Celine Salloum

   Each one of us views life from within his physical body. It is as if we were viewing the world through the windshield of an exploratory vehicle designed specifically to survive in this environment.   For instance, we typically think of ourselves as the center of reality. Everyone else is “out there”, separate and distinct from ourselves. We see nature as a sometimes hostile, always unpredictable force which must be at least held separate from our home. Of course, this is not true. As the motto so aptly explains it, “We are many yet we are one”. We may seem separate, but we are one in God and in the operation of this local reality. An excellent subject for contemplation is to consider what you think of your world. Follow the threads of your attention by thinking about what you know. I have a place in my mind to hold the latest understanding of the structure of the physical universe and the complexity of our planet. I worry about the possibility of war and if my articl...

      A Japanese proverb says, “The nail that sticks out will be hammered down.” Society tries to place many rules on us as individuals as to what is acceptable and what is not. We must decide for ourselves whether to conform to such a social decorum. We are taught as soon as we are old enough to grasp the idea that it is bad to be unique and to avoid being different. At some point, however, we must decide within ourselves whether to spend every day trying to be like everyone else because society says we should or living each day true to ourselves. Our strength as a person is proven through what we decide. E. E. Cummings once said, "To be nobody but yourself-in a world which is doing it's best night and day to make you like everyone else-means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight, and never stop fighting." The benefits of being true to ourselves greatly outweigh any negative aspects of choosing that path. One of the most obvious advantages of bein...

   What drives history? Before we answer this question, we must go deeper and answer a more important question: What is history? History is, simply, all of the events, ideas, people, and occurrences that have existed in the past. These things have been driven by one common factor: individuals. Although individuals driving history may seem like a rather simple answer, it is the only one that provides no flaws. One such individual who has driven history is Martin Luther.     Luther, a German monk, was an inspirational figure who struggled to encourage people to think more for themselves. Martin Luther had an unconventional way of viewing the Church at the time. Luther believed that it was wrong for the Church to sell indulgences or  "Forgiveness” from god." Martin Luther thought that salvation could only be achieved  through performing good deeds. During Luther's protesting, he created the "95  Theses," which were a list of arguments and problems ...