increasing number of college students drinking has resulted in higher incidencesRead MoreEssay on Informative Speech631 Words   |  3 PagesInstructions: There are numerous problems with the outline below. Review the outline and catalogue the problems that fall under the following categories: (1) Content (2) Organization (3) Sources (4) Achievement of specific purpose (5) Symbolization SPS: To inform my audience about binge drinking on college campuses. CIS: Binge drinking is a significant problem on college campuses, there are alarming statistics about the prevalence of binge drinking, and how binge drinking affects the lives ofRead MoreCollege Campus : Dangerous Incidents On Colleges Campuses1716 Words   |  7 PagesCollege freshmen are so excited when they enter the campus with a hope of enjoying their freedom. They also expect to be safe on their college campus but dangerous incidents on colleges campuses have increased in recent years. In one situation, an 18-year-old freshman student at one of the Chicago’s university could not forget her Friday night at the university dorm when she was attacked (Schulte, 2014). She said she was being watched couple times around campus by other man from a distance. AfterRead MoreEssay on Getting Serious About Eradicating Binge Drinking988 Words   |  4 PagesEradicating Binge Drinking†, he discusses the issue of binge drinking. Binge drinking is an extensive problem on college campuses. The majority of colleges merely focus on the student, rather than what encourages students to drink. Fraternities, sororities, and athletics are huge sources of the students on campus who drink. There are many approaches colleges can take to decrease the problem, and many colleges are already getting a head start. It is also important to not ignore how often colleges indirectlyRead More Lowering the Legal Minimum Drinking Age Essay1622 Words   |  7 Pagesunderage drinking has become a major problem, especially on college campuses. But, underage drinking is not purely the root of all accidents related to alcohol. The real problem lies within the unsafe underage drinking habits amongst youth. There are ways that these alcohol-related accidents can be avoided. Several organizations have been created that are targeting a change in the legal drinking age laws. One key way to lower the risk of unsafe drinking is to lower the minimum legal drinking age fromRead MoreBinge Drin king Among College Students And Its Implications On The Society1462 Words   |  6 PagesBinge Drinking among College Students and Its Implications on the Society Binge drinking is a term used to describe a situation where women drink more than 4 bottles of alcohol in a row and men drink 5 or more bottles of alcohol in a row. It is taking too much alcohol in a short period. Alcohol is a substance that gradually produces an addiction in the body. Many college students use alcohol in recreational activities and parties. The alcohol gradually leads to addiction and causes a decline in their

Hinduism and Christianity Free Essays

string(53) " way to live with a minimum of hurt to other beings\." There are many known religions of the world and all of them have their own uniqueness about them. Some people are born into their religious faith and some are converts to their perspective religion. I have chosen Hinduism to compare and contrast with my religion Christianity. We will write a custom essay sample on Hinduism and Christianity or any similar topic only for you Order Now I found Hinduism to be an interesting religion to research because of the myths about idol worship and the Hindu place of worship, the temple. Through my research of references, material, an interview, a face to face visit, and common knowledge I will convey the history, provide an overview, and clarify some of the myths of Hinduism and Christianity. Both religions have some differences but they also have some commonalities among them. Hinduism and Christianity are distinctly different religions; however, they do posses some similarities between them such as, God the Holy Trinity, The Holy Book, and different denominations within the religion. [Well developed introduction] Hinduism is one of the oldest religions, originating over six thousand years ago in India, of the world and one of which that does not have no one founder. The root word of Hinduism, Hindu, derived from the name of River Indus. This river flows through the northern region of India and in early times the river was called Sindhu. The Persians that migrated to India called the river the Hindu, the land Hindustan, its inhabitants Hindus. The religion soon followed and came to be known as Hinduism. Hinduism is both monotheistic and henotheistic or having belief in only one God. â€Å"Hindus all believe in one Supreme God who created the universe. He is all-pervasive. He created many Gods, highly advanced spiritual beings, to be His helpers† (Kauai’s Hindu Monastery, 2007). There is a misconception that Hindus are worshipers of idol Gods; this misconception comes from lack of knowledge and understanding. Hindus worship the Supreme Being, God, but through different names. This was done due to the people of earlier India having different languages and cultures. They came to understand the one God in their own distinct way. So there came to be three representations of God or Brahman and they are: Brahma-the Creator, Vishnu- the Sustainer, and Siva or Shiva- the Destroyer. These Gods can be referred to as 3-in-1 or the Trinity and they all have a multitude of spiritual beings which are a reflection of the one God. From these Gods arose four denominations or sects of Hinduism and they are Saivism, Vaishnavism, Shaktism, and Smartism. In Saivism the worshipers are called Saivites and God is Siva; in Vaishnavism they are called Vaishnavites and Lord Vishu is God; in Shaktism worshipers are called Shaktas and Goddess Shakti is Supreme; and Smartism they are called Smartas and all deities are seen and worshiped as the one God. In Hinduism it is believed that when God created the universe that he divinely set in place order and laws to preside over His creation. God’s divine law in Hinduism is called dharma. Dharma is the inner spirit of man or God within the person. Dharma aides one to discern what is morally right and wrong, disciplines, instills good order, spiritual truth and growth, and salvation. Dharma is not only connected spiritually and religiously but it is also associated with man’s law as well. According to Paul Hacker, â€Å"†¦the entire realm of civil law, criminal law, and state craft-royal law form part of dharma† (Hacker, P. , 2006, p. 483). Now that we have divine law there must be something to support the law, so do Hindus have a Bible? Yes, they do have a Bible. â€Å"Our â€Å"Bible† is called the Veda. The Veda, which means â€Å"wisdom,† is comprised of four ancient and holy scriptures which all Hindus revere as the revealed word of God† (Hacker, P. , 2006, p. 483). The Veda is the Hindu holy book and it is comprised of four books, Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva, which include over 100,000 verses (Hacker, P. , 2006, p. 483). Reincarnation is another belief of Hindus and the term carnate means in the flesh and reincarnate means to reenter the flesh. â€Å"Yes, we believe the soul is immortal and takes birth time and time again. Through this process, we have experiences, learn lessons, and evolve spiritually. Finally we graduated from physical birth† (Kauai’s Hindu Monastery, 2007). The graduation from the physical birth is the result of maturing in love, wisdom, and knowledge of God through following dharma. Hindus also believe that everything in nature is reincarnated, nature’s life cycle, not just the human soul. The term Karma is used quite often in the American society and it has come to mean that you are receiving that which you deserve. In most cases the American society equate karma to be negative; meaning that you have done something bad or wrong and you are now receiving its results. However Hindus take the whole spectrum of karma positive and negative; good and bad. The Hindus take the meaning and explanation of karma to be, â€Å"†¦the universal principle of cause and effect. Our actions, both good and bad, come back to us in the future, helping us to learn from life’s lessons and become better people† (Kauai’s Hindu Monastery, 2007). In Hinduism all living creatures are regarded as sacred with a special affection toward the cow. So the question arises, do Hindus worship the cow? â€Å"Hindus don’t worship cows. We respect, honor and adore the cow. By honoring this gentle animal, who gives more than she takes, we honor all creatures† (Kauai’s Hindu Monastery, 2007). Cows are known for yielding milk, its meat and its hide and all of these things are used to produce a multitude of everyday products that we have become to love, need, and enjoy. Hindus believe in non-violence in regards to all forms of life, therefore, most Hindus are vegetarians. There aren’t laws that forbid the consumption of meat but through wisdom Hindus determine what they will put into their own body. However, â€Å"Hindus teach vegetarianism as a way to live with a minimum of hurt to other beings. You read "Hinduism and Christianity" in category "Papers" But in today’s world not all Hindus are vegetarians† (Kauai’s Hindu Monastery, 2007). It is common to see Hindus wearing a red dot on the middle of their forehead and most people will identify Indians, native of India, with wearing the dot. The meaning of the wearing of the dot, â€Å"†¦is a religious symbol. It represents divine sight and shows that one is a Hindu. For women, it is also a beauty mark† (Kauai’s Hindu Monastery, 2007). This dot is called a bindi and many, many years ago both men and women wore a bindi but today it is most common for women to faithfully wear them. Finally the Hindus have a caste system which consists of different levels within the Indian society. â€Å"Caste is the hereditary divisions of Indian society based on occupation. The lowest class, deemed untouchables, suffer from discrimination and mistreatment. It is illegal in India to discriminate against, abuse or insult anyone on the basis of caste† (Kauai’s Hindu Monastery, 2007). The caste system is broken down into four categories or varnas. The varnas are comprised of the worker, businessman, general, and priest. The beliefs and teachings of Hinduism are the belief in one God with different names; there is only one Supreme God or Brahman but He has many reflections. Hindus believe the divine law or dharma and the holy books of Veda are used to support the law. They also believe the soul is immortal and birth takes place many times otherwise known as reincarnation. Hindus are firm believers in karma and that your past words, deeds, or actions will return to you in the future. They regard all living creatures as sacred but they revere the cow as a symbol for all living creatures. Hindus are taught to be non-harming toward any living being. The teaching of vegetarianism is taught to minimize harm toward other beings. Although it is taught vegetarianism is not practiced by all Hindus. There is one distinct religious symbol that is worn on the forehead by some Hindus called a bindi, a red dot, and it is commonly worn by the Hindu women. There are four classes of people which are known as the caste system in the Indian Society. Hinduism is a very unique religion and it is very similar to other religions, however, without a clear understanding of Hinduism one might misinterpret and relay incorrect information about the religion. Knowing the beliefs and teachings with the reasoning behind them provides a clear understanding of Hinduism. The Hindu temple I chose to visit is in Riverdale, Georgia which is located approximately 15 miles south of downtown Atlanta. The temple is sculptured in design with a majestic appearance; it is white in color and it situated atop of a hill. The temple permits entrance to anyone as long as you abide by the rules. One of the rules is to remove your shoes prior to entering the temple. This is not a religious practice but cultural, Indians do this because it is dirty outside and it is clean inside, therefore shoes should be removed before entering a temple or home. Another rule is there are to be no loud noises because this is a time of worship. Inside the temple there are sanctums situated around the temple with the various deities inside them. The priest stands at the entrance of the sanctum of the main God Lord Vishnu and the worshipers walk around to the different deities submitting their prayers. There is no set order for mass worship but it is up to the individual as to what prayers they will submit and to what deity. After touring and witnessing the worship taking place I am glad to say that I was able to experience Hindu worship and to clear up any myths I may have had prior to my visit. While at the temple I was given the opportunity to interview the President of the Temple, Mr. Ravi Sarma. He was very welcoming and pleased that I wanted to know more about his religion. Mr. Sarma grew up as a liberal Hindu not having any strict rules enforced. As an adult he transitioned to the orthodox side of Hinduism, which is very traditional and strict. It was from Mr. Sarma that I received a better understanding of the Gods in Hinduism; after he explained that Hindus belief in one God but with different symbols or expressions. Mr. Sarma went in to detail about the Trinity of Hinduism and how it works as a cycle or reincarnation. The Cycle of Hinduism begins life with Brahma the Creator, life is sustained through Vishnu the Sustainer, and Siva the Destroyer into whom everything goes; the cycle then repeats itself. Even though most of the deities are in the feminine aspect referred to as Durgar; God is neutral being neither male nor female. Mr. Sarma went over the following holidays: Diwali-a festival of lights, Pongal / Sankranti- a harvest festival, Holi- a spring festival, Ugadi-New Years (comes in spring), and Navratri (Dasara)- a nine day fall festival. Speaking one-on-one with Mr. Sarma I gained a valid knowledge about Hinduism and it also brought a clearer understanding of the course text, references, and materials. My religious faith is that of Christianity, which began some two thousand years ago. The faith of Christianity is predicated upon the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Fisher, 2005, p. 284). In Hinduism the term The Trinity is used but is most commonly used in Christianity. Some Christians refer to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit as the Trinity. All of these names are known as God the one and only. God the Father is the creator of all things. God the Son is Jesus, the son of God and savior to all. The Holy Spirit is the spirit of God and the comforter to all. There are two branches or denominations of Christianity and they are Roman Catholicism and Protestantism. The Roman Catholic Church is the first church of Christianity and the largest Christian denomination. Protestantism is the second major branch of Christianity, which, broke off from The Roman Catholic Church. My denomination Baptist falls within Protestantism. The term Baptist describes individuals belonging to a Baptist church. The name comes from the conviction that followers of Jesus Christ are commanded to be baptized or immersed in water as a public display of their faith. To live eternally is believed that through baptism and according to scripture, â€Å"If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. † (Romans 10:9). It does not stop here; we must also be led by the Holy Spirit to do what is right. Therefore we have the Golden rule as it relates to karma is to treat others as you would want to be treated. The holy book that is used in Christianity is called the Holy Bible. The Holy Bible is comprised of the Old and New Testament. The Old Testament consists of 39 books and the New Testament consists of 27 books. As with most religions there are different levels of leadership within Christianity to provide purpose, direction, and teachings such as a Bishop, Pastor, ministers, and deacons. Christianity is based upon the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Fisher, 2005, p. 284). The belief in the Holy Trinity, eternal life through baptism, treating all beings as you want to be treated, and the Holy Bible are beliefs of Christianity. There are also two major branches of Christianity, Roman Catholicism and Protestantism, with Baptist being one within Protestantism. Within the various denominations there are different levels of leadership. In comparing Hinduism with Christianity I realized that there are some similar terms used but they mean something different for each religion. Both religions are monotheistic and they both have their own representation of the Holy Trinity. As Hindus believe in reincarnation Christians believe in eternal life of the soul. In Hinduism there are only four denominations where as in Christianity there are many. Lastly they both have a sacred book; in Hinduism the Veda is used and in Christianity the Holy Bible is used. I found Hinduism to be a very interesting religion and I was surprised to find out there were some commonalities between Christianity and Hinduism. By Hinduism having some of the same similarities as Christianity and with the reinforcement from my interview helped me to better understand Hinduism. Hinduism and Christianity are distinctly different religions; however, they do posses some similarities between them such as, God the Holy Trinity, The Holy Book, and different denominations within the religion. How to cite Hinduism and Christianity, Papers

Commentary on Isaiah free essay sample

A Commentary on Isaiah 6 Isaiah 6 is written with a mixture of prose and verse, detailing the calling, or commission, of Isaiah by the Lord God. Much of the verse is written in the style of a vision, detailing message to the people of Judea. The main theme running through Isaiah is the message of salvation, even the name of the prophet means ‘salvation of Yahweh’. The book is first of the ‘major prophets’, so called due to its greater length than the shorter ‘minor prophets’ or ‘twelve prophets’. In the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible and in all other English Bibles, the book follows on from the Song of Solomon or Song of Songs. However in the Hebrew Bible, it is seen after 2 Kings, which A. S. Herbert states is ‘a more natural order since this prophet [Isaiah] was deeply involved in the historical events of his day’ and gave a ‘distinctive interpretation of these events’ (1973:1). We will write a custom essay sample on Commentary on Isaiah or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The genre of the book is mainly of a prophetic nature, with a mixture of oracles, prophesies and reports of the situation in Judah; however it does deviate from this, most notably in chapter 13, where it takes the form of a supposed psalm. This book is written at a time of great strife for the region of Israel. The region has split into two kingdoms, the Assyrian empire is closing in around them and the death of Jeroboam II of Israel (745 BC) and the death Uzziah of Judah (742) ended a time of peace, security and prosperity for both states. Soon after Jeroboams death, civil war broke out in Israel and in 721 BC the Assyrian armies completely subjugated the kingdom. So, we can see that Isaiah is writing in a time of great conflict and insecurity, which increased throughout his prophetic life, ending in the unavoidable conquering of the small Judean kingdom by the Assyrian empire. It is not easy to trace who Isaiah actually was and when he lived, however the general consensus is that he started his ministry around the death of King Uzziah in 742 BC, where he is thought to be around the age of 20. However, the date of his birth is unknown, along with the date of his death, which is thought to be cc. 680 BC, making the prophet well into his 70’s or 80’s before he stops his ministry. We can justify that he certainly ministered during the reign of four Judean kings, Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, as found in Chapter 1 verse1 (Watts 1985:XXV). Clements, however, questions the validity of the first chapter in Isaiah as it seems certain that it has been ‘composed at a relatively late stage in the literary growth of the book’ (Clements 1980:8). It has been speculated that Isaiah may have been related to the royal blood line, most notably Manasseh, who, tradition dictates, martyred Isaiah by sawing him in two (Heb. 11:37). However, this is hardly convincing as many prophets where martyred by Kings and rulers and there is no real evidence to suggest any relationship between Isaiah and Manasseh other than that Isaiah may have still been ministering around the time of Manasseh’s reign. Another problem with dating this book is the question of the authorship. During the time that the books in both the Old and New Testaments were written, it was not uncommon for disciples and students of teachers and prophets to publish works in their tutors name, or to continue a teachers works. Therefore, it is unclear how many authors the book of Isaiah has. Both Watts and Clements maintain the view that Isaiah 40 – 66 are the works of followers of Isaiah during the exile and restoration periods, with Clements stating that the work of J. C. Doederlien in 1775, which argued the above point, has ‘come to be the prevalent consensus of scholarships’ (Clements 1980:2). The text will have been originally written in Hebrew, the oldest surviving copy being part of a collection found in the Qumran Caves, the dead sea scrolls, dating back to around 125 BC. Although there are not many major translation errors, we don’t have the original scroll from over 600 years earlier therefore there could be translation errors from the original to the great Isaiah scroll found among the Dead Sea Scrolls. The setting for Isaiah Chapter six is provided by the Jerusalem temple, ‘looking through the entranceway into the main aula of the temple building’ (Clements 1980:71). A problem can be seen in verses nine and ten, the forewarning that the peoples hearts will harden in response to the teachings that Isaiah will put forward. Many, such as Fohrer and Wildberger, believe this to be from a later period of his prophesy, looking backwards in reflection, however in R. Kilian’s Bauteine Biblischer Theologie 1977, it is argued that this small section was written at the same time as the rest of the verse. Verse six can be split up into three parts; the first (verses 1 – 3) being the vision, the second (4 – 7) the cleansing and preparation of Isaiah for prophetic ministry and thirdly (8 – 11) the divine commission. It is thought that verse 12 – 13 are not part of the original, but addition, probably made in the sixth century BC. There is however, a debate over the date of the last verse (verse 13), with the idea of it being from the exilic age, to give hope in this rather somber and threat filled chapter. 6:1, In the year that King Uzziah died: Uzziah is described in the bible as an incredibly able and holy man, favored by God, ‘He did what was right in the sight of the lord’ and ‘as long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper’. However, Uzziah insulted the Lord by burning incense at the alter, something that only the Priests could do and so He struck Uzziah down with tzaraat or leprosy, a term that at the time was for several skin diseases and so the precise meaning is uncertain. Because of this, for the last 11 years of Uzziahs reign, his Son Jotham acted as co-regent, then going on to reign for sixteen years after the death of his father. There is speculation that Jotham died a year or so before his father and that Uzziahs grandson, Ahaz took over the co-regency until his death, however, the first version of events seems to have the most universal consensus. I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. Uzziah’s death, thought to be around the date 736 BC, would have been seen as the end of a golden age for the Judeans and a time of uncertainty due to the impending invasion of the Assyrians. It is at this time that the Lord reveals himself to Isaiah. This could be seen as God reminding the people that there is one King above all others and that even though their earthly king has died, there is still an eternal King watching over them. It is typical of most visions of God in the bible for Him to be seated, for example Job (26:9) and in revelation, the apostle John sees God sitting on His throne (4:1 – 11). His robe filled the temple: this could be seen as a display of power and might, as kings often wore long, expensive robes made from silks and gilt so show their worth. The fact that the Lords robe fills the temple could be again showing that there is an even mightier King than Uzziah. Seraphs were in attendance above Him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, with two the covered their feet and with two they flew: the word ‘seraph’ only occurs in Isaiah. While Clements translates the word as ‘burning one’, Herbert seems to feel that the designation of the word ‘seraphim’ only appears in Isaiah, but also in Numbers and Deuteronomy but as ‘serpent’ or ‘snakes’. This, he says, could then lead one to the conclusion that the large bronze serpent in the temple, as described in 2 Kings 18:4, may have stimulated the ‘visionary experience’ (Herbert 1973:58). Many other passages mention Cherubim, and while there is a debate about whether seraphim and cherubim are the same or not, seraphim translates as ‘burning ones’ and in Ezekiel 1:13, cherubim are described as ‘something that looked like burning coals of fire, like torches moving to and fro among the living creatures; the fire was bright and lightening issued from the fire. The significance of the six wings is most probably due to Exodus 33:20, ‘You cannot see my face; for no man shall see me and live’. Therefore the two wings covering their faces is to shield themselves from the glory of God so as not to incur the same fate as Lots wife when she gazes upon the might of God as He destroys Sodom and Gomorrah. Feet at this time were unclean and normally full of dust and are often used as a metaphor for humbling oneself throughout the bible and so covering their feet could be seen to be them humbling themselves before the lord. And one called to another and said: ‘holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory. ’ The threefold use of the word holy conveys the mystery and unapproachable qualities of the Most Holy. In Hebrew, repetition denote the intensity with which they are speaking, therefore having holy three times conveys to the reader the strength of feeling they have towards the Lord. The pivots on the threshold shook at the voices of those who called: suggests that the majesty and power of the seraphim’s voices shook the building. The translation of the Hebrew meaning pivot is uncertain. Many versions of this passage use hinges on doors or the door posts. Some even translate it as the whole foundations of the building are shaking due to the force of the adoration of God. One might read this verse and interpret it as an example of how much the Lord should be praised. We should aim to praise the Lord so much and with such energy that we shake the earth. It could also be Isaiah’s reaction to the voices that it shook him so violently that it felt as if the whole building shook with him. And I said: ‘Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts! ’ We are back again to the unworthiness of human kind to gaze upon the Lords splendour, ‘You cannot see my face; for no man shall see me and live. ’ Herbert suggests that I am lost is because ‘Isaiah is reduced to the silence and stillness of death’ (Herbert 1973:59). For Herbert this is due to him being a creature of sin confronted with holy perfection, not just that of a disciple meeting the deity that created him. Unclean lips demonstrates that Isaiah is aware of the sinful nature not only of himself but of his fellow people, something that does not please the Lord and ‘unfitness to use his mouth in the service of God’ (Clements 1980:75). Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the alter with a pair of tongs. This section of the chapter is different to any other calling to minister for God. The prophets in the bible are always seen to endure trials and hardship before they enter Gods favour. Abraham was tasked with the slaughter of his son and perhaps the most well known trail is that of Job who had to undertake a huge ordeal before ‘the Lord gace Job twice ass much as he had before’ (Job 42:10). ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? ’: the us indicates that God is deliberating with the Holy council of seraphs surrounding Him, however it is also clear that Isaiah is meant to ‘overhear’, in a sense, so that he recognizes that only he (Isaiah) can answer that question by giving himself fully to the work of the Lord. The us could also be interpreted as an early mention or idea of the Trinity. The Jewish people are waiting for a messiah come from God and so it could be logical to suggest that until that messiah comes, He is with the Lord and there could already be a notion of the Holy Spirit in the way the breath moves over the water in creation. However it is more likely that God wanted Isaiah to give himself to god freely, giving Isaiah a choice as to whether he will go out and prophesy about the Lord, therefore using the question and the ruse of the Holy council to incite Isaiah to come forward. And I said, ‘Here am I; send me! ’: this response shows that Isaiah had a willingness to go and carry out the work Yahweh had for him. Although it seems like one single task to complete, I don’t think there can be any doubt that Isaiah knew this was him giving his whole life to the service of the Lord. Although up to this point Isaiah does not know what this task is, it can be derived that from the burning coal purging his lips it seems he is called to preach and prophesy to the people about Yahweh and that this cleansing has allowed the word of God to flow through his lips. And He said, ‘Go and say to this people: the reference to this people suggests that there is an element of ‘divine rejection’ (Clements 1980:76). Yahweh no longer sees the chosen people in a favourable light and is sending Isaiah to tell them. ‘Keep listening but do not comprehend’: there is, for Clements, a sense of irony in this section, ‘for the prophet undoubtedly did, very passionately and sincerely, want the people to hear and to understand’ (1980:77). Clements also suggest as Isaiah will have written this account some time after the vision occurred, it could be that he integrated how the message was received into the words that Yahweh spoke to him. However, due to the belief that God is in everything and everything comes from God, Isaiah would have been justified in doing this as he would know that the hardening of the hearts of the people towards his message is because of God. Then I said, ‘How long, O Lord’: throughout the Bible, how long is often the start of a lamentation. This cry out is not just asking how long the suffering will last, but a plea for God to end it quickly. Until cities lie waste without inhabitant is a reference to the devastation that war will bring about when the Assyrian empire seeks to expand further. The land is utterly desolate refers to Judah, where Isaiah ministers, however it may mean the whole of the promised land. Verses 12 – 13 are an addition by and editor, most probably one of the later Isaian disciples around the time of during the exile and restoration periods. Until the Lord sends everyone far away adds to this idea as it must refer to the Assyrian empire sending the Jews to captivity in Babylon. Even if a tenth part remains in it, it will be burned again, like a terebinth or an oak whose stump remains standing when it is felled. This passage is a complex one with much debate on what the Hebrew originally was and therefore how it should be translated into the Bible of today. The most widely regarded solution would be that the Hebrew bam should in fact be bamah which means ‘high place’. Therefore the noun for stump, which in Hebrew is massebe? would then mean ‘sacred pole’. ‘Thus ‘a sacred pole grows out from its place in a hill-shrine’ (Clement 1980:78) is the new sentence created. However this passage is translated, it is agreed that there is a very real element of threat present. Just as a stump is not left in the ground, but instead a hole drilled in the top and filled with fuel and burned, so will the Jews suffer, even though they may feel they have suffered enough. The Holy Seed is its stump is almost certainly a later addition, post – exile, in order to give hope to those who were now under the Babylonian captivity. Herbert comments that this sentence is ‘absent from the Septuagint, but the Greek Modified [verse 12] to mean ‘and those who were left on the land were multiplied’, a similarly hopeful note’. (Herbert 1973:60). The addition of this last sentence gives hope as it suggests that even the stump of a felled tree may once again grow, meaning that some will survive and carry on the line of David.