RELS 2300 Functionalist and Faith Perspectives in Real World Issues

RELS 2300

Functionalist and Faith Perspectives in Real World Issues:

Considering Rohingya  

                Religious beliefs can be a powerful thing, and can bring much structure and organization for those following a religion. This can be positive or negative for other religious groups living near. Looking at Functional and Faith perspectives of religion, it is apparent why this is the case negatively for the Rohingya Muslims living in Myanmar.

                Looking at the way religion effects society from a Functional perspective creates an image of positivity, as well as seems very logical when viewing the concept of religion from a universal perspective. When looking at one religious group and applying the framework of the functionalist perspective, we are able to see that the theory of religion being useful in society holds true. Taking Emile Durkheim's proposal and applying it to one religious group will prove his point to be true in most cases. Addressing Durkheim's abbreviated proposal; that humans need some kind of social organization or structure to live successfully, which is religion, and this religion has the ability to hold that society together.[1] Looking at all religious groups worldwide, it is easy to see the truth of this statement.

                Islamic religious beliefs begins and is centered around stories of their prophet Muhammad, and the Qu'ran. He lived during a time in Pre-Islamic Arabia where tribes were the most important social groups. These tribes would fight one another if contentions arose, but would also keep in contact and trade with other tribes. They all worshipped various deities, and when Muhammad was in his 40's and was told through revelations to share and teach what he had revealed to him. He faced persecution and ridicule from some, but as time went on he was asked to help the city Yathrib solve political problems, he even wrote up a constitution for them. Him and his followers fought to take back Mecca, and won.[2] This story is holds true to Durkheim's interpretation of religion's ability to hold society together, and create a social organization and structure to live successfully.

                 Looking at Buddhism as an example of this, we see that with the history of its' founder. Siddhartha was looking for something more beyond his life of luxury because he didn't feel fulfilled or feel like there was that social organization that he felt he could live successfully in. He left his old life, witnessed the four sights, felt suffering, experienced a spiritual awakening, and then dedicated his life to teach what he knew and gained many followers.[3] From this story and from Buddhist teachings alone we can also apply Durkheim's second portion of his proposal: That religious teachings have the ability to promote harmony among social groups. This is due to the virtuous things that are taught and practiced among themselves, such as love, compassion, justice, and to have control over specific desires and emotions.  This list of virtuous traits can align almost completely parallel to the basics of the Dharma found in Buddhism. Buddhist teachings are to be realistic about the human experience, to acknowledge and feel pain. With that acknowledgment of pain you are able to feel empathy and compassion for others pain. One is then able to let things go, to and serve others with having control over their own selfish desires.[4] These teachings can easily be understood to fit in Durkheim's theory when viewing one religious group, but unfortunately does not always hold true when two religious groups are coexisting.

                 Faith is interesting, because it is the belief that one has achieved enlightenment, or direct wisdom not from one's own mind but an unseen force, it takes a person's thoughts away from the world and instead fully on that enlightening experience. One's faith perspective has the capability of bringing someone to be so passionate about one's belief and spiritual experiences that it drives them to act in extreme ways. Whether one is driven to live in an extreme way, such as a Monk or a Nun or religious follower that make a covenant, or promise, with a God or supreme being to devote their entire life to that entities' teachings and will, and even going an extended time with no food or water, also known as fasting.[5] Or in another way, to be so engrossed in one's faith perspective that it drives them to believe that their faith is more important or more right than another person's faith, or even well being; this extreme will always lead to contention, and can lead to prejudice and violence if it is challenged.

                The Rohingya are a Majority Muslim ethnic group that live and have lived for centuries in the Rakhine state of Myanmar, also known as Burma, which has Buddhism as its' most predominant religion. With a complicated past, the state Rakhine that the Rohingya live in is among the poorest of the states in Myanmar. They live here because this is where the rest of the country is forcing them to live, as well as only allowing them to leave this rubble of a city with the permission of the Myanmar government. The list goes on, they are denied citizenship which inhibits their ability to work certain jobs, gain education, get married, vote, and even run for a job in the government. They lack proper resources for clean water, safe food to eat, as well as proper forms of healthcare. There have been situations where Myanmar government troops have shot at and killed innocent Rohingya men, women, and children; these troops are also burning down homes, and blaming it in the Rohingya people. With many accounts of rape and  explicit murder, this situation has been noted as that of genocide, and ethnic cleansing. For these reasons, millions of Rohingya people over the years have left the country to try and find refuge from this persecution in nearby countries. In these countries, these people are still not facing welcoming arms. Forced to stay and live in overcrowded refugee camps in neighboring countries; the government of Burma doesn't want the Ronhingya people to stay there long term and have even considered the fact sending them to live on an island that is flooding.[6]

                Why, if the Ronhingya people are living among majority Buddhist, a religious group with such beliefs as having compassion, empathy, and being able to look beyond selfish desires, are causing this negative treatment as well as not doing anything to cease such treatment? John Bowker, an author, is paraphrased by Fisher and Rinehart in their textbook Living Religions Tenth Edition by saying "religions are organized systems that serve the essential biological purpose of bringing people together for their common survival".[7] With a focus on the last portion of the phrase mentioned regarding "common survival", a valid point can be made by addressing the current circumstance of the Ronhingya people caused by the Buddhist in Myanmar, as well as other forms of tension or war caused because of religious tensions in history from various other religions. It is apparent that the closeness and social organization that religious groups bring can have a powerful effect on people in those groups, even powerful enough for people to feel so protective of their religion that they threaten or harm other religious groups in close proximity to them. This we can see between the Buddhist and Rohingya Muslim groups in Myanmar.

                The need to protect what is precious to someone, or group, can have an overwhelming effect on what actions are taken place. Functionalist and Faith perspectives of religion show the power that a  social organization and structure that is made within that religion. People band together to protect what is important to them, even their faith promotes peace and service to those around them, they may feel the need to act in violence and hostility to bring safety to a threat of a nearby religious group.

Bibliography

                Al Jazeera. “Who Are the Rohingya?” GCC News | Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera, 18 Apr. 2018, www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2017/08/rohingya-muslims-170831065142812.html.

                Eisenman, Debra. “Explainer: What's Happening to Myanmar's Rohingya Muslims.” Asia Society, 24 Feb. 2017, asiasociety.org/blog/asia/explainer-whats-happening-myanmars-rohingya-muslims.

                Fisher, Mary Pat, and Robin Rinehart. Living Religions. Tenth ed., Pearson, 2017.

                News, Channel 4. YouTube, YouTube, 3 Sept. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHXPVg9a8RY.

                Person. “Who Are the Rohingya Muslims and What's Going on in Burma?” BelfastTelegraph.co.uk,BelfastTelegraph.co.uk,8Sept.2017,www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/viral/who-are-the-rohingya-muslims-and-whats-going-on-in-burma-36112793.html.

                Ratcliffe, Rebecca. “Who Are the Rohingya and What Is Happening in Myanmar?” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 6 Sept. 2017, www.theguardian.com/global-development/2017/sep/06/who-are-the-rohingya-and-what-is-happening-in-myanmar.

                Shams, Shamil. “Rohingya People in Myanmar: What You Need to Know | DW | 12.09.2017.” DW.COM, 9 Dec. 2017, www.dw.com/en/rohingya-people-in-myanmar-what-you-need-to-know/a-40340067.

Reflection

                My site visits throughout the semester definitely reassured my original definition of religion. I did find however, that just having the simple definition of a religious group being there to provide social structure as well as support group, does not put the feeling into perspective. When I went to my first site visit, to a Buddhist meeting house, my observations of all who were part of that religious group was undoubtedly a strong connection between them. They all knew each other by  name, and what was going on in their individual lives. They greeted one another so warmly, and the peace that they felt among one another along with the practicing of their religious beliefs was obviously apparent. My second site visit was similar. I visited a Mormon church, of Christian beliefs, and they all were so incredibly friendly and loving with one another. You could sense and see the comfort that the congregation felt being there. Amazing how sharing beliefs, and having a place to practice those beliefs can have such a strong connection among followers, and even such a positive outlook on life.

                Doing this assignment, writing and reading about the Rohingya people in Myanmar really made me realize that religion can truly be a creator of contention among people of opposing faiths. I was so surprised to learn that a religion, as peaceful seeming at that of the Buddhist faith, can have practicing participants harming people of another religion. As I was learning of these events, I was able to reflect and think of other events in history that were caused by a religious group harming that of another religious group. Remembering things I have learned from World War II, and the genocide and concentration camps happening in reaction to Judaism. I can't help but be so disappointed in humans. How can something be so beneficial for a social group, and then harm another social group that is trying to do the same thing, support one another. Humans get in the way of something positive they have created.

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[1] Fisher, Rinehart 6

[2] Fisher, Rinehart 375-380

[3] Fisher, Rinehart 137-140

[4] Fisher, Rinehart 142-143

[5] Fisher, Rinehart 9

[6] Al Jazeera

[7] Fisher, Rinehart 6

HLTH 1020 Signature Assignment Nutrition Perspectives Fall 2018

HLTH 1020 Signature Assignment Fall 2018

Nutrition Perspectives

*Learning Outcomes*

1.     It is amazing how easy it can be to meet all of your dietary and nutritional needs every day if you put together a simple food plan. By learning how to use "My Plate", it lays out for each person what type of foods you need to be sure to include in your every day meal. Knowing that it is important to have one half of my meal time plate full of fruits and or vegetables, helps me know that I need to purchase an abundance of those when I go to the grocery store. I know that I need to have a serving of whole grains, and that my serving of some type of protein should be lean protein. And to top it all off, I need to be sure to have a serving of a dairy type product.
     By breaking down needed nutrition to these food groups, I am then able to understand what each one offers to my daily requirements. I know that fruits and vegetables are plants, which contain important phytochemicals that help provide my body with antioxidants to fight sickness, and vitamins that help various functions in my body continue to work successfully; things like my immune system, my vision, and even cancer prevention. I know that whole grain products offer some more vitamins, but they also offer some minerals like iron that is a component of hemoglobin, and Manganese which helps with bone formation. Protein rich foods contain Zinc, which helps wounds heal, as well as Magnesium which helps the activation of Vitamin D and helps in reducing the chance for tooth decay. Dairy products contain Calcium which helps take part in blood clotting, muscle movements, nerves, and even creating bone.
     By incorporating a rounded and balanced diet at each meal, I am ensuring that my bodily functions run smoothly and properly, which as an outcome makes me have more energy, helps my body fight off infection and sickness, as well as perform in my physical activities of choice to the best of my abilities. By choosing to eat in this way, I am choosing to purchase these nutritious food items and not purchasing things that are overly processed. Consumers cast a vote each time the purchase something, and those votes add up to what type of product will be more available at grocery type stores.

2.    With the advancements in science and medicine comes a great leap forward for the science of human nutrition. Lab tests are able to be done to learn of vitamin deficiencies; studies regarding prebiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics as benefits for gastrointestinal health and ultimately increased absorption of nutrients.

3.    The food industry has massive control over the average consumer in America. Utilizing things such as misleading packaging. Corporations will toy with the average human consumer: By using phrases such as "fat free" to mask the fact that there is more than the RDA of sugar in one serving. Or phrases that state an item is an excellent source of a specific vitamin and mineral, when in reality the requirement for being able to use that statement means that there is less than 10% of that vitamin or mineral in one serving. These phrases are coupled with packaging tactics that use colors that are associated with fresh nutritious foods like the color green, or even utilizing the color red as it appeals to the appetite. All of these tactics are used to confuse the average consumer who lacks the education or knowledge of how to properly read food labels.

4.    Some examples of past diet trends include the "Slim Fast" diet. This diet was quite popular in the mid to late 90's, and the concept is still in play with other diet brands in today's world. Slim Fast was a product of ready to drink or eat meal replacement shakes or snack bars. The idea was to replace two "meals a day with a "Slim Fast" product. The whole name of the company "Slim Fast" was misleading as it implied a quick route to losing weight, which is proof that it was a fad type of diet. The products contained some nutrients, but also a large amount of sugar to make the taste appealing and satisfying to have instead of a meal. Ultimately this type of fad diet was and will never be a sustainable tool for weight loss, as it wasn't a lifestyle change for the long term. Not to mention the environmental impact of throwing away wrappers and cans two times a day was negative.

5.    An example of negative impact on microorganisms in food production is one regarding sickness and eventually death. With outbreaks of Ecoli, and corporations and companies delayed recall response to this bacterial discovery, thousands of consumers each year are plagued with this preventable illness, and in some cases of people with weak immune systems (children, people suffering from immune diseases, and the elderly) have been killed. A positive look at food borne illness caused by microorganisms would be when food production is stopped, and then changed in a way to prevent that bacteria to contaminate food. Studies are being done on ways to prevent or rid foods of these harmful microorganisms to make produced foods safer to consume. Things such as proper handling of food substances, storage, and even cooking methods and temperatures. Some countries has approved the use of food safe radiation on things that commonly contain bacteria like red meat products, eggs still in shells, and seeds. This safe irradiation technique breaks DNA and protein bonds of bacterial cells to make the food safe from dangerous illness causing micro organisms.

6.    We currently live in a time of convenience, and the most convenient thing about it is access to food. Not only is this convenient food ready to eat withing 5 minutes of ordering it through your car window, but as it turns out is also less expensive then buying those same ingredients from the store and making the same meal yourself. This sounds like an amazing time to live when it's put as simply as that, but in reality it is one of the major causes of the obesity epidemic in America.
     This food that is readily available for such a low cost is also extremely low and in some cases even void of any type of positive nutrition. Not only is this low nutrition food high in saturated fats, is usually accompanied by a soft drink of choice, which contains far more sugar than the RDA. This sugar content comes from corn syrup which is one of the cheapest ways to sweeten something due to the massive amount of corn produced in the United States every year. This corn is uninhibited by drought or pest due to current biotechnology which is able to alter this plant's genetic code making it immune to these common crop issues. The more corn, the more corn syrup, the more soda. Not only is this corn being turned into soft drinks and treats alike, but it is fed to cattle in feed lots to fatten them up quickly to be sent to the slaughterhouse so they can be turned into a burger just as quick as that soft drink to join it.
    Sugary and fatty foods coupled with the ease of driving to the nearest fast food joint and eating behind the steering wheel is without a doubt a very unhealthy habit. Not even regarding the food, but just the concept of never even needing to walk in order to eat is a slight glimpse into why else Obesity is on the rise. Where is the physical activity in anyone's daily life? Now taking into account the opposite of nutritious food being consumed, that does not have any benefit for the body actually takes up so much of the bodies energy to digest and process that anybody who eats it lacks the physical stamina to get enough exercise to ride their body of the excess calories. This is all a vicious cycle, and the industry causing this issue refuses to change because of the amount of money their companies make off of consumers is more important to them.

Nutrition Perspectives Project

            Food Inc. documentary by Robert Kenner shows the effect of massive food corporations power and control over the food industry in America, as well as other countries in the world. Starting in the supermarket and then going backwards, the film follows where mass produced food comes from, and what processes it goes through before it is purchased by a consumer. The film shows the dark side of this corporate industry that they try to hide from consumers due to their unethical treatment of animals, factory workers, and even simple farmers trying to make a living. Not only does this film discuss where food comes from, but Food Inc. also shows where this food is going, and how it is affecting consumers. Whether it be by increasing the price of healthy food options and making unhealthy fast food cheap causing diabetes, or causing outbreaks of Ecoli that have killed children. By diving into these issues, Food Inc. tells the grueling story of each of these facets of the American food system first hand, and ties it all together in the end by urging people to take action by demanding change to be taken place in how things are done in the food and agricultural industry.[1]

            I personally chose to watch Food Inc. because it was a film I had been wanting to watch for some time now. I heard from others that it contained graphic images of slaughterhouses so I was holding off watching it for awhile because that is difficult for me to view. I have seen other documentaries that discuss similar issues, and I am fascinated by the topic that is the American food industry and how corrupt it is. I was pleased to find out that Michael Pollan is in this film as well because I love his book The Omnivore's Dilemma which has an entire section in it that talks about the growing and usage of American corn. I was excited to know that Food Inc. discusses that topic as well with some imagery to help explain the topic. I also chose to watch this film because I feel that it is everyone's right to be informed, and that it is also my responsibility as a consumer to have an understanding of where something, as important as food, is coming from and in which way it is being produced. This is something that I feel very strongly about, consumers becoming educated, and then with that new found knowledge, making ethical and educated decisions as to where they spend their money.

            The writer and Director of Food Inc. does not have any specific background in Nutrition. He is a screenwriter, and although he is known for writing and directing a few other films, he is best known for his work of Food Inc. he spent quite some time researching and filming for this show, that I think grants him at least some specialty on the subject. Food Inc. was produced in 2008, and I think that the topics discussed in this film continue to be more and more relevant today. The food industry has just kept on growing since that time, and from what we learn in the film, the changes that need to be made takes years in government's hands to make laws that in the end don't get passed. So yes, Food Inc. is very much applicable today because we still haven't seen changes that need to happen.

            One of the first topics addressed in the film is Fast Food. The film follows a family of four in their minivan as they pull up to a drive through window to order their meal. Each member of the family gets a hamburger, a fountain drink, and an order of french fries. The mother of the family then shares her dilemma: That it is more cost effective to feed her whole family fast food, and even though she knows that it is unhealthy for them, they are offered a wide variety so everyone is happy with choosing from the menu what they want. The film then follows this same family to the grocery store, the family is in the fresh produce section and the father of the family picks up a head of broccoli and is blown away that one head of broccoli is more expensive than buying a couple of hamburgers from a fast food restaurant.

            The film expands this issue by showing how inexpensive processed food is, like candy, soda, and chips in comparison to whole fruits and vegetables just an isle or two over in the same grocery store. The mother of the family and the oldest daughter of the family each talk about the concern for diabetes in their family. The father already has diabetes, and the youngest child is at a very high risk of one day having diabetes at an earlier age because the food they can afford is what is causing this disease.[2] The textbook states that almost every day 40% of youth in America eat food from a fast food restaurant, because it is inexpensive and they are able to buy a lot more food for very little amount of money.[3] The textbook also informs us that the rise in obesity among children is coupled with a rise in children being diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, which was once only found among adults who were obese and 40 years or older.[4] This information coupled with information about type 2 diabetes in children increases the understanding of the issue regarding the amount of fast food or processed foods being eaten by children beginning at a young age.

            Food Inc. has an overarching concern that is being addressed for a large portion of the film, that concern is food borne illness, specifically Ecoli. The film follows a mother who's young child died due to an hamburger that was eaten that was made with meat infected with Ecoli. This mother was working with government officials in Washington DC to create laws that require food safety to be among the highest of priorities to inhibit the spread of these food borne illness related deaths. The film discusses where Ecoli came from, the part of a cows stomach called the rumen. The only reason this portion of the cows stomach acquired Ecoli is because cows are being fed corn and corn only. Corn is not something that cows are able to digest whatsoever, so when the rumen gets a load of corn from the cows meal, it does not have the necessary digestive bacteria to digest it, which creates a space for Ecoli to grow. When cows are taken to be slaughtered, their hair is covered in Ecoli containing feces, and that bacteria transfers from the feces on the fur to the exposed meat in the slaughterhouse.[5] We know from the textbook that food borne illness is found most commonly by foods that are moist and rich as a source of protein. Meat is on the top of that list, it is a common source for Ecoli to breed and colonize due to its perfect living conditions for bacteria.[6]

            Corn is really the main star of the show, but not in a good way. So much corn is grown not only to feed the massive feedlots full of cows, but also to be chemically transformed and turned into things like high fructose corn syrup, a product that can be found in almost every processed food sold on the grocery store shelf. How are they able to produce so much corn you ask? Since it is just a plant, and growing things can be very unpredictable from amount of water, to pests destroying and entire crop. Biotechnology is discussed briefly in the textbook as a way to alter an organism, like a corn crop, in a way that is able to withstand the things that make it unsuccessful. [7] Food Inc. addresses this amazing scientific discovery as a major issue. Biotechnology could be great for the world, if its powers were used for good and not evil. As is uncovered in the film, it is only used for evil. All of that corn that is being fed to millions of cows in feedlots is creating more and more growth of Ecoli in those cow's rumens. And all of that corn that is being turned into high fructose corn syrup is used to sweeten those soft drinks that adolescents are drinking multiple times a day and is most likely going to cause them early onset diabetes. If biotechnology was used to help provide everyone nutritious food to make them healthy, and to end world hunger it would be amazing. Sadly, this major accomplishment is creating an extremely negative impact. This is something that confused me, the textbook brushed over this topic so quickly and made it seem that it was being used to do incredible things, when in reality it is doing the opposite.

            By doing this assignment, I learned of the importance of consumers. The more educated consumers are, the better food will be purchased, and these statistics are capable of making the food industry change. I learned from Food Inc. that every single item that you purchase is like casting a vote for that item. I want to be casting positive votes, so that positive change can take place. Some of the positive votes that I want to incorporate in my purchases for food are: buying local to support local small family farmers and not massive corporations that exploit and mistreat their workers and their products. I also would like to cast my purchase vote to buy things that are in season, to ensure I am supporting a positive and natural way to produce food, as well as to get the most out of the food that I am eating. If crops are in season, and coming from a local source, I am more likely to get the most vitamins and minerals from that fruit or vegetable than one that has come from 1,500 miles away and has lost most of its nutritional value due to oxidation.

References

            Kenner, R. (Producer). (2008). Food Inc.[Motion picture on Netflix]. United States: Magnolia Pictures.

            Smith, A. M., Collene, A. L., & Spees, C. K. (2015). Wardlaw's Contemporary Nutrition A Functional Approach(Fifth ed.). Mcgraw Hill Education.

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[1] Food Inc.

[2] Food Inc.

[3] Wardlaw's 695

[4] Wardlaw's 691

[5] Food Inc.

[6] Wardlaw's 584

[7] Wardlaw's 561

*Reflection*

1.    In another course I took at SLCC, I was required to write a research paper on an issue that interested me. I chose to write about Monsanto, the food and farming corporation that I find very dishonest, greedy, cruel, and damaging to our society environment. I did a lot of research regarding their company practices, and treatment of farmers; but it wasn't until I took this nutrition class that my understanding of it all came full circle for me. Not only was I able to learn truly of the negative health effects of pesticide usage on fresh produce, but I learned about food borne illness caused by microorganisms found in things like red meat. I was able to tie my knowledge of Monsanto's GMO corn to the cattle that was eating it, which in the cattle's ruminant stomach was not able to be digested properly that E coli was able to grow, and be transferred via cow feces into red meat. It was amazing to be able to understand the bigger picture and really see the issue as a whole and not as individual pieces that didn't add up.

2.   Before I took this course, I always understood that having a basic knowledge of nutrition was important. What I learned throughout this course was how much nutrition effected your entire body. I always sort of thought of nutrition as a way to maintain body weight, and I learned that it is so much more than that. I learned that nutrition effects how our body and organs work together, and kept them working properly. That different micronutrients played a role in different chemical and biological components of our bodies. I really learned the most when it came to the chapters on Vitamins and minerals, as well as learning about what can happen if you are deficient in any micronutrients. Moving forward, I will now look at nutrition in a way of how to be sure my body is getting what it needs to be healthy and successful in all of its functions. And to pay special attention to things like my susceptibility to osteoporosis, and what things I need to include in my everyday life to prevent that.