Christianity in Sudan

Abstract Christianity in Sudan can be traced back to the 5th century even before the colonialists and Muslims stepped into Africa. Christianity was the official religion of the three Nubian kingdoms along Nile River: Makouria, Nobatia, and Alwa kingdom. Ever since the Muslim Arabs occupied North Africa and particularly northern Sudan, Christians have never had peace.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Christianity in Sudan specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Christianity is a tolerant religion unlike Islam. This paper explores the social, political, economic, and technological challenges facing Christians in Sudan. The suffering of the Christians in Sudan has been increased by the Muslim dominated Sudanese government. Introduction Christians in Sudan today face numerous challenges. The basis of these problems traces its roots to a long history. The origin of Christianity predates both the colonial and Islamic era. This goes back to the 5th century when there were Christian kingdoms in northern Sudan with churches built in every village1. Archeological evidence of this era is available in the Sudanese National Museum. By 580 A.D. Christianity was an official religion of the three Nubian kingdoms along Nile River: Makouria, Nobatia, and Alwa kingdom. This remained the way it is till 638 A.D. when Egypt was conquered by Arab Muslims. The Arabs occupied most parts of Egypt and forced the Christians to sign a non aggressive treaty with them, placing the border around Aswan2. Nevertheless, Christians who were dominantly Nubians started experiencing conflicts around the border with Muslim Arabs. Sporadically religious differences became a factor in the sprained relationship between Muslims and Christians. These problems became part and parcel of the lives of Christians. Since then these problems have persisted up to date. Sudanese government is dominated by Muslims who are trying everything possible to Islamize the whole country3. This act of coercion also occurred during the earlier spread of Christianity. Kingdoms that embraced Christianity forced their subjects to accept their new faith since it was considered as a faith of the state. Islamization of the early Kingdoms by the Muslim Kings was a major set-back to Christian faith. During that era, the King was the only person who could mobilize the people to resist invasion by the foreigners. The King’s failure to help these kingdoms led to their total collapse4. Social, political, economic and technological challenges facing Christians in Sudan During the era of government of National Salvation Revolution, scores of non-Muslims were converted to Islam. Muslims were also convinced to cross over to Christianity. The converted Muslims lived in fear of being attacked by their former Muslim brothers. Muslims rarely tolerate the existence of non-Muslims in their society.Advertising Looking for essay on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Therefore, majority of Christians who lived in the north suffered denunciation and extermination. While Muslims-Arabs who lived in Christians dominated areas, particularly in the south, were looked upon with suspicion. Converted Christians were regarded as Judas/ betrayers. At the same time they were suspected by the Muslim Arabs as spies5. Whether Sudan remained as one state or separated as it is now, the conflict between Muslims and Christians can not be solved easily. This problem has become more complex at the moment6. The Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed by the Khartoum government and the SPLA recognizes the diversity of the Sudanese people. The Christians in this case are considered as legitimated members of the society. However, Christians still face numerous challenges including socio-economic, political and technological problems7. On matters political, before the split of Sudan the posi tion of the Presidency was a monopoly of the Muslims. The best position which the non-muslim members, especially Christians would get was the deputy position8. Former deputy to President Omar Al Bashir, Mr. Al Zubeir Mohamed Salih had a Christian deputy by the name Gorge Kongor. Zubeir passed away when President Bashir was outside the country for official duty9. The constitution gave Kongor the power to ascent to the throne for a temporary basis until the president was back in the country but he was denied that position even though it was only for a short time. This confirmed non-Christians’ perception that the position of Presidency was only preserved for Muslims. Osman Mohamed Taha was appointed the vice President while George Kongor was retained in the third hierarchy. All the way through the history of Sudan, Christians from the south have always deputized Muslim-Arab presidents. The most recent case was that of Salva Kir deputizing Omar Al Bashir. The Southern Sudan tend ed to maintain a Muslim head of state to counter the dominant Muslim heads10. In matters economics, a study carried out in Sudan revealed that Christian churches were doing badly as compared to Muslim Mosques and other secular sectors in Sudan. This has resulted to worsening state of some of these churches socio-economically. Despite of their vision and mission, churches in the whole of Sudan have not been successful economically. This has adversely affected the Christians since they are not been given economic back up in life. The only remedy left for the church is to focus on its own economy11. In social matters, most of the Christians in Sudan are marginalized especially those in the south and western parts of Sudan. Christian faithful are susceptible to social mobility. Their places of worship are made of shabby materials which is a complete contrast to the earlier Nubian Kingdoms who worshiped in temples. Most church buildings in Sudan are very poor and some are makeshift struc tures12.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Christianity in Sudan specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Christians in Sudan have minimal access to technology. Technological gadgets available to them are backward and outdated. Advanced technologies in the neighboring countries such as Kenya and Uganda have been used to facilitate worship and evangelism. Technological gadgets used in these countries include Radio, computers, mobile phones, TVs, among others. However, these technologies are mere fairy tales to majority of the Christians in Sudan13. The topmost challenge facing Christianity and other religions in Sudan and the rest of the world is secularism. The modern day lifestyles are characterized by ungodly existence even among religious faithful. This is one of the reasons why the Muslim dominant government of Khartoum has been pushing for Islamic state where the daily activities of the citizens are governed by relig ious doctrines. Christians in Sudan, though aspiring for secular state, are expressing caution on the way this type of state should operate. Christians are urged to balance personal freedom and abuse of values of human life14. Christians in Sudan also face oppression and intimidation from the Muslim majority. Many of these atrocities were committed during the era of Government of National Salvation Revolution (G.N.S.R.). The incumbent is a member of the Islamic party branded as National Congress Party. The party is believed to have been designed and structured by Muslims. During the era of Government of National Salvation Revolution Christian properties were confiscated. This included the forcible take over of the Catholic club by the state in Khartoum. There is still a widespread outcry by Christians in the north regarding the abusive approach used by the government machinery towards them15. Government of National Salvation Revolution also used guerilla tactics such as promoting in terdenominational conflicts to achieve their objectives. When the Christians in Sudan were voicing their concern to stop the war in south Sudan, the government had infiltrated the churches and was using their own members to fight them. While most of the Christians were advocating for peace in south Sudan, those who had been compromised by the state were holding different opinion. Churches which complied with the state directives were converted into national churches. These include the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sudan (ECSS) and the Reformed Episcopal Church (REC)16.Advertising Looking for essay on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Government of National Salvation Revolution was accused of intentionally interfering with the affairs of the Sudanese churches. Many church leaders pleaded with the incumbent to help stop these acts of injustice against the church but in vain. On the other hand, the attention of the president was drawn to the actions of Islamic group known as Ansar. The abuse and oppression of Christianity are exemplified in the burning of the Bible copies in Khartoum on February 8th 199917. Christians in Sudan are also infringed of their legal rights. Religious freedom in Sudan is monopolized by the ruling party and the Government of National Salvation Revolution. Even though the Comprehensive Peace Pact addressed the issue of religious freedom, its implementation has remained unsuccessful. Religious pundits stated that religious freedom in Sudan is disjointed and complex. Religious freedom is entrenched in the constitution, but since the Judiciary is dominated by the Muslims justice has become an illusion to the Christians in Sudan18. Conclusion Christianity in Sudan traces its roots back to the 5th century. Christianity existed in the northern Africa even before the coming of the colonialists and the Islamic religion. Increased dominance of the north by the Muslim Arabs has caused a great deal of suffering to the Christians. Contrary to Islam, Christianity is known to be very tolerant to other religions. The problems Christians face in Sudan have been increased by the Muslim dominated government in Khartoum. Christians undergo all forms of oppressions and human right violations in Sudan. Bibliography Brenner, Louis. 2000. Histories of religion in Africa. Journal of Religion in Africa 30, no.2 (JUNE):143-167. John, Kongi. 2011. Responding to Islamization, Marginalization, Victimization and Intimidation. Web. Ogbukalu, Uke. 2005. African Christianity: An African Story. Pretoria, South Africa: Department of Church History, University of Pretoria Yusuf F. Hassan. 2002. Reli gion and Conflict in Sudan. Nairobi: Pauline publications, Faith in Sudan series. Footnotes 1 Brenner, Louis.† Histories of religion in Africa†. Journal of Religion in Africa 30, no.2 (2000):143-167. 2 Ogbukalu, Uke. African Christianity: An African Story. Pretoria, South Africa (Department of Church History, University of Pretoria, 2005). 3 Louis, 144. 4 John, Kongi. â€Å"Responding to Islamization, Marginalization, Victimization and Intimidation†. 5 Ibid, 4. 6 Ibid 5. 7 Yusuf F. Hassan, Religion and Conflict in Sudan (Nairobi: Pauline publications, Faith in Sudan series, 2002). 8 Ibid, 4. 9 Ibid,5. 10 John, Kongi. â€Å"Responding to Islamization, Marginalization, Victimization and Intimidation†. 11 Yusuf F. Hassan, Religion and Conflict in Sudan (Nairobi: Pauline publications, Faith in Sudan series, 2002). 12 John, Kongi. â€Å"Responding to Islamization, Marginalization, Victimization and Intimidation†. 13 Yusuf F. Hassan, Religion and Conflict in Sudan (Nairobi: Pauline publications, Faith in Sudan series, 2002). 14 Brenner, Louis.† Histories of religion in Africa†. Journal of Religion in Africa 30, no.2 (2000):143-167. 15 John, Kongi. â€Å"Responding to Islamization, Marginalization, Victimization and Intimidation†. 16 Ibid, 6. 17 Yusuf F. Hassan, Religion and Conflict in Sudan (Nairobi: Pauline publications, Faith in Sudan series, 2002). 18 Ogbukalu, Uke. African Christianity: An African Story. Pretoria, South Africa ( Department of Church History, University of Pretoria, 2005) This essay on Christianity in Sudan was written and submitted by user Evelynn Parker to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Mental Health in Youths Essays

Mental Health in Youths Essays Mental Health in Youths Paper Mental Health in Youths Paper Mental health problems are becoming increasingly prevalent in society, especially in youths. One of the main mental health issues faced by today’s youth is depression. There are many psychological, cultural and social factors that contribute to a serious mental condition, such as depression. The main five Primary Health Care principles are appropriate technology, health promotion, community participation, accessibility and inter-sectoral collaboration. These Primary Health Care principles work hand in hand in approaching and tackling the issue of mental health in youths. A greater focus must be awarded to not only depression and other forms of mental health but special attention needs to be paid to our youth. Today’s youth, however, must also be informed of the various programs and assistance that is available to them. Addressing the issue of mental health requires extensive ongoing contact with the person suffering. In today’s technologically advanced society, the Internet is more accessible then it has ever been before. This has resulted in the majority of our youth’s communication taking place online through various social networking sites. Thus, in order to effectively contact the younger generations, it must be done so through the Internet. Health professionals on a global scale have exploited this avenue of communication and, as outline by Frank Quinlan, it’s working. â€Å"Online services do seem to also be making mental health services accessible to people who may not otherwise seek treatment,† (Molloy 2013). As there are many advantages of this service including the 24/7 around the clock help they can receive. Younger people are generally more reluctant to walk into a clinic than adults. They feel at such a young age they shouldn’t be feeling depressed, that something is wrong with them and talking to someone about such an issue is the last thing they want to do. Online services remove all the embarrassment companied with face-to-face communication and is a preferred form of help amongst youth today as they can speak to someone anonymously from the comfort of their own home. Although, online services has many benefits, face-to-face communication should not be cancelled out as there is a variety of face-to-face services available and some mental illnesses can’t be treated without contact face-to-face. Educating young teens about mental health is the key to preventing it, understanding what can trigger it and how they can control it. â€Å"Around 75 per cent of all severe mental illness starts before the age of 24† (Government of Western Australia 2010). Hard-hitting facts such as these must be communicated to today’s youth to highlight the importance of good mental health. Targeting younger generations through education in schools will immensely reduce the number of mental illnesses since a large majority of cases develop during school years. â€Å"The promotion of mental health equals the reduction of numbers of people with mental illness in a community† (Sartorius 2008). By targeting the social and economical factors of mental health, this will strengthen the understanding in ways to support and achieve good mental health. â€Å"Mental health can be directly or indirectly supported through a range of activity in other domains, such as improving health literacy, reducing alcohol misuse, improving educational outcomes or preventing violence† (Department of Health 2011) In order for the problem of mental health in youth to receive more national attention, funding, health services and education, awareness must be raised about the issue. People must be made aware of the seriousness of the problem and the effects it has on our youth. Once people become aware of the issues, they will in turn allocate it more funding and increase community participation. The government will recognize the people’s interest in the topic and will also, in turn, take steps forward to reducing mental health in youth. Youths, particularly in schools, are apart of a vulnerable group to mental health, as they face challenges such as peer pressure and need support from the community. By strengthening the relationships that are already present in an individual’s life enhances their sense of care, support and belongingness. Even with the â€Å"prevention is a better approach that a cure† (Janusic 2012) mentality it is still important that treatments and other help are always available to youths in society. Everyone needs support to develop their identity and independence and the need to belong and connect with social groups. It is evident that people at this age are experiencing a lot of pressure and support is critical in their lives. â€Å"The focus on youth help seeking is in response to the low rate of professional service use evident at this stage of life – a clear mismatch with the high level of need† (Rickwood, Raphael and Pilgrim 2011) Youths can be given professional help from groups such as Headspace who offer anonymous help and are a foundation for mental health. They understand youths are reluctant to seeking help on their own. They offer support for mental health and counseling, their â€Å"primary focus is the mental health and wellbeing of all Australians† (Headspace 2013). Another program is the intensive mobile youth outreach support that manages mental health in adolescents. Through anonymous programs, kids are more likely to seek help. There are a variety of cultural, psychological and social pressures that are stimulants for poor mental health. It is, therefore, no surprise that younger people are constantly being diagnosed more frequently with mental disorders. Dual diagnosis is an area which is associated with significant mental disability related to drug use; it is the idea that â€Å"one condition may cause the other,† (Youth action and policy association 2006). This means that any pre-existing mental condition may lead to other implications such as alcohol abuse, however, those with a pre-existing alcohol problem are more susceptible to incurring a mental disability (Youth action and policy association 2006). The ideas explored by Rickwood, Raphael and Pilgrim (2011) are that mental conditions such as depression and anxiety are becoming the most common mental disability in youths, which are recognized as ‘cognitive distortions’ due to the stage in which youths are becoming more prevalent which is called a ‘negative problem orientation’. This shows that a variety of pressures are placed on today’s youth that impacts their mental health negatively. Without sufficient support, it is possible that these issues may become worse or permanent. It is, therefore, important that young people experiencing these mental problems receive support and care before their problem progresses. The main principles of primary health care give assistance to various areas of mental health through not only increasing awareness, but also, by increasing the facilities that are available. With constantly increasing societal pressures, the chance of today’s youths developing a mental condition of some kind is much greater than ever before.

International business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

International business - Essay Example Globalization on the other hand is also associated with different businesses and financial risks. Globalization in context to Western Australia is no different from the rest of the world. It can have varied effects on different economies in the world. Various forces like investors, borrowers, financial institutions, etc. are affecting increased levels of financial globalization (Schmukler, Zoido, & Halac, n.d., p.1). Globalization describes the spread and interconnectivities of new advanced technologies, communication systems and production all over the world (Smith, & Doyle, 2002). Various benefits to citizens of a country as a result of globalization includes admittance to increased varieties of products and services at lower costs, increased number of job opportunities, higher standard of living, etc (International Monetary Fund, February 2008). Globalization and its impact on Western Australia in terms of job opportunity, economic growth, concerns and factor will be discussed in an illustrated manner to have an overview as how Western Australia has dealt with globalization and its effects. ... The political factors represent the current political stability of a country. It includes the factors such as political changes, tax policies, changes in the restriction of trades, tariffs and the stability of the government. In the context to West Australia the government is very much stable. The government follows federal system. The tax policies as well as the tariff structures are well structured. Western Australia in over 50 year has shown relative growth in terms of output and employment. The share of employment and output of share crossed the 30% mark in recent times (Graph 1). Population has played a major role in the growth of output in various industries in Western Australia (Graph 2). Immigration is the reason behind population growth which has vastly contributed to the industrial growth in this part of Australia (Collony, & Lewis, 2010). Graph 1 (Source: Collony, & Lewis, 2010) Graph 2 (Source: Collony, & Lewis, 2010) The trade policies of Western Australia and more speci fically Australia have been to focus on international markets. Western Australia initiated the need for globalization for its domestic industries as well as import of products from low-wage countries was in the agenda of the government. The main focus in context to structural reform is related to the building of competitive market for the private sector industry in domestic as well as global market. Globalization had a great impact on Australia’s trade which includes Western Australia as well. The globalization has made considerable growth in industries like manufacturing and service industry while rural sector has been affected (Graph 3). Graph 3 (Source: RBA, May 2012 a) The financial climate Globalization has established many new components into the financial market of