The Tale of Two Presidents Essay Example

The Tale of Two Presidents Essay What makes a good president?   Consequently, what makes an great president?   How does one measure the greatness of a political leader?   In the history of the United States, Franklin Roosevelt is revered as a great American president.   On the other hand, Jimmy Carter is not perceived the same way.   This essay aims to discuss the differences between the two presidents and discover how these differences result in the peoples perception of their presidency.Franklin Delano Roosevelt is considered as one of the great presidents of the United States.   If the longevity of ones presidential term is used to measure a presidents greatness, then Roosevelt is indeed a great president.   Roosevelt was the 32nd American president; his term lasted from 1933 to 1945 (Rosen, 1992).   His is the longest term in the history of the American presidency; he was the only president who exceeded two terms in office (Roosevelt â€Å"Impact,† 2008; Franklin, n.d.).   However, it is more important to note that what he did during his presidency is more significant than the actual length of service.During the time of Roosevelt, the United States was still suffering from the Great Depression, a period marked by the most severe economic situation the country had ever faced (Rosen, 1992).   Between his election and inauguration, the economic state continued to worsen; more and more people were unemployed, while banks continued to suffer as people in panic withdrew all their savings (Roosevelt â€Å"Domestic,† 2008).   As president, it became his task to save his country from the economic slump it was facing.It was his character that truly made him an exceptional president.   Roosevelt was optimistic and confident, despite the dire economic conditions he had to deal with (Roosevelt â€Å"Domestic,† 2008).   It was his self-confidence that was the source of assurance for the American people, who were losing hope in such problematic times.   He also was a pragmatic and flexible president.   He said that he will try to do something about the depression; if his plan works, he will proceed in solving the next problem.   If his plan does not work, he will  Ã‚   figure out what went wrong and try another option.   He also connected with the public with his â€Å"fireside chats,† which were broadcast on the radio (Rosen, 1992, p. 308).   It is these qualities that made him an epitome of great leadership (Roosevelt â€Å"Domestic,† 2008).Roosevelt was a great president because he modified the role the federal government played in the economic and corporate aspects of American life (Roosevelt â€Å"Domestic,† 2008).  Ã‚   He was able to do so through the New Deal, his plan in solving the economic problems of the country (Rosen, 1992).   As part of the New Deal, there was a period called â€Å"Hundred Days,† which was characterized by the passage of many bills that sought to improve the co untrys economic issues (Roosevelt â€Å"Domestic,† 2008, para.7).   The first sector Roosevelt acted on was the banking sector.   He first declared a â€Å"bank holiday† to halt the people from withdrawing their savings from the struggling banks (Roosevelt â€Å"Domestic,† 2008, para.8).   This gave way for the federal government to determine which banks were to be kept open, which had to be reorganized, and which ones should remain closed.   One of the outcomes of the legislative efforts of the Roosevelt administration is the Banking Act of 1935.   It is that which provided the country a central structure for banking (Roosevelt â€Å"Domestic,† 2008).Roosevelt was a great president because he resolved the issues regarding unemployment and agriculture.   Through the Federal Emergency Relief Administration, Roosevelt allotted a significant amount of money to those without jobs (Roosevelt â€Å"Domestic,† 2008).   Through the Civilian C onservation Corps, thousands of young men were hired to work in construction, planting and cleaning.   During his time, he also had to address the problem of decreasing prices which also decreased the farmers earnings.   As a result, the Agricultural Adjustment Act was passed (Roosevelt â€Å"Domestic,† 2008).   These are only some of the successes of the Roosevelt administration.Roosevelt continued his efforts with the â€Å"Second Hundred Days,† which was more focused on labor and the workers welfare (Roosevelt â€Å"Domestic,† 2008, para. 26).   He established the Works Progress Administration, which sought to ensure the employment of many Americans in fields such as construction and even the arts.   Then there was the Wagner-Connery National Labor Relations Act, which allowed workers the right of collective bargaining and organization.   In addition, the Social Security Act of 1935 gave way to programs which permitted assistance and insurance to the elderly and unemployed, as well as provided aid to those who are physically handicapped or with children (Roosevelt â€Å"Domestic,† 2008).Roosevelt was also responsible for causing a political change in the American presidency through reorganization.   Through the Executive Reorganization bill of 1939, he was able to modify the function of the White House by giving more responsibilities to the presidency (Roosevelt â€Å"Impact,† 2008).   As part of the reorganization, six executive assistants were assigned to the President (Roosevelt â€Å"Domestic,† 2008).   The reorganization also gave the Roosevelt more involvement in the decision making in government, such as planning the budget (Roosevelt â€Å"Domestic,† 2008).Roosevelts greatness as president may have been evident in his domestic contributions but he also proved successful in international affairs.   From the beginning, Roosevelt believed that the United States had a global responsibi lity to fulfill (Roosevelt â€Å"Foreign,† 2008).   One of his most notable accomplishments as president was his â€Å"good neighbor† policy (Roosevelt â€Å"Foreign,† 2008, para. 5).   However, his skill as leader became most evident when the Second World War occurred.   Roosevelt helped the countrys allies without being directly involved in the fighting (Roosevelt â€Å"Impact,† 2008). Since the United States assumed a neutral position towards the war, the American government could not directly participate or assist other countries in war.   However, Roosevelt was still able to help other countries through the Lend-Lease initiative and â€Å"Atlantic Charter† (Roosevelt â€Å"Foreign,† 2008, para. 16).   It was not until the Pearl Harbor Bombing when the United States officially went to war (Roosevelt â€Å"Foreign,† 2008).Through his numerous accomplishments, it is no surprise that Roosevelt is considered as a great presi dent.   This is not to say that he was a perfect leader; he did encounter problems, failures and even opposition.   However, his achievements have overshadowed the negative aspects of his presidency.   This is not the same case for Jimmy Carter, though.   Despite the achievements he had during his term, Carter was most identified with the problems that haunted his administration.Unlike Roosevelt, Carter only served a single term in the White House.   As the 39th President of the United States, his presidency lasted from 1977 to 1981 (Stacks, 1992).   He lost his reelection bid to Ronald Reagan (Stacks, 1992).Character and personality may have also played a great role in the perception that Carter was a bad president.   Carter was down-to-earth, but he was also austere (Carter â€Å"Domestic,† 2008).   He was a gentleman from the South with strong sense of religion and values.   However, he lacked what Roosevelt had: confidence.   He once gave what was refe rred to as â€Å"malaise† speech, in which he expressed uncertainty over the future of the country (Carter â€Å"Domestic,† 2008, para.12).   Unlike the confident Roosevelt, who became the source of hope for Americans, Carter’s lack of confidence over his own country and people did little to improve the American situation.   To make things worse, in light of their distrust in his leadership, he blamed his fellowmen on the weakening of the American spirit (Carter â€Å"Domestic,† 2008).Another contributor to Carter’s tarnished reputation as president is the bad press or his portrayal to the media.   The negative media image was in part derived from his uptight personality, but it was the scandals and controversies which included people that were associated with Carter either personally or professionally that worsened the people’s perception of him (Carter â€Å"Domestic,† 2008).One of Carter’s greatest accomplishments as p resident is the policy concerning energy (Carter â€Å"Domestic,† 2008).   The United States was extremely dependent on oil during the 1970s, and the oil imports for energy kept increasing every year.   Carter vowed to reduce the dependency of energy on oil, and he worked to make it happen.   Through his efforts, the Emergency Natural Gas Act was passed to allow the U.S. government to promote natural gas.   He also established the Department of Energy, the institution responsible for utilizing the present sources of energy as well as financing studies that would encourage the use of sustainable and environmentally friendly energy sources.   These two are included in the extensive Carter policy on energy which increased the U.S. energy supply while decreasing oil prices.   Despite the relevance of the policy, the issue in itself was complicated; the people and the media could not fully grasp the importance of the policy.   What was easier to understand, however, was initial price increase that came with the program’s development.   This meant that Carter was not credited for the energy-related accomplishments of his administration (Carter â€Å"Domestic,† 2008).Carter’s negative image in the media was caused by certain issues that involved his family and members of his cabinet.   Carter’s sister, Ruth Carter Stapleton, was publicly seen holding the hands of a known pornographer (Carter â€Å"Domestic,† 2008).   Carter’s younger brother, Billy, has long been poked fun of because of â€Å"country-boy image† (Carter â€Å"Domestic,† 2008, para.15).   However, the media’s scrutiny of Billy intensified when it was discovered that he had relations in Libya, the country from which he had received a large sum of money (Carter â€Å"Domestic,† 2008; Stacks, 1992).   Meanwhile, one of the cabinet members that were involved in scandals was Bert Lance, the budget director o f the Carter administration and a close friend of the President (Stacks, 1992).   He was linked in questionable financial dealings which caused him to be fired (Carter â€Å"Domestic,† 2008; Stacks, 1992).   However, even if there were no controversies that rocked the Carter administration, it was his personality that would eventually result in bad press.   This is because his stern image made him appear distant and arrogant to the public.   It also did not help that his pictures often misrepresent him (Carter â€Å"Domestic,† 2008).In international relations, the most notable accomplishment of Carter was the Camp David Accords (Carter â€Å"Foreign,† 2008).   In the 1970s, there was a conflict between Israel and Egypt.   In an effort to re-establish peace, Carter invited the Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and the President of Egypt Anwar Sadat to Camp David.   Carter’s efforts paid off as the two nations reached an amicable agreement (Carter â€Å"Foreign,† 2008).Despite the success of the Camp David Accords, it was Carter’s failures in dealing with foreign issues that became more notable.   While he was able to restore the Panama Canal to Panama, the events prior to the restoration caused Carter and his government much embarrassment (Carter â€Å"Foreign,† 2008; Stacks, 1992).Carter also failed to properly settle the conflict with Iran regarding the Shah (Carter â€Å"Foreign,† 2008; Stacks, 1992).   Iranians attacked the American embassy and took sixty-six people hostage (Carter â€Å"Foreign,† 2008).   Carter was not a skilled negotiator, and it took awhile before plans of a rescue were made.   The initial attempts to save the hostages were a failure, causing the death of several soldiers (Carter â€Å"Foreign,† 2008).   This caused further decline in the already waning popularity of the president.It appears that the greatness of an American president is ba sed not only in his achievements, but also in the image he portrays.   On one hand, Franklin Roosevelt is considered as a great president because his image and his achievements overshadow the struggles and faults of his governance.   On the other hand, Jimmy Carter is considered as bad president because his negative image to the media and his failures as a leader overshadows the achievements he had as president.ReferencesFranklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum. (n.d.). Franklin D. Roosevelt.   Retrieved June 17, 2008, from http://www.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/fdrbio.htmlMiller Center of Public Affairs. (2008). Franklin Delano Roosevelt: foreign affairs. American President. Retrieved June 17, 2008, from http://millercenter.org/academic/americanpresident/fdroosevelt/essays/biography/5Miller Center of Public Affairs. (2008). Franklin Delano Roosevelt: impact and legacy. American President. Retrieved June 17, 2008, from http://millercenter.org/academic/americanpresident/ fdroosevelt/essays/biography/9Miller Center of Public Affairs. (2008). Franklin Delano Roosevelt: domestic affairs. American President. Retrieved June 17, 2008, from http://millercenter.org/academic/americanpresident/fdroosevelt/essays/biography/4Miller Center of Public Affairs. (2008). Jimmy Carter: domestic affairs. American President. Retrieved June 17, 2008, from http://millercenter.org/academic/americanpresident/carter/essays/biography/4Miller Center of Public Affairs. (2008). Jimmy Carter: foreign affairs. American President. Retrieved June 17, 2008, from http://millercenter.org/academic/americanpresident/carter/essays/biography/5Rosen, E.A. (1992). Roosevelt, Franklin Delano.   Lexicon Universal Encyclopedia (pp. 307-309).   New York: Lexicon Publications.Stacks, J.F. (1992). Carter, Jimmy. Lexicon Universal Encyclopedia (pp. 171-172). New York: Lexicon Publications.

Lifetime Health and Fitness Essays

Lifetime Health and Fitness Essays Lifetime Health and Fitness Essay Lifetime Health and Fitness Essay Fitness has always been a part of my life. I am not going to lie, I did struggle with it during my younger years. I was what people call a â€Å"fat middle-schooler† because when I was 12 years old, I weighed 150 pounds. But the catch was, I was still very athletic. I played sports year round like soccer, flag football, and mostly basketball, all physical sports, but still could not loose the weight. My mom, just like every other mom who does not want to hurt their children’s feelings, always told me I was not fat, just big boned. This of course did not help one bit. I knew I was fat and there was nothing I could do about it. Eventually my weight became out of hand. I was 15 years old and weighed 165 pounds. Enough was enough. Fortunately, I had a very physically fit older brother whom I looked up too. I begged him to teach me how to get â€Å"fit† because I hated how much I was getting made fun of by the other kids in school. So he helped me by going to the gym and eating the right kind of food so that my gut would fall right off. And he was right. In about three months, I went from an overweight 15 year old, to a physically fit 15 year old. When I went back to school after the 3 months off for summer, no one recognized me. It was amazing. From that point on, I promised I would not let my body look as bad as it did back then. Now, the reason I am telling you this is because these were the fundamental building blocks of my physical health and fitness, which of course is the reason we take this class. From this class, I really liked that we got down to the point, got exactly what we needed to know, and was not surprised with what was on the tests. What I did not like about the class was the 25 minute presentation because it just seemed way too long and most of it was about the information we had already learned from the class. One thing I would change from the class was the 25 minute presentation. I would change it to a 10 minute presentation and give the students a guideline on what the teacher wanted specifically. Overall, this was one of two classes I looked forward to going to.

Writing a Killer LinkedIn Profile - Interview with Brenda Bernstein

Writing a Killer LinkedIn Profile - Interview with Brenda Bernstein This interview is one of Brendas very first about writing a KILLER LinkedIn Profile. You may need to turn up your sound to hear it. What a unique chance to get to know Brenda Bernstein of The Essay Expert and to get a sense of where she started. This conversation about LinkedIn profiles will give you a timeless view of both The Essay Expert and how to improve your LinkedIn profile.  Writing a Killer LinkedIn Profile The Essay Expert offers $75 LinkedIn profile reviews. To purchase yours, go to The Essay Experts LinkedIn Profile Review page. Category:LinkedInBy Brenda BernsteinSeptember 7, 2009

Diversity Dimension Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Diversity Dimension - Essay Example Affirmative action refers to the various policies that are used to ensure inclusiveness in areas of business, education and employment in terms of race, religion, sex or age. Diversity in the workforce refers to the policies and practices that aim at including people with certain qualities in the workforce, which the current staff does not have. This could either be on the basis of age, disability, experience, gender or special talents. Achieving Equal Opportunity in Employment through Affirmative Action Legislation, Anti Discrimination Legislation and Managing Diversity Approaches Managing diversity in employment has become one of the most fundamental principals in human resource management in recent years. Diversity in employment is based on the principals of equal employment opportunities to everybody irrespective of inherent differences such as gender, race, religion, age, ethnicity as well as physical disabilities (Sappey et al, 2006). Businesses and companies are being encourag ed to adopt more inclusive approaches in their employment strategies so as to accommodate everybody and help do away with the negative effects of discrimination and marginalization of certain groups and individuals. In order to fully achieve inclusiveness, most companies have been encouraged to adopt policies that reflect affirmative action and those that are in line with anti discrimination laws and regulations. ... In some jurisdictions, the issue of workforce diversity has been backed with a legal foundation. Companies are expected to comply with set out legislations concerning employment procedures so as to avoid discrimination. In some cases, it’s mandatory for organizations to have guidelines and policies to ensure inclusiveness in terms of gender, race and disability (Dickens, 2000). In order to fully achieve equal opportunity in employment, organizations have to rely on affirmative action legislation and policies, anti-discrimination legislation as well as other various approached to workforce diversity management. All these three approaches (Anti-discrimination legislation, affirmative action and diversity management approaches) are the fundamental guidelines in achieving equality in the workforce. In Australia, the idea of workforce diversity has been welcomed by organizations both in the public and private sector (Strachan et al, 2010). The Department of Immigration and Citizens hip has been at the forefront at ensuring diversity at all levels of the department. This has enabled the department to be one of the best performing in the public sector (Strachan et al, 2010). Workforce diversity management can be done using various ways. The two main approaches that organizations can use to ensure inclusiveness in employment are the radical approach and the liberal approach. The liberal approach assumes that there is equal opportunity only when all individuals are able to compete for the rewards freely. According to this approach, employment should only focus on merit of individuals rather than factors such as gender, age disability or race. The radical approach o the other hand states that organizations should however strive to ensure that they not only create

Beauty of Switzerland Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Beauty of Switzerland - Essay Example They have very skilled and qualified labors. The economy is divided into many areas most prominent of them are technology including biotechnology, banking and financial services and pharmaceutical industry. Small and medium-sized enterprises play an important role in the economic development. The GDP growth rate is 2.8% nominal and 2.7% real. Â  The area of Switzerland is 41285-kilometer square and the boundary is 18558 kilometers. The boundary lines with the neighboring countries include France, Italy Austria, and France. All the four dimensions have different names, such as, Oberbargen (N 47Â ° 48 35"), Piz Chavalatsch (E 10Â ° 29 36"), Chiasso (N 45Â ° 49 08") and Chancy (E 5Â ° 57 24"). Dufourspitze has the highest elevation i.e. 4634 m.a.s (15200 feet) and Lago Maggiore has the lowest elevation i.e. 193 m.a.s (633 feet) (Renouf 2010). Â  Music: basically Switzerland is not a complete musical country but in the 20th century it had some very good composers such as Arthur Honegger, Othmar Schoeck, and Frank Martin. The music is categorized in different areas such as folk music, classical music, rock, pop, and jazz. Â  Science: The scientists from Switzerland have shown great contributions in the field of science, for instance, they introduced chemistry in the medicine. There are recognizable contributions in physics and mathematics is also made. Â  Leisure: The beautiful mountainous areas of the country have really influenced the leisure of the people. Their leisure activities include skiing, mountaineering, golf, tennis, football, basketball, gliding, swimming, mountain biking, and hiking. Â  

The Christian Explanation of Samuel Becketts Waiting for Godot :: Waiting for Godot Essays

The Christian Explanation of Waiting for Godot    "The human predicament described in Beckett's first play is that of man living on the Saturday after the Friday of the crucifixion, and not really knowing if all hope is dead or if the next day will bring the life which has been promised."  Ã‚   --William R. Mueller  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the five decades since Waiting for Godot's publication, many of the countless attempts to explain the play have relied on some variation of this religious motif proposed by William Mueller. Though Beckett's open text invites the reader to hunt for an interpretation, statements as decisive as this one overstep the search and leave little room for any other possibility. His idea has a compelling textual basis, but its finality violates the spirit of the play. Kenneth Tynan suggests that "Beckett's Waiting for Godot is a dramatic vacuum...It has no plot, no climax, no denouement; no beginning, no middle, and no end." Such an idea forces any analyst of this enigmatic masterpiece to tread lightly and makes definite criticism nearly impossible. Before examining an explanation as conclusive as Mueller's we must acknowledge that we cannot hope to determine "the meaning" of this play. Neither the text nor its author makes a claim to any intrinsic meaning, yet a new meaning is born each tim e a reader or viewer partakes of the play.   Ã‚  Ã‚   With such cautions in mind, we can now approach Mueller's religious hypothesis with a safe detachment. The first utterance of Godot phonetically brings God to mind, and evidence throughout the play assures the reader that this path is a valid one to follow. On the most mundane level, Vladimir supports Mueller's premise with his guess at the timeframe of the play: "He said it was Saturday. I think"(10). We discover, however, that even this statement hides beneath the uncertainty as Estragon challenges, "But what Saturday? And is it Saturday? Is it not rather Sunday? Or Monday? Or Friday?" (11). His questioning reasserts that this work defies explanation and reminds us that we are following only one possible solution to an unsolvable problem.      Ã‚  Ã‚   If we read this drama with the intention of fitting Mueller's theory to the play (or perhaps the play to his theory), a vast number of previously unnoticed interpretive opportunities arise. Though the nondescript tree can be universally symbolic, when viewed from a religious standpoint it conjures an image of Christ's cross.

Major problems Facing Christianity Essay

All world religions face unprecedented times in the 21st century. The challenges are diverse and do not have easy solutions. The modern world has seen an amalgamation of global value systems and a similar confluence of socio-political ideologies and philosophies because of advances in information technology and the increased mobility made possible by modern day technology. It is feasible to find a representative of all the world major religions in each country. This has meant that the observance of each religion is no longer a mystical matter left for the convents and monasteries, but has become one that can be easily and readily scrutinized and compared with alternatives – which by the way do not have to be religious. In considering these challenges, those that affect Christianity can represent to a fair degree the struggles the others are facing and can provide a platform for the discussion of these forces. Christianity is by design an expansionist religion. Jesus sent out his disciples with the express command to evangelize all the nations. It is therefore the core duty of every Christian to spread the faith. Globalization is probably the most significant force affecting world religions, both serving and limiting the. Many technological changes took place in the closing half of the 20th century epitomized by the rise of the internet symbolizes the rise of the global village. Substantial changes include increasing ease of commercial travel by jets and high-speed trains, efficient telephone systems and powerful radio’s, the television set and a very efficient and diversified print and electronic media. The world has enjoyed many benefits because of these and indeed, even Christianity has had powerful tools to take its message across the world. Many a televangelist and bible teachers go on air in daily or weekly broadcasts, some with a global audience. Taped messages are downloadable from the internet as podcasts. Even if it is not possible to get the message in real time, it remains available for anyone to get it and watch or listen to it at their convenience. As commercial empires have grown into multinationals, so have efficient delivery networks, which now ensure the timely delivery of CD’s and DVD’s, magazines and newspapers to a global audience. However, these means for dissemination of information have not been available to just the Christian enterprise, they have also available to other establishments that have competing interests, usually commercial, and at times ideological that have employed them to good effect. A Christian watching television is not only watching popular televangelists preach the gospel, but at the comfortable press of a remote button, can watch virtually anything else. These options do not always complement the message heard but at times even go against the Christian value system. A Christian therefore is under immense pressure to conform to the prevailing worldview, as he does not live in a shielded Christian community, but rather in an information razzmatazz for which he has to sift through consistently, if he is to retain and spread the Christian message. As Smart (2000) puts it, â€Å"Even if each tradition stays true to its own message, it will have to operate in a context of this federal world civilization. † Secularization, which is a force to reckon with, has made it more difficult to proselytize. Faith is regarded as a personal issue and hence attempts to discuss faith in non-Christian settings with the hope of making disciples have become an uncomfortable, if not offensive undertaking. Decisions about what faith to ascribe to are made personally and increasingly, privately. After all, isn’t Christianity just one of the options? As Smart (2000) explains, â€Å"Making religion a private matter can also lead to a religion’s becoming just a minor element in a total fabric of living†. Smart (2000) adds, â€Å"Just as a person belongs to the golf club, so that person may join a church.† New age thinking has also made its blow on Christianity. Christianity claims exclusivity of access to salvation, and an exclusive personal God. One of the key new age values is tolerance to all religious beliefs and belief systems. Christianity therefore finds itself in a place where it must find a means of relating with the rest of the world religions, violating the fundamental belief in a single way to salvation. In addition, some of the practices of other religions meet the Christian threshold for classification as idolatry. This just serves to multiply the points of conflict. Further on, the modern world, especially those parts where democracy is dominant, acceptance in matters such as homosexuality is encouraged. This becomes a difficult undertaking for a traditional Christian, as it is excruciating for them to reconcile the practice of the Christian faith with homosexuality and therefore will demand a renouncement of the practice of homosexuality before Christian fellowship can commence. Another area of difficulty for the Christian faith has been the place of women in leadership. Feministic influence has pervaded traditional Christian leadership set up where formal overall leadership was the preserve of men. The Catholic Church still holds to this ideal, while the Anglican Communion has opened its priesthood in women. Protestant congregations and denominations seem to have much more flexibility in the matter, with a large number of women pastors and bishops, in some cases as the overall head of a denomination. Radicalization of faith has brought its share of problems to the world in general. Smart (2000) says, â€Å"Other sects are, in principle or in practice, at odds with society, and seek to change it radically, possibly by rebellion and upheaval. † Many people view Christianity as a western religion. Those who have any disagreements with the west therefore consider Christianity as a legitimate representative of the west. In countries where Christians are in the minority, militant religious fundamentalists have attacked them or their institutions as revenge against the west. State control has also had its punch at the Christian faith. Most of the socialist states such as the former USSR and China have had a very rigid stance against religion in general and Christianity has suffered as one of them. In others, proselytizing is illegal and attracts severe penalty. The spread of the Christian faith remains impeded thus. The Christian message along with that of other world religions has become more difficult to sell in a materialistic society. People do not see why they should wait for a coming glory when they can have the good life now made possible by modernization, which has generally increased the living standards in the world, most pronounced in the western world. â€Å"Then again, the new forms of social and economic organization promised a richer life here and now† (Smart, 2000, p. 138) It will be interesting to see how Christianity evolves in the coming age when each of these forces will have had sufficient time to unleash their full impact.