Taoist Text

Taoist texts can help deepen our understanding of early Chinese history. The Taoist texts give us a better idea of how the early Chinese worshiped, and how their beliefs affected what they did in their everyday lives. We can conclude from the text that the early Chinese went with the flow of things, they did what they wanted to do because no matter what they did, they would've still ended up at the same place. They had probably worried less about things because of these beliefs, there wasn't much need to worry if you knew that you couldn't do anything about your future, so they just let it be.

Do we live in a computer simulation?

It's hard to say wether or not we are real or not, there is a 50/50 chance that we live in a computer simulation. Technology advances more and more overtime; taking the Xbox discussion from class, as time goes on, the simulations on the Xbox gets better and better. The visuals and graphics become more realistic with every new Xbox. So we can feel like everything is real, when it's really not. But I believe that this universe we live in is real. The idea of something bigger and greater is controlling our every move just doesn't seem possible. Even if we were a simulation, what would be the point of it to the greater unknown controlling us? Maybe we deny this theory is because the fact that we don't have control of our own lives, seems scary, so we don't want to believe it.

Job vs. the Holocaust survivors

In both the story of Job and the Holocasut survivors, faith is a big part of them. Job, like Fela Nussbaum, a survivor of the Holocasut, were faithful to God until terrible tragedy struck in their lives. They both tried to stay faithful to God, but in the end, they questioned God. Job questioned his existence on earth, and Nussbaum questioned God on how he could let such a thing happen. “After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.” and continued on to rant. “She will demand to know why he stood by silently during the Holocaust as her large family was being destroyed.” If God could do anything, why couldn't he just make all the bad disapear in the world? A difference between them is how Moshe Yosef Daum remained faithful the whole time, while Job gave up on God at the end. “My father’s only response was that we humans, with our limited minds, cannot expect to understand God’s ways. We must live with faith despite our unanswered questions.” Daum never under estimated God because he thought them, humans, were too simple minded to understand Gods actions, but Job lost his faith. 

 

 

Book of Job vs. Sacrifice of Issac

The Book of Job and the stories from the Old Testament have similarities and differences. Let's take the Sacrafice of Issac for example, they were similar being how both Abraham and Job were faithful to God, and God putting them to a test to prove their faithfulness. Abraham was told by God to prove his faithfulness by killing the thing that means most to him, Abrahams one and only son, Issac. In the book of Job, God and Satan were having a conversation. God was saying how loyal and faithful Job was to him, Satan replied back saying how Job is only so faithful because nothing bad is happening to him. Job has a large family, and nice roof to live under, he has many sheep, and more. So again, God tested Job by making jobs life like a living hell. Job loses his house, family, sheep, and he gets "loathsome sores". A difference between the stories is how each Abraham and Job were tested. Job was tested by both Satan and God. They were the ones that brung pain into Job's life, unlike in the story of Abraham and Issac, Satan was not in the story at all, and Abraham had to do the pain, God asked of it, but Abraham had to do the actions.