The Sacrament of Baptism Essay -- Christianity

In the United States Christianity is the largest religious group followed by Judaism, Islam, and Buddhism (Kohut and Rogers). According to the pew explore Council Christianity was comprised of over 82 percent of the population in the States as of marchland 2002 (Kohut and Rogers). Most of the worlds Christians live in the Americas and Europe (Pew Research Center). However, the population of Christians that currently live in the Americas and Europe is significantly lower than in the early 1900s (Pew Research Center). Christianity is divided into three main branches Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestants. The Protestants make up the largest branch of the Christian religion in the United States and totaled cardinal percent of the American population in 2002 (Kohut and Rogers). Catholics come in a close second comprising twenty-four percent of the American Population in March of 2002 (Kohut and Rogers). The majorities of the Christian denominations popular today developed during the five hundred years after the protestant reformation and are part of the protestant denomination (Pew Research Center). Many of the Christian denominations share a lot of the same beliefs however, there are quite a few topics they disagree on such as the sacrament of baptism.Many Christian denominations practice the tradition of baptism. However, many denominations differ widely on the meaning and significance of the sacrament or ordinance of baptism. Baptism in the Old Testament is used as a symbol of a believers devotion to God by washing with water as a sign of purification and consecration. There are many different meanings and techniques to baptism that have been observed by many faiths over thousands of years. Many of the customs and b... .... Baptism (in the Bible). raw Catholic Encyclopedia. 2nd ed. Vol. 2. Detroit Gale, 2003. 56-60. Gale World History In Context. Web. 30 Dec. 2011.Zondervan NIV Study Bible. Zondervan New International Study Bible. Ed. Kenneth L. Barker. 2008. Grand Rapids Zondervan, 2002.Pew Research Center. Global Christianity A Report on the Size and Distribution of the Worlds Christian Population. 19 December 2011. December 2011 .Sacrament. World Religions. New York Macmillan Library Reference USA, 1987. Macmillan Compendium. Gale World History In Context. Web. 16 Nov. 2011.Sacrament of Baptism. 2003. .

Gun Control Essay -- Second Amendment The Right To Bear Arms

Gun ControlGun control is an action of the government that is supposed to reduce crime.Congress has passed many a(prenominal) laws on this subject and there really has not been an effect. Gun control has been a controversial issue for years, but the citizens of the United States have a mightily to own guns and the Constitution states that. On the governments path to control guns they created the Brady Act. Handgun Control Incorporated is the major organization for lobbying, and introducing legislation on gun control. It is headed by Sarah Brady, wife of former White House Press Secretary James Brady. James Brady was shot during an attempt on President Reagans life in 1981. Sarah is the one obligated for introducing this bill. This bill was supposed to stop criminals from obtaining guns. If an individual wants a firearm bad enough, chances are they willget one (Brennen and Polsby). All it does Is prevent honest plurality from being able to purchase guns. The person purchasing the gun has to wait for two week while the government performs a background check. The problem with this is it loot the average citizen from purchasing a gun on the whim, while it protects the common criminal. What if a burglar enters a house with full intention to maim or kill? The innocent victim can not get a gun to protect his family be causality he was arrested seven years ago for drunk cause (Larson). According to the General Accounting Office, in the first seventeen months of the laws existence only seven criminals were convicted forattempting to buy a handgun. Banning more and more guns whitethorn reduce gun violence, but it will not eliminate guns from society and will only lead to more and bigger problems. While continuing to bestow more freedom away from the Ame... ...Banning guns will not solve the crime problem it will only change the method. If guns are not available and then another weapon will be used or an older gun. Simple laws will not stop a person who is deter mined to cause someone harm. This is why people should be allowed to own and carry guns. This allows them to protect themselves from those kinds of people. Proper education in school and other places to teach how to use a gun and to respect guns as a dangerous weapon is what is needed to reduce gun violence in the future. If we allow the government to ban guns the American people will be defenseless and powerless to stop the government from taking over or to stop an outside invasion if either were to occur. This land was born because the citizens were armed and could fight for themselves. How can we remove the very object that helped give our country its freedom?