Essay 2: First Draft of 2 Paragraphs

Christians and Muslims possess similar beliefs about God, and they believe in several of the same important religious figures.  Christianity and Islam are monotheistic religions, both believing in one, true God.  It is believed that God, called “Allah” in Islam, is the Creator of the World. (Shahani 12) Christians and Muslims believe in religious figures such as Abraham, Moses, John the Baptist, and Jesus, all of whom appear in the holy books of each religion, the Bible and the Qur’an.  In fact, many are unaware that these four figures are some of the main Islamic prophets. (pg 226) Christians and Muslims alike believe they are children of Abraham.  (3) It is also widely unknown that Muslims believe in Jesus.  The Islamic religion, unlike the Christian religion, doesn’t consider Jesus to be the Son of God, but rather, he is recognized as a prophet. (2) Muslims consider him to be “one of the greatest of God’s prophets and messengers.” (Discover Islam)  According to both religions, Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary, and God “strengthened him with the Holy Spirit.” (pg 226) He performed miracles, healed the suffering, as well as raised people from the dead.  (Pg 226) It is believed that Jesus will return one day, implying that that the Day of Judgment has come. Christians and Muslims believe in other individuals with “intimate relationships with God” as well. (pg 226) While Christians call them saints, Muslims refer to them as awliya, or “friends of God.” (Pg 227)  Although specific beliefs about religious figures differ among the religions, both Christianity and Islam acknowledge the importance of the figures.

                The holy texts of Christianity and Islam are the Bible and Qur’an respectively.  Each book is unique; however, several similarities exist between the two.  The Bible and the Qur’an even contain many of the same stories, although sometimes there are different variations.  Muslims and Christians believe in the Old as well as New Testament. (191)  The Qur’an is believed to contain the words of God as spoken through the prophet Muhammad, whereas the Bible contains accounts written by disciples of Jesus, yet the two texts have an incredible amount in common. (192) Each religion possesses its own creed, but the purpose is the same.  Muslims recite the Shahadah, or “Declaration of Faith.” (Discover Islam)  The statement confirms the Muslim beliefs that there is one God, and that Muhammad was God’s messenger.  (198)  Beyond the creed, Muslims live by the “five pillars” of Islam.  (198) Similarly, Christians recite the Nicene Creed to affirm their faith in God and other beliefs, and in addition they try to live by the “Ten Commandments.”  The Islam religion acknowledges the commandments as well.  The important texts of each religion demonstrate several examples of similarities between Christianity and Islam.

Essay 2 Outline and Purpose

Similarities between Christianity and Islam:

1) Important religious people/figures

• beliefs about God
• Abraham
• Jesus
• angels
• saints & awliya ("friends of God")

2) Texts

• Stories from Bible and Qur'an
• Creeds
• Old/New Testament

3) After-life

• Heaven
• Hell
• eternal

The purpose of my second essay is to inform readers about the similarities between Christianity and Islam.  Many people recognize the differences between the two but are unaware of how similar they actually are.  I think the topic will be interesting to many individuals, resulting in a diverse group of readers as the audience.

Essay 2 Possible Topic and Questions

Comparing two religions: (Christianity and Islam)

-Who are the important figures associated with each religion?

• Abraham
• Moses
• John the Baptist
• Jesus
• Mary

-What are the beliefs about after-life?

• Life after death is eternal
• day of judgement will take place
• heaven is a "state of being"

-Where do people from each religion worship?

• Christians have services at a church.
• Muslims have services at a mosque.

-How is the Qur'an similar to the Bible?

• contain many of the same stories from the Old and New Testament

Works Cited - Dreams

Works Cited

Cherry, Kendra. "Dream Characteristics - Characteristics of Dreams." Psychology - Complete Guide to Psychology for Students, Educators & Enthusiasts. The New York Times Company, 2010. Web. 31 Aug. 2010. <http://psychology.about.com/od/statesofconsciousness/tp/characteristics-of-dreams.htm>.

Cherry, Kendra. "Why Do We Dream - Theories of Why We Dream." Psychology - Complete Guide to Psychology for Students, Educators & Enthusiasts. The New York Times Company, 2010. Web. 31 Aug. 2010. <http://psychology.about.com/od/statesofconsciousness/p/dream-theories.htm>.

"Dream Moods: Quick Dream Facts and Tidbits." An Online Guide To Dream Interpretation. Dream 

Moods Inc., 2000. Web. 31 Aug. 2010.

<http://www.dreammoods.com/dreaminformation/dreamfacts.htm>.

"Dream Moods: Recurring Dreams." An Online Guide To Dream Interpretation. Dream Moods Inc., 2000. Web. 31 Aug. 2010. <http://www.dreammoods.com/dreaminformation/dreamtypes/recurringdreams.htm>.

Richmond, Raymond L. "Dreams and Their Interpretation in Clinical Psychology." Consumer Information about Clinical Psychology : Psychotherapy, Therapy, Counseling, Mental Health | Clinical Psychology | A Guide to Psychology and Its Practice. N.p., 1997. Web. 31 Aug. 2010. <http://www.guidetopsychology.com/dreams.htm>.

"Temple of Dreams - Programs." Temple of Dreams - Seeking Wisdom Through the Understanding of Our Dreams. N.p., 1998. Web. 31 Aug. 2010. <http://www.templeofdreams.com/faq.html#one>.

Walsh, William S. "Dreams of Falling." The Psychology of Dreams. N.p.: Dodd, Mead And, 1920. 140.

The Psychology of Dreams. StasoSphere, 2007. Web. 31 Aug. 2010. <http://chestofbooks.com/new-age/dreams/Dream-Psychology/index.html>.

"Why Do We Dream? Modern Theories of Dreaming." World of Lucid Dreaming: Discovering Self

Awareness in Dreams. Creative Media NZ Ltd, 2010. Web. 31 Aug. 2010. <http://www.world-of-lucid-dreaming.com/why-do-we-dream.html>.

 Wilson, Kevin. "Introduction to Sigmund Freud’s Theory on Dreams - Dream Journal and Dream

Theory." Surreal Photography, Dream Journal and Dream Theory by Kevin Wilson. N.p., 2009. Web. 31 Aug. 2010. <http://www.insomnium.co.uk/dream-theory/introduction-freud-theory-on-dreams/>.

Final Draft - Dreams

Laura Marie

Dr. Kerr                                                                                   

EN 101-5

15 September 2010

Dreams

Dreams are a mysterious, puzzling aspect of the human life.  In an average lifetime, the amount of time people spend dreaming is equivalent to approximately six years (“Dream Moods: Quick Dream Facts and Tidbits” 1).  Dreaming is a confusing concept to grasp, but various explanations exist as to why humans dream while sleeping.  Understanding the characteristics of dreams is complicated, but it is necessary in order to analyze and interpret them.  Although reasons for dreaming are not certain, theories concerning why humans dream are developed through research, and the characteristics that appear in dreams assist in dream analysis and interpretation. 

Numerous theories attempt to explain why humans dream.  One of the most common is Sigmund Freud’s theory on dreams.  Freud believed that dreams express humans’ unconscious thoughts and desires, and dreaming is the mind’s way of “censoring” them (Wilson 1).  Research suggests that dreams are the result of random impulses in the brain or the brain’s attempt to become organized, solve problems, or cope with trauma (“Why Do We Dream? Modern Theories of Dreaming” 2-3).  Some scientists believe that dreams are meaningless because they occur as the brain is trying to make sense of electrical signals (“Why Do We Dream? Modern Theories of Dreaming” 2).  Others suggest that dreaming is the brain’s method of sorting out the abundance of information humans absorb every day.  People may also dream in an attempt to resolve problems.  One scientist made the claim that dreams emphasize the day’s unnoticeable hints that are important in solving a problem.  Lastly, dreams can be associated with trauma.  Traumatic events bring about intense emotions, making them more likely to appear in a dream (“Why Do We Dream? Modern Theories of Dreaming” 3).  It is uncertain exactly why humans dream, but research may one day find the answer by taking a look at some of the characteristics involved in dreams.

            It is a challenge to understand the variety of characteristics dreams possess.  Dreams are sometimes very vague, but occasionally, they seem to be quite vivid (“Why Do We Dream – Theories of Why We Dream” 1).  Dreams are often disorganized, unclear, and involve strong emotions such as anxiety, fear, and surprise.  One main characteristic of dreams is the frequent occurrence of unrealistic events (“Dream Characteristics – Characteristics of Dreams” 1).  One of the most common types of dreams involves the sensation of falling, which causes the dreamer to awaken (Walsh 140).  Another “bizarre sensation” that is experienced while dreaming is the inability to control body movements (“Characteristics” 1).  Uncontrollable sensations can be startling to the dreamer.  Lastly, one of the most frustrating characteristics of dreams is that they often times cannot be remembered.  After humans awaken, ninety-five percent of their dreams have elapsed from their memory (“Characteristics” 1).  Dreams can be remembered in more detail if the dreamer awakens immediately after REM sleep, which is the stage of sleep where most dreaming occurs (“Dream Moods: Quick Dream Facts and Tidbits” 2).  Of the dreams that are remembered, half of the subject matter is forgotten after five minutes, and ninety percent of the dream is forgotten after about ten minutes (“Dream Moods: Quick Dream Facts and Tidbits” 1-2).  If one is able to recall his or her dreams, a message may be revealed by discovering the underlying meaning through dream analysis.

            Analyzing dreams is complicated since it is unknown whether or not dreams are actually meaningful.  Sometimes, emotions influence dreams and can tell people about a part of their “inner lives” (“Temple of Dreams – Programs” 1).  The emotions felt while dreaming may even be responses to real feelings that are unacknowledged when awake.  Dream analysis may vary depending on location since different cultures interpret dreams in various ways.  Some cultures use dreams to diagnose illness while others use them to make predictions about the future (“Why Do We Dream? Modern Theories of Dreaming” 3).  According to some dream analysts, dreams are always true; it is just complicated to discover the actual meaning because the symbolism that appears in dreams can be easily misinterpreted (“Dreams and Their Interpretation in Clinical Psychology” 4).  Although it seems strange, it is actually common to have recurring dreams, which are mainly caused by some current life situation or issue (“Dream Moods: Recurring Dreams” 1).  Recurring dreams could also result from misunderstanding the dream’s message.  The dream continues to repeat itself until the message is understood (“Dreams and Their Interpretation in Clinical Psychology” 6).  Although analyzing and interpreting dreams is not simple, it is exciting to be able to understand them and discover their deeper meaning.

            While it is true that dreams are often unexplainable, researchers still attempt to describe the reasons for dreaming by analyzing and interpreting them based on their characteristics.  Many theories provide explanations for why humans dream.  Research suggests that dreams are caused by random impulses in the brain or they could be the brain’s attempt to become organized, solve problems, or cope with trauma (“Why Do We Dream? Modern Theories of Dreaming” 2-3).  Some aspects of dreams include disorganization, unclear information, strong emotions, and unrealistic events (“Characteristics” 1).  It is unknown whether or not dreams possess any real meaning, but knowing the characteristics of dreams helps researchers study and analyze them.  Although many aspects of dreams remain unknown to humans, perhaps one day the mystery of dreaming will be solved.

Page 23 Writing Process

General Topic: Dreams

Narrowed Topic: Why we dream, what we dream about, and what our dreams mean

Questions: Why do we dream?
How often do we dream?
Why don't we remember our dreams?
What is the most common subject matter of dreams?
Are our dreams affected by our mood?
Do dreams express our fears?
Does our stress level affect our dreams?
Why do we have recurring dreams?

Thesis Statement: Although reasons for dreaming are not certain, theories concerning why humans dream are developed through research, and the characteristics that appear in dreams assist in dream analysis and interpretation.

Statement of Purpose: Everyone can relate to the topic of dreams because everyone has had a dream at some point in their life, so I want to help others learn about why we dream, characteristics and types of dreams, as well as how to analyze and interpret them.

Rough Draft

Dreams


     Dreams are a mysterious, puzzling part of the human life. Overall, the time people spend dreaming is equivalent to approximately six years (“Dream Moods: Quick Dream Facts and Tidbits” 1). Various explanations exist as to why humans dream while sleeping. Understanding the characteristics of dreams is complicated, but necessary in order to analyze and interpret them. Although several elements of dreams cannot be explained, theories concerning why humans dream are developed through research, and the characteristics that appear in dreams assist in dream analysis and interpretation.
    Numerous theories attempt to explain why humans dream. One of the most common is Sigmund Freud’s theory on dreams. Freud believed that dreams express humans’ unconscious thoughts and desires, and dreaming is the mind’s way of “censoring” them (Wilson 1). Research suggests that dreams are the result of random impulses in the brain or the brain’s attempt to become organized, solve problems, or cope with trauma. Some scientists believe that dreams are meaningless because dreams occur when the brain is trying to make sense of electrical signals. Others suggest that dreaming is the brain’s way of sorting out the abundance of information humans absorb every day. People may also dream in an attempt to resolve problems. Scientist Fiss made the claim that dreams emphasize the day’s unnoticeable hints that are important in solving a problem. Lastly, coping with trauma affects dreaming. Traumatic events bring about intense emotions, making them more likely to appear in a dream (“Why Do We Dream? Modern Theories of Dreaming” 2-3). It is uncertain exactly why humans dream, but research may one day find the answer by taking a look at some of the characteristics involved in dreams.
     It is a challenge to understand the variety of characteristics dreams possess. Dreams are sometimes very vague, but occasionally they seem to be quite vivid (Cherry 1). Dreams are often disorganized, unclear, and involve strong emotions such as anxiety, fear, and surprise. One main characteristic of dreams is the frequent occurrence of unrealistic events (Cherry 1). One of the most common types of dreams involves the dreamer feeling as if he or she is falling, which causes him or her to awaken (Walsh 140). Another “bizarre sensation” that is experienced while dreaming is the inability to control body movements (Cherry 1). Lastly, one of the most frustrating characteristics of dreams is they often times cannot be remembered. After humans awaken, ninety-five percent of their dreams are elapsed from the memory (Cherry 1). Dreams can be remembered in more detail if the dreamer awakens immediately after REM sleep, which is the stage of sleep where most dreaming occurs. Of the dreams that are remembered, half of the subject matter is forgotten after five minutes, and ninety percent of the dream is forgotten after about ten minutes (“Dream Moods: Quick Dream Facts and Tidbits” 1-2). If one is able to recall his or her dreams, a message may be revealed if the underlying meaning is discovered through dream analysis.
     Analyzing dreams is complicated because it is unknown whether or not dreams are actually meaningful. Sometimes, emotions influence dreams and can tell people about a part of their “inner lives” (“Temple of Dreams – Programs” 1). The emotions felt during dreams may be responses to real feelings that are unacknowledged when awake (“Temple of Dreams – Programs” 2). Different cultures interpret dreams in various ways. Some cultures use dreams to diagnose illness while others use them to make predictions about the future (“Why Do We Dream? Modern Theories of Dreaming” 3). According to some, dreams are always true; it is just complicated to discover the actual meaning because the symbolism that appears in dreams can be easily misinterpreted (“Dreams and Their Interpretation in Clinical Psychology” 4). It is common to have recurring dreams as well. Current life situations and issues are the main causes of recurring dreams (“Dream Moods: Recurring Dreams” 1). They could also result from misunderstanding the dream’s message. The dream continues to repeat itself until the message is understood (“Dreams and Their Interpretation in Clinical Psychology” 6). Although analyzing and interpreting dreams is not simple, many believe it is important to understand them.
    While it is true that dreams are often unexplainable, research still attempts to explain the reasons for dreaming by analyzing and interpreting them based on their characteristics. Many theories give explanations for why humans dream. Research suggests that dreams are caused by random impulses in the brain or the brain’s attempt to become organized, solve problems, or cope with trauma (“Why Do We Dream? Modern Theories of Dreaming” 2-3). Some aspects of dreams include disorganization, unclear information, strong emotions, and unrealistic events (Cherry 1). It is unknown whether or not dreams possess any real meaning, but knowing the characteristics of dreams helps researchers study and analyze them. Many aspects of dreams remain unknown to humans, but perhaps one day the mystery of dreaming will be solved.

Purpose

The purpose of my paper is to inform the reader about dreams.  I want to talk about why we dream, characteristics and types of dreams, as well as how to analyze and interpret dreams. I think it's a topic people will be interested in because everyone has had dreams at some point in their life.  Those who believe they don't dream will be interested to find out that they actually do dream when asleep.  I'm hoping that everyone will be able to relate in some way when reading the information.