Similarities Between Christianity And Hinduism - 1166 Words

By definition, religion is considered as, â€Å" the belief in and worship of a god or group of gods.† Various religions can be found internationally and many are practiced worldwide. Both Christianity and Hinduism are very popular religions, and have a substantial amount of followers. In fact, Christianity and Hinduism are the largest, and third largest religions of the world, respectively. They have been tremendously influential on the world and have, arguably, shaped it into what it is today. Despite many differences between the two religions, Christianity and Hinduism have quite a few fascinating similarities. Not only do they have similar views on how the universe came into being, but they also agree on the fact that the â€Å"truth† can, and will only be revealed to humans by God himself. Christianity and Hinduism contain both similar and contrasting practices and have greatly impacted the lives of their followers for centuries. Christianity was founded by Jesus Christ approximately 2,000 years ago in Judea, which was under the reign of Roman emperors at the time. Today, Judea is located in Israel. The key belief of Christianity is that there is only one God, and His son is Jesus Christ. God is one in three; the Holy Trinity consists of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Christians have been taught to call God â€Å"Father,† by Jesus. They believe that Jesus’ life on earth, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension into heaven are all examples of how God loved the world and the humanShow MoreRelatedSimilarities Between Hinduism And Christianity1763 Words   |  8 Pages Hinduism and Christianity Hinduism and Christianity are two religions that have been around for thousands of years. Both religions since creation has developed philosophies on certain subjects that can be compared and contrasted, to show the similarities and differences within Hinduism and Christianity. Key subjects that can be analyzed after reviewing the history and foundation of these religions are their: paths to enlightenment/salvationRead MoreSimilarities Between Hinduism And Christianity1852 Words   |  8 PagesHinduism and Christianity are two religions with different virtues and teachings. Various things differ among these two religions. For example, in Hinduism there is an aspect of enlightenment whereas in Christianity there is baptism. Each of the two religions emphasize that the followers must stick to the teachings. The followers are taught the ways of the religion and believe that the teachings that they receive are the best. Each of the two religions emphasizes that the way they lookRead MoreSimilarities and Differences Between Christianity Hinduism1635 Words   |  7 PagesExamine and comment on contrasting standpoints about God and/or existence in relation to the topic you have investigated. Christianity and Hinduism seem to have profoundly different views in relation to God and/or existence. For example, creation within Christian belief is primarily ex-nihilo (out of nothing). God created everything in 7 days from the light and darkness, to the day of rest. This can be illustrated by reference to Genesis 1:1 – 2:4a â€Å"In the beginning God created the heavens andRead MoreDifference and Similarities Between Christianity and Four (4) World Religion, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Muslims and Hinduism.2305 Words   |  10 Pages Title: Difference and Similarities between Christianity and Four (4) World Religion, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Muslims and Hinduism. Introduction: In the world today there are many religions of different beliefs with vast numbers of followers. However, some of these religions turn to have similarities and differences which defer them from each another. The following report briefly talks about the differences and similarities between Christianity and other four (4) major world religions and theyRead MoreChristianity And Hinduism .According To The Human Truth1601 Words   |  7 PagesChristianity and Hinduism According to the human truth foundation (2017) â€Å"religions are shared collection of transcendental beliefs that have been passed on from believers to converts, which are held by adherents to be actively meaningful and serious and either based on formally documented doctrine or established cultural practices.† There are many religions in the world some are old as the beginning of time and some are newer. Hinduism is one of the oldest organized religion in the world. Read MoreChristianity And Hinduism : A Theological Perspective1391 Words   |  6 PagesWhen looking at Christianity and Hinduism there are many ways to look at each religion from a theological perspective. This is why the best way to look at the broad view of these religions would be to analyze each by comparing and contrasting what each religion is about. The first point to look at would be at how Hinduism and Christianity are very similar in how they view the world. This can be seen in how they both s trive to achieve a state of higher being whether it be with the eternal stateRead MoreChristianity, Hinduism, And Islam1054 Words   |  5 PagesEvery religion has its own goal, and their own believes, however there are also many similarities in their believes. Although the followers of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam may see things differently, they basically hold the same values and codes. To Islam, the Prophet Mohammad’s teaching is a â€Å"complete and final revelation†. On the other hand, according to the bible, Christianity believes that Jesus Christ is the true lord and savior will grant you the access to heaven in the afterlife. JudaismRead MoreComparison And Contrast Of World Religions1194 Words   |  5 PagesReligions The religions of the world, while differing greatly in their specifics, are surprisingly similar. The three most prevalent religions in the world are Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism, in that order. All believe in a higher power that presides over and created man. Islam originated in approximately 609 C.E., or Common Era, and Christianity originated around 33 C.E. which is supposedly when Jesus Christ was crucified. The main prophet of Islam, Muhammad, is supposedly of the lineage of Jesus ChristRead MoreChristianity And Buddhism And Christianity1468 Words   |  6 PagesChristianity and Buddhism exist as two of the predominant religions throughout the world. While Buddhism ranks around fifth in number of followers of religions, it is the third most widespread religion behind Christianity and Islam. Buddhism and Christianity are arrantly distinct in their principle standpoints: Buddhism rejects the existence of a greater being and Christianity proudly professes the power of a univ ersal God. However, despite this rigid dissimilarity, both religions developed and spreadRead MoreSimilarities Between Hinduism And Hinduism Essay902 Words   |  4 PagesChristianity Versus Hinduism Christianity and Hinduism, are two of the worlds oldest religions. Although they are very different religions they share one main goal; salvation. However, their idea of salvation and what they have to do ,and what must be done to attain salvation are very different. Two main similarities between the Hindu religion and Christian religion are referred to by different titles; nevertheless they are represented by the same action. One example of these similarities would

The Host Chapter 24 Tolerated Free Essays

string(53) " his tone if he was surprised or annoyed that I did\." It was true that I did not smell good. I’d lost count of how many days I’d spent here-was it more than a week now? more than two?-and all of them sweating into the same clothes I’d worn on my disastrous desert trek. So much salt had dried into my cotton shirt that it was creased into rigid accordion wrinkles. We will write a custom essay sample on The Host Chapter 24: Tolerated or any similar topic only for you Order Now It used to be pale yellow; now it was a splotchy, diseased-looking print in the same dark purple color as the cave floor. My short hair was crunchy and gritty; I could feel it standing out in wild tangles around my head, with a stiff crest on top, like a cockatoo’s. I hadn’t seen my face recently, but I imagined it in two shades of purple: cave-dirt purple and healing-bruise purple. So I could understand Jeb’s point-yes, I needed a bath. And a change of clothes as well, to make the bath worth the effort. Jeb offered me some of Jamie’s clothes to wear while mine dried, but I didn’t want to ruin Jamie’s few things by stretching them. Thankfully, he didn’t try to offer me anything of Jared’s. I ended up with an old but clean flannel shirt of Jeb’s that had the sleeves ripped off, and a pair of faded, holey cutoff sweatpants that had gone unclaimed for months. These were draped over my arm-and a bumpy mound of vile-smelling, loosely molded chunks that Jeb claimed was homemade cactus soap was in my hand-as I followed Jeb to the room with the two rivers. Again we were not alone, and again I was miserably disappointed that this was the case. Three men and one woman-the salt-and-pepper braid-were filling buckets with water from the smaller stream. A loud splashing and laughing echoed from the bathing room. â€Å"We’ll just wait our turn,† Jeb told me. He leaned against the wall. I stood stiffly beside him, uncomfortably conscious of the four pairs of eyes on me, though I kept my own on the dark hot spring rushing by underneath the porous floor. After a short wait, three women exited the bathing room, their wet hair dripping down the backs of their shirts-the athletic caramel-skinned woman, a young blonde I didn’t remember seeing before, and Melanie’s cousin Sharon. Their laughter stopped abruptly as soon as they caught sight of us. â€Å"Afternoon, ladies,† Jeb said, touching his forehead as if it were the brim of a hat. â€Å"Jeb,† the caramel woman acknowledged dryly. Sharon and the other girl ignored us. â€Å"Okay, Wanda,† he said when they’d passed. â€Å"It’s all yours.† I gave him a glum look, then made my way carefully into the black room. I tried to remember how the floor went-I was sure I had a few feet before the edge of the water. I took off my shoes first, so that I could feel for the water with my toes. It was just so dark. I remembered the inky appearance of the pool-ripe with suggestions of what might lurk beneath its opaque surface-and shuddered. But the longer I waited, the longer I would have to be here, so I put the clean clothes next to my shoes, kept the smelly soap, and shuffled forward carefully until I found the lip of the pool. The water was cool compared to the steamy air of the outer cavern. It felt nice. That didn’t keep me from being terrified, but I could still appreciate the sensation. It had been a long time since anything had been cool. Still fully dressed in my dirty clothes, I waded in waist deep. I could feel the stream’s current swirl around my ankles, hugging the rock. I was glad the water was not stagnant-it would be upsetting to sully it, filthy as I was, if that were the case. I crouched down into the ink until I was immersed to my shoulders. I ran the coarse soap over my clothes, thinking this would be the easiest way to make sure they were clean. Where the soap touched my skin, it burned mildly. I took off the soapy clothes and scrubbed them under the water. Then I rinsed them again and again until there was no way any of my sweat or tears could have survived, wrung them out, and laid them on the floor beside where I thought my shoes were. The soap burned more strongly against my bare skin, but the sting was bearable because it meant I could be clean again. When I was done lathering, my skin prickled everywhere and my scalp felt scalded. It seemed as if the places where the bruises had formed were more sensitive than the rest of me-they must still have been there. I was happy to put the acidic soap on the rock floor and rinse my body again and again, the way I had my clothes. It was with a strange mingling of relief and regret that I sloshed my way out of the pool. The water was very pleasant, as was the feeling of clean, if prickling, skin. But I’d had quite enough of the blindness and the things I could imagine into the darkness. I felt around until I found the dry clothes, then I pulled them quickly on and shoved my water-wrinkled feet into my shoes. I carried my wet clothes in one hand and the soap gingerly between two fingers of the other. Jeb laughed when I emerged; his eyes were on the soap in my cautious grasp. â€Å"Smarts a bit, don’t it? We’re trying to fix that.† He held out his hand, protected by the tail of his shirt, and I placed the soap in it. I didn’t answer his question because we weren’t alone; there was a line waiting silently behind him-five people, all of them from the field turning. Ian was first in line. â€Å"You look better,† he told me, but I couldn’t tell from his tone if he was surprised or annoyed that I did. You read "The Host Chapter 24: Tolerated" in category "Essay examples" He raised one arm, extending his long, pale fingers toward my neck. I flinched away, and he dropped his hand quickly. â€Å"Sorry about that,† he muttered. Did he mean for scaring me now or for marking up my neck in the first place? I couldn’t imagine that he was apologizing for trying to kill me. Surely he still wanted me dead. But I wasn’t going to ask. I started walking, and Jeb fell into step behind me. â€Å"So, today wasn’t that bad,† Jeb said as we walked through the dark corridor. â€Å"Not that bad,† I murmured. After all, I hadn’t been murdered. That was always a plus. â€Å"Tomorrow will be even better,† he promised. â€Å"I always enjoy planting-seeing the miracle of the little dead-looking seeds having so much life in them. Makes me feel like a withered old guy might have some potential left in him. Even if it’s only to be fertilizer.† Jeb laughed at his joke. When we got to the big garden cavern, Jeb took my elbow and steered me east rather than west. â€Å"Don’t try to tell me you’re not hungry after all that digging,† he said. â€Å"It’s not my job to provide room service. You’re just going to have to eat where everyone else eats.† I grimaced at the floor but let him lead me to the kitchen. It was a good thing the food was exactly the same thing as always, because if, miraculously, a filet mignon or a bag of Cheetos had materialized, I wouldn’t have been able to taste a thing. It took all my concentration just to make myself swallow-I hated to make even that small sound in the dead silence that followed my appearance. The kitchen wasn’t crowded, just ten people lounging against the counters, eating their tough rolls and drinking their watery soup. But I killed all conversation again. I wondered how long things could last like this. The answer was exactly four days. It also took me that long to understand what Jeb was up to, what the motivation was behind his switch from the courteous host to the curmudgeonly taskmaster. The day after turning the soil I spent seeding and irrigating the same field. It was a different group of people than the day before; I imagined there was some kind of rotation of the chores here. Maggie was in this group, and the caramel-skinned woman, but I didn’t learn her name. Mostly everyone worked in silence. The silence felt unnatural-a protest against my presence. Ian worked with us, when it was clearly not his turn, and this bothered me. I had to eat in the kitchen again. Jamie was there, and he kept the room from total silence. I knew he was too sensitive not to notice the awkward hush, but he deliberately ignored it, seeming to pretend that he and Jeb and I were the only people in the room. He chattered about his day in Sharon’s class, bragging a little about some trouble he’d gotten into for speaking out of turn, and complaining about the chores she’d given him as punishment. Jeb chastised him halfheartedly. They both did a very good job of acting normal. I had no acting ability. When Jamie asked me about my day, the best I could do was stare intently at my food and mumble one-word answers. This seemed to make him sad, but he didn’t push me. At night it was a different story-he wouldn’t let me stop talking until I begged to be allowed to sleep. Jamie had reclaimed his room, taking Jared’s side of the bed and insisting that I take his. This was very much as Melanie remembered things, and she approved of the arrangement. Jeb did, too. â€Å"Saves me the trouble of finding someone to play guard. Keep the gun close and don’t forget it’s there,† he told Jamie. I protested again, but both the man and the boy refused to listen to me. So Jamie slept with the gun on the other side of his body from me, and I fretted and had nightmares about it. The third day of chores, I worked in the kitchen. Jeb taught me how to knead the coarse bread dough, how to lay it out in round lumps and let it rise, and, later on, how to feed the fire in the bottom of the big stone oven when it was dark enough to let the smoke out. In the middle of the afternoon, Jeb left. â€Å"I’m gonna get some more flour,† he muttered, playing with the strap that held the gun to his waist. The three silent women who kneaded alongside us didn’t look up. I was up to my elbows in the sticky dough, but I started to scrape it off so I could follow him. Jeb grinned, flashed a look at the unobserving women, and shook his head at me. Then he spun around and dashed out of the room before I could free myself. I froze there, no longer breathing. I stared at the three women-the young blonde from the bathing room, the salt-and-pepper braid, and the heavy-lidded mother-waiting for them to realize that they could kill me now. No Jeb, no gun, my hands trapped in the gluey dough-nothing to stop them. But the women kept on kneading and shaping, not seeming to realize this glaring truth. After a long, breathless moment, I started kneading again, too. My stillness would probably alert them to the situation sooner than if I kept working. Jeb was gone for an eternity. Perhaps he had meant that he needed to grind more flour. That seemed like the only explanation for his endless absence. â€Å"Took you long enough,† the salt-and-pepper-braid woman said when he got back, so I knew it wasn’t just my imagination. Jeb dropped a heavy burlap sack to the floor with a deep thud. â€Å"That’s a lot of flour there. You try carryin’ it, Trudy.† Trudy snorted. â€Å"I imagine it took a lot of rest stops to get it this far.† Jeb grinned at her. â€Å"It sure did.† My heart, which had been thrumming like a bird’s for the entire episode, settled into a less frantic rhythm. The next day we were cleaning mirrors in the room that housed the cornfield. Jeb told me this was something they had to do routinely, as the combination of humidity and dust caked the mirrors until the light was too dim to feed the plants. It was Ian, working with us again, who scaled the rickety wooden ladder while Jeb and I tried to keep the base steady. It was a difficult task, given Ian’s weight and the homemade ladder’s poor balance. By the end of the day, my arms were limp and aching. I didn’t even notice until we were done and heading for the kitchen that the improvised holster Jeb always wore was empty. I gasped out loud, my knees locking like a startled colt’s. My body tottered to a halt. â€Å"What’s wrong, Wanda?† Jeb asked, too innocent. I would have answered if Ian hadn’t been right beside him, watching my strange behavior with fascination in his vivid blue eyes. So I just gave Jeb a wide-eyed look of mingled disbelief and reproach, and then slowly began walking beside him again, shaking my head. Jeb chuckled. â€Å"What’s that about?† Ian muttered to Jeb, as if I were deaf. â€Å"Beats me,† Jeb said; he lied as only a human could, smooth and guileless. He was a good liar, and I began to wonder if leaving the gun behind today, and leaving me alone yesterday, and all this effort forcing me into human company was his way of getting me killed without doing the job himself. Was the friendship all in my head? Another lie? This was my fourth day eating in the kitchen. Jeb, Ian, and I walked into the long, hot room-into a crowd of humans chatting in low voices about the day’s events-and nothing happened. Nothing happened. There was no sudden silence. No one paused to stare daggers at me. No one seemed to notice us at all. Jeb steered me to an empty counter and then went to get enough bread for three. Ian lounged next to me, casually turning to the girl on his other side. It was the young blonde-he called her Paige. â€Å"How are things going? How are you holding up with Andy gone?† he asked her. â€Å"I’d be fine if I weren’t so worried,† she told him, biting her lip. â€Å"He’ll be home soon,† Ian assured her. â€Å"Jared always brings everyone home. He’s got a real talent. We’ve had no accidents, no problems since he showed up. Andy will be fine.† My interest sparked when he mentioned Jared-and Melanie, so somnolent these days, stirred-but Ian didn’t say anything else. He just patted Paige’s shoulder and turned to take his food from Jeb. Jeb sat next to me and surveyed the room with a deep sense of satisfaction plain on his face. I looked around the room, too, trying to see what he saw. This must have been what it was usually like here, when I wasn’t around. Only today I didn’t seem to bother them. They must have been tired of letting me interrupt their lives. â€Å"Things are settling down,† Ian commented to Jeb. â€Å"Knew they would. We’re all reasonable folks here.† I frowned to myself. â€Å"That’s true, at the moment,† Ian said, laughing. â€Å"My brother’s not around.† â€Å"Exactly,† Jeb agreed. It was interesting to me that Ian counted himself among the reasonable folks. Had he noticed that Jeb was unarmed? I was burning with curiosity, but I couldn’t risk pointing it out in case he hadn’t. The meal continued as it had begun. My novelty had apparently worn off. When the meal was over, Jeb said I deserved a rest. He walked me all the way to my door, playing the gentleman again. â€Å"Afternoon, Wanda,† he said, tipping his imaginary hat. I took a deep breath for bravery. â€Å"Jeb, wait.† â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"Jeb†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I hesitated, trying to find a polite way to put it. â€Å"I†¦ well, maybe it’s stupid of me, but I sort of thought we were friends.† I scrutinized his face, looking for any change that might indicate that he was about to lie to me. He only looked kind, but what did I know of a liar’s tells? â€Å"Of course we are, Wanda.† â€Å"Then why are you trying to get me killed?† His furry brows pulled together in surprise. â€Å"Now, why would you think that, honey?† I listed my evidence. â€Å"You didn’t take the gun today. And yesterday you left me alone.† Jeb grinned. â€Å"I thought you hated that gun.† I waited for an answer. â€Å"Wanda, if I wanted you dead, you wouldn’t have lasted that first day.† â€Å"I know,† I muttered, starting to feel embarrassed without understanding why. â€Å"That’s why it’s all so confusing.† Jeb laughed cheerfully. â€Å"No, I don’t want you dead! That’s the whole point, kid. I’ve been getting them all used to seeing you around, getting them to accept the situation without realizing it. It’s like boiling a frog.† My forehead creased at the eccentric comparison. Jeb explained. â€Å"If you throw a frog in a pot of boiling water, it will hop right out. But if you put that frog in a pot of tepid water and slowly warm it, the frog doesn’t figure out what’s going on until it’s too late. Boiled frog. It’s just a matter of working by slow degrees.† I thought about that for a second-remembered how the humans had ignored me at lunch today. Jeb had gotten them used to me. The realization made me feel strangely hopeful. Hope was a silly thing in my situation, but it seeped into me anyway, coloring my perceptions more brightly than before. â€Å"Jeb?† â€Å"Yeah?† â€Å"Am I the frog or the water?† He laughed. â€Å"I’ll leave that one for you to puzzle over. Self-examination is good for the soul.† He laughed again, louder this time, as he turned to leave. â€Å"No pun intended.† â€Å"Wait-can I ask one more?† â€Å"Sure. I’d say it’s your turn anyway, after all I’ve asked you.† â€Å"Why are you my friend, Jeb?† He pursed his lips for a second, considering his answer. â€Å"You know I’m a curious man,† he began, and I nodded. â€Å"Well, I get to watch your souls a lot, but I never get to talk with ’em. I’ve had so many questions just piling up higher and higher†¦ Plus, I’ve always thought that if a person wants to, he can get along with just about anybody. I like putting my theories to the test. And see, here you are, one of the nicest gals I ever met. It’s real interesting to have a soul as a friend, and it makes me feel super special that I’ve managed it.† He winked at me, bowed from the waist, and walked away. Just because I now understood Jeb’s plan, it didn’t make things easier when he escalated it. He never took the gun anywhere anymore. I didn’t know where it was, but I was grateful that Jamie wasn’t sleeping with it, at least. It made me a little nervous to have Jamie with me unprotected, but I decided he was actually in less danger without the gun. No one would feel the need to hurt him when he wasn’t a threat. Besides, no one came looking for me anymore. Jeb started sending me on little errands. Run back to the kitchen for another roll, he was still hungry. Go fetch a bucket of water, this corner of the field was dry. Pull Jamie out of his class, Jeb needed to speak with him. Were the spinach sprouts up yet? Go and check. Did I remember my way through the south caves? Jeb had a message for Doc. Every time I had to carry out one of these simple directives, I was in a sweaty haze of fear. I concentrated on being invisible and walked as quickly as I could without running through the big rooms and the dark corridors. I tended to hug the walls and keep my eyes down. Occasionally, I would stop conversation the way I used to, but mostly I was ignored. The only time I felt in immediate danger of death was when I interrupted Sharon’s class to get Jamie. The look Sharon gave me seemed designed to be followed by hostile action. But she let Jamie go with a nod after I choked out my whispered request, and when we were alone, he held my shaking hand and told me Sharon looked the same way at anyone who interrupted her class. The very worst was the time I had to find Doc, because Ian insisted on showing me the way. I could have refused, I suppose, but Jeb didn’t have a problem with the arrangement, and that meant Jeb trusted Ian not to kill me. I was far from comfortable with testing that theory, but it seemed the test was inevitable. If Jeb was wrong to trust Ian, then Ian would find his opportunity soon enough. So I went with Ian through the long black southern tunnel as if it were a trial by fire. I lived through the first half. Doc got his message. He seemed unsurprised to see Ian tagging along beside me. Perhaps it was my imagination, but I thought they exchanged a significant glance. I half expected them to strap me to one of Doc’s gurneys at that point. These rooms continued to make me feel nauseated. But Doc just thanked me and sent me on my way as if he were busy. I couldn’t really tell what he was doing-he had several books open and stacks and stacks of papers that seemed to contain nothing but sketches. On the way back, curiosity overcame my fear. â€Å"Ian?† I asked, having a bit of difficulty saying the name for the first time. â€Å"Yes?† He sounded surprised that I’d addressed him. â€Å"Why haven’t you killed me yet?† He snorted. â€Å"That’s direct.† â€Å"You could, you know. Jeb might be annoyed, but I don’t think he’d shoot you.† What was I saying? It sounded like I was trying to convince him. I bit my tongue. â€Å"I know,† he said, his tone complacent. It was quiet for a moment, just the sounds of our footsteps echoing, low and muffled, from the tunnel walls. â€Å"It doesn’t seem fair,† Ian finally said. â€Å"I’ve been thinking about it a lot, and I can’t see how killing you would make anything right. It would be like executing a private for a general’s war crimes. Now, I don’t buy all of Jeb’s crazy theories-it would be nice to believe, sure, but just because you want something to be true doesn’t make it that way. Whether he’s right or wrong, though, you don’t appear to mean us any harm. I have to admit, you seem honestly fond of that boy. It’s very strange to watch. Anyway, as long as you don’t put us in danger, it seems†¦ cruel to kill you. What’s one more misfit in this place?† I thought about the word misfit for a moment. It might have been the truest description of me I’d ever heard. Where had I ever fit in? How strange that Ian, of all the humans, should have such a surprisingly gentle interior. I didn’t realize that cruelty would seem a negative to him. He waited in silence while I considered all this. â€Å"If you don’t want to kill me, then why did you come with me today?† I asked. He paused again before answering. â€Å"I’m not sure that†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He hesitated. â€Å"Jeb thinks things have calmed down, but I’m not completely sure about that. There’re still a few people†¦ Anyway, Doc and I have been trying to keep an eye on you when we can. Just in case. Sending you down the south tunnel seemed like pushing your luck, to me. But that’s what Jeb does best-he pushes luck as far as it will go.† â€Å"You†¦ you and Doc are trying to protect me?† â€Å"Strange world, isn’t it?† It was a few seconds before I could answer. â€Å"The strangest,† I finally agreed. How to cite The Host Chapter 24: Tolerated, Essay examples

Conceptual Issues in Political and Environment †MyAssignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about the Conceptual Issues in Political and Environment. Answer: Introduction The present report examines the accounting quality of a selected ASX listed company through evaluating its accounting policies and estimates. In this context, the report evaluates the accounting strategy of the selected business entity in the light of the various accounting theories such as positive and normative theories of accounting. The accounting policies of a business entity play a critical role in achieving its corporate goals and objectives through promoting its long-term growth and development. The financial reports are developed in accordance with the accounting policies that provide disclosure about the financial condition of a firm to its stakeholders. Therefore, it is essential for a business entity to adopt the use of standard accounting policies that provides all the necessary information to the end-users and through adopting revealing accounting strategy. The accounting strategy is analyzed through examining the flexibility in the accounting policies and comparing the m with the competitor policies (Mirza and Ankarath, 2012). Also, the report identifies the major issues of concern in the financial report of the selected company as red flags that require more disclosures. In addition to this, the compliance of the company with the conceptual accounting framework principles is analyzed through examining the relevancy, reliability and understandability of financial information provided in the annual report. The influence of the political pressure on the accounting standard-setting environment is also discussed in this report. The company selected for the purpose is AGL Energy Limited, an Australian publicly-listed company involved in the developing and retailing of electricity and gas both for residential and commercial purposes. Identify Key Accounting Policies The AGL Energy Limited is an ASX listed company and as such complies with the Corporations Act 2001 and accounting standards AASB for developing its financial reports (ASX and Media Releases, 2016). The company has valued its fixed assets of property, plant and equipment (PPE) at their cost through deducting the amount of net depreciation and impairment losses. The cost of the assets includes the entire significant amount related to its purchase and development. The income or loss realized from selling the fixed assets of PPE is attributed to the profit and loss account through calculating the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset. Thus, the accounting policy for measuring the value of the fixed assets is developed by the company as per the AASB 116 standard. The deprecation is calculated through the use of straight-line method. The intangible assets such as goodwill are carried at their cost through deduction of any loss arising from their amortiza tion and impairment. The financial report is based on the principle of historical cost with the major exception of derivative financial instruments that are identified and measured at their fair value (AGL Annual Report, 2016). Also, the company has adopted a corporate governance framework for effectively managing the operational risks associated with the company operations. The governance framework incorporates the use of energy hedging activities. The main objective of the risk governance framework is to hedge effectively the market price exposure of the company through operation of an integrated energy business. The hedging activity for minimizing the risk includes decrease in the hedging costs through incorporating the use of different financial instruments such as weather derivatives for optimizing the risk and return (AGL Annual Report, 2015). Assessing the Accounting Flexibility The company operates its business activities in a highly competitive sector and therefore the managers have incorporated some flexible accounting policies for value maximization. As such, the accounting of assets involving the expenses on exploration and development of oil and gas is not covered under the AASB 116 standard. The overall expenses relating to exploration is recognized as asset and the accumulated expenditure is transferred to oil and gas assets. Also, the company has adopted a minimum shareholding policy as per which the key management personnel of the company should hold specific number of shares in order to align the shareholder interests with the executives. There is no legislative requirement on the company for adopting such policies but it has maintained the policy for improving the organizational commitment of its key management people (Jensen, 2001). The accounting managers have also adopted the use of historical cost accounting method rather than using fair value accounting approach for measuring the financial instruments value. The IASB has directed all the business entities complying with IFRS standards to integrate the use of fair value accounting for measuring the value of assets and liabilities. However, the company is still adopting the use of historic cost accounting method rather than using fair value accounting due to numerous problems associated with it such as changing its tax structure value (AGL Annual Report, 2016). Thus, management as such possesses authority to change the accounting policies for improving the profitability position of the company. However, the board of directors of the company has ensured that the accounting information is not distorted in any form for hiding the materialistic facts and figures (Mumba, 2013). Evaluate Accounting Strategy The company has adopted flexibility in its accounting policies for strategically communicating the economic information to its stakeholders. The flexible accounting policies are essential for staying competitive in the market through developing better accounting strategies as compared to the competitors. The major competitor of the company is Origin Energy that is also providing large returns and profitability to its investors. The company for outperforming its competitors has implemented the accounting strategy for improving the productivity of the company in order to realize greater returns (Annual Report : Origin Energy, 2016). The accounting strategy of the company is aimed at improving the capital allocation through divesting its non-core business segments for enhancing its operational efficiency value (AGL Annual Report, 2016). In this context, the company is carrying a review of its asset portfolio and is targeting to divest around $1 billion under-performing assets at the end of the financial year 2017. This will help the company to increase the performance of its core business area and thus realizing larger returns in comparison to its competitors (Kenny, 2009). The flexibility in the accounting framework adopted by the company can be explained through the use of positive theory of accounting. The positive theory of accounting helps in identifying the reasons that provides motivation to the managers for selecting particular accounting policies. The theory argues that managers tend to adopt particular accounting methods for improving the business efficiency such as improving the cash flows or the selection of particular incentive plans for managers (Mintz, 2013). The company has adopted incentive policy that is based on the strategic aligning the executive incentives with the maximization of the shareholder value. The incentives provided to the key management personnel are linked with the underlying profit of the company. The underlying profit is the adjusted profit that is calculated through non-inclusion of significant items of revenue and expenses that are no related with the performance of the company value (AGL Annual Report, 2016). Thus , the linking of the incentives of manager with the underlying profit ensures that they do not enjoy an undue advantage or disadvantage by the items that are not under their control (Marley and Pedersen, 2015). Also, the company through incorporating flexibility in its accounting framework has introduced a minimum shareholding policy for its executive and non-executive managers. The policy motivates the KMP for holding some shares of the company in order to align the interest of the managers with those of the shareholders. This helps in ensuring that managers do not adopt the use of any fraudulent practice that distorts the financial performance of the company for realization of higher incentives. The company has also implemented the use of some amended standards that helps it to improve its operational efficiency for the present reporting period. However, the company have maintained that the adoption of the amended standards have not materially impacted the financial facts and figures disclosed in its consolidated financial statements (Ordelheide, 2016). Therefore, it can be said that the accounting strategy adopted by the company is revealing as it tends to disclose all the information re lated to the financial condition of the company. The company has adopted a flexible accounting strategy that is subjected to change as per the performance of the company value (AGL Annual Report, 2015). However, the flexibility in the accounting practices is as per the standard accounting rules and regulations and does not provide the authority to the managers for distorting the company financial performance (Bamberg and Spremann, 2012). Disclosure requirements of the financial reporting are prescribed in the IAS 1: The presentation of the financial statements. As per this accounting standard every public listed company have to comply with the specific requirement to disclose sufficient information regarding the performance of the company during the year. Disclosure requirement of other accounting standards are provided in the specific IAS standards and it have to be strictly followed. In this section of the assignment there is requirement to evaluate the disclosures made by the AGL Energy Company in their annual report value (AGL Annual Report, 2016). On analyzing the disclosures made by the AGL Energy regarding each accounting standard seems to be adequate but there are some concerns that need to be addressed. As per IAS 13 Fair value measurement, values of property, plant and equipment should be properly calculated and disclosed in the separate notes to accounts. In this regards AGL Energy have disclosed the information about the property plant and equipment in the separate notes to accounts but the information disclosed in that note to accounts seems not be adequate. Footnotes to financial statements are same as the notes to accounts and these helps to evaluate the detailed information of the items presented in the financial statements. For example, to show the information regarding how the values of intangible assets have been generated there is needed to check the notes to account. The note to accounts related to intangible assets provides the value of impairment loss on each intangible asset and also disclose remaining life of the intangible assets. In relation to the AGL Energy proper notes to account have been prepared and required information about each item to the financial statements can be seen from them (AGL Annual Report, 2015). As evaluated from the financial statements prepared by the AGL Energy, the financial performance in current year seems to be good and it can be also be evaluated from analyzing the notes to accounts. Notes to accounts are seems to address all the requirement defined in the accounting standards and they are consistent with the current performance of the company. The Australian GAAP is derived from the joint combination of IFRS and some guidelines by the Australian Board. Australian GAAP is made to address the requirement of financial reporting and to make common channel where the entity performance can be seen intact through analyzing the financial report. So it can be said that GAAP reflects the appropriate measurement of key measures of success (Hussey and Ong, 2017). Segment disclosure is given page number 68 of the Annual report of year 2016. Segment information is reported on the same basis that is used for internal reporting structure. Segment are determined in the manner in which products are sold either it is retail or wholesale. The four main segments of the company are Energy Markets, Group Operations, New Energy, and investments. So it can be said that proper disclosures are given for the segment information (AGL Annual Report, 2016). Identify Potential Red Flags It has been analyzed from the financial report of the company that there are various red flags that requires more disclosure. There are various unexplained accounting practices such as adoption of some changed accounting policies in order to improve the operational efficiency. For example, the company has applied amendments to the accounting standards in order to improve its financial profitability but has not effectively disclosed the changes that it has applied to the accounting standards. The changes are adopted by the company to improve its financial performance that is declining in the recent years due to transformations in the energy market of Australia. The inventory base of the company has also currently declined in the recent years to about $6 million value (AGL Annual Report, 2016). The company is also required to provide information relating to the significant decrease in the inventory value in the recent reporting period (Pietra, McLeay and Ronen, 2013). The company annua l report has revealed it is also incorporating the use of strategic partnerships for expanding its business. The company has strategically acquired Mosaic Oil and also entered into sale and purchase agreement with Transfield services Limited fir acquiring its asset base. There is also asset-write offs realizing from the sale of businesses and subsidiaries corresponding to$ 673m in the financial year 2016. The company has also not provided relevant information regarding its asset write-offs. Thus, these all are the potential red-flags present in the business entity (AGL Annual Report, 2016). Complaint with Conceptual Framework It has been analyzed from the annual report of the company that it has effectively followed with all the principles of conceptual framework such as relevance, reliability, comparability and understandability. The conceptual framework is developed on the basis of normative theory of accounting that provides guidance to the managers regarding the adoption of the accounting procedures that are most appropriate. The theory has identified and proposed the qualitative characteristics that financial information should possess, that are, relevance, reliable, understandable and comparable. The conceptual framework is developed on the basis of these qualitative characteristics that seek to define the objective of general purpose financial reporting. The company through has provided all the financial information in its annual report as per the qualitative characteristics of the conceptual accounting framework. However, the nature of the financial information is significantly influenced by the v arious political factors as per the accounting standard-setting environment (Wolk., Dodd and Rozycki, 2012). The reliable principle of conceptual framework requires disclosure of the financial facts and figures that are appropriate and can be used by the investors in decision-making processes (Bamberg and Spremann, 2012). However, due to presence of country-specific issues, the company incorporates the use of historic cost rather than fair value in valuing its financial assets and liabilities. The historic cost does not provide realistic information about the assets and liabilities value as it does not incorporate the market information (Horngren, et al., 2012). Therefore, IASB has directed the accounting standard-setting bodies around the world such as AASB to adopt the use of fair value accounting for meeting the needs of users of financial statements. The company has also made some voluntary disclosure sin its annual report such as disclosing the information related to the operating results realized from eco-markets. The company has adopted the different accounting policies during the preparation of its general purpose financial statements for improving its financial profitability (Langendijk, Swagerman and Verhoog, 2003). This include use of historic cost accounting, straight-line method for calculating deprecation, segment reporting and incorporating the use of principle of consolidation for developed its concise financial statements. This is all done by the company to meet the needs and expectations of its different stakeholders and thus achieve the trust and confidence (AGL Annual Report, 2016). This will enable the company to survive in long-term through realizing improved financial profitability (Hussey, and Ong, 2005). Conclusion It can be inferred from the overall discussion held in the report that accounting policies adopted by a business entity plays a significant role in improving its financial profitability. The business corporations should develop and prepare their financial reports as per the qualitative characteristics stated in the conceptual accounting framework. However, there is need for providing some flexibility in the accounting framework to the managers so that they can adopt the best accounting practices as per the nature of business operations. The discretion provided to the managers should not distort the financial performance in nay way. The AGL Energy Ltd is complying effectively with all the conceptual accounting framework principles through selection of adequate accounting policies and choices. It has also implemented flexibility in its accounting policies for maximizing its operational efficiency and linking the incentive plan of the KMP with the shareholders value. There area also som e issues of concern present in the annual report of the company that requires more disclosure. References AGL Annual Report 2016. [Online] Available at: https://www.agl.com.au/-/media/DLS/About-AGL/Documents/Investor-Centre/160828_AR_1587084.pdf?la=en Annual Report 2015. AGL Energy. [Online]. 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