Chapter 16- Religion and Science Part 1

Religion and Science is an old battle of what is right, an example anyone can relate too, Where do we come from? Both sides will have a debate that will take a while to agree with. Religion believers reply would be "God is the creator of every living thing." While science believers reply would be "evolution is the key of living beings."Before science got notice in Europe than the world, Religion was taking over what many people believed in. Different religion from Asia to Europe. In Europe, Christianity was getting recognized. In England, Martin Luther was a German priest who was against the Catholic church, he didn't like the fact the people can bribe to "erase" their sin, it shows that the church doesn't care about the moral teachings, that are taught, which he created the Protestant Church. An interesting fact is that huge amount of women were attracted to Protestantism, the teachings and practices didn't offer them a huge role in the church or society. Christianity was a huge influence in Portugal and Spain. Since, traveling overseas as a traditional crusaders, the chance was greater to promote Christianity. A example, the Spanish had a great achievement during their mission to the Island of the Philippines, converting the islanders to Christianity.China's section have facts I didn't know about religion, "new direction in an old tradition." There wasn't a cultural or religion change as in Europe, in the Ming and Qing dynasties were going on in a Confucian framework, which improve the understanding of Buddhism and Daoism to make a system of thought called Neo- Confucianism. During the early modern era the context was known to be controversial, debatable, and a new way of thinking. Small changes are happening in China, nothing huge, but new movements in the culture. I don't know what else to write about, to be honest religion isn't my favorite topic to discuss about. I am not against any religion, I do believe in God but I am more interested about science topics. The next blog is part two, about " A New Way of Thinking: The Birth of Modern Science."

-KMR

Chapter 15- Global Commerce

I should have blog about Chapter 15- Empires and Encounters, I wasn't in the mood of blogging and I didn't have the textbook. Thanks to one of my roommates she has the textbook. We both agree we will use it both in the semester, since I we have the class in different days.

Chapter 15 has interesting facts, two got my attention ; the Portuguese Empire and Spain and the Philippines. About the Portuguese being the first to make the global commerce possible, they have pros and cons being the first empire. Thanks to Vasco da Gama and his portuguese successors sailed from anything they hadn't known, they went towards the Indian Ocean. It's interesting that the Portuguese sought simply to enjoy in a peaceful trading, but the European trade goods were crude and unattractive in Asian markets and the Europeans would be unable to compete effectively. Later the Portuguese soon learned that most Indian Ocean merchant ships were not heavily armed and certainly lacked the onboard cannons that Portuguese ships carried. Fact, the Portuguese created in the Indian Ocean is very often known as a "trading post empire," for their goal was to control commerce, not big territories or populations, and to do so by force of arms, instead competing for economic reasons. European Monarchies were jealous of the Portuguese success, seeking the monopolize the spice trade. The King of Portugal, happily title himself "Lord of the Conquest, Navigation, and Commerce of Ethiopia, Arabia, Persia, and India." Not for long, the Portuguese fame was decline in the trading world. The country was overextended and rising Asian states like Japan, Burma, Mughal India, Persia, and the sultanate of Oman working resisted Portuguese commercial control.

The Spanish were the first to challenge Portugal's situation. They realize that the Portuguese was gaining money and fame on the East, the Spaniards wanted to be part of this new way of living, but with bigger success and conquer other places. Biggest accomplishment is when they arrived in the Philippine Islands, named after the Spanish king Philip II, thanks to Ferdinand Magellan, funny to moment not a Spaniard but a Portuguese mariner sailing on behalf of the Spanish Crown. This voyage was during the famous "round- the world" (1519-1521). The Spanish rule was a major missionary work, which turned Filipino community into the major of Christianity in Asia. The role of religion play a big part in the Islands, believing that is better for the society.

Another thing, Slave trade also became big in the global commerce world. Will make a special blog later this semester about slave trade in the past to present and use the Somaly Mam's book.

-KMR

Video of the Day

Just receive Somaly Mam book "The Road of Lost Innocence" read chapter one and didn't want to stop reading. But I am about to go out for the whole day today so I thought it will be nice to find video of Somaly Mam.

The Tyra Bank Show had a special show about Sex Trade, special guest Somaly Mam (check out part 1-3) links are provided below

Part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlpjTc8iJqo

Part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tknp-cyfZ1Q&feature=channel

Part 3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1oZOIoUw3o&feature=channel

leave comments!!

# 1 - Reading Journal

After, reading Boudreau’s article, how can sex trade traffickers lure or kidnap young women and girls, to be in prostitution. Is like they don’t have sisters, mothers or even maybe a family of their own. If the individual does, how would he or she feel if their daughter(s) are forced into the sex trade? The families in Rach Gia City, Vietnam, didn’t know the gentlemen offering jobs sin a Ho Chi Minh City Cafe was actually a lie. Convincing the family sixty dollars advance for letting the families daughters to go. An interesting fact: “ Their innocence is prized: Some Asian men are willing to pay as much $600 to have sex with a virgin because they believe it will restore their youth, give them good fortune or even cure them of AIDS” (Boudreau,1). Having sex with a virgin can cure AIDS that is the most stupidest thing I ever heard, there is no cure, only treatments and plus the innocent young girl or women is getting rape and receiving an STD. That just the most horrible thing that can happen to anyone. The question is “ Are the parents to be blame?” The answer will be yes and no, depending on the situation. In this case, the families from Rach Gia City, didn’t know it was a lie the whole time- plus they aren’t use of visitors coming to that part, especially offering jobs that describes clean and safe environment with a good pay. Some parents ignore the dangers to their daughters and is all the money they want so bad. When a parent knows that they are trading their daugther into prostitution for money, that just the worst thing a family member can do, while knowing that she will get sexual abuse, drug abuse, physical abuse and get any STDs. “More than 600,000 young women are trafficked each year around the world, according to a U.S. State Department estimate” (Boundreau, 2). Many of these women are from poor countries and lied to about getting a good job in the city. Have to leave with fact that parents are willingly to sell their daughters to traffickers for thousands of dollars. Knowing that in the Eastern way mentally is that the children need to obey the parents decisions. “ I don’t think about that,” she said passively. “ If it had happened, it would have been because it was my destiny. That’s the life” (Truong). This quote grab my attention, how can it be her DESTINY, that wasn’t destiny it was injustice.

Spring 2011

Yes! I am taking World History part 2 =] I am really excited to start doing my blogs every other day... last year I was to lazy, doing blogs. This semester my focus is to do more blogs than last semester!

-KMR

P.S - reading journal will be posted soon =]